Tweet

Direct Sales

Written by: Stephen Potter

Article Overview: So, you’ve got a business plan that you think is flawless, a product that you think is unbeatable, and the ambition to take your company to the top. What else do you need to succeed in the line of direct sales? Well, believe it or not, a lot more! From personal experience, I know that just being well organized and having a product that you think is great, does not mean that everyone else out there will agree with you. If you’re going to succeed in this extremely competitive field, there are some things that you should know.

Direct Sales

So, you’ve got a business plan that you think is flawless, a product that you think is unbeatable, and the ambition to take your company to the top. What else do you need to succeed in the line of direct sales? Well, believe it or not, a lot more! From personal experience, I know that just being well organized and having a product that you think is great, does not mean that everyone else out there will agree with you. If you’re going to succeed in this extremely competitive field, there are some things that you should know.

First of all, you really must believe in the product you are selling. No matter how good an actor you might think you are, if you don’t think your product is worthwhile and actually a good deal for customers, trust me, it will show. That’s because when you sell a product, rarely are you selling that product itself. Instead, you’re selling your enthusiasm and passion for the product. People buy things that get them excited, not just things that are going to add value to their lives.

Secondly, you need to have an iron will to succeed. Rarely will you get a “yes” on the first try. Even the most experienced sales people continue to hear rejection on a daily basis. But, it’s not the number of times you get a sale that actually makes the mark of a great salesperson. Instead, it’s the number of times someone has been rejected and refused to quit, the number of times you’ve been willing to fail and try again. In this field, you will only be as successful as the amount of time and effort you are willing to invest in your endeavour.

A third factor that will help you succeed in direct sales is to be real. I don’t mean realistic, I mean real. Customers don’t want to be approached by someone they think is a salesperson, someone phony who is just after their money. They want to buy from someone who is down to earth and natural. Try not to put on a show for prospects or push products on them. Just be yourself. By being natural and displaying your natural enthusiasm for the product, people will be much more receptive to your efforts.

That being said, however, you can’t forget that you are a salesperson above all else, and yes, your goal is to sell products and make money. So, you can’t just sit back and be friendly and nice and hope people will buy your product. There is a certain amount of ‘selling’ that you need to do, but there is a way to do it that won’t scare people away. Try to emphasize the value of the product and how it will improve the customer’s life. And, you need to learn how to close the sale. There is no point wasting your time putting on a show and demonstrating your product’s benefits if you are then unwilling to ask for the sale.

By setting goals and continuing on no matter how many times you get rejected, you cane make your career in direct sales a success.

Related Articles
  Using direct sales incentives to reward and retain
  Home Business Expert: Direct Sales Is An Economic & Recession Proof Business
  Women in direct sales – Five Reasons I Love It!
  A Good Work At Home Moms Business Idea
  A Look Into Direct Sales Vs Multi Level Marketing Programs

Article Tags: direct sales, direct sales, personal experience, the product, the product



Related Forum Posts
Hello From Marietta GA! - Hello All! My name is Tim Naylor and I am in Direct Sales! I am glad I have found EC's sites and I hope to learn and share a lot!
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz] I second the request...
CRM Pro Program - There are programs like CRM pro that cost a lot but they do a lot of combination Direct mail and email and voiceblast. I have a karate school that uses something like that. I can get a lead -- then email use directmail and even fax. voicemail too. I also now of a cost effective program but I have to look the name up and get back with you. Hope this helps.
Top 19 Copywriting books - 1. Ogilvy on Advertising. David Ogilvy. Wiley. 2. Positioning: The Battle for your Mind. Al Ries and Jack Trout. Warner. 3. The New Positioning. Jack Trout. McGraw-Hill. 4. Tested Advertising Methods. John Caples. Prentice-Hall. 5. How to Make your Advertising Make Money. John Caples. Prentice-Hall. 6. Guerrilla Advertising. Jay Conrad Levinson. Houghton Mifflin. 7. Direct Mail Copy that Sells. Herschell Gordon Lewis. Prentice-Hall. 8. Sales Letters that Sizzle. Herschell Gordon Lewis. NTC Business Books. 9. Herschell Gordon Lewis on the Art of Writing Copy. Herschell Gordon Lewis. Prentice-Hall. 10. Romancing the Brand. David Martin. American Management Association. 11. The Art of Writing Advertising: Conversations with William Bernbach, Leo Burnett, George Gribbin, David Ogilvy, Rosser Reeves. NTC Business Books. 12. Confessions of an Advertising Man. David Ogilvy. NTC Business Books. 13. My Life in Advertising. Claude Hopkins. NTC Business Books. 14. Scientific Advertising. Claude Hopkins. NTC Business Books. 15. How to Become an Advertising Man. James Webb Young. NTC Business Books. 16. The Lasker Story as He Told It. NTC Business Books. 17. Advertising Concept and Copy. George Felton. Prentice Hall. 18. The Copy WorkShop Workbook. Bruce Bendinger. The Copy Workshop. 19. Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: A Guide to Creating Great Ads. Luke Sullivan. Wiley. This should keep you busy for at least a year. Enjoy!


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Emotional Intelligence in Business

The Neglected Art of Receiving

How do you keep it together on a daily basis?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.