I can't say that I have been that good, I've just been consistent. Last year I had a few girls find me online and they, in turn are the ones to who I owe my success. Since I have had a full time job (in a male dominated field) the whole time and not a large amount of friends and family local. I have had to rely 99% on networking events. A great website for that is www.meetup.com, you can sign up for business, to find new activities, meet new couples and so much more! www.craigslist.org is also a good place as long as you are meeting in a public place. That is where I got started 2 years ago this month.
I would say that facebook helped me get started, then the networking events, it took the pressure off of me having to beg family and friends that I did have immediate access to. What was so great is that the ladies that I initially was just networking with have turned into some great friends!! We help one another in many ways and not just buying product. I'll figure out a way to put their links on my page...
The reason for today's blog is that I have as of Jan 1st gone part-time with Residential Elevators, Inc. and have gone FT with Thirty-One gifts. I now need to reach out, get out of my comfort zone and call people I KNOW and ask them to have parties for me. Whats funny is this- I listened to a training call on "Booking parties" the other day and decided to try it. it goes something like this:
3 groups of names-
A for the people you think will say yes
B for the people you think will say maybe
C for the NO's.
You are to start with the NO's so you feel good about your odds. But mentally you are still hoping for a "YES! I'd LOVE to help you out!"
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For those of you who do not know my background, I was a sales trainer, manager and recruiter for years (9.5 to be exact)... You would think I would know all of this by now. I feel like starting my own business is like learning a new language, but also just because I already know ALL of this doesn;t mean that I act on it.
"It doesn't matter what you know, its what you do with what you know that matters".... (I'm not sure who came up with this saying but it is SO true).
Here is what happened to me:
I emailed 5 ladies that I do not have #'s for and well I heard from (2) of them- one replies that she would LOVE to help, another said I am XXXXX and all of my friends are XXXX and we like "designer" items. SO now, in the back of my mind racial profiling my potential customers (I don't like this one bit)
I called 3 and left messages on 2- I haven't heard back from them and the one that did answer didn't know my # and picked up. I started by nicely catching up and the conversation was flowing smoothly until I got to the part of asking for help or a "favor". Being that I have been in sales FOREVER and so has this acquaintance, immediately I get, "I don't have any friends." and then I say, "what about work ladies?" She then has another call come on the line and says, "Oh, this is a work call I've got to get it, call me this weekend" well little does she know, when she goes to answer the next call... its still me on the line when she says "YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHO THAT WAS" I then hung up and took that as a NO. My point here is that I truly feel that I am nice to EVERYONE, if I'm not interested I'll say, I'm sorry its not my thing. BUT, I'd be happy to send an email out to my email list for you. (OR something along those lines.) Needless to say even though I was contacting my NO's they totally deflated my mojo and well made me feel worthless. So now I need to rebuild my confidence and get back out there... or on the phone.
I called my husband who is being extremely supportive through this change and he just says brush it off- I took out my Jelly Bellies and ate a handful. :)
So to those of you reading this and wondering how I made it to a director and can't take rejection... I'm human and I'll get back on the phone and call an A Lister to boost my confidence. That is just what I did a few hours later, she isn't going to host a party BUT she is going to come to my party next week, and she is bringing a FRIEND. She is doing this to SUPPORT me, that is what friends do, they support other friends. So remember this, if you let people know what you are trying to accomplish they just may help. But those people who have their own agendas keep them on your C list and get it over with.
Did I mention that I am a DIRECTOR?! I keep mentioning this because as I write I am still questioning my decision to leave my great paying job to build this business that will in a few years be a GREAT paying job but not only that, I BELIEVE in this amazing company "Thirty-One"...
I received this when I promoted back in November. I use this cup EVERYDAY, I have my note hanging next to my desk (so I can see it EVERYDAY) and it reminds me that I have a team of 31 girls that need me to be successful so that I can help them be successful. They push me everyday to be a better person- and I am thankful that I have them, they give me a new purpose.
I just googled proverbs 31 and found this-
My goal for this year is to have 31 new personal recruits this year. What is funny is that on my 31st Birthday I said I wanted to have 31 girls on my team (I didn't specify how) and sure enough I have 31 girls on my team. Now, the next focus is to call and ask people if they know of anyone who would be interested in hosting a party, not them themselves... I'll keep you posted to see if the terminology change is successful :)
SO that goal means that I need to have 2.5 new team members a month. SO far Jan 21st I do not have any- I've got to get on it-
