Four years ago, I took a total leap of faith and started a social selling business. I'll be 100% honest with you and tell you I never saw myself doing direct sales - not because I had preconceived notions or prejudices toward the industry (I know some do). But, my background was in English and education. My master's degree is in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in journalism.
I'd never taken a business class in my life. And the closest I ever got to being a salesperson was my first ever job at our local Martin's Supermarket where I was a cashier. Not a whole lot of sales technique needed there!
So I jumped into this world not because I had a passion for sales but because I have an insane passion for storytelling, and I knew this was a way I could help tell stories from home while my kiddos napped.
I honestly didn't have a clue what I was doing. I didn't know a thing about branding, marketing, analytics, or customer relations. NONE of that was in my wheelhouse. But I love learning, and I'm a good student, so I knew I could learn. I jumped into every call, webinar, training, and resource provided by our Home Office (and seriously, y'all, KEEP Collective is INSANELY GOOD with training and resources!). I watched what successful leaders in my company and the industry as a whole were doing, and I took bits and pieces that I could apply to my business. I started reading more books on professional and personal development and started reading a little less fiction. And I spent time figuring out who I was as a designer (or consultant or salesperson or representative or ambassador or whatever you're called in your company). Who was I, and what made me, me?
And there are lots of nuggets of wisdom I could unload here. And I do - weekly - on my team's Facebook page - because when we all share those nuggets, we ALL benefit. I'm so damn lucky to do this among INCREDIBLE teammates and other designers who are always lifting each other up.
But today, I'm sharing the biggest nugget with you. Because sharing is caring, y'all, and we're all in this together.
The BEST piece of advice I can ever give you: Get consistent.
I realize that probably sounds really simplistic, right?
But consistency in your business solves SO FREAKING MANY PROBLEMS you might face. Let's break it down, okay?
Posting on social media
Twenty years ago, the world of direct sales looked INSANELY different. Why? Because social media was just a baby (or in most cases, non-existent), and it has VASTLY changed how people share. We no longer call Aunt Agnes to tell her the latest things the kids are up to. Instead, we post our pictures and stories on Facebook and she sees it all there. We no longer have to rely on the postal service to get catalogs and information across the country. We just share a link, and poof, the information is there!
So why does consistency matter on Social Media? Because you and your business aren't people's priority. While your best friends and family members may know what it is you do, the vast majority probably does NOT. It's important to let people know who you are and what you have to offer.
Now, that DOESN'T mean you post 17 times a day about your business (or 17 times a day, period). But what it does mean is that you find your cadence and you commit to doing it. Maybe you share on your personal page when you have new products that launch, and you share more frequently in a group or on a business page where people make the choice to follow you. But find a rhythm that works for you and your type of business, and commit to doing it.
Casual conversations with new people
For the first three or so years that I was designing at KEEP Collective, every single time someone asked me what I did, I'd say that I was a stay-at-home-mom. Which, true. BUT, I also work from home, and I freaking LOVE that I get the balance of both. So now when people ask what it is that I do, I tell them that I get to work from home with an incredible storytelling and jewelry business while raising my babes. It's the best of all the worlds and the perfect fit for our family.
Sharing what you do is important, and so are those casual conversations. When you meet new people, don't be afraid to share what it is you do when it comes up! If they ask more about it, AWESOME. If they don't, that's awesome too. But keep talking about it - when applicable.
Putting in the time
Your business is flexible, but it's not optional. And we ALL have stuff going on. But if you're going to make your business thrive, you have to put in the time. You have to make it or find it. Getting up 20 minutes earlier. Setting aside an evening or two a week. Committing to 30 minutes on a weekend morning. Skipping an hour of Netflix here and there. It doesn't matter when or how, but the effort has to be there. And this really has to be what works best for YOU. For some people, it's really structured time the same days of the week. For others, it's fitting it in during the small crevices of the day (this is how I operate, but I know it doesn't work for everyone!). It doesn't matter how. It matters that you DO.
There will be ebbs and flows - as in all things. And flexibility and adaptability are key. But consistency HAS to be a part of that.
If you own your own business or are in social selling, I'd love to know, what's YOUR best piece of advice? What would you tell others?
