Though some Moms cringe at the word “sales” and are quick to say they are “not a salesperson” – really isn’t everything in life sales? When we tell a friend about a great restaurant we just dined at and why they should go, we are “selling ” that restaurant to them. Same for a movie we see and recommend. So let’s think of it as sharing, instead of selling. Is that better? It’s called “social selling” – with the surge of websites like Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter – which allow Moms to market their businesses online by sharing with connections they made.

So when you find the company that you love, that has a line of products  that you adore, it’s simply  a matter of sharing it with others. How can your item enrich someone else’s life or fill a need? How can your business opportunity help another person? See? It’s not that hard. And when you think of it that way and bring passion along with you, you can do very well.

While there are many things to look for when joining a direct sales company, there are a few points that stand out to me and that you should consider.

• Is the company reputable? If you google “complaints” do you find a long list? Are they listed with the DSA or the BBB?
• Does the company have a product line you like, use and believe in? When you use and love the line, you will find it much easier to share it and hence, grow your business and customer base. To me, this is a key issue. If you don’t love what you do, it’ll be challenging at best. When you love the line,  and you feel in alignment with the products and company values, then go for it.
• Does the company have values that fit with your lifestyle?
• Is the company a sales-driven company, not just focused on recruiting? Talk to consultants and research it. Perhaps follow a few consultants on Facebook and see if they are focusing on the products or only recruiting?
• Does the company offer a reasonable start-up investment? Many will range from $79 to several hundred dollars for a large kit. But make sure you are getting products for that money and not just paying a set up fee. Check return and cancellation policy as well.
• Does the company have an auto ship? It it reasonable? While some people love the idea of getting new products each month, others would rather order when they choose.
• Are parties a requirement? Some require parties, some allow them as optional ways to gain business. IF you want to have parties, then great! However if your focus will be retailing online, check around and see if any consultants do that, how it works for them, and how it fits with the company.
• What kind of support will you get? Ask about team training and resources, ask if your potential leader works the business daily, ask what the company offers as far as training. Training ranges from phone calls, text support, webinars, in person meetings, and company sponsored events. Make sure most of these, if not all, are available to you when you sign up.

There are many more points but I’ve focused on the few important ones I feel necessary when shopping around to join a direct sales company.

Some new Moms, or even busy Moms of 3 or 4 wonder how they will find the time to work their businesses. Ask a direct sales Mom who already has a successful business plus  multiple children, sports games, schools , etc and she will tell you she is busy but has learned to carve out notches of time to make business a priority as well. When your business is in direct match with your core values and lifestyle, it’s never “work” and always fun. Check out these five tips for growing your direct sales business.

As a result, more and more initiatives are in place to discourage people from engaging in the dangerous habits that claim lives every day.  An episode of Glee broached the subject when a character was temporarily paralyzed following a texting-related car accident.

Many people assume that only young adults engage in the risky behavior but the truth is far more horrifying.

A new report shows that the majority of parents, nearly 90% of the 600 who participated in the survey, admitted to being distracted while driving with their young children (between 1 and 12 years old) in their vehicle.  Even more surprising is the fact that parents who had higher incomes and had completed higher education were the most likely to be distracted.

The top reasons why these mothers and fathers were not paying attention to the road involved cell phone usage.  Most commonly, they took phone calls (70%) but at least 10% also admitted to texting while driving.

Parents also admitted to other distractions including eating, drinking or smoking while driving and also confessed to feeding children and picking up toys while behind the wheel.  Interestingly, the parents who said they had issues with being distracted were also more likely to have been involved in a car accident at some point.

Many could reasonably argue that we all have lost our focus while driving – but there is one thing that there really is no excuse for. In the survey, the participants were asked if they were properly using child restraints such as car seats, boosters and seat belts. The people who admitted to improperly using restraints were also two and a half times more likely to report being distracted. Clearly, this is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

We all know how busy life can be and it can be tempting to leave everything until the last minute but when you get behind the wheel, put the phone away and take those extra few minutes to set up your GPS system before you leave the driveway or to pull into a parking space and eat a few fries after hitting the drive-thru.  It could save your own child’s life.

For more information on distracted driving, visit the U.S. Department of Transportation.

There are an abundance of apps available that can make your life easier when it comes to planning and preparing meals.  We checked them out and came up with a list of five great ones that are worth downloading.

BigOven (free)

The BigOven app is loaded with more 250,000 recipes, offering new takes on old classics.  A cool feature is the ability to drag and drop recipes into a calendar so that you can keep track of your plans at a glance.  Upgrading to the Pro version ($15) also gives you the ability to automatically generate a grocery list based on the meals you’ve selected.

Perfect Produce ($1.99)

Want to eat more fruits and vegetables but are confused about buying, storing and using them?  Perfect Produce is a handy tool that will give you tips so that you can start planning healthier meals.  There really is a method behind the madness when you see people tapping on melons and smelling peppers. This app helps you take the guesswork out of picking the perfect produce!

Fast Paleo ($0.99)

It seems like everyone is checking out the Paleo diet these days but, as they get started, it can be confusing to determine what foods they can eat. The Fast Paleo app helps keep users on track with their caveman diet and offers a huge selection of tasty recipes.

Crock-Pot Recipes ($3.99)

For many busy moms, the slow-cooker can be their best friend.  Grab a roast, throw it in the pot, put it on low and come home to a tasty, hot meal.  Sounds easy, right?  The thing is that it can also be a little tricky and mundane.  This app provides clear instructions for making the best meals and offers a great selection of meal ideas.

Substitutions ($0.99)

How many times have you been in the middle of a glorious recipe, things are going great and then you look for a main ingredient and realize you don’t have it?  It’s so frustrating and it can also result in wasted food if you feel like you’ve got to abandon the meal.  This fantastic app will help you look for substitutions for your missing item so that you can continue on with your masterpiece.  It also works for those who are looking to modify a recipe to be low-sodium and gluten-free.

So many of the apps on our phones do little more than drain our batteries.  Hopefully, some of these apps will help you actually save time instead of waste it. And check out these meal planning apps while you’re at it!

While there are a lot of unusual gadgets available on the market, here are the top eight worst Mother’s Day tech gifts for moms:

Bluetooth Handset Gloves These gloves, by Think Geek, are advertised as “warm and comfortable capacitive-touch gloves with a Bluetooth headset built-in,” and allow moms to talk on their smart phone by extending their thumb to their ear and pinky-finger to their mouth. Unless you really want to appear as if you’ve lost touch with reality, these gloves are probably not a gift you want to add to your list.	Image Credit: ThinkGeek.com
Sonic Grenade For those who have a hard time waking up, this gadget by Firebox boasts its ability to wake even the heaviest sleeper.  It claims that “within twenty seconds a piercingly loud, spectacularly annoying noise will blast from this comedy grenade’s innards, causing the sleeper to wake up faster than you can say ‘I love it when a plan comes together’.” Though you might be tempted to purchase this one yourself for your hard-to-wake-up teenager, using this gadget is most likely not the best way to wake someone up … just guessing.	Image Credit: Firebox.com
EyeSeeCam For the mom who wants to get noticed while recording those memorable moments, this gift is perfect.  However, if you are the least bit concerned with looks, this may not be the tech gift you request for Mother’s Day.  This award-winning camera system is operated by your eyes and records what the user’s eyes really sees.  This device will also record video onto virtually any laptop device. Though not visually appealing, this scientific breakthrough is quite impressive.	Image Credit: PC World
Gun Camera While on the subject of cameras, this uniquely designed gun camera is nothing to sneeze at. Though is looks like a 9mm handgun, it’s actually a 16mm camera called the Doryu 2-16.  To make its gun-like appearance even more real, you load the camera with magnesium bullet cartridges and then point, aim and fire to get your shot.  Apparently it was initially a police-issue device in Japan, but is now available via auction in London. Just guessing that this gadget hasn’t made the top of the “want” list for moms.	Image Credit: Christie’s Auctions
LED Umbrella For Star Wars enthusiasts, this gift by Think Geek should be first on your list. For the rest, this gadget definitely makes our Top Eight list.  Now you can walk in the rain at night and not lose your way. As their ad states, you can have the “coolest umbrella on the street. With a push of a button, the shaft lights up, illuminating you and your path.”  Though probably not the best gift for mom, your kids will most likely love it.	Image Credit: ThinkGeek.com
Grassy Charging Station Though currently not available (who could guess why?), this tech gift deserves an honorable mention.  It’s unique design allows it to serve two purposes in one compact container. Now moms can add greenery to their home and charge their electronic devices at the same time. Talk about efficiency.	Image Credit: PC World
GoJo Handsfree Headset Moms are multi-taskers and need to be able to move their arms freely while talking on their smart phone.  What better gift than the GoJo Handsfree Headset. Though this may help you get more done around the house, you might want to avoid heading outdoors with a full-sized smartphone strapped to your head. You just might send your neighbors walking in the opposite direction. But if this gift is meant for you, here’s a way to save a little money: you can accomplish pretty much the same functionality (and look) with a stretchy wrap-around headband.	Image Credit: Time Tech
USB Heating Gloves For moms who spend a lot of time on the computer at the office, you no longer have to worry about having chilled fingers. You can now keep your hands warm and toasty as you type with these USB Heating Gloves by USB Geek.  These gloves come with a hidden warming pad inside that plugs into any USB port. Now you never have to remove your gloves. Just, please, remember to unplug before getting up from your desk.	Image Credit: USB Geeks

Your Turn: What is the worst the least favorite Mother’s Day gift you have received?

Personality.

There are so many ways your personality affects your business, it’s hard to see its full impact. However, here are the top four areas of business your personality will affect:

Your Readers

If you are a blogger, your personality is really going to play a large role in how your readers perceive you. When people decide whether or not they like your site and your content, it’s going to be due in large part to your personality.

Some people relate well with people who have strong, confident personalities. Others gravitate to people with more of an expert, professional persona. Still others love the casual, funny and off the cuff style. Your personality will determine your readership in a large part. This is why it’s important to be sure that the type of people you are targeting will mesh with your personality.

Your Prospective Customers or Clients

How your prospective customer or client will relate to you is also greatly influenced by your personality. How you interact with them will determine if they can trust you in general, as well as your products or services.

How are you perceived?  Do people perceive you as generous? If so, they’re more likely to be generous towards you. Do people feel like you’re trustworthy? Can they rely on you? If so, they’re more likely to buy from you.

Potential JV Partners

In the blogging and online marketing world, forming joint ventures with like-minded partners can really catapult your blog or business.  Potential partners will also look to your personality to decide whether or not they want to work with you on various projects. Remember the saying: “All else being equal, people do business with people they like. All else not being equal, people still do business with people they like.”

This applies to all kinds of partnership relationships. It applies to finding sponsors or advertisers as well as getting blogging or business partners. No matter what kind of personality you have, it helps to have a smile. Even if your style is sarcastic, adding a smile can make partners much more likely to want to work with you.

Your Social Network

Your personality has a huge influence on how your social community will relate to you. Will they feel as if they can pour out their real concerns to you? Or will they be afraid to be honest? Will they joke with you? Or will they feel you’re too stiff to have fun with?  Will they feel compelled to promote you to others? Or will they share your faults the first chance they get?

When building your social network, be sure to be honest, appropriately open, giving and kind. Look for ways to sincerely help others and you’ll find that they’ll look for ways to help you back.

Personality runs everything in business. It’s the crux of your customer interactions, the key to partnership deals, the secret to winning your readers’ loyalty and the #1 tool in building an engaged social community. By becoming a person who treats others as you would want to be treated, and one who builds trusting relationships, you increase your chances of building a successful home business.

Gender Roles

Incredibly, a 2012 study by the Entertainment Software Association showed that a whopping 47% of all game players are women.  What’s even more astounding is that female players who are over 18 actually significantly outnumber male players 17 and under.  Of course, it hasn’t always been this way but tides are clearly changing – the average male has been playing for 16 years but females aren’t that far behind with an average of 12 years of gaming experience.

What They Play

While a variety of online games are popular, the most played are puzzle, board game, game show, cards and trivia games.  The invention of technology such as Smart Phones and social media likely contributed to these games’ success.

The top-selling video games fall within the strategy, role-playing and casual categories with titles such as Call of Duty and Just Dance being among the most purchased.  That serves to demonstrate how the demographics are changing and developers have had to adjust their releases accordingly.

How They Play

It’s hard to believe but 49% of U.S. households own at least one dedicated game console which can range from the family-friendly Nintendo to the more mature Playstation.  Some consoles allow players to connect online, promoting multiplayer gaming while other games require solo gameplay.

Smartphones, mobile devices and computers are also widely used for gaming.  In a report, USA Today explained that 60% of female gamers played on mobile devices.  Just think of how many people played Angry Birds and you will realize the mass appeal of gaming today.

The Future

Women have repeatedly been offended over the years by campaigns geared towards “girl gamers.”  Clearly, if they represent such a large percentage of the gaming population, they have been enjoying what has been offered over the years.  One thing that is interesting, however, is that parents are using video games as an opportunity to spend time with their children.  In fact, 40% of parents play with their children at least weekly while 59% engage in gaming with their kids at least monthly.

Will this be replacing board games as the new family pastime?  It’s very possible.

In other words, you can’t run from yourself. Maybe it’s better to dig in your heels, reevaluate the situation and come up with a plan for coping since, let’s face it, most workplaces are going to have problems. Here are some suggestions for making work a better place to be.

You Cannot Change Others

This is a great starting point because it is the most important thing. You cannot force change upon others. The only person you can control is yourself, no matter how you try. In the end, if you want to see improvements, you should start with you. Your boss might be nitpicky, your coworkers could be gossipy and your employees may complain constantly. Work on how you react in those situations. When you give in to the people who are trying to make you miserable, you’ve lost control of the situation.  Let the gossipers talk – if you’re not around to hear it, who cares?

Focus on Your Own Work

This is a real challenge for many people. We look at other people’s work for a variety reasons. Maybe we need guidance. Perhaps, we are trying to outshine someone for a big promotion.  If you work on a team, you might be monitoring whether the workload is being equally distributed. Regardless of the reason, there is one thing that is painfully true – in order to focus on someone else’s work, you must be neglecting your own. Concentrate on getting your own tasks completed efficiently and accurately and let your supervisors worry about everyone else.

Bring the Happy

Who doesn’t love the person who brings cookies, flowers and other treats in on occasion? You shouldn’t be killing yourself staying up late baking but a little thoughtfulness can go a long way. Become known for being the person who always remembers birthdays and holidays and people will come to associate you with happier things.

Leave Your Problems at Home

To varying degrees, we’ve all got something to complain about. But if you come in every day upset about your home life, it’s just going to feed into the negativity that everyone else is also feeling. Of course, there are times when something genuinely heinous is happening and you need to unload but, for the most part, maintain professionalism and leave outside concerns at the door.

Serve Up Some Praise

We often feel threatened and unappreciated at work and, as a result, things can get a little cutthroat.  Instead of giving in to that old trap, try praising your coworkers whether it be for a job well-done, weight loss or a pair of boots that make them look nice.  As long as you are genuine in your approach, a little praise can go a long way.

We spend so many of our waking hours in our workplace and our coworkers become like a little family to us (dysfunctional or not).  It’s worth investing a little effort into making things run more smoothly. Next time you feel upset or frustrated, take a step back and think about these suggestions. It could make a big difference.

To start, here are 5 creative tips to get you thinking. Implement the ones that you haven’t tried, or the ones that can fit into your lifestyle.

1. Have a Spring Fling or Re-Launch Party

You can do this at your home, have a friend host it, or even work with a local business. You’ll need products, samples, catalogs and perhaps some gift baggies. Invite friends and colleagues to come over for a casual event, showcasing your company’s new products or new catalog. Offer a free gift for anyone who brings a friend and add an incentive by giving out a door prize/raffle for anyone who attends. You can also offer a sale on either the products on hand or you can offer a sale on orders you take. I recommend doing both actually, since people do like to be able to go home with a product. Instant satisfaction!

For your invitations, I like a three step process. Call your friend, send a postcard, and then follow-up by text or Facebook. Start off by calling your friends to invite them. Let them know it’s a casual event and they aren’t required to purchase anything. Encourage them to invite friends and that there will be prizes, food, and fun. Then send a postcard so they have a visual reminder at home. Include all the details, the date/time and location. The night before, get in touch again with a quick reminder.

2. Grow Your Business Online

It all starts with YOU, not the business. Lead with WHO you are and make solid connections. On Facebook , make 3-5 new friends a week by seeing who you have mutual friends with. I always send a brief message when I make a friend request and then, after accepted, I write again, either in a message or on their wall. The key is to truly make a connection, not just search for a business lead or customer. There are many wonderful people in the world that you will have a lot in common with. Find some and make new online friends. They will see your business at some point , and if interested, they will ask.

Don’t solicit, but DO grow your friend list consistently each month. You can also make a business or personal fan page (follow company and Facebook rules for this) and invite friends to join if they are interested in learning more about your line. Then visit other pages. Like them, and post with a quick link back to your page. Many times other companies will reciprocate with a like back. This drives more people to see your business and product line.

3. Market Locally

This mainly involves flyers, brochures and business cards. Have them on you, or in your car, at all times. Post at community bulletin boards and ask if you can leave catalogs in the lobby of your doctor, dance studio, salon, etc.  Have business cards with your picture on them, your website, and all pertinent company info. Hand them out when someone asks for your number (even if it’s a Mom for the carpool to soccer).

4. Join Pinterest

Or if you already have an account, create a special board specifically for your business. Pin images that you are allowed to use, pin your blog articles, pin tips for people on how a particular product works and add your website to the board description. Pinterest is creative marketing mania that is on fire! Pin at least 4-5 days a week and make sure to follow other pinners. The key, as with all social media marketing, is to get as many interested followers as you can and create that connection. Don’t just have business boards, though. Add your personality too. I can tell about someone instantly by looking at their  boards … whether they are an animal lover, an avid cook, a shoe junkie, or a crafter.  Let the true you shine through, so people want to follow you and see value in your pins.

5. Get to Company Events

Check if your company is holding an event near you and get registered. If that is not possible, at the very least, get back on every company and team phone call, webinar and training possible. Often we do that in the beginning, and then taper off, or forget completely. They are so important in keeping you motivated and well-connected and in the know about all company related events, growth and new products! So clear the schedule and set aside some “business  meeting time” where you can re-commit to taking major action and growing your direct sales business bigger than ever!

The change, designed to “reduce clutter and focus more on stories from the people you care about,” impacts the design and functionality of the News Feed.  The changes come in three major parts:

• Vibrant Stories which will more prominently display photos and visual content,
• Choice of Feeds which will allow users to have more control over the story topics that appear, and
• Better Mobile Experience, coming from more mobile consistency

Vibrant Stories

In his announcement, Mark Zuckerberg stated that almost 50% of News Feed content today is photos and visual content. This inspired the design changes to each News Feed story. Though you will still see the same stories you saw before in your News Feed, each story has been rebuilt to be much more colorful and vibrant while highlighting the content shared by your friends.

For example, news articles, photos, maps and events will appear bigger, brighter and more vivid.

Image Credit: Facebook Newsroom

Photo albums have also received a facelift to tell a better story.

Image Credit: Hubspot.com

Stories shared in the News Feed by individuals or brands will also pull in additional pieces of the person’s or page’s timeline, such as their cover photo and thumbnail images of their friends. Articles shared on Facebook will now feature a more prominent title, a larger image, and a longer article summary.

Image Credit: Facebook

Other changes to stories include featuring places more prominently on maps, bigger placement of content shared by third-party apps like Pinterest, and larger displays of videos, among others.

Choice of Feeds

To make sure users are seeing more of the stories that matter to them, Facebook is introducing several new feeds in addition to the feeds you have today:

• All Friends – where you see all of the content your friends are sharing
• Photos – where nothing but the photos shared by your friends and Pages you have liked are displayed
• Music – a feed dedicated to posts about music you listen to
• Following – a feed that displays the latest news from the people you follow and the Pages you like

Image Credit: Facebook Newsroom

Better Mobile Experience

Now, wherever you use Facebook – on mobile, tablet or web – you will get the same clean look and vibrant design, creating a much more simplified and unified user experience. For example, the left-hand menu will now be accessible anywhere you go on Facebook. Users will also be able to easily jump to the top of the News Feed when new stories come in.

Image Credit: Facebook Newsroom

The new design is being rolled out on web and mobile over the coming weeks. If you’re interested in getting it early, you can add yourself to the waiting list.

Bigger Images

After Facebook changed to the timeline format about a year ago, other platforms like Tumblr and Twitter have also introduced larger images. Now Pinterest is joining in.

Pinterest shares, “Pins are bigger and we’ve added more information related to pins, so it’s easier to find things you’re interested in. For example, on each pin, you’ll see pins from the same board, other boards this pin was pinned to, and a whole slew of related pins.”

The updated version of Pinterest offers more space to highlight a selected pin in a larger format. Selected pins currently show in the middle of the screen when highlighted. The new design gives users additional details on each pin, and includes a new related pins sidebar. Perhaps by design, the updated version encourages users to stay on the site longer by enticing them to join in commenting, repinning, or clicking through to other boards.

Better Navigation

Pinterest’s navigation will also receive an upgrade. “We made the navigation more intuitive,” shares Pinterest, “so it’s faster to get to where you want to go.”

To make your browsing experience even better, Pinterest has replaced the navigational links at the top of the page with a slider tab now in the upper left corner. By clicking the tab down, users will be greeted with a wide array of Pinterest image categories from which to choose. The tab also includes pins from those you follow as well as popular pins across Pinterest.  They’ve also added a thumbnail image to the hyperlink of the originating board a particular pin came from, making it more visually appealing.

Faster Browsing

In addition to these visual changes, Pinterest is also making improvements “behind the scenes” that they hope will make the user’s online experience faster.  With hundreds of images in varying sizes uploaded to the site daily, this is a good indication that Pinterest is preparing for continual growth.

The test of the updated site will be limited to a small group of people, but those interested are encouraged by Pinterest to send in their information.

Images courtesy of Pinterest blog.