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.

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.

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!

Staying motivated is essential to thriving as a work at home mom.  If you find yourself losing motivation from time to time, here are five essential motivators to get you back on track:

Take time for yourself.

This is often the first solution given to overworked moms, but it can be the most difficult to put into action. With all of the demands placed on moms, between household tasks and business responsibilities, you may feel there isn’t any time left in the day for “unproductive” activities. However, taking a break is essential to your longevity. Even if you love the work you are doing, your brain needs an occasional break to re energize.  Start by taking short breaks every few hours to stretch your muscles or to get a breath of fresh air. Work your way up to taking one full day off each week for ultimate relaxation. Your body and your business will thank you.

Write down realistic daily goals.

Taking just 15 minutes at the beginning of each day to plan your activities will actually save you more time in the long run.  By identifying all of the demands for the day and prioritizing them, you can better allocate your time to the most important tasks first.  Writing down your daily plan in one key place, be it a planner, notebook, or list-based app for your smartphone, is important to staying organized and keeping a record of your business activities.

Ask for help.

Even super moms need help from time to time. If you can afford it, get help with the housework as much as possible or hire a virtual assistant to help with day-to-day business responsibilities.  If you’re on a tight budget, consider asking a friend or family member to watch the kids while you meet a deadline or use low-cost services like Fiverr for outsourcing various business tasks.

Expect the best.

Your attitude, whether positive or not, shows through your body language, choice of words, tone of voice, and even your posture.  Strive to be confident in your work and maintain a positive attitude.  Expect that you will be successful, remembering you are uniquely qualified to do the work that you do.

Focus on Now.

It’s important to set boundaries for your roles as mom and entrepreneur.  When you are spending time with your family, be 100% present, and when it’s time for business, maintain your focus on your work. Trying to check emails, file papers, or take a quick call while playing with the kids only leads to feelings of low worth for them and frustration for you. Though it may be impossible to strike a perfect balance, by setting appropriate boundaries, it is possible to juggle running a family while building a home business.

Every day people search the Internet for all sorts of opportunities with the goal of finding ways to make money with low startup costs. Many of the basic equipment needed to begin earning extra income are in your home right now. If you have a computer with a high-speed internet connection, a telephone, a desk, and a printer, you can get going right away.  Here are 5 quick ways you can make money for your holiday purchases:

Blog Ads.

If you have a good online presence and decent traffic to your blog, you can begin generating income with ads.  A blog with a niche will perform better than a personal one, but you can set up either to make money with programs like Google Adwords and AdSense. Pay per Click advertising also works for generating revenue.

Blogsvertise

If you have a blog and enjoy writing, you can make money by writing advertising posts for other businesses.  By registering your blog with Blogsvertise, you allow advertisers to discover your blog and choose it for a review or guest post.  The general topic or theme is given to you and you create the post, linking it to the advertiser’s site.  Each post is paid and good writing gets rewarded with more frequent offers.

WordGigs

If you have a talent for writing and you enjoy it, you may find a good position with WordGigs.  This company receives requests from businesses for blurbs, articles, short posts, and other written materials which they distribute to their team of writers.  Writers are paid per project every two weeks.  You must have good writing skills and pass their screening process to qualify.  However, once hired, you can begin earning right away.

Selling on eBay

With this idea, you set up an online shop on eBay. You can sell products you created or items you own that you want to sell. Many now make a living selling on eBay. As your business grows, you can expand to involve other product markets.  This is a relatively easy way to earn quick money from home.

Hire My Mom

If you like the security of working for others instead of going into business for yourself, then this online professional job resource matches businesses with moms who want to do professional work from home.  There is a small quarterly fee to access the job boards, but the positions are legitimate and don’t require start-up fees.

If you are looking for ways to earn income for the holidays, this list should get you started.  Review these resources or search online for others and start earning your holiday cash.

Key #1 –  Make your website interactive. 

As your business grows and evolves, it will become increasingly important to create a community around your business. To accomplish this, you should take steps to engage your visitors and customers.  This can be accomplished a number of ways.  You can:

• Provide a forum
• Post surveys or polls
• Allow visitors and customers to review or rank items (for example a “How valuable was this article?” question and a scale of 1 to 5 stars)
• Inspire comments and feedback on blog posts
• Host contests and sweepstakes
• Publish video and audio content as well as written content.  This gives users another way to access you and your personality.

Key #2 – Make sure your website provides value. 

Your target market goes online for a number of reasons.  They go online to research a potential purchase, to seek solutions for a problem they’re having and/or to be entertained.  If your website provides all three – products, information, and entertainment – then you’re on the ideal track.  The good news is your content can provide both the information and the entertainment, and when written well, it can also inspire purchases.  Here are a few ways you can provide value for your customers and prospects:

• How to articles, videos, and audio
• Tips articles, videos, and audio
• Case studies
• Workbooks, ebooks and reports
• Interviews with experts
• Product reviews

Key #3 – Make sure your website is easy to navigate. 

Within the first 20 seconds of landing on your blog, a visitor makes the decision about whether they’re going to stay on your website or click away. If your site is laid out nicely, with products and services, information, prices, FAQs, and easy-to-find content, then people are more likely to hang out.  And the longer they stay on your site the more likely they are to make a purchase or to return again.

To make your site easy to navigate consider:

• Keeping your site simple
• Keeping your pages uniform with the same options and appearance
• Using drop down menus to organize your content by topic for easier access
• Offering a search function where users can search for products, services, or content topics quickly and easily
• Providing a way for users to easily go back to previous pages, such as with a link to the Home page.  A back key is an option; however, if every page has the same options and drop down menus, including the ability to quickly return to the home page, a visitor will always be able to find what they need.
• Testing your website’s appearance on different browsers to make sure every visitor has a good experience

Key #4 – Make sure your website has eye appeal. 

If you’ve ever visited a website and the text was so small or the colors so incompatible that you couldn’t read a word, then you understand that readability is critical to a selling website.  To help ensure your website is captures and keeps attention, make sure:

• Your colors are easy on the eyes
• Your graphics aren’t distracting
• Your formatting like underlining, bold and italics are kept to a minimum
• The spacing between sentences and paragraphs is adequate
• The font is easy to read and the size is large enough for people to see

Key #5 – Give visitors a soft sell. 

People expect to be sold to and they’re looking for it – however, they’re wary. Instead of hitting website visitors with a hard sell, provide information, solve their problems and show them the benefits of your products or services. They’ll be much more receptive and appreciative.

Creating a website that sells requires a structured approach and a desire to offer the best browsing experience possible for your visitors.  Once you’ve updated your website using these tips, consider testing it and asking friends and family for their opinion.

But what if sales are declining or that market is all tapped out?  Making money in direct sales is mostly about getting as many people as possible to see your offer – the greater the number of people who see it, the greater your chances of making a sale.

So which marketing techniques are best suited for direct sellers?  Here are 5 lesser-used local marketing strategies that can help get your products in front of more of your ideal prospects:

Welcome Wagons

Many communities have Welcome Wagon services where they prepare packets of information from local businesses to give to new residents.  This is a great opportunity for you to include your brochure, business card and even a few samples.   To find out if your community has this service, contact your local Chamber of Commerce.

Apartment Complex Resident Days

Some up-scale apartment complexes hold periodic “Resident Days” or “Meet the Community” days where they allow local businesses to set up a booth in the apartment clubhouse.  The event is promoted to residents and is generally low-cost or free for businesses to participate.  Outside of these days, some complexes distribute welcome packets to their residents, allowing for brochures from local businesses.  Contact the apartment complexes in your area to see if any offer these services.

Personal Letters

A very effective, easy and inexpensive method of marketing is the use of personal letters.  With personal letters, you can convey a sincere feeling and reach a special place in the mind of the reader.  These letters can be sent to past customers or to people you know or follow from a distance, and can be sent via email or regular mail. For instance, if you market kitchen gadgets, perhaps you know someone who is a great cook.  Write them and compliment their dishes and their great ability to throw parties. Then mention one of your products that may help them in the future.

School Raffles

Middle- and high-schools often hold raffles or silent auctions as a fundraising event.  This is an ideal opportunity for you to include some of your best products in a gift basket.  Be sure to add a brochure, your business card and instructions on how to order additional products.  If you have children in school or friends with kids in school, ask them to keep you updated on the next auction-type fundraiser, or call your local schools to inquire.

Company “Employee Day” Events

Many businesses host special fun days for their employees.  During these events, local businesses and entrepreneurs are allowed to set up a booth to provide discounted merchandise to company employees.  You can find out if your local businesses host these events by contacting your Chamber of Commerce or the companies directly.

While these marketing ideas are great for direct sellers, they can also apply to other types of businesses.  See if any of these ideas will work for you or let them spark additional creative marketing strategies that fit your needs.

If you have a desire to put your strengths and passions to work for you, here are 5 tips for creating your ideal work from home:

1 – Take Inventory of Your Skills

There are, undoubtedly, many tasks that you are adept at doing.  By taking the time to identify your strengths and transferable skills, you are better able to discover your at-home career passion. What are those learned skills you possess?  What training have you received?  What are those things you are naturally good at doing?  What are those activities you love to do? Which tasks grab your attention and keep it for hours?  For additional insight into your true inner passions, think back to your childhood. Write down your answers and be open and honest in your responses.

2 – Determine Your Career Passions

Once you have assessed your strengths and skills, you are better able to identify which work-from-home business best aligns with your talents and interest.  Seek out mentors in the market areas that best match your skills and areas of passion. Develop your network by joining associations and attending events within your desired niche. Working with a business coach is also a great way to hone in on your ideal career path.

3 – Develop Yourself

Knowing what you want to do is the first step in creating your ideal work from home. However, it doesn’t stop there. By gaining experience in your proposed new field, you are able to not only determine if that career is indeed a good match, but you are also able to become more adept in performing the required tasks.  Search for training courses, seminars, and coaching opportunities that will help you develop the necessary skills for your chosen business venture.

4 – Launch Your Business

Now that you’ve determined your desired at-home career, it’s time to launch your business.  Start by identifying your target market.  Determine the group of people who would best benefit from your products or services.  Keep in mind that you can’t please everyone, so it’s best to focus initially on a specific market. Once you can envision your target market, you will be better able to identify the best marketing strategies and the most appropriate style for your business.

Research your market’s desires, pains and problems so you can offer them a solution that will meet their needs. Be sure to present your solution to their needs in a way that appeals to them, allowing you to attract more ideal clients.

5 – Get Found

Once you’ve determined who you will target with your business, you can begin marketing your wares both online and offline.  Start by listing the results you can offer potential clients and what sets you apart from your competitors.  Use this information to craft your marketing message and share it online through social media, ezines, and your website, and locally through your business cards, brochures, and networking events.

Keep in mind that running a successful business from home can take time, so focus your efforts on finding one that fits your strengths, passion, and lifestyle.  By creating a well thought-out plan, developing your skills, and seeking support, you can design your ideal at-home career.

If you want to avoid this trap and help ensure your home business has the best opportunities for success, discover these five work habits that ruin home businesses and learn ways to overcome them:

1.  Lack of Planning

Having a great idea and the necessary capital for your business is a great start, but it isn’t enough.  Great businesses start with great plans.  Invest the extra time to create a business plan that will outline the direction and goals for your business.  One good (free) resource for writing effective business plans is the Small Business Administration.

2.  Operating without a Schedule

Large corporations, hospitals, and universities all thrive on schedules, and without them, chaos will soon result.  So why do many small business owners feel they can be successful without one?  When working from home, it’s important to create time blocks for activities in order to separate work, family and home obligations.  Scheduling when you will work with clients, complete administrative work, or market your business will help ensure important tasks aren’t ignored.

3.  Working in Disorganization

While you may know where you’ve placed those important forms, hunting through a stack for them still wastes valuable time.  By creating a system for organizing your work area, you can encourage more efficiency and create extra time pockets that can be redirected to other priorities – like family time or more “me” time.  If you need some tips for organizing your work area (and better managing your time), check out this article: Achieve More in Your Home Office by Better Managing Your Time.

4.  Procrastinating

Chances are you have at least one item on your To-Do list that keeps getting transferred from one week to another.  Or you’ve put off making that customer call or writing that article for a few weeks days now.  We’re probably all guilty of putting off a task or two to do something seemingly more fun (or less painful).  However, avoiding tasks that are necessary for business growth only hurts you in the long run.  Practice “eating that frog” – do the least desirable task first and it’ll fuel you to complete the rest of your items.

5.  Lack of Budgeting for Business

Many home business owners know the importance of budgeting for home expenses, but fail to carry over this practice into their business.  As a result, some small businesses fail due to a lack of proper financial planning.  By outlining expected monthly business expenses and anticipated income, you can avoid costly over-expenditures which can put your business in jeopardy.  There are many financial planning tools for small businesses, such as Quickbooks, Peachtree, and Freshbooks.  Review a few and implement a tool that can help you stay on top of your finances.

By avoiding these five negative work habits, you can help ensure your business has the best opportunity to succeed.

The good news is, there are ways for your work-at-home business to derive a tangible benefit from your children’s persona in your online marketing without Toddlers & Tiaras exploitation. Follow these top seven tips to balance your children’s interests and welfare with the very real advantages of featuring them in your email and social media marketing.

1. Have it make sense – Far too many email and social media marketing campaigns that involve children are illogical overlays which come off as a blatant leveraging of a child’s appeal to hype something totally unrelated. If you’re selling hydraulic pumps or liquid-nitrogen CPU coolers you should perhaps reconsider having a cuddly baby involved in the email campaign. The presence of the child should have a fundamental motivation so it doesn’t seem as discordant to the customer.
2. Seasoning, not staple – The email newsletter sidebar “written” by your two year old discussing this week’s adventures with mom’s Leclerc Dorothy weaving loom while you were warping and wefting up a storm is seen as entertaining by your subscriber the first time … as interesting the second … and as shallow transparent hype the third. The best way to apply the presence of your children in your email campaigns is to do so in a very sparing fashion, more in the way of an occasional spark rather than a constant feature.
3. Let your child be a child – There is a very thin line that must never be crossed in wardrobe, makeup, and hairstyle between the adorably childish and the unacceptably adult. Your children must never be portrayed as “adult-alluring” in any way for all the reasons which do not need to be mentioned here, so leave all those slinky disco and pageant outfits on the shelves. Your child will be seen by your customers in a far more favorable light if they dress and act in a manner appropriate to their age.
4. Don’t do it if they can’t act – An email campaign makes very different demands on a child than would a TV commercial, but the child will be asked to assume various poses or engage in certain activities where they have to look “natural.” We have all seen the instances where a child seems to be looking offscreen at parents which ruin the intent of the image.
5. Make sure it’s a win-win – Yes, the appropriate child presence in the email and social media marketing of your children can bring lucrative results to your business, but it’s important that the child derive something of positive value to it as well. Their participation should never be forced, and should be integrated into their play or leisure time. It is imperative that they child view the experience as pleasant not just so that they will look “natural” at the photo shoot, but so that they can perceive it as a part of “fun time with mom.”
6. Keep it away from their friends – You might be tempted to show your child’s playmates how they’ve been featured in your marketing, but that’s almost always a really bad idea. Children can be vicious with those friends who are singled out for particular attention and the retributions can be really ugly. You don’t need to keep your child’s participation in your work at home business’ marketing a secret, but don’t draw undue attention to it.
7. Get a professional review – Ask an acknowledged expert in marketing with decades of experience if they will review the material featuring your children prior to incorporating it into email campaign. They will be able to provide an unbiased judgment of whether the child’s presence is appropriate and acceptable, or if you’re off-base.

Children can be incorporated into your email campaign if you ensure that both their and your customers’ sensitivities and interests are well served. Use these tips above to create boundaries, and send out email campaigns that both you and your child can be proud of.