4 Success Secrets to Improve Your Direct Sales Bookings

To tackle how to keep your sales up and your calendar full of direct sales bookings, use this helpful list:

1. Be consistent.

While this statement may seem trite, the truth is that many direct sales women and entrepreneurs need to keep this tenet of sales in the front of both head and heart. With the multitude of obligations that women deal with on a regular basis--full time job, second job, family chauffeur, child care, parent care, house cleaner, home chef, physical fitness, and maintaining our sanity with our own interests and hobbies--a system for juggling competing duties is necessary.

As a professional sales woman and entrepreneur, the importance of keeping the calendar full is key. The more gaps you see in your party bookings, the harder it is to regenerate momentum.

2. Develop the Habit of Making Daily Contacts.

Along with consistency, value a sustained effort to obtain sales appointments and home party bookings. Actions speak louder than words. When you uphold that making daily contacts and connections is vital, and just as immovable (such as you would with a critical doctor's appointment), you will fill your slots for parties. Make sure to convey this professional approach to your customers through your actions and words. They will perceive you as someone who is serious about your business. If you are lax to make daily contacts, you will suffer the stress and financial consequences of inconsistent business. It is a vicious cycle. Strive for 5 contacts a day; and watch your business thrive.

3. Appreciate Your Client's Time.

When you reach out to invite someone to book a party, keep the contact focused, friendly and on point. Pre-plan what you will say and make some notes about why you are contacting them, what is your compelling offer and why someone would want to book a home party or schedule a sales presentation with you now. Make sure that during your conversation you set the stage for business and mention that you will call later to catch up on personal matters. One of the pitfalls that many entrepreneurs and sales women encounter is that they chat too long about topics unrelated to what they initially contacted the prospect to talk about.

While this helps to build rapport, it also undermines your effort, product and profit. Further, it strips professionalism from sales and booking efforts. People appreciate brief and direct. Be warned, however, that this does not mean to be abrupt or cold. Strike a nice balance by referencing something from the last time you met or a memorable moment from a previous conversation.

4. Eliminate Emotion from Rejection.

If you do not track aspects of your business, you will measure your successes by feeling rather than performance. This leads to an emotional sales roller coaster. When sales are up, you feel great. When you get more than a few no responses to asking for a direct sales booking, you feel down. However, if you establish a system for measuring your contacts and results, you will identify a base sales closing ratio. Knowing your closing ratio allows you to track and reference your growth. Additionally, when you incorporate these success tips such as consistency and steady daily booking contacts, your tracked figures will reflect success, and will ultimately shine in comparison to those who book sporadically.

So, avoid emotional direct sales booking discouragement by following your contacts to create your sales closing ratio. By using tools for measuring your success, you can chart your growth and identify areas for improvement.

These success secrets are simple to say, yet take effort to do. Follow these 4 strategies to improve your sales and build your direct sales bookings. Before you know it, you will have turned tips into habits; and your business will flourish.

by Barb Girson