A Change In Course

 

Greetings,

     It has definitely been a while. Today is going to mark the start of a new era here at the Savvy Solution. I’ve spent a lot of time over the past few months reflecting on my experiences writing and the responses I have gotten to it. The end result is that my true comfort zone lies in talking about how to provide excellent customer service. I have more than a decade of experience working directly in the field and have received accolades from my customers, employers and peers for my work.

     As a result we’ll be switching things up a bit from here on out. I wrote a few articles in the past that broached the topic, but now it will be my entire focus.  Lets get started with a quick tip shall we?

  The first step to providing excellent customer service is recognizing the relevance of this fact.

     “You are presented with opportunities to provide customer service every day no matter what you do.”

     Every time you do something for another person they are your customer (even if they are not buying anything). This includes family, friends and even colleagues. You really have to take this seriously to ensure that you’re service is consistent.

      Speaking of consistent service… You can rest assured that I’ll be filling this page here with updates that will help you bring your service from satisfactory to superb!

Stay Savvy!

Stephen Duetzmann

What Does Free Really Mean??

 

       I had this posted on my Facebook profile and it is a VERY interesting read. (not to mention www.scribd.com is awesome!)

     Take a look:

FREE (full book) by Chris Anderson

What are your thoughts?

Stay Savvy,

Stephen Duetzmann

www.thesavvysolution.net

The Ties That Bind Us: Strong vs. Weak Ties

 

          
           Source

 

Greetings,

     A lot of folks that I talk to about social media tend to get hung up on one thing: the term “friend.” They have difficulty clicking on the friend request button because the person is not someone that they would classically define as a friend. I can relate to this sentiment, but in order to use social media as a tool to build you business you need to lean into a discomfort and see these services for what they are: an opportunity to establish ties to potential networking contacts.
    

     Another Social Media Guru by the name of Shama Kabani who runs a site called Shama.tv pointed this out to me a while back and got me interested in the subject. Social Theory states that there are two major types of ties: Strong and Weak. The descriptors here are meant to help define your influence on these people’s decisions. So, strong ties would be your family and your close friends, and weak ties would be your acquaintances, colleagues, former coworkers, etc. 

     With those definitions in mind Social Networking sites are almost designed to establish and maintain weak ties. Don’t let the word “Weak” give you pause though. There is definitely value there in the relationship. For a lot of these connections there is a face and (hopefully) a positive memory to go along with your name. People buy from people they know and trust before they buy from complete strangers and maintaining even a weak tie with them brings you past that barrier. As long as you keep adding value to the relationship by providing useful information and personal stories as opposed to non-stop spammed advertising you can count on these weak ties to help build and broaden your business.

     What do you all think? Have you had any success or experience with a “weak tie” that helped build your business?

Stay Savvy!
Stephen Duetzmann
www.thesavvysolution.net

Looking For More: Lead Generation

 

           
     

Greetings,      

     I hope everyone had a great Holiday.                 

     One of the biggest challenges that Home Party Salespeople face is lead generation. In order for your business to grow you need to consistently introduce the product to new people. If you look around the web (or talk to your upline) you will get a bunch of different answers about HOW to go about doing this. Below you will find a list of tactics for getting your product out there to the masses without spending a huge amount of funds on marketing.

     Consistent networking is key: You meet new people every single day. Each time you meet a new person it is an opportunity to get a foot in the door for your business so it is very important to take advantage of every opportunity you get. Make sure you have business cards/marketing materials handy to provide to people when the topic of your business comes up.

     Use your social networking sites well: Websites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo and others give you a great medium with which to build connections at literally no cost to you other than time. Make it a point on these social networks to regularly look for new friends and contacts using their search functions. Before you know your status updates and online marketing information will be reaching a huge audience.

     Play well with others: Sometimes your best leads will be other Home Party salespeople just like you! Go to fairs and trade shows where they might have booths as a visitor or as a guest and network at the various booths. Not only will this be a potentially great learning experience as you talk to colleagues in the field, but this can help build some great connections.
    

     These are just a few great lead generation tactics. The strategies are endless. Do any of you folks have any suggestions? How do you get your leads?

Stay Savvy!
Stephen Duetzmann
www.thesavvysolution.com

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home party business, Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo, lead generation, direct sales

Learning to Talk Again: 5 Tips to Help Improve Your Dems

Greetings,
            Running a Dem for your products is a huge part of any Direct Salesperson’s job. Some companies call them parties, but we know the truth. They can be fairly stressful ordeals. Their unpredictable nature has sent more than one Direct Salesperson back to their day job. There are so many things that are simply out of our control: the Host/Hostess, the Guests, the weather, the strange odor coming from the couch in the corner, etc. There is, however, one specific thing that we CAN control: the quality of our Sales Presentation during the Dem. Below you will see 5 tips on how to make sure your presentation is top notch and pull in more sales.

1. Ask questions and listen to the answers. In general we all arrive early to set everything up. During that time it’s a great idea to chat it up with the Host/Hostess. Ask them about who is coming (You’ll notice I didn’t say how many people… but Who… people like professionals who are less focused on numbers than on the people behind them) and what they are like. Listen to the answers and take them to heart. If the Hostess mentions that she invited some real party animals you can expect a pretty loud bunch and you can prepare yourself for that.
2. Mirror your audience. You want the guests to feel comfortable and at home. If they are relatively quiet and you shout out half of your presentation it might go poorly. Humor is a good example. Prim and proper church ladies might not really want to know ALL of the uses for that non toxic Almond lotion ya know? Watch how they act initially and feed off of that. Sometimes people can be tough to read, but its better to miss an opportunity at a good joke than push away a room full of credit cards.
3. Be Animated. No matter what group of people you are with no one wants to buy from a monotone robot that stands still arms to their sides every time they speak to a small group of people. Smile. Even if you aren’t feeling particularly cheerful that day: SMILE. That will help set the tone for the discussion. Making eye contact with different people in the room will also help keep you moving. You’ll be making a lasting impression on the guests. The goal is to make sure that they remember a vibrant and confidant sales person as opposed to a cold and mechanical robot.
4. Be careful with your body language and make sure it is conveying the right message. You don’t want to appear too rigid or too relaxed for your environment and the guests. Your actual words only account for approximately 40% of what you are saying, the rest is all non verbal and body language is a major part of that.
5. Pace yourself carefully. You should know how long your Dems should last. Pace your speaking so that you don’t fill it ALL up with just you speaking. You definitely want to give people a chance to ask their own questions and (even better) add their own positive feedback regarding the product. They will have several decisions to make by the end, and you want to make sure they have time to soak up all the information they need to make an informed decision.

     I know I’m not the only one with advice on this topic. Do any of you folks on the front lines have any suggestions/thoughts/ideas to share?

Stay Savvy,

Stephen Duetzmann

www.thesavvysolution.net

Blogger Labels: Tips,Help,Dems,Direct,Salesperson,Presentation,feedback,product,decision,topic,folks,ideas,Stay,Savvy,Stephen,Duetzmann

What’s the Big Deal With LinkedIn? 3 Ways It Will Help Grow Your Business

 

 

Greetings,

     The other day I referenced LinkedIn  as one of the Social Networking sites that you should use as part of your “base camp.” Some of my readers questioned me on What LinkedIn did that really set it apart and how this was worth the added time spent on it.

      The following is a quick list of three ways that a complete LinkedIn profile can help you.

1. A complete profile is essentially an online resume with added bonus features. It gives you the opportunity to present to any of your potential clients/contacts what your professional background is. It also allows you to present them with a virtual cover letter that talks about your goals/ambitions regarding your business.
2. Once your profile is complete you can begin gathering recommendations and endorsements from previous customers and colleagues.  There is really nothing like having a website that encourages people to recommend you and your business. Testimonials are a GREAT way to grow your business and really… any way you can get them is a win.
3. It provides almost constant networking opportunities. We’ve talked about it before, but the more contacts you have the more people you can potentially have discussing your products and services, which leads to more business. I really can’t emphasize enough the important of using every tool you have to make people start talking and stay that way.

     LinkedIn will continuously prompt you as to your completion percentage. Follow its directions and you’ll have a complete profile in no time flat.

Stay Savvy,

Stephen Duetzmann

www.thesavvysolution.net

Making Facebook Work For You in Four Easy Steps

 

Greetings,

     First off, before you read this: If you aren’t on Facebook. Go Register. NOW. I’m not kidding. Go register. You’ll be happier.

   For those of you who already have registered… here is a fun video to watch instead:

Facebook Hilarity

    Now that you are registered for Facebook I’ve got some pretty simple advice to help make use of your new profile so you can utilize it to grow your business.

1. Manage your profile. make sure that your Privacy Settings prevent any of your random connections from tagging you in pictures you may not want anyone else to see. Do this by selecting “Only Me” for Photos and videos tagged of you. This way you see the pictures first and can decide if you want to post them to your profile. Its like prescreening.
2. Finish the Profile. Fill out ALL of the sections in your profile. The more information that you share the more of a potential connection you will make with the people you friend. Make sure to link to your business website, email and any other Social Networking pages you may have.
3. Sign up for Groups and Fan Pages. This will introduce you to and give you opportunities to interact with people outside your immediate circle of friends and family.
4. Look for Connections, and never stop looking. Constantly review the find a friend section in Facebook to build your network. Chat people up on their walls. Like/Comment on their status updates and the things they say.

Following those steps will help your Facebook profile work for you, as opposed to just being a time sink.

 

       Do any of you folks out there have some tips on how to  make Facebook work for you? I’d love to hear what you have to say about it.

Stay Savvy!

Stephen Duetzmann

www.thesavvysolution.net 

Blogger Labels: Facebook,Social,Sign,friends,Look,Connections,Chat,walls,Comment,status,folks,tips,Stay,Savvy,Stephen,Duetzmann,Photos

Setting Yourself Apart: Differentiating Yourself From The Rest of ‘Em

 

Greetings,

     The other day I threw up a pretty general post encouraging people to establish their own Personal Brand.  I really can’t stress enough how important this is. Even more interestingly this concept applies to people who aren’t even in business for themselves. Everyone who is attempting to advance themselves professionally is the master of their own Personal Brand as well.

     Before I go much further in my post I want to define the word “Different.”

dif⋅fer⋅ent

–adjective

1.  not alike in character or quality; differing; dissimilar: The two are different.

2.  not identical; separate or distinct: three different answers.

3.  various; several: Different people told me the same story.

4. not ordinary; unusual.

      You may be asking why I linked that definition. The reason is this: I think it is important to understand what being different really means in all senses of the word. Standing apart from the crowd is not only a HUGE part of Personal Branding but it is also a hugely difficult task. You need to prepared to use a lot of different tactics to do so.

     Here are some tips to help you and your business meet that definition. 

1. Focus on bringing your unique point of view to your business. You are clearly a unique individual to begin with (why else would you be in business for yourself?) Why not show it? Feel free to express that individuality in everything you do. Build stories about your experiences into your Dems and Sales Pitches. Come up with your own catchy turns of phrase regarding your companies best selling products, Etc.
2. Focus on and build off of your Passion for the product you sell or represent. If you work for a cosmetics company, but are really more passionate about spa and relaxation products go for it. Don’t focus on products that don’t excite you because that lack of excitement will show… and guess what? They won’t sell. (Funny how that works huh?)
3. Work your talents. You know what you do well. Are you a great public speaker? Are you an amazing writer?  Do you make awesome gift baskets? Whatever your talents are you need to find a way to work them into your routine. If you are a great public speaker then you should feel comfortable building longer sections of you speaking into your dems. If you really prefer writing over speaking then perhaps a Blog or customer newsletter to keep people interested and build up reorder business.
4. Be an expert. This may sound easy, but its harder than it looks. Know your product inside and out and keep on top of trends in the industry. The bottom line is that most people won’t do that. At best they’ll know their own stuff.. so knowing the marketplace and the competition automatically sets you apart.

      Well there you have it folks. Some reasonable advice on how to work on establishing your Personal Brand. None of these are quick,  but establishing a brand isn’t exactly like throwing a switch. It takes time and effort.

      Does anyone else out there have any advice on this one? I’d love to have you put a comment in and share your advice and experiences. 

Stay Savvy,

Stephen Duetzmann

www.thesavvysolution.net

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Quick Quote for Your Thoughts

 

     I saw this quote today and I thought it would be a good one to post for discussion:

“As you begin to take action toward the fulfillment of your goals and dreams, you must realize that not every action will be perfect. Not every action will produce the desired result. Not every action will work. Making mistakes, getting it almost right, and experimenting to see what happens are all part of the process of eventually getting it right.”

Jack Canfield

     What do you guys think? I think Jack has it 100% right. Most of us aren’t Marketing Majors… and a lot of us took on our businesses as second jobs to squeeze in between our day jobs and our time with our families. We can’t really afford to expect perfection, but we just have to go for it.

      I’d love to hear what you folks think about it.

Stay Savvy,

Stephen Duetzmann

The Savvy Solution

 

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Leaving Your Mark: Personal Branding

 

 

Greetings,

     I work, quite frequently, with Direct Salespeople who aren’t selling their own products (I’m in the same boat). They represent companies with their own established brands and marketing methods. A lot of these great salespeople fall into the rut of assuming that the companies branding will be enough. They assume that:

“Hey, everyone has heard about Tastefully Simple… there is no real value in putting my own spin on anything.”

     The truth is that they are at least partially wrong. Direct Sales especially is all about standing out from the crowd. In order to successfully sell Jafra Cosmetics (for example) you need to not only stand apart from Mary Kay, Avon and dozens of other companies out there, but you need to watch out for other Jafra business owners as well.

     Here are some quick tips on establishing your own personal brand through your Direct Sales Business (we’ll talk more about them in greater detail as the week goes on):

• Be yourself. The easiest way to brand your business is by standing out as the individual that you already are. Don’t focus so hard on “doing it like the other guys.” Take the best practices of the people around you and mold the stuff that will work for you into your own sales routine. (We’ll talk more about the Sales Routine in the coming week)
• Know yourself and your interests. Many direct sales companies in today’s marketplace have very broad product lines. Don’t be afraid to focus on what works for you. Maybe you are more comfortable with Spa products than Color? Its fine to be the Spa product expert.
• Sell yourself. First off… No that’s not what I meant. That is a completely different kind of blog. What I am referring to is one simple fact: a good amount of what people are buying when they purchase product/services from you is… you. Your customer service, your knowledge of the product, your unique perspective on the product. Don’t be shy about expressing yourself through your demos.

      Throughout the rest of the week we’ll explore how to execute some of those tips and really make yourself stand out.  Anyone out there with any suggestions of their own on establishing their personal brand? I’d love to hear it. (I might even quote ya!)

 

Stay Savvy!

Stephen Duetzmann

The Savvy Solution

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