According to The Balance SMB, direct sales or selling products directly to consumers outside of a retail environment can be a viable way to start a home-based business. The website also cited that direct selling has similarities that make other business a success. That includes - knowing the market, finding the market, delivering a message that appeals to them, and service them well.
1. Know Your Business
Just like any other business, having the right product knowledge will help you in growing your business and doing it the right way.
I have seen people making false income or product claims in the industry with their desperation to make a sale. What you NEED to remember is that the main purpose of your business is to be able to solve a need or a problem.
When you have the right product knowledge, you will be able to properly identify which areas to improve, which part of your business is your priority and what skills are necessary for you to practice and apply so that you will not look desperate in making that sale.
2. Know Your Customers
Now that you are aware that having the right product knowledge is important, this will help you to identify the type of customers to approach.
I remember a marketer saying, "You cannot force a vegetarian buy your sushi." True!
By knowing your customers, you are able to know where to find them, how to approach them and what problems can you help solve?
Unless you know what your customer needs, you have no customer.
We have a diverse group of customers with different buying behaviors and habits. The fastest way to attract them to buy what you are selling is to identify their interests, focus on these interests and personalize your offer according to their needs.
3. Create a Strong Presence
You are not the only salesperson that they have met. The key question here is why you and your brand?
Your personal brand is your asset in making sure that you will stand out from your competition. To do that, focus on relationship building activities.
Connect to care than to connect to sell.
When you go out, be present and available. When you are in networking events, talk and connect to people genuinely.
Whatever will happen during that first encounter has a huge impact on how you are positioning your brand and building curiosity, trust, and relationship.
When you learn to grow your network in a sincere manner without the sole purpose of selling, you will stand out.
You cannot expect everyone to buy your ideas of time or financial freedom for your network marketing business, but if you win them you might get that chance of winning someone from their own network.
Before people will buy your product, they will buy you. Unless they like you, don't expect to get a sale.
4. Go Social
Technology might have robbed our human face-to-face experience, but the same technology can also be used to help us reach a much larger audience and create better brand exposures and impressions.
"BUY THIS" is not the ideal line now.
"People love to buy but they hate to be sold." Have you heard this?
So the best approach is to create value first instead of just selling. When you use social media, post something that is educating, entertaining and inspiring.
The customers today are no longer dependent on big names, their buying decisions are now affected by people they trust, people they like or people they follow. That includes you!
5. Serve Your Market
What I like about direct sales or network marketing is the opportunity to keep the same customers long-term.
I have customers for more than 5 years now in 6 different countries.
How can we spread and keep more customers?
We serve them, we look at our customers as family, people that are part of our community. We make honest reviews and recommendations. We help them get better product deals and even offer them better product pricing.
Focus not on a single transaction. Instead, focus on monitoring your customers and create a lasting customer experience. Help them in areas you are capable of helping them.
The happier they are with your products and service, the longer you can keep them.
Our business is about direct selling and network marketing, right? At first, we directly sell it to people we know. The people we know who have positive product experiences will also be the same people that will help us and welcome us to introduce the products to their own network.
If they don't - maybe you are not in the right company yet.
What do you think about this post? Feel free to comment below or message me here m.me/kleinvictr