New Chapter 2012

As we bring a close to the year, I can't help but reflecting on my year. I am also in deep reflection because of the passing of my Mother-in-law. My family will be personally entering in a new chapter of our lives missing her guidance, support and presence.

This year has been a roller coaster of a year, full of ups and downs.  I said good bye to one business and hello to a new business, Blessings Unlimited and I completed and self published my first book, Direct Sellers Secrets to Staying Inspired-Your SSI.

Through everything this the year I can sum it up as a year of gratitude. I am grateful for all the wonderful people I've met, all the relationships I have built, and all of the lives I have touched in some form or fashion. I'm grateful that I'm here to share my thoughts and well wishes with you.

I wish everyone a prosperous New Year and more Blessings in 2012 than you could have asked for or imagine.

New chapters are something to look forward to and I walk into this new chapter 2012 with expectations of wonderful things.

Happy New Year & Stay Inspired!
Michelle
www.secretstostayinginspired.com
www.michellegillnewton.com

Re-start in 2012

I realize that when we started our businesses we had a mindset of what type of success we expected. As we come to the end of the year, it is a perfect time for you to look at your business to see if you've done all the things you needed to do to make your business a success.

• Did you follow the plan your company has set for success?
• Did you spend time marketing your business?
• How was your customer service, did you follow up?

Identify three key areas where you could improve your business in 2012. Make it your intent to work on those specific areas. For me I realized that I need to spend more time in marketing my business. It was a great year  for me, writing and self publishing my first book, Direct Sellers Secrets to Staying Inspired-Your SSI. However, when I reflect on my direct sales business, I realized I did not give all the attention to my business that it deserved. One of the most exciting things about this type business is that you can re-start or re-lauch your business again.

The main thing is not to quit. You can never fail if you do not quit. Start with a plan and call your sponsor or up-line leader and talk with them. Then put your plan into action. Make a commitment to re-start in the new year. You can take action now and start to work on January party or events.

I know that you can do it and you will have success.
Michelle


Encourage- Support -Inspired
Michelle Gill Newton
Author, Direct Sellers Secrets to Staying Inspired- Your SSI
http://www.michellegillnewton.com/
 

November a great 30 days

When I think about a new month I always am excited about the NEW possibilities. I can't wait to see what the month will bring. November is one of the best times in business for a direct seller. It doesn't matter what product you sell, people should be excited that we are entering the Holiday selling season.

Start now working with your new business partners.  I am always amazed that some direct sellers are not excited about what the season means to your business and their team's business . Your new business partner is going to have a great start because the customers are out there. She just has to share that she is open for business. She will achieve her new beginning or great start or jump start or what ever your new consultant rewards program is called. She will be excited, you will be excited and it is a win win!

It's all about what you do now to make November 30th a day to celebrate. I can not wait to see what success you and I will have.

Now get to work.

Michelle

Michelle Gill Newton
Author of Direct Sellers Secrets to Staying Inspired- Your SSI available now www.secretstostayinginspired.com

 

Passion plus Purpose equals Success

When I was first introduced to direct sales I had no idea where this one at home party would lead me. I did not think that I would ever write a book about direct sales.
Direct Sellers Secrets to Staying Inspired- Your SSI  I never though I would be so passionate about the industry. Attending a home party with a table full of lotions and potions changed my life.

I've met the most amazing people because of my direct sales career. I've met, Les Brown, Martin Luther King III, Alivn Day, Jewel Diamond Taylor, Stedman Graham and many more. I've also experienced the training of the best direct seller trainers in the business.

In this industry I found my purpose to support, encourage and inspire others. It gives me joy to share my business with others because I know that they may be just like me and they might begin a journey that will change their life for the better. I am so excited when a team member says she is ready to work her business and is ready to go for the next level.

Combining my passion and my purpose has given me success. I never imagined that I would be a published author. I never dreamed that I would be given the gift to share with the world. It is a blessing beyond anything I could ever ask or imagine.

The next time you walk into your next home party, look around the room. You never know who's life you will change when you share your business. It started with lotions and I can't wait to see the next place the journey will bring me.

Michelle Gill Newton
Author Direct Sellers Secrets to Staying Inspired- Your SSI

End of the month check in

I once had an upline leader that the only time I received an email or phone call from her was at the end of the month. She must have spent the last few days of the month on the phone with her down line. It was like clock work, I knew that she'd be emailing me and if I didn't respond I would get a phone call. 

I always wondered what did she do with the beginning of her month. LOL!

When you start to grow a team and develop leaders it is really important that you stay connected with your team and you teach your leaders to do the same. You never want a person to feel that they only hear from you when YOU want to know if you are going to get "PAID AS" their title.

I realize it's hard to juggle your personal business and support your team but, it is your responsibility once you step out there as a leader.

I learned to check in weekly with my team. Send encouraging emails and make quick phone calls just to check in. When the last days of the month roll in, you can have a call with them to see if they still are going for their goal or if they exceeded their expectations.

Lets stay connected with our teams and when it's time to make the end of the month check in calls it is a sincere call to see where they are at and if they have met the goals they wanted to achieve.

Ok now go and make your calls or send that email. 

:-)

Michelle 

Michelle Gill Newton

dsmotivation@twitter.com

15th of the Month

Today is the 15th of the month and you are half way there to reaching your goals this month. Do you look at the 15th as just another day or do you look forward to the 15th to track how your business is going? I would like to encourage you to schedule time each month for a 15 day check in. The check in is not only your business but for your check in with your team. Are you on track for reaching your sales & recruiting goals? If if you have no recruits, you can still use the 15th as a marker to see where you are with recruiting a new team member.

When you look at your business and if you have not made the progress you have hoped for in your month, then the 15th should be looked at a chance to turn your business around. You have 15 or 16 more days to achieve this. Miracles can happen in one day so imagine what can happen in 15! 

Get excited!

The 15th should be one date that you highlight on your calendar each month. Go look at your business right now. Save a report so you can see where you were today. At the end of the month I want you to compare where you end up based on what you saw in your numbers today. 

TGIF THANK GOD IT'S (the) FIFTEENTH!

Michelle

Michelle Gill Newton 

facebook: dsmotivation

Author: Direct Seller's Secrets to Staying Inspired- your SSI  
 

The best training is here.

Having a direct sales business is the best training you will ever have. You can sign up on a weekend and have a brand new business by Monday morning. You have support, training, marketing, branding, packaging, shipping, and order processing all in one stop. Most people think that you only gain sales experience or learn sales techniques but there are many more skills you gain by having a direct sales business.
Public Speaking Skills
Public speaking is the first arena. Every party or show you hold at a hostess home you are gaining public speaking experience. Every team meeting you attend, when you participate with a testimonial, or offer to give a sales tip or training you are gaining public speaking experience.
Customer Service Skills
Your reorder calls or booking calls allows you to build great customer service skills. You should always want to give your customers excellent customer service. Direct sales is word of mouth marketing so you need people to have positive things to say about you and your business to help your business to grow.
Coaching and Mentoring Skills
Once you start to recruit and build a team you will shave a growing group of consultants to coach and mentor. You learn how to inspire and motivate your team. You develop skills to be a leader and help to promote other to become leaders.
There is no other industry where you get all this training while living your dreams. All these skills are developed over time while have fun, changing lives, and making money.

The BEST training is here, the Direct Sales Industry!


 

Conversation with yourself

We all have personal conversations with ourselves. Are you speaking positive words to yourself, "I am successful, business is great, I am a people magnet."  Or are you saying, "No one is buying this stuff, I can't get anyone to book a show with me, That person is successful but it never works out for me."

Monitor your conversation that you have with yourself. Make it a practice to read and say affirmations every morning and every evening. When we speak positive to ourselves we may encourage ourselves to do things like approach a well dressed woman in the mall to give her your business card. When we speak negative to ourselves, we self sabotage ourselves and we may put ourselves down like beating yourself up because you didn't approach the well dressed woman in the mall.

This week make it a habit to say 10 wonderful and encouraging things to yourself in the morning and the evening. Then during the day when you are tempted to say something negative stop yourself and say "NO, I'm not talking down to myself I'm only speaking up to myself!"

There is a great tool that you can use. Wear a rubber band on your wrist and when you have a negative thought pop yourself with the rubber band. This way you will train yourself to stop the negative self talk. Here is a resource positive thoughts band.

Monitor your conversation with yourself and encourage yourself!

Michelle Gill Newton
directsellersmotivation@gmail.com

Brand Yourself

Does your direct selling business reflect you? Is it a business that agrees with your core values? Even though you are an independent consultant you should realize you personally have a BRAND.  You are not just representing the company, the direct sales company is giving you a reputation too. It's your name who is going out and making those contacts. You want to make sure the mission of your direct sales business matching you.

No matter what business you have partnered with, you should BRAND yourself. Start with sharing information about the type of business you represent. Share helpful information and facts about your related industry. If you are in skin care, discuss common skin care problems people have. Offer some helpful advice on how to treat or cure these problems. If you product is food or cookware provide great recipes that busy women can try. Social media is a great place to share information. BRAND yourself as an expert. Don't just  post on facebook that you have another great sale on a widget, tell me why this widget will make my life better. Can it sold a problem I may have? Tell me why & how.

Another place to BRAND yourself is with your team. Do you have a team name, a team culture? It's not just the company you are with it's about the TEAM you have. The name should have meaning to it and when you come together for meetings and trainings it should be about your team spirit. WHOO HOO!!

If you BRAND yourself and no matter what business you are in you will become the authority & people will want to partner with you and your team.

To your SUCCESS!
Michelle

Good reference book:

Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself (Que Biz-Tech) by Erik Deckers

Michelle Gill Newton

directsellersmotivation@gmail.com

Reconnect

There are times in your business that you need to reconnect with why you are working your business. What is the real motivation to make those calls, go to those shows, and recruit new team members. I know I am not alone when I say that even my business career I have found myself at moments when the business has become a habit. I'm going through the motions, doing what I know I must do to grow the business but I have a disconnect with my "Why".

 If you have ever found yourself where you are not passionate about what you are doing, or you don't feel the joy for the products or company, then you need to take some time and reconnect with what made you fall in love with the business or products. I think of it as re-recruiting yourself. Go back on the recruiting calls, attend the webinars as your own guest. Go through the New consultant training again. Fall back in love with your business.

Many people have just come home from their company's convention. They are very excited about the fall and holiday lines. Now is the time to re-recruit yourself. Now is the time to get your Why back into focus. If you didn't attend your company's convention then you really need to re-recruit yourself. You need to really look at your business and your Why and gain a new passion for your business.

It's a great time to get yourself rejuvenated and excited again. People around you will want to know what you are so excited about. When you talk to people it's not about you have brand new items or you are ready for the holidays. It's about you are passionate about your company and you know that you have something wonderful that you want to share with them.

Reconnect and you will get amazing RESULTS!

Michelle Gill Newton
Author- Direct Sellers Secrets To Staying Inspired- Your SSI
dsmotivation@twitter.com

 

The Loss a Love

The closing of my Sensaria business can be like loosing a love. 

We've all fallen in love and either our lover has left us or we have left him/or her. 

You miss the times you had together. When you get up in the morning you miss their presences. You can't remember what you did before you were in that relationship.

You find yourself at times getting angry that things didn't turn out the way you wanted them. You get sad that they did not live up to your expectations. But then you think of the good times, and you start to miss them all over again.  

I try to explain to people who have never gone through this but they can not understand. You want your love to come back. You hope this is all a bad dream but, you know they are not going to come back to you. I realized this is the stages of grief. Most people relate a person's death but I'm relating it to a business death. 

There is the grief model called "The 7 Stages of Grief" from Recover-from-grief.com:
http://www.recover-from-grief.com/7-stages-of-grief.html

7 Stages of Grief...

1. SHOCK & DENIAL
2. PAIN & GUILT-
3. ANGER & BARGAINING-
4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS-
5. THE UPWARD TURN-
6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH-
7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-

 
Grant yourself permission to feel however way you feel. Work through this process to get to the acceptance and the hope stage. The most important thing is Don't Give Up on your business dreams and give yourself time to move on. 

You will find another love!
Michelle Gill Newon
directsellermotivation@gmail.com

The Test

I had no idea that I'd be standing in the same place I was two and a half years ago. My direct sales company has closed and I'm faced with the decision on what I will do to earn an income. I find myself here again with a host of knowledge and resources but without a direct sales business. I've rebuilt my business and rebuilt a team and now it's gone again.

The pain is different this time. The pain for me was my business partner who was working her business in order to keep her son in private school. It was the woman who is a single Mom who was working her business to make ends meet. It's the woman who has a crazy work schedule who wanted to fire her boss because she had no personal time. The woman who just quit her teaching job because of how successful her business has been this past year. I know you have to have pain in life but I know my role is to stay motivated and inspire others because they need me.

From the pain I can gain peace. I was in the process of reading Peace from Broken Pieces by Iyanla Vanzant. It is amazing how you can have tests in your life in order to have a testimony. I am looking forward to looking back on this time to help inspire, encourage and support more women in the future.

Stay true to yourselves. Give yourself permission to decide what your next move will be. The most important thing is to remember to keep on reaching for your dreams. Go forward with our dreams and goals. We might have to take a detour but we will get to our final destination.

When I look back on this experience I know I've gained much more than I loss. I have met some amazing women and I got to work each day with them. They have touched my life in countless ways. To me this is  priceless.

I'm working to stay motivated so I can pass THE TEST.

Dealing With "No"

Dealing With “NO”
By Sarah Scaffidi
It’s a one word answer. The word “NO.” Some people really have a tough time accepting the fact that they
are going to hear the word NO fairly often. They get discouraged and feel rejected because they look at the word
NO as a negative. Nothing could be further from the truth. The word no simply means that nothing changes. Think about it. You approach your neighbor and ask her to be a hostess, say says NO – what changed? Is she still your neighbor? Yes. Did you income go up or down? NO. Nothing changed. It can’t be negative; to be negative things would have had to get worse, and they didn’t. Everything remained exactly the same.
One the other hand, suppose she had said YES. Now, there are some positive changes. She received YOUR COMPANY’S INCENTIVES FOR FREE (a positive). You gain more customers, potential hostesses and consultants (more positives), and you earn more money (another positive). You can see by this example that there are no negatives in our business. There are only positives and times when nothing changes.
When someone tells you NO cross out one of the NO’s on the bottom sheet. Set yourself a Goal of getting
all 100 NO’s crossed out within the next few hours (no Kidding!). If you want to see your business explode with growth, take this exercise seriously. Here is a hint that will make this easier. Triple up. Ask someone to:
1. Become a consultant with YOUR COMPANY. If they say NO, cross out one NO and ask them to…
2. Become a hostess. If they say NO, cross out a second NO and ask them to…
3. Give a customer referral. If they say no again you have already got three NO’s! You will never be better at getting NO’s than you are right now.
The more you do this, the tougher it becomes to get those 100 NO’s. You will find that a YES will creep in
there every once in a while. Don’t let the occasional YES distract you from your primary goal of getting those
100 NO’s. Imagine the look on your neighbor’s face when she tells you NO and you respond, “Gee thanks, I’ve only got a few more NO’s to go and I am finished for the day. I was afraid you were going to say Yes there for a minute.” Don’t take this exercise lightly…it works! Get those NO’s now while it is still easy for you to do so.
Don’t wait until it becomes difficult for people to tell you NO! That time will come soon enough!