If you have been in direct sales for a few years, you know how valuable these events and warm weather are to your business.  If you are new to direct selling, you may not know yet, but you need to learn this quickly… these events are VITAL to your success in direct sales.

Some direct sales reps or consultants are happy having party after party making a small income each month with their business… but it really isn’t a business when you handle it like this.  This makes it a hobby.  It CAN be a business… a very lucrative business, but it must be handled as such.

The warm summer weather opens up opportunities for the direct sales champion.  You can be a direct sales champion!  Open up your local newspaper… browse your local city websites… find EVENTS and book tables.  This is easy… It is probably easier than organizing a party!  Book a table… print some signs… organize your calendar… and become a direct sales champion!

Let’s compare a direct sales event and a direct sales party:

Let’s take a glance at a potential party outcome…

At a party you could potentially have 20 guests… you must entertain these guests, you must provide drinks and maybe snacks for these guests.  You have to send out invitations to these guests.  You have to follow up with these guests to make sure they show up.  You have to clean up after these guests… And to what outcome? Sure, you can have fun, but what will your sales be for the night? Let’s say your guests average $50 each in purchases.  That is $1000 in sales… your cut being about 30%… you’d make $330.  Now from your $330, subtract the cost of the food and drinks, the invitations, and the cleanup time… What does that leave, $250 to $275? Not too shabby, right?

Now let’s look at an event…

You have to book a table.  You will need to pay for this table ($75 to $150).  You will have to travel to the event location and set up this table… You have to… NOTHING.  That’s about it.  Now, with no invitations, no guests to entertain, no mess to clean up… what happens? You have potentially 100 to 200 customers at a decent event… Let’s say these customers only spend, on average, only $30 each (less than the above average for a party because party guests always spend a little more).  Your sales are at $3000 to $6000.  Your 30% cut of this is $900 to $2000!  Subtract the cost of your table and travel and… YOU GET THE POINT! 

You can find events online with the expected outcome based on the prior years event and the numbers are staggering… I got a table at a spring festival in 2007.  The expected outcome for this event was 20,000 people!  The cost of my booth/table was $150.  I had over 350 orders over a two day period with a total sales of $9,800… My commission at this time was 35%.  So my profit was $3200… AND, I received 10% in free product which I used to stock for my next event ($980!).

Now, the above example is the reason I stress the use of events and festivals to increase your sales.  Read this information, let it sink in, and use it to drive your sales! Become a direct sales champion… you can do it.

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By: Rochelle Togo-Figa

Now is the time to become a “smart” entrepreneur about your business by doing more not less.  What I mean by “doing more” is increasing your sales and marketing efforts.  Instead of pulling back as many entrepreneurs are currently doing, beat out your competitors by finding new ways to stay visible.

An economic slowdown can be a problem for your business if you allow it to be.  Or, it can be an opportunity to gain new clients and boost your sales if you know and have mastered the marketing and sales methods that work best during these times.

Right now, many successful entrepreneurs are rubbing their hands together in eager anticipation of new opportunities because they know many of their competitors are pulling back.  With less competition, it makes it easy for them to go after business.

Consider that although people may be more cautious in spending money, they do still need services.  The person they’ll do business with will be the one who provides the best value and finds creative ways to stay in front of them.

Here are six sales strategies to maintain and even increase sales, no matter what’s going on around you.

1. Follow Up. I’m amazed to hear entrepreneurs say they only follow up one or two times and sometimes never at all.  People may not be ready today to buy from you but if they expressed interest, they’ll probably be ready to buy in the next several months.  They say it can take 7-10 or more touches to move the client to making a buying decision. You want to come up with creative ways to stay in touch, so when they’re ready to buy, they’ll remember you.
2. Reactivate dormant accounts. Reaching out to past clients can make customers for life.  Let them know you’re there for them and be generous by offering some ideas to help them in their businesses.  One phone call can make a huge difference. Think about it.  When was the last time a past vendor called you with some ideas for your business?  When you go the extra mile and show them you’re there to help them, they’ll appreciate you and remember that when they’re ready to do business.
3. Make special offers. Offer a product or service at a special low fee for a limited time.  Give catchy names to these special offers.  Some examples are: Close-out Sale, Scratch and Dent Sale, Half Price Sale, Birthday Sale, My Dog Maxx’s Birthday Sale, Xmas Sale, Coupon Sale, Free 30-Day Trial.  You’ll need to put a time limit on the offer to encourage people to buy now and not later. Also, it helps to explain why you’re having the sale, so they know you don’t just drop prices whenever you feel like it.
4. Up sell to generate additional revenue. When a client purchases your product, you can offer other services at a nominal fee that will compliment the product they’ve just purchased.  This is done in many places. For example, at many hotels they now charge you a ‘resort fee’ of $20 a day.  And for that fee, they list a series of amenities you receive.  Although this is a small fee, with the volume of customers, this fee adds up.
5. Add value to your existing service. During times when your customers may be concerned about pricing, another way to win them over is offering the best value for their dollar.  You can do this by enhancing your service with “extras.”  An extra might be faster delivery than your competitors, a larger selection, easier payment options, or a better guarantee.
6. Be positive. I’m a big believer in staying positive.  Now is the time to surround yourself with positive people, say positive affirmations daily, read books that make you feel good, listen to people who share their secrets for achieving success, take time to nurture yourself, and most of all believe in yourself and stay in action!

If you like what you read in this article and want to learn more sales strategies that will increase your sales immediately, then I’m ready to walk you through my proven step-by-step sales and mindset breakthrough system at the Inner Game of Sales Breakthrough Workshop.  For 3 incredible days in June I will teach you everything you need to close more sales and shift the way you think about sales.  Now is the time to master your sales and mindset so that this is your best year ever! The Inner Game of Sales Workshop will change the way YOU think about sales and selling FOREVER!

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity.  To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

Check out my new Breakthrough Strategist Blog! If you want to see more articles like this one, just click here for more valuable sales and mindset strategies to help increase sales and bring in more clients.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – 6 Strategies To Increase Your Sales Now

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