Have you heard the phrase, “Bees and dogs can smell fear?”
Well the same is true for people, we can smell desperation.
Being in the direct sales industry has taught me a lot over the last few years. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve learned more about how to build my business the right way in the last year, than I had in the last 15 years with various companies. This is in no small part due to the information on the internet. I thank coaches like Lynsey Jones, The Party Plan Coach, Lisa Robbin Young at Direct Sales Classroom and others for sharing their knowledge and to pick up where my uplines left off.
I don’t want to sound like a snob or anything but it used to drive me nuts that I didn’t have the “success” like I imagined I would have with my other direct sales companies. I did almost EVERYTHING they told me to do in the training documents. I followed the scripts to a “T”, I consumed every marketing idea and tried it, I talked to people about the business opportunity…
And nothing.
Well not “nothing” exactly, but far less than what I expected.
It wasn’t until the last year that the light came on and I realize that the direct sales business is really about relationships and not about promoting my product and opportunity.
I also belong to the largest referral organization in the world and I have learned the right way to network and life has gotten so much easier. But, it has also taught me how to spot the “wrong” way to do things.
I can spot a desperate person a mile away. They’ve got that crazed look in their eyes like, “I have to pass out all my business cards so I can get some business.” They introduce themselves and all they start talking about is themselves and their business. They tell you what they sell and ask for the sale before you’ve had a chance to look at their name tag.
When I meet someone in another direct sales business, I know their opportunity before they even know my name.
Eek…
I’m sure I sounded like them too because I was focused on me and growing my business, rather than building relationships. And that is the key.
The other problem is that when people sense you are desperate, it turns them off to you, your product and your opportunity like a light switch. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. When I see a desperate person at an event, I run the other way – so does everybody else.
Right now I’m at a crossroads because an acquaintance of mine in another direct sales company who stinks to high heaven of desperation. I don’t know what has transpired over the last few months that has made her so aggressive about her business, but it’s really bad. Friends that I have introduced her too have told me they don’t like her because she’s too pushy. Now I don’t want to introduce anyone else to her for fear of the same feedback, yet I want to help her build her business.
I’ve tried to talk to her to see what’s going on, but she has these walls built up and she hasn’t shared anything personal, she just wants to talk about business. I want to help her and tell her how she’s coming across, but she won’t give me a chance.
Her main goal is recruiting to get people under her to make more money. People see that and run the other way because they know she doesn’t have their best interests at heart. Plus, the people who do sign up with her are likely to have the same aggressive personality because you attract the type of person you are.
It’s a vicious cycle!
The only way to stop the cycle is is to change the mindset about the business and opportunity. If you work on building relationships and helping people rather than trying to see what you can get out of everyone you meet, you will be much more successful in your business. Plus, you’ll meet some really wonderful people, build great relationships and you’ll actually get to enjoy your business.
Trust me, it works 
