Brand and Market Yourself, NOT your Direct Sales Business

When marketing your business online, YOU must stand out. Hundreds of people are probably joining your company or the one you are considering every single day. You have to put a plan in place that maps out what is going to make your business different. And then, the day comes.

You did it! You have finally started your own business so you can work from home. You have received your start up materials, great tips to launch your new business from your sponsor and you are excited and ready to go!

You have a grand opening launch event and even made your first few sales…you are on a roll! You have big goals and an even bigger vision knowing you can expand your business by using the internet to market your business online.

So, you take all the training you’ve learned from your sponsor and company and use it online armed with your beautifully designed company replicated website. And then…

You Make the BIGGEST Direct Sales Mistake Most Representatives Make…

You start promoting the “H.E. double hockey sticks” out of your company products and business opportunity.

You post to your Facebook page (and every other social network you belong to) informing everyone you started a new business.

You also let everyone know you are in a “challenge” to do “( you fill in the blank) ” and have a goal to complete it by (date) and would like to know who wants to “help” you complete the challenge.

Or better yet, you want to share this month’s amazing ‘Special’ with all your friends and followers.

Does this sound like you? Are you wondering how in the world do I know all this? Well, it’s because that used to be me too. It took a rude awakening for me to finally realize what I was doing was not working at the capacity I had hoped. But, that’s a whole other story.

Now, before you get all mad at me, I want you to understand that I’m not telling you NOT to promote your business online, what I want to share with you is that there is a much more effective way to go about it.

That way is to Brand & Market YOURSELF!

I want to give you a few tips to help you actually start to reap the reward of all your hard work and effort online. Before you apply these tips, I want you to grasp the fact that you are an INDEPENDENT business owners. You may promote someone else’s products but this business model requires you to build an independent business, aside from the company you represent.

With that being said, you have to learn how to brand yourself based on your skills and talents, to attract customers and clients who will in the end, benefit from the products you recommend. Trust me when I tell you, the harsh reality is…no one really cares that you are an XYZ Rep with such-and-such company.

Ask yourself a few questions: What makes YOU different than every other Representative of your company? Why should someone buy from YOU instead of another Representative? What will people learn about YOU when visiting your company website other than the products you sell?

If you are constantly offering the same promotions that everyone else is…what makes you unique? Nothing.

Tip # 1 – Consider your skills in relation to your business. More than likely you partnered with your company because you feel a connection to their mission and love the products and services they provide. So, if you are with a cosmetics company, what are you most passionate about that attracted you to the company? Do you value skin care? Have a love for color?

Take that passion and share it with others about skin care or color. Build Brand YOU.

Tip # 2 – Stop identifying yourself as a rep of your company. Shift your focus to marketing what you do for others instead of what you sell. Start introducing yourself to people as someone who can help them achieve a desired result. Whether that is to get clear skin, have a chemical free home, or lose weight naturally, you have to start letting people recognize you have the answers or solution to their problems.

Become a source of knowledge and information. Build Brand YOU.

Tip # 3 – Show prospects the benefit of working with you. If you are looking to build your team and leverage your earnings, help potential prospects see the value of partnering with you in business as opposed to starting a business with your company. Direct Sales is a people business and people do business with other people – ones they like, respect and trust.

Be willing to teach others how to do what you do. Build Brand YOU.

Tip #4 – Be consistent, passionate and committed. This is a big one. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your Direct Sales business. Work your business every day by setting attainable goals and building quality connections to start experiencing network marketing success. Be fully present by consistently building ONE business to the point you are making a steady and growing income…which is easily achievable by following tip # 3 – building a team and mentoring them along their journey.

Commit to your business growth and gain credibility online. Build Brand YOU.

Tip # 5 – Create your own platform to market yourself. Having a company website is great but before you send people there, build a relationship with them first. You can do this by building a blog for your business. As an independent business owner, you have to build a network of prospects on a regular basis, your blog is a way for you to 1) Build your brand 2) Share your expertise 3) Establish credibility in your industry, and 4) Create a network community of dedicated followers and loyal customers.

Set yourself apart to display your expertise. Build Brand YOU.

When you begin to learn how to brand and market yourself online by aligning your passion to serve others with the products and services you offer through your direct sales business, you will find this to be a more effective avenue of creating the kind of income you desire.

If by chance your company was ever to close up shop, you can rest assured you will still have the ability to sustain a thriving and solid business because you took the path to building Brand YOU.

More Reading at..www.theceomamma.com 

When it comes to building business, I not only share Scentsy with people, I share everything I am involved with from social media, branding, nutrition, fitness, etc. I may not be the expert in any single one area, but I can certainly offer to help people in a variety of things that surround Scentsy. It is important to set yourself apart and offer people what you are good at, share your time and build relationships. Making a difference in people's lives will make you special and make YOU a brand that no one can duplicate. People buy you and then your product. When you need something, you don't buy from people you don't like, you buy from someone you connect with.

Here are some of my favorite ways to brand yourself.

1. Show what you are experienced in as much as possible.

2. Help other people in your industry such as bloggers, tweets, anyone who asks questions, etc.

3. Be helpful by sharing links and resources.

4. Create a personal blog besides your business blog.

5. Have an email signature

6. Select the right social media outlets for you and master them. Don't just sign up for everything just to have them and then become inactive on them.

7. Make sure these social media outlets are branded the same.

8. Leave helpful comments on other blogs.

9. Interact online. Then Stick to the websites and communities that will help you reach your goals.

10. Be Yourself.

These are just a few ideas to help you get started. Create Goals. Start Small and have fun. People are buying you, not your products.