Direct Marketing at Vendor Events (Are you doing it right?)

Direct marketing is the fastest and easiest way to create a business. Where you can start making money the very moment you sign up. In order to be successful you really need to have a passion for what you're selling. A small sampling of direct marketing businesses are Thirty-one, Younique Products, Jewel Kade, Origami Owl, Tupper ware, Young Living Essential oils, Plexus, Avon, Mary Kay and the list goes on and on! There are plenty of options for selling and many are taking advantage of Vendor events.

Your town, city or parrish has plenty of events where everyone can get together and sell their goods or services, but at a higher cost. And then you have individuals who offer a great location for the direct marketers to sell their goods for a better price, but at what cost?

JW and I had both two vendor events put together by one young lady. She has a lot of promise but not a lot of public relations sense. Getting the word out about an event that you are hosting is the key to everyone being a success. And if you can't make sure that your events are a success you won't get return business. After all, not all vendors at these type of events are solely for direct marketing only. You also have vendors who create their own products to sell. Soaps, bows, frames, art, dolls and accessories.

The point with this blog is that you have to have a smile and knowledge about the products that your sell. Don't let the fact that you can make a lot of money with these companies that your focus on what the customer needs and is looking for that you don't know what you're selling. This weekend I was lucky enough to encounter a woman who wandered around the event scoping out who else was there. Now I can tell you for a fact that the way that I live my life I live by essentials oils. I could sell for Young Living if I wanted too but that's not my forte. I was there with a different direct marketing business. This woman was selling tupperware. She arrived late, set up late and snubbed just about every business that she passed by saying they were not as good as the businesses that she does. "And what all do you sell?" I asked her. "I sell it all, baby!" was her reply to me. "And that includes Young Living essential oils."

I am grateful that she can go and spend money to wear multiple hats but shunning everyone, even those that are not your competition like we are all encompassed with leprosy is not the way to make sure that other vendors ever come to you for anything you would ever offer. Vendor events no matter how big or small means your first and only priority is to make contacts. Contacts, are your bread and butter. And vendors even though you are competing with them for a customers money, are your best contacts.

This woman walked to the booth right next to me, turned and screamed out that I, Beth of Something Building, needed to purchase $110 worth of lotions. Okay, I'm going to let you all in on a little secret. I don't buy commercially made beauty products. Most carry the chemical sls and my child who has autism and is extremely sensitive to sls. And guess what. There is going to be a time where this expensive product is going to find it's way all over the floors, the beds, the dressers, the bathroom, etc. Because my child will be getting into it and will enjoy painting it all over the house when mommy is busy with working or cleaning.

Looking at her, I told her that I didn't need it. I used Rose Hip oil. Her face dropped from cocky to wtf in less then 2 seconds flat and said, "What's that?" At this point I leaned forward and said, "It's an essential oil, you know those things you sell with Young Living." "Oh it didn't come in my kit, so I don't have to worry about it."

Alright, let me just slow the roll of the blog right here. If you are going to be selling direct market then you darn well know what products that you are selling and you had better have a passion for the products. I could sell essential oils in my sleep if I wanted to because there is such a huge market for it if you know how to sell direct marketing. I was a prime person that she could have sold anything too when it comes to essential oils. But people that are getting into direct marketing are going to be having a harder time selling with cocky attitudes and lack of knowledge on the products being sold.

Go above and beyond and look around you. Learn who your customers are and where they are. Every opportunity is an opportunity to sell but for the love of all things shiny don't be like cocky Charlotte and brag about everything you do and sell and not know what it is that you are selling! There is a list of names that goes with Cocky Charlotte and clueless happens to be that the top of that list.

And if the event your at doesn't fair well at all, do yourself a favor and go around to all other vendor booths. Collect up their business cards. At least you will have emails for your data base. So no matter how you look at it you still have an opportunity to sell, sell, sell. Don't set yourself up for failure.

How can I keep up my business with my special needs child?

This is a question that I can relate to with all my heart. One of the things that I am fortunate enough to have is friends who have small businesses and special needs children. I myself have a child with autism and they have such strange habits, like not sleeping at night.

I've gone far past the times when I can work when she can sleep. My child has never slept and for me not much work was getting done. And with summer being in full bloom and school being out for a few months how much work can I get done. A lot more now then when she was diagnosed and I was still trying to figure out having a business and the business of therapy and doctor's appointments for me child. Having a regular job where I punch a clock with someone else isn't an option for me. My child has missed so many days due to bad illnesses that it's not funny at all. But here's some of my tips and tricks that I use to get all the work done without having a nanny or babysitter and it's you caring for your child and your business begging for your attention as well.

Day or night there are plenty of times for me to work. My child enjoys stemming and that soothes her, doesn't calm her down to sleep but it does help her function in her chaotic world. My business deals with being solely online. So the computer is my work station and the laptop goes everywhere that I go just about. But for others who create things that they sell that can be a bit of a challenge. A structured schedule can help for not only your special needs child but for other children that you have as well.

Picture schedules are great for keeping children on schedule and yourself as well. Playtime outside if the weather permits is a great break for not only your child but for yourself. Sometimes depending what type of business that you have your child can do work sheets for learning while they sit right beside you and you can help guide them with their education. Some of the things that helps with my child and her autism is the ipad, an exercise ball for stemming, a trampoline and the all important swing. We also do a lot of crafts together where she ends up with something that she can play with. Playdoughs are her favorite and clay is easy and simple to use for her as art is her talent. When it comes to my child I have to make sure that she is always in my eye sight including when we ride bikes together. Call me a helicopter mom if you want but you have to remember that children with special needs are different. They require just as much attention as your business.
Time together with your child is time you will never get back if you don't put forth time and attention for both your business, child and your sanity. Enjoy the break times outside, your child(ren) are only young once.

Too busy to do social media, try these tips

Well, we are all a little too busy with our business and families but what can you do to keep your name in the streams? Put everything on auto pilot!

Blog posts can be scheduled. Facebook statuses can also be scheduled. The only thing I have not been scheduled would be twitter. But you know as they say, where there is a will there is a way. I'll let you in on Something Buildings big secret. It's not easy having to do blogs for Something Building and my own business and Jason stays on the road a lot with his business. So how do we do it?

I'll admit there were times that we were so busy we just couldn't keep up with all things social media. But scheduling everything to go out on certain times and dates makes it so much easier. For all the posts that go out on facebook I just look up business advice and then share that as scheduled. That keeps us in the news feeds, which is also known as "viral visibility". On your regular facebook page you can type in facebook.com/twitter and use this to link your fan page to your twitter account. Everything that you schedule on facebook will be shared on your twitter account.

From your blog type up enough blog material to last you a month if you need. When you schedule your posts make sure that some time during the day you go into your blog and share out to your facebook, and google and any other accounts that you may have. It's easier this way to spread the word about what your business is doing and you can spend plenty of time with your family or focus a little more time with your family.

Technology makes it easier to keep up with what's important. Well these are our tricks that we use. Enjoy using them yourself.

I sell for a company but not sure how to increase my sales

I have been asked this question on more then one occasion. People sell for other companies to bring in the extra income for the family but they are starting to think differently about it because they aren't achieving the success that they thought they would. First and foremost make sure that you are selling a product that you truly believe in. Secondly, make sure that you use every single outlet that you have. And they are all free, through social media sites.

If you have a facebook page you can set up a community and add a lot of your friends and encourage them to add their friends. Share information about your business. Say for instance you sell essential oils. Share meme's and fun facts about the benefits of essential oils for a person's health and well being. People will leave the community but there will be plenty of people who will join as long as you keep it an open community. Allow people to like the page. Remember that when you use social media for your business you have to keep posting and working social media for at least 7- 8 hours a day. This is your business and it needs your time and attention. People want to feel that if they ask a question you can answer it at any time. People need an expert, someone that they can trust and that would be you. Know your product but most importantly know your clients. Sales will come in tidal waves as long as you are persistent and continue to work at your business which you only took on as a side job to help with the family finances.  

Is blogging for me?

Blogging is a great way to share information and also help you to get your information out there to your perspective customers. One thing you have to realize is that blogging takes time and attention. And just like time that's what it takes to get in the search engines for google. There are plenty of blogging websites to use.
I devote a whole day to create up as many blog posts as I possibly can and schedule them to be released on certain days. For my own website I do the same exact same thing. My website runs on wordpress so blogging is pretty simple to do and my website shares all the information out to all my social media sites that it's attached to. So all I have to do is take one day out of my schedule and just type up a months' worth of work and schedule them for certain days. If you notice Something Building's blog posts on Sunday's, Tuesday's and Thursday's. For my own company I send out all my blogging on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.

By keeping a strict schedule of posting 3-4 times a week you give yourself a higher chance of getting in the google search engines. You have a better chance of someone finding your product and services when you keep this strict schedule. Beth, I have no time to blog I'm trying to sell products and grow my business. Well dear, aren't we all? Go on auto pilot. Auto pilot will assure that you still have time for everything else and all it takes is just a day to get everything written up and scheduled for certain times and days and you will never fail. You can also share pictures to your blog just like in Instagram and Vine. All you have to do is just write about your product and how it helps someone or many other people.

Your blog is the extension of your business. Keep a clear message and if you can only do 200-300 words that's still fine and always make sure you keep it fresh. And don't forget the 4 E's: Educate, Entertain, Engage and Enrich. The same exact E's that you should be applying to your business.

Get the help you need how you need it

This was covered on our radio show awhile back and I wanted to go a little more in dept with www.fiverr.com and how it can help your business. Lots of us use blogs and need testimonials to help out with growing the trust with our business.  With Fiverr yes with two r's you get graphics, marketing, video testimonials, reports and many more online services starting at just $5.00. Now this is a website that Jason actually found and I love it.

Some of the best things about fiverr is if you can't do you're own logo's for your company you can pay to get it done for you. Need t-shirts designed, Photoshop edits and/or radio quality voice overs but can't think of how you want to do it. They help with that as well. Need your blog written but don't have the time. Yes, they handle that as well. Beth, did you hire out to create the Something Building Blog. No, I don't. As you can tell there are a lot of time spaces in our blog and that shows you how busy I am. I can't get to the blog all the time. The only reason there hasn't been a miss in awhile for our blog is because of a little secret that I will share in a later post.

Just about anything that you could ever possibly need to have done that you don't have the time for or even don't know how to do, you can find a person to do what you need on www.fiverr.com. So get out there and get your work done, now you have no excuse!

Instagram & Vine for your business

As we all know Instagram and Vine are social media sites that are geared towards pictures and short short video's. Instagram is owned by facebook and Vine is owned by twitter. Visual imagery is great for sharing your business using sight only. We have asked several people that we help with their businesses to create an Instagram account. They did and they have received positive reviews and new clients from sharing their work. Before and after pictures are great for this site. So if you have a business where what you do can be seen this is a great opportunity to showcase your work and generate new leads. 

So you own a lawn business and you need to spread the word about your business. You have your vehicle wrapped and you put your business cards everywhere including putting a yard sign in the person's yard. Go a little further and take before and after pictures of the work that you are doing and post them to Instagram or Vine. This two apps are your portfolio to generate new leads and new interest in your business. It's not that hard. If you are a nail technician this is perfect for you as well because the nails that you share are just like a fantastical work of art. And everyone loves looking forward to seeing your next art piece. 

Well Beth I never thought that I would be able to showcase my business like this. Well, wait it gets a little more interesting because there are still people out there that don't see how important it is to visualize their business in a creative way. There are people out there that sell make up or do photography. For those selling Avon or even Younique you can have tons of before and after photo's. For Photography these are great for showcasing your work.

For creating those eye catching video's of how your product works the before and after and you don't have a video editing software. I highly recommend the Gimp program. It's 100% free and there even tons of tutorials showing you step by step how to create video's also known as gif's. Gif's are video's that have no sound and using this program depending on the camera you use won't come out all blurry. Gimp is a program that you can use to also edit images or your pictures with ease.

Now you have no excuse for not being able to get your visual message across.