Diary on Wealth creation in a Depression

Getting your feet wet

In the previous post “Starting in direct sales” I looked at some of the initial questions that arise when one decides that one needs to acquire Sales training either because one is thinking of starting a sales career, or because one’s job requires one to take on some skills in this area.  I discussed how the first two questions that naturally arise (“What do I sell?” and “Do I have to do an expensive sales training course?“) could both neatly be answered within the category of Network-Marketing, because network marketing affords one the ability to sell virtually anything (and as we mentioned, it is important to choose something to sell that one is enthused about personally), and to do so at a nominal cost, often with great training.

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I remember being taught the basics of presenting products, demonstrating products and talking to small groups of strangers by the great Andy Privett, a six-foot tall Englishman who commanded respect if for nothing else because of his size.  All the people invited had been pre-prospected and invited either to my house or to Andy’s where we would give an initial presentation using a whiteboard, on the benefits of using and marketing the products.  Thereafter, once we had a few people agree to try out the products, and ,even better, try marketing the products themselves, we could invite them to conventions where the full spectrum of products, personalities and company back-up could be fully deployed.

Back-up and finding a mentor are crucial

I’ll say that phrase again: “Back-up and finding a mentor-a good mentor-are crucial to success in sales”.  If you are not being looked after by your “Upline” manager or trainer, beyond the first few weeks, then consider talking to someone higher up the pipeline who may be able to have a little word in the junior manager’s ear, or, even better, take you directly under his wing. From Day 1 I had full support from Andy and I attribute my continued interest in direct sales companies (I don’t say “success” because in those early days, we didn’t do great, but I was learning) to his attention and care of me.  If you are a Manager or team leader of a direct sales business and your salesmen do not last more than a few months, look carefully at your training systems and trainers. I’ve seen many potentially good commission salesmen lost to companies because of selfish, impersonable, or over-aggressive, trainers and middle-managers, who were not willing to go the extra mile for their charges.

Your No.1 skill in business is to sell

So if you are not a natural sales person, take heart.  I wasn’t (and probably am not now).  Yet I have been selling successfully and continuously (with no retainer or other safety net) for the last six years in a country and markets I had no prior experience in.  I made the decision that I could do sales and that I would learn and put into practice what I learned-and I got myself one or two good mentors.  Blair Singer says “Your number 1 skill in business is to sell.  In this economy you are either going to learn how to sell or go out of business..the toughest job is to sell yourself to yourself.“  I agree.  Don’t look at what you are not-look at what you have.  God has given everyone gifts and talents. I have insecurities and faults, but somehow I have always been confident.  I have survived the Rhodesian civil war (see African Genesis) , a dysfunctional family, and moving house no less than 15 times!  when I was growing up I was so unused to talking to people (my early days were spent in the bush country in eastern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) that I could barely look people in the eye!
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