| When we think of direct sales, we all think of sales | | | | I have folks come to me often and say "I really want |
| skills and communication skills, but often we forget | | | | to have a large customer base" yet when I ask them |
| about the business skills that can and will help us in | | | | about their plan, they come up empty. It is absolutely |
| direct sales. I'd like to share three business skills I | | | | wonderful when customers find us and come to us |
| believe every person in direct sales should have. | | | | unexpectedly but the vast majority of the time we'll |
| 1. Understanding some basic software programs.a. I've | | | | need to find them and bring them to us. We need a |
| always used a database. There is no one database I | | | | marketing plan to accomplish that. |
| recommend. My personal choice has always been | | | | We also need a business plan to be able to see how |
| FileMaker Pro by Claris. However any database can | | | | much money we'll need in a month or a year to run |
| store and manipulate data. I use a database to keep | | | | our businesses. One of the things I love most about |
| track of customers, keep track of leads and keep | | | | direct sales is that it is a fraction of the cost of running |
| track of income tax information. In past years, I've kept | | | | a franchise or retail business. However, there are still |
| track of where I've placed ads and the results of | | | | expenses in running a direct sales business. A business |
| those ads.b. I've always used both Microsoft Word | | | | plan helps us know exactly what we can expect to |
| and also Word Perfect. Each of these word | | | | spend. You can find basic business plan templates |
| processors has different strengths have helped me | | | | online through a web search. |
| with different tasks. MSW is wonderful for creating | | | | 3. If you are in business, you must have some basic |
| documents and mail merges. Word Perfect is my | | | | time management skills. For many of us, we have |
| choice for creating data source documents. I also use | | | | spouses, children, an outside job and even some |
| these programs to create flyers, create letters, write | | | | personal hobbies and interests. Time management is |
| my newsletter drafts and create forms.c. I use | | | | crucial in succeeding in direct sales. |
| Microsoft Excel almost daily. In fact, I recently attended | | | | If you want tips on time management, I strongly |
| a seminar to learn how to better use this program. I | | | | suggest you find a few books, a seminar, or even a |
| use a spreadsheet to keep track of passwords, keep | | | | few articles. I personally use day planners. I've used |
| track of my articles, keep track of where my articles | | | | them for over 25 years and for me they are a |
| have been submitted and much more. I am by no | | | | wonderful fit. I know others love the calendar that |
| means an expert in Excel, but I do know how to | | | | comes with Microsoft Outlook. Others find a to-do list |
| create simple workbooks and then manipulate the | | | | to be the best fit in time management. Regardless of |
| data. | | | | the system you use, you'll need some basic time |
| 2. Being able to create a business plan. I've always | | | | management skills. |
| equated a business plan with a road map. In order to | | | | I believe with these 3 basic business skills, you'll set |
| get from point A to point B, you must know where | | | | yourself up for success in direct sales. |
| you're going and how to get there. | | | | |