MKS Design Services

You’ve got a new unit/team member! Now what?

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:00:42 +0000

So, you've done all the work, had the interview, REALLY impressed your potential recruit, so they whip out their wallet and sign on the dotted line! Congratulations! Now what? For many recruiters, that's where they think their job ends and the director's job takes over. While generally it is your director's responsibility to make sure your recruit has proper new consultant education, that does not mean that your job is done. In order for your recruit to be successful, it means they need your support too. While your director may provide that new consultant education, you can help your recruit during the process. And, hate to say it, but some directors are simply not available or willing to give your recruit that support they need. So, take that recruit under your wing, and show them what YOU do. Show them how you book, how you warm chatter, how you coach your hostesses, how you hold your parties, and how you follow up. While they can get the education from your director or the company, some recruits need that hand holding in order to be successful. I've seen many many new consultants sign up and never even attempt to become active or book, or hold parties. Why? Find out what makes your recruit tick, and help them find their why. Why did they sign up? For alot it's not the recognition or prizes, maybe it's because they need extra money to pay bills or to take a vacation or even to be able to stay at home with their children. If you find out why they signed up in the first place, and focus on that reason, it will be easier for you (and your director) to guide, educate, and help your recruit to success. You can find some things to help you lead your recruit and team at my Pink University (http://pinku.mksdesignss.com/team-building/team-leadership/tips-and-ideas/) Now, go build your team!

Do I need an Elevator Speech?

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:00:33 +0000

I recently posted a tip on my Facebook Fan page and in some groups I'm on about creating an elevator speech. I've gotten a little feedback, so now I'm going to tell you how to come up with one.
First off, why do you need one? Well, what happens when someone asks you what you do? Do you stumble over your words or go into a long dialogue on what you do, what you offer, etc.. Think of an elevator speech as your first commercial, you want to grab their attention and make them want to know more. You can always go into detail later, especially if you HAVE grabbed their attention and they DO want to know more!
How do you create one? Well, it's more simple than it seems, especially if you aren't the "creative" one. You can look up examples on Google and reword them to fit you if you choose. But I think it should be as individual as your business. It should sound natural and not rehearsed. Remember, you want to grab their attention and make them want to know more. You also want them to recommend you to others, since this is the beginning of building that relationship that's so important to growing your business. Think in terms of what your business can do for your client. "Hi, I'm Jane Doe, and I teach women how to look and feel beautiful every day" or "Hi, I'm John Doe, and I'm a government fund-raiser" (IRS agent).
Ok, step by step, first, write down what services you provide. Then think of it in terms of what can benefit your potential client or customer. You could create positive outcomes. Once you've got that down, create an opening sentence that will grab their attention. Lastly, you must practice your speech in front of the mirror and with friends. You should be able to say it naturally and with confidence, as well as sincerely.
"Hi, I'm Sherri Garrett and my clients love how they now have more hours in the day to do more important things, like growing their business."

Too Much Time in the Office and Not Enough in the Field?

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00:32 +0000

Let's face it, when we move up in our direct sales business there are certain responsibilities that we incur. Now that we're a director and have the responsibility to build up our unit and team members, we have less time to focus on the customers and selling product. And holding classes and selling product is not only important to our business, but also important for your unit members to see you working that aspect of your business. I've seen many units wane and fade due to directors not focusing on building their customer base. And building that customer base is important to keep building your unit. You should never stop selling your product and building your personal team. It's important for your team members and their team members to see you making that aspect important to your business. It's been said, "monkey see, monkey do". It's true.
Yep, it's hard, especially when you need to recognize your unit members for their accomplishments too. By outsourcing items such as mailings, newsletters, ecards, and your website, you can free up so much time to focus on those aspects of your business that can't be outsourced. You can also free up time to spend with your family and just having fun! And who doesn't want to have fun?
There are many virtual assistant companies out there that can help you. It's important to find a company that clicks with your personality and ideals. It's also important to find one that can work with you and give you what you need when you need it. And it's important to find one that will keep up with the times and updates when they need to be done. So, hire a virtual assistant, get up out of that office chair and get out of the office!

7 Reasons Why Outsourcing Is Best For Your Business

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 08:00:32 +0000

A lot of business owners are still under the impression that you need to employ full time staff and pay them high salaries to sit in your offices. The truth of the matter is that full-time staff only push out about 2 to 3 productive work hours in a full day if you are lucky. We are also extremely privileged to live in a very technological age where almost everything to do with a business can be carried out remotely.

Have a look below at 7 reasons why I would recommend outsourcing most of your business functions.

1. You only pay for results produced or productive hours worked, saving your company thousands a year on HR and salaries.

2. There are no lengthy contracts or highly legal processes involved. If you are unhappy with one service provider, you can simply select another one.

3. If you are dissatisfied with any work, most freelance service providers will amend it for you free of charge.

4. You can find freelance staff at a moment's notice without having to sift through lengthy CV's or spend weeks interviewing.

5. You do not have to pay for your staff while they take time off, and if you select to go with a company instead of an individual provider you can always have cover when you need it.

6. You can find freelance providers and companies to cover almost any task needed for a business including web design, SEO, marketing, administration and sales.

7. Your time can be freed up to focus on the more important aspects of your business or to spend on leisurely activities.

These are just a few of the reasons, there are so many more. All it would take is a little time to find the right freelance providers or company for you and the rest will be taken care of.

It amazes me how outsourcing has not already taken the world by storm. Sure, it has become quite big recently, but not as big as it could and ought to be. I do understand there is still that insecurity aspect of not being able to keep an eye on your staff, but most freelancers I know work harder than any full-time employee I have ever come across. They know if they do not produce the right results, there is a danger of not being paid or that no further business could come their way. They go the extra mile because of this, which means your quality of work will be higher than that which you'll receive from the staff paid to sit in your office.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynne_Grummitt

The Art of Listening

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 07:00:52 +0000

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears" What an introduction to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. As business women, we need to do the opposite and lend our ears. The art of listening to your potential customer or client does not come easily to us, since we really love talking! Especially about ourselves. But by listening to those around us, we can anticipate or determine what that potential client needs and off them our products and services that will meet those needs. That makes the client feel special, and they are much more likely to buy from someone they can trust who listens to them and can help fulfill those needs.
There's two ways to listen- listening to body language, and listening to what they are saying. With body language, 95% of communications is non-verbal. Studies have shown that up to 95% of a message is conveyed through nonverbal actions. For example, by leaning back and crossing your arms in front of your chest can indicate you are bored or have a closed mind. Maintaining eye contact is essential to showing your client that you are interested and are paying attention to them. Look at their body language while you are conversing. Do you notice them absentmindedly scratching their arms while talking? This may indicate they have dry skin and could benefit if you sell skin care products.
Listening is a mind game. It's hard to stay interested and not adopt the attitude of "same old, same old". Keep the conversation as exciting as possible, and keep your goal in mind of accumulating as much information as possible without revealing anything about yourself. Keep the conversation about them. By doing this, you are building a storehouse of information about your client that can be used to your advantage, all the while bestowing the honor of your undivided attention. Most people are starved for attention and will appreciate you for making them feel special.
It's easy to fall prey to selective listening, especially as a busy entrepreneur with your business, life, and family commitments constantly in the forefront of your mind. Listening is an active process, something you have to actively participate in, in order to maximize meeting your clients needs. Keep your eyes and ears open and you will be ready for your business to soar.

Why Isn’t My Business Growing?

admin — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:00:54 +0000

Many of us waste the opportunity that has been given us in the form of excuses. This is a harsh reality and sometimes the truth hurts. So, why do we do this? Because we're afraid. We're afraid of the unknown, we're afraid of what we'll be required to do, we're afraid of success. For a lot of us, this fear is developed in us as children, when our parents tell us that the only way is to go to college, get a job, and you'll be set for life. We all know that isn't true in today's economy. Retirement plans are nearly non-existent and social security is broke. I watched my parents going from being okay, dad going to work, paid cash for nearly everything, and owns their own home. There was no retirement for him, and now, being retired relies solely on social security. He worries every year about whether or not he can pay his property tax or get his vehicle fixed when it breaks down. Mom's medical bills have become a huge issue with her declining health and the fact that medicare doesn't cover much. Is this your future?
Your business is what YOU make of it and you have to be willing to do ANYTHING it takes to make it successful. "I will do ANYTHING it takes!" Really? Hire a VA, invest in inventory, hire an assistant, hire a coach. "I can't afford that!" Really? Then you aren't willing to do anything it takes. Can you afford a flat screen tv? A coach purse? A cruise? Then you can afford to invest in your business and by investing in your business, you are investing in yourself. Still think you can't afford it? Sit down and write out 50 ways (not 16, not 40, not 35) that you can make money RIGHT now! Not by selling your Rolex, or pawning the title to your car. Come up with 50 ways you can come up with funds RIGHT NOW! Get creative, get busy! You will find that you CAN afford to hire a VA, so you can focus on what you NEED to focus on to grow your business (examples, hold a cooking class, tutor some after school kids, house sitting). Keep going. When you have exhausted everything you can think of, then push a little harder. Like the last 10 miles of a 25 mile marathon, when you're hurting, in pain, and feel like you can't go any further, you push a little harder and you finish! WOW, how does that feel? You did it! Then say it, "I can afford ANYTHING"!
Now, prioritize the top 6-9. The ones that bring you the most amount of money, with the least amount of time, with the least effort, with the biggest return. Now, take action on these items and make some money!!
Another excuse, "I'm too busy". Yep, so am I. I'm busy too. We're all busy. Whether we work outside the home, or are stay at home mom's, we're just busy! Busy is good! Busy women get things done! Busy women hire an assistant and delegate! Then they get busier.
"I have children, I can't leave my children". That's a touchy subject, yes our children need us. I know there's that inherent guilt built into us moms that drives us. Yes, our children need us, but they also need and want us to be successful. Our success makes us much happier and the time that we spend with our children are so precious. And by doing what it takes, building your business, and becoming successful, you are teaching your children to be successful in the future. You are building that future for them and it will enable you to spend more time with them. They will appreciate it.
So sit down, figure out what you want, what you really really want, and determine.. are you willing to do whatever it takes to build your business and become successful? Or make excuses and become complacent, therefore your business become stagnant and does not grow. The choice is yours.

When Life Knocks You Down – 5 Tips for Entrepreneurs

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:00:21 +0000

When Life Knocks You Down – 5 Tips for Entrepreneurs

By Carina Claire Jeppesen

It happens – people get sick, depressed, long-term relationships end, etc. – your personal life can and will get in the way of your business at some point. You can't plan for these types of things, so how do you hold up your business fort when you still have paying clients and your life just takes a really bad turn?

Schedule a vacation

Now would be a wonderful time to go on an impromptu vacation with friends or family. Whether it lasts for just a weekend, a week or more, something to look forward to in the near future will help you get your mind off things. The sooner you are able to go, the better. Surround yourself with people who love you so you don't feel isolated. Explore and experience new things. Perhaps you will even become inspired to work again soon thereafter.

Forget the time-stealers and focus on client work

Don't let social media, blogging and blog-reading steal your time, perhaps only for the important updates (like a 6 month entrepreneur anniversary!) or if you have an urge to share something. Not only will they steal your precious time, they will get you more down, especially keeping yourself updated on others blogs – their success will make you feel like you are failing, even though you have the right to take a break. If you only have enough energy to work a few hours a day, you should be focusing on your paying clients instead. The added bonus with focusing on client work is that it allows you to escape your personal problems for a little while, because the work you are helping your clients with feels more important than your troubles.

Do one small task each day

I'm a fan of Michael Nobbs over at Sustainably Creative, and although we do not share circumstances, I listen to his podcasts often – they are short, very meditative to listen to and his laugh is positively smile inducing! His advice of doing one small (creative) task every day when you have limited energy comes in handy when life knocks you out. As long as you have spent a few hours each day doing something that in some way moves your business forward or keeps your clients happy, you have made progress for the day.

Take a break – you need to heal

After your few hours of work is done for the day, take a break. Or if you can take a day or two off, do it. This may happen automatically as you probably don't have either the energy, focus or drive to keep working on your business. Don't beat yourself up about it, allow yourself time to heal and don't feel guilty about taking time off from your business – go for walks, spend time with friends and family, watch movies, create art only for you, etc. You need this time to regenerate and reorganize your thoughts and mindset and you will know when you are ready to really start submerging yourself in your work again.

And finally – immerse yourself in your work

When you are ready, and you will know when you are, don't just start working again but immerse yourself in your work. Surround yourself with your business, new ideas, brainstorming, new creative blog posts, a refreshing "new" look at your business and enjoy it. Find the joy in your work again and give yourself fully to your business and clients. Your newfound energy and attention towards your business will spark creativity and motivation, and allow you to continue with a more positive outlook and mindset.

Carina Claire Jeppesen is a web designer and a branding and communications specialist, who founded the company Web Couture Ltd in the UK. Her clients and work varies from redesigning personal websites, to conducting interviews and writing annual reports for multinational companies, to creating infographics for nonprofits. Visit http://webcouture.com for more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carina_Claire_Jeppesen

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7009629

Celebrating your small successes

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:50:57 +0000

Last week I had the opportunity to go to our local Women Entrepreneur group meeting. We were celebrating our 2nd anniversary that day and the food and desserts were amazing! What was even more amazing was the education that we receive every time we go to help us build our business. That night, the focus was on celebrating the small success.
We all know in Mary Kay and other direct sales, that the company rewards us for certain milestones. For many of us, our directors also have promotions to reward us for ordering product or holding parties. We all love receiving those beautiful prizes and it's great, but what do we do for ourselves? Sometimes these goals can be daunting, such as ordering $600 worth of product to receive a prize from our director, or $1800 to receive a prize from the company. While those goals are achievable and the prizes are fantastic, sometimes it can seem out of our reach. If we set smaller goals for ourselves, and reward ourselves for reaching those goals, it can make the bigger goals even more reachable, and the prizes even more sweet to us.
For example, my goal right now is to have 5 new clients. And when I get those 5 clients, I'm going to reward myself with a new purse. Not from walmart, I'm going to the mall and I'm going to reward myself with a GORGEOUS new purse. My next goal would be 10 new clients, and that reward will be a new pair of SLAMMIN' new shoes. Once I reach those goals, I will set more goals, each a little harder than the last, but I will reward MYSELF! Sometimes the rewards that we give ourselves can be much sweeter than what we are given from our team leaders, director's, and the company. Not to say those rewards aren't fabulous and aren't worth working for, because they are. But by adding rewards that you do for yourself, like a girl's night out, or new haircut, or new outfit, you can make achieving the company rewards much more reachable and give yourself the drive to get there.

What Do I Do First?

admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:09:59 +0000

WOW! Cindy Williams is the NSD sharing on the Power Class of the Month for April.
This month's topic is "What Do I Do First?" Many of us feel or felt overwhelmed when we received our starter kit. It's hard to just figure out what we should do first, do we do this or do we do that?
I know for me that having a step by step plan is best. Sitting down and working on a plan is better for me to be successful.
So, what do I do first? Well, Cindy recommended in this video that we sit down and figure out our why? Why do I want to be successful? For many of us it's financial freedom, getting out of debt, being home with our children, plus much more. Figure out yours and write it down. Even if there's more than one why, that's ok, pick the most important and focus on that why.
Sitting down, after figuring out your why, and read through the materials in your starter kit and your New Consultant packet that your director has sent you. Many times, in your packet, your director has written out a step by step plan on what you should do next to be successful. By following those guidelines and utilizing those who have already walked the path you just started, you can build your successful business and reach for the moon!
Mary Kay Ash once said "Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try." Don't let the music die with you. Share it with the world, starting with the small world around you and building upon it. Dare to try.

Bounce Back?

admin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:01:19 +0000

I'm sitting here watching the Power Class of the Month webcast with NSD JoAnne Barnes. In this month's webcast, they are talking about bouncing back from a crisis or from adversity. That makes me think back about all the "things" that have happened to me in the past, good and bad. And believe me, there have been alot of bad. When I note having come through all the bad things, I know that I have come through each thing better than I was when I started. Remember when we were kids, and we had those aches and pains that we couldn't explain. Our parents called them growing pains. Well, those problems we having, those crisis we're going through, those are growing pains. Whether it's financial, emotional, or job related, we have to grow and develop and that is painful.
So, how do you get through this? First, remember that we ALL go through crisis in our lives, so remember that you are not alone. Reach out to your friends, family, your director, and sister consultants. There are many that can help you through this. Remember that no matter what, God is with you, so even if you feel alone, you aren't. Remember who you are, and who you were when you started. Remember all the crisis you have already been through and that you DID come back from that. Believe in yourself and know that no matter what, you CAN bounce back and you WILL bounce back. Decide who you are and know that you CAN achieve greatness, no matter who you are. GO for it!