Regardless of what business you’re in, whether you’re selling juice or information products, your success has so much to do with how you master yourself before you can master your business. It has been said that direct sales is as much a personal development business as it is about selling products and sponsoring people.

Every business is about people first. Before you can sell a product or sponsor a prospect into your business opportunity, there are barriers that need to be overcome.

The first step is to get to know people as they are, not as a potential customer or a new team member, but reaching out to make a connection, regardless of the outcome.

Let me give you an example. Recently I received an email from someone from LinkedIn and it says “you would be great as a representative for my company and I would really like to talk to you”. There’s nothing impolite about this email per se however this kind of approach is too pushy for me.

Here are some tips on how to connect with people on social media and marketing your direct sales business.

Sometimes direct sellers have the inclination to tell everyone, offline and online, about their products and opportunity every chance they get. The best way I know how to resist talking about my business is to not look at people as “prospects” but as someone I’d like to connect with, without being attached to the outcome.

The reality is you can’t control other people’s reaction, inaction, or worry about what they’re going to do. But you can always control your own way of thinking and reactions to external circumstances. This is one of the best ways to grow as an individual and master self-control. Regardless of what’s happening around you, knowing that you are in complete control of you, is incredibly powerful.

Allowing yourself to feel inspired and motivated in the midst of setbacks is definitely not easy to do. We get stumped all the time in business “I can’t believe she didn’t like the product samples” or “I can’t believe she won’t even return my email or call” and so forth.

It’s easy to get caught up in these setbacks, if you allow yourself to wallow in them. Instead, accept whatever it is “as is” and move on. Don’t make it about you because it’s not about you. Try not to read into what happened or make assumptions. Don’t take it personally.

Most direct sellers give up because they channel disappointments into self-judgement such as “I must suck at this direct sales business” or “no one’s interested in the products or opportunity”. Our mind tends to turn one setback into a full-blown drama and create a personal story why we’re not good at such and such.

So start managing your self-talk and learn to master self-control. The first step is to be fully conscious and aware that you can only control your own way of thinking – shifting your mind to this self mastery will really help you to master your direct sales business and in your personal life.

‘til next time,

Janette

p.s. What are some tips you use to master self-control? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment or  question. If you find this article helpful, kindly retweet and share with your friends … thanks so much J . Have a great weekend everyone!