For many entrepreneurs, the most uncomfortable part of being in business is selling. How about you? Can you sell without feeling uncomfortable? Or do you feel like you have to slip into a different mode to make yourself do it?

Many of you know about my background in was in direct sales. And in fairness, at first I just didn’t get it. I was pushy (because I was desperate) and that made me uncomfortable. When people saw me coming they’d run the other way! It wasn’t until I learned a few simple techniques, some simple ways to just be with myself and most importantly to just listen and interact more effectively that the process become more comfortable for me and those I interacted with. (more…)

One of my favorite clients called me to say that she was discouraged that she hadn’t made any money from an information product she’d created. She was very frustrated!

As we backtracked a bit, I asked her what she’d done to spread the word about her product. “Nothing,” she said, “I was scared that if I told them I was selling something they’d think I was being salesy and get off my list.”

The interesting thing about this woman is that she (like most of us) has something REALLY helpful that she’s created and would like to share with her community and sell it. She’s got a product that can help a lot of people.

What was her fear all about?

Fear of selling. Fear of being rejected. Fear of not being liked.

Fear of people dropping off her list because she’s doing more than just sending out nice content newsletters. Fear that she’ll be perceived a certain way.

So many people with great service-based businesses struggle with this fear.  Sales is often perceived as a 4-letter word when the truth is when you’ve got something of value that meets someone’s needs there’s no greater form of service than to offer it to them.

I reminded her, “You’re not selling heroin, or used cars that break down, you’re selling a product that makes people feel better. You can create great products all day long, but if you don’t let people know they exist, then you’ve wasted your time, not made the money you deserve and not been of service. I’d even go as far as to say that if you don’t offer what you’ve got, you’re being selfish with your gifts.”

Will some people unsubscribe from her list because they think she’s being salesy? YES

Is that okay? YES

She’s in business and the definition of being in business means that you make money by providing value to people. The more people you help, the more money you make.

BUT, you can’t make money if you don’t let people know what you have to offer.

Funny thing is when I initially created Think It, Create It, Sell It, I’d forgotten abut the selling part. I let all my own fears come up and the program was just Think It and Create It. How silly would that have been if I’d spent all this time teaching people how to envision their product and then create it, but then omitted teaching them how to sell it? I would have done them a complete disservice. The selling part is the key ingredient.

A few years ago while working with my coach Baeth Davis she shared that a big part of my life’s purpose is being of service. Initially I wondered, what does it mean to be of service? My interpretation, and how I’ve used this knowledge to shape my business and life over these years, is that I’m most fulfilled when I’m having fun giving.

What happens now, almost habitually, is that I wake up wondering how I can really be of service today – to myself, to my family and to my community? What can I do to really create value? When I start my day with that question, goodness always comes. It’s like my magic pill.

The question I ask regarding those of you in my community is – “What do YOU really need to get it done?” The answers I’ve been hearing include “how-to” specifics, a space to ask detailed questions along with hands-on coaching and accountability.

Well, I have a big unveiling for you. I’ve revamped my entire member’s area to serve a larger community and give you what you’ve been asking for both in content AND in price.

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I like to describe affiliate programs as a complete circle of giving and receiving. It’s a win-win situation, providing a way for the individual and the entrepreneur business owner to exchange connections and sales! Affiliates receive a commission for doing what you do naturally – sharing what you know and love with those you know. Entrepreneur business owners gain leads and/or sales that they otherwise might not have. I want to share with you some powerful tips on building an effective affiliate program for your products and services.

 

  Entrepreneurs-How To Create An Affiliate Program [Metromom Podcast] [5:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Entrepreneurs – if you want your affiliates to do a good job for you, you want to make it as easy for them as possible. I am an affiliate for many people whose products and services I love and I really appreciate those who make it easy. Many send me pre-written tweets, email blasts, and other content that is properly embedded with my affiliate code so all I have to do is tweak it to be in my voice, copy, paste and drop it in.

In contrast, there are people for whom I’ve become an affiliate (because I love what they’re doing) but they don’t make it that easy for me. I have to go digging through their back end, hunting for their banners, and seeing what I can dig up about their copy to do it. Realistically, few people will invest that time. Regardless if they love what you do, they’re busy and if it’s not easy, or even worse if it’s confusing, chances are they won’t do it.

So this means that you, as the entrepreneur, have to spend the time creating the content for your affiliates. The beauty of having an ongoing service or product is once you’ve set this up you can create autoresponders (automated emails) to go out on a predetermined schedule.

When you sit down to write to the person who has signed up to be your affiliate think about how you, the entrepreneur, can serve them. Ask yourself, “How can I give this person every tool I can so they can do the best job for me and so I can pay them the most amount of money?” This will help your copy to flow.

I’m so appreciative to all of my affiliates. They do a great job for me and I love having them in my circle of giving and receiving. Please click here to learn more about the Metromom Affiliate Program.

FYI – If you’d like to set-up your own affiliate program and you want ALL the steps check out the upcoming Get It Done Challenge at www.TheGetItDoneChallenge.com. This is the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs to get an affiliate program –  or any important project – done before the New Year.

I like to describe affiliate programs as a complete circle of giving and receiving. It’s a win-win situation, providing a way for the individual and the entrepreneur business owner to exchange connections and sales! Affiliates receive a commission for their promotion and entrepreneur business owners gain leads and/or sales that otherwise might not have.

Most of us could use a little extra cash right now – especially during the holidays. By becoming an affiliate you can earn a passive income just by doing what you do naturally – sharing what you know and love with those you know. Women make great affiliates because we’re loyal customers who love to share what’s working for us.

But, how do you manage the other side of the affiliate partnership? How can you put together a strong affiliate program? I think this is something many women entrepreneurs need to do as a way to reach a much larger audience. So I want to share some tips on building an effective affiliate program for your products and services.

It starts with a generous mindset.

When I first launched Metromom, I was paying a 10% affiliate fee. Then I thought, “If I say that I care about my affiliates and need their support to help me spread the word about Metromom, who’s going to do that for 10%? Why would they waste their time?”

Then I decided to adjust it to 50% and after making that decision everything shifted for me internally. The first question my husband asked me was, “How can you afford to pay them 50%? That’s so much.” I said, “You’re looking at it from the wrong perspective. I wouldn’t have even known about Mary if Susie hadn’t sent Mary to me. So I’m thrilled to pay Susie a generous percentage because she just brought somebody new into my life who I never knew about.”

As an entrepreneur, it’s all about your mindset and how you look at the affiliate. When you really look at them with this great appreciation, you think, “Thank you so much for expanding the network of people in my world who are learning about my products.” You feel that gratitude as you sit down write them their checks or send them a PayPal payment.

When you feel generous and appreciative this shifts the entire way you promote your affiliate program. When I review my old emails when I was paying 10%, my emails didn’t have a good energy. When I shifted it to 50%, the voice with which I wrote changed. All of a sudden I thought, “Wow! I can’t wait for you to promote this product. I’m going to pay you 50% on this product.” That’s a lot of money. Honestly, it was so much fun for me to write affiliate emails.

Now I’m not saying 50% is the magic number, but I am suggesting that you choose a percentage – or even a flat fee – that feels good and generous to you. This will really enhance your ability to communicate with passion. And as an entrepreneur, you will see your circle of giving and receiving grow.

FYI – If you’d like to set-up your own affiliate program and you want ALL the steps check out the upcoming Get It Done Challenge at www.TheGetItDoneChallenge.com.

One key thing I’ve learned over the years is how important it is (no matter what your own personal situation may be) to stay in a place of service. In challenging times, it’s very easy to focus on our own individual needs. The gift is to start focusing instead on who you can serve. You’ll be amazed at the shift in your energy AND the positive results.

 

  Entrepreneurs - Create a Positive Shift in Your Energy by Being of Service [Metromom Podcast] [7:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’ve read and re-read The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea, a beautiful parable by Bob Burg, several times and each time I’m reminded of key lessons that serve as the foundation for my business.

1. You don’t often get what you want…you get what you expect

The world treats you as you expect to be treated. It’s more important to give more in value than you get in payment.

2. Your true worth is determined by how much you give in value.

Key questions to ask yourself are… how does this serve? And, does what I’m doing add value to others?

3.  Enlarge the number of people you serve.

Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. In other words, your compensation is directly proportional to how many lives you touch. There are no limitations to what you can earn because you can always find more people to serve.

4.  Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.

When you watch out for what other people need (with a genuine heart), and have faith, you’ll get what you need. Being a giver makes you more attractive and magnetic.

5.  You can excel by adding value.

If you want or need money, then add value. YOU are the most valuable gift you have to offer. Be authentic.

6.  The secret to success is giving. The secret to giving is making yourself open to receive.

Every giving can happen only because there is a receiving. The cycle is not complete unless you open yourself to receive.

Listen to my interview with Bob Burg where he goes more in depth into the 5 Laws that are critical to running your business.

Earlier this month, I had a great opportunity to be of service as I hosted my first live event and I wanted to share the positive results enjoyed by everyone who participated. My intention in creating this event was to educate local women about various work-at-home opportunities (specifically in direct sales) and help them sift through their options.

Knowing the financial stress many women are feeling in this challenging economy, combined with seemingly endless work-at-home options, as well as a fear of scams many are paralyzed about what to do next. I wanted to provide a reliable resource of information.

Since I have so many connections with women I quickly assembled a panel of six women who have successful careers in a variety of direct sales businesses across six different industries. On February 1st we got together and the panel shared information about various direct sales opportunities – how they work, how they’ve made it work as mothers and how to get started.

Throughout the process of publicizing the event, I kept focusing on my intention of providing great information and education to women who really needed it. I really feel like we accomplished our goal.

Participants listened to candid stories on how the panelists moved from corporate careers to home-based with success. There was great “transparency” and truth about their challenges. They expanded their breadth of knowledge and now have direct access to the panelists for future conversations.

Panelists had the opportunity to meet 30 new prospective clients and partners, as well as the connections forged with the other dynamic panelists. They also learned from other panelists what they’re doing successfully in their businesses that they might be able to apply.

As for myself, I benefited as well, in a very big way. I had the opportunity to generate great local publicity for Metromom as a resource that supports women and also position myself for a greater national platform. I connected some great women together – which is always fun for me -and can now see what comes of those relationships.

Since I love sharing I’m working on another great educational opportunity for entrepreneurial moms on a nationwide level that promises to be BIG. Stay tuned for the details in my free ezine.

When you consider what’s going on with the economy, it’s very easy to focus on your own individual needs as you feel the stress of hard times, especially if you’re not generating the income you’d like and you’re in a place of fear. When you step out of your own personal focus and begin asking how you can be of service to others, everything in the universe shifts and you embark on a path to much greater success.

I’ve noticed that during various times in my life – when I was internally focused (and in a fearful place) – others around me felt my desperation, which was not very attractive. As I grow and become more aware, I when I am able to turn my attention to how I can be of service to others, and let go of my own concerns, (regardless of what’s going on for me personally) everything shifts.

Instead of focusing on “What’s in it for me?” – take the focus off of yourself. Shift your focus to “What am I going to GIVE?” Watch your energy shift into a positive place regardless of your own struggles, financial or otherwise.

What’s even better is with the right focus you CANNOT FAIL. When you’re authentic and have an intention to truly be of service, you end up winning by establishing or maintaining great relationships. These relationships can benefit you in so many ways in the future -through referrals, future business or just the value of a solid friendship.

If you’re struggling financially, let go of focusing on that desperation and instead focus on who you can serve. You’ll be amazed at the shift in your energy and the positive results will inspire you to continue. Please share how being of service has benefitted you in ways you never imagined.

*This content is based in part on Sin #7 in the Guide, The Seven Deadly Sins Women in Direct Sales Make… and How to Avoid Them. Sign-up for your 7 Week Action Guide.