What I’m Working On …
I’ve been brainstorming a new niche site which I’m very excited about. My goal is to launch it next month and I’ll share more soon.
As for this blog, if you haven’t noticed a slight drop in my weekly posts here, I’m taking a temporary hiatus from writing for this blog. With my new niche site and a few other side gigs, I’ll be posting once a month instead of my customary weekly posts.
But you can find me and more internet marketing tips, specifically writing and creating content online on janettestoll.com. Writing articles is my favorite method of sharing quality content and generating free traffic. At janettestoll.com is where I share content creation tips to help you grow your business online – free.
So if you’re a frequent reader here and miss my weekly blog posts 
, check out my other blog, subscribe by email and get free internet marketing tips, follow me on Twitter, get LinkedIn with me … go ahead, feel free to stalk me online (in a good way, that is).
I’ll post something new here later this month.
’til next time,
Janette
Getting My Home Based Business Ready for the New Season
In my last post I shared the challenges for many moms that work at home because we have little, medium, and even big ones that seem to hang around the house all the time. To say the temporary summer schedule is disruptive is an understatement.
Summer time is a necessary time to be flexible with your home based business. Although I haven’t been writing as much, that doesn’t mean I’ve ceased all income producing activities when it comes to my business, far from it.
In fact, I’ve been more proactive in “branching out” … talking and making new friends in person this summer than I have throughout the year. Taking a step back from writing for my blog and un-plugging (okay, reduced) from social media have been liberating because I’m forced to be creative.
And by using the summer opportunity (where you’re more likely to meet people with kids) to plant the seeds for the new season, you have something to work with when school starts. When the kids are back in school that’s when women/moms are more likely to consider starting a business or do something while their kids are in school.
As I head into the fall, I’ll share more on some of the “creative” networking I did this summer while out and about with my kids. Okay, most of it isn’t anything new, but the point is it’s amazing what you can do with the time you’ve got IF you’re open-minded enough to get creative and explore different ways to keep on growing your business.
Exciting things are happening in the next few months. My company will be hosting its FIRST annual conference in viva Las Vegas first week of November. What a great way to celebrate the company’s growth and the bright future ahead in just a couple years in business. Not to mention it will be a great weekend with the girls sans kids .
I’m also going to do a few changes to this blog and update you on what I’m working on. It will be an organic process but exciting all the same.
I’d love to hear what’s on your plate heading into fall. Feel free to share your plans with us in the comment area.
Chat with you soon .
Janette
Summer Time Success Tips for Your Direct Sales Business
If you’re a work at home entrepreneur with kids, summertime is one of the hardest times to find any kind of rhythm to work on your home based business, on a consistent basis. Having your kids home for the summer really messes up with the routines you had while your kids were in school.
Instead of having a block of four hours to myself, that block of time is now reserved for summer sports camp, dance, or any other summer activities i.e. family trips or hitting the beach.
Yep, summertime is not my ideal time to work on my business BUT that doesn’t mean you should close up shop either. It’s too easy to use this as a reason to excuse yourself from working on your business.
So, instead of trying to do it all – work and family – it’s necessary to modify your schedule in the interim. This makes life easier on you and enjoyable for your family. Understanding that it’s a short term process and to give yourself permission to be okay with your new schedule.
#1 Modify your schedule
Instead of writing in the morning when my kids were in school. I find time to write whenever I can. That means, sometimes I’m writing in the car waiting to pick up my kids. Or when they’re at a playdate with friends. And sometimes, while I’m sitting at the pool or at the beach with them.
Sure, the start and stop process can be a bit annoying because I like to finish what I’ve started, but hey, being an entrepreneur means being flexible, willing and able, to adapt to change.
#2 Access to data on my mobile phone
This is one of the easiest ways for me to stay in touch on social networks and having instant access to emails or phone calls so I don’t miss a hot lead.
It also helps me do the small things while on the go so I can use my time wisely. I can easily check Twitter or LinkedIn updates a few minutes through out the day. Or respond to a potential customer’s inquiry by email right away.
#3 Meeting new people
With every new activity that my kids are signed up for, it’s another opportunity to meet new people that I wouldn’t meet otherwise. I use every chance to meet new moms or dads wherever I go. It’s a great way to meet new people and get to know people in your local community.
It’s a lot easier to close up shop during the summer months because the excuses NOT to work on your business is easy to justified. But it’s important to use this time to get something done instead of doing nothing at all. Being in momentum is important. Instead of writing once a week for my blog, I’ve modified for every other week.
Whatever changes you need to make for the summer months, it’s important to be okay with your modified schedule while your kids are home for the summer. Be creative and find time to work on your business. The key is to do something, even if it’s one thing, instead of nothing at all.
How are you using the summer months to work on your business? Would love to hear your thoughts and tips.
’til next time,
Janette
The Most Important Skill In Direct Sales Prospecting
The other day my neighbor and I went for a walk and she told me that she was looking for something part-time to do at home. A few years ago, I would be all over her with this kind of opportunity to “share” my business, but I know better these days.
Not because direct sales isn’t a good business to get started in but without knowing anything about what she’s *interested* in, I don’t make any assumptions.
In doing so, I’m not making the decision for her, but using the opportunity to listen. This is a tough one for some networkers to understand because they’re more interested in talking about their opportunity instead of listening.
Seasoned direct sellers are not surprised because they know direct sales isn’t for everyone. But newbies are when people don’t rush to join their business. Remember, only you think you have the best products/business.
It might surprise you that most of the time, people are NOT interested in starting a network marketing/direct sales business. More importantly, they don’t think you have the best products or even business. The more you ramble the more ridiculous you sound to them.
During the walk, I felt like a career therapist in a way, listening to her talk about what she did before she stayed home with her kids, and what her current interests are. I must admit listening intently is still a work in progress for me. Most people think they’re good listeners but really aren’t that good, including me.
I’m not sure if I was of any help to her but I know listening to her, without waiting for an opportunity to tell her about what I do, ended up helping me.
At the end of the conversation, she asked “what do you online anyway?” I mentioned I work online but didn’t offer any specifics. Perhaps that was enough to intrigue her.
Whether or not she starts a direct sales/network marketing is not the point because people will do what want. The point is, it’s a good feeling to know that you’re able to listen and hear someone else out, without an interior motive to gain something from it.
Maybe it’s not a good recruiting strategy on my part and some of you might even think it’s idiotic NOT to use the opportunity to tell my friend how awesome direct sales/network marketing is. But there’s a way to tell others about what you do without losing friends.
Besides, we don’t need another person to think network marketing is a scammy business. It can be a great business but it starts with the networker.
It’s time to do more listening, whether you get anything from it or not, and stop with the incessant business sales pitch which also includes spamming other people’s Facebook walls and social networks.
What do you think?
’til next time,
Janette Stoll
P.S. Let’s use our time and build real friendships with others.
What’s Missing In Your Direct Sales Business?
I let my racket do the talking. That’s what I’m all about, really. I just go out and win tennis matches. Pete Sampras
It’s officially the start of the French Open Tennis. One of the reasons I love tennis is the individual effort involved with tennis. It’s very much like being a solo entrepreneur or direct sales consultant.
When you’re on court, there’s no one to rely on but your game. And the game of tennis is as much a mental sport as it is physical prowess.
I’ve been an avid tennis fan since I was a teen and the one thing that’s missing in top tier tennis players is mental toughness. The mental toughness to hang in there, point after point, and match after match.
It takes that kind of intensity and focus to reach the top tier level. The same could be said about your direct sales business.
Tennis is a lot like being in business for yourself but not by yourself. Tennis players have an entourage of coaches and trainers, just like a direct sales consultant has the support of the company she/he represents, sponsor, and colleagues in the business to bounce ideas and share challenges.
But when it counts the most, in this case, making sure you’re selling products and/or sponsoring, it’s an individual business. YOU, are responsible for coming up with the goods, and only you.
Knowing you have the power to come up with the goods is one thing. Being disciplined, day in and day out, and DOING the work is the reason success eludes most people. It’s not lack of talent.
Tennis is a game of preparation and so is your direct sales business. Top players are prepared everyday. They practice daily and play to win.
Daily preparation takes a lot of work. Some days I don’t feel like putting in the work. I don’t feel like coming up with a topic for my blog. It’s common to have some down time. And when you’re down for a while it takes even more mental energy to get yourself back up.
But you need to do the hard work to play the game of entrepreneurship. It’s a mental grind at times.
Before you make a sale, you need to do the prep work. You need to market your business to attract leads and this takes work. Joining the business won’t automatically bring customers and I don’t care how great the product is or how scientifically superior it is if you’re not marketing your business.
Blogging is one of the main ways I gain traffic to my site which helps build leads when people opt in by email. Loyal readers also help spread my blog by retweeting on Twitter, liking it on Facebook, bookmarking it, and so forth. This is one of the ways I prep for growth by consistently marketing my blog.
You don’t have to be a tennis fan to understand the analogy. Tennis is an individual sport that requires mental toughness and preparation. And so is being an entrepreneur.
My guess is that what’s missing in most people’s business isn’t lack of knowledge. Information is everywhere and it’s never an excuse to say you don’t know how to build your business. Whenever you’re feeling unmotivated, it’s good to take a look at what’s really missing in your business.
Your thoughts?
’til next time,
Janette Stoll
P.S. Anyone a huge tennis fan?