What do you do when you are excited about sharing your direct sales business with someone and they respond that they feel that direct sales is a scam, and want to argue the point with you?

According to the Direct Selling Association over 18 million people over the age of 18 in the USA alone are involved in direct selling.  That is an increase by 8.3% over last year.    This encompasses $34.5 billion in sales for the year.  Does this sound like a scam to you?  Could all of these 18 million plus people wrong?

Reputable direct sales companies pay on retail sales versus spending those dollars on advertisements.  They prefer social selling.  They also bonus on developing a team.  Most of these companies are also providing education and service around great products.  After all, the quality of the product must be exceptional to sell, as there are not millions of dollars being soaked into costly advertisement.

A few practical tips to help you overcome this concern, besides what I have already shared with you, are:

• Share the benefits of direct sales through sharing your why story and what it has done for you personally.
• Keep in mind to mirror things that may be areas of frustration or pain points in your prospect’s life.
• Also remember that not everyone finds value in only the income and what it can provide.
• Be sure to mention the increase in confidence, skills, freedoms, time, influence, friends, recognition for a job well done, and more.
• Be specific and share with passion how those areas of your life has changed.
• Share your checks and earnings.  Remember that this can be “extra” or additional income or a way to earn a full time income.  Share it with pride.
• You will also want to ask more questions of them to discover their “real” opposition or resistance to direct selling… or what other information they would need to become more comfortable.

Direct sales has evolved as a profession.  It is not a bait and switch.  It is not a high pressure sale.  It is not a get rich quick without working proposition.  It is not about stocking a closet full of product you may or may not sell.  It is not about convincing and badgering others.   It is a real business with a low start up investment or risk factor on their part.

Share with them that your business is not a high pressure situation, it is really sharing something you love, much like a great shoe sale, babysitter, or Italian restaurant.

Share with them how you see your business opportunity fulfilling some of the desires they have expressed to you.  It may be a solution for them.  Connect the dots for them.  Simply invite them to give it a test drive, and release the outcome.

Love it or hate it… Direct Sales is here to stay!

My last tip for today is to remember you are in the “sorting” business not the “convincing” business.
You only want to work with people on your team that desire to be on your team and are a good fit for you and your team culture. When I am inviting people to look at the business opportunity, I usually say, “When is a good time to have a quick chat to see if this is a good fit for BOTH of us.”  I truly mean both of us.
Have I sat down and not offered to sponsor a recruit.  ABSOLUTELY.

I knew that what I was offering them was the opportunity to change their life and the lives of their family members.  It was the opportunity to feel good about something they created.  It was hope for a better future and a way to more fully express their purpose to live a more influential life according to their why, desires of their heart, and divine destiny. However, I knew that not everyone would be a good fit for our company, my team, or even our profession.  I did not take it personally and I was not desperate.  I was inviting and sorting.