Song of My Heart Demonstrators

Creating Labels for Less Work and More Income

There is magic in a well-labeled catalog! Too many demonstrators send out their “storefront” without adequate, professional-looking contact information and reminders. It is a lost opportunity every time! Choose to maximize your direct-sales business efforts by making a concerted effort to always have appropriate, well-designed labels on ALL of your business materials.

What should I put on my labels?

• It's tempting to cram as much info on a label as possible, but less is actually more when it comes to choices you ask of the customer. Choose the top two ways you prefer people connect with you and the TOP action you want them to take.
• Don’t make the font so small they need a magnifying glass to read it! Print in dark, black ink and a font that is at least 9 pt or higher.
• Only ONE line should be bolded to catch their attention, and watch overuse of exclamation points. Be excited, but professional.
• Use a readable font style (not super scripty cursive). Be succinct, using as few words as possible. Use four lines MAX on a regular address label.
• Use shortened links, such as Bit.Ly, to make long web addresses fit better.

What should my labels look like?

• Print your own, or order? Are you capable of designing a professional-looking label with the technology you have at home? If not, order them from a printing service. I have always been satisfied with VistaPrint, and they often have really good sales or cheap upgrades.
• Graphic logos are great for promoting your brand, but often either don't translate well to small labels, or take up too much valuable space. If you want to carry your theme over, use the font styles (and colors) you have chosen for your look.
• Graphic labels or colored/printed backgrounds often raise printing prices. Remember that it is MOST important to be able to clearly read the information. Go for professional over cutesy.
• If you want, order plain black and white labels and leave room for a small stamped image. Just remember to stamp them all in advance, or when push comes to shove down the road, you’ll find yourself slapping unstamped labels on things just to get it out the door.
• On the backs of the catalogs, there is lots of room for larger labels, or multiple labels. But the most versatile label size is the basic return address. If expense is a factor, get that size.
• If you want to use actual business cards as labels (most of us have plenty of them!) My favorite way is to use the Sizzix multipurpose adhesive sheets to turn them into stickers to permanently attach business cards to catalogs. You won’t need to order business card labels in addition to business cards --and it contributes to your sales.

What kinds of labels should I make or order?

• Return Address: the most common label you’ll need (order lots). Add one line of contact info to your street address, such as email or phone number. Use only for correspondence. There’s really no need (and a small privacy concern) to have your home address on every catalog.
• Like What You See? Ordering information only. I put this on the front and back of every catalog. I want them to easily find this information the moment they decide to visit my store.
• Join Now! Sign up information only. I put these on my recruit brochures but also on my catalogs. Use a shortened form of your personalized sign up link.
• Paper Pumpkin personalized link: I put these on every page where Stampin’ Up promotes Paper Pumpkin, because the generic links they list do not lead them to sign up with ME. You can use a smaller label for these to save some money, as there are usually several generic links to cover.
• Connect with Me: your blog, Facebook biz page, Instagram user name, Twitter handle, etc. This one is to show them the variety of ways you can be followed. Give them an easy way to choose a platform or two to keep in regular contact with you. Always leave them with an action item!

What are other fun labels to have?

• With Love from Your Upline: I use this for all team correspondence, just to remind them they have a cheerleader in their corner and I really do care about them personally.
• Your New Catalog is Here! I put these on the outside of mailers. Mine has a line about enjoying a complimentary catalog and thanks them for choosing me as their demonstrator. Just a gentle reminder that I have invested in sending it to them, am ready to work for them, and it would be appropriate to order : )
• Club Advertising: I use these on the thank you envelopes I send to any customer who is not a club member already, just to remind them I have an online club and they could be getting benefits from ordering regularly.
• Class Schedule: many demonstrator use large labels to list their regular monthly events for the quarter or six months in advance. Put these on your mini catalogs (as they will be outdated soon), or attach to old workshop invitation postcards as card guards. Don’t put them on envelopes or things that will be tossed.
• Current Specials: take advantage of the opportunity to inexpensively remind customers of ongoing short-term promotions and offers.
• Referral Benefits: if you have a customer referral program, do your customers know about it? You could reward them for giving away their set of catalogs with a new set and a $5 gift certificate or coupon off an event.
• Swapping Labels: if you do a lot of swapping, it can be fun to have a special “created by” label for the backs with your name, title, hometown, blog and email address.
• Made with Paper Pumpkin Products: one of my downlines labels all the cards she makes using alternative ideas from her monthly kit. Over time, customers notice how versatile they are.
• Special Orders Accepted: if you take special orders, let people know! List some occasions to prompt them to think about what’s coming up in their lives, like wedding invitations, baby announcements, party favors, etc.

Last Tips:

• Label all your catalogs as soon as you receive them. Yes, it’s a little tedious, but you are far more likely to be prepared in a pinch, and far more likely to actually follow through and give them all out. Take the books out of the boxes and get them on a shelf that’s at eye level. Every year at the end of the season, downlines give me cases of catalogs they never labeled and never opened. What a waste!
• Make it a practice to check your label stash and print or order as needed, every time you preorder new catalogs. Get in the habit now so that when the new books arrive and customers are clamoring for them, you don’t have to wait to distribute them solely because you forgot to have labels ready.
• Always have a way to print labels at home, even if you usually order them. Keep your printer in ink and a package of self-print label paper handy. There will likely be a time when it saves your bacon to have that ability in an emergency or for a special limited-time opportunity.
• Obviously, if you used every label listed here, your catalogs would be plastered with them! That’s the visual equivalent of all the ads competing for your eye in the middle of Times Square or the Vegas Strip. I shoot for no more than two labels on any one cover, back page, or envelope. I am hungry for their business, but not starving for it.
• If there is one label that is most important (the ordering one!), slant it at an angle rather than attaching straight. Items that don’t fall into typical visual lines stand out. Angle it enough that it is clear it is not just sloppily stuck on, but purposefully slanted.

UPLINES: Like to use this material as a handout for your next team meeting? Here it is in PDF form: Download Creating Labels for Less Work and More Income

Good luck as you revamp the haphazard way you may have been approaching labeling in the past, and turn over a new leaf using these tiny pieces of sticky paper to up your business. Who knew there was such power in a label?

What's your problem?

My dear friend Lori Brausen brought an excellent business tip to our local meeting last month, and I knew right away I wanted to share it with you all. The main concept comes from Kim Roach through Zentreprenuer.

Kim shared how your customers' biggest problems can become a goldmine of opportunities and ideas. She believes that problems can be your best friend, especially when it comes to ideas for generating content.

Kim Roach's sure-fire copy-writing formula is called PAS: Problem, Agitate, Solve. Let's look at each one of those steps.

• Problem: describe the problem your customer is experiencing. In our industry, this could be anything from trouble getting stamps to stick to the block, to difficulties with storage space, or even just the main annoyance most crafters feel cranky about--not having enough time.
• Agitate: talk about the problem. "Rub salt in the wound," Kim says. Does this problem lead to other problems? Does it crop up over and over? It's even more effective if you've had that same issue as well and can talk about it from personal experience and real emotion.
• Solve: give them the solution. Talk about the answers. Share how your product fixes the issue, frees up time, or eliminates annoyances. Share specifics about how your approach works efficiently and economically. And then tell them where to get the product or service. 

What I appreciate most about this approach is how truthful it is. The problem is true. The emotions and frustrations attached to it are true. And you know, from personal experience and trial and error, that the solution is also true. That honesty resonates with people. And they appreciate what you've shared, and they'll be back for more.

Take a moment to sit down and make a list of 10 problems the average customer faces. Here's a few examples:

• how to manage scraps
• basic measurements
• knowing what adhesive to use
• crafting on a budget
• organizing ribbon
• finding the time

Every one of those issues could be not just a blog post, but a whole blog series. Each issue would be a great video concept. They would make fantastic, interesting, helpful newsletter articles.

I bet you can think of way more than 10 problems your stampers face. We'll never run out of problems, actually... so we'll never run out of content to cover.

Sometimes it can feel a little manipulative to talk about "formulas" or try to keep an outline in mind when writing blog posts and newsletter articles. But actually, the PAS concept just really good customer service. You're solving people's problems--meeting their needs--sometimes even before they have articulated that need to themselves. When you are meeting people's needs, you do not ever need to feel like you're doing anything wrong.

You may even have realized, reading this article, that you already naturally use a PAS outline when you're writing to your audience. It's a natural progression when you identify a problem, after all, to talk it over and eventually wind up at the solution.

And while customer friends may not be ready to tackle the particular problem you've focused on right at that moment, it will be in the back of their heads that you have answers for similar situations. Anything that sets you up as an expert in your field, that makes you the go-to-girl for advice, is going to add value to your business that will keep paying off for years down the road.

Dream Big! And try implementing the PAS concept this week.

Seven things to do right after you sign up: best-kept secrets of the pros

Congratulations! You're a brand new direct sales consultant. It's exciting and also a little overwhelming, right? I bet you're wondering where to begin. I've got some tips for you that will get you off to a fantastic start. You'll be all ready to hit the ground running before your Starter Kit even arrives on your doorstep!

1. Pick your brand name! You'll need to follow your company's guidelines about use of their name and logo, but you also want to stand out from the crowd as much as possible. You're going to be marketing yourself just as much as your company's products! Shoot for short rather than long, professional but fun. It should be easy to type out and remember, so no misspelled words, numbers instead of letters, etc. You'll be working under this "brand" for many years to come, hopefully, so take a little time to make sure it's a good one. Then, register it with your company (if required). You'll want to nail down that name so no one else can use it.
2. Subscribe to your company's individual consultant webstore. I know there's a fee--it's worth it! This is how people shop and sign up online with you. This is how you'll direct them to individual, specific products they're interested in, instead of just a generic "please shop with me." This is what people will find when they search "your name/company name." The fee will easily take care of itself if YOU do the work of getting the site out there.
3. Start a Facebook business page. You have to have a business page in order to to business on Facebook, period. We're all glad you're excited about joining, but if you start using your personal page like it's a billboard, you're gonna chase off family and friends in short order. Business pages are free, easy to set up, and will allow you to schedule posts in advance and do some inexpensive, targeted advertising when you get your feet under you. Make sure it's a public page and not a group. Groups come later, but for now, a business page is crucial. Add a smiling photo of yourself, and stick a company stock photo in for a header, for now.
4. Print or order labels with your name, contact information and your individual webstore link. Your box of catalogs and business materials will be arriving any day, and you can't hand them out with no way for people to contact you or place orders. Make sure there are at least two different ways to contact you. if it makes you feel weird to put your actual address on the labels, don't do it.
5. Choose an account and one credit/debit card to use for your business. It's sooo much easier at tax time if all your transactions funnel through just one or two places. Even if you're not sure pursuing the business side of things is right for you, it's better to begin as you mean to go on. And if you know you're not great with money matters, a separate account will help you easily keep tabs on income and spending. We're so often our own best customers!
6. Join your team's Facebook group and mailing list. If your new upline or sponsor doesn't direct you there, ask them. It's crucial that you connect with other consultants, be able to ask questions and get ideas. You can also look for your company's official Facebook group or chat forums. These people are going to become dear friends, so start the party and introduce yourself. If there's a local gathering, attend if you possibly can--you'll get extra energized.
7. Start a question notebook. Seriously, you've got so many thoughts running through your mind right now, but I guarantee you when your upline calls to see how you're doing and asks if you have any questions, you'll draw a complete blank. Write them down or start an email draft and add to it as you think of things. Your upline will LOVE it, you'll get way more answers, and you'll both use your time efficiently.
8.  Yes, I know I said seven, but here's a bonus: schedule your launch party NOW. Don't wait. You're excited NOW. Don't give yourself time to rethink things or get cold feet. Arrange it for the first free weekend you have after your Starter Kit is scheduled to arrive. It's going to be a blast, but if you don't give yourself a firm deadline, chance are you'll think of some excuses not to do it. The truth is, no one EVER feels ready for their first event. There's going to be things you don't know yet, products you haven't tried, situations you can't forsee. But you and your customers will learn together. And if you need a quick cheerleading booster shot, call your upline.

There you go--the first seven (eight!) things I'd do if I were a brand new consultant. GOOD LUCK! We're rootin' for you. We all know what an amazing confidence-boosting blessing direct sales can be--and you're about to find out. This is so exciting! Dream BIG.

7 Ways to Give Your Social Media a Quick Facelift in the New Year

As I have been wandering around the internet verifying demonstrators for the SOMHS business Facebook group, I have come across a good number of blogs and Facebook headers bearing out-of-date information, old catalogs still up, holiday pictures still featured prominently. That definitely sends a poor message to anyone looking for an active, enthusiastic demonstrator!

I've compiled a list of quick tips and tricks you can use to freshen up your blog and other social media sites to make sure you're communicating the most recent information possible, in the most appealing way possible.

1. Change out your catalogs promptly. There's no excuse for not having the current catalogs available with free sites like TAMS providing courtesy catalog widgets for all demonstrators. TIP: I mark the date each new catalog begins and ends on my planner so that I am reminded to change them out.
2. Get a fresh headshot. Let's face it--we've changed "a bit" since that eight-year-old photo we have been using. Time to get a new one! TIP: If you have trouble finding a photo of yourself that you actually like, try changing it to black and white. For some reason it feels kinder and softer, and as a bonus, it won't clash with your color scheme.
3. Liven up your color palette. Colors are intensely psychological. They "speak" even louder than words. Are yours fresh? Up to date? Fun? Do they fit with the feel and style of your chosen brand name and the color combos you lean towards? Do they grab attention? Do they feel warm and welcoming in the winter, and cool and refreshing in the summer?
4. Update your header. If you don't have a professionally designed one and don't have the computer skills to do it yourself, my best tip is Fivver.com, a site that connects free-lance designers with people who need something quick. You can get a logo designed for five bucks. Blog headers and Facebook covers for ten bucks. That's a pretty cheap facelift!
5. Use the corporate graphics from your company. Stampin' Up provides a large file of gorgeously staged photographs with each new catalog. These will help you sell products we carry without actually having to own every last one of them. Do you know where to find this file? How to download it to your computer, un-zip it and use the photos? Time to learn! Click on Happening Now, then Catalogs.
6. Delete old sales and recruiting information. There's no reason to have the Pick A Pack of Papers sale from 2014 on your site, or the Starter Kit promotion from eight years ago still in your Facebook photos. If it was strictly sale information and not projects, delete it without hesitation. If there were projects in that post that you don't want to lose, delete just the sale info and change the wording so it's more "evergreen." Focus on the layout or idea or color combo instead of the specific set or tool. Evergreen posts and photos continue to be relevant--and bring in business--long after the product itself has been discontinued.
7. Check for broken and dead links. Nothing's more frustrating than stumbling across info you want to pursue, only to discover the link no longer takes you there. I use the free site deadlinkchecker.com to identify links that are not functioning so I can easily fix them or go delete the old post. HINT: do this regularly, so it's not overwhelming. If you've not been in the habit of checking this or deleting outdated sales info, the first time you check for dead links will be a bit of a shock!

I hope you've gotten some great tips from this list. If you have a "quick facelift" idea to share with your fellow direct sales consultants, please leave a comment. Thanks for visiting Song of My Heart Demonstrators today!

Grasp, Reach, Stretch: Setting goals that will get you where you want to go

MOST direct sales consultants have trouble setting good goals. They either don't set them high enough, and lose interest and focus because they know in their heart they'll be able to hit it without really trying--or they set them TOO high, with no real plan in place to actually do the steps that will be required to hit such an audacious goal.

For the last several years I've taught my Business Boosters training group this easy way to categorize and quantify your goals. I tell them to think of their goals as exercises they are doing from your office chair. Grasp, Reach, and Stretch. Every goal you set falls into one of these three categories.

• The first is a GRASP goal. "Grasp" goals are something that will probably happen anyway based on your current levels of effort, time, and energy. It is already within your grasp right there on your desk.
• The second is a REACH goal. "Reach" goals are goals that you have to stir yourself to get to. You have to extend your arms or your current level of effort, to reach them. It is on a nearby shelf or table.
• The last type of goal is a STRETCH goal. For a "Stretch" goal, you must plan ahead, get up and move, sometimes put yourself in an uncomfortable position, in order to gain the desired object. It's up on a high shelf or even across the room.

I encourage you to take a few moments to look at where you'd like to be by the end of the year (you may find the Ultimate Stampin' Goals Worksheet to be useful for this if you have not already begun a list). Multiple studies show that simply WRITING down goals increases the likelihood that they will be achieved by as much as 25%.

 

On a separate sheet of paper, sort those goals into GRASP-REACH-STRETCH categories. Be honest!

 

If you did it last year, it's automatically a "grasp" goal. If you see too many "grasp" goals, you are not challenging yourself. These aren't really goals--more like QUOTAS you hope to hit. You already know you are capable of doing this activity level in a normal year.

 

If your desire is for PROGRESS, there should be a good balance of "reach" goals. It's ok to have reach goals in every area of your business--after all, you have an entire year to work on them! The common mantra "Better your Best" is a "reach" goal. It is something just beyond the grasp of what you did last year. Where could you improve by 10%?

 

If your desire is to truly EXCEL over last year, there needs to be at LEAST one "stretch" goal. I encourage you to set three or fewer "stretch" goals in a year--after all, the point is to actually hit them, not for them to be so many or out of reach that you end up consistently missing your goals. You can always add another "stretch" goal if you have completed your current one and there's still time left in the year. But it's very important to keep our businesses in balance with all the different aspects of our lives. Too many "stretch" goals will get you in trouble in short order.

I hope you'll keep this simple way of categorizing and evaluating in mind as you work through your plans for the year. If you are comfortable sharing one or more of your "Grasp-Reach-Stretch" goals for this year or month here in the comments, please do so! Sometimes people don't even know what to work towards, and your goal might spark one of their own. We're all in this together!

Free PDF: print your own New In Color bookmarks

 

Here is a fun resource to help you introduce your customers to the new In Colors, and also to create a little value-added loyalty perk! Print these out on Whisper White cardstock and stamp or punch the new in Colors below the corresponding color names. You could also add a little punch of the cardstock color next to or in place of the stamped images for an even more useful tool.

Try these and watch your In Color sales soar as you use fresh new color combos throughout the year and your customer friends decide they have to have them, too. Two more ideas for using them:

• Have your customers MAKE these themselves at your open house event, if you don't have time to make them in advance!
• Uplines: make them at the meeting so that everyone has a sample even if they were not able to order the new In Colors at this time.

Download In colors 16-18 sampler bookmark (generic)

My recommendation is to add your own contact info at the bottom.

Enjoy, and may these fun efforts bring you luck in business! Do you have a time-saving resource (or an idea for one) that you think other demonstrators would find useful? Email me! Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com

New Catalog Strategies: let's talk labels

Let's talk labels! Here's some tips from the pros about maximizing that little self-adhesive sticker that you slap on each new Idea Book, fresh out of the boxes.

There's a lot to be learned about strategies for the new catalog--

when is the last time you tried a different way of distributing them?

The distribution of a new catalog is way to important to take casually. Your preparation in advance can be the difference between a sales season that blows your mind, and one that blows over. 

First things first: if you have not ordered or printed your catalog labels, it's time! The new catalogs can be ordered or redeemed with Flex Points beginning May 3rd, 2016. Have your labels in hand by the day they arrive on your doorstep.

Many demonstrators include a coupon sheet, a book mark, a recruiting letter, or sampler with their initial catalog distribution--get those ready as well (see photo below for a quick In Colors sampler project I did last year). This makes really, really good business sense! After all, you are already paying for the shipping. I use flat-rate Priority Mail envelopes, so I can fit a lot more in those besides just the catalog, at no additional cost. I can include a Paper Pumpkin sample, a class schedule, a handmade card--whatever I want to add that personal touch.

Four Quick Tips for Creating Your Labels:

• It's tempting to cram as much info on a label as possible, but less is actually more. Choose the top two ways you prefer people connect with you and the TOP action you want them to take.

• If you're printing your own, don't make the font so small they need a magnifying glass to read it! Only the top line should be bolded to catch their attention. Use a readable font style and be as succinct, using as few words as possible.

• Graphic logos are great for promoting your brand, but often either don't translate well to small labels, or take up too much valuable space. Leave it off, or spring for the larger, business-card-sized labels.

• If you want to use actual business cards (most of us have plenty of them!) Tear N Tape is an inexpensive way to permanently attach business cards to catalogs-- and it contributes to your sales. You can also use Xyron machines or sticker-making paper.

  Something else to think about: Catalogs are meant for distribution and can be seen by anyone and everyone out there, once they leave your hands. If it bothers you to have your home address or a home phone number in public, don't put that on your labels. Order or print separate return-address labels that you only use on cards. I have different labels for the different aspects of my business: one for Etsy thank yous, one for my downline that says "with love from your upline," one for customer cards with my blog on it, and non-business ones for sympathy cards and other personal correspondence. Not everyone needs ALL your info.

   

  One last tip: Consider a fun game for your customers at new catalog time! "hide" a label or sticker on a different page in each catalog, or say 10 catalogs out of every 40 you give out. It can be a giveaway, a special offer, or some other little bit of fun.  Be sure to promote it when you hand out the catalogs so that everyone gets the word that you're playing a game. They'll POUR over those books looking for that special sticker, and be so excited when they find it!

What new catalog distribution tips do you have, that other demonstrators could benefit from? Share them in the comments!

Free Handout: Organizational Tips for Retreats and All-Day Crops

Sharing a helpful handout that I use for my scrapbooking retreat weekends to help people narrow down what to bring. You can include it with your registration email or advertising for the event as a nice "value-added" extra. Download Organizational Tips for Retreats and All-Day Crops

Your job doesn't end when they hit "send."

What you do after an order comes in may be even more important than what you did before it was placed.

Belinda Ellsworth, a long-time direct-sales mentor and speaker, shares a great tip for remembering to do your follow-up: what she calls her 2+2+2 method.

• Within two days, contact them to thank them;

• Within two weeks, contact them to see if they got the product and answer questions;

• And then two months later to reorder the product or remind them of complimentary products, classes or services.

Our job doesn't end when they hit "send." Ms. Ellsworth recommends focusing one day a week just on "re-servicing." The 2+2+2 formula is like follow-up on steroids, and all it truly is, is really, really, really great customer service.

Follow-up doesn't come naturally to many demonstrators because we just assume the customer is going to be as happy with the product as we are. We think that if they run up against a question, they'll come up with the answer on their own, like we did. And we assume they know already where to get more info, get more product, and get a hold of us.

Never assume!

Assumptions squelch our motivation for follow-up.

And anything that squelches follow-up, kills sales.

I'm going to "assume" that leaving half or more of your potential income on the table is unacceptable to you. But that's what we do when we don't follow up.

If "re-servicing is not your forte and you know it, try the 2+2+2 method for six months and see if it helps you revolutionize and systematize your customer service. Maybe all you need is a framework for what happens after they hit send.

Free "Current Catalogs" blog sidebar widget

Click here to go snag the code for a FREE widget from These Are My Stamps (TAMS) that will share the Stampin' Up annual catalog and the spring catalog in one space, saving you room in those cluttered sidebars!

You can choose to have it auto-rotate between the two catalogs, or to require one click to switch back and forth, if you prefer.

The widget is free, but it will come with a small, unobtrusive TAMS logo unless you are a Pro Account subscriber. The Pro Account is only $3 and includes amazing benefits. There's also a free two-week trial if you want to experience all the capabilities before you decide to subscribe. Be sure to check it out!