
Duplicatibility in Recruiting: could they do what you do? (Part Two of Two: click here to read Part One)
In Part One of this series, we discussed the definition of "duplicatible," and how duplicatibility applies to project choice in the workshop. In Part Two, we'll see how we can also apply to concept of being easily reproducible, to our business in the areas of recruiting and uplining. Again, we are working towards the goal thought of the customer: "Hey, I could do that!"
The same concepts of keeping it simple, making it look easy, and empowering others to stamp better also apply to the recruiting statements that we make. Set them at ease with subtlety and humor as you share your own story. Because they're all wondering why you're standing in front of them, whether they verbalize it or not. They can't imagine talking to even six friends seated around a kitchen table, let alone six strangers! So they're very curious about why you chose to do it.
Sometimes when introducing myself at the beginning of the evening, I’ll start off something like this: “My name’s Lyssa and I’ve been a demo now for eight years. Eight years—wow! I can hardly believe it’s been so long. It has flown by because it’s so fun. It still amazes me that they pay me to play with stamps, because anyone can do what I do. But I have to say, I never ever dreamed I would be standing here in front of people talking about Stampin’ Up. I am sooo not a salesperson! But I went to my first workshop and saw the demonstrator just walk us through the catalogs and then we stamped, and I thought, “hey, I could do that!" and now here I am having the time of my life.”
I go on to show off my apron pins and tell them it obviously worked out to be a big blessing for me and my family—but that anyone can have success on any level that fits into their lives, just by getting people together to stamp. The products sell themselves when people get them in their hands. They can play around part time or they can turn it into a career if they want--it's all good.
In other words, yes, I’ve made a career out of this, but you don’t have to invest the time in it that I have. Actually, ironically, the more successful you get in direct sales, the harder it is to seem duplicatible. You have to constantly reassure people that just because it’s taken over your life, does not mean it has to take over theirs!
They need to see how your company can FIT INTO their existing lives.
They don’t need to see how it has rearranged YOURS.
Verbal statements like my “hey, I could do that!” real-life experience (always be truthful!) answer a question customers did not even know they had. Subconsciously, every time we see a direct sales person, we are asking ourselves, what would it look like if that was MY life? How many times have you been talking about a career choice or a life event and heard someone say, “Oh, I could never do that!” They have already placed themselves experimentally in that situation, and rejected it. This is done automatically, whether they consciously realize it or not. What would this look like for me?
So what we want is to get potential recruits to
- See themselves in our shoes;
- See themselves being successful in our shoes, and
- Realize they really want to try on our shoes!
And we're right back to that goal thought--"Hey, I could do that!"
Duplicatibility in Uplining/Sponsoring: another aspect of being reproducible
As an upline or sponsor, the concept of duplicatibility is just as important as being reproducible in your stamping and when recruiting.
There is no two ways around it--upline mentors differ in the resources of time, income, availability and willingness to perform their uplining tasks. While you may have the time and resources to throw huge team meetings and give lots of prizes, your downlines may not. So I would encourage you to stress the duplicatible part of being an upline during your next meeting--anyone can encourage and praise—anyone can answer questions and stay in regular contact—anyone can send cards and remember birthdays. Everyone can keep tabs on reports. Everyone can point out where to go for more info.
A healthy team is comprised on many leaders, not one insanely busy person perched at the top of a pyramid. What your team needs to learn to duplicate is the system--not the person. No one in the world will be able to bring your exact mix of talents and resources to the table. But if you are running your business in a simple, duplicatible manner, anyone can follow in your footsteps and enjoy success.
It’s not about the bells and whistles of a large demo team, although those things are fun. It’s about inspiring people to become motivated to be a better person through the opportunities for personal creativity and fulfillment that this company provides for us. We should strive to model consistency, enthusiasm, integrity, and balance for our team, with the goal of creating self-sufficient demonstrators who have initiative and are duplicatible themselves.
Ask yourself these questions when considering your uplining style:
- Did I start as I mean to go on? Will I follow through with this program or incentive?
- Can I do for 100 what I just did for 1?
- Am I reinvesting a responsible amount in my downline growth? Many top demonstrators use a 10% rule of thumb when reinvesting in their team.
Some things will never be able to be duplicated. Your particular stamping talents, teaching skills, individual situations, the resources you have at your fingertips that maybe I don’t have at mine—those things are all going to vary widely from person to person. But the basics of demonstrating are the same for us all. Stamps+Paper+Ink+Relationships=Magic... over and over again.
It's not complicated, but when we add all sorts of things to that simple formula, we make ourselves unduplicatible in the eyes of our customers, potential recruits, and downline members.
Duplicatibility is beautifully and simply summed up in the Stampin' Up Statement of Heart. "To love what we do and share what we love; while we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments. In this, we make a difference." I hope you've enjoyed these thoughts on the topic of mindfully being reproducible in all aspects of your demonstratorship. As always, I welcome comments below. Do you have a story to share from personal experience about how you were or were not duplicatible in a particular instance?
Dream BIG, friend!
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