Direct Sales
Monday, February 4, 2008, by Leigh Anne
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As my children like to affectionately tell me “Mom, you have issues.” I do admit to one “issue” - email management. A few weeks ago I shared with you my quest to get control of my office desk in “Declutter Your Desk”. Well, with a homebased business we actually have two desks - our actual, physical desk and then the desk that exists on our computer, more specifically our email inbox. Because of the electronic world we live in my physical, paper inbox has become much smaller but my virtual, electronic inbox has gotten out of control!
On average I receive about 75-100 emails a day. Left unattended this can very quickly get out of control. This morning I had over 250 emails in my inbox - some of which have been there a long time - that is just too many! Your inbox should not be a storage system or a “to do” list. We would never consider leaving our actual physical mail in the mailbox until we had time to deal with it
My goal for the week - “Declutter My Inbox!” I use the same process to declutter my inbox as I do for my physical, paper inbox - File it, Refer it, Take action or Delete it.
File it
I have set up folders in my email program just like I have in my filing cabinet. These folders are for information that I want to be able to reference in the future. I have 19 main folders which represent all the different roles, jobs, organizations, projects etc. that I am involved including one for my homebased business (which has 23 subfolders in it.) I have a folder for the various organizations I am involved in (American Mothers, DSWA, various other online courses I am taking, family, church responsibilities, travel info, beach house business, blog ideas, and a reference file for misc. info I may need to access later)
The sub folders for my business include: Challenges (team and customer challenges/contests), Contact and Referrals, Creative Ideas, Home Events, Leadership Development, Motivational, New Consultant Training, Organizational Tips, Product Ideas, Profitability, Recruiting, Sales Tips, Scheduling, Team Meeting Ideas, Webinars. These are all topics that I work with on a daily basis in my business.
I also have individual folders for pending/upcoming events, such as conventions, large customer events etc. If you find you have a piece of email that you don’t know what to do with - you probably need to create a folder. But don’t get in the habit of keeping things just to keep them!
A regular clean up of these folders is necessary too -if you haven’t needed or accessed the information in the last 6-12 months - do you really need it???
Refer It
As soon as I receive an email that I need to forward to someone else I do it -immediately! Then delete your copy unless it needs further action on your part later. (see next step)
Take Action
I have two categories for Action items - anything that takes 2 minutes or less to deal with I do immediately. If it will take longer than 2 minutes I put it into my Action Folder. The important thing here is to be sure and schedule time daily to deal with these action items - don’t just stick them in a folder and forget them - it’s like forgetting to look at your To Do list each day!
Delete It
I love the feeling of power and completion that comes with hitting that delete button! Be sure and have your email program settings such that it automatically empties your deleted mail. My deleted mail had thousands of emails in it before I figured out how to do this!!
So this morning I had over 250 emails in my inbox and right now, after about 30 minutes of work I am down to 46 - my goal by the end of the day is ZERO! Think I can do it?
So how many emails do you have in your inbox? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Popularity: unranked [?]
Categories: Direct Sales, Home Based Business, Organizational Tips
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Thursday, January 31, 2008, by Leigh Anne
You have heard me say it before -one of the best things about my direct sales homebased business is the friends I have made.
Today I want to share one of those friends with you - Sherra (yes, it is pronounced Share - a). We have been friends and business associates for over a decade. We have shared a lot over the years. We’ve shared business ideas, favorite books, recipes, incentive trips, visits in each other’s homes and a friendship that transcends the 2500+ miles that is the distance between our homes and lots of laughs.
I can honestly say Sherra is the funniest friend I have (and I have some pretty funny friends), she makes me laugh - a lot! Sherra is an amazing lady - she has had a lot of different experiences in her life - some good, some bad but all have made her stronger, wiser and funnier! (Even the severe head injury!)
As a result of the “magic of the internet” you can meet her too! She’s recently started her own website (she’ll tell you she did this at my urging - and I’ll take the credit!) where she shares many of her life experiences and how they have helped to shape the person she is today.
I know she’ll make you laugh - she is the funniest person I know. Seriously, I mean that. So I hope you will visit Sherra at www.Sharealifelesson.com to get to know her better, learn from her life lessons and to have a good laugh now and then!
So in the interest of sharing Sherra, here are three things she’s recently shared with me.
The $2.00 product that changed Oprah’s life!
- Is this cool or what!! The new Scotch/3M highlighter with built-in post-it flags is exactly the kind of thing that Sherra knew I would love. We are both voracious readers and she was surprised when I hadn’t heard about it yet. Of course, I went out the very next day and bought one. I would have gone that night but Office Depot was already closed!
- Sherra is a techno wizard” - well, at least compared to me! She shared with me a great way to change my comment section on this blog so you all can comment more and talk to each other. So be sure and leave a comment - let me know if she made you laugh!
- I love chocolate chip cookies - they are my absolute favorite, especially when they are warm! Sherra shared with me this yummy recipe that gives a new twist to chocolate chip cookies. There is a secret ingredient - malt - and if you love malt, you’ll love these. Even if you don’t love malt I think you’ll still like the cookies - YUM!
LA Note- if you have not ever bought Malt before you will find it in the section of the store with the chocolate milk powder and hot chocolate. The malt flavor is very subtle in these cookies so don’t be afraid! Watch the timing of your oven - I found my time varied a little from Sherra’s - they cooked faster so just check them.
Chocolate Malted Cookies
- 1 cup butter flavored shortening (Crisco)
- 1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup malted milk powder (Original)
- 2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients; beat for 2 minutes. Add egg. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chunks and chips. Shape into 2 inch balls; place 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack. - Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen.
Popularity: 70% [?]
Categories: Cookie Jar, Direct Sales, Friends, Home Based Business, Recipes
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Monday, January 21, 2008, by Leigh Anne
It is freezing cold here in Portland, Oregon. O.k., it’s only in the low 30’s but the wind is blowing and for us that is cold (I did grow up in Wisconsin so I really do know what cold is but I have lived in Oregon long enough to have readjusted).
So any way - I was getting ready to go for a walk this morning and since it is so cold I decided I needed my ear muffs, gloves and a scarf and as I was reaching into the closet to get them - OUCH! I pulled a muscle in my shoulder/back. All I did was reach - I must be getting old!
I am now sitting at the computer with my “Original Bed Buddy“, something that looks like a long sock full of some kind of grain that you heat up in the microwave and it really does make my muscle feel better - so at least I can type this post. The only problem is my children think it stinks so they won’t come near me when I am using it (or maybe that isn’t a problem:).
Back to the post - last week I shared with you my Desk Declutter and that one of the things on my desk was my Smart Book. I promised more details on the Smart Book so here they are.
My Smart Book is called “my Smart Book” because it is my brain. It contains all the important papers, lists, directories, information that I refer to on a regular/daily basis for my business. As I mentioned in last weeks post - people spend 150 hours a year looking for things. My Smart Bookhas helped me cut that number down quite a bit. (If you read my Desk Declutter post - I did find the rebate check I was looking for!!)
To make your own Smart Book you will need:
- A two inch - 3 ring binder
- A set of numbered tabs (1-15)
- All the papers, lists, publications etc. for your business that you refer to on a daily/weekly basis.
My Smart Book contains the following tabs:
Business Calendar (team meetings, webinars, conferences, customer events etc.)
Monthly Company Consultant Newsletter
Team Roster (my first line team members) -includes name, address, phone and email
Leader Roster (all team leaders)
Customer Newsletter
Customer Product Price List
Incentive Brochures -Qualifications for Company Sales and Recruiting Incentives
Incentive Trip Brochure/Qualifications
Convention Brochures (Regional, National and Leadership)
Upcoming Customer Event Registrations/Info
Company “Help” Numbers
Policy and Procedure Manual
Monthly Management Reports
Conference Call Info
Your Smart Book categories may vary. During the next couple of weeks keep a list of those items you use and refer to on a regular basis - what are you spending time searching for on your desk? These are the things that should be put into your Smart Book.
I just 3 hole punch the list, brochure etc. and put it right into the binder or for somethings I put a top loading page protector in the binder and slip in the item (fold out incentive trip brochure)- whichever works best for you.
The trick is to keep it updated - each month remove the outdated info and replace it with the current month’s publication. You will find yourself referring to your Smart Book many times a day - when a downline calls with a question about the current sales incentive, how many points they need to earn an incentive trip or a customer calls to find out about a monthly special.
Be Smart - get a Smart Book!
Popularity: 62% [?]
Categories: Direct Sales, Home Based Business, Organizational Tips
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Monday, January 14, 2008, by Leigh Anne
Quick -What color is your desktop? If you are like me you may have forgotten because you haven’t seen it for a while! Part of it may be that during the holidays I tend to let things “pile up”, especially in my office. In fact you can see from the picture what it usually looks like - not an inviting work environment!
One of my goals for 2008 is to live a more “clutter free” life - and the first place I am starting is my desk! In an article I recently read (I’d give you the source - if i could find it!) it said that “a desk is not a storage area, it is a work space.” So this week I worked on “uncluttering” my desk to make it a better work space. My tips and ideas for getting control of your work space are:
1. Remove everything from the desk! (pile it all on the floor). Guess what - the top of my desk is brown! Sort all papers into 3 piles - To File, (file all those away - do not put them back on top of your desk), To Act/Do (these go into a file and can be put back on the desk), recycle/shred (do this NOW!). I also have a pile for To Blog (this is also put back on the desk).
2. Get rid of any horizontal filing/inbox you may have. Things just seem to get buried and lost when they are filed or stored horizontally. Did you know that the average person spends 150 hours a year looking for things they can’t find! (I am currently looking for a $50 rebate check I can’t find!) For my birthday a friend gave me a darling leopard print, vertical file box so that is what I am using on my desk.
3. Keep only what you need on your desk - file everything else away. The only 3 files in my new vertical leopard file box are-
To file -there should be nothing in here when you put it back on your desk. This is the easiest file to let get out of control -spend a few minutes at the end of each week filing away what has accumulated in here during the week.
To do/pending -active projects
To blog - ideas I want to share with you
All other paper that was on my desk is now filed away in my file drawer (I’ll share what files are in there later) or in my Smart Binder (more on that next week).
The only other things on my desk are:
-Smart Binder -coming soon!
-Inspiration Journal - where I write down ideas, thoughts etc.
-Message Pad - I use a spiral notebook for my phone messages, do not use slips of paper or sticky notes! This message notebook seems to have a habit of disappearing from my desk anytime my family seems to need a piece of paper so, I have written on the front of mine “DO NOT REMOVE FROM DESK” and have tied it to my desk with a ribbon. It seems to help!
- Something Pretty - I have a piece of artwork I was given when I promoted to Executive Director, a picture of my children and a yummy smelling candle.
- Business tools -fax machine, computer, speakers, rolodex, phone and a container of pens. I also have an inbox for mail (mainly bank statements) that need to be dealt with. You can see by the picture below that it is a little bit more inviting work space.
4. Lastly, each day, before you “leave the office”, take a few minutes to be sure it is picked up and clutter-free. Coming to work each day will be much more fun when you can actually see the top of your desk!
So schedule some “decluttering” time this week and enjoy your work space!
Popularity: 82% [?]
Categories: Direct Sales, Home Based Business, Organizational Tips
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Monday, January 7, 2008, by Leigh Anne
It’s my birthday today. I enjoyed a fun, yummy lunch with girlfriends and there were even gifts! I have been thinking about gifts a lot lately - not just because of the past holidays and my birthday but because of a movie we watched as a family during the break. If you have not seen “The Ultimate Gift” you need to! In fact I would highly recommend purchasing a copy for your family. I don’t buy many movies because there aren’t too many movies I want to watch more than once but I did buy this one!
It is a wonderful movie about ”when grandfather dies, trust fund baby Jason Stevens anticipates a big inheritance. Instead, his grandfather has devised a crash course on life with twelve tasks – or “gifts” – designed to challenge Jason in improbable ways, sending him on a journey of self-discovery and forcing him to determine what is most important in life: money or happiness.”
As I watched the movie and later thought about the 12 gifts that Jason received on his crash course I thought about how these gifts related to my homebased business. I discovered that my homebased business has given me these 12 gifts also.
The Gift of:
1. Work - What a gift it is to have a job that allows me to always keep my family as my first priority while still finding fulfillment, success and recognition through my work.
2. Money - The income I have earned through my homebased business has provided many of the “extras” for our family - vacations, second home, lessons, shopping etc. and the last few years it has also provided the “basics” when my husband has experienced unemployment. The money I earn through my business has been a true gift to our family.
3. Friends- I can’t even begin to count the friends I have made over the last 17 years I have had my homebased business! I have met so many wonderful woman (and a few men) that have impacted my life, inspired me, and motivated me. Two of my dearest friends in life I met through my direct sales business.
4. Family -The biggest gift my business has given me is the ability I have had to be a stay at home mom!
5. Problems - Yes, there have been problems and there always will be. The last 17 years have not all been smooth sailing. There have been plenty of ups and downs, high sales, low sales, high commission checks, low commission checks but I know that with the blessings must come the trials. I am grateful for those trials for they have made me a better and stronger person.
6. Learning - The thingsI have learned from my homebased business are many. I have learned how to sell (something I had NEVER done before nor thought I could or wanted to do!), recruit, speak to a group of 4,000 women, lead a team of 700, deal with difficult people, etc. I could go on and on….
7 Laughter - I have learned to laugh at myself - I have made plenty of mistakes along the way and I am grateful for those who laughed right alongside me as we have learned and grown together!
8. Dreams - I have learned how to dream and because of my homebased business I have seen many of those dreams come true. The purchase of our second home on the Oregon Coast was a dream I have had for many years - it was because of the income from my homebased business that we were able to purchase it. I have many other dreams too that I look forward to the realization of thanks to my business!
9. Giving -I have been both a giver and and a receiver. I have been able to give of my time, my experience and my knowledge to help others with their business. I have been able to “give” to my customers as I have helped them but I am sure I have received more than I have given through the many gifts and blessings that have come into my life as a result of my business.
10. Gratitude - I am grateful on a daily basis for all that I have been given, the many gifts that my life has been blessed with. Sometimes when things aren’t going exactly the way I want it easy to forget to be grateful. One of my resolutions for this year is to be more grateful on a daily basis - to recognize the hand of the Lord in my life each day and the blessings he showers down on me.
11. A Day - One of the biggest gifts or blessings of a homebased business is the freedom I have to choose how I will spend my day - each day is mine to choose. I do not have a boss telling me what I have to do and when I have to do it - it is up to me.
12 Love - How grateful I am for the love I have for my team members, fellow consultants and my customers. My life has been so enriched by the people that my business has brought into it. My life is fuller and richer because of them.
So go out and rent or buy “The Ultimate Gift” and take some time to review over the many gifts you have received.
Popularity: 48% [?]
Categories: Direct Sales, Goals, Home Based Business, Motivation
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Sunday, December 30, 2007, by Leigh Anne
I hope you are all enjoying lots of fun “family and friend” time during the holidays. One of the perks of a direct sales business is the built in vacation you get during the holidays. No one is interested in doing a home event, your customer wish lists have been filled and your team members are busy enjoying the holidays too - so take advantage of the down time! I know I am.
With the two sweet college boys home I have been making a lot of trips to the grocery store and doing lots of cooking! We have had a lot of sports watching at our house (including a “boys” night out to the Blazer Game), lots of movie watching (a Bourne Ultimatum marathon), game playing (Qwerkle and Blokus are the two favorites), an overnight trip to our beach house in Manzanita, and a walk down Peacock Lane. I even enjoyed 4 hours laying on my bed watching the BBC mini-series “Wives and Daughters”. If you love Pride and Prejudice like I do, you’ll love this one too. We are now gearing up for New Year’s Eve.
Each New Year’s Eve we host a “Soup’s On” party. We invite couples from church, I put on 3 big pots of homemade soup, cook up a few appetizers and dessert (I’ll share this recipe later), everyone brings an appetizer or dessert to share and we enjoy visiting, playing games and ringing in the new year! And we always have way too much food!
Each year I make the same 3 soups because they are so popular. I have shared two of the recipes in previous posts - Elephant’s Delicatessan Soup and Sausage and Tortellini Soup. The third soup I always make is clam chowder. Now, I don’t even like clam chowder so I have to rely on other’s opinions on this one but I have had numerous people tell me this is the BEST clam chowder they have ever tasted and when you live in the Northwest you tend to know clam chowder! This recipe comes from my favorite cookbook - Portland Junior League Portland’s Palate. I think the thing that makes this chowder so good is the secret ingredient - pepper bacon - it has to be pepper bacon !
River City (that’s Portland) Clam Chowder or better known around here as The BEST Clam Chowder
I always double the recipe for our party.
8 slices pepper bacon, diced (I use a whole pound)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 cup celery (2 large stalks), chopped
1/2 cup flour
4 (6 oz.) cans chopped clams or 2 cups fresh clams, shucked. (I use the canned clams from Costco)
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups milk (I use whole milk - don’t cut calories here!)
1/2 cup half and half
salt and white pepper (I have used black pepper also, just effects the color of the soup)
In a large pot over medium high heat, cook bacon until browned. Drain grease. Add butter, onions and celery to pot and cook over medium heat until softened and onions are translucent. Add flour and cook 3 minutes, stir constantly.
Drain clams and reserve liquid in a 1 pint measuring cup. Add enough water to clam liquid to equal 2 cups.
Add this liquid slowly to mixture in pot, stirring constantly. Add potatoes and bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add clams, milk and half and half. Heat until thickened, being careful not to boil or burn. Add salt and pepper and serve. (I usually make the day ahead and refrigerate, it gets a little thicker this way)
Happy New Years!
Popularity: 47% [?]
Categories: Dinner Time Helps, Direct Sales, Recipes
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007, by Leigh Anne
Have you ever felt like you just weren’t getting everything done? Do you have too many projects that won’t fit into your weekly/daily schedule? Too many loose ends - not enough time! I feel that way quite often - especially with a homebased business when there are so many other distractions during your day. Those “waiting to be done” piles/lists just keep getting higher and longer. Those piles/lists can include things like getting that customer newsletter out, making needed phone calls, bookkeeping, bill paying and even things like sewing on a button, a pile of ironing and this time of year things like getting those Christmas cards out and finishing up your gift shopping etc.
Whenever I get feeling this way - a bit panicked by all the things I haven’t finished, I declare a Catch Up Day! It is a great time management technique. The Catch Up Day is basically a whole day (or if you have to - half a day) of “white space” on your calendar. The need for a Catch Up Day happens to all of us - even the most disciplined and most organized. When you are feeling that “panicked feeling” select a day from your upcoming week/month that you leave totally white - I actually draw a big X through the day I select on my calendar - and then try your hardest to schedule NOTHING for that day(except things that you need to get done). I know, I know, this can be a challenge so that’s why if you have to - a half a day is better than nothing!
Well, I was having that “panicked” feeling last week so I decided it was time for a Catch Up Day -so I had one yesterday! To make the best use of your Catch Up Day spend some time the night before preparing. Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish - even sewing on that button or filing those papers. The next day you will be ready to go - now for those of you with small children at home this may require a babysitter but I promise you it will be worth it! Find a friend and trade babysitting for each other’s Catch Up Days!
Once you designate your Catch Up Day DO NOT be tempted to allow other people to fill up that white space for you, only you are allowed to choose what you will do that day.
I use my Catch Up Days for both personal and business things - doesn’t matter what it is - if it is something that has been bugging you, hanging around for ever, put it on the list! Even going out to lunch with a friend you haven’t seen in months qualifies! The important thing is you choose how to use that time - don’t allow others to fill in that white space for you.
I thought I’d share with you what I did on my Catch Up Day. My least favorite holiday activities are sending out Christmas cards and stocking stuffers. I always leave these two things to the last minute and it ends up causing me all kinds of stress! So this year I decided I wasn’t going to do that - so I included them in my Catch Up Day list.
1. Purchased holiday paper and labels for Christmas cards and wrote family letter(the cards had actually been ordered and printed before Thanksgiving). Began addressing envelopes (didn’t finish)
2. Went to Target for stocking stuffers and all the fast food restaurants for gift cards for the stockings. Made sure I had “equal” amounts for each child - very important!
3. Placed a product order and delivered product to two people.
4. Bought a black “Marks a Lot” marker so Tessa could color her point shoes black for the holiday ballet. I had to go to THREE stores to find a “Marks a Lot” - it couldn’t be a Sharpie, that would be too easy. Every store had Sharpies!
5. Returned overdue books to the library - oops! I love supporting our libraries with my overdue fines.
6. Called the oral surgeon to schedule a time for Tessa to have her wisdom teeth out -I have needed to do that for several months!
7. Posted the photos from the school play on the website so other parents could see them (the play was a month ago!)
8. Purchased my last two Christmas gifts. Yeah!
9. Stood in line at the post office to mail off the last of the “long distance” gifts!
10. Did some research for my trip to Alabama this weekend - what is there to do in Mobile, Alabama? I discovered - not much! Jim’s company Christmas party is this weekend and they are flying me back for it. At least I can now say I’ve been to Alabama. Anyone from Alabama have some ideas for us???
So if life/business is feeling a little out of control and you have too many things on your to do list that aren’t getting done - schedule a Catch Up Day. You will be amazed how great you feel the next day!
Popularity: 56% [?]
Categories: Direct Sales, Family, Home Based Business, Team Talk, Time Management
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Tuesday, December 4, 2007, by Leigh Anne
This post is a day late because yesterday, Monday, a typical “office day” for me was also a day off of school for the girls. So I decided to take the day off too and play with my girls. We enjoyed a day together and took a field trip to the IKEA store that opened this summer here in Portland - it is like a Disneyland for the house! We had fun and decided to re-decorate Cali’s room while we were there. I love being a homebased mom and having the flexibility to take a day off whenever I want and the opportunity to connect with my girls!
This last week was a busy one. Thursday and Friday were my annual holiday customer open house. Despite the work that it takes, I look forward to it because it is an opportunity for me to connectwith my customers. They come to my home, I serve them some of my famous hot apple cider (yes, I’ll share the recipe), they do some shopping and we have an opportunity to visit. It is a chance for me to ask about their family and what they have been up to lately. I love my homebased business and the opportunity it gives me to form relationships and connections with my customers, many of whom have become my friends.
Some of my wonderful First Line Team Members
On Saturday I hosted my annual “First Line Holiday Breakfast”, an event I have done for about 12 years! I love the opportunity to have my team members in my home, serve them a yummy breakfast (lots of good recipes to share) and have a chance to connect. We do talk a little business (of course) but it is an opportunity to just visit and get caught up on each other’s lives - we had a great conversation this year about cell phone etiquette and text messaging!
Following my team breakfast that afternoon, I hosted a holiday tea party for a group of my girlfriends - we call ourselves “The Beach Babes”. (I did ALOT of cooking on Saturday). The Beach Babes have known each other for 17 years and our first trip together was to the beach - thus the name. We enjoyed lots of yummy “tea food” (recipes to come) and lots of good conversation, connections and our annual book exchange.
THE BEACH BABES
As you can see I had fun connecting this past week! One of the biggest advantages of direct sales, our number one weapon against so called “retail competition”, is our ability to connect. Because of the nature of our business we have the opportunity to develop relationships with our customers - relationships that a retail store can never have. It is the connections and relationships we form with our customers that create loyalty. It (along with an awesome product) is what keeps them coming back to us.
The connections and relationships we form with our team members are what create loyalty to our company and our teams. It is what keeps team members going during rough times with their business, times when they may feel like quitting.
In this age of technology - emails, text messaging, message machines, fax machines etc. those personal connections can become fewer and fewer. One of my goals for the new year is to make more personal connections with my family, my customers, my team members and my friends! Instead of sending off that email to a team member or customer- pick up the phone and call. Even if you have to leave a message - the sound of your voice can make a difference. Invite a girlfriend out to lunch (I’m usually available!) or take the day off and play with your kids! Let’s connect!
Hot Apple Cider
This cider is so good that both of my college boys have called home asking for the recipe. When I went to visit them a month ago I took them each their own little “cider” kits - cinnamon sticks, allspice and cloves!
1 gallon apple cider
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 cinnamon sicks
12 whole cloves
12 whole allspice
Mix together and bring to a boil. Simmer at least 30 minutes. The longer it simmers, the better it gets!
Popularity: 50% [?]
Categories: Direct Sales, Home Based Business, Recipes, Team Talk
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Monday, November 26, 2007, by Leigh Anne
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed time with friends and family. We loved having our two sweet college boys home – they are back at school and the house is empty of food but we loved every minute of it!
So – have you ever dreamed or fantasized about spending an entire day at home in your pajamas? Lounging in bed, reading a good book, watching your favorite TV shows, taking care of no one but you? Well, that dream came true for me over the holiday weekend – unfortunately it was accompanied by a horrible case of intestinal flu! I did spend the day in bed, in my pajamas, watching a “What Not to Wear” Marathon and the food network but unfortunately it was not exactly what I had dreamed about!
Why is it that as woman/mothers it takes something like a case of intestinal flu to get us to slow down and take care of ourselves? Why do we push aside our dreams, self-nurturing, hobbies and interests for everything and everyone else?
I think homebased moms are even guiltier of this because we never leave the office. We are surrounded by our office, our work 24-7. It is so easy to just go in and check that email one more time, make one more call, do one more thing. The boundary or separation between work and home/personal life can sometimes be non-existent when you are a homebased mom.
For years I have had the following quote in my collection:
“Mixing personal time to do anything with raising a family is like putting oil and vinegar in a salad dressing jar. You have a hard time keeping them together and it takes a lot of juggling and constant mix-ups to keep them well blended.” Janene Wesley Boadsgaerd
I think we could add “running a homebased business” to that quote too. Keeping the two blended and balanced is a lot of work and it is also a choice.
When you first begin a homebased business there are sacrifices that need to be made. When I first started my direct sales business several of my interests, hobbies had to be put on the back burner for a period of time – but that does not mean FOREVER!
Several weeks ago I attended a Women’s Retreat in Napa, California. As I sat in the retreat house with these women I was so impressed that this group of women – many of them homebased moms, others worked outside the home as lawyers, real estate agents, therapists, but all of them had made a commitment to themselves. They had set aside their other priorities and obligations to devote an entire weekend to themselves – and it didn’t take a case of intestinal flu!
So ask yourself - What are you too busy to do – what have you put off doing because you’re too busy? While I spent that time in bed this weekend, life went on around me, everyone survived! When I returned from my weekend in Napa Valley, the house still stood, the family got fed and all was well and the other amazing thing was that this morning as I am feeling better, I actually enjoyed putting a load of laundry in and picking up a few of the messes that were made. Having had that break from those jobs helped!
I have learned that when you make the time and space for what you long to do, everything else shifts to accommodate it
Popularity: 39% [?]
Categories: Direct Sales, Family, Home Based Business
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Monday, November 12, 2007, by Leigh Anne
The last two weeks we have been talking about Momentum - the importance of it and how to maintain it. This week let’s talk about how to regain momentum.
Several years ago I was attending a Regional Convention with some members of my team in Seattle (3 hours north of Portland) One of our Northwest “ice storms” was on its way - for those of you who have never had the pleasure of experiencing a Northwest “ice storm” - the entire surface of EVERYTHING becomes encased in a sheet of ice ! We knew the storm was coming so we decided it was time to head for home.
The storm hit as we drove south but we were doing o.k. - making slow but steady progress. My knuckles were turning white from gripping the seat so tightly but we were making progress! And then it happened - we were about an hour north of Portland slowly making our way up a hill when the truck in front of us came to a stop. As a result, we too came to a stop. We were at a complete stand still. There we were, a car with four women, one of them very pregnant, in the dark of the night, stranded a mile from the nearest town and a dead cell phone!
So what had happened? Why couldn’t we get going again? We had lost MOMENTUM - the force of movement. Stranded on that ice covered hill we were unable to get going again. Momentum was the only difference between our car and the ones passing us on the road.
So maybe some of you feel your business is at a complete standstill or going slower than you’d like - how can you create the momentum you need to get going again. You may feel, just like the four of us in the car, that you do not have the power within yourself to create the momentum you need.
You need an agent for change - for us, the agent for change came out of the middle of the dark night in the form of one of the girl’s husbands who felt inspired to leave Seattle early and return to Portland. He found us in the pitch dark, stranded along the side of the road!
Many times the momentum or agent for change that you need may come from someone else - an idea learned at a unit meeting, regional convention or upline. Sometimes solutions to our problems can be as little as one small degree of change.
Water boils at 212 degrees - at 211 degrees it is just hot water. One degree - an increase of less than one half of one percent can make the difference between a pot of hot water and a boiling cauldron of power! That one degree is momentum.
After 17 years in the business, I have learned that one of the “Critical Success Factors” of direct sales is scheduling. That is usually where the breakdown happens - we neglect scheduling new events - like I mentioned last week we wake up to find ourselves with a case of “snowblindness” - no events on the calendar. We have lost momentum and come to a complete standstill with our business.
Recently, I attended the NW Women’s show here in Portland. A leader in my team had a booth at the show. She had a great scheduling idea that I want to share with you today -using this idea she and her team member were able to schedule 44 home events!! This idea may be the agent for change that you need in your business - the one thing you need to create momentum in your business again!
Deal or No Deal - you may have heard of the TV game show or even watched it. It is the one with all the girls in matching dresses with briefcases. Well, in this version of Deal or No Deal you offer your customers/show attendees the opportunity to take home some fun prizes. The “deal” is they also have to be willing to schedule a home event with you if the “briefcase” or envelope they select says “schedule a home event”. Some of the envelopes just say “Pick a prize from the basket” but some say “Pick a prize from the basket and schedule a home event tonight.” Be sure and make the prizes appealing - discontinued product, limited edition product etc. I would be sure the cost to you as the consultant is no more than $5 -6.00 maximum. My team member used product that was worth less than a dollar and had great success! So give it a try - it may be just what you need to regain momentum in your business.
If you have a scheduling tip that has helped you regain momentum in your business or maintain momentum please share! Just click on comments. All those who leave comments will be entered into our monthly contest! (More info on the contest tomorrow!)
Popularity: 48% [?]
Categories: Direct Sales, Home Based Business, Motivation, Team Talk
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