Regaining Momentum

Monday, November 12, 2007, by Leigh Anne

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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!)

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Categories: Direct Sales, Home Based Business, Motivation, Team Talk