MLMWoman Newsletter Blog

How to Write a Successful Ad

©Terri Seymour of www.SeymourProducts.com

Buying advertising slots and spreading your ad all over the net won’t do much good if the ad does not get anyone’s attention. Your ad must motivate people into following the call to action contained within the ad. Advertising is an art and we need to learn that art to write effective, profit-pulling ads. If you know some of the proven tips on how to write effective ads, it can make all the difference for your business and advertising budget.

The Importance of the Headline: The success of an advertisement lies mostly in the headline. The headline needs to capture the reader’s eye and make him want to read the rest of the ad. Research shows that five times more people read just the ad headline than the entire ad so you need to make it a good one!

The headline should be centered around the product and what it can do for the customer. Do not fill your headline with hype. Make it catchy but do not try to mislead or trick the customer into buying.

For example: If you are selling a pain relieving product, instead of this headline:

Painkill Takes Care of Pain

try this headline:

Are You Tired of the Pain – Take Painkill!

Once you write an attention getting headline, you need to focus on the problem of the customer and show them that your product is the solution to that problem. Use short, concise sentences that get right to the point. The reader isn’t interested in reading a novel.

For example:

Are You Dealing with Pain? Painkill is what you need to enjoy your life to the fullest!

The ad needs to motivate the customer to buy your products. The product is not what sells, what sells is what the product can do for the customer. Thus, you need to focus on the benefits of the product, not the features. Always proo fread your ad and correct all spelling and grammar mistakes. Your ad needs to be professional!

For example:

Instead of:
Painkill contains this ingredient and that ingredient for more effectiveness!

Try this:
Painkill will free you of your pain!

The last thing your ad needs is a “call to action”. Don’t assume that the customer will know what to do to get your product. Always provide a call to action to get them to act now!

For example:

Call now for a 25% discount on your first purchase.

Or:
Order online now at painkill.com and save $5.00!

Power Words: Power words are words that can persuade, entice and motivate people to do what you want them to do. They are used by politicians, public relations personnel, public speakers, etc.

Some common power words you can use are: Free, Secret, Proven, Guarantee, New, Innovative, Improved, Save and the word that is listed as the #1 power word is YOU. You should definitely try to use the word “you” in your headline. This personalizes the ad and makes it about the individual reader.

So, when writing your ad, remember the following guidelines:

1. Grab their attention with your headline.

2. Focus on the benefits of your product, not the features.

3. Let the customer know how the product can help them.

4. Use power words that can increase the chance of a sale.

5. Motivate them into a call to action NOW!

Following these tips should raise the success of your advertisements, saving you money and increasing your sales!

About the Author
Terri Seymour (also known as “The eBook Lady”) has over ten years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at http://www.seymourproducts.com for resources, $1 resell ebooks & software, free tutorials, affiliate programs, free ezine and free business ebook with Master Resell Rights. http://www.seymourproducts.com/free.shtml

Top Ten Reasons You Need to Be Blogging for Business

By Carrie Lauth

When I network with small business owners and online marketers, I often find myself asking them if they've launched their blog yet. Adding a blog has so many important benefits and it's no wonder that huge corporations and megastores are also getting into blogging. Especially for the micropreneur however, blogs have several distinct advantages. Here are a few.

1. A blog is search engine food! Google and the other big search engines love content and a blog can help you get free search engine traffic. Recently search engines are giving more weight to blogs because they want to offer the freshest, most relevant content to internet searchers.

2. Blogs create community. Because they are interactive, a blog draws people back to your site again and again. Your visitors will read your post then leave their comments, read comments left by others, and come back to see how the conversation is flowing. Blogs are much easier to manage than message forums too. With RSS (Real Simple Syndication), people can subscribe to your blog feed and be notified automatically when you update your blog.

3. Blogging puts you in control of your site. Posting to your blog is as easy as typing an email or a word document. Why pay a designer to add a page to your website when you can update your site whenever you like, easy as pie? You can blog as often or as rarely as you like to serve your particular needs.

4. Blogs help you grow your bottom line. There are many ways you can add additional monetization streams to your blog so you can make more money in your business without working harder.

5. Your customers love blogs. They can ask you questions, read info about your products and services, and share their opinions. A blog has a more friendly feel than a website.

6. Blogs help you know your target market. As you observe who is leaving comments on your blog, you get to know your market better. This education helps you be a smarter marketer.

7. Conduct market research. A blog is an easy way to conduct surveys and polls to help you get inside the mind of your customers. This information is invaluable to you.

8. Blogs help your customers get to know you. A blog gives your customers a chance to see your personality shine through. People buy from people they like!

9. Blogging is fun. I'll admit it, blogging is addicting once you get going! There are so many benefits to your business. What's not to love?

10. As a small business owner, you have a limited marketing budget. Blogging is a free marketing tactic - it only costs you a little of your time. Getting a blog installed and designed on your domain typically costs less than having a new website designed too.

Have I convinced you? Blogging is not a fad or a trend. It's a smart marketing technique that allows you to build relationships with your target market and leverage the power of the internet.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

About the Author
Get help setting up your blog, learn what you should blog about, and get marketing tips to get more blog traffic at www.CarrieLauth.com/hire-carrie.htm and visit Carrie at her business blog, at www.CarrieLauth.com/blog

Understanding Target Markets

By Laurie Ayers

Who is your target market? If your answer is “everyone” or “several” then you don’t have a target market. If you try to sell to “everyone” then you’re hurting yourself and diluting your efforts. There are no shortages of markets. If you pick a market to hone in on, then you can refine your marketing and networking efforts for that particular group.

Some potential markets could include:

Moms with young children
Pet owners
Empty nesters
Single men
Corporate gift givers
People with disabilities
Military folks
High income
Low income
College students
Night Schoolers
Apartment complexes
Nurses
Senior Communities
Pregnant Moms
New Home Owners
Teachers
Community organizations
Etcetera
So forth and so on

Can you see how a marketing campaign for a college student would vary from that of a mom with young children? Can you see where you’d hang out in different places to find teachers vs. single men?

Another benefit to finding a particular target market is you’ll be come known as “the person to call” within that circle. Referrals will be easier to get.

Think of a target market like archery (or deer hunting). You have a particular target (bulls eye or Bambi) that you’re trying to hit. If you have “several of these” then you’re going deer hunting but just spraying bullets willy nilly all over the forest and you’d be happy if you hit a squirrel, or bunny, or toad or possum, or deer or elephant. Heck, I’ll take anything.

Having a target market means setting your sights on a particular, specific market - one six point buck - and then taking all the necessary steps to bring home the bacon.

You’ll be much more successful if you actually plan to hit a target rather than spraying your Uzi in hopes you might nick something!

It’s often a natural fit to pick a group that you can easily identify with. If you’re a grandma your first choice may not necessarily be to target young moms.

Targeting merely narrows the focus - like focusing a camera lens so that you get a better photo. And it also does not preclude you from selling to others.

If you were to choose college students as your target market - you’d not waste your time going to business luncheons or chamber meetings. You wouldn’t advertise at a WAHM forum but rather you’d look to advertise in the college newspaper. You’d make fliers that talk about dorm safety (or college smells) or speak in a language that co-eds use.

If you were to pick college students then you may choose to sponsor some event involved with athletics or get your information into the new student orientations. You could offer opportunities to students looking to earn some extra money while staying in the dorm. You could promote Mother’s Day gifts and girl friend gifts to the male college students. There certainly is no shortage of colleges across the states and country.

That doesn’t mean you can’t participate in an occasional vendor event to open up another vein or do a party for a group of moms - but if you spend a majority of your time and efforts on a target market then you’re more likely to have better success and you’ll be working smarter, not harder.

Article Source: LadyPens: http://www.ladypens.com

About the Author
Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan. She started her first home business in 1988. As a single parent, Laurie has supported her family by working at home as an Independent Consultant and Star Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. She enjoys helping others start a candle business. You can find Laurie at http://www.thrivingcandlebusiness.com and http://www.Scentsy.com/LA

Women are Natural Networkers

By Carrie Wilkerson

Women don't realize that the same tactics they use for personal relationships are the very same skills they need for business networking, which is far more than making a few phone calls or handing out business cards. Networking, plain and simple, is about building relationships and that's what we do best.

Women tend not to see social contacts as potential business generators. We often think that if we're making pleasant conversation, we're not doing business. Just because you've made a friend out of a colleague doesn't mean he or she still can't provide business opportunities for you. And you might just make a colleague out of a friend. Many leads can be generated from family and friends whom you thought were only social contacts.

Of course, we're not all social butterflies with a long list of friends. But if you want your home-based business to succeed, you're going to have to make an effort to get out there and make yourself known. Here are some ideas about where you can do a little networking - and make new friends in the process!

Local and National Organizations

Local business organizations are a great place to start. In addition to the chamber of commerce, most communities have business organizations or clubs where potential clients might be found.

National organizations are a valuable resource, such as the National Women's Business Council found online at www.nwbc.gov. Their mission is "to promote bold initiatives, policies and programs designed to support women's business enterprises at all stages of development in the public and private sector marketplaces -- from start-up to success to significance." Their website offers links to mentoring programs and resources across the country as well as events and seminars, which brings us to our next networking resource.

Conferences, Seminars and Shows

Conferences, seminars, and trade shows are a wealth of networking opportunities. If you can't afford the registration fee, you could offer to volunteer, putting yourself in contact with new people and saving money at the same time.

Online Potential

We have the technology. Use it. Online forums are a great way to make new contacts and spread the word about your business. Don't make the mistake of becoming too impersonal, though. A virtual relationship can be just as fruitful as a fact-to-face encounter. Take the time to become familiar with online environments. Check out bulletin boards, discussion lists and chat rooms. When using online forums, be sure to include a signature with your message that explains what services you have to offer. Keep an eye on posts that might be connected to your business goals, and send them a friendly, introductory email. But don't try to make a sale with your first email since it might cause you to be banned from the forum. Plain old email is also an effective way to introduce yourself and request a short meeting to explain your business. Just call the office first to make sure you're sending it to the right person.

Scout the Next Opportunity

Keep an eye out for opportunities. Even if you're just driving to the post office or grocery store, look around and take notice of any new businesses that might benefit from your services. Read your local newspapers and magazines to keep up with new developments in the community and new networking opportunities.

Any one of these tactics on their own will probably not be effective. It usually takes about five contacts to see any results. Persistence is the key. As women know, building relationships takes a lot of commitment and hard work but we're more than up to the challenge.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

About the Author
Carrie Wilkerson is the voice of experience. From corporate life to teaching high school to direct sales, she has 'been there and done that' professionally and personally. An 'overnight mom' to 2 toddlers through adoption, her priorities instantly changed and so did her workplace. She's now built several businesses and coached others to do the same while overcoming extreme debt, losing 110 lbs and having 2 more children, for a total of 4 children, ages infant through 12! As 'The Barefoot Executive', Carrie and her network of experts have quickly become the definite resource for helping women achieve extra income and career goals while working from home. the-barefoot-executive.com

Attraction Marketing: How to Open Doors Online and Off In Direct Sales

By Liz Monte

A few months ago, the network marketing company I represent launched a new product that seemed to me like a perfect fit for a salon and spa campaign. I knew that a lot of salons were suffering from the economic downturn, and I figured partnering with me to promote this new item would be a good solution for them.

So with my bundle of flyers in hand, I set off to visit every beauty shop within a ten mile radius. After talking to thirty or forty managers and owners, a pattern began to emerge -- no one was buying. I got the usual polite brush-offs and a few sincere nibbles. But no bites.

What could be the problem? Was it my delivery? Was I not offering the right information? What was preventing these good people from appreciating the amazing opportunity that was being placed before them?

And then… [sound of palm slapping forehead] I remembered a lesson I've learned over and over again (usually the hard way):

Folks have to know, like, and trust you before they'll want to do business with you.

In launching my salon campaign, I had fallen into the old trap of believing that a superior product or opportunity would "sell itself." What I had forgotten is that I was the real product. If they didn't know me, like me, and trust me, they certainly weren't going to jump into business with me. That kind of relationship was nearly impossible to create in one or two minutes between appointments.

Knowing, liking, and trusting are three critically important emotions that grease the wheels of commerce. They also form the basis for something called "attraction marketing" -- a new approach to network marketing that works especially well on the Internet.

But getting back to the brick-and-mortar world for a moment, think about your own shopping preferences. Wouldn't you rather do business in a store where you have a friendly relationship with some of the staff -- a store that's earned your trust over time by consistently putting your needs first and treating you with respect?

Of course you would!

In fact, if you have that kind of relationship with a local business, there's a good chance you'll remain loyal to them no matter what -- even if someone else has lower prices or is more conveniently located.

That's exactly the kind of relationship you want to build with your potential prospects, online or off.

If you're building on the Internet, these principles are especially important. With all the spamming and scamming that's going around, most people are extremely cautious about who they do business with online. But by using attraction marketing, many doors will swing wide open for you.

Here are some pointers for a successful online campaign:

1. Be yourself. Don't pretend to be someone you're not. Other people can tell when you're not being real. Phoniness is always a big trust killer.

Along the same lines, there's no need to call yourself an expert or a leader. You could sound like you're bragging, and if you really are one, folks will recognize it without you having to tell them.

2. Contribute value. Help people get what they're looking for -- solutions to their problems. Become the go-to person for your particular niche.

3. Be generous. Provide free information. Offer a helping hand to someone who's just learning a subject you've already mastered, even if there's no direct pay-back for you. Generosity is one of the biggest trust-builders there is.

4. Interact. Become active on a few social sites like Facebook and Twitter. Show an interest in what your friends and followers are doing. Get involved in a forum or two. Leave comments on blog posts you find helpful.

Follow these tips consistently and you'll be on your way to building an effective online presence that'll help you take your business to the next level.

Oh, and if you're wondering what became of the hairdressers? I decided to keep life simple and stick with the Internet. It's so much easier!

About the Author
Liz Monte has put together a comprehensive guide for MLMers who want to take their businesses online. It's all on her website for free. If you'd like to learn more about attraction marketing and how to create an effective presence on the Internet, go to http://www.wisenetworkmarketer.com.

2009 Success Checklist - Five Alive Tips For the New Year

By Barb Girson

Ready to start get off to a successful start in the New Year? Read my motivational tips, and I think you will be glad you did.

After my first January when my home party-plan business had a disappointing start, I have learned how to bridge the excitement of the holiday season with the launch of a successful New Year, so the momentum of the November and December is carried into a successful January and February. Over the years, I have refined these simple time-tested tips and January became a great launching pad for the success.

1. So Goes January Goes The Year!
It often is said, "So Goes January, Goes The Year!" Each New Year is filled with promise and a renewed hope that this year will be a defining year; this year we will make monumental changes to improve life for our families and ourselves. Select a motto and follow these tips to begin making your motto come true. For example:

* Start Strong in the New Year!

* It's the Year To Invest in My Career!

* Renew My Career This Year

* 2009 will be Mine!

* Find a Gold Mine in '09!

* Create your own...

Start strong by challenging yourself to book twice as many parties in January and February as you want to hold each of the other months. Make your personal booking goal to BOOK NINE IN 2009 to launch the year. Fill your planner with parties before you return from your holiday break (or shortly after returning. Book extra and you will feel terrific. Determine and implement a few new consistent steps to improve your success in the new year.

2. Set Your 2009 Targets!
Figure your sales target that you need/want to achieve monthly. Break your goal into how many parties it will take monthly by dividing your sales goal by your party average to get a number of parties you need to hold each month. Build a cushion. When you book extra you will feel that much more terrific!

3. Get Ready For Success!
Set up a planning day in the next 2 weeks. If possible, find a business buddy and work together. (I have an annual planning day sometime after Christmas and before mid-January.) For years, a business buddy and I would get ready for success on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Our spouses would watch football, and munch on the typical game day food. Our children would play. We would dream, plan and prepare.

What can you do in advance to be ready for success?

* Make up your Hostess folders.

* Label all collateral materials with your contact information.

* Make your call list.

* Prepare for a mailing.

* Clean up your Kit!

* Purge items that you no longer need in your office.

* Organize your files. Set up your file folders for the year.

Reward those who help you launch your New Year. Make sure all of your previous Customers and Hostesses know what is offered to launch the year. Do not duplicate what your company offers! However you can fill in any gaps, at your expense.

You might offer a personal incentive for:

* Filling the soonest dates you want to work.

* Pursuing repeat business. Call back past Customers and encourage them to gather friends and family. You bring your service to them. The guests will appreciate an event to look forward to after the holidays are over.

* Encourage multiple purchases. Suggest that your Customers stock up on items for upcoming gift-giving occasions. (Valentines Day, Easter, Birthdays)

* Retaining the biggest spenders from last year. Call back everyone who spent over the amount of your average customer order last year. Offer an incentive for placing another order before the 15Th of month.

4. Does the telephone ever get heavy? Do you experience call reluctance? To help you get in the right mind set as you dial the phone, you can silently sing, "Hey big spender, spend a little time with me...at a home party." This is a fun way to imagine success and have your voice convey your fun, upbeat attitude.

5. Have a System for Your Success.
Develop a systematic approach to your business which when followed consistently produces consistent results. Follow these Five Alive Tips and you will be ready for this to be your year to make monumental changes and move your business forward. You will also be glad when the old adage proves true for you. "So Goes January Goes The Year!"

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

About the Author
Barb Girson, International Direct Selling Industry expert, trainer and coach, is a highly interactive, creative speaker and author offering professional skill development programs for workshops, leader retreats, annual conventions and teleconference training programs. Barb helps companies and home-based entrepreneurs grow sales by sharing her systems.To learn more contact Barb: 614-855-0446 or Barb@MySalesTactics.com; www.MySalesTactics.com

7 Steps to Get Out of the Direct Sales Rut

By Laurie Ayers

Business not flowing as well as you would like? Did you have a great holiday rush and now your direct sales business appears to have come to a screeching halt? Here are seven steps you can take to get out of the rut.

1. Direct mailings with your company catalog. Pick a market or two, such as assisted living facilities; nail salons or real estate agencies to name a few. Mail no more than ten catalogs to each market; there’s no sense wasting catalogs and postage without testing the waters first. Be sure to include a sample and/or special offer. Increase chances of having your catalog opened and read by placing a relevant sticker on the front. Highlight what’s in it for them if they open it.

2. Develop a Valentines Day marketing campaign and get it out to the masses NOW. February 14th will be here before you know it. Men will be particularly grateful for gift giving made simple. Think where you can find a group of men - barber shops, auto sales, auto repair, gyms, pro-shops, etc.

3. Create a special offer for Groundhogs Day, February 2. There’s one people don’t see everyday.

4. Call all of your customers, leave voice mail if necessary and merely say, ‘I’m putting in an order and wondered if you were ready for more …”

5. Hire a business coach or join a Mastermind group. Find the right one and your investment will pay off ten-fold.

6. Commit to asking for referrals from three people each day. Not covert dropping of cards and catalogs but actually speaking to strangers. Go into the gas station to pay, instead of using pay at the pump. Hand the cashier a catalog and a sample and say, “If you know of anyone who likes (candles, jewelry, makeup, etc.) could you please pass this along?”

7. Hold an open house. Who cares if you’ve been in the business two years or nine months or anywhere in between? Call it a mid-winter shindig. Pick a theme – Superbowl, Chocolate Martini, After Holidays Rest and Relaxation or Chick Flick Movie Night.

Sometimes there’s no secret to getting out of a rut other than to go back to basics. Remember when you first started your business. You were excited; you were pumped and you definitely were not in a rut. Shake it up a bit; think outside of the bowl. Remember if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’re going to keep getting what you’ve been getting!

Article Source: LadyPens: http://www.ladypens.com

About the Author
Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan. She started her first home business in 1988. As a single parent, Laurie has supported her family by working at home as an Independent Consultant and Star Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. She enjoys helping others start a candle business. You can find Laurie at http://www.thrivingcandlebusiness.com and http://www.Scentsy.com/LA

Five Newer Marketing Tactics and Five Old Tried & True

By Terri Seymour

There are numerous ways to market your business online with a lot of them being free. In this article I have detailed five of the newer marketing methods as well as five of the old tried & true methods that still can do a lot for your business!

Five Newer Marketing Methods

Video Marketing – Video marketing is a powerful and versatile tool for your online business. You can introduce yourself, detail what you offer on your site, demonstrate your products/services, offer free instructional videos, etc. Use your imagination and propel your business forward!

Online Radio - Radio has always been a powerful medium and it continues to be on the internet. Make yourself available to do online radio interviews. This is very cost effective and can get you and your business established all over the world. One place you can find online radios shows is the BusinessResourcesPodcastDirectory.com

RSS Feeds – RSS meaning Really Simple Syndication is an easy way for you to distribute your articles, blogs, and other content all over the net. You need to set up your feed and then maybe start with a weekly article until you get more used to it. You need to promote your feed so people subscribe to it and you can also make your feed available to other websites for more exposure. One good tool for getting started is the RSS Channel Editor.

Social Networking – This marketing method has hit the internet like a tornado! There are numerous social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Ryze, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn and many others. These sites allow you to open an account, add your info and network with thousands of other people. They can really bring attention to your website/business.

Blogs – Although blogs have been around for awhile, they are one of the newer online marketing techniques. Blogging is becoming a very popular method of publishing as it does not require any technical knowledge and it can greatly increase the popularity of your site. Some blogs allow the visitors to post and enter their thoughts and opinions as well.

A blog keeps people coming back to your site and a blog is also very helpful with the search engines because of the ever changing content. Search engines love new content! A good free blogging tool is WordPress.org.

Five Old Tried & True Marketing Techniques

Article Marketing – Article marketing is a powerhouse technique in the marketing world! Although, it has been around for many years, it has not lost any of its effectiveness. Writing and submitting articles to ezine publishers, website owners and article directories is still one of the best ways to build your business.

Ad Swaps – I have participated in ad swaps since the beginning of my internet marketing career over ten years ago. Not only is this a good way to get free advertising, but you also make new business contacts and friends as well. Find quality ezines and contact the publisher, asking them if they would be interested in a joint venture. Swap top sponsor ads, solo mailings, etc. Search ezine directories and search Google as well. There are thousands of ezines being published so there is no shortage of quality publications for ad swapping!

Link Exchanges – Link exchanges is something you hear conflicting reports about. Some people think they don’t do any good – some people think they are only effective if done a certain way, etc. In my opinion, link exchanges can be very effective if done consistently. Exchange with quality sites that have a well-organized and categorized links section. Don’t exchange with “link farms” or sites that just have one big page loaded with every kind of link imaginable. Be selective and don’t offer your link to just any site.

Ezine Advertising – Ezine advertising can provide your business with a substantial boost! Finding quality ezines to advertise in can be one of the harder steps of ezine advertising. After you find the ezines you want, subscribe to them to get an idea of the consistency, reliability and quality of the ezines. Make sure the ezine is mailed out when it is supposed to be and that it contains quality content.

You do not want to advertise in a big list of ads. This will lower the value of your ad by quite a bit. Does the ezine contain feedback from the other subscribers and if so, what do the subscribers say? These are all ways to indicate whether the ezine publisher is trusted by the subs and whether or not you can trust and believe in the publisher. This is VERY important!

Once you make the decision and choose an ezine or two to advertise in, you must write an effective ad.

The main points to remember when writing an ad are:

1. Keep it brief.
2. Grab their attention in the headline.
3. Emphasize the benefits to the purchaser.

Yahoo Groups and Message Boards – Visit message boards regularly and join some good email discussion groups. Networking on boards and groups can do a lot for your business but you must follow the guidelines for posting and offer help and advice as often as you can. Don’t just post your business info and then never come back. This will just brand you as a spammer!

By working on these marketing techniques consistently and efficiently, you are sure to build your business and your reputation which in turn will increase your income. These days, that is one goal we all need to obtain! Much success to you!

About the Author
Terri Seymour has over ten years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at http://www.seymourproducts.com for resources, $1 resell ebooks & software, free tutorials, affiliate programs, and a free ezine with bonus report: 77 Ways to Get Traffic! subscribe@seymourproducts.com

How to Use Contests to Build Your Network Marketing Business

by Audrey Okaneko

I really like to use a variety of marketing strategies to build my network marketing business. Contests have proven to be successful for me over the years.

I'd like to share some contest strategies with you.

1. Offer a product that a wide variety of people will want and can use. I try very hard to offer products that can be used by both men and women and also by both young and old. Right now, as of this writing, I'm actually offering a collector's item that was from a previous holiday collection.

2. Stay away from contests asking people to subscribe to something. I personally almost never enter those types of contests, or if I do, I'll offer a throw away email address, or I'll unsubscribe just as soon as the winner is announced. People want to win, they don't want to sign up. Now, having said that, do make sure that a form to sign up for your newsletter is on the same page as your contest so that if someone does want to sign up they can.

3. The purpose of a contest is to share your products with others. Make your contest fun. Ask people to visit your site and tell you their favorite product. Or ask people to visit your site and tell you one thing that they learned from your site. While this first visit will not usually result in an immediate sale, you'll find that people will browse and will bookmark your site. I look at contests as a way to introduce others to the products, not as a way to create immediate sales.

4. Offer people a way to contact you for more information. Often my contests ask if someone wants a catalog or party information. I use no as my default answer so that if someone does want something, they'll have to click for it. I never make yes my default answer.

5. Engage with those who enter. I read every single comment that people leave me, whether on my blog contests, or on contests offered on my website via a form. I respond to everything asking for a response. I've read some of the most wonderful stories via these comments and have responded to each of them.

Contests are very inexpensive to run. You only pay the cost of a product and postage to mail the product. If I get one or two orders, I've more than made my money back and I've introduced the products to a thousand new people.

About the Author
Audrey Okaneko has been working at home since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at www.recipe-barn.com

Is Your Direct Sales Business Ready for the Holiday Season?

by Lisa Buswell

I know it seems early to be talking about the holidays, but as every retailer knows, they will arrive quickly! Here are some tips to make your season smooth and successful.

1. Talk with potential and former host/hostesses. This is a great way to get your home party bookings off to a good start during the season. Make sure you talk about your hostess specials and any new products that might have been introduced recently. Always have your calendar ready when you are speaking with a hostess so you can set the date. Now is a great time to start booking parties before their calendar gets filled with other commitments.

2. This is a valuable time to build your team. Get the word out about your company's business opportunity during the holiday season through a signing up campaign 'blitz'. You can use emails, postcards, ads and phone calls to reach your prospects. They should know it is a great time to start a home business and introduce their product to customers. Since there are many home business opportunities out there, be sure to let everyone know what sets yours apart from the rest.

3. If your company participates in fund raising, now is the time to coordinate them for the fall/holiday season. Just about every organization has some kind of fundraising need- schools, booster clubs, sports teams, humane societies and other non-profits. When you find a club/organization you would like to contact, try and obtain a specific person with whom to discuss the fundraiser. This will allow you to follow up more efficiently with your organizations.

4. Perhaps the largest part of the holiday season is the retailing of your products. It is a great, if not the best, time of year for selling them. Almost everyone is looking for gifts for another person, or they might want to pamper themselves. Some ways to sell your products include having home parties, participating in craft fairs or having an open house to sell many of the items you already have on hand. Another way to retail is by contacting businesses to show them the possibilities of using your products as their corporate gifts, either to their employees or their customers. This would be a wonderful way to boost your sales and expose your products.

The holidays are approaching quickly; now is the time to set yourself up for success. These are just a few ideas to help you plan for a busy, and profitable holiday season.

About the Author
Lisa Buswell is a home based business owner. She is a diamond team leader and enjoys helping and coaching others achieve their home business goals. She can be reached through her website, www.TheAlternativeCandle.com or email her at lbuswell@thealternativecandle.com.