This biz. Your biz. Our biz.

The biz to be in. thisbiznow.com 

Tell us what you think!

When was the last time you visited the this biz now site?

Is this site a place you visit and use with customers and prospects?

Do you think third-party endorsements lend crediblity and help you sponsor?

If you were creating a site called ThisBizNow, what would you include on it? Or, would you make it part of the Q site?

Or, would you tell prospects and new IBOs to visit Opportunity Zone for the latest scoop on the biz from the corp?

We're all ears, I mean eyes ...

well, you get the gist. We want to know what you think.

Please comment.

Have a passion for pretty and a desire for all things that dazzle? Then, you're the perfect person to sell Personal Accents jewelry, fragrances, and accessories. And even if you're not fanatic about baubles and beads, there's plenty of accessories and fragrances available in the upcoming Personal Accents Collection. You'll even find gems for guys.

Retailing comes easy for some, but not so much for others. That's why, Personal Accents can be a good place to start. It's all about wearing, sharing, and ... yes! SELLING. (music to my ears!)

Have I piqued your interest? Excellent! Wondering when the next Personal Accents Catalog is due to arrive? September! But you can start planning now. The four new Personal Accents Sales Kits are coming soon.

We heard you tell us via Sales Speak and at events that the Personal Accents Sales Kits were a tad pricey for those just starting out. That's why the marketing and merchandising divas redesigned the kit program to give you options ... you can start small, keep centered in the middle, or go all the way with the entire fab collection, yours when you buy all four sales kits. Sounds confusing. It's not. Really. You're also going to love the kits prices, starting at just $200 IBO cost. Sales kits will be available to order at Quixtar.com on August 18, and shipping in September. Keep your eyes open. They'll be online for ordering.  

First-time sellers can start with the Charm 20-piece Kit ... it's a sampling of the jewelry and sure to demonstrate the signature beauty and value of Personal Accents. But perhaps, you want to take your sales to the next level? Then you're ready with Allure, the 31-item kit.

Thinking of more social selling?

Parties are a great way to share Personal Accents. We recommend even more variety, found in Captivate, a the 38-piece kit or Fascinate, the 50-item kit. Not shy? Ready to go for it all? Then get all four kits at a fantastic cost and Dazzle your customers with the entire 139-piece jewelry collection. You'll want to get the new and improved display trays and case, too.

Looking for branded sales support? We have you "dressed for success" with signature T-shirts, tote bags, pens, padfolios, postcards, invitations, business cards, name tags, order forms, and so much more. Logo merchandise is found in the Brand Support Center in Partner Stores at Quixtar.com.

If you're serious about selling Personal Accents, I highly recommend you use the new Consultant Guide. The printed guide comes in a 10-pack of  the new catalogs (SA-1787/on advance order in August) and it's full of sales tips, party planning ideas, testimonials, profit predictions, and sales kit info. The Consultant Guide will also be posted in  English and Spanish (PDFs) in the Resource Center online.

WOW! As I am writing this, the fashion-savvy marketer came by with the printed cover and a few pages of the catalog ... wait until you see this gem! Talk about selling off the page. This is supercalifragilistic. I wish I could just pick up that "Modern Fairytale" colored crystal necklace and let it sparkle and shine for all to see ... but then, I'd have to have the "Sweet Treats" stackable rings to go with it.

Yes, it's true. I wear Personal Accents jewelry. It's an easy (and fun) way to sell jewelry. Check your Consultant Guide for tips on how to sell on the spot.

More on what's inside the catalog coming soon. Some stuff for guys, too. Stay tuned!

You're probably wondering why a blog on selling is discussing kindness, but I see it as key when it comes to interaction with people. Kindness is about life and because selling for IBOs is a becoming a way of life during the our business transformation, we need to talk about kindness, but more importantly, we need to act with kindness.

Kindness, patience, courtesy ... do they show up in your sales conversations? appear in your professional life? constantly accompany you in everyday life?

Kindness is powerful in a positive way ... it can change an encounter or relationship. If it is authentic, genuine. and an act of love, it has the potential to make a positive difference in everyday life, personally and professionally. There are many, many opportunities in everyday life to be kind to people--on the phone, in an email, in a blog, at the store, at the office, on the road, at an event, around the neighborhood.

Recently on one of my trips to the bookstore, I came across a new book called Love as a Way of Life by Gary Chapman.(link goes to Barnes & Noble, a Partner Store.)  I couldn't sleep last night, so I read a portion of the book. Much of what I read was about love and treating others with kindness and patience. And even when others treat you disrespectfully or rudely, Chapman suggests if you make kindness a way of life, you don't have to only treat others who are kind to you gently and warmly--you can treat everyone you encounter with kindness. Even strangers.

Think about ways in your everyday life you can act in kindness-- from buying a drink at a neighbor child's lemonade stand to opening the door for someone who is entering a building at the same time as you.

Compliment someone and be sincere.
Tip a waitperson generously who provided excellent service.
Send a thinking of you ecard or note to someone you think makes a difference in your life.
Call an elderly relative and let them know you'll run some errands for them, mow their lawn or clean their house. Donate your time and talent to a non-profit organization like Easter Seals.
Acknowledge the voice mails and emails you receive today--follow up with people.
Send a fave customer a note telling them how much you enjoy doing business with them.
Send someone you love fresh flowers.
Write a letter or send an email to a co-worker's supervisor or manager, letting them know about the co-worker's outstanding contribution or extra efforts.

Do one, two, or three of these things today. How do you feel?

In business and in our personal lives, each one of us can make a difference in the lives of others by practicing kindness constantly.

What's your favorite way to express kindness?

Listen up! I've got a tidbit of info on what's to come with Ribbon. Bet you thought we launched all the collections for this year. Not true.

You're one of the first to know ! There's something NEW and it's coming soon to the Ribbon Gift & Incentive Program. The Celebrate Gift Collection. It's a holiday treat every holiday of the year. It's the perfect gift for a special occasion fall, winter, spring, and summer. It's the solution to any gift dilemma at less than $50! A gift card that comes wrapped in a pocket-sized carrier with the scoop on the sensational gifts online that await the recipient.

Wait until you see it! And you will! September 15, the Celebrate Gift Collection makes its debut. (I can't seem to figure out how I do an accent mark so please pretend it is over the e on debut.)

So, what's in it for your customers?

              It's under $50. In fact, the suggested retail price is $40!

              The name of it is festive. It creates positive, pleasurable feelings. It says gift and conveys special.

              The Celebrate Gift Card, Carrier, and Booklet are bilingual. Everything is in English and Spanish!

              The Gift Collection is all online; the booklet in the carrier is a teaser of what's available online and how to find it easily and quickly.

              It NEVER expires. (That's right. I said never.)

              Gift selections change periodically through the seasons but there will always be approx. 35 possibilities -- during Christmas, Valentine's Day, Graduations, every day. No matter who and when you give the gift card or when the recipient redeems it, there's something for her, for him, for the family, or for the home to select as their gift.

               The Celebrate Gift Card and Carrier comes with an Envelope at no additional cost.

              
I've probably said way more than I should at this point, but I see opportunity to sell Ribbon to family, friends, and small businesses for the holidays. And that means profit in your pocket!

For businesses, you can start building relationships now so that you can secure Ribbon orders for holiday gift giving.

For family and friends, begin talking up Ribbon for the holidays in late September, once Celebrate is available.

Are you ready to "Sell-ebrate"?

E-mail is an excellent communication vehicle but it has its own set of challenges. It's a great shortcut for salespeople, but, in my opinion, it should be combined with voice and face-to-face contact with customers and colleagues.

I am sure a few people reading this who know me well are snickering. How credible can my message on this be? After all, I love email. I find instant messaging a great way to capture someone's attention quickly. t's fun to text message. I am also becoming addicted to my new handheld device. But then, I've had my share of misinterpretations and embarrasments via e-mail messages.

Type, reread, edit, spell check, pause, and ponder -- then hit send. Have you ever hit send and then realized you forgot to check your spelling? Or replied to all with a message blaming someone on the cc: list for delaying a project or exceeding the budget? Or had to pick up the phone immediately to apologize for your anger or unfair judgment?

Consider the audience. Do you really need to send a silly joke to everyone in your address book? Does it make sense to send out strange photos or pleas for help from strangers? Is any of this relevant to customers? Be careful not to alienate, confuse, annoy, or anger your colleagues, customers, friends, and family. Relevant emails would be about products that could make their lives easier, healthier, better ... or offers that could save them time or money ... or free shipping on their next order ... or ... well, you get the gist.

I sometimes hear people at work comment on how much time they spend on reading/replying/composing emails. What does that tell you?

To be effective (or actually, just to be read before the delete key is hit), make sure your e-mail message is short, clear, and meaningful to the recipient. Especially if the recipient doesn't know you well.

Have any e-mail do's and don'ts to share?

Most people like you and me want to feel as if they add value when they’re involved in something … personally and professionally.  I don’t know about you, but when I feel like I don’t add value or others think I don’t enhance or improve a project or event or sales conversation, it bothers me immensely.

So, when it comes to sales, how can you and I add value when we’re retailing? Good question. I think we add value by making the sale about the potential customer and not about us or product features or what we think of the product. It needs to be about the target … the customer!  It’s about asking questions, listening to the customer, and being compassionate – this is how a salesperson adds value to a sales conversation. If we focus the conversation on great gizmos of the gadget we’re selling rather than how the bells and whistles of the gadget meet the needs (whether they be essential or entertainment/pleasure needs or convenience/taste needs), we aren’t addressing the value proposition in the customer’s mind  -- and we’re wasting time and money. Why would anyone want to hear about a product or product features that are irrelevant to their particular needs and lifestyle? BORRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-ing!

What’s a value proposition? I checked Wikpedia for the definition of customer value proposition
and found this:

In the field of marketing, a customer value proposition consists of the sum total of benefits which a vendor promises that a customer will receive in return for the customer's associated payment (or other value-transfer).
In simple words: value proposition = what the customer gets for what the customer pays.

Note the word benefits--this is everything from the performance to delivery to customer service. Yes, customer service. You (meaning you as an IBO) add value by listening, acknowledging/responding, building trust, addressing customer needs, following up, staying in touch, developing a lasting relationship, and addressing additional customer needs as things comes up through talk and time. (Always look for cross-sell opps!)

Have you ever had a salesperson tell you every specification of a product but not what’s in it for you? Like why do I care about a feature if I don’t know what that particular feature can do for me or to make my life easier or better? Why should I pay more for the deluxe model -- because it is has a better name? because it’s cool to own the deluxe version rather than the basic model? What’s the emotional pull/connection for the customer? Status? Family values? Fun? Control over health? To look beautiful? To look younger? To be the best you can be? These are all emotional reasons people buy--and if you can figure out what emotions may drive the customer’s decision to buy, you can make a sale … and you can solve a need, even if it’s purely an emotional need.

Do you add value to a customer sale as an IBO?

Would love to have you share some stories of your sales adventures or suggestions on what others can do to add value to customer sales.

May day is certainly a day to celebrate! It's not only the first day of May, it's the promise of spring, the joy of fresh flowers -- vividly colored tulips, pretty pastel hyacinths, blossoming trees and shrubs. In Europe, this day is filled with festivities complete with dancing around a garlanded pole called a maypole, from which streamers hang. Each dancer holds the end of a streamer, and the dancers wind the streamers into a pattern as they move around the maypole. Some schools still hold May Day festivals with maypole dancing and the selection of a May queen. We did the maypole thing in grade school --  and we also created May Day baskets filled with candy and goodies for someone in our class.

But I'll be honest. Now that I am older and working for Quixtar/Amway, May Day has always been the BIG launch of the new Ribbon Gift Collections ... sure, when I started they were Amagift Albums. (Yes, I have been here for awhile.) And it's still true. The Ribbon Gift Collections for 2008 are available for purchase at Quixtar.com ... and ready to be redeemed by recipients on May 1 at ordermygift.com ... WOO HOO! I'm ready to get selling, aren't you? And May is a great month to get busy selling to family and friends. What's in May?

Cinco de Mayo on May 5. Not really a traditional gift-giving occasion, but why not? Someone special is special any day of the year so why not on Cinco de Mayo? By the way, if you want to read some interesting facts and figures associated with Cinco de Mayo, check out the PR Newwire at forbes.com

Mother's Day on May 11. Mom deserves the best ... any General Gift Collection will make her smile, but if you want to let her know she deserves some sweet relief ... give her two collections! The Ghirardelli(R) Chocolates Collection teamed with the Pamper Album are just what a lovable Mom deserves. Don't forget Stepmoms, Grandmoms, and special women who may not be Mom but they're so marvelous, they deserve something for Mother's Day.

Your favorite granddaughter or son's birthday is in May? We've got Sweet!, the Gift Collection for teens that's just 2G2BT! If you don't text message, let me translate: Too good to be true! Cool stuff in that collection. Word is that kids around 13-16 really love getting Sweet! for birthdays and holidays.

The NEW Klutz(R) Gift Collection. Okay, this does NOT mean it's an album for people who are less than graceful. Seriously. Klutz is the name of the company that was incorporated in 1977 in California by three men who attended Stanford University. They started by selling sidewalk juggling lessons with a trio of bean bags. And then they realized the sky was the limit and decided to write a book on juggling. The books were sold, distributed via bicycle and backpack ... and sales grew from there. (I can just see three juggling college guys in the early 70s on basic bikes tooling around town selling juggling cubes, facepaint, and drawing paper, can't you?)  Today, Klutz how-to books come packaged with their signature tools like juggling cubes, face paints,  and yo yos. All these how-to books and educational toys are for learning, and not just learning through reading. The Klutz Gift Collection is for kids 4 years old and up ... and I tell you they are bound to be popular ... paper planes, stickers, wishing stars, bracelets, drawing books, doodling kits, nail art, stencils, and more. Every time I look at this album, I want to be 10 again and playing with paper dolls.  It's all about learning, creating, enjoying!  So, if someone says, what the heck is a Klutz Collection? You say (being the great salesperson you are!), "It's a wonderful collection of amazing how-to books and crafts for kids 4 and up. Remember how fun it was to draw or juggle or build your own toys when you were growing up? Well, that's what this kid collection is all about!

Armed Forces Day on May 17. Need I say more?  This is the day to thank our military members for all they do in patriotic service for our country as suggested by Harry Truman. Every military member you know deserves a gift  ... in whatever form you want to give that gift, from a prayer, a card, a letter to a gift basket or album.

Memorial Day ... last Monday of May -- May 26. This is a day to remember those who have died in our nation's service. After the Civil war many people began to decorate graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. Now, in the States, it marks the start of summer ... and many family and friends get together for picnics, ball games, and boating.

Graduations, Showers, Weddings ... big in May and June! Don't forget you may have a few gift-giving occasions coming up, but if you do, think of how many friends, family, and neighbors do. That's sales opportunity for you!

Other Ribbon and gift-giving tidbits to know and share while you're selling:

The 2008 Ribbon Gift Collections showcase a preview of selections in the printed albums. Each gift collection is shown in its entirety online and also in the Catalog of Gift Collections. The most updated resource for what's available will always be www.ordermygift.com so be sure to check that out ... and encourage customers and recipients to do the same.

The Sweet! Collection is geared for teens. That's why it's different and why the copy reads like text messaging. If you want to know more about text messaging or get a translation, visit Webpedia's text messaging abbreviations.

Even with the launch of 2008 Gift Collections, your recipients can still redeem their 2007 Gift Collections now. No worries!

Interested in getting started selling Ribbon? You need a new kit each year, so if you haven't already, be sure to order the Ribbon Essential Sales Kit ... or, check out the Ribbon Sales Kit Duo. When it comes to retailiing products, Ribbon Gift Collections are a great place to start.

May all your selling and gift-giving be a pleasure,

sjw