When it comes to direct sales, there is no secret success formula but after being in this industry for over 15 years, I definitely can identify many similarities when it comes to successful consultant habits.
Habits are important. They can literally decide whether you can overcome adversity or if you are ready to quit at every bump in the road.
Take a look at some of the habits I have written down and collected after watching some of the best in the business conquer their goals year after year.
1. Get Up Early – I have always dreamed of being a morning person. I truly love the way I feel when I do get up early but still love my bed more. However there is a reason I love it. So quick tip. If you are not a morning person, its time to learn how to become one. Getting up early allows you to get the things done you need to and then set up your day for success. No more working in to the wee hours or TV nights. Get to bed early and wake up refreshed with the rest of the successful GIRLBOSSES out there. Need some help getting this habit under control? Read Miracle Morning from Hal Elrod. This is one of favorite books and truly changed my business.
2. Meditate – Now I found meditation so annoying when everyone kept suggesting it but when you take a look at some of the most successful business owners in the world, even they meditate. Yeah people like Tony Robbins and Oprah. So with those names, I started to take it a little more seriously. Clearing your mind and taking time to breath when days can get away from you is one of the best ways to stay focused and accomplish what you need to. There are tons of great meditation videos on You Tube. Type it in and pick the best one for you.
3. Set Goals and Write Them Down – Things that are measured are improved. In order to accomplish your goals, you need to be clear with what they are. I was never a “write your goal down” type of business owner. Most people aren’t but once I started doing this, there is something inside a person that makes us want to cross action steps off a list. Take time to set your daily, weekly, monthly and even long term goals. This is one of the most important steps in your business. WRITE THESE GOALS DOWN! When you do this, what you want to achieve becomes something real instead of just a thought in your head.
4. Inspire Yourself – Personal development and inspiration is a must. Whether you choose to read, exercise and listen to podcasts, watch videos or find a coach, you must find an outside resource that inspires you. When you are inspired, you can create and keep your business moving forward.
5. ABC – Always Be Learning! There is no explanation here. Training, courses, webinars, books. Always be learning something new daily!
6. Read – Anything and everything. Articles. Books. Anything you can find. Read it. I try to read 10 pages a night in a book of my choice.
7. Know Your Numbers – You must know where you are, know where you were last year and know where you want to be. If you don’t know where you are in your business when it comes to income, expenses and profit, you can’t possibly manage your business. If your company has a back office, access it daily. Write down your daily numbers and compare it to last year. On top of that, have a budget. Know what you are spending on and record everything.
8. Journal – I could never keep up with journaling until I listened to Oprah one day and she said, “keep it simple. If you can’t write down your complete thoughts, at least log your THANK YOU items.” This has made a huge difference in my mind set. Capturing what I am thankful for on a daily basis keeps the positivity in and the negativity out. What we focus on, we create. Focusing on gratitude has really starting bringing amazing things and people in to my life.
9. Practice Gratitude – Beyond putting gratitude in your journal once a day, simply practice being grateful for everything in your life. Think about daily what you are grateful for. When you get in the habit or thinking about gratitude, you open your mind for so much more abundance to enter.
10. Delegate – This can be a tough one for people. We some times think that no one can do things as good as we can. But truth is, when we try to take on everything, we end up accomplishing a lot less than we could have. We can’t do it all. Whether it be automated as many tasks as you can or simply asking for help, we need to realize we can’t do it all. When business owners try, they usually fail. Surround yourself with people who are willing to help and find tools to make your daily tasks easier.
11. Be a Good Listener – This is a huge one. Because so many of us run our businesses online, we tend to not read things thoroughly or we just don’t pay attention. When in person, we are already thinking about what we want to say rather than listening. Whether it is your customers, your team, your up line, staff, corporate or your down line, listen to what is being said or written. Validate what the other person is saying. Take ideas and concerns and show them that they are important to you. Other people and their suggestions could be one of the most valuable things in growing your business.
12. Have a Hobby – STOP! Yes something besides your direct sales business, no matter how much you say you love it. You need to step away sometimes. Find something that makes you smile even for an hour a day. Exercising, dancing, swimming, organizing. Whatever it is, step away and relax. This will help you be more focused and come up with even better innovative ideas for your business.
13. Take Time For Yourself – Schedule YOU time! I often sit outside by the pool without my phone with my dogs and just reflect on the day. In this day we are soooo connected, its good for you and business to disconnect.
14. Follow a Schedule – If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist. . Get into the habit of putting everything on your schedule so you don’t get overwhelmed. I use my google calendar for everything. One of my favorite apps is Fantastical. It syncs with google calendar and I just love how user friendly it is on my phone.
15. Be Organized – I love to be organized. I know many struggle with this and they often say, “but I know where everything is.” However if you want to be taken seriously, the first step is having a place to go where your systems are in order. Create a place for everything to go and if you haven’t used something in 6 months, throw it out. You will find you will jump out of bed to work knowing you have an organized work space ready for you.
16. Develop a Routine – This is an essential habit you should have if you want to be successful. Create a schedule of what you need to do every day and follow it. Know what time you get up, what is on your to do list (specifically your top 3 things to accomplish) numbers, what time you have team meetings or Facebook parties. Know what days you do what. It only takes 21 days to develop a habit. Once I moved, I was determined to develop NEW habits. For example, I wake up at 7, review my calendar and to do list, walk the dogs, clean up, put on workout clothes, feed the pups, do my stretch and roll exercises, down 12 oz of water and then its that first cup of Joe and off to my desk. Once you develop a routine, what you accomplish every day increase by a mile.
17. Inbox Zero – Don’t fall pray to email hell. Do not let email control you. Use tools like Unroll.me
18. Ask For Help – Reach out to those you trust when you need help. . People can’t help you if they don’t know you need it, so don’t be too proud to ask for help. Surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed.
19. Have a Mentor or Coach – This is a habit you can’t skip. I am not talking your sponsor or your up line. I am sure they are great but you need someone that is going to push you out of your comfort zone and motivating you when you need it. 7 years ago, I made the life changing decision to hire a coach. I had no idea what I was doing but I knew I needed someone to shorten the learning curve and push me to do things I probably n ever would have done. Her name is Kim Garst, one of Forbes Top 50 Social Media gurus. She not only was my coach and mentor, she became one of my most adored friends. You won’t find a single successful business owner that didn’t have a mentor or a coach to help them get where they are. Don’t skip out here, you can’t afford not to have a coach.
20. Be Positive – Last but not least, be positive! When you constantly work your business as a victim and your cup always being half empty, you will project this attitude onto your customers and your team members. What you think about, you bring about. Keep that in mind always and pay close attention to your thoughts on a daily basis. You choose how successful you want your business specifically with how positive you are.
There you have 20 habits for highly successful direct sales consultants. Print this article and use it as a check list. Put all of them into action and watch how you and your business transform. Aren’t a GIRLBOSS yet? I’d love to help you get started. Check out some info on how I can help you start your very own Direct Sales Business and finally determine where your journey takes you.
