Learn eight ways to build your direct sales business when you have a gap in your calendar and you're not actively selling.

1. Backstage magic Eight Ways to Build Your Direct Sales Business When You’re Not Selling Archer Coaching 919.308.1338 laura@archercoaching.com www.archercoaching.com

2. Business Down Times Do you see a blank stretch in your sales calendar? Don’t panic! Here are eight ideas for building your business even when you’re not selling. © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 2

3. Business Down Times If you’re in direct sales, you probably have a few down times each year when you aren’t selling very much. This is common starting around the middle of December, due to the holidays, usually stretching to mid-January. Sometimes the summer can be slow as well, and at other times there are just natural lulls in your business. 3 © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com cont.

4. Take Time Off First, and most important: Take time off. It’s time for you to visit with family and friends, too! Recharge your batteries, enjoy your life, and take time for yourself. This is important for staving off burnout. Remind yourself that one of the points of a direct sales business is working (and thus, not working) when you choose. 4 © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 1 Bottom line: A break can leave you with renewed energy for your business.

5. Clean and Organize Clean and organize. Did your work space get cluttered up? Left the filing until you “had a moment?” Delayed putting a new system into place? Now is your chance! Clean and organize your home office space (and your computer hard drive) and come back to work with a fresh slate! 5 © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 2 Bottom line: Organization saves you time, and time is money.

8. When were you having the highest party totals?

9. What was your average party total for the year?

10. What expenses can you cut?

11. Where can you grow?

12. How can you keep more of what you earn?Getting your paperwork ready now saves you tons of time when taxes are due. Bottom line: Paperwork and financial information help you quantify your success.

13. Set Goals © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 7 4 Set goals. If you’ve done your financial paperwork and have a good picture of what the last year, quarter, or month in your business looked like, it’s a good time to set your yearly, quarterly, and monthly goals. Stretch a little! Write them down, so you can track how well you do. Bottom line: Goals help you visualize and achieve new levels of success.

14. Inventory & Supplies Kit, inventory, and supplies. If you have a sales kit of products you take to demonstrate, go through and make sure everything is clean, has fresh batteries (if necessary), is in good repair, and is well protected and stored. Get rid of anything that is outdated (or mark for deep discount when you’re back to selling) or broken. 8 © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 5 Continued on next slide

15. Inventory & Supplies 9 © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 5 cont. Figure out what to replace or add from your current catalog. Go through your inventory so you know what you have and what you might need. Order any supplies (catalogs, stamps, stickers, promotional materials, mailing labels, and so on) you need. Is your company offering any deep discounts on products? See what you can buy now to have on hand. Bottom line: Updated products keep your presentations fresh and your sales high.

16. Training Training. It’s a terrific time to break out those CDs you picked up at your conference but haven’t listened to yet, or find some books, MP3s, and online training. You’ll have the time—so open up your mind, and get ready to learn some fabulous new techniques! © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 10 6 Bottom line: Fresh ideas can invigorate your business and set you up for success!

17. Stockpile Bottom line: Stockpiling keeps you organized and saves time, and time is money! Stockpile. Get a big stack of catalogs and stamp them with your name, or put your stickers on them, and prepare them to give to customers! Prep a stack of hostess packets, recruiting packets, and more so that you don’t have to make them “on the fly” in the next few months. You’ll be amazed what a timesaver this is! © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 11 7

18. Get Creative Get creative! Let your creative juices flow and see what new ideas come up! You might figure out a great new way to sell a product, a dynamic new demonstration you can do, or even some new marketing opportunities (trade shows, events and promotions). 12 © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com 8 Bottom line: Creativity sets you apart as a unique seller offering something special to your customers.

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20. 14 © 2010 Archer Coaching www.archercoaching.com laura@archercoaching.com About archer coaching work, life, joy Laura Poole, certified professional coach and founder of Archer Coaching, has a specialty in training and coaching direct sellers in many different party plans. Want to learn how to increase your sales, communicate with your authentic voice, build success with a trade show booth, and grow your business to exceed your dreams? Contact us and let’s talk! Archer Coaching is proud to offer individual coaching, team coaching, training sessions, and more. Website: http://www.archercoaching.com/direct-sales Email: laura@archercoaching.com Phone: 919.308.1338