Building from within is the fastest and most cost-effective way to grow your organization. Visions from distributors holding opportunity events, conducting one-on-one interviews and requesting three-way calls with their upline are the things that direct sales executives’ dreams are made of. And while there are these valuable and motivated individuals in every organization, “how to find more of them” is the question on everyone’s mind.
What is the formula that will ignite a wave of sponsorship and infuse your organization with fresh new distributors? Is it a sexy new incentive trip, a “Triple Bonus Point” program, or perhaps a two-week recruiting blitz with all the amenities? Maybe. It’s certainly true that direct sellers, by nature, love a good contest and all the recognition that comes with it. But again, it might be time to listen to the sage advice we often share with our distributors … “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting!”
Today’s direct sales executives need to dig a little deeper to find new solutions to their recruiting challenge. Don’t get us wrong … we’re not suggesting you remove contests and incentives. These are the foundation of your growth strategy and they deserve your time, attention, and capital. But maybe there are some new ways you can stimulate new growth from within, ways that get to the heart of the matter and change your distributor’s perspective on sponsorship.
To do this, we must first look at your distributors’ blockages and barriers to sponsorship. It’s no wonder that through interviews, surveys, and focus groups across the country with distributors representing every possible product or service, the top two barriers to sponsorship were common among all participants.
Let’s start with the winner: the fear of rejection. As the world continues to evolve at breakneck speed, human nature remains constant throughout the years … we hate being rejected. At the risk of simplifying matters, it’s safe to say that almost all companies are dealing with this barrier to the best of their ability by offering scripts and training on how to approach and interview prospects, encouraging distributors to hone their skills by offering the opportunity. again. and again, and offering exciting contests and incentives that inspire distributors to “overcome fear” and ASK, ASK, ASK! So instead of preaching to the choir, let’s look at the second fear, the second that you may not be addressing so eloquently.
The second barrier to sponsorship is … fear of responsibility. Countless distributors have shared that while a new recruit often helps them get one step closer to winning an exotic trip, winning an award, or receiving the recognition they crave, it doesn’t help them once they have the new team member!
This is what we hear …
* “I’m not sure what I’m doing yet … how can I be responsible for helping someone else?”
* “I don’t want to feel like I have to have all the answers or be responsible for its success.”
* “The thought of others depending on me for answers scares me to death!”
It doesn’t matter how many carrots you have, how well you train them to offer the opportunity; what’s on the other side of “YES” could be what’s holding you back from growing your organization. The “responsibility” they feel to train, support, and guide new team members after they join may be what’s holding them back.
Recognizing that distributors have a responsibility to train and guide their team and receive an override for their efforts, there are still some steps you can take to reduce distributors’ fear of liability. Let’s see how your company is measured.
Check all that apply …
* We address “fear of responsibility” in our training materials and newsletters and clarify your role as a sponsor under our program.
* We offer comprehensive training addressing various learning styles, including a detailed and indexed Dealer Manual (for detailed style students), a variety of audio training tapes and CDs (for auditory learners on the move), video demonstrations ( for visual and kinesthetic learners) who like to “see and do”).
* We share the responsibility for training by offering regular corporate training through conference calls, video streaming, and satellite events.
* We recognize the importance of the “coaching relationship” and offer company-wide training on the latest team coaching methods.
How did you do it? Have you adequately addressed the fear of responsibility? Are you offering training that changes your perspective of what a leader and coach really is? Could this be a barrier to sponsorship worth looking into?
Research with distributors from a variety of companies revealed that while some “forward thinking” companies have dedicated time and valuable training resources to the topic of team training, many distributors feel they are not receiving “quality training” from their lines. ascending.
“The ability to coach someone toward their goals and dreams is a learned behavior that involves specific skills and tools, taken from professional training practice,” explains Training Center Director Jennie England.
“By teaching leaders these skills and incorporating them into the culture of an organization, companies will begin to see an increase in performance at all levels,” adds England. “Given that 85% of the top Fortune 500 companies use professional coaching skills within their organizations, doesn’t it make sense that the direct selling industry could benefit as well?”
