Choice or Luck? Determining Your Direct Selling Success



One of my May card class cards - quick and easy!

I hope all the Mom's had a wonderful day on Sunday!  Here in Washington the sunny weather made our day extra special.  I finished getting the deck ready and we celebrated the opening day of "Deck Season" on Mother's Day with a special brunch in honor of my 82 year old Mother-in-law.  I've been enjoying my "stay-cation" and will be back to a regular work week on Monday. 
 



Business Bits:
There have been many questions regarding the new Idea Book program that was announced back in January (seems like a long time ago) and another update given last week in the Company Updates.  Here is a link to the information video that may help clear up some of the questions.  We can pre-order beginning June 14th so mark your calendars so you don't forget.

New Idea Book Information Video:

https://orders.closetomyheart.com/CTMHConsultants/toknow/instantinfo_media/1403-new-idea-book-prgm-kw/player.html


Here is a great article for all the new consultants or anyone who want to "step-up" their business.  Food for thought.... 

Choices:

Every day you make choices. Some big – some small – some are easy and some are hard. Some are scary and some are fun. You can say “yes” or “no” to every opportunity that is presented. The choice is yours.

The choices that you make on a daily basis affect the outcome of your successes in your direct selling business and your life. Your choices can also affect your attitude which sometimes affects other choices you make.

Have you ever thought about how many choices you make every single day?

Life is all about choices and in your CTMH business, because you are your own boss, you choose if, when and how many hours you invest.

You can choose to make recruiting, booking and customer care calls, update your blog, post on social media sites or you can choose to watch TV, go shopping or do nothing. You can choose to hold 1 gathering/workshop or 12 every month. You can choose to attend a Team or Corporate event or you can choose to miss it and wonder why your business isn’t where you want it to be. You can choose to set expectations, create strategies to achieve them, dream dreams, and make it happen. Or you can choose to sit back and watch others achieve their expectations, live their dreams and make the choices that create the life they want to live and say, “Wow they are lucky!”

I agree with Thomas Jefferson when he said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” I believe that you make your own luck by the choices that you make and the time you are willing to invest to achieve your expectations.

When you need to make a choice, ask yourself the following questions:

• What’s the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
• What’s the best thing that can happen if I do this?
• Am I willing to invest the time to make this the best decision for me?
• Will this move me forward so that I will achieve my expectations?

These questions can help you decide if what you want to do will be worth the outcome or if you should find another way.

Some people choose not to choose. But that really is a choice too. It’s the same as saying, “No”.

Some people let others choose for them. The reality is they made the initial decision to let their choices be made for them.

Having the direct selling business success that you desire is like a sporting event. You can choose to sit in the bleachers and watch others play the game and say, “Wow they are lucky.” Or you can choose to actively participate, play the game full out and make your own luck. It is your choice.

Adapted from an Article by Martha Stanley -Direct Selling Success Trainer, Speaker, Author and a Home Party Plan Business Coach

Shout-Outs:
I am SOOO Excited!!! Now that the official announcements have been made and the "cat's out of the bag" I can finally post your amazing achievements:

Top Promotions to Ex. Manager and above:

******drum roll please****

Congratulations to:
NOREEN PETTY the newest PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTOR!!!! 
Joy Tracey - Executive Director -  recruited an incredible 141 new team members!
Cara Miller - Sr. Director - added 82 to her team!
Susan Williams - Sr. Director
Mandy Petty - Sr. Director
Dawn Hinckley - Director
Debi Thomas - Director
Angie Hofmann - Director
Cathryn Oliver-Brown - Executive Manager
Judy Larsen - Executive Manager
Mischelle Smith - Executive Manager


The Connected Hearts team by the numbers - here are just a few stats.
1st - 4th downline grew by 33% in April.
192 downline promotions.
596 new 1st-4th team members!

Congratulations again to EVERYONE who made the April Team Building month such a success!

Recondition your Cricut Mats with Bonding Memories - End of the Quarter and the JC Program

I'll be back on Tuesday!  Until then, here is another great video to share. 

Team News:
A quick reminder that this is the last month of the quarter and the end of the Junior Consultant Program.  What that means is everyone who sign up as a consultant before January 1st 2014 must submit a minimum of $300 in sales by the end of March in order to remain a CTMH consultant. 

For leaders: I strongly encourage you to check your stats under Advanced Reports and contact those team members who are under the $300 to remind them.  I send a personalized email telling them how much they still need to submit and a link to their OBA.  I also make suggestions on what they might want to purchase and the current Constant Campaign. 
There are just 2 weeks left - check your stats so you don't lose valuable team members!

Video:

Here is another great video by team member Noreen Petty. (see Tuesday's post for her bio)  …the more you use your Cricut, the quicker your mats stop sticking, and boy, can that expense add up!! Fortunately, there is a super, cost-effective way to recondition your Cricut mats so you can use them over and over again even after they lose their sticky!!  I’ve created a quick video to show you how I do it!!

Naomi's note:
The one caveat I have is to check the warranty on your machine - I didn't start doing this until my machine was out of warranty.  By then I had 14 old mats I was going to throw away until I tried this - it really works and is a great upsell with our Cricut cartridges!  I put painters tape around the edge to create a clean glue line.  Here in rainy Seattle I leave the mats overnight to dry.

Team Member Spotlight - Noreen Petty - Flip Flap Videos

Team Member Spotlight:
We have so many amazing members of our team who have created videos that I think would be so beneficial to everyone to help promote our wonderful products.  Instead of me reinventing the wheel, I've decided to start a new feature on the blog to spotlight and share their work and information. 
Here is our first featured team member who has graciously agreed to let me share her videos on Flip Flaps:
Noreen Petty, Senior Executive Director from Cibolo Texas, is the leader of the Scrappin’ Chatters team.  She is consistently tops in sales and recruiting.  I have had the privilege of working with her on the 2010 Advisory Board and am so glad to call her my friend.  She has amazing energy and has made the transition from a full time military career to full time CTMH consultant.  Here is a bit about her in her own words:
 I became a Close to My Heart Consultant in May 2003 after attending a CTMH-hosted Stamp Camp. I had never been to a demonstration or seen the products. Once I received my very first Idea Book, I immediately fell in love with the paper and color selections. Later that night I continued to look through the Idea Book and found more things I wanted, so I contacted the consultant to get information about becoming a consultant. I love getting my purchases at a discount, so figured with all the beautiful products I wanted, I should become a consultant and save money on my hobby!
A couple years later, Close to My Heart held their annual Convention in Las Vegas…one of my favorite cities! How could I resist a trip to Las Vegas with the ability to write it off on my taxes? I got way more than I expected during that Convention and that trip was a huge turning point for me, as I realized the full potential of my Close to My Heart business!

At first, I signed up just to receive the discount, but my hobby evolved into a business and just keeps growing. I know if you feel this is the right choice for you, I can help you make your new business a successful one!

I have earned seven all-expense paid vacations to New Zealand, the Mediterranean, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica, all compliments of Close To My Heart. I have built a team of more than 250 team members scattered throughout the United States and overseas. Our team is called the “Scrappin’ Chatters,” as when we get together…we can chat all day long (or maybe it’s me!)

You can check out Noreen's blog at http://noreenschat.blogspot.com