Four Areas to be "For" to Build Emotional Connections to Success

The Network Marketing Magazine November 2021 Four Areas to be "For" to Build Emotional Connections to Success.

I recently had the honor of sharing some thoughts on developing a possibility mindset with a group of very successful direct sellers, Mary Kay Directors. During the presentation, an interesting discussion developed about how everything had changed in their leadership in the past year. These thoughts lead me to think of a presentation by FlashPoint Leadership Consulting by Bill Mugavin about leadership constants and leadership context. I asked a series of questions to spark the discussion.

First, I asked whether everything in leadership has changed due to Covid and the preceding social and political upheavals. To illustrate the point, I  took a quick poll of how long the directors had been in Mary Kay and leadership and their accomplishments in sales, sharing, cars earned, etc.

The total was nearly 200 years of experience and many successes!

I noted we had a long-term group of very successful leaders. Next, I asked them if there had been some changes during that time in Mary Kay?

Of course, the unanimous answer was that there had major changes, 9/11, the Sars and Ebola outbreaks, the great recession of 2008, and many personal challenges. The next question was, did your fundamental leadership change in all those contexts? Do you still believe and act in the priorities of Mary Kay? Do you still build up people and get things done?.

In summary, the group recognized that leadership practice is a constant set of learnable behavior that don't change.

What changes is how leaders apply those constants in the context of any time, good, bad, or indifferent. Leadership principles and practice are 100% applicable to network marketers and direct sellers at any level of any organization. The successful network marketer/direct seller practices leadership every day at any level or position.

In fact, they must first lead their most challenging person, themselves. Success is about self-leadership first and then leading others by building them up and then getting things done.

A primary leadership constant is a connection.

In any context, network marketing /direct sales are all about connection. Connection involves demonstrating you care first about those you serve. Theodore Roosevelt put it well" People don't care about what you know(or Sell) until they know you care." This is a crucial fundamental for any network marketer / direct seller. You must connect and reach out to those you want to do business with. You must consider their needs first to build connections.

Leadership expert Brene' Brown writes that connection is vital to success, noting that "connection is the energy between people when they feel seen, heard and valued."

Connections and the intentional disciplined practice of creating and sustaining connections is a primary responsibility of anyone in network marketing /direct sales. Connection is the primary reason Mary Kay directors and anyone in this field prosper and grow their business.

In his blog of 10/26/21, Skip Pritchard hosted author Mareo McCraken on The Secret Ingredient That Improves Sales . Pritchard noted that "a secret ingredient that makes sales much easier to make, and that is caring." Mareo McCracken  is the Chief Revenue Officer at Movemedical and believes, "Those who care the most, sell the most." Caring is reaching out and connecting. His new book,  Really Care for Them: How Everyone Can Use the Power of Caring to Earn Trust, Grow Sales & Increase Income , is a look at sales in a brand new light and shares the fundamentals of building the best possible sales relationships that drive winning outcomes."

I am not too sure that caring and building connections are really brand new concepts. The Mary Kay directors I talked to the other day completely understand the power of connection and have accumulated 200 years of successful sales experience, numerous awards, trips, and cars to prove the point. I do believe, as Zig Ziglar often said that "professionals don't mind being reminded, they just don't want to be lectured to"

Connection means caring and looking to others first.

It means they are For them. John Maxwell faculty member Jeff Henderson has been in marketing, creating connections for Chick Fil A, the Atlanta Braves, and the North Point Churches ministry. In his recent best-seller, Henderson Know What You're FOR: A Growth Strategy for Work, An Even Better Strategy for Life , asks Who are you For? He lists four areas a network marketer/direct seller or any leader can reach out to demonstrate you are" For" them.

Here are the four areas and some suggestions for those in that area from this powerful book.

1 Be For yourself as a self-made leader in Network marketing/direct sales.

As a leader of your own business, this requires that you make sure you are clear on your Why (Consult Simon Sinek) and your motive. The business to be successful is not about you or profits and accolades for you first. The phrase on every box of Mary Kay products, and there are many, that comes to our house, says "Mary Kay Cosmetics Enriching Women's Lives." There is nothing about making money. It is about tending to other first, then the benefits follow.

2 Be For those you serve and lead if you have a sales unit.

Intentionally check-in and are available to those in your unit or downline. In a recent phone conference, Henderson provided an excellent thought for those who want to connect intentionally. He recommends that as the lead network marketer /direct seller ask, "how are you doing twice as much as what are you doing."

An intentionally scheduled time to connect could include a time to make brief check-in calls, write thank you notes, walk around to say hi, and see what people need, as well as to express gratitude.

A scheduled time builds accountability and develops a habit of intentional connection. Consider random acts of kindness, ordering lunch, and calling off a zoom meeting with no real reason. Small acts are remembered for a long time.

3 Be For Your Customers.

Intentionally plan out a schedule to connect with those you provide services and products to.

Ask How are you doing and really listen and be asked what they might need to be supportive. Remember that at any time but especially in an isolated time of shutdown, ask is to always seek knowledge and being a present listener show your customers you are For them.

My wife set a specific schedule in the time of almost total shut down connecting with customers to see how they were doing and how she could be of any assistance. Many times there were long, lonely, sometimes sad talks. She showed she was For them. The result nearly records sales. The technology we have at hand provides many ways to reach out, phone, text, cards, emails, and even zooms. These are all ways to stay in touch and connect.

4 Show the Community /area you are For them.

This may be an area some network marketers/direct sellers don't pay as much time with. It is an area that, especially in this context, is important to consider.

Henderson often notes in his book and presentations that "doing good is good business" The ways you are involved in your community show you as a serving person who puts others first.

Ask yourself what services organizations, church groups, local charities, food banks or chambers of commerce, local schools you can be of service to. Your service will serve others and will help energize you and the groups you serve.

Belonging to as many opportunities as possible will create you as a connection for others. Using social media to celebrate organizations, charity opportunities will enhance your connection and reach. In social media terms, people will know, like, and trust you.

You will grow what Ken Blanchard terms as "raving fans "who talk about your service and you and possible leads.

We all crave connection and belonging. This context of uncertainty leads network marketers/direct sellers to develop an intentional plan of serving others. The more we show ourselves, those we lead, our customers, and the community we are For Them, they will be For your business. Remember what Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, often reminds his organization "We are in the people business serving coffee."

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Maya Angelou

The network marketer/direct seller who shows they are For people will demonstrate that they too are in the People Business Serving your team, customers, and community products and service. You will create solid emotional bonds because your actions will show you are For them. Maya Angelou said it well: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Chose to show you care to connect and be For others You just have to choose to help people. Just care."

What I have found is that the common denominator is that the sales reps who care the most, sell the most. If you care, you will develop and show grit. If you care enough, you will become an expert, you will find a way to help others make positive buying decisions.

Were you ever at a reveal party

What learned

What going forward

Power of belonging connection

How can you grow your business to be successful sustainable and scale-able

What is the definition of connection

Why the power of connection drives your success

Look at the link in the article

Jeff Henderson For who are you for

1 Leader connect with self

2 connect with your customers

3 connect with the team

4 Connect with the community/world

Results of connection

Those Who Care the Most,  Sell  the Most

How do top performers differentiate themselves?

There is no secret to sales, no silver bullet. But there is a secret ingredient that makes sales much easier to make, and that is caring.

My friend Mareo McCracken is the Chief Revenue Officer at Movemedical and believes, "Those who care the most, sell the most."

Mareo is someone who embodies what he teaches. I first met him through social media channels and witnessed his positivity and caring. He lives out his caring message.

His new book, Really Care for Them: How Everyone Can Use the Power of Caring to Earn Trust, Grow Sales & Increase Income is a look at sales in a brand new light and shares the fundamentals of building the best possible sales relationships that drive winning outcomes.

You just have to choose to help people. Just care.

What I have found is that the common denominator is that the sales reps who care the most, sell the most. If you care, you will develop and show grit. If you care enough, you will become an expert, you will find a way to help others make positive buying decisions.