I get less sleep now than in the past. As a result, I cherish every wink. And as an added benefit, I can now nap almost anywhere, anytime if given the opportunity.
More people are discovering the value of the power nap ---some even with the blessing of their company.
Although I haven't taken advantage of workday naps (well, there was that time or two I micro-napped my way through a presentation), my Beta Mom persona is going to snooze. Instead of blogging as Beta Mom, I'll be putting more effort into the Training group's new Learning Curve blog, serving the growing community of people interested in training & education.
So as Beta Mom goes into hibernation, I invite you to join the conversation at The Learning Curve. Or stop by MomPod, where I will continue to contribute from time to time.
As a lifelong learner, I agree with a quote attributed to Harry S. Truman. "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts".
I'm joining the Blackberry club this month. In my earliest blog posts I noted that I didn't have a Blackberry, nor did I text. Well, I do text now (once in awhile). And I'm moving up the food chain to the Blackberry (although I might prefer having an iPhone).
My husband, who you've heard loves "how to" books has offered to buy me a "Blackberry for Dummies" book. I'll probably need it.
But since I don't like to read "how to" books or manuals, I'm going to first ask you Blackberry users out there to share your top tips on mastering this device. I'm all fingers.
What advice do you have for selling at Health & Beauty events? We are developing training materials to give to leaders for use in teaching their groups how to sell at events, and we'd like to include your stories about what works and what doesn't.
For instance, what types of events have you sold at, and which events gave you the best return on your time and investment? What products got the most attention, or were easiest to talk about? What products were easiest to sell? How much stock did you keep on hand? Did you take orders at the event? How simple (or complex) was your booth set up?
How did you use the visibility of the event to make contacts? Did you follow up with people, even if they didn't buy at the event? And for those sales made at the event, did you report sales out of your inventory using the CSA (Customer Sales Activity) tool?
What other support do you recommend that Amway Global provide to IBOs to help them create professional and profitable booths?
We need your help. We are developing a short online selling skills course for IBOs who may have customers, but have never sold NUTRILITE® supplements before. The course will walk them through the basics of selling, focusing on a few products.
One of the things we'd like IBOs to walk away with is a very, very simple way of explaining to a customer what makes the NUTRILITE brand so special, and what it means to them personally.
As you know, dialogs written for the online courses can sound stilted and unreal. And we don't want that. We want real sounding conversations, straight from the heart.
Here are a couple straight out of my head. Send us yours. They don't have to be perfect, just enough to give us the flavor of what you might say to a customer. (Of course anything we did end up using in a course would go through the standard legal reviews).
Nutrilite is an amazing brand. They use fruits and vegetables in many of their products because research shows that these foods contain powerful nutrients that our body needs They've been doing this for over 70 years-before anyone else! I know I don't always eat right, but it gives me peace of mind that I can use Nutrilite supplements to fill in any gaps.
I love the science behind Nutrilite. Not only do they have organic farms, where they grow the fruits and vegetables included in many of their products, they have world class scientists that make absolutely sure that the powerful plant nutrients are captured in their products for our bodies to use. I have complete confidence that I'm getting the best that science can give me.
Have you done any web-based training (WBT), whether for your business, job, or education? This summer I've gained some vicarious experience at the Michigan Virtual High School. My daughter is taking an online American Government course, and it's interesting to watch her. She reads her online government "book" and then completes various assignments which she emails to her teacher across the state. After every unit, she takes an online test. To help stay on track, she goes to the school media center once a week to work and touch base with a local teacher.
This is all very good, right? Flexible. Mobile. 24/7. At least it's great if you're not on vacation, which we were last week. It's one thing for Cait to stay up late on her own time at home, but in a hotel room, a glowing screen at one in the morning can be hazardous to her parents' sleep. And, spending time in a hotel room for half a day to watch her churn out assignments wasn't exactly what we had in mind when we headed for Michigan's great "Up North".
But, all in all, it worked out well. Being able to learn at a distance allowed us to go on a family vacation. And although Cait didn't get as much done as she hoped, she was able to complete enough that she won't be in a complete panic when she comes back from drama camp later this month.
So, do you WBT? Does anyone else in your family? Would you ever consider getting an online degree? How can web-based training help you with your business?
Last week was a trip down memory lane. I was asked to participate in our train-the-trainers session, in preparation for a new ARTISTRY instructor-led workshop that is being developed. Not only was I asked to participate, I was asked to facilitate a portion of the new workshop.
It's been 20-some years since I was on the road as a NUTRILITE Trainer, facilitating workshops on how to sell NUTRILITE products. It was a fantastic way to be introduced to the business. I learned a lot in a short period of time. The enthusiasm of the IBOs I met across the country, for both Nutrilite and the business, was motivating.
Since then I've held many positions and facilitated many meetings, but I'll never forget the rush you feel when you are in the groove with a group of excited and knowledgeable IBOs.
We in Training & Education are trying to create some of that same rush with our instructor-led programs. Our trainers are working hard to increase their performance so that you and your groups can increase yours.
To learn more about programs and booking requirements, go to the Education page online. Then give us a call. Our trainers can't wait to see you.
Note: Before booking a program, please check with your upline to see if an upcoming program has already been scheduled for your organization
A package arrived last week from Japan for my son. It contained collectibles purchased from the eBay Store of someone who lives in Japan. My son wanted these "rare" items so badly, he was willing to fork over all his birthday money, the entire contents of his piggy bank, and the allowance that I had been "banking" for him.
Normally I put some limits on what he can spend his money on, but at twelve, this seemed like a good time for a lesson on money and savings. If you want something so badly that you are going to hound your Mom day and night for a week, you better be willing to ante up for it.
I've purchased a couple of things on eBay before, but I am by no means an eBay junkie. I'm more of a know-what-I want, Buy-It-Now kind of person who doesn't appreciate the addictive thrill of getting a good buy on auction. But the original listing my son wanted had no "Buy It Now" and I had to wait it out. Unfortunately, my bidding strategy was not up to par and I lost by five dollars in the last few seconds.
This really put the pressure on, so when a new listing popped up in an eBay store, I decided to go for it, even though the price was higher. This was an act of self-preservation.
I would never have considered purchasing an item online from someone in Japan, especially at that price, if it wasn't for the credibility of eBay and its companion, PayPal.
This made me think of the Personal Websites that the company provides you. When I was on the original launch team, there was concern from some IBOs that customers should not see the Quixtar name--it would only be confusing at best. That's one reason the domains and design did not include it.
I don't know what the direction will be for Personal Websites in the future. But I do wonder, if in the future, Amway Global can be a positive for your customers, enhancing your credibility. What support do you need from Amway Global to make that happen?
"This unique tool (DITTO) is now patented!", says Karen Bezemek, longtime marketer and champion for DITTO at Quixtar/Amway Global. "This online service is a reason to do business with the company and the IBO vs. another MLM. The features are many and the benefits huge".
If you've had Karen speak to your group on how DITTO can help them manage their business, her enthusiasm is no surprise. She's been sending your input, wish lists, and comments to our Global Web 2.0 team so that DITTO can be made even better.
I've sent all your suggestions on as well. So if you have more ideas, especially in the area of how we can make it easier for you, or your customer, to schedule customer purchases with DITTO, now's the time to comment.
In the meantime, you can look up US Pat. No. 7,359,871 and see the news for yourself.
Ditto use has been growing, and it's easy to see why. It's a great tool for managing your business.
There has been some debate on whether Ditto is customer friendly, and how to make it more so.
In my last post, When is a customer your customer?, I asked whether you use Ditto with your customers, and if so, when do you introduce them to the concept. Bridgett wrote, "After they have ordered two times, I SHOW them (not explain, but show) them Ditto. Do I force them on Ditto? No, but I DO sell the benefits for THEM of this feature."
What do you think about Ditto and customers? Does it meet their needs? Once they are signed up, do they stay on it? How can this tool be used to build and enhance your relationship with your customers?
I have heard several experienced retailing IBOs say that they do not consider someone a customer until they purchase multiple times. Furthermore, they don't tell customers about their Personal Websites or suggest Ditto until a relationship has been established and the customer is loyal to at least one product. Even then, technologies such as Personal Websites and Ditto do not replace the personal touch and personal service.
This makes sense, and sounds similar to many of the comments you have posted.
So what is your marker for when a customer truly becomes a customer? How many purchases? Do you ever suggest Ditto to a customer, and if so, when do you bring it up? Do you have a way of qualifying which customers would be interested in Ditto? Do you give your Personal Website domain to all your customers, or just some of them?
Putting yourself in your customers' shoes, what is it about their experience with you and the products that creates loyalty and trust?
You’ve heard me talk about my son’s love of video games before. He currently has a Wii and a DS, subscribes to Nintendo Magazine, and alternates between downloading old standards and trying out the latest stuff. Given his age (12 next month), we’ve restricted his access to only those games suitable for every age (except for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which is rated T for teens 13 and over).
This, we recognize, will soon change as he is increasingly exposed to more mature content at friends homes, and wants access to Teen and higher-rated games himself. How will we be able to differentiate between games, without having to first play them ourselves?
Parents, there is an answer. A recently launched site, www.whattheyplay.com, gives a detailed analysis of the content of video games and virtual worlds.
In other words, my son won’t be getting Grand Theft Auto IV anytime soon. Which as of now is just fine with him. Thankfully, he’s still entertained by the antics of a certain Italian plumber.
I've been away for a week, doing the spring break thing. We took a road trip to visit family in the Detroit metro area. But road trips of today are distinctly different than road trips of the past where your choices were primarily radio or reading.
Picture this. My husband is jamming to his 30 GB iPod, which he has plugged directly into the van stereo system. My daughter is sitting as far back as she can so that his music selection doesn't drown out her own iPod nano, while she texts to her friends on balmier trips to Florida and South Carolina. My son is playing his Nintendo DS. I'm catching up on DVDs of TV shows I never get to watch. We all live in our own little bubble if we want to. Together, but apart.
It's good we were staying at Grammy & Grampy's house, because if we were in a hotel, it would have been hard finding enough electrical outlets to support using and recharging all our stuff. Three cell phones. One DS. One Wii. Three iPods. One laptop. One DVD player. One digital camera.
I didn't really mind, because we did do a lot of family activities that didn't involve electronics. A tour of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan for our daughter, conducted by our two nieces who are students there. A visit to Canada and Point Pelee, the southernmost point of Canada. And of course, the Detroit Zoo.
If you are getting away this spring, enjoy. And be sure to spend some of your time unplugged.
OK, you’ve told us what is wrong with the CSA and Receipt tool, and you’re right.
But fair is fair, and in order for us to improve, we need to ask you a few more questions.
First, I’d like to mention the newest addition to the CSA. It’s called the Customer Contact Purchase History report, and can be found as a link in the CSA, or in Manage My Business>View Business Reports. This report displays all customer orders that Quixtar knows of, sorted in descending order by the number of days since the customer’s last purchase. The customer’s contact information and purchase history is also displayed.
You can download it as a pdf for easy printing and save for future reference and follow up with customers.
The Customer Contact Purchase Report is not perfect, but it does provide more customer information for you in one place. My view is that the primary reason for any of these tools being less than perfect for an IBO is because the website has been designed with the assumption that customers would create an account and buy from the website themselves. 100% self-serve. That means that the customer profile belongs to them, not the IBO.
In reality, we know that many of your customers do not self-serve. As you said, there will always be some customers who want you to serve them. There are some customers who prefer to go directly to the web themselves, and some customers who might want both. And, there are those customers you may sell something to at a health & beauty event, who you may not see again.
Tell us more about the types of customers you have. How do you deal with each of them? Do you try to evolve them from hi-touch to hi-tech? And even if they do move to hi-tech once they develop trust and loyalty, how do you keep in touch? After all, a customer who never hears from you probably is not very motivated to visit your website.
I know others are doing more formal research to guide us on the development of future customer management tools, but if you haven’t been part of those studies, here’s your chance to let us know.
The comments you have been posting on my last post, How Can We Ultrasimplify the Business?, have been fantastic. Keep the conversation going!
Here is a more personal note about ultrasimplicity. My laundry. As a Beta Mom I need to keep things simple. Cut corners. Find short-cuts. One of the places I cut corners is when I do the laundry.
My secret? I don’t sort my family’s clothes into darks and lights before I wash them. Well at least, not a lot of the time.
I confessed this to some friends the other day at lunch and they looked at me like I was from Mars. Not sort your laundry? Aren’t all your clothes pink by now? That’s how my daughter reacts too. She learned how to do laundry the right way in school.
I have messed up a few times and a few things got pinked. But it is surprising how much you can mix darks and lights and get away with it. Of course, I use SA8 Bioquest in cold or warm water, and All Fabric Bleach when I need to bleach. And I would never put in a new pair of jeans or brightly colored shirt with light colored clothing, not at least until I was sure all the extra dye was washed out.
My view is that clothing is more dye-fast than it was in the past, and this old rule is not as iron-clad as it once was.
Of course, my co-workers in Customer Support and R&D may be cringing as they read this. I’m sure it’s not our official story.
But it works for Beta Mom’s around the world. I know because I saw this same tip in a woman’s magazine just last week. Vindicated.