TEAM building … How-to's

Yesterday we shared the why's of team building. Today, we will give you some practical ideas for creating the synergy of TEAM within your sales organization.

NAME your team.
You don't have to do it yourself; this can be a fun meeting activity.
Naming your team gives you a sense of unity - of working together.
Naming your team also helps you with a theme for team prizes, tee-shirts (for conventions and meetings), etc;
A team name also helps long distance team members feel a sense of belonging.

Define and clarify your TEAM culture. What are you known for? What do you want to be known for? Perhaps your team has always been strong sellers but you would like to focus now on building up the number of consultants and ultimately promoting out new leaders. You need to create that culture into existence by stating that goal often and everywhere.

Your email signature can say Mary Smith, Proud Manager of the Shining Stars - Leaders in Motion

Talk about this to new consultants who join the team. In your welcome letter you might say something like, “Welcome to our team, the Shining Stars - where we help people experience success through upward mobility.”

Lead your team to success with positive role modeling. If you are a strong seller - your team will most likely be strong sellers as well. If you need to round things out and get some team recruiting going - then you first must do whatever it takes to become a strong recruiter. This too will help to cement that culture within your team.

Keep if FUN! Run contests monthly or weekly to create a spirit of camaraderie and mutual support. Some examples of contests you might run for recruiting are:

Who recruits the most long distance team members by the next meeting?
Who is the first to recruit someone in the next 48 hours?

Each one reach one (make it a goal that each team member recruit just one new person in a month's time)

Phone marathons - if your group is large enough - divide into groups of three or four consultants and on a designated evening for a designated amount of time (90 minutes or so), hit the phones and compare results. The winning team gets lots of recognition.

Creating a TEAM atmosphere in your organization will build loyalty, increase longevity of team members and ultimately help everyone to experience success.

TEAM - (TSF)

With “For Sale” signs popping up in our neighborhood like flowers these days - I find my morning walk has some interesting reading.
In the past couple of years - the signs that indicate an individual realtors name are beginning to be replaced by “TEAM” signs - (The Cobb Team, The Ganden Team, etc;). It seems that realtors have finally decided to jump onto a bandwagon that has been rolling in the party plan and direct sales industry for over a decade.


The concept of TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) caught on in my company in the early nineties - replacing the former “GROUP” concept - when referring to one's sales organization.
Wikipedia defines TEAM as: a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose.


There is strength in numbers and strength in purpose. When everyone in your organization is working towards a common goal - the results can be exciting and rewarding for all involved.


As a coach/manager - your challenge is to work effectively with individuals who run independent businesses and unite them - motivating them to work towards a TEAM goal. Now at first - this task may sound daunting. Why would someone running their own business be interested in a TEAM goal? After all - aren't YOU (as the upline) - the only one who will benefit financially?


Not so. Working together creates synergy and excitement. And let's face it. This business can be lonely at times, wouldn't you agree? But it is a lot more fun and the propensity for procrastination is reduced GREATLY when you know that others are working towards the same end result.



Ultimately, by working more consistently and enthusiastically - fueled by the group synergy - the individual reaps the benefits of personal business success; increased sales and recruiting activity. And of course increased activity ALWAYS translates into increased RESULTS and increased INCOME. It is a win-win situation.

Seattle Spin Opportunity

I promise you,

Just one day after I slumped onto the couch after "La Mode" I received this email and was FEELING the Law of Attraction in my corner! When you continue to put yourself out there the opportunities keep pouring in!

Many of you may have remembered Darnell's post after I met with her in Seattle and helped her create her own signature fragrance! Well here is the email that was gracing my inbox...

"Hi Shawna, How are you?! I have an event coming up that I would love to let you know about just in case you might be interested in sponsoring; I thought you'd be perfect!

As you know, I write a blog for the Seattle PI, but I am getting ready to write an online publication for Seattle Spin (http://www.seattlespin.net/) called Seattle Spin Girl where I will feature product and beauty reviews, the Seattle Social and Fashion Scene and much more. Seattle Spin and Girl About Town are hosting an event in October to celebrate (the 12th or the 19th) this new publication and we are looking for fab sponsors to help complete our Goodie Bags.

In exchange for this sponsorship/donation, we can list you in Seattle Spin (circ. 153,700), as well as in the new Seattle Spin Girl on-line publication, should that work for you.

Let me know your thoughts and if you are interested, I can give you more details and specifics. Let me know what you think and I'm looking forward to chatting with you soon! :)

Darnell Sue
Girl About Town, LLC
blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/girlabouttown
http://www.netparty.com/ "

And even better I just signed up for Net Party! See if they have one in your area and find some fresh ways to network and get the UB story out there!

I'll let you all know what I decide to do for Seattle Spin and how that will work. The more you do, the more opportunities will come your way! Get your fall rocking!

For a sneak preview of my interview with Beauty Buffet hitting the web on 9/1 click here...

Do you La Mode? My Fashion Show Report...

Here you have the long awaited "La Mode" fashion show report! The Fashion Show was extremely fun and I took my Mom and Dad and Hubby with to celebrate my Dad's 60th bday and we all enjoyed VIP passes with great seating (right in front of the runway) and yummy appetizers and 1:1 time with Nick and Andrae as you'll see from the pics. Nick and Andrae were very gracious in receiving their signature scents and promised to post the photos and info on UB to their personal blogs as well. I'll keep you all informed on when those go up!

Before things started my Mom and I manned the Urban Botanic booth and sprayed my FD business cards with "La Mode" the fragrance to hand out to all that came in. A few want to purchase the scent of the evening and others want to have parties to create their own so I'm looking forward to some great customers from the evening. As they entered the fashion show my Mom and I would say "This is the signature fragrance La Mode created for the fashion show this evening. Enjoy!"

People would come back and start to spray their bodies (all glammed up for the show of course) and wear it personally to see what they thought! It was fabulous x 50.

I wanted to post the email I received from the show coordinator Courtney Russell so you all can see how great they thought it was!

"Hi Shawna,

I hope you and your mom enjoyed yourself! I wanted to let you know I’ve heard great things about the la mode fragrance and Nick and Andrae loved their personalized scents! Nick was using the next morning on our way to a workshop! We’ll send a whole thank you packet your way, but I personally wanted to say thanks and let you know how much people love your fragrance!

Courtney Russell"

Below you'll find the pics from the evening. I'm still horrified at what braces and a chubby face look like on camera but please be gentle with your comments LOL...

Nick and Andrae hosting La Mode:


Nick receiving his signature fragrance:





Andrae receiving his custom scent (see the recipe database for his concoction):



Andrae learning more about Urban Botanic:



And if that wasn't enough, Sue Darnell just emailed me yesterday about a fabulous new opportunity called Seattle Spin - details tomorrow!

Late Post due to Computer Crash

My laptop decided to commit suicide today so it's at the emergency 911 receiving a new circuit board and I won't have it back til Wed. Luckily I have web access from home to email and UB stuff but my files are on laptop so will have to wait to do some updates until then.

Avis has a wonderful post today that I hope you all have a chance to review. It's a huge kickstart into your fall season and 50 ways to do it right so thanks to Avis and get to reading!

http://ubbuzz.blogspot.com/2007/08/50-marketing-ideas-for-retailers-from.html

Hive Member Spotlight - Wanda Matuska - IN

Stan & I have been married for 9 years this coming December 11th. We are a blended family with 4 kids, ages 27-21. Our first grandchild is due the first week of October & we’re extremely excited about that. I am from a small town in Southern Illinois, but have lived in Ft Wayne, IN for 18 years. I celebrated turning the BIG 5-0 this past June 21st.

I am an office manager and have been at the top of the pay scale in that field for awhile now. I have also grown tired of the 9-5 grind, so I started looking for business opportunities that would free me from the 9-5 and earnings restrictions. I researched several opportunities that I had read about in magazines, on the web and heard about through word-of-mouth. While I was doing this research, I ran across Urban Botanic. After narrowing down to 3 companies and digging deep into each one, I saw that Urban Botanic offered the best opportunity for me to grow my own business. After I saw the growth potential in UB, there was no real decision to sign on the dotted line. It was a no-brainer! Who in their right mind WOULDN’T want to be a part of this???


I have a wonderful husband who researched UB with me and is 100% supportive. I don’t have any family in the Ft Wayne area beyond my husband and kids. I’m going to have a million questions for The Hive, so just being there to offer advice and answer questions will be the biggest help to me. I am not one to keep success to myself, so I plan on sharing things that work for me and anyone is welcome to jump on board & try things that work for me.

I am 30% herby and 24% fruity. I was surprised to find myself mostly herby. I’ve always liked more of the floral scents & that was only 17%. But I can’t wait to get the kit and start mixing and see if the herby scents appeal to me.

My first goal is to make the UB Scentsational! My personal goal in joining UB is to be able to quit working outside the home & have the same or bigger income by August 2008!! I am DEFINITELY going to be a business builder in order to meet those goals. I can’t wait to start getting UB out & recognizable in Indiana!!!

One personality trait that will help me be successful at UB is that I’m a friendly and happy person, which I think will help me when talking to people about UB. And I’m EXCITED about my UB business, which will surely rub off on the people I’m talking to!

Shawna's Fun Questions:

If you were a tree what type would you be and why?

I would be an oak tree. It is strong and sure and can weather storms, but it can also be a quiet place for people to relax and reflect under it's shady leaves.

If you were given $1000 in marketing funds for UB how would you use it?
I would advertise in the larger newspapers in several Indiana cities, buy LOTS of product and pay for space at women's and bridal expos in Ft Wayne and Indianapolis.

Tom Hopkin's EIGHT recommended thank you notes

I know you're all dying to hear about "La Mode" tonite which was one of my most exciting events to date and I have pictures and lots to share on this but it's 10:30 pm and I'm dead so I'll blog more about it tomorrow for Sunday or Monday's post XXOO

PS I so plan on using Tom's advice to write my note to Courtney O from IADT who invited me to La Mode in the 1st place!

Tom Hopkins, motivational speaker and world renowned sales trainer, provides us with his top eight suggestions for thank you notes:

After a telephone contact:

Thank you…for talking with me on the telephone. In today's business world, time is precious. You can rest assured that I will always be respectful of the time you invest as we discuss the possibility of a mutually beneficial business opportunity.

In person contact:

Thank you…it was a pleasure meeting you and my `thank you' is for the time we shared. We have been fortunate to service many happy clients, and it is my wish to someday be able to serve you. If you have any questions, please feel free to call.

Thank you after a presentation:

Thank you…for giving me the opportunity to discuss with you our association for the mutual benefit of our firms. We believe that quality, blended with excellent service, is the foundation for a successful business.

Thank you after purchase.

Thank you…for giving me the opportunity to offer you our finest service. We are confident that you will be happy with this investment towards future growth. My goal is to now offer excellent follow-up service so you will have no reservation about referring others to me who have similar needs as yours.

Thank you for a referral.

Thank you…for your kind referral. You can rest assured that anyone you refer to me will receive the highest degree of professional service possible.

Thank you after final refusal:

Thank you…For taking your time considering letting me serve you. It is with sincere regrets that your immediate plans do not include making the investment at this time. However, if you need further information or have any questions, please feel free to call. I will keep you posted on new developments and changes that may benefit you.

Thank you to anyone who gives YOU service

Thank you…It is gratifying to meet someone dedicated to doing a good job. Your efforts are sincerely appreciated. If my company or I can serve you in any way, please don't hesitate to call.

Anniversary thank you:

Thank you…it is with warm regards that I send you this note to say hello and again thanks for your past patronage. We are continually changing and improving our products and service. If you would like an update on our latest advancements, please give me a call.