Direct Sales - 5 Things Your Sponsor May Not Want to Tell You

Are you thinking about joining a direct sales / party plan company? If so, you've probably spent a considerable amount of time deciding what type of product you want to sell and how much time you want to devote to your new business.

The next step is interviewing your recruiter. It sounds strange, doesn't it? In most professions, the recruiter interviews you, however, if you are serious about a direct sales career you'll want to ensure that your recruiter is being honest and thorough when sharing the opportunity with you.

Before you engage in your next interview, here are five important issues that you'll need to know...but your recruiter may not want to share with you.

1). You Will Help Line Their Pockets. If you've spent any time at all researching the structure of most direct sales / party plan companies you obviously recognize that the person who is recruiting you will receive (immediately or eventually) an override from your sales income. As you are meeting with your sponsor to discuss joining the company, keep this in the back of your mind. What is their motivation? Do they want you to be a success for you, or for their own monetary gain?

If you have any doubt, ask to shadow them at a party. See if they will hold a party for you. Attend one of their sales meetings first. You can get to know a lot about a potential sponsor by seeing them in action versus simply talking with them on the telephone. Is she telling you that she has the top selling team in the company or the highest personal sales? Ask her to send you a company newsletter so you can see the figures for yourself.

2). The Products WILL NOT Sell Themselves. How often have you heard, "trust me, the products will sell themselves". If that were the case, then why would a company employ a sales force in the first place? Why would they spend time and money to teach their employees how to "up-sell" and "cross-sell". In the five years I've been involved in the direct sales industry, I've never heard a CEO or Vice President encourage a sales team to "just stand there and look cute". Please steer clear of people who try to make you think a sales business is "easy money". It isn't.