This week, our featured Shop Consultants are successful UnFranchise® Owners Pam and Tony Bowling. Last Tuesday we asked our Facebook audience what questions they would like to ask them about building a successful business. Interested in seeing if they answered your question? Read on!
Market America: How do you handle people saying “no” when you are trying to sell them a product?
Tony Bowling: I think to myself, “SW, SW, SW, NEXT!” Or in other words: some will, some won’t, so what, NEXT! Now, just make sure that you say that to yourself and not them. Unfortunately, we are going to encounter a lot of people who say “no”. But we are not in the “convincing business”, we are in the “sifting and sorting business”. Not everyone you encounter is going to say yes, what’s important is finding the people who do.
MA: What’s the best piece of advice you were given when you started your UnFranchise® Business?
TB: K.I.S.S., which means keep it simple, sponsor. The key to this business is duplication. People will do what you do, not what you say. Be careful that you are always doing result-producing activites to keep things growing and duplicating. If you keep it to small tasks that can be duplicated, your business will grow for many years.
MA: Name top 3 of your favorite business building tips.
TB: First, find a product or product line you love and get really good at retailing it. Retailing is part of the foundation to build your business on, so you have to love what you sell. Not only that, but it causes cash flow…AND also BV!!
Second, when you expand distribution, keep in mind that it is not just with the person you are talking to, but all the people they know. So do your best to talk to everyone you can because you never know who they might know that will be interested in what you have to offer.
And third, make sure that you apply the things you learn at trainings. You are not there to be entertained; you are there to learn how to build your UnFranchise® business. Take it seriously! Your life depends on it.
MA: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only choose 3 Market America branded products to have with you, which would you choose and why?
Pam Bowling: First, my custom Isotonix® cocktail. Second, I would have with me my custom blend foundation, because it is formulated with sunscreen and it keeps my skin looking great! Third would be Ultimate Aloe™ because it keeps me feeling great from the inside out!
MA: What is your favorite product to sell and why?
PB: Tony and I naturally gravitate to the Isotonix® line because we really believe in the product and it’s one of a kind!
MA: Name one common challenge that you’ve encountered as an entrepreneur and how have you overcome it?
TB: Being disciplined is one of the hardest things in this business. You have to be able to boss yourself around harder than you would let anyone else boss you.
MA: How have you utilized social media to build your business?
PB: We have used social media mostly to communicate with our team. We stay in touch with our team daily via social media, help keep them accountable, and distribute news and information out to them in a timely fashion. While we are still working on expanding our efforts in the social media realm, it has been a very useful tool for us thus far.
MA: What’s your favorite business-building or entrepreneurial quote?
TB: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!” Meaning: remember to focus on the result producing activities, rather than doing things that will get you off track. Keep your “WHY” your main thing!
We would like to thank Pam and Tony Bowling for taking the time to speak with us and revealing some of their best business-building tips! To submit a question, keep a close eye on the Market America Facebook page. Every Tuesday at 12 pm we’ll give you an opportunity to submit questions for that week’s Shop Consultant. Then, read the ma Blog on Mondays to see if your question has been answered!
Now it’s your turn: which one of Pam and Tony’s tips do you think will be the most helpful to your UnFranchise® Business and why? Comment your answer below!