New Perspectives

Top Desk: Harnessing the Power
of DSA Events
by Angela Loehr Chrysler

Every year, the Direct Selling Association hosts educational events across the United States. Direct selling executives have an opportunity to learn, network and share.

Is your company harnessing the power of DSA events? If you attend the events with the correct attitude and mind-set, I believe every event will be a magnificent success for you and your company. Why?

DSA designs each event or meeting schedule around learning and networking. Yet not all executives come prepared to do just that. It may sound simple, but coming prepared with an open mind is an important aspect for harnessing the power of DSA events.

Attend the event prepared to learn one idea. If you have the correct mind-set and are open, I guarantee you'll learn something every time. My goal at every event or meeting is to gain at least one idea, because I know that, if I do, the event is a success for me and our company. I have yet to attend a DSA event without coming back with new ideas. Actually, I've always returned with several ideas, and so will you if you keep an open mind.

Direct selling executives aren't any different than our salesforce, who often wonder why they should attend events and meetings. The answer is simple: to learn and to build relationships. When I tell this to our sales field, I always add that it's also to have fun. I believe life and business should be fun.

Most DSA member company executives will tell you the importance of their sales field attending company events. Yet they don't always apply the same logic to themselves. If your company is not sending representatives to each DSA seminar and event, you might be missing out on an important aspect of your DSA membership. After all, name one other industry where top executives get together to share trade secrets!

I hope your company is reviewing the DSA calendar of events and attending every meeting you can. You can benefit from more than just the most popular event, the annual meeting. This month's Companies in Focus event is one of my favorites. It's designed to allow DSA members to see the inner workings of other direct selling companies. It's a great opportunity to peek inside successful DSA companies and get up close and personal.

I also recently attended the Communication and Marketing seminar in Washington, D.C., and gleaned several ideas from that event, which I have already reviewed with our home office team to fine-tune them for a custom fit.

As a direct selling executive, it's important to remember not every idea you get from a DSA meeting will be exactly the scheduled topic or on the agenda. Often the idea I bring back is a brainstorm from the meeting. You have to fit the ideas to your company and your needs. If you are open minded, you can make an idea work for you. For example, at the Communication and Marketing seminar, I attended a workshop presented by a Mary Kay executive. You might think my company has little in common with Mary Kay-that organization is more than 40 years old with more than a million consultants. The topic was "Preserving and Utilizing Your Corporate Heritage," and Yvonne Pendleton, Director of Corporate Communications at Mary Kay, discussed the Mary Kay Museum. Our company is proudly celebrating 10 years in business this year; we don't have a need for a museum yet, but we can preserve our current history and start a history wall in our office. By fine-tuning seminar topics to meet your specific needs, you'll have more ideas than you can implement in one month.

The DSA Annual Meeting is a fabulous event for executives. There is a large selection of topics so you can attend the workshops that will help you most. At the annual event and others there are several opportunities to meet company executives, something I've found invaluable. DSA membership is overflowing with genuinely nice people who want to help you grow your business. It's a wonderful association to belong to for that reason alone. The DSA annual event also has a supplier member exhibit area set up that is always interesting. We have found the supplier members to be a terrific asset to us as we have grown. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel, so remember to take advantage of the resources at your fingertips at these events.

Who should attend DSA events from your company? It will vary throughout the year, but it's important to send someone every chance you can. Our company brings two people to most events so we can split up and attend different workshops. This year we are bringing three to the annual event to cover even more topics. As we have grown, so have our needs. But by sending at least two people you can effectively get the most out of the meetings. Some of the best ideas we've had from a DSA meeting came from discussing the workshop over lunch or back at the office. Sometimes the idea comes from discussing it among our team; other times it comes from talking with another DSA member during the networking break. Take advantage of the networking breaks and talk with other executives; you never know what you'll learn, what idea you'll get or the friendships you'll make.

You can harness the power of DSA events and make the most of your DSA membership. Be positive, open and ready to learn and you, too, will get at least one good idea that will make every event a success.

Enjoy your next DSA event; I know I will.

Visit www.dsa.org for a calendar of upcoming meetings, seminars and workshops. Angela Loehr Chrysler is President of National Companies Inc., a multimillion-dollar direct selling company located in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Ms. Chrysler is also on the DSA Communications Committee. Visit www.bign.com or e-mail achrysler@team-national.com.

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