Industry News

July 2006

Direct Selling and the Art of Storytelling

Picture a distributor going through the best event they've ever experienced in terms of training, inspiration, networking and fun-that's exactly what the DSA's Annual Meeting in Boca Raton was all about," says Tom Zimmer, SVP, Worldwide Marketing, Herbalife International Inc. "The Annual Meeting captured the essence of what it takes to build a successful direct selling business by offering a perfect blend of storytelling, practical experience and wisdom."

Alticor President Doug DeVos also believes the Annual Meeting reflects the very heart of direct selling. "In our business, people love meeting others, love networking, love sharing their positive outlook on life. The DSA Annual Meeting this year was a perfect time to celebrate being part of such a warm and vibrant community of entrepreneurs," he says. "Tom Peters really brought this to life when he said that the difference between winning and losing is who tells the best story. The beauty of it is direct selling is an industry where everyone has a best story and personal connection that outshines traditional retail."

Whether industry veterans or direct selling newcomers, attendees agreed this year's Annual Meeting told a compelling story of opportunity, enthusiasm and ideas. The jam-packed three-day event offered a chance for direct selling executives and supplier members to take a break from the daily challenges of business and refocus their energies on the nut-and-bolt components of achieving direct selling success.

"To have a few days to step back from the day-to-day activities, look at the bigger picture, see old friends and make new ones are some of the aspects of the Annual Meeting that mean the most to me," says Kim Gentile, Vice President of Sales at Jockey Person to Person. "It's a great time to recharge and enjoy being a part of the direct selling industry. I feel an enormous responsibility to our field organization and our company to be the best sales leader possible, and a few days at the Annual Meeting helps me stay centered on that mission."

From the three general sessions to the workshops, roundtables and sales demonstrations, the Annual Meeting was filled with opportunities for direct sellers to hear the stories of strategies and innovations that have helped their peers achieve success. "Amkey attended the DSA Annual Meeting not only to hear about recent developments in the industry but also to learn more about the latest and most effective sales development, training and communications techniques," says Kim Holland, President, Asia Pacific Amkey Inc. "We came away satisfied with the knowledge we gained on all fronts."

With so many educational sessions to choose from, Direct Selling News could not cover them all, but we've compiled a few highlights for our readers who were unable to attend this year's meeting.

Monday, June 5 Highlights

The anticipation of the more than 1,000 people gathered in the Boca Raton Resort's Royal Palm Ballroom was evident as the lights dimmed and three giant video projection screens flickered to life with the already recognizable DreamMakers logo. Jeff Reigle, Regal Ware President and CEO and incoming Chairman of the DSA Board of Directors, took the stage, and Day One of the Annual Meeting was under way.

After an inspiring video montage honoring the many DSA member companies and a Chairman's Report delivered by Lee Morgan, Chairperson of Creative Memories and outgoing Chairman of the DSA Board of Directors, legendary business thinker Tom Peters galvanized the audience with his thought-provoking presentation on excellence (see page 7). The Opening General Session left the audience revved up and ready for a full day of workshops.

A Touch of Stardust

A standing-room-only crowd gathered to hear Robert Henry, Chairman and CEO, Arbonne International; Jerry Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Silpada Designs; Pat Pearson, author and speaker; and Scott Schwerdt, President of the Americas and Europe Region, Nu Skin Enterprises, discuss ways to motivate direct selling distributors. The foursome offered tips on how to re-energize a flagging sales force. Henry was gratified by the positive response the session garnered. "What was incredibly exciting to me is the number of new companies and mainstream companies that have shown an interest in what we are doing at Arbonne," Henry says. "It's a very positive testimonial about the wonderful future that network marketing and direct selling have."

Other sessions offered on Monday included targeting Twenty-Somethings; Tomorrow's Technology: Reaching the Next Generation; Diversity in Direct Selling; Technology Needs for Growing Companies; Developing a New Generation of Customer Service Reps; Turning Great Customers into Great Distributors; and Taking Advantage of the Trend Toward Entrepreneurship.

Day One closed with a Sales Demonstration Showcase and attendees could choose from four presentations: Reinventing the Home Party concentrated on party plan sales and was conducted by Creative Memories; Making the Right Connections focused on person-to-person sales and was led by National Companies; Selling Non-Consumables concentrated on selling big-ticket items and was presented by Saladmaster; and Opening Doors offered insight to door-to-door sales and was hosted by The Kirby Company.

Tuesday, June 6 Highlights

Tuesday morning brought meeting attendees back to the Royal Palm Ballroom for Jeff Reigle's Incoming Chairman's Remarks. Next, DSA President and CEO Neil Offen took the stage for his annual State of the Industry report (see page 16). The morning's general session concluded with keynote speaker Ann Clurman, a Senior Partner at Yankelovich, one of the top research and consulting firms for identifying consumer trends, leading an enlightening and often amusing discussion on the needs of the 21st century.

Bringing the Dream to Life

In Direct Selling Basics: Bringing the Dream to Life, Sue Rusch, President, Big Yellow Box By Crayola; Jan Gilmore, Principal, Jan Gilmore Unlimited; and Rob Barnes, Founder and CEO, Sensaria Natural Bodycare, delivered a step-by-step tutorial on how to start and run a successful party plan direct selling company. Barnes says that being "surrounded by people with incredible knowledge, huge hearts and dreams to help others succeed" was a highlight of his convention experience. "The opportunity to present at the DSA's Annual Meeting reminds me why we are all in this business," he says. "The dreams and aspirations of those in the audience are obvious, and it is exciting knowing that many of them will create organizations that will continue to support this wonderful industry."

Other workshops offered Tuesday included Recruiting Techniques that Work; A Fresh Look at Training; Protection from Identity Theft; and Direct Selling's Role in America's Quest for the Perfect Shopping Experience.

Attendees also had the opportunity to participate in Roundtable Discussions on Sales Force Development, Operations Communications, and Legal and Regulatory issues. The roundtables offered participants a chance to swap ideas and best practices on topics of interest to them. A special CEO Panel allowed chief executives a rare opportunity to compare notes on challenging leadership issues.

DreamMakers: New Solutions

For one final hour, attendees gathered again in the Royal Palm Ballroom to hear two direct selling industry legends share their stories. Doris Christopher, Founder and Chairman of The Pampered Chef, spoke about the need to be willing to fine-tune even the most beloved brand to keep up with the changing consumer landscape. In 2000, The Pampered Chef introduced a new logo and tagline, "discover the chef in you," and the company began referring to its home parties-long known as Kitchen Shows-as Cooking Shows. Christopher also related The Pampered Chef's storied past and described selling the company to Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway. But Christopher made it clear that, although she and her husband, Jay, no longer own The Pampered Chef, her heart will always be with the company she so lovingly built.

Finally, Primerica Co-CEO John Addison commanded the stage with the fire and passion of a preacher at an old-time revival. Addison described his ascent in the ranks at Primerica and spoke eloquently of the company's commitment to its representatives. "A direct selling company is not an organization," he said. "It's an organism-a living, breathing thing."

Toward the end of his address, Addison turned his attention to a very personal challenge. In February 2006 he suffered a serious stroke, but he confounded his physicians by experiencing no lasting effects. One doctor told Addison that he possessed "a childlike mind"-meaning that, as with young children who suffer brain trauma, the unaffected part of his brain compensated for the damaged part

. Not a few tears were shed in the ballroom as Addison concluded his remarks. He offered the audience some parting advice. "If you're mad at someone," he said, "let it go. If you're having a bad day, let it go. Life is too short."

And so the final General Session came to a close and the audience filed out of the ballroom to relax and refresh before the Annual Meeting's grand finale: the Awards Reception and Banquet. Few who left the hall that afternoon were unmoved by the stories they heard; stories of success, of challenges, and of passion-passion for direct selling.

"Direct selling is driven by narrative-the stories about our products, our opportunities and our companies. The more effective we are at communicating these stories, the more successful we'll be in the field," says Calvin Jolley, Director, Strategic Development, 4Life Research. "No company should let a year pass without attending the DSA's Annual Meeting."

Industry News • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend

Related Entries: