Forward Thinking Archives | Direct Selling News

Consumers are becoming smarter, researching products, people, and virtually anything before making a financial decision and the direct sales industry is seeing this affect their business more than almost any other industry. For direct sales companies, it is not uncommon for the vast majority of potential shoppers to first search for reviews and gather information…

A well-planned and fully executed merchandise strategy makes your field more vested in the business and helps create a cohesive culture between the field and corporate team. Branded merchandise can be a terrific way to promote your company, build your brand’s unique culture, and turn your business owners—your most important customers—into walking billboards. But creating…

For the past few months, you have seen in the magazine our DSN Digital 100—a comprehensive ranking revealing the social media reach and engagement of top direct selling companies. Four categories include social media size, social media engagement, 30-day unique visitors and 30-day pageviews. Whether it’s on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, these companies employ a…

One in four Google searches is made through the voice feature. Today, you don’t even have to get off your couch to order a pizza. Just tell your voice-activated device you want a large pepperoni with jalapeños and extra cheese. You can even tell it to order your weekly groceries. Consumer shopping habits are changing…

Whether it is developing and manufacturing product, fulfilling orders, supporting the field, planning and executing events, or delivering on the myriad other aspects required to keep a direct selling company on the path to success, company employees provide the backbone to all direct selling endeavors. Keeping them happy, fulfilled and challenged is the key to…

Speakers are a core experience for direct selling company events. They can bring immeasurable value to thousands of attendees at one time, and are a great way to drive attendance to events. How companies select the right speaker and the right message for the sales field is critical for the goals of the business and…

Grabbing attention and influencing action with compelling images is still a top social media marketing strategy. A survey by Social Media Examiner shows that 80 percent of marketers use visual assets in their social media marketing. Nearly a third of marketers say visual images are the most important form of content for their business. “We…

Reusable packaging may be the future of sustainability and smart branding. Today consumer’s behavior expects lightningfast shipping service. Free or nextday shipping is becoming a basic requirement. However, the cost of speed is increasing packaging waste at an alarming rate. Packaging makes up one-third or more of our trash, according to TheWorldCounts.com. How often have…

How companies can incentivize basic but critical business-building action. Rewarding and Incentivizing a distributor field isn’t all about recognizing those long-term leaders who stay at the top. In fact, many companies are moving in the direction of rewarding and incentivizing distributors who achieve smaller, more attainable milestones based on the specific action steps companies want…

How can our channel assist consumers to make the most of their daily lives, versus the old model of selling them a lifestyle? In June, 7-Eleven launched an update to its 7Now delivery app to include thousands of new locations—7Now Pins—so customers can order to public spaces. Items include food and drinks and other home…

Forward Thinking

How Direct Sales Companies Protect Their Online Image

Up Your Brand Swag Game

6 Ways You MUST Be Measuring Employee Engagement

How to Select the Right Event Speakers

Durable Rather Than Disposable

Rewarding the Baby Steps

Serving Is the New Selling