Myths and excuses

I usually post business articles here, but if you are mainly interested in projects inspirations/ideas, please visit my blog at Artistic Designs by Rachel

And why I changed my blog from Stamping by Rachel to Artistic Designs by Rachel is another story (a horrible story, I may add!).

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~~Rachel

Myths and Excuses
by Lyssa Zwolanek

"They deem me mad, because I will not sell my days for gold. I deem them mad, because they think my days have a price." Salvador Dali

I finally made time to listen to a CD of Debra Jones, the keynote speaker at a past Convention in Kansas City. My upline thought it was so good, she urged us all to listen to it–several months back. You know how it is. I finally popped it in the player, and settled down with my notepad, and got interrupted. You know how THAT is, too.

Ms. Jones had a great section on Myths & Excuses you hear when attempting to share SU. Here's some thoughts I gleaned from that very enthusiastic lady, interwoven with some of my own experiences.

MYTH: "I can't sell anything."
FACT: Lucky you, this stuff sells itself! We are not selling anything–we are playing Show and Tell. We are providing opportunities for them to get their hands on the product, whereupon they fall in love with it.

I always tell prospective business demos who are concerned about the public-speaking aspect of direct sales, that we have it easier than any other party plan out there. People aren't looking at US when we are speaking–they are looking at the projects. They are absorbed by the catalog. Often they aren't paying the slightest attention to YOU, because they are busy scribbling out their wish list. And if you don't want to do a catalog tour or spiel at all, you don't have to–just set it up like a card buffet and let them have at it.

MYTH: "I'll turn into a social outcast."
FACT: Just the opposite! Your friendships will grow by leaps and bounds. You will make dozens of new friends as customers, possibly hundreds of new friends online and at SU events. This is the myth I told myself when I resisted looking at the business plan. I didn't want to become the stereotype. The reality is, I now know a LOT of very successful stamping business owners and none of them fit any stereotype I have heard.

If you are growing your business in a respectful manner, your acquaintances will not run when they see you coming. A good friend who is a award- winning Partylite consultant says she reassures people she meets that she is not a "candle stalker." Make sure you remember to talk about a few other topics of conversation besides stamping every now and again, and don't turn into a "stamp stalker!"

MYTH: "I don't know anyone."
FACT: the average person knows 250 people. They do too know people. Crafters and would-be crafters are out there, and you might never know it unless the topic happened to come up. Ms. Jones says it's not necessarily important if in your 250 you don't know too many into crafting. Every single person you meet knows 250 people, and some of them will be into it (or get into it in time). It's not necessarily who you know–it's who thew person knows that you're about to meet.

When I started, I knew two people who stamped besides me and one person who scrapbooked. Don't let that stop you. You might be just one person away from a bonanza of crafters. Just keep meeting people one at a time.

MYTH: "No one ever really makes any money at this."
FACT: you can definitely make money with Stampin' Up, as well as other perks and incentives that you didn't even realize existed when you started. Our monthly magazine is full of stories of women working hard and making their dreams come true. Just because it is rare to meet a direct-sales person who has chosen to really work her business, does not mean it is not possible.

Surround yourself with inspiration and positivity from those who are making it happen. Distance yourself from those who constantly complain and drag you down. Remember those nay-sayers from Challenge #2? Ditch 'em! Stampin' Up has a wonderful, generous compensation plan, vastly less complex and superior to 90% of the plans out there, and it is yours for the taking.