By Thilo Naidoo, Herbalife Southern Africa Country Director.

Whether you’re between jobs or looking to supplement your income, direct selling is a great way to achieve the flexibility and freedom that having your own business can bring.

Herbalife is one of the world’s leading direct selling brands with thousands of direct sellers (Herbalife independent distributors) who sell in over 90 countries worldwide. We’re listed on the New York Stock Exchange and have been operating for over 40 years.

What is direct selling?

Direct selling is where individuals sell products directly to their customers on behalf of a manufacturer like Herbalife. This helps to keep the costs of goods down as there aren’t any overheads to service like shops. Direct sellers are able to develop closer relationships with their customers than traditional retailers, enabling them to meet their needs more effectively.

Herbalife’s independent distributors work within their local communities, helping their customers to live a healthy, active lifestyle with the right products and through regular events and physical activities. As coaches to their customers, they help them to make healthy choices and stay on a path to better wellness using tools, training and materials developed by our scientists, nutritionists and fitness experts.

Top tips for direct sellers

Direct sellers enjoy the benefits of working autonomously - working from home with the flexibility to set their own work schedules, as well as a sense of accomplishment from watching their efforts pay off. That said, it takes time, skill and a lot of hard work to succeed in direct selling. In order to succeed, you must think and act like an entrepreneur. Here’s how to adopt this mindset and succeed:

1. Compile a detailed plan

Set long-term goals for your business, broken down into manageable steps and daily actions. Likewise, establish a sound strategy for marketing your business with daily, weekly and monthly tasks. Successful entrepreneurs never ‘wing it’ - you can’t succeed in business without an action plan.

2. Know your customers

Find out what your customers’ needs are and then which of your products might help them meet these needs. In Herbalife’s case, some customers might want to adopt better nutrition habits, slim down or ratchet up their exercise routines.

If you want to expand your business by recruiting sales people into your network, think about what their motivations are and what they’d hope to get from the deal. Figuring out their ambitions and showing them how you can help make these a reality will help get them on board.

3. Know and grow your brand

You must know how each of your products or services work and how they can meet your customers’ needs. If you don’t believe in what you’re selling, your customers won’t either. Herbalife’s independent distributors receive comprehensive education and training to help them learn about nutrition, well-being, selling and more. They also belong to a supportive network and community of other distributors who learn from and support each other.

People will also make their purchases based on their perceptions of you, so embrace the lifestyle you’re selling. Nobody wants to buy a wellness product, for example, from someone who doesn’t look and act the part.

4. Keep learning

Study everything you can find on the latest marketing techniques for direct selling and learn how to build and grow your direct selling business, in person and online. Find out about ‘lead generation’ (finding potential customers), social media and word-of-mouth marketing. These are effective sales tactics that you could use to boost your business. There are many free online courses and websites dedicated to marketing. Use them to improve your sales techniques.

5. Don’t give up

It can take a long time to build your customer base, so don’t throw in the towel early. Successful sales and marketing means constantly fine-tuning and adjusting your tactics to suit the situation. You might have to try new things and see what works for your customers and what doesn’t.

Reap the rewards of a direct sales business

Find out more about how to become a Herbalife independent distributor and join a community of like-minded nutrition enthusiasts across the globe. We’re one of the world’s leading direct selling companies and have been in business for over 40 years; we’re also listed on the New York stock exchange and operate in over 90 countries worldwide.

Added to this, Herbalife leads the direct selling industry by setting the ‘Gold Standard’ of protection for its independent distributors. This includes low start-up costs, a guaranteed refund for unopened products purchased in the previous 12 months, clear disclosure regarding potential income, and benefits and appropriate usage of everyday products clearly defined.

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Five tips to help you succeed at direct selling