This thought won’t resonate with everyone, but it will resonate with some. I just held a team call, and this topic came up – and it sparked a whole flurry of thought.
Direct sales and sororities are VERY similar – let me tell you how. (I was in a sorority – Go ChiO!)
• Are actively focused on growing their membership.
• Hold opportunity events, similar to “rush” or “recruitment.”
• Focus heavily on empowering women’s personal development and independence.
• Pay a fee to join and stay active.
• Use a common word or phase to connote membership such as “Sister” or “Designer” or “Consultant.”
• Help fulfill a personal mission that aligns with the brand’s mission (or chapter mission) – to serve others in the community (motivate, inspire, bless, pay it forward, etc.)
• Use their brand as a platform to hold fundraisers and raise both money and awareness for various local, regional, and national philanthropies.
• Promote a strong brand identity, and compete against others (other direct sales companies, other sororities) for members.
• Promote a strong sense of sisterhood among its members, and compete against other teams (chapters, brands, lineages) for the best performance (sales vs. GPA, active participation) and greatest team spirit.
• Have colors, symbols, insignia, and mascots that its members proudly collect and proudly display.
• Wear apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, pretty much anything you can put a logo on) that connects to the sisterhood or brand.
• Have regional and national conventions to introduce new products and strategies, reinforce culture, and reignite the excitement.
• Leverage deep network connections to build relationships, and now through social media, engage and expand those networks more easily.
• Foster sponsor-recruit/upline-downline/big-little relationships.
• Participate in events and recruitment fairs.
• Offer opportunity for personal growth and leadership at local, regional and national levels.
• Offer the opportunity to develop lasting friendships with like-minded women.
• Create a culture of inclusiveness and acceptance, and being part of something bigger than yourself.
• And my favorite, live by the phrase “you get out of it, what you put into it.”
If you weren’t in a sorority in college, hopefully this gives a little glimpse into why direct sales has a very sorority-like appeal, and the underlying psychology that will appeal to many.
For those who were in a sorority in college, look back at your rush/recruitment, membership, and chapter culture. Think about how you can apply those same ideas to both your sponsoring and to your team culture.
Interested in learning more tips for your direct sales business? Come on over and join the Socialite Suite on Facebook!
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