Hi Reps!

I wanted to use my space here to share a terrific Forum post from this week, by Dandrea Margaret. Not only is the content of the post inspiring but it echoes several things [...]]]> [The following is something I wrote for this week's Inner Circle newsletter for our Dolce Mia Designer Reps.]

Hi Reps!

I wanted to use my space here to share a terrific Forum post from this week, by Dandrea Margaret. Not only is the content of the post inspiring but it echoes several things we’ve been talking about lately,one of which is that the simple act of sharing your Dolce Mia product and your Dolce Mia life with as many people as possible as being one of the cornerstones of your business growth.

Because everyone who tries Dolce Mia loves it, and as Dandrea points out everyone who sees it loves it too, your job of adding new people to, and strengthening your customer base becomes simple: just show, share, and let them try. The only time we’ve ever seen Dolce Mia not do well in a retail setting is when customers can’t smell the fragrances, and in the case of lotions and hand cleansers, can’t try the product. Our designs attract a lot of attention wherever they go, but what is sure to push your customers over the buy hump is the experience of smelling and feeling.

So open your doors for business as wide as possible all the time by keeping some product always with you, and having plenty of samples to share at your events, consignment or retail outlets, and your business will grow “without any effort at all.”

Hello Everyone

This week I was fortunate enough to attend an event where I had donated some Dolce Mia products for a raffle. While many of you may already know about this way to run a raffle, I wanted to share what I saw in case the idea can help any of you.

Each raffle item was displayed with a pretty cup next to the item. Instead of putting all the raffle tickets into 1 big “hat” to draw winners from, each person who purchased a raffle ticket was given both parts of the ticket and asked to put 1/2 of their ticket into the cup in front of the item(s) they most wanted to win. People were so excited and ended up purchasing many more tickets than they originally intended to purchase because of the increased odds of winning the exact item they wanted.

And, I also wanted to share that the cup in front of the Dolce Mia donation was overflowing!

Hope everyone is having a great week and I hope this post helps to make your next event even more fun.

Kindly,

Dandrea Margaret

Not only does Dandrea remind us how exciting Dolce Mia is for most consumers, the raffle strategy she describes begs to be lifted into the setting of your parties and events and other retail outlets. Foster a fun atmosphere wherever you are talking Dolce Mia, and the experience for your customer of our product, and of you yourself as a Dolce Mia Designer Rep will always be sparkling.

Alex

Challenge:

Games have a way of brightening our lives instantly. The experience of a fun game is one of the valuable things you can always give to your customers. Take a cue from Dandrea and come up with one way to integrate a fun giveaway into your marketing plan this coming week. Remember, it’s not about what people get, how big the pot, as it is how enjoyable the experience. Deliver a great ride and the prize is won by all.

There’s a new Quick Call available. Just dial up the Sales Rep Hotline at (800) 571-0761 and press 1.  This one is about how there are two ways to see yourself, and one is inspiring, and gives you energy, the other less so – same person. You choose.

We see you as [...]]]> Hi reps!

There’s a new Quick Call available. Just dial up the Sales Rep Hotline at (800) 571-0761 and press 1.  This one is about how there are two ways to see yourself, and one is inspiring, and gives you energy, the other less so – same person. You choose.

We see you as a benefit and doing good to all those you come into contact with; and we hope you see yourself that way too.

Thanks for listening!

Alex

I was riding my bike to work this morning, and as I went over a big bump that I could not avoid I noticed that  I stopped pedaling.  I thought about it afterward.  Why?

Whether it is one bump [...]]]> Hi, this is Alex Mountjoy, and this is my Quick Call for Wednesday, November 2nd.

I was riding my bike to work this morning, and as I went over a big bump that I could not avoid I noticed that  I stopped pedaling.  I thought about it afterward.  Why?

Whether it is one bump in the road, or the road is all bumpy, you can pedal just the same.  Your mind can handle it.  It’s just….you think you can’t.

This was certainly true in my case this morning, where presented with a sudden obstacle, my instinctive reaction was shut down my effort – my pedaling — which was of course my source of power and the only reason I was getting anywhere in the first place.

There are good reasons as a cyclist that you should continue pedaling over bumps.  It keeps your chain jumping off, for one thing.  And keeps you going for another.  It’s not that your mind can’t handle going over the bump and pedaling at the same time.  The instinctive thing is to stop, but that doesn’t mean that’s what you need to do.

When you come to bumps in your road.  Or even when your road seems to be all bumpy. Ask yourself,  Do I really need to stop pedaling?

Thanks for listening.

As Dolce Mia reps we find ourselves all in the same stream,; we are here by choice; it is a moving body of water, and it moves us along when we allow it too. At any time we can pull out on the bank and [...]]]> Hi, I’m Alex Mountjoy, the President of Dolce Mia.

As Dolce Mia reps we find ourselves all in the same stream,; we are here by choice; it is a moving body of water, and it moves us along when we allow it too. At any time we can pull out on the bank and watch, and rest. But that becomes quickly dull, and reminds us why we came to this stream in the first place. To join in the adventure, forsaking a safe world for one of mystery and challenge. This is what I share with you, and what you share with each other, and with me. This is what we share—the conviction that it is the unknown world of the stream that contains our beauty, our inspiration, and our reward.

I was Student Council President in high school. I had never been on the student council before. I didn’t know anything about it. I was shy by nature. I was a terrible public speaker I had no agenda, no elevated ideas for improving the school, or helping students. Sadly, that part never changed. But I ran, and I won and I count it as a significant victory over my fears.

In college I was a physics major. I ask myself, How did that happen? I liked physics in high school, but I wasn’t good at it. It was my worst science . I took the AP exam and got what I think was the equivalent to closing your eyes and picking answers randomly. But when I got to college, I felt compelled to take physics again. And I did, and more and more classes, and eventually they added up into a major.

People would say living your life this way makes no rational sense. One should figure out early what one is good at, and then get really, really good at that. But for us entrepreneurs and independent types, a safe life doesn’t hold the particular value we seek.

One of the best parts of my unsafe life is that I am surrounded by people like you — intelligent, wise, capable individuals, who are always up for a challenge, always willing to experiment with something new. What more could I ask as for Dolce Mia than to have a world of sales reps whom I know personally stepping out of their comfort zones every day, learning from their mistakes, and growing with their successes.

Hi, Reps!

If you felt inspired by the Step Out of Your Comfort Zone – Rep Challenge for [...]]]>

(The following is an excerpt from a recent conference call announcement for our reps. I’m sharing it here because the topic is a universal one that affects us all and is always fun to talk about.)

Hi, Reps!

If you felt inspired by the Step Out of Your Comfort Zone – Rep Challenge for October you will appreciate the topic for our call …and hopefully decide to join us :

What’s Keeping You From Taking the First Step?

If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.

— unknown

Do you have something you’ve meaning to do, but just haven’t been able to bring yourself to begin? Every day you feel bad about it—not big bad, just a small nagging bad. But it weighs on you in a place where you are very sensitive to pressure, where the tasks that are the most important — not necessarily the hardest — really press.

Can you imagine how much better you would feel if you were to make just an eentsy weensy bit of progress on one such task today? Beginning is truly the hardest part. Once you’re going, as long as you are consistent, bit by bit, you will feel good about yourself every day, on day 1, on day 2, on day 3. Plus, the task will never seem as large as it did the moment before you began. You’ll be doing it, and how could it be that hard if you’re doing it? We are happy when we are engaged. We are unhappy when we are fearful. So engage!
But that’s the sort of glib advice that is totally useless.  It’s not easy at all to “just do it.”  That’s why we are all stuck in one place or another. But …let’s try this: Identify the factors that are preventing you from taking the first step. Exposing these is key.  They never survive the daylight. And it especially helps if you have people around you, who are in the same place, or have been there, and who found something that worked for them, that got them moving and feeling good, and who are happy to share all they know, and all about their journey, with you.

During the call, we will be referring to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone – Rep Challenge for October as well as the Step Out of Your Comfort Zone Tracker

You’ll have more fun if you have familiarized yourself with these documents beforehand.

Looking forward to spending  time with you all!

- A.M.

One of our sales reps passed on a really nice note to all of us the other day, on our Sales Rep forum.

One of her store buyers indicated that she has shoppers who seek out only products [...]]]> Hi, this is Alex Mountjoy, and this is my Quick Call for Thusday, October 6th.

One of our sales reps passed on a really nice note to all of us the other day, on our Sales Rep forum.

One of her store buyers indicated that she has shoppers who seek out only products that are made in the USA. This store buyer has compiled a list of US made products, and of course, Dolce Mia is on her list!

I heard this and I thought, cool. It is wonderful that people are making an effort to support their local providers, which includes you, as their friendly neighborhood Dolce Mia rep. And I thought, what a great angle to use to approach a store buyer. “I feel that many people this year would like to know that your store does carry made in USA products. I’d like to help you put together a list to have available for those people who want to know. We could even have a kick-off event, with a Made in America theme, to really attract some attention.

Then I thought, wow, Made in America would also be a great theme for a Dolce Mia party. How fun, and how timely. You’ll be a hero: you walk the walk, you are “local”, “sustainable” and Made in USA. You will be also be doing real good for your hostess, good for the community, and you will surely get people in a happy, festive mood.

Please, take my idea, rework it, add your personal style and make it your success.

Thanks for listening

>> Promotion Requests >> 1. Free gift with First Order – get a guest soap (company choice of scent) >> free with first purchase, any sized purchase. Could [...]]]> One of our sales reps asked recently about what Dolce Mia Designer reps can do through their websites to offer value and appreciation to their customers.

>> Promotion Requests
>> 1. Free gift with First Order – get a guest soap (company choice of scent)
>> free with first purchase, any sized purchase. Could be automatic for new
>> accounts or with code.

Can’t do: “automatic with new accounts.”
Can do: free gift with minimum purchase. These can be tiered, as they are currently on our web site. They will be shown as available
We set up a sample for you. When you go to your personal Dolce Mia web site you’ll see your gifts with purchase in We Appreciate You.

>> 2. Free ground shipping with code. I’d like different codes to be used in
>> various marketing promotions. For example, FB001 and FB002 for 2
>> different facebook ads and TW001 and TW002 for 2 different twitter
>> promotions and CH001 for someone seeing a specific banner ad.

Can do. Any code you want, text or numeric, is possible. You can require a certain baseline purchase in order to qualify for free freight. Can also be a % or $ discount with purchases of a certain level. Can allow customers one use, or multiple.

>> 3. Free gift with purchase, with different purchase levels. For example,
>> get a hand cleaner free with a $35 purchase and get a bar soap free with
>> a $75 purchase. I’d love to get your thoughts on what you feel the best
>> purchase levels and gifts may be. This would be available for return
>> customers or with a special code.

Yes, as described above, can do. The best gifts with purchase we feel are the small, “treats” from the Luxe Line – lots of “wow” factor, The Luxe Travel Companion makes a wonderful larger gift.

Can’t do as a “code” item. G.W.P. will be available to all customers on your site.

>> Affiliate Marketing
>> What information is
>> needed for the proper tracking? How often is reporting available and in
>> what format?

For a given referral source, this is what the data would look like.

Facebook Dolce Mia Jobs – Total Referrals 1
Contact Us : 37 referrals, Average Time: 53.91666667 minutes, Average Clicks: 32.0000

Right now, this data is only available to us at H.Q., and to you through us, weekly or so.

Alex