How Direct Selling Can Build on Talent

Finding, onboarding, and retaining talented employees are part of the foundation of success for any organization. A recent survey shows that many employees hunger for five basic things in the workplace: mentoring, coaching, support from a direct manager and support from upper management. Direct Selling offers each of these in spades. Executives can harness the inherent qualities of the industry to attract talented people from the outside and build on the talent already around them.

Executives can harness the inherent qualities of the industry to attract talented people from the outside and build on the talent already around them..

 

Mentoring

Members of the up-and-coming generation, especially Millienials, are looking for opportunities that combine creativity and mentoring. Eager to be of service, talented people also want an opportunity to learn. The industry is rife with opportunities for learning and engagement, but even those coming from inside need assistance in understanding how it all works. The unique nature of Direct Selling means that new hires may need to be introduced not just to a company culture, but to the industry culture as well. Complicated compensation systems, robust product portfolios that are always changing, and a passionate independent sales force are unique features of the channel. Executives who guide those they see as future leaders through the intricacies of the channel will create a bond as well as provide a stimulating learning environment.

The industry is rife with opportunities for learning and engagement, but even those coming from inside need assistance in understanding how it all works.

 

Identifying critical roles in the company, including those that support them, requires a clear understanding of your business strategy. By understanding those roles and the impact they have on the organization, executives can then focus on grooming people to effectively fill them. Companies that understand the paths that their most successful employees take and put their training efforts there will see the greatest results. Talented employees can win not only new sales, but keep those customers happy and returning on a regular basis. Coaching and mentoring as middle managers make their way up the ladder to the C-suites ensures stability for the future while building a leadership with the analytical skills necessary to keep a company on the cutting edge.

Companies that understand the paths that their most successful employees take and put their training efforts there will see the greatest results. Talented employees can win not only new sales, but keep those customers happy and returning on a regular basis.

 

Motivating

All that mentoring and support should spring from an organization’s higher goals. The majority of Direct Selling companies operate from a position of wanting to make a difference in the world via their products, and the culture of the channel is built around that. Their work is not simply about selling a product, but it is about improving people’s lives, from customers to distributors to the highest levels of the company. For many people, whether a distributor moving up the ranks or someone coming in from the outside, that mission is a large part of what keeps them motivated. Keeping that ideal front and center inspires everyone and gives future company leaders a sense of satisfaction that they may not find elsewhere.

For many people, whether a distributor moving up the ranks or someone coming in from the outside, that mission is a large part of what keeps them motivated.

 

Flexibility is important, and it is something that the culture of Direct Selling offers whether in terms of work-life balance or an openness to creativity. Company leaders who build on that can turn their organization into one with a reputation as a great place to work on a number of levels. This in turn attracts talented employees who may well opt to stay beyond the average 28 months. People stop working for a company not merely because of low pay, but because of some other, larger factor and low pay. If it’s possible to eliminate one, lower compensation may become less of a nagging factor.

In Direct Selling in particular, it is the people who make the most difference. The channel relies on people who aren’t just good at sales, but those who are good connectors, respectful of others while also being direct, honest and diplomatic. It’s a tall bill to fill, but one the industry and its leaders, future as well as present, can manage.

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