Direct Sellers Street Credentials Mean Something - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Direct Sellers Street Credentials Mean Something - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Direct selling has been around for a very long time â€" the reason for this is the fact that direct sellers use word of mouth to promote their products and get sales, and most marketers know that word of mouth marketing continues to be one of the best ways to market a product or service. Nowadays, direct sellers can utilize a lot of resources in getting prospects, generating leads, and increasing their sales. Social media is one of those resources, as it’s an excellent way to do some market research, engage with prospective customers, and participate in discussions. It’s not a good idea to just jump into social media without knowing exactly what to do, however. Even if you’ve been using Facebook or Twitter for years now, using social media for your direct selling business is still very different from interacting with your friends on Facebook or tweeting personal stuff on Twitter. There’s more to it than that. If you really want to be successful in using social media for your business, consulting with an expert would be very helpful. This is someone who can really guide you step-by-step through the process so you don’t end up floundering along and uncertain of what you’re doing. The problem nowadays is the fact that so many people call themselves “experts” or “gurus” without really being one. There’s a huge difference between a true expert and someone who just calls themselves that. So how do you find the real expert? How do you differentiate between someone who really knows what they’re doing and someone who’s all talk? 1. Knowledge For someone to position themselves an “expert” in their field means that they have excellent working knowledge of the industry and the work required of it. They should be knowledgeable enough to be able to explain to someone who’s not involved in the industry â€" if they frequently use jargon and other industry terms, they may be just spouting off and trying to sound knowledgeable even if they aren’t. Also, they should know the limits of their knowledge â€" if they don’t know something, they should willingly admit it. But typically, even if they don’t exactly know something, they know a way to get the information for you. 2. Experience Experience is also a critical factor. You cannot call yourself an expert without having prior experience in your particular niche or industry. A true expert would have working experience on the field, and can give you evidence of their performance. For example, a social media expert should be able to give you the results of what they did for a business â€" you should clearly see an improvement in how the business is doing. Otherwise, if they cannot show you any results, then they really shouldn’t call themselves experts. 3. Problem Solver A real expert isn’t one who will panic when problems arise. They should be able to stay calm and figure out how to solve the problem in a rational manner. They’re the go-to person for any problems encountered. They should be able to make quick decisions based on their knowledge and experience, and guide you in the right direction. 4. Commitment A true expert is one who is committed to the work they do and continues to learn whatever they can about their field of interest. They aren’t simply stagnant about their knowledge, but they are continually enthusiastic about learning more about their niche. They aren’t forced into doing what they do â€" they are simply passionate and committed about it. 5. Networking A real expert is someone who knows how to network with their peers and knows the value of connections. After all, they wouldn’t be experts if no one acknowledges their knowledge and experience on a particular niche. 6. Authentic Experts are authentic people. They don’t need to scam you in order to sell their services. They practice what they preach, and they’re confident in their abilities. They don’t have to push their expertise on people, because people are already approaching them to learn more. As a direct seller, make sure that you approach a true expert, not someone who just claims to be an expert but doesn’t have the street credentials to prove it. This is someone who’s willing to take you by the hand and show you what they know without having to make up stories. Don’t fall for just anyone who puts guru or expert at the end of their title. Find the real expert who can really deliver. Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog and is also the CEO (chief engagement officer) of buzz2bucks.com â€" a word of mouth marketing firm. She helps create connection, credibility, community and cha-ching through mobile marketing and social commerce around your brand. She is co-founder of #brandchat a weekly twitter chat focused on every aspect of branding.