Small Business Essentials

NHG: This post is the first of many that we have lined up by guest authors in an effort to bring our readers many perspectives from the small business world. This particular topic comes from Dee Foster, a Motivational Teacher, Life Coach, Melaleuca Wellness Consultant, DirectMatches Executive, and all around nice lady. You can read more about her at her website, Dee Foster Enterprises.

There are thousands of MLM, Direct Sales, and other home-based consultants. So where do you fit in this seemingly overwhelming sea of business owners? What’s so different about your product or service that would make me want to be your customer versus the next person with the identical product or service?

The first excuse I hear from these home-based consultants when they don’t see success in their business is that their area is already saturated with people consulting from the same company, or that the internet gurus have already captured and now monopolize the best lists. I submit to you that any of the type of companies that I mentioned above could never become saturated if everyone embraced one concept. Oh I hear you all saying "Has she gone mad!?!?!" Maybe I have, but I am determined to change your mindset about what you are really representing or rather what you should be representing. If you will embrace this one concept, you will never ever again have to worry about competition or market saturation.

That concept is differentiation or what I would like to refer to as "Personal Branding". I will use myself as an example to paint a picture since I know myself better than I know any of you.

I am currently a Melaleuca Wellness Consultant and a DirectMatches executive. However, I don’t necessarily promote either. What I do promote is Dee Foster Enterprises. You see, people only do business with those that they know, like and trust, especially in our line of work. Therefore it is important to me that I distinguish myself from the next Melaleuca Consultant and DirectMatches Rep. I differentiate myself by adding value to the products that my parent company offers. A lot of customers will do business with your company just because of what you personally bring to the table.

Remember that you are a business owner and you have to treat your work like a real business. If you spend all your time promoting your parent company instead of yourself, you will fail if the parent company does. But if you establish your own personal brand, you will never have to worry about what you will have to do if your company suddenly went out of business. For example, my passion is educating, motivating and helping others — hence my weekly newsletters are "Compliments of Dee Foster Enterprises©".

There are so many ways you can establish your own personal brand. Remember that it should be based on how you will give value to the customers that you serve.

I leave you today with these 5 steps in setting yourself apart from the crowd:

1. Establish your own personal vision.

2. Decide what you want customers to most remember about their interaction with you.

3. Always promote your own personal brand over the company you are promoting. For example if you are a Melaleuca Consultant and you have a passion for nutrition, come up with a creative name for the organization you are building with Melaleuca. If the company ever went under you could still introduce your faithful customers to another product because you have established yourself as a nutritional expert in their eyes.

4. Because a lot of small business owners, based on my experience as a customer, have problems with follow-up and follow-through, this can be a big point of differentiation for you. Become known as someone that follows up. The fortune is in the follow-up.

5. Above all, there is no personal branding better than being known as someone who is a true professional and provides great customer service. It’s all about relationships.