Social Media Archives - Blue Bottle Passion

July 25, 2017 by Sue 1 Comment

What I Learned at the Neal’s Yard Remedies Conference

I love attending the Neal’s Yard Remedies Summer Conference. This year the conference was at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Hotel. Right off the bat I learned Orlando, Florida in July is hot, humid, and can downpour at any moment. So it follows if you go to Orlando in July, bring a flat iron and an umbrella.

It’s not possible to cover everything we learned that was packed into the Friday evening through Sunday early afternoon, but these were the highlights.

I already knew Neal’s Yard Remedies is an amazing family-owned business making products with natural and organic ingredients, free from harmful chemicals. I knew they never test on animals. I knew they trade ethically with their suppliers, protect the environment and wildlife. What I did learn was Neal’s Yard Remedies has partnered with Made Safe to certify these products are free of carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, GMOs, pesticides, harmful solvents, and toxic volatile organic compounds. There are plenty of products on the shelves calling themselves natural and organic, yet hiding ingredients behind trade secrets and fragrance. Third party certification is the only real test of how safe products are, and Made Safe is providing it.

New Product Introductions

New product introductions and a new catalog are always exciting. Coming soon is an addition to the ever popular Bee Lovely line, as well as bee-utiful new packaging. There are some very special essential oils coming, including organic immortelle, neroli, and rose absolute. The Deliciously Ella products will include a limited edition body lotion and body wash. The skincare kits have been re-introduced with new packaging including a gorgeous, organic cotton bag. The holiday collection which will be available in October will include bath salts in three soothing and uplifting fragrances.

I was excited to hear about a partnership beginning with Credo Beauty. Neal’s Yard Remedies will have a limited range of products available in the Credo stores. Credo’s mission aligns very much with Neal’s Yard Remedies. How cool to be able to see these amazing products on their store shelves, and increase the brand recognition!

Karen Clark was a keynote speaker on social media. There is a ton of opportunity to get our personal brand as well as the Neal’s Yard Remedies brand out there. She stressed the importance of building relationships and serving. In other words, connecting with followers rather than collecting them.

Finally, Marianne Friedlund was introduced as Vice President of Sales and Training. Marianne has a background in direct sales and leadership that makes her a perfect fit for Neal’s Yard Remedies. She announced a future leader program that has had a 90% success rate for promoting leaders. Seriously! Count me in. Who wants to join me?

For more information about beginning your own organic business with Neal’s Yard Remedies check out this blog post. Continue the discussion on Facebook.

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May 30, 2017 by Sue Leave a Comment

Direct Sales is the Perfect Retirement Job

Direct sales or network marketing truly is the perfect job for retirement. Think about all the reasons for retiring. Working. Every. Single. Day. No control over what you do and when you do it, limited vacations, long commutes, driving to work in snow storms. You get the idea.

How about a job with complete control over what you do and when you do it? I’ve done direct sales off and on over the years starting back when I was a young mother. Direct sales fits so many situations well, but I think it is absolutely perfect for the retiree and soon to be retiree.

The first reason it’s an ideal job is the flexibility. You can truly work when you want, and as much or as little as you want. Full-time, part-time, you’re the boss of you! Heading to Arizona for a month? No problem! You can work your business from where you are, or put it on the back burner.

The second reason is the money. It’s true. Once you’re on a fixed income, you don’t feel as comfortable spending money as you once did. Bringing in some extra money lets you plan that winter vacation, look at replacing the car, take the grandkids to Yellowstone National Park, or even splurge on that designer bag without feeling guilty. When you choose to represent a company with products you love and use, you save money by getting it at a discount.

The third reason is incentives. Not everyone is money motivated, but dangle an awesome free product for hitting a sales goal, or even an incentive trip, and I’m in! Most direct sales companies have a “Success Start” plan for your first three months, and not only does it help get you off and running, but you begin to FEEL like a success!

Reason four is the social aspect. From my very first summer conference I’ve connected with fellow Neal’s Yard Remedies consultants and continued wonderful relationships through Facebook, texting and phone. This year I’m looking forward to meeting my “accountability partner” in person. (She ended up being more accountable than me, but that’s a different story.) I’ve met some wonderful women through local networking events, vendor events, even online direct sales Facebook groups. Just ask me if I can steer you to a Lularoe, Norwex or Stampin’ Up consultant, and I’ll point you in the right direction.

The last reason is mental health. Working my business gives me a reason to get going in the morning. I would rather write a blog post than clean out a closet, or clean anything for that matter. If you choose well, you are passionate about your products and/or business. I enjoy learning new ways of promoting my business on social media and creating graphics to share my message. I love learning new aspects of marketing my business.

There are many other reasons to consider retirement direct sales jobs. If you have a hobby or cause that’s near and dear to your heart, you can probably find a company that will align with your beliefs. For more information about choosing a company read my POST about what to ask before choosing a company. For a list of direct sales companies, check out the members of the Direct Sales Association.

What do you plan to do in retirement? Let’s continue the conversation on FACEBOOK. I would love to answer any questions you have about the direct sales business in general, or Neal’s Yard Remedies in particular. Click on the SUE graphic below and let’s connect!

May 4, 2017 by Sue Leave a Comment

IF YOU ARE IN DIRECT SALES, WHY AREN’T YOU BLOGGING?

Have you ever thought about blogging? What is holding you back? Maybe you are wondering why anyone would read your blog, or do you really know enough about anything anyway. Several years ago I started blogging over on one of the free platforms. I’m pretty sure no one ever read those pearls of wisdom I put out there-even my mother. I soon lost interest because what’s the point of blogging if you don’t have any readers? It’s kind of like putting on a play without an audience.

As a direct seller I was blessed to discover Brenda Ster’s Socialite Suite group on Facebook. I purchased a couple of trainings from Sassy Suite, and was quite impressed, so when Blogging Boot Camp 4 was announced late in 2016 I was intrigued. I loved the idea of personalizing my own WordPress blog, and having a platform to share my passion for Neal’s Yard Remedies products and holistic, organic wellness, not to mention having another social media funnel for my business. Installing my own WordPress blog was a bigger challenge than I could handle on my own. The price of the course right before Christmas was a little steep for me, so I put it off. Right before the Blogging Boot Camp was set to begin, I came across some funds I had forgotten about in the amount I needed for the training. I took it as a sign I was meant to enroll.

What to Expect

Blogging Boot Camp offers 2 levels of service and training. In full setup we had the choice of 4 Genesis Framework themes installed for you, and you learn to personalize it. With full setup and design, there were 6 themes to choose from and extra, personalized branding and design coaching. The course is self-paced, and there is a private Facebook group for asking questions, sharing and getting to know the other Boot Campers. Full Setup and Design was already full, and I didn’t know the difference between widget and a plugin, so I signed up for Full Setup.

The training is divided into technical setup, and design which are pretty much one time activities, and content and promotion. Most lessons have a video explaining exactly how to complete each task. I have to admit I watched some of the videos several (six or seven!) times, as I did not grow up with technology. It will take several weeks to complete. When I make changes, I can go back and review the steps. I will have access to the course forever.

The Rewards of Blogging

Blogging Boot Camp has been one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences I’ve done in many years. Now I know what a Pretty Link and SEO are. I have more ideas for future blog posts than I have time to write. I cheer when a fellow Boot Camper’s blog goes live or they share a new post. As a life-long learner, I love figuring out how to solve each puzzle of my blog. If the technology piece is holding you back from blogging, I recommend signing up for Blogging Boot Camp the next time it’s offered. I still can’t explain the difference between a plugin and a widget, but I know how to make them work for me!

Check out Sassy Suite for current trainings below. Yes, this is an affiliate link, but don’t worry. I would recommend Sassy Suite whether I was an affiliate or not. I will make a small commission to keep this blog afloat should you click through and decide to sign up (with no cost to you) for any Sassy Suite trainings.

With so many bloggers out there, it’s hard to stand out. By taking Blogging Bootcamp through the Sassy Suite, your blog will look professional, and you will be equipped to keep it that way.

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February 16, 2017 by Sue 2 Comments

10 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE CHOOSING A DIRECT SALES COMPANY

Over the years I’ve been involved with more than my share of direct sales companies. I am a believer in the business model. At various times in my life, direct sales helped both financially and by providing a discount on products I loved, and worked well while my children were young. Here’s what I believe you should find out before signing up.

What is the cost of joining, and what does that get you? A huge red flag would be an expensive kit with little or no value. Another would be a huge commission to your sponsor just for signing you up. Neal’s Yard Remedies business kit provides an assortment of full sized products worth much more than the price of the kit, and pays no commission to the sponsoring consultant.
Is there an ongoing monthly expense, such as website fees? Your website is free with Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Are there monthly minimums or autoships to stay active or receive commission? No monthly minimums with Neal’s Yard Remedies. Once every 12 months a $100 retail order is required to remain active.
Is an inventory required? Do you have to deliver products? Customers can order directly from your replicated website and have their order delivered direct with flat-rate shipping.
How long has the company been in business? Is the product likely to remain in demand, or is it possibly a short-lived fad? Neal’s Yard Remedies started over 35 years ago, and demand for healthy organic products is increasing.
Will you need to replace your sample products seasonally because of major changes in the product line? Is your product a “consumable?” A small number of new products come out a couple of times a year. No need to replace sample products until you run out from demonstrating. Neal’s Yard Remedies are consumables, encouraging repeat business.
Are you allowed to have a Facebook business page and market your business online? Neal’s Yard Remedies encourages having Facebook business pages, Twitter, etc.
What is your commission and how many levels are you paid on? Do you receive a discount on personal purchases? Neal’s Yard Remedies has a very generous commission plan, and you do receive a discount on personal purchases.
Are there hosting benefits, and who pays for them? The consultant pays about $6.50 for the initial “Thank you” and “Hostess Exclusive” gifts, and the company pays for the rest of a very generous hostess plan. Consultants may take advantage of the hostess plan when they’re ordering $200 or more.
Are there catalogs, supplies, and samples, and what is the cost and shipping expense? Catalogs and business supplies are reasonably priced and are available for flat-rate shipping.

Finally, investigate the reputation of the business you are looking at. What is being said about them and their products? Is it a company that cares about people, animals and the planet? Doing your homework before you sign on the dotted line will pay off.

Be sure to join my VIP Group for all the latest Neal’s Yard Remedies news and specials!

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