Complain Up, Praise Down

Complain up.
Praise down.
Ever hear that phrase in your direct selling world?

All business runs in cycles, and that is especially true in networking and the home party business. There is no getting around them. It’s normal for any type of business!

There are some days you are on top of the world! You’re winning every contest, all your prospects turn to recruits, every customer is a sweetie, your hostesses never cancel and everyone places a nice order at your parties. Sharing all these wonderful experiences and feelings with everyone is good, especially anyone in what is called your “down line.” Your down line is basically everyone you have done business with, currently do business with or hope to do business with someday.

And then there are days where no prospects return your phone calls, you get three party cancellations in a row, your new recruits don’t return phone calls, no one places an order at one of your parties, and you just missed winning an important contest. What’s important during these times is to never complain “down.”  The last thing your customers, hostesses, potential customers, crew members and friends want to hear is anything negative, discouraging, or disappointing about your business. After all, you’ve been sharing all along how great, wonderful, and exciting everything is, you basically shoot yourself in the foot for any future business with them or through their networks…you may forget, but they don’t.

What should you do when you have the need to complain or vent?
Communicate those feelings with the people in your “up” line. Your up line are your designated support people in your business, such as your immediate manager or team leader, sales manager, customer service rep, etc.

Hopefully, your frustration cycles are few and far between. Know they are normal. When that happens to me, I make a call to a trusted soul and after a few minutes, they help me refocus on the big picture. Thanks, Barb!

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