Every day, I see companies create new communication materials for their company. It could be anything from a new video / DVD to a magazine or something as simple as a new promotional brochure.
These things take dozens (maybe 100’s) of hours to create. Blood, sweat and tears go into the making of a new piece that is supposed to present a message (YOUR message) properly.

Then, when it’s time to launch it — that is, introduce it to the field — the planning is limited to a conversation that focuses on “we will show it from the stage at the big national convention and sell it at the store.”
The assumption is that the distributors will want it so much that it takes very little energy to make it a hit.

That is so wrong!!!!

People buy and promote what they are encouraged to buy and promote. In the case of direct sellers, they will utilize the tools that they believe in. Before they will believe in something, they want to know YOU (the corporate team and top field leaders) believe in it.

For example, if a new marketing tool is promoted for 3 minutes from the stage at a 2 day event, imagine the impact it has on the audience. When it’s time to go and purchase the new tool (at the big expensive store you’ve built inside the convention center), they probably forgot about it.

Why?
It didn’t seem very important — almost as if you didn’t really believe in it.

But, what if that same tool was announced and explained. Someone (maybe a top field leader) actually got on stage and talked about why to use it, how to use it, how affordable it is and how effective it is. And, more importantly, it was explained how it fit within the company’s system for achieving success. Maybe this takes 10-15 minutes. Now, what impact will it have? Would the audience understand that you believe in it?

Without question, MILLIONS of dollars of marketing materials are wasted very year in direct selling. After 100’s of hours are spent creating and making them perfect, they end up sitting in a warehouse somewhere. And, after a long enough time has passed, an accounting decision is made to “write it off” as dead inventory.
And, it’s blamed on the fact “it didn’t work.”

Really?

The next time you are planning to introduce a new marketing tool, take the time to consider the launch of it! Remember, the tools are designed to help your business grow and the more of them you have in circulation, the greater your chances of reaching your goals.

By the way, once it is launched, the process has just started. It will take continued emphasis to make it a REAL part of your organization and your success. But, that’s another and equally important discussion for a later time.