You may not think there is much in common between a direct sales company and a sorority. One is focused on sales and parties, the other on social fun during college. But they are remarkably similar, when you look at direct sales and sororities from a more philosophical perspective.
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Direct Sales and Sororities both:
- Are actively focused on growing their membership.
- Focus heavily on empowering women’s personal development and independence.
- Pay a fee to join and stay active.
- Use a common word or phase to connote membership such as “Sister” or “Designer” or “Consultant.”
- Help fulfill a personal mission that aligns with the brand’s mission (or chapter mission)–to serve others in the community.
- Use their brand as a platform to hold fundraisers and raise both money and awareness for various local, regional, and national philanthropies.
- Promote a strong brand identity, and compete against other brands (other direct sales companies, other sororities) for members.
- Promote a strong sense of sisterhood among its members, and compete against other teams (chapters, brands, lineages) for the best performance (sales vs. GPA, active participation) and greatest team spirit.
- Have colors, symbols, and mascots that its members obsessively collect and proudly display.
- Wear apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, pretty much anything you can put a logo on) that connects us to our sisterhood or brand.
- Have regional and national conventions to introduce new products and strategies, and reignite the excitement.
- Leverage deep network connections to build relationships, and now through social media, engage and expand those networks more easily.
- Foster sponsor-recruit/upline-downline/big-little relationships.
- Participate in events and recruitment fairs.
- Offer opportunity for personal growth and leadership at local, regional and national levels.
- Live by the phrase “You get out of it, what you put into it.”
- Offer the opportunity to develop lasting friendships with like-minded women.
Now, how do I know this? Because I am a proud sorority alumnae. I was a member of Chi Omega as an undergraduate, and held executive positions in alumnae groups in both Wisconsin and Arizona. I love the sisterhood that is created when a strong group of women comes together by choice, for a common purpose.
Direct sales teams become like a sisterhood too. We are intensely brand loyal, support our colors and symbols, proudly rock brand swag, celebrate each member’s successes, and create deep friendships. We might not have a sorority house, but we probably all have secret Facebook groups that we consider “home.” It’s plastered with team member pictures, training information, fun and games, and brand and team identity.
#EmpowerSocial
Brenda,
You are an inspiration. I joined a direct sales company in October, and I a trying my best to get it up and going. I know that most companies are about recruits, and I fully understand their reasoning; however, I want to establish a great customer base first and let the chips fall as they may. I try using FB, but the minute that you post something about your business—BOOM-it is replaced almost immediately by what someone is having for dinner. LOL Support group wise, I am a part of the Regional FB group; but again, hard to keep connected. I just wanted to let you know that when I feel a bit down about the “lack” of customer commitment – low and behold, I get an inspirational message from you and I just wanted to thank you. I do have your Camp-E-Book downloaded and refer to it often.
Blessings,
Dianna Hathaway
I am SO GLAD Dianna, thank you for your comment!! 🙂
Brenda
I’ve always said that my time in Chi Omega was really the true training I received in college. Best education ever – I’ve applied it in my first job out of college (sales), my teaching career (you learn how to talk to/tolerate people/students you may not care for) and now in Direct Sales (I love being a mentor/big sister to others). 🙂
Never thought about it that way but you are so right! Proud member of Delta Zeta and am still an active alumna to this day!! Great analogy!! Thank you so much!!
A Chi-O!! Me too, and I have lots of owls on display! I’ve never thought about it this way, but maybe that’s why I gravitate toward direct sales companies…
I am a Kappa Alpha Theta alum and have been a Pampered Chef Consultant for about a year. I never compares the two until I read your article. The similarities are so true.