The Amway China Leadership Seminar welcomed 10,000 attendees to its five-day event in New Zealand that included gala dinners, leadership sessions, cocktail receptions and excursions in Auckland and Queenstown. The event leaned heavily on creative large-scale productions that used special effects, snow machines and more than 600 hours of custom motion design content to create panoramic scenes across enormous LED screens. At dinner, each table and plate were projected with animated designs that reflected New Zealand culture and Amway’s brand. 

The seminar was held across two months and welcomed twelve separate waves of brand representatives, honoring top Amway performers each time.  

In total, the event is estimated to have brought $25 million to the local New Zealand economy. 

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But how do you turn all of that learning into action? The key is to pin down a handful of revelations that rose to the top, and then do something with them! In an effort to help us all take action, whether you were there or not, here are the next steps I would encourage any executive to take, inspired by Fall DSU 2023. 

1 / Get Serious About the Hispanic Market

The most blatantly clear takeaway from DSU was a lot of companies growing in the US have one thing in common: a commitment to the Hispanic market. This was a key point in about four different presentations. Whether you decide to target the Hispanic market or not, every executive needs to be intentional about how you’re thinking about this market, both globally and especially in the US.

2 / Simplify until It Hurts

John Alcala, CEO of It Works!, reminded us of just how much distributors have on their plates…and that’s before we add all of our stuff (promotions, incentives, announcements, launches…) to the mix! We all talk about simplifying our business, but do we really do it? To experience the kind of simplicity that actually prompts growth and duplication, you’ve got to shed some of the secondary “stuff” that only gets in the way for the average distributor. Go find it and do something about it.

3 / Experiment, Learn and Adapt

pawTree Founder and CEO Roger Morgan walked us through a few scenarios where the company identified a problem; came up with a possible solution; and launched quickly. Some worked well; some didn’t; and some only worked within very specific circumstances, but not others. The takeaways from his specific examples were helpful, but the biggest takeaway is this: am I tracking everything I do well enough to know if it works and why? And then do I keep iterating to see the improvement?

4 / Compare Your Business to Neora

A huge perk of DSU was hearing from Founder and CEO Jeff Olson and Co-CEO Deborah K. Heisz from Neora about their journey in their case against the FTC. The work they’ve done is so vital for every single one of us—both in terms of validating what we do and also shedding light on how we should do it. But in Stuart Johnson’s words, “If you’re still doing things the wrong way, this is not a win for you!” Deb shared some of the elements of Neora’s business (like 80 percent of those who buy from them are Customers and receive no commission) that strengthened their case. It’s in no way the hard-and-fast rule that must be followed, but if you need a standard to compare yourself against, it sounds like we just got a new one.

5 / Start Using AI (whether you want to or not!)

I’ll admit I’ve been slow to jump on the AI bandwagon. It can feel a bit overwhelming to understand. And it can feel like “just one more thing,” when I’ve already got enough “things” in my life. But after listening to Blake Mallen and Brandon White talk about how they’re putting AI to use right now, I realized my excuses hold little weight compared to the unbelievable benefits that can come from incorporating AI into how I work and live. Rather than figure it all out, I’m simply dedicating 15 minutes a day to using AI in some form or fashion. It’s the only way I’ll learn it and appreciate it. Maybe you should, too.

6 / Success Is in the Segmentation

No single speaker focused on segmentation as a topic, but many alluded to it. Bridgehead Collective’s Founder and CEO Heather Chastain’s generational research certainly shines a bright light on the need for us to segment what we do. The panel on affiliate programs (and how different each program is) certainly showcases how companies are trying to segment the opportunity in new ways. We even learned of the differences among segments within the Hispanic market. We can all do a better job of segmentation. Whatever is holding you back—technology, resources, know-how, WHATEVER!—let’s make 2024 the year we do something about it.

7 / What We Do Still Matters

Vivian Mokome, Founder and CEO of Vivian Mokome Projects, shared a heartfelt reminder that direct selling changes lives…and, in her estimation, can change continents! She sees direct selling as a prominent force for change in Africa. We must evolve as a channel and respond to the market in terms of what it wants and how it wants it. But we cannot lose sight of the actual life changes that have occurred and continue to occur, no matter how tempted we may be to downplay it in the midst of so many changes. Remind yourself of the greater good your company pursues and provides regularly. There’s no other fuel like it.

Were there more takeaways at DSU? You bet!
This is just a starting place. If you were there, think back to the points above in context of your own experience and determine what makes sense for your company. If you weren’t there, this list can still prompt extremely helpful conversations for your team. And bring them to DSU 2024! DSN

Note from the Editorial Staff: We’re excited to include these insights from industry expert Brett Duncan. Look for more content from Brett in the coming months on the pages of DSN.

Brett Duncan specializes in helping direct selling companies evolve into modern social selling models while still maintaining the culture and essence of who they are and what makes them different. He is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Strategic Choice Partners, a business development firm that helps direct selling companies take their next steps.

From the December 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post 7 Top Takeaways for Executives from DSU Fall 2023 first appeared on Direct Selling News.

This year’s convention featured what the company called a “smaller, more intimate” format and had a strong focus on the science and innovation behind the company’s development, innovation and formulation of its products.  

“We are constantly researching and developing what we provide to our customers,” said Jim Brown, USANA President and CEO. “Nutrition is essential to a healthy life and that is why USANA is committed to creating new and innovative products.” 

The post USANA 2023 Americas & Europe Convention Highlights Product Innovation  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

The event features four consecutive educational conferences that will also deliver inspiration and recognize and reward the successes of Independent Beauty Consultants in keeping with the vision Mary Kay Ash began six decades ago. 

“We are so proud to welcome our global independent sales force to Dallas to celebrate our milestone anniversary,” said Nathan Moore, Mary Kay President of Global Sales and Marketing. “They are the reason we are here and the reason we have so much to celebrate. Our iconic founder had a vision of changing women’s lives around the world, and we are thrilled we get to honor what she started 60 years ago here in our hometown.”

The post Mary Kay 60th Anniversary Event Expected to Generate $34.1 Million for North Texas Economy  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Also previewed at the event was the company’s newest product release, Smart Snack Minis. Leveraging both dietary fiber and lean protein, these nutrition bars are an effort by the company to invest in the trending “clean snacking” category. 

“The large number of Brand Ambassadors who participated in our annual Super Saturday event showcases the commitment to Plexus as we enter the new year on the heels of a successful Reset launch, which is the foundation for our back-to-basics focus on gut health,” said Gene Tipps, Plexus Chief Executive Officer. “We will also continue to support the community we’ve established and the genuine desire of Brand Ambassadors to grow their businesses through our innovation, including our flagship products that support gut health which were some of the first to market.” 

The post Plexus Unveils New Technology at Annual Super Saturday Event   first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Many of the attendees were prospective clients, illustrating that the event could bring new enthusiasm to the Japanese sector of the company, and Kyäni stated that it sees great potential for growth in the Japanese market. 

The post Kyäni Hosts Genesis Live 1 Event in Japan  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

This year, the company wove philanthropic efforts into each event, led by The Make Sense Foundation Executive Director Kendra C. McColloch. In Turks and Caicos, the foundation partnered with The Sandals Foundation to stock the organization’s libraries and provide toys for children. In Mexico, distributors purchased wish list items that support Manas de Amor Children’s Shelter and the children within the local community. 

Additionally, proceeds from the sale of raffle tickets and one-time donations made during the events will be given to the charities. 

The post SeneGence Partners with Nonprofits to Benefit Children During SeneStar 2022  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

“It’s always an honor to participate in educational events with industry colleagues who understand and respect the scientific research we do here at 4Life. Vice President Dr. Han is a great brand ambassador for our team,” said 4Life Chief Scientific Officer Dr. David Vollmer. 

Dr. Han’s presentation at the expo, which served an online and on-demand audience, was titled “Customer-Centered and Science-Based Nutraceutical Product Innovation Process.” 

“This offered us a phenomenal opportunity to showcase 4Life’s unique and effective product development process to a wide audience from industrial, academic, and regulatory backgrounds,” Dr. Han said. 

The post 4Life Presents at IFT First Event  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

• Michael A. Davis—CEO, InClaro Group, Inc. 
• Heather Chastain—Founder and CEO, Bridgehead Collective 
• Wayne Moorehead—Marketing, Brand Strategy and Direct-to-Consumer Industry Expert and Podcast Host 
• Jesse McKinney and Amanda Moore—Co-Founders, Red Aspen 
• Noah Westerlund, Ami Perry and Brian Corpron—NOW Technologies 
• Mike Edwards—Executive Leader in Digital Transformation 
• Doug Hepfner—President, Hepfner & Associates 
• Chris Postler—Chief Operating Officer, Pure Romance 
• Beau Coplin—CEO, Exigo Professional Services 
• Reuben Cook—Consulting Partner, Squire 

There have been significant changes in customer security, data privacy and authentic account protection in recent months, and industry experts provided answers for how to secure customer trust with a new level of awareness and insight. 

“2021 changed the way attackers focused,” said Michael A. Davis, CEO, InClaro Group, Inc. “They’re now increasing the level of technology they use, just like we are. Whereas we’re looking at things like machine learning and AI to improve our data analytics, so are they. It is a very targeted, aggressive campaign now by these organizations because there’s real money at risk here.” 

Technology experts also offered a roadmap for selecting what technology really matters, how to design an ecommerce vision that helps distributors bring customers through the sales process faster and more efficiently, and why a shareable shopping cart can be the building block for helping a new distributor build a booming business. 

“If you can see you’re in growth mode and forecasting as such, now is better than later. Investing in technology is insurance against a company’s success,” said Reuben Cook, Consulting Partner, Squire.

DSN Members will have access to the event content through their DSU On-Demand Library exclusive access.

The post DSN Tech Summit Event Offers Cutting-Edge Insight on All Things Technology first appeared on Direct Selling News.

The event, which began yesterday and will run through today, will largely focus on new sales force and client initiatives for 2019.

The meeting will also celebrate Primerica’s ongoing success in 2018, including term life insurance face amount in force of approximately $782 billion at year end, as well as record-breaking Investment and Savings Products sales of $7 billion, an increase of 13 percent year-over-year.

“2018 was another outstanding year for Primerica as we continued to execute our strategy to drive growth and improve performance by expanding distribution and prudently deploying capital,” said Glenn Williams, chief executive officer. “We ended the year with a sales force of more than 130,700 life insurance-licensed representatives and more than 25,000 mutual fund-licensed representatives, both of which represent the highest counts since the company went public in 2010. Our diverse, talented sales force is our biggest competitive advantage, and it positions us well to continue providing exemplary service and financial products to middle income families while delivering long-term value for all of our stakeholders.”

Additional 2018 production results include:

• Recruiting of New Representatives: 291,000
• Term Life Insurance Face Amount Issued: $95 billion
• Term Life Insurance Claims Paid to Policy Beneficiaries: $1.4 billion
• Client Asset Values of approximately $56 billion at year end
• Compensation Paid to the Sales Force of approximately $790 million

“In 2019, we plan to refine our clients’ experience, evaluate new product offerings, and enhance distribution capabilities for our representatives,” said Williams. “The middle-income market’s need for income protection and retirement savings is greater than ever. Thanks to the strong leadership of our sales force, I am confident in our ability to meet the financial needs of hard-working families throughout North America in the coming year.”

The post Primerica Welcomes Senior Leaders to Atlanta to Kick Off 2019 first appeared on Direct Selling News.