BASICALLY SPEAKING

February 2008

Published by Carol and Al Hegerman

Shaklee Lifetime Master Coordinators

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

 In today’s issue of the Wall Street Journal, the headlines stated, “Sales sink, prices fall for housing!”  In the story that followed, analysts forecast the slump to continue for months.  

Carol and I just returned from our daily luncheon date.  During our outing, we filled our Mercedes car with gas and for the first time that I can remember, we paid over $70.00 for 19 gallons of gas!  When we returned to our condo here at Coronado Shores, our January bonus check was in our mailbox.  It was the largest check we have received in the last four years.  We had 50 sales leaders with personal group volume in excess of 10,000 PV.  Four were in excess of 20,000 PV and one with over 35,000 PV!  10,000 PV  =  $40,800 a year at 34%.  Add in a 10% to 25% price differential and we are talking about $52,800.00 to $70,800.00 annual income from a personal group only.  This does not include additional First, Second, Third and Fourth level Leadership bonuses.  Considering that the median household income in the U.S. is slightly over $40,000.00 a year, we have a great money making opportunity to offer.

Now, getting back to the title of this newsletter, “LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL”, please do not misunderstand what I am about to say.  Nobody wants our country and its citizens to have difficult financial times!!!  But, by all indicators, our country and many of its citizens are experiencing difficult times.  Many people are losing their jobs, gasoline and other prices are rising.  We are all aware of the troubled housing market.  What I am saying is our industry is not affected as much as most industries are.

My first sales manager, Ken Casper, whose philosophy I wrote about in last month’s issue of BASICALLY SPEAKING, once told me, “If you really want good times in the direct sales business, you want the biggest depression this country has ever seen to occur tomorrow.”  Now remember, we don’t want tough times for anybody!  But, if they are occurring and we are not creating them, let’s take advantage of this growth opportunity that our industry has to offer and go out and help as many people as we can.

Another sales manager that I had when I was selling vacuum cleaners, told the story of when he was the manager of the Duluth, Minnesota, branch in the depression years of the 1930’s.  Branch managers in the vacuum cleaner business like all Shaklee sales leaders and sales leaders to be, are constantly looking for sales people.  He would run advertisements in the “help wanted” section of the Duluth newspaper. He was so overwhelmed with the responses that he would rent out the grand ballroom of the Hotel Duluth.  There he would give mass presentations to recruit new sales people to sell his vacuum cleaners door to door on a straight commission basis.  He would recruit dozens of people this way.

I have always found in our business, over these last 45 years, that when times were good and everybody had jobs and plenty of overtime pay, etc., etc., most people were not interested in the extra income Shaklee had to offer.  But, when their circumstances changed, their attitudes changed regarding the Shaklee opportunity.  That’s what I mean when I say, ‘LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL.”

I would like to close this newsletter by commenting on this year’s presidential election.  Over the past 45 years, we have had presidents of our country that I have had a great amount of respect for.  We have also had presidents that I have had absolutely no respect for.  However, none of them made any difference in my making money or building a Shaklee sales organization or just selling Shaklee products.  I am sure the same thing will occur regarding this year’s election.  Don’t worry, just keep throwing mud against the wall and perfecting your “30 minute pitch.”

Next month we will give you our ideas on a record keeping system that really works.  (We were supposed to share this system with you this month until we paid $70.00 for a tank of gas.)

Sincerely Yours,

Carol and Al

I hoped you were not depressed, but rather inspired when you read about Al’s paycheck.  Al is making the point that no matter what the economy is today, tomorrow or months from now, our Shaklee businesses are not affected.  People still need cleaning products (and ours are cheaper and greener than those in the stores).  They still need to buy their vitamins because it makes them feel good and stay healthy so they can go to work and make money.  AND, they need to make extra money.  We have so much to offer so many people.  Shaklee is a gift.  And the best thing to do with this gift is to help others. 

Relieve the stress in someone’s life today.  Give them an alternative, an option to their financial worries and health concerns.  Show them the gift of Shaklee.  Have a great Shaklee week!  Edie.