To share or not to share...that is the question!

It plagues my mind... what to share with everyone and what ideas I should hoard for myself.  Or even worse...who I can share the good ideas with because I am afraid if the info gets out to the "wrong" person, it might be a bad thing... Crazy eh?

I think this is a deep dark(or maybe not so dark to some)secret in direct sales.  We want to be close with our fellow comrades of the sales world BUT only if it doesn't hurt our businesses.

So how do you handle this? 

I think that if I were called on the phone by ANYONE I would offer my best insite EVEN if it didn't benefit me in any way.  In fact...I have done this and will continue to do this to those who are so bold as to ask!

I don't give out all my ideas on facebook or other marketing sites but would if I were messaged privately about the idea.  I think that I am a fairly open person, so I feel like I am maintaining some sort of balance.

Whats the major fear here?(at least for me)

I am scared that someone will take my long thought out idea and not give credit back to where the idea came from.  Wow...that's vain right?  I think you would all be quite surprised if you knew the amount of time that I spend thinking and processing different marketing ideas and plans.  I LOVE MARKETING!!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT, so it is pretty second nature to me.

So jump in on the conversation.  I realize this could be a completely taboo subject but I am interested in knowing if you share everything with everyone, if you share everything with some, or some with everyone.

p.s.-I just bought the Julie Ann Jones organizational kit and will be doing a review soon!

Not just your usual marketing tool site!

Vistaprint is one of the most commonly used sites for creating cheap marketing tools for direct sales success!  When I started selling UL, I used Vistaprint to create business cards, pens, postcards and t shirts.

 A few different things that have proven successful that I have created are
-anniversary postcards with added coupon
-labels for my postcards so that I don't have to handwrite everything!
-a business card  which says "do you want to order more product later? Here's How"
-postcards to announce that I earned my trip with a coupon
-postcards with an explanation of our 90 day guarantee for those who have ordered online.
-birthday card postcards for my customers
-refrigerator magnets
-labels for the back of my catalogs
-labels for the back of my photos that I shared at convention
-gift certificates
-car magnets
-postcards for those who have needed a correction order
-personalized thank you cards
-stamp for my order forms and brochures
-mini notepads for my customers to jot down ideas

Here's a picture of the postcard that I created to let people know about our new catalog and promotion in January!

So what are you using Vistaprint for?  Do you have another site that you use?  We would love to know all about it!

Awwwww...what a cute story right???

Now that I have introduced myself, I want you to know that Uppercase Living is NOT what this blog is about. 

This blog is for those of you who are in direct sales or thinking of direct sales as an option for your life!

I intend to have guest writers, tips and things that have worked(or may not have worked)!  Basically things that I think are interesting!!!

So, invite your friends who are passionate about what they sell, invite those who are brand new and email me with questions!

Welcome to the journey!  I am so glad you chose to come along!

Welcome! An intro!

Welcome everyone!  My name is Erin Carey and I the mother to 5 beautiful little girls by day and an Uppercase Living Independent Demonstrator by night. 

My journey with Uppercase began a little over two years ago while attending an Uppercase Living gathering in Cary, Illinois.  Like many I encounter, I had never heard of Uppercase Living and went with a friend to see if it was "anything".  I was shocked to find out that was Uppercase was offering wasn't the pillows or lamp on the postcard invitation but the words on the wall!!!!  Words that have changed my life! 

I left that gathering with a catalog that I promptly took to my PTO meeting the next day.  At the end of the meeting, I pulled the catalog out and asked a few of those who seemed interested if they thought "this was anything???"  They were more excited than I was, and a few of them told me that they would have a party because they could see the words in their homes, and wanted the benefits!  I was thrilled...and hadn't even signed up yet! 

The next morning I signed up.  That was February 11, 2008, not even a year into my youngest daughters life! 

The past two years have been a whirlwind of acheivements that I never anticipated.  I started Uppercase becuase I felt like I was sharing something NEW with those in my life but never knew that I was actually lacking in self esteem.  As a mother tethered to the livingroom year after year, there was something amazing about getting out of the house to share something that I believed in and having the crowd become receptive to what I was saying! 

I am truly blessed.  I am able to grasp the benefits of both worlds!  As a stay at home mom, I am available for my toddlers.  I drive them to school, make them lunch, play with them and nurture them they way that only a mother can.  As a UL demonstrator I am able to connect with my peers and share a way to enhance their homes for very little money.  All the while building a team and financial stability for our large family!