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Old Meets New — "The Best Ever!"  DSA Conference

Quebec City was the place to be in late June as DSA Conference delegates gathered to figure out how to meld the rich history of our industry with the incredibly fast-paced change we're faced with on a daily basis.  With the beautiful, rich heritage of one of Canada's oldest cities as our backdrop, we explored issues facing direct selling, developed leadership skills, and examined how technology and social media can help us grow our businesses.

Deemed "the best ever" by several attendees, the conference kicked off on Sunday with the annual golf tournament, followed by a Welcome Dinner that provided some fun and interesting networking opportunities.

Jon Berghoff kicked things off on Monday morning by helping us to crack the growth code through continual development of our skills of influence...from the entry level artist, turning nothing into something...to the teacher, taking that skill and duplicating it...to the executive level — teaching the teachers how to teach.  With no visual presentation to back him up, this energetic young man had the audience's full attention first thing Monday morning with his easy going, story-telling style. 

The stories continued with master story teller and conference favourite, Doug Keeley and The Mark of a Leader.  Our first interaction was a look at change as a choice — how do we determine what to hold onto and what to let go of?  He talked about keeping leadership simple...the art of helping ordinary people do extraordinary things — things they never knew they were capable of accomplishing.  To illustrate his point about the five levels of leadership — Spirit; Intellect; Imagination; Heart (passion); and Hands (doing the work) — Keeley shared the story of Shakelton's Antarctic expedition and how those leadership skills kept his crew alive throughout their ordeal.  We were left to ponder the question:  What did I do as a leader today to engage and encourage my team?

The first of two industry panels addressed issues facing DSA members, including changes to the Quebec Itinerant Merchant Permit that is requiring a permanent place of business in the province, the impact of HST on kits, renewals, and shipping fees, and changes to HRSDC's self-employment act and the impact that the DSA had on the decision to include ISCs as eligible for benefits.

Doug Keeley was back to share the story of runner, Chris Bannister and his quest to break the four-minute mile.  Understanding that nothing great can ever be done alone, Bannister surrounded himself with a strong team and clearly defined success so the team knew what was expected. 

The second industry panel took us through environmental stewardship and natural health products issues, and work being done in conjunction with the Competition Bureau to organize a Fraud Prevention conference.

With 13.8 of the 33 million Canadians on Facebook, social media is a phenomenon that can't be ignored.  Jennifer Fong, an expert in social media and its use in direct selling, provided real world examples of what member companies in North America are doing to leverage these exciting new tools.  By taking a strategic approach with social media and providing ISCs with guidelines, both the company and the field can benefit.  One key tip - - content is not enough.  To be successful with social media, engaging your audience is key. 

Phil Barrett of BSTREET Communications then took us through the successful social media campaign for Polar Ice Vodka, demonstrating that big budgets aren't necessary when you have a solid plan.  Using Facebook as the main vehicle and providing engaging content, the campaign was able to build a strong fan base and increase sales. 

A guided walking tour of Old Quebec City helped to build historical knowledge and appetites prior to a special dinner in one of the city's most historic buildings.

On Tuesday morning, Keeley proved that he was more than story teller.  He had us rolling in the aisles with his musical analogy about there only being 12 notes and how it's not the tools, but what you do with them that count.  Honestly, the most fun learning leadership that many of us have ever had!

Knowing the impact our industry has on the Canadian economy provides us with a strong foundation when dealing with government and regulatory bodies.  John Prevost, head of Mi3 Solutions, took us through the results of 2-pronged 2009 market research study into the socio-economic impact of the direct selling industry in Canada — an industry that has seen an 11.2% growth rate since 2003 and one that represents 16% of the market share of non-retail sales. 

Adrienne Warren of Scotiabank provided an economic update, identifying issues that may affect our industry - - issues like the predicted decrease in self-employment and the aging population and its affect on competition for jobs.

Understanding Gen Y is key to the success of any direct selling company.  Thanks to the research and insight provided by Frank Pons and Derek Hassay, we now have a much better understanding of that demographic, their loyalities, and how best to capture their attention with our brand strategy.  We know that we need to be real (transparent), raw (grab their attention / shock them), relevant, and relational (tell them how what you have to offer will impact them and their friends).

"Impossible is a state of mind."  It's important for leaders to be able to help their people see the world in different ways, according to Doug Keeley.  Such was the viewpoint of Anita Roddick who started the Body Shop, and of blind artist, John Bramblitt whose amazing "vision" truly supports that philosophy.

Helping us to connect the dots, Jonathan Kochis and Matthew Murchie walked us through the various digital channels, explaining the importance of drawing in your audience as opposed to "driving" traffic.  Providing information, entertainment, exclusivity, savings, and connections are what appeal to Gen Y.  In other words, don't try too hard to sell them product.  Instead, give them useful information that they'll want to share with their friends and they'll keep coming back.

The conference wrapped up with the President's Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony — an evening of camaraderie, recognition, and entertainment.  Lynda Rose, Past Chair of the DSA Board of Directors, and VP of Sales & Marketing for Mary Kay Cosmetics, received the coveted Ivan P. Phelan Award.  For a full list of 2010 Award winners, visit the DSA's website.

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