** All times listed are Eastern Time. **
Perhaps the most obvious impact of the recent Covid-19 pandemic were the restrictions on face-to-face social interaction. Suddenly, millions of us were forced into isolation, which, in turn, highlighted just how important being social is to humans, as well as the negative impact that being unable to socialise has on our mental, physical and emotional health. In this session, researcher Jonathan Bradshaw will explore the human need to meet and share fascinating nuggets of behavioral science as to why, when it comes to selling, you cannot beat meeting face-to-face.
Our opening keynote speaker is Kindra Hall, the best-selling author of Stories that Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business. Stories that Stick debuted at #2 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller List, and Forbes said it “may be the most valuable business book you read.” Kindra’s highly anticipated second book, Choose Your Story, Change Your Life: Silence Your Inner Critic and Rewrite Your Life from the Inside Out, was released this past January. She’ll share how we can refocus our direct selling story together.
Social media insights from the most sought-after experts will be shared throughout our sessions.
A vision for the next step in the internet’s evolution, “the metaverse” refers to digital worlds where people will gather to work, play, and hang out. Some of those online spaces will be immersive 3D experiences and require fancy goggles to enjoy. Others will play out on a computer screen The term’s been in flux and might continue evolving and renaming itself. It is the most repeated buzzword across online gaming, NFTs, and e-commerce. Microsoft’s planned acquisition of ActivisionBlizzard for $69 billion was explained as part of an expansion into the metaverse. Last year, Facebook rebranded itself as Meta, a nod to the social network’s ambition to be a prime mover in the new world. Rec Room and world-building games like Roblox and Minecraft all get rolled into discussions of what the metaverse is or will be. Join this session to learn what the roadmap for the metaverse could look like and its utility for the world of direct selling.
Our speakers will share updates on what's here, what's coming, and what you need to know to stay on top of your social channels.
With Web 1.0, over 90% of companies failed, but the internet didn’t.
With Web 2.0, over 90% of internet companies failed, but wireless didn’t.
With Web 3.0, look to the capabilities of blockchain, not to the companies, to see what’s going to survive.
Learn to successfully deal with transitions, keep your team productive and motivated when things are uncertain and transforming, and live in a world of more than enough.
COVID-19, the ensuing pandemic, and the lingering economic uncertainty have changed not only the way we work and do business, but the way we think about the future. In his executive keynote, DSA President & CEO Joe Mariano makes a strong case for optimism based on data from DSA’s 2022 Growth & Outlook Survey. He reveals the direct selling channel is strong and trending upward, and shares a new strategic plan that lays a foundation for vibrant commercial growth within a heightened regulatory environment.
Consumers want to make purchases in the most effortless fashion possible—and the ways that individuals can pay for goods and services have never been as broad as what is available today.
While cryptocurrencies and buy now/pay later (BNPL) have gone mainstream, direct sellers everywhere remain focused on meeting customers where they are and ensuring that any transaction is as simple as it is flawless.
Doing so will help consumers enjoy the most convenient purchase experience possible while empowering the channel to attract the next generation of entrepreneurs though the most frictionless form of purchase that enables our brands to compete.
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The pandemic changed everything. Companies that had prepared by embracing flexible technology architectures and strategic partnerships were ready to respond with digital solutions. Those that hadn’t yet done so scrambled, and some even failed. Our recent experience has forever changed our outlook. We all accept the imperative that accelerating our enterprises’ digital transformations require a focus on our customers and products and the practices and platforms that enable us to increase market share. This panel will explore what direct selling companies—from start-ups to those experiencing a hypergrowth phase and the most established organizations—can do today to prepare their enterprises and teams to meet the demands of the market in 2025 and beyond.
In March, the Federal Trade Commission released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking to establish standards around deceptive and unlawful earnings claims. DSA was highly involved in this process, filing comments with the Commission and engaging with other interested parties during the pendency of the rule. The FTC will determine whether to proceed with a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the coming months.
Hear from DSA's FTC Engagement Task Force members on what the comments submitted to the FTC said and insights on future strategies and engagement for the months and years ahead.
We all know the power of direct selling and the positive impact it has on the lives of so many people around the world, but we need to do a better job of telling that story. Research has shown that many of us see reputation as our biggest barrier to growth. This session will look at global efforts to understand our reputation, what we can do to create greater clarity around the business model and the importance of holding ourselves to high standards of integrity and transparency. Together, we have the power to enhance our reputation and build a more accurate, positive narrative around the products and services we sell, the opportunities we create and the good we do around the world.
In March 2020, few imagined the impact that COVID-19 would have on the workforce and our accelerated adoption of technology platforms that made our virtual operations possible since the World Health Organization first declared a global pandemic. Now, it’s time to use the benefit of time to understand how these recent transformations are shaping what’s next for business. This session will explore the transformation of the American workforce, the shifting demands and preferences of the American consumer, and the embrace of new forms of payment—together with the rise of cryptocurrencies—and the impact on business.
This session will provide in-depth data and analysis on DSA’s 2022 Growth & Outlook Survey from leading insights and strategy executives on DSA’s Industry Research Committee. Learn about key industry trends, their implications on the channel, and ensure you’re well-positioned to stay competitive post-pandemic.
Stuart Johnson will share his advice for today’s current direct selling leaders.
Trust is the ultimate currency in relationships that all institutions build with their stakeholders. For companies and brands, lasting trust is the strongest insurance against competition and disruption, the antidote to negative consumer perception, and the best path to continued growth. Dr. Kent Grayson will share new insights on trust that will inform your leadership, strategy and action. See more information on the Trust Project here.