MARKETING

Marketing in the Direct Sales World.
Ladies and Gentlemen, you cannot text your way into direct sales. You must pick up the phone, when in person is not an option, and establish a rapport with your customer or team member. When someone places ongoing orders with you, they will have to have access to you. Your customer needs to know that you are knowledgeable with regards to your product and, most important, trustworthy and reliable.
Your team member must feel you care about them. Texting just does not work here. It does not work for your members and it does not work for you. Usually, when someone will not speak with me, they don't sell for long.

Get back to basics: Business Cards that contain all information except your home address. Save that last piece of info for safety reasons. Include your business name, like Avon with Barbara Rippert, name, phone number, email, and web address. On the back of my cards, I like to add how to join my team and give the web address and reference code.

Flyers, great to leave in businesses when targeting new business/team members. I also leave my brochures and business cards. I love using Vistaprint not only for cost but for service.

Signs. I use Lawn Signs at various locations and when I am at a vendor show. I use signs in plastic on my vendor table. I like to wear an AVON pin on my body or bag when possible. Pen's are a great giveaway.

Wear your product. When I need shoes, I buy Avon shoes. When I need jeans or tops or sunglasses, Avon! What better way to advertise.

Brochure Distribution - Always have a brochure on hand. Brochures go everywhere you go and you never know if the person you share with will be your next team member.  Ask local bussinesses to display your Brochures for you.

Helpers - Employ helpers by giving them a % of their sales. 10 people can certainly reach more people than 1.

Email Marketing is great! Avon has a wonderful email marketing system set in place for you.

Online marketing - Use Facebook, Youtube, Pintrest, Google, Twitter and more.

DSWA - Direct Selling Women's Alliance is a great resource. Their Elite Leadership Program is admirable. (tell them I sent you:-))

Educate Yourself - Read inspirational books and how to books. Accelerated SUCCESS by Donna Reid-Mitchel, A View From THE TOP - Thrive Publishing. Buidl It Big from the DSWA. Take classes at your local college.

Accounting - Invest in an online accounting system that you can understand and then you will be able to predict your outcome.

My Opinion: Word of mouth and speaking directly to your customers/co-workers works best. However, your true intent will come through in your language and body language.  Be sure you believe in what you are selling and believe that this is a business worth sharing.

Good luck!

Customers who Don't pay.

I have two customers who did not pay for their orders. I am sending their orders back. Who's fault? Mine! I ordered for one person who got my book out of a local business. I did not know her. I always get credit card info over the phone for new customers. This time I did not. I became complaisant. The 2nd customer ordered from me before but lives far from my house. She insisted that she pay me in person but no cc. This set a bell off in my head that I ignored.  #1, I did not make enough on the order to spend the gas and my time delivering it. #2, when someone argues about payment, they don't have enough money for the order.

The funny thing about the no-payers, they order a little and don't offer their card. The payers always offer their card even before I ask. Easy to remember.

I never give out an order without the money. This is one rule I live by.

Avon makes life easy for their reps. We have two sites:
Our Rep site: We order from, pay through, keep track of our customers, upload social media, send emails and train. A beautiful site.
Our Online Store: Here our customers order from and are free to pay online and have this order sent to them.

I work for myself with Avon as my distributor. This is my business and I need to set my own rules. One  rule I remember today is, "Any new customers who call for an order, must pay with a credit card before I order." A second rule, "Remember the first rule here."

To the 99% of my wonderful customers, who order and pay on time, "THANK YOU!"
www.youravon.com/brippert

YARD SALES

Selling Avon at Yard Sales, in my opinion, is completely for exposure and signing up new co-workers. Yesterday, I gained 3 interested ladies' information to contact today regarding an Avon business. I signed one new representatives and sold $200 worth of Avon. Does this happen all the time? No! Sometimes I stand all day, sell $10 worth of Avon and no one wants to talk Avon! When Yard Sales work, they are beautiful.
I feel that if you want to sell Avon, sell from the brochure. It does not matter what you pre-buy(and you don't have to build an inventory), customers want to pick what they need/want from our Brochure.
If you want exposure and want to build your team, yard sales are a good way to appoint and get your name out there as "the Avon Lady." Work it ladies and gentlemen!
www.youravon.com/brippert

Direct Sales is available to everyone! I chose Avon because it has been in my family forever and is over 125 years old. I enjoy taking Avon wherever I go....family, friends, work, neighbors and new customers and co-workers who become good friends. I enjoy that I can work Avon with my other job or work Avon on it's own. Training from me as your leader, training for me from my leaders and training to all 24/7 online from Avon. I figure if you're going to learn about Direct Sales, learn from Avon. Take what you like and leave the rest!
I started in November of 2011 and still loving it. My business and my approach changes daily as I learn and experience more and more. This is truly a business that you own and run and you can make it a successful business.  www.youravon.com/brippert