Direct Sales and Business Blogging

I am often asked if its necessary to have a blog if you are in Direct Sales and my answers is this…if you are looking to build a Direct Sales business online…then yes. If you are only looking to market your business offline, well then, you don’t need an online business blog.

Often times a Direct Sales consultant will start a business blog and then shortly after they abandon it or they just copy and paste a lot of corporate information onto it. Seriously…this is the wrong thing to do. It takes a lot of time and hard work to build up a blog following and millions of people will not flock to your blog over night…it takes months to build up a good traffic stream to your blog.

The next thing I would like to discuss is blog content. If you have a Direct Sales blog, then your blog needs to be content rich, meaning…less sales ads and more helpful information that your readers will want to read and to keep them coming back for more.

Way too often I see consultants make the mistake of loading up their blogs with sales pitches, sales ads & specials, banners, buttons, graphics of their products and other things that will drive a reader away. When people visit a blog they want to READ content. This content should be in the form of helpful tips, indepth product information, how to use such and such product and things of this nature. They don’t need to see ‘in your face’ spam ads!

If you are considering starting a blog or if you already have a blog, I suggest you visit some other Direct Seller blogs that are successful to see the type of content they are posting on their blogs to help guide you down the correct path to Direct Sales blogging.

Remember…it’s all about good information and helpful content and less about what you have on sale that week.

~ Shelly ~

Adding Re-order Stickers to DS Products

When it comes to selling consumable Direct Sales products, you will often see direct sales reps who add ‘Re-order’ stickers to the products and to the products packaging. They are told to do this usually by their trainers or home offices.

I personally do not like re-order stickers all over the products that I purchase from various Direct Sales Reps. I find that it degrades the appearance of some of the products that I use. I look at it this way…companies put great thought and design talents into making a product packaging look pretty…some are so pretty that we let them sit out on our countertop or vanity…when you slap re-order stickers all over the product, I think it degrades the pretty appearance.

Now some of you might say…well, just peel them off. Often times…they don’t come off easily or they leave an icky sticky residue.

I was tweeting about this very topic over on twitter and several DS reps came forward and agreed with me in regards to the tackiness of slapping reorder stickers all over the products that you sell.

In my personal opinion (yes my personal opinion), I don’t like having them on the products I purchase. However, if you insist on putting the stickers onto your products, it should go on the packaging (box, bag, whatever) and not on the product itself. I think having the stickers on the product…degrades its pretty appearance.

I really don’t think slapping these stickers all over your products helps with repeat sales…after all, your customer purchased it from you once…so they usually know how to find you to purchase it again.

I find that imprinting your business information onto a pretty refrigerator magnet and including that magnet in with the order is a much better way to get your repeat orders.

~ Shelly ~

Customer Service – The Holidays

When it comes to the holidays…you need to go above and beyond the call of duty to satisfy your customers. After all, providing excellent customer service should be a priority in your business all year long…even more so during the holiday season.

What extra little things do you do for your customers during the holiday shopping season? Here are some things I like to do for my customers.

1. I offer free gift wrapping for holiday gifts that they purchase from me. Yes that is right folks…free gift wrapping. You can go to your local dollar type of store and purchase gift bags, rolls of wrapping paper and even a box of holiday greeting cards for only $1.00

So lets say that a customer purchases $50 worth of products from you and 2 of those products are for holiday gifts. You can wrap those gifts and place a gift tag on those 2 gifts for less than $1.50 out of your own pocket. Sure…offering this type of service might cost you 3-5% of your profit…but it will be well worth satisfying that customer during the holiday season.

2. If your company doesn’t offer direct shipping (example: customer purchases a gift but wants it shipped directly to the gift recipient)…then you can offer that service yourself. Make sure you charge your customer EXACTLY what it will cost to send the item(s)…by exactly…I mean don’t add on a handling charge.

3. If you know the customer well and this customer has been doing business with you for a long time…you can consider offering a layaway plan on large purchases of $100 or more. You could request 50% down and then the other 50% in the next 30 days. You will hold onto the purchase until it is paid off. If you decide to offer a holiday layaway plan, make sure you have something drafted up in writing and have your customer sign and date it. On my layaway plan, if a customer does not pay off their layaway by such and such date, they forfeit their purchase. So far, I have never been stuck with a layaway but I only do this for customers who I know very well.

4. Tis the season to be generous! If your customer places an order for $50 or more, you could offer a freebie item with their purchase…or you could offer a discount coupon that they can redeem off their next purchase after the holidays.

When it comes to providing excellent customer service during the holidays…try to go above and beyond the call of duty. If you a treat a customer ‘right’ during the holiday shopping season, they will often times come back after the holidays to make future purchases.

~ Shelly ~

Direct Sales: 9 Ways To Use Extra Product Inventory

As Direct Sales consultants, we often end up with excess product inventory. These items could be discontinued items, slightly used demonstration products, or items you received as gifts from your company.

At my home, space is at a premium. I like to use my overstock to help promote my business, after all, it doesn’t make me any money sitting around in storage.

Here are 9 creative ways you can use your inventory to enhance your business.

1. Booking Gifts – You can use products from your inventory to obtain new party bookings.

2. Customer Orders – Entice larger customer orders by offering a product from your overstock for free or for 1/2 price, if the customer places an order of $100 or more.

3. Open House – If you have a lot of overstock on hand, you can hold a cash and carry open house.

4. Rewards for Team Members – If you have a team, set a monthly goal for them to achieve. If they reach the goal, reward each member with an item from your personal inventory of products.

5. Sponsor a Contest – Donate a product to a business as a prize donation. You can receive some terrific business exposure.

6. Charity Raffle – Donate a product to a charity raffle event. You get business exposure and a tax write-off.

7. Recruiting Incentive – Offer a product from your inventory as an extra incentive to a potential new consultant to join your team.

8. Bartering – Consider bartering with other business owners for business products or services that you need.

9. Gifts – When you need holiday gifts for friends and family members, consider using items from your product inventory.

I hope these ideas have sparked a few of your own. Just remember, if your merchandise is sitting around in boxes collecting dust, it isn’t making you money.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can contact Shelly at:
Web: Classy Home Business Women
Web: Shelly’s Tupperware Home Business

5 Creative Ideas To Generate Additional Product Sales

When it comes to running a home business, we are all looking for some creative ways to generate more sales. Generating more sales, equals more income for you.

Here are 5 creative ideas that I would like to share with you.

1. Start a monthly auto-ship program. This auto-ship program could be monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly. When I do auto-ship programs, I always give my customers a discount for participating. They need a nice incentive to sign-up for your program.

example: If you sell candles, you could do a monthly auto-ship program by offering a different scent for your customers each month.

example: If you sell gourmet baking mixes, offer a different mix each month.

2. Start a referral program. Print up some coupons or business cards with your referral program information on them. Offer your current customers an incentive to refer their family and friends to you.

example: Refer 2 new customers to me and receive a free _____________.

3. Try before you buy program. If at all possible, purchase or create sample packs of items you sell. Customers are more likely to buy a product after they have sampled it.

4. Offer A Contest. Announce to all of your customers that you are holding a contest this month. Let them know that every purchase they make, will earn them an entry into your monthly contest.

5. Teach A Class. Offer to teach a class within your business niche. It’s important to use your company products as supplies for the class. You will need to charge your student’s appropriately, for the supplies.

example: If you sell scrapbooking supplies, offer to teach scrapbooking classes at your local craft store or community center.

example: If you sell home decor items, offer to teach home decorating classes at your local home decor store, furniture store, and community center.

There are many more creative things you can do to generate more business sales. I hope these 5 ideas have started the creative process for you.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can contact Shelly at:
Web: Classy Home Business Women
Web: Shelly’s Tupperware Home Business

Tips To Get More Bookings And Higher Home Party Sales

Are you in Direct Sales? Are you struggling with getting more dating’s and higher party sales?

As a Direct Sales Consultant, its important to keep your dating and booking calendar full. Why? Keeping a full calendar means consistent income for you!

It’s equally important to work closely with your home party hosts. You want your host to have a successful home party so that they achieve the goals that yield them the most free and half-priced items. The more successful the party, the more bookings you will get from it. If the party host feels completely satisfied, she will rebook another party from you.

Try these tips to increase your party bookings.

1. Offer an immediate dating gift to someone who books a home party with you and sets a date for the party within the next 21 days.

2. Half-Price selections are one of your most valuable tools. Let party guests know they can purchase these products at the half-off price by holding a party with you.

3. Reward hosts who have a “Dating in Waiting,” a party dated before you arrive. I like to offer a product that retails for $10-$15 as my extra incentive for outside bookings.

4. Re-Bookings. Offer an incentive to your host if she rebooks another party with you, to be held in 90 days.

5. Offer Exclusive Host Gifts. These are products that only party hosts can earn for free or 1/2 price for having a home party with you.

Try these tips to increase your home party sales.

1. Attendance Specials. Provide an incentive for hosts who have 10 guests at their party. Provide an additional incentive for hosts who have 20 guests at their party.

2. Encourage party guests to bring an uninvited friend to the party. One way of doing this is by labeling the party invitation with the bring a friend to the party information. I personally reward guests with a 10% discount off their personal order for bringing along a friend.

3. Offer several Purchase with Purchase Specials, also known as Bonus Buys.

example: With a $50 purchase, you can add-on xyz item to your order for only $10.00 or with a $100 purchase, you can add-on xyz item to your order for only $25.00

Enticing customers to buy more to receive a special offer is a great way to increase party sales.

4. Have plenty of items to demonstrate at your home parties. The more items guests see, the more they will buy.

5. Make your parties fun and interactive. Get your guests involved in the party. Play a few games, offer some great prizes and more importantly, make sure you enjoy yourself.

By offering incentives like these, it helps to increase party attendance, which in turn increases your party sales. When you have satisfied hosts and guests, they will in turn, book parties from you!

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can contact Shelly at:
Web: Shelly’s Tupperware Home Business