There’s been some confusion as to whether or not the increase earnings on direct ship orders is still in effect with the launch of “One Simple Fee” which replaces the “Sell “E” No Fee earnings are still in effect at least through C-26 2011. It is now called the E-Selling Extravaganza. I would post a link, but it will only take you to the YourAvon.com login page so I’ve listed the details below:
e-Selling Earnings Extravaganza:
When you service 1 ecustomer during a given campaign, you will earn up to 25%
When you service 2 ecustomers during a given campaign you will earn up to 35%
When you service 3 or more ecustomers during a given campaign you will earn up to 45%
These percentages effect your earnings for direct ship orders. You will earn up to the commission level that applies to the rest of your order. For example, you have 2 eCustomer direct-ship orders AND your total award sales (including personal sales and eCustomer orders) are $300. You are at 35% commission level. You will earn 35% on all your orders, personal and direct-ship eCustomer orders.
However if you have the same 2 eCustomer direct-ship customers and your total award sales are $200, you’re at 30% commission level. You will earn 30% on all your orders, personal and direct-ship eCustomer orders.
Basically you earn your regular commission level on ALL your orders, but on your direct-ship eCustomer orders you only earn up to the amount listed above when you have the required amount of eCustomer orders.
I know this may be confusing, especially if you are new to Avon or the online selling. So please post your questions below.
The bottom line: It pays to service customers online, so aim to have at least 3 customers order online through your personal website each campaign. It will increase your productivity by saving you time, thereby allowing you to service MORE customers. And you’ll be servicing your customers better, because some of your customers will actually prefer to shop online.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The Home Party
The Home Party
Let me ask you something, if there was a way you could increase your sales by an extra $700 each campaign, gain an extra 4-6 new repeat customers and 1 new team member each campaign, would that be something you’d be interested in? What if I told you that you could do all this in just about 3 hours per week?
That is the power of the home party. Since you’re having the party in the home of one of your customers, your cost is limited to what you choose to offer her in hostess rewards (which will of course be based on her party sales). This makes home parties a very cost-effective way to do business.
The average Avon party yields around $350 in sales (based on my personal experience and the experiences of my team). Adding just 1 party per week to your schedule could earn you additional $100 per week to your bottom line (based on a $350 average). So why not offer home parties?
Some Tips:
Offer Hostess Specials.You are going to want to plan out what you are going to offer your hostess in terms of this free and deeply discounted product we speak of. Pictured is a copy of the hostess plan that I use. I print these 4 up on a page and cut in quarters and pass them out at events, and place them in customer’s orders. Make sure you actually talk to your customer about it however, not just stick it in their order to never be spoken about.
Essentially I offer 20% back in free product and 20% off anything over that in free product. Fixed earnings items count for 10%. To sweeten the deal they also get to order up to 3 items from the What’s New book at my price. The 20% in free product actually costs you less then that since you’re buying it at 40% or more off, so you’re still making a nice profit.
Finding Hostesses
Of course you will need to find hostesses. Let’s go back to last week’s scenario, someone at your holiday open house has told you that she will not be able to purchase all the items she would like because she just doesn’t have enough money. You ask her if she would be interested in getting them for free. She could say no, and that’s really not so bad, you’re still really happy she came and is your valued customer. She could have some specific concerns that you could discuss further with her. If she’s worried that she will does not know enough people to invite, you could reassure her that you will help her come up with a good guest list. After all, she probably knows way more people than she realized, most people do. How about her F.R.A.N.K. (Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors and people she know through her Kids), Have her browse her cell phone address book or her facebook friend list for people she may not have thought of. And remember, they don’t have to be her best friends; in fact a home party is a great way to break the ice with people you want to get to know better.
If her house is too small, or she has dogs or doesn’t want to clean it, you can always suggest finding a public venue where she can hostess her party. Many local coffee shops, churches and community centers will let you have events there for free.
Whatever you do, do not let a no get in your way of finding that first yes! I probably asked about 50 people to hostess parties for me before I finally got someone who said yes. It’s partially a numbers game and partially based on your skills. If you get as many nos as I did, you also got a lot of practice and it will only be easier from there on out.
Conduct Your Party
Your party will be conducted very similarly to your Holiday Open House. You will want to offer a door prize (the information collected on the entry form is especially valuable here).You’ll want to take some time to meet and greet the guests. You will want to share a short presentation. Demonstrate products.
Lately I’ve been in love with the Avon Spa Night. At an Avon Spa night we all get together to pamper ourselves with Footworks and Nailwear products. I bought some dish pans at the Dollar General for about $1 each and I have the guests all sit and soak their feel with the Footworks Lavender Foot Soak. Then I pass around the foot mask, the moisturizing foot cream, followed by nail files and buffers and my Nailwear collection of nail polish in a variety of shades. I like to give the guests little pedicure tips as we go and encourage them to share any tips they know. It’s a great way to get everyone involved. Then we do our finger nails. I use disinfect-able salon quality nail files and buffers (from Sally Beauty Supply) and wipe them down with rubbing alcohol to keep them sanitary. I also rinse out the foot tubs between parties with a bleach solution. A small 1 time investment gets me a lot of use.
At the close of the party you will want to thank everyone for coming and let them know you will stick around for a little bit to get everyone’s orders. Set up with your calculator, receipt books and cash box (you may need change) and talk with each customer about her order. Please do have them pay when they place their order. This will save you gobs of time later on. When they pay up front you can then bring all the orders to their hostess to deliver. It may sound like a good idea now to deliver them all yourself, but it absolutely will not when your order arrives and you have orders from 2 or more parties to deliver. The point of group selling is to save you time, not make more work for yourself. If by chance a guest orders something that is backordered, call her and ask if she wants to wait or cancel the item. If she chooses to cancel, place her refund in cash, in an envelope inside her order for her. If she chooses to wait, let her know you will deliver it to her hostess as soon as it comes in.
After the Party
I like to send a handwritten thank you cards through the US Postal Service following the party. Be sure to let her know how much you appreciate her business.
Be sure to send one to your hostess as well.
Be sure to follow up with those guests who booked their own party with you too!
For more on home parties, most of what I know I learned from Julie Anne Jones, please visit her blog at http://julieannejones.com/category/all
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Holiday Open House
What events are you doing this holiday season? Did you know that events can inspire your current customers to spend more and attract brand new customers and team members to your business? I would like to cover 3 different types of evens that I feel are absolutely essential to building a successful business. I will be posting these in 3 part series, 1 per week for a total of 3 weeks. We will start this week with the Holiday Open House.
The Holiday Open House:
My first year with Avon, I learned about Holiday Open Houses from a training CD that was mailed to me with my order. I have held one every year since. A Holiday Open House is an event that you hold in your home or a public venue for your customers. This is a chance to show them how much you appreciate their business and support over the previous year. It is also a chance for you to show them all the amazing gift items available this season, in a format where they have the opportunity to touch, smell and experience the products. Many people do not realize that Avon offers gifts for just about every person on their list.
Some tips:
1.)Send invitations 2-3 weeks in advance. Enough time to give people to plan, but not so much that they forget. Use postcards, you can order them very inexpensively from Vistaprint and they are cheaper to mail.
2.)If you choose to have your event at a public venue (coffee shop, public library, community center etc, advertise it. This is a great way to attract new potential customers to stop by. Have some posters printed to place around town and list your Holiday Open House as a community event in local papers and online classifieds.
3.)Be sure to let your guests know that when she brings a friend, she will get a free gift. I like to use jewelry from the demo books that will be new in the brochure from which the guests will be ordering. After admiring her jewelry, you’re likely to have plenty of orders for it. Keep your cost around or under $5.
4.)Keep the refreshments simple. Hot cider and gingerbread cookies have always worked well for me. You could also offer coffee or tea.
5.)Offer a door prize drawing. Have your guests fill out slips with their name, address, phone number and email to enter. That way, you will have contact information for everyone including the friends of your guests who could potentially become your new customers. I like to use a footworks or Naturals gift set, usually priced at around $10 in the brochure. Your cost will only be $6 but the actual value might be more like $20 or $25. Draw the winner at the close of the party.
6.)Have display items, but keep it simple. Choose about 4-5 items which you really want to promote. Choose them from different categories, 1 piece of jewelry, 1 bath and body gift set, 1 decorative item, something for the man in your life etc. Be sure to choose items that you are really excited about, it will be easy for you to get your customers excited too.
7.)Have cash and carry items, but keep your stock to a minimum. I’ve always had the vast majority of my sales be orders at these events and it’s nearly impossible to know for sure what will sell. So keep it simple. Be sure to put out anything you already have in stock, but don’t buy a lot of new stuff.
8.)If there’s 1 thing you should buy however, it’s impulse items. Avon holiday minis sell really well at all types of events and they’re great add-ons. Place them by your order-taking table so guests can add them at the last minute. Avon mini hand creams, mini bubble baths, holiday lip balms and kids bath-time body paints are must-haves.
9.)Last but not least, have a dry-erase calendar displaying your “open dates” for people to book parties with you and earn free product. You are likely to have a few guests who want o buy way more than they can afford. Simply say “I’d LOVE to help you get some or all of these items for free, is that something you would be interested in?” (More on this in my next post on the Home Party)
The Holiday Open House:
My first year with Avon, I learned about Holiday Open Houses from a training CD that was mailed to me with my order. I have held one every year since. A Holiday Open House is an event that you hold in your home or a public venue for your customers. This is a chance to show them how much you appreciate their business and support over the previous year. It is also a chance for you to show them all the amazing gift items available this season, in a format where they have the opportunity to touch, smell and experience the products. Many people do not realize that Avon offers gifts for just about every person on their list.
Some tips:
1.)Send invitations 2-3 weeks in advance. Enough time to give people to plan, but not so much that they forget. Use postcards, you can order them very inexpensively from Vistaprint and they are cheaper to mail.
2.)If you choose to have your event at a public venue (coffee shop, public library, community center etc, advertise it. This is a great way to attract new potential customers to stop by. Have some posters printed to place around town and list your Holiday Open House as a community event in local papers and online classifieds.
3.)Be sure to let your guests know that when she brings a friend, she will get a free gift. I like to use jewelry from the demo books that will be new in the brochure from which the guests will be ordering. After admiring her jewelry, you’re likely to have plenty of orders for it. Keep your cost around or under $5.
4.)Keep the refreshments simple. Hot cider and gingerbread cookies have always worked well for me. You could also offer coffee or tea.
5.)Offer a door prize drawing. Have your guests fill out slips with their name, address, phone number and email to enter. That way, you will have contact information for everyone including the friends of your guests who could potentially become your new customers. I like to use a footworks or Naturals gift set, usually priced at around $10 in the brochure. Your cost will only be $6 but the actual value might be more like $20 or $25. Draw the winner at the close of the party.
6.)Have display items, but keep it simple. Choose about 4-5 items which you really want to promote. Choose them from different categories, 1 piece of jewelry, 1 bath and body gift set, 1 decorative item, something for the man in your life etc. Be sure to choose items that you are really excited about, it will be easy for you to get your customers excited too.
7.)Have cash and carry items, but keep your stock to a minimum. I’ve always had the vast majority of my sales be orders at these events and it’s nearly impossible to know for sure what will sell. So keep it simple. Be sure to put out anything you already have in stock, but don’t buy a lot of new stuff.
8.)If there’s 1 thing you should buy however, it’s impulse items. Avon holiday minis sell really well at all types of events and they’re great add-ons. Place them by your order-taking table so guests can add them at the last minute. Avon mini hand creams, mini bubble baths, holiday lip balms and kids bath-time body paints are must-haves.
9.)Last but not least, have a dry-erase calendar displaying your “open dates” for people to book parties with you and earn free product. You are likely to have a few guests who want o buy way more than they can afford. Simply say “I’d LOVE to help you get some or all of these items for free, is that something you would be interested in?” (More on this in my next post on the Home Party)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Leadership Tips From Shawntrell
As a leader in direct sales it’s my job to teach my team to be successful, sharing tips and tricks that have helped me to grow my business, so that I can help them to succeed. But sometimes, I learn as much from them as they learn from me. I’d like to share today 3 leadership tips from one of my team’s fantastic leaders, Shawntrell Miles. These tips have helped my business immensely.
1.) Organize your leads on index cards. Fill in name, number and best contact time on an index card. In the upper left hand corner I like to write the area where they live and in the upper right hand corner, the date in which I first acquired the lead. Under their name, I keep a contact log with the date, time and result of the call. Organize them in an index card file or coupon caddy which you can find at Staples or Wal-Mart for just a few dollars. I like to organize them by area so that when I have an appointment in a particular area I can then go back and call all my other leads from that area. Keep your file of index cards in your purse so you can call them on your lunch break, while you’re waiting for your kids when you go to pick them up, when you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, or when you’re driving (only with your hands-free devise of course!). I used to make lists, a new list every time I made calls. When I called someone I often couldn’t remember when or how many times I had called them thus far. I couldn’t remember if I had left a voicemail or a message with a person (who probably never gave them the message). Now I have all that information right in front of me no matter where I am and I find time to call my leads that I never knew I had!
2.) Double book your appointments. If you’ve been in leadership a while you know that getting stood up is a fact of life. Even when you confirm the appointment the morning of, every now and then someone will still leave you waiting. Shawntrell discovered that when you double book an appointment (i.e. set up an appointment with 2 prospects for the same time and place), 90% of the time, at least one will show up. You essentially double your chances of gaining a new team member that day. If they both make it, you can do a group appointment.
3.) Organize your lead’s email addresses into groups by area and periodically email them with updates. When you are doing an opportunity meeting, you can email your leads form that area to let them know. You can also email them with instructions on doing an online appointment. Some people, who didn’t have time to meet with you, will get started online. Sometimes people get busy and are unreachable for a few months. When things settle down, they may be ready to start their business. So don’t give up on old leads, keep them on your email list until they ask to be removed or until they join your team.
1.) Organize your leads on index cards. Fill in name, number and best contact time on an index card. In the upper left hand corner I like to write the area where they live and in the upper right hand corner, the date in which I first acquired the lead. Under their name, I keep a contact log with the date, time and result of the call. Organize them in an index card file or coupon caddy which you can find at Staples or Wal-Mart for just a few dollars. I like to organize them by area so that when I have an appointment in a particular area I can then go back and call all my other leads from that area. Keep your file of index cards in your purse so you can call them on your lunch break, while you’re waiting for your kids when you go to pick them up, when you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, or when you’re driving (only with your hands-free devise of course!). I used to make lists, a new list every time I made calls. When I called someone I often couldn’t remember when or how many times I had called them thus far. I couldn’t remember if I had left a voicemail or a message with a person (who probably never gave them the message). Now I have all that information right in front of me no matter where I am and I find time to call my leads that I never knew I had!
2.) Double book your appointments. If you’ve been in leadership a while you know that getting stood up is a fact of life. Even when you confirm the appointment the morning of, every now and then someone will still leave you waiting. Shawntrell discovered that when you double book an appointment (i.e. set up an appointment with 2 prospects for the same time and place), 90% of the time, at least one will show up. You essentially double your chances of gaining a new team member that day. If they both make it, you can do a group appointment.
3.) Organize your lead’s email addresses into groups by area and periodically email them with updates. When you are doing an opportunity meeting, you can email your leads form that area to let them know. You can also email them with instructions on doing an online appointment. Some people, who didn’t have time to meet with you, will get started online. Sometimes people get busy and are unreachable for a few months. When things settle down, they may be ready to start their business. So don’t give up on old leads, keep them on your email list until they ask to be removed or until they join your team.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Tiny Tillia for Your Avon Business
Tiny Tillia has officially launched! Tiny Tillia is Avon’s newest brand of adorable baby clothes, toys and nursery décor. All Avon representatives can now share Tiny Tillia with their customers. Here’s how:
1. Go to TinyTillia.com
2. Click “sign” in.
3. Under the “sign in as a representative” section, sign in using your Avon account number and password, just as you would on youravon.com
4. You will be greeted with a little overview about the company and some basic information to get you started.
5. Your e-customers can shop Tiny Tillia using their log in for your e-representative website. Their purchases will be linked to you and your Avon account will be credited.
6. There is currently no link to Tiny Tillia from your e-representative website, so customers must go to Tinytillia.com to shop.
7. You can order “story books” (catalogues) featuring the Tiny Tillia line for your customers to shop from as well. When you place your customer’s orders, you will do so on TinyTilla.com, not on Youravon.com
8. You can place a Tiny Tillia order anytime and the order will ship right away, not with your regular Avon order.
9. All representative orders over $50 have free shipping.
10. Your customers can create a baby registry. When they do this, all purchases from it will be linked to you and you will receive the commission.
Make sure to let your customers know about this great new line! Make sure to post the link on facebook, your blog, in your customer emails and start passing out some Tiny Tillia “story books” as soon as possible. And don’t forget to invite friends and customers who are expecting to create a registry! How are you promoting the new Tiny Tillia line?
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Missed Appointment = New Opportunity
Last Sunday, I had a T2 scheduled with a new team member. When I woke up in the morning, the battery in my phone was dead, so I left the phone on the charge and headed out. We were set to meet at a local diner. I drove there, walked in and sat down and waited. My appointment never showed. The waitress wad so nice, she even let me use her own cell phone so I could call my rep. I found out that she had left me a voicemail that morning that I never received because of my phone situation. I left a larger than normal tip for the wonderful waitress who had gone out of her way to help me and as always I left an Avon book and a sample for her as well. As I was getting ready to leave, she stopped me and placed an order. The lesson: even getting stood up is an opportunity to find a new customer or team member!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Impulse Items
At a recent visit to Staples, I was asked if I would like to purchase a pen for just $1.99. I looked to see a prominent display of brightly colored pens by the checkout. My being someone who is always in need of a pen, I selected an attractive looking green pen and added it to my purchase. It got me thinking, how many people added a pen to their purchase that day? How much extra sales did those pen purchases generate that day? ….that week? ....that year?
This practice is actually quite common, and if you’ve ever worked in a retail establishment that did this, you know how many extra pens they sold that day – a lot. In retail stores, you will always find last minute impulse purchases at the checkout. Things like pens, candy, scotch tape, batteries, nail clippers and lip balms. Why? Because these are things people are likely to forget, but always need. They are also inexpensive purchases, and not something that people need to think about, they just buy.
So next campaign, pick an item. It can be almost anything, but it must be something that people often forget, but always need. It must be something inexpensive, so they don’t have to think too much about it. Ask each customer, when you take down her order, if she would like to add this item to her order for just $X.XX. Keep track of your results and let me know how you did.
My campaign 2 pick will be the Moisture Therapy lip balm for $1.50. I will keep you updated on my results!
This practice is actually quite common, and if you’ve ever worked in a retail establishment that did this, you know how many extra pens they sold that day – a lot. In retail stores, you will always find last minute impulse purchases at the checkout. Things like pens, candy, scotch tape, batteries, nail clippers and lip balms. Why? Because these are things people are likely to forget, but always need. They are also inexpensive purchases, and not something that people need to think about, they just buy.
So next campaign, pick an item. It can be almost anything, but it must be something that people often forget, but always need. It must be something inexpensive, so they don’t have to think too much about it. Ask each customer, when you take down her order, if she would like to add this item to her order for just $X.XX. Keep track of your results and let me know how you did.
My campaign 2 pick will be the Moisture Therapy lip balm for $1.50. I will keep you updated on my results!
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