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Six Tips for Successful Online Recruiting for Your Direct Sales Business

Most direct sales for your business will come through person-to-person contact with those interested in your product.  You may do demonstrations and hold parties, and those methods are generally productive.  There are people who “”surf the net”, however, who you may not be able to reach any other way. Here are six tips for capturing that market and successfully recruiting online.

1.  Use the big draw

Everyone enjoys getting something for free.  Begin your recruiting process by offering free ebooks, reports, or articles. People will sign up to receive the free item and leave their contact information.

2.  Establish relationships

No matter how your prospective recruit found you, either online or offline, remember that they are a real person and deserve to be treated as such.  Be available to them offline to answer questions.  Develop a relationship based on trust and your new friend may become your newest team member.

3.  Have an online party

Instead of using the traditional home party approach, consider throwing an online party.  The benefits of an online party are that they take much less time than a home party, the potential customer can purchase the item they’re interested in without feeling pressured to purchase more, plus they can come back and purchase something else if the deadline for orders is a few days away.

4.  Write an article

The suggestion might sound odd but it might be just what you need to generate leads for potential recruits.  Create articles that will capture a reader’s attention by presenting your product in a non-sales way, and you’ll come across as a friend rather than someone only trying to make a sale.  Give potential customers and team members a reason to believe that you are knowledgeable.  You’ll be surprised how people will listen to someone who sounds like an expert.

5.  Use message boards

Be careful how you approach someone on a message board.  Get to know the person by finding out their interests.  Befriend them and they will likely visit the link in your signature line.  Don’t send emails or private messages unless you have been asked.  Unsolicited emails and private messages will get you branded as a “spammer”, and you don’t want that.  Reply to a request for information only if your opportunity meets the person’s stated interests.

6.  Better communication

In this day and age, people are constantly on the go.  By using the internet you may be able to stay in contact with your potential team members.  Don’t forget to use email and newsletters to alert prospects of upcoming deals.

Using these six tips may not guarantee you more success when recruiting online; however, your chances for success are greater.  Try these, along with any others you can find with research.  Test these suggestions and use the one that brings you the best results.

Seven Tips to Get More Bookings at Your Next Direct Sales Party

Hosting your first demonstration, or home party, for your new direct sales home business can be daunting.  You hope and pray that someone will be interested enough in your products to purchase them, of course, but you also hope that you will get at least one future booking.  Using these seven tips may help you to get more bookings at your next direct sales party.

1.  Exchange shows - chances are you know other people who have direct sales businesses.  If your goal is to book another party, ask them to do it and then tell them that you would book a party through them in return.

2.  If the school doesn’t object, leave a catalog or two in the teacher’s lounge where your child goes to school.  Teachers are always on the lookout for bargains and things that will benefit their children.  If you sell educational toys or items, you may be able to obtain more than one booking.

3.  Leave brochures or catalogs in the waiting room at your doctor’s or dentist’s office on your next visit.  Also leave a copy with the receptionist or ask if you can leave one in their lounge.

4.  Check with your local Chamber of Commerce to see if there is a Welcome Wagon for new people moving into the area.  If there isn’t a Welcome Wagon, ask them if you could leave a stack of brochures or business cards to be placed in welcome packages for new citizens.

5.  Send catalogs or opportunity literature to people chosen randomly from the telephone book.  Make sure to keep a record of everyone that you have sent this information.  If you choose to try this tip in the future, you want to send the information to other people.

6.  Begin your demonstration by mentioning to the guests that the hostess will be receiving free gifts for having the party. Also tell them what the hostess is working toward and exactly what she needs to receive that item.  Don’t be afraid to boldly ask them to book a party to help the hostess reach that goal.

7.  Make the suggestion that by booking a second show in the future, the hostess will be guaranteed an opportunity to see and try new products as they are released.  This is particularly effective if your hostess last held a show in the spring. Hosting a party closer to the holidays would help her save money on her own holiday shopping.

These seven tips for getting more bookings at your next direct sales party are just a drop in the bucket.  Take a few minutes to think of other things you could do to get bookings.  If all else fails, ask family if they will host a party for you.

Ten of the Most Popular Direct Sales Companies

Direct sales companies have been around for years.  Historically, a direct sales associate was expected to demonstrate their products at home parties.  What are the most popular direct sales companies today?  The following list gives companies to consider if you are curious about starting a direct sales business at home.

1.  Tupperware was created in 1945.  A year later Tupperware was born as a direct sales company.  They are credited with pioneering the party plan currently used in direct marketing.  There are approximately 1.9 million consultants in almost 100 countries.

2.  Avon began as the California Perfume Company in 1886.  By 1928 the company had changed its name to Avon.  Today, Avon is one of the best known direct sales companies in the world.  There are 4.9 million representatives selling products in 143 countries.

3.  Mary Kay Ash founded the Mary Kay Inc. in 1963, hoping to give women an opportunity to change their lives for the better.  There are approximately 1.6 million associates vying for the many company incentives.

4.  Discovery Toys Inc. has been developing and selling quality educational toys since 1978.  Their belief is that a child’s work is play.  Discovery Toys uses the party plan method and is currently available only in the United States and Canada.

5.  Home Interiors & Gifts, Inc. celebrates 50 years in 2008.  There are currently over 100,000 associates.  They use party plan and face-to-face meetings to market their products.

6.  Pampered Chef, one of the more recent additions to direct sales companies, was started in 1980.  There are currently over 60,000 Pampered Chef consultants around the world.  They use the party plan, or ìKitchen Showsî to market their products.

7.  Arbonne International uses person-to-person marketing rather than the party plan.  A relatively new company, Arbonne International was started in 1980.  They offer quality skin care products around the world.

8.  Usborne Books, which was started by Peter Usborne in 1973, offers quality children’s books to customers.  They use both the party plan and person-to-person marketing strategies.

9.  Creative Memories has been selling scrapbooking books and supplies since 1987.  They use the party plan marketing strategy and have ìtens of thousandsî of consultants around the world.

10.  Melaleuca, Inc. began selling ìgreenî products long before they were so popular.  Founded in 1985, the company sells personal, skin, and home care products containing tea tree oil.  They use person-to-person marketing and have consultants all over the world.  They are said to be the ìfastest growingî direct sales company in the United States.

These ten direct sales companies are but a few of the many companies to choose from. Do some research on any direct sales company that you might consider joining.  Know ahead of time what their compensation plan is, what type of marketing strategy they use, whether or not you can use online marketing, and if their corporate goals are compatible with yours.  After you have checked each company out thoroughly, you will be able to make an educated decision about which is the right one for you.

Are Parties Necessary for Direct Sales Success?

People who are considering a home based business in direct sales begin to think about companies that use party plans as a means to generate income.  Party plans encourage prospective customers to host a party in order to earn free or discounted products.  Are parties necessary if you want to work in direct sales?

Not all direct sales companies require their associates to conduct parties.  In fact, some direct sales companies don’t require parties at all.  You may want to look further into companies offering a different plan for marketing if you are not comfortable talking to crowds of people.

Melaleuca, Avon, and World Book, among others, do not require a party plan.  So, are they necessary for success?  Obviously, the answer is no.  Even people that are associated with party plan companies can succeed by using other marketing plans.  It happens every day, you just have to do some research and determine what the other options are.

Direct sales success really depends more on you than on the method of marketing the product to potential customers.  If you don’t believe in the company and the product, it doesn’t matter what you do - you won’t be able to make your home business a success.  Here are some ideas to help you succeed whether you’re using a party plan or not:

1. Familiarize yourself with the business manual you received in your start-up kit.  Make a list of questions you have and then contact your upline sponsor as soon as you can.  Understanding what is expected of you, what you can and cannot do to market the product, and how the company will pay you will make all the difference in how you conduct your business.

2. Follow the instructions given to you during training.  Most likely you will be told to make a list of everyone you know. This will be your master list, the first people you will contact about your new business.  If you don’t complete this task, you’re not going to do the rest.  Swallow your pride and ask for your money back.  This company is not for you.

3. Begin networking with other business owners.  Join the local Chamber of Commerce and get plugged into regular meetings.  You must promote your business if it is to grow, and networking with other business people is a great way to let others know about your company.

4. Schedule specific times during the week to work on the various aspects of your business. If you’re at home, make sure to let friends and family members know that you do not want to be interrupted during your ìworkî hours.

5. Tell everyone about your business. Don’t assume that they already know about it or that they’re not interested.  You might be surprised to find that more people are interested than you think.

These five points show that you do not have to be involved in home parties in order to succeed in direct sales.  Your success is ultimately up to you, and depends on how serious you are about treating your business as a business.  If you want to see your business grow, you have to act in ways that will cause growth to happen.

Check Online Sales Rules with Direct Sales Companies

Direct sales companies abound.  Look around and you’re likely to see someone advertising how you can lose weight or make money from home.  The opportunities all sound good, but how do you decide which one to buy into?  Determining the rules of any direct sales company, especially when it comes to selling online, is critical if you would like to make use of the internet to do your business.

It wasn’t that long ago that direct sales companies only had a website that explained their opportunity and how you could join their team.  That has changed dramatically within the last ten years.  Not all direct sales companies have the same rules when it comes to selling online.  In fact, some may not allow their associates to sell online at all.

Most direct sales transactions are completed person-to-person, face-to-face during a party or demonstration.  Some people don’t want to wait for a party to get what they want, however, and will often turn to the internet.  If the parent company has a website, the prospective customer will likely find what they want.  However, if they want to develop a relationship with the company, they may also choose to find a consultant.

How do you know what a direct sales company’s online sales rules are?  Of course, the easiest way to find out is to ask, but not all companies may be forthcoming with their information.  You may have to ask for additional information by signing up on their website, but be prepared to be approached and encouraged to ìsign on the dotted lineî.

If at all possible, refrain from joining any direct sales company until you’ve had ample time to thoroughly read over their materials.  Know ahead of time what their compensation plan is, how they help you succeed in a business, and also what online marketing you will be able to do.  What do you do if they won’t give you this information?  Thank them for the opportunity, but tell them you’re not interested and you’d rather not be contacted again.

If the company will allow you to have an internet presence, don’t settle for using just the website that they provide.  You can create a separate website, with your own domain, which will link to the main company page.  Having a personal website gives you much more freedom in meeting your prospects’ needs, as well as those of your team members.

Remember, if you’re looking into a direct sales company, don’t be afraid to ask questions - particularly about their rules for running your business online.  If you don’t get the response you would like, consider a different company.  You want to find one that will support your interests and success as much as their own.