Avon hires women to sell and demo its products. The average woman bringing beauty to the average women. It is a wise strategy and it works. Not only is it good for Avon, it is a good strategy for the women it hires. These women can build a customer base and become successful saleswomen and successful businesswomen. The following tips will help new representatives build their own businesses and make the most of their sales.
Become an e-representative.
Avon offers its representatives a website which is free for the first seven campaigns. After that, the website will cost a small fee, and is due each campaign. However, if the representative’s website receives traffic during a campaign, the site will be free for that campaign. These websites are great for family and friends who want to buy from a representative, but do not live close enough to make personal delivery feasible. If a customer wants to place an order between campaigns, or cannot wait for regular delivery of an item, then the website is a way for that customer to still buy from her representative.
Accept credit cards.
A sale can be won or lost based on what payment types a representative is willing or able to take. Not every woman carries cash. Avon offers free credit card slips to their employees through their website. They also offer a credit card imprinter for a small fee. Avon also offers a tutorial on how to process credit cards and turn in receipts to earn proper credit for credit card sales. Customers are always more apt to buy when they know that credit is accepted.
Distribute samples and trial sizes.
Avon estimates that of every ten samples distributed, five full sized products will be ordered. Samples and trial sizes allow a woman to try a product in the comfort of her own home. They help a customer determine which products she likes, which products she loves, and which products may not be for her. Samples can be given to prospective customers or given as a thank you to current customers when they receive their order. This thank you offers a personal touch. Any customer will say that a personal touch makes them feel more appreciated. This type of customer appreciation will lead to more sales, and possibly more customers. Women will tell other women when they are satisfied with the services they receive, and will often recommend representatives that they are happy with.
Start with a compliment.
Compliments make people feel good. They are also a great icebreaker. A well-placed compliment will attract a customer’s attention and make her more likely to want to listen to what an Avon representative has to say. Personal touches and kind words mean the world in a customer/sales rep relationship.
Don’t be shy.
Succeeding with Avon means more than just leaving a trail of books around the city. It means approaching people and talking to them. Avon tells its employees that they should approach at least three people a day. This helps build up the customer base faster. Also, women are more likely to make a purchase when they speak to their representative in the flesh and receive individual attention, advice, and suggestions in person. A book can lead to sales as well, but many books are thumbed through with interest and then left behind. Brochures are useful, but nothing beats good old fashioned customer service.
Have a party.
An Avon representative’s income is not dependent on booking shows, unlike other sales-from-home businesses. However, that doesn’t mean that representatives should not book shows and parties, or plan to have one of their own. Shows are a great way to demo new products, hand out samples, and allow customers to try products. Representatives can give facials, show clothing, jewelry, and other items that Avon offers.
If planning a personal party, plan it well enough in advance that whatever demos that need to be ordered can be ordered. Also, many district office offer party or demo kits that can be checked out by representatives for shows. This saves on the out of pocket cost for the representative. If a customer wants to book a show, it will be up to the representative what type of hostess incentive the customer will be offered. Some ideas are a gift basket of products, no tax on her order, or a percentage off of her order. Whatever you decide to offer, make sure the hostess knows exactly what she is going to receive.
Set up a table.
School events, church events, clubs, and other venues are great places to set up an Avon table. The products will have more exposure to a wider customer base. Remember, the more that goes into the business, the more that will come from it. If there is an opportunity to demo products and promote Avon, then it should be taken. Missed opportunities mean missed sales, and that boils down to less income.
Fundraise.
Churches, sports teams, and schools often have fundraisers for much needed expenses. Offer to help by providing fundraising products. Avon offers fundraising opportunities. Volunteering to fundraise is one way to be seen as a caring representative, and it will also introduce Avon products to potentially new customers. Even if only one customer is gained, a representative can sleep well knowing that she aided in a cause.
Keep up appearances.
People won’t buy a product from someone who appears to know nothing about that product. Avon is first and foremost, a beauty company. Take time to for hair, makeup, and nails on a regular basis. The more it is obvious that a representative uses what she is selling, the more confident customers will be in purchasing from her.
Practice good money management.
Avon offers financial courses and advice through its website. An outside financial course may also be valuable, but is not necessary. Sales representatives are responsible for their own taxes and records, and in some cases, must file their Avon business on their taxes if they make over a certain amount of money in a one year period. Calculating the correct sales tax on an order is very important. Here is an example.
Customer A places an order. The subtotal comes to $55.24.
Customer A lives in Florida, where the sales tax is about 7% (Usually, sales tax varies by county, but for this example, a blanket sales tax of 7% is being used.)
To find the the appropriate sales tax for this order, the representative must multiply 55.24 by .07, which is the decimal equivalent of 7%. The tax for this order is $3.86. The total for the order is therefore $59.10.
For the amount of math involved, as well as record-keeping purposes, a good financial software is recommended. It will help keep track of sales, expenses, and earnings. Avon offers a software tailored to its representatives’ businesses. However, if a representative wishes to maintain her home finances as well, other companies offer software that will manage both home and business finances. This type of software encourages good financial health all around. Having organized finances makes living life less stressful.
Be prepared to spend money…but not too much.
Avon reps must buy campaign brochures. However, there are other things that are not essential to buy, but useful for promoting a business promotion. Bags for gifts, business cards, samples, trial sizes, and demos are all things Avon representatives should have on hand in order to promote and expand their businesses. Also, reps can buy demo items the campaign before the items are released. Picking and choosing at least one or two demo items a campaign can be a useful strategy, especially if it is clothing or jewelry, as these can effortlessly be shown off.
If personal sales total more than customer sales, scale back on personal spending. This is a business after all, and while representatives should buy and use product, personal sales should never total more than customer sales. The idea is to make money and not go bankrupt buying product.
Have fun.
This is personal advice. If you don’t enjoy what you do, then it will show. Customers don’t want to buy from an unhappy sales rep who doesn’t enjoy her job. If you have ever had a crabby waitress at a restaurant, you will understand. If you are a happy and confident salesperson, you will have happy customers willing to buy from you. Enjoy working for Avon. It offers many benefits to its representatives, and all you have to do is be driven enough to achieve them. This guide has provided you with the tools and creative suggestions needed to achieve business success. Now, its your turn to go out and build your business. Enjoy!
