Since the 1950s, people have been working at home with direct sales or "party plans". Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware have been selling in this way for the past 50 years, with agents going door to door or having product parties in their homes. There are still jobs like this today but also the option to use the internet to boost sales and offers an alternative way of working, especially people who have children to look after or who are disabled.
Direct sales literally means one person selling to another. The seller becomes a consultant or representative for the company and will sell the company's products for commission. The seller will have access to training resources and support but will also be an independent business owner.
If you do not want to work the traditional party plan method, you can opt to work online instead since literally millions of people have internet access and you might be selling what they are looking for. A lot of companies provide websites which you pay a monthly fee for. Customers can find you by looking through the main page and placing orders on the website.
Some companies allow their consultants to advertise their business through email, on their signature line in forums or by purchasing advertising space on other people's websites. You can gain new recruits by doing this or sell your products. Some companies however ban online advertising, so check their policy before you sign up, if you prefer to advertise this way. It is free to use a signature line but the price of advertising does vary. It is a good idea to experiment with advertising what works and what does not before ploughing a lot of money into it.
You can actually have a "virtual party" now in a web conference room instead of someone's living room, thanks to technology. The hostess gets a link to the room and she emails the guests. Then you can upload pictures of what you are selling and give a presentation using the microphone on your computer. The guests listen through their speakers so make sure you sound positive and full of energy.
You could choose to play games and give the winners prizes. If the guests have questions, they can type them to you. the online guests might be able to order products online or they might have to send payment and an order form, depending on the company's policies.
There are thousands of direct sales companies around today. They offer everything from pet food, craft supplies and clothing to gourmet ingredients. You might want to check out a few direct sales companies offering products which interest you, if you fancy trying your hand at this way of selling.
You should compare the companies before signing up with one. Ask them questions. It is important to find one you can be passionate about because it is difficult to sell something that you aren't interested in. If you believe in the company and its products, the enthusiasm will come across in your voice when you make presentations. The more you can sell, the more money you can make.
The Direct Selling Industry (aka network marketing, MLM, etc.) does not require any kind of licensing to operate as an independent contractor of a direct selling company. Certification is not mandatory, nor is it required for success in this industry. However, throughout the industry, leaders and organizations are continually striving to support self regulation and compliance to high ethical standards within their organization.
A major challenge for any leader or organization is the fact that there is not licensing requirements and so many people are running around misinformed or non-informed about how to truly achieve success in this industry and still maintain a high professional standard in all that they do.
Certification (even through a voluntary participation) helps set higher standards, enhancing competence and building upon credibility for the independent direct seller as a professional in this industry. This not only benefits the individual direct seller, but also benefits the company they represent and the whole Direct Selling Industry.
Keep in mind that Certification is not licensing, nor is it equivalent to getting a college degree. But it is a formal higher education that helps you position yourself as a professional marketer in the Direct Selling Industry.
The fact is, when you learn, understand, and apply the universal fundamentals taught through a certification course, you will enhance your competence of the industry and how to succeed based on high professional standards, which creates an extra element of credibility for you in the marketplace.
Certification may not be desired by everyone, nor is it a requirement of the industry. However, if you desire to work as a professional in this industry, maintaining high ethical standards, and achieve greater sustainable success, we highly recommend getting certified. While company specific training is critical to your knowledge of the products and company you represent, getting certified from a Direct Selling Industry specific school provides you with the critical universal fundamentals required for sustainable success.
Certification can provide an extra element of credibility, a stronger level of competence, and even a core element of formal education. This will position you and your people as professional marketers and as leaders that effectively produce stronger exponential growth, curbing the attrition in your organization, so you create a happier, more productive, and duplicating organization.
Certification is not only important for the individual marketer, but is also important for the leadership of an organization. By getting certified, the leadership can help lead their team by example and with action that meets the ethical standards of a true professional in the industry. As a leader, when your team is certified, you will find people will get their job quicker and more efficiently because they know what to do and are confident in what they are doing - because they are certified.
Further, certification provides an indicator of the commitment level of your people. Those who continue through advanced and graduate level certification will be strengthening their own skills and abilities to not only competently get their job done as a marketer, but more importantly, will gain the insight and accreditation as a leader who will be able to build a more massive organization in a work smart way, so the organization is more productive and duplicating.
Both Robert Williams & Jeffrey Zalewski are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Robert Williams has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development, Affiliate Programs and Fundraising. Robert Paul Williams is the Editor of Work At Home Business Website. Come Browse Our Free Article Library. Stay Informed with the Latest