Make sure you have complete directions from the hostess about how to find her house. Find out, too, where you should park. If you are selling bulky products, make sure she understands that you’d like to be as close to the house as possible.

If there will be children at the party and the hostess is not providing a baby-sitter, bringing along your own teen or neighbor might be a good idea, even if you have to pay them a small amount.

Make sure you have catalogs, order forms, a table and tablecloth if you need them, a calculator, sales literature and your samples loaded in your car.

Plan on leaving your house with plenty of time to spare, and plan on arriving at the hostess’ home at least 30 minutes before the party is scheduled to begin. Forty-five minutes is probably better, and if you have an elaborate display or an abundance of samples to show, it isn’t unreasonable to arrive an hour before the party. If the hostess is still running around in her robe or still making refreshments, let her know that she doesn’t have to entertain you. Go about setting up an attractive display.

Spend a few minutes, if you can, going over the program one more time with the hostess. Discuss how soon you’d like to have all the orders turned in. Some hostesses like a few days after the party to get catalog orders collected, or to get orders from the friends who decided at the last minute that they couldn’t attend.

Explain the importance of starting on time to the hostess. Also suggest that she serve only liquid refreshments when the party begins and to refrain from serving messy foods until your demonstration is over. (You can only suggest this. The party is in the hostess’ home and she can decide when to serve refreshments. Be flexible.)

When the first guests arrive, try to be finished with your set-up, so that you can help the hostess welcome them. Remembering names is good for business, so pay attention to introductions.

At the scheduled time, begin the party. Even if only a few people have arrived on time, their time is valuable and they shouldn’t be made to wait for late arrivals. As late guests arrive, you can acknowledge them and continue talking.

Introduce yourself and tell a little about yourself. You might want to tell how long you’ve been with the company and why you joined.

Give prizes to guests who brought friends with them, if you have decided to do that. Give the thank-you gift(s) to the hostess.

Play a game or games and award prizes.

Pass out catalogs, order forms, pencils and clipboards, if you have them.

Then, begin your demonstration. Every company has different guidelines about how to do a show or demonstration. Follow the instructions given to you by your company. If they have provided you with a flip chart that gives a history of the company and explains the company’s programs, use it. If not, have a checklist handy about these programs so you don’t leave any important information out.

Explain what benefits the hostess receives for having a party in her home. If your company offers bonus buys or some incentives to guests be sure to explain them as well. Suggest that if anyone wants a flexible, fun, part time job, that they should talk with you after the demonstration.

When you begin doing home parties, it’s hard to focus your attention around the room. But as you become more adept at demonstrating the products, you eyes can glance around the room as you talk. Be on the lookout for a guest who just loves a product but doesn’t order it. It could be that the guest cannot afford to purchase the product. That guest could be a good candidate for a party in her own home, so she can receive free gifts.

Watch for guests who seem to love everything about the products, or ones who ask lots of questions about the programs. They might be interested in becoming a sales rep.

As you demonstrate your products, let your passion for them show. If you’re showing a teddy bear, pick it up lovingly and hug it to your chest. Talk about how soft it is. As you hold each product, you’ll want to mention its name, item number, price, color and size. If you’re showing a musical, wind it up and let the music play so everyone can hear. Pass around small items that need to be observed close at hand.

Once you’ve shown all the items in your sample kit take out that catalog you marked showing the items you’ve seen but don’t have. Have the guests turn to the page in the catalog with you and look at the items as you talk about them.

Close your demonstration by asking if anyone has any questions. Be prepared to give answers to questions, but be honest if you don’t know. Offer to get back to a guest about a question and do so as promised.

After the questions have been answered, suggest that some guests look closer at the items on display while others get refreshments. Tell the guests that you have a calculator and will be glad to add up their orders when they are ready. Then fade back into the background. Most people don’t like having a sales rep. hovering over them, but they do want you to be close enough to answer more questions if they have them.

As the guests finish ordering, total their orders. Make sure you adhere to the guidelines of your company about the collection of money. If your company asks that the hostess collects money, just slip the cash or checks into an envelope for the hostess. If guests are paying with credit cards, make sure you follow those procedures.

Most order forms have multiple parts, so that the demonstrator, the guest and the hostess get copies. Give the appropriate copies to the guests and the hostess.

After about 30-45 minutes, begin packing up your merchandise as the guests visit and complete their orders. If all guests who plan on ordering have done so, make sure the hostess has copies of the orders and the payments, or that you have the payments, depending on how your company works. Most companies do insist that orders be paid in full before being shipped. Explain to the hostess that you will contact her on the day you’ve already prearranged to close the party. At that time, you can give her any further instructions needed to finish the party. (It is suggested that you not let a party stay open more than three days past the event. If the hostess has not collected all the outside orders she wanted to, suggest that a separate catalog party be done with those orders. The people who attended the party expect their merchandise to arrive in a timely fashion, and that won’t happen if the party order forms aren’t sent to the company.)

Thank the hostess for allowing you to have the party in her home, pack up your car and head for home. The play is over and you can take a bow. You’ve survived. And hopefully, you had some fun as well.

Author Resource:
Marilyn Mackenzie has been writing about home, family, faith and nature for over 40 years. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com which is a site for Creative Writers. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/kenzie, so stop by and read for a while.

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I really thought it was ridiculous that grown women wanted to play silly games. But once I saw that I could earn a decent income working part time at something fun - home parties - I decided that maybe I could tolerate a few silly games.

The problem with playing games is that you have to award prizes. Finding inexpensive gifts becomes something important to each demonstrator. You don’t want to spend so much on prizes that you’re not making any money, especially if sales are low. There will be some parties hardly worth leaving home. And there will be others where you’ll sell twice or three times the average. The numbers average out.

Some home party plans have small gifts available thorough them. If not, here are some inexpensive gift ideas:

Check your local craft or sewing store’s bargain bin. One year, a sales rep discovered battery-operated white candles with brass holders in the bargain bin at our local craft store. A set of 6 candles was on sale for $2.50. That was a bargain. She gave one candle for a prize, meaning the prize cost her only about 42 cents each.

Visit the closest dollar store to find sets of things - magnets, candles, etc. Give only one of a set for a prize.

Are you crafty? Make inexpensive bookmarks or ornaments to give away.

You get the idea. Find something inexpensive to give as prizes. If you start your business giving out more expensive prizes, your guests will expect that at the next party booked.

If you’re like I was and don’t like playing games, there is one game that satisfies the need of those who want games and doesn’t bother those who don’t like them. Playing one game shouldn’t be too difficult for anyone.

When you’re preparing for your party, place an inexpensive gift in a plain brown paper bag. On the outside, write “WORM.” You might want to paste a gummy worm on the outside of the bag also.

As the party begins, hold the bag in your hands and say, “My name is _______ and this is a worm.” Then pass the bag to the person on your right and ask her to say her name and “this is a worm.” While the bag is being passed, pay attention to the introductions of the guests, in case you didn’t get their names when they came in. Everyone likes to be called by name. Remembering names is good business.

When the bag has been passed to each guest, take it back and ask which guest was the first to arrive. Hand the bag to the first guest to arrive, saying, “Well, everyone knows the early bird gets the worm.” Some people attend multiple parties, and they’ll remember this game and make a point of at least being on time. Word gets around that being early or on time is rewarded at your parties. And if parties can get started on time, you’ll be leaving on schedule as well.

Another game that is simple to remember is one that is also played at wedding and baby showers. For a home party, it’s called “match the hostess.” The hostess and each guest need a piece of paper and a pencil. You can either ask questions about your products or about the season or about anything else you desire. Ask about 8 questions. The hostess reads her answers and the person who matches the most of them wins. The problem with this game is that if everyone knows the hostess rather well, there may be 2 or three winners. You’ll need enough prizes just in case that happens.

Questions could be:

About products:

Which is your favorite product?
Which product does the hostess have in her kitchen (or bathroom or living room) right now?
Which is your least favorite product?

About seasons:

Christmas
Name 1 reindeer.
What’s your favorite Christmas Carol?
Name another Christmas Carol.
What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
Do you prefer red or green?
If the guests are real game players, here’s one that gets rather wild. Tell the guests that if the answer to you question is yes, they should move one seat to the right. If the answer is no, they should stay where they are. Guests end up sitting on top of one another and laughing about it. The first to arrive back in her original seat wins. (Again, you need to be prepared for multiple winners.)

Sample questions (You need more questions than guests. It’s a good idea to have a list of as many as 30 or 40 questions, in case none apply and they all just sit there.)

Do you have blue eyes?
Are your ears pierced?
Did you make your bed this morning?
Are you wearing any red?
Are your toenails painted?
Are you driving a green car?
Do you have more than 3 children?
Do you have more than 6 grandchildren?
Are you having fun?
Are you wearing a black slip?
Are you wearing brown shoes?
Did you bring a purse?
When people have fun at home parties, they tend to buy more. So, playing a few games is often worth it in terms of sales. Just be sure you don’t spend too much on gifts or prizes.

While you’re shopping for gifts, you might want to find a simple thank you gift for your hostess too. Many home party plans have a thank you gift built into the program. But a simple gift from the demonstrator is a nice touch too.

Some sales reps like to give a simple gift to each guest or to any guest who brings someone with them. (Remember, the more people, the higher the sales.)

Now, let the games begin! Author Resource:
Marilyn Mackenzie has been writing about home, family, faith and nature for over 40 years. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com which is a site for Creative Writers. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/kenzie, so stop by and read for a while.

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At a time when you won’t be disturbed, spread out the products from your sample kit. Hold them, touch them, make them work if they wind up or having moving parts. Make sure they have batteries installed if they require them. Put tags on your merchandise or create cards to set near each item on display, with the item number, price, batteries needed, or any other pertinent information. If the item comes in other colors, list that information on your tag or card as well. Put the catalog page number on the card too, so you or your customers can refer to the catalog for more information.

Look at the catalog and make note of any things you’ve seen but don’t have in your sample kit. Perhaps your manager or recruiter showed you a few items they had that you do not. Mark one of your catalogs, showing which items you’ve seen. Customers will often ask if you’ve seen an item and will want your opinion of it before they decided to purchase.

Make sure your name and telephone number are on each catalog and order form. If your company requires a party number, put those on order forms before the day of the show. Some companies provide special envelopes for each party. If yours does not, you might want to purchase some plain brown ones. In the envelope, you’ll want to include catalogs and order forms for each party. On the outside of the envelope, record the hostess’ name, phone number, address, date of her show and driving directions. Some companies provide other selling tools, like flip charts. Familiarize yourself with them. Flip charts typically give a little history of the company and explain the hostess program. Having a flip chart does help one remember to mention the important facts about the company and its programs. If the company you’ve joined doesn’t provide such a tool, you might want to make a checklist for yourself about all the things you need to share with the hostess and her guests at the party.

If your company provides brochures about booking parties or recruiting brochures, make sure your name and phone number are on them as well and take some to each show.

At the party, placing an order should be an easy task for each guest. Plan on trying to have a catalog for each guest. They can put the order form on the catalog to making writing the order easier. Some demonstrators like to have clipboard for each guest. Clipboards can be easily made with heavy cardboard, covered with fabric or contact paper, with a plastic clothespin at the top to hold the order form in place. Make sure you have writing instruments - pens or pencils - available too. Not every guest comes prepared with his or her own pen, and the hostess shouldn’t be expected to provide them.

Once you’ve acquainted yourself with your products, it’s time to practice. Practicing in front of a mirror is a good idea, if one is available. Remember that practice makes perfect. It’s a good idea to practice the entire home party, beginning with your arrival to your departure. Know what you’ll say to the hostess when you arrive and what you’ll say to guests as they arrive. Practice making your display attractive, and take note at how long it takes to do so. You’ll want to have enough time to set up for your first real show.

Practice demonstrating your products in front of the mirror. Pick up each item, tell the price and what it does and another information you have about the product. Take note of how much time it takes for the actual demonstration too, so you’ll be able to tell your hostesses what to expect.

Once you are comfortable with your products, you’ll need to review the programs also, so that you can answer any questions the party guests have, or know where to find the answers in your sales materials.

Next, it’s time to make sure your party hostess is also prepared. Seven days before the show, call the hostess to make sure she has mailed or passed out invitations. Find out if she has had any responses yet, and if she has any idea how many guests might come. If she hasn’t sent invitations yet, offer to do so for her.

Remind the party hostess about the benefits she’ll receive for having the party. Most plans increase the free merchandise to the hostess as sales increase. Ask your hostess if she has selected what she wants for free, if your plan allows her to pick her own free gifts. Having a target amount of what the hostess wants helps sales increase.

Ask your hostess to keep the refreshments simple. Having a huge variety of foods available often puts the focus on the food and takes it away from the products you are trying to sell.

Find out if the hostess has any questions at that time. If you don’t have the answers handy, tell her you’ll call back with the answers after you’ve found out from your recruiter or manager or from your sales materials. Then, call her back as you promised.

Find out if your hostess’ friends like to play party games. Some people love playing games and others do not. As a demonstrator, you need to be flexible.

Five days before the party, make brief contact with the hostess again to see if she has any questions.

Three days before the party, call again, asking if the hostess has a better idea of how many people will attend. Tell her that you need the information so that you have enough supplies on hand. If the hostess has not heard from anyone, gently suggest that she call her friends to find out if they will attend. Suggest that when she does call, that she tell her friends if they bring a friend with them that you’ll give them a simple gift. The more people who attend a show, the bigger the sales and the greater the chance that you’ll book more shows. You want a crowd!

The night before the party, contact the hostess once more. Tell her how excited you are to be doing a show for her friends. If she still hasn’t had any response from her friends, suggest that she contact a few of them to ask that they bring something simple with them to the show - ice, for instance. Being responsible for bringing something guarantees that people show up. Some party plans insist that at least a certain number of guests be in attendance. If yours does, make sure the hostess knows that, so she’ll be sure to have at least that many people at her home.

Knowing your products and programs, and remembering to coach your hostess are important keys to your success as a home party sales representative.

Articles Source
Marilyn Mackenzie has been writing about home, family, faith and nature for over 40 years. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com which is a site for Creative Writers. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/kenzie, so stop by and read for a while.

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1. What do I think of the products? Not just the ones I bought today, but the ones I have been using for weeks, months or years? Obviously if you are using the products for months or years than it is probably safe to say you are enjoying the products.

2. What is the price range of these products? Do I know people (as we always start with selling to those we know) that can and will want to purchase these products?

3. How often will the products need to be reordered? Will I have returning customers each month because the products are consumable? (make-up, food, cards are examples of consumable products), (jewelry, books, clothing are non-consumables).

4. What is the discount or commission structure? Do I have minimums or quotas each month? What do I have to do to receive my monthly discount or bonus check?

5. Is there a yearly renewal fee for my membership? If so, how much?

6. How can I advertise this business? Many companies are not internet friendly and therefore if you plan to advertise on the internet you may be at a serious disadvantage by not being able to have a website with products on it. However if you are not planning to advertise on the internet, then this issue does not need to be a large concern when making the decision. Ask about use of the company name - can you put a link in your email, sign on your car? Think about what you plan to do and ask if this is something you can do with this particular company.

7. Talk with other representatives and not only the ones in your local area. Ask friends and family members if they know of the products and if so, what do they know. You may find information that will help you in making a more informed decision.

8. Ask yourself how much do I want to invest in this business? Even though you are working for yourself, this is still a business and you are the business owner, self promotion is key. There is work involved. You will have to decide how much time you want to spend at events, home parties, expos, marketing your business to others and of course, how comfortable are you on the phone? Telephone skills are very important in direct sales. Following up with customers and potential customers is crucial.

Keep in touch with those you have met. Just say hello, a friendly reminder that you are there is sometimes all it takes to receive a new order from someone you may have met at an event. Make sure you are available, answering machines are a must in this day and age. No one likes to call somewhere and receive a busy signal or get no answer. Make sure your customers
can reach you.

9. Check out the local area reps to see what goes on in terms of meetings and updates. Most companies have a policy that once a consultant reaches a certain level in the company they are required to hold meetings to pass on new information to other consultants. Find out what is in your area. Are there 3 other consultants in your area or 30,000? Having too many or too few is not necessarily a positive or negative to base a decision on, but something to give you a guideline of what type of networking environment is available to you.

10. Most importantly remember that direct sales is not the type of business where you can hang a shingle and say “okay I’m here, come buy from me.” This is a very interactive tough type of business to be involved in. Depending on the area and time of year, things will slow down. The main point is that if you are happy with the products you are offering and able to communicate well with others you will succeed. Don’t let slow days get you down.

Remember to smile on the phone with others, talk about your products and share with everyone. Don’t prejudge what the answer is going to be and therefore not talk to someone about what you have to offer. Let them know what you have to share and remind people by the constant use of your products in your home, car, office and wherever else they can be used. Talk it up and your customer base will grow. Most of all - keep a positive mental attitude and remember you can and will succeed!

Author Resource:

Written by Caryn FitzGerald, owner of FitzByDesign.com
Contact: caryn@fitzbydesign.com.
Caryn FitzGerald is a retired LPC, and the owner of several companies including FitzByDesign.com, VendorCentralUSA.com and HeresMyImage.com. She holds a Masters in Counseling and has worked as a therapist for many years prior to becoming a work-for-herself parent.

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* Business Expo Tip #1 - Welcome guests and vendors to the event - seems pretty simple, but being friendly online goes a long way!

* Business Expo Tip #2 - Introduce yourself, and give a little personal info about yourself. People love to do business with vendors they know! Do you have kids? Are you married? Do you love to knit? Share tidbits of yourself! Connections are made at online expos and bashes.

* Business Expo Tip #3 - Set goals for yourself before the event. For example, I will book three parties or I will increase my sales by $xx. Setting goals (and writing them down!) helps you achieve goals.

* Business Expo Tip #4 - Decide what games, prizes, discounts, sales incentives you will offer for the expo or bash attendees. Write the incentives down or better still, type them into a word document - that way they are ready to cut and paste the day of the online event. It will make your life easier, believe me!

* Business Expo Tip #5 - Prepare your presentation notes as well too - what products will you be featuring? Is there something new or exciting? Be sure to put all pertinent info into your word file as well. It’s also a great idea to put a brief overview of your shipping info, guarantees etc into a word file for the event too. Cut and paste makes it easy!

* Business Expo Tip #6 - Promote, promote, promote! Success at an online expo or bash depends on many factors, the primary factor is you! Be sure to invite friends, colleagues, family, customers to join you at the online party. Online shopping is hot! Everyone loves the convenience of shopping from home! Be sure to let everyone know that you are a vendor at XYZ Bash and let them know the dates, times etc. Send invites to your personal contact list at least three times - a week or so before the online event, a day before the event and the day of the bash or party!

* Business Expo Tip #7 - Network! The biggest benefit of online bashes and online expos is the networking that can be accomplished. It’s important and beneficial to build relationships.

* Business Expo Tip #8 - Be sure to say thank you! It makes a huge impact.

* Business Expo Tip #9 - Follow up with any guests or vendors who have requested information, who ordered, who won prizes immediately within 24-48 hours at the most! Stay in touch with those guests and vendors who have requested contact.

* Business Expo Tip #10 - Have fun! Online bashes and expos are created to be like a party - enjoy yourself, have fun!

About the author:
This article was written by Kim Monaco, owner of WAH Shoppers Haven , an online shopping directory of sales, specials and more. Monaco is also an online expo coordinator and frequent participant. She is also a Toy Mommy with Discovery Toys.

Publishing Guidelines:  A note for store owners, list owners, website owners or others:  You may use this article on your website, store newsletter or any other media as long as you allow the article to be printed or show in its entirety and include any links that are within the article. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or ideas, feel free to contact me at antuanettescraps@aol.com.

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You can have your party in a free or low cost chat room or you can have your party via email. Be sure and create a relaxed and fun atmosphere for your guests. We would recommend a chat room.

You can either recruit someone to host the party for you or you can be the host. There is also something called “Mystery Host Party”. This is where you draw or randomly select a guest to be the “Mystery Host” and receive the host benefits.

You will need to schedule your party. We have found that during the week is best unless it is winter. Then weekends can be a good time also. Give yourself plenty of time to plan and send out invitations.

Plan your specials. You definitely want to have some items on special. Maybe some that tie in with your theme, if you have one. Give a 25% discount on certain items, but make sure you leave enough profit as well. You could also offer a small free gift with all orders over $25, for example.

When it is time to send out the invites, email groups and message boards can be a great place to start. Send out the invitations (follow guidelines on this). Also invite friends, neighbors, co-workers. Let everyone know they can bring a guest or two or however many you like.

Have each guest introduce themselves and tell (type) a little about themselves. This will help bring the guests together.

You also want to make sure you have some fun and interesting games to play. And of course, for each game you will need prizes. Below are some popular party games:

*Scavenger Hunt - make a list of several items and instruct your guests to find them on your site.

*Word Scramble - Pick about 10 words from your site and see who can get them all right in the least amount of time. Let your guests know the words come from your site/business.

*Trivia Questions - Write up a list of questions about your site/business.

There are many more fun, exciting games to play at your party! Make up your own if you like as well.

You, of course, will also want to spend some time presenting your products. If you offer home decor items, share some tips and ideas on home decorating with your products. If you offer aromatherapy items, explain the benefits of your products. Make your presentation fun, informative and relaxed. Let the quests ask questions and always be clear and candid with your answers

The idea here is to relax, have fun, show your items and make new contacts/customers. If your guests have a good time and enjoy themselves, they will sure to come back to your next party!

About the author:
Find tons more tips, information and articles at http://www.SeymourProducts.com Terri Seymour and her husband Terry also offer a no-cost, non-MLM home business opportunity. They strive to help you build a successful home business. Take advantage of the tips, support, resources, and more for your home & business.

Publishing Guidelines:  A note for store owners, list owners, website owners or others:  You may use this article on your website, store newsletter or any other media as long as you allow the article to be printed or show in its entirety and include any links that are within the article.

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Generally the most high profile direct sales companies deal in a product that costs over $1000. Some notable players in the field are Coastal Vacations, Liberty League International, Emerald Passport, Success University, and Mentors on a Mission.

People who are attracted to direct sales fall into a few different groups. Frustrated or burned out network marketers make up the first. They may be attracted to direct selling because it’s a generally simpler business model where its only necessary to get a few customers to prosper. People new to home business make up another group of direct sellers. These individuals are likely to be attracted to the generous, easily understood compensation plans used by direct sales companies. A third group would be comprised of experienced home business people looking for a simple business where they can make significant income working part-time.

Whichever group you fall into its important to understand that the product the company sells is only a part of what makes it a good opportunity. Most individuals who buy the entry level product will do so with at least the intention of selling a few units. Whether they do make sales or not is up to them.

One alarming trend that has emerged with internet recruiting for direct sales is what I will call the “stealing prospects” sales pitch. This is a situation where a successful distributor will entice a prospect away from signing with another distributor with the implication that the new associate is more likely to be wildly successful under his mentorship. How would you like to have your potential new customer taken away by a more experienced or “slick” distributor? Do your diligence to see which companies allow this kind of “sign-up under me” recruiting and which frown on it. With any opportunity who you sign up with is ultimately your decision , but the author is aware of only one direct sales company where “stealing prospects” is actively discouraged.

Anybody can look at a pay plan and get starry-eyed over the dollars to be made, but its important to also look at the cost of marketing the product. Generally, you will need to advertise or buy “opportunity seeker” leads to get started. If you choose to do online marketing, setting up an auto-responder (automatic email follow-up system) is essential. Don’t be surprised if online marketing is more complex that you expected. Little in the way of results will be produced by placing free ads advertising your opportunity. Paid advertising is the only sure way to target market to people who are actually looking, want the product, and have the resources to get started.

Buying leads is the subject of much debate. The best leads are no doubt the exclusive leads you will generate yourself with advertising, face-to-face prospecting, or automated marketing systems. Its easy to spend a lot of money purchasing lead packages when getting started and not get any sales with them. One reason for this is that a lot of the leads generated for the lead companies are not qualified for direct sales. Many people who fill out the lead capture forms the lead companies use are in a state financial desperation and you should be prepared to disqualify these prospects.

There are a few direct sales opportunities out there which promise to do a huge portion of the work for you. These claims are generally misleading and one should be aware that who you are on the phone is the primary determinant of your success in the industry. Systems which promise automated recruiting generally fail to mention that driving qualified traffic to your website is not always easy. Those who “crack the code” may be successful with these systems, but internet marketing novices will need to get some training and do real work to promote automated systems in the right places and to the right people.

About the Author
Loren Woirhaye runs an informational website dedicated to assisting networkers in devleloping long-term, low-cost automated marketing strategies which educate and upgrade potential business associates.

Article source: http://www.articledragon.com/

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Not only is Avon a direct sales company, but so are the following companies you may have heard of: Mary Kay, Tupperware, Slumber Parties, Pampered Chef, Rainbow, Kirby, getting the idea? My own company, Mystickal Incense & More even has its own Direct Sales consultant program (the most comprehesive and beneficial of any candle and bath & body product company around).

In short, direct sales can best be described as the marketing of products and services directly to consumers in a face to face manner, generally in their homes or the homes of others, at their workplace and other places away from permanent retail locations, even the internet. Direct sales typically occur through explanation or personal demonstration by an independent direct salesperson. These salespersons are commonly referred to as consultants, representatives, reps, independent distributors or independent contractors.

So now that you know what it is, how do you choose which one is right for YOU? After right, right now there are well over 500 or so Direct Sales companies to choose from. Each has their own plan, compensation, benefits, pros and cons. Some are even scams or illegal pyramid schemes. With all of that in mind, there are several things you need to consider when choosing a great direct sales company to work for.

First of all, make sure the company is not a scam or doing anything illegal. Do some research first. As a direct sales representative, you should NEVER have to pay the direct sales company anything - after all it is you who is working for them, and you are trying to earn money from their company. With that being said, keep in mind that most (a good majority) of Direct Sales companies do require that you purchase a starter kit or introductory/promotional materials to get you started. That doesn’t indicate a scam, it is simply necessary to get the “start up” materials shipped to you. But past that point, you should not have to pay anyone anything. Check to see if the company has other representatives and ask what their experience has been.

Before you actually go “job hunting” however, you should ask yourself a few questions, such as:

* How much time to I have to dedicate to this?
* How much am I willing to spend on start-up costs?
* Am I motivated enough to try to make money by selling products to others?
* Am I a good salesperson?
* What types of things would I enjoy selling?

When you find out the answers to those questions, begin your search. Remember that different companies require different things, and some are stricter than others. Some Direct Sales companies won’t even allow you to advertise their products on your own website. Some won’t allow you to even use banner advertising to advertise them. Some companies, such as Avon, and the other companies you know by heart, have so many representatives that there are very few customers on the planet that don’t already have their own rep, which makes selling a whole lot harder.

Small companies can be just as beneficial (or a lot more so) than the big brand name companies. Being smaller, they have less competition, more potential customers, and have to stand out above the crowd so they offer more to potential consultants. however, before you commit to a company, I highly recommend making a very small order for yourself before becoming a representative. That way you have tried their products, are sure that you like them and want to represent them, and can honestly tell others about the products from first hand experience. Most Direct Sales companies include product samples in their starter kits.

So now that you know what it is, how it works, and how it can benefit you, go research, research, research and find the right company for you! With the right dedication and time, direct sales can be a HUGE boost to your income.

About the Author
Stephanie Davies is a 27 year old Missourian with a loving husband and an 8 year old son. She currently owns her own business, Mystickal Incense & More, and sells handmade candles, incense, bath & body products and more at http://www.mystickalincense.com

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While searching the internet for business opportunities, you’ve undoubtedly encountered claims of how working only a few hours per week can result in a successful home business. Although it is true that after your business is established you could potentially devote less time towards it, this is not normally the case in the beginning.

If you’re new to internet marketing or the home business industry, you should initially plan on spending at least 2-3 hours per day researching your products and developing your website. You should try committing even more time if you’re not working a day job or have other obligations prohibiting you from doing so.

Believe it or not, one trap to avoid is spending too much time on your business It’s very easy to become immersed in your business because there is always something to do–a new product to review, updating your website, responding to emails, etc. Before you know it, you won’t have time for anything else.

This can be especially problematic when you have a family. For many of us, the benefit of spending more quality time with our family was the reason we started our home business to begin with! Because so many new home business owners struggle between spending time with their families while trying to get their business off the ground, I offer the following tips.

1. Take one entire day off per week. Yes, this means NO WORK. Spend time with your family and friends and as far away from your business as possible. Believe me, the business won’t go anywhere. Plus, the day off will help to alleviate burn out. If you’ve worked more hours than usual in a particular week, take two days off.

2. Set aside 1-2 hours every evening for family time. From 5:30-7:00, for example, you could have dinner with the family, help the kids with their homework and squeeze in time for walking the dog. If possible, try to choose this same time everyday. A structured schedule will allow you to better plan your time.

3. Stop working at a specific time every evening and stick to it. For example, you can turn off your computer every night at 10:00 p.m. You can use this time to catch up on the news and tend to other personal matters. This is also your time to relax and unwind from a hard day’s work.

Learning to manage your time is critical to a successful business and living a full and happy life. There’s nothing wrong with being dedicated to your business, but your family should be your first commitment. Make time for your spouse, children, parents and friends now, because before you know it, you’ll be wondering where the time went.

About the Author
John Purdy is an affiliate marketer and operates his own internet home business. For access to free affiliate programs, work at home opportunities and other resources on the home business industry, visit his website at: http://www.home-business-concepts.com

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Online shopping is fast becoming the way most consumers do their shopping - everything from clothing to prescription drugs. You can become part of this new home money making business opportunity with your own Internet business. There are many ways you can go about this, but the bottom line is that it doesn’t cost a lot of money to have your own home based Internet marketing business.

If you already have a product that you sell, then you can set up your own website and sell online. The Internet has opened doors for a home money making business opportunity that lets you sell to customers all over the world. Thus the Internet widens your customer base and through your home based Internet marketing business, you can make more money than ever before. If your product is one that consumers really want, having a website is a way to increase sales and make more money. Or why not have several home money making business opportunities like this? Or lots?

You don’t have to have a product of your own to have a home based Internet marketing business. This home money making business opportunity is such that you can make money selling other people’s products. With links on many different sites, these companies also have more avenues open to them for sales and will therefore pay you a set price for each sale or a percentage of the sale.

Affiliate marketing is the name given to a home based Internet marketing business. When you set up your website, you can apply for free sign up with one or more companies and put their links on your websites. Even though you start off with one website, you will soon see where you can make more money by having more than one Internet business as a home money making business opportunity. However, you do have to realize that with this type of home money making business opportunity, you do have to spend time each day working on developing new affiliates and finding new products to add to your site.

If you want the best home money making business opportunity look on the internet. There’s heaps of home business ideas there, and they work.

About the Author
For a free copy of Peter’s A Successful Home Business visit Peter’s Website to learn about The Best Home Business and more, including Internet Home Business.

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