Direct marketing is the fastest and easiest way to create a business. Where you can start making money the very moment you sign up. In order to be successful you really need to have a passion for what you're selling. A small sampling of direct marketing businesses are Thirty-one, Younique Products, Jewel Kade, Origami Owl, Tupper ware, Young Living Essential oils, Plexus, Avon, Mary Kay and the list goes on and on! There are plenty of options for selling and many are taking advantage of Vendor events.
Your town, city or parrish has plenty of events where everyone can get together and sell their goods or services, but at a higher cost. And then you have individuals who offer a great location for the direct marketers to sell their goods for a better price, but at what cost?
JW and I had both two vendor events put together by one young lady. She has a lot of promise but not a lot of public relations sense. Getting the word out about an event that you are hosting is the key to everyone being a success. And if you can't make sure that your events are a success you won't get return business. After all, not all vendors at these type of events are solely for direct marketing only. You also have vendors who create their own products to sell. Soaps, bows, frames, art, dolls and accessories.
The point with this blog is that you have to have a smile and knowledge about the products that your sell. Don't let the fact that you can make a lot of money with these companies that your focus on what the customer needs and is looking for that you don't know what you're selling. This weekend I was lucky enough to encounter a woman who wandered around the event scoping out who else was there. Now I can tell you for a fact that the way that I live my life I live by essentials oils. I could sell for Young Living if I wanted too but that's not my forte. I was there with a different direct marketing business. This woman was selling tupperware. She arrived late, set up late and snubbed just about every business that she passed by saying they were not as good as the businesses that she does. "And what all do you sell?" I asked her. "I sell it all, baby!" was her reply to me. "And that includes Young Living essential oils."
I am grateful that she can go and spend money to wear multiple hats but shunning everyone, even those that are not your competition like we are all encompassed with leprosy is not the way to make sure that other vendors ever come to you for anything you would ever offer. Vendor events no matter how big or small means your first and only priority is to make contacts. Contacts, are your bread and butter. And vendors even though you are competing with them for a customers money, are your best contacts.
This woman walked to the booth right next to me, turned and screamed out that I, Beth of Something Building, needed to purchase $110 worth of lotions. Okay, I'm going to let you all in on a little secret. I don't buy commercially made beauty products. Most carry the chemical sls and my child who has autism and is extremely sensitive to sls. And guess what. There is going to be a time where this expensive product is going to find it's way all over the floors, the beds, the dressers, the bathroom, etc. Because my child will be getting into it and will enjoy painting it all over the house when mommy is busy with working or cleaning.
Looking at her, I told her that I didn't need it. I used Rose Hip oil. Her face dropped from cocky to wtf in less then 2 seconds flat and said, "What's that?" At this point I leaned forward and said, "It's an essential oil, you know those things you sell with Young Living." "Oh it didn't come in my kit, so I don't have to worry about it."
Alright, let me just slow the roll of the blog right here. If you are going to be selling direct market then you darn well know what products that you are selling and you had better have a passion for the products. I could sell essential oils in my sleep if I wanted to because there is such a huge market for it if you know how to sell direct marketing. I was a prime person that she could have sold anything too when it comes to essential oils. But people that are getting into direct marketing are going to be having a harder time selling with cocky attitudes and lack of knowledge on the products being sold.
Go above and beyond and look around you. Learn who your customers are and where they are. Every opportunity is an opportunity to sell but for the love of all things shiny don't be like cocky Charlotte and brag about everything you do and sell and not know what it is that you are selling! There is a list of names that goes with Cocky Charlotte and clueless happens to be that the top of that list.
And if the event your at doesn't fair well at all, do yourself a favor and go around to all other vendor booths. Collect up their business cards. At least you will have emails for your data base. So no matter how you look at it you still have an opportunity to sell, sell, sell. Don't set yourself up for failure.
