Phoenix Trading - Hints and Tips

Rosemary_Jane

spanner200 wrote: »

Hiya,
I'm really interested in joining in- I agree that the products do look great. I was just wondering what people find is th best package to go for?
1) would you go for the largest pack with 45% discount but at a hefty £195 outlay, where you intend to sell this stock directly
OR
2) buy the cheapest introductory pack at £45 and just show people samples, and only ordering when customers buy.

I guess the advantage of #1 is that people can see the products properly themselves and take it away immediately, plus you can make pretty gift sets with cards, tags and wraps in a pack BUT it is an expensive outlay.

Also what are your thoughts on the Christmas packs? Do you think its too late for me now? I'm just wondering that as prices are going up in January they might be a good investment for next Christmas...

Third question- how quickly do you re-coup the initial cost of outlay?

Hi spanner200

Yes, do join, it's great.
Apparently 70% of new traders buy the largest starter pack. I did. However, and it's a big however, you need to plan what you want from Phoenix first.

Your sponsor may encourage you to buy this, you will qualify for the 5% bonus on it and she will too. Not only that, many traders do public events, such as fairs and fetes, so then you will need a lot of stock.

If you intend to build a team, then you do not want to put anyone off with the prospect of a big outlay, and this is a business that can be started on a shoestring, and those with little confidence will want to copy the way you did it.

I have barely used my starter kit. It makes a pretty display in my hall to snag visitors! and that's about it - I think I've sold four cards from there - but I've replaced them straight away, on the thought that otherwise I'd only be left with the less-attractive cards.

My sales have nearly all come from just showing friends the catalogue and piling the sample cards in front of them to have a rummage through. You get a huge number of samples. Seems to work a treat.

In the £45 business pack you also get the stuff to make display folders, the one I did has very definitely earned it's keep, and I've had a string of orders from the friends of a distant friend who is hosting it for me.

The catalogue drop I did was very successful, though I'll wait til it's a bit warmer before repeating it.

As for the Christmas pack, it's a long time to wait before recouping your investment next year. If the cards are going to be discontinued they'll be in the back of the catalogue, so less visible, and it may be better to have the money available for sales aids etc. Also, if you buy the large starter kit, you will not be allowed to spend on the Christmas pack for seven more days (there is an anti-pyramid law prohibiting companies from accepting more than £200 in the first week for a new distributor).

If I was joining again, I'd not bother with the starter pack, then I would have started making a profit much sooner.

When you have joined, there's an excellent article in one of the Australian newsletters to download, with two successful traders telling how they sell all from stock, or all from the catalogue/samples respectively.

One good point about selling from stock is that you don't have to collate and distribute the stuff. At my sponsor's training meetings, a couple of her downline were saying that they sell all from stock and have only a smallish selection of the cards rather than trying to keep in the full stock, but I like them all!!!

HTH, do ask more if you need to,
Rosemary

spanner200

Rosemary_Jane wrote: »

Hi spanner200

Yes, do join, it's great.
Apparently 70% of new traders buy the largest starter pack. I did. However, and it's a big however, you need to plan what you want from Phoenix first.

Your sponsor may encourage you to buy this, you will qualify for the 5% bonus on it and she will too. Not only that, many traders do public events, such as fairs and fetes, so then you will need a lot of stock.

If you intend to build a team, then you do not want to put anyone off with the prospect of a big outlay, and this is a business that can be started on a shoestring, and those with little confidence will want to copy the way you did it.

I have barely used my starter kit. It makes a pretty display in my hall to snag visitors! and that's about it - I think I've sold four cards from there - but I've replaced them straight away, on the thought that otherwise I'd only be left with the less-attractive cards.

My sales have nearly all come from just showing friends the catalogue and piling the sample cards in front of them to have a rummage through. You get a huge number of samples. Seems to work a treat.

In the £45 business pack you also get the stuff to make display folders, the one I did has very definitely earned it's keep, and I've had a string of orders from the friends of a distant friend who is hosting it for me.

The catalogue drop I did was very successful, though I'll wait til it's a bit warmer before repeating it.

As for the Christmas pack, it's a long time to wait before recouping your investment next year. If the cards are going to be discontinued they'll be in the back of the catalogue, so less visible, and it may be better to have the money available for sales aids etc. Also, if you buy the large starter kit, you will not be allowed to spend on the Christmas pack for seven more days (there is an anti-pyramid law prohibiting companies from accepting more than £200 in the first week for a new distributor).

If I was joining again, I'd not bother with the starter pack, then I would have started making a profit much sooner.

When you have joined, there's an excellent article in one of the Australian newsletters to download, with two successful traders telling how they sell all from stock, or all from the catalogue/samples respectively.

One good point about selling from stock is that you don't have to collate and distribute the stuff. At my sponsor's training meetings, a couple of her downline were saying that they sell all from stock and have only a smallish selection of the cards rather than trying to keep in the full stock, but I like them all!!!

HTH, do ask more if you need to,
Rosemary

Thats great, thanks for the advice!
I would like to be earning £150+ per month but if you buy just the standard business pack at £45 you would need to sell over £500 worth of goods per month which seems alot to try and shift.

However if you buy the largest pack for £195 (including the business pack) you get a 45% discount, and therefore 45% profit. You would only need to sell £350+ worth of goods to make £150 per month.

I'm just wondering what sort of net profit people are making on average per month.

Cheers!

Rosemary_Jane

Hi again,

You said "I would like to be earning £150+ per month but if you buy just the standard business pack at £45 you would need to sell over £500 worth of goods per month which seems alot to try and shift.

However if you buy the largest pack for £195 (including the business pack) you get a 45% discount, and therefore 45% profit. You would only need to sell £350+ worth of goods to make £150 per month."

That is a lot to try and earn just through retailing. Remeber the starter pack is just that, only available the once when you join up, so in subsequent months you're down to ordinary discounts.

Have you read the payments leaflet in the info pack and understood it OK?

Having said that, it is eminently possible to earn that much from retailing, a number of people do; but it does take quite a lot of hours, planning, selling, ordering, collating orders, transporting stock to fetes, finding venues of fairs etc.

How much time can you put into this - week after week?

Network Marketing is a fantastic business model for the long-term, precisely because you can do with it as you wish, earn a part-time income from retailing - but the hourly rate is probably not that good when you work it all out. Having said that, the cards are so lovely, they're great to work with and sell themselves generally. If you want to retail, come back to this thread and get ideas, and we can bat a few more around.

The long-term potential is in the building of a team; not haphazardly, when someone asks, but proactively. The whole thing is that you can encourage people that it is possible to earn a good income in the longer term (not immediately) by showing them and encouraging them and supporting them to follow their dream, and copy your simple processes to get what they want.

When you have sponsored someone, and helped them, you will get 5% of all their sales volume, from the company because you have supported them and therefore increased the company turnover. If you and those you sponsor all do your £125 BV, that's £6.25 for you for each member of your downline. And you are not doing the daily work, selling,ordering, collating delivering etc. Then sponsor and support another, and another. Once you get to executive trader, the income becomes more significant, and you will be spending more time supporting and training your team. All the time you will be selling your £125 BV, which is about £212 at retail, which will be much easier when you have a stream of regular faithful customers. The whole premise of network marketing is of lots of traders all doing a little, rather than everyone retailing, although there is a business of just retailing if that is what you want. If you need to earn well from day one, then a different tactic is called for and your sponsor can work that through with you, or I can put that up on another post if you want.

May I sugesst that you have a look at
http://www.firstclassmlm.com/
which is a site I found the other day, which has some very clear explanations of how the networking model works in comparison with traditional businesses.

There are also a number of books available, some good, some awful. I can review some of those for you if you like.

DYOR, of course, I'm just a beginner here too, though I always read too much instead of just getting started!

Have a look at the website and then come back if you've any other questions. It's a good idea if you can work out how soon you need to be at £150 per month, does it need to be the first month, or can you build up to it? I've heard that January and February can be a bit slow, and remember, you may have to allow for hostess gifts out of your profits, whereas team income is residual income paying you for the support you give freely in the early days.

Hope this is not too long, and not too many spelling mistakes!

Rosemary

Rosemary_Jane

Just carrying on from my last, I think the best page to start with is this one,

http://www.firstclassmlm.com/2007/12/05/how-mlm-works/

it'll explain - quite a long page with the diagram, but worth reading.

Rosemary

paulnjulia

Well Rosemary Jane, wot a breath of fresh air!!

Loads of simple sensicle ideas and advice to a new starter. Well done!!

Now, for me.....

How do u proactivally sponsor people? I only ask,

"cos this time next year we'll be..."

ET's!!

Have fun

Paul n Julia

pickachu

Hi all....

Just been reading all your post about this company and im wondering if anyone could help me out?
I was advised this comapny by a friend at work,i wasnt sure how this worked and rom reading the posts im not sure i heard what my friend said was correct.
I had been doodling at work and i often do little cartoons type pictures for fun she said that this site i could send my card drawing that i make,birthday,wedding anniverssay etc and then they would sell them on and i would get a percentage? from the comments i have read im more confused now? do they not sell my designs ocoz if im getting things right it sounds like they just send you some card and pens etc that we all have you draw them and then sell them onto your neighbour like i used to at school just my mum put them on the fridge. is this correct? if so is other places online that offer the facility where i make these designs to have them sell on?

Thanks peeps i hope this made sense,it has only just for me lol

clarew

Phoenix trading will buy off you the exclusive rights to your designs (if they are interested in them etc) and use them for cards/gift wrap etc for a certain length of time.

There is info on the website for artists which will explain it all to you..https://www.phoenix-trading.co.uk look out for the artists wanted section.

clarew

Ok guys, need a bit of morale support! Sent basket of cards/gift wrap/stationery/notepads etc into school staffroom for 1 week with price list, brouchure etc. Got it back yesterday and not 1 thing sold , am a bit peeved and need inspiration from you all!

I did sell £10 of cards yesterday to a friend though, and she is popping in to mine on monday to route thro some more.

Am still finding door to door non productive too, and seem to be manly selling to friends. I will obviously send out new brouchure to friends, but am interested in how you approach the new year (everyone skint until the end of jan pay packet etc). Do you find feb is a better month sales wise?

moo2moo

Re: The school staffroom - 1 week isn't long enough. Our Phoenix trader leaves a basket in there all year round and a brochure and around 50 cards covering everything from births to funerals. She sells 10-15 a week because we all know the basket is there and its far easier to buy from the basket than to nip to the local shop. She does have a lot of competition though. A few people drop off handmade cards and we have The Book People, Mike the Bookman, Books direct and at least 3 charity catalogues on the go at all times most of which offer sets of cards at huge discounts, usually 40 for £10.

On previous occasions shes sent brochures home with children a class at a time with a sample card and a note saying that 10% of all sales would be donated to school. Thats upped her profile on the playground hugely and rarely a week goes by when she doesn't turn up with an armload of bags. Obviously shes kept a list of all the peole shes sold to and gives them all a new catalogue everytime one is issued.

skeeter_2

clarew wrote: »

Ok guys, need a bit of morale support! Sent basket of cards/gift wrap/stationery/notepads etc into school staffroom for 1 week with price list, brouchure etc. Got it back yesterday and not 1 thing sold , am a bit peeved and need inspiration from you all!

I did sell £10 of cards yesterday to a friend though, and she is popping in to mine on monday to route thro some more.

Am still finding door to door non productive too, and seem to be manly selling to friends. I will obviously send out new brouchure to friends, but am interested in how you approach the new year (everyone skint until the end of jan pay packet etc). Do you find feb is a better month sales wise?

I intend to visit one toddler group a week during January. I doubt I will sell much, although it is an opportunity to distribute brochures, and gain some names and addresses for my mailing list.