Phoenix Trading - Hints and Tips

Rosemary_Jane

liveandlearn wrote: »

HI,
I'm new to the forum, have been reading this thread as I am considering joining Phoenix and have sent off for the information pack.

If I do join it's with the intention of really building a business so I don't have to go back to work and can stay at home with the kids. I'm prepared for this to take time, but would like to ask how long it took you all to build up a decent customer base and recruit enough people for your efforts to be worthwhile financially. By worthwhile, I mean at least three or four hundred pounds a month on a regular basis.
I know this is a 'how long is a bit of string' sort of question, but honestly, how easy or difficult is it? How many recruits and what sort of sales are necessary to reach this level of income?

The last post is not very reassuring! Why did only 49 traders make it to ET level? Is it the sales or the recruitment that's difficult? For those who went to the meeting, how much does an ET typically earn?

Look forward to reading your answers.

L&L

Hello, Liveand Learn

Yours is a difficult question to answer, and others have done it very well.

Just to add my perspective, In any network marketing company, the majority of distributors do not make any money, and leave after a short period of time. It is my understanding from reading around the subject, that this is often due to either a misunderstanding of how the business works, or unethical pressure from an upline team to purchase lots of stock (so the upline gets more bonuses) without knowing how it's going to be sold, and also spending money that would otherwise be profits, on 'development materials' from the upline.

This is obviously disappointing from the individuals' point of view, and bad on the image of network marketing in general. Phoenix is an ethical company, and is quite clear in the terms and conditions of the agreement how sponsors should act towards those they recruit.

That being said, I think it is important to understand how the business works best, and to know what you want to make from the company. This is generally to operate your business in a way that makes others feel 'I could do that' and than sponsor them and help them to do that, including how you sponsored them, so that they can build a team too. Once they are independent of you, you then continue to sponsor and support more people.

If you are mainly a retailer, those you sponsor will generally be people who can see themselves retailing. You may build a team of Traders who mostly retail £400-500 of cards each month, so only a small team is required to get to ET.

For example, someone I know has sponsored 10 people and is an ET with a team of 8 active people, 1 who hasn't started and one breakaway ET with her own team of 40 (international, so only 2 1/2 % bonus). I believe her income is around £600 per month, about half of which is her own retail profit. It took her a long time to get there, because she waits til people approach her in response to her signs at events.

If you only want to retail, the sample plans I have been given recommend that to get about £500 a month profit AFTER expenses, you'll need to retail about £350 per WEEK; which is a LOT of work, collating orders, dashing around at fairs etc.

To get a business that makes £500 profit a month with a team, you might need to retail about half that and have a team of 32, and be an ET. Or retail only your minimum to get the BV, and have a team of 50.

The bigger the team, the more secure your income. With a team of ten, one person being ill means no bonus from them and your income dipping. With a team of 600, you wouldn't notice it. One person breaking away as an ET, may mean you don't get your 1500BV to benefit from their team if you yourself only have a small team.

Play around with some figures, reckon on each team member being 'worth' about £5 per month to you - but only as long as you support them and help them to attain their dreams and goals, both retailing and sponsoring - or they'll leave, which is a shame for you and them.

I know someone who achieved her target of £500 per month reliably so she could give up work after six months. She now earns over £35,000 a year, not counting any retail profit - which you have to keep up, to give a good example to your downline - but your retail profit can then be used to cover your overhead expenses.

I do recommend you buy books on Network Marketing to help understand how it works, and contact those people in your upline team who have achieved what you want to achive, and duplicate what they did, how they did it. I can review the books I've got, if you like.

As far as I can see, if you follow the routines recommended by Phoenix in their factsheets, and your successful upline, you cannot fail provided you do the hours required, and are effective in those hours, ie, actually telling people about the opportunity, and letting them decide whether to join you, or retailing. Eventually, it does work, although no one can say how long it takes. You could sponsor 10 people next week, or take four years to sponsor that many.

I have found it really hard, as I'm shy, telling people about the team-building side of it. My window cleaner, whose wife doesn't want to go back to work now their baby is older, the member of staff at Burger King who stopped to chat about the paperwork I had all over the table in there, my friends...

I started in the middle of October, but haven't really got started properly. I have just sponsored someone, which is a scary feeling of responsibility, but exciting.

I'm going to Bromley on Monday, I can't wait, and hpoe I haven't missed all the best speakers!

Sorry, it got a bit long!

HTH, Rosemary

lucky111

Hi im a phoniex trader, from stoke on trent, and not been long with them really but enjoying it. Thanks for all this info. i have started putting shoe boxes, full of cards ( i wrap the shoe box, with gift paper ) and put an assortment of cards, in them, so they can be placed in different places eg schools. for a week. So hope this gets off the ground,

Looking forward to anyone whom, has already done this, for their ideas

JimBear

Hi there,

I'm new to Phoenix, and am hosting my first big coffee morning next week. I would be grateful for any advice, hints and tips to help everything go well. I have invited about 25 people. I don't have much stock, so I will mainly be selling from the folders, brochures and sample cards. I'm feeling very nervous!

skeeter_2

ann0024 wrote: »

The Laura Ashley storage boxes are now even cheaper.

http://www.lauraashley.com/Storage+Office/SET-OF-3-MYLOR-STORAGE-BOXES/invt/3407566&bklist=

Received my boxes this morning and am really pleased with them, wish I had ordered some more!

docmurphy_2

I received my business and starter packs earlier this month and I am doing my first "coffee n cards" morning early next month. I plan to do some door to door, but the thing I am stuck on at the moment is the business drops. I have some baskets/boxes that I can leave at schools/vets etc, but I am unsure how to approach giving them out. Do I just turn up at reception and ask if they'll place it in the staff room? Also, what stock sells best from these types of baskets? Does anyone have any hints as to what to put on the outside of the basket in terms of instructions./introductions?

Advice would be much appreciated!

skeeter_2

I purchased these http://www.lauraashley.com/Storage+Office/SET-OF-2-TAPERED-BASKETS/invt/3392524&bklist and think they would be good to display posters, rollwrap etc.

skeeter_2

docmurphy wrote: »

I received my business and starter packs earlier this month and I am doing my first "coffee n cards" morning early next month. I plan to do some door to door, but the thing I am stuck on at the moment is the business drops. I have some baskets/boxes that I can leave at schools/vets etc, but I am unsure how to approach giving them out. Do I just turn up at reception and ask if they'll place it in the staff room? Also, what stock sells best from these types of baskets? Does anyone have any hints as to what to put on the outside of the basket in terms of instructions./introductions?

Advice would be much appreciated!

This was covered at the Bristol meeting, I will have a look at my notes and then report back!

Wibblywobbly14

JimBear wrote: »

Hi there,

I'm new to Phoenix, and am hosting my first big coffee morning next week. I would be grateful for any advice, hints and tips to help everything go well. I have invited about 25 people. I don't have much stock, so I will mainly be selling from the folders, brochures and sample cards. I'm feeling very nervous!

Hi and welcome to Phoenix, there are quite a few good tips earlier on in the forum, but my basic ones would be to lay out your dining table well in advance to practice arranging the samples attractively, have your folders ready for people to browse through, plenty of order forms and pens. Perhaps arrange some of the sample cards on the table and some with a hole punched in the corner and held together with ribbon in bunches, so that everyone has a chance to see and feel the quality and range. Show people some of your favourites and be enthusiastic! Ask if anyone would like to a have a coffee and cards at home, or borrow a folder and collect orders from their family and friends to receive a discount on their own order.

These are just a few hurredly thought up ideas,
Good luck, you should have fun!
Gina

Sparkle88

Hi, I was given a brochure by a trader yesterday. I was attracted to the lovely quality and design of the cards and wasn't actually looking to start up myself, but on going home and reading about it I became more interested

I have a toddler and only work part time, so it would be nice to earn a little extra. I currently sell some handmade craft items on Ebay but the fees are so expensive on there now, that I am no longer making a profit and I would like to explore other avenues. I do make my own cards, but it is labour intensive to make them! This just seems more simple?

My question is, how do I know if anyone else in my area is a retailer? I am just thinking how easy it would be to sell, if someone else already sells in the area? Also how many cards would I have to sell if I was looking to make around £100 a month?

Rosemary_Jane

Sparkle88 wrote: »

Hi, I was given a brochure by a trader yesterday. I was attracted to the lovely quality and design of the cards and wasn't actually looking to start up myself, but on going home and reading about it I became more interested

I have a toddler and only work part time, so it would be nice to earn a little extra. I currently sell some handmade craft items on Ebay but the fees are so expensive on there now, that I am no longer making a profit and I would like to explore other avenues. I do make my own cards, but it is labour intensive to make them! This just seems more simple?

My question is, how do I know if anyone else in my area is a retailer? I am just thinking how easy it would be to sell, if someone else already sells in the area? Also how many cards would I have to sell if I was looking to make around £100 a month?

Hi Sparkle, (like the name)

I think you're onto a winner here. You need to get onto the trader who gave you the brochure, and she can give you an information pack and answer any questions you have.

I really wouldn't worry about how many other people in your area are already Traders. In my upline there are two ETs who live next door to each other and have never 'encountered' each other on the selling circuit! I have only just discovered that there's quite a big group of Traders in the town where I lived until recently - and I never came across them!

You are likely to have a completely different group of customers from someone who doesn't have young children, for example. As you work part-time, you'll have a captive market there as well. There are always more markets to find, if someone else is already in one that you've thought of.

As for earning £100 per month, you'll need to sell about £400 worth at retail in order to make that figure, allowing for expenses. This might take you anywhere from 4-10 hours a week, depending on how you sell, whether at parties, work, or door-to-door. If you sponsor other Traders, and build a team, Pheonix will pay you 5% of their sales, so you'd be able to sell less yourself, for that income.

Have a good read of this thread, and you'll get a good idea what it's all about, and ask the Trader who gave you the brochure for an info pack.

Rosemary