Avon Hints and Tips (Part 2)

lopez75

Hi girls,

Hope all is well with you all. I have posted a few times but I always have a good read of what you are all up to!

I was just wondering if you give your customers both books? I nearly always get all my books back and I sometimes give my customers both books so they can compare the 2. Sometimes I get an increase in orders, sometimes I don't.

The only downside is that I can't back order anything to make a few extra pennies for myself.

So do you just give your customers one book?

Thanks :-)

Money_maker

lopez75 wrote: »

Hi girls,

Hope all is well with you all. I have posted a few times but I always have a good read of what you are all up to!

I was just wondering if you give your customers both books? I nearly always get all my books back and I sometimes give my customers both books so they can compare the 2. Sometimes I get an increase in orders, sometimes I don't.

The only downside is that I can't back order anything to make a few extra pennies for myself.

So do you just give your customers one book?

Thanks :-)

I give my best and regular customers the current campaign and my not so regular customers the previous one. That way I don't need to buy so many brochures.

At Christmas, it all changes. The customers on the old books play catch up and often I send out two brochures to try to increase sales. I generally miss out the first campaign of the new year as it tends to fall just after Christmas and I dont want to be hassling folks at this time. My regulars will then restart with two brochures whilst the others get the older one. Sounds very complicated but when you think about it, 2 brochures are a lot to look through every 3 weeks.

Incidentally, following on from earlier posts, most of my customers are older ladies. Have a few 'mummy' aged customers, a couple of youngsters and a couple of disabled much older customers. Dont leave bungalows, Avon can be a lifeline for a housebound person. Used to have a youngish chap, would put a womans name on his order, answered the door in very feminine clothes. Eventually saw him in the co op one day, fully dressed as a woman. Live and let live, its all sales!

Elliebee_2

Both books? :eek: They should be so lucky! As you say, it rules out the possibility of being able to back order (at least if your customer has had the nouse to check the prices) and I also think that people get a little put off if there is too much to look through. As far as forward ordering goes, I play it by ear. If the items in question are all of the order, then I order from the later book and give them the better price, but if it's just one or two items from a larger order then I 'don't notice'

As for getting books back, I used to go back a second day, having put a note through on the first call. However, I found that it tied up too much time once I extended my area (& in any case, people usually remember the book if there is an order). Now I buy 85 books for around 140 houses which works out quite well; my first drop is around 50 books, decreasing to around 25 the last (fourth on back order) time they go out. That way, I can afford to knock once, put a note through with contact details, and not go back. I also put the expiry date on the back of all the brochures so people know the latest date they can order. Actually I find that I don't lose enough to worry as people get used to the routine. The bag is only around 4p and I just regard that as 'running costs'. Less books to throw away at the end too!

The routine goes:
Week 1 - area 1 houses, current book; area 2 1st part, back order book. Out Mon/Tues, collect Thurs/Fri. Delivery day is the Wednesday of that week, so I also deliver orders (with the new book)
Week 2 - area 1 flats, current book; area 2 2nd part, back order book. Same days.
Week 3 - make sure all orders are in; collect last of F & F books; place order.

I tend to give people 3 or 4 chances to return books and then strike them off. I think some people genuinely don't think they need to return the book if they are not ordering, no matter how big and bold the request to do so :rolleyes:

Money_maker

[quote=Elliebee;I_think_some_people_genuinely_don't_think_they_need_to_return_the_book_if_they_are_not_ordering,_no_matter_how_big_and_bold_the_request_to_do_so_:rolleyes:[/quote]

And in all fairness, this is unsolicitated mail so you really have to rely on goodwill of the householder. As already said, I dont really worry about the catalogues but I hate it when they keep one of my nice new bags :mad:

cat87_2

brunetteangel84 wrote: »

Hi all

Just wondering... some of my houses never give me my books back, we call them "book-munchers" should I keep delivering books to them?? I must admit I don't knock because I'm a wimp, I just put on what day to leave book out etc. If they don't I put an "I called" card through and then I give up. Some houses have half-inched my books several campaigns in a row. Should I give up on these?? Thanks.

Hi Chick,

Its important to knock on the door as some people dont put the brochure out as they are hoping you will knock so they can ask a question, i know its scary for my 1st camp i didnt knock either but believe me it gets easier. Also some people just forget . . . Then you get the ones that just dont bother! GRRRRRR

Cat x

snowwhite44uk

Hi Everyone

Haven't posted for a while as been busy campaigning my new and old territory and getting new customers. Well it paid off as now have 33 new customers bringing my total customers up to 70. I have so far 44 orders for this camp 6 and over £600 in orders and not finished yet.

To people who are scared to knock doors I say don't be. As cat87 says they may be waiting for you to knock to ask a question or say they don't want another book (which will save you putting another book there and not getting it back). At least you will know. Also if you don't knock you may lose a potential customer as they will think you can't be bothered.

Anyway hope everyone has a great mother's day.

melvis

snowwhite44uk wrote: »

Haven't posted for a while as been busy campaigning my new and old territory and getting new customers. Well it paid off as now have 33 new customers bringing my total customers up to 70. I have so far 44 orders for this camp 6 and over £600 in orders and not finished yet.

:eek::eek::eek::eek: How many houses do you have? xx

BUSYB_2

Hi All

The more times you knock the easier it gets. I have a few customers that never leave the book out but have an order so if I didn't knock I wouldn't get it. I think they don't like to leave it out as it has their details on. Also people do forget and when I knock say sorry they forgot to put it out.
Most people are lovely and if anyone was ever horrid I just wouldn't go back.:p

hippy-chicy

Hello

Has anyone paid their Avon bill via the post office with either cash or a cheque? How does this work, i know that there is a section where you have to put in some sort of reference number. Do you have to leave it a few days before you can input it as paid so that it has chance to clear/ register with Avon.

Also what happens if it is a cheque as this adds more time to the process.

I will prob always just pay online but would like to know should i need it

Thank

lozza1985

lopez75 wrote: »

Hi girls,

Hope all is well with you all. I have posted a few times but I always have a good read of what you are all up to!

I was just wondering if you give your customers both books? I nearly always get all my books back and I sometimes give my customers both books so they can compare the 2. Sometimes I get an increase in orders, sometimes I don't.

The only downside is that I can't back order anything to make a few extra pennies for myself.

So do you just give your customers one book?

Thanks :-)

I do the same as most people, and have my original territory on the new books, and my new territory on the old books in order to get the most use out of the books and don't need to buy as many. A lot of my customers seem to struggle to order correctly out of the one book they get, so it would be mayhem if I tried giving them two!:rotfl: