Avon Hints and Tips (Part 2)

lozza1985

You would need to tell the IR when you started being self-employed, which technically should be the day you signed up to avon....however in your case I wouldn't tell them that! You have up to 3 months to register, so you could tell them a date from a few weeks ago. No idea about having other part time jobs - but I work full-time and it hasn't affected my tax code for my full-time job. If you are already paying National Insurance then if you ring they will send you a form so that you can claim for small earnings exemption (for if you earn less than approx £5k (not sure of exact figure) from your self-employed earnings only. Which most people will be well within 7. You would be penalised for not registering earlier, and I assume you would have to pay tax on all your previous Avon earnings. So what I would personally do if I was in your position, is either still not declare it, or tell them you started last week lol or sometime within the last 3 months. If you do register, save all your invoices & receipts for anything to do with Avon - resealable bags, pens, paper etc etc as well as obviously the cost of your books, samples, paper bags being deductable there are lots of other things too - you will only pay tax on your actual profit.

lyndsey80

I'm not in an Avon mood tonight. Went to collect some stragglers - NO ONE LEFT THEM OUT!!! Then some other roads, not got many orders yet. Really can't be bothered to deliver any tonight, will do tomorrow or Sat and that will be all my territory done, just feel tired tonight.

lozza1985

I know what you mean - OH bless him had the job of collecting books today from houses we've never been to before, and from people who have ordered before but who didn't order last campaign. Which was a lot of books, probably near a 100 altogether - only got nearly £40 of orders from them - wouldn't mind but one of the people who has ordered before told OH when he picked the book up not to bother leaving one again as they don't want that rubbish!!!!!!!!!! Bloody cheek - I ran an offer when the ordered that if people spent £10 or over they got a free gift, and she qualified!!!!!!!!!!!! All for nothing apparently lol!

lyndsey80

That is annoying!!! I don't get the public! I put spend over £15 for a free gift but I think this doesn't make a difference to their spending, they either spend a lot or not that much or none at all. Have lots of "free gifts" so need some kind of gimmick. I have these loyalty cards so might put a tick box in the next camp to see who wants to do it.

lozza1985

I did a spend £20 or more get a free gift last campaign for my territory as they spend around £10 anyway, only a few people went for it, but one was a lady who had only ordered once before and that was in Camp 7 so the offer encouraged her to order this time, at least I'm guessing so anyway lol! Am giving her a big 1litre bubble bath as a gift, hopefully then she might order more regularly!

deanos

Its a complete waste of time using loyalty cards or free gifts, never works for us, i wouldnt bother

lozza1985

I'm not sure, I'm giving people a free gift every time they've placed 6 orders, obviously if they never spend very much they won't get a very good gift lol, and it is definately encouraging some people to order regularly, even if it is only a tiny amount, especially once they are at 5 orders they will always order the very next campaign as they want their freebie lol! Or at least my customers do! But the spend £x amount ones don't seem to go down so well!

babyjar

lyndsey80 wrote: »

Melvis that's terrible - are they allowed to do that?!? I'd go mad if that were me!!!
Only got 3 more deliveries to do - one is away until end of month, will try and catch the other 2 before my next order day, got a week left. Got 1 order so far from one of my regulars. I am lucky as I have a couple that regularly spend over £20 per camp!! Touch wood it continues! And also regulars who spend a couple of quid most camps. Went to deliver one order and they want to order 3 payboy watches for Xmas. I told them to wait until C13 when they will get a choice of 2 and I will keep and eye out for when they may stop, I also said I would give her a small discount if she orders at least 3, probably give her a free gift too, I feel generous!!

May be worth noting that some of the named products have a set commission not the normal amount so might be worth taking this into account so you are not too much out of pocket, depends how good a customer you think they are/will be.
Take care

Elliebee_2

I sort of agree with you Deanos on this one. When I do a 'spend £20 for free gift' I still get loads of people spending £18 or £19

Having said that though, I think all the incentives, prize draws etc. tend to keep people's interest so may help in a roundabout way. Definitely not going for the loyalty scheme though - too much effort for too little return

CruelKaren

I always do freebies for all my customers
I advertise it as orders over £15 but I do occasionally give them to orders over £10 just to keep them interested and normally !!! to the gift tag free gift for 2 consecutive campaign orders. or something along those lines. I agree you need to keep folk interested, I do only friends and family but I like it that way.
and love giving them freebies xxx