Avon Hints and Tips (Part 2)

Aesop

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

Looks like aureol beat me to it! :T

:rotfl: sorry MarsdenCuckoo... we seem to be posting the same stuff one after the other today.

MarsdenCuckoo

aureol212 wrote: »

:rotfl: sorry MarsdenCuckoo... we seem to be posting the same stuff one after the other today.

'Great' minds think alike!

Whilst in 'semi-direct' contact, am a new Avon agent but seem to be doing quite well sales-wise and keen to build up my business. Is it better to go the Sales Leader route? Did ask somewhere but missed the answer (if one was given). Any tips (either direct or on here)?

Thanks!

Christine

angeluk69_2

Hey Avonites! How are you all doing?

I started 4 days before the end of C15:mad: and managed to make the £78 order actually got £122.50 from customers and I ordered a load of stuff from HT inc. Reversalist and the Christian Lacroix fragrance.

But out of 99 houses I was allocated I have only been able to go to around 40 because I have been given territory that is IMPOSSIBLE to access ( flats that cannot be accessed, and flats above shops) . How do I go about getting more territory because it is really annoying me that I am missing out on orders where I live???? Do I ask my SL or is there another way of finding out where I can go?

I have asked people in different streets to my territory if they have a rep and have canvassed their streets where I can but not getting the orders.

My mum, MIL and friends are ordering but I don't want to be relying on these to order every time, I need new customers, so I can build up my business.

pinkbabe

Hi,

Ask your SL or your Area manager....the area manager is the best one to ask. It is a pain when you have loads of flats. My daughter has just started and I'm her SL...the area she was given had lots of shops and flats on one part so I just asked the area manager for a different street hoping that it was free and it was. Don't go canvassing in any other streets that aren't your territory as you may end up stepping on another reps toes..... good luck.

**dancingbutterfly**

thanks for all your replies about the phone offer girls!!

i'll let you know if i can get 2!

db x

Aesop

Pinkbabe has given good advice, the best thing to do is explain to your ASM that you cannot access the flats and give the names of roads and postcodes close to you that you might be able to canvass.

angeluk69_2

Unfortunately I explained to my SL by email so she had no chance of getting confused, and said I wanted to order the Boost your business pack so I could have a party at home to boost my sales and all she said was:

'I need your mums postcode so it can beallocated to you and your details updated, and hold an open party where your house is 'open from 4-6pm' my sales are no more than £100 from my terrority but i am a SL, so don't expect huge huge sales from my own area.'

I do feel like she is trying to push me into Team Leader which I am not ready for I have only been doing this for 2/3 wks, I would rather walk before i run IYKWIM

Thanks for the advice so far

MarsdenCuckoo

Hate to contradict you, Pinkbabe, but I was given a territory and after taking the orders it made sense to me rather than to just bin my books to canvass my local streets.

First street (my own) was not very successful; second street resulted in the third house I called at being the actual Avon rep who serviced the first street! Was totally honest about what I was doing and after gleaning a lot of advice from her it turned out she was only interested in servicing her 'locals' and had no interest at all in canvassing new clients. People move all the time so there are always new customers to be had in any street.

Next campaign I did it again on another street only to find out that they were being serviced by different agent(s) - some customers had had bad experiences so preferred to stick with me, one person tried to give me their order from 3 campaigns back and another even tried to give me the cash for the order they'd been given the previous month.

Initially, after having covered my given territory I did go back to the Area Manager for other territories but none of the secondary streets given to me have been half as successful as the ones I found myself.

My best tip is that if you have a Local Council Estate near you, give it a try. Strangely enough, in my experience, they put their money aside, are ready and waiting for you and more than happy to give you leads to new customers.

MarsdenCuckoo

angeluk69 wrote: »

I do feel like she is trying to push me into Team Leader which I am not ready for I have only been doing this for 2/3 wks, I would rather walk before i run

Hmm.... Strange you should say that - I got the same impression.

Go with your gut feeling.

Also, don't just chuck the book through the door and run (as was suggested to me); it costs nothing to just knock and ask if they may be interested..... The worst they can do is say 'No' in which case you smile sweetly and thank them. The one friendly face you WILL come across (I promise!), who is really grateful for seeing an Avon rep - quote: "after all this time" - more than makes up for the others.

The nature of the beast means that new reps are energetic but get fed up with making the effort if people don't order. I've been told loads of sob stories about how they love Avon but the last agent(s) let them down.

Good luck.

Aesop

Hi Christine - MarsdenCuckoo,

sorry am jumping around different forums at mo, not ignoring you.

Firstly, I like your post to Pinkbabe, but I had a rep canvassing my territory because she thought I didn't do it, so even though we pleasantly sorted things out between us, it did irk me a little, because now my customers would think I wasn't doing it anymore.

Last campaign I just concentrated on my regulars rather than my whole territory as I was also building up my SL business. So this did irk me a little. If I had done my whole territory as normal, she would have quickly found my books everywhere.

About being a Sales Leader - it is a rewarding job, but it is also hard work, and it depends on how much you put into it, that you get out of it. My SL is now an Advanced Sales Leader, and she has a team of 32 under her, and 2 (including me) reps who became Sales Leaders.

She loves her job because it allows her to work around her children, being able to take them to school and pick them up means a lot to her. As me, which is why I started doing Avon.

umm there are downsides to being an SL. You need to make sure you keep on top of your paperwork, send it in on time, otherwise you don't get paid, make sure contracts are sent off straight away. You do need to check reporting to make sure orders are going in on time and you will get emails from your ASM telling you to tell your team to work harder, etc. But when you understand an ASM's job, you will understand why they are putting so much pressure on us.

the perks to being an SL - the money, having a team working with you, seeing your team doing well with sales, encouraging your team, encouraging your team to become SL's.

So I say go for it.