Print Company - advice required from homeworkers

djkaizen

I run a quite successful marketing and print company. Although only 8 months into business things are looking very promising, especially in the current climate.

As part of my plan for the next year I would like to use affiliates/homeworkers to help grow the business, and as an avid lurker on here I thought it best to get a homeworkers view on how best to implement this type of system.

My questions on the matter include:
- advertising for affiliates/homeworkers
- what is their status e.g. - self employed and they invoice me
- commission structure/incentives
- training/process involvement

I intend to provide substantial marketing materials in the form of samples & promo literature - training on the products.

I know I must be missing a whole heap and would appreciate any of your advice on this.

Thanks in advance

djk

djkaizen

Gonna try and answer my own questions. If anyone could expand that would be great.

Commission
All things being equal I could probably provide 25% commission on products and 35% on services - design and marketing. An average sale would be approx £125.

Figured out from the Avon thread, that agents / resellers would be self employed - 1 down.

New question

In terms of local marketing do people generally know friends and family with their own businesses? I make it my point to know people in their own business so my views are slightly tainted. I'd appreciate an outsiders perspective please.

pingua

I am not too sure what you are trying to ask -might be me being a bit thick but then again I have not had my coffee fix yet. (I stumbled upon this thread as I am looking for some business postcards. Did find a site but the postage is silly money. And vistaprint have pants designs anyway going off topic.) I have done Avon before,I was self employed doing other bits along side it. Most I know still doing it are not self employed they just do it on the side. With the Avon too you had to reach a certain amount of sales otherwise you got no commission.
Just waffling now sorry.

djkaizen

I may have been unclear pingua - my apologies for that.

I started my print and marketing business last year with very little capital and it has done alright! 95% of my business now comes from referrals which I pride myself on. It has gotten to a stage where to grow the business I need to look at new staff & this leads me to a new world of premises etc etc that I'm not ready for so young in the business.

I read a vast majority of the boards here and really like the idea of having associates (as the case is with you and Avon), who sell my products, services for a commission.

While I understand Avon is a completely different market, I assume (naively at that) the principles of having a similar sales structure could be beneficial for my business and those with flexible working practices.

On certain products, business cards & postcards for example I can sell at cheaper than the industry standard & still give 25% commission to the associate. While sacrificing some of my own profit margin, I increase turnover.

My questions are to those who are working for Avon and the likes.
- Does this method of sales work well?
- Would many people know others with small businesses, their own companies etc that they could sell print to?
- Would personalised Christmas cards be a decent opportunity to sell to friends and family.
- as an Avon representative, are you given training, promotional materials.

What I'm asking - what would I need to look at this further and in your honest opinion can the Avon method be put into another sector

Also if your looking for postcards I'm your man! lol

AnxiousMum

I do exactly as you say you are looking to do - I work from home, selling printed materials (of a specific nature) to establishments within a certain market. I am however salaried, with commission and bonus on top of that. I would never do it on a self employment respect.

In order to sell print and design - you need to have some understanding of how the products are produced and put together so that you can understand how to prepare a quote.

We also produce postcards - so poster who has mentioned postcards - I've pm'd you the pricing and if you're interested I'll put you in touch with head office. It's all done electronically, so no problem as to where you are located.

pingua

Have sent you a pm AnxiousMum.

Yes the Avon method can be used else where it is isn't it? You just need the right sales people.

Thinking of Christmas cards/calanders, could you go the school fundraising way ? Sorry probably side tracking again.....well I know I am as I still have not sorted my own postcards out!!

pingua

The training with Avon, I can only say what happened with me. I spoke to a lady on the phone. She sent me info to read. Read that then ordered my books and off I went. Think you could phone the 'area rep' and she would visit or just talk over the phone if you needed any more stuff. That was it. Simple.

inmypocketnottheirs

djk have sent you a pm

sontoon

I agree with AnxiousMum, working in print finishing myself but having come through all the stages of print from print set up graphic design etc, to printing and now print finishing you do need to have a basic understanding of the process to be able to sell it, after 17 years i'm still learning lol. Otherwise without sounding like a know it all you could possibly have your representatives lose orders by not knowing the information.

What is it you are trying to achieve help in getting your orders out or new business? Have you considered maybe franchising your operation and you still doing the actual bones of the jobs?

tiddly_widdly

It sounds like what you really need are referrals. I teach floristry, but am freelance in shops and various other things as well as do weddings and events etc. I often get asked to recommend someone for specific things. This I normally do for free if its in the consultation time when doing a wedding quote. Its about knowing your business. Because I deal with shops and other businesses Im the sort of person you would probably need.
For example, a certain flower pressing company want business, they send leaflets to florist shops, the florist hands them out, when they get a confirmed sale they pay the florist a percentage. Simple. You control the sale because of your subject knowledge but because you are willing to pay commission your potential market is wider.

Sorry, think I may have waffled

shell06

I have been thinking about a body shop type '@ home parties' in conjunction with the markets, fairs and website. The only thing I am finding difficultg to work out is the amount of comission to give ?? What is the going rate these days?