Avon Hints and Tips (Part 3)

MarsdenCuckoo

jasperconran wrote: »

Hi Guys, well just done my first pick up. cos I started so late, I only got round half of 1 of my roads! (ive got 3), but at least I got all 45 of my books out. anyway, I was feeling pretty down at first, 14 no shows, so will have to go back:mad: and no orders. but as I got round I met one lady who said she was so pleased I was doing Avon as the other rep just suddenly stopped doing it and she absolutely loves Avon! So I got quite a good order from her.Also, a couple of ladies put my brochures back out in plastic bags for me! bless! So out of 45 books I only got 6 orders totalling £95.68:( but I suppose its a start! so perhaps I should change the to a :j lol.

Well done, JC. Yes, the knack is to find the Avon lovers, who have been deprived of a book for yonks! :j That one person, who's delighted to see you, really spurs you on.

I find that you do really need to be on the look out for new customers all the time; anyone 'deprived' of Avon for a while does tend to give you a bigger order than your regulars, who tend to get used to you and know that if they don't order this time then they'll catch you next.

It's also a shame that Avon don't require all agents to register the names/addresses of customers because quite often I've come across people who say their rep just 'disappeared'. Would be much easier for newbies to be provided with a list of names and addresses when allocated given territory.

lozza1985

claregre wrote: »

Aw sorry to hear that ..... I guess I'm not a sales leader so I don't appreciate it all but surely its not right that you're getting into debt??

OK what I really want to say is ... surely you are recruiting more reps to make Avon more money so shouldn't they be supporting you? Of course, I know from this thread that that is mostly not the case ... and I suppose thats a pitfall of being self employed.

Sorry to hear you are having such a rubbish time, and hope you don't get to the stage where you quit. Your lazier reps don't deserve you, and your knowledge has been invaluable to everyone on here!!

Yes unfortunately it is easy to get in to debt being a sales leader - we only get reimbursed for books & an appointment pack if a new rep places an order, of at least £78 - so if you get people who change their mind then we're out of pocket. Plus then theres mobile bills, petrol or taxi fares etc to get to people, advertising etc etc which all mounts up. Its possible to do it on the cheap, I certainly don't pay for any newspaper advertising for example, but little bits like not being reimbursed for books all mounts up.

Hope you don't give up A but I can understand why! I certainly get zilch support from my asm - she's back to ignoring my emails again, even though dsm has had words with her about it!!! - so I'm basically on my own, which is why I love coming on here & flissys as it means I know how other people are doing in terms of sales each camp, and getting advice from other sl.

MarsdenCuckoo

claregre wrote: »

Hiya - re the nail varnish offer on the clearance book for C6. It says that you can order an arabian glow nail varnish for 99p when you order anything from the clearance book but it also says only one per customer.

One of my good customers has just rung me and said that they have ordered two things from clearance, so can they have 2 nail varnishes?

I said it should be fine and am thinking it'll work out fine on my order as they aren't allocated to any particular house, am I right?

Sorry bit ditzy today!!

Yes, as lozza says, absolutely fine. All part and parcel of 'creative ordering' i.e. taking advantage of offers to maximise value for you and/or your customers.

Why not ring your customer back and see if she'd like to order more nail varnishes if she wishes (provided you can accommodate the offer via your other orders)? In the past I've ignored Avon's conditions re. ordering the 'special offer' i.e. I had a customer, who wanted the digital photo frame but was not prepared to pay £40 nor did she want anything else. I had sufficient other orders to qualify and those customers weren't interested so I saw no problem in letting her have it at the offer price. It's your business after all - up to you how you manage things.

sophisoph

sorry Aureol i didnt mean to change that and make it all about me, just wanted to vent AND show (whoever it was asking about sls) exactly what us sales leaders have to put up with SOMETIMES. I think its definately 50/50 with finding people. even the ones you think are lovely can turn out to be completely random lol and the ones you have no faith in end up surprising you.

I hope you dont give it up. I realised with being a rep i was losing money with the amount i was buying for myself/demos/presents etc plus the cost of printing for incentives and blimmin sandwich bags! lol but i made a deal with myself that i needed more money so would stop buying and start earning instead.

Maybe we could help you think of ways to cut corners? I know you cant help with reps who let you down etc but maybe other ways?

As for the 'new bags' I saw them in the HT for camp7 so maybe they will be out then. Im still on tesco freezer bags but today got 3/10 books back with no bags!!! lol my OH thinks its so funny when i rant about bags all the time. But the more they steal the more drops i have to do as i dont have enough bags anymore!

BRING ON THE NEW ONES! XX

Aesop

thanks sophisoph. I already do what I can. Until ******* tax credits decided to cut my money even more, I was living on £10 a day, which was food for 3 of us, and travel, and believe me it doesn't go far when meat costs £5!!!!

I already try to maximise my trips to reps with something else, so I don't just spend £1.20 each way going to see a rep or more sometimes depending where they live. So if one lived in town, I would combine going to town with shopping at tesco, anything else I need to do in town and seeing the rep. I walk as much as possible to save on money, but it is not always practical when pouring with rain.

I have tried canvassing, recanvassing my territory, incentivising them with free gifts, spend £10 or more, had one deliberately just order £9.35, but she is a trouble maker, and returned her gyroscopic hand thing as she couldn't see the ball turning!

I have asked my customers to ask at work if anyone is interested saying I would take deliveries to their work place, so they wouldn't have to be involved.

It is just getting more and more difficult for me. I can't afford to put my son in at the childminder's so I can sign reps or go swooping. So he has to come with me and some reps don't like it, as he doesn't sit quietly playing with his cars... I now have to do deliveries and book drops, etc with him. He sulks if I take him in the stroller and leave him sitting there. He does enjoy putting the books through the door and picking them up, but then it takes longer as I have to make sure he doesn't catch his fingers and keep an eye on him for running into the road, etc.

He is at that age when he needs to be active and playing with other kids. For me to do that means going to playgroups or the park and I have tried the "would you like to see an avon book? Are you interested in being a rep" to the point, the mums are ignoring me, which isn't fair on my DS. But then is more time when I can't be canvassing or book dropping. Can't do it in the evening, as by time dinner is served, DS in bed, too late to be out and about.

I know I sound so negative today, but I really have had enough. I am just tired of lazy reps and people not being honest and saying I don't want to do this anymore. Tell me! It is far easier on me and saves me wasting my time emailing, texting and calling.

My area is saturated with reps, and everywhere I go, it's either more books or reps encroaching on my territory. But to go out of area means bus fares that I can't afford.

I have my facebook page up and running and am trying to build it up to get people interested.

I can't even afford to do an avon party at a local club, not allowed to do it in my house.

MarsdenCuckoo

Thanks, sophisoph, for the update re. your 1st/2nd party. Sounds like a lot of hard work and well done you for keeping your cool re. the kid and the rose wine! :T Glad am not going down the party game route (am living in hopes that mine will be more of a 'here are the goodies girls.... get stuck in, try whatever you like, clearance is at this side, current products at that....' and then just sit back and take orders/money. Time will tell.

Never heard of a snatch raffle before but will deffo bear that one in mind for the future - probably works best amongst friends am guessing rather than 'in public'.

From my 'tupperware days' (yes, am old) I seem to recall that party guests were encouraged to have their own party - did you do that? Definitely sounds much less stressful to hold in someone else's home rather than your own.

MarsdenCuckoo

yummymummy85 wrote: »

They are definately not thick and don't have a zip lock which is what I was expecting. Will be making a trip to Asda this evening to get some decent bags so I can put my brochures out tomorrow!

On another note, the woman that's become a rep who was my customer has just messaged me on facebook accusing me of stealing her ideas simply because I'd put on my page that if you're not in my local area I can post a book and post your order (I've been doing this since I started as with being an Army wife I have a lot of contacts that I may meet again at another posting so thought it was a good idea) and apparently she had just put something similar on her page. Couldn't believe that she accused me of this I mean to me that's just childish!! Am a bit worried now tho coz I have an order to deliver to her on Friday, just hope she's going to be grown up about it!!

Just take a deep breath and be professional. (She can't be that bright if she placed an order with you just before becoming a rep anyway! :cool:) If she is discourteous with you, always remember you can return her order for credit - you don't have to take abuse, even to achieve a sale.

sophisoph

Aureol you could be me stuck in another part of the world! lol. It sounds like youve pretty much tried everything. and good on you. you can safely say you have given it a go.

(not to turn it back to me but more to show you youre not alone...) I feel the same, im always trying to budget. Im in a brand new estate where noone knows where you are and there is limited public transport/shops. I refuse to take a bus to go shopping just because they decided to close the only road you could walk down to get there (for 4 months!!) I will mention something to a friend about how i need sandwich bags for example and they say 'well cant you just nip to tescos?' NO! Why should we be forced to pay for a bus there and back just for bags. If im going to pay for a bus i may as well wait until i need more from there and make it worth my while...but in the mean time customers will have to wait for their books and ill have to do MORE trips to get them out and back again.

I also have a son, hes 16 months and recently started walking in shoes so we have ventured outside now. but my god it takes forever! lol he too isnt happy in his buggy now he has his new shoes to use lol

The majority of reps ive signed up are in my area. The others have either come to me (but they are friends anyway) or we have visited on a weekend as they are family. Its only now im venturing further but its already showing problems as...like you said its hard to get there without spending money or relying on others.

My OH WAS being supportive but hes started working from 10am to 11pm most days so i cant get anywhere. (Is it something i said? lol maybe its my cooking) I COULD get insured on his car but then thats more money and i havent driven for 5 years since passing my test (lol) so i would need some practice without risking my sons life!! Its just a vicious cycle...i need to get reps to make money to get insured...so i can get reps....lol

Ive also been relying on my neighbour whos a good friend, she will usually have my son for a few hours while i sign people up but i cant do that forever.

I completly see why youre feeling like youre stuck aureol, i feel the same, but then avon is whats keeping me going. I was depressed before i started and isolated and lonely. And even though im still stranded at least i KNOW people around here and i have a reason to get out of the house. What would you do if you didnt do avon?

I dont really know what to suggest. It would be good to go to one of these monthly meetings most AMs hold, just for some motivation etc but mine are too bloody far away. They say avon is supposed to be good for people of all walks of life...they dont think much about mums who dont drive do they? lol

Ive got some ideas of where you could try to find reps or some ways to promote yourself if you want some ideas? but it still doesnt solve the issue of getting there does it lol

sorry gone and written a blimmin essay again havent i x

MarsdenCuckoo

aureol212 wrote: »

Thank you claregre. My situation has just gone from manageable to downright at the bottom of the pit, surely things must get better from here...

I just am not making any money to pay bills, etc, and tax credits has been adjusted according to DH's income, which would be fine if he was actually getting paid but he isn't! Even he has said to me if you are not making any money it is time to give it up. Although I am one who believes in trying something for longer than 5 minutes to say you gave it a go before giving up, financially I can't afford to keep doing this.

I had a customer that I let buy from HT as she spent a lot of money last summer and I know she can't afford much, she asked me for 2 more necklaces that she had previously bought at HT price and I said I couldn't do it as it was a past issue and the same item is not in them any more and I can't backorder. So she said if I couldn't get it at that price, then to just order 1. It's things like this I can't afford. I could give it to her at my discount price depending how many orders I get, but means I make nothing from it.

And all the support I get from my SL is "what are you doing to recruit new reps?"

I am not going to go into it, but basically I cannot afford to recruit new reps if I have to leave my son at the childminder's. As it costs me more when my reps don't make MOV.

Whinge over.

Really sorry to hear that, aureol. Got to admit, when my SL suggested I show my HT book to a good customer if I wished I've never done it. The most I've done is offer them 10% off their orders for their chosen cause/charity.

Also admit I've never made a great deal out of Avon (but I have had fun with the creative ordering and have LOADS of Avon goodies in my home so guess that's a 'benefit in kind'). I started doing Betterware because I thought it would maybe dovetail (sometimes it does, sometimes not) but whilst it's more of a hard slog and you don't tend to build a relationship with your customers, it can actually earn you more. Campaigns are weekly, you have no costs (everything is provided free), you earn a straight 20% of all your orders/deliveries and get freebies and bonuses for hitting targets. If you'd like to know more PM me (I can 'refer you as a friend' if you wish?)

As already said, your advice to us Avon newbies on here has been invaluable so really hope there is light at the end of your tunnel and you manage to get through your current problems.

sophisoph

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

Thanks, sophisoph, for the update re. your 1st/2nd party. Sounds like a lot of hard work and well done you for keeping your cool re. the kid and the rose wine! :T Glad am not going down the party game route (am living in hopes that mine will be more of a 'here are the goodies girls.... get stuck in, try whatever you like, clearance is at this side, current products at that....' and then just sit back and take orders/money. Time will tell.

Never heard of a snatch raffle before but will deffo bear that one in mind for the future - probably works best amongst friends am guessing rather than 'in public'.

From my 'tupperware days' (yes, am old) I seem to recall that party guests were encouraged to have their own party - did you do that? Definitely sounds much less stressful to hold in someone else's home rather than your own.

god im all over this thread like a rash today arent i lol (can you tell im bored?) Anyway the raffle idea was stolen mwahahahaha from a few annsummers parties ive been to. Great fun. Its great to play it with anyone, not just close friends. PLus its extra pennies for you.

And no i didnt try and encourage them to have them. If more had turned up then i would have but as it was my sister, 2 ladies who dont know ANYONE other than each other as they moved far from their last homes, one from a good hours drive away (so i couldnt get there) and a very shy lady there wasnt much point. I knew the answer anyway lol. But i did mention that i could do home parties.

I wont be holding one myself again anytime soon lol