Avon Hints and Tips (Part 4)

MarsdenCuckoo

Hi Guys!

(Should be having an early night but couldn't resist a quick look in before retiring....)

Thanks for all the good wishes and was really looking forward to saying how well it went.... however, don't think am cut out for parties. Will spare you the misery but all in all was a real wash-out (pretty sure I made a loss! :eek: ) Tried my best but my inexperience showed - took too long to set up; there was a mix-up as to when I should arrive (I asked and was told one thing but others arrived half an hour earlier, which I reeeeally could have done with!) - had far too much stock so no 'theme' and disappointingly I didn't sell one of the baskets/presents...

Can't begin to guess how many hours/days/weeks of effort I put into the prep but it took me all w/e to unpack everything and do my returns to Avon. Did think about having a party at home i.e. so I could set it up in my own time and invite all my customers here, rather than send it all back but then I just didn't have the heart (also I thought it might cost me more in drinks/nibbles than it was worth - might look at doing it later in the year but just didn't have the energy at the mo).

Hadn't realised that there would be two other ladies there on the night flogging their stuff (didn't even have chance to see what they were selling). Saving grace is that one did well but the other didn't (or so I was told).

Hey Ho... No matter, no experience is lost provided you learn from it and the 'silver lining' I found is that as well as being able to profit from creative ordering you can also profit from 'creative returns'!

Money_maker

Oh bless, and after all that effort as well. Perhaps you are now well placed to try another one having had the experience (she says as she ducks). Your stuff did look great. perhaps the attendees were more browsers than buyers.

MarsdenCuckoo

bargainsearcher wrote: »

Help! I am in need of serious confidence boost. Just starting camp 3 and to be honest I got off to a good start with first 2 camps - hit HOV both times.
When I signed up I only intended to do F & F, but after joining here I decided I should be brave and venture out into the village (I was given permission). I set off on Friday with 25 books (couldn't believe how nervous I was) and delivered them all. I really had to push myself to do this, I have so little self confidence.
Today got off to a great start - order arrived - order sorted-then the dreaded collection of books. Forced myself to knock when necessary-end result 12 books back, no orders, 6 requests not to bother coming back.
I know we should expect knockbacks, but I found the whole experience so nerve wracking, and the way some people look at you is beyond belief!
I really want to succeed and grow my business but the face to face side is soooo hard. Having a order date in the middle of the Easter holidays doesn't help this time. In urgent need of encouragement!

Hang in there bargainsearcher. Might it help if you flip the idea of what you're doing on its head i.e. instead of thinking that you're trying to sell products, you're actually letting people know about all the bargains and how much money they can save? If you find a product you particularly like (and it's at a good price) then you should find it easier to talk about that and promote it.

No idea where you live but in every community there is a core family and if you can tap into that then your sales will just naturally grow (especially if you find the Matriach :T ). Won't happen overnight but try and work on 1-2 new customers per campaign and a few months down the line you'll hopefully wonder what on earth you were worried about.

Just show your punters what a great, realiable person you are and how you'll do your best to help them (you may have to grit your teeth at times) and your business should naturally grow.

Good luck.

MarsdenCuckoo

Money_maker wrote: »

Oh bless, and after all that effort as well. Perhaps you are now well placed to try another one having had the experience (she says as she ducks). Your stuff did look great. perhaps the attendees were more browsers than buyers.

Thanks, MM; my biggest problem was that I had too much stuff and not enough space to display it. In hindsight I was really stupid in that they suggested I specialise in jewellery but I thought adding in some clearance would be good too. Hadn't realised how many Avon products there actually are.

Speaks volumes in that whilst everyone wants a bargain, the first thing I sold was the one set of Diamondesque jewellery I took (£27) and I didn't even get chance to put it on display (heard someone mention it was her birthday soon so asked her across whilst I was unpacking to show her 'the top of the range' ) She bought it immediately, her friend bought a necklace so that was £32 within the first two mins, the 'stall' was manic all night so no idea how sales for the night were only £178 :think:

bargainsearcher

Morning all, just getting ready for work so just popping in to say THANKS for all your support last night, your really are a very supportive bunch. Feeling more positive today and ready to start again.
MarsdenCuckoo, I am gutted for you, was waiting with baited breath to hear your success story, can't believe it didn't work out, but like you say, you've tried and if you did it again you know what to do differently. I would imagine the run up to Christmas would be a great time.
Have a great day everyone and thanks again for the support. Will pop back tonight.

pinkpig08

lucyclare wrote: »

Well done you!!! I take it you have started on C8 before your C7 delivery is received?

youve got a headstart on the campaign.

Go Girl :beer::beer::beer::j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j

No I'm on C7, I've been taking the 20 out I got to start off with and the SL is sending me another 100 as my territory is quite large. I have to say I got the orders from the houses I least expected to get any orders from! I did miss a few out as there is a row of houses with no front doors and I'm not sure where the letterboxes are. Don't know if there's a communal path round the back but I'm chicken!

I'll have only covered about half my territory by the time C8 is out, so the half that I've already done will get C8, and the other half C7. I'm ordering 80 each of the next campaigns so I've got enough to do half and half and hopefully in less trips! I felt really bad last week when my little boy had to come twice. He wanted to put the books through the doors so I let him, then thought that people would think I'm some sort of child slave driver 'look at her standing back letting her kid do the work while she earns the money!'

I don;t have my own road as territory though. No-one drops an Avon book here already so if things go well I might see if I can ask for it. Don't want to take on too much though - if I end up going back to work it will be hard.

I had an email yesterday about becoming a Sales Leader. Thought it was a bit soon for that! Besides which I think it would be difficult to fit around the baby. I could only go visiting when DH is here and he does standby at work sometimes which means he doesn't get home until the early hours.

Sorry - done quite a bit of 'out loud' thinking there!

pinkpig08

bargainsearcher - I know how you feel. When I go out collecting I feel as if I'm trespassing! I look away from the windows so they don't think I'm noseying!

Have you put a slip in with your brochures asking them to leave it outside for you if they're not in? If they don't want to be disturbed some leave it outside anyway. I also added a bit at the bottom where they could tick if they don't want any more brochures, and a couple have.

Sorry your party didn't go as well as you hoped MC. It's all experience and it will stand you in better stead for next time

claregre

bargainsearcher wrote: »

Having a order date in the middle of the Easter holidays doesn't help this time. In urgent need of encouragement!

Well not read the rest of the posts yet after this one, but would just like to say thank you to bargainsearcher for reminding me that, yes, my order is also due in on Good Friday, and therefore I will not in work (and not in on Thursday) so I really need to chase my F&F at work to get their orders in!!
Doh ....... :eek:

Elliebee_2

MC - Oh, I do feel for you. It's soul destroying when you put in a lot of work and then it falls flat. But hang on!!!! That's another £178 on top of your regular campaign figure so it's not all bad, and as you say, there are always creative returns

Bargainsearcher - just carry on with the F&F you originally intended to do and regard the territory as a bonus. They may well have had lots of 'fly-by-night' Avon reps and are waiting to see if you will come back (I've had first orders after 2 years of dropping books every time, so don't give up on people). As someone else says, say 'hello' to absolutely everyone you pass and you'll soon be known as the friendly Avon lady. Good luck :beer:

claregre

MC - gutted for you, and after all that work. Doesn't sound like the venue gave you all the information you needed either, grr.

I am sure your next one (after you have sat by your bike for a bit and licked your wounds before you get back on it!) will be much better. And as Elliebee says, it is still more sales than you would have got usually.