~Avon Hints and Tips~(Part 5)

gingernights

feel like giving up the avon to be honest:(
i'm only earning 'real money' 10 a week if i'm lucky
and for that amount of work, delivering orders, collecting books /
is it worth it? i do enjoy it but maybe i'm better off getting part-time work with a 'real' wage.

dont know just feel fed up today/:(

any1 else feel like this?
i also think the commision rate is to low for the amount of work we put in, anyone agree?

Aesop

((((((((((((((((((gingernights)))))))))))) I felt like this about 4/5 months ago and went and got a part time job. I hate my job, and when I am doing it, find it interferes with my avon and my life, etc. But that is because I have a DS and by the time I take him to the childminder, pick him up, go home, feed him, make dinner, etc, it is time for bed.

My customers have even been commenting how they never see me anymore and I said it is just because am so busy when not doing part time job. I think if you are lucky enough to have a lot of customer that order regularly, enough to make you earn over £100 a month, it feels more worth it.

I am in the same situation, I don't always make a lot from my avon and currently nothing from my team, so understand how you feel. Can only say if you find a part time that you enjoy, go for it, but you may want to keep doing the avon on the side, I think it is worth for it the discounted products.

libby1984

I just wanted to share this with others, because I could kick myself for not realising sooner!

Firstly, my SL told me to put books through doors, not knock and introduce myself. Then when I thought about it, I wouldn't order stuff from someone who I hadn't even met! So when I redelivered the brochures I knocked on the doors and said hi. It also meant that some told me straight away that they weren't interested so that saved me a few books!

Secondly, I had been putting books through doors, so far I've managed to get about 10/40 back I think some people must be on holiday, or they're just never in when I go round, so now I can't get my books back. And then I realised, my territory is all private flats, I can leave the books on the doorsteps as they are all internal :rolleyes: If they're not interested or on holiday, the brochure just stays on the mat for easy collection

It's such a learning curve!

Money_maker

Gingernights - it all depends on your circumstances. I have a little one so work p/t 2/3 eves a week + avon as these can be fitted around my children.

Before I had no. 3, I worked 6 part time jobs including those above, at a warehouse, at a school, a cash-in hand and have also included ebay. Was a bit hectic but was able to do all of them in term time and have the school hols off. Maybe have a look around and see if you can combine.

lozza1985

Yeah sometimes it can seem like avon isn't worth it - even though I sell a lot, its mostly to customers on my territory, so usually thats various trips to collect the brochure, and then to deliver as although I tell my customers when I'm delivering not all of them will be in & they won't have bothered to rearrange.

However - theres nothing else I could fit in around work to earn some extra money that also means I get my own toiletries free/cheaper.

As A said - if you decide to stop Avon, just stay on ordering stuff for yourself - if you don't order brochures you'll be sent one at a cost of 55p (but its returnable anyway), and if you order from HT it won't matter how little you order as you won't need to hit mov/hov.

MarsdenCuckoo

libby1984 wrote: »

I just wanted to share this with others, because I could kick myself for not realising sooner!

Firstly, my SL told me to put books through doors, not knock and introduce myself. Then when I thought about it, I wouldn't order stuff from someone who I hadn't even met! So when I redelivered the brochures I knocked on the doors and said hi. It also meant that some told me straight away that they weren't interested so that saved me a few books!

Secondly, I had been putting books through doors, so far I've managed to get about 10/40 back I think some people must be on holiday, or they're just never in when I go round, so now I can't get my books back. And then I realised, my territory is all private flats, I can leave the books on the doorsteps as they are all internal :rolleyes: If they're not interested or on holiday, the brochure just stays on the mat for easy collection

It's such a learning curve!

Well done and thanks, Libby! :T

Am really surprised that your SL suggested you 'stuff and run'. Sorry to any/all SLs, who give that advice; as already posted seems to me that when a new rep first starts out with 20 books they really need to make sure that those books are left at least at houses that are actually interested in Avon. It's not going to hurt if you ask and someone says No and, as Libby has said, if you get a No then you keep your 'precious' book and get the opportunity to give it to someone, who actually wants to look at it.

Also, a little tip (it happened to me today) - I oops was actually 'stuffing and running' today to help out a new rep (I managed to pick up a lot of free C11's, which are useless to us here after this week so I thought it was an easy way to help her cover her new territory - my 'excuse' and am sticking to it.... ) Anyway, a man came out of a house I'd just dropped the book into, telling me that he didn't need it as he lived on his own. Strange how people still think there is nothing in Avon other than make-up. I quickly told him that actually Avon did now extend to lots of products for men (OK needs a bit of a stretch of the imagination there) but took the book from him and put the order form in amongst the good 'male offers', telling him along the way that he could usually pick up an aftershave, body spray and deoderant (all of which he MUST use?? ) for £10 and particularly mentioned the Musk, which I think is lovely. Will happily post up later as a bit of feedback when I go back on Tues whether he's actually ordered or not.... :rotfl: How's he not going to spend at least a fiver (especially when I mentioned whilst walking away that he can try anything he likes and get his money back if he doesn't like it!:T)

:beer:

libby1984

My SL says to say to men who are dismissive "do you not wash?" :rotfl: not quite brave enough for that one myself!

MarsdenCuckoo

gingernights wrote: »

feel like giving up the avon to be honest:(
i'm only earning 'real money' 10 a week if i'm lucky
and for that amount of work, delivering orders, collecting books /
is it worth it? i do enjoy it but maybe i'm better off getting part-time work with a 'real' wage.

dont know just feel fed up today/:(

any1 else feel like this?
i also think the commision rate is to low for the amount of work we put in, anyone agree?

Oh hear, GN.... Know where you're coming from, I recently signed up a young lady, who despite getting over £200 worth of orders in 3 days then decided it wasn't worth the hassle for £20! (No ideas where she gets £20 from on £200+ of sales but at the end of the day it was her decision.)

We all hit lows (which makes the highs even better); might be an idea though to examine what you're actually doing compared to your returns and/or talk it through with your SL? Once you get an established customer base, things do get easier and, of course, if you can contact your customers via email prior to delivering then that helps on that score too. I do have one customer, who her last rep gave up on because she was too difficult to 'catch in'; turns out she works shifts and always wants her delivery on Friday at 7pm. Just takes a quick email to her and she's always in and/or makes sure the cash is waiting....

Could you 'tweek' your modus operandi/way of working somehow to make things easier for you i.e. instead of trying to deliver things asap, drop a little note in instead confirming that their order has arrived.... £x amount and you'll be delivering on ....day at ..... a/pm? If you attach that note to their next book and add that you'll gladly collect their next order at the same time then that might help? Personally, haven't yet tried it that way but that's how Betterware do it and it works a treat for them.

Only you know in your heart what you want to do, of course. Good luck with everything but as others have said, rather than give up, it's worth thinking about keeping your account open by placing a small order via HT every campaign*.

MarsdenCuckoo

libby1984 wrote: »

My SL says to say to men who are dismissive "do you not wash?" :rotfl: not quite brave enough for that one myself!

:T:T:T
Gonna try that one next time!
:rotfl:

Joking apart though, I find that men living on their own tend to like a bit of 'encouragement'.

My husband has been such a help in that regard too so get your OH 'on-board' ladies; mine just tells his mates that they need to try such and such (they may be considering ordering a roll-on deo but he'll turn it into a £5/10 'deal')

libby1984

Just been round the flats for the FOURTH time and still got 24/40 books outstanding. I also have 5 men that have thrown theirs away. Feeling very dejected. Is there any way I can get more books? Have messaged my SL, just waiting to hear back. Rubbish