~Avon Hints & Tips (Part 7) ~

MarsdenCuckoo

nicki wrote: »

Well I put 112 books out to houses (plus a few in work) and I'm now down by 34 so not that bad this time. But its taken a lot of door knocking - 4 hours today I've been out collecting books and just spent another hour going through all the books! Doing an extra road has doubled my collecting time, I dread to think what it'll do when I include the next two roads which are more terraced houses I've still only covered 187 of my 460 allocated properties (I found the email with my territory on it)

WOW, you seem to have a huge territory and are using a lot of books. Sorry, have been away and missed loads..... How long have you been a rep?

MarsdenCuckoo

curlychick wrote: »

Hi everyone,
I have been doing Avon for three campaigns, and have made HOV (just!) ineach of them, so really pleased.
I was wondering when you talk about Canvassing, what exactly do you do? do you drop a brochure in at every house, or knock and ask? I have been knocking so far, as I don't want to waste books. and what do you say to them?
Thanks!

Well done. Some reps 'stuff and run', others 'knock and ask' - just depends whatever you're happy with. Am a 'knock and ask' person; certainly when you first start with only 20 books, they're 'precious' and you need to make sure they 'have a good home' i.e. somewhere at least remotely interested in Avon.

As to what to say..... find a 'common denominator' i.e. compliment them on something (dog/child/garden/wallpaper.... anything really) - everyone loves a compliment. Put a big smile on and offer them a book - without any obligation. Stress you are new and reliable i.e. you will be back on ............... to collect the book (and make sure you are). People now do not want to be left with extra rubbish so it's good to emphasise that you realise that.

If there's a particularly good offer in the book you're offering, it's worth pointing it out - if you like the product too then even better. People personal recommendations.

Good luck.

MarsdenCuckoo

dawn1974 wrote: »

I'm a bit gutted today.

I went to the local shop to ask if they wanted any Avon.

It turned out that she did Avon from the shop and I used to work with her also.

Anyway she got me about £100 worth of orders at the end April.

Then when the delivery came the week after she had decided to sell the shop and the new owners were already at the shop.

I had to find the customers myself to deliver the items.

Anyway she said that Avon would be continued at the shop and she dropped some more order's off at my step-mum's a few weeks ago.

I received the Avon yesterday and I am going to try and deliver the items over the next few days.

I had 1 order on a post-it-note with just a name and that she wanted 1 lipstick.

I contacted the lady who used to own the shop by text message to ask if she knew where she lived.

This morning I got a text message back saying she was on holiday and that I was the Avon rep and she wanted to be left alone!!!

Oh well I will just have to send it back.

I am slightly upset at the nastiness in the text mesage because what was I supposed to do with no address??

Agree with MM, Dawn; presumably you are rewarding the shop in some way for helping you? (If not, maybe that's the reason for the negativity?)

It's common to offer a 'base' like this 10% commission on whatever orders they collect/attract for you - either for themselves or their preferred charity/'good cause'.

nicki_2

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

WOW, you seem to have a huge territory and are using a lot of books. Sorry, have been away and missed loads..... How long have you been a rep?

I have a large territory as there is already 2 (maybe 3 or more?) reps in the area who do F&F, a lot of student/immigrant/council housing with fast "turnovers" I guess you would call it (people can move out overnight with no warning), a large number of EAL (English as an Additional Language or no english at all!), and I can't do family as my sister (Johanne) is a rep :rotfl: Out of the 129 houses I've covered before this campaign, I had <50 who wanted books. I did another 78 book drops this time and had an okay response I guess, loosing just 34 books in total. I also do "friends" at my voluntary job - I work 2.5 days in my daughters school so I can't count on orders from there all the time especially due to all the holidays but I do get a few regulars

I've only been a rep since 1st Feb

MarsdenCuckoo

Chazolate wrote: »

Hi, I am a trainee SL started on this campaign and have 3 Reps. I think I need 5 Reps to earn commission and become a SL. Also I think you need to get HOV yourself, just mentioning this as you said your roads are pretty rubbish.

So far my advertising has been:
Gumtree (free ads site) - 0 response
Sainsbury’s (free) - 0 response
Facebook (free) - 1 response, but not sure if it's going anywhere
Local newspaper (unsure of cost as SL placed ad) 5 responses and 1 changed their mind, 3 singed up and waiting to here on the last one.

By placing the advert in the paper my SL has found me my first 3 Reps and has said I need to find the rest. If any more respond she will share the leads with other SL. Therefore I am now looking into the cost of an advert in the local newspaper, as that seemed to be the only way to get a response!
I am going in to town next week to ask people and handout the cards so I will let you know if I get anywhere with that. I am also knocking on doors/dropping leaflets on a road.:)

Yes, to qualify you need 5 reps on your team inputting MOV, group sales of £888 including your own order within the deadline date/time of HOV/£148 (order values need to be nett of any returns) PLUS pay your account on time. Avon are really tightening up on this so miss any one of those items by even a 'tad' and you won't qualify.

Good luck.

MarsdenCuckoo

nicki wrote: »

I have a large territory as there is already 2 (maybe 3 or more?) reps in the area who do F&F, a lot of student/immigrant/council housing with fast "turnovers" I guess you would call it (people can move out overnight with no warning), a large number of EAL (English as an Additional Language or no english at all!), and I can't do family as my sister (Johanne) is a rep :rotfl: Out of the 129 houses I've covered before this campaign, I had <50 who wanted books. I did another 78 book drops this time and had an okay response I guess, loosing just 34 books in total. I also do "friends" at my voluntary job - I work 2.5 days in my daughters school so I can't count on orders from there all the time especially due to all the holidays but I do get a few regulars

I've only been a rep since 1st Feb

Hmmm.... so you 'stuff and run' then?

Your area doesn't sound easy but just make sure the way you are working your Avon business merits the cost of your books e.g. I made PC without ever ordering more than 30 books. (OK, am 'tight' but just make sure you tailor your costs to your anticipated income.)

Don't know if your EAL houses inc. Polish but they tend to Avon - seems expensive to them here but it's a familiar product to them so make the most of that little window of opportunity.

nicki_2

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

Hmmm.... so you 'stuff and run' then?

Your area doesn't sound easy but just make sure the way you are working your Avon business merits the cost of your books e.g. I made PC without ever ordering more than 30 books. (OK, am 'tight' but just make sure you tailor your costs to your anticipated income.)

Don't know if your EAL houses inc. Polish but they tend to Avon - seems expensive to them here but it's a familiar product to them so make the most of that little window of opportunity.

I stuff & run but have a flyer in with the book introducing me in with the books & I always return when I say I will If they don't leave the book out in the AM when I ask them to (on the flyer) I put a calling card through and return that evening If they still haven't left it out I knock and ask for it back

This campaign hasn't gone to that plan quite as well as normal because it was torrential rain here yesterday morning and I got soaked to the point I started shivering (and had wet underwear despite wearing a waterproof coat it came down so sudden and hard :eek:) so thought "Books or health? HEALTH!" and came home earlier than planned! I did go back out last night and collected the remaining books though :rotfl:

I used to order 50 books at a time but that wasn't enough if I want to canvass the rest of my territory, so I've upped it to 100. Yes this means I have to pay out £14 on books, but I'm averaging £25 a week income so I don't mind "investing" 1 weeks money back into it ATM I leave the books with the customers for 1 week, and then it gives me a weekend to chase up the stragglers Its working out great for me ATM as I have customers who have never ordered before ordering this time around :jAlso had 4 customers on my new road ordering and a few others who said they'll order next time now they can put a face (and child :rotfl:) to me, even more handy is that some of them are parents from school so they know me from the playground :D ETA: I do use the last campaign books for canvassing new streets, I don't just let them sit around doing nothing.

There are a few Polish people around here, but a lot are muslim and only speak Arabic I should really get the Arabic teacher to do me a flyer to explain that I am here to collect the avon book I put through a few days ago. :rotfl: Since she's a customer she would probably do it as well :rotfl::rotfl:

barnesfamily_2

Tiggerlilly wrote: »

Did you put in a couple of books and plenty of order forms or just one book and one form ? because it is likely several people work at that location (both Police persons and admin staff) and giving them a few extra books and order forms will boost your chance of more orders being placed.

Hi,Tigerlilly,no I only left one book with one order in it.If there is any interest on Monday I`ll leave more forms.

Money_maker

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

Personally I just put my details on the order form. What do others do?

Back of books, back of sale brochures, both copies of order forms and on my newsletters

barnesfamily_2

Chazolate wrote: »

Hi, I am a trainee SL started on this campaign and have 3 Reps. I think I need 5 Reps to earn commission and become a SL. Also I think you need to get HOV yourself, just mentioning this as you said your roads are pretty rubbish.

So far my advertising has been:
Gumtree (free ads site) - 0 response
Sainsbury’s (free) - 0 response
Facebook (free) - 1 response, but not sure if it's going anywhere
Local newspaper (unsure of cost as SL placed ad) 5 responses and 1 changed their mind, 3 singed up and waiting to here on the last one.

By placing the advert in the paper my SL has found me my first 3 Reps and has said I need to find the rest. If any more respond she will share the leads with other SL. Therefore I am now looking into the cost of an advert in the local newspaper, as that seemed to be the only way to get a response!
I am going in to town next week to ask people and handout the cards so I will let you know if I get anywhere with that. I am also knocking on doors/dropping leaflets on a road.:)

Hi,thank you so much for that.I don`t have any contact with my SL so I do everything myself.One of my customers works in a call centre and has been taking books for her mates at work.I asked her if she would be interested and she said yes.I also deliver to a dentist clinic on my street and the receptionist is getting more orders for me every campaign now.So that`s my definite two.
My streets might be rubbish but I am lucky enough to have a F&C shop,dentist,Police,Firestation,Nursery and a nursing home on them.I don`t do F&F as I am not from here and I don`t have any.
I drop off books and then oick uo on the dated I have said.If the books are not there I go back,and again,knock on doors and leave notes.I don`t order more than 30 books and always work both sets for each campaign.I also go to all my new houses and sometimes old ones too,with a bottle of Senses shampoo,a bubble bath and a hand cream.I say to people that I am their rep and ask if they would like to try some of the products for free.I use little plastic coffee cups from my husband canteen.When they choose what they like to try,I give them enough to be able to enjoy it ,leave the book and say Enjoy!Most new customers I gwt with that.
Ooops,sorry for the long letter:o