~Avon Hints & Tips (Part 7) ~

monaebrook

HIya fellow Avonites.

I need some motivation today - these 2 week campaigns are so much hassle, thnak goodness C4 is the last one! I have deliveries to go out today and was going to put some brochures out but am having one of those days when I can't be bothered!!!

I had a brain wave at the beginning of last week and wrote a letter to 37 schools in my local (ish) area letting them know I was a rep, including a brochure, and saying that I was available for fetes and that kind of thing. In the letter I said I would give 10% commission to them for any sales made through staff or at fetes. I was hoping that it would lead to some spring/summer fayres. However ...... I got a call on Friday night from a lady who works in one of the schools telling me that I was trying to steal her customers and that I should not have done it. Is that right? I did not think that it would be any problem as I assumed the schools would only contact me if they did not have some one already serving them? what do you guys think?

Am also registered as a trainee SL and only have 1 rep on my team at the moment. Was thinking about signing OH up as a territory only rep but have been trying to get new territory for myself and struggling with the ASM.

I wuld appreciate any of you SL's out there giving advice on how you recruit - can't get my head around Connects so no use trying on there!

Sorry for the long post but today is feeling like one of those days!!!:(

Aesop

I,_Geek wrote: »

I agree about Facebook. I never used it that much anyway so I'm going to keep things simple and just focus on getting customers the traditional way.

Once they have that fancy new ebrochure it's a different matter - I've got a list of people who can get an e-mail. But I find that with Facebook you have to log in and... ugh... it seems a palaver just talking about it. I'll always worry I'm going to be missing out on something if I don't check it every day - which I don't. Plus I heard FB were getting rid of profiles set up for businesses.

FB are constantly changing things, even as a personal user, they are changing profiles again, and I don't want to go on the new profile but they are changing my profile anyway.

They are removing certain profiles set up for businesses, there are regulations on what you can and cant do with the business profiles.

Aesop

I,_Geek wrote: »

Uses for SSS Dry Oil Spray - I found the list of these on the old thread and some of the points refer to the bath oil instead of the SSS spray. Are the two products just as good as each other? Is it just the application that's different? i.e. the spray would be better for using as an insect repellent on the skin, but the oil would be easier to use if you have to dilute it?

Thanks for any help you can give. I've started selling Avon at the place I volunteer but it's not somewhere I'll be expecting lots of make-up/jewellery sales. I'm going to be promoting toiletries, footworks stuff, and things with practical applications like the SSS Spray.

I think the original list is from America, hence it talks about both. I cannot really comment on the bath oil as have never had anyone buy it.

Aesop

Ok, I don't go on Connects anymore, so have no idea at all about the widget stuff or the ebrochures coming out. Although I do like the idea of the ebrochure for some of my hard to get to customers.

Aesop

monaebrook

I think it was very enterprising of you to write to the schools, the Rep is put out because of you contacting the school and feels that you are poaching on her territory. Which is understandable if she is registered on SMA as having the school as her territory. Someone in my area is recorded as having the local school. But you wouldn't know that if no one has told you.

Ignore her.

When I was an SL, I would advertise by putting leaflets in shop windows, newsagents, Tescos, Sainsburys, any supermarket that lets you advertise, especially for free.

I also used Flissys - you have to pay for the leads and they don't always work out. Told my customers that I was recruiting.

I used to do expired book drops, with the avon card... want to become an Avon Rep, etc, etc, contact me.

I set up a facebook page and put it on there.

I signed up my DH too, but he didn't like being hassled by the ASM.

Tell everyone you know that you are an SL and looking to recruit people, go to baby groups and talk to the person who runs them and tell them what you do and ask if you can leave some flyers or talk to the mums.

You can do "swooping" with your ASM or if she is not helpful, find another SL or ASM to go swooping with. Swooping is when you stand at shopping precincts and hand out books and samples and stop people and ask them if they want to sign up.

Do you go to your local Call in? A call in is a meeting monthly for your group, we all have group names, where an ASM runs it and you can meet other Reps and SLs. You maybe able to go with them when they go out.

https://www.flissys.com

you can enrol for a 2 week trial, and then it was £12 a year to sign up, not sure if this has gone up.

MarsdenCuckoo

monaebrook wrote: »

HIya fellow Avonites.

I need some motivation today - these 2 week campaigns are so much hassle, thnak goodness C4 is the last one! I have deliveries to go out today and was going to put some brochures out but am having one of those days when I can't be bothered!!!

I had a brain wave at the beginning of last week and wrote a letter to 37 schools in my local (ish) area letting them know I was a rep, including a brochure, and saying that I was available for fetes and that kind of thing. In the letter I said I would give 10% commission to them for any sales made through staff or at fetes. I was hoping that it would lead to some spring/summer fayres. However ...... I got a call on Friday night from a lady who works in one of the schools telling me that I was trying to steal her customers and that I should not have done it. Is that right? I did not think that it would be any problem as I assumed the schools would only contact me if they did not have some one already serving them? what do you guys think?

Am also registered as a trainee SL and only have 1 rep on my team at the moment. Was thinking about signing OH up as a territory only rep but have been trying to get new territory for myself and struggling with the ASM.

I wuld appreciate any of you SL's out there giving advice on how you recruit - can't get my head around Connects so no use trying on there!

Sorry for the long post but today is feeling like one of those days!!!:(

2-weekly campaigns are what you make of them; admittedly, am 'strange' but I quite like them (wouldn't want them all the time though!:rotfl:)

As for writing to the schools, well done you for the thought. Not sure if schools are actually included in Given Territory or not but chances are that if the lady, who rang you, works there, any customers she has will be on an F&F base anyway so don't be put off. She's no more right to the school on an F&F basis than you! She's probably hacked off because you offered the discount. Did you ask if she was prepared to do fetes/fayres too?

Am confused why you registered as a Trainee SL with only one rep? Yes, get your OH signed up pdq (along with any other family/friends you can 'bully' into it ) and request territory via SMA (the system will automatically offer you some, even if your ASM says there is none). To achieve any bonuses and qualify you need to sign up some more reps asap (you need 5 to qualify) - your upliner should help by providing you with some leads (in my view they were remiss to allow you to sign up with only one rep so they should help you).

As for recruiting, am 'carp' at it. My best team members are customers, who actually approached me.:o Swooping brought me loads of leads, cost me money but not one single sign-up. Oh, I tell a lie, did manage one sign up but then they changed their mind the next day. (70 mile round trip so wasn't worth going back to collect my books.) Am thinking of trying advertising - Gails page on Connects gives you loads of suggestions for wording.

Hope that helps (best get off now into the rain and get my own books out!)

monaebrook

Thanks A, I needed that boost.

I really want to make a go of my AVON, both OH and I are likely to lose our jobs over the next 18 months and I need to have some income so the more I can make from avonning the better. Just seems to be difficult with the whole territory thing, my ASM is lovely but I am not sure she has a 'handle' on who covers what area. Just prior to Christmas I put some brochures out on a newish street. Got a few new customers as well, but also had another rep contact me telling me that they were her streets!!

Also got some new territory from ASM and duly canvassed only to be told by one of the ladies who lived there that they already had a rep!! Frustration again.

The products we sell are great, and my regular customers are fab, BUT why can't AVON get it together with the whole allocation of territory stuff? I have emailed my ASM telling her I would like to go prospecting with her and that I want more territory will just have to wait and see what comes of it.

Thanks again A - wish you were my UL or ASM!!!

MrsTinks

Afternoon ladies!
One of my customers was asking if Avon still did the purple mascara as she loves it... I can't see it in the books but thought as a favour I'd see if any of you lovelies had one hidden away in your stashes

T

MarsdenCuckoo

MrsTine wrote: »

Afternoon ladies!
One of my customers was asking if Avon still did the purple mascara as she loves it... I can't see it in the books but thought as a favour I'd see if any of you lovelies had one hidden away in your stashes

T

There's a Violet Supershock Intense Mascara in C4 (11262) @ £3 customer price or a Navy Superfull Mascara, also in C4, @ £4 They're in the customer clearance pamphlet. Maybe you can convince her to try/stock up? :T

MarsdenCuckoo

ceejaydee23 wrote: »

Marden Cuckoo, I think u've hit a nail, If i was one of my customers id not be too pleased esp if i was a regular, before christmas id asked for more territory, and got it, it doubled the bloody size of what id got, so over 200 houses! (actually what she gave me was mainly flats) but id not got one order from those at all) and as i was only able to carry a maximum of about 40 books on the back of my sons buggy it became very stressful getting no orders, especially trudging about in the cold and snow, and what with my ill health and kids getting poorly with winter bugs too.

My motivation run very low, what with one rep calling me asking if a book id left at a house was cos of the person being a friend, turns out that rep had been given some of my new territory, and someone else accused me of stealing one of their books from someone that was on MY territory as they were a friend of theirs. It really made me wonder weather it was all worth it! Then there had been people waiting for stock too, that was also a bit of a pig. OK i've waffled long enough. I'm on connects aswell my screen name there is ceejaydee30!

Hmm.... See where you're coming from. We all get cheesed off with Avon from time to time and looks like you are really being put through the myre.

Wonder if it may help you to 'do a survey' of all the territory you've been allocated i.e. it will save you lugging books around, you just take a clipboard (I have an official Avon form, which could be useful to you - PM me if you'd like a copy). That way you can establish, who wants a book from you, who already has a F&F rep and who's really not interested. Once you've established who wants a book from you, just look after them. It should bring your effort down to a manageable level and then you can let your customer base grow naturally i.e. by referrals (offer a free gift for introducing a new client).

Can't stress enough how important it is to look after your core customers and don't get distracted with what other reps tell you. If you do have problems with other reps, just report back to your upliner and they should help resolve things.

Hope that helps.