~Avon Hints & Tips (Part 8) ~ Please read first post :)

Money_maker

ukclare wrote: »

Hi there

A little while ago I read on the forum that someone recommended keeping details of customers on the computer and just using the calling book for when you go out to collect books - it does get rather tatty!

Do many Reps keep computer records like this and if so how do you do it?

I think I am going to transfer essentially the calling book across on to a spreadsheet so that I have a neat copy to work from!

Any ideas or comments?
Many thanks

We do have a couple of spreadsheet whizzes on here (sorry can't remember ID's) so hopefully they'll look in soon.

I did ask my teen son to make up a spreadsheet for me but I was more interested in keeping a tally of spends on a monthly basis and type of products bought. Unfortunately, I lack the time to make lists and so forth.

As a result, all my details go into an A5 hardbacked book. This lists customers, brochure (current or back), records of previous canvassing (dates, house no's, responses), amounts due, telephone numbers, notes such as customer away on holiday etc. Works for me, like my oracle:rotfl:

ukclare

Money_maker wrote: »

As a result, all my details go into an A5 hardbacked book. This lists customers, brochure (current or back), records of previous canvassing (dates, house no's, responses), amounts due, telephone numbers, notes such as customer away on holiday etc. Works for me, like my oracle:rotfl:

Thanks Money Maker - very interesting

I have done Avon a few times over the years and never kept any records other than copy orders and the calling book - but rarely referred back to the copies.

Do you keep a page a customer, for example, or just add to the book as you go along?

I,_Geek

I do like my organising, so I have a few different documents on my computer:

Canvas
- the column names along the top read: address, frequency (just in case they asked for it 4 times a year), then C1, C2, C3 and so on... I keep a year's worth of campaigns along the top at any one time. I need to look back over time to see whether it's worth moving someone onto re-canvas, and to plan ahead to see how many books I need to order.

So if you read along each row you'd see: House 01, every brochure, C1 - y, C2 - y, C3 - n and so on... The "y" means they read the brochure, the "n" means they didn't. If they ordered I fill the cell in red. This way I can keep track of interest and it's easy to see if someone hasn't ordered for a long time.

I have a few different worksheets in this document:
- current brochure
- backorder brochure
- network customers (some of these are posted so I keep a separate worksheet of network people)
- re-canvas - people I need to re-canvas in future
- elsewhere - a list of people who use another rep - they also need to be re-canvassed now and then
- for sale or rent - same reason as above. I need to check in on Rightmove every so often to see if they're about to get new owners. If the house has disappeared of the site completely I still re-canvas because it might have sold and I haven't spotted it.

I also have a separate document with a list of everyone who said no to more brochures, and a list of absolute nos (frail elderly people and rude people). I've been re-canvassing my nos and got 5 new customers :eek:

Customers
- just a list of names, addresses, tel numbers and e-mails

Stats
One worksheet each for:
- order values for each customer. Customers down the left and campaigns along the top. Works out average and total spend per customer, and average and total spend per campaign.
- customer rate per street - shows who's a customer, not ordered yet, empty, not interested, gets Avon elsewhere

You'll also need to keep records for your accounts. I do a summary of every invoice to save running through everything in one go at the end of the year. Otherwise I'd forget what was stock and what was personal items.

When I'm out and about I use a clipboard and scrap paper - ditched the Avon calling book after one trip!

ukclare

I,_Geek wrote: »

I do like my organising, so I have a few different documents on my computer:

Not just me then! Thanks that has given me some great ideas to base mine on!


- for sale or rent - same reason as above. I need to check in on Rightmove every so often to see if they're about to get new owners. If the house has disappeared of the site completely I still re-canvas because it might have sold and I haven't spotted it.

Again, not just me then! Works well when you have been wondering why you never get a book back, then notice the house is empty on Rightmove. One of my best customers houses appeared on there last week and I didn't even know she was going - it was empty darnit

I,_Geek

Yes some empty houses are very deceptive. Saw a really realistic looking pot plant in one house so I thought it had someone living in it. Plus some houses have no signs, or out of date signs on their houses. Where I used to live, one of the flats in the house was sold, but a "for sale" sign was out there for ages. Eventually I had to get rid of it myself.

avocetgirl

Just signed up as a rep and opened a new bank account as I want everything straight and not mixed up with my current account. However on mentioning registering with tax office nothing was made of this when I asked. I am wondering if everyone else registers as self employed?

MK~_3

Thank you Money maker for your reply, I'll definitely be grabbing a couple of those!

Has anyone received the £150 bonus pack for new reps getting £78+ orders in first two campaigns? Just wondering if its worth me topping up my order just to get the products or not...feeling quite tempted at the moment, I'm a sucker for a freebie!

Thanks,
MK

EDIT:

Just saw Martin's email today and the Anew offer I mentioned is included...if you follow the link to the Avon website it indicates that the anew suncare range is included but the price is £5 on the website for aftersun, not £4.50 as in the brochure.

I'm sure stocking up for next holiday's aftersun now wouldn't be a bad idea at all

Just hoping that when I collect my brochures tomorrow morning, some of my customers will have decided to take advantage of my wonderful offer - 14 day anew starter kit for only £7!

Brown.Owl_2

Home from Live Your Dream.

Exhausted and still recovering from last night - had an awesome time! Was not impressed with the colour of the Nike sashes though!

Love the goodie bag though - had my eye on that handbag in ages!

Me n my upliner are now pretty pumped and spent a coffee break today formulating a plan for the next year - we've been making it up as we go along before now, but have a nice list and are organised! lol - lets just hope we manage to stick to it!

Amazed that Alesha Dixon was there both days and loved her last night - especially when she got the guys up and they were just about all called Dave!!!!


How did the rest of you find it?

lozza1985

avocetgirl wrote: »

Just signed up as a rep and opened a new bank account as I want everything straight and not mixed up with my current account. However on mentioning registering with tax office nothing was made of this when I asked. I am wondering if everyone else registers as self employed?

The bank probably won't have mentioned it, but the person who signed you up with Avon should have - its far easier to register and submit a return than risking getting caught. If you're clever with what 'costs' you have, you won't pay hardly any tax on it anyway.

I,_Geek

avocetgirl wrote: »

I am wondering if everyone else registers as self employed?

Plenty of people don't I'm sure, but they are breaking the law by not declaring their earnings. No matter how big or small (even if you pay no tax) you need to register as self-employed and then do a tax return once a year.

If you're on benefits/tax credits you also need to tell them.

It can work to your advantage (i.e. not all form-filling) because the hours you work doing Avon help towards working tax credits and child tax credits.