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

MarsdenCuckoo

Brown.Owl wrote: »

I'd also suggest going from territory to F&F only - drop a note through the doors of all your customers explaining due to x reason you are no longer going to be servicing them... and would any of them like to take on the round, and then you can refer them to the area manager and give her your customer list. Or just pass on your customer list in the email so that she can make sure someone else takes it on, or contact them all herself - just addresses will be sufficient for her.

Not wishing to be contraversial/contradictory (I know that's how Avon/ASMs like things to happen) and if all reps were territory reps that system would work. Reps being self-employed and having the choice to be either territory/F&F (or even Personal Shoppers) does, however, complicate matters i.e. all reps are entitled to give a book to anyone they 'know' (whether by name or not). Ergo, when a territory rep changes to being F&F it's logical to assume they're 'allowed' to keep whichever of their customers they like because they know them. Appreciate that means when the next territory rep takes over the street has been cherry picked but, equally, I don't see why any rep should be told they have to hand over their customer list when they are still continuing with their own Avon business - yes/no?

When a rep leaves/decides to cease her own Avon business that's totally different. In those cases, some 'government' of streets/customer lists is helpful. (I hate to think of anyone wanting to look at a book but not having the opportunity.:rotfl:) Recently a new rep on my team resigned despite all my best efforts to support her, inc. a huge amount of territory and a customer list from an ex-rep on my team. When she resigned I asked for her customer list to be told she'd already passed it on to another rep (not on my team), who didn't have many customers! :mad: She now won't even answer my calls! :wall:

Millyjack

Thanks to both Brown Owl and Marsden Cuckoo for further invaluable info regarding changing from territory to F&F. I will be keeping the customers I gained through my reliability, as they expressed concern about having reps in the past who only stuck with it for a couple of campaigns and were never seen again.

jacqhale

Hello ladies (and gents??!!)
I have just started Avon and wanted to say hi as I am sure I will have loads of questions as I get into it!
I took over my streets as a whim when they knocked on my door to recruit for a lady who is retiring, as who doesn't need some extra money:rotfl:
So I put out a mix of 06 and 07 brochures that were given to me before we went on holiday and have just been back to collect them today.
So far about half of the books have been returned and I have had 5 orders totalling £60. I still have about 30 books to collect tomorrow so all in all I am feeling really chuffed about how it has gone.
I am not really a salesperson at all and was a bit nervous about knocking on doors but everyone has been so lovely. A lot of people didn't order but still want to receive the books and I asked everyone I spoke to if they wanted them so I can knock off those that won't order and hopefully save some work.

I have set up a fb page and have already had some requests for brochures though it.
I was going to order some cheap samples to put in with my first orders as a thankyou and set up some reward promotions i.e. free gift with order over £15 (current av order value £8.50) or order 5 times get a freebie ....
Does anyone have any great hints or tips for increasing sales?

I know the order value isn't currently great but it's more the positive reception that I am happy about as I feel more confident I can build on this.

I will print out some flyers and bits and bobs for the local area and think again about where I can leave some more brochures - a friend said I could put one in her staff room etc.

My sl or asm, not really sure which one is coming round again to help me put my first order in so it's all good so far.

Onwards and upwards I hope!

MarsdenCuckoo

Good luck, JH. Lots to take in at the beginning but sounds like you're off to a great start so well done! :T

Check out the courses 'Beauty of Knowledge' on your website (under Training and Development) - some great tips there on all sorts, including how to grow your customer network.

Brown.Owl_2

That is the great thing about avon - you don't need to be a salesperson as the stuff and the books sell themselves!

There is a customer loyalty offer atm (haven't got the code on me atm - housesitting!) that for £10 you get 10 products and 20 customer loyalty cards - you use them however you like but there is space for 6 stamps on the back and you can say a stamp for every order, or every order over a certain value etc, and even make them different for each customer, the ones I had previous to that had a gap to write on there what the incentive was. If all 20 end up completing their cards I ordered bits out of the clearance section from the Hello Tomorrow mag.

We all love a freebie and most of us have a gajillion store loyalty cards - I don't know anyone who doesn't have nectar & tescos & boots etc!!! So it is something your little avon-junkie customers will love!

jacqhale

Thanks I will have a look at the Beauty Knowledge course.
I kind of feel a bit like I have been left to it without much guidance, so I am hoping that when I meet with the lady tomorrow she will have a few more tips for me! However it does kind of sell itself so I have been pleasantly surprised. Also at how cheap it is, I never used Avon and just assumed it was expensive but was really impressed with some of the offers!

lozza1985

Hi sounds like you're getting of to a great start

One thing I've always done for my customers is to give them a free gift for every 6 orders - regardless of how small their order is, as I want them to stay loyal to me, and it does work - including for people that aren't on my territory (contacted me through Facebook), and they have to contact me with their order as I'm not fetching books when they're slightly out of my way (diesel is too expensive) - but these people still continue to order from even when a new rep starts delivering to their road. I don't spend much on the free gifts - either buy bits when they're on a good offer, or hang onto items I've gained through 'creative ordering'. Customers who order more regularly, spend more etc tend to get a better gift, but everyone gets a least a shower gel or hand cream as their gift.

Another great way to keep customers and to encourage them to recommend you to a friend, is to be friendly & professional. Sounds obvious - but a lot of reps aren't that reliable. Let you customers know roughly when you'll be delivering when they place the order, and I find its really useful to contact them a few days before to confirm the amount & an approx time (ie Friday between 5-8). You'll be amazed how many people will be impressed by little things like this, and it makes your life easier too as people can let you know if they won't be saving you time

I,_Geek

MarsdenCuckoo wrote: »

Appreciate that means when the next territory rep takes over the street has been cherry picked but, equally, I don't see why any rep should be told they have to hand over their customer list when they are still continuing with their own Avon business - yes/no?

Yep, this is most definitely a grey area I feel a bit conflicted on. On the one hand it's best for the customers to stick with their usual rep and fair to the rep. It's silly to be in a situation where customers' service is stopped without anybody necessarily taking over. Or the person who does start up might not last long.

On the other hand, I do think a re-canvas just once a year (spread out over several campaigns if you prefer instead of doing one big lot) isn't a lot to ask. It would be enough to pick up most new customers unless they've got impatient and done a search online (quite unlikely) or responded to an advert. Maybe territory should be 'sold' to reps as coming with the responsibility to re-canvas, although I'm sure with some reps that would go in one ear and out the other! Even if you've told all your customers you're still going, when another rep covers the street that can cause confusion. And then there's the disappointment for the other rep who might have a lot of streets but if some are cherry-picked they won't be getting anywhere near the sales Avon expect. They'll be walking further (more time) to get those sales as well. And then if they quit it effects their upline, too. So it has a domino effect on other people.

Overall I think ditching territory but cherry-picking customers should be strongly discouraged, but in a nice way. I.e. encouragement to re-canvas, cheaper brochures from Avon a couple of times a year, telling people upfront re-canvassing is expected and a very useful thing to do.

MarsdenCuckoo

Anything to help maximise your earnings/minimise your costs/efforts is well worth doing - hence why this thread is so great! :j

Love the idea of cheaper books occasionally to encourage reps to recanvass their territory. (TBH can't actually see Avon doing it but I will mention it the next time am at an Avon seminar.) Alternatively, maybe worth mentioning to your upliner/ASM i.e. quite often we have additional books left over if we haven't recruited as many new reps as we'd hoped. I hate recycling unused books so tend to offer them out to my team and/or I give my newbies extra books when they sign up.

Agree that letting your customers know when you intend to deliver their orders is really useful. Also worth asking them to make a note on their order forms if they have a preferred time of day for deliveries (and log it in your Calling Book). Really saves you time and fuel.

Vickyh

It seems i am unlucky again! My territory that i was told was allocated to me as being canvassed already! But it does seem the lady that does it doesn't canvas very often or only does part of the street. Very frustrating.
Seems like i am going to end up with a few customers all over the place. I have messaged my line manager to get another piece allocated to me. getting a bit jaded, as i am shelling out more than i am earning!!!