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

selement

Had a Sales Leader get in touch with me, she says she has over 800 reps :O at least she's experienced?
She wanted to drop me some brochures over the next day and start selling to friends and family but I have decided not to start yet, I am learning to drive semi intensively which is taking up many evenings and weekends so I really want to have passed my test before committing to something else filling up my spare time. I said I'd get back in touch when I was ready.

I have been reading through more of the thread to gather more tips.

I do have a question though - it sounds like most people return items at the same time as they receive a delivery so they avoid paying delivery charges, do you have to be home when the courier arrives? If not and a safe place (like leaving porch unlocked for them) is acceptable and like me you work full time can you ever get them to return stuff for free? Or is it just tough? If the courier can be flexible about times I'm likely to be working a pretty standard 9-5 mon-fri, do they work outside of these times?

Also, if I was doing quite well (I'll give it a bit of time to see!) would it be worth investing in a card reader? I think this would be helpful if people don't have the cash out. (Probably lose something like 2.5% per order to this though). I don't suppose if anyone knows if I'd have to have a business bank account for that though (I was going to just get a separate personal one)

Sorry, that was more than one question!

pixtotts

Yes you can set a safe location, and they will pick up your returns, but worth remembering the courier might not sign your returns book, or someone else could figure out and help themselves before he gets there (or after) so if anything did go missing it would be you out of pocket...
You don't get to choose your delivery time, they just turn up wherever you are in their list, deliveries are monday - friday, supposedly not before 8am, but mine comes at 7... and I've heard of them being delivered as late as 8pm. But we have no control over the time or day delivery comes.

I know nothing of card readers, I've never felt the need, I do allow my customers to pay by bank transfer and paypal though (friends and family transfer not business or you have to pay fees!) x

I,_Geek

Card reader - I'm one of the top-selling 5% of reps (believe me, that's not as good as it sounds ) and I've never felt the need for a card reader and wouldn't consider one. It depends on the company, but you might have to pay a one-off fee and then pay transaction fees after that. Avon trialled one earlier this year and said it would be about £120 (including VAT) plus transaction fees. Even as a higher seller I can't justify that expense. Plus the reader needs wi-fi signal and we all know how annoying that can be!

I have no problems working with cash. Just let customers know when you'll be delivering (ideally give a timeslot, like an online food shop). It can take people a few campaigns to get into the swing of things but good customers will get used to how you work.

emmam202

Hi, I've literally just signed up as a rep to try out a couple of hours a week mainly family/friends/colleagues to start with.

My first question is just how much I can promote myself through Facebook. I'm a member of a few local but/sell groups where I could put something but don't want to tread on other agents' toes.

Also, with regards to card readers there are some solutions through internet/mobile which could work. I know an us borne books rep that does something like that so I can ask her about it.

Honest_John_666

Hi Avon people

Was out with a mate last night talking about work etc etc etc over a few :beer:

Anyway..... they've heard a few rumours from what I'm told was a very reilable source that there a few black clouds circling???

Any truth in this???

My mate workd on behalf of another Direct Sales company & the info is normally spot on :cool:

Regards & good luck to all
John

TashPot

Hi there I'm a new rep, just getting my books out into my territory at the moment, had a few orders so far (my nan and my mum haha) and wondering the best way to promote myself. I've got ideas but not sure they're allowed. Can I put up an ad on the community board at the nearby morrisons? Can I arrange to visit local residential homes if they'll have me and if I were to help residents with their orders(Nanas love avon)? Or local businesses? Or is this classed as invading territory? Any other ideas? I'm determined to really hit the ground running.

Thanks in adance x

pixtotts

TashPot wrote: »

Hi there I'm a new rep, just getting my books out into my territory at the moment, had a few orders so far (my nan and my mum haha) and wondering the best way to promote myself. I've got ideas but not sure they're allowed. Can I put up an ad on the community board at the nearby morrisons? Can I arrange to visit local residential homes if they'll have me and if I were to help residents with their orders(Nanas love avon)? Or local businesses? Or is this classed as invading territory? Any other ideas? I'm determined to really hit the ground running.

Thanks in adance x

Notes in shops is fine
Residential homes, it doesn't hurt to ask, but most cover these as part of their territory or even I've seen people go to the trouble to find a new rep to take their place when moving away/giving up.
Businesses is fine.
Ask friends and family to take a book into work, if you have children take a book into playgroup/school/groups my little sister is a young leader and takes books to brownies and guides for me, and my gran takes one to WI.
Facebook, group, add friends and family, advertise special offers, some advertise on local selling pages, check their T&C for that though some allow some dont.
x

I,_Geek

TashPot wrote: »

just getting my books out into my territory at the moment, had a few orders so far (my nan and my mum haha) and wondering the best way to promote myself.

You've just done it in my opinion! Canvassing your territory by giving out brochures gives you the best possible chance of getting orders. Canvas for many campaigns apart from the houses who tell you to stop. People need to be given a chance to show an interest, let alone order. Even if people don't read the books or don't return them, as long as you're not being told to go away, keep going.

Advertising where people have to contact you only really brings out people who are prepared to make the first move to contact you and already know they want Avon (and sadly even these people can turn out to be time-wasters). It's worth a try, especially if it's free, but be careful how far you're travelling if the advert brings in people from further afield. It may not sound like much, but even going a few miles down the road can be really inefficient if you're delivering an order that only makes you a pound or two net profit. You can turn down people that are too far away.

Some businesses do fall into territory that can be allocated to reps. Territory is split into postcodes so as long as a business has a postcode, technically it could be allocated to someone. However, some reps who are given sections of industrial estates don't canvas them or return them when they realise where they are. I used to have a row of shops on my territory and wouldn't have been annoyed if another rep had got there first. I prefer to canvas houses anyway because they can be done in the evening and you have to go to businesses during working hours.

There's the people you already know as well. Ask them if they could get orders from their friends or workplace. Think of everywhere you go, everyone you see, and see if they'd be interested. These are practical customers to have because you're not going out of your way to deliver their orders (very useful if the orders are small and not earning you much).

MarsdenCuckoo

selement wrote: »

Had a Sales Leader get in touch with me, she says she has over 800 reps :O at least she's experienced?
She wanted to drop me some brochures over the next day and start selling to friends and family but I have decided not to start yet, I am learning to drive semi intensively which is taking up many evenings and weekends so I really want to have passed my test before committing to something else filling up my spare time. I said I'd get back in touch when I was ready.

I have been reading through more of the thread to gather more tips.

I do have a question though - it sounds like most people return items at the same time as they receive a delivery so they avoid paying delivery charges, do you have to be home when the courier arrives? If not and a safe place (like leaving porch unlocked for them) is acceptable and like me you work full time can you ever get them to return stuff for free? Or is it just tough? If the courier can be flexible about times I'm likely to be working a pretty standard 9-5 mon-fri, do they work outside of these times?

Also, if I was doing quite well (I'll give it a bit of time to see!) would it be worth investing in a card reader? I think this would be helpful if people don't have the cash out. (Probably lose something like 2.5% per order to this though). I don't suppose if anyone knows if I'd have to have a business bank account for that though (I was going to just get a separate personal one)

Sorry, that was more than one question!

Good for you; take your time and don't be coerced into it before you're ready. Also do your research - you don't have to join the first SL, who approaches you. Chances are a good, local SL with a smaller team will have more time to support you. Might be worth asking other reps near you whose team they're on? (You can find reps near you under the 'Find a Representative' link at the bottom of the home page on www.avonshop.co.uk )

As for a card reader, my upliner trialled it but had a few probs. Gather Avon are considering other payment routes e.g. smart phone apps.

Little tip I tell my team - if the customer doesn't have the cash, leave the next book and deliver the goods when you're due to go back to collect the book. No extra legwork involved and no risk of not being paid.

As for returns, you can have your order delivered/returns collected from whatever address you like (doesn't have to be yours) so if you have a friend/neighbour, who's normally in, you could maybe ask them for their help?

Good luck with your driving and your Avon business whenever you decide the time is right for you.

hotpot1000

Ive been trying to place my order since 8.30pm and I just get this when I try to log on

my order is due by 10pm, what happens now please? cannot log into connects either, similar message

SRVE0255E: A WebGroup/Virtual Host to handle /PRSuite/home_page.page has not been defined.


SRVE0255E: A WebGroup/Virtual Host to handle https://www.avon.uk.com:80 has not been defined.


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