Avon - Hints and Tips?

gemia

gemia wrote: »

After reading back through a lot of these posts i feel really privileged! my area manager is so good, i didnt appreciate what she did until reading how useless a lot of other peoples seem to be!

After i wrote this post i got home and In amongst all my bills there was a card from my ASM saying well done and to get £300 in my first campaign was fantastic. it made me feel really good and appreciated and spurred me on even more to make a success out of my avon venture.i feel so bad for all u people who have rubbish ASM's cos it really makes all the difference.has anyone here been doing avon for a while and already done a tax return? i've phone hmrc helpline and the tax office and they just keep telling me to look at the website with regards to what i can claim back expense wise etc. they r really not helpful!! the website is way too complicated and i can never find the relevant info!!please can some one give me some advice on what i can claim and how.thanks x

gemia

sorry to go on but i also wondred about the avon parties, im thinkin of doing one but a bit nervoushas anyone got any tips they can give me ie on games or order on how to do things or what to do full stop to be honest!

Rage_in_Eden

Hi Elle (and everybody). New to the thread although have been an MSE for ages and sold avon for ages too. Now, Elle, I think that your AM is pulling a fast one. If you get no response from her I would write to Head Office. I must say though that I never hear from mine except when she's chasing a late order etc and when I have rung her about things I've never had a reply. My attitude is "stuff you" I'll do what I want then. When I first started as a rep I had the road we then lived on - I was livid when somebody who had a huge territory started flooding the place with brochures so took drastic action - I put a note up in my window saying "avon rep for the road lives here" - that soon stopped them However, where I live now I have practically given up on a territory. I just have a little bit of the main road and then a little road off it - again I am in the middle of somebody who sells avon as their full-time job. I have said to the AM that if the area behind me came up I'd take it but no come back. Likewise I went on a couple of roads that the full-time rep has said were useless - and boy was she right :rolleyes: I now concentrate my efforts on work as covering nearly 100 houses for 3 customers wasn't really doing it for me. So, I would see if there is anywhere you could leave your brochures? Toddler groups, your hairdresser, even try your GP and dentist if you feel you can. As for incentives I do an "place an order for £10 and get a free gift" standing offer - the free gifts are anything under a £1 from the clearance brochure (I have currently stocked up on Planet Spa for Christmas). I initially did it as a trial and am stunned how many people will order something extra to get the freebie!! I also had a prize for the highest christmas spend last year as well (2nd and 3rd never bothered to be in to get their prizes so I kept schtum as I hadn't told them beforehand- mean I know but there is a limit to how many times you can go 'round). Give your regular customers a little gift at Christmas (box of choccies from Asda or something from the clearance) and always try and flog stuff you get back. Word spreads and soon people come up to you asking for a brochure. It does take a while though - I nearly gave up last year and now I always hit my minimum order (apart from this time when I've been in hospital but have bought LOADS from clearance :rotfl: ). I hope this "war and peace" info helps. I regard Avon not so much as an earner (I'm too lazy to devote enough time to it for that) but more like a hobby where I get paid! I am addicted to sniffing bottles :rotfl: Above all ignore the person who when asked if they want a brochure sayd "No, it's S....." Smile sweetly and say "thank you for your opinion" (think "you.......... {please feel free to fill in your own adjective here}" - works for me!)

Elle00

Hi guys, I really appreciate the support as much as anything else. I ranted to one of my friends about this today but it's not like they understand the way fellow reps do!!

I was doing so well initially but that was largely because two customers placed two very large orders on the first two campaigns. This time one hasn't ordered and the other only spent £15. Hence the huge drop from £180 order to £124. BTW this includes my Dad helping me by taking a brochure to work - I have to take the goods 25 miles on the train for him to delivery them, it's madness!

I don't want to jack this in because I'm a lone parent with few options. My child is only 2, nearly 3, and won't be starting school for over a year yet. I can't get reliable childcare to work (I tried last year) and you have to work something when you're on benefits else you just feel like you're going nowhere and achieving nothing (if that makes sense). Benefits cover the basics easily when you're smart with money but they don't pay for nice toys at Christmas etc - I need a job for that even if it is only £40 a month from Avon. £40 is a lot of money to me though!! Plenty for a yearly holiday and nice Christmas though when you add it all up.

Anyways, I'm not totally decided what I'm going to do just yet. I think I'm trying to work up the courage to call the "other rep" actually! I think the ideas Rage has given me are excellent. I already have a stock pile of cheap items that I've ordered from the last few clearance sections ready for a Christmas Avon party. I was going to save everything up for a special deal at Christmas but I think I'll use them now to do a deal.

I'm going to think on it anyway and I'll let you know what I decide to do.

gemia

Thats the spirit Elle, dont give up. My first campaign was really good but this one has been rubbish although im very glad to say i havent had the problems that you've had to face. it is disheartening when you pull out blank form after blank form, i'm just trying to put it down to 'one of those' months. i have them from time to time when i really cant afford to buy anything at all so i'm sure my customers do too. i'm just trying to add as many new areas in as possible this campaign as things are slow to hopefully build it up a little bit.
have you thought of trying a recommend a friend scheme? the people who order from your dad might have friends ouitside of work who may order, do an offer so if they get you an outside order from a friend they get a certain % of their own order. that may work. that way it may just make that train journey more worthwhile! x

Mikiki_2

Hi,

I have ordered all of those planet spa items off the back page of the HT 13 mag. Does anyone know how much roughly these are worth as I am entering them into a raffle for "Anyone who spends over £15 in the book, could win a goody bag of Planet Spa items worth upto........" I think it cost me about £13 to buy it all but it looks like it could be worth near enough £50. And if I saw something saying spend £15 win nearly £50 of bits I would be well up for it

But I need to know the price to be able to finish that sentace above lol.

Mikiki

x

gemia

hiya, not sure about that but i'll have a look when i get in.
Arent most of their products about £3.50 each +

Rage_in_Eden

Mikki - best thing to do is to trawl through your old books and look at the cost price if you bought them as a one off and not if they're on any deals. Also you can go to the Avon website (not the rep one but if you're buying) and see what their charges are. I think you're spoiling your customers

Elle83 - glad to be of service. What I also do is if I know something that one of my customers buys regularly is being discontinued (have a look on the hot news section of the rep web page) I buy some of them when they are being sold off cheap and then a few campaigns later when I know the people who ordered stuff will be running out I say "oh look, I can get you ... for ...." - always adding about 30p onto the price it cost me. The last time I did this was with a load of hair care stuff and I made £5!! It might also be a good idea to give your customers a flyer saying "I have.... number of ..... available at ..... (RRP in the brocure was ....) - but when it's gone it's gone" - people can't resist a bargain. This works best with toiletries which they use on a regular basis or specific items such as lipsticks. People get very attached to their lippy (not me, I'll use any old muck!! :rotfl: ). Another ploy I've heard of being used is giving your customers and incentive - e.g. "if you take the brochure to work and work places orders of over.... you get ... per cent off your bill". Haven't tried this one myself but I do know of people who don't use Avon taking it to work for their rep (my SIL at the other end of the country - but I think she's daft as she could get all her toiletries paid for by her discount.....). Good luck!

gemia

I didnt think of buying the discontinued products in thanks for that tip!I wish i'd bought stock of the Pink a glow glazewear lipgloss in as two of my customers are in love with it and didnt notice that it was being discontinued and were really upset they cant order it anymore.i dont suppose you have any for sale do you?

Rage_in_Eden

oooo no - BUT try the avon selling direct to the public site - they may have some on discount there as they've got a Summer Sale on.