An interview with Gigi Hill Bags President, Monica Hillman Q: How long has your company been in business? A: We created our LLC in October, 2005 and began selling our products the next summer. Q: What types of products or services do you sell? A: Handbags, carryalls, and accessories. Q: How is your home party…
Ask Victoria: What Advice Do You Give Most Often To Established Direct Selling Companies?
As a senior consultant at Sylvina Consulting, each week I talk with many executives of party plan and MLM companies. I hear firsthand about a company’s successes and challenges. I love direct selling because it’s a people business. Sometimes, a company has a specific issue or group of issues in which our help is requested. …
The Best Measurement for Predicting Growth
Direct selling companies measure their businesses in many ways. While monthly sales are a good measure of a company’s month-to-month or year-to-year performance, it isn’t the best measurement for predicting the future. The best measurement for predicting the future of a direct selling company is the number of leaders in your sales force. This is…
Ask Victoria: Can You Suggest a Great Gift?
The holiday rush is on and you have been wondering what to get your wife, your husband… Oh wait, what about you? Throughout the year, we have spouses call us to ask about our services and how we may help their loved ones. While we provide a wide range of consulting services, my first response…
7 Must Have’s For A Recruiting Culture
A direct selling executive recently told me, “We don’t have a recruiting culture.” What exactly is a recruiting culture? The simple definition is a high rate of early recruiting. To have a recruiting culture, a company must do all of the following: Provide enough information and support early in the life of new representatives so…
Ask Victoria: Why Is The Direct Sales Attrition Rate So High?
The rate of attrition of independent representatives of direct selling companies is high for many reasons. Here are several of them: Direct selling is a “sales” job, but the average person joining a direct selling company may not view herself as a “salesperson.” While people are often led to believe that it is easy and…
Fuel Your Business With Autoship
What is Autoship? Autoship is an automatic ordering program whereby representatives or customers of a direct selling company can place orders with the company that is shipped automatically on a periodic basis (usually monthly). What can Autoship do for my business? Autoship accomplishes several company goals: It encourages the placement of orders on a regular…
Carrot or Stick: Retail Customers for Network Marketing Companies
One of the differences between some network marketing companies and pyramid schemes is the presence of customers who don’t participate in the income opportunity. For many network marketing companies, however, there are very few retail customers who aren’t also independent representatives. In the Omnitrition, Trek Alliance, and Equinox cases, courts found problems with the payment…
Ask Victoria: Can Rapport-Building Be Taught?
It is imperative that direct selling business owners and independent consultants build rapport with customers, representatives, and potential recruits. What exactly is rapport? rap•port (noun) Definition: friendly relationship: an emotional bond or friendly relationship between people based on mutual liking, trust, and a sense that they understand and share each other’s concerns. Successful business owners…
Your Invitation To Direct Selling Boot Camp!
Whether you’re starting a new company or growing a young or established one, there’s always more to learn about direct selling. Get the business-boosting information your company needs to get stronger. Join us this September at your own personal two-day boot camp! The following topics will be covered in-depth: What a direct selling marketing plan…
Take The “Survival Test”
Did you know that successful network marketing companies depend on the presence of purchasers who buy the company’s products or services (and continue to do so) while they are making little or no money through the company’s income opportunity?
Ask Victoria: Do You Offer A Free Initial Consultation?
Yes, and we enjoy providing them! During initial consultations, we learn about a company’s needs and explore how we can best help them. We especially like answering questions that help move their businesses forward. Helping people understand what they absolutely need to know is a passion for me! It’s easy to schedule an initial consultation. …