At a recent vendor event I made a short video showing my display and sharing ideas on how to keep your events simple. Often representatives hesitate to do craft shows or community events because they feel they have to have an elaborate display, or a lot of stock for on hand sales. Even the most simple displays can result in a successful event if used properly.
My Tips for Event Success
The most important things to have on your table are brochures and a way to collect people's contact information. If you have these 2 things you can have conversations with the people at the event, share the brochure and get their information for follow up.
Add height to your display. Rather than displaying all of your product on one level on the table top, look for ways to add height and visual interest to your display. While the risers that I use in my display are purchased specifically for that purpose there are lots of inexpensive options available to you. Starting with the boxes our orders ship in You can arrange them on the table before putting on your table cloth to add an extra level to the display. Decorative boxes and stands can be found at craft and home decor stores as well as the dollar store. You can also use everyday house hold items such as candle holders or even a vase turned upside down.
The number of products on display doesn't matter. Have a few things that you are excited to talk about or that are top sellers for you. Cover multiple product lines if possible to appeal to a wider variety of people. It doesn't even need to be the latest and greatest thing. Many people who you meet either haven't seen a book in a long time or may even be new to Avon so anything can be new to them.
If you are going to have stock on hand, don't pile everything on the table. Keep duplicate items under the table to keep your display from looking cluttered.
Stand up at your table, in front of the table if possible. Stay off your mobile devices and be careful about getting too involved in conversation with helpers and other vendors. You want your table or booth to be inviting and tables with distracted vendors tend to be less inviting. And you don't want to miss your next best customer or team member because you were checking Facebook when they walked by.
Be sure to bring your smile and a positive attitude. Smile at everyone and say hello/good morning/how are you today to every one, even if they don't look at your table. If they walk by greet them with a smile. The perfect event is rare so make the most of the event that you have, no matter how imperfect it may be. If you dwell on whatever may be less than perfect it will affect your success at the event. If you focus on the most important thing, talking to as many people as you can and making the most of those contacts you will have the best possible event.
I
will add an additional thought about cash and carry at events. If what
you are looking for at an event is new customers who are going to
continue to order from you, remember you train customers how to be YOUR
customer. Do you want customers who understand the normal process is
that you look at the brochure or the website and choose products, place
your order and receive the products a week or two later, or do you want
customers who are only buying what you have in front of them at that
moment. If you plan to spend every possible weekend at a vendor event of
some sort then focusing on cash and carry would be a good choice. If
you want to do an occasional vendor event to build your customer list
and team then you want to focus on making connections and teaching those
people how being an Avon customer works and showing them the value and
benefits of being your customer, not just selling them something off
your table.
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Eventually we all run out of people we already know to talk to about Avon. That's when we start looking at ways to find new people who might be interested in Avon products or the opportunity. Businesses are a great place to look for new customers and team members, and not necessarily just the ones you are patronizing. We all pass many businesses as part of out regular routine and they are all possible sources of new contacts.
One specific type of business you might want to try are schools. Early in the school year is an especially good time to visit schools because they may have lost their Avon Representative over the summer. When I approach a school I bring 2 brochures with recruiting flyers and one of my goodie bags.
The goodie bag includes:
a hand cream or lips balm labeled with my name, phone number and online store address
fragrance sample labeled with my name, phone number and online store address
business card with my picture* and promo card with discount code for online orders
1/4 page flyer with information about getting regular brochures on one side and recruiting message on the other
*Having your picture on your card furthers the know, like and trust relationship. In general people tend to like to do business with people they know, like and trust.
These goodie bags are a pretty inexpensive way to build good will, especially when you stock up on hand creams and lip balms when they are on clearance in the Outlet.
In schools I go to the main office and say "I was making some deliveries in the area and just wanted to stop in and see if you are getting Avon service." If they take the brochures I plan to come back next campaign and drop off new brochures.
For other types of businesses I do a community appreciation event using sample packs.
fragrance sample labeled with my name, phone number and online store address
business card with my picture* and promo card with discount code for online orders
1/4 page flyer with information about getting regular brochures on one side and recruiting message on the other
skin care or bath and body sample, labeled with my name, phone number and online store address
recruiting flyer
In businesses I says something like: "Hi I'm Chris with Avon and I was running some errands in the area and wanted to stop in and offer you some free samples." "Hi I'm with Avon and we're having a Community Appreciation event so I wanted to stop in and offer you some free samples."
Then I'll count the employees or ask how many people work there and give them that many sample packs. If they seem interested I will also offer them a brochure and I will get a business card or contact information so I can follow up. If a particular person seems interested I'll ask for their personal contact information so I can follow up with them personally and so I still have a way to get in touch with them if they are not at the business when I come back.
Take advantage of the sample bundles in the What's New to save money on the cost of the sample packs and goodie bags. The A Boxes can also be a good source for mini products to use in goodie bags.
Prospecting this way may not result in instant customers and team members but you will be planting seeds and getting your name out in the community. Over time if done consistently this will build your business.
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Today I want
to look at some options for getting your brochures in customer hands, but one
common question that comes up is how many brochures do I give the brochure to a
prospect or customer who hasn’t placed an order so we’ll take a look at that
first.
When this
topic comes up on representative groups on Facebook you will see everything
from reps who cut someone off if they haven’t ordered by the 3rd
brochure to those who say never stop giving them brochures.I think the sweet spot is somewhere in
between.
First, you
have to remember, the brochure is your store, if the customer or prospect does
not have a brochure, they can’t come into your store. Yes, we have the online
brochure and that is a fantastic tool, but even my customers who shop online
prefer to have a brochure in hand that they can flip through. However brochures are an expense, sometimes our
biggest business expense so you do have to establish limits on how many
brochures someone gets without actually making a purchase.
There is no
hard and fast rule for how many books someone should get but there are a few
things to keep in mind.Few people place
an order the very first time they get a book, this is why it is so important to
get contact information from anyone you give a book to so that you can get them
future brochures. In general people tend tosee a marketing message 4-8 times before they respond to itand reality is that Representatives come and
go so customers need to see that you are reliable and are going to stick around.
So I certainly wouldn’t stop after only 3 brochures, however giving a brochure
every campaign until the end of time isn’t cost effective either.
My personal
guideline is to treat the brochure like a magazine subscription. Anyone can get
a 6 month subscription, but to continue that subscription they have to place an
order once every six months. I also have people that get the brochure only
every 3rd campaign for a year and some that only get every 6th
campaign for 2 years. These are typically customers who don’t order as often or
and don’t need every brochure. Once someone’s subscription “expires” I send them
a postcard letting them know and sharing other ways they can stay in touch,
including viewing the brochure on my online store or following me on Facebook. Even after someone is not on my regular
mailing list they go on a list of people who used to get the brochure and they
will get 1-2 books a year just in case they are ready to start ordering again.
Postcard I send people when their "subscription" ends
Aside from
using a customer’s order history as a way of deciding how many books to give
them, there is one other surefire way to determine how often a customer needs a
brochure…ASK Them. Maybe they know they are only going to order once a month,
or every couple of months.Or maybe they
only order one favorite product so you can just let them know when it’s on sale
and then just give them a brochure in their order so they can see what’s
new.And you will have customers who are
more than happy to view the brochure online or just browse through the online
store.
One of the
most important steps you take each campaign is getting brochures to your
customers and prospects, after all, your brochure is your store.The most obvious way to distribute brochures and
the method you are probably using is to take them to the customers and prospects
personally.
Tips for
giving books to your customers in person
Make a tracking sheet with all
customers and prospects so you can check off when each customer receives their
brochure so you can easily see who still needs one. See example below.Arrange the people on your book list into a
route for the most efficient drop off.
Example of Customer Follow Up Log
Work your book drop offs into your
regular routine…give them a book when you see them, drop off all books in a
neighborhood while you are making deliveries in the area.
Use the clear literature bags to hang
the brochure in a convenient location if you are dropping off the book when the
customer is not home. Whenever possible ask them where the best place to leave
the book is. No point leaving the book by the front door if they always enter
their house through the garage.Note –
it is a federal offense to put anything in the mail box unless you are the mail
carrier, even if the resident gives you permission.
For those customers that are out of
the way or that you don’t see as often, consider giving them 2 brochures at a
time. Be sure they know the order dates for both books or that they can take
advantage of the backordering option.
As your
business grows you may start to find it is more difficult to get all of the
brochures out each campaign. Mailing brochures is a good option for getting the
brochures out when you just can’t make the rounds yourself. And while mailing
brochures is an expense you have to take into account that you will be saving
gas and wear and tear on your car, and more importantly that you will save
time. Time that could be spent on activities that create more income in your
business, or time that you can spend with your family or doing things you
enjoy.So consider the benefits when
looking at the cost.
3 ways you
can mail your brochures
Regular first class mail through the
post office. This is the most expensive option but the best choice if you are
only mailing a few brochures. The cost will vary based on the weight of the
brochure but you’re looking at a couple of dollars each brochure in postage. I
have seen some representatives suggest sending the brochures using media mail
because they are printed materials but the post office does not allow marketing
materials, which our brochures are, to be sent by media mail. Even if they
accept it initially the postal service has the right to open any mail sent as
media mail and if they determine it is not eligible they will charge the
additional postage, and your customer may be the one getting the bill.
Campaign Mailer ( https://www.campaign-mailer.com/cp/index.php
) is a service offered by an Avon Representative who has a bulk mail permit. They provide the brochures, prepare them for
mailing and mail the brochures at bulk rates. The service cost from $.99 to
$1.39 for each brochure depending on how many you are mailing. That includes
the cost of the brochure so you won’t need to order as many brochures.
Bulk Mail through the postal service.
You can get a permit which allows you to send at bulk rates through the postal
service.The bulk rates are
significantly lower than first class and vary based on the weight of the
brochures and how many you have going to a particular post office or zip code. In
addition to having a bulk mail permit you need to be mailing a minimum of 200
identical pieces to qualify for bulk rates.The best resource for information on bulk mail is the postal service,
but you can find a great beginner’s guide to bulk mail at savepostage.com . I
started bulk mailing my brochures about 17 or 18 years ago and had a
significant sales increase because my customers were getting the brochure more
consistently so the cost was well worth it, especially since it meant I was no
longer spending entire days driving around dropping off brochures with my
daughters in tow.If you don’t already
have 200 customers you can fill out your list by mailing books to other
addresses in your customer’s neighborhoods to find new customers. Or you can
get together with other representatives and mail your books together.
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Ever look at a customer invoice and see a bundle and realized you do not remember what products come in the bundle?
Here are a few quick and easy ways to figure out what the bundle products are.
1. Look in the brochure. ~ don't see it in the brochure, remember that a lot of bundles are featured in the special sale flyers rather than the regular brochure.
2. Check your invoice from Avon. ~ find the bundle on the page showing the products you ordered. Under the line for the bundle it will list the individual products that make up the bundle.
3. Search for the item number on your estore. ~ use the search feature on your online store to pull up a description of the bundle along with the picture.
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Not an Avon Representative yet? Join the Sunrise Beauty Team today and earn $1000 in your first 90 Days. Contact me for more details or sign up today here.
Not an Avon Representative yet? Join the Sunrise Beauty Team today and earn $1000 in your first 90 Days. Contact me for more details or sign up today here.
Not an Avon Representative yet? Join the Sunrise Beauty Team today and earn $1000 in your first 90 Days. Contact me for more details or sign up today here.
A. As an independent contractor the only form you might receive from Avon is a 1099-misc. You will receive a 1099 if Avon sold you more than $5000 in product during the year. That is $5000 your cost, not brochure price so if you are not President's Club or above you probably won't get a 1099 for sales. You would also receive a 1099 from Avon if you are a Leader and received bonus or earnings from Leadership, or is you earned prizes worth $600 or more during the year.
Q. Do I have to claim Avon on my Income Tax?
Most likely, yes. The way my tax professional puts it, if you made money, the IRS wants to know about it. Everyone's situation is different so you will want to consult a tax professional, preferably one that is knowledgeable in home based businesses. In some cases you will want to include your Avon business even if you had a loss, but again, every situation is different so only a tax professional can tell you if that is a possible or advisable in your particular situation.
Q. Where on youravon.com can I find how much I made?
A. Avon cannot tell you how much you made beyond telling you how much they paid you in leadership bonuses and eRepresentative earnings. To determine how much you made you need to track everything that you collected from your customers and what you were paid by Avon plus everything that you paid out for your business. This includes what you spent for your business beyond just the products and supplies you buy from Avon, things like promotional products, office supplies, or supplies to make gift baskets. You will need to provide your tax professional with your income and expenses broken down by category. It's best to track this each campaign rather than waiting until January to try to put together all of your numbers for the previous year.
Q. Can I deduct my gas or the use of my car? A. Maybe...Track your miles driven for business and your expenses related to your car and consult your tax professional to discuss what you can deduct in your personal situation. Same with business use of your home, track your expenses and let your tax professional help you determine what you can claim. Q. Another Representative/My Uncle/Some random person online said I can deduct meals/demos/my computer/some random expense, is that true? A. Maybe, maybe not. Either way if that person is not going to be sitting with you on the other side of the table when you are being audited, do not take their word for it. The IRS is not going to care what Aunt Suzy said you could deduct unless she is the person signing your taxes on the line that says paid preparer.