Confessions of a Direct Sales Junkie

Written by Nicole Dean

If you’ve ever joined more than one direct sales company or more than one company at a time – then you may be a direct sales junkie!

It’s easy to get sucked into almost every get-rich quick scheme there is because you want more money or “love” the product. If your focus isn’t clear then it is easy to fall into the trap of the next best thing. Most direct sales companies make it so easy. All you need to do is sign on the dotted line and spend a few hundred dollars to be on the way to early retirement.

Don’t learn the hard way that a lot of time and effort is needed to make money with a direct sales business. There are quite a few direct sales companies that have excellent product to sell and people will buy them but before you fall for some of the things the people trying to get you into the business (your up-line leader) will say, take a look at some of these popular misconceptions and be ready to face the reality.

You’ll only have to work 2 to 6 hours a week to make enough money to replace your current job.

The truth of the matter is, although ideal for a young mother – working or not – a few hours per week sounds do-able. What they’re talking about here is actual time to do a show but this doesn’t take into account the time it takes to pack your kits, load your car, drive to the house of the hostess, set up, pack back up and drive home. Each “demonstration” should only take about an hour but then you’re meeting & greeting, taking orders and gauging interest in hosting shows or starting a business. That doesn’t take into account the time you’ll spend making phone calls to your contacts, getting your displays ready for your shows, preparing gift packages for your hostess, bookkeeping and organization. 2-6 hours a week to make the big bucks? Probably not.

If you recruit X number of people, you won’t have to work as hard.

You may not have to hold as many shows, but you will still have minimum requirements to maintain your leadership role and make the extra money that it brings with it. With a down-line in place you are a leader, and a good leader is there to help their recruits be successful too. That means meetings, training and meeting with their potential recruits. You might also have to handle their business if they suddenly decide to quit the business. Less work? Hardly.

So and so at the top makes millions of dollars and so will you in a short amount of time.

It is absolutely true that some people rise quickly in their direct sales businesses. It can happen. However, the likelihood that you will make a boat-load is slim. Can you? Definitely. Will you? That depends on you. Before you start your direct sales business thinking you’ll be making a certain amount, take the time to find out how long – on average- the people making the money have been in the business and what they’ve done to get there. Find out the true amount of hours they put in each week to get where they are today. If it’s still something you want to pursue then by all means do so.

You only need to spend X number of dollars on your kit and you won’t have to spend a dime more.

A starter kit is just that, a starter kit. Usually made up of the company’s best sellers a starter kit is meant to be supplemented with popular products, seasonal products, new products – you get the picture. You might even be required to purchase a certain amount of inventory or sign up for an auto-shipment to be considered an active consultant or partner. Get all the facts on what is required to keep your status active before signing that dotted line or spending a dime.

You determine your own schedule.

This is a big one that might help you determine if you really want to start a direct sales business. This statement is true to the extent that you can determine your own schedule. You can choose which days of the week or time of day that you will hold shows, however, keep in mind there is still a public out there. Not every potential hostess will be available when you are so if you ever want them to host a show for you you’ll need to be a bit flexible. Keep that in mind when you think about your schedule. What time do you currently have free, that will coincide with your potential client’s time?

If you approach your direct sales business realistically and with good expectations, but not with high hopes and you will be able to attain your idea of success.

Tags: Direct Sales, direct sales truths