Creative Ways to Generate More Direct Sales
Obviously, generating sales is the heart of any direct sales business. Without selling product you may as well give up and go wrap presents at Sears. But finding new and innovative ways to gain new sales can be challenging. Here are some ideas to help you get your creative juices flowing and start finding added product sales.
• Start a fixed term membership site for your target audience. Jimmy D. Brown is the creator and expert on fixed term membership sites. Read his articles, visit his Websites and learn all you can from the master.
The idea is to create a membership site where you periodically send out messages via autoresponder to your subscribers offering them valuable information that they can’t get anywhere else–for which they pay.
This technique is often used by Internet marketers, but can easily be adapted to provide information for any target audience or niche market. Think about what you could offer, then get busy creating some great content to build your product sales.
• Start a monthly auto-ship program. Have customers sign up to automatically receive a new product each month without the hassle of manual reordering. If you sell candles, you can offer a different scent each time. If you sell scrapbooking supplies, you can create a new page kit each month. If your company already provides a monthly product, that’s great. If not, create your own so you don’t miss out on this profitable sales strategy.
• Offer free classes for people who purchase your products. Whatever you sell, you can probably come up with some kind of class that will tie in with your products. Home decor items–try home decorating classes. Kitchen products–opt for cooking classes. Books–host a monthly book reading club. Whatever you sell, put some thought into creating a free class and you’re almost guaranteed to sell more product to those who want to attend
• Create a Frequent Shopper Card. Use a business card template and print cards with your company name and information along with a row of dollar amounts. For instance, list $10 about 10 times at the bottom of the card. Every time the customer spends that amount, you punch or initial the card. When all the amounts are marked off your customer earns a free gift.
• Sell gift certificates. Create a simple three-to-a-page certificate that has a place for the recipients name, the gift amount, an expiration date, and your signature. You can offer set amounts such as $10, $25 or $50, or offer any amount a buyer wants. The buyer pays you for the certificate, then gives it to whoever they choose. The bearer orders from you and–possibly–orders more than the certificate is worth. Can’t beat a deal like that!
• Offer layaway. By allowing a customer to pay a deposit and then make weekly payments, you can let her pay for products “on time” without having to come up with all the money at once. You’ll need to be sure the product she orders will be available when she finishes paying for it. You may want to go ahead and order it to have it on hand, as long as you can return it should she fail to pay it off.
You’ll also want to have her sign a simple Layaway Agreement stating that she is agreeing to buy the product and what will happen if she cancels. Some companies that offer layaway charge a cancellation fee, the choice is yours.
• Let your customers know you appreciate them. Send them thank you cards, birthday cards, get well cards, or just thinking of you cards. Keep in touch with them and let them know you value their business. They’ll reward you by being loyal customers and continuing to shop with you.
There are any number of ways to sell more products and create added income for your direct sales business. Start looking at options today to increase your income.
Help Your Hostess Help YOU Make Money
If you’re just starting out in a new direct sales business your shows may not be what you need them to be as far as sales go in order to reach your income goals but, what can you do? Get your hostess to help you out.
Helping your hostess make the sales for you not only helps you make money, but also makes her show a success! Below are some tried and true “tricks” that have been proven to increase sales. These are ways you can help your hostess help make YOU money!
Getting the hostess benefits (FREE STUFF) is why she booked her show in the first place.
This is the greatest incentive there is when working with your hostess to increase sales. Encourage outside sales to boost her total party amount. Call her a couple of times before the show to see how many outside sales she’s gotten. If she doesn’t have outside orders before her show, hold the show open a few days and let her collect enough outside orders to help her reach her sales goal. Keep in mind that she will have some sales at her show as well.
Another thing your hostess can do to boost their sales is have their guests bring a friend. Offer a small gift to the person who brings the most friends and be sure to tell your hostess to tell her guests! Write in on the invitations. More guests equal more sales!
If your product is skin care or personal products, encourage your hostess to use the product and wear it to work or church or wherever she goes! She probably already does this, so when people compliment her on how she looks or likes the fragrance she is wearing, it’s a great conversation starter for telling them about her show coming up and inviting them or getting outside sales. So remind your hostess of this so she can look for open doors of opportunity.
Remind your hostess to tell her guests, friends and family about the hostess gift she is working toward. Most people will make a purchase simply to help their friend or relative reach their goals.
If your product is home décor or kitchen appliances or cookware, encourage your hostess to point out what products she uses or has in her home during the show. When people see how useful something will be to them, they will be more likely to purchase.
Encourage your hostess to talk about, and be excited about, how the product has helped her or has been useful to her before the show and during the show. If your hostess uses and loves the product, she will be a natural spokesperson for you! Remind her to let everyone she talks to know about the party coming up. Some people will make an outside order or commit to coming to the party just because of her excitement and enthusiasm. Ask the guests at your shows what products they own and how they use them. You might be surprised how someone’s great idea can bring you a sale.
If your product is some type of home organization system, have your hostess talk about how unorganized her home was before she started using the system. Showing before and after pictures would also be a great way to show how well the system really works! This is true for skin care products as well!
Your hostess is the number one way to increased sales! Be there for her and encourage her every step of the way. Make the show about her, and not about what you’re going to get out of it! You can never go wrong when you invest time, energy and money into helping someone else being a success and reaching their goals!
