Don’t shut the door on the Avon lady
First of all, I’ll admit straight out, I’m involved in direct marketing. I’m a Play Advisor (the fancy name for a sales consultant) for Discovery Toys, and I also have a membership (though not as a wellness advocate – aka sales associate) with DoTerra essential oils. You might think that makes me biased, but that isn’t it. I was a passive member of a direct marketing group Black Friday online party recently, and I met (virturally) a number of other direct marketers from other companies. Most of them were completely new to me and all of them were completely different product lines. I learned a lot about all the products, but it also made me realize a few things about the whole direct marketing world.
Everyone has that friend or relative that is always handing them the newest catalogue, sale flyer, or home-party invite. Next time, stop before you give your flimsy excuse or quietly toss that catalogue in the bin. Despite our primary instinct to groan and roll our eyes, there are some very good reasons to give these products and services a chance. Here are 5 reasons why you should support direct marketers.
The goods are really good
Have you noticed how enthusiastic that friend or neighbour waving the Avon, Tupperware, or Scentsy catalogue in your face is? Is is possible to not notice? That persistent energy you have passed off as annoying is actually a blatant sign of something much better. The people who are selling these products don’t simply like them. They are passionate about them. Chances are, their kitchen, bathroom, kid’s room, or whole home is full of the products they are pushing at you. Why? Not because they are cheap, or because they got a great deal on them. It’s because they love the products and they believe in them.
How many things do you buy at your local super-center, supermarket, or major retail outlet that you love enough to tell a friend about? I’m guessing not many. You might recommend a shampoo, kitchen appliance, or laundry detergent to someone if they ask, but do you love the brand enough to buy their whole product line? We buy what gets the job done and don’t expect much more out of it.
On the other hand, If a friend called you up one day to rave about the foundation they bought at Walmart the other day and just had to tell you (and the rest of the world) about it, you’d be curious. Let me tell you something – nobody gets into direct marketing over a product that merely does the job. If someone has taken the step to sign up, usually involving a financial investment in a product package, they have done it because they love the product. And that should tell you something.
Take the time to listen to your annoying friend one of these days. Better yet, ask a few questions. Direct marketers are passionate about their products for a reason. They aren’t trying to sell you whatever they can to make a buck. They are trying to introduce you to something they believe in. Give them a chance. I bet you’ll be happily surprised at what you might learn.
You know where your money is going
When you buy through direct marketing, you know that the person you buy from is getting a commission. This is their business, after all. That means that you are personally paying that person’s salary, first and foremost. You might argue that no matter where you buy a product, you are contributing to someone’s salary, but how much of your purchase actually benefits that one clerk you interact with?
One thing that all traditional retail stores have in common is that they have to pay the rent. Brick-and-mortar stores have overhead. They have to pay the rent or lease on the building or property, utilities, security, not to mention all the staff salaries. They have to maintain huge inventories in order to provide you the selection you expect. On top of all that, they want to make a profit, and likely a hefty one. There are CEOs to pamper and shareholders to keep happy. They have massive marketing budgets to pay for advertising. So how do they offer you such low prices while maintaining all that revenue? They sell mediocre products and mass-produced items. They market things that they can acquire for pennies, to sell to you for hard-earned dollars.
Through direct marketing, you are personally involved with your sales associate/consultant. The money you spend on their products helps them pay their bills, send their kids to swimming lessons, or save up for a holiday. They are independent business owners of a small-scale franchise. Of course some of the revenue passes into the larger scheme of the company. Dollar for dollar though, your purchase through direct marketing has a much more direct benefit on the person you are buying from. Isn’t that better than paying for the multi-million dollar salary of Target’s CEO?
Have your own personal professional consultant
I’m sure I’m not the only one who watches entertainment news and thinks, I could look like that too if I had a personal trainer/chef/fashion consultant…
Guess what? You can have your own personal professional consultant, and you don’t have to pay them thousands of dollars to do it. I have a book-lady from Usbourne Books who I can count on to give me suggestions for amazing books for every age and interest. My food-consultant with Epicure has a ready repertoire of healthy seasonings, easy meal fixes, and oh-so-delicious recipe ideas. My personal cleaning consultant with Norwex has an non-toxic solution for every tough stain. For natural health and wellness options I turn to my essential oil specialist with DoTerra essential oils. And of course I am my own personal professional play & learning consultant. I make sure that my kids and all the kids around me are stocked with the best educational toys available from Discovery Toys.
One of the best things about having my own personal consultants in each of these areas is that I know that I’m going to get the best customer service possible. Have you ever walked into a store and had the staff recognize you by name? Did they know what you ordered the last time you visited and have a recommendation ready for you? When was the last time Walmart messaged you personally to let you know that a product you were interested in was on sale? (crickets…)
Imagine you have a question, concern, or problem with a product. Would you rather line up at an indifferent customer service desk or sit on hold for hours just to speak with a rep named Steve who speaks with a heavy accent, or simply give your personal rep a call and have them take care of everything for you. Hmmm… that’s a hard choice.
With direct marketing, your consultant will give you the kind of service you want and deserve. Keeping you happy is in their best interests and they know it. They are the owner of their business, and you are one of their VIPs.
Direct marketing companies tend to give back more
Although many of the major retailers do run charity foundations or community outreach programs, the actual total percentage of overall revenues dedicated to charities is often significantly lower than direct marketing companies. Most direct marketing companies function as such specifically because they are more interested in giving back than getting. Many of these companies have well-developed charity programs, such as DoTerra’s Healing Hands Foundation, to which they contribute a substantial amount of company revenue to.
In addition, rather than spend their revenues on retail locations, advertising, and mass-marketing, they strive to empower people to run their own independent businesses. Successful direct marketing companies know that they could increase their sales by marketing to traditional retailers, but they choose not to. They value the service that their independent consultants will provide to their customers. The most reputable companies provide consultants with an easy start-up business with low to no overhead costs and completely flexible schedules, allowing people of all walks of life to benefit. They often have highly developed training programs, strong support systems, and other incentives.
Shopping through direct marketing is safer and more convenient
More and more people are shifting toward online shopping, for a variety of reasons. We are busier these days, it seems, and have less time to get in the car or on the bus to make a trip to the mall or market. People are also, in my opinion, becoming more anti-social. I know many people who would gladly complete as many of their personal errands from their home as possible, rather than deal with real live people. There is a great cost to this shift, however.
In the virtual world, we must rely on images and written descriptions to make our purchase decisions. Customer reviews and ratings help, but only a select few people actually contribute to those, so they are often not accurate or valuable. There is a great buyer beware factor to online shopping. Products may not be as described. Returns and exchanges become complicated.
Direct marketing consultants can offer you the best of both worlds. Usually they have samples to show you or products to demonstrate, so you aren’t making purchases sight unseen. As they have a personal stake in your satisfaction, they aren’t going to push product on you that they don’t personally recommend. This gives you a much more reliable recommendation. At the same time, direct marketing consultants will often come to you personally, saving you travel time. They can have product shipped directly to you. Often they also have websites where you can make your own selections and purchases once you know what you want.
Dealing with your consultant directly gives you the security of knowing exactly who to contact in case of a problem. Direct marketing consultants have a vested interest in keeping your business. The products themselves often come with stronger satisfaction guarantees and warranties than mass-market products. Direct marketing companies usually have a much smaller product line. This allows them to focus on each and every item to ensure the best quality for you.
How do I know this isn’t a pyramid scam?
Direct marketing companies are often criticized for being MLM (multi-level-marketing) schemes. In actuality, most of the direct marketing companies you may encounter are only very lightly on the MLM scale. The companies generally do function on a multi-level pattern. Each member gains income from their own personal sales as well as a smaller commission from the sales of members under them that they have recruited. The kick-back structure is limited though. The primary goal of direct marketing is the product itself. The seller may invite you to join their team, but at the end of the day it is because they believe in the product.
The easiest way to differentiate a legitimate high-quality direct marketing company from a pyramid scam is by listening to the pitch. MLM schemes, the kind that have been deemed illegal in many places, base their pitch on financial success. They promise to give you the chance to get rich, usually with very little work once you achieve the required level or status. This is your red flag. In pyramid scheme companies, much more emphasis is on the financial potential than on the product itself. They are selling success.
Legitimate direct marketing companies promote their products first. They will offer incentives to join the team. They have to expand to survive, after all. Recruiting is secondary to the product itself though. Have a look at the websites or the consultant’s social media group or page. Do they offer product information, workshops to help you as a customer, or helpful tips and guides? Or is everything about becoming a member/associate? This can show you which way the company leans.
Ask your consultant why they are so passionate about their business. Chances are they will tell you about their love for the product. Some might say that they wanted to have the freedom to work on their terms and their schedule. Very few will tell you that they started the business to get rich. And if they start talking about making a ton of money without having to work, run away.
Don’t knock it ’till you’ve tried it
Have a look in your parents’ (or grandparents’) kitchen cupboards. I’d put money on you finding at least one well-used Tupperware container. Why? Because it was, and still is, top quality stuff. As much as we like to joke about Tupperware parties, they were all the rage for generations. It wasn’t because they were just so much fun. Most people cringed at them even back in the day. Tupperware was and still is a household name because the product is great.
Home parties are a dying breed, giving way to Facebook parties and other online group sales, but the underlying concept lives on. Direct marketing brings you some really great stuff. These companies truly focus on their products and their customer service. Many current direct marketing companies offer safer, more natural products, catering to our growing understanding of the dangers of commercial chemicals found in foods, cleaning products, and even toys. Some, including Tupperware and Discovery Toys, offer lifetime warranties on many or most of their products.
Next time your annoying friend or neighbour mentions their home business, don’t turn away. Listen to their spiel. Ask for a demo or a sample. There’s a good chance you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the quality and value before you. Think about where your money is going, how long the things you buy will last, and who you will have to deal with if you have a problem.
Maybe you’ll start to see things in a different light.