Direct sales party plan businesses are run primarily by women, and moms are particularly attracted to the business model. It’s a home business most people recognize and understand. In the US, where it’s a $30 billion industry with more than 15 million people involved in selling, about 75% of Americans have purchased products or services through direct selling. Many women were first introduced to direct sales at a home party hosted by a friend or family member.

Some of the factors that make direct selling an attractive business for moms are:

• The business can be run from home on a flexible, part-time schedule and can be built into a full-time business with a full-time income.
• Consultants are independent business owner, but training and support is available.
• There are a wide variety of products that can be sold through direct selling including food and cooking products, children’s products, jewelry, home décor, clothing and accessories, craft supplies, and makeup and skin care.
• Low start-up costs
• Anyone can become a direct sales consultant; there are no educational or work experience requirement.

Direct sales party plan businesses are well-suited to our social nature and fit well into moms’ support groups such as the kids’ play groups, church groups, homeschooling groups, and other parenting groups, and social groups like mom’s night out.

Additionally, because women make most of the buying decisions for families, we are the perfect target audience for direct sales. The personal attention provided by direct sales consultants and the convenience of having items delivered make the shopping method even more attractive.

The sales party is a social event and it gives everyone a chance to talk freely about the products and the perks of direct sales. Women can be honest with other women. They will be your staunchest supporters and your toughest critics.

Moms and women getting together can create a huge direct sales network. Some will host additional parties and others will join as sales consultants. Each will market to their associates and widen the business circle.

Direct sales also lends itself to online networking. If the direct sales company allows marketing online, set up a website of your own and advertise on other “mom” websites and participate in social sites to find other moms looking for a business opportunity.

Much of what we have in common makes women, and especially moms, the perfect target audience for direct sales businesses. This type of home business allows us to combine our social nature, decision making power, and our entrepreneurial skills to make some extra money.

One of the most attractive features of becoming a direct sales consultant can turn into one of the biggest mistakes made in marketing.

Many people turn to direct sales party plan companies to start their first home business because it’s an established system that can be implemented right away. There’s no experience necessary. Someone will teach you how to run a sales party so you can make money and how to recruit new consultants so you can build a team. It’s this easy to duplicate system that attracts many people.

It’s that very same duplicatable system that can become a consultant’s downfall. The very system that works to get someone started in direct sales, discourages individualism, personal branding, and uniqueness. Without those qualities, it’s very difficult to excel in direct sales, especially online.

I’m not suggesting that consultants completely abandon the system. Many of the components work very well. But developing your own unique style will help your business soar.

The direct sales party works and following the company’s system and script will result in decent sales and team building. Putting your unique spin on your parties will lead to even more success. Think about it this way… once your best friend or your sister hosts a couple of parties for you, they may be thinking “been there, done that,” because for the most part every sales party is the same. But if you offer them something unique for their next party, they may be more willing to host another. Offering a theme party, reverse party, or a solutions party might convince them to gather their friends again.

For your Internet marketing, establishing your own online presence is essential to success. Use your own website (separate from the replicated site provided by your company), a social media presence, and content marketing to market and brand you. Not only will your recruiting efforts be more successful, but establishing yourself, separate from the company, means that you’ll have a business that can move on with you if you change companies or decide to go into something else.

Becoming uniquely you will help you stand out from the crowd and build success.

Resources:

• Theme party ideas
• What’s a reverse party?
• What’s a solutions party?
• What is Content Marketing?
• Blog Your Way to Direct Sales Success

I’ve been using Twitter for just over a year now and had developed a fairly productive Twitter habit. But then as easily as I got into the habit, I took a week long break last month and completely broke my Twitter habit. I haven’t been “social” on a regular basis in almost a month.

Why do I want it back?

In the few weeks that I’ve neglected social networking and marketing, my website visitor stats have dropped, resulting in a loss of income. Can I prove without a doubt that the loss is a direct result of my lack of participation? No. And in fact, I’d guess that in the same time period, I also spent less time on other marketing methods. But I am sure my absence has had a greater negative effect than cutting back on my other marketing techniques. Social media marketing is not as passive as other methods. Success depends on being social and providing high quality, information and interesting interaction on a regular basis.

So I’m working on getting back in the social media marketing habit. I try to check in with my Twitter friends and followers most afternoons during the work week. See you there!

Do you have a Twitter habit and has it helped your bottom line?