When you are a consultant a for clothing and accessories or makeup direct sales company, you can become a walking billboard for your products. When you wear great clothes people will ask you where you bought them and when your makeup is gorgeous, they’ll ask you what it is.

Jewelry is a very popular gift so be sure to market for all the gift giving holidays. You can specialize in a particular style or teach customers how to change the look of an outfit just by changing the jewelry or accessories that go along with it.

Two of the main marketing techniques use for makeup and skin care sales are hands-on demonstration and free sample marketing.

While it would be ideal, it’s almost impossible to give personal attention to every guest at a home party. Involve the entire group by having people pair up and make up each others’ faces using techniques that you demonstrate. Or you may want to offer parties that focus on training in the art of color.

Cosmetics and skin care lend themselves well to specialty parties such as “all natural” beauty, makeovers, anti-aging, skin repair, relaxation and stress relief, pampered feet, baby care, and much more. Choose one of your company’s product lines and build a specialty party around it.

For online marketing, use those same themes to put together “kits” and instruction sheets for “time for myself” indulgences or for gifts suggestions. Use before and after pictures to demonstrate the transformations and offer lots of tips and “tricks of the trade.”

As with any direct sales business, personal attention and a unique approach will go far to gain and keep customers. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Become known as the person who sells the best gemstone jewelry or the one who will customize a great skin care regimen, pull together a mix and match wardrobe, or offer a cosmetics makeover. You want to be the “go to” person for your area of expertise.

Market your home decor business by using your creativity to develop your own style and area of expertise. Teach your customers how to arrange and group products to enhance a room. Or instead of selling baskets and storage containers, teach people how to get and stay organized. Show potential customers how the product work for them or enhance their lives.

Put yourself in the shoes of the customer. As a business owner we sometimes forget that we are also a consumer. We look at selling our products from the standpoint of the company and their marketing materials. Consider what you would look for in a product? What questions would you ask before purchasing your products from someone else? Use this information to direct what you say during your parties or as website content to gain the trust of your audience. Trust translates into sales when done well.

Turn your own home into a showplace that advertises the beauty and necessity of your products. If customers see that they can have a living room or kitchen like yours by purchasing your products, they are more likely to buy. It is one thing to see a group of products in a catalog and another thing to be able to see how they actually will look. Use before and after pictures of your home on your website to further showcase products.

Holiday decorating provides another opportunity to show customers how to transform their home. Be sure to have holiday tips and catalogs available in plenty of time to get products delivered for your customer’s decorating schedule.

When you are having success with a particular strategy or sales method, develop training tools for your team so they can begin to use the same or similar techniques. And be sure to market your training series is an added benefit when recruiting team members.

With so many gift businesses out there, it is important to use unique marketing strategies to help get your direct sales gift business noticed.

Direct sales consultants have the opportunity to provide customers with the individual attention and customer support that is missing from the big chain stores many of us shop at now. Go the extra mile for your customers by offering special services like a personalized reminder service for special dates, gift wrapping, and gift giving suggestions.

You can market locally to women’s groups and offer a seminars about gifts and your business or topics like putting together gift baskets. Some of the groups that you may want to approach are mother’s groups, red hat society groups, and ladies auxiliary groups.

Market employee recognition gifts to other small businesses.

Offering gift certificates has the potential to get two for one customers. You gain the gift giver and if the receiver likes your products and service she just may become a loyal customer too.

There are many way to promote your gift business. The key to making your business stand out from the rest is going above and beyond what everyone else is doing. By doing this, you will give your gift business the edge that it needs to succeed today and in the future.

This video from the BBB and DSEF explains the first 3 basic questions to ask when you are thinking of joining a direct sales company.

This short video from the Direct Selling Education Foundation offers a good, basic answer to the question “What is Direct Selling?”

It seem to me that direct sales is gaining more and more recognition as serious, legitimate home businesses. How great is that?

Here are two recent mainstream media articles about direct sales:

• The current issue of Women’s Day Magazine features three direct sales companies – Initials Inc., Clever Container, and Celadon Road. The article is summarized on their website: 3 New Ways To Make Money From Home. I haven’t seen the actual article yet. If you have, please leave a comment with your impressions of it.
• Family Circle recently featured four moms who are enjoying a good deal of success in their direct sales businesses: How 4 Moms Made Money from Direct Sales.

This type of attention, plus the recent announcement of a Direct Selling Certificate being offered through community colleges will certainly help promote direct sales as a viable home business.

Discover the many different direct sales opportunities available to you by visiting the InternetBasedMoms.com direct sales directory.

In their September News Briefs, Direct Selling News mentions Scentsy’s recent food drive to help the hungry. The Scentsy Family Foundation is an active and generous charity that the company and its consultants should be very proud of.

I’m know many other direct sales companies support worthy causes. Does your company have and ongoing charitable cause and was it a factor in your decision to join the company?

Everyone has their own reasons for becoming a direct sales consultant and an entrepreneur. Some people just need a bit of extra income to achieve their financial goals. Others prefer to be their own boss. Some seek unlimited earning potential. Still others are excited about the prospect of the social aspect of direct sales – hosting parties and connecting with people is fun.

Whatever the reason behind your decision to become a direct sales consultant, there often comes a time when you question your path. Your direct sales business may not meet your needs.

How Do You Know if Your Direct Sales Business is Meeting Your Needs?

It can be difficult to answer this question. However, there are a few key indicators. Take a look at the following questions and answer them honestly.

• Are you excited to get to work when you wake in the morning? If you’re not excited about your business when you get up in the morning that’s okay. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve made the wrong decision. It may simply mean a few changes are in order to help you find that excitement and motivation.
• Are you successful? Everyone has their own definition of success. For many people success has a dollar sign. You’re successful when you make a desirable income. Others define success by having the free time they want while also being able to make a living. For example, you’re successful when you only work one day a week and make the money you want or need.
• Still others define success by how they impact others. They’re successful when they help someone else. How do you define success and are you achieving it? Again, if you’re not that’s okay. It simply means you may need to make some adjustments to your business so that they support your definition of success.
• Is direct sales providing you with what you need or want? You became a direct sales consultant for a reason. For example, to make extra money. Is your business providing you with that extra money? If not, it’s time to make a few changes.

Changing Your Business So It Meets Your Needs

If your business isn’t meeting your needs then it’s time to take that metaphorical bull by the horns and change things. You’re in control here. The first step is to evaluate what isn’t working and why. For example, if you’re not making the money you thought you would make then why isn’t that happening? Maybe it’s a matter of simply selling more or maybe it’s because you’re not excited about your products.

Once you know what isn’t working and why, the second step is to create a plan. If you’re not making the money you want to make because you’re simply not motivated or excited by the products, you can change your mindset and research the benefits your products offer. If that doesn’t renew your enthusiasm for the products, you can find a new company to represent that does excite you. In either case, be sure to include goals in your plan. Include what you want to change, how you’re going to change it and how you’re going to know when you’re successful.

Direct Sales is a challenging business. It can also be extremely rewarding. Consider how your business is meeting your needs and what needs to change to improve your business and your lifestyle. Then, because you are in control, make the necessary changes to live the life you want.

Image courtesy of EvelynGiggles

You might be surprised to learn that one of the most effective ways to recruit new direct sales consultants for your team is to publish an online advertisement. Online advertising isn’t cheap and for many it can be a bit of trial and error. The key to success is creating advertisements that speak directly to your audience. Namely, you want to appeal to people who are looking for new opportunities, self-employment or careers.

There are three essential tips that help you appeal to this audience.

1. Keywords – What keywords do your prospects use when they’re searching for information? This is important particularly if you’re utilizing PPC ads. The ads will be displayed depending on the keywords your prospect has used in their search. You want to make sure you’re targeting the right keywords.
    
   If you’re not using PPC but are instead creating a traditional text ad to be published on a website or ezine keywords are still important. They grab the reader’s attention and help them quickly identify the benefit of reading your ad.
2. Call to action – What do you want readers to do when they read your ad? Do you want them to visit your website? Do you want them to give you a call? Do you want them to download a free ebook you’ve created about how to achieve direct sales success? Make sure your ad’s call to action supports your goals. If your goal is to connect with potential recruits make sure you give them the means to connect with you.
3. Benefits, benefits, benefits – What’s in it for them? An advertisement that says, “start your own direct sales business” is fine. You might get a few responses. However, an ad that says, “Control Your Destiny – Achieve Your Personal Annual Income Goals Your Way with Direct Sales.”
    
   In order to stress the benefits of becoming a member of your team consider what needs, desires, wants and problems your prospects are feeling. Then show them how to solve their problems by becoming a consultant. Keep it short, simple and sweet.

The final element of direct sales advertising success is to make sure you’re placing your advertisements in the right location to attract your prospect’s attention. Additionally, test and track your advertisements success. Keep tabs on which ad’s perform the best. Which generate the most interest and response? Which produce the most effective recruits?

Image courtesy of 4nitsirk on Flickr

Direct sales offers an abundance of opportunities to make a great income. In addition to your own sales success, recruiting other consultants can boost your income. There are many common and effective ways to recruit new teammates.

One of the most popular of course is to recruit at home parties. If you’ve exhausted the standard recruiting strategies or you want to launch a recruiting campaign consider some of these unique, and effective, strategies as part of your overall direct sales advertising plan.

1. Social Networking
   Many successful direct sales consultants accidentally stumble upon the power of social networking. They post a promotion or a review for a product and not only do they make sales, they connect with others who are interested in representing the company. Social networking is extremely powerful for connecting with other like-minded people.
   However, instead of stumbling upon success, you can create a plan and implement it to recruit teammates. For example, you might create a Facebook advertisement or a Facebook fan page to support your career. In addition to promoting products occasionally you can also share your experiences and the joys of being a direct sales consultant for your chosen company.
2. Blogging
   Do you presently have a blog? You can recruit motivated teammates by starting a blog about your adventures, misadventures and successes as a direct sales consultant. You’ll help other direct sales consultants achieve success. You’ll also attract great people to work with and join your team.
3. Guest Blog, Article Marketing and Helpful Content
   Finally, and perhaps you’re starting to see a theme here, consider publishing content about how to succeed as a direct sales consultant. When you publish helpful content you position yourself as an expert. Share your personality in your content and you’ll also attract people who want to work with you. You’ll be amazed at how well this strategy works. Publish content on article marketing sites, become a guest blogger for work at home or direct selling blogs and publish content on social networking sites like Linked In.

Add these three online recruiting strategies to your next recruitment drive and reach your goals quickly, and effectively. You’ll recruit top notch teammates and be well on your way to lasting direct sales profits and success.