If you enjoy a flexible schedule, appreciate independence and think about additional income or your own business opportunities, you may consider direct sales income opportunities. When considering direct selling as an income option, it is important to remember that direct selling is not “easy income” and no-one will “get rich quick”. However, for people who set realistic goals and enjoy operating in a flexible, self-directed environment, direct selling provides wonderful possibilities, limited only by their efforts.
For some, direct selling means devoting a few hours a week to earn a modest income, or just purchasing products and services for personal and family use at a discount. For others, it’s a commitment to develop a network of salespersons to be trained and mentored so they too can be successful and in such way to development your own direct selling business.
Each of these scenarios is feasible and common in direct selling. Each requires a very different level of commitment, but the thing they share is that by setting achievable goals from the start and developing and sticking to a workable plan, success will follow. It’s important to remember that salespersons who are earning substantial and worthwhile incomes have worked for a long time, perhaps many years, to achieve that level of success. They have developed an understanding of the business, and have very likely recruited and trained a network of salespersons. They have been diligent and consistent in growing their businesses over time.
Virtually every category of goods sold in a typical department store or supermarket is available via Direct Sales.
- Personal Products – Cosmetics, Fragrances, Skincare, Jewellery, Clothes.
- Wellness products – Supplements, Diet Plans, Fitness, Aromatherapy.
- Household – Kitchenwares, Housewares, Electrical, Cleaning.
- Family – Books, Toys, Games, Audio Visual.
- Services – like Telecoms.
Whilst other sectors such as mail order, direct mail and the internet also offer the opportunity to make purchases from the home, Direct Selling companies have a unique advantage. It is the opportunity to give customers the chance to talk to someone who represents the company, knows about the products on offer and, very often, someone who uses the products themselves.
Personal products particularly benefit from the ‘try and test’ feature of Direct Selling. The same is true of books and novel household items that may not be readily available in retail stores.
A personal recommendation from a satisfied customer is a powerful endorsement. With most Direct Selling businesses it is also possible to see, touch and sometimes even try out the product before deciding to buy – all with the added bonus of having the order delivered to the home.
Direct selling appeals to a wide range of people due to its flexibility. The ability to be a successful direct seller is not limited to just one type of person. Some examples of the different types of people who have enjoyed success are:
- Men and women who wish to supplement their own or their family’s income;
- Mothers and other carers who want to find a flexible, rewarding opportunity that fits in with their family commitments;
- Ambitious people who are looking for an opportunity to create their own success, where the rewards depend only on effort and ability, and where there is no limit to how much you can earn’
- People who may have taken early retirement, but can’t resist the opportunity to build new business and social networks;
- People with disabilities who find it difficult to obtain conventional employment but want to take control of their working lives;
- Fundraisers who see the flexibility of direct selling as an ideal opportunity to make money for a chosen charity or good cause;
- And other.
If you are considering becoming a direct selling salesperson you need firstly to set your own individual goals. All the opportunities available then need to be evaluated in light of those specific goals.