Everywhere I look I see a car branded with a logo of yet another direct selling company.  Within two miles of my home, the area is infested with Direct Sales Reps, selling products from the same company that I sell from.  So imagine how hard it is to find customers because everyone of them are taken.  There is a good chance that the doorbell you ring today has already been pushed by five other reps yesterday.  The person living in that home won’t open the door anymore and may even hammer down a sign on their front lawn that reads “No Solicitation.”  You are not the pushy type and you don’t handle rejection well. You either move on or give up.

The expression “It’s a Dog eat Dog world” applies in direct sales industry.  All of these women (and men) are looking for ways to make additional income or get some free products. Sales reps are pushing or trampling on everyone that crosses there way.  They may scam, cheat, or knock a crippled old lady on to the floor, just to get to that last customer in the neighborhood.  What is wrong with that picture?  It would turn me off to Direct Sales altogether.

Direct Sales is very much like running your own franchise and I’ve never seen a franchise type business intentionally pull a fast one on another business for the sake of getting a new customer.  Times are hard yes, but we don’t need to act like a desperate fools.  Everyone needs to play fair with each other

So what do you do if you run into situations where you can’t get customers or you lose customers to other reps? Would you beat up on all of the direct selling reps in your neighborhood and steal their customers while they are at the hospital recovering? Sounds good, but of course you wouldn’t.

1. For starters, there are hundreds of Direct Selling Organizations out there and the most popular ones (The top 10) most of us know or have purchased a product from them.  Those are the ones I recommend you DON’T  join. Why? Because every one, all the way to their great grandmother, is probably selling the product already.  Those reps have their loyal customers and they are not going to budge. Look into companies not too many people know about but the company is growing at a steady pace.

2. Go outside your comfort zone.  Although it is easy to meet customers or deliver orders to them if they live closer to your home, it might be worth checking in another area. Have your upline manager help you identify areas where there are the least amount of reps.

3. Participate in vendor shows where YOU are the only vendor presenting your company.  I never share space.

4. When prospecting, display your products in gift basket form rather than giving out brochures.  That way you are giving the product a different look and offering gift ideas for their family or friends.

5. Sell raffle tickets so people can try to win a gift ensemble you made instead of you trying to sell the products to them.  If they win, they may end up being your next customer.

6. Be persistent.  One of the worst mistakes direct sellers make is once a sale is complete, they don’t return to the customer for follow up orders.  That is where you can come in and save the day.

It is hard in the Direct Selling, and if you are not prepared, someone will eat you alive.  Even so, this is still a very popular and easy way to make money, so don’t give up. Get smart.