LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS IDEAS!
1. Host an Avon Holiday Open House
2. Encourage Customers to book a Holiday Open House with you
3. Create eye pleasing Holiday themed gift baskets
4. Host an Avon Holiday table at a Holiday Craft Bazaar
5. Offer free gift wrapping with Avon orders (Buy wrapping at $1 Store)
6. Sell gift baskets where lots of men work i.e. car dealerships, mechanic shops, mailman, etc)
7. Find locations to set up a table to display/sell gift baskets
8. Create Holiday gift baskets and give to all your helpers
9. Carry Holiday gift baskets with you when you are out delivering
10. Do a raffle with a gift basket
11. Use Christmas stickers to mark specials in your brochure
AVON is YOUR business! Treat it as such!!!
Campaign 25 $425 Club Achievers
Jessenia J - $823
Christina V - $814
Christal M - $813
Karen Q - $697
America G - $686
Pamela Z - $677
Ashley B - $456
The reason why I've chosen $425 as the number for our Club is because all orders at least $425 earn commission at 40% which will help you reach President's Club by the end of Avon's cycle which ends around the end of February and the beginning of March.
For those that are new and are wondering what President's Club is, if you can average an order of $389 throughout the year, you will be right on target to reach President's Club.
Now that is the place to be!
At PC level you receive a guaranteed 40% commission on all Avon branded products and 25% commission on the fixed earnings items.
You will also receive the beautiful collector's Mrs. Albee figurine (in memory of the first Avon Lady), an invite to the annual PC Tribute, and the yearly recognition jewelry piece.
Remember, ordering a minimum of 50 brochures each campaign and putting them in the hands of potential customers helps increase your chances of achieving this prestigious title.
Every campaign, I select ONE representative (for every 25 Reps that qualify) from each campaign's $425 club achievers to win a gift. It could be a full size product(s), a $20 gift certificate to Starbucks, a sample goodie bag, a tool to help grow your business, a piece of Avon Jewelry etc... For every 25 I will pick one winner, 50-74 -- two winners, 75-99 -- three winners and so on. But Until Campaign 26.....
ALL $425 Club Achievers will get a chance to win $100 worth of Avon products and samples.
This campaign's Contest Winner Is.........
Ashley Baker from Roy, UT
Top Leadership in Campaign 25
Top 5 Sales Representatives in Campaign 25
Rapidly Advancing AUL Shows That Success Is Possible—Even in a Part-Time business!
Previously, Valerie had worked in sales and customer service—until her oldest son was a year, and the company wanted to increase her hours. She and her husband decided then that it would be better for Valerie to stay at home to care for their sons. But getting by on one income was a struggle, and Avon helped to cover the financial gap. She recalls, "We only had one car then, which my husband needed to commute, so I would load up the boys in the stroller and go door-to-door in the condo where we lived. I borrowed my mom's car to attend meetings and drop off orders, and sometimes, Customers would pick them up."
Valerie's Upline and her District Sales Manager helped her, and she was also inspired by an Avon Incentive called Going for the Green. "I really didn't have any goals at the time," she explains, "but I knew I needed $175 per campaign to get a pin and samples. So I watched every order and made follow-up calls so I'd hit that number. Soon I was selling at President's Club (PC) level and wanted that 40% earnings. I made sure before I submitted my order that it was at that level, following up with Customers to put me over. Just the simple act of following up is huge!" She says that earning the level needed for the Incentive made PC seem closer … not 10 years down the road. "If you preach a standard," she advises, "people will rise to it. At a meeting, someone said that someone else reached PC without trying. I get competitive. If someone says I can't do it, I will!"
Joining Sales Leadership
For her first few months of selling Avon Valerie was afraid to try Sales Leadership because of a bad experience with another direct-selling company. But that changed when her neighbor, who had sold Avon years ago, asked Valerie about signing up. That sparked her competitive spirit, and without any training, she asked her Sales Leader for a Recruiting Kit! The neighbor also turned out to be the president of the condo association, and she gave her a list with everyone's name and address, which helped with prospecting. "You don't know who you can connect with that will change your life. But I knew I needed four more people to achieve Unit Leader (UL), and I soon recruited another neighbor. I hit UL in just four campaigns with the help of my Upline," Valerie says.
But even after achieving UL and PC so quickly, Valerie felt discouraged when she compared herself to Avon's top earners. "But," she says, "an Executive Unit Leader (EUL) in my Upline sat me down, and showed me I was doing the right thing and helped me to see long-term success. I saw that even top earners started out small!" Another "aha" moment occurred when Valerie met another neighbor, an Avon veteran who'd been selling for over 20 years. "I was excited to hear how successful she was with all that experience under her belt," she recalls. "I was taken aback when she said, 'Oh, I don't sell to the neighbors; just my friends and family.' Then it hit me. It's not about the time you put in; it's about the effort."
Since Valerie was introduced to Avon through a fund-raiser, she decided to try them herself. In 2007, she relied on the power of referrals, since she didn't have a car during the week, and raised a modest amount. The next year, she hosted a fund-raiser for her youngest son's preschool and raised several times more. In 2009, an elementary school fund-raiser helped her to reach Honor Society! She received District Sales awards, too. Valerie and her team have also helped a friend diagnosed with cancer, a dance team and a local police station through their fund-raising efforts. She says, "Presentation is important. I knew I was competing with other companies that wanted to host fund-raisers, so I created a professional-looking folder for the person in charge. Then I showed my team how to do it themselves."
A Breakthrough at Conference
In August of 2009, Valerie attended her first Sales Leadership National Conference. "My mom said she was going to put $400 in her savings account, but told me I'd be a better investment!" she exclaims. "What a major eye-opener! I loved every minute of it! Going to Las Vegas, hanging out with my Upline's Upline and learning what I did was a pivotal point in my business. I saw ordinary women doing extraordinary things, and it was worth every penny!" Not long after, Valerie achieved AUL, and, she says, "I went to Conference again in April of 2010 and this time, I paid for my entire trip from my Avon earnings. I really like Conference because it's a workshop experience. And there, I was a person—not 'Val the Mom.' It was freeing and fun."
Now that her youngest son is in first grade, Valerie is doing more with Avon. She is very close to making EUL, and says that it's a challenge to do it all. "I'm trying to find my next EUL so I can focus on Senior Executive Unit Leader (SEUL)," she says. "I want others to know I do Avon as a part-time business and that they, too, can be successful at Avon while living full lives!"
She says that she believes in the power of people. "I found a lot of Representatives don't realize the 50s are over, and they try to do a 40-hour work week while also doing everything at home," she adds. "You need your kids and husband to step up. My husband gets groceries; our sons (now seven and nine) clean bathrooms, their rooms, scrape their plates and put laundry away. I ask my team members if they want to micromanage their business or let their business work for them! As women, it's easier to just do it ourselves since 'no one can do it better than us.' I teach them to get the brochures to offices, and use referrals. It may take several brochures and orders, but once Customers know you're serious about having a successful business, they'll happily offer referrals. Never underestimate the power of excellent customer service. Then repeat again and again!"
Valerie increases her Customers by offering them 10% off and a free gift from a grab bag of $1–$2 Avon items. She also delivers their orders at work, and sometimes she'll give them a stack of brochures and samples to distribute. "Customers spread the word," she explains. "I'm friendly and upbeat—it's entertainment when I come in! Most of the offices, restaurants and schools are in town, so it's less gas and more orders for me! Customers get excited about the brochures and they do all the selling. My best piece of advice is 'You don't know who you don't know.' By venturing beyond your friends and family, you'll discover there's a whole world out there." She says that's her power of people at work, and adds, "Sales Leadership and fund-raisers also allow you to expand in ways you couldn't do alone. It's like a domino effect to success."
Before she even appoints new Recruits, Valerie asks them to bring a list of people they can give brochures to, to save time (she knows they are busy!). "I tell Recruits that by age 25, the average person knows 250–300 people and that if they just bring 50, I'll let them choose a free gift! No one wants to be below average, so 99% have it ready! I help them to think, this lady works at a bank—but six others work there, and they can sell for her. It's not about you doing all the work. Work smarter, not harder. My house gets clean, but it's not me cleaning it! And I wear Avon head-to-toe. When you look put together on the outside, you feel more confident on the inside, and people notice. The jewelry is a great conversation piece. Those ladies at the bank will talk about me when I'm gone—the perfume, what I wore. Let them sell themselves!"
She says that it's also important to know who can help your business. "People are in different networks, and it's still network marketing," she explains. "Know the key people—your principal, the head of the soccer league—to move your business forward."
Preferred Preview
Valerie also promotes the Preferred Preview program to help sell beauty products. "I can't be out of the loop," she says. "I need to know what's coming up! I may have 200 Customers in my base, but I can't talk to all 200. Preferred Preview gives you time to reach people over a six-week period. For part-time Representatives, we have more time to share a product and can plan ahead, in case someone gets sick or there's a soccer match. I keep the Preferred Preview item in my purse, and Customers will ask me at the bank, 'What's in your purse today?' The commercials also help. Customers ask, 'Where's my Genics?' and I answer, 'Two samples are in your bag.' And when I say that this isn't even out in the brochures, everyone wants to see the secret!"
And she makes sure that people know about Avon's 100%-satisfaction guarantee. "It really takes the 'scary' out of makeup!" she says. "Customers are more likely to try when they don't have to worry about wasting money."
Valerie teaches her team by example, showing them that Sales and Sales Leadership go hand in hand. "When you're out looking for Recruits, you'll find Customers along the way," she says. "I order and pass out 200 brochures a campaign; I demo products; and most important, follow up! People mean to order, but then they stack stuff on the brochure and don't get to ordering because they're busy. Just take a minute to call, e-mail or text message. It's your job to remember, not theirs. I've never had anyone yell because I called saying my order is about to go in."
She also looks at Downline Manager very closely so her team members don't miss title by a gap of just a few dollars. "I'm a Downline Manager hawk!" she says. "Once I have a Sales Leadership candidate, I show them their gap and work on getting them titled. I've titled nine ULs in two years. But … I've learned that I must mentor more and help less. It's easy for me to be overly helpful, and they become too dependent and don't step up to duplicate. Then they struggle and lose title. I've changed my thinking! I now explain that this is a partnership and it's up to you to continue, as well as work with those on your team! It has to be what they want and what they're willing to work for. They're experts-to-be and they need to see that. Always Be Canvassing—ABC! Sales Leadership Representatives focus so hard on those who don't produce, instead of looking for those who will."
She also does a group newsletter, so her team members can see growth, and sends out congratulatory postcards for top performers and posts their achievements on Facebook.
The Face of Avon
When it comes to recruiting, Valerie tells her Downline to always share Avon, and that they are today's face of Avon. She takes them out prospecting. She suggests being sensitive to what people say, and paying attention to key words. Is someone complaining on Facebook because her husband got laid off? Is someone saying that her family can't go on vacation this year since her husband's hours were cut? She also shares recruiting fliers and explains how to convert Customers to Representatives. "Avon is a flexible fit," Valerie says, "and I share my story. I tell prospects, you can make some extra cash or a new business! You get to choose. I also tell my team not to be afraid of 'no'! This two-letter word holds so many Representatives back. I get told no, too. Even the most seasoned SEUL gets told no. The more you work your business, the better you will become!"
Valerie is also excited about the Nesting Program, which will attach established Representatives who don't have Uplines to existing teams, and says that having experienced people on their teams will help her ULs. "With Avon, a new program is always going to come up. It rewards people who work the business," she says.
Valerie's Goal
Achieving SEUL by her fifth year in Sales Leadership has become Valerie's goal. "I'm already thinking EUL and beyond. It's about looking at your numbers, stepping up and being aware of the gap to work past those numbers. I just keep focusing on who I can partner with. If they're not on your team, you have to find them."
Valerie says that when recruiting, it's important to educate people about what Avon is today. "They love that grandma sold, but grandma wasn't taking trips. Women can make real money at it. The advertising and celebrity partnerships really help bring Avon into the 21st century. I'm proud to represent Avon and all the great things this company has to offer. I tell people, 'Skin So Soft may open the door, but Avon offers so much more!'
"Now I have a five-year-plan. In my early 20s, I didn't have that. Avon has probably taught me more about people than any other experience I could ever have. It's all different ages and economic levels. It's diverse. My business has grown every year in team members and sales and I truly believe that opportunities come to those who just keep going. Small actions do add up to greater things! Think multiplication, not addition, to grow your Avon business."
She advises, "If your only connection to Avon is the box with your order and the computer, you're missing out! I've learned so much by interacting with successful Representatives and applying what I've learned from meetings. I don't focus on those who make excuses, but on those who act to move their business forward!"
Avon Keeps This Representative Strong
Aurora, now 65, still buys Avon for herself, but now she does it as part of her own Avon business. After retiring from her career as a recreational leader for the local parks department in 2006, Aurora started with Avon. However, the beginnings of her Avon business had to be slowed down a bit when she had open-heart surgery in 2008 to replace an aortic valve. With tremendous support from her family and her faith, she sailed through the surgery and recovery … only to find out, in 2009, that she had a lump on her breast.
After chemotherapy sessions and radiation, Aurora had finished up her treatments in October 2009. Through it all she kept selling; her Customers kept buying; and her faith kept her going. But little did anyone know there was one more challenge for Aurora to tackle.
"In May 2010 I started feeling bad and dizzy," Aurora recalls. "We were thinking it was my heart. Something just wasn't right. Turns out, it was my stomach. In June, we found out I had what's called a 'watermelon stomach.' Little veins inside my stomach were bleeding." Every three weeks, her doctors would go into her stomach endoscopically and cauterize the veins to stop the bleeding. Meanwhile, she would need to have a total of 12 units of blood put back into her body.
Now, she is back on track. Aurora adds that she was so grateful for the new technologies we have today, and she encourages those that may also have some health issues not to be afraid. "Don't be afraid of new procedures," Aurora says. "Be thankful for these things and the people that can do them."
With her cancer in remission, her heart doing well and her stomach slowly healing, she credits her doctors and her faith for pulling her through it all. "I have been blessed with beautiful doctors. That was so important. I felt secure with them and trusted them," Aurora shares.
Succeeding Through It All
Through all of this, her Avon business was still moving right along. She achieved President's Club three times during her six years with Avon, and is currently on target to maintain that status this year as well. When asked about Aurora, District Sales Manager Connie Gomez describes her as "caring, optimistic and tenacious." Connie says, "Despite her physical challenges, Aurora is dedicated to her Customers. Her optimistic outlook inspires everyone who comes into contact with her."
That is one of the things that has kept her going all of these years—her Customers. Aurora says, "They are just beautiful people. I sell Avon because people like it."
Due to her physical limitations, Aurora sometimes sends her Customers the brochures, and takes orders over the phone. Oftentimes, Customers come by her house to pick up their products. "During the times when I haven't been feeling well, I set a date for order pick-ups and it's like having a party!" Aurora explains. "My Customers are so sweet! They bring me some fruit or a drink or something."
Keeping Customers during tough times isn't easy, but Aurora uses tried-and-true Avon strategies to keeping them ordering. She explains how word of mouth is key: "I give them two or three brochures, and they pass them to their friends. They ask me, 'Can you give me more brochures? My sister-in-law and my mother-in-law want some, but I don't want to give them mine—they won't give them back!' "
Aurora also uses a free gift to entice Customers to come back for more Avon products. "I have a client that had not ordered Sweet Honesty for a while. I wanted to remind her that she likes it, so I put one of the little $5.99 ones in the bag as a gift—and to remind her that she may be running out of it soon," she explains. "When I do that, they will call me to say thank-you and then give me a $60 order!"
Her main goal is to keep her Customers happy. "I do Avon for fun. It is not my source of income. If I want to reach a certain goal, like getting a new computer, then I push for that goal. But my happiness comes from my Customers and making them happy."
Going Strong Even on Tough Days
Although her medical treatments and Avon both fill a lot of her time, when Aurora has spare moments, she spends it with family and her church. Her husband, Bruce Miller, who is a deacon at their church, is one of Aurora's main inspirations … and, together, they inspire the next generation of their family. "I have six children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. I am so blessed!" Aurora says. "I also do activities at my church. There's a senior program on Thursdays and we play bingo, have lunch and do Bible study. We love to help the church."
When she has not-so-great days, Avon helps keep Aurora going. "If I am having a hard day, I say my little prayers, take a shower and keep myself busy," Aurora says. "I go on the Internet and see what is going on with Avon. I straighten up my desk; stamp my brochures; get them ready—and that makes me feel good."
Does she have advice for other Representatives who may be having a tough time? The number one thing, Aurora says, is to have faith and find people who will motivate you. "There are so many people that will tell you to give it up; that you are sick and you should lay down. Don't listen to them!" Aurora says. "Talk to your friends that are in the Avon business; they are very inspirational to me. They never gave me a negative thought. They told me to keep going, eat well and rest. Talk to your Customers, your sisters, your siblings—those are people that will be strong for you."
Aurora's faith and family keep her strong. "Faith gives you strength. My family gives me strength and my sense of humor," Aurora says. And what else keeps her strong? Avon. "I sell Avon, I shop Avon, my family shops Avon! I love Avon!"
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