New Avon Representative – Getting Started
We’ve done a lot of training on this blog about how to increase sales and grow your business, but for this post, let’s talk about how to get started and just get back to basics.
If you are a brand new Avon Representative, how do you get started?
First Off, Congratulations on your New Avon Business!
We’re honored to have you join our wonderful company and can’t wait to see what you do with your new Avon Business!
You may or may not have received your starter kit yet, but no worries, there’s plenty of things to do while you’re waiting for that kit.
The First Thing you Can Do as You Get Started is Set Up your Avon Store so you’re Ready to Sell Avon Online.
Here’s a blog post that shows you how to do that.
Your online store has a lot of advantages to your business.
If you want to, you can set up your online store so that your customer places an order online, they pay Avon, and Avon ships directly to them, and then pays you your commission.
It doesn’t get any easier than that!
Your startup kit should be arriving soon if you ordered one. Inside your startup kit, you’re going to find some brochures, and some products, samples, etc.
Understanding Your Avon Order Schedule Before You Get Started.
The most important thing to understand first is your order schedule.
Avon has a two-week order cycle called a campaign. Each campaign comes with a new brochure.
You can now place your order any time you want during that two-week cycle. It’s your business and it’s up to you.
However, I strongly suggest you pick a day and develop a routine around that day to make it easier for yourself and your customers.
For example… Say Tuesdays work best for you. You could place your order on the first Tuesday after the campaign starts and then place your orders every other Tuesday. Or you could even place an order every Tuesday if you prefer.
Other than you’ll have to pay the shipping charges on each order, there is no limit to how many orders you can place each campaign.
It’s easier to get on a schedule and stick with it.
But with flexible ordering, you get to choose what works for you.
Keep in mind; it’s better to place your order earlier in the campaign to minimize the possibility of backorders, shorts, etc. So please don’t wait until that last minute. 🙂
Know when your first order is due and which brochure you will be selling out of for that order.
You’ll be able to find that at the top of the page when you log in to AvonNow.com.
Get Your Avon Brochures Ready to Get Started In Your Avon Business.
Now that you know when your order is due, you can get your Avon brochures ready.
Your Avon brochure is your store. You will give them out to everyone you can.
Paper Brochures
If using a paper brochure, be sure to write your contact information (name/phone/email) on the back of the brochure and the date you want people to get their orders to you by. Use a date that’s about 2 days before your order is due to give yourself some room – you will always have people calling you after that date wanting to add to your order.
You can handwrite that information on the back of your brochures, or you can print labels (I use the Avery regular Mailing Labels. They work great for that), or you can even order a stamp from your local Office Depot, Staples, or other office supplies store.
Digital Brochures
You also have the ability to use a Digital Brochure. Here’s a post on how to share your Digital Brochure.
If using a Digital Brochure, I suggest you set up a text list that you can use to send out a text at the beginning of each campaign introducing the new brochure, and a few days before the end of the campaign reminding them that these specials will soon be gone in case they wanted to order.
You can even set up an automated Text List that people can subscribe to. Click here for instructions on how to do that.
Get Your Brochures into as Many Hands as Possible.
Pass out your brochures to everyone you can think of and everyone you meet.
Be sure to follow up with them a couple of days later, or at least before you place your order.
Follow-up is critical to your business. We are all very busy, and follow-up is the magic sauce that will determine how successful you will be in your Avon business.
Just give them a quick call or text saying you’re getting ready to place your order and didn’t want to miss them if they wanted anything, “Is there anything I can order for you?”
You’ll be surprised at how many people will say, “Oh yeah. I marked the pages. Let me get the brochure,” and you’ll have an order.
If you didn’t call, eventually they would have found the brochure again and thrown it away thinking it was expired.
Get busy Taking Orders.
Avon gives you the ability to create really nice invoices for your customers. If you want to handwrite your orders before putting them in the computer, this post explains in detail how to do that.
And of course, you have the ability to have your customers order directly in your Avon Online Store.
Very important –Collect Payment At The Time of Order.
Be sure to Collect Payment at the time you take someone’s order. Avon used to give credit, but that is rarely the case any longer.
Most Avon Representatives will be required to pay for their order at the time they place it.
If your customer says something like, “My old Rep never made me pay before she delivered the product,” you say, “Oh, yeah. I remember when Avon used to do that,” and then just ask again, “How would you like to pay for this.”
Keep in mind that every other company also requires payment upfront. Think about your last Tupperware, Scentsy, or Mary Kay (or any other direct sales company) order. I’m sure you paid upfront then too.
There are various ways to collect payment. You can accept cash, check (made out to you, which you will deposit in your bank account before you pay Avon), or credit card.
If you receive a credit card, you will need a way to process the payment. A very handy way to accept credit cards is by using Square. Square will handle your processing, and direct deposit the funds into your bank account.
Place Your Avon Order
Now, on your Avon Order Date, you will place your order with Avon. You can order all the items under your own name if you want. Or you can place an order for each of your customers and then create professional invoices for when you deliver their orders to them. Here’s a post showing you how to place your order.
Next comes Delivery Day. Your Avon order is shipped directly to you. When you receive it, it feels like Christmas! It’s fun to look at all those items.
You’ll sort them by customer, bag them up, staple their receipt on the bag, and get busy delivering the orders to your customers! Congratulations you’ve completed one campaign cycle!
Be sure to include a new brochure in the bag with your customer’s order, and you’re on to the next Campaign cycle!
For more information and training, be sure to check out our Getting Started Training here.
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EXPECT Success!
By Lynn Huber
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