2 Well it has been a little over a year since the Federal Trade Commission Business Opportunity Rule became law. And in that short period of time, we have seen lead generation change, and have even seen billion dollar direct selling companies like Herbalife move away from talking about their “business opportunity” to talking about [...]
0 Ever been chatting with someone and, before you can even finish your sentence, they interrupt to share their own thought or finish yours for you? Or perhaps you are in the middle of making an important point and their attention is pulled away as they check their ringing cell phone, send an email or [...]
2 Today is a historic day in Network Marketing! My friend and mentor Eric Worre has officially released his highly anticipated book “Go Pro – 7 Steps To Becoming A Network Marketing Professional” and you can all FINALLY get our hands on it. (I have an advanced copy and WOW!)If you are serious about succeeding [...]
0 Editor’s Note: Richard Brooke has written a wonderful article below that we all can grab a nugget of wisdom from. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! “You may have heard or experienced, most people “fail” in Network Marketing. Fail is not the best word to describe what happens. Most people who hear [...]
0 The Top of Your Team… Guaranteed According to The Direct Selling Association, approximately 175,000 people a week enroll in a Network Marketing/Direct Selling opportunity in the United States … EVERY WEEK. And an additional 300,000 enroll around the world. That is almost 500,000 people a week worldwide. And the DSA, and its related global [...]
0 Two of my favorite company success stories are Thirty-One Gifts and Scentsy. Both of these are primarily Party Plan Network Marketing companies. Thirty-One Gifts primarily sells very cool handbags and accessories, and Scentsy sells wickless candles in decorative ceramic warmers, handbags and even now has a fondue division. Thirty-One Gifts is based in Columbus, [...]
0 Two of my favorite company success stories are Thirty-One Gifts and Scentsy. Both of these are primarily Party Plan Network Marketing companies. Thirty-One Gifts primarily sells very cool handbags and accessories, and Scentsy sells wickless candles in decorative ceramic warmers, handbags and even now has a fondue division. Thirty-One Gifts is based in Columbus, [...]
1 Have you ever seen the little children in undeveloped, impoverished countries on the news? Notice how happy they seem, unless they are starving or sick (which many of them are). Have you ever wondered how that can be? How can children with so little – and with so little future – seem so happy, [...]
0 I was suprised today when I came across a January post on bloggingstocks.com characterizing Avon’s corporate restructuring plan, which began back in 2005, as necessary because of a flawed business model – reliance on recruiting, and not enough recruits to be had. It’s an interesting, if somewhat naïve, assertion about a company and business model [...]
0 One of the many reasons people choose to begin a career in direct selling is that it offers a flexible work schedule. A person can work part-time or full-time, and can set their own goals and determine how they are going to achieve those goals. While some choose to approach direct selling as [...]
0 I like Miss Manners because she is straight and to the point about a lot of topics people spend a lot of time stewing about. I don’t always agree with her ultimate nugget of wisdom, but rarely can I fault her direct approach. In her column today (scroll down to the second question/answer) she [...]
0 Word has spread quickly about directselling411.com! After just a few short days with our “doors” open to the public, the buzz is beginning. A quick Google search today uncovered a blog post questioning not only the motivations behind this site, but also the Direct Selling Association’s credibility. I think the directselling411.com mission has [...]
0 I read an interesting article from the Ft. Myers News-Press recently on the exploding “Momtrepreneurs” movement. The article describes this as when “women exit the corporate world or take creative steps to add extra cash to the family budget.” As you can imagine, one of the ways the women in the story are [...]
0 I was inspired this week by a combination of my requested gift for Mother’s Day as well as an insightful article on Terry Neese’s blog. I have two beautiful children whom, on most days, can light up a room with just their smiles. My son has developed the most adorable trail of freckles across [...]
0 The other day I read a blog post where someone had once again asserted that 99.9% of direct sellers lose money. It’s an eye-catching line and it’s memorable. It’s a line that’s often repeated by opponents of direct selling as means of discouraging potential sellers. It’s also false. In fact, more than half of [...]
0 A bit of delay on posting this as I was on my way to Phoenix (and early warning that comments submitted over the next week could be delayed as well), but the following comment was submitted Wednesday in response to my post debunking the 99.9% myth. While I could have easily discarded it based [...]
0 I’ve mentioned several times that my goals on DirectSelling411.com include correcting misinformation about direct selling while also providing a forum for discussing topics relevant to direct selling. One thing I didn’t fully anticipate was that people would have questions about DSA’s mission. Several people have asked, “How can DSA represent the direct selling [...]
0 I admit it – I frequently attend direct selling parties and demonstrations. Sometimes I call it “market research,” but I really do enjoy the opportunity to browse for new and interesting products, as well as catch up with old friends and perhaps make a few new acquaintances in the process. I was a direct [...]
0 I had a great time last weekend celebrating our country’s 232nd birthday. My family and I ventured to downtown Washington DC (even though I go there everyday for work, on major holidays like July 4, it’s definitely an adventure). We had a great view of both the Capitol and the Washington Monument from the [...]
0 There are a lot of questions circulating on the Internet and blogosphere with regard to the recent complaint filed by the California Attorney General against YTB, a DSA member. You can read DSA’s official statement on the matter, but I thought it would be helpful to weigh in with some thoughts that address some [...]
0 I’ve received several questions about the process used to review and approve companies for membership and I think it’s an important topic to explore so consumers can get a better understanding of what DSA membership really means. After submission of a membership application the pending process takes at least one year. There are three [...]
0 With unemployment reaching 5.7% in July, (up to 10.3% if you include those who are underemployed), many people are raising an age-old question in direct selling: is it counter-cyclical, recession-proof, recession-resistant or none of the above? The full analysis is a bit more complicated, but it is instructive to look at the last documented [...]
0 It’s early September, and already the stores are full of Halloween decorations. Before we know it, we’ll be gathering for Thanksgiving and looking forward to Hanukah and Christmas. It’s just about this time that many direct sellers are getting ready for holiday sales. In fact, many direct sellers do most, if not all, of [...]
0 As baseball great Yogi Berra once said, “It’s déjà vu all over again.” This week I’ve seen several blog posts repeating the tired assertion that 99% of direct sellers lose money. One even referred to the myth as a “cold hard fact.” As I’ve pointed out previously on this blog, more than half of [...]
0 I came across an interesting blog post today from a freelance writer who has covered direct selling in the past. I respect her because she always asks really great questions when she interviews me and does a fair and equitable job of laying out the facts. While I hesitated momentarily on linking to this [...]
0 I came across a blog post today by a guy who had seen a recent article on the increasing popularity of direct selling. He was bemoaning the fact that the result would be more invitations to direct selling parties or demonstrations. He’s right that the poor economy will probably encourage many people to explore [...]
0 I came across an interesting blog post today by industry critic Robert FitzPatrick. On his blog he recounts the story of Lasdwun N. Luzes – a fanciful economist who is described as, among other things, “a lobbyist for the Direct Selling Association, a fierce critic of consumer protection and a fervent anti-regulation spokesman.” The [...]
0 Earlier this week I had the honor of appearing on The Today Show for the fifth time, where I helped kick off the show’s annual Holiday Gift Drive. Thirty-two DSA member companies donated more than $9 million dollars in books, clothing, toiletries, toys and other products for families all across the United States. [...]
0 Happy New Year! After a healthy winter break (went skiing – luckily no broken bones) I’m greeting the new year with a dose of optimism I hope will infect others so the economy can find the jump start it needs. Everyone is evaluating their financial situation and looking for ways to make things a [...]
0 I was recently involved in a situation where someone asserted that direct sellers aren’t relevant because they don’t contribute to the community. My first thought was that this person clearly doesn’t know much about direct selling because not only do direct sellers contribute to the community – they ARE the community. So, in the [...]
0 I love attending direct selling parties or demonstrations – not only for the fun and the shopping experience (I can be a bit of a shop-a-holic), but also because I think it’s important to continually update my practical knowledge of direct selling. In most cases, I wait until later in the event to let [...]
0 April 15 will be here before you know it. For direct sellers, it’s especially important to understand the tax requirements that come along with being an independent contractor. The Direct Selling Association has worked closely with the IRS for many years to provide resources to help direct sellers and those who prepare taxes for [...]
0 I saw an interesting segment on the TODAY Show this morning – an interview with Wal-Mart’s new CEO, Mike Duke. Among other things he talked about various product categories that are doing particularly well during this economic period that has few bright spots. It caught my attention because many of these same products (or [...]
0 There’s an important legislative issue being considered in California right now that will affect millions of independent contractors (Realtors, taxi drivers, many in the construction trades, etc.) – including direct sellers. In a desperate attempt to balance California’s budget, lawmakers there are considering a proposal that would mandate withholding on all payments to independent contractors. [...]
0 I’m writing today from the national convention of one of DSA’s member companies. I came to speak to the group about the benefits this company’s DSA membership provides to its consultants. Each time I have the chance to meet and mingle with some of the 15 million U.S. direct sellers I am reminded what [...]
0 Hello 411 readers! It was a busy summer and early fall as I continue to get many inquiries about direct selling in this poor economy from both media outlets and the general public. It’s also been very busy at the Direct Selling Association as we prepare for our 100th anniversary in 2010. However, some of [...]
