The WAHM Experiment

AVON - The Opportunity for Women

2010-10-20T20:44:00.000-05:00

I've been selling AVON for a short while now, but it's been long enough to give me a good sense of the business.

The good:
You can get started for only $10, and have everything you need to immediately begin selling: Catalogs for the next several campaigns, an experienced representative who can answer all of your questions, even your website will be setup within hours, should you choose to become an eRepresentative. You WILL need to buy some business cards (which are a bit on the expensive side, but still can be had for under $30, including shipping). Training is abundant, available 24/7 online, and really well-rounded. Avon offers everything from business training (business basic accounting for non-accountants) to marketing training to beauty tips for your customers. If you don't mind doing the occasional party, but don't want to be constantly doing parties, this business can be successful by simply getting your catalogs into the hands of other women, and following up with them to get an order. One of the best things about being an Avon representative is that most everyone has heard of them, and loves their products. You may have to let them know that it's not their mother's Avon, as Avon keeps up with the times with a fresh product line, Mark. But the prices are good, and getting an order, at least a small one, is a really good chance. Also, Avon offers a fundraising option, which can really boost your sales. Also, most representatives start out with a credit line, which means you don't have to pay until you have already made some money on the business. This is a GREAT benefit! Also, as an eRep, your customers don't have to be local. They can order from your site, and you will receive a (slightly smaller) commission from their order without having to touch a thing.

The bad:
It will take a while to build a client base. That's not all that bad, considering. There's also a chance that there a lot of representatives are already selling AVON, which means that you'll be competing with people who have been doing it longer. Again, that's not all bad. But those are the drawbacks. My particular area (approximately 60K people) has over 100 representatives. That means that if you're not consistently interacting with your customers, constantly handing out business cards and catalogs, you could have a customer find a more responsive representative quickly. Also, each campaign (generally two weeks) sales point will determine your profit from the next campaign. So if you don't submit an order for one campaign (after the first six campaigns - twelve weeks - where Avon gives you a boost in your percentage of earnings), then you won't earn anything in the next.

The ugly:
There's truly nothing "ugly" about this opportunity. It's a real business, with the opportunity to make real money. There's little risk, and the opportunity to soar really is there, as long as you're willing to put the effort into it.

Overall:
If you can follow Avon's business plans, and step-by-step instructions, you can do this! If you're very open, and not shy about marketing to anyone you meet, you can do this! If you enjoy talking with other women (men are very successful Avon reps, too), and showing them how they can make money, you can do this! If you rarely step out of the house without your hair being done, makeup perfectly in place, and like to add a little sparkle with jewelry, you can definitely do this. If any of these are not you, or if you are very shy, then this might not be the perfect opportunity for you.

Posts on this website

2010-10-19T13:49:00.000-05:00

Just FYI, as I have just started this site, the way I review home-based businesses may evolve. I'm already not liking the good, the bad, and the ugly theme. :) Because the fact is, most businesses are good... just for a certain type of person. My goals is to present the opportunities as fairly as possible, and allow you to decide if you're the type of person who would do well in that type of business. I'm not trying to "sell" you on the business, and whether you do well or not will ultimately still be up to you, and what you put into it. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to get that across to you so that my site will be helpful to you. So please bear with me as I try to figure out a good format for these posts. And keep in mind that my opinion is just that... my opinion. I will attempt to be fair to all, but if I find something that I personally think you should run from, I will tell you that. That doesn't mean that the company or person offering that business has done anything wrong. It's just that... an opinion of a biased, thorough researcher. :)

Also, in the nature of a disclaimer, having run several home-based businesses myself, including a brick and mortar construction-type company, I will not only be reviewing those companies that I have started and experienced personally. I will also be interviewing people about their companies, and posting my unbiased (and uncompensated) opinion about what I think of that opportunity. On those, the links I include will be their affiliate link. Please keep in mind that the only money I make off of this website are through those affiliate links that are mine, and any advertisements that may show up. Just because the advertisement is one a page, does not mean that I have reviewed that company, so while I hope that you'll click on the links that are interesting to you, please keep in mind that if you're looking for an unbiased opinion, search for a review on that particular company on my website.

And just to be perfectly clear, I will NOT, ever, accept payment for a "positive" review. One of the main purposes of this website is to help you find WAH (Work At Home) opportunities that may work for you. If I have received free product, or a sample to review, or anything of that nature, that is not typically received by someone requesting further information, it will be disclosed in that particular post... and the review will still be my honest opinion.

Barefoot Books

2010-10-19T11:48:00.000-05:00

Barefoot Books is a new one for me. I haven't had much experience with them yet. But so far, I like what I see. The books are gorgeous (I have a book addiction), and although my opinion is that they're a little on the pricey side, they're well worth it. I homeschool my kiddos, so Barefoot Books brings a lot of the classics to life for them.

The good:
The books are high quality. It's FREE to become an Ambassador, although I do recommend that you purchase at least a small kit, which can run from $34.95 on up to as much as you want. They recommend a variety pack which is $159. There are not a lot of other representatives in my area. In fact, I haven't found one yet. In my smallish town (60K +/-), that means my customer list is wide-open. As I belong to a couple of homeschool groups, that puts me in a good position to market Barefoot Books to them. With time and effort, you will be able to build a customer base and sell these products. Although parties will definitely result in larger sales (and possibly repeat customers), you have the ability to sell your books in many different venues, so you are not restricted to parties. Your site will be set up immediately, and the online training will give you some great ideas for how to build your business.

The bad:
Because the books are a bit pricey, until you get them into your customer's hands, you may have a little trouble selling them. Having some that your customer likes will make it easier to sell them. Until you place an order, you'll have the ability to market online, but not in person. You CAN make money immediately, but it will be harder, as you'll have to direct people to your website for that immediate sale. Training is mostly PDF files, not interactive.

The ugly:
There's nothing ugly about this opportunity. With the ability to start for FREE, there is no risk. It's not a trial period that will hit you with extra charges afterward. It really is FREE. Expect to work for it... this is not a get rich quick scheme, but a real business opportunity.

Overall:
As with most direct selling opportunities, if you like the product, and are comfortable selling it, then this is a good fit. You'll need to market yourself consistently to build a customer list. If you can follow step-by-step instructions, understand how important marketing a new business is, and have patience, you can make money selling Barefoot Books.

Why this blog?

2010-10-19T10:55:00.000-05:00

I have several different blogs, but I've thought about this one for a while now. I'm a stay-at-home mom, not as much by choice as by circumstance. I was let go August 2009 from my job, and with the economy the way it is, am finding a much harder time than expected finding employment. I've held various office jobs for years, and decided to take the time on unemployment, and supplement it any way I can. Since I honestly wasn't all that happy with my office jobs when the kiddos were tiny, I've always had a passion for exploring ways to build a business while working primarily from home. Through the years, I've built up quite a collection of magazines to explore home based business opportunities. I've also had sites that I went back to time and time again, because I haven't tried them yet.

I research both the sales hype of the businesses, as well as the people who have worked for them and told their real-life experiences. Sometimes it's really hard to figure out which is more true to life, as some people do have the mind-set that they want a get-rich-quick-overnight scheme, without having to put any effort into it.

People, let's get one thing clear. They do exist. They may go against your morals, such as the one that will tell you to do exactly what they did... make up an advertisement including testimonials, and advertise the opportunity. You follow their instructions and send in a money order, and they'll tell you to do exactly what they did. They're selling nothing, but a process of advertising. And you can make money off of it. How much will be the luck of the draw, as the people burned once aren't as likely to do it again. But some people may feel fine about this opportunity. I'm just going to be honest about it. If you order from that, that's what you're going to get. If you're comfortable with it, go for it. If you're not, then check out one of my other reviews, and move on.

I hope that in time, my reviews will be the ones you trust. Someone taking an honest look at the opportunity, telling you the advantages and disadvantages. Then you can make an informed decision. Some opportunities will take longer to review, as setting up a business is a process, and building and marketing that business is a process. Others I'll be able to review after a short trial period. I'll try to let you know when you can check on the updates of each.

My disclaimer is this. This blog is an avenue for my writing. And it's a way that I can review these opportunities, and hopefully help you make a decision as to whether it's right for you. But it's also an avenue that I'll be using to try to make money as well. So many of the links will be affiliate links. That's as it should be, and if you join those services, you'll do the same. But none of them will be with simply the intent to sell something to you. The primary intent is to inform. If you choose to join, I just ask that you join through my link to help compensate me for sharing this information with you.

Should you wish to have a particular opportunity reviewed, please drop me a comment on one of my posts. I review all comments posted to the site, and try to delete SPAM as quickly as possible. I'll do my best to get back with you, and let you know if you can expect a review on the business you've requested. So hopefully all comments will help you make your mind up as well. Have a friend who might be interested in one of my posts? Please use the "share" buttons and send it on it's way. But please use it responsibly. Nobody likes SPAM.

Happy opportunity hunting!!!

Kim