Double Jeopardy -- The Two Brochure Way to Losing Sales


Generally, I hate to approach a topic from a negative perspective but this is a case of "I cannot find one positive thing to say!"

Apparently there is a practice in the field of passing out two campaign's brochures at one time.  Whenever I run across a practice that never crossed my mind, I'm always challenged to approach that practice with the view that this may, just may be the miracle that Avon reps are looking for to grow their business quickly without additional effort...the proverbial holy grail of our business!!!  And so I began analyzing the effect on the customer of handing her two campaigns at once to browse.

Did you realize that at any one moment in time there are 3 active Avon brochures, plus one waiting for the next campaign, 2 active Mark Magalogs, 1 or 2 active Expressions Magazines, 2 - 3 active outlet flyers and maybe even a Beauty Deals flyer??? Add that up and you get a potential of 12 brochures.  WOW!!! How many pages is that?  I figure a conservative 850 pages!!!  That's alot of shopping to expect a person to browse through in a week or so. 

Our sales numbers indicate that most regular Avon customers have a toiletry budget of about $25 - $50 per month.  And when you figure in jewelry and giftware, that budget stretches to somewhere in the region of $30 per campaign.  That's just an average.

When presented an Avon brochure (or brochure package if you include the Mark, Outlet and Expressions) the customer reviews them all with her budget firmly pasted in the back of her mind.  If the brochures are especially attractive and the sales are well placed in the brochure and timely, she may be tempted, once in a while, to purchase more.  If she is buying Anew skin care, she is, for sure prepared to spend more!  But on average, $30 is it. 

When the brochures come regularly, like clockwork, every two weeks, she starts to realize that she can spread her budget out twice in the month; potentially over two or more paychecks.  The funny reality is, she will still spend about $25 each order. 

So does handing out two campaigns at a time make sense.  Afraid not.  With the size of our brochures edging 200 pages, that second brochure only serves to confuse and frustrate her, making the shopping experience more of a time-consuming chore instead of an anticipated treat.  And....you will have nothing fresh to show her in two weeks' time. 

What could happen to your loyal skin care customers or shampoo or shower gel or, goodness, any customer if you don't see them for another month????  They will go to Shoppers or Wally World when they run out of their consumable products!!!  They don't have a choice...you aren't around!


Holy Cow!  This is really bad news!  If you total up the ways to lose money on this one bad habit, you will be astounded:
  • loss of 1/2 all potential orders $ ???????
  • loss of a customer $ ???????
  • waste of books $ ?????????
Sometimes what looks like a time-saver is actually a super waste of your time and money!  Two thumbs down on doubling up on campaigns!