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! 




Canada Post Discount now available online!

NEWSFLASH---The Canada Post discount, which allows Representatives to significantly reduce their shipping costs, is now available on the Representative homepage as well as on the Manager homepage.


This rate provides Representatives with savings of 48%* on average while reducing the time they spend waiting at the post office. Representatives can access this discount by going to the Canada Post link available on their homepage under "My Business - Business Tools" and then following the step-by-step instructions.
To get the discount, Representatives simply need to make an online payment with their credit card, print their return label directly from home, tape the label to their parcel and post. It’s that easy! You can also access the discount by going to your Manager homepage under "my info centre - Business Support".

Representatives will be notified on the Rep Café's Headline News next week and on their invoice cover letter.

* Based on the average shipping cost in Canada. The discount is only applicable for shipments made within Canada.

Avon on Location


Mother's Day Weekend saw District 487 Representatives and Leaders at Mark's Work Warehouse Ladies Night and at Waterloo Flowers!

Both events were a great success with money raised for Breast Cancer Research and Hello Green Tomorrow!  All attending had a great time meeting new people and getting new customers! 

The next scheduled event:
March 15, 2010 Waterloo Flowers 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Call or email to be a part of this amazing opportunity to reach out to your community!

This Is Avon

This is the company that puts mascara on lashes and food on tables.

That fights wrinkles with one hand and breast cancer with the other.

That knows the value of a perfect lip, but still opens its mouth and speaks out against Domestic Violence and for women’s financial independence.

This is the company that not only brings to doors, but also opens them.

The company that supports 6 million Representatives in over 100 countries. This is Avon.

The company that for 125 years had stood for beauty, innovation, optimism and above all for women.

A Letter from the District Manager









Hello!

I just wanted to say to everyone I have met in the past two weeks and to Bette-Anne, "Thank you!" for the warm welcome and easy transition!

I have heard great things about the positive, can-do, energetic representatives in this district! I want you to know that I believe in Avon, I believe in women, and I believe in YOU!


We all know that Avon has undergone some transitions in the past twelve months...oh, boy! We also know that Avon is always striving to stay "best in the business" and that continuous improvement is the one constant we can rely on! Despite some of the changes, and because of others, I am 100% certain that Avon is the best opportunity for women in the world!


I come from a diverse background in the military, manufacturing and finally owning my own retail store and holding a real estate license. I've been an Avon sales representative and for the past 8 months, a District Manager. In my experience, being an Avon representative and leader is the absolute best investment a woman could ever make! The opportunities open to you and the support provided (all included in the Avon 'package' free of charge!) are world class.


Great success in business, any business, is achieved through hard work, perseverance and the ability to view the big picture. Your Avon business is no different. I invite you all to do a quick business check-up in Campaign 09. Whether you are on the brink of President's Club, poised on the edge of unit leader or simply trying to make enough to cover your own purchases, I challenge you!


Take some time in the next week to consider your dream! Get in touch with your inner entrepreneur and ask yourself "what would change my life right now". For some of you it will be extra money, others will be looking for life-work balance, others search for the sense of purpose that working for yourself provides. Whatever your reason, this is important to you...and helping you achieve your dreams is important to me!


Once your dream has taken shape, put some goals in place. How much money would you like to make, how many hours would you like to be out of the house, how many lives would you like to impact??? Next choose some actions to get you closer to those goals: add three customers per campaign, join a club, talk to three people about the Avon opportunity, walk every day, drink more water, spend more time with my spouse/children/parents/grandchildren, volunteer, reconnect with an old friend....


If any of this is foreign to you, sounds too difficult, just can't find the time to sit down, sounds too hippy-ish...please believe that I can help. Helping you to build your Avon business and achieve your dreams is not just my job, it's my passion!


I invite you all to share your dreams with me and to lean on me as a resource to help you reach those goals! Give me a call, drop me an email or leave a comment on our new Blog! Let's connect and like a spider's web, grow stronger from those connections.


Spring is a great time for cleaning house...take this challenge and let's see if together we can energize each and every Avon representative in our great District.


Looking forward to a great 2010 and beyond,


Angela


Angela Anderson
District Sales Manager, District 487
Great Lakes Division, Avon Canada
angela.anderson.avon@gmail.com