WAHM Forums

Hey everyone,


Just curious...


Do you think that your location has anything to do with the success of your sales business? Do you think some regions of the US accept party plans more than others do? Do you think that a leader in the company has more growth potential if she is in a metro area vs. rural?


How are your businesses growing (in general)? Do you see any patterns?


Sorry for playing 20 questions....I just had this discussion with someone and would love to hear the thoughts of those of you who are with different plans.


Thanks much!

I don't think my local town is great for party plan, yet I think I'm successful. some locations around me, i travel to many suburbs are hotter for it than others. Some don't understand why am I paying shipping if its all going one place? why don't i buy it at the store? mind you these are the ones who spend $50 on a pair of shoes and think nothing of it.





anyway, in terms of growth, my national team is larger than my local one, so my location doesn't affect me, i'm growing all over! I am growing locally too. I'm in a metro area, so I don't think metro vs rural has to matter, but traveling to parties may be more of an issue in a rural area.





deb

I think there is more to it than just whehter you live in a rural or metro area. I think it also has to do with the product you are selling and the price. For example, I live in a rural area between two mid-sized metro areas. I sell Lia Sophia jewelry, which is reasonably priced fashion jewelry, and I have had great success. However from speaking to neighbores and friends, I gather that the entertaining and food product companies have a very hard time around here. The interest just isn't there in the products due to the rural lifestyle. They find some pockets of success in the metro area, but overall really stuggle to make it. Another example is my husband. He used to sell Lifetime Cookware where we used to live. We lived in a small city that was surrounded by rural countryside. Some of these rural areas were economically depressed, while others were very affluent. However, the economy of the entire area,could not support a product with a pricetag such as Lifetime's. Now don't get me wrong, the cookware is excellent stuff, but the price made it unattainable for most families in that area. I really beleve it is a matter of lifestyle and pricing instead of rural vs. metro areas. Peopledon't have shows for products they won't use or can't afford.

Ooh! I absolutely think it is a location issue. When I was searching for a company, I had to look at the price of items in the catalog. If I wouldn't pay the price for things in the catalog, I'm certainly not going to ask anyone else to pay it! I live in a rural area (actually an urban area if there are such things in WV) and if a cheap imitation can be bought at the Dollar Store or Walmart, I'm not going to sell much. I chose Noah's Ark Animal Workshop (because the closest Build-a-Bear is 2 hrs away) and Spice It Up Parties, because you can't buy that stuff in Walmart smileys/smiley2.gif


Also, do we not all mentally say "Ka-ching!" when we walk into a huge house in an expensive neighborhood? There aren't many of those where I live.

Ironically,


I've sold two very different types of products. (Skin care, and crafts..)


I am realising that often the people that would appear to have less money buy more. I am wondering if it is because they have less options? IE: if you are wealthy, you can order anything online...you can buy more expensive "brand-name" items, etc. (That's just my personal experience...I am not saying that this is the case everywhere).


I have mixed feelings about location and sales. Every community seems to have every income range. However, I do believe that location matters when it comes to team building. When you have a few million people in your "market" to sponsor vs. 100,000...of course your odds are better.


I love the discussion everyone...keep it coming!

I would also say that I have done parties in places that there is "money", but it depends what those people desire. I've had more of those people nickel and dime things like shipping, and less affluent communities people just buy whatever they want, no questions. The people who buy $50 sweaters won't always buy the other stuff. I don't necessarily think doing a party where there's money means you'll get bigger sales. It still has to be a desirable product and of value to that person. That's what gets the sales too!





deb