WAHM Forums

I was just wondering how many companies are you selling with? I am currently with one home party plan/MLM but also sell Miche Bag on the side. Miche is not an MLM company (no recruiting) and is quite different - we are pretty much on our own with the way we do things, even our prices can be different than others. Anyway, I don't think that recruiting with more than one company is ever a good idea and I probably would never sign under someone who had 2 different teams however, if you were just going to sell with one and not choose to recruit, that's different, I think. I have been looking at a totally different product and am considering doing that also. I ask myself what is the reason I want to be with another company and the number one reason I come up with is that I know there is a wide variety of people with different interests and the products of each company are completely different. Also, one company is more "recession friendly" if you will. I know we all have different opinions about how the recession affects direct sales, but my experience has been that people are still buying gifts for others but are cutting back on "luxury" items for themselves. I understand that some people believe that those who bought luxury items 5 years ago are still going to be buying them today, but there are plenty of middle class consumers who are just not able to buy those types of items as frequently, if ever, like they did a few years ago. AND the most common objection to parties is that they feel guilty asking their friends to come and spend money right now.

Of course, I realize that being with 2 or 3 companies would take more time, but some of us work harder and better when we feel the pressure! The more I have to do, the more organized and better I do my job. Any opinions or experience with this would be helpful! Thanks!

I know of someone who sells Miche but is also with my company, Southern Living at HOME. She does very well at Miche (#1 in our state) but she wants to do more with SLAH because the income potential is so much higher. Plus, SLAH is merging with Entertaining at HOME and is forming a whole new company this year. So, once again we will be a ground floor opportunity. Also, we are innovating the direct sales process and will be the first company to ever have this type of business model. It will bring in more customers, hostesses and consultants and will generate additional streams of revenue for us using e-commerce. I'm super excited about it and glad to be a part of direct sales history in the making. We have cut our prices this year and I've had my best two months ever in January and February. I think that has more to do with the products than the price cuts but that certainly can't hurt!

I have a Miche bag and have bought one for my mother in law (she loves it) but the money just isn't going to be there when you are with a company with no downline potential. I advised the person I know here to focus more on SLAH because I feel like her Miche business is taking away from her SLAH business. And, with our new company making direct sales history this year and us having the opportunity to be founding consultants of a ground floor company with a proven product and loyal fan base, this is not the time to be walking away from SLAH.

Good luck to you and if you are interested in a new company, please give us a serious look, as major innovations are happening this year!

Thanks, Amy. I completely understand about income potential with a downline. I would still be with a company that I can build a team with, but have others where I just do sales. If I built a large team with lots of potential, I would stop the other business(es) most likely since it would take so much time.

Can you tell me more about the new direct sales business model that SLAH is going to have? I have heard about the merging and it is a company I have considered since I LOVE interior decorating : ) I have the new catalog but didn't notice the price decrease. I will have to look more carefully. One thing that I didn't like was that it seemed to be gear more towards dinnerware, serving bowls, etc. than to home decor and with the merge, I was thinking that there would me mostly kitchen type of products which I'm not as interested in. I would like to know more about the new business model, though if you have any more info.

They, of course, are going to keep all the specifics under wraps until July but I can tell you it has to do with e-commerce and there being more ways to buy, which in turn will attract more customers, hostesses and consultants. Additional streams of income! The CEO has said this new business model will be a game changer for direct sales and will really change the way we do business. He says that every direct sales company that has experienced tremendous growth has had a period of tremendous innovation prior to that growth. We first innovated in 2001 by pairing a direct sales company with a magazine, offering business supply credits to consultants and web based order entry. These innovations were followed with unprecedented growth which made us the fastest growing company in direct sales history. What we're about to do this summer will eclipse what we did back then ten-fold. The big announcement is being made at convention but others who have seen it have said it's going to be amazing! Can't wait to hear it!

We do offer dishes, flatware and stemware which is great because we can do bridal registries and showers. But, there are a lot of other things in the catalog too. I can assure you that we are not going to be carrying kitchen items. Entertaining at Home has done that but those things are not going forward into the new company. I did not want to sell kitchen gadgets either. There is already another company that does that very well. If I wanted to sell kitchen items I would have consulted for them. (I love PC and have half the catalog and use it every day).

The first thing our new CEO said when he took over last summer was that he would cut prices and he has done just that. Look in the catalog for all the price cuts marked through in orange. Some items are as much as $50 less and many are in the $10 to $20 less range. Also, no shipping on food items either!

If you're thinking about getting into another direct sales company, definitely give us a serious look. Feel free to PM me and I'll send you some more info. We now offer fuel bonuses which is really cool. If you love interior decorating this is just the thing for you!

Oh, and we're also shutting down new enrollments after June 30th for awhile and all those in the company prior will be eligible for all new phases of the business model and those enrolled after will be wait listed on a first come, first served business. The CEO says that we will be showing the rest of the world the future of direct sales.

Getting back to the original reason for this thread, to answer your question, no I do not attempt to work several DS businesses at a time, and I agree that one would spread themselves to thin by having several businesses with different companies, there would be no loyalty to either company, plus most DS companies have rules that don't allow it.

Good point about businesses where the focus should be on selling the product which in turn gives one a better chance to recruit, because if they love the product they can join and buy the product wholesale even IF they don't want to recruit.

Deb

I have a totally different opinion than most ladies who post about this subject when it comes up.

Everyone is wired differently and handles work differently. When I was employed in an office job (which required I did the accounting for 4 separate divisions of the company - already diversified in my job, hint, hint), I still worked for my church and sold candles on the side. My office had no input on what I did outside of the hours I put in at work. I have too many interests to put all of my attention in one place...it's just the way my brain works and no one can change that.

In direct sales, your loyalties lie in you, not the company. That's why most people choose direct sales - so they're able to run their businesses the way they want, within the guidelines of the company. If you are organized enough and have the desire and clients, you can run more than one direct sales business successfully. (and remember, success is in the eye of the beholder).

I agree that you could only build a team in one business or you'd wear yourself too thin. And along with that, you have to know your company's policy on team building and other ds businesses. Most companies don't care if you sell for other non-competing lines until you get into the team-building, when they want you to concentrate on their company only. Obviously, that wouldn't be a company for me.

I began selling candles originally and built up a list of clients that have no desire to buy books, which is my other company. I have sold books to people who have no desire to buy candles. If I have both sets of customers, should I not be allowed to sell to both?

Go with your gut...you sound very comfortable being able to handle more than one business and if that's the way you're wired, run with it.

Good luck with it all!!!
Missy

I personally believe that you if you are selling a very broad based product line then you will not feel a need to sell for more than one company. There are food companies, there are candle companies, there are gift companies and there are home decor companies. I chose one that is a little bit of all of these because I wanted there to be something for everyone. I also wanted to sell something that I knew I could never become bored with after awhile. That was honestly my #1 reason for joining the company that I'm with now. I would not even consider selling for a second company. This one keeps me plenty busy!

I would say trying to build teams with 2 companies is difficult... I have 2 companies under my wings, but one is where I build & the other is more for personal use & family/friends.

Beings I have grown so tremendously fast with 31...there isnt a way for me to truly give the same effort to more than one company. So I choose to put my efforts into one....

Good luck! :)

Missy - we must be twins separated at birth! I am the exact same way and couldn't agree more about the loyalty thing. I am incredibly loyal to my companies. Of course they have both treated me extrememly well and I have no real issues with any of them. If I was less than happy with the company policies, support, etc. then I would drop the company but would never be "disloyal".

I've had many people who aren't interested in one product say "Oh, I'd definitely go to a party for that" when I talk about another product unrelated to the other.

I agree that SLAH has a variety of products but I know several people who spend their money on clothing, jewelry and bags and really don't care what their home looks like!

Of course there will always be women who prefer to spend money on themselves as opposed to their houses. I just meant that the wide variety was important for me as a consultant so that I won't ever grow tired of selling this product line. It's been nearly two years and I don't even have the remote desire to sell for anyone else. I'm not sure I would feel that way if I had gone with another company.

Hey Amy~I agree with you! While I feel it is important for a company to have their main focus and not diversify too much...I think that if they can put in a few unique things to keep them interesting, then that is a good thing. I find that whenever I've been in panic mode....I tend to spread myself across many things, not being able to do all of them well. Maybe after having been burned a few times, I'm a little "commitment-phobic"...as I don't want it to happen again.

I've decided that while many companies offer great products, there are just some products that I would make a much better "customer" than consultant for. I don't know that there is a right or wrong answer, merely...what you can handle...you'll know eventually whether it is too much or not. But, conversely...don't wait too long to recognize a great opportunity when you see it...it might zip right on by!

Absolutely! I too make a great customer for many different direct sales companies but would not necessarily want to consult for them.

And, I totally agree about waiting and letting opportunity pass you by. Sometimes when people wait too long they do miss out on incredible opportunities.