Ask Victoria: Is My Product Good for Direct Sales?

March 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Not every type of product is ideal for the direct selling channel. Some are clearly better than others.

If you’re going to introduce a new product, let it be a good one for direct selling.

To find out, ask yourself these questions:

Can your independent representatives easily learn the benefits and features of your product?
Can the product be demonstrated easily?
Will a high percentage of people who are shown your product purchase it?
Will you be able to source large quantities of your product?
Will you be able to source your product from more than one supplier if needed?
Now, or in the future, will you have at least a 5 times markup from your cost to suggested retail?
Has your product been “road tested” by another company?
Is your product difficult to find in retail stores?
Are similar products not available anywhere else but from your company?
Will your product be purchased more than once by the same person?
Does your product contain one or more unusual or rarely seen ingredients?
Can the benefits of using your product be felt immediately or within one week?
Does using or wearing your product bring joy to the consumer?
Is your product viewed by purchasers as a collectible item?

Count the yes’s. If your total is 9 or more, your product is likely to do well in direct selling.

Winners Wanted

Do you know that direct sales companies offer two kinds of products? Do you know what your second product is?

Jay Leisner, the President of Sylvina Consulting, is a top compensation plan and direct selling expert, a trusted adviser to new and established network marketing and party plan companies. For more than 30 years, Jay has enjoyed assessing and improving network marketing, party plan and referral marketing companies across the globe.

Jay Leisner and Victoria Dohr authored the top-rated book for new and young network marketing, referral marketing, and party plan companies, "Start Here: The Guide to Building and Growing Your Direct Selling Company".

Available in English and Spanish. This startup guide contains 250 pages of wisdom that will guide you through the right steps to start and continue on your journey to build a successful direct selling company.

You will save thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of your time using the information you will read in our book.

In 1986, Jay began his career in direct selling by working for a major direct selling software provider. First as a software developer and later as a project leader and a business analyst, Jay worked closely with new and established network marketing and party direct selling companies to provide them with software solutions to meet their unique requirements.

Jay contributed in many ways to the success of large implementation projects for many companies. Jay also worked with dozens of smaller companies to assist each of them in various capacities to provide them with the systems they needed to help their businesses to grow faster.

Along the way while working with them, he learned the secrets of successful direct selling companies and the challenges faced by them. In true entrepreneurial spirit, Jay’s decision in 1999 to start Sylvina Consulting as a direct selling consulting company was driven by what he saw was a need for answers, advice, and solutions.

In 2004, 2006, 2009, 2014, and 2018, Jay gave presentations on compensation plans, recognition, and field leadership development at conferences held by the US Direct Selling Association.

He traveled to South Africa in 2015, 2016, and 2017 to conduct workshops on compensation plan design and recognition programs for member companies of the South African Direct Selling Association.

In 2017, Jay spoke at the Canadian Direct Sellers Association Meeting on the importance of recognition.

More than just a compensation plan expert, Jay is exceptionally skilled at advising new and established companies on business strategies. Before offering advice or solutions, he asks important questions to understand each client’s specific concerns and goals.

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