In business, the most dangerous thought is “My problems will go away by themselves.” Unfortunately, wishing problems away rarely works. Fortunately, there is a better way to make your problems go away. We Understand Thinking that the problems will go away by themselves is a topic that we discuss with many of our clients. The…
Should Party Plan Companies Worry About FTC Actions?
Most of the sales of products by party plan companies are made to people who are not consultants. In 2015 and 2016, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed orders against Vemma and Herbalife, each of which is a network marketing company. One of their concerns was the lack of customers who were not representatives themselves. Another…
In Which States Must I Register My Company?
In the USA, most states don’t require that multilevel distribution companies register with them. However, five states require them to file and/or register. If yours is a party plan company, you are still required to file or register if you have a multilevel compensation plan. To be legally compliant in these states, you or your…
Who Do I Hire First?
When you are starting a new direct selling company, you know you are going to need to hire employees. What types of people should you be hiring? Who should you hire first? Interestingly, the skills you will need in your first employees are the skills you don’t have or the skills you don’t want to…
Charging A Renewal Fee
Some direct selling companies charge their independent representatives’ annual renewal fees. Watch our video to learn the basics about renewal fees. Then, read the rest of this post to learn more. Required Or Optional Monthly Fees When it comes to charging your independent reps required or optional monthly fees, your direct selling company…
Why Your Independent Representative Attrition Rate Is So High
The rate of attrition of independent representatives of direct selling companies is high for many reasons. Direct selling is a “sales” job, but the average person joining a direct selling company may not view herself as a “salesperson.” While people are often led to believe that it is easy and that great products are all…
Required Or Optional Monthly Fees
When it comes to charging your independent reps required or optional monthly fees, your direct selling company has choices. This article is about these choices. Shortly, I will explain the strategies and consequences of each one. Mandatory or Optional Monthly Fees If you are or will be charging your independent representative’s monthly fees for services,…
Ask Victoria: Why Can’t Representatives View All Customers?
It is now more important than ever before to have customers buying products who are not independent representatives of direct selling companies. One of the questions Sylvina Consulting was asked recently may be a question you’ve asked as well…. If having customers is good for business, why can’t I see all of the customers of…
Ask Victoria: What Should I Do About Leaders Who Stop Leading?
Leaders are so important to the success of all direct selling companies. They sell more, recruit more, and stay active in the business longer than the average representative. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, eventually, all leaders stop acting like leaders. Why? There are many reasons and there is a lot you…
Ask Victoria: What Is The Cooling Off Rule?
As a direct selling company, you need to know about the Federal Trade Commission’s Cooling-Off Rule. There are very specific steps you must follow to be in compliance with this federal law. It’s All About Changing Your Mind If a customer buys something at a store and later changes his or her mind, the merchandise…
Ask Victoria: How Important Is Your USP?
A USP is a “unique selling proposition.” It is something that sets your company and your products apart from your competitors. Your reps need to know what to say about your products or services or your company that differentiates them from others. You need to determine these things and you should do that now if…
Ask Victoria: How Do I Make January Better?
In the month of December, everyone does everything they can to get sales, and, for the most part, by the end of the month, we are all exhausted. In the world of direct selling, for many companies, January is a slow month in terms of sales. So, what can you do to make January a…