What Is A Pilot Program? A pilot program is a group of activities planned as a test or a trial of a business model. Some party plan companies and network marketing companies choose to conduct a pilot program before officially launching their direct selling companies. Why Do A Pilot? The more you know about your…
Direct Selling, Network Marketing, MLM, and Party Plan
If you’re confused by these words, then read this article to understand the differences between direct selling, network marketing, MLM, and party plan. Direct Selling Direct selling is the sale of a product or a service that is conducted outside of a permanent retail location. Most often, the sale occurs from one person to another….
Ask Victoria: What Are The Characteristics Of A Successful Catalog?
A successful catalog is a catalog that captures the attention of the buyer and encourages that buyer to order from your company. Here are some tips I’ve learned over the years that can help you to create successful product catalogs: Avoid small non-representative pictures of your products. Make all photos large enough to show details….
The Elephant In The Room – Lack of Retail Customers
One of the elements of a pyramid scheme is the lack of retail customers. Pyramid schemes are illegal. A good number of network marketing companies have few retail customers who aren’t also independent representatives. This is the elephant in the room. In the Omnitrition, Trek Alliance, Equinox, and Burn Lounge cases, courts found problems with…
Be A Student of Direct Selling
Do you have a new or young direct selling company? Start the new year right with two full days of direct selling education at the Direct Selling Edge Conference in Franklin (Nashville), Tennessee on January 23 and 24, 2014. What Will I Learn? Join Sylvina Consulting and other seasoned industry pros as we guide you…
Ask Victoria: How Do I Make My Website Better?
When I talk with young direct selling companies, I always ask for their website addresses so I can learn more about their products and more about them. However, I also want to see where they are focusing their efforts and to check if their website reflects their intentions. If you want to concentrate on the…
When Hostesses Become Territorial
A successful home party is one that generates bookings. A booking is a commitment by a guest who agrees to host her own party on a specific date. Without bookings, there are no more parties. Sometimes hostesses don’t want their guests hosting another party. They want their guests to purchase only at their parties. You…
Are Business Cards Still Relevant?
Are you still purchasing and giving others your business cards? Are your independent representatives? Heck, we don’t even have to talk with each other face to face anymore….or do we? We can just use our phones to text each other, so, I ask you, “Do we need to be passing out these pieces of paper?”…
Online Parties: Good Or Bad
You knew it was coming, but it was too late to hide. The Internet disrupted everything including books, newspapers, airline tickets, employment, and direct selling. To some, the party plan model may seem doomed to repeat the path of the dodo bird. Some people say, “Women don’t go to home parties anymore. They are too…
Direct Selling Edge #5: With Special Additions
Since 2011, MLM Attorney Kevin Thompson and Sylvina Consulting have sponsored the best educational conference for new and young network marketing and party plan direct selling companies. We are pleased to announce the dates for our 5th conference. It will be held in Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday, May 30-31, 2013. This two-day conference…
Ask Victoria: When Is Our Next Direct Selling Conference?
I’m excited! I am pleased to announce that the dates are set for our fifth Direct Selling Edge Conference. Together with Kevin Thompson, the MLM attorney, Sylvina Consulting hosts the best educational conference for new and young network marketing and party plan companies. What makes our conference so good? I’m glad you asked!
Direct Selling and Thumper’s Wisdom
In the classic Disney film “Bambi”, the rabbit Thumper offered some great advice. He said, “If you can’t say somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” What does this have to do with direct selling? The answer is “a lot.” When people join a direct selling company, they are in search of something and…