XanGo, Direct Selling Provide Answers in Economic Downturn

MarketWatch

The news appears grim. 9.5 million jobless. 84,000 jobs cut in September alone. A five-year unemployment rate high of 6.1 percent. And yet, as virtually every job category is making cuts, at worst, or being extremely cautious, at best, direct selling and XanGo, LLC, are thriving. In fact, so much so, that XanGo recently hit its 1 millionth distributor.
"In what many may see as a void of options in this economy, there is a very real and lucrative opportunity, and that opportunity is direct selling," said XanGo Chief Executive Officer Robert S. Conlee. "If you believe in the product and are prepared to work hard, you will succeed. I've seen it time and again. As a matter of fact, we've seen it 1 million times at XanGo."

An estimated 15 million Americans participate in direct selling totaling more than $30 billion in sales, according to the Direct Selling Association (DSA), where the majority are independent business people or "micro-entrepreneurs" who sell the products or services of a company they choose to represent. The wellness product category, in particular, has been experiencing gains as reflected in the latest full-year sales results.

Direct selling has carved out substantial niche

Nashuatelegraph.com

In what has become a $30 billion industry, it's no longer just the Avon lady knocking.

Instead, direct selling has expanded to a variety of items and services sold by millions of people.

Be they "advisers," "consultants" or "demonstrators," those peddling products do so in a business that has grown by nearly 39 percent in the past decade.

And instead of going door-to-door, they're now selling living room-to-living room.

Direct sellers strike balance, maybe gold

Chicagotribune.com

Those who succeed in direct selling tend to be highly motivated self-starters with enough savings to see them through the early months until their businesses get going.

The Washington, D.C.-based Direct Selling Association reported direct sales as a whole declined 4 percent, to $30.8 billion, in 2007. Lia Sophia announced its business grew 55 percent in 2007.

Direct sales businesses boom as economy tightens

Lansing State Journal

The number of direct sales consultants grew from 13 million nationwide in 2002 to 15.2 million in 2006, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Direct Selling Association. Sales jumped from about $28.7 billion to approximately $32.2 billion during that same period.

About 25 percent of 2006 sales came from the Midwest, the association said.

"There are so many more reasons today that people are going into direct sales," spokeswoman Amy Robinson said. "We're in the middle of a boom in home-based businesses."

Sellers might be looking for income while searching for permanent jobs, have salaries that no longer cover costs or be stay-at-home parents who view it as a flexible way to supplement household income, she said.

DSWA Announces Contest to Recognize Direct Selling Leaders

Press Release 365

The Direct Selling Women's Alliance, (DSWA) is pleased to announce the establishment of the "World's Greatest Direct Selling Leader" Contest. The contest is the first to accept nominations from individuals within the direct selling field who wish to recognize others for their outstanding leadership qualities.

The "World's Greatest Direct Selling Leader" contest provides a forum, outside of the corporate boardroom, for individuals to clearly identify qualities of a leader that not only inspire them, but guide them to achieving their own personal and professional goals.

"We are very excited about this contest as it really provides a voice to so many individuals while providing the direct selling profession with direct input on what these entrepreneurs not only look for in a leader, but value as well," said Nicki Keohohou, CEO of the DSWA

Book Release Honors Mary Kay Ash and Her Timeless Business Principles

MarketWatch

In honor of Mary Kay Inc.'s 45th anniversary, The Mary Kay Way: Timeless Principles from America's Greatest Woman Entrepreneur is being sold online and at bookstores everywhere. The book is packed with timeless and proven business principles that Mary Kay Ash used as the guiding philosophies for her global cosmetics company.

Easily considered one of the greatest female entrepreneurs in history, Mary Kay Ash's life is one of extraordinary achievement. She started her cosmetics company in a storefront in Dallas with nine Independent Beauty Consultants and $5,000. Today, Mary Kay(R) products are sold in more than 35 markets worldwide by 1.8 million Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants.

New basket market

JS Online

Longaberger Co., based in Ohio, makes and sells pricey baskets at home parties. The company opened the outlet store this summer in the Jelly Belly warehouse on Highway 165, three miles east of the Prime Outlets of Pleasant Prairie. It is Longaberger's only retail outlet outside of the factory store that opened in March 2007 at its manufacturing plant in Dresden, Ohio.

The warehouse store in Wisconsin, which will stay open until Dec. 21, is an experiment for Longaberger.

"We're going to gauge the response and re-evaluate it in December," said Tom Matthews, spokesman for Longaberger. If it's successful, the store might stay open longer.

The 15,000-square-foot store sells discontinued merchandise, seconds and collector baskets that cost several hundred dollars.

Is there such a thing as sellers high?

A Journey into Direct Selling

Did my first ever true cold calling today. Walked into businesses and talked to them about holding what we call Spa at Work or Spa Stress Breaks. The first place I went was a local bank.
I DIDN'T PUKE!!

The woman I spoke with was very nice and seemed a bit interested but said she didn't think they'd allow them to do it there. So also gave invitations to a regular Thursday night Spa held at a local meeting room. We went on to the next group of buildings...Key for me was - buddy system! My good friend and recruiter Cory went with and we just took every other building but were there to make sure we actually DID it.

Direct Sales Businesses boom as economy tightens

My O3 World Review

Direct selling has become a money-making option more people are considering to cover rising gas costs, be their own bosses and better balance the responsibilities of career and family. There are tons of direct sales companies to choose from such as kitchenware, fashion, jewelry, tools, cosmetics. The goal with direct selling is to ramp up your earnings by recruiting enough people under your network so that your income benefits from their sales, too.

More than 15 million people worked as direct sales consultants in 2007, generating more than $30 billion in sales, according to the Direct Selling Association, which insists: ``We're in the middle of a boom in home-based businesses.''

Turn Your Passion for Your Direct Sales Business Into More Profit - Virtually!

Direct Selling Leaders

Join 10 business authors, experts, coaches and luminaries for a FREE event exclusively for leaders in the direct selling, network marketing and multi-level marketing professions It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen! You know I don’t promote a lot of events… but I had to tell you about this one because the speakers are so extraordinary, including:

· Margie Aliprandi, President of My Mind Makeover
· Jane Deuber, Leadership Expert and co-founder of the DSWA
· Leesa Barnes, President of Marketing Fit
· Michael Oliver President and Founder of Natural Selling Sales Training
· Sandy Grason, best-selling author of Journalution
· Scott Stratten, President of Un-Marketing
· Jillian Middleton, founder of Savvy Sponsoring Strategies

Choose A Good Direct Marketing Company

Direct Marketing

Choose A Good Direct Marketing Company

The only way to keep up with the latest about direct marketing is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about direct marketing, it won't take long for you to become an influential authority.

Having a work-from-home business is an excellent way to incorporate income generation with schedule flexibility. The ability to set your own work hours means being able to accommodate lifes other priorities. Parents can be available for important games or to pick up kids from school. Medical or dental appointments and even daytime art classes can be accommodated with ease. The advantages of a flexible schedule are endless. A work-from-home business means that you are the boss.

Direct sales is a perfect fit for many

Statesman Journal

Mothers want more time at home to spend with their children, full-time employees need additional income from part-time jobs and others depend on home-based businesses as their career.

More than 15.2 million people chose direct sales to meet those kind of needs in 2006 in the United States alone, according to the Direct Sales Association.

Yet not all companies are reputable and the DSA warns that some unscrupulous people try to take advantage of unsuspecting victims.

Wisdom and research before signing with a direct sales company helps avoid losing money or partnering with a company that does not share your values.

So, You Want to Start Your Own Business?

SUCCESS

In this age of rapid economic expansion, it’s currently easier than ever to start your own successful business. People from different backgrounds, with varying degrees of limitations, have all started and built thriving businesses. And they’ve enjoyed varying levels of success by focusing on three key components.
First, you must find the right business for you. Next, you need to be passionate about the business you choose. And lastly, you must be willing to dedicate time and effort to the business before realizing any fruits from your labor. Follow these basic principles, and you, too, can be an entrepreneurial success story.

Seventy-four percent of all self-made millionaires in America today made their fortune by building their own successful businesses. And here’s an important point: Many of these people never owned a business previously. You do not need to have experience in entrepreneurship. You just need to learn everything necessary about your particular business and then apply it as you go along.

Confucius said, “A journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step.” The most important single quality in starting and building your own successful business is courage. Like the starship Enterprise, you have to have the courage to go where you’ve never gone before. No matter how many other people have started and built businesses, when you embark on this journey, you are going to feel like you are the first person who has ever done it. And, in your terms, you are.

Direct Selling and Your Financial Freedom – Part 1

Be sure to check out the rest of the posts in this series at Financial Freedom News.

Financial Freedom News

Today is the first part of a series about financial freedom and direct selling. There are many ways to attain financial freedom and direct sales is a viable option. For many people, sales have been the key to financial independence and greater personal freedom.In fact, the tradition of wholesalers offering products to independent representatives at a lower cost to offer them at retail prices for profit has been around for over 100 years. Representatives earn commission for each sale made. The potential for sales is unlimited and independent contractors can call their own commissions based on their efforts and personalized service.

According to the host of CNBC Mad Money, Jim Cramer, “Direct selling is a great model…with high gross margins, low capital intensity, lots of free cash flow. It’s a fragmented industry with gigantic room for growth. The top 15 players only account for about half the market.”