Some of you have sent me personal messages about what you’d like to see on this blog.  THANK YOU!  This blog is for you, to help you find a work at home opportunity.  I want to provide you the information you need!

So, what did they ask for?

More information on direct sales.  But not the usual companies like Mary Kay, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Avon, etc.  Everyone mentioned they already know great consultants in their area that are with these companies.  They want to see NEW direct sales companies to explore the possibilities and see the new products.

While some of you are just getting used to the idea of a direct sales career, others have tried some and liked what they had.  They like the flexibility of the business, the products, and the income potential.  Now, it’s just a matter of finding the right company for them. I have an update for you:  I’ve contact a couple of new companies for information.  Hopefully I will have some new products and companies to highlight for you soon!

But don’t worry if you don’t want to do direct sales.  I will still be providing you with information on other work at home opportunities.

THANKS again for letting me know what you want to see.  As always, I look forward to your feedback.  YOU CAN FIND A LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY!

This is a great article about the benefits of starting a home-based business in direct sales!  Ivette

by Shelly Hill

When it comes to working from home, often times you will find people looking into a business with a Direct Sales Company. If you are like me, you have tried working out in the corporate and/or retail world…but found that it doesn’t suit you or your family’s needs.

Lets take a look at all of the benefits of joining a Direct Sales Company.

1. Be Your Own Boss – As a consultant, you are basically your own boss. You determine how much or how little you want to work. With that being said, you do represent a particular company and will still have to follow their rules and guidelines.

2. Save Money On Childcare – If you are a parent, a lot of times when you work outside your home, 50-75% of your paycheck is spent on daycare expenses.

3. Flexible Working Schedule – You can set up a flexible working schedule to suit your family’s needs. When you need off work for vacation, sick or family time, it’s much easier to do when you work from home.

4. Business Expenses – By joining a Direct Sales company, you will have manageable business expenses such as: adding new products to your demonstration kits and paper business supplies. If you worked outside your home, you would have transportation, clothing, food and other miscellaneous expenses. In my experience, working from home is a lot cheaper than working in the corporate or retail world.

5. Product Inventory – These days, the majority of companies do not require that you stock products in your own home. You can place your customer’s order and have it shipped directly from the company, to your customer’s front door.

6. Business Training – You will find that most companies offer free or very low cost training to their consultants. This training is a valuable business education that you can certainly afford.

7. Company Rewards – Every company has a different way of rewarding it’s sales force members. You are usually rewarded with free products and/or money bonuses when you meet certain sales or team building goals. When doing my research, I saw such things as: trips to tropical destinations, diamond jewelry, electronics and yes…even cars!

8. Little to No Stress – In my personal experience, I find it a lot less stressful to work from home in Direct Sales compared to working out in the corporate world. I don’t have to commute, deal with gossip in the workplace, nor have to meet crunch time deadlines.

If you are looking to work from home, I think you should consider joining a Direct Sales Company. For those of you who have families, this might be your smartest career move as the benefits can make life much easier for you and your family.

Shelly Hill has been successfully working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a manager with Tupperware. Shelly worked in the corporate world for several years before moving into Direct Sales. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com for additional Direct Sales articles and home business tips.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

If you are in direct sales or have ever been in direct sales, you have a pretty good idea of how things work.  You are presented the opportunity by a prospective sponsor or recruiter, you say you are interested, you meet with this person to discuss the business opportunity and you make a decision if the company and income potential is right for you.  And that’s usually how it should happen.

However, I have seen a somewhat alarming trend in sponsor shopping – potential recruits looking for the “best” person to sponsor them.  Nowadays, the internet makes it so easy to find a list of people who can be your potential sponsor.  There are usually no territories when it comes to direct sales, so the field is wide open.  But what qualifies someone as being the best sponsor?

To me, the best sponsor has the following characteristics:

• Honesty – I expect a potential sponsor to tell me that the business opportunity is great, but that it will be hard work.  There are no easy ways to make money and just like any business, a direct sales business takes hard work, dedication and persistence to be successful.
• Trustworthy - Does the potential sponsor do what they said they would?  Call to follow up when you asked, send additional information, invite you to a team meeting, etc.
• Ethical – This is a big one for me! Well actually, they are all important, but this one should actually be first on the list.  I want to work with someone who has built their business ethically.  Not by lying about how wonderful sales are, how many recruits they’ve gotten in a short amount of time, or how easy it is to make money.  Even if they are really successful, I want to know that they built their business the right way – not by buying recruits, underpricing their products, or stealing customers from other distributors or consultants.
• Easy to talk to – When signing up with a sponsor, the communication needs to be easy.  There needs to be a good bond because you will be working with this person a lot. Just like with any new relationship, you know right away if you and the person click or not…trust me, you need to click!
• Invested in my success – A true sponsor will be just as invested in your success as you are.  They will be there to celebrate your achievements, and be there to help motivate you and listen when things aren’t going well.  The best demonstration of this would be at a team meeting or testimonials from other people in their downline.  But even someone who is brand new can be highly invested in your success.  Even if you are their first recruit, you can grow and learn the business together.

Now aside from this list, I have seen potential recruits look for other characteristics before making a decision.  Here’s what I’ve observed:

• Looking for the most successful person - Some potential recruits believe that if they sign up with someone who is successful (has a large downline, makes lots of money, has a car, etc.) that they will do just as well.  What they are failing to realize is that all that success comes with a price.  Hard work and dedication made those people a success, not the person who recruited them.
• Looking for the best offer - When recruiters are trying to build their downline, some choose to run special promotions as an incentive to get people to sign up.  Incentives such as a free gift, business building materials, training resources, referrals, etc. are not uncommon.  It is important to note that most reputable direct sales organizations do not allow you to pay for someone else’s kit or fees to start a business.  However, there are some that still do it – that’s where the ethical sponsor details come in.

I personally do not see anything wrong with making sure you have the right connection before signing up with someone.  This is a business relationship, but just like any relationship you need good communication to be a success.  But the key word here is relationship! People who are truly interested in the business model and want to give direct sales a try, will join someone’s team because of their relationship with the sponsor, or the relationship they hope to build with that sponsor.    This decision is really based on the sponsor’s character and the way they treat people.

The bottom line is that your sponsor cannot make you a success.  Only you can make yourself and your business a success. It is up to you to look for training, determine your marketing strategy, networking and so on.  While your sponsor can provide training, tell you exactly what they did to build their business, and offer you coaching and mentoring, you are still responsible for implementing the recommendations.

So what do you think?  Do you see anything wrong with sponsor shopping or do you think it’s OK?  Have you done it before?  What was the basis of your decision? Please let me know if there’s anything I have left off my list.

I’d love to hear what you have to say!

I never thought I would be a Work at Home Mom.  WAHM, for short,  is a possibility for all moms in today’s world.  Whether you want to work part-time or full-time, you are no longer bound by corporate rules and hours.  You can earn money working from home.

Being a WAHM is not easy.  There are no get rich quick schemes that really pay off.  If you want to work from home, you must know from the beginning that you need to work hard, be organized and be flexible.   Now I don’t want to scare you off — I just don’t want anyone to have unrealistic expectations like I did.

There are many different ways to earn money as a WAHM.  This is part one of a three part series, of some WAH opportunities that I have tried.   I’ve done a lot of research over the last few years trying to earn extra money, and I’d like to be able to share some of it with you.  Hey, we’re all busy moms…I am just trying to save you a little time!

Direct Sales – this is a great opportunity for people who love products!  In the past, I  have been an independent consultant for  Stampin’ Up!, Mary Kay, Tupperware, Home Interiors and Lia Sophia.  I was drawn to the fact that I could “earn” money while selling products I already loved.  The start-up costs are usually reasonable, and you typically get a lot of product and marketing tools to start your business on the right foot.

Now, it is possible to make good money as an independent consultant or distributor of these and many other companies.   I personally was not successful in these ventures because I am the type of person who loves the products, and the social interaction of the party plan structure.  I loved that part so much, that I didn’t grow the business like I could (or should) have to really earn money.  But there is a lot of business building help available if you are ready to grow your business.  One that I tried, with success, was The Lemonade Lady, Christie Northrup. She has some wonderful books, and now CD’s, that can help you grow your business. I love the way she puts a new “twist” on an old idea.  (If you sign up for her newsletter or visit her website, you’ll know what I mean.)   Christie has many years of direct selling experience to help you succeed in the party plan business.

I have met a lot of wonderful people as an independent consultant – many of whom I still call a friend today.  But here are a few more things I’ve learned along the way:

1. Do your research! If you love a product, and are interested in selling it, find out all you can about becoming an independent consultant before you tell a potential recruiter that you are interested.  Their websites usually have a lot of information on the benefits of owning your own business.  Specifically, look at the compensation plan.  How much money do you make on your sales?  Your downline sales?  How far does that downline earning potential go?  Multi-Level Marketing, MLM, offers wonderful ways to earn residual income on your teams’ sales.  I know of women who earn six figure incomes doing what they love!  By doing your research ahead of time, it will somewhat prepare you for the information you get from your recruiter.  Having some understanding of the compensation structure will make it a little easier for you to digest all the details.
2.    Be careful when a potential recruiter says, “Sign up with me today, it’s easy to make money!” People who are trying to grow their business work hard to recruit others to join them.  MLM offers great opportunities to make money on team sales.  But, take a look at your potential recruiter’s success, and what she has to offer you as a business partner.  Some of the most successful people in this business have mentors to help them along the way.  I personally would recommend Jackie Ulmer .  She has many years of experience growing her own business online and is now helping other WAHM to do the same.  Regardless of what MLM company you decide to join, she can help coach you to success to build your business online.
3.    Love the product! If you love the product, it shows.  You will have a passion that cannot be faked or learned, and that will come through in everything you do.  Plus, you really do need to love the product because you will have a lot of it!  From your starter kit, to samples and prizes, you will have the product to show for your hard work and commitment.
4.    Be able to take rejection! Not everyone you meet will be as enthusiastic as you are about your product.  But that’s OK!  When you get a “no”, you are on your way to a “yes”.  In many ways, sales is a numbers game.  The more people you present the product and the opportunity to, the more chances you’ll have to find people who are genuinely interested!

These are just some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned with a direct sales business.  It really is a great opportunity to earn some money and products if you are willing to work at it! I have taken the next step after learning so much and have found success with my new direct sales business, Send Out Cards.

I would love to hear about your great experience with direct sales.  There are so many great opportunities out there…the potential is endless!

Note:  Article originally written by me and appeared on http://www.busy-mommy.com.  Minor changes have been made to include updated information and links.