August 19, 2023
Are you thinking about signing up as an Avon Representative? Or maybe you’ve already signed up and don’t know what to do next. Either way, this post can be your guide!
In it, I will show you simple steps on how to get started and attempt to answer any questions you may have. There will be a contact form at the end of the post in case I miss something. Just send me a quick message and I’ll get back to you shortly!
You’re In Business!
Congratulations! You have made the right choice with Avon, the company that has been empowering women (and a few good men) since 1886! How many direct sales companies can say that? (Here’s a hint: ONE.) There’s a reason why a company has been around for that long, and that reason is SUCCESS! And now, you have the opportunity to share in that success.
First things first!
- The first thing you should do is edit your online store. Just log in to avon.com with your new account number and the password you selected. Click on your online store at the top of the page and hit Edit. You can then upload a photo of yourself and add a brief bio. Customers like to shop with a real person, so your photo is key! You can also add personal videos and product photos to your online store.
- Then, complete your profile information on Avon.com. To find it, click where it says “Hi, YOURNAME” at the top of the page and go down to My Profile.
- Now, start sharing your online store URL with your friends and family! Click on My Store at the top of your home page. Above your name and picture is a Share button. It’s that easy to get the online side of your business up and running – and it takes less than five minutes!
What is your “WHY”?
Think about why you joined Avon. Do you want to get a discount on your personal orders, make a little extra money for a specific expense like a vacation, or do you need more money to make ends meet? Keep your “Why” in mind as you plan your business strategy, and let me know if I can help you set goals or make a plan to achieve them!
Take the free training
After you’ve entered the site, you should immediately begin taking the Avon U courses for New Representatives. The link to Avon U can be found at the top of the page on Avon.com, in the black bar. Here are a few important courses to start off with:
Lesson 1 – New Representatives: How to Get Started
New Representative Welcome Lesson
Customize Your Profile and Online Store
Once you’ve completed the first few courses, make it a point to do a course or two every day to continue learning about your business – there are literally hundreds of courses on Avon U, and most can be done in ten minutes or less. This is the best way to learn and build on your knowledge base. You’ll be an expert in no time!
Be aware of the rules!
It is very important that you take the time to read the Business Policies and Procedures document, which can be found under Manage Business > Seller Central > Documents and Resources.
You will want to familiarize yourself with Avon’s policies so you don’t accidentally violate any of them.
The Nitty-Gritty: How Avon works
There are two ways to sell Avon: traditional and online.
Ding Dong! Avon Calling!
With the traditional way, you pass out brochures during each two-week campaign. When your customers place their orders, you collect the money from them up front, order the products on avonnow.com (along with any demos, samples, bags, brochures for the next campaign, etc., that you need), and pay the wholesale cost. When the order comes in, you bag the orders and deliver to your customers. Your pay is the difference between what your customers paid you and what you pay Avon for the items (retail price minus wholesale cost).
Online selling
With the online method, you simply share your custom URL via text, email, and social media. Your Avon online store website is FREE (many other direct sales companies charge a monthly fee for this). When your customers shop online with you, they pay for their order through the website, Avon ships the order directly to them, and Avon pays your commission through your Avon Wallet (see the Avon U training on Avon Wallet). You choose where you want your money to go from the Wallet – i.e., checking or savings account, Venmo, or PayPal. You can set it up for automatic transfers or manual transfers. I have mine automatically deposited into the checking account I use for my business so I don’t even have to think about it once I have it set up. Please note that you MUST sign up for the Avon Wallet to receive your online sales commissions (and leadership earnings if you choose to go into leadership).
When customers order $60 or more, they get free shipping, and some of that shipping charge will be charged to your account. This is usually $8.00 but can be more on larger orders.
Online selling has its benefits:
1. Avon currently prints 3.5 million brochures every two weeks, and all of that paper ends up in landfills. Online is much more environmentally friendly.
2. You don’t have to worry about collecting money, driving all over town delivering orders, trying to schedule convenient delivery times, etc.
3. Your commission lands in your Avon Wallet immediately!
But, it’s entirely up to you. Whether you choose to sell in person, online, or a combination of both, you will earn money!
Placing your order
When taking customers’ orders, be sure to collect their payment up front. Just say, “How did you want to pay for that today?” If they balk, remind them that no other company lets you pay after your items are received. This is important, because you will need to pay for your order online with your own credit or debit card when you place it.
Orders are placed every two weeks (or more often – the choice is up to you). Each campaign runs from a Wednesday to 11:59 p.m. on a Tuesday. A campaign schedule is attached to this email. You may place your order on the day of your choosing within the two-week period, but I would advise you NOT to wait until the last day, in case of unforeseen circumstances like the website going down or popular products being sold out. Note that you will be charged a shipping fee for each order that you place during a campaign.
As you get customers, add them to the Address Book section in your Web Office. Customers must have a valid phone number or e-mail address in order to be added to the Address Book.
To enter customers’ orders, go to “Shop by Product” on the Home Page, choose your customer’s name from the drop-down list, and enter her items. This way, you will be able to create invoices for individual customers through the Web Office. When ordering your sales tools, demos, and personal items, choose the customer name that is YOUR NAME in all caps in the drop-down list.
Keep your store open at all times with brochures!
To invest in your business, you will need to purchase your most important business tool every campaign – your brochures! After all, that is YOUR STORE! Keep in mind that you need to order brochures for two campaigns ahead of the one you are in (i.e., when placing your Campaign 6 order, you will order brochures for Campaign 8). Look at the attached Campaign Calendar to see what campaign we are currently in, and order brochures for the second one after that in your first order. That way you’ll always be ahead of the game.
Brochures are ordered in packs of 10 – not individually.
If you want 20 brochures, you would enter the number 2 on the order screen. Keep in mind that the more packs you order, the cheaper they are! And the more brochures you put into the hands of people, the more customers you will get!
You should also purchase some “popcorn bags” (paper bags) in different sizes for packaging up your orders. There are also the nicer shopping bags with handles, which are good for higher-end and heavier items. These are all found in the Sales Tools section of the order page.
In any campaign, you can order demos from the next two campaigns’ What’s New flyers. Selected samples are also available for purchase. Representatives can purchase up to ten of each product from What’s New unless specified.
Build your own team for even more earnings!
Tell your friends and family about the Avon Opportunity! If they sign up under you, you earn a percentage of their sales too! Watch your income grow with your team!
Ready to get started? Of course you are!
I know there is a lot to digest – take your time, take the Avon U courses, NEVER hesitate to call, text, or email me with questions! I am here to help you succeed, and I know you are going to do GREAT things!
Haven’t signed up yet? Click here to go to the signup page!
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