If you’ve decided to be a work at home mom (WAHM) you have a lot of options to explore. You might decide to telecommute, work for a company from your home. You could be interested in starting your own business. One option that is appealing for a lot of WAHMs is to join a direct sales opportunity. That might be the perfect work at home option for you too.

Here are some reasons why joining direct sales can be a great option for WAHMs.

• A proven business model that works. – When you join a direct sales opportunity, you are in business without having to start your own business. Instead, you are joining a business that is already set up. That means you don’t have to come up with a business idea or wonder how to market yourself. Those things have already been planned and developed for you. As well, you will have access to marketing materials and maybe even a website that are already made up for you.
• Set your own hours. – A lot of WAHMs find direct sales appealing because you can set your own hours and decide who you work with. If you only want to do parties on the weekend, there is nothing stopping you from doing that. Or, if you prefer to work in the evening when you have childcare or your husband is home with the kids, you can do that too. You have a lot of freedom in deciding when you work and how much time you spend on your business.
• Small investment – There is usually a small cost associated with joining a direct sales company. You will need to pay for any samples and perhaps your own marketing collaterals. You might need a business phone, a cell phone, or a fax machine to be accessible to your customers. But compared to what you would spend on starting your own business from scratch, this is actually a very small investment.
• Sell a product you like and believe in. – When you get involved in direct sales, you can choose the company you work with and the products you sell. That means you can sell a product you believe in and are really passionate about. If you like what you sell, you will be a more effective sales person. Products range from cooking, to books, to lingerie, to skin care and much, much more. Whatever you are interested in, you can find a product to suit you.
• Opportunities for career growth and development – Once you join a direct sales company, there are usually opportunities for career growth and development. In some companies you can become a manager by having people under you in your downline. Not only is that good for your business development, you can also earn a percentage of their sales. That means that direct sales can also be very lucrative for those who are successful at it.

Direct sales is a good choice for WAHMs who want to work with an established company, sell a product they love, and have the flexibility of owning their own business. If that sounds like something you would enjoy, direct sales could be the perfect work at home job for you.

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Mary Kay and Avon got the ball rolling. They broke hallowed ground in the business world where only men had previously tread. What exactly is meant by ‘direct sales’? Why is it a strong venture possibility? Why now? This article will ‘break it down’ for you.

Direct sales means earning a percentage commission from selling directly to an end user. There is no ‘middle-person’ as when a manufacturer sells to a local merchant who then retails the goods in their store to the end user.

There are major benefits to direct sales for women:

1) Work from home: Business costs associated with your home office become tax deductions. Gas money is no longer a consideration. You can work while your children are napping. Personal satisfaction can be obtained from helping others succeed at the same time you do.

With a laptop computer, your business can be portable. Take it to the sidelines of your child’s soccer practice.

2) Scheduling: Your schedule is divined by your priorities, not dictated by someone else–huge! You can determine how many hours you want to work per week. You can work late at night, after traditional business hours or on weekends if you choose to.

3) Earning potential: The sky is the limit! It is your efforts, your creativity and your dedication that fuel your success. Presently, direct sales exceed $29 billion in the U.S. and $114 billion globally (Source: Direct Selling Association, 2010). Not small change.

4) The Internet: In addition, many, but not all, of these businesses have no inventory requirement. Online ordering expedites direct mailing.

The internet also mitigates some of the negatives that have kept women from pursuing this kind of venture in the past. Many women do not want to approach friends for anything other than pure, old fashioned socializing.

The thought of using friends for referral business in unacceptable to these women. The thought of home parties with a sales agenda is even worse.

Through various online marketing techniques, all of these drawbacks can be curtailed and even eliminated. All contact is made from home.

Communication skills, particularly the written word, are still necessary. This is not an automatic business. It is still powered by human brains, creativity and drive.

The ability to converse intelligently on the phone is needed as well. Not galling issues for adults who do these things daily.

The internet has exploded marketing businesses from home. Put the old negatives on the shelf. Do your research and find a coach who will guide you in duplicating what is tried and has proved successful.  The time has never been more ripe for women to pursue direct selling opportunities. If not now, when?

To find out more about exciting direct selling opportunities for women, hurry to http://www.maestromom.com 
To check out a mom who works from home and loves it, please also visit http://www.maestrocasa.com

Starting in a new direct sales business is a very exciting time. This is when your energy and enthusiasm for your new business is greatest, and the opportunity for your business to really take off. Follow these 5 simple steps to give your business the jumpstart it needs to be successful!

1. Take action – There is no better time than the present to get started and build your new direct sales business. Statistics have shown that those who get their business going right away, when their excitement is up, will have a much greater success rate.

2. Make a plan – As much as you might want to jump in head first in your new business, there is a better way for long term success and that is to make a plan. Plan out your daily activities ahead of time, and schedule them accordingly. Stick to your schedule! Planning and scheduling your time devoted to your business will make you more organized, and in turn more focused, which leads to success.

3. Know your business – When just starting a new direct sales business it is important to truly know what you are getting into. Know your company and its history. Know all the major players you will be working along with. When someone asks questions on why you got started with this company you should have a clear answer. The more informed you are the more professional you look to potential customers. Research everything!

4. Have goals – Where do you see this new business taking you? What are your short and long term goals with your new business? Having goals in mind will help push you along the way when times are tough. There must be a reason for you to be in business in the first place.

5. Ignore everyone else – Sometimes this is the most important thing to do when starting a new direct sales business. There are so many people out there, and sometimes this includes friends and family that will tell you your business will fail. Simply ignore them and believe in yourself! You will usually experience many downfalls before you truly will see success. The key is to learn from your mistakes, to move on, and to never give up!

Stefanie Fauquet is the owner of top Direct Sales Resource site designed to help Work at Home Moms build a profitable Direct Sales Business. Visit http://www.workathomemomonline.com today!

As a direct salesperson, you serve a vital function in our society. You create a market for products. To be a good salesperson you must take pride in your profession, be it part-time or full-time. Below are eight sales tips to help you along in selling your products.

1. You must honestly believe and feel that what you are selling is a worthwhile and honest value in order to be a success in selling. When you have the conviction that you are selling a worthwhile product, you will sell with enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is contagious. When the prospect becomes enthusiastic, he buys.

2. Don’t be impatient. Too many inexperienced salespeople call on one or two prospects and quit if they don’t get immediate results. It takes time for people to gain confidence in you and your products. Many people will buy at once, but a big proportion will wait to think things over.

Most of your business will eventually be repeat orders from customers. Almost all business depends on repeats. A retail establishment will lose money for quite a period until they build up a flow of repeat customers. Any worthwhile endeavor requires effort. The amount of money you will make will be directly proportional to the effort you put forth.

Some people believe there is an innate trait that makes some people good at sales and others failures. Several marketing authors have dispelled this fallacy. You can and will make money selling your products if you put forth an effort.

3. Be yourself. Many people visualize a successful salesperson as a hail and hearty person with an outgoing personality. If they are not the image of what they expect is a success, they try to imitate. I recently read…, “One of our most successful salespeople is a man who ‘never sold a thing in his life’ before he joined us. He turned to selling in desperation, when he lost his job and needed an income to support his family. He didn’t like to dress in a jacket or tie so he called on his prospects in his everyday “house” clothes. He was terrified at selling and the first two calls took more courage than he thought he had. He sold both prospects! When you are not yourself, you’ll appear phony.” Just act your natural self, and you will do well.

4. Don’t try to sell by force. If you do pressure a person into buying something they don’t want, you haven’t developed a customer.

5. Don’t plead. “Please try my product because I need the money badly.” Maybe you’ll get a sympathy sale, but again, you haven’t developed a customer.

6. Emphasize value, need and satisfaction, and your prospect will buy if you can explain to him that your product is a good value, it serves a need, and that he or she will derive pleasure or satisfaction from the sale. Of course, you must know your product before you can convince others that it is worthwhile buying.

7. Ask for the sale. Closing the sale is the critical part of any sales approach. You must not be afraid to ask for the order. The close naturally depends upon the proper overall presentation. If you have shown the prospect that your product has value, need, or potential enjoyment, you’re ready to ask for an order.

Test closes are made by asking, “Which do you prefer the peach or the aqua color? I can deliver your order overnight, or would Saturday be preferable?”

8. Set goals for yourself. When you’re in sales you must be self motivated. You won’t have any boss or foreman telling you what to do and when. It becomes too easy to find excuses for not making calls unless you establish goals for yourself. Keep accurate records of all sales by the week and by the month.

© 2008 Regina Baker WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Regina Baker is the Ecommerce Advisor at http://Wahmcart.com, ecommerce solutions for small businesses. Ready to jumpstart your ecommerce business? Grab her free ecourse.

If you are thinking about becoming a home party consultant there are many benefits. The benefits include the type of income and possibilities, the freedom in your job, meeting new people, and having a lot of fun.

The income possibilities of being a home party consultant are unlimited. You can hold a party everyday if you want to. This could give you the opportunity to make hundreds of dollars a day. If you are looking for a supplemental income then you may only hold a party once a month or so. The potential of income is entirely up to you.

Freedom in your job is one of the biggest benefits of becoming a party consultant. You will travel around to different locations and go to parties. Your job is to hold parties. Not only is that fun but you have total freedom in your job. You are free to work when you want to and for how long you want to. You may schedule parties for entire day events or just for a couple of hours. You are in total control of your time and your schedule. Plus, you don’t answer to anyone at any given time. No one will tell you what to do but you.

Meeting new people is a very big benefit of being a home party consultant. The great thing is that at each party you hold new people will come. As you land new and more hostesses, you will meet even more people. Not only will you build a network of customers and hostesses but you will also gain new friends in the long run. Long term friendships come out of relationships like this all of the time.

The best part about being a home party consultant is that you have a lot of fun in what you do. You get to sell a really cool product. You can choose the products you sell and if you don’t believe in them then you don’t have to sell them. You can have spa home parties, sell jewelry, clothing, lingerie, and so much more. You can design the party the way you want it to be. You are in charge and you are the boss. It may seem as if you have your own traveling store. However, the business is viewed, it is yours.

There are so many benefits of becoming a home party consultant. You get to hold parties for a living selling fun products that you choose. You can have a party selling different products each time you end up at the same person’s house. This will give returning customers a variety of products to choose from too. There is a lot of freedom in a job like this. Your income potential is unlimited and a very big benefit. You will appreciate the fact that you get to work when you want to also. You get to meet new friends and expand your network of customers and it is so easy to do. You don’t have to be an expert at sales when you are a home party consultant. You just have to have a good time.

For more home party consultant business ideas and tips on increasing sales, visit http://www.craft-selling-parties.com for great advice on making money from home in your own home party business.

Many families think in order to save money on groceries you need to go to a discount place and buy in bulk or clip coupons or sign-up for your local grocery store’s discount card. There is another player that just entered the grocery saving arena to level the playing field.

This player is a nationwide on-line grocery store that Guarantees the lowest price on non-perishable groceries or double the difference back with Free Shipping to your door and no Taxes (except the state of Michigan ). They offer every day deals on over 10,000 Name Brand Items at 40% saving or more depending on where you live in the United States .They ship free in the continental United States , Alaska , Hawaii , Puerto Rico and the U.S territories.

If this was all they did, it would be a great deal, but they have taken it one step further.

Every family that joins the program has an opportunity through our Loyalty Program to earn a monthly residual income plus matching bonuses when they share it with other families.

The Grocery Industry is a $550 Billion Dollar Industry. This is a chance for every family in America to profit from it in a fun and easy way.

There are many business opportunities on the internet, some good and some bad. Most of them you have to consume the products and learn about the products.

In this business opportunity, we do not have to teach you about buying groceries or eating Kellogg’ Corn Flakes. You are already doing it.

So, I urge everyone that buys groceries not to hesitate and take a look at our 3 minutes on-line movie. After the movie go to “National Grocery Store” for a Free Tour of the on-line grocery store to see some of your name brand items, go to “News& Events for a channel 9 interview with co-founder Fred Weih.

We carry a large selection of Baby Food Products, Gluten Free& Organic Products, and of course Dogs and Cat Food Products.

My Goal- Help a family profit every month from 2 different companies.
Call to learn about my 2nd company which is worldwide.

Lyle Seales
212-340-1113
l.seales@yahoo.com
http://www.myharvestamerica.com/lyle

Why should a person get into doing direct sales? Really, any reason is a good reason, but here are some of the more common ones. Do you see yourself in one of these?

Money – One of the big reasons is a person needs more money in their life. Maybe they were laid off; maybe they are saving up for something, etc. I haven’t run into too many people that say they have enough money.

Get Out of the House – For a lot of work at home parents, they crave the time to get out of the house and do something with grown ups. This is one great way to do that, what is better than earning money and getting a social outing?

Self Esteem – Some people feel the need to feel good about themselves. Getting your own successful business going can be a wonderful way to build up self esteem. How great it is to show people that didn’t think you were worth anything that you are making money?

Use Your Skills – You may have a skill set that you don’t feel is being used by whatever you do currently. There are many companies out there that may fit in with your expertise. Make sure you find one that fits your needs if this is your reason.

Fun – What a great reason to get into sales! You want to get out there, party, and just have a great time! There are definitely people that get into direct sales for this reason, so don’t feel this is not a valid reason.

Passion – This goes along with fun, but you really believe in the product and want to show it to the world. Again, another wonderful reason to get involved, and these people can do amazingly well!

Everyone has their reasons for getting into direct sales. There is no such thing as the wrong reason, as we don’t know what goes on in others lives. It is simply our job to offer the chance.

Sharon Katzman is a Manager with Gold Canyon Candles. Through her business, she is able to help women to make an income and feel empowered. To find out more, visit http://mygc.com/skcandles. In her downtime, she enjoys crafting, reading, harassing her cats, and being lazy. You can find out more about Sharon visit her blog at http://thescentsationals.com.

Direct selling is a popular career choice for many individuals in these tough economic conditions and there is nothing more self-satisfying that being successful. In the modern age, we can’t deny the fact that these companies such as Avon, Mary Kay, Amway etc have been well accepted by the general public. Therefore, it is no surprise find both men and women signing on their application forms and have these as their main source of income. In fact, many of these individuals succeeded in buying their own cars and even homes through direct selling; but just how do they do it? Just continue reading and you will find out.

The Internet is a potpourri of information. You can easily avail tips to be successful in direct selling. Having mentioned that, I have some personal 7 useful tips to share with you in order to be successful in direct selling.

• Manage your time – Time indeed equates to money! When it comes to direct selling, every minute you waste, is a dollar lost. You will need to manage your time well between setting appointments, going for product discussions, group discussions in addition to your own personal activities.
• Set realistic goals – When you enter the direct selling industry, it is important to know what are the things that you should be accomplishing. You can write down your goals and take the necessary steps needed in order to achieve them. Do not set goals that is impossible to achieve. Divide them into short and long-term goals.
• Have a positive attitude – Success is not just about working hard. Actually success is mainly made up of having a positive attitude (at least 90%). Having a positive attitude in direct selling means not giving up easily after failures in getting sales.
• Take control- It is most vital that you take control of your own course. Never be afraid to ask if you are unsure. When there is an opening for a business opportunity, take control and move in at the right time!
• Have a work space – Whether it is in an office or from your own home, it is imperative that you feel comfortable working in your work space. It should also be a space that will motivate you to work harder.
• Finance management – In direct selling, it is important to become a professional in managing your finances. This is because often than not, your income is mainly based on sales commissions; without which you will have practically little or no income at all even.
• Be excited – This means that you have to show your prospective customers that you yourself is every bit excited in the product/service that you are trying to sell.

Direct selling involves a lot of patience and effort. However, the efforts will be well worth it as you have every chance to succeed.

Pinky is a mom with 3 school children. A Systems Engineer, an Independent Medical Billing and Coding Consultant. Her blog focuses on stay-at-home moms, dads and students who wants to work at home, build home based business or just browsing her blog with a lot of information to gain! Visit her useful blog at http://ezonlinebusiness.blogspot.com/ and website at http://www.mommyisworkingathome.com