Setting up shop and running one's own business has been the dream of Americans ever since the Pilgrims built their community on the shores of the Atlantic, living in cabins only long enough to pay off their debt and build a city of commerce.
The business ownership dream wavered a bit after WWII with the growth of corporations. We've now lived for many generations in the shadows of giants that employ hundreds of thousands of people. Wal-Mart, the largest employer in the U.S., could be its own nation with 2.1 million employees. UPS and IBM both employ near 400,000 people, and they are just the top 3 on the on the 2010 Forbes list.
Many of the companies on that same list, however, have been shrinking and cutting costs by laying off American workers right and left, once more awakening for many the dream of owning one's own business.
How to Start a Business at Home
What are your options if you don't have your own invention or tens of thousands of dollars available to buy a franchise? You may find the perfect fit for owning your own business with a direct selling opportunity. Direct selling companies are those that use a salesforce of independent contractors who market the products of that company directly to end consumers.
As an independent contractor, you actually own your business, just as if you had started it on your own. The start-up costs and other obstacles, however, are greatly diminished because the parent company supplies you with everything you need. Instead of hiring graphic artists and copy writers to produce beautiful brochures, you simply order the ones the company provides. Instead of paying a manufacturer to produce your products, you simply order the ones the company has already manufactured. You own your business, but you are backed by a very powerful and efficient machine.
Find a Product You Can Share
The only difficult decision you'll have to make is which company and product you choose to represent. Nearly every product or service you can think of is sold through the direct selling channel, so choose something you already have a passion for. Products include items like vitamins and wellness products (Shaklee, Herbalife, Nature's Sunshine) to jewelry and accessories (Stella & Dot, Gigi Hill) to kitchenware (The Pampered Chef, Princess House) to home decor (Celebrating Home) and many, many more.
Services such as pre-paid legal access (Pre-paid Legal), investment services (Primerica), and even energy & utilities services (Ignite, Ambit, Ampegy, ACN) can also be sold through a business of your own, under the umbrella of the parent company. If you don't know any companies you'd like to try, start with the Direct Selling Association's (DSA) member listing. This listing provides you with a short company profile and a link to the company website to find out more information. Companies who submit to the DSA's requirements are more likely to be found trustworthy than those who don't, so it's a good place to start.
A Business in a Box
Most direct selling companies will provide you with a "starter kit," ranging in price from under $99 to a few hundred. Most companies that sell products offer kits that contain samples of the products you will be selling, along with catalogs, sales tickets, a policies manual, and even how-to-get-started-right materials.
Additional resources are usually available on a company's website, or through your "upline," which simply means the person who signed you onto the business. If you went to the company directly, they most likely assigned you to a person in your geographic area. Many groups of salespeople have regular meetings to discuss strategies and celebrate the month's successes.
Four Great Reasons to Join a Direct Selling Company
Here are four good reasons why you should consider joining a direct selling company if you want to start your own business:
1. Everything you need to be successful is provided for you at a reasonable cost and sometimes at no cost after the starter kit is purchased. Even the starter kits are very reasonably priced and most often contain actual products that you will sell. Support materials and training are also provided.
2. People don't stop buying the things they want and need, even in a recession. While it will be good for the entire earth if people become more frugal, there won't ever be a time when individuals don't buy pretty jewelry, a new lipstick, some new pots and pan or other items. And people will always need services such as electricity and gas. There will always be opportunity in direct selling companies simply because there will always be customers, no matter what the economic climate.
3. You can control your income by controlling your time and effort. In other words, you'll get out of your business what you put into it. Stay away from all direct selling companies that promise you tons of money with no effort. That simply doesn't happen. You can,however, earn a lot of money with a good product and hard work on your end. If you put in 30-40 hours per week training yourself to sell a product that people want to buy, you can earn much more than you could at a regular "corporate" job. You'll also have the security of knowing no one can lay you off.
4. The additional perks are amazing! Most companies have additional rewards programs for their top achievers that include five-star trips, diamond jewelry, electronics and even cars. Don't think you'll qualify for those perks without working hard to get them! The people who earn those rewards think of their business as a business, NOT a hobby. But wait, isn't that what we are talking about? Starting your own business?
So, go ahead and give direct selling a try!
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