Career Advice By Randy

Sales Jobs from Home

Selling items out of your home, otherwise known as direct selling, can be lucrative part time or full time work. The representatives who sell these goods are often referred to as distributors or consultants and number more than fifteen million across the United States. Direct salespeople are known to sell virtually any product; however, they are most frequently associated with cosmetics, home décor, kitchen gadgets, and jewelry. There are many benefits to having a sales job from the home, including flexible hours, easy entrance to the industry (just about anyone of any age, race, gender, or education level can direct sell), and saving on commuting costs.

How to Decide Who to Work For

• Look for a product to sell that interests you personally. It will be much simpler to sell a product that you would buy! That type of enthusiasm for your product will make success almost guaranteed.
• Size up the competition. It is never wise to open up shop in an oversaturated market, so try to gauge how many salespeople from the potential company are in your area.
• Naturally, you want to work for a company that offers its salespeople a high commission rate. Rates can vary greatly from company to company, as well as can the amount of compensation for recruiting.
• Research exactly how much freedom the company will give you. Are you allowed to negotiate prices, or are all prices fixed? Is advertising permitted? Are there certain sales tactics that must be used for each sale? Find a good match for your desired level of control over the product and its sale.
• Size up the support offered by your potential company. Ideally, the salesperson should be able to count on some sort of sponsor or service made available by the company to answer questions and provide assistance.
• Choose to work for a company that is a member of the Direct Selling Association. This organization of direct selling manufacturers and distributors has a great ethical policy – it strictly prohibits pyramid schemes and misleading information.

Some Tips for From Home Sale Jobs

• Get familiar with the starting basics. How will you be paid? Is it sales only, or are you expected to recruit? Is any training required and if so is it in person?
• After you choose which product to sell, find a relatively successful sales representative in your area. Ask them how much you can expect to make both in the first year and after many years of experience, and ask them to rate their satisfaction with the business.

Most of the time you will have to buy some sort of starter pack that includes product information as well as samples. These can cost up to several hundred dollars (although many are much cheaper), so make sure that if you are happy with or successful at your at home sales job, you can return all or a portion of the package for a refund.