Is Selling Natural Organic Skin Care from Home Profitable?

I don't know one female gal pal who doesn't use some type of skin care products on herself, do you? It's rare for women not to use skin care products. In fact, personal care products for women, men, babies and kids, can be found just about in any store because these are consumable products that people use on a daily basis.

When it comes to natural, organic skin care products, it's a booming market and steadily rising in recent years. The more people know about the potential danger of using products with toxins which are linked to numerous health concerns, the more people want to switch to natural beauty products. (See Ingredients to Avoid).

This means, if you're wondering if selling natural organic skin care products from home is a profitable business- the answer is absolutely yes! However, there are some important things to consider if you're thinking about selling these products.

There are several ways you can sell natural/organic products from home.

#1 Making your own products

I love the idea of making things myself but the idea of making skin care and personal care products from scratch as a business is a lot of work. There are just too many factors to consider before you can even start selling. You'll need to decide what type of products to make, finding the right labels and packaging, dealing with shipping, taking orders, managing inventory, having enough raw ingredients to make the products, tools, utensils, and having a variety of products to appeal to customers. Those are a few things you'll need. There's also the business side to consider such as marketing your business, where you'll find customers, website costs, etc.

Now, if you're the type that loves making products and prepared to do the work yourself then this would make sense for you. On the other hand, if you're like me who's busy with kids, school volunteering, and after school activities- it would be a lot of work for me to make my own products and attempt to sell and market the business all by myself. There are only so many hats I would be able to wear and do well in 24 hours.

For me, I love working from home and having the flexibility to run a business online, so it made sense to partner with a company that offers natural/organic products that I'm already using and start selling right away.

And that's where the direct selling industry comes in ...

#2 Join a direct selling company

When people think of direct selling they think Avon, Tupperware, and selling to friends and family but direct sales has changed dramatically in recent years with the ease of technology (internet, social media, mobile) that you don't have to sell to people you know in order to be successful. The biggest appeal is the incredibly low cost to get started which gives you hundreds of dollars worth of products and a "business in a kit" to start selling right away.

#3 Affiliate programs

Just about every online company offers an affiliate program these days. It's typically free to join. Then you're provided with banners and a url link that you can post on your blog or website. Whenever someone clicks on your link and buys a product, the company pays you a commission.

The commission varies but affiliate commissions are typically lower than direct selling. You can expect to earn anywhere from 20% up to 50% retail profit with a direct sales company. With affiliates, I've seen around 10% or 15%. Some might pay more or less.

The different choices are up to you and what you're willing to invest in terms of time and money. In my next post, I'll talk more about the advantages of joining a direct sales company vs an affiliate program.

Best,

Janette

P.S.  Find out why this natural skin care company is on the grow and soon to a member of the prestigious DSA (Direct Selling Association) organization. When a company is a member, you can expect it to have more visibility and grow even bigger. Want to be in a position now before this company becomes a member? Email me: campopfan@gmail.com for details.

Party Plan Companies: Make it Easy to Buy Your Products

One of the main reasons why Amazon is hugely successful is because the company makes online shopping easy. I'm a regular shopper and love their $25 free shipping. Which brings up a pain for me when it comes to party plan, direct sales companies. Most of these companies don't have strong incentives to entice buyers to shop online.

Sure, there are host and product incentives, but the kind of incentives that would entice me to shop regularly are great bargains and free or low shipping. I understand the party plan main business model is selling from home parties with the consultants taking orders rather than an e-tailer like Amazon. Party plans rely on selling directly in person through their local communities first, with online shopping as an additional source of sales.

With online shopping, it's not only convenient but preferred by many people, including me. If you're a consultant for a party plan company, one of the best ways for a consultant's business to grow beyond selling through home parties is to offer attractive online shopping incentives. Online shopping is a powerful sales method. Let's face it: keeping up a calendar full of parties isn't easy or realistic for most party plan consultants. They need other avenues of sales to keep them in the business.

As someone who is in the direct selling business myself, shipping is something I'm conscientious of and consider before buying online. With so many products online, why would someone buy from a direct sales consultant's website other than the personal relationship one has with the consultant? But with the unlimited potential of the internet, your business could gain more buyers if the incentives are attractive.

Besides free shipping, what incentives can a company offer to turn looky-lous into buyers?

Here are some things that make me likely to give your products a "try" or outright buy the products:

Samples or travel size

Samples or travel size products is a great way for someone to try the products without spending a lot of money upfront. I just ordered an "information kit" from a natural skin care direct selling company because it was only $5 with shipping included and the kit comes with a catalog and several travel size products. What a smart idea because with this easy "give us a look" option can turn an interested person into a potential buyer or even a new consultant.

I'm more likely to try because I don't have to worry about returning a product which is a big hassle! And if you're only spending a few dollars to try samples, there's nothing to lose as most people wouldn't balk at the $5 for samples, even if they end up hating the products. This company also offers quite a few "travel size" products which makes it really easy to try their products without spending a lot of money upfront.

You must make it easy to turn online visitors to buyers. In the world of skin care, personal care products- products are everywhere, not just online as these types of products can be found in regular stores.  Unfortunately, most direct sales companies I've looked at don't make it all that easy to buy online because of the high shipping cost. I'm not likely to spend $9-12 for shipping to try one product.

Does your company make it easy to buy or sample products online? Would love to hear your comments.

Best,

Janette

Is Direct Sales Network Marketing Business Good for Women?

While researching this topic, I found a few articles on the pros and cons of direct sales and network marketing. There is plenty of negativity when it comes to direct sales and probably more so with network marketing but there's also inaccurate information too. Here's my take on direct selling and if this business is really good for women or not.

First, direct sales is not an easy business to stay in for the long haul for most people. It's easy to get started but not easy to stay in it. Why? Because for the most part, people start a direct sales network marketing business without any experience as an entrepreneur. It's called direct sales - emphasis on "sales". It takes some experience to know the nuances of selling, marketing, before a sale takes place.

Imagine if you were to get a corporate sales job, you must have some experience otherwise you wouldn't get hired unless as a trainee. In that case, you will be put through rigorous training. Compared to direct sales, anyone can join with or without experience. You can argue that it's not the same thing because direct sales isn't a job but you are essentially an independent sales representative.

The difference with direct sales is that it's a volunteer-type-of-business more than a regular business or even a sales job. You're not required to do any training or anything for that matter. Hence, people who join most likely started because a friend introduced them to the products, they fell in love with the products, and decided to give it a try. It's easy to join especially with the low start up fees. Who can resist a $99 start up fee that comes with hundreds of dollars worth of products, right?

But the reality is, direct sales or network marketing is only good for women or anyone for that matter, if they get real about what it takes to succeed in this business. Keep in mind that many sign up for various reasons: product discount or sell occasionally but for those that are thinking of direct sales as a business- you'll need to map out your goals and get serious about working your business daily.

Bottom line is, direct sales and network marketing can be a wonderful home-based business for women if they're looking for flexibility, to do something from home since they're already home with their children, retired people, or anyone who is looking for a flexible business that can fit into their current lifestyle.

The only thing I would caution is to find someone that has experience in the direct selling business and someone that's honest to tell you what's really involved.

Unfortunately, there are people who sign people up without telling them everything they need to know such as monthly costs to be a consultant, monthly sales requirements (if any), and so forth. Ask as many questions as possible and reach out to several mentors before deciding on someone.

Best,

Janette

P.S.  I love my direct sales business because I can't think of another business or part time job that offers so much flexibility and so much opportunity to earn as much as possible. If you have the drive and commitment, you'll do well with a growing company in the natural beauty products business like mine.

Natural Organic Skin Care Business Opportunity

With technology and the ease of leveraging your mobile device and the internet, starting a natural organic skin care business opportunity from home has never been easier. And if you love natural, organic products and you're already using them, have you thought about selling these products online?

That's how I got started selling natural skin care products because as my kids jokingly say: "mom, you're obsessed with Wholefoods" which is true. When Wholefoods opened a few minutes from my house, I was in heaven.

If you're familiar with Wholefoods, it's not exactly cheap to shop there so why has the company been able to do so well, year after year, even during the recession? It's not always the rock bottom prices that people care about although there's a market for bargain shoppers. But the people that love Wholefoods care about  living, eating, using, and promoting green products.

I figured if I'm already shopping at Wholefoods, spending a big chunk of my money at Wholefoods, Sprouts, Trader Joe's and consuming organic, healthy products, why not do something about this organic passion of mine? I love buying my products at Wholefoods but it's not like I'm getting a 25% discount if I were to buy their skin care products. Not do I get any special perks when I refer my favorite products from Wholefoods to friends.

With my natural skin care home-based business, I can shop, share, and earn an income from sharing products that I'm proud to use and share because they are safe for everyone. Quality natural, organic products are not only good for people but good for our planet too.

Not only that, when you partner with an ethical natural skin care company that believes in cleaning up the toxins in the beauty industry it makes you feel good to be a part of a bigger mission: your contribution makes a difference because you're helping to educate families on the potential danger of toxins found in beauty, skin care, and personal products that some people aren't aware of.

In fact, co-founder of Wholefoods, John Mackey, has a new book: Conscious Capitalism. Here's a short description from Amazon.com ...

These “Conscious Capitalism” companies include Whole Foods Market, Southwest Airlines, Costco, Google, Patagonia, The Container Store, UPS, and dozens of others. We know them; we buy their products or use their services. Now it’s time to better understand how these organizations use four specific tenets—higher purpose, stakeholder integration, conscious leadership, and conscious culture and management—to build strong businesses and help advance capitalism further toward realizing its highest potential.

Sounds like a win-win business philosophy to me and that's why I'm so passionate about using these wonderful skin care and personal care products on me and my family and excited to share our amazing business opportunity with others!

Best,

Janette

P.S.  If you love natural skin care products and looking for a way to easily start a home-based business online- visit my website Beautycounter Skin Care Business or email me campopfan@gmail.com. All it takes is only $85, free website so you can begin selling right after you sign up, and start making money from home.

Do Expensive Anti-aging Skin Care Products Work?

It's tempting to spend money on skin care products when you see those before and after pictures or clever marketing that promises a more renewed, youthful skin, or promises to eliminate skin problems such as acne or wrinkles. And the sad fact is that women spend hundreds of dollars on creams, serums, because they want to believe a "miracle in a jar" will reverse the signs of aging. And no matter how many times we hear it, from dermatologists and skin care experts that high end anti aging products only work topically, we still want to believe and will spend the money to give it a try.

"Most wrinkle creams are designed instead to plump up your skin by adding moisture. Don’t get the wrong idea, most of these miracle creams really will plump up your skin, but this is a temporary fix. While this of course makes your skin look better on a temporary basis, they are not taking your wrinkles away." (10 Myths About Skin Care) 

I'm no different than other women and any product that mentions anti aging or reduces wrinkles will peek my interest. So recently I tried my friend's anti aging night product.

The before and after pictures from the company's marketing brochures are impressive! It's hard to resist not trying their samples if you see these testimonials. I'm not saying these pictures are enhanced in any way but your first reaction is: does it work or is it hype?

After all, when it comes to skin care products, there are NO regulations with skin care/cosmetics unless it's a drug.

"The bottom line is that if these creams could accomplish the same thing as a medical procedure, they would be drugs and not cosmetics -- and that's what you have to keep in mind when deciding whether to try or buy," says Marsha Gordon, MD, vice chairman of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. (WebMD)


After my experiment trying the anti aging product for nearly 2 weeks (only once at night), I did see an improvement after a few days. However, not as good as the before and after pictures in the marketing brochures or shared on the company Facebook page.

But I do think the product helped to smooth out my skin after a few days of using it even though the minor lines on my forehead are still there as well as other imperfections. The question is: is there enough value in the product to spend $80 member fee or $110 retail for this one product?

It all depends on the person and the value they experienced from using the product. For some people, maybe they saw dramatic differences- enough for them to justify the cost of the product. Remember that people will spend the money when they see the value and benefits from using the products. Women will spend money to solve a skin ailment.

In my experience from using high end anti aging skin care products I do think they work however the improvements in my case were minor. On the other hand, I've used products in the $30-$50 range and have experienced similar results and in some cases, actually better.

Skin care can be tricky and so personal and I always recommend trying free samples whenever possible and give it a week and play close attention to any changes.

Best,

Janette

P.S. Are you looking for anti aging skin care products that won't break your budget and deliver results? Visit my website and email me for a free sample  -> Beautycounter Skin Care Samples

Anti-aging Skin Care Direct Sales vs Network Marketing Products

A friend of mine who is not in direct sales or network marketing asked me recently what's the difference between anti aging skin care products from direct sales companies vs network marketing companies? For someone unfamiliar with the industry, that's a great question. Although network marketing and party plan companies fall under the direct sales or direct selling umbrella however there are differences among all three.

In general, I've found anti aging skin care products from direct sales companies tend to be more affordable than network marketing products.

What are the anti aging skin care direct sales companies? The house hold brands which most are familiar with are Avon or Mary Kay. And a few lesser known companies are Lemongrass Spa, Ava Anderson Non Toxic, Daisy Blue Naturals, L'bri, which all offer anti aging skin care products. These anti aging skin care products are competitively priced with regular store brands such as L'Oreal and within most people's budgets.

Network marketing anti aging skin care can be more on the higher end. House hold brands such as Nu Skin, Arbonne, Rodan + Fields can cost in the $200+ range and upward. And other brands such as Votre Vu, Nerium, doTERRA can be pricey too. Nerium which is one product and retails at $110.

Why are anti aging skin care from direct sales companies tend to be more affordable than network marketing?

There are many factors built in such as the costs of marketing, branding, packaging, business expenses, research and development, and paying for distributors. This is true for other high-end retail brands too.

Is one better than the other? Not necessarily as "expensive" doesn't mean it's better as skin care is highly marked up because of the marketing that goes into the product. And less expensive doesn't mean people will buy the products either. People buy because of the value and benefits they get from the products. I know plenty of women that will drop hundreds on skin care products if they get the results they're looking for.

Bottom line is anti aging skin care from direct sales or network marketing comes down to the value that your customers get from using the products. A true prospect is someone who wants your products and can afford it. Someone might love your products but if they can't afford $200+, they will find an alternative.

If you're considering starting a business selling anti aging skin care products with a direct sales company or network marketing, start with you first and if you're willing to be a shopper, with or without the business opportunity attached. If you're not willing to be a customer first, that's a good indication it's not the right company for you.

Best,

Janette

Can You Make Money Selling Organic Skin Care Products from Home?

With the natural/organic boom it seems everywhere you shop you'll see skin care products labeled as natural or organic. But no matter how many products you see, these companies don't pay you to shop at their stores. If you're going to use organic skin care products, why not consider buying them from your own business?

That's one of the reasons why I started with my home-based business because I'm already using these products. Thousands of people join a direct selling home-based business daily because of the wonderful products but also because this industry offers a viable, flexible home-based business that you can do from home.

But can you really make money selling organic skin care products from home like people claim it to be "easy". It depends. If you're looking for a legitimate and realistic way to earn money selling organic skin care products from home- here are important tips to keep in mind before you jump in:

The business opportunity

Every direct selling home-based business involves work. If you're brand new, it's important to know how you'll be compensated.

In direct sales: every company pays you a retail profit for selling products. You also earn a discount when you buy products for yourself. I'd much rather save 25% and up to 35% buying from my company rather than somewhere else paying full retail prices. You can expect to earn from 20% retail profit and more depending on company but most companies I've seen on average is around 25%.

You'll also earn a commission from your team if you sponsor people to sell the products. This is where it can get tricky especially for brand new consultants. It's important to know not only the percentage you'll earn from your team which can range from 2% and upward. But you'll also need to know what the requirements are before you'll get paid.

For example: one organic company pays 5% on anyone you personally recruit and as a consultant you need to have 1 direct team member, $200 in personal volume, and your team volume must have at least $1000. This is one example as every company will be different.

The products

The best way to make money from selling organic skin care products is to use your company products. It goes without saying because it would be hard to sell products you don't use or believe in. You have to believe in the benefits so you can share with others.

Marketing

The biggest mistake direct sales consultants make is not marketing their business beyond the people they know. Your first open house or business launch is a great way to introduce your friends to your products which helps to get your business started but you must have a marketing plan in place asap. Use this opportunity to schedule additional parties, ask for referrals, offer incentives, then look for additional ways to market your business.

Competition

You will have competition and not just from the consultants in the same company but organic products are everywhere. Compete on value and what you can offer to your customers instead of price. Assuming your products are competitively priced to compete with other high quality organic products, you should be able to sell products if you've provided value to your prospect.

Whether you'll make money selling organic skin care products or not is not only up to the company you choose but ultimately it's up to you. If your company offers great products, priced competitively, and the compensation plan is generous enough where regular people can move up the ranks sooner than later- you'll have an easier time.

I would think twice with compensation plans that have high sales requirements, both personal and team volume, before you can see a commission. The quicker you earn money the more likely you'll stay with the company. You need to consider not only the likelihood of your success but for people you share the business with too.

The bottom line is people might join initially because they love the products but for them to stay and build a business- they must see success sooner than later. If the company has been around for years and there are only a few leaders or people "actively" working the business- dig deeper as there could be other factors such as the compensation plan with too many loop holes to advance.

Best,

Janette

P.S.  If you love chic, affordable, natural skin care/personal care products and looking for a realistic home-based business that you can build from home and earn money sooner rather than later- visit my Beautycounter Opportunity and join our #1 team. Our team generated $135K sales in April alone and our new company is on the GROW.