One great way to earn extra income without being time-bound like a regular job is to sell from home. If you want to work a flexible schedule, have freedom and independence at work, and get paid based on your own success, selling a product might be a great opportunity for you.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Choosing a Product or Company
Step 1. Make a choice between affiliate marketing or direct selling
Basically, affiliate marketing is selling through advertising but the product being marketed is not with you. In direct selling, also known as MLM (Multi-Level Marketing), you become an agent or contractor for a particular product and sell it for the company.
- Affiliate marketing is the best option if you work with another business or hobby and is based on an advertising approach. For example, if you have a popular blog about parenting, you might consider affiliate marketing for products related to babies or children.
- Direct selling is the best option if you have the confidence and experience to succeed in sales. This field requires a certain type of personality that not everyone has.
- Affiliate marketing usually gives you a smaller percentage of sales profits than direct sales (MLM), but you put in very little effort. We recommend that you study the details of each option before deciding what business model to choose.
Step 2. Choose a reputable company
Learn about the company or product you want to represent before you start working with them. Make sure that someone else has had success with the company, and that the company pays compensation quickly.
- Look online for reviews of the company and make sure you read comments from other people specifically.
- Find out about the company's quality control, as well as their customer service and affiliate payment policies before choosing.
Step 3. Avoid pyramid schemes and scams
If one company seems to be promising grandiose results, it's likely nothing more than a promise. Make sure you avoid pyramid schemes, which are illegal "companies" that entice you to invest money and then recruit others to invest their money, but generally have no real product. If you're not sure whether a business is a pyramid scheme or not, read this information.
If there's a business that promises "get rich quick," it probably isn't. Most companies like that actually make you lose money
Step 4. Look for a product you trust
Marketing or selling products that you truly believe in quality will be much easier. If you can prove the quality and usefulness of the product, you will be more confident in selling and believe that your product is really wanted.
Make sure you try the product before selling it. Many companies offer samples, or you can find people who are also in the marketing or sales efforts you plan to undertake and then buy products from them
Step 5. Learn about fees and quotas
Make sure you're fully aware of the start-up fee, transaction fee, or percentage of sales that the company will take from your compensation.
- Reputable affiliate marketing companies usually do not charge an initial fee.
- Make sure you are aware of sales quotas and any penalties associated with failing to meet quotas.
Step 6. Choose a product that you think will sell successfully
In addition to confidence in the quality of the product, you have to be pretty sure that the product will sell well. Think about whether your friends and family would be interested in the product. If people you know aren't interested, think about who your target market is and determine if there's a need for your product.
Part 2 of 3: Reaching Customers
Step 1. Approach friends and family
Friends and family are your first marketing target, especially for direct sales. Try approaching them with a low-pressure but thorough sales method.
- You may also need to ask friends and family for feedback on how to improve your sales strategy if you want to expand sales to a larger target audience.
- Be careful when approaching close friends and family, lest they feel that you are trying to get their money every time they see you.
Step 2. Strengthen your online presence
If you don't have a website yet, create one now. You should have a neat and professional web page that offers information about your product, complete with easy links to order and pay for the product.
Use social media sites to expand your social network and get a bigger customer base
Step 3. Knock door to door
Although this method is a bit old-fashioned, you should try door-to-door selling in your neighborhood. People who can ignore your online messages won't refuse that easily if they're face to face. Plus, seeing the (hopefully) high-quality product you carry in person will help them to feel confident in what you're selling.
- Make sure you do not violate the provisions governing the prohibition of persuading or inciting
- Wear nice clothes and be professional so people don't suspect you.
- Selling products that people have heard of can also help build trust among potential clients.
Step 4. Enter the bigger market
There are marketplaces in cyberspace that allow affiliate marketers or sales agents to advertise and sell their products.
- This kind of market has its advantages and disadvantages. Your customer base will increase sharply, but the competition will also be much greater.
- The affiliate market is best utilized for very distinctive products without too much competition.
Part 3 of 3: Maintaining Reputation
Step 1. Run the business consistently and on time
Make sure you communicate with customers about the next process after they place an order, when and how their payment will be processed, when their order will arrive, and how they will receive the order. Do all you can to meet expected deadlines, but communicate unexpected delays clearly and concisely.
In affiliate marketing, you may not have responsibility for payments or orders, but you should be familiar with the system of the product you are marketing so that you know what you are actually selling. If a customer has had a bad experience with a vendor you represent, they may not trust your recommendation anymore
Step 2. Communicate with the buyer
One of the most important ways to please buyers is to communicate clearly. Set up a system (such as email notifications) to inform customers of changes to the “status” of their orders.
- For example, you might want to communicate the following status changes to customers: “payment processed”, “order processed”, “order shipped”, and “order ready for delivery”.
- If there is a problem with a product or order, usually the best solution is to offer a refund or replacement of the item as soon as possible. Your main concern as a seller is to maintain customer satisfaction, keep your sales levels high, and encourage buyers to become repeat customers.
Step 3. Ask buyers to recommend your business
Once you have established good relationships with a core group of buyers, ask them to recommend you to others. You can ask one or two buyers to write testimonials about you and the products you represent and then display them on your website or printed materials. You can also ask them to have an informal meeting with their friends to market your product.
Step 4. Hire more sellers
MLM companies are designed in such a way that if you hire other sellers, you will be paid a percentage of their sales as well as your sales. If your product or organization works that way, you can get some of your trusted repeat customers to become sellers too.
Step 5. Behave in a professional manner
Make sure you are always professional when selling or advertising products, even when promoting to family or close friends. Remember, when money is involved, business often trumps friendship, and you should act like you're doing business, not helping out friends.
Step 6. Encourage buyers to become repeat customers
Call your customers back for follow-up to make sure they are satisfied with the product they ordered and ask if there is anything else they need. If you're selling a product that's "definitely out of stock" (such as essential oils or beauty products), know how quickly people usually use the product so you can call back right before they need a new product.
- Try to give specific advice to customers based on their previous purchases. Find out what they are interested in and what they are passionate about, then suggest specific products tailored to their needs.
- Try to be sensitive to budget constraints and be consistent when offering products. If customers feel that you are trying to persuade them to buy other or more expensive items for more money, they may stop using your services.
Tips
- Try to build a business without isolating yourself from friends, family, and neighbors.
- Direct your marketing to people you know will be interested in your product.
- Ask a friend or legal consultant to thoroughly read the legal document or agreement that accompanies a relationship in an MLM or affiliate marketing business.
