This has been on my mind for quite some time now and I feel like it’s time to speak up. I have so many friends who own their own business doing direct sales. I’m all about them chasing their dreams. If it happens to be a product that I like or have a use for, I will happily support them in their business endeavor. I’m all for women supporting women. Plus, some of those products really are amazing! Some are not or maybe they’re just not for me.
If you have a business feel free to post on your social media sites to remind your family and friends that you are in the biz. I get that. Word of mouth and social media is huge for advertising and can be the difference between a struggling business and one that is thriving. I know some of you choose to do direct sales because you believe in the product, some do it for the discount and others do it to help financially support their family. I want you to be successful no matter the reason you chose to get in the business. I just don’t want you to annoy me. Luckily, most of my friends don’t.
If you truly, really believe that I would benefit from using your product then go ahead and reach out to me. Once. But to my friends (who I haven’t actually talked to in YEARS) please stop sending me messages on a weekly basis. I know what you sell, and if I ever decide it’s for me, trust me, I know how to get a hold of you.
Let’s talk Facebook groups. Do you know that I’m in no less than 8 groups that sell leggings? And another 5 that sell lipstick? And countless others for various services and products? They take over my news feed. I have removed myself multiple times from a certain group and shockingly I get added again the next day. If you notice that I removed myself from your group, please understand that I did it on purpose and you really don’t need to add me again.
Like I said earlier, I have so many friends doing the direct sales thing. Many of them do it well. They might occasionally let people know if there’s a big sale or share a link to their group for people to ASK to join. They don’t just automatically add everyone. That is so appreciated. You’re also more likely to get my business by doing it that way. To those of you who do it that way, I wish you lots of success. To the others who are pushy. Please stop. It’s really not helping. In fact, it might be hurting. If I decide I want to try your product, I’d be pretty tempted to seek out someone else who isn’t quite so pushy. I’m not a fan of pushy sales people at the store, on a car lot or on my Facebook page.
Now that we’ve covered my thoughts on direct sales and social media, let’s touch on home parties. First, I’m a way bigger supporter of home parties than the Facebook parties that seem to be the latest trend. I like night outs. I like getting together with friends. I like wine and cheese. I get those things with home parties. Spoiler alert. Invite me to a home party and I will buy something. A Facebook party?? Okay. So I can stay in my pajamas and I can still have the wine and cheese but it’s really not the same as a night out. And I’m way less likely to make a purchase.
Men get together for fun. Poker night. Monday night football. Really, they don’t need an excuse. I wish we, as women, could learn from our male counterparts. We don’t need to sell things to have a party. Let’s just get together for fun. No purchase necessary.