Direct Marketing Offers Flexibility Plus Support

Hundreds of thousands of people in North America work either part or full time for some type of direct marketing company. "Direct marketing" refers to selling something, either a product or a service, directly to consumers. This kind of selling "by-passes" the typical retail venues, like a physical store. Direct marketing companies also rely most heavily on word-of-mouth to promote its products rather than commercials, newspaper/magazine ads, etc.These companies recruit independent sales representatives to promote and sell their products. This kind of selling typically occurs within the home of a customer who agrees to hold a "show" or a "party". The party host/hostess then invites a group of friends and acquaintances to hear about the product or service. The independent sales representative describes and demonstrates the product or service that he/she is trying to sell to guests.The independent sales representative usually earns a commission, or percentage of the total amount of sales for a show or shows. Every direct marketing company is different, but typically an independent sales representative earns somewhere between 15 and 25 percent of the total amount of sales that he/she generates.The goal of direct marketing, aside from making sales, is to keep the chain of sales going. Independent sales representatives try to generate new business during these in-home shows. They may offer the host/hostess a bonus product or a small commission for any new shows that are booked by guests at the party.The biggest benefit joining up with a direct marketing company is that independent sales representatives are able to choose their own work schedules. They are almost always free to sell as little or as much as they want to (although the parent company may offer strong incentives to reach certain sales targets). There may be a minimum monthly sales quota to meet in order to remain "active" with the company, though there are many companies that don't have a monthly quota.Direct marketing is one of the most popular and simplest ways to work at home. Independent sales representatives have the benefit of a parent company which offers training and sales advice. They also have opportunities to work for extra rewards over and above the commission check for meeting sales targets. Cruises, trips and cars are commonly offered to top sales representatives.You don't necessarily have to be the world's best sales person to be successful at direct marketing. You probably have what it takes if:* You enjoy socializing and meeting new people.* You are self-motivated.* You really like the product(s) or service(s) that a particular company offers. "Avid customers make the best sales representatives" is a very common mantra in direct marketing. If you already enjoy and believe in the product, you won't have to worry about sounding like you're making a phony or contrived sales pitch.* You like to challenge yourself.Direct marketing allows the independent sales representative to be his or her own boss, yet still have the support of more experienced mentors. Some people choose this kind of work as a part time or supplementary income. Others work it into a full time, sustainable and livable income. Either way, direct marketing is an excellent way to make money at home.