Anyhow, I had the privilege of interviewing Birdie! This is the first of a three-part post/interview. Enjoy!
So, let me start off by asking what exactly is it about Avon that
made you want to start selling it?
I started selling Avon out of desperation. My youngest child started first grade three years ago, and I found myself with time on my hands and no money in my pockets.
I read the classified ads hoping to find the perfect job - one that kept the same hours as the elementary school, one that allows liberal sick days and time off for school plays and parent-teacher conferences. One that paid enough to make my house payment, buy groceries, plan for a week of camping in the summer.
Well, that sort of job doesn't exist. Even if it did, I can guarantee you I didn't have the skill set. I'd been out of the work force for ten years, and my many hours of knee-bandaging and casserole baking and papier-mache projects didn't give me an "in" with any local company.
It took me six months to figure out that I had to work for myself, but I didn't have any inventions or a great cookie recipe or even the ability to make saleable arts and crafts. I'm a garden variety mom, more a lone daisy in a field of millions, not a showy iris or tiger lily. So Avon made sense. I love lipstick and own more beauty
supplies than one body could possibly use in an entire lifetime. Why not sell something I already appreciate and know how to use?
To tell the truth, I didn't spend much time in research. Avon charged (at that time, it's now fifteen dollars) ten dollars for their beginner sales kit. I could scrounge up ten bucks, so I called Avon and jumped on board. I didn't think I would enjoy it, and figured I could quit in a week or two. But something strange happened, something I didn't expect. I started experimenting with my Avon
goodies and discovered I liked a lot of them!
What makes for a good Avon lady?
A great Avon Lady is one who listens...
Listens to her customers to hear the words behind the words - to hear what kind of beauty they truly need in their life. Sometimes that beauty is a hyrdrating lipstick or firming face cream. Sometimes it's a simple compliment, even a shoulder to cry on. The best Avon Ladies are friends first, salespeople second.
Listens to her gut and takes chances. You need to know when to trust your intuition. Some of my best customers are those you would never expect to purchase Avon or any other cosmetics! Listens to Avon via their sales literature, website, and brochures. Sometimes your best sales help is right in those biweekly brochures. Avon does a great job listing each product's benefits, ingredients,
and uses.
To be continued tomorrow!!
It's unfortunate that Avon maintains an 20th century attitude towards its customers in the 21st century. In formation dissemination is absolutely critical. Maybe they should look at McDonald’s for leadership here. They have taken a completely different approach in establishing a robust blog presence.
In spite of Avon as a corporations lack luster customer information performance the Avon Lady is a mainstay in the American culture and they are certainly doing their job in the face to face promotion of customer care. I am looking forward to the interview series with interest.
st.
Posted by: Tim Whelan | December 7, 2006 7:37 PM | Permalink to Comment