More and more people are drawn to direct sales where they can make a living and still have a life!
Get rich in your pajamas. Fire your boss. Work from home and make millions.
We've all seen the promises about home-based businesses and there's no doubt they look appealing, but how valid is the industry?
Is it something legitimate and something everyone can do?
The answer is resounding "YES" says Amy Robinson, director of communications and media relations for the Direct Selling Association, the national trade association for the industry.
"Direct selling offers flexibility and opportunity for anyone in any situation," Robinson says.
"Whether you want to make extra money, you want the social contact of talking to and meeting new people, or you just want to buy products you love at a discount, those are all options through direct selling."
As Robinson explains, direct selling is the sale of a consumer product or service on a person-to-person basis, without a fixed retail setting. The industry includes companies with a global presence as well as small- and medium-sized ventures.
Boasting 20 years of growth
Not only are people having enormous personal and financial success with direct selling, but the industry is also growing rapidly on a global scale.
"We've had 20 years of consecutive growth, both in sales numbers and in our sales force," Robinson says, nothing that 13.6 million people in the U.S alone participates in direct selling.
Internationally, that figure has risen to over 58 million salespeople from over 130 countries, according to the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA).
WFDSA sales figures show direct selling to be an impressive economic force as well, reaching an estimated US$100 billion worldwide in 2004. According to an economic impact study conducted by Ernst & Young, the direct selling industry contributed $72 billion to the U.S economy in 2004 alone.
Amazing Benefits: Time, Friends, Money
More and more people are discovering the benefits of working from home, where you can make a living and still have a life.
Demographics suggest that direct selling appeals to both genders and all ages.
However, women in particular enjoy the flexibility of direct selling- it's easy to do while also raising a family. You can work the hours that suit you, even from your kitchen table.
According to the DSA, independent sellers experience significant social benefits too, including the flexibility to own and operate a business while caring for their families, higher self-esteem, and confidence as a result of their direct selling experiences.
For both men and women, direct selling offers the opportunity to stay connected to family. Now, dad can make it to his son's football game and not have to worry about catching slack from the boss; mom can be sure she's there when the kids get home from school and still be making a contribution to the family's income.
Direct sellers also enjoy the social aspects of the industry, from hosting parties with theur friends and enjoying a night out while showcasing products, to make contact with consumers around the world via the Internet, phone calls, and e-mail.
Robinson agrees that there are plenty of reasons for the increasing popularity of direct selling. It provides an alternative to traditional employment by offering a flexible income to people of all economic and cultural backgrounds.
Direct selling opportunities allow individuals to adjust their businesses to suit their own needs; it's not necessary to be gone for days or weeks at a time when you can conduct business using your phone or computer from anywhere you need to be.
In fact, direct sellers are changing the way people work. Gone are the 40-plus hour workdays. According to the DSA survey, more than 85% of direct sellers are working fewer than 30 hours a week, while those working 40 hours or more account for just 7.3%.
By the same token, direct selling can be as involved as you want it to be, too.
"Working from home" can mean anything you want. From careerists to those looking for a short term financial boost, there are more direct selling opportunities than there are people to fill them, selling everything from cosmetics and health goods to personal care items and vacation packages.
Making money with direct selling is as flexible as the the opportunity themselves, fulfilling the needs of sellers on an individual basis. Incomes vary widely, depending on both the product and the amount of time and effort put in by the seller, Robinson says.
"There are plenty of people who do direct sales to supplement their full-time job," she says. "Some people involved in direct sales have very modest goals; they just want the extra money to pay the bills. Others do it for the social contact and the discounted products."
For both Men and Women, direct selling offers the opportunity to stay connected to family.
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