So as I am thinking about how to make $5000 a month a home based business seemed like a good place to start. There are many advantages: I don't have to come up with an entire business plan, the start up cost is low, the marketing is done for you, the product is developed for you. It is a ready made business just waiting for you to step in and start making money.
Having done Mary Kay in the past and now knowing my personality a little better I knew I didn't want to go back to that. I didn't want to carry inventory and I know that I am better with people one on one than doing a big group presentation. I also knew I wanted to sell something fun. And I wanted to join a company that was a little newer. Something that not everyone was familiar with.
While internet marketing has been very popular the last few years, direct sales companies seem to be making a comeback. People miss the personal touch. Which means there are a lot of new home party businesses popping up these days. Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware are not alone out there anymore. A brief search found dozens if not hundreds of options out there selling anything and everything. Whatever you love, there is a home party business out there for you.
I spoke with a couple people about their businesses and decided on Stella & Dot, a jewelry business, because it met my criteria of low start up cost, one on one sales model and, frankly, it just sounded like the most fun. It only requires $199 start up fee but I did invest a couple hundred more in my sample jewelry beyond what you get with the start up package. The party or "trunk show" is more of a girls night out with women trying on my samples while sipping a glass of wine with friends. There is no formal presentation. This company also has an online aspect so I have my own web site which I am free to promote through my facebook page, blog or any other social media sites I am part of.
I actually became familiar with Stella & Dot through my sister who has been buying the jewelry for a couple years through a friend of hers. They were featured on a news segment CNN did about Stella & Dot. (My sister is the one showing off her charm necklace.)
One thing I am noticing is that the recruiting pitch of making lots of money while staying home with your family is gone. I didn't get a big assurance that it was "easy". They don't seem to be trying to convince everyone to sell their product recruit a bunch of people and find BIG success. The thing about a home party business is that the potential is there for me to make far more than $5000/month but very few women actually achieve that level of success. 60% of the women who sell Stella & Dot have another job. Most are just trying to bring in an extra few hundred dollars a month to do something fun like save for a vacation or be able to treat yourself to those new shoes. And that is exactly how they are presenting it. My sponsor told me if I wanted to make $2000/month she was happy to help me but I would have to work hard, build a team and do several trunk shows a week. I appreciated her honesty.
Since I know I want to pursue other business opportunities besides Stella & Dot, my goal is not to make the full $5000/month. But I think it is going to be the fastest way to start making money. I would like to make $2000 in the first month and at least $1000/month going forward.
I begin next weekend with a Business Launch Trunk Show at my home and 2 other trunk shows hosted by friends. In the mean time I am watching lots of training videos online, talking with my sponsor, looking forward to getting my samples in the mail and telling everyone I know about my launch party.
Come back next week to find out how it goes.
