Family
Making Ends Meet and More: Tips on How to Supplement Your Income
By
Oct 22, 2006, 21:13

(NC)-Whether they've chosen to take early retirement, are staying home with children or looking to dabble as entrepreneurs, it seems like most Canadian women are looking for ways to earn a little extra income for their families.

A growing trend is to find and promote a product or a service already on the market, that has a proven track record of success. According to Ross Creber, president of the Direct Sellers Association of Canada, over 1.3 million Canadians - 88 per cent of them women - have discovered the benefits of running their own business with direct sales.

He says that it's crucial you find a product or service that you're passionate about. If you aren't excited by what you're selling then why should the consumer be interested.

Passion was not a problem for Marie François who was already recommending Avon's Skin-So-Soft products to her friends before she joined on as an Avon Independent Sales Representative a few years ago.

Most people know Avon for its Skin-So-Soft products, or its makeup and color. But Avon's product line is much broader. The company also sells jewelry, fashions, educational products, home decor, and kitchenware.

"I discovered the skin care line, which I find is amazing," said François. "I was ordering off the Avon site, when I clicked on a link to learn more about earning opportunities. I was already recommending the product to all of my friends and family, so why not make some money too?"

Representatives don't need to go door-to-door, buy a large inventory, or pay a large start up fee. "It involved a $20 startup commitment and a one-hour meeting with a district sales manager," said François, who gladly signed on. She was happy to finally find a way to make extra income for her new family without having to juggle a part-time job and her new responsibilities as a 32-year-old stay at home mom.

"Lots of other part-time jobs become difficult because of restricted working hours or deadlines you have to meet," François added. "Avon is entirely on your own time. You can structure it so that you are working only at night, only on weekends or only at lunch - it's totally up to you."

François built her home-based business primarily via word-of-mouth over the past four years, selling about 10 hours a week. "My inner circle is spread out all over the country," she said, "so I reach them by e-mail and through my personalized Avon website."

Selling Avon can be a nice source of supplemental income. The top 10 percent of the approximately 65,000 reps in the country sell more than $12,800 in merchandise per year, earning a spot in the "President's Club" and 40 per cent guaranteed earnings. You can find more information on careers in direct selling at www.dsa.ca or www.avon.ca.

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