But how do you turn all of that learning into action? The key is to pin down a handful of revelations that rose to the top, and then do something with them! In an effort to help us all take action, whether you were there or not, here are the next steps I would encourage any executive to take, inspired by Fall DSU 2023. 

1 / Get Serious About the Hispanic Market

The most blatantly clear takeaway from DSU was a lot of companies growing in the US have one thing in common: a commitment to the Hispanic market. This was a key point in about four different presentations. Whether you decide to target the Hispanic market or not, every executive needs to be intentional about how you’re thinking about this market, both globally and especially in the US.

2 / Simplify until It Hurts

John Alcala, CEO of It Works!, reminded us of just how much distributors have on their plates…and that’s before we add all of our stuff (promotions, incentives, announcements, launches…) to the mix! We all talk about simplifying our business, but do we really do it? To experience the kind of simplicity that actually prompts growth and duplication, you’ve got to shed some of the secondary “stuff” that only gets in the way for the average distributor. Go find it and do something about it.

3 / Experiment, Learn and Adapt

pawTree Founder and CEO Roger Morgan walked us through a few scenarios where the company identified a problem; came up with a possible solution; and launched quickly. Some worked well; some didn’t; and some only worked within very specific circumstances, but not others. The takeaways from his specific examples were helpful, but the biggest takeaway is this: am I tracking everything I do well enough to know if it works and why? And then do I keep iterating to see the improvement?

4 / Compare Your Business to Neora

A huge perk of DSU was hearing from Founder and CEO Jeff Olson and Co-CEO Deborah K. Heisz from Neora about their journey in their case against the FTC. The work they’ve done is so vital for every single one of us—both in terms of validating what we do and also shedding light on how we should do it. But in Stuart Johnson’s words, “If you’re still doing things the wrong way, this is not a win for you!” Deb shared some of the elements of Neora’s business (like 80 percent of those who buy from them are Customers and receive no commission) that strengthened their case. It’s in no way the hard-and-fast rule that must be followed, but if you need a standard to compare yourself against, it sounds like we just got a new one.

5 / Start Using AI (whether you want to or not!)

I’ll admit I’ve been slow to jump on the AI bandwagon. It can feel a bit overwhelming to understand. And it can feel like “just one more thing,” when I’ve already got enough “things” in my life. But after listening to Blake Mallen and Brandon White talk about how they’re putting AI to use right now, I realized my excuses hold little weight compared to the unbelievable benefits that can come from incorporating AI into how I work and live. Rather than figure it all out, I’m simply dedicating 15 minutes a day to using AI in some form or fashion. It’s the only way I’ll learn it and appreciate it. Maybe you should, too.

6 / Success Is in the Segmentation

No single speaker focused on segmentation as a topic, but many alluded to it. Bridgehead Collective’s Founder and CEO Heather Chastain’s generational research certainly shines a bright light on the need for us to segment what we do. The panel on affiliate programs (and how different each program is) certainly showcases how companies are trying to segment the opportunity in new ways. We even learned of the differences among segments within the Hispanic market. We can all do a better job of segmentation. Whatever is holding you back—technology, resources, know-how, WHATEVER!—let’s make 2024 the year we do something about it.

7 / What We Do Still Matters

Vivian Mokome, Founder and CEO of Vivian Mokome Projects, shared a heartfelt reminder that direct selling changes lives…and, in her estimation, can change continents! She sees direct selling as a prominent force for change in Africa. We must evolve as a channel and respond to the market in terms of what it wants and how it wants it. But we cannot lose sight of the actual life changes that have occurred and continue to occur, no matter how tempted we may be to downplay it in the midst of so many changes. Remind yourself of the greater good your company pursues and provides regularly. There’s no other fuel like it.

Were there more takeaways at DSU? You bet!
This is just a starting place. If you were there, think back to the points above in context of your own experience and determine what makes sense for your company. If you weren’t there, this list can still prompt extremely helpful conversations for your team. And bring them to DSU 2024! DSN

Note from the Editorial Staff: We’re excited to include these insights from industry expert Brett Duncan. Look for more content from Brett in the coming months on the pages of DSN.

Brett Duncan specializes in helping direct selling companies evolve into modern social selling models while still maintaining the culture and essence of who they are and what makes them different. He is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Strategic Choice Partners, a business development firm that helps direct selling companies take their next steps.

From the December 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post 7 Top Takeaways for Executives from DSU Fall 2023 first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Ward was born in Middletown, Maryland on October 12, 1987. She attended Hunter College in New York City and studied marketing and communication before joining direct selling in 2015.

After joining Prüvit, Ward rose rapidly through the company’s ranks, becoming their top earner and recruiter, building a worldwide network marketing team of a cumulative 1.6 million customers and 21,000 promoters spanning 41 countries.

Additionally, Ward was a successful entrepreneur, author and public speaker with a thriving business as a coach and mentor to aspiring network marketers and social media influencers. She authored books including The MLM Queen and Boss Up and was a sought-after speaker appearing at numerous conferences, such as Network Marketing Pro and TEDx.

She was a well-known and extremely popular presence on social media platforms with over a million subscribers across all social media platforms. She also hosted The People’s Mentor, a popular podcastwith over 10 million downloadswhere she discussed business, leadership, mindset and motivation-related topics.

Prüvit released a statement mourning her passing, “We will always remember Jessie Lee as our shooting star. Temporary brilliance that lived life to its fullest. Jessie Lee dreamed big, loved big and always made it happen in a big way. Her life was cut short but the years we’ve known her, she lived the quality of life equal to several lifetimes. Many knew her but those lucky enough to be loved by her will move forward accepting nothing less. Live as a reflection of her legacy.”

Brian Underwood, Founder and CEO of Prüvit, said, “Through her journey, she transformed into her very best self. And even though she’s gone, she continues to inspire us, serving as a reminder that we are capable of greatness.”

Blake Mallen, President of Prüvit, shared, “Jessie Lee was more than a role model. She was a hero, an icon, a legend to so many. To me, she was a shining example of someone who discovered her purpose and lived it to the fullest every day.”

Ed Mylett, bestselling author and host of the “Ed Mylett Podcast,” was a mentor and coach to Ward. He shared, “She would call me ‘Dad’, and I was honored every time she did. I will never forget the impact she had on my life and the lives of so many others.”

Al Bala, CEO of Mannatech also expressed his thoughts on her loss, “Jessie Lee was a legend in the network marketing arena, a force to be reckoned with. Her uniqueness, drive and sheer power were unparalleled.” 

Sarah Shadonix, Founder and CEO of Scout & Cellar shared, “I did not have the privilege of knowing Jessie Lee personally, but I have experienced first-hand the impact of her work in the world beyond Prüvit. Jessie served as a mentor, leader and inspiration to so many consultants in our field, and I am grateful for the countless ways she shared her wisdom and grit to inspire and elevate others.”

The post In Memoriam: Legendary Distributor and Influencer Jessie Lee Ward first appeared on Direct Selling News.

If there is one constant refrain in today’s direct selling channel, it’s change.

One of the most talked about and watched segments of change within the industry is the emergence of social selling. As the channel continues to embrace and seek out influencers into their affiliate programs and more and more sales begin to happen online, the importance of finding and nurturing charismatic distributors to represent your brand continues to grow.

But how do companies find or develop the best influencers? Should you look for diamonds in the rough in your field with genuine enthusiasm and belief in your products or seek out established influencers with built-in followers and charisma to spare? And how can you best partner with them to allow them to shine while still protecting your brand?

Part of a Bigger Picture

Affiliate marketing isn’t just an opportunity for direct selling companies—everyone is getting into the game. According to DemandSage, affiliate marketing has a market value of $17 billion as of 2023, and 80 percent of all brands have some sort of affiliate program.

It’s a natural fit for direct selling—both are grounded in the philosophy of marketing powerful products through personal recommendations. Affiliate and influencer programs allow direct selling companies to use the power and reach of social media without losing the personal touch and connection that has always been the channel’s biggest differentiator.

Affiliate programs can’t (and shouldn’t) entirely replace the traditional team building approach—but they do offer a viable and attractive alternative to people who might not be interested in the more established and expected version of the channel.

This has led many companies to adopt a two-pronged approach, offering both traditional multi-tiered compensation models that reward team building, while also developing simplified affiliate programs that allow those not interested in team building to still earn an attractive commission by sharing and recommending their products on social media.

This model alleviates some of the pressure of quick conversion and team building that historically kept some people away from the opportunity. As Qyral Founder and CEO Hanieh Sigari explained, “Social media has changed the way that direct selling works. You don’t have to cold call people or knock on doors and try to pitch them hard in 30 seconds. You can have honest, normal conversations about shared interests. We aren’t ever going to push our consultants to sign people up. It’s not for everyone. Instead, we’ve developed programs for the women who want to be superstars and build a team and other programs for those who just want amazing skin.”

It’s an approach that strongly resonates with online influencers who recognize the value and opportunity of partnering with direct sellers. Nick Martinez, the Keto Dad, who represents Prüvit products, finds that this fundamental shift eliminates resistance to recruitment and works to further legitimize the opportunity. “In the past you had to have a downline of people who each had a few customers to earn a significant income. Now the reverse can be true—you could have a small group of distributors with tons of customers, and as a result you are making significant income.”

Taylor Novarro, an Account Executive at Sunwest Communications who works closely with direct selling brands, is also an emerging online influencer. She feels the collaboration is a home run for both parties. “As an influencer, I take the time to learn about and try the products I am recommending. For me, it’s about creating a brand that consumers know and trust—and helping our clients to do the same. Independent direct sellers can work like influencers by staying focused on their knowledge of the brand and products they know and love.”

The Right Person with the Right Message

While the value proposition of including influencers in your marketing mix is undeniable, the best approach to finding the right person is still up for debate. Brands can choose to partner with established influencers who represent more than one brand or look to their field to find distributors with a natural ability on camera and nurture and support their organic growth.

Established influencers come with the benefit of already having created some name recognition within their niche. The best ones truly believe in the brands they represent and want a simple, frictionless way to recommend products they love and earn a simple commission for their efforts. They have no interest in traditional team building and recruitment. Online consumers often feel tremendous loyalty to the influencers they follow. But these influencers are less likely to stay with your brand long term and don’t have the same passion and commitment as a distributor who is solely focused on your products.

Conversely, consultants that are also creating and sharing content online are already a part of your sales force—something about your corporate culture and product line moved them to join your community. So, while they have a smaller social media network initially—given the right chemistry and opportunity—they can grow their fan base exponentially, becoming a nano-influencer for your brand. What approach is best: outside influencer, homegrown or hybrid? There is no one-size-fits-all answer.

Amber Olson Rourke, Co-Founder and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Neora shared, “I believe developing influencers internally is more effective long term. It will take longer. You won’t get as much instant gratification, but they will stay longer and be more invested in the brand than a traditional influencer who is likely to move on to their next brand deal.”

Red Aspen takes a hybrid approach. As Co-Founder and CEO Jesse McKinney explained, “We do both, and we don’t have a preference. We’ve got influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers. They are in a different place in their journey. They’ve done the work. But we love watching newcomers join Red Aspen and build organically. That’s the magic of direct selling—it transforms people, and it is a gift for me personally to witness it happening in real time.”

A Genuine Asset

While there are different philosophies on whether established influencers or developing ones within the field is the best choice, what there is unanimous agreement on is the most important traits and behaviors for an influencer—aspiring or established—to possess: authenticity and consistency.

As Sigari explained, “Being an influencer isn’t just a matter of turning on a camera and making cute videos. It’s important to be yourself because there are so many people on social media who try to portray themselves as someone they aren’t. Yes, you want to be professional and positive, but it’s okay if the world knows you aren’t perfect.”

McKinney expressed the same sentiments. “Authenticity and consistency go hand-in-hand. I encourage people to be as perfect or imperfect as they are in their lives. But it’s equally important that they be consistent and determined to show up every day in one way or another. They have to establish that rhythm. And they have to believe that they are interesting just by being themselves. Authenticity is fascinating, and it’s relatable.”

That echoes the advice Martinez offers to aspiring influencers when they are just starting to build. “One component that is super important is simply being yourself. If distributors step into more of who they are and show that to the world, their tribe will appear. If you are not congruent to who you are to the core, there will be a disconnect that may work in the short term but will not lead to long-term attraction.”

Messaging that Matters

While it’s exciting and trailblazing for companies to allow these influencers to be themselves and create their own content, it also presents some fundamental marketing challenges. Building a brand that consumers love takes time—and a lot of work and money on the part of the company.

Crafting the perfect messaging, packaging and brand standards is not easy. But this kind of brand building matters and adds inherent value to the company that can’t be overlooked. Relinquishing complete control of this hard work to influencers is enough to make any corporate marketing executive squirm. But surprisingly, direct selling brands are finding that it’s ultimately not as important as they thought.

“The brand partner or the influencer really owns the story-telling aspect. How does the product or business impact their life? Why do they like it? What value would it bring to their followers? And they need the freedom to tell that story creatively. It is not going to sound exactly how the brand would tell that story—which is ok because it will resonate with their target market best if it is told authentically by them,” explained Olson. “The brand’s biggest role is to support them by providing the information they need to ensure the content is accurate and within compliance.”

Sigari agreed, “We have to protect our brand, but they also need to control theirs. The best influencer relationships are when our brands align and there’s synchronicity between our ethos and ambitions.”

And McKinney added, “Honestly, we don’t worry about how they represent the brand that much. Whether they are doing home parties, popups or lives, they are telling their story, not ours. We give them the tools they need to do so.”

Those tools can include anything from early access to new products so distributors can create personalized content around it at Red Aspen to the boot camp training videos, live trainings and graphics support offered by Neora.

This level of cooperation and collaboration attracts the right influencers as well. As Novarro shared, “I enjoy working with brands that are realistic and allow me to be creative and use my insight in what we’re working on.”

Martinez explained how much he appreciates the value Prüvit’s corporate team gives his input. “They believe that the best ideas come from the field where the work is being done and from those who are communicating with the consumers on a daily basis. We work with them to create the right promotions, campaigns and new products.”

Focused on Fundamentals

Even with all the benefits of a robust and proactive influencer program, companies must also focus on the key fundamentals that allow the resulting online purchases to be as frictionless as possible for both the affiliates and the customer. It’s important to also prioritize seamless checkout, personalized customer loyalty and referral programs and live shopping opportunities.

But in the end it all comes down to the authenticity of the medium and the messaging. As Novarro said. “Nothing is easier to spot and see through than an influencer who is only representing a product to get paid. I would recommend that direct selling brands seek out influencers who already enjoy your products—or would genuinely like to try them and provide feedback. Seeking out influencers inside and outside of your brand will help you grow your reach and support your salesforce.”

From the March 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Building your Own Unicorn first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Direct selling executives need insight and fresh ideas now more than ever before. In one of the most challenging years in direct selling history, leaders faced continued lockdowns in certain markets, changing consumer behaviors, a tense regulatory environment and lingering supply chain issues.

To provide practical solutions, Direct Selling University enlisted more than 25 of the industry’s leading executives to share unique perspectives and new approaches regarding some of the most complex issues facing the channel today.

We kicked off DSU with the CEO Forum, one of our highest rated events, and had 75 executives in the room representing $43 billion in revenue,” said Stuart Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Selling News, Direct Selling Partners and NOW Tech. “We talked about omnichannel strategies, fighting field fatigue (our industry’s version of quiet quitting), attracting the next generation, industry reputation and the rise of affiliate models in the marketplace.”

Johnson cast vision for attendees, calling them to move beyond customer-centric thinking to becoming customer-obsessed. Following his lead, speakers provided tangible ways to improve customer conversion rates, improve salesforce morale, upgrade training systems, drive revenue and create authentic connection with customers.

“DSU gives leaders the chance to open their minds to a bigger picture,” Johnson said. “This event exists to share knowledge, future trends and success stories that inspire, challenge beliefs and spark change. I’m confident that every executive left the event with at least one game-changing idea or initiative to take back to their teams.”

Addressing Amazon

Amazon. The eCommerce goliath has been the elephant in the room for years, and for the first time, Direct Selling University tackled the challenge head-on. Without shying away from the complexities of the issue, DSU offered multiple opportunities for participants to listen and learn from experts about how to alter their approach to what is arguably the industry’s biggest competitor.

Blake Mallen, Author, President of Prüvit, delivered the most talked about speech of the event, as well as a break-out workshop session that drew more than 150 attendees, discussing his proven Amazon strategy.

“A lot of customers buying on Amazon assume they are buying from the company directly, and when they receive a damaged or expired product, they’ll either blow up the support team with their complaints or—worse—blast Amazon with negative reviews,” Mallen said. “This stuff can cause serious potential long-term damage to our brands. When you share the message that anyone can start today with the same opportunity to change their life, but when there are different prices for different people, it can erode the very heart of what our channel stands for.”

Continuing the event’s conversation about how to become customer-obsessed, Mallen explained the importance of setting an intentional Amazon game plan, telling attendees that winning the Amazon game begins with controlling their brand’s footprint on Amazon.

“This is not the future—this is the present,” Mallen said. “Amazon is a key part of the customer journey today, which means this cannot be ignored. This is something we as a channel need to do not only for our companies—but for our communities—and make the shift our industry really needs.”

Rudy Revak, Founder and Chairman, Xyngular, reminded leaders of the importance of taking care of new distributors and helping the sales force stay persistent and positive.

Shelley Rojas, Chief Brand Officer, Direct Selling News, and Heather Chastain, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bridgehead Collective and Direct Selling News Strategic Advisor, announced a new social community platform for DSN Supporters, as well as a new entry-level of Support, the Advocate, that will enhance the user experience and open up becoming a part of Direct Selling News to many more companies.

Magnus Brännström, President & Chief Executive Officer, Oriflame, focused on the ways the pandemic impacted work trends and how Oriflame reorganized its brand experience structure to improve the product, customer, digital, social selling and employee culture experiences.

Lynne Coté, President and Chief Executive Officer, Princess House, and Laura Beitler, Chief Global Sales Officer, Rodan + Fields, in a conversation with Heather Chastain, discussed the importance of transparency in creating alignment between the home office and the field in the midst of change and challenges.

Dan Macuga, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, USANA, illustrated the power of their “Start Something” campaign and offered a how-to for companies wanting to create similar initiatives that drive customer engagement, loyalty and connection.

Amber Snow, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Amway, shared how executives can make DE&I more than just a buzzword in their companies by facing the fact that people of color make up only 14 percent of direct selling representatives and persuaded leaders to make a commitment to listen, learn and act.

Amanda Tress, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, FASTer Way to Fat Loss, shared the simplicity of her company’s one-tier micro-influencer marketing model, and why she believes it could be a powerful strategy for companies fearing FTC scrutiny and enhanced regulations.

Glenn Sanford, Founder, eXp Realty, Chief Executive Officer, eXp World Holdings and SUCCESS, in an interview with Stuart Johnson, discussed the strategy behind eXp Realty’s hypergrowth and why a focus on agent experience has built a collaborative culture that drives value.

Wayne Moorehead, Marketing and Branding Expert and Host of the Direct Approach Podcast, in an interview with Stuart Johnson, reflected on the hot topics and trends discussed during interviews with leaders from 30 different companies who represent $30 billion in revenue.

Russ Moorehead, Chief Marketing Officer, Nu Skin, exposed five myths direct selling companies often fall prey to, and why the latest shopping trends give direct-to-consumer companies a significant advantage.

Patrick Wright, Chief Executive Officer, AdvoCare, gave a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s 2019 FTC settlement and described how seeing limitations as opportunities has allowed AdvoCare to increase its customer conversion rate by 10x while better serving their affiliates.

Jesse McKinney, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Red Aspen, shared a sneak peek into the company’s 2023 strategy, including four pillars—sustainability, technology initiatives, Tik Tok-style training videos and a new Gen Z-focused product category—all inspired by her experience at DSU Spring 2022.

Nick Martinez, Top Distributor, Prüvit, encouraged industry leaders to embrace distributors who are building influence instead of recruiting and why consistently creating social media content can be the key to unlocking top earner potential.

Noah Westerlund, Executive Vice President, NOW Tech, in a conversation with Wayne Moorehead, discussed the importance of Quick Commerce and long-form landing pages to increase conversion rates.

Michele Gay, Co-Founder & Chairwoman, LimeLife by Alcone, described the toll the pandemic took on women especially, and how the Three Laws of Performance helped her sales field and staff overcome the fixed mindsets and patterns of excuses that two years of living in a socially distanced world had created.

Ben Riley, President, Young Living, reminded participants of the importance of disruption and how direct selling leaders can leverage small-scale innovation and strategic change management to outsmart gig economy competitors.

Brandy Huyser, Director of XS Energy and Next Gen Strategy, Amway/XS, reflected on 20 years of adventure as the XS Energy brand built momentum by upending business-as-usual at Amway, staying focused on the field, controlling the supply chain through local manufacturing and creation and designing a youth-driven culture.

Jason Dorsey, President, Center for Generational Kinetics, Speaker and Researcher, offered a sneak peek at the first-ever generational research study conducted in direct selling that he will be leading for Direct Selling News to uncover how to quickly connect with, build trust and drive influence across generations.

Gina Ghura, Chief Marketing Officer, MONAT, offered advice for building consumer love through relationship building, personalized customer experiences, distinctive product offerings and a compensation plan that rewards customer acquisition and retention.

Rajneesh Chopra, Chief Commercial Officer, Immunotec, shared how the company invested in technology and opened new markets and manufacturing facilities during the pandemic, resulting in tremendous growth that is moving them forward in the midst of a cooling economy.

Garrett McGrath, President, ANMP, talked about the power of tiny gains and how improving by one percent every day in the areas of customer retention, community building and compensation strategies can build unstoppable momentum.

Dana Roefer, Author, Entrepreneur and Direct Selling Strategist, highlighted takeaways from her book Shopping Social and shared how education is crucial for helping consumers understand how social shopping can connect them with products that support their best life.

Darnell Self, Executive Vice President of Network and Business Development, PPLSI, shared his insights as both a field leader and industry executive, shining a light on the undervalued priorities of effective communication and a healthy team culture.

Gordon Hester, General Manager Sales, North America, PM-International AG, explained how culture is the biggest differentiator in business, and why focusing on revenue drivers and profitability can prevent feelings of entitlement and division within the field.

Must-See (In-Person) Events

The energy of this DSU—the first in-person fall version ever held—was inspiring, and the feedback received was overwhelmingly positive—making this Direct Selling University one of the most successful to date.

Planning for the next DSU event in April of 2023 in Frisco, Texas is underway, and the momentum and excitement is already building.

From the December 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post DSU Fall 2022: Lessons for an Evolving channel first appeared on Direct Selling News.

How the Right Amazon Strategy Can Take You From Pain to Profit.

We have an Amazon problem.

I’m not just talking about our online shopping habits or the fact that 20 Amazon boxes show up on our doorsteps each week. Amazon is the third largest search engine in the world and where 63 percent of all product searches start. Let’s be real, if your product is not on Amazon, customers think you’re weird. Amazon is not where the world is going—the world and consumers are already there.

In my 22 years in the industry, I’ve been blessed to have gathered a fairly unique perspective from living on all sides of the direct selling fence. I’ve been a top earner, an owner that went from a scrappy startup to major acquisition, an officer of a public direct selling company, and now president of Prüvit.

I understand launching, hypergrowth, scaling and all the ups and downs in-between. At Prüvit, we’ve been on the leading edge of the customer-centric conversation and have always been heavily invested in the mainstream trends around the world. Through experience, I can tell you that in order to bring relevance to the channel today, Amazon has to be a critical part of our strategy.

You may assume that since you haven’t chosen to sell on Amazon, that your products aren’t available there. If you think that’s true, pause a moment right now and do an Amazon search for your brand name. Odds are, someone is using your brand reputation and image to sell products without your permission.

If you’re a product-based company, you can either choose to sell on Amazon or unauthorized sellers will do it for you.

The Dangers of Letting Amazon Run Wild

Imagine being a new distributor, excited to launch your business. You’ve finally worked up the nerve to talk to your first prospect and, when you tell them about your great product, the first thing that customer does is what everyone will do: they either will go to Amazon directly, or stop by Google, where it’s almost certain that one of the first listings that pops up for your product will be…Amazon. So, what happens if the product on Amazon is cheaper than the price you, a new distributor, can sell it to them?

This is what happens when we don’t pay attention to Amazon. In that scenario, you’ll not only lose the customer relationship, you’ll also lose the morale of that brand new distributor and all of their potential growth. And, on their way out, they’re probably going to complain to their upline, who will complain to their upline and now you have a telephone game of complaints and a support team who is dealing with issues out of their control.

And the complaints won’t stop there because you can’t regulate the quality of products sold this way. You don’t know what claims are being made on the product descriptions, how long it’s been in a hot garage, what the expiration date is or what the packaging looks like when it arrives on the customer’s doorstep. All of this does serious damage to the brand. At the end of the day, an uncontrolled Amazon model violates the integrity of the business model and upends what is supposed to be a fair opportunity for everyone.

Defense and Offense

Winning the Amazon game begins by owning and protecting your brand on Amazon. Start by setting up your Amazon store and brand registry so that you have the ability to remove all unauthorized sellers. Amazon makes it easy to hide behind seller names, and many times it’s the same person with multiple accounts.

Trying to deal with these ghosts merely through a company compliance process is extremely difficult, which is why an Amazon brand registry strategy is a welcomed solution. Over time, your company will own the Buy Box, control the price and ensure that all Amazon imagery matches your marketing. Don’t try to shortcut this by setting up a brand registry without selling any products. Amazon wants the sales, and this won’t work long term.

Next, tackle pricing. I’ve seen brands make the mistake of competing with themselves by matching or dropping their prices on Amazon. At Prüvit, we don’t match the price; we raise the price. Our Amazon price is always higher than what distributors sell the product for, which guarantees our distributors always have a better hookup than Amazon. Why would someone go to Amazon and pay more money if they already have a relationship with a distributor who can give them a better deal? We have chosen this channel because we believe in creating and growing entrepreneurs. Give your community the advantage.

There is good news with Amazon. Having a controlled footprint on the most trusted third-party website on the internet lends unique credibility. Ratings and reviews are what customers trust today, so even if they’re not buying on Amazon, a managed presence there is elevating the brand for everyone. Amazon’s search traffic can also organically drive incremental sales with a very high profit margin, so find an expert who knows Amazon’s platform and leverage their advertising options in order to scale. Don’t forget to play offense and defense here as well through strategic keyword selection.

Three Plays to Consider

There are three ways to build an Amazon strategy, and I’ve tried all of them.

1 / Find a wholesale distributor.

This is someone in the field who is already successfully selling on Amazon or has the expertise to take it on. Generally, this takes place through a wholesale agreement. The benefit to this is that it’s hands off—you get the revenue and don’t have to think about it, you limit other sellers and protect your pricing. In my experience, however, because you don’t control the inventory, have no visibility into what’s happening and they often cut corners, this method can leave the brand vulnerable in ways you don’t intend.

2 / Do it yourself.

You can leverage your internal marketing team for design, but building the expertise in-house also means hiring talent that understands both Amazon and the nuances of your company compliance. This can be difficult to find, and building a small, dedicated team will likely be more expensive, time consuming and have a longer learning curve than seeking outside expertise.

3 / Engage an expert.

After learning from the first two options, I now prefer to work closely with an agency that specializes in the direct selling channel to run our Amazon strategy. This allows us to have full visibility and control while staying fairly hands-off on the day-to-day. The sales it generates pays for itself, while allowing us to actualize all of the benefits of protecting our community and elevating our brand. It’s become a real win-win for the company and our community.

How to Win

I’m a firm believer that intention matters—so it’s important to have strong understanding and belief in why you are making a decision to incorporate an Amazon strategy and how it will really help both the company and community. The benefits are clear, so successful implementation really comes down to leading with education, transparency and communication.

You may run into some pushback from the field if some of your distributors are already using Amazon to become super sellers without realizing that they’re degrading the brand in order to advance themselves. But our role as leaders is to do what’s right for our communities and companies long term, and that means protecting the brand and maintaining equal opportunity for distributors.

Start with the top leaders and educate the field on how this new strategy protects their businesses. As it begins to pay off, provide an upside for distributors through a revenue pool, bonus, incentive trip or some sort of additional recognition or reward. This helps create alignment with the company and the community.

It’s easy to understand the value of additional revenue, but I would say that the strategic benefits of Amazon—the brand protection, quality control and increased visibility and credibility—are even more valuable to the company long term than the potential financial benefits.

The world has shifted. We are in the business of teaching people how to shift paradigms, and that begins with a shift in our own thinking. We can’t get stuck in old paradigms because omnichannel visions are not the future—they’re the present. This is the way the Amazon game is played, and—if you want to win—you must control it.

Blake Mallen, President of Prüvit, is a billion-dollar brand builder and community marketing expert. With over two decades of field, ownership and executive experience in the direct selling industry, Blake offers a unique combination of wisdom and innovation that has helped him turn ideas into iconic healthy lifestyle brands.

Three industry leaders share their experience tackling AMAZON—the eCommerce Goliath

By Sarah Paulk

It’s likely that every direct selling executive has been in a meeting when someone has asked, “What are we going to do about Amazon?”

Amazon, with its sprawling marketplace, free shipping and trusted third-party reviews, is radically altering the direct selling landscape. Unauthorized sellers list products for less than the retail price and shoppers flock to it as a search engine to discover their new favorite products. In the process, distributors and the business model in general are losing out.

“What good is a wholesale price that you’re offering to all of your affiliates or preferred customers, if there really is no retail price?” shared Danny Lee, 4Life President and Chief Executive Officer. “If it’s just window dressing and no one ever buys at that price, then it really has no meaning at all. That can’t be a long-term strategy for any company, but especially in our industry where we are relying upon this sales force that works with friends and family on a one-on-one basis.”

Unauthorized and Anonymous

For years, the direct selling industry has stepped up compliance and put safeguards in place to prevent inventory loading or large purchases of products by one person rather than real, individual customers. But Amazon has fed this activity through its powerful privacy protections for sellers and customers alike, making offloading products easy and anonymous.

Under cover of anonymity, distributors can leverage Amazon to engage in “garage qualifying”—the process of using a wholesale discount to buy in bulk and make rank—by setting up multiple shell storefronts under fake names and sell surplus products at a price that is deeply discounted from retail.

This is not only a legal issue, but one that inflicts damage on all parties: Distributors lose sales, companies endure brand damage and customers miss out on product support and affiliate relationships. Effectively combating this endless supply of anonymous sellers means companies must fully own and build their brand presence on Amazon.

“By having a presence on Amazon, we become the ‘authorized seller’ and therefore we can protect our brand from the host of unauthorized sellers who plague many direct sales companies,” said Roger Morgan, pawTREE Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “We control our prices on Amazon, and we are committed to selling our products on Amazon at higher prices than we do on our petPros’ websites.”

The Amazon Learning Curve

A managed presence on Amazon is ideal, but not simple. Advertising, compliance and uncovering the best ways to drive traffic on the platform requires an experienced team—something that is not always easy to find. Combine that with high-end products and the nuanced direct selling business model and that search for knowledgeable talent becomes even more trying.

“If you have your brand registered and trademarked, it’s not hard to set up, but it is what you do afterwards that is challenging,” said Gaya Samarasingha, Kalaia Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “I just engaged our third agency in a short period of time. It’s another whole business, and there is a learning curve.”

Kalaia, which was featured on Amazon during Small Business Prime Day, originally turned to Amazon as a way to enhance new customer acquisition and increase visibility. The company still maintains Amazon as an important part of its sales strategy, but Samarasingha has adjusted her expectations of what the platform will provide for her company.

“Would I call us a success on Amazon? No, we are still a small fish in a humongous ocean, trying to navigate and learn as we go,” Samarasingha said. “We will maintain a presence on Amazon to be able to control our brand and make sure no one else comes in and starts selling our products on it, but it may become less of a priority for us.”

Resource vs. Rival

Amazon can either be a resource or it can be a rival. When companies protect their brand presence on Amazon, the platform becomes a place where customers can find complete product descriptions, unbiased reviews and beautiful product images that serve to only elevate the brand and the industry as a whole. If they see all of this and a higher price, it strengthens their relationship with the distributor who referred them to the product in the first place, protecting the distributor’s business opportunity and the integrity of the model overall.

“The question is, are you going to just be passive, stick your head in the sand and just hope for the best?” Lee said. “Or are you going to run to those theaters of war, if you will, and establish and protect your brand and prices?”

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the BuyBox?
   The Amazon BuyBox is the “Add to Cart” button on Amazon. If you have multiple sellers of an item, the store that gets the sale or gets the BuyBox will rotate based on Amazon Metrics.
2. How do you “Win the BuyBox”?
   The primary metrics that Amazon looks at are who has the lowest price and who is in Amazon FBA. The best way to ensure that you are winning the BuyBox and getting the sale is to ensure that you are the only seller for your brand.
3. What is the difference between Amazon FBA and FBM?
   Amazon FBM is “Fulfilled by Merchant.” This means that when a customer orders, the brand owner is required to pick/pack/ship that product to the customer.
   Amazon FBA is “Fulfilled by Amazon.” This means that when a customer orders, Amazon will pick/pack/ship that product from an Amazon facility.
4. Why is it important to do Amazon FBA?
   Amazon rewards FBA sellers, and it is often a more cost-effective model. Having your products in FBA allows for Prime and Amazon’s quick shipping. It also allows the brand to take advantage of Amazon’s shipping rates and customer service team.
5. What is the difference between Amazon Seller Central and Amazon Vendor Central?
   Amazon Seller Central is the most popular model. In this model, the brand owns the inventory and is paid for it when it sells. The brand has the most control with this model.
   Amazon Vendor Central is when the brand sells it directly to Amazon, and Amazon has control of pricing, etc. 
6. Why is our product not the first one that comes up when we search our brand? 
   This is typically due to other brands advertising and winning the paid advertising space on Amazon. You can control this by running a small amount of defensive advertising. 
7. What is an ASIN, Storefront, Seller Account and A+ Content?
   ASIN is Amazon’s internal identifier code. Similar to a UPC, but specific to the Amazon platform.
   Storefront is a landing page that allows a brand to provide marketing for all of its products.
   Seller Account is the account that is selling the product—the account that owns the inventory and receives the payments from Amazon.
   A+ Content is additional marketing space below the product listing. It is a great opportunity to provide additional brand education to your customers.
8. What is a Sponsorship Guarantee?
   A Sponsorship Guarantee ensures that the brand will provide credit to a distributor if that distributor can prove they lost a customer to Amazon.
9. Does Amazon regulate what you can ask customers and what you can send them?
   Yes. Amazon has very specific rules around how you are allowed to communicate with customers. 
10. What is the average percentage of product returns?
    In the direct sales space, the average return rate on Amazon is under one percent.
11. Do you recommend using the Amazon Transparency Program?
    No. This program has very specific guidelines for how it is applied. Using it incorrectly will put your brand and trademark status with Amazon at high risk. 
12. Do you recommend utilizing the Amazon Subscribe & Save Program?
    Yes. The Amazon Subscribe & Save Program has a great adoption and retention rate. 
13. How do you decide what product you want to sell on Amazon?
    Start with your top selling items and over time expanding to offer your full assortment. Having all your products available from a marketing perspective is important but not necessary Day One. 
14. How do you decide how to price your products on Amazon?
    Price your product 5-15 percent above retail, so that you are not competing with the field for sales. 
15. Who manages the customer service side of Amazon?
    Your agency partner should manage all Amazon customer service and use company guidelines to respond to Amazon customers with the correct information. 
16. Is Amazon good for brand visibility?
    Yes. Amazon is an amazing marketing tool. Aside from the sales opportunity, it is important that your brand have a presence on Amazon to continue to gain exposure. 
17. How long does it take to set up an Amazon account and start selling product?
    When done properly, set up of a new Amazon account can take 7-14 days. You can start selling product with Amazon FBA within 21 days. 
18. How long does it take to clean up an Amazon account and become the only authorized seller?
    This depends on the partner or company that is supporting with this activity. Done correctly, Amazon clean up should take no longer than 90 days.
19. How much work is needed by the Brand Owner in order to launch or clean up Amazon?
    This depends on the partner or company that is supporting the launch. When using the right partner, the Brand Owner only needs to provide images, content and basic product information.        

From the November 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Cracking the Amazon Code first appeared on Direct Selling News.

After a multi-year hiatus, Direct Selling University was back in-person at the Omni Hotel in Frisco, Texas, infused with more energy and excitement than ever before. The educational and networking opportunity, which has been held virtually during the pandemic, offered experience-based, high-impact insight into everything from improving communication and onboarding practices to the importance of sustainability and diversity.

“Being back in person for the first time in three years was incredibly energizing,” said Shelley Rojas, Publisher and Chief Brand Officer for Direct Selling News. “The human connectivity and interaction reuniting with our in-person attendees was inspiring and a lot of fun.”

Headlining the event was Jason Dorsey, author, speaker, researcher and President of The Center for Generational Kinetics, who shared an extensive data-backed look at the generational trends in consumer purchasing, recruitment, communication and engagement. His keynote address inspired an enthusiastic conversation among attendees about how companies can leverage their culture, technology, digital footprint, messaging tactics and customer service strategies to successfully reach even more people.

“It’s always important to have outside, expert perspectives to help everyone learn, grow, stretch and evolve individually and as a channel,” Rojas said. “Jason’s insights and research on generational trends are fascinating.”

Technology was by far the most discussed category among the generational divides, with Dorsey highlighting how each age group interacts with online platforms in unique ways. By honoring every generational segment within the industry, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, and acknowledging their separate needs and preferences, Dorsey illustrated how the channel has the opportunity to become not only more relevant, but more effective as well.

“Direct selling has and will always be a people business,” Rojas said. “The more companies focus on how to understand and embrace people from every generation for their strengths and communication styles combined with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in their decision making and culture building, we believe significant shifts and evolution can happen.”

Edify and Inform

This year’s lineup featured more than 30 speakers from top performing direct selling brands, rising stars within the industry, marketing experts and innovators, with thought leaders and top executives from companies around the world gathered to network, learn and share insights throughout the two-day event.

“At DSN, we strive to edify, inform and educate the channel and the executives that lead it,” said Stuart Johnson, Direct Selling News Founder and CEO. “Direct Selling University serves as a strong foundation for that goal by bringing together some of the channel’s most prominent executives, champions and thought leaders. We create an open, transparent environment that’s designed to foster the sharing of ideas and best practices for the betterment of direct selling as a whole.”

Carrying that mission beyond the event, Direct Selling News also shared its new opportunities for connection, through the DSN VIP Community, a fully customizable text messaging platform that sends news alerts based on user preferences, and the DSN Membership Program, which provides exclusive training and educational opportunities to keep corporate staff members one step ahead with the most important trends and breaking news.

“We’re in the midst of a strategic renaissance here at Direct Selling News and are eagerly looking for ways to share practical solutions to common challenges with the executives who are leading the future of this channel,” Rojas said.

Jason Dorsey, Author, Speaker and President of The Center for Generational Kinetics, brought decades’ worth of data to the stage, sharing the generational angles that no one is talking about and how paying attention to the differences in these segments can help companies future-proof their businesses.

Stuart Johnson, CEO, Direct Selling News, Direct Selling Partners & NOW Technologies, pointed out how the pandemic accelerated trends that were already in motion within the industry and how the channel can use sampling and referrals to capitalize on that customer-centric momentum.

Rolf Sorg, Founder & CEO, PM-International, illustrated how he used solution-oriented thinking to find opportunity within the challenges of the past year to exceed $2 billion in sales.

Sarah Shadonix, Founder & CEO, Scout & Cellar, shared some of her young company’s biggest mistakes and how learning from previous fumbles can help leaders build better businesses.

Brian Underwood, Co-Founder & CEO, Prüvit, and Terry Lacore, Founder & CEO, Lacore Enterprises, in a Q&A panel with Wayne Moorehead, Host of The Direct Approach Podcast, explained how their innovative partnership with Sunbasket is driving consumer engagement while building cost-effective and simple onramps for complicated products that develop loyal customers.

John Parker, West Region President and Chief Sales Officer, Amway; Mark Pentecost, Founder & Chairman, It Works!; and Tarl Robinson, Founder & CEO, Plexus Worldwide, participated in a panel led by Stuart Johnson, and shared why investing in growth amid incredible momentum is critical; offered an inside look at Amway’s approach to sustaining an entrepreneurial culture while leading one of the most well-known brands in America; and how to embrace every phase of a company’s growth.

Ami Perry and Noah Westerlund of NOW Technologies leveraged their data analytics to illustrate how to improve adoption of digital platforms and increase recruitment and retention numbers.

Russ Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer, Xyngular, taught a Personal Development 101 course on stage, sharing how to involve distributors through quick, digital engagements while monitoring perceived value.

Shelley Rojas, Publisher and Chief Brand Officer, Direct Selling News, shared the many free resources available to direct selling executives to connect with breaking news, inspiring stories and education to find answers to everyday leadership challenges through DSN’s VIP community and vast masterclass archives with the DSN Membership Program.

Mike Lohner, President and Chief Financial Officer, Direct Selling Acquisition Corporation, provided an update on the first special purpose acquisition company entirely focused on the direct selling channel and traded on the New York Stock Exchange, including its overwhelmingly positive reception on the market that resulted in raising $230 million.

Kelly Bellerose, Senior Vice President, 4Life, used data from recent studies to explain how vital imagery is for brand communications and why cohesion through consistency, familiarity and repetition can form a brand language that draws in customers in a way that text alone never could.

Debbie Bolton, Co-Founder, Norwex, told the story of how she switched her mindset from a perspective of building a dynasty to creating a legacy, and how leading with the future in mind has helped her company stay relevant.

Daniel Picou, Founder and CEO, Vasayo, discussed lessons learned during international expansion into China, and how to build a sustainable business through steady growth built on customer loyalty and a flexible leadership team.

Kindra Hall, Author, Speaker and Storytelling Expert, explained why the stories we tell ourselves can limit our success, and offered an action plan for transforming the lives of potential superstar leaders by teaching them how to change their own storytelling.

Jesse McKinney, Amanda Moore, Genie Reese, Co-Founders, Red Aspen, interviewed by Heather Chastain, Founder & CEO, Bridgehead Collective and new Strategic Advisor at DSN, shared how they drive engagement through constantly refreshing their product offerings and why sharing all of their marketing assets and training materials publicly has decreased skepticism.

Kevin Guest, Chairman & CEO, USANA, talked about how 30 years of successful business has illustrated the importance of focusing on active customer counts rather than revenue to maintain the overall growth and long-term sustainability of a company.

Sinan Tuna, CEO North America, Farmasi, shared his perspective as a Gen Z leader and how his company has crafted a winning expansion strategy by being nimble, responsive and fast moving.

Wayne Moorehead, Marketing, Brand Strategy & Direct-to-Consumer Industry Expert and Host of The Direct Approach podcast, discussed the changing competitive landscapes direct sellers operate in and how companies can deliver a timely, relevant message across a growing array of customer touchpoints.

Katy Holt-Larsen, President and CEO, Kyäni, talked about how to take the industry to the next level by fighting back against “business as usual” and casting a resilient vision.

Stuart MacMillan, President, MONAT, pointed out the uniqueness of the channel and how an unwavering commitment to acquiring and satisfying customers is the best engine for growth and an effective defense against an ever-changing regulatory environment.

Crayton Webb, Founder & CEO, Sunwest Communications, shared lessons from pop culture about crisis preparedness and how quick, clear communication can prevent damage to a brand’s reputation.

Kirsten Aguilar, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing and SeneCare, SeneGence, shared how they have leveraged a collaboration with distributors who have massive social media followings to promote products in a budget-friendly, viral way.

Paul Adams, Founder & CEO, Adams Resource Group, offered a blueprint for how to create, own and defend your company culture.

Deborah K. Heisz, Co-CEO, Neora, explained the importance of leading rather than reacting in a crisis and shared the key components of their success amid a lengthy battle with the FTC.

Heather Chastain, Founder & CEO, Bridgehead Collective, encouraged leaders to manage field expectations through realistic stories and thoughtful transparency to help them reach their goals.

Kindsey Pentecost, Chief Marketing Officer, It Works!, shared how authenticity, caring for their corporate team as well as the field, being willing to fail, and aligning their culture with their brand accelerated their growth and gave them a competitive advantage.

Don Thompson, President, LegalShield, discussed the challenges of being an established subscription-based service company with aging field leadership and their innovative solutions that honor these legacies while infusing energy into new recruits.

John Addison, Chief Executive Officer, Addison Leadership Group, called people to take charge of their thoughts and attitudes to cultivate a better life and become a person that people want to follow.

From the June 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Direct Selling University 2022 first appeared on Direct Selling News.

While the core of the direct selling industry will always be the field of independent sales and marketing distributors, leveraging traditional marketing channels can still be effective ways to build a brand, increase name recognition, foster community partnerships and generate excitement and engagement throughout distributor field. These four traditional marketing channels aren’t meant to replace digital trends, and some are compatible with digital platforms.

1/ Build the Brand with Billboards

Billboards? What is this, the ’50s? The way billboards are used today can still resemble outdoor advertising of decades past, but evolving technologies allow this once-old strategy to match today’s customer experience. According to WARC Data’s Global Ad Trends for 2021, global outdoor ad spending rose by 25.8 percent in the second quarter of 2021, which was the strongest growth recorded since 2016.

Out-of-home advertising (OOH) broadly encompasses channels such as billboards, car and building wraps, kiosks, public transit placement and many others. Statista reports that billboards have the highest reach amongst OOH advertising types in the U.S. In 2020, there was a total 343,106 billboards in the U.S., and grew to almost 351,000 in 2021. Statista also projected that OOH advertising would hit $10.7 billion by the end of 2021.

“The 24/7 exposure and the inability to be ‘turned off’ similarly to an online ad makes [billboards] incredibly useful,” states BMediaGroup. “It continues to be an effective way of spreading brand awareness to a large public and reaching new audiences in a short amount of time.”

Digital billboards have changed the game. Large text with a captivating image were the norm for traditional billboards. Digital offers bright colors, high-resolution and animated graphics and sometimes even sound. The ability to run several ads on the same screen has driven down cost. Many billboard messages seek to drive people online or encourage them to use hashtags. This continues the experience and encourages interaction.

QR codes have made a massive comeback, especially with smartphones and tablets now having built-in QR readers. It’s another terrific way to create engagement and customer interaction. BMediaGroup predicts some billboards in the near future will have cameras to maximize interaction. The rise of augmented reality could continue to evolve the effectiveness and creativity of billboard marketing.

Le-Vel has utilized billboards several times to promote the THRIVE lifestyle and products. The goal was to build the brand, pique curiosity and generate activity. Distributors were encouraged to take pictures of billboards and post photos on social media with the hashtag #LVBillboardBlitz and came with the opportunity to win free products. Prüvit held a scavenger hunt for its “BETTER Weekend” celebration in Times Square that featured video messages on multiple digital boards in the famous high-traffic area.

2/ Sports Team and Athlete Sponsorships

Team and athlete sponsorships or endorsement deals have been around for a long time. NASCAR lives off it. Many elite athletes earn more income from sponsorships than from their contracted salaries. Sponsoring a sports team doesn’t just involve putting a logo on an outfield wall of a baseball field. Sponsoring a giveaway, owning a suite in a stadium, sponsoring a special contest during a game or even getting products inside a stadium are all possibilities. And it doesn’t have to be on a huge scale. Partnering with local college or minor league teams can help build your brand.

Vida Divina, a wellness direct selling company based in California, is a sponsor of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. The local community aspect of the partnership is a great tie-in. The company has sponsored bobblehead nights as a gift to fans.

Athletes have become social media influencers, leveraging their loyal followers to promote brands and products they trust. Younger people tend to associate themselves with individual athletes more than teams. Changes to collegiate NIL (name, image and likeness) rules and state laws open the door for partnerships with current college athletes. Some top-tier college athletes are earning more than $1 million per year in sponsorship or ambassador deals, many with major national brands.

E-sports has emerged as a major player on the digital scene. Sponsored teams and entire leagues have generated tens of millions in prize money. “The next generation of consumers see E-sports as part of their daily lives,” says an article from Hatch Communications. “They grew up with gaming omnipresent on their phones, tablets and consoles and therefore are easily accessible to brands via channels not traditionally seen as an area for sponsorship.”

3/ Print Materials for Effective Take-home

While digital communication has dominated direct sales promotion trends in audience-building, marketing and even recruiting, print marketing materials can still be effective. Promotional cards or flyers, brochures, step-by-step product instruction cards and magazines can be hyper-focused take-home tools. Being physical, they don’t turn off or end like some digital content that can be difficult to access after the first exposure. Marketing research institute Marketing Sherpa says that 82 percent of internet users in the United States trust print advertising more than digital marketing.

Print marketing doesn’t burden audiences with multiple messages and information all at once, which can be a downfall of digital channels. With in-person presentations, meetings and conventions returning after a hiatus during the COVID pandemic, print marketing is making a comeback. Materials can integrate with digital, driving people online to targeted videos, enrollment pages or to request product samples.

Current print technologies such as spot UV, foiling, embossing and debossing can create a unique experience for targeted audiences. Including print marketing with product shipments can encourage re-orders, auto-shipments and help distributors increase retention. They can offer value-added info such as product recipes, health tips and promote current contests or special deals.

4/ Long-form Content

Short video clips such as Instagram Reels, TikTok videos and Facebook Stories are perhaps the hottest effective digital marketing trend. While they are a fun and creative way to build audiences, long-form content is still effective. Some of the most popular podcasts in the world have episodes that last more than an hour. In late 2021, Medium.com found that the average length of a podcast episode was 38 minutes and 10 seconds. The average length of a YouTube video is more than 11 minutes. Hubspot reports that the ideal length of a blog post for 2022 is 2,100 words.

Longer-form content allows brands to connect more with audiences and build stronger relationships. Some direct selling companies are combining weekly (or even daily) training sessions with storytelling, testimonials and distributor experiences to create a talk show-like experience that members tune in to and interact with. This can also be a terrific opportunity to pull the curtain back on the innerworkings of the corporate team and product development.

Quality and unique ingredients are hallmarks of the direct selling industry. It can be easy to slip into the complicated science and formulation when it comes to marketing products. Incorporating third-party doctors and nutritionists can provide terrific information—especially on longer live video chats—but can overwhelm audiences. Even in such cases, focusing on what the products do and the results they offer tend to connect more with the audience.

From the May 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Lessons Learned from Old School Marketing first appeared on Direct Selling News.

WE ALL KNOW IT—EVEN IF WE DON’T TALK ABOUT IT VERY MUCH. There’s a lingering negative perception about direct selling. The idea that people buy direct selling products because they want to help out their niece, encourage a neighbor or maybe just support a friend’s entrepreneurial dreams.

Unfortunately, this stigma is something the channel has earned over the years. In the past, the key elements of customer-driven, crave-worthy products simply weren’t a priority for some companies in the channel. Efficacy was an afterthought. Exclusivity didn’t matter much. And strategic omnichannel marketing campaigns weren’t even topics of discussion.

Thankfully, direct sellers have made impressive strides in recent years, and some companies are truly changing the narrative by taking ownership and course correcting toward more customer centricity, better efficacy and next-level customer experience initiatives.

Slowly, surely and with intention and purpose, direct selling companies are earning their spots as true “category kings.”

Slowly, surely and with intention and purpose, direct selling companies are earning their spots as true category kings, winning the war on customer loyalty and market share in many retail categories. So…who are the companies that have earned their rightful spot alongside more traditional, upper-echelon retail brands? What sets them apart? And how are they competing and winning against brands with more traditional retail business models?

The companies earning this designation take a holistic, comprehensive approach to improving their brand’s reach, their customers’ experience and their overall reputation. They are focusing on exclusive products and proprietary ingredients; quality sourcing; in-depth research and development; and innovative approaches to social selling. They are effectively flipping the script on outdated perceptions about the channel, the products it produces and the overall customer experience.

Another important commonality is the size of these companies; many of them reached at least $1 billion in annual revenue in 2021 and have an impressive global footprint. Is being a global billion dollar company required to be a category king? No. But name recognition, proprietary ingredients and science, overall sales and longevity all are important parts of the equation.

Ben Riley, Acting President of Young Living, shared the impact of their global presence. “In the past two years, we have shipped nearly 37.5 million orders across 141 unique countries and have positively impacted billions of lives around the world. Each year we strive to create meaningful impact globally while building our portfolio of health and wellness products.”

Products to Be Proud Of

The main driver of the renewal and renaissance direct selling companies are experiencing is the increased legitimacy of the products that they offer. The top companies are going “all-in” on product efficacy and innovation, crafting comprehensive yet focused product assortments.

This intense focus on improving the efficacy of these products has taken many forms. From enhanced research and development to the use of patented exclusive formulations and proprietary ingredients to careful sourcing of pure, rare, natural ingredients to a combination of all three, these are products customers actively seek out and truly believe in.

According to Elana Gold, Chief Marketing Officer at Rodan + Fields, “We have a world-class laboratory where our team of scientists work together to develop breakthrough products. And we tap into a global network of scientists to scour the earth for the right ingredients and technologies. This ensures everything we create is based on proven science and clinically validated.”

Healthy Products = Healthy Sales

Health and wellness in general, and supplements in particular, have long been standouts in the direct selling space. So, it should come as no surprise that several category kings comfortably occupy this market.

The legacy brand Nutrilite accounts for over half of Amway’s sales and continues to grow. Euromonitor ranked Nutrilite as the world’s number one vitamin and dietary supplement brand in 2020. Amway’s Chief Marketing Officer François Renard, shares that Nutrilite’s overall philosophy is simple: plant, grow, thrive.

“From the 6,000 acres of certified organic Amway-owned farms as well as botanicals sourced from partner farms located on every continent except Antarctica, Nutrilite is commited to bringing the earth’s finest nutrients and health and wellness solutions to customers around the world. We extract the best from nature to provide vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements designed to fill nutritional gaps in our customers’ diets.”

The main driver of the renewal and renaissance direct selling companies are experiencing is the increased legitimacy of the products that they offer.

Another health and wellness company dominating in their category is Prüvit. Prüvit owns nine patents in the ketones space and is the largest distributor of exogenous ketones in the world. Their flagship product, KETO/OS NAT is the world’s preeminent pure therapeutic ketone.

But Prüvit is looking to go beyond supplements to become a more comprehensive part of their customers’ health regimen. They are achieving this by addressing evolving customer preferences head on.

As Co-Founder and CEO Brian Underwood explained, “We recently launched into the food delivery category with Prüvit Meals and Snacks. So regardless of diet, whether the customer is full keto, carb conscious, Paleo, Mediterranean or something else, there is a plan that will work for them.” This innovative approach allows Prüvit to seamlessly provide more offerings, convenience and solutions to their customers’ lives.

Another company making a strong impression in the health and wellness space is Herbalife. The global nutrition company was named “The World’s Number One Health Shake” and “The Number One Brand in Active and Life Style Nutrition” by Euromonitor. The company also retains its top rank in the world in four other Euromonitor categories, including weight management and wellbeing; weight management; meal replacements; and meal replacement and protein supplements combined.

Building Better Beauty Brands

Retail beauty brands have long set the standard for global dominance with powerhouse conglomerates owning significant chunks of market share. But there are several direct selling beauty brands that have carved out impressive niches for themselves based on longevity, name recognition and customer loyalty.

There are several direct selling beauty brands that have carved out impressive niches for themselves based on longevity, name recognition and customer loyalty.

One such brand is Artistry from Amway. This comprehensive line of skincare, cosmetics, fragrance and bodycare relies heavily on its research and development efforts to promote the brand’s efficacy. Botanicals, ongoing research and personalization options give the brand a unique, compelling story for consumers to respond to and engage with.

Artistry has scanned and analyzed over 32,000 faces from all over the world to truly identify the skin concerns and needs of all people. The products are clean, vegan and backed by traceable proof that the products are pure and the formulas safe and effective.

“We pride ourselves in using the latest cutting-edge research paired with plant-based nutrients in our skincare and makeup solutions,” said Renard. “We know where products come from and how they are made. We obsess over quality, relentlessly checking at every step from raw ingredients to finished product.”

Perhaps no other name is more synonymous with direct selling and beauty than Mary Kay. The company will mark its 60th anniversary next year and has been known for innovative high-quality products since its launch in 1963.

The company reports that they see remarkable loyalty across their skincare, bodycare and color cosmetics lines. The company equips its sales force with cutting edge products and tools and a flexible business opportunity that fits a variety of lifestyles. Best-selling products include their TimeWise skincare line, Ultimate Mascara and Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover, and they continue to enhance their line with regular product launches across all categories.

Nathan Moore, President of Global Sales and Marketing at Mary Kay attributes their longevity and reach to trust. “People know they can trust us. Trust our products; trust our opportunity; trust our commitment to safety and research and to giving back. And with that trust we feel a true and deep responsibility. Our legacy guides us and we continue to be creative, innovative and disruptive.”

Premium Beauty

Cosmetics isn’t the only beauty category that direct selling shines in. Both MONAT and Rodan + Fields have achieved remarkable dominance as premium haircare and skincare brands respectively. And “premium” is an important distinction for each. Euromonitor has recognized both companies as leaders in these categories.

“We have always benchmarked our products alongside other professional and salon brands. This means innovative ingredients and formulas and a high attention to quality,” shared Stuart MacMillan, President of MONAT. “When we launched, no one was talking about anti-aging for the hair—and certainly not in the direct selling space. Most people that come to us have seen the effects of aging on their hair: pollutants, bleaching, coloring and excessive heat. Our products not only help with those challenges but also help create a healthy scalp environment.”

MONAT’s hero product, Rejuveniqe Oil is by far their best seller. In fact, 2.3 bottles of Rejuveniqe are purchased every minute around the globe. And it often serves as a gateway product for MONAT’s typical customer (their largest demographic is women ages 25-35) who then choose to adopt the company’s shampoos and conditioners into their daily beauty routine.

Rodan + Field’s hero product line is Regimens, and over the last 5 years, Rodan + Fields has, on average, sold a Regimen every four minutes. Gold attributes this to providing innovation that truly works and delivers visible results. Regimens address core skin conditions and reflect a large percentage of the company’s sales. The line features ground-breaking technology and serves as the centerpiece of the brand, addressing primary skin concerns such as aging, dullness and discoloration, dryness and sensitivity and acne.

“Innnovation is in our DNA and is at the core of everything we do,” shared Gold, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our goal is always to make the most clinically efficacious formulas we can. Each and every step of skincare from cleansing to renewal to hydration to targeted treatments and environmental protection is optimized for peak performance.”

Happy at Home

The concept of your home being a haven has never been more relevant than it has been the past two years. As the world shut down and billions around the globe stayed inside their homes, they looked for ways to make that space cozier, healthier and happier—a true respite from the harsh realities found outside their front door. Enter direct selling companies like Young Living and Scentsy—two billion-dollar companies perfectly poised to provide the products people were looking for in this unique moment in time.

Young Living, a pioneer in the field of essential oils for nearly 30 years, shared that one of their top-selling “hero” products in essential oils is their Thieves home line. This line strongly resonates with their key demographic of mothers 25-45 looking to improve the health and wellbeing of their families without harsh chemicals.

With products in the line ranging from waterless hand sanitizer, household cleaner, toothpaste and laundry soap, the Thieves essential oil blend finds its way into practically every room of customers’ homes. As Lyndi Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at Young Living shared, “Customers and distributors alike enjoy the warm spicy scent and many benefits of Thieves throughout their home, and with the Thieves home line, they can have it.”

Scentsy has also become a category king, specifically in home fragrance. While Scentsy’s customers come from all walks of life, their biggest target market is moms with small children. “They’re drawn to Scentsy because of our unique, exclusive fragrances and superior quality products,” explained Lacy Hanson, Vice President of Consultant Sales and Product Development. “We develop such a wide range of fragrance products—from home fragrance to cleaning products to scented products for children and pets—that there is sure to be something for everyone.”

Despite competition in the market, various studies continue to place Scentsy wickless candles at the top of customer-preferred brands. Hanson attributed that primarily to three key differentiators: high quality products, the variety and complexity of the fragrance offerings and a wide range of hard-good product designs to appeal to all styles of home décor.

The Ultimate Differentiator

A not-to-be-overlooked component of the emergence of direct selling brands is the undeniable power of a passionate, motivated distributor base. Their advocacy for the products and organic product recommendations—increasingly achieved through social media—have tremendous power to grow a brand’s reach and influence. As brands continue to use social media and influencers to bring new customers into the fold, the most successful brands craft a cohesive, intuitive customer experience.

It’s certainly true at Scentsy. “Our primary competition is in the retail sector due to the immediate access to the product after purchase, as well as the ability to smell and experience the products in person before purchasing,” explained Hansen. “However, the relationships our Consultants build with their customers continue to ultimately win the purchase every time. Scentsy Consultants offer personalization and customization to a shopping experience you can’t find at Amazon or Wal-Mart.”

Gold agreed, “Rodan + Fields Consultants provide high-touch personalized service. It’s easy and convenient to connect with a Consultant via text, phone or video chat. And they have incredible digital tools to help customers find the best skincare products for their needs.”

As Ryan Napierski, CEO of Nu Skin recently told North American CEO, “Social media platforms are becoming more than just social platforms, they are becoming commercial platforms with the rise of influencer and affiliate markets. Nu Skin has been doing influencer marketing for more than 30 years, just in an analog form. We have always believed in the power of word-of-mouth marketing going all the way back to the beginning of the company.”

Part of a Lifestyle

This sense of community and shared enthusiasm and authenticity lends itself to customers making these products part of their lifestyle in a bigger, more overt way. They become true brand advocates, sharing their product experiences and interacting with the brand online and becoming part of a bigger movement. This often leads to customers making the organic transition to distributor.

“It’s common for customers to be so excited about their experience that they start sharing it with others,” said Underwood. “It makes becoming a Prüvit Promoter where they can earn free products, cash and other rewards for referrals a very authentic next step.”

“MONAT has an amazing global network of over 400,000 Market Partners getting the message out about our revolutionary products,” added MacMillan. “Many of our current distributors started as customers.”

Napierski agreed, “By taking advantage of the macro trend in influencer and affiliate marketing, as well as the shift from retail commerce to e-commerce and now to now social commerce, we believe that our go-to-market strategy becomes significantly more powerful.”

This “brand-as-lifestyle” trend has another powerful benefit: customers incorporating more of the companies’ products into their routine. “We find that it doesn’t take long for customers and Brand Partners to start branching out,” shared Smith. “In fact, by month three, on average 60 percent of Young Living’s new 2021 enrollments had tried three or more products. By month six, that number increased to 77 percent!”

Brand synergies play a key role at Amway as well. “We recently launched Skin Nutrition, a clean, traceable and vegan skincare line that works like supplements for the skin,” shared Renard. “The products are infused with Nutralite-grown botanicals. This crossover introduces Artistry customers to Nutrilite and Nutrilite customers to Artistry.”

And at Scentsy, they utilize licensing agreements and corporate alliances with global giants like Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Warner Brothers and the NFL and NHL to expand their reach to new, loyal audiences as well as establish credibility with a broader audience.

Sitting on the Top Shelf

Whether their dominance is best evidenced through sales figures, name recognition, longevity or a combination of all three, the leading direct selling companies are producing high-quality products that people want at a competitive price and with measurable results.

It’s no surprise that each of these companies embody the tenets that direct selling was founded upon. As Ryan Rogers, Chief Investment Officer at Mary Kay explained, “We remain committed to my grandmother Mary Kay Ash’s guiding principles: live by the Golden Rule; give and expect nothing in return; and make everyone feel important. For nearly 60 years, these have been the moral compasses of our company. To remain committed to these values while leading the industry as a global company in nearly 40 countries is a really incredible thing. And we are really proud of it.”

From the May 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Top Shelf: How Direct Selling’s Leading Brands Stack Up Against Retail first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Building Bigger Brands

The direct selling model is becoming more deeply ingrained within larger retail brands, especially in the beauty and cosmetics segments. This trend goes beyond online direct-to-consumer sales done by a retail company. It involves either the development of a supplemental direct/social selling brand within the parent company or the acquisition of a direct/social selling brand into a larger conglomerate. 

The benefits are clear and go both ways. Direct selling has robust IT and social selling platforms that the parent company can leverage as well as presence in new markets. And the established retail brand lends credibility and exposure to the direct selling enterprise. 

Although this trend isn’t new, it is growing and shaping the scope and focus of the industry. Traditional retail brands are acquiring or merging with direct selling standouts to create even bigger international beauty brands. And these brands dominate across all categories: Direct to consumer, retail, e-commerce and social selling. 

There are several very well-known companies and celebrities launching social selling initiatives this year, each with the potential to change and shape the future of this channel. One recently announced example is Kendra Scott, a multichannel retail jewelry and accessories brand starting a direct/social selling division. This 20-year old brand was founded in 2002 and boasts $360 Million in annual sales. Its entry into the social selling space, Direct Retail by Kendra Scott, shows tremendous potential. 

Natura, the number two direct selling company in the world, is a prime example of a brand already excelling across all channels. They acquired Avon Products in January 2020 for $3.7 Billion, creating the world’s fourth largest beauty company. The Avon Products acquisition did not include “The Avon Company,” which is owned by South Korean-based LG Household & Healthcare since 2019 and operates in North America. 

Natura is also the parent company of The Body Shop, which operates around 2,800 retail locations in over 70 countries providing sustainably produced skincare, body care, hair care and makeup. The Body Shop at Home is their social-selling channel, where consultant satisfaction is an astounding 92 percent and the business has flourished over the last two years including a very successful reintroduction of the model to the U.S. market. Natura also owns Aésop, a luxury skincare brand based in Australia. The brands’ messages are all cause-based and the combination with Avon created a $7 Billion company in 2021.

Another great company showing how channel diversification can strengthen a brand is Beautycounter. 2021 was a landmark year for the clean beauty brand, now valued at $1 Billion after its acquisition by Carlyle. The company has leveraged a wildly successful omnichannel model. Their products can be purchased in a variety of ways: Through one of 65,000 consultants; directly on their website via shoppable live-streams; and traditional retail options through seasonal pop-ups in Sephora and brick-and-mortar locations in markets like Los Angeles, Denver and New York. 

Groupe Rocher, a French-based international cosmetic and beauty brand, greatly expanded its portfolio into direct selling when it acquired Arbonne in 2018. The family-owned company owns and operates retail locations throughout France but had little direct selling presence prior to acquiring Arbonne. 

The brands share similar values and botanically-based products. Group Rocher understands the value of the direct selling model, and the addition of Arbonne allowed them to become a $3 Billion company. 

L’OCCITANE en Provence is another huge beauty brand making an impression in the direct selling/social selling space. They acquired direct-selling standout LimeLife by Alcone in 2017. What started out as an informal referral system at LimeLife by Alcone evolved into a full-fledged business opportunity. The brand has been providing professional makeup artists with their products since 1952 and found social selling to be a natural way to extend the brand with these influential professionals. In fact, the brand joined the DSN Global 100 list in 2020.

The emphasis on social selling continued in 2020 with L’OCCITANE’S U.K. launch of DUOLAB, a social selling-based skincare startup engineered to strengthen its ecommerce sales and expand its digital brand.  

In June of 2021, L’OCCITANE en Provence announced plans for the company to expand its omnichannel beauty and lifestyle presence through the direct selling model once again. The expansion was part of the company’s North American business transformation and is designed to help the company develop a more personal relationship with its customers. The result is MyL’OCCITANE, a brand-new social selling platform. 

Across All Categories

The trend goes beyond beauty brands and is reflected in other direct selling categories as well. LegalShield has grown considerably the last few years. Serving 4.5 million individuals and 140,000 businesses, LegalShield is the world’s largest platform for legal, identity and reputation management services across North America.

They have three channels including a digital direct-to-consumer option; business-to-business group or corporate sales as well as a vibrant direct selling model. Legal Shield is celebrating its golden 50^th anniversary this year. Congratulations to Jeff Bell and the entire Legal Shield team! 

In December 2021, health supplement standout Prüvit merged its Exogenous ketones business with direct-to-consumer ready-to-eat healthy meal and snack delivery company Sunbasket to supplement and complement the brand’s healthy lifestyle offering. It’s the kind of brand extension that not only makes sense for the company but also adds tremendous value for the customers and distributors who can now easily order and enjoy the keto-friendly meals and snacks that enhance the Prüvit lifestyle.

Additionally, Total Life Changes just introduced a Product Influencer Program that’s very reminiscent of affiliate marketing. It allows customers that enjoy and believe in the products but don’t want to become distributors in the traditional sense to use their influence to encourage others to buy the products via social media, earning $20 for every product purchase. Best of all, Product Influencers get paid the next day after a qualifying sale. 

Other direct sellers are introducing similar programs and encouraging existing distributors to use this exciting social selling system as well. This affordable impulse purchase via a social media selling system has really developed over the last five years. Other amazing success stories include Younique’s lash product; Nu Skin’s toothpaste; Colorstreet’s nail products; Paparazzi jewelry; and Senegence Lipsense. These social media “selling systems” and others like them have successfully acquired tens of millions of customers in direct/social selling.

I hope you and your teams continue to benefit from the research, journalism, advocacy and education Direct Selling News brings to you via our publication, events, website, podcasts and more. 

Stuart Johnson has served the direct selling industry for 36 years and is the sole Founder and CEO of Direct Selling News. His passion for the channel encompasses a broader commitment to build and connect the direct selling community through exclusive industry events such as Direct Selling University and the DSN Global Celebration.  

Stuart is arguably the most connected person in direct selling, building and growing a network of executives, thought leaders, strategists and innovators. His advice and counsel are sought after by leaders throughout the channel. 

The post Omnichannel Direct-to-Consumer Updates first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Ford. Disney. Apple. Amazon. What do these iconic companies have in common? Aside from being the four brands consumers have the strongest emotional connection to according to the 10th annual MBLM Brand Intimacy 2020 Study, these are the brands consumers say they can’t live without.

They have become an indelible part of our lives. Close your eyes—you can see their logos and recite their slogans. You can immediately name their products and remember the first time you experienced them. They matter to you. They matter to everyone.

That’s brand equity.

DIrect selling has its own share of brands that have become a part of our collective experience, Tupperware, Avon, Mary Kay and Amway to name a few. These brands understand that creating and maintaining strong brand equity creates consumers that are passionate. And once a consumer becomes passionate about a brand, they assign added value to it.

Season 1 of DSN’s podcast, The Direct Approach with Wayne Moorehead, featured countless insights and tips on how some of the brands in our channel have amassed a tremendous amount of brand equity, which they are leveraging for future growth.

We’ve compiled a few of the most impactful and easily implemented ideas shared on the podcast and turned it into this Brand Equity Playbook—your comprehensive guide for building a bigger, better and more valuable brand.

Create Community

“If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.” —Howard Schultz, Former CEO of Starbucks

Conventional wisdom surrounding brand building almost always lists “know your customer” as the most important thing. But knowing who your customer is isn’t nearly enough. You also need to understand your customer; connect with your customer; and—most importantly—create shared experiences with your customer.

It’s imperative to develop a fuller understanding of not just who they are but who they want to be; why they are interested in your products (or your opportunity); what needs your products can fulfill; and what they hope to accomplish from their interaction with you.

Brands that can create genuine community around their products and opportunity automatically build a vocal army of advocates, which does a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Brian Underwood, Co-Founder and CEO of Prüvit, called this community marketing approach pivotal to his company’s strategy.

“Community-based marketing to me is re-identifying what is valuable in today’s marketplace. If you want to build something to last, you have to be able to harness the emotional connection that your fans, your promoters, your distributors and even your audience has. When you do that, it becomes less about sales and more about connection. The transaction isn’t more important than the person.”

UP YOUR EQUITY / Create content that problem solves. Host a live product Q&A, demo or tutorial. Develop an online personal development book club. When you put the needs of your audience first and your brand second, your interactions instantly become more meaningful.

Jesse McKinney, Co-Founder and CEO of Red Aspen, has found this approach also works when creating a community around your opportunity. So much time is spent in direct selling helping distributors find their “why.” But at Red Aspen, they are laser focused on delivering their “how.”

Learning and valuing the goals of individual distributors creates synergy between corporate and field. Some distributors are looking for money for their kids’ karate lessons; others want an extra date night each month; and some are looking to become full-time entrepreneurs.

As McKinney said, “It’s important in any direct selling organization to match up ‘how’ and ‘why.’ We can be the how that gets you to your why. That’s where passion comes in. I can’t instill in you the passion it takes to achieve your ‘why’ every day, but I can give you the tools you need to get there.”

According to Underwood, the pay-off also results in better customer and distributor retention as well. “People want to be a part of something that’s bigger than they are. You can recognize that everyone has their place, and every spoke in the wheel is important. I think we sometimes get so focused on this person making a million dollars a year that we forget how many people we lose out the back door because we don’t keep them connected.”

Making those connections also comes from creating customer experiences that manage to spark interest and excitement as well as meet customers where they are and how they live. Direct selling is all about authentic connections, and companies like Neora are finding ways to build these connections as we straddle a moment in time where virtual meetings dominate but don’t always resonate.

Amber Olson Rourke, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, offered some insights on how they are returning to in-person product demos. “People are tired of being behind a computer screen, so that’s not where they are at now. Our field is already transitioning back to incorporating in-person events. We’re calling them mini mixers because we want them to feel fun.”

Olson Rourke characterized these events as more low-key and less traditional than a formal presentation. “We put together activities that correspond with our products, so that there’s an experience. Things like meal prepping salads for the week and talking about our weight management line; or doing a sip-and-see where people have a glass of wine and get pampered with a few of our products. I would argue there’s no easier time to get someone to come to a fun party than right now, because that’s what they’re looking for.”

Differentiate

“If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they’ll define your brand’s story for you.” —David Brier, author of Brand Intervention

For all companies, one of the most crucial steps to building brand equity is to differentiate yourself from the competition. This is especially true for direct sellers. In this channel, you aren’t just marketing products. You are offering a community, an opportunity and a partnership. Be clear—in tangible, compelling terms—what the products can do for your customers and why that matters. How do you articulate what you and your products do better than anyone else? What pain point are you eliminating, and for whom?

At Scentsy, they have leaned into their brand equity in fragrance as a way to differentiate themselves and as a filter for product line expansion. “We got very focused on where we believe this brand can and should go. We basically decided that in order for Scentsy to go there, it needs to have an anchor and a tie to fragrance,” explained Mark Stastny, Chief Marketing Officer. “For example, essential oils are very popular, and we do have essential oils in our product lineup. But we only approach essential oils from the fragrance experience that they can provide. We anchor it in and around that.”

UP YOUR EQUITY / Adding equity is often synonymous with adding value. Partner with a nutritionist to develop exclusive flavors and smoothie recipes. Get your community of customers and distributors involved to name your next big launch or promotion.

As important as products are to brand equity, they are not the only way to differentiate your company from others in your space. Direct sellers are—almost by default—lifestyle brands. Distributors and, to an extent, customers become a part of that lifestyle when they choose to partner with you.

You don’t have to be all things to all people. You shouldn’t be all things to all people. Create a clear brand identity that is reflected across all touchpoints. Is your color palette, voice, photography, packaging and branded merchandise working synergistically? And do they accurately convey the right tone, spirit and personality? Whether your brand is youthful, irreverent and fun or homey, comforting and nostalgic, lean into who you are and build your look, feel, voice and messaging around it.

You’ve probably all experienced some variation of this: When being pitched a new product, promotion, service or initiative, inevitably someone will ask “Who is the target audience?” Just as predictably, the person pitching will earnestly reply, “Everyone.”

While wanting to appeal to everyone is noble, diluting your messaging to do so doesn’t build brand equity or loyalty. The best brands are bold, memorable, confident, full of conviction. They know who they are. They like who they are. And so does their audience.

“The brand and how the brand makes you feel is so important,” said McKinney. “So, for us, getting that fun, playful nomenclature out there, I think is just as important as what you see visually with the stunning packaging that we deliver and the photos we take.”

“The way that you talk about your product really matters. The way that you brand your product really matters because you have three seconds. And if you’ve got three seconds, how are you going to make it pop, and what does your brand say about you? What does it represent if you’ve just got a split second for someone to be interested or not?”

UP YOUR EQUITY / Make your brand’s voice as impactful as its products. If your brand relies heavily on throwaway platitudes like “easy elegance,” “fits your lifestyle,” “scientifically sound,” or “committed to quality,” you have an opportunity to enhance and better connect to your brand voice.

Doing Good

“Your brand is a gateway to your true work.” —Dave Buck, CEO of Coachville

Your philanthropic efforts can not only create positive change in the world, they can move the needle on your brand equity, too. Supporting worthwhile causes has long been a differentiator for the channel—it can be a differentiator within it as well.

Think of how much deeper your connection with your audience could be when it’s grounded in important work that makes the world a better place. People want to be a part of a movement—something bigger than themselves—how powerful would it be if that something bigger was a charitable cause that you support?

Direct selling companies of all sizes are putting their weight, resources and voices into advocacy. In doing so with authentic intention, they show their audience who they are and what they believe in. This not only draws the right people to you, it deepens customer loyalty and reinforces relationships.

“It just makes sense. Advocacy has been fundamental to direct selling from the beginning. And when the philanthropy seamlessly reinforces the brand’s core messaging and purpose, it feels authentic and can truly elevate and set a company apart,” said Moorehead.

Shaklee was green in the 1950s—long before it became a buzzword. Avon is still committed to empowering women, donating more than $1.1 billion to gender-based violence and breast cancer awareness initiatives. More than 1,500 MONAT volunteers recently conducted a Gratitude Week for charitable actions and interactive giving activities to provide support for children and those in need. And early cause-marketing adopter Pampered Chef has a decades-long partnership with Feeding America.

“Gratitude has become such a special part of MONAT culture, and Gratitude Week is the most beautiful week of the year for us because it shows how important making a positive impact is to our entire community,” shared Lu Urdaneta, CEO of MONAT Gratitude.

Building A Better Brand

“Products are made in a factory, but brands are created in the mind.” —Walter Landor, Founder of brand consulting firm Landor

The best brands live permanently in our imagination. We have happy memories and positive experiences we associate with them. Their products help us live better, simpler, smarter or healthier lives. The value they bring us keeps us consistently engaged, entertained and excited.

Adopting the simple principles outlined here will help make sure your brand develops the kind of equity that gains you more customers; turns those customers into powerful advocates; and elevates your brand to iconic status in the minds and hearts of people across the globe. 

From the February 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post The Brand Equity Playbook first appeared on Direct Selling News.