Resurgent: From Avon to Scentsy, direct sales business booming again

Admin   |   15 June, 2015   |   956   |   3980

A couple of years after having twins, Dubuquer Trina Murray embarked on a new career in addition to being a new mother.

Murray, a former high school teacher, said she knew she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but also wanted to find a way to make extra money. Murray became a sales consultant for fragrance and beauty product company Scentsy, which soon became a full-time career.

"I knew I didn't want it to become a $100 hobby," Murray said. "I wanted to actually bring in some money."

Amy Helmke, of Dubuque, also decided to become involved in direct sales to make additional money for fun activities with her family. She heard about Thirty-One Gifts, a purse, tote and bag sales company, from a friend about a year ago.

"The (sales) kit had a lot of really nice stuff, and I thought I'll pay $99 for the kit that has $200-$300 worth of stuff and just keep the stuff, because that's still a good deal," Helmke said.

After getting the bags and starting to use them, she found herself liking them enough to want to sell them.

Resurgence of a trend

While multi-level sales companies are not a new industry -- Avon saw women acting as direct sales representatives in the late 1800s -- people might have noticed an uptick in popularity in the last few years.

Statistics from the industry group Direct Selling Association show direct retail sales totals steadily climbing since 2010, with the most recent data showing $32.67 billion for 2013. Their data shows 16.8 million people were involved in direct sales in 2013.

Murray said she has been involved with Scentsy a little more than two years, having first heard of the products from a friend who was a sales consultant. She had never been in direct sales before but she thought it could supplement income.

"I love the company and the family values that they stand for," Murray said. "I've met the owners a few times on trips, and they are down to earth and they care about us."

Helmke said she has been in sales for Thirty-One Gifts for about one year. She had previously been a sales consultant for another company before her kids were born, but she noticed differences right away.

"It was pushy," she said. "I don't regret doing it, but once I said I wanted to leave they said, 'You can't come back.' That made my decision easy."

Making a profit

Both Helmke and Murray said their sales positions are not quick and easy money makers unless you're ready to make the effort.

Despite being a stay-at-home mom, Murray said she treats her job with Scentsy as a full-time commitment because she wanted to make it a career. She said she profited off her $99 investment in the first week, and her work with Scentsy gives her the yearly income of a full-time job.

"I would never say that happens to everyone, but it does go to show it doesn't have to take 10 years to make good money," Murray said.

Helmke said it took her a month to profit from her investment in the sales kit. She works a full-time job as a paraprofessional with the Dubuque Community School District, and she said the added sales income has helped her family cover unexpected expenses as well as activities for her 14-year-old children, Laura and Samuel.

Helmke said her husband's support and interest in her sales work has been a tremendous help to keep her motivated.

She said sales consultants can be as active as they choose to be, with the company offering incentives for higher sales marks rather than mandating levels.

"You can set your own goals," she said.

Murray said she earns a full-time living because she puts in full-time hours to make herself successful. She has built her team up to 96 people, though not all of them were recruited by her directly.

She dismissed the criticism of a "pyramid scheme," saying that as a team leader, Scentsy has sales benchmarks for her to hit in order to earn a commission from the team members.

Murray also said the company's structure allows members of sales teams to make very good money if they're willing to put in the hours to earn it.

"People that are technically lower on the totem pole can make just as much as someone at the very top," Murray said.

New friends

The social aspect is another component. Both Murray and Helmke said they also have formed new friendships through their companies.

Helmke said she likes when stay-at-home moms attend the parties and can bring their children along to have a day out. Helmke said her daughter Laura, who has autism, often helps at the parties and has fun being involved.

"When my friends have parties, they ask, 'Can you please bring Laura?'" Helmke said. "And, Laura loves showcasing them, and she has so much fun and I have so much fun."

Murray said her job with Scentsy gives her the opportunity for "adult conversations" and new friends aside from spending her days with her 4-year-old twins.

Murray said she has earned trips to company conventions as well as destinations like Greece and a Caribbean cruise. She said getting close to other sales consultants give them added incentive to keep earning trips to see each other.

"I've met a lot of people through the trips I've earned," Murray said. "Now I have people that I consider some of my best friends that live in places like Canada and Florida."