So you know what products you want to sell, but how do you pick the right company? By asking questions, but what questions should you ask?
Make sure to ask questions like these:
How much is the commission (also called discount) some companies start you out at a base commission, and then later bump you up to a higher commission. Sometimes you get a raise based on sales, sometimes it's based on if you build a team. Also some companies give you one percent for commission, but give you a higher percent as a personal discount to build your kit.
How do you get paid? Most companies have you keep your commission up front, some have you submit the full order amount and cut you a check later.
What is the hostess program and who pays for it? Some times the rep pays for all of it (minus their discount) Some companies pay for the all of the hostess program and some companies pay most of the hostess program but have the rep pay a co-pay.
How much are business supplies like catalogs, order forms, and invites? Ask to see a catalog and other business supplies.
What are the start-up costs and what do you get in your kit?
Do you have to get a merchant account to take customer credit/ debit cards?
Are there any sales quotas? Quotas are not necessarily a bad thing, but they need to be reasonable.
Is there an annual renewal fee?
Are there any advertising restrictions?
Can you have a website?
Also, it’s important to ask who takes care of the sales tax. It’s not hard to do your self, but you might want the company to do it.
If you are interested in building a team then you might want to ask what the management levels are, how much commission you earn on team sales, what is required to maintain each level?
You might have more questions to ask, write a list of what is important to you, and start asking!
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Why the rush to write? After reading this ...
By: Marion Hanenmann | 04-07-2008
Why the rush to write? After reading this article, my gut feeling was that Hans and Teri Rotter were the victims of a conspiratorial plot to oust them. Mr. Rotter was in the hospital for a serious heart condition. Rather than postpone the board meeting to allow him the opportunity to explain his actions, the members of the Alpine Board decided to go ahead and hold the meeting with only Mrs. Rotter present. Rather than sit through all the accusations against her husband, Mrs. Rotter left the board meeting before it ended. The Rotter?s daughter and son-in-law were installed as the new managers of Alpine that night. Immediately after the meeting ended, all the locks to Alpine Village were changed. It was, for all intents and purposes, a nice and tidy ?take over.? Was not the writer of this article, Mr. Green, aware of the above circumstances? In Mr. Green?s article he stated that the Rotters were not available for comment. This being the case, does Mr. Green think he is ethically justified in writing a smear piece on two individuals who for over 40 years have been stalwart leaders in the community, are well-loved and admired by everyone whose lives they?ve touched? Why the rush to write?.to print such a ?one-sided? article? Could not Mr. Green have waited a few days until Mr. Rotter returned home from the hospital and given time to digest the events that had just transpired before making any statements or comments? After all, the Rotters were the ?face of Alpine Village? and deserved better treatment and consideration before this rush-to-judgment article was written. As far as I?m concerned, Alpine Village will not be the same without Hans and Teri Rotter. They were one of the main reasons why people frequented Alpine from far and near. The ever gracious ?Aunty Teri? as she is affectionately called, has a place in all our hearts. This couple is stellar. Their sense of ethics and integrity are irreproachable. They were an extremely effective and trustworthy team that managed Alpine for 40 years resulting in increased profits for Alpine. They were truly a force for good. In closing, I encourage Mr. Green and the Daily Breeze to right the wrong of this article by allowing the Rotters an opportunity to tell their side of the story and to print an article that is both fair and balanced so that we, the readers, will have the ?whole? story.Marion Hannemann, Torrance
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