How to promote Direct Selling in Europe?

The ambassador approach is great, it's a very good approach, but you will still need a full 360 degree plan that captures all the touch points that potential customers will use (but are not expensive). These include Public Relations through local media channels, magazines, newspapers, relevant websites, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and blogs.

See if you can find some product related bloggers or become one!

Segment “Best Fit” target customers based on the national population census statistics. Review the product positioning and prices and identify target segments within the "Best Fit" and your chosen locations for focus.

Always focus products and/or services on core target segment. Work with national distributors and delivery companies to minimise costs and maximise delivery.

Check out what competitors such as Herbal Life, Amway, Avon, etc are doing and develop your own ideas. 

Organise "Tupperware" style parties.

You can imagine that there are many more tried and tested strategies and ideas out there, so take some calculated risks and try some, especially outdoor sampling (in the right shopping areas).

Start selling!

Hope this helps.

All the best,

Suren Raymond

Here are my thoughts - I would look at the distribution options offered by Europe for getting skincare products to the customers. If you look at the UK you have companies such as Avon who have a vast network of direct sellers. You could contact them to see if they would add your product to their portfolio. This would give you a UK network overnight but you would have to give away some of your income. The other route is through the supermarkets , again the Tesco's and Sainsburys are always looking for new products in the Skincare range as they understand it'ssomething which appeals shoppers and is another reason to visit the supermarket. You would see substantial growth but lose some of your mark up.

The other method is through good old social media but you will need distribution hubs in each country to handle stock and returns and the growth would be organic. Instagram and Facebook are quite good for this.

Use PR and Podcasts to talk about your product and if you can get famous people to use it and say they use it you will create a direct sell opportunity. Podcasts are good for you to explain the product, where it comes from, how is it made and what it does to your skin. Podcasts can be shared around Europe.

Hopefully something for you to think about.

Simon 07905 791340

Direct selling is a method of bringing goods and services to market and selling them directly to consumers, whether it is in their home or at another location that is not a fixed point of sale. The selling usually takes place face-to-face, with the products demonstrated individually or in groups, and sometimes leaving behind a catalogue of products that can be ordered later. In contrast with other marketing channels, direct selling is based on personal contact with the customer.

Today, direct selling represents a growing market segment. It offers a unique and cost-effective way of marketing products and services without having to rely on the traditional marketing circuit or on existing retail outlets.

The three largest markets in Europe for direct selling are Germany, France and Russia, The UK and Italy are also doing well in this industry. Thus, In direct selling, cosmetics and care products take first place, with one third of the total revenue from direct selling coming from these products.

For many organizations, direct selling is the perfect channel through which to expand their business. But they must find the right balance between the protection of their brand identity and the observance of local preferences. Generalization is seen as one of the main pitfalls in direct selling. Moreover, When it comes to logistics, direct selling demands a specific approach. Direct-selling organizations have a large number of fixed customers that place orders each month. The entire process, from ordering to delivery, is crucial to get right. Some logistical service providers, such as Landmark Global, offer IT solutions to make sure everything proceeds as smoothly as possible.

Many direct sellers focus on supplying healthcare products or food supplements – products for which shelf life and traceability are important factors. For direct selling-organizations that deliver globally, it is best to choose a logistics partner with an international presence. Good service is also critical. Direct-selling customers demand impeccable service for themselves and for their end customers, because word of mouth is what drives their business, even more so than in other retail channels.