How to Start a Catalog Sales Business
Do you want to have an extra income without investing money? If your answer is yes, your best option are the sales through catalogs of products such as “clothing, shoes, cosmetics, lotions, appliances, jewelry, baby accessories among others, these have a wide market around the world and there is also a great diversity of distributors and retailers, which have their catalogs of which you can affiliate to them to receive from time to time the most recent and seasonal copies containing the articles to fashion.
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You can dedicate little time to the day or as much as you want, even if you have work you can offer the merchandise to your co-workers and start making customers, you only have to find which distributor is more at your convenience and look very well at what percentage of commission this will be paying you for each sales catalogs.
If you still believe that the profit they offer you is not enough, you can always earn more with the system of referrals and affiliates to you, this way you will earn for the sales by catalogs that they do and at the same time they will also earn more for being your direct referrals.
Remember that to start generating profits you only have to dedicate effort and time while you are gaining field and making customers and your monetary investment is null and void because none of the distributors will charge you for selling their products, on the contrary the more you sell they will reward you either with “money” or with items from the same catalog of which you are selling.
A good idea to earn more and sell more is to have a diversity of products for both men, women and children, as well as look for distributors who have prices available to the public and who have promotions for purchases.
Undertake the idea of sale by catalogs
Who has an extra source of income without having to invest money? If the answer is ‘Yes’, one of the options you should consider is catalogue sales, a form of entrepreneurship in which you can sell everything from clothing, such as shoes, clothing and accessories, to cosmetics, jewelry, baby items, household items, appliances, among others. In reality, there is an extremely large market with a large number of distributors and commercial houses that give life to this business.
It is a business idea that does not establish a specific schedule, so you can devote the time you prefer to sell, even adapt it to your daily activities, for example, if you have a source job, you can offer the products to co-workers, because their variety of items is also aimed at a very wide audience.
Stay until the end, where we not only tell you how you can start, but also some key tips, recommendations, points for and against, elements you must take into account to start.
How catalog sales work
We have talked about the facilities and what is included, but we will go even deeper. This business is based on selling products from magazines in which all available articles lie. There are the prices and other specifications that must be taken into account when selling. The magazines or catalogues will be distributed by the commercial houses to which you affiliate and where for each sale or article, you get a commission.
This business modality also allows you to earn money with the system of referrals and affiliates, so that people who link to the business, must grant a percentage for the sales they make.
What are the requirements for a catalog sales business?
There are certain elements that we recommend to have and some other conditions that will undoubtedly be necessary to start a business like this. Among them are:
taste for sales: not all people are good at selling a product, you need a taste for this type of process to develop a good job when selling. If you feel that you like the subject of sales, surely this will be much easier, create ties with your customers and see a good performance in your business.
On the other hand, since you have a wide variety of products from which you can choose to sell, we recommend choosing a category or sector that is to your liking, even if you have no knowledge. Well, nothing better than selling something that we like and that interests us to learn more and solve all the doubts to our customers.
Good communication: given that communication will be the axis on which your business will be built to make sales, it is very important that you express yourself correctly, but also that you attend and listen carefully to the doubts, needs and comments of your customers, so as to offer answers and solutions. A good communication with the public also implies being aware of them, keeping in touch, nothing better to create trust with them.
Personal care and presentation: although the way you talk and how you sell your products is important, before any word, personal presentation will be the first image your customers will have of you. While it is not necessary to stay with ties or heels in each sale, we recommend keeping a presentable image that also generates a good impression, because remember that “everything enters through the eyes. A good smell, clean clothes, presentable shoes, neat hands and so on, will be key.
Know the brand and the products: complementing all of the above, the knowledge of what you sell is what will undoubtedly be decisive when selling, because it is what will allow you to convince your customers about what you sell. That’s why it’s so important to know how each item works, its benefits, ways of use, presentation and even tell them about your experience if you’ve used them.
Steps to Starting the Catalog Selling Business
Search for companies: the first thing to do is to start with a search for companies that present this type of business. The ideal is to start with a catalog of products that call our attention and then analyze potential customers.
Request the catalogues: once you have the selected company, it is time to contact them to affiliate and start. Ask for the most recent catalogues that have been released to the market, because you must be updated with the latest releases to sell products available and not out of season.
Select your customers: we know that starting to sell is not easy, but among your friends, family, co-workers or study, you will surely find potential customers of the products you sell. For example, if your catalog this month has toys for children, then it’s a good idea to offer them to those who are already parents to find out if they’re interested.
Make sales campaigns: to start having sales, what you can do is create sales campaigns where you gather your customers to offer them special promotions and tell them what products are in season. A good way to attract their attention is to send photos through social networks or by creating accounts that allow you to reach them more.
Search for referrals: in the practice of the same sales campaigns that are carried out, you can find people interested in making sales that will become your referrals and help you sell, so that your profits will increase considerably from a percentage you receive for them, ie a commission for the sales they make.
Keep a record: surely you will find customers who will make orders and until they receive their products will make the payment, or those who make payments to quotas, etc., to avoid confusion and keep an order of each of the sales you make, it is best to keep a record or sales book to make orders efficiently, as well as having a control of your sales process.
Tips to get the best profits while you sell
It is important to keep in mind that it is not just about carrying the magazine around. A business, like any other, requires commitment and effort to emerge and become a profitable project, so we have made a selection of advice that you should not miss. Let’s see:
If you’re not a sociable person, perhaps because of time or to complement your sales channel, you can consider Internet sales with catalog.
If it’s the first time you’ve started a business like this, start by breaking the ice with friends, family and people close to you, this will help you develop your sales skills.
Know your business and look for potential customers for each area, you will be surprised how you can find people who are interested in what you sell.
Organize times to sell if you don’t have other activities. Set times when you can find your customers at home. This way you can create a schedule of visits.
Remember that you won’t always receive positive responses, so be prepared to receive sales refusals in a friendly and cordial way.
From time to time, you can offer gift samples to your most frequent customers and even the first ones.
Be sure to provide all payment related information clearly and honestly, especially on credit terms.
Business Success Stories by Catalogue
At present we find a large number of companies that have begun to opt for this form of business where they offer an entrepreneurial opportunity to those who are interested in this activity. However, among the best known and successful we can find companies such as Avon, which specializes in beauty products, or Amway, a company dedicated to household items, but includes other categories such as personal care, beauty products, personal care, among others, or Omnilife, a company that offers catalogs of health and wellness products.
As you can see, there are many possibilities for a business like this, and without a doubt its performance depends fundamentally on your commitment to your business, because everything is in your hands.
Weaknesses: one of the obstacles of this type of business has to do with time, since it is an activity that requires a lot of available time to sell, talk to customers and everything involved in making a sale. Keep in mind that you do not have your own stock, so the merchandise is not at your disposal, which can affect the sales process to a certain extent because the customer does not see the product.
Points in favor: one of the most important advantages of this type of business is that you do not need to have an amount of money to invest, since to have product catalogs, distributors do not make any kind of charge to those who sell in this mode. Many of these businesses have the habit of rewarding those who obtain that they fulfill the objectives, either with money or with available articles inside the same catalogs.
So, what are you waiting for?