The iconic Avon slogan – 'Ding Dong, Avon’s Calling' – became a ‘60s catchphrase that probably conjures up images of perfectly preened (and rather pushy) sales women showing up at your front door and encouraging you to purchase the latest makeup and skincare.
As a business that's been around for years, some have the outdated view of it being a way for stay-at-home mums to make some 'pocket money' on the side. In fact, Avon has become one of the most successful beauty companies in the world, helping women 'side hustle' their way to a better income.
Founded over 130 years ago, it's the second largest direct-selling enterprise in the world, with 5 million representatives. Last year they turned over annual sales of $5.57 billion worldwide. They sell everything from makeup and skincare to perfume, fashion and homewares. Whilst the fact that Avon being a multi-level marketing company puts a lot of people off, thousands of men and women have turned to becoming a rep after the pandemic put their stable jobs and income in jeopardy.
Some ideas to make £££.
Indeed, during lockdown (between late March and early June), the number of new Avon UK sales representatives was double that in the same period last year. In the first six months of 2020, the company's digital transactions were three times higher than in the first half of 2019.
Speaking about the sharp rise, Tracey Powers of Avon UK, said: "The majority of people who are joining the business at the moment are those who've been affected by the global pandemic and are either being furloughed or are worried about their jobs."
This was exactly why Sian Erith, 27, from Attleborough, Norfolk, signed up to be a rep for the beauty giant. "As a self-employed hairdresser, I was anxious when we went into lockdown as I rely on my earnings as a hairdresser as my main source of income," she explained. "I was worried about whether my partner and I would be able to pay our mortgage and bills without my income, although my partner was getting 80% of his pay on furlough. I had some savings that could help tide us over, but I knew I needed something extra.
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As Sian is self-employed, she wasn’t placed on a furlough scheme so was forced to take matters into her own hands to ensure she could afford to live. "I started to research what options were available to me. This is when I came across Avon and saw that there was an opportunity to become a Rep and earn some extra money through beauty. My mum used to be an Avon Rep when I was young, and I loved helping her out with orders and trying out the products. When I came across the advert online, I knew it was the right fit for me as I loved the company and the products. The only sales experience I had, which could be similar, was selling professional haircare products within the salon. A beauty business was totally new to me."
Sian reached out to her mum’s rep who, as a Sales Leader, shared an online form with her to complete and join her team. "It’s important to get to know your Sales Leader, they’re there for you when you come across any questions or something new, they are there to help you. Once I started my business, I ordered some products to get to know them even better and start promoting them to customers through my online store. Once you set up your online store, you can start sharing and selling immediately," she explained.
The budding beauty boss started selling her cosmetics to close family and friends through her online store. They soon shared with their family and friends too and her customer base quickly grew. "As the nation was in lockdown, and people were finding it tricky or were nervous about heading to the shops, people were keen to place orders for beauty essentials or their favourite products. Products like Anti-Bacterial hand gel were popular too and more recently the newly-launched face coverings."
In her first three weeks of running her business in lockdown, Sian earned over £600 - and now, on average, she takes home around £200 each month, which she says is perfect to help contribute to household bills and spend on treats for herself. "I have certain goals to keep me motivated and to keep finding new customers. For example, my motivation is a picture of what I would love my garden to look like with the money I could earn by growing my business.
"I’m actually back working in the salon now, and plan to run by Avon business around my career as a hairdresser long-term. I can work my beauty business flexibly in a way that fits it around my personal life and hairdressing."
