Looking to make a little extra money while you're home with the kids? Home party sales offer flexibility, control and some perks.
When Anne Malhiet started hosting Creative Memories parties in her Baton Rouge home, her goal was not to make a lot of money. The avid scrapbooker had another kind of paper in mind.
“I want to get products at cost for me and my family members who scrapbook,” said Malhiet, mother of two. “Instead of doing classes weekly, I hold a get-together once a month,” she said in an email interview April 23. “This allows my customers to work on their albums and if they work on their albums, they’ll need supplies.”
Home party sales like Creative Memories, Pampered Chef and Arbonne accounted for $8.3 billion in sales in the United States in 2005, according to the Direct Selling Association.
More businesses are taking a closer look at the concept of selling directly to the consumer through commission salespeople. That type of sales is just what some stay-at-home parents are looking for.
“I believe once more people see how flexible and profitable home-based businesses are, the market will continue to grow,” said Teri Plazak, a Tastefully Simple consultant and mother of three.
Before taking a sales consulting position, know the pros and cons.
Pros
- You set your own hours. Most home-based salespeople set their own appointments and work when it’s convenient. If you have a spouse that works, you can schedule appointments for when he is home to stay with the children.
- Socializing. “It’s like going to a party every couple days,” said Plazak, a former restaurant owner in Cary, Illinois. “After owning my own business for 11 years, I missed socializing with people . . . This gives me the opportunity to socialize, met new people, have fun and make new friendships,” Plazak said, in an email interview May 1.
- It’s child friendly work. Chrissy Dolezal, feature writer for Suite 101’s Beauty page, has been a Mary Kay Cosmetics consultant for six years. “When I have appointments during the day, a majority of customers come to my house and my kids just play with their kids or I bring my kids with me,” Dolezal said.
- It has some benefits of working from home and working outside the home. Salespeople said this part-time work allows them some time out of the house, as well as some much needed quality time between their children and the other parent. At the same time, the prep work can be done from home while caring for children. “If I wasn’t spending time outside of the home for my business, my kids wouldn’t have a chance to spend a lot of time with their dad,” Dolezal said.
- You get to sell what interests you. Food, cosmetics, crafts, candles, home interior products, clothing and jewelry – whatever you love to shop for, you can sell through home-based sales businesses. “There are so many home-based businesses, you can easily find a company that is in your best interest and fits your lifestyle,” Dolezal said.
- Commissions and discounts. Home-based sales companies offer their consultants a commission plus discounts on products. Consultants say that for part-time work with flexible hours, they’re quite happy with the per-hour pay they receive.
Cons
- Business doesn’t always come in droves. Despite what recruiters promise, you probably won’t have customers beating down your door, regardless of how superior your product is. Like anything else, you have to market and sell your product.
- Canceled appointments are a problem. You’ve worked hard to set up a party or appointment, adjusted your schedule, arranged for child-care, and it’s canceled, earning you nothing for your efforts.
- It probably won’t replace a full-time career. While the money is good, you probably won’t get rich selling products.
