Guest Blogger: Shades of Amber

Today’s blog is courtesy of a fellow blogger, direct seller, accountability partner and friend – Amber Nowlin.Why I Love Direct Sales..as a customer!

It wasn’t right away, mind you. In fact, my first experience with the direct sales industry was not great at all. In college I got sold on joining a scrapbooking company. I was new to the hobby and I liked the convenience of the products. I definitely never made any money off that venture, and I’m pretty sure some of what I bought is still in my papercrafting stash more than a decade later. That company ended up going under within a few years. My next experience, about six years ago, was a considerable improvement, with a reputable health and wellness company. My sponsor was supportive and the products really did help me form some healthier habits. I still take their vitamins because the quality is that good. I even made a little money at it from time to time, but getting the compensation plan to work for me consistently was really difficult. As much as I was benefiting from using the products myself, no one in my circles was seriously interested in joining the business or consistently using the same products. While the health and wellness sector of direct sales ended up not being my dream fit of a company, it was during my first three years with that company that I really learned about the industry as a whole…and why it is AWESOME. Even as my personal business venture was failing, I was meeting highly successful sales reps who did this full time – and having a series of amazing customer experiences with several well known direct sales companies and their representatives! I fell in love with the customer experience, and I knew I wanted to also provide that experience for others.

I’m not the first person to blog about why you should consider purchasing direct sales products from your family and friends, but here’s my list of why buying from my friends and family ROCKS!

1. Convenience.
I shop online and what I want is delivered straight to my house. For consumable products, I can generally get a monthly subscription or auto-order with reduced or free shipping. I can log into any of my preferred customer accounts and alter those orders easily.

2. Quality
With most of my direct sales purchases, I have never had a bad product delivered. In fact, I can only think of one time when I had a defective product from any company I order from in over six years. Nutritional supplements, skin care, protein/meal replacement shakes, makeup, clothes, exercise programs, nail care, jewelry, books…I’ve tried a little bit of everything as a customer, and the quality in this industry is generally worth any extra I might be paying for. If the quality of the product doesn’t justify any extra cost, then the quality of another aspect certainly makes up for it…

3. Customer Service
When you purchase from most small businesses, there is a tangible benefit of a higher quality customer service experience. Small business owners, including your friends and family in direct sales, have a seriously vested interest in your customer satisfaction! Within reason and within their company policies, most reps will do whatever they can to ensure your customer satisfaction. When I had a defective product a few months ago, a rep of that company took immediate steps to get it replaced for me in a way that was fast, convenient, and free to me. I can’t get that level of service – from across the country, no less! – from a retail store or even most retail websites. Direct Sales reps will throw you parties, assist you with perfecting use of their products, keep you updated on the latest product releases tailored to your interests based on knowledge from your relationship and prior purchases, handle returns and exchanges…all of it. This is probably my favorite reason for being a loyal direct sales customer.

4. Your purchase really does help the financial success of someone you have met.
This is true of all small business purchases, not only direct sales. It may be somewhat cliche to bring it up, but all those smaller purchases you make? The commissions on those purchases help a rep’s family pay their bills or add some little luxuries to their family budget that would otherwise be out of reach. In the case of representatives who manage large teams full time, helping you with your purchases and helping their team to do the same for their customers is their full time job, and it is awesome that they are earning a full time income for it! Wouldn’t you rather your purchases directly benefit a family you have met, knowing they are fairly compensated for their work, than a bunch of strangers in a corporation who might not be fairly compensated for their efforts? I feel good about where my spending dollars are going when I purchase through direct sales!

As for my reasons for loving the direct sales life as a representative of a company, that is a different list!

Be sure to check out her blog at Shades of Amber.  She is also a Jamberry Consultant and her website is: Shades of Amber

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Will You be a Sponsor?

I signed up for Walk MS because I have been diagnosed with MS.  You can get the “full” story by clicking HERE!

Here is the Reader’s Digest version.  “Squirrel Moment” (or random memory)…My grandfather used to get the Reader’s Digest delivered to the house.  I can remember him sitting in HIS chair with his head buried in the book.  Then in college, my roommate’s mom worked for Reader’s Digest in Mt. Kisco, NY.  Useless tidbit for some BUT it is a memory and I treasure them.

So, in December 2015 just before Christmas we received the diagnosis. It has been 3+ years of illnesses and health challenges.  I don’t fit the profile of an MS patient because I am 58 years old.  The truth is that the health challenges that I have faced for years, now come together as part of the MS.  It took one caring doctor to listen before things began to happen.  On the outside, I look the same BUT on the inside MS has attacked my memory giving me good days and bad days.

This is a charity walk that is changing the lives of people with MS and helping fuel progress toward a world free of MS. I’d love your generous support as I prepare for my walk.

 I hope that others will join me on the Rays of Hope Team.  Walk to make a difference in the lives of others.  The Walk is on April 16th with registration at 9AM in Seaside Park, NJ.  If you want to DONATE or JOIN our team. Click the links.

We have a Facebook Page too.  I will be doing fundraisers with some of my favorite Direct Sellers over the next month, with a portion of those sales being donated to our Walk fund.  First up is Jamberry Raising Awareness Event. Click HERE.

During the month of March, I will donate 10% of ALL my Thirty One retail/party sales to the Walk, too.  Everyone will be entered into a drawing for a special “thank you” gift from me.

HOPE – Helping Other People Everyday is my goal.  My vision is for a world where “random acts of kindness” are a normal part of our day.

Won’t you help to make a difference?  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

BINGO & JSDS – Better Together

Do you like BINGO?  Do you want to have a “girl’s night out?  Do you love Jamberry?  OR Beauticontrol? Or Thirty One Gifts?  Want to check them out without any “pressure” to buy anything?

Join us on Thursday, January 28th at 7PM at Wurlitzers on Route 9 in Toms River.

JSDS is Jersey Shore Direct Sellers Network.  The group provides an opportunity for those in direct sales at the Jersey Shore to: meet each other in person; build relationships for better networking; learn from, and provide support to, each other.

All proceeds of this event donated to Ronald McDonald House.  There are two located in our area: Long Branch and

Here is the 411 on the event:

COST: $10 in advance or $15 at the door for 9 games of BINGO.  Additional game boards for $2 each.  No more than 3 boards per game can be played.

PRIZES:  Gift certificates from Beauticontrol, Jamberry and Thirty One

LOCATION: Wurlitzers, 1800 Route 9, Toms River, NJ

Doors open at 6:30PM and the games begin at 7PM or so

BYOB.  Light snacks will be provided. Water, Coffee, Juice & Soda available for $2 each.

BENEFIT:  ALL proceeds will be given to Ronald McDonald House. PLUS place an order with Thirty One and I will donate 20% of all sales to them as well.  Ronald McDonald House is a National Partner with Thirty One Gifts.  We are BETTER TOGETHER!

This will be the FIRST showing of the NEW Thirty One Gifts Spring Prints and products.  This will be your last chance to grab items off the Fall Retirement List too.

Invite friends and you host a table.  Collect orders BEFORE you come and YOU will get the hostess benefits for all of those orders.

Who is ready to shout BINGO?  Help us to raise money for Ronald McDonald House. Contact me for details.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Jamberry Nails

Good Morning….

Today’s product spotlight is on a product that I really didn’t think I would ever use.  I tried them at vendor events, I listened (half-heartedly) as people told me how wonderful they were and I even bought a sheet about 2 years ago and left it sitting in my makeup bag.

Then, I made the decision to take off my acrylic nails.  YIKES!  Naked nails especially short ones are not pretty.  I was revamping my budget and decided that going to the salon was something that I was willing to give up (for the moment).  Belinda was having an online party so I joined, not thinking that I would buy anything.  Then I traveled to North Carolina to visit and she showed me just how easy they were to put on.  Now, if I cold do it, I am guessing that anyone could do it.

They weren’t perfect the first few times.  There were a few bumps and they definitely didn’t last the 2-3 weeks.  It wasn’t the product, it was ME because I was still learning how to apply them.  I really believe that there is a learning curve.

Another Facebook party  hosted by a friend. I bought the Mother’s Day kit that included their nail laquer, some tools and 3 more sheets of nail wraps.  Now I was hooked, scary but true.  The ability to do my nails at home in about 20 minutes without having to wait for them to dry – AMAZING!  Okay, I have joined the Jamberry craze.

My nails are short since I took off the acrylics and definitely weak.  The nail wraps make even my short nails look pretty.  Here are some tips that helped me:

 

So, have you tried Jamberry nails?  What are your best tips.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!