Glamour Magazine calls it a “side hustle” but do it right and your bit on the side could take over your entire life.
Don’t worry: this isn’t naughty and it’s certainly not going to get you into trouble. It’s simply Seventies-style sales talk – and once your commission starts rolling in you’ll be spinning that Lazy Susan like a roulette wheel and sending cheese and pineapple cocktail sticks into orbit.
Welcome to the world of ‘Party Plan’, that Tupperware phenomenon of four decades ago.
The truth is it never really went away but now it’s updated for the 21st Century, and there isn’t even a kipper tie or a kaftan in sight.
There are lots of ways to work in Sales and on s1jobs you can find them all, from Trainee Sales Executives for national motor dealers to high performing Consultants in the windows and doors sector, with on-target earnings of up to £80,000 a year.
. . . and then there are opportunities with some companies that, as part of their marketing mix, rely on direct sales agents to take their products into the homes of potential customers.
In the beginning, of course, it was all about those plastic tubs with the snap-on lids. Who knew we couldn’t live without them?
Then along came Avon and the same formula of a get-together in someone’s house, with this time the agent showing off the latest shades of lippy, worked just as well.
Since then direct selling has been used to sell books, candles and even extra-naughty knickers and the list of companies involved is growing all the time.
Take your pick from Liz Earle skincare, Jamie At Home kitchen and dining products and now Pieroth, a long-established name in German wine who are recruiting agents to hold wine tastings at home. Yes please!
The added benefit of working for the latter is that at least you know the wine will be to your liking and you won’t be forced to drink the host’s budget buy box.
The attraction of becoming a direct seller is you get to pick your own hours, which is a boost if you have to fit earning around caring commitments or another job. Yet if you put in the effort you can earn serious money.
Did you know that around one quarter of the 400,000 direct sellers in the UK have party plan as their sole income – so they are clearly shifting a lot of scented candles.
And that’s the thing: even if you’ve never worked in Sales you can still work in direct sales.
In fact, it is one area of Sales recruitment where your background or experience doesn’t matter – it’s how you perform that makes all the difference.
It helps if you are sociable and outgoing, able to knock on a different door several times a week and step into a room full of strangers who are looking to you to give them something worth their while.
But remember: you can’t get too swept up in the party atmosphere – you are there to sell, so while the good times are rolling you have to work the room and get those order forms filled.
You also have to get at least one guest at every event to agree to host their own party – because that’s your next opportunity to sell.
Right, let’s get this party started!
Find your ideal Sales role on s1jobs.