As a new Independent Distributor, one of my first adventures was to enroll a local tobacco shop. The thought was that a tobacco store was a perfect place to show and sell these amazing devices. The potential sales of units and cartridges could be significant, I thought. But, as it turned out, network marketing and trying to sell through a traditional retail process are not a good fit.
There are several inherent problems with enrolling a local retailer:
1. Most retailers don’t want to be bothered with the process enrolling customers that come in. And customers usually don’t want to spend the time to have all their information put into the computer (assuming the retailer even has one in the store) so they can go on line themselves and order products. That’s why they’re going to a retailer in the first place. Their objective is to stop in, pay, and take home.
2. Most retailers don’t have the knowledge or the time to explain to a customer about the incredible financial opportunity of being an Independent Distributor. More importantly, the retailer doesn’t want to “lose his customers” and have them go out and sell to other potential customers that might otherwise have come into their store. Retailers are retailers, and they really don’t understand the power of network marketing.
3. Having a local retailer that sells the inLife products, even at a mark up over suggested retail, makes it difficult for Independent Distributors working that area. A prospect can be lost because they say, “Why go through all this, when I can just go down to the store and buy what I need?”
4. Retailers are used to dealing with company sales representatives that offer the retailer discounts and “free stuff” to put their products on the shelf. As an independent distributor, we’re not able to provide product discounts, advertising dollars or incentives to retailers.
5. Retailers look to the company sales representative to take back defective products or trade out items that are not moving. Even though the retailer ordered the products just as we do, they still have that mindset that the “sales representative” (us) should take care of their problems. After all, that’s what all the other company sales reps do.
Having said all that, there can be opportunities enrolling retailers as new IDs, but only if they manage this part of their business through the network marketing process, exactly as outlined by inLife. It’s a process that works. If you choose to enroll a retailer, it’ll be your job to convince them of the incredible opportunity by doing it our way and instruct them how to integrate the inLife business into their current retail outlet.
Here are some suggestions:
1. The retailer needs to decide which devices they want to carry and be sure they have an ample supply of units, cartridges, batteries, chargers, and atomizers on hand. To cut down on the inventory cost, they may want to carry only 2 of the devices; say the Regal and the Royale.
2. When a customer first comes in, the retailer must be knowledgeable enough to demonstrate and sell the inLife device. Tell the customer to go home, charge the unit, try out the different nicotine levels in the kit, and come back when they know what cartridges they like best.
3. When the customer returns for cartridges, explain the value of enrolling with inLife as a “Customer” so they can go on line and order everything and have it shipped direct. Be sure the retailer has computer up and running at the checkout area all the time. Just leave it logged into their back office. Then, all they’ll have to do is enter the password and start to sign people up.
· Have the retailer develop a simple signup sheet for customers to fill out with all the information needed to enroll. Be sure it has a place to insert their new user name and password. The retailer can then take that sheet and set up their new replicated website. Give the customer back the sheet so they’ll have something to remember their username & password.
· The retailer should develop an information sheet that tells new customers how to access their replicated website, how to get on autoship, and how order things and check their orders through their back office. Also, include an “Information Package” which should include a copy of the inLife pamphlet, the opportunity CD, and an opportunity meeting invitation flyer with each kit sold.
· The retailer should offer weekly opportunity meetings to customers with meeting times and dates that should be included in the information flyer. Call each customer that received the information package and invite them to one of the meetings. The rest is routine.
Retailers already have a great venue for distributing inLife products and an existing customer base. Many have a strong advertising program that can easily be modified to include the inLife products. But, the key to their success, and yours, will come when they stop thinking like a retailer and start thinking like a network marketer. And, they must understand that you are not a company sales representative that is there to solve all their problems and give them incentives.
