Avon consultant: When the cosmetics knock on the door
It was 1977. Renate von Glischinski was 20 years old, she lived in a middle-class outskirts of Hamburg, was the mother of a small daughter, and maybe she was bored a little bit at home. In any case, she did not hesitate long when she saw an ad for a small, family-friendly part-time job that promised some money, but above all, lots of social contact with other women: "Avon Adviser Wanted."
Avon consultant for three decades
After the birth of her child, Renate von Glischinski from Hamburg began her part-time job as an Avon consultant. That was 31 years ago
Today, Renate von Glischinski-Rother lives in another good middle-class district of Hamburg, she runs a full-time car registration service, and the little daughter is now 31. But Avon's adviser is Renate von Glischinski still. "Actually, even without Avon, I have enough on my mind, and you will not get rich anyway, if you just do it a few hours a month, like I do, but it's just still fun," says Ms. von Glischinski. a slim, tall woman with dark curly hair.
For more than three decades now, she has been visiting her 40 or so regular customers every few weeks to personally bring her eyeshadows, lipsticks, hand creams and skin-so-soft body oils to the store, as well as new offers in the freshly printed Avon catalog to point out ("The bra here is really good quality, I've also bought, costs only twelve ninety, because you can not complain") and Prizes to distribute ("The new scent 'Bond Girl 007' smells great, would not be yours Daughter, it's almost her birthday? "). And of course, to clap: "Wedding, divorces, births, illnesses - yes you get over the years with everything."
Success of the company
Personal contact is the secret of success of the company, which was founded more than 120 years ago in the USA, at that time still as "California Perfume Company". Since then, the business principle "women counseling women at home" has changed almost nothing - even if Avon now sells laundry and fashion jewelry in addition to cosmetics, the uniform advisor model case was abolished in the 60s and Avon advertises today with Hollywood celebrities instead of nameless models , currently it is Reese Witherspoon. In the course of the emancipation, there are even a few male Avon advisors, but in a vanishingly small number. Otherwise, Avon is firmly in the hands of women - not only the freelance consultants, but also as a global corporation: since 1999, the supreme boss Andrea Jung.
Avon consultant: The party is important
The German branch of Avon celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009. And he certainly has reason to celebrate, because the business idea from the penultimate century actually still works: the sales continue to increase year after year, although modest, but constant - In 2007 it was 209.6 million euros in Germany. And in a time when even in the smallest village, thanks to unlimited mobility, the nearest drugstore is never far away and you can order everything online anyway.
Avon, on the other hand, discontinued its own online business just this year. It outraged the advisers and was hardly accepted by the customers anyway. Not even the so-called "party" sales, which are so popular in direct sales, in which a group of women perform Prosecco and sandwiches from a company representative Tupperware, party lights, lingerie or even cosmetics (for example the Avon competitors Mary Kay and Jafra) lets play a role in the company.
When asked Renate von Glischinski why her clients prefer to order cosmetics from her, and then wait for days instead of just going to the nearest department store, as a good shop assistant she points to things like "good quality at a reasonable price". But of course, she knows best that every sales visit is always a visit from a kind of girlfriend - someone who knows whether you prefer the lipstick in pink or dark red, inquired after the health of the children and with the birthday of the Mother in law thinks. And who would throw a girlfriend out?
Own customer base as Avon consultant
Therefore, nothing is more difficult than to take over the customers of another Avon consultant who has stopped: "The mute once again accept the goods, and then you hear nothing more of them, if you do not try very hard."
However, finding her own customer base is no problem at all, she thinks: the colleagues at work, the favorite hairdresser, the bakery saleswoman, who always serves very friendly - all potential customers.However, she would never impose on anybody: "After all, each catalog costs me 64 cents, so I will not give it to someone who immediately throws it away."
Apart from the commission for the products sold, consultants get good incentives for good sales and for absolutely top earners, cruises or even a company car are included. After all, Renate von Glischinski has earned a complete lily of the valley tableware set as a premium. "And that's good enough for me, it's just a side job."
It has become more anonymous
She could probably earn more if she wanted to. She speaks quickly and easily, she is sympathetic, she quickly makes contacts and works trustworthy. Her clients include both old ladies, who have been ordering the same powder since 1977, as well as young girls who buy anti-pimple products. The business is still not bad.
I used to know everyone in my settlement, and all I had to do was go down the street on Saturday mornings and ring the bell everywhere, and everybody was happy to see me passing by, and I felt like making some gimmicks, "says Renate Glischinski. "Today, I know very few of my neighbors, my clients live all over the city, and I have to make appointments long in advance - after all, everyone has enough to do." Sometimes the customers have so little time, that they just give the catalog, even sent goods exceptionally by mail. She regrets that. "Yes, it is a pity that everyone is so busy these days and nobody has the time to take half an hour off and have a chat about this and that over a cup of coffee," says Renate von Glischinski Avon consultant, and looks a little bit sad. She really does not do it for the money.
Buy cosmetics in the living room
Avon is still the world's largest and strongest selling company that offers cosmetics - and now also lingerie and costume jewelery - in direct sales. 5.4 million consultants work for the company, which was founded in 1886, in more than 100 countries and generate worldwide annual sales of around 10 billion US dollars. Avon Germany celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009. www.avon.de
Mary Kay was founded in 1963 in Dallas, USA by Mary Kay Ash and has been active in Germany since 1986. Around 18,000 "beauty consultants" present their products in private cosmetic training here in Germany. www.marykay.de
Jafra Cosmetics, founded in 1956 in California. The company belongs since 2004 to Vorwerk, known for the vacuum cleaner of the same name. Jafra is represented in 26 countries, in Germany about 10 000 freelance consultants work. www.jafra.de
All three companies are listed in the "Federal Association Direct Sales" organized, which stands for fair business conduct in the industry. This means among other things: The freelance consultants do not have to make any minimum sales and only order (and pay) the goods when they have customers for them.
