This week’s article is a collection of 2021’s significant direct sales news. It was most certainly a tough year for all industry players. Yet we know there were positives alongside with all the negatives. Also included, you will find selected articles from The World of Direct Selling that stood out last year according to readers’ responses.

> Avon in North America Gets a New Name: The Avon Company
> Nu Skin Reports 16.5 Tons of Paper and 21 Tons of Plastic Savings in 2020
> How Pampered Chef Revolutionized Home Cooking
> Herbalife and LA Galaxy Unveil First-Ever Major League Soccer AR Fan Experience
> How the Pandemic Stoked a Backlash to Multilevel Marketing
> Rodan + Fields Ups Commitment to Refillable, Reusable, and Recyclable Packaging
> Scentsy CEOs Are Leaving for London. Here’s What They’re Doing
> Avon Partners with Fuse to Drive Sales with Active Learning
> Is Personal Selling Dead? The Rise of Virtual Selling

Most-Read Article in January on The World of Direct Selling:
Five Pillars of a Successful Direct Sales Company – Hakki Ozmorali

> Amway Reports $8.5 Billion Sales in 2020, Up 2% from 2019
> LifeVantage Announces Appointment of Chief Executive Officer
> Nu Skin Reports Fourth-Quarter Revenue Growth of 28%
> USANA’s Digital Improvements Bear Fruit with 14.5% Sales Rise in Forth Quarter of 2020
> Jeunesse Achieves $8 Billion in Cumulative Worldwide Sales
> Leggings Company LuLaRoe Settles Pyramid Scheme Allegations
> Herbalife Reports Record-Breaking 2020 Net Sales with 14% Growth versus Prior Year
> Medifast Reports $935 Million Revenue in 2020, Up 31% from 2019
> Nu Skin Announces CEO Transition
> Oriflame’s Sales Decline by 8% in 2020 to €1.157 Billion

Most-Read Article in February on The World of Direct Selling:
3 Reasons Social Media Should Become the Lifeblood of Your Company in 2021 – Max Pecherskyi

> Natura &Co Outperforms the Global Market in Q4 2020
> Tupperware Announces 17% Sales Increase in the Fourth Quarter
> Juice Plus+ Names Former Coca-Cola Exec Its First Female CEO
> Amway to Cut 6% of Global Workforce, More Than 800 Jobs at Headquarters
> Rodan + Fields Promotes Dimitri Haloulos to CEO
> Inside Farmasi’s U.S. Expansion
> Avon to Launch in Kenya
> Melaleuca Awards Its Employees $2.2 Million in Longevity Bonuses

Most-Read Article in March on The World of Direct Selling:
2020 in Five Major Companies’ Figures and Charts – Hakki Ozmorali

> Why COVID-19 Could Be Pushing More People to Multi-Level Marketing Companies
> Virtually Beautiful: Mary Kay’s Digital Showroom Is a 360-Degree, 3D Beauty Experience
> The Carlyle Group Acquires Major Stake at Beautycounter, Valuing Company at $1 Billion
> Natura &Co Expects US$8.5-$8.8 Billion Consolidated Revenue in 2023
> Tupperware Launches Its Innovative Channel “Homeshop” in India
> Euromonitor: Herbalife Is World’s #1 Weight Management and Wellbeing Brand
> Tyler Whitehead Is the New CEO of Arbonne
> LR Health & Beauty’s 2020 Revenue Rises by 27% to EUR 285 Million
> Young Living Study Shows Pandemic Heightened Importance on Wellness
> The Avon Company Sets Digital Retail Ambitions on Livestream Shopping

Most-Read Article in April on The World of Direct Selling:
Celebrities in Direct Selling – Hakki Ozmorali

> Tupperware’s Turnaround Plan Well Underway with Sales Growth of 22%
> Medifast Announces 91% Sales Increase in Q1
> Natura &Co: Digital Social Selling and Ecommerce Drive Revenue Growth in Q1
> Arbonne Elevates Customer Experience with New Mobile-First Website Redesign
> Multilevel Marketers in Health and Wellness Continue Their Streak
> U.S. Direct Selling Industry Study Reveals 13.9% Growth in 2020
> The Vorwerk Group Reports 8.6% Sales Growth in 2020, Reaches EUR 3.2 Billion
> The Lessons Avon Learned from Joining TikTok

Most-Read Article in May on The World of Direct Selling:
Working Through a World of Misinformation – Alan Luce (1945 – 2021)

> ACN Reaches Agreement to Acquire Kynect (formerly Stream)
> Now Worth $1 Billion, Beautycounter Aims to Take Big Leap
> doTERRA Expands in Southeast Asia with Thailand Opening
> Door to Door, But Digital: Avon CEO on How a Historic Firm Gets with the Times
> Natura &Co Launches Investment Firm, Fable
> German Direct Seller LR Health & Beauty Readies Asia Foray – from Korea
> Tupperware-Style Retail in UK Smashes GBP1 Billion in 2020
> TINA.Org Lobbies FTC to Use Penalty Offense Authority Against Direct Sellers

Most-Read Article in June on The World of Direct Selling:
New Data Reveals Canadian Direct Selling Grew Significantly in 2020 – Peter Maddox

> WFDSA Announces 2020 Global Direct Selling Statistics
> L’Occitane’s Direct Selling Business LimeLife Is Its Fastest-Growing Brand
> More Trouble for Embattled Rodan + Fields: Its Insurer Is Suing
> Market America | SHOP.COM Partners with Verb to Launch SHOP LIVE
> Direct Sales Industry Legend Alan Luce Passed Away at the Age of 75
> Camelle Kent Named Chief Executive Officer of Thirty-One Gifts
> Longaberger Gathering Celebrates Brand’s Relaunch
> PM-International Expands into the United Kingdom

Most-Read Article in July on The World of Direct Selling:
Fulfilling Your Orders Should Be Like Turning the Light On – Doug Finnie

> Herbalife Reports $1.6 Billion Sales, Double-Digit Growth for Fourth Straight Quarter
> Francois Renard Joins Amway as Chief Marketing Officer
> Natura &Co Reports 36% Sales Growth in the Second Quarter
> Rodan + Fields Welcomes New Chief Global Sales Officer and Chief Marketing Officer
> Amazon Unveils Trailer for ‘LuLaRich’, Investigative Docuseries About LuLaRoe
> Rex Maughan, Founder of Forever Living Products Passes Away
> How Dan Chard Healed Medifast, the Company That Helps Thousands Feel Better
> Neora Celebrates A Decade of Making People Better

Most-Read Article in August on The World of Direct Selling:
5 Tips to Improve Productivity and Retention – Daryl Wurzbacher

> Amare Global Announces Jared Turner as CEO
> Belcorp Digitally Transforms their Consumer Shopping Experience
> Pampered Chef Launches ‘Table’, a First-of-Its-Kind Virtual Party Platform
> Beauty Brands Opt for Multipart Livestreaming
> Turkish Direct Seller Farmasi Introduces Sleek Makeover with Plans for North America
> Avon Revamps Digital Sales Model as Clicks Replace Calls
> L’Occitane Launches Social Selling Platform “MyL’Occitane”
> Tupperware to Set Up 1,000 Retail Stores in India in Five Years
> U.S. Direct Selling Association Issues Statement on “LuLaRich”

Most-Read Article in September on The World of Direct Selling:
3 Easy Ways Every Direct Seller Can Start Cranking Out More Videos​ – Clark Diemer

> Avon Opens First Flagship Store in China
> FTC Puts Hundreds of Businesses on Notice
> Natura &Co: Environmental and Social Impact “The Next Chapter” for Cosmetics
> People, Culture and Their Safety Is of Prime Importance to Oriflame
> Is Younique Going Out of Business? Not Yet, Despite Challenges
> Tupperware Sells Its House of Fuller Beauty Business in Mexico
> Is Direct Selling the Answer to Women Empowerment in Africa?
> Plexus Promotes Gene Tipps to President of Global Operations
> Mary Kay Rolls Out Beauty App for Skin Care, Makeup, Fragrance and More
> To Be More Sustainable, Beauty’s Biggest Companies Are Teaming Up

Most-Read Article in October on The World of Direct Selling:
Trust and Communication: The Foundation of Success in Direct Sales – Brett Duncan

> US Direct Selling Association Announces 2021 Award Winners and 25 Largest Companies
> Herbalife’s Strong Q3 Results Good Sign for Continued Demand for Supplements
> Amelia Warren, Epicure’s CEO Named One of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2021
> PM-International Announces Plans for Launches in Americas, Asia and Africa
> ASEA Announces Changes to Its Exective Team
> Seldia (The European Direct Selling Association) Elects New President and  Directors
> Longaberger Is Transforming Itself into the Largest Marketplace for Artisans
> India’s Direct Selling Market and the Pandemic: What Lies Ahead?

Most-Read Article in November on The World of Direct Selling:
Direct Sellers – How Much Did They Earn Last Year? – Hakki Ozmorali

> Amway CEO Milind Pant: “Online Is the Best Thing That Happened to Our Industry”
> Newsweek: Tupperware Is One of America’s Most Responsible Companies
> Medifast Named to FORTUNE’s Fastest-Growing Companies List for a Third Straight Year
> Nature’s Sunshine Co-Founder Gene Hughes Passes Away at the Age of 91
> CEO of QNET: People Defaming QNET Have Not Investigated the Realities
> Cosmetify’s Hottest Beauty Brands of 2021 Ranking
> Scentsy Hits $1 Billion Revenue in 2021
> doTERRA CEO David Stirling Steps Down, Corey Lindley Appointed as Successor

Most-Read Article in December on The World of Direct Selling:
Need to Pivot to a Customer Focus? Here’s How – Nancy Tobler

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The post News Round-Up of 2021 appeared first on The World of Direct Selling.

3 Easy Ways Every Direct Seller Can Start Cranking Out More Videos

We all know that video is of utmost importance for direct selling success today. If we didn’t think that prior to 2020, there should definitely be no question now! And while we all agree with that statement, I’m still surprised at how many direct sales companies fall short of producing enough videos to keep their marketing and their sales support vibrant and growing.

I think most of us make it harder than it needs to be. We overthink it. Sure, we want quality, but today’s marketplace also requires quantity. The good news is that most of us have a high-quality recording device in our hands at all times… our mobile devices!

With that said, I want to share three simple ways that you can start producing more video content today without having to get someone else to do it. Watch the video below for the full explanation, but in short, here they are:

1. Short, simple product promos
2. Constant influx of testimonials
3. Instagram stories!

Ready to starting cranking out more videos? It can seem overwhelming at first, but just commit to doing more and see what happens. As a starting point, take a look at how many videos you produce a month currently, and commit to publishing at least 50% more moving forward. So, if you produced four videos last month, push it to six videos this month. Don’t burden yourself with making them all award-winning. Sometimes good enough is good enough. The key is remembering is that no video that hasn’t been published can help you at all!

From there, you’ll find your style and your rhythm. The field will definitely let you know what they like and what they don’t. Grow from there, and see what happens.

One more thing: make sure you watch out for improper income statements or product claims. We all know those are no-no’s, so don’t let your increased production cause you to overlook these important areas.

What have you experienced that helps with video production? Drop a comment; I’d love to learn what’s working best for you.

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Clark Diemer
Video: The Lifeblood of a Modern Content Marketing Strategy

It’s no secret today that online video content is a key element to any good sales and marketing strategy, and the statistics for online videos prove this ten times over. I believe that online video content is even MORE critical for direct selling companies compared to traditional companies because of the sales force/distributor base. This is no surprise to any direct sales company. The problem I see so often is that too many direct selling companies do not put enough emphasis on the volume of videos they put out. In today’s day and age, you need quality AND quantity when it comes to videos.

In the event that you are not 100% convinced that video is key to your sales and marketing strategy, here are just a few statistics for you to chew on.

• 85% of all Internet users in the United States watched online video content in the past month on their device. (Statista 2018)
• Internet users spent an average of 6 hrs & 48 mins per week watching videos online (Limelight, 2019)
• In 2022 82% of the global internet traffic will come from video streaming and downloads (Citco, 2019)
• Mobile video consumption rises by 100% every year (Insivia, 2020)
• 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by way of video than (HubSpot, 2020)

On top of all this data, the Covid-19 pandemic has created what essentially is a digital bonfire where most of America is spending a great deal of time on their devices, and brands are either telling their marketing story around this proverbial bonfire or they are simply missing out on the opportunity to do so.

At Left Hook Videos, our team has been creating video content for direct selling companies for over 10 years and our goal has always been to create videos that serve as a silver bullet for the field to fire.

In general, almost all direct selling companies provide their field with the following core videos:

• Brand Story/Company Overview
• Informational/Product Promos
• Event/Trip Promos
• Success Stories/Testimonials
• How To Get Started

Some companies have these videos integrated into their social media strategy. While all of these videos are absolutely essential, what your field and your brand NEED is so much more. You need much more volume to stand out from the crowd than just a few of these basic informational videos. I understand the hesitation and the reasons why a lot of companies do not produce video content by the truckload. Below are just a few of the most common I’ve heard:

• “It’s too expensive.”
• “We don’t have the manpower or the bandwidth.”
• “We have other priorities.”
• “Creating video content is difficult and too time consuming.”

Sound familiar? All of the above mentioned reasons are real, and depending on the size of your company, more video may seem impossible to even consider. However, not producing fresh and ongoing video content for your field to share with the world in 2020 is a mistake you cannot afford to make. In a social-media-centric world, video is the fuel that keeps that content engine flowing. And your distributors are begging for it.

There is not an industry out there that can offer as much value, inspiration and creative video content as the direct selling industry. In our experience, the PEOPLE and the PRODUCTS that make up direct selling companies are the content that should and can be leveraged more often. Your field will always appreciate you pumping out short, creative, and fun videos for them to like and share, and you can never supply too many!

In the same way, you can never share too many stories about your field and their love for your products and your company.

Some companies understand the need for more video content, but feel that they just cannot make it happen right now due to budget. Budgetary concerns don’t have to stop you from producing great content.

Here are two helpful ideas in creating fresh content that won’t break the bank:

1.Take current “long form videos” and cut out 15-30 second nuggets, add music and a simple introduction and ending.

2. Incentivize your field via social media to create and submit a 30-60 second video with content such as:

• • Their passion for the company and products.
  • Any success or feel good stories they may have.
  • Showing how they like to take or use the products.
  • The type of financial or time freedom they have been able to experience since being part of your company (be careful with those income claims!)
  • Anything involving kids and pets! (the web loves kittens!)

Be sure when incentivizing your field that you give guidelines/instructions. One thing you can do to help your field create these videos, is to create an example video in which you walk them through the type of video you are looking for.

So what does a more appropriate amount of video content look like? We believe that there is no such thing as too many videos, but understand that there must be a realistic goal in place.

Setting a goal to pump out 2-4 online videos a week (not including the bigger videos that you already have scheduled to go out) is a great place to start.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating fresh video content:

• Try to keep them under 60 seconds.
• Keep it upbeat and fast paced to help maintain viewer engagement.
• You can never go wrong with funny and witty.
• Adding stock footage can help immensely. One option for stock videos is to utilize resources such as Storyblocks.
• Add music and try to use different tracks for each video. ArtList is a great place to start.
• Remember that sometimes perfection is the enemy of progress. Not posting a video for weeks because you don’t feel it is 100% perfect can oftentimes be a mistake. Get that content out there!
• Have at least two people review and proof the video before posting. Things like spelling errors can turn a great video into a bad video very quickly.
• If you start to increase your video content output by even just 20%, your field leaders WILL be thankful and you will see that reflected in their engagement and in the numbers they produce.

If you are looking for a place to get started, I want to encourage you to check out some of the videos that we have created here. This portfolio can help you come up with concepts for your company, perhaps spark creativity, and will give you a better understanding of the videos we have been referring to in this article.

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From the very beginning, we have been featuring articles from renowned personalities from the global direct sales industry. You will find their insightful articles below.

Jeff Babener (1948-2020)
Jeff Babener was the principal attorney in the law firm of Babener & Associates. For more than 30 years, he advised leading U.S. and international companies in the direct selling industry. Read from Jeff Babener

Meredith Berkich
Meredith Berkich is the President of LifeWave. She was the Chief Growth Officer at Jenkon, working with corporate leadership seeking solutions to digital transformation and business evolution. Read from Meredith Berkich

Jeff Dahl
Jeff Dahl is recognized as an industry leader and innovator, with over 35 years of experience working with global consumer brands and direct selling companies. Read from Jeff Dahl

Clark Diemer
Clark Diemer is an Associate of Strategic Choice Partners and the owner of Left Hook Videos. He has worked closely with more than 30 different direct sales companies. Read from Clark Diemer

Brett Duncan
Brett Duncan is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Strategic Choice Partners, a business development firm that helps direct selling companies take their next steps. Read from Brett Duncan

Jonathan Gilliam
Jonathan Gilliam is the Founder & President of Momentum Factor, a compliance software and services firm serving direct selling companies exclusively. Read from Jonathan Gilliam

Vince Han
Vince Han is the founder and CEO of MobileCoach and an industry thought-leader for learning technology with an emphasis on artificial intelligence and chatbot technology. Read from Vince Han

Rick Loy
Rick Loy is an Associate with Strategic Choice Partners, and a sales strategist and training specialist with more than 20 years of experience as a Senior Executive in direct selling. Read from Rick Loy

Alan Luce (1945-2021)
Alan Luce was Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Strategic Choice Partners. He was a US DSA Hall of Famer and a member of the DSEF’s Circle of Honor. Read from Alan Luce

Peter Maddox
Peter Maddox has been the President of the Direct Sellers Association of Canada since early 2018. He has extensive experience in the association world and the marketing industry. Read from Peter Maddox

Michele McDonough
Michele McDonough is Co-Founder of  C3 Executive Search, serving the companies in the acquisition of exceptional executive talent in the direct selling channel. Read from Michele McDonough

Max Pecherskyi
Max Pecherskyi is Co-Founder and CEO of PromoRepublic, a distributed marketing platform for multi-location brands that launched a social selling solution for direct selling businesses. Read from Max Pecherskyi

Andi Sherwood
Andi Sherwood is the Director of Strategy and Plan Design at Dan Jensen Consulting. Since joining in 2066, she has personally designed more than 400+ compensation plans globally. Read from Andi Sherwood

Don Sorensen
Don Sorensen is an Associate with Strategic Choice Partners. He is an online reputation management authority whose expertise has been featured in numerous prominent publications. Read from Don Sorensen

Gillian Stapleton
Gillian Stapleton was the CEO of Direct Selling Australia between 2016 and 2022. She was appointed to this role as the first female in the association’s 54-year history. Read from Gillian Stapleton

Nancy Tobler
Nancy Tobler is an Associate of Strategic Choice Partners, and Chief Data Analyst at MLM Compensation Consulting. She has worked in the direct sales industry on commission analytics for 20 years. Read from Nancy Tobler

Crayton Webb
Crayton Webb is the owner and CEO of Sunwest Communications, a public relations and public affairs firm. Previously, he was the VP, Corporate Communications at Mary Kay. Read from Crayton Webb

Ben Woodward
Ben Woodward is an Associate of DISSECT and the author of a best-selling book. He previously assumed executive roles at various internationals like Amway, Melaleuca and Nikken. Read from Ben Woodward 

Daryl Wurzbacher
Daryl Wurzbacher is the CEO of ByDesign Technologies, a company dedicated to delivering leading-edge capabilities in software-as-a-service, and platform-as-a-service solutions. Read from Daryl Wurzbacher

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