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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3 Reasons Social Media Should Become the Lifeblood of Your Company in 2021

Many direct selling companies have mixed feelings toward social media. On the corporate side, it’s a popular channel for staying connected with distributors and their teams. But when it comes to teams performing social media marketing as brand representatives, the corporate office usually has a lot of concerns, as this is where great exposure comes and automatically puts brand consistency, compliance, and reputation at risk.

Meanwhile, the opportunities social media opens, if used wisely, significantly outweigh these risks. Here are three reasons why getting representatives involved in social media marketing is a must for direct selling companies who want to get compelling sales results.

1. This is where your end users are.

Direct selling companies have always been known for proactively reaching out to people who need them. This approach worked with family circles, at parks, and at public events. Today these places are not the most promising in terms of finding new clients, as people prefer to minimize their risks due to the pandemic and stay home. There’s a place where they have migrated, though — to the online world, and to social media in particular. And this brings us to the number one reason it’s time for your direct selling company to become active on social.

40% of respondents of the Deloitte Digital Tools in Crisis and Recovery Report confirmed they are using social media and online messaging to find information about products they need and to interact with businesses.

According to GlobalWebIndex, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millenials use mostly Facebook (55%, 63%, and 67% correspondingly), while Gen Z is more into Instagram (67%). These two social media platforms are the most promising in terms of covering wide audiences of different age groups.

Moreover, 62% of Facebook users and 40% of Instagram users confess they spend time on social media looking for social interaction and meaningful connections.

SmartInsights predicts social media marketers will invest in “building relationships with employees, customers, and influencers to ensure our key brand messages are backed up by the voices our customers value the most” in 2021.

There’s no one better than representatives at building such connections and relationships. Marketing leaders just need to empower them with the right skill- and toolsets to start building their networks on social media.

2. It’s the way to provide a great brand experience.

When representatives start actively posting to their pages on their own, there are also risks. First, they might not be tech- and marketing-savvy enough to stick to the proper quality level of content and messaging. Second, reps who passionately believe in their products may start overpromising about their effects and this may cause legal issues.

But consistently onboarding reps on company values and messaging, educating them on social media marketing, and giving them effective tools are great ways to mitigate these risks. Activating distributors to engage in social media marketing can become the best decision in a company’s history. Not only can distributors spread their brand message to a wider audience, but they can also build a positive brand reputation through their own personal experiences.

People tend to trust other people much more than they trust brands. That’s why reps sharing their lifestyles featuring how they use your products in their daily routines is better than any paid advertising. Luckily, social media offers a wide range of tools and formats for creating such personalized content: Stories, Live Streams, IGTV—all of these are in high demand among today’s online users. Lives are even reported to be among the top trends for 2021.

In this case, it’s important that distributors remain authentic in their communication, as this is their main strength.

3. Selling on social media actually brings results.

Almost half the respondents of the Deloitte Digital Tools in Crisis and Recovery Report say their online spending has increased since the COVID-19 outbreak. According to SmartInsights, social commerce will be one of the key trends of 2021.

This is totally natural behavior as in today’s world online is the safest way to shop. Especially when you can get the look and feel of products, speak to a consultant, and make a purchase all in one place. Direct selling representatives should turn their social media pages into such places.

To achieve such growth, marketing leaders should develop a social-first habit in distributors. That means advocating the importance of social media marketing at the corporate level and educating representatives via various webinars, courses, and workshops. Also, picking the right tools to simplify social media marketing workflow is a good idea. With such support from the corporate level, representatives will catch on and become more marketing savvy and customer-centric themselves.

Marketing specialists predict the year 2021 will be the year of “people-first social media marketing”. Direct selling companies should be at the forefront of this trend, as giving personalized experiences is their strong suit.

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Max Pecherskyi
Help Distributors Focus on Relationships, Automate the Rest

No matter how much time direct selling HQs spend on building brand strategy, the actual brand experience depends first and foremost on distributors. They are the face of your business. So the more inspired but also consistent they are, the more positive the image people get of your company.

That’s why it’s definitely worth creating a supportive environment for them. This includes leadership, education, training, and — what matters a lot — providing easy-to-use technology that helps your distributors in their day-to-day communication with clients. Especially when it comes to social media communication. Social media has become the main conversation channel since the lockdown started. Research by the New York Times shows that Facebook usage has grown 27% during the pandemic. People have gotten used to chatting in messengers or Zoom rooms instead of going to parties and surfing the net instead of going to malls. This has changed customer behavior for good.

Your distributors have had to change their way of doing things as well. Before the pandemic they could give a party, showcase products personally, and exchange contacts. But now that offline communication has become a risk, they have had to find other ways of sharing their lifestyle and connecting with clients. Social media is definitely the most obvious solution, but it presents a challenge. Not all distributors are tech-savvy.

Building success on social media seems like a full-time job, from creating outstanding content to engaging followers with interactive formats. Thus, complicated posting can well be discouraging, making distributors lose interest in selling via social networks. As a result, they miss opportunities to find new people, build relationships, and create new clients.

To implement a win-win strategy, where distributors invest their time and effort in social media marketing, you need to create fertile ground for them. First of all, prove the value of building relationships. Second, guarantee your support and collaboration. Then provide educational resources to help your distributors master social media marketing. Once you join forces and start working as a team, you’ll achieve beneficial results for both parties.

Here’s what you can do:

Make daily social media posting a sure thing

To become successful on social, distributors need to show up there on a daily basis. That’s how social media platforms’ algorithms work: if distributors post once a week, their posts go unnoticed as their audience is not necessarily online when the post appears. However, regular posting increases the chances that posts will be seen. Such consistency is the only way to grow the reach of their posts, keep subscribers engaged, and get their attention.

You at the corporate office can ensure their posting is regular by pre-scheduling posts yourselves to your distributors’ social media calendars. Then all they have to do is to approve them. This becomes even more important during promotional campaigns. As they are limited offerings, on-time posting is a must. Your vendors who enable a one-click, on-the-go posting will help you be sure the campaign flow is consistent across your network.

Help distributors create content that stands out

No one can be full of ideas 24/7. Sometimes your distributors need to take a break and focus on other things besides coming up with brilliant ideas for their social media posts. But their social media audience still needs its portion of content.

“Our Wellness Advocates have great potential as authentic social sellers; they just needed better tools to market themselves online — tools that enable on-the-go posting and give them an opportunity to add a personal and authentic touch to their content and communication”, says John Dye, Senior Director of Marketing at dōTERRA in North America.

You can provide your distributors on-brand content by giving them access to an asset manager with branded templates so that they will always have fresh ideas at their fingertips. But the templates need to be aligned with each distributor’s unique style. By providing them with customization tools, you’ll make it possible for reps to retain their authenticity.

Finding their voice and approach and building a personal brand is what’s most valuable when it comes to distributors’ marketing themselves online. Telling a genuine story of success, showcasing products, and sharing lifestyle images is what attracts attention in the first place, as everyone wants to see a real human being behind the brand. It’s the way to connect with like-minded people and turn them into loyal clients.

Automation of social media content creation and posting is how HQ can help distributors fill their pages with a combination of lifestyle and branded content. Once they’re freed from the rote work, they’ll have time for sharing brand values and building relationships that convert to sales.

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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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