To this I confirmed that, yes, the students who participate in Southwestern Company’s summer sales program are independent contractors who run their own independent businesses.

He then said, “So, your company does not share if there is a loss financially?”

I then answered by saying no, further explaining how the students purchase products at wholesale (not upfront, by the way…) and sell them at retail utilizing the direct selling business model where they make a profit over the original wholesale price. 

The formerly polite young man then said: “Nice scam!”

Two things you need to know about me: (1) I love a challenge; and (2) I love to educate people about the benefits of direct selling and, specifically, the Southwestern Company summer sales program.  It’s something I believe in because I’ve experienced it.

I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to enlighten a young person who was under a few misconceptions about our program, and from the sound of it, direct selling in general.  Why did he have the opinion he did?  He simply did not have the facts. 

I attempted to explain the program in simple terms.  If the student dealers apply the training they receive in the week-long “Sales School” and are actively demonstrating products to families – Southwestern Company recommends 30 demos/day – thus generating a customer base, there should be no financial loss, but a gain. (I actually went into a little more detail, but you get the picture…).  I then continued to explain how it is a simple matter of math: you sell more then you spend. 

I was wasting by breath.  You see, it took me a while to realize he had hung up shortly after he yelled out, “Nice scam!”

I guess those not willing to learn, are harder to teach.  This person was not the first and certainly will not be the last to characterize something they do not understand as a scam, pyramid scheme or even cult – especially in the direct selling arena.  Those are often terms used by people who just do not know any better.  More so, they are not willing to learn or be told any different. 

I hope the young man got a laugh out of hanging up on me, but what’s sad is he won’t be laughing when he is close-minded to understanding something later in his life that may be much more important in business or even his personal life.

Through the Direct Selling Educational Foundation (DSEF), Southwestern Company along with other members of the direct selling community, will pool resources towards a first-ever Internet-based “treasure hunt.”  This year’s NCPW theme, “Dollars and Sense:  Rated ‘A’ for All Ages” highlights the importance of being a savvy consumer at any age on financial and business matters. 

“Time for a Treasure Hunt!” will support DSEF & the University of Utah during National Consumer Protection Week. 

This event will provide an opportunity for direct selling companies to promote consumer education, consumer rights and good corporate citizenship.  It will allow Southwestern Company and other direct selling companies to showcase the industry’s genuine good will and commitment to programs that are meaningful to the everyday consumer. 

The treasure hunt will help students at the University of Utah learn about the wealth of consumer information available via the Internet.  Two one-day Internet-based contests set for March 8th and 9th will ask participants to correctly answer a variety of practical consumer questions. 

Southwestern Company, working through DSEF and Dr. Robert N. Mayer, a former member of the DSEF board, will assist with the cash awards in the range of $300-$500 for anywhere from five to eight winners per day.

For additional information:

FTC National Consumer Protection Week website: http://consumer.gov/ncpw/

FTC National Consumer Protection Week Blog: http://consumer.gov/ncpw/blog/

Dr. Robert N. Mayer, University of Utah
E-mail:  Robert.Mayer@fcs.utah.edu
Phone:  1-801-581-5771

Bettie Smith, DSEF
E-mail:  bsmith@dsef.org
Phone:  1-202-416-6421

Trey Campbell, Southwestern Company
E-mail: trey.campbell@southwestern.com
Phone: 888-602-7867

I ran my own business with Southwestern Company for three summers (2003-2005), and did manage to sell a few books while I was at it.  I found it humorous that all these years later, my grandfather still held onto the tarnished reputation of door-to-door salespeople - despite the fact that his beloved granddaughter was one of them!

The simple fact is this: he probably would have let a Southwestern Company student dealer in had one shown up on his doorstep.  I say that because Southwestern students are well-instructed and adequately trained prior to their departure onto the bookfield.  These students are taught to always act professionally.  This means:  being respectful and courteous at all times, abiding by all county and city laws, acquiring all necessary permits, and adhering to community rules or standards.  Southwestern students are instructed to be pleasantly persistent, not pushy; and assumptive, not forceful. 

I am certain that there are many people with the same mindset as my grandfather.  That is, until they come across a humble, polite, and sincere young person associated with Southwestern Company.   My guess is that this mindset changes when a person has such a positive experience with a door-to-door salesperson.  I made many, many friends during my time selling books – and I can say without a doubt that these people were glad I came by.

Unfortunately, there are several organizations which do not properly train their sales forces, and it’s these ‘bad apples’ that tarnish the bunch.  But, if Southwestern continues to instill the same morals and instructions that they have been for the past 150+ years, I would only assume that the tide will slowly begin to turn, and door-to-door sellers will be greeted with open minds and open hearts.

If my grandfather opened the door to see a cheerful, friendly, and articulate young man or woman, I would bet that he’d stick around to hear the pitch.

On the Hooked on Phonics blog on February 1, 2010, Southwestern’s “Ask Me” series was featured in a post titled “Sunday’s Story Surprise.”  In summary, it’s about a mom reading to her three-year-old son as he starts to put together words and their meaning.  It also mentions the importance of reading to your children and the great rewards that both the parent and child gain.

I think an important part of any company is why they do what they do.  Many companies will say the “why” is to make a profit.  I think most legitimate direct selling companies will tell you something different – something with a bit more substance.  For Southwestern, we are about helping people.  This includes the young people who participate in our summer sales program, but also the millions of families who purchase the products.  We feel families prosper by having educational products in the home.  It’s a way for families to bond and for children to learn.  

Critics can say this is corporate rhetoric, but I have worked for Southwestern for 11 years and I can tell you this is the truth.  Whether developing college students in preparation for life or developing a young child’s mind, it is what we are about.  Put simply, we can’t forget the impact these students directly have on families all over North America, Canada and the UK.

As the mom who authored the blog so eloquently put it, “As a parent, you want only the best for your children, and in this mom’s opinion, reading to your children is one of the most important things you can do from an early age.”  The mom then goes on to describe with wonder the surprise she felt when her son began to engage and understand what they were reading – from “Do Plants Eat Meat?” from the Southwestern “Ask Me” series. 

After reading the Hooked on Phonics blog, several people have sent in their own stories:

From Jaak Vilonov:
“I have had several of those special moments during the 2 summers I have sold.  The first summer (Oregon State) I met a dad who recognized the My Books because his mother, who is a speech pathologist had been using the books for years as one of the main tools in her work.

That same summer I also met a grandma who told me a crazy story. Her grandson was not interested in books at all, but he was very interested in tractors. In one of the My Books there is a tractor picture and that got him interested in the rest of the book and later on into other books also.”

From Tabitha Taylor:
“As an employee of Southwestern, one of my favorite stories to tell involves my niece and nephew. Each time I read to them, I let them pick out the book we will read. It never fails that each time they reach for one of their beloved, yet tattered from use, SW books. A couple of months ago, I sat down to read with my nephew – 5 and niece – 3. I was amazed when we opened the My Fun With Words book and rather than me asking all the point and learn questions, my nephew took on the role of “reader” and started asking his sister all the questions I had asked him so many times before. We are fortunate to have such a great product line that even our 5 year olds become so engaged they can read and teach their siblings!”

You want to know why direct sellers do what they do?  It’s to invest in yourself, others and make a difference, sometimes one person at a time… sometimes one family at a time.

It has to do with the introduction of entrepreneurialism to young people.  According to Dan, this is something that has been happening at Southwestern Company for a long time – 142 years to be exact.

One day, while listening in the car to National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, there was an interview with Charles Handy, founder of the London Business School and a management consultant, of whom Dan has followed for some time.

Mr. Handy maintains we should start thinking about jobs in a whole new light and introduce the concepts of entrepreneurialism to young people early on.  In this article, Dan points out Mr. Handy’s “new light” when broken down is actually the driving force behind direct selling companies – and at least in Southwestern’s case, has been for along time.

Through direct sales, Dan has had the opportunity to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with over 70,000 college students.  He says “it is a privilege to be in direct selling and working with the greatest young people in the world.”  He continues by saying, “it is exciting to teach enduring principles to young people, knowing they will add their own unique talents and flavorings to them as they grow their business within Southwestern’s direct selling program.” 

In the article, Dan talks about lessons learned from his student manager and concepts he picked up from Spencer Hays.  With 36 summers under his belt in direct selling, Dan Moore has had the privilege of learning from and working directly with two Direct Selling Association Hall of Fame members (Spencer Hays & Jerry Heffel) and hundreds of other DSA staff members and other member company representatives who have unselfishly shared their time and influence, not only with him, but with young college students as well.

Digesting the fact that the benefits of direct sales goes beyond simply selling and teached young people life skills is what we are all about… and it’s not new, either.

To go to Southwestern Company media website for article, click here.

To go to Direct Selling News online posting of article, click here.

FEAR BREEDS MORE FEAR; MISINFORMATION LEADS TO MISCOMMUNICATION

Case in point: an e-mail recieved July 14, 2009 (in entirety):

To Whom It May Concern,

          We were approached by an extremely polite, nice young man selling your wares. We live in Florida and it is extremely hot for someone to be biking around door to door (91 degrees). As nice as this person was all I can think about when someone comes door to door is whether they are staking out our home for robberies or what type of scam is being pulled.

          Even though you are a legitimate company, I would never buy from you this way and I really think it is a horrible way for a young person to make sales. Most of my neighbors also feel this way and we all feel really sorry for the young person. This seems like a really ineffective sales technique not to mention dangerous for young people. As a legitimate business with a good name dealing in materials for children I can only say it doesn’t reflect well on you.

“I certainly respect your opinion of door-to-door sales and appreciate the openness of your e-mail.  I think there is a whole other side to this type of sales that benefits the students dealer, the customer they do serve that have a need for the products and the community in general that welcomes them.”

The conclusion to my e-mailed response: 

Question: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE STEREOTYPES OF DOOR-TO-DOOR WHEN IT COME TO SAFETY?
Answer:  Like most college students, when finals came it meant late nights, unhealthy amounts of red bull, and practically taking up residency at the library.  However, to access the library at late hours required a little trek across campus.  As a female, walking across a college campus alone at night can have its fear factors.  Thus, I made a habit of calling a friend for the walk to serve as an extra precaution.  The University even took action and placed emergency blue lights methodically around the campus to provide added safety for its students. Still, I could not help but feel slightly wary of my vulnerability and the potential dangers associated with a young female walking alone during those late hours. Typically, with admittance to a university, campus safety is usually an afterthought. In fact, most often it is simply assumed. Yet, statistics show that one out of every eight females will be assaulted whilst in college.[1] 

 To my surprise, when my parents heard I wanted to sell books door-to-door for a summer internship, they looked at me as if I was volunteering to be the next face on a missing milk carton.   I was almost certain my parents would be content with the idea of me spending my summer with families and their children talking about education. Looking back, I understand how my being female generated more cause for concern than if I were a male.  Yet I still couldn’t understand what I considered was their “over-concern” with this when they seemed to neglect most, if not all, other potentially dangerous endeavors which yielded great praise. Examples of these endeavors include going away to college, backpacking Europe solo, numerous road trips and skydiving, to name a few.  To me, the idea of selling books was just another exciting adventure and in no way was it compromising my safety. I felt my parents were basing their judgment on the idea of it being more taboo rather than looking at the facts. 

Unfortunately, when most students approach their parents about a door-to-door sales opportunity it is in their parental nature to be instantly closed-minded (and they should until they have the facts and are educated about the opportunity).  I now recognize this is what being a parent is like: you always worry about your children and want the best for them.  Occasionally while talking with families, I would have some who were inquisitive that wanted to know how my parents allowed me to participate in such a “dangerous” program. “Especially for females,” they would say.

Here are my thoughts: 

• I felt safe with the reputation of the company I was looking into (Southwestern in this case)
• I spoke to others who had done it before
• I learned the company was over 150-years old
• I saw they had the university’s permission to recruit on campus
• I attended tons of training about everything from the products to ethics and, yes, safety
• Southwestern wanted to meet with my parents, who were asked to endorse me in order for me to participate

(1) I would never deliberately put myself in compromising situations that were going to cause me to feel uncomfortable – on campus or elsewhere.  For example, while selling I would only enter the home if the mother was there and I would make it my mission during the day to make appointments for the evening hours. I have never felt frightened doing this job because I never gave myself reason to. 

(2) My parents were more at ease once they spoke to the family I was living with and knew I would be taken care of. My first summer running my own business through Southwestern, my mom was very wary of where I would live.  She was very relieved when she understood I was in a safe environment and had someone I could rely on for support in my times of need. 

A lot of families I meet in the summer have a misconstrued understanding of what I do. Usually once families hear me out, they come to an understanding of our program, but I think at first they assume we are just a bunch of helpless college students who unloaded from some van and just knock on random doors (by far, not the case).  It is liberating to be able to explain what I do and change someone’s jaded perception based from stereotypes or simply an assumption.  Just like on my college campus, by being aware of my surroundings, having alevel head and using common sense, I have found security in what I do.  I’m a door-to-door sales person.

______________
Lucy Morton-Hicks is the Communications Specialist for the Southwestern Company, the nation’s oldest direct selling company based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is an award-winning, top sales person and recruiter who has run her own business as an independent dealer the past three summers selling Southwestern Company’s educational products door-to-door in their summer program for college students.  She is also engaged in the training and mentorship of students from several Florida universities.

With the economy dipping the way it has, more U.S. workers have tried their hand at running a direct selling business.  In fact, 15.1 million – 100,000 more than the previous year.  However, in a not-so-typical turn, sales for the industry dropped around four percent.

According to Amy Robinson, spokesperson and VP of Communications for the Direct Selling Association, previous recent recessions have met with an increase in people and sales.  This particular one is more like the economic dip in the mid-1980s.

While figures are not available yet for 2009, Robinson expects the jump in sales not seen to this point. 

This article, while discussing a downbeat economy, contains a really upbeat projection for the future.  With examples of success stories around the country, direct sales is simply a very unique way to offset one’s income in both tough and not-so-tough times.  This is happening with other direct selling companies… and with Southwestern Company too. 

Currently, Southwestern is finding the statistics to be rather positive, an upswing, if you will.  In part, because college students are seeking opportunities outside-the-box to help them be noticed in an over-crowded, entry-level job market. That is one of many things Southwestern can offer a young person.  As well, the summer internship is a great way to offset educational expenses.  Some statistics for recruiting have even crossed into double-digit territory this past fall.

Two things I know for sure: (1) The economy will bounce back; (2) Direct sales offers empowerment to individuals.   Add those two together and you have another viable way to stimulate, retain and grow a healthy economy.

Viva la direct selling!

Just the other day, we had a stranger lurking around Southwestern Company’s corporate headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, boldly taking personal objects, including an employee’s credit card.  It was used shortly after at Opry Mills Mall, several miles away.  Criminal activity and scams come with the season.  While a shame, it’s a fact.

In an article in the Marshall News Messenger out of Texas, titled “Nonprofits, BBB warn of holiday scams” by Angela Ward, the Better Business Bureau of Central East Texas issues several warnings for consumers.  The holiday season is a prime time for scam artists to solicit charitable donations door-to-door.  While the article correctly mentions how some legitimate nonprofit agencies DO use door-to-door as a method of collecting donations, many charities primarily utilize mail, phone and e-mail. 

My guess is door-to-door is a common way scammers use to prey on people’s charitable nature because it’s harder to say “no” to someone’s face, especially because it’s sold as “helping others” during the season of giving.

In East Texas, they have had a problem with door-to-door solicitation of charitable funds, and after investigation, the charity does not exist or the solicitation is not authorized.  This is very similar to how disreputable door-to-door companies and individual solicitors stain the image of legitimate direct sellers.  Even Donna Mahurin of the Greater Longview United Way comes to the same conclusion.  She is attributed in the article as saying people who run con games by pretending to collect for charities hurt legitimate nonprofit agencies.  Absolutely right!

In another article on Forbes.com, titled “Holiday Scams: ‘Tis the Season to be Wary” by William P. Barnett, Barnett gives examples of all types of scams, including, yes… door-to-door.  With the popularity of the Internet however, he suggest a lot of the scamming surrounds gift card pitches and unsolicited e-mails with full-on identity-stealing software.  It just goes to show, you have to be careful on several fronts, not just on your front porch.

A few ideas from the Marshall article suggests what to look for:
1. Make sure the charity is trustworthy.  Some intentionally sound like established, legitimate charities and nonprofits.
2. How will the donation be used?  Is this fully explained.
3. Is there pressure associated with the appeal?  You do not have to immediately give.  You can ask for something in writing and research the charity.

A few of my thoughts:
1. Always ask to see a permit if one is required.
2. Ask to see some form of identification from the solicitor.
3. Do not allow anyone in your home if you feel uncomfortable.
4. Do not feel pressured to purchase or donate.  Politely decline and thank them for stopping by and thinking of you.  Never hand over any form of money to simply “get rid” of someone.
5. Check with the BBB to see if they have any information on the company or charity.

I hope this helps.  Education and awareness is the best preparation for staying safe during the holidays.

Happy holidays everyone!

I just got back from the Direct Selling Association’s (DSA) Communications & Internet Marketing Conference in Las Vegas.

This is a conference I have been proud to be associated with since it was established about five years ago as an attendee and presenter.  This year, the entire conference was about social media and the direct selling industry.

Over 325 direct selling communications, marketing and IT folks, Presidents and CEOs attended.  I presented on the topic of blogging and buzz marketing.  It was amazing to have a room full of industry peers that were all seeking their “ah-ha” moment when it comes to social media.  And, let me tell you… they went home with a bag full of “ah-has.”

In a pre-conference marketing piece, I was quoted by the DSA as saying “Social media can no longer be ignored or simply dismissed as a non-credible means of communications to your various audiences.  Direct selling is as much about relationship-building as it is selling.”  I really think social media is revolutionizing the direct selling industry (among others).  Currently, you have your technology innovators and your early adopters.  Alarmingly, however, you have your late-bloomers.  And sadly, you have your not-gonna-do-its who refuse to adapt.  As heard at the conference, we know what happened to the dinosaurs…

Social media is a very effective means of communication.  It is the combination of the emergence of pull technology, content sharing, and both user and consumer generated media.  It’s two-way communication that offers advantages to both parties.  It is the latest technological tool for relationship-building.  I could go on and on about how it takes the personal part out of the sales, out of the relationship.  However, if used adeptly, it can be the beginning of  long-lasting, fruitful relationships – perhaps cyber first, leading to up-close and personal.

Each generation has traditionally developed different consumptive habits of digesting media…HOWEVER, technology has bled through the generation gap.
 – EVERYONE’S DOIN’ IT!What we have done at Southwestern Company is to realize this and act on it.  In our 155-year history, we have never been able to be so transparent and open to contact and feedback.  With all the viable social options to our independent sales force of college students and the customers they generate, we have an even greater opportunity to reach out to students, parents, consumers, and others – including detractors. 

Even this very blog is a result of our social media resolve.  To spread our opinions, philosophies and stance on consumer issues, ethical standards and industry-wide educational efforts is a big thing!  Thanks for reading… I hope this blog serves as a two-way forum for consumers and other interested audiences relevant to the topics covered.