Three a Day

Avon encourages it's representative to make three new contacts every day. Supposedly, in a short time, the representative will have a large customer base.

I haven't been able to live up to this but I do think it would be a really good practice and hope to do better about it. What goals does your company set for you?

None of the companies I have worked for set those types of goals but it does sound like a good idea.

Sometimes I feel like getting myself to make these new contacts daily is like getting myself to go to the gym daily.

I know what you mean. It takes a lot of will power to work on something continually which is what 3 a day is all about, in my opinion. After you've gone through your list of friends, relatives and acquaintances, it gets pretty difficult to do.

Three a day, five a day some say - those are low self expectations BUT if someone failing to achieve in Avon kept that goal consistent five days a week some degree of success would happen.

Highly motivated people will make twenty - fifty contacts daily.

Whether three or five or twenty or fifty the number isn't the starting point - the starting point is what you want to accomplish, what's your motivation. When you know what you want AND expect to get from your efforts the number of contacts are made.

When people aren't meeting their goals small or large they are not motived individuals.

Mitch

Originally Posted by ozzie I haven't been able to live up to this but I do think it would be a really good practice and hope to do better about it. What goals does your company set for you?

I don't have any goals like this but it sounds like a good idea. Some days I'd rather just work with the clients I already have, though, and not really go after new people. Probably depends on my mood at any given time.

Originally Posted by destiny I don't have any goals like this but it sounds like a good idea. Some days I'd rather just work with the clients I already have, though, and not really go after new people. Probably depends on my mood at any given time.

I'm the same way destiny. There are some days when I prefer to spend my time promoting my online Avon business. This happens a lot when the weather is bad.

There are also days when I just don't feel like dealing with people at all and would not be successful if I attempted to do so. I have to make my contacts when I'm feeling confident and good about myself. Fortunately I feel good about myself more and more these days.

Originally Posted by ozzie There are also days when I just don't feel like dealing with people at all and would not be successful if I attempted to do so. I have to make my contacts when I'm feeling confident and good about myself. Fortunately I feel good about myself more and more these days.

Boy do I know THAT feeling! I guess it ends up being a good balance between days I coddle the clients I already have and days I like making contacts. I can't force myself to be up and perky every day either, so some "me days" are always a good idea, too. Well, I own my business, so it works... so I'll have to add that it works only if there's not a boss watching over your shoulder. "Sorry, boss, I decided I'm taking a day to be good to myself today!" Nah!

Many salespeople fall in to the trap of not making contacts every day. Like you are saying in some of your posts, it's easier to stay in where it's warm and work on the business you already have.

However, this attitude is what creates the sales roller coaster, making good money one month and little or no money the next. The key is to balance your time daily between the three main sales activities; soliciting, selling and servicing.

Making new contacts every day is one of the keys to avoiding the roller coaster. Three contacts a day is a very low number when you consider as Mitch stated, some salespeople make twenty to fifty daily contacts. In my training I suggest twenty a day.

Think outside the box. How many places do you visit on a regular basis where you can make contacts while accomplishing other tasks?

Also goals are extremely important. A salesperson without goals is like an archer trying to hit the bulls eye blind folded.

Even though 3 a day is considered a low goal by many, it is still a goal. Twenty contacts a day would not be practical for me considering I only work part time and live in a town of 4,000.

There are days that are much better suited for me to work on my business in other ways such as promoting my Avon website, stamping and bagging brochures, keeping records up to day, etc. If I don't provide good service to the customers I have, and keep good records, why would I want to take on more customers?