Attracting attention with online content can be challenging, but digital storytelling continues to be one of the most effective strategies for generating a loyal customer base and strengthening field retention. Here are eight key strategies to elevate your brand narrative.

1/ Create a Consistent Brand Narrative

Consistency is the cornerstone of successful brand building. Know your audience and understand their pain points. A cohesive brand narrative that permeates all your digital storytelling develops trust, which can be an uphill battle in direct selling. Whether it’s the tone of your content; the visual elements; or the underlying message, ensure that your brand identity remains unwavering across all platforms. Consistency leads to familiarity, and familiarity leads to trust.

2/ Be Emotionally Resonant

People are bombarded with messages, and they’re looking for emotional connection through all the noise. Infusing emotions into your stories creates a powerful bond with your audience. Whether it’s the joy of a customer or distributor success story; the empathy in understanding their challenges; or the inspiration drawn from your brand’s journey, emotional resonance is the secret sauce of effective storytelling. Craft narratives with relatable, real people and situations that conjure emotions, forging a deeper connection with your audience. It’s difficult for people to leave a company and brand they have formed a connection with.

3/ Create Interactive Content

The digital landscape is not a one-way street. Encourage engagement through interactive content. Leverage polls, quizzes, surveys and other participatory storytelling formats to involve your audience in the narrative. People want to feel like they are part of building a brand they love. Direct selling is still a relationship business, and interactive content transforms your storytelling into a conversation. Engage your audience in a dialogue; listen to their responses; and adapt your narrative based on their feedback.

4/ Utilize Multiple Platforms

You can’t just pick one platform these days because your customer base is using several. Be an omnichannel storyteller across various platforms, including social media, blogs, podcasts and video channels. Each platform offers unique strengths and caters to different audience preferences. A strategic mix ensures that your brand message reaches a broader audience, maximizing your impact and visibility. Repurpose a longer YouTube video for shorter Instagram Reels or TikTok videos. Take specific points from a blog post and turn them into an Instagram carousel.

5/ Leverage User-Generated Content

Authenticity is currency in today’s online commerce. Incorporate user-generated content into your digital storytelling by sharing customer testimonials, reviews and stories that highlight real experiences. This not only builds authenticity but also involves your audience in the narrative. Encourage customers to share their success stories or creative uses of your products, turning them into co-creators of your brand story. This still gives you control over what is published but leverages the creativity and genuineness of your loyal customer base.

6/ Showcase Behind-the-Scenes Content

Peel back the curtain and take your audience behind the scenes of your company. It’s all about humanizing your brand and being vulnerable. Introduce the people who help keep everything running; showcase your company culture; and provide a glimpse into your day-to-day operations. Record a day in the life of the founder; show what all goes into preparing for the national convention; or follow a product from manufacturing to packaging to shipping. Even show some of the mistakes along the way and how they were corrected. This transparency fosters a sense of connection and trust.

7/ Tell Stories across the Customer Journey

The customer journey is not a One-Size-Fits-All experience. Tailor your stories to different stages of the customer journey. Craft content that attracts new customers; nurtures leads; and retains existing ones. Personalize the storytelling experience based on where your audience is in their relationship with your brand. This targeted approach enhances the relevance of your narratives and deepens the engagement at each stage. Customers feel as if you are speaking to them individually and meeting their needs where they are.

8/ Measure and Adjust

Your storytelling data is your compass. Use analytics and feedback to measure the effectiveness of your efforts. Pay attention to metrics such as engagement, click-through rates and conversion rates. Analyzing this data provides valuable insights into what works and what needs refinement. It gives you a peek into the mind of your customers, showing you what is and isn’t important to them. And sometimes, this is a big surprise. Embrace a culture of continuous improvement by iterating your storytelling strategy based on feedback and performance metrics, ensuring that your narratives evolve with the changing dynamics of your audience and the market.

From the December 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Storytime first appeared on Direct Selling News.

When Direct Selling News asked for my thoughts on what motivates today’s direct sellers, I knew this topic was complex. What motivates people is never a simple “black-and-white” answer. The motivations can be as varied as the number of participants.

What is readily apparent is that motivations are evolving. The ultimate objective of all direct selling companies is to grow the business by growing the number of customers. Direct sellers are the intermediaries in this process. Therefore, what motivates a direct seller is important for the company to understand.

Direct Selling Is Poised for Growth

Relevant direct selling models are in position to grow market share in the current favorable environment of consumers actively seeking more efficient ways to purchase products and services. Therefore, direct selling opportunities will become more attractive—even a preferred choice—for those looking for new revenue streams.

“Direct selling is poised for growth and relevance.

The key word in the above hypothesis is “relevant.” In Ultimate Gig, we devoted an entire chapter to motivations for working a gig. In this article, we correlate insights gained from Ultimate Gig findings with experiences, observations and study of additional empirical research. These three insights reveal what we consider to be important to understanding what motivates direct sellers in today’s marketplace.

1/ The origins of direct selling offered an opportunity to represent a brand, enabling consumers to purchase the brand through a very personalized approach. Direct sellers sold to consumers and serviced customers consistently. However, over recent years, we may have lost some of the excitement related to successfully attracting and retaining real customers of the brand. Contemporary direct selling companies are just beginning to recognize the value of analyzing and tracking the behaviors of consumers of their products and services acquired through independent direct sellers. It is as honorable to “sell” as it is to “buy,” and when we can benefit from a sale, we activate new possibilities and opportunities to repeat the process again and again.

2/ As direct selling evolved to include new methods of compensation not explored or used by any other business model, the hypothetical math associated with the opportunity may have become more important than the philosophy behind the brand and the importance of transactions with consumers and customers of the brand. To explain further, David McConnel, Earl Tupper, Stan Beveridge, Mary Kay Ash, Mary Crowley, Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel appear to have been very focused on the principles and values upon which they founded their companies. I do not recall anything of importance associated with the percentages of commissions paid to those who joined those companies. I do, however, VIVIDLY remember the philosophies these great leaders created and advocated. Each company was built on a foundation of principles and values. Each of the companies mentioned went on to become successful brands associated with direct selling. Direct sellers are motivated to participate when they see more than a transaction and the percentages associated with the transactions.

3/ Simplicity vs. Complexity is the essence of new strategies designed to attract new direct sellers. Affiliate programs will become more and more popular and will be embraced by more direct selling companies. The rationale for the popularity in affiliate programs is based upon proof of concept. Again, the growth of the gig economy is the proof where simplicity, ease of engagement and quick rewards for effort are recognized. The growth of the gig economy does not represent new competition for those companies using the direct selling model, only a reminder that the origins of the model remain fundamental to the appeal of the direct selling model.

Growing market share will be dependent upon attracting more prospects in the effort to attract more shoppers, customers and direct sellers. This is the basic premise upon which the direct selling model was founded. However, the manner in which direct sellers are attracted must now evolve beyond traditional motivations and attract others based upon unique methods of recognition and compensation and excellent support. This will enable the attraction of shoppers and the acquisition of a greater market share of customers and those who seek affiliation with income earning possibilities and opportunities. Direct selling companies must now own the brand.

New Focus. New Opportunity.

As the direct selling channel embraces concepts of simplicity and engages the use of digital platforms and digital tools in customer acquisition/retention efforts, direct selling will become more of a preferred choice by those who explore income possibilities related to the gig economy.

This simply makes sense because the benefits of being rewarded for customer acquisition and retention and the efforts of other direct sellers that are personally influenced are unique to the channel. Unlike other choices now available via the gig economy when seeking new income possibilities, direct selling opportunities continue to remain unique in that a direct seller aggregates the benefits associated with acquisition and retention of both customers and others who affiliate. This attribute should be considered a powerful motivator! Rich DeVos, Co-Founder of Amway, once described direct selling opportunities with three words: “An Uncommon Freedom!”

In the past, direct sellers typically chose one direct selling company to partner with. Today, we find that 69 percent (U.G. Research October 2021) of gig economy participants work multiple gigs. Multiple gigs can be complementary of one another. Direct selling has always been viewed as a viable way to develop an income with freedom and flexibility. Perhaps, direct selling companies will benefit from understanding that the new direct seller may be making other choices for income possibilities and the choice of a direct selling company may not be the only choice. However, direct selling should be perceived as a preferred choice if not the ultimate choice or Ultimate Gig…simply because it is!

Instant Gratification Motivates Direct Sellers

Companies are using technology to reward gig workers by paying quicker for performance. This is a prime motivator for working a gig. Quick pay solves problems faster when financial health and cash flow are primary motivators.

The gig economy has revolutionized the idea of paying quicker for performance. This is the new reality of the gig economy. The phenomenon has ignited the concept of work on demand. When there is a demand for work, a gig company meets the demand in real time through engagement of independent contractors who make themselves available.

Technology is the connector. Almost three of four workers are found to live paycheck to paycheck when paychecks occur on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basis. Accelerated pay is a huge motivator that fuels the appeal and growth of the gig economy, and this feature is now being incorporated into most direct selling models.

The new opportunity for the direct seller is to target more of the general marketplace, appealing to those who wish to easily affiliate with brands, products and services they love.

New Perceptions Will Motivate

Positioning of the opportunity is critical to what motivates, attracts and leads to engagement. What motivated direct sellers in the past does not totally sync with what motivates prospects now or in the future.

Public perception of direct selling models will improve dramatically as it becomes inclusive of newer iterations of the existing models. Perception will improve as labels become less important. It’s imperative to remember:

• The importance of simplicity in recognition, rewards and compensation methods.
• The gig economy is approximately 10 times the size of direct selling and growing in both participation and revenue at a very robust forecasted CAGR through 2027.
• The gig economy focus is more on flexibility, freedom, fair rewards and simplicity. Direct selling is a subset of the gig economy and just one of many choices available.
• The robust growth of ecommerce should become an asset for direct selling companies.
• Digital tools that enable sharing the brand’s messaging can no longer be considered “nice to have.” They are essential.

Direct selling companies have not, historically, considered ecommerce to be competition. However, ignoring ecommerce is no longer an option. Today’s direct selling companies must be competitive and appealing in look, feel and functionality with respect to digital platforms, expanding possibilities and eliminating physical, geographical and time zone constraints. The utilization of direct sellers as intermediaries is a natural way to personalize the experience of engaging an ecommerce platform. As the public perceives us as being more than a direct seller/network marketer/social seller but more of a personalized provider of products, services, possibilities and opportunities, we will motivate more to seek our model as both a consumer and a micro entrepreneur.

As direct selling models of distribution embrace the current inflection point, the opportunities that lie ahead are as strong as ever. Direct selling is an uncommon opportunity…An Uncommon Freedom!

John Fleming is the author of Ultimate Gig: Flexibility, Freedom & Rewards which provides an in-depth glimpse of the future of work and how the gig economy has fueled the growth and appeal of flexible work opportunities. John is principal of Ideas and Design Group, LLC and in both the DSA Hall of Fame and DSEF Circle of Honor. John is also a recipient of the DSN Bravo Lifetime Achievement Award. John has recently released LEVERAGE, a free eBook download.

From the April 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post What Does (and Doesn’t) Motivate Today’s Direct Seller first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Partnering with Wunderman Thompson UK, a London-based creative consultancy, Avon’s 135-year-old brand was given a refresh through a new visual and creative approach and integrated campaign that celebrates the women behind Avon.  

The rebrand is an effort to revitalize the company’s presence in the UK, where the company’s footprint has faded, and grow its presence in new developing markets like Poland and Romania. 

“Great alliance with the amazing Wunderman Thompson team, sharing common values and the meaningful purpose of empowering women,” wrote Avon CEO Angela Cretu in a statement online. 

The post Avon Worldwide Unveils New Global Rebrand  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

The company is embracing “nature’s colors” in its new visual identity, with a brighter color palette that draws inspiration from the fruits, veggies and berries that are important ingredients in the products. New Juice Plus+ marketing materials will also feature a more modern tone of voice that aligns well with the company’s relaunch of its social media accounts. 

“The competitive environment has changed so it’s time to reintroduce Juice Plus+ to the world,” said Sasha Laman, Vice President of Global Marketing at Juice Plus+. “We want people to know we are here and in fact, we’ve been here, innovating, for almost 30 years. We’ve always taken advantage of the latest advancements in plant-based nutrition and look for ways to bring our products as close to nature as possible. We want a brand that is beautiful enough to earn a spot in your kitchen or bathroom. It’s not just a new logo, it’s a complete refresh of our visual identity. We are so excited to inspire healthy living around the world with the new Juice Plus+ brand.” 

The post Juice Plus+ Rebrands Image to Attract Younger Audience  first appeared on Direct Selling News.

WE ALL KNOW IT—EVEN IF WE DON’T TALK ABOUT IT VERY MUCH. There’s a lingering negative perception about direct selling. The idea that people buy direct selling products because they want to help out their niece, encourage a neighbor or maybe just support a friend’s entrepreneurial dreams.

Unfortunately, this stigma is something the channel has earned over the years. In the past, the key elements of customer-driven, crave-worthy products simply weren’t a priority for some companies in the channel. Efficacy was an afterthought. Exclusivity didn’t matter much. And strategic omnichannel marketing campaigns weren’t even topics of discussion.

Thankfully, direct sellers have made impressive strides in recent years, and some companies are truly changing the narrative by taking ownership and course correcting toward more customer centricity, better efficacy and next-level customer experience initiatives.

Slowly, surely and with intention and purpose, direct selling companies are earning their spots as true “category kings.”

Slowly, surely and with intention and purpose, direct selling companies are earning their spots as true category kings, winning the war on customer loyalty and market share in many retail categories. So…who are the companies that have earned their rightful spot alongside more traditional, upper-echelon retail brands? What sets them apart? And how are they competing and winning against brands with more traditional retail business models?

The companies earning this designation take a holistic, comprehensive approach to improving their brand’s reach, their customers’ experience and their overall reputation. They are focusing on exclusive products and proprietary ingredients; quality sourcing; in-depth research and development; and innovative approaches to social selling. They are effectively flipping the script on outdated perceptions about the channel, the products it produces and the overall customer experience.

Another important commonality is the size of these companies; many of them reached at least $1 billion in annual revenue in 2021 and have an impressive global footprint. Is being a global billion dollar company required to be a category king? No. But name recognition, proprietary ingredients and science, overall sales and longevity all are important parts of the equation.

Ben Riley, Acting President of Young Living, shared the impact of their global presence. “In the past two years, we have shipped nearly 37.5 million orders across 141 unique countries and have positively impacted billions of lives around the world. Each year we strive to create meaningful impact globally while building our portfolio of health and wellness products.”

Products to Be Proud Of

The main driver of the renewal and renaissance direct selling companies are experiencing is the increased legitimacy of the products that they offer. The top companies are going “all-in” on product efficacy and innovation, crafting comprehensive yet focused product assortments.

This intense focus on improving the efficacy of these products has taken many forms. From enhanced research and development to the use of patented exclusive formulations and proprietary ingredients to careful sourcing of pure, rare, natural ingredients to a combination of all three, these are products customers actively seek out and truly believe in.

According to Elana Gold, Chief Marketing Officer at Rodan + Fields, “We have a world-class laboratory where our team of scientists work together to develop breakthrough products. And we tap into a global network of scientists to scour the earth for the right ingredients and technologies. This ensures everything we create is based on proven science and clinically validated.”

Healthy Products = Healthy Sales

Health and wellness in general, and supplements in particular, have long been standouts in the direct selling space. So, it should come as no surprise that several category kings comfortably occupy this market.

The legacy brand Nutrilite accounts for over half of Amway’s sales and continues to grow. Euromonitor ranked Nutrilite as the world’s number one vitamin and dietary supplement brand in 2020. Amway’s Chief Marketing Officer François Renard, shares that Nutrilite’s overall philosophy is simple: plant, grow, thrive.

“From the 6,000 acres of certified organic Amway-owned farms as well as botanicals sourced from partner farms located on every continent except Antarctica, Nutrilite is commited to bringing the earth’s finest nutrients and health and wellness solutions to customers around the world. We extract the best from nature to provide vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements designed to fill nutritional gaps in our customers’ diets.”

The main driver of the renewal and renaissance direct selling companies are experiencing is the increased legitimacy of the products that they offer.

Another health and wellness company dominating in their category is Prüvit. Prüvit owns nine patents in the ketones space and is the largest distributor of exogenous ketones in the world. Their flagship product, KETO/OS NAT is the world’s preeminent pure therapeutic ketone.

But Prüvit is looking to go beyond supplements to become a more comprehensive part of their customers’ health regimen. They are achieving this by addressing evolving customer preferences head on.

As Co-Founder and CEO Brian Underwood explained, “We recently launched into the food delivery category with Prüvit Meals and Snacks. So regardless of diet, whether the customer is full keto, carb conscious, Paleo, Mediterranean or something else, there is a plan that will work for them.” This innovative approach allows Prüvit to seamlessly provide more offerings, convenience and solutions to their customers’ lives.

Another company making a strong impression in the health and wellness space is Herbalife. The global nutrition company was named “The World’s Number One Health Shake” and “The Number One Brand in Active and Life Style Nutrition” by Euromonitor. The company also retains its top rank in the world in four other Euromonitor categories, including weight management and wellbeing; weight management; meal replacements; and meal replacement and protein supplements combined.

Building Better Beauty Brands

Retail beauty brands have long set the standard for global dominance with powerhouse conglomerates owning significant chunks of market share. But there are several direct selling beauty brands that have carved out impressive niches for themselves based on longevity, name recognition and customer loyalty.

There are several direct selling beauty brands that have carved out impressive niches for themselves based on longevity, name recognition and customer loyalty.

One such brand is Artistry from Amway. This comprehensive line of skincare, cosmetics, fragrance and bodycare relies heavily on its research and development efforts to promote the brand’s efficacy. Botanicals, ongoing research and personalization options give the brand a unique, compelling story for consumers to respond to and engage with.

Artistry has scanned and analyzed over 32,000 faces from all over the world to truly identify the skin concerns and needs of all people. The products are clean, vegan and backed by traceable proof that the products are pure and the formulas safe and effective.

“We pride ourselves in using the latest cutting-edge research paired with plant-based nutrients in our skincare and makeup solutions,” said Renard. “We know where products come from and how they are made. We obsess over quality, relentlessly checking at every step from raw ingredients to finished product.”

Perhaps no other name is more synonymous with direct selling and beauty than Mary Kay. The company will mark its 60th anniversary next year and has been known for innovative high-quality products since its launch in 1963.

The company reports that they see remarkable loyalty across their skincare, bodycare and color cosmetics lines. The company equips its sales force with cutting edge products and tools and a flexible business opportunity that fits a variety of lifestyles. Best-selling products include their TimeWise skincare line, Ultimate Mascara and Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover, and they continue to enhance their line with regular product launches across all categories.

Nathan Moore, President of Global Sales and Marketing at Mary Kay attributes their longevity and reach to trust. “People know they can trust us. Trust our products; trust our opportunity; trust our commitment to safety and research and to giving back. And with that trust we feel a true and deep responsibility. Our legacy guides us and we continue to be creative, innovative and disruptive.”

Premium Beauty

Cosmetics isn’t the only beauty category that direct selling shines in. Both MONAT and Rodan + Fields have achieved remarkable dominance as premium haircare and skincare brands respectively. And “premium” is an important distinction for each. Euromonitor has recognized both companies as leaders in these categories.

“We have always benchmarked our products alongside other professional and salon brands. This means innovative ingredients and formulas and a high attention to quality,” shared Stuart MacMillan, President of MONAT. “When we launched, no one was talking about anti-aging for the hair—and certainly not in the direct selling space. Most people that come to us have seen the effects of aging on their hair: pollutants, bleaching, coloring and excessive heat. Our products not only help with those challenges but also help create a healthy scalp environment.”

MONAT’s hero product, Rejuveniqe Oil is by far their best seller. In fact, 2.3 bottles of Rejuveniqe are purchased every minute around the globe. And it often serves as a gateway product for MONAT’s typical customer (their largest demographic is women ages 25-35) who then choose to adopt the company’s shampoos and conditioners into their daily beauty routine.

Rodan + Field’s hero product line is Regimens, and over the last 5 years, Rodan + Fields has, on average, sold a Regimen every four minutes. Gold attributes this to providing innovation that truly works and delivers visible results. Regimens address core skin conditions and reflect a large percentage of the company’s sales. The line features ground-breaking technology and serves as the centerpiece of the brand, addressing primary skin concerns such as aging, dullness and discoloration, dryness and sensitivity and acne.

“Innnovation is in our DNA and is at the core of everything we do,” shared Gold, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our goal is always to make the most clinically efficacious formulas we can. Each and every step of skincare from cleansing to renewal to hydration to targeted treatments and environmental protection is optimized for peak performance.”

Happy at Home

The concept of your home being a haven has never been more relevant than it has been the past two years. As the world shut down and billions around the globe stayed inside their homes, they looked for ways to make that space cozier, healthier and happier—a true respite from the harsh realities found outside their front door. Enter direct selling companies like Young Living and Scentsy—two billion-dollar companies perfectly poised to provide the products people were looking for in this unique moment in time.

Young Living, a pioneer in the field of essential oils for nearly 30 years, shared that one of their top-selling “hero” products in essential oils is their Thieves home line. This line strongly resonates with their key demographic of mothers 25-45 looking to improve the health and wellbeing of their families without harsh chemicals.

With products in the line ranging from waterless hand sanitizer, household cleaner, toothpaste and laundry soap, the Thieves essential oil blend finds its way into practically every room of customers’ homes. As Lyndi Smith, Chief Marketing Officer at Young Living shared, “Customers and distributors alike enjoy the warm spicy scent and many benefits of Thieves throughout their home, and with the Thieves home line, they can have it.”

Scentsy has also become a category king, specifically in home fragrance. While Scentsy’s customers come from all walks of life, their biggest target market is moms with small children. “They’re drawn to Scentsy because of our unique, exclusive fragrances and superior quality products,” explained Lacy Hanson, Vice President of Consultant Sales and Product Development. “We develop such a wide range of fragrance products—from home fragrance to cleaning products to scented products for children and pets—that there is sure to be something for everyone.”

Despite competition in the market, various studies continue to place Scentsy wickless candles at the top of customer-preferred brands. Hanson attributed that primarily to three key differentiators: high quality products, the variety and complexity of the fragrance offerings and a wide range of hard-good product designs to appeal to all styles of home décor.

The Ultimate Differentiator

A not-to-be-overlooked component of the emergence of direct selling brands is the undeniable power of a passionate, motivated distributor base. Their advocacy for the products and organic product recommendations—increasingly achieved through social media—have tremendous power to grow a brand’s reach and influence. As brands continue to use social media and influencers to bring new customers into the fold, the most successful brands craft a cohesive, intuitive customer experience.

It’s certainly true at Scentsy. “Our primary competition is in the retail sector due to the immediate access to the product after purchase, as well as the ability to smell and experience the products in person before purchasing,” explained Hansen. “However, the relationships our Consultants build with their customers continue to ultimately win the purchase every time. Scentsy Consultants offer personalization and customization to a shopping experience you can’t find at Amazon or Wal-Mart.”

Gold agreed, “Rodan + Fields Consultants provide high-touch personalized service. It’s easy and convenient to connect with a Consultant via text, phone or video chat. And they have incredible digital tools to help customers find the best skincare products for their needs.”

As Ryan Napierski, CEO of Nu Skin recently told North American CEO, “Social media platforms are becoming more than just social platforms, they are becoming commercial platforms with the rise of influencer and affiliate markets. Nu Skin has been doing influencer marketing for more than 30 years, just in an analog form. We have always believed in the power of word-of-mouth marketing going all the way back to the beginning of the company.”

Part of a Lifestyle

This sense of community and shared enthusiasm and authenticity lends itself to customers making these products part of their lifestyle in a bigger, more overt way. They become true brand advocates, sharing their product experiences and interacting with the brand online and becoming part of a bigger movement. This often leads to customers making the organic transition to distributor.

“It’s common for customers to be so excited about their experience that they start sharing it with others,” said Underwood. “It makes becoming a Prüvit Promoter where they can earn free products, cash and other rewards for referrals a very authentic next step.”

“MONAT has an amazing global network of over 400,000 Market Partners getting the message out about our revolutionary products,” added MacMillan. “Many of our current distributors started as customers.”

Napierski agreed, “By taking advantage of the macro trend in influencer and affiliate marketing, as well as the shift from retail commerce to e-commerce and now to now social commerce, we believe that our go-to-market strategy becomes significantly more powerful.”

This “brand-as-lifestyle” trend has another powerful benefit: customers incorporating more of the companies’ products into their routine. “We find that it doesn’t take long for customers and Brand Partners to start branching out,” shared Smith. “In fact, by month three, on average 60 percent of Young Living’s new 2021 enrollments had tried three or more products. By month six, that number increased to 77 percent!”

Brand synergies play a key role at Amway as well. “We recently launched Skin Nutrition, a clean, traceable and vegan skincare line that works like supplements for the skin,” shared Renard. “The products are infused with Nutralite-grown botanicals. This crossover introduces Artistry customers to Nutrilite and Nutrilite customers to Artistry.”

And at Scentsy, they utilize licensing agreements and corporate alliances with global giants like Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Warner Brothers and the NFL and NHL to expand their reach to new, loyal audiences as well as establish credibility with a broader audience.

Sitting on the Top Shelf

Whether their dominance is best evidenced through sales figures, name recognition, longevity or a combination of all three, the leading direct selling companies are producing high-quality products that people want at a competitive price and with measurable results.

It’s no surprise that each of these companies embody the tenets that direct selling was founded upon. As Ryan Rogers, Chief Investment Officer at Mary Kay explained, “We remain committed to my grandmother Mary Kay Ash’s guiding principles: live by the Golden Rule; give and expect nothing in return; and make everyone feel important. For nearly 60 years, these have been the moral compasses of our company. To remain committed to these values while leading the industry as a global company in nearly 40 countries is a really incredible thing. And we are really proud of it.”

From the May 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Top Shelf: How Direct Selling’s Leading Brands Stack Up Against Retail first appeared on Direct Selling News.