The following are some tips of where you can leave your business cards behind in your direct sales networking efforts. It is such a simple gesture but can lead to more business for you.

- Visiting doctors, dentists, hairdressers, bank- basically anytime you are doing a business transaction around town you can explain what you do by handing out your card.

-When you are paying for a product such as checking out in a clothing store- that’s a great time to strike up small talk with a salesperson. Many times the conversations starts with a compliment on the necklace I am wearing and I explain that the necklace is from a home party jewelry party and we would be happy to show her the rest of the line or do a home party.

- Slip a card in your outgoing mail and bills.

- When someone hands you a card be sure to hand one of yours back.

- In FREE LUNCH drawing boxes.

- With every product that you have sold and deliver.

-To every person at your events or parties.

-Put your card on magnets and stick to bathroom stalls.

- Write a note on the back of the card with the monthly special.

- On bullentin boards- I am always reading the board at Panera.

It’s a good idea to have your cards your home number, cell number, email address and replicated site if your company has one.

What other creative and successful ways have you found to pass out your cards?

People often ask me where I get my ideas from for my designs. Every 6 months I come up with a Spring and a Fall line. Being the CEO of Sydney Andrews, I have several responsibilities but wherever I go I constantly have my mind on designing. When I am at the mall, on vacation or even at The Great Indoors store my mind is on what my next piece of jewelry will look like.

Color is a very important component of my work. I love being surrounded by color and why not bring it to your everyday wardrobe. Accessorize with colors that make you feel good. My customers seem to really like my multi color designs for their versatility. I look to a lot of Israeli designers for their color combinations.

I also pay a lot of attention to shapes in my pieces. Inverted shapes and creating symmetry can really add excitement to a peice. Assymetry can also add a lot of interest to a design. In my Tini Martini design- I use inverted circles with alternating sizes and colors. I got the idea for this design with scrapbooking paper. I actualy tore up the paper and placed it on my sketch and shot it in photoshop.

I get a lot of feedback from my reps and my customers that help me improve my designs. In fact, some of my best suggestions have come from them! My brand new Tri and True Belt came from an idea from one of my reps- Amy M. We were looking at a tri-color bracelet and she thought about how great it would be if a similiar design was intergrated into a belt.

It’s funny, I never in a milliion years would have thought I would be a jewelry designer. I was an art major but fashion was never top on the list for me. It started as a hobby and I got tons of encouragement from my friends and family to pursue this as a career. Being a jewelry designer has been such an important part of my life. It has given me the opportunity to contribute to my family financially and to add another dimension of myself and be known as the “jewelry lady.” I am very passionate about offering other women the opportunity to provide income for their families with flexible hours and to allow them to add dimensions to their life they didn’t know was possible!

I recommend asking the following questions when you are doing your search.

1. What makes the product different than other similiar companies?
2. What makes this opportunity stand out from the rest? Explain the compensation plan, quotas (if any) and recruiting requirements(if any)
3. Who is responsible for collecting taxes?

4. What type of support or training does the company offer it’s consultants? Are there weekly/monthy webinars or teleseminars?

5. How much are the kits and are there any other ongoing costs such as catalogs, order forms, annual fees, business cards?
6. What is the company guarantee on its products?
7. Does the company drop ship to each customer or is the rep./host responsible for distributing the products?
8. Are the commissions deducted at the time of sale or paid out on a monthly basis?
9. How many consultants are in your area? How many leaders?
10. How often are new products introduced and how often are there new catalogs?

Good luck with your search! I welcome any of your feedback!

Eleven years ago, I was laid off from one of my favorite jobs when I was on maternity leave. Being a first time mom, I wasn’t exactly sure if I was going to go back to work or stay home, but the decision was already made for me. I felt like I needed something just for me–to have adult conversations and a little pocket money. It was hard 11 years ago to find a job with flexible hours working from home but I was determined to find it. I started my own wholesale business and it was the perfect combination of work and family for me. I really feel passionate about giving other women the same opportunity.

What gave you the inspiration to turn your passion into a business?

At a moms networking group more than 10 years ago, I met a new friend who made me a bracelet as a gesture of our friendship. I loved it so much that I insisted she teach me how to make jewelry. At this point our friendship and business began. We were encouraged by our friends to start having parties and sell the jewelry with our unique style. Since I have a degree in Fine Art and the ability to sit still, I was inspired to combine both my artistic background and my interest in starting a business together and fit it into my family life.

What makes your jewelry unique?

Each piece is designed by me, as we do not resell pieces already designed and manufactured. My jewelry is known for it’s whimsical colors and that it lends itself to both dressy and casual wear.

How did your boutique business help prepare you for being the CEO of a direct sales company?

Growing my other business helped me learn how to build an organization. I learned how to wear many hats including designing, buying, marketing, sales and accounting. I learned what type of styles to sell and what price points work–especially within this economy.

Why the direct sales business model?

I had a successful wholesale business for nearly 10 years. In addition to selling to small stores and boutiques, I began holding annual Open Houses for friends and family. Each year, the party became larger and larger. I have seen how successful these parties can be and wanted to provide this opportunity for others to enhance their earning potential. This business felt like a natural next step.

How does Sydney Andrews stand apart from other jewelry companies in the direct sales industry?

We keep it simple. We have designed a very approachable program that is straight forward based on generous consultant commissions and affordable, unique products. We cater to both people who want to work and structure their own part-time business and people who want to build an organization.

What advice would you give someone who’s been burned by another opportunity who is afraid to try again?

One of my favorite sayings is, “When one door closes, another one opens.” While Sydney Andrews is a new addition to the company, the proven success of the product is not new. To counter the relative “newness”, we offer enhanced commissions, generous hostess gifts and the opportunity to build a team of consultants. Since we are starting out small and planning to grow this business over time, we are available by phone. We are open to suggestions from our consultants, as we want to grow this company together.

What type of support do you have from your family?

I have great support from my family. My husband, Vic, is my partner and he handles a great deal of the marketing and sales. He encouraged me to more forward with this business. My children, Andrew and Sydney, are my PR department! They love to tell people about my business and how it is named after them. They also enjoy helping out at the shows, when I was doing them myself.

As a busy mother yourself, how do you balance it all?

Since I work from home, and with modern technology, I am able to work around the schedule of my family. I work during school hours and after the children go back to bed. As my business has grown, I’ve also had to hire people to assist me so that I can continue to allocate time to my family.

Last question…name 5 things that most people wouldn’t know about you?

I’m a chocoholic.
I love to dance hip-hop and salsa.
I am originally from New Jersey.
I am not known for my cooking.
I am a dog lover!

As you can see, Jill is quite a woman. I can tell how much she cares about her consultants and helping them achieve success. It was great to get to know her better and I see great things in store for you all at Sydney Andrews.