So you want to start a direct sales business? Over 20 million people were involved in the direct sales industry in 2015 and the industry continues to grow. It’s a great way for stay-at-home moms or women sick of the 9-5 grind to make extra money on the side or replace a full-time income.

There are different ways to start a direct sales business. These tips are the traditional ways to get started in direct sales, probably taught by your company and upline. It’s fun and it works, if it fits your personality. They aren’t my favorite ways, but if you like talking to people, you will get fast results in your direct sales business this way.

Different strategies work better for different products, so experiment and find what works best for starting your direct sales business.

Graphic from the Direct Selling Association – DSA.org

Make a List of Friends and Family

When you start a business, you want to let everyone know! Start by making a list of everyone you know – family, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. The average American knows 600 people!

Notify these people about your new business. You can call them, email them, send a postcard, or any other creative way to get the word out. The point isn’t to sell them anything or sign anyone up. It’s just to let them know you’re in business. Your friends would rather buy good products from you than a stranger, so let them know! Chances are good you will get customers from this.

A phone call is the best way to make sales, so after you’ve let everyone know what you’re doing, call them and follow up.

Have a Grand Opening to Start Your Direct Sales Business

The next way to start your direct sales business is to have a grand opening or a launch party. This can be at your home or in a small room in a restaurant or office building. The point is to let everyone know you started a new business and let them feel, smell, taste, learn about, and experience your product. This works great for skincare, health and wellness products, and food or drink products. It works equally well for less tangible products, like legal services. Some people prefer an open house format to get more information rather than a direct one-to-one sales pitch.

Bring in a simple product display and simple decorations, like a tablecloth and balloons. There’s no need to spend a bunch of money here. People are there for the products (and maybe some snacks!), not for a full-blown party. Keep the focus on the products.

Give your prospects a reason to show up, like free product giveaways or special promotions for coming to the party.

Make a Social Media Announcement about Your New Business

Make a cute graphic or flyer to share with your social media network. This a quick and fun way to get the work out online and will generate comments and buzz. You’ll probably find out about other people doing the same business as you and have some new partners to collaborate with. Post this announcement – or a variation — a few different times the first month to make sure everyone sees it. Share it on different days, at different times to reach different audiences.

Share Testimonials and Results to Grow Your Direct Sales Business

Once you have a few customers getting product results or a few new recruits, you can share their testimonials and results to bring in more business. A lot of people want to know, “Does it work?” When they see that it is working (for someone besides you), they’ll reach out to you. They want to lose weight or lose wrinkles, too!

Use photos when you share these results on social media. Even if it’s an intangible, like electricity or education, find a way to put the person in a photo or take a screenshot of their results. Pictures are super powerful on social media.

Always Be Looking for Ways to Bring in New Customers

Once you’ve used the above strategies to start a direct sales business, you will need ways to find new customers and leads. Find out how other people in your company are having success – whether it’s parties, social media, local business meet-ups, or generating leads online. Always be thinking of new ways to promote your business and let people know what you’re doing.

These are just a few ways to start a direct sales business. Get creative! Find ways you enjoy working your business and you’ll have a long, successful career.

How did you start a direct sales business? Feel free to share below! I’d love to hear more ideas.