My manager gave me my territory the other day so i went and delivered 30 books on Sunday and am due to collect them tonight but i am a bit nervous of the whole canvassing thing!!

My manager told me to knock on the door but tbh i havent got the confidence to do that so i just posted them on Sunday and am just praying that people leave them outside for me to collect (is that wishful thinking??!!) Also i posted one and 3 hhhuuugggee dogs jumped up at the fence and when i was a few doors up i heard the front door to that house open and a woman shouted f***ing selling!!! How do you deal with things like that??!!

Sorry i am starting to waffle a bit now but i really want to make a success out of this and i think i am getting a bit overwhelmed by the whole canvassing business!!

Don't worry about it.

if you love doing it, just put your shoulders back head held high and just say who you are and ask for the Avon book.

The first road is always the worst, but before long you will be very confident.

I have more confidence now than ever, possibly down to the fact that I ran my husband's previous business for him.

Don't be put off even if you get a mouthful from someone, if you lose a book, that's ok, at least you know not to go back to that house again.

Always be polite and patient, potential customers like to take their time.

If the book is not out, put a note through to say you'll be back the next day. I make my own leaflets, stating the day I will return and also asking them to put the book out so that I don't disturb them.

Eventually people will understand that you need the book back, but don't be disappointed if you don't get the book back for a while, just think of all that free marketing - on someone's coffee table !

I avoid houses with dogs at the front doors. If I happen to see the owner, then I would ask if she wanted to see a book.

Good luck.

thank you for that i think i will look at making some leaflets now, i hope my printer decides to work otherwise i have got the 'i called cards' if they are any good?

I know its scary when you first start canvassing, but once you've worked out which hoses to avoid and got some good regular customers then it'll all work out honestly. I understand about you not wanting to knock on doors, its pretty daunting, but it gets easier, plus you do get to meet some lovely people. X

I put a note in with my books when I started canvassing saying:-

A V O N
Dear Customer
I am a local Avon Representative and I am re-canvassing in your area.
If you already have an Avon representative then please tick this box

Otherwise please indicate if or how often you would like to receive a book:-
Frequently Occasionally Not at this time

I will be back to collect your book on . Please leave it outside so I do not disturb you.

Thank you for your time.
Hannah
Your Avon Representative

And that worked quite well.

Thats a good idea i think i will try that thank you

Well i went to collect the books and only got 1 back out of 30!! I was gutted but when i got home i had a text to ask when i was collecting so am going back tomorrow......fingers crossed its a new customer!!

Dont worry about it, you soon get a thick skin. Some people think they can talk to people how ever they please no matter how insulting they are, I just leave them to it and say a little prayer wishing they get run over by a bin wagon...... hasnt worked yet but one of these days......

Where abouts in Cheshire are you?

Rob wrote:

Dont worry about it, you soon get a thick skin. Some people think they can talk to people how ever they please no matter how insulting they are, I just leave them to it and say a little prayer wishing they get run over by a bin wagon...... hasnt worked yet but one of these days...... Where abouts in Cheshire are you?

lol

I am in Congleton, where are you from?

Im in Ellesmere Port, near Chester

i have the same problem i dont like re-canvassing but i too put in a little leaflet saying do you wish to receive brochures in future yes no maybe
some ppl dont bother ticking a box so i leave it a campaign then deliver a book again and carry on until they decide to tick a box (if they really didnt want a book then they will tick a box right?)

Hi Nikki, the only problem you might have with your note asking people to tick if they dont want avon is that you might catch them on an off-day and they'll go "cant be bothered with this!" and tick it, but any other day they might actually be interested. X

I still put the slip in just in case they are not interested.

After about 3 visits, if I've had no feedback, I leave it till the next time I am recanvassing.

I would alternate it by every other book so that you are not being too pushy.

yer i see what you mean bout sometimes they might be in a not bothered mood etc, may try the other way

our ASM will not let us have area to go out in

Im going to try giving an old brochure and leaving a message saying
Hi I'm your Avon representative - this is an old book that shows the range of products Avon can offer you - I will not be returning to collect it, however, if you would like a current book please contact me on:____________
then that way if people do what a brochure you can give them one and not waste your time by not getting books back from those who arnt in or on holiday.
its also good if people are on holiday then they will come back and the brochure is still there for when they come bk n then they wont feel left out!!
also you could reuse ur old books.
anybody ever done this? do you think this is a goood idea?

I did this with C17's last year in a new road. I gained a couple of customers, who bought once.

I may try this again, its a lot of work, but I will use labels this time. Last time I was cutting up pieces of paper and stapling them on.

It also gets the books out of your house and your bin

Sometimes, I find people ignore what u said about not collecting the book and they just leave it outside for somebody to collect......its annoying.

How often do you guys recanvas the area?

I have lived in my village for nearly 2 years, the only reason I started selling AVON was because I had never received a book, but since signing up I have found that their is another 2 Reps on my doorstep and possible another the other end of the village although we are not sure if she is still doing AVON.

But I have some neighbours that receive a book about 10 and another 30-40 houses who don't receive anything, should I be able to claim that territory, I have been approached by at least 3/4 different people wanting a brochure because they haven't had one in such a long time, I have given them a booK, is this ok or should I be informing my SL of the numbers that have ordered from me?

I don't want to take any potential orders from another rep, but if they are not recanvassing their territory am I able to?

Any help much appreciated.x

If anyone asks you for a brochure then you are perfectly entitled to give them a brochure, same as if you see anyone you can ask them if they would like a brochure - the only thing we can't do is just deliver brochures to any streets we want if they aren't ours

Does anyone have much luck with customers contacting you from your old brochures? I put about 30 books out with my contact details on (email and mobile) but dont think i'll get anything back. And because i left a note saying i dont need the books back, i think they've gone to waste?

There is no need to be printing off slips and using your own supplies of ink and paper.

You can order cards from Avon, called representative calling cards, which are something like 65p for 100 and these containing wording to the effect that you have called to pick up the brochure but have been unable to do so and it has a tick box with the days of the week which you can tick to say when you will next be calling. This is a much cheaper option that using your own ink and paper and saves you time printing off slips.

Re territory - if someone specifically asks you for a brochure, then you are entitled to claim that person as your customer, but you should never do a territory without it being assigned on the mapping site by your ASM, who can officially assign the territory to you. This is because the area may already be assigned and therefore you end up annoying the rep covering the area and annoying the customers who are already receiving a service.

I put little notes on the front of the bags this time asking the customers to tick if they no longer wish to receive a brochure, some people have ticked the box, which is fine by me because it saves my time and money by not delivering to people who don't want it, also, if they change their mind in the future, I'll still be up and down their street, they know that I'm there and they could always ask their neighbours for my details. I'll probably re-canvas at some point.

re: giving books to people who ask.....definately.
If you have been given a territory, stick to it and dont knock on any doors outside that territory.
But if you have friends living in someones territory/someone asks/or you in idle chit chat ask if they are getting a book and they say no.....go ahead...its a free for all in that case.
As for notes on books....I thought this was a good idea at one time but when I had to give up my territory {due to ill health}.....I passed my territory on to a neighbour. I was talking to an ex customer and she said about this new girl putting a book through with a note on it and she just said no she didnt want it.....she had been a good customer.....she then said to me are you doing it again...if so put a book through please, So the rep must have caught her on a bad day.....My gain.
Also a lady in my street said she had only received one book since this other rep took over so I'm delivering to her....even though the rep lives in the same street and its her territory. I also know some of my ex customers work in local shops and I've approached them there.....thats not knocking on their door is it LOL and they can always say they get it from someone
Ramble over
Love
Hileena

I've had more luck at getting my books back by leaving them on the doorstep rather than posting them through the door

I drop the books off on say a Monday, with a note saying I'll be back on Thursday. But then on Tuesday morning, I walk up the street and take back any books that haven't been taken in. Lots of people are away this time of year and also if people really are totally uninterested, they won't pick it up in the first place!

It is a bit more time consuming, but I have a lot of time on my hands (anyone notice that by the amount of time I spend here lol?) and the extra use I get out of the books that aren't taken in makes it worth it for me. At the mo, I'm out and about every day (sometimes twice!) but once I have the Monday/Thursday drop off/collect system going properly it'll be a lot simpler... I hope!! xxx

Great idea leaving them outside.....so many pick them up from inside glance at them and dump them

Love
Hileena