Avon entrepreneur gets to see the world

KUCHING: Avon entrepreneur Wong Poh Sing has managed to earn holiday trips to Australia, Bali and New York by hitting sales targets in just three years.

These are places she could only have dreamed of prior to joining Avon.

Now she hopes more of her group members will experience the same success.

“I want these women to open their eyes to the world, see and experience new places and cultures with their own eyes instead of through pages of magazines or television,” said Wong.

The diploma in accounting and computer studies holder first worked as a reporter in Kuching, before returning to Daro to work as a clerk and helping her husband’s business.

Due to many requests, Wong and her husband Tan Gem Hua decided to join Avon in 2009.

“My husband and I decided to join as members  and took our first stock of RM1,500 of Avon perfume and deodorant, which we then sold in our shop, together with the existing clothing, accessories, stationery and footware stocks.

“Within a month, the Avon stocks finished and we decided to continue selling the products. Once the products kicked off and we knew there is strong demand, we continued selling them,” she said.

After initial earnings of around RM300 a month, by the end of 2010, she reached senior executive sales leader (SESL) level and her group sales reached RM60,000 a month.

Her success in selling Avon products has also had an impact on Daro, which has a population of 10,000, as more women have additional income signing up as members.

Selling Avon has transformed Wong from a timid and shy person to a confident leader.

“To me the additional income is secondary, what I enjoy most is helping village womenfolk to better themselves, to empower them to unleash their full potential, giving them opportunities to better themselves and supplement the household income.

“I want these women who are mostly housewives to go out there and grab the opportunity to improve their image and lifestyle.”

Wong introduces new members to the various products and teaches them how to approach prospective customers.

She also holds workshops to teach members how to use make-up and skincare products as well as recommends the right products or make-up colours for the right skin type or skin tone.

For those keen on achieving the next level, she will teach them on taking and sending orders, as well as getting feedback or giving after sales service.

“I will also recommend members to take product samples with them to convince the prospective buyers and they can also try it themselves to be able to share their experience with the products.”

Although she stands at below five feet, Wong is now a top leader with over 900 Avon members not only from Daro but also Matu, Semop and Pulau Bruit.

Among them is her 28-year-old brother, who sells Avon products in Kampung Simop.

Last Sunday, Wong received a Toyota Fortuner under Avon Malaysia’s Car Allowance programme, which is open to all SESL who maintain their status for a minimum of three months.

Under the programme, Avon pays a deposit of up to RM10,000 or 10 per cent of the vehicle’s value (whichever is lower) and subsidises RM1,000 in monthly repayments (excluding road tax and insurance) for seven years.

For more information about Avon, contact 1800-22-Avon (2866) or go to www.my.avon.com.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/05/13/avon-entrepreneur-gets-to-see-the-world/#ixzz2nDC5peWa

Leila selia 1,600 usahawan Avon

BERMULA dengan membantu ibunya menjual barangan kecantikan Avon ketika masih bersekolah, Leila Balkhis Baharuddin, 29, kini berjaya mencipta nama menerusi program Avon Sales Leadership Framework (ASLF).

Senior Executive Sales Leader (SESL) Bahagian Central itu bergelar Sales Leader pada usia yang sangat muda dalam sejarah Avon.

Menurut Leila, Avon bukanlah sesuatu yang baharu baginya malah beliau membesar hasil daripada jualan barangan Avon oleh ibunya, Marsitah Basiron, 57.

“Saya membantu ibu menjaga butik francais Avon di Klang, Selangor sewaktu pulang dari sekolah. Dari situ, saya mula belajar cara untuk melayan pelanggan.

“Saya juga kerap mengikut ibu menghadiri sesi taklimat berkaitan produk Avon,” ujarnya semasa ditemui di Butik Avon Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur.

Malangnya, butik francais ibunya itu terpaksa ditutup atas sebab tertentu. “Siapa yang tidak sedih melihat apa yang diusahakan ibu selama ini berkubur begitu sahaja.

“Namun, saya menganggap keadaan itu sebagai satu cabaran untuk berjaya pada masa akan datang,” katanya.

Leila bergerak aktif dalam Avon pada tahun 2010 bahkan menjadikannya sebagai kerjaya sepenuh masa. “Azam pertama saya ialah untuk bangkit semula dalam perniagaan Avon dan menjadi antara Sales Leader yang mencatat jualan tertinggi,” beritahu beliau.

Sebelum menyertai Avon, Leila bekerja dengan sebuah syarikat insurans selama enam tahun.

“Setelah mengetahui Avon ada mewujudkan konsep pemasaran berbilang peringkat (MLM), saya berminat untuk menyertainya kerana merasakan produk yang ditawarkan berbeza berbanding syarikat MLM yang lain,” tuturnya.

Berbekalkan sedikit pengetahuan dalam bidang jaringan perhubungan, Leila mengorak langkah untuk memberi peluang kepada individu lain yang ingin berjaya selain membantu mereka menambah pendapatan.

Tambahnya, setakat ini beliau mempunyai kira-kira 1,600 usahawan Avon di sekitar Lembah Klang yang berada di bawah kendaliannya.

Terbaik

“Sebagai upline, misi saya kini adalah untuk meningkatkan penyertaan usahawan muda dalam perniagaan selain membantu mereka mencapai impian.

“Keadaannya sangat berbeza antara bergerak dalam kumpulan dan menjalankan perniagaan seorang diri.

“Dengan berkumpulan, saya dapat memberi nasihat dan tunjuk ajar kepada downline yang ada di bawah saya untuk menjadi wakil jualan terbaik Avon,” jelasnya lagi.

Katanya, setiap minggu beliau akan mengadakan perjumpaan bersama downline untuk memberi latihan dan berkongsi pengetahuan mengenai sesuatu produk.

Beliau juga sering menitikberatkan aktiviti tanggungjawab sosial korporat (CSR) kepada peserta downline. Ini kerana di samping menjana pendapatan, mereka juga boleh melakukan kerja amal melalui program CSR yang Avon sertai.

“Setakat ini, kira-kira 10 peratus downline saya terdiri daripada kaum lelaki dan selebihnya adalah wanita. Kebanyakan mereka adalah suri rumah dan pelajar. Ada juga yang terlibat secara separuh masa,” tambahnya.

Leila dinobatkan sebagai penerima beberapa anugerah iaitu The New Rising Star atas prestasi cemerlang sebagai wakil Avon baharu, SESL 2011 dan Senior Unit Manager 2011.

Selain itu, beliau turut mengungguli tempat pertama bagi kategori penaja terbaik bagi anugerah Sales Leader Terbaik Daerah 2011.

Menyentuh mengenai kerjayanya sekarang, Leila memberitahu, setiap pekerjaan ada cabaran yang berbeza.

Menurutnya, selain sukar meyakinkan pelanggan, faktor masa turut menjadi satu cabaran kepada beliau.

“Seperti yang kita sedia maklum, apa sahaja perniagaan pasti mempunyai halangan yang mesti ditempuh. Dalam keadaan seperti itu, kita perlu bijak untuk memenangi hati pelanggan.

“Masa juga memainkan peranan. Bagi downline yang mempunyai keluarga, saya pasti mengambil kira pendapat daripada pasangan mereka,” katanya.

Ujarnya lagi, dengan cara itu beliau dapat mengetahui sama ada pasangan downline bekerjasama atau tidak kerana perniagaan berkonsepkan MLM memerlukan kerja berpasukan.

Leila kini dalam usaha untuk membangunkan lebih ramai Sales Leader di Lembah Klang

“Misi untuk lima tahun akan datang ialah saya berharap dapat membangunkan lebih ramai downline yang berjaya. Saya mahu mengubah mentaliti sesetengah orang yang beranggapan produk Avon adalah sama dengan produk lain yang ada di pasaran,” ungkap Leila.

Artikel Penuh: http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2012&dt=0408&pub=Kosmo&sec=Rencana_Utama&pg=ru_02.htm#ixzz2pElBTYof 
 

Kemerdekaan mengajar erti berdikari - Leila Balkhis

 Leila Balkhis

Senor Executive Sales Leader, D104

Sejak menjadi Sales Leader Ampang, Kuala Lumpur pada 2010, pencapaian Puan Leila hingga setakat ini telah meningkat dan berkembang hingga ke kawasan Cheras, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam dan Kelang.

Berdikari & Jatidiri

“Kemerdekaan mengajar erti berdikari dan jatidiri. Hidup tidak boleh berminta-minta. Di mana ada kemahuan, di situ ada jalan dan saya memilih Avon untuk cermelang, jelas Pemenang Anugerah Pearl of Asia 2013.Di Avon, kemerdekaan menjana kejayaan dan nikmatinya dirasai oleh seluruh warga downline hinggalah ke Leader. Inilah uniknya perniagaan Avon.

 

Bangga Diri

Di antara pencapaian menbanggakan beliau ialah Sales Leader Terbaik Daerah pada setiap tahun, pemenang Konvensyen Antarabangsa Phuket dan Chengmai, Thailand di samping Persada Dunia 1 , New Zealand pada awal tahun ini.

 

 Namun pencapaian memenangi Anugerah Pearl of Asia adalah anugerah paling berharga bagi beliau. Menurut beliau, “Cabaran Pearl of Asia benar-benar mencabar saya dan downline. Sepanjang empat suku tahun, kami berkerja keras memastikan Sales Leader baru dibangunkan pada setiap kempen.

 

Mesti Dilakukan

“Juga meningkatkan tip-tip jualan kepada downline berpotensi, mengadakan perjumpaan secara berkumpulan dan individu membuat perlantikan pada setiap kempen.” kata beliau bagi menjamin kemenangan.

 

Cabaran datang bersama halangan. Di antaranya, komitmen masa kepada downline yang membuat Sales Leadership secara separuh masa dan persaingan dengan syarikat jualan langsung yang sedia ada.

 

 Untuk mencapai matlamat 2013, beliau bertekad untuk melahirkan ramai Sales Leader dan Ahli Golden Circle baru berbanding tahun 2012 serta membina satu skuad kumpulan untuk mengajak ramai orang ‘Join Avon’ dengan misi tersendiri.

 

Bersama Berjaya

 Kepada Sales Leader baru dan yang sedang meningkat, beliau menyaran mereka supaya meluangkan masa bersama downline di sesi latihan sama ada yang dikendalikan oleh Upline, Zone Manager atua Butik.

 

Ini adalah kerana, “… untuk memantapkan ilmu barangan dan kemahiran jualan secara sistematik bagi membina seorang Leader yang berpengetahuan dan tahu selok-belok pengurusan,” jelas beliau.

 

Untuk mengekalkan status, Sales Leader mestilah meningkatkan usaha. Selain daripada meluaskan jualan dan menambah bilangan downline, Sales Leader tersebut mestilah aktif mengadakan Home Party dan Demo di rumah dan tempat pameran seperti kolej, institusi, persatuan dan sebagainya

 

 

Top 10 Negara

Sempena Hari Kemerdekaan ini beliau telah pun menanam tekad untuk muncul sebagai 10 Sales Leader Terbaik Negara 2014.

“Kemerdekaan adalah satu kemenangan setelah berjuang bermati-matian dan untuk menjadi Sales Leader Terbaik Negara ia menuntut usaha yang sehebat itu dari saya” kata beliau.

Single mum credits Avon for helping her out of distress

CLOSE KNIT: Suriati poses for a photo with her boys, Zulfikka (left) and Mohd Muinuddin.

KUCHING: Single mother Suriati Bahari, 37, was at her wits end supporting herself and two sons after her husband left her for another woman until her friend introduced her to a direct selling company, Avon.

Joining the company after her friend persuaded her to, she now supplements her income by selling Avon products.

Apart from working at a factory in Daro as a cleaner, Suriati sells Avon products to her office mates and friends on weekends, and earns around RM300 a month. She also gets RM200 per month from the Welfare Department for her sons aged 12 and 14.

“When my husband first left me in 2003, I was selling ‘kuih’ at the canteen for a year before selling them at the night market. Since the income was not stable, I quit and found work as a cleaner, but it was still not enough,” she said.

“My sons also missed their father when he first left, but after sometime, they stopped asking for him because they knew that he was not coming back,” she added.

However, she was lucky that she had a caring family and neighbours who helped her out, and her late mum let her move back into the family home.

Her mum also took care of her young sons when she went out to work.

Her family home is shared with her two older sisters.

She was very stressed at first because of lack of money, but at the same time her boys continued to love her and understood her hardship and were well behaved as they knew that her sacrifices and hard work were for them.

Her best experience so far since joining Avon in late 2010 was managing to hit the sales target of RM18,000 and going for a trip to Sunway Lagoon in July last year.

She said though it did not sound much, it was her first time to the capital city.

“I hope to hit more targets because of the trips. Without it, I would never have left the village and see new places. The earnings from selling the products also help reduce my financial burden and take care of my children’s needs,” she said.

She hopes that her children will do better in their studies and be successful in life.

Despite her busy schedule, she takes time to talk and listen to her children and encourage them to study hard. She is also very close to them.

Apart from their studies, her boys Zulfikka and Mohd Muinuddin are also active in extra co-curricular activities like joining library, football and scouts clubs.

In Avon, she is led by senior sales leader Wong Poh Sing. Wong was recently awarded a car of her dreams, a Nissan Fortuner, for her achievements.

“I look up to Madam Wong’s success because she inspires me to work harder. I hope that I can be as confident and successful as she is.”

For more information about Avon, please contact Avon hotline at 1800-22- AVON (2866) or www.my.avon.com.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/05/22/single-mum-credits-avon-for-helping-her-out-of-distress/#ixzz2nDCnIZzG

Norsahida Mohd warisi Avon daripada ibu

NORSAHIDA (kiri) bergambar dengan wakil-wakil Avon seluruh negara.

 

JENAMA Avon bukanlah label yang asing dalam diri wanita kelahiran Kuantan, Pahang ini kerana dirinya mula mengenali Avon sejak di bangku sekolah. Jenama itu telah melingkari hidupnya sejak berusia 11 tahun lagi selepas diperkenalkan oleh arwah ibunya.

Bukan itu sahaja, pemilik nama Norsahida Mohd. Said, 32, itu turut membantu ibunya menjual Avon secara kecil-kecilan ketika zaman persekolahan.

Betapa sebatinya jenama Avon dalam dirinya, Norsahida yang kini menetap di Jengka, Pahang meneruskan minatnya berniaga produk Avon ketika meneruskan pengajiannya di Universiti Utara Malaysia.

“Sebaik sahaja tamat pengajian dalam jurusan Pengajian Perniagaan pada tahun 2002, saya terus melibatkan diri dengan Avon dan mula terlibat dengan serius pada tahun 2003.

“Tidak perlu melabur banyak. Modal permulaan hanya RM15 bagi melayakkan diri menjadi ahli dan kita akan menerima brosur serta katalog,” katanya yang merupakan salah seorang daripada 10 Sales Leader Terbaik Negara.

Tambahnya, tidak seperti syarikat atau produk lain yang bermula dengan modal permulaan ratusan ringgit, sesiapa sahaja boleh melibatkan diri dalam perniagaan Avon asalkan ada kemahuan.

Norsahida bukan sahaja menjual produk Avon malah, turut menggunakan sebahagian rangkaian produk Avon sejak di bangku sekolah lagi iaitu produk penjagaan kulit khusus untuk remaja iaitu Clear Skin sebagai produk pertamanya.

“Tidak perlu bersusah payah menjual produk Avon kerana jenamaya dan kualiti produknya sudah dikenali ramai. Dalam masa yang sama semua produknya mampu dimiliki daripada barangan budak sekolah hinggalah golongan dewasa.

“Suka saya untuk menggalakkan wanita mahupun lelaki di luar sana untuk menyertai Avon kerana ia mampu memberikan peluang pendapatan yang lumayan bagi menampung kos kehidupan yang semakin meningkat kini,” katanya.

Norsahida yang banyak membuat jualan di Universiti Teknologi Mara, Jengka terutamanya untuk produk lelaki memberitahu jenama Avon sudah menjangkau usia 125 tahun di dunia dan 33 tahun jenama tersebut berkembang di Malaysia.

Ganjaran lumayan

NORSAHIDA mahu wanita terutama suri rumah meraih kejayaan sepertinya bersama Avon.

 

“Mungkin ramai yang tidak tahu betapa beruntungnya menjual barangan Avon dan jika kita berusaha lebih kita akan dapat ganjaran yang lumayan.

 

“Saya sendiri semasa mula-mula menjual Avon, saya tiada apa-apa. Tiada kereta dan tiada rumah apatah lagi hidup dalam kemewahan. Namun, selepas beberapa tahun bersama Avon, impian saya memiliki rumah sendiri dan kereta mewah Mercedes-Benz tercapai juga,” ujarnya yang kini hamil anak ketiga.

Menurutnya, Avon banyak membantu daripada segi pemberian kredit.

“Sampai satu tahap, kita boleh menerima kredit tanpa cagaran dan faedah. Avon cagarkan kepercayaannya untuk berikan kredit. Itu kelainan Avon berbanding syarikat-syarikat lain.

“Bukan setakat pemberian kredit tanpa cagaran, malah dapat pula pergi trip melancong ke luar negara yang tidak pernah diimpi-impikan sebelum ini setiap tahun,” ceritanya yang mendapat sokongan penuh suaminya, Imran@Burhan Mahmood, 39.

Antara lokasi yang pernah dilawati Norsahida ialah Shanghai, Busan, London, Paris, Los Angeles dan New Zealand selain berpeluang menaiki kapal mewah Royal Caribbean Cruise.

Pesannya, jika seseorang itu mahu berjaya, pertama sekali yang perlu dilakukan adalah kaji terlebih dahulu syarikat yang mahu diceburi.

“Avon merupakan sebuah syarikat yang kukuh dengan peningkatan jualan setiap tahun. Sejak berkecimpung dengan Avon, pelbagai anugerah diraih.

“Tanpa Avon, mungkin saya tidak mencapai apa yang saya miliki sekarang ini. Bagi wanita di luar sana, marilah bersama-sama menyertai perniagaan Avon kerana ia mampu mengubah nasib diri dan keluarga,” katanya.

Artikel Penuh: http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0513&pub=Kosmo&sec=Varia&pg=va_01.htm#ixzz2mXVzULP4

Jual produk Avon sara pengajian anak

AINI cuma bermodalkan RM500 semasa mula berniaga produk Avon.

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MENDEKATI wanita kelahiran Sungai Petani, Kedah ini sungguh tidak menyangka bahawa umurnya sudah menjangkau 56 tahun. Ini disebabkan fizikalnya yang sihat dan cergas selain mudah melontarkan senyuman.

Bagi Aini Abdul Aziz, jenama Avon tidak asing buat dirinya kerana beliau selalu mendengarnya sejak kecil.

Namun, tidak pernah pula terlintas di fikirannya untuk menyertai Avon.

Bagaimanapun, selepas melihat berita kejayaan wanita-wanita Avon melalui akhbar dan majalah, minatnya terhadap produk itu tiba-tiba muncul.

“Kebetulan pada masa itu saya perlu menanggung enam orang anak yang sedang belajar. Suami pula sudah pencen. Jadi, saya tekad menyertai Avon.

“Empat orang anak belajar di universiti dan saya perlu memberikan wang saku sebanyak RM200 seminggu kepada setiap seorang.

“Jadi, setiap minggu saya perlu menyediakan RM800,” katanya yang mempunyai empat anak lelaki dan dua perempuan berusia antara 21 hingga 29 tahun.

Tambah Aini, beliau perlu melakukan sesuatu supaya pengajian anak-anaknya tidak terjejas.

“Alhamdulillah, saya mampu menghantar tiga orang anak saya ke Universiti Teknologi Malaysia dan seorang lagi di Universiti Teknologi Mara hasil jualan produk Avon.

“Bagi memulakan perniagaan, modal yang diperlukan tidaklah besar. Malah, Avon turut memberikan pinjaman,” katanya yang cuma bermodalkan RM500 untuk mula berniaga.

Aini memberitahu, kehidupannya sebelum menyertai syarikat itu agak susah. Beliau pernah terlibat dalam perniagaan syarikat pemasaran pelbagai peringkat tetapi sering mengalami masalah kewangan.
“Ketika itu untuk bayar duit ansuran bulanan kereta pun susah apatah lagi mahu menyediakan wang pedidikan anak-anak.

“Sebaliknya, produk Avon lebih mudah untuk dijual kerana jenama itu sudah dikenali ramai.

USAHAWAN Avon. Aini (tiga dari kiri) bergambar kenangan dengan wakil-wakil pengedar Avon di Kuala Lumpur baru-baru ini.

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“Pada masa yang sama, kami dapat banyak sokongan daripada syarikat Avon sendiri,” jelasnya.

Mengapa Avon? Aini memberitahu, selain jenama, Avon memberi peluang kepada mereka yang mahukan pendapatan lumayan.

Memegang teguh prinsip mahu membantu orang lain untuk maju dan dalam masa yang sama memajukan diri sendiri, Aini turut mengajak rakan-rakan lain untuk berjaya sepertinya.

Berjumpa dan melatih barisan pelapis menjadi rutin hariannya. Aini tidak lokek berkongsi ilmu, memberi motivasi tentang promosi jualan dan membimbing mereka supaya meningkatkan status dalam Sales Leadership.

Atas pencapaian cemerlangnya, Aini pernah dibawa Avon melancong ke Bali, Indonesia dan Las Vegas, Amerika Syarikat.

 

Beliau juga muncul dalam kalangan 10 Sales Leader Terbaik Avon tahun lalu.

Kini, Aini mempunyai lapan Senior Executive Sales Leader dan lima Executive Sales Leader di bawah kumpulan jualannya.

“Saya semakin bersemangat kerana suami saya, Yusari Maslan, 59, sentiasa menyokong penglibatan saya bersama Avon lebih-lebih lagi dia turut meminati bidang perniagaan.

“Walaupun sudah berusia, kami masih bergerak aktif. Jadi, suka saya nasihatkan mereka yang sudah pencen di luar sana supaya aktif berniaga dengan Avon. Sekurang-kurangnya ia dapat menambah pendapatan,” katanya. 

 

Aini yang dinobatkan sebagai Sales Leader ketiga negara memberitahu, tanpa sokongan dan kerjasama daripada kumpulan bawahannya, tidak mungkin beliau berjaya seperti hari ini.

Walaupun sudah berjaya, Aini tetap berusaha membantu anak-anak buah untuk turut sama mengikut jejak langkahnya.

Malah, beliau menggalakkan wanita yang memegang status ibu tunggal supaya melibatkan diri dengan Avon kerana ia dapat mengubah hidup mereka.

Artikel Penuh: http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0415&pub=Kosmo&sec=Varia&pg=va_02.htm#ixzz2lhjUUdyz

Avon celebrates 36 years in Malaysia with big plans

IT IS a common misconception that life as a top seller in a direct selling company is totally blissful.

While many think that it must be heavenly for those in the top tier to live like an epicurean from the labour of their down-liners as they rake in the cash without lifting a finger, that is an urban myth.

Even though these top-sellers or best performers can kick up their feet once in a while, that doesn’t mean the hard work is over.

These top sellers started off at the bottom and persevered through each level to now live comfortably with healthy monthly income. And even after all that they still need to be diligent as it could all disappear instantly.

“Despite being at the top, they still have to work hard, but in a different way. Instead of focusing on selling and promoting the products, they pay more attention to honing their leadership skills in order to develop their team (down-liners) to constantly motivate them to perform.

“This is to maintain the life-line of the whole selling process that will benefit everyone at all levels of the business,” explains Avon Malaysia managing director Carolyn Nur Amira Lee.

Thus, recognition and empowerment through team-building is crucial in the direct selling and multi-level marketing (MLM) industry, and that sometimes takes more effort than merely selling the brand.

In fact, Avon is one of the only direct selling companies that specialises in team-building and leadership development on a large scale, says Lee, who was appointed a year ago as the company’s first female managing director in Malaysia. The former managing director of Nutrimetics Malaysia, another MLM company, Lee has 24 years of consumer goods and direct selling experience as well as significant training and development skills under her belt.

The power of a woman
Not to be mistaken for just another transient direct selling firm, Avon Products Inc, with its motto “The company for women”, started as a small perfume enterprise 126 years ago and is now a venerable Fortune 500 company with over six million members in 100 countries, generating more than US$11bil (RM33.4bil) in annual revenue.

The company was founded by bookseller David McConnell. McConnell decided to offer free perfume that he made himself as enticements to buy books. He soon discovered that women were more interested in the perfumes. He then appointed 50-year-old Persis Foster Eames Albee as the first Avon sales representative (then referred to as a general agent). Today, Albee is recognised by Avon representatives as being the woman who created the company’s system for distributing products that range from fragrances, beauty products, kitchenware and supplements.

In Malaysia, Lee says the firm, which celebrates its 36th year in the country, is riding high on its success with 500,000 representatives or “Avon ladies” .
 
The very top sellers, who are saluted as “Avon Puteri”, earn RM1mil or more a year.

The rest of the Avon ladies strive to get there while at the same time, enjoying what they do, whether it’s to make a living or to do it on a part-time basis.

“Being a rep isn’t easy but it’s simple. The secret to this industry is to be absolutely passionate about what you do and this attitude will become contagious. The business is about growing and developing your network by sharing this passion with others so that they’ll do the same. Some have made it to the top level in a year, others take three to five years, but the sky is the limit,” says Lee.

Besides the representatives, there are also 200 Avon franchisor boutiques, each also called Avon Puteri in Malaysia.

Through franchising, the company aims to promote opportunities for women to become fully fledged entrepreneurs in a thriving market. Right now Avon is seeking for more franchisors in 10 locations in a few areas of Kuala Lumpur, Perlis, Perak, Pahang, Sabah, Sarawak, Negri Sembilan, Johor and Shah Alam.
“It’s not all about money as it gives one a sense of self-fulfilment through building relationships with others and experiencing a positive change in life — this is something money can’t buy,” explains Lee.

Representatives do what they do best in representing and even personifying the brand as they believe in the quality of its products that are value for money.

“Avon is like a big family and we have forged very close relationships with our reps,” says Lee.
As more people turn to direct selling as their main income, they are also doing their part for the economy as there are now about 4.3 million direct sellers in the country, around 16% of the total population.

The Government has recognised that the industry is a major contributor to the economy and hopes that it will reach RM10bil in sales by 2015.

What also attracts members to Avon is the guidance and incentives they receive upon signing up.
“You never walk alone when you join because we provide training and a mentor to give you the confidence to influence others to do the same thing. But to be realistic, you won’t be successful overnight. Just like any other business, you have to put in the hard work and believe in yourself.

“We constantly motivate our members to achieve their best results and to also be involved with our social events that aim to empower women with various activities that range from annual trips, to beautiful holidays around the world,” Lee says.

Such events are emblematic of Avon as the firm is built on the foundation of enriching and educating women in matters that are close to the heart such as breast cancer prevention, speaking out against domestic violence and donating to worldwide charitable causes.

Besides this, Lee has implemented the “Put a car in every home” monthly programme for some of the best performers. A representative can choose any car and. once she’s earned the deposit for it, will receive RM1,000 every month for her car loan.

Lee says members and buyers can be 100% confident in Avon products as each is backed by scientific research.

“No product will be sold if it’s not approved by the company’s own qualified scientists who are based in the New York labs. Every claim we make is backed by research, unlike some other companies who source their products from third parties,” explains Lee.

As such, product development, from incubation to marketing, takes about a year. For a brand that comes up with several new products every month, that’s quite a feat for everyone involved.
“Aside from high quality, our products are also innovative and offer good value for money being cheaper than most other branded goods,” says Lee.

With great power, come greater responsibilities
Lee has a big job in her hands to ensure that the products stay fresh and maintaining the brand’s strong competitive advantage.

“We need to consistently refresh and rejuvenate ourselves by thinking out of the box and generating new ideas.

“This applies to everything revolving around the product such as merchandising, packaging and marketing, thus we’re always giving feedback to the R&D team,” says the mother of three.

“We have to do the same for our incentive programmes, and now that we see younger reps joining us, we have to ask if our programmes are relevant and whether they will generate excitement.

“If we want to appeal to the younger generation and new market segments, we can’t just do the same thing all the time. We need to scrub through every aspect of the business to see improvement and progress as a whole,” explains Lee.

Evolving in this manner, she stresses, does not change or alter the brand’s image as it still maintains its mission and vision of empowering women.

She openly admits that there is a scarcity of talent in the industry and, like many senior leaders, is afraid that it may hinder business development.

“Like most industries, we find it a challenge to find talent, especially now that we see a generational shift of Generation Y and X becoming successors of the baby-boomers. But that’s why we need to keep up to date and be aware of the needs of each generation to promote the positivity and enthusiasm that will attract and retain the talent we need for success,” Lee says.

Read more http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?file=%2f2012%2f10%2f10%2fnorth%2f12149402&sec=north