Direct Sales and the Introvert

Q:  I just recently signed up to be a gift consultant and I really want to make this work but I am a huge introvert and I am also not a social person. I am very friendly and I am fun but I am a homebody and since I lost my job over a year and a half ago I have rarely left my house.

I have a stress disorder that causes me to jump whenever there is commotion around me and a major phone phobia. I do not answer my phone, even sometimes for family members. I just let calls go to voicemail and then get up the energy to call them back. I know I sound like a basket case, haha, but I’m really not. I tried being normal once, worst two minutes of my life ;-).

The main reason I chose this company to join is because you don’t have to give parties or store or deliver products. The monthly cost to me is only $24.95 and the company supplies tons of training and support.

I have tried soooo many direct sales opportunities in my life but having to give the parties was always my downfall. This is the first one I have found where you do not have to give parties so I am thrilled by that!

So here is my question: “Realistically,” do you think I can make this work thru online only and not give out my phone number, only give out my website address, Facebook page and email?

Thank you in advance for your honest opinion!

Julie

A:  :  Hi Julie-

Thanks for the question!

In a nutshell, they call it direct sales for a reason..:)

When you’re part of a direct marketing biz like this one for gift baskets, it’s tough to be successful without a big network of people that you know and/or parties.  I have found that marketing something like this online is VERY difficult, since you have very little control over your web site and are typically limited in the types of marketing you can do to promote this site.  I think it would be tough to do by relying solely on social media and email and customers finding your site.

IMHO, the only people making money in this type of business are the people collecting the monthly fees, unless you’re an extrovert and/or a real go-getter or have a network of raving fans.

I would encourage you to save your $24.95 monthly fee and do some brainstorming about an online business that involves what you love in some way – selling information products or affiliate marketing would be a much better choice for you, I believe, or even some type of service business as a web designer, freelance writer, etc.  However, I don’t know your interests, so whatever you choose, make sure you love it!

Here are a couple of resources to check out:

• Barbara Winter’s Making a Living Without a Job – great book that got me on my entrepreneurial path.
• Chris Guillebeau’s The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future — has great inspirational stories
• Natalie Sisson’s Suitcase Entrepreneur – has great one-page giz plan outline
• Scott Fox’s Click Millionaires – contains inspiring stories and asks great questions to help you determine what you want to do

I wish I had my own book to recommend, but I don’t have one on this topic – YET! LOL

However, I do offer a Pick Donna’s Brain session here  and email coaching here  that might help.

I wish you all the best in your search for the online business that’s “perfect” for you!