The Direct Selling industry has now grown to $35.5 billion in the USA and $189 billion globally.

Yet, with all of this revenue, most direct selling companies are still not taking advantage of modern tools to grow and sustain their brands.

Here are the top things Direct Selling Companies should be doing, but still aren’t in 2018:

Digital Marketing Campaigns

Direct Selling companies are leaving money on the table when they neglect their Digital Marketing strategy.

Distributors are ill-equipped to manage sophisticated digital campaigns as they lack the know-how and budget. Their target audience is also a subset of your total addressable opportunity, thus limiting your reach.

Creating consistent campaigns will serve the dual function of providing “air cover” for your sales reps, and directly drive sales at the corporate level.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing continues to grow rapidly as the Millennial generation makes it “normal” to build a following around a niche topic, then monetizing it as an affiliate or Direct Selling Distributor. With their online following, these social influencers can sell 10x what the average direct selling distributor can, using traditional tools such as parties or one-on-one encounters.

Attract these influencers by structuring your marketing, programs and tools in a manner that represents them and support their needs.

Blogging

One of the best ways to find your voice online is through a blog. Direct Selling companies should invest in getting their message out by sharing their expertise and passion with the world.

Don’t miss the mark by writing only product plugs, or generic articles that the audience struggles to connect with.

Go deep, be authentic and take some risks. If at all possible, have your leadership or face of the company, be the face of the blog as well.    

Better Technology and Web

Today, most direct selling companies are lagging behind their E-commerce counterparts when it comes to innovating and adopting modern technology.

Many of the platforms were build over a decade ago and provide a choppy, inconsistent experience at best. Bring in the latest tech and take some risks when testing new systems.

Consistency between the web, mobile, social and back office tools removes the friction for your field.

To stay on top, the direct selling industry needs to take advantage of all the resources available to the top E-commerce brands.  

Help your distributors to scale themselves and your business by incorporating what already works for other E-commerce companies.

Conclusion

Similar to traditional store-based retailers, direct selling companies also face challenges from the rise of e-commerce, as consumers continue to shift more of their purchases online.

While some store-based retailers have successfully transformed their business by integrating omnichannel strategies, several direct selling companies have also embraced the digital age and remained competitive, registering strong growth in recent years.

Brian Palmer
Krato, CEO