Choosing The Right Wine Tasting Home Business
Deciding to start in direct sales is a big decision, choosing a product you are passionate about is usually the first step. I imagine most of you are passionate about wine, you like trying new wines and probably think attending wine tastings is extremely fun. So now you are looking at the different companies that are available to work with, and wondering which company you become a wine consultant with will be the most profitable and which will help you reach your goals. So let's look at a few things.
The Wines
It may seem like a small
thing. Obviously they all have great wines or they wouldn't be in business. But
maybe you are looking for a variety of wines, or just wines from a single
region. You of course want to know if the wines are available in stores and
restaurants so you aren't competing with retail establishments. Some questions
to ask:
Where are your wines
from?
How many wines do you
have?
What is the average cost
of the wine?
Is the wine exclusive to
the company or available in stores?
How often do you get new
wines in?
The answers to some of these questions can become extremely important after you've already chosen a company. Maybe you love California wines but you find that your community prefers Italian or French. While you may enjoy a $35 bottle of wine, how many bottles will your clients order?
Who Pays for the Wine For The Tasting?
Wine home businesses are a
bit different than most other direct sales businesses in that our product is
consumable, and must be finished the night of the tasting. While other
wine consultants do have to pay for the products they show during parties, most of
them can use the same products over and over, in this business we can't do that.
It's important to understand who pays for the wine and how that will affect your
ability to book tastings. Some companies have the host pay for the wine which
may limit the number of tastings you can book and affect how well the host will
encourage her guests to place large orders. Other companies you pay for the wine yourself
and so you need to have the money upfront and know that you can market enough
wine so that you earn that money back. Other companies have you pay for the wine
but then reimburse you, so you need the money upfront but it may be easier to
book parties since the host doesn't have to pay for the wine. Some questions to ask:
Who pays for the wine for
the tastings?
How much is the
wine?
Is there any
reimbursement?
What is the average cost of a tasting for the consultant?
How much is shipping?
The Training
Training in direct sales
is important like any business. However unlike working at a law firm or
marketing company, in direct sales you have a lot of different people to learn
from. Corporate will likely have conference calls, seminars and conferences.
Your team or upline will also probably have their own training. In some
companies the top leaders will also offer training. Some questions to
ask:
What initial training do
you offer?
What type of training on
each of the wines do you offer?
How often are conference
calls?
Are you available for
personal training?
What written materials are
available?
The Kit and Marketing Materials
Typically in direct sales
your kit will include some product plus your first set of order forms,
brochures, manual etc. Finding out what is included in your wine kit is
important. Some companies have wine included in their kit while others do not.
Some provide an online kit where you print everything off yourself while others
have professional brochures and materials printed. Some companies don't really
have marketing materials, you have to create your own. Some questions to
ask:
What does the kit
include?
What printed materials
does the company provide?
How costly are new
marketing materials when you reorder?
The Earning Potential
This is what we really want to know right? Keep in mind when asking these
questions that all earnings are really dependent on how much you work your
business, as well as taking into account all the answers to questions you've
already asked, like how affordable the wine is and how easy it is to book a
party. Some questions to ask:
What is the commission rate?
Are there different commission rates depending on leadership levels or sales
goals?
Are there bonuses?
Do you earn on wine clubs?
Do you earn on reorders?
Do you earn on website orders? Phone orders?
The Fun Stuff
Direct sales companies are notorious for providing incentive trips for wine consultants. So ask about the fun places you can earn your way to! Ask about the annual conventions, are they in great locations? Do you get to try new wines? What other ways are consultants rewarded for doing a great job?
