The primary responsibility of an independent beauty consultant is to sell the products or services of his or her parent company. This individual is usually a business owner or entrepreneur who is not employed by the beauty company. He or she is typically compensated for sales through commissions and other product benefits, but can sell as much or as little as time and resources allow. Marketing the products, demonstrating how they work, and making sales are the most important aspects of the job, and consultants frequently host parties and make connections in their local communities to achieve these objectives. It’s also a part of the job to process orders and keep track of invoices. Consultants may be rewarded or encouraged for recruiting others to join the sales force, depending on the company.
Marketing Responsibilities
The most important job of a beauty consultant is to sell and market products. In some ways, the consultant functions as a sales arm of the larger company, with the consultant’s primary responsibility being to promote the products to friends, neighbors, and others in the community. Providing product catalogs and marketing materials, which the consultant can personalize with personal contact information, is a common example. In many cases, the consultant is expected to act as “living marketing” by wearing or using the products. He or she will be able to make the items appear fashionable and immediately relevant to potential buyers in this manner.
Demonstrations of Products
Consultants are usually in charge of answering product-related questions from prospects and current clients. Some consultants host parties in their homes or other convenient community venues to demonstrate products to a large group of people at once, potentially increasing sales. Parties can also be a fun way for the consultant’s friends and family to try out new products, see how they work, and learn more about the brand. Special incentives, such as access to exclusive products and bonuses based on total sales, are usually given to party hosts.
When it comes to parties, each company has its own set of rules. They may provide supplies and demo materials in some cases, but in others, the consultant is responsible for purchasing these items. He or she may also be in charge of purchasing inventory, which must then be resold for a profit at parties or elsewhere. In some cases, the consultant will accept some risk and cost up front, but depending on his or her sales skills, the risk often pays off over time.
Sales Processing
The consultant will typically write up the orders and submit them to the parent company for processing after a sale has been made. The consultant must also keep track of and follow up on the orders for delivery. The consultant is usually in charge of delivering the orders to each client once they have been received.
Other Sales Representatives to Hire
In some cases, the independent consultant may try to enlist the help of friends and family. Many companies offer incentives to salespeople who refer others, and consultants may profit financially as a result of the arrangement. Commissions or payments are frequently made through a “branched” system. A consultant usually keeps a portion of any sales they make, but in some cases, a portion of the sale goes to the consultant who recruited the person who made the sale. As a result, if Consultant A recruits his friend B to join the company and then Consultant B makes a sale, both A and B profit. In these situations, a person’s earning potential increases as the number of people he or she recruits increases.
The First Steps
Being a self-employed beauty consultant usually does not necessitate any special skills or education. Energy, enthusiasm, and interpersonal skills are usually the most important factors. It also helps if you live in a neighborhood with a lot of willing buyers or if you have a lot of friends who are willing to lend a hand. Consultants can usually make the job as easy or as difficult as they want. Companies frequently have minimum sales requirements and often provide incentives for generating more revenue, but when it comes to set hours, the consultant has the majority of control.
Filling out a request form and paying any required materials fees is usually all it takes to get hired. People are typically recruited by existing reps, but companies will occasionally extend consultant privileges to interested individuals who do not know anyone else who is already affiliated — though this can vary depending on location and whether the company requires more representatives in that area.
Scams to Avoid
Most independent consultants appreciate the job’s flexibility and product benefits. With this type of work, however, people must be wary of scams and fraud. Companies that demand large payments up front, funnel the majority of sales to higher-level “associates,” or don’t appear to offer legitimate merchandise may not be legal. Many cosmetics and beauty supply companies use a consultant system to great success, but the flexibility and desirability of this type of work makes it a target for con artists. Before making any payments or agreeing to start working, people should usually do some research on the parent company.