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Is The Utility Warehouse Business a Credible Investment Model?

Is The Utility Warehouse Business a Credible Investment Model?

Graph of £88,000 invested in a FTSE 100 tracker over 5 years vs. my Utility Warehouse Business income

Graph of £50,000 invested in a FTSE 100 tracker over 5 years vs. my Utility Warehouse business income

Graph of £50,000 invested in a FTSE 100 tracker over 5 years vs. my Utility Warehouse business income
* Credit to London Stock Exchange for FTSE data

Read to the end for a full commentary on this graph of my Utility Warehouse business income for the past five years vs. £88,000 invested in the FTSE 100 over the same period.

Comparison of Top Six Investment Models vs. The Utility Warehouse Business Opportunity

Ok – it may not be the catchiest title but this blog is significant. Let me take you back to 2010. I was in Croydon hotel at a Utility Warehouse business “Opportunity Presentation”, a presentation explaining the business opportunity. I had seen this many times before, and always liked to attend to accompany guests and to network with other Utility Warehouse Partners. Three quarters the way through the presentation, one of the co-presenters emphasised “The Utility Warehouse business opportunity is a saleable, willable asset”.

Penny Dropped Moment

My jaw dropped open – at least in my head. There must have been some kind of physical manifestation of my surprise because the presenter came over to me and said “That was a penny dropped moment wasn’t it?!”. It was. I realised that this passive income that I was building up was even more than the pension that I had hoped it would be. This would be an income for my children as well when I have left this earth. That was a whole paradigm shift in the way I viewed the Utility Warehouse business opportunity.

Top Six Investment Models

Here’s the rundown of the top six investment models as I see them. At the end, I pull it together with a comparison with The Utility Warehouse business opportunity and explain how we arrive at the comparison graph at the top of this article

6. Trading Stocks & Shares

It is possible to make money on the stock exchange but the statistics are against you. Approximately 97% of all professional fund managers (someone who gets paid to pick stocks & shares by clients who invest in their ‘pick of the bunch’ known as a fund) fail at beating the average growth of the London Stock Exchange over a modest time period.

That’s right – 97% of all those people with highly paid jobs, champagne lifestyles and often arrogant attitudes. Those people who you see on TV, on the train going to “manage their hedge fund” (decide which, if any stocks & shares they are going to buy / sell that day), 97% of those people fail to beat the average.

In my personal opinion it’s a mugs game. You are better off investing in a FTSE 100 or FTSE 250 tracker that compounds interest. That’s pretty much the conclusion of the absolutely superb book ‘Ouch’ by Paul Knott (see “further reading” below).

Tony Robbins famed for his inspirational courses, talks and books, decided to write his first book for 20 years; surprisingly he chose to write about money and his book “Money, Master the Game” is quite a tome at 688 pages. The conclusion of his book is ultimately the same as “Ouch”, the only differences being that Tony’s book has a more US bias and is, a bit of a sales pitch for his ‘special fund’.

5. Penny Shares

With some diligent work and research, it is possible to skew the risk / reward ratio sufficiently to make some share dealing worthwhile . The AIM (Alternative Investment Market) is a collection of companies that are not quite at the level required to be on the LSE. Some are high-risk start-ups, some are solid, well established companies.

I used to subscribe to the now deprecated “The Penny Share Letter” by Agora Financial which effectively did all of the research for you and gives one recommendation (as a minimum) per month. The results were impressive. They weren’t all winners but the vast majority were. There are a few share dealing platforms out there, I personally use IG as they are pretty cheap and cater for the home-investor. I believe there are some disruptive trading platforms coming online with lower costs but I have not experienced or researched to date.

4. Binary Trading

The only other method of investing in the stock market that I do rate is a relatively short term method known as ‘binary trading’. Agora Financial produce a guide on how to do this effectively. It does take some groundwork and a fair time investment but, if you are interested in playing the stock market – this is the way to do it in my opinion.

The crucial benefit of binary trading is that your losses are much more limited that with traditional share dealing. You are effectively betting that a certain share / currency / asset (gold etc) will hit a certain value in a particular timeframe. Your exposure is therefore limited to your bet. You don’t have to actually buy the asset which, for the same return would give you much greater exposure. I use binary.com as it is simple, straightforward and very cheap.

3. ISAs / Savings Accounts

Safe as houses, but boring as it gets when it comes to real returns. Except for the tracker ISAs, which over time will give 10-12%. Enough said.

2. Tracker Funds

In the UK a FTSE 100 or FTSE 250 tracker with the profits reinvested to compound is one of the very best ways of investing your hard earned cash.

1. Property

The number one way of making money – in my opinion, based on the evidence of those who have amassed great wealth is: property. Bricks and mortar. It is consistently the most solid, lucrative and leverage-able form of investment there is.

Alan Sugar – think he made all his money from his technology companies (Amstrad etc)? Think again – the vast majority of Allan Sugar’s wealth comes from rental income on properties that he rents out and on properties that he has sold for a profit.

McDonalds – if you have seen the film ‘The Founder’ you will know that they are not a food company, they are a property company. McDonalds buy the land and the franchisees rent the premises from them. This is their passive, predictable, unfluctuating income stream. The burgers are gravy (pardon the pun).

There are three main ways of making money from property:

  1. Buy, Develop, Sell

    The classic model that most dabblers tend to approach. Some are very successful at it. In my personal opinion it is generally a rather short sighted approach. Property automatically appreciates in value all the time. It took less than two years for property values to recover from the 2007 crash. As soon as you sell, you lose the leverage that the gain in value gives you. That said, there is always a right time to make the break and sell up.

  2. Buy to Let

    Once a very popular way of gaining a modest passive income, this method has massively dropped in popularity following the government’s recent tax changes in the UK. It is still possible to make money using this method but it is now a tougher proposition and the returns are modest.

    The one exception to this currently appears to be the lucrative central London market. Property prices are high, but so are rents. Rental usage is very high in London due to the transient nature of the people living there. Therefore demand is high and rental rates are comparatively high.

    There are some developers offering a service where you can part-invest in a development. The idea is that you re-mortgage your house, take £20k-£50k out at (current mortgage rates) around 2-5% and invest it into a buy to let London cherry-picked development. The returns are around 12%. The benefit of this model is that the returns come relatively fast – within a year or two and you can do it with no funds (re-mortgage).

    My Property Expert is a company offering this service. Disclaimer – I am professionally linked to Eyeedul at My Property Expert.

  3. Homes of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs)

    This method is also subject to the new tax laws in the UK, however it is sufficiently profitable that this is not a problem. When I go into property investing, this is the route that I am planning to take.

    You buy a property, get permission from the council to create an HMO (not usually too difficult – there’s often high demand), convert it into bedsits and let them out individually on a flat rate – bills included. The market for this type of accommodation is growing. Two obvious users of HMOs: Students and DSS. Students pay their rent termly, in advance – they’re fantastic payers. DSS with solid benefits make perfectly good tenants as long as you conduct your due diligence. And of course the growing market of single professionals.

  4. The Golden Rule of Investing

    Einstein famously said that “Compound Interest is the most powerful force in the universe” and he was right. Reinvest your gains, have a plan about what level you are going to get to.

    Other Methods

    Of course there are other methods of investing: foreign exchange trading, bitcoin etc (all of the ‘blockchain’ crypto-currency market is going to plummet in the next 2-3 years in my opinion), p2p lending / crowdfunding etc. These and similar methods are too risky to be within the scope of this article.

    Bottom Line

    Own property, leverage it (re-mortgage), own more, convert to HMO, rent rooms out. Wait for the value to raise, wash, rinse, repeat. Put the profits into a FTSE 250 tracker. Set proper life goals and plan your financial activities around these. Your wealth will grow faster, the more you reinvest but, of course the point of all this is to enjoy your money.

    Conclusion: The Utility Warehouse Business as a Passive Income vs. Investment

    Here’s the second “penny dropped moment” that I got from that seminar in Croydon. £88,000 invested in a FTSE 100 tracker with a 0.5% fee would give you a monthly income of £355. If you go out and gather 120 Utility Warehouse customers, that will give you the same return, plus bonuses along the way.

    I worked consistently gathering customers for the first 3 years of building my Utility Warehouse business, that got me to around 120 customers. I didn’t break any records, qualified for very few of the incentives that they offered but, doggedly and persistently I drove the business forward a couple of evenings a week and sometimes half a day at weekends. That gave me an income equivalent to having £88k in the bank.

    You can read an earlier blog that I wrote on the income that my Utility Warehouse business generated from day zero here.

    With that information – you have a balanced summary to make a decision for yourself. The rest, I leave up to you.

    Further Reading

    Having been fascinated with the concept of passive income for most of my adult life, I have studied many forms and looked at the patterns of investment and behaviour of the super-rich. Some of the publications that I recommend for greater understanding on this subject are:

    Disclaimer

    The views and opinions expressed in this article are simply the opinion of the author and do not constitute financial advice either explicit or implied. Always seek the advice of a professional, qualified financial advisor before making an investment decision.

Utility Warehouse Changes for 2018

Utility Warehouse Changes for 2018

Utility Warehouse changes and improvements have made a significant difference to the customer and Partner proposition in 2018:

Utility Warehouse Changes the Partner fee to £50

Utility Warehouse Changes Reduction

There are now two options when signing up as a Utility Warehouse Partner:

  1. £50 Option to being a Utility Warehouse Partner. If you choose this route, you need to follow these steps:
    1. Sign up as a Utility Warehouse customer by clicking on the “Save Money” link in the menu bar above.
    2. Once you have completed the signup process, you will be given a membership number. Make a note of this.
    3. Apply to be a Utility Warehouse Partner by clicking on the “apply now” link on the right hand side of this page
    4. Enter you Utility Warehouse membership number in the box labelled “Utility Warehouse customer account number”
    5. Choose whether you want the company branded tablet or are happy to use your own tablet / laptop. See this blog post for more information.
    6. Complete the form and submit. You will automatically be charged the discounted rate of £50.
  2. £100 option. If you choose this route, there is no requirement to sign up as a Utility Warehouse customer first.
    1. Apply to be a Utility Warehouse Partner by clicking on the “apply now” link on the right hand side of this page

What Happens Next?

Once you have completed the online application form, you will receive a confirmation email from Utility Warehouse head office. Within 24 hours you will receive your unique “Executive ID number” and access to the online portal provided by Utility Warehouse, known as “The Partner Portal”. From there, you will be guided through your early steps as a Utility Warehouse Partner, including:

  • Completing online training
  • Uploading a passport style photo for your ID card
  • Agreeing to the OFGEM regulations agreement
  • Booking your classroom training from one of the hundreds of training centres nationwide
  • Ordering your optional piggy shaped business cards
  • …and many more

To find out what you get in return for your application fee, see the FAQ page here.

Extra Benefits for “Daffi Double-Gold Homeowner” Customers

Utility Warehouse Changes

A “Daffi Double-Gold Homeowner” customer is a homeowner who takes all four services available: energy (gas or electricity), telephone line, broadband, mobile phone. For those customers who qualify, Utility Warehouse may offer extra benefits. See http://www.utilitywarehouse.org.uk/ for more information.

Mobile Phone Signal Booster Box

Utility Warehouse Changes Femtocell

For years, Vodafone was the only company to offer a mobile phone booster box – a “Femtocell”. Then EE came into the market and now that the technology has been honed and perfected, Utility Warehouse are offering the equivalent product.

This means that Utility Warehouse mobile phone customers can now enjoy 5 bars of coverage in their home. The booster box plugs straight into their internet router and within minutes it is boosting the Utility Warehouse mobile signal within the customers home. I have one of these myself and it works perfectly for calls and texts. It cannot be used for data – your phone will automatically pick up data from the router instead while calls and texts will run through the booster. Just one of the great Utility Warehouse changes in 2018!

Utility Warehouse Changes the Partner Commission Structure With Larger Up-Front Payments for Gathering Customers

One of the most significant Utility Warehouse changes that has been introduced is the “QUIP” QUick Income Plan. This enables Partners who opt-in to be paid a lump sum for signing up Daffi Double-Gold customers. This up front payment replaces the usual monthly commission that would otherwise be paid for the first five years of that customer being with Utility Warehouse. After the five years is up, regular monthly commissions are paid as normal.

I’m always very honest on this blog and I have to admit that when I heard about QUIP, I wasn’t entirely positive. For me, Utility Warehouse has always structured their commission programme very ethically by paying Partners with small monthly commission payments over a long period of time, rather than by incentivising with large up-front payments. It is a well known fact that the door-knockers of old that were part of the marketing strategy of the ‘big 6’ used to be paid a large up-front commission to tie customers into contracts. This is partly what earned them a poor reputation. Historically, Utility Warehouse rarely tied customers into long contracts (with the exception of a brand new phone line install).

Having reflected on “QUIP” for a while now, here are my conclusions:

  • The customers who qualify you for a QUIP bonus are those who take almost all of The Utility Warehouse services. Therefore they are making the most significant savings.
  • All “QUIP” customers are receiving free, professionally fitted LED lightbulbs (see above) so they are getting a benefit that no other supplier can currently offer.
  • The tie-in that Utility Warehouse do need to apply for QUIP customers to make it commercially viable is ethically structured: There is a fair buy-back on the free LED light bulbs that operates on a sliding timescale.
  • From a Partner point of view, approximately 10% of your customers will be QUIP if you offer all of the services on every appointment. That means that your monthly commission is likely to increase in the short term but not significantly.
  • From the point of view of gaining increased motivation as a brand new Partner, QUIP is excellent as it allow you as someone brand new to the business to earn a meaningful commission. My first residual commission payment was £6.75 which came four months after I started. It took significant patience, persistence and hard work to keep going to the point where I was earning so much that Utility Warehouse funded a company car for me.

This is one of the most significant Utility Warehouse changes to come into effect and it is certain to make a big difference to customers and Partners in 2018.

Utility Warehouse Changes Include Training Improvements: Sign Up Customers With Only Online Training

Utility Warehouse Changes Online Training Keyboard Picture with "learn" key highlighted.

It is a much, much simpler task to sign up a new customer than when I started as a Utility Warehouse Partner back in 2009. Back then, there were paper forms in duplicate, it was very, very easy to make a mistake and that would delay the application process etc. As an engineer, I was fairly good with detail but I still had many forms come back with errors.

Now, with these new Utility Warehouse changes, the entire sale and quotation process has been made foolproof. This has been partly helped by the government’s initiative to force suppliers to add comparable prices and greater clarity to bills. All suppliers must now quote annual usage for the past twelve months and a predicted price for the next 12 months based on the same usage profile.

During an appointment, rather than have to get a calculator out and dig into piles of paper, it is simply a case of pressing the screen on a tablet to show a series of short videos and then input the customer’s data into an interactive online form (there is an offline backup version too if you don’t have internet access). You can get the few figures you do need from their most recent bill or answer a few simple questions with them using drop down menu choices to get a quotation.

Utility Warehouse have, for some time now required all new Partners to complete a series of online training modules and in addition attend classroom training. Whilst it is still highly recommended to attend classroom training, it is now possible to go to customer appointments, having only completed the online training course. There is an assessment within each module to maintain high quality results.

Are Utility Warehouse Always the Cheapest?

No – there are a small number of people out there who are better off not signing up to Utility Warehouse . For those people who compare ppkWh tariffs – the honest truth is that much of the time Utility Warehouse is not the cheapest in the marketplace. The question I ask potential customers is: what are they more concerned about: the ppkWh rate or the amount of money the utility company takes out of their bank account every month?

Energy rates with Utility Warehouse often drop with the addition of services – customers who are able to take telephone & broadband get a better deal and – they get currently 25% off their telephone & broadband. Customers who take the Cashback card typically get £25 – £40 off their utility bill and it is often more with big purchases and around Christmas time. We have been Utility Warehouse customers since 2008 and in 9 years we have had over £4000 in cashback – and we are not particularly big spenders.

Understanding the above concept and having the decency to walk away from an appointment when it is not the best thing for the prospect to sign up to Utility Warehouse is, in my opinion the key to making a success of this business. The only quality that is more important is the ability to get lots of “no’s” and keep moving forward – keep making appointments. Put those two qualities together and you will make a success in this business as a Utility Warehouse Partner.

Questions, comments? Please advise your thoughts in the form below, I read them all!

Making Money From Home Part-Time : A comparison of Opportunities

Making Money From Home Part-Time : A comparison of Opportunities

Making Money

Making Money From Home

It’s not a coincidence that the popularity of direct sales companies is on the rise; most of them offer flexible working hours and fair commissions, making it a lot easier to run your own business to draw in a secondary, and often passive, income. As someone who has recently graduated from university, I am under no illusion that putting the cash together for a deposit on a house or car is going to be no mean feat. But where do you start looking when you want to start making money from home?

Well, this blog post is aimed for anyone, whether you’re a student or professional, single parent or part of a large family in need of extra support; so that you can see a few of the better known companies and their benefits in a simple and understandable format. This isn’t a sales pitch. I’m not linked to any of these companies; this is strictly educational so that you can make an informed decision before you step into the wonderful world of direct sales. Consider me an unbiased voice of reason.

Direct Sales Companies

There are plenty of Direct Sales companies out there, each designed to suit individual personalities and sales types; but more specifically, with different sales strategies and compensation agreements. Having done research into a selection of direct sales companies, it has become pretty obvious that their driving advert for Partners are marketed towards mums and women working from home. However, some of these companies allow for a more even-keel, and I shall explain further in time. It is important to remember that these businesses require people skills beyond being social and friendly. To be successful at making money with your business you’ll be expected to be involved with networking, marketing and have at least a basic understanding of the sales skills required depending on the industry. Some companies offer training, and others simply give you a helping hand and a support structure to send you in the right direction. It is also important to remember, as you continue to read this, that when considering and comparing business opportunities please be aware that it is illegal for a promoter or participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits from getting others to join a scheme. Do not be misled by claims that high earnings are easily achieved.

Arbonne

Arbonne are not a particularly well known company, which they attribute to the fact they rely heavily on word of mouth marketing so that any funding or profit can go back into their products. This is by no means a negative attribute for a company that prides itself on unparalleled quality and effective products. As a consumer, I have to admit I agree. Plus, what’s not to enjoy about gathering your friends for a girly evening to try the new products? Petter Mørck founded Arbonne in Switzerland, 1975, together with a group of leading biochemists, biologists and herbalists. Arbonne promise to continuously improve and evaluate their ingredient policy; though for some it’s enough just that they have one. All of their products are unique in the fact they’re plant based formulas rather than chemical, globally sourced with high end ingredients, vegan certified, pH correct and hypo-allergenic, dermatologically tested and clinically proven. Plus the face wash smells zesty.

‘Arbonne Clients love our products and trust them for their families. They simply can’t do without them, so they buy them over and over. They are steadfast and loyal because they trust our brand. They believe in it. Our core commitment is to provide effective products that deliver a true benefit. Products everyone should have and will desire. As trailblazers, we must educate, empower and inspire people to make better choices for the beauty, health and wellness of their families and friends.’

Arbonne skincare products, based on botanical principles, became a reality in the United States in 1980 and are now shared throughout the world through the Arbonne network of Independent Consultants. Building on these same founding principles, the product line has since grown to include both inner and outer health and beauty products that are unparalleled in quality, safety, value, benefits and results. Over the years, the product portfolio has grown to include aromatherapy, cosmetics, nutrition and much more.

Arbonne’s Environmental Values

Arbonne’s green values extend past their products. Whilst striving for the purest, safest and most beneficial way to create products, Arbonne also strives to keep earth friendliness in the bargain. Constantly looking for ways to minimise their impact on earth, their green initiatives span sourcing, manufacturing, operations and generally lightening the carbon footprint with each step.

Arbonne Business Opportunity

But there’s more to Arbonne than just great products. Thousands of individuals work with Arbonne, with sales incentives and rewards, travel opportunities and a generous Success Plan. With Arbonne, sharing your love for products can lead to product sales and a successful business. Success comes from building relationships by creating a personal network of clients who purchase Arbonne products, plus teaching others to do the same. Arbonne understand the power of networks and has the tools and expertise to help you build one of your very own. ‘Average people build businesses — extraordinary people build networks.’ Arbonne promises a challenging yet rewarding career for you to run your own business and team, an opportunity to increase self-confidence and leadership skills whlie still making money. A way to work when you want and with whom you want.

However, the start-up fee is a little higher than with many similiar direct sales companies, as are the products. So that is definitely something to keep in mind. You can find out more about making money with Arbonne on their website:

http://arbonne.com

Avon

Everybody knows Avon, Avon’s products and at least two Avon Ladies; but there’s a lot more behind them than just a good sales strategy and a friendly smile. As self-analysis goes, their introduction is very convincing. They are the company that ‘puts mascara on lashes and food on tables, which knows the value of a perfect lip and opens its mouth to speak out against domestic violence and for women’s financial independence.’ What self-respecting feminist couldn’t get behind those attributes? It’s a company that has 125 years under its belt, 6 million representatives in over 100 countries; a beacon for beauty, innovation, optimism and all women. Their vision is clear; ‘Our vision is to be the company that best understands and satisfies the product, service and self-fulfilment needs of woman globally,’ and it seems that, from the reviews of other independent representatives, this is not focused solely on the customer but on the representatives as well.

‘Working for Avon was wonderful. Getting the products in the mail, getting it organised. I learned more about sales and how to run a small business than any previous job,’ sang one review, ‘the most enjoyable part of the job was selling and up-selling’ another. Making money appear to be very achieveable with Avon.

Avon Details

Down to the nitty-gritty; there is a small start-up fee of £16, which includes your brochures, but this will only be charged after you have placed your first order – with £10 taken from your first order and £6 from your second. There is also a ‘Smart Start’ scheme that offers gifts once you’ve placed your first six orders. You do not pay your joining fee if you do not place an order. Should, for whatever reason, your situation change and you no longer need to work for Avon, you are still not charged. There is also a 28 day money back guarantee on all the products. All the ordering is done online to keep it quick and simple, and there is also more information on incentives and competitions. As well as constant support from your Area Sales Manager, there is telephone support from the customer services team and an online community where you can get support and advice from other representatives. You are self-employed, so running your Avon is like running your own business; you set your working hours to suit yourself and your life. The website doesn’t mention anything about target setting, but if you really want to make a good go of making money from home, then that is something you’ll need to think about. Regardless of the company you choose to get behind.

Avon Cosmetics

Avon scientists create and evaluate nearly 1,000 cosmetic, fragrance and toiletry products every year. In 2012 Avon celebrated 20 years of its pioneering Skincare brand ANEW and collaborated with globally recognised dermatology laboratory, NeoStrata – a leader in topical anti-ageing technologies. It allowed for the creation of treatments only available through Avon but also ‘revolutionising anti-ageing skincare.’ This is not the first time that Avon has been at the forefront of technological advancement in skin care. In 1992, Avon was the first company to bring Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) Technology to the mass market with the launch of it’s ANEW skincare brand. Avon was also the first to deliver stable vitamin C in skincare. Although Avon has many competitors in the direct make up sales market, few have the reputation let alone the innovated products, customer service and competitive prices.

There are certainly pros to getting behind a company of this size. It is one of the world’s largest direct sales companies, with nearly £10 billion in annual revenue. Their product line includes cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, wellbeing products, jewellery, lingerie, accessories, gifts and fashion products for your home. More products carry the Avon name than any other brand in the world. According to their own statistics, ‘Avon now reaches one in three women, with six million women seeing an Avon brochure every three weeks’.

Avon Charity Support

In 2009 Avon celebrated its 50th Anniversary in the UK. In 2010 ‘Avon Connects’ launched in the UK, offering Independent Avon Representatives and customers the opportunity to connect through a unique, online, social media platform. Avon has also donated over £16 million to UK charities, including but not limited to Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Macmillan Cancer Support and Women’s Aid. As a company dedicated to the wellbeing of women, Avon has spoken at length of its commitment to supporting causes that matter most to women. The cons are that it is an incredibly saturated sales scheme. There doesn’t appear to be any specific boundaries on areas or demographic, so it is very much up to the representative to carve out a territory of their own.

You can find out more about making money with Avon on their website:

http://www.avon.uk.com

Younique

As one of Avon’s biggest competitors, Younique has a lot to live up to. It isn’t as well-known and its products do not have the same appreciated branding, but the opportunities for making moey and building your own successful business out of the company are definitely still there; and for some, the ‘outdated’ branding of Avon is just the thing they want to avoid.

Younique Rewards

As a company, it has slightly different incentives. Unlike Avon, it rewards its representatives with Trip points and Younique Cash – which is product credit. It’s a dollar for dollar product credit that cannot be used for business supplies or to go towards shipping; but presenters are enrolled with the opportunity to earn 1,400 incentive points in their first 90 days as a ‘Fast Start’ program. If you’re someone who loves Younique products, then this is a fantastic opportunity, but it doesn’t seem to be designed for just anyone looking to work from home and earn a little extra. Similarly, your hostess rewards are not singular rewards they choose and receive at the end of the party, but also work as a credit that they can spend whenever and on whatever they like from Younique.

The standard royalties (or commissions if you like) are still available though, and Younique promise that their online system, you should be paid quickly and easily, thus giving you control of your earnings but also making it very easy to then spend your earnings back on Younique products. Once your commissions reach $50, you are provided with your own Younique Debit card. Younique also provides a free personal website, so that you have instant access to the Virtual Party System to get your business on a running head start whilst you’re waiting for your Presenter Kit.

Younique Cosmetics

It’s a standard kit that includes several of the products, including but not limited to 3D Fibre Lashes, Moodstruck Precision Pencil Eye Liners and Flawless Complexion Enhancer. The kit also includes $25 Younique Cash on your birthday annually, a presenter guide and a signature Younique case. One thing that Avon doesn’t seem to provide is the intense training at Youniversity. Designed to give you an understanding valuable marketing tips and critical business insights, the weekly training courses keep you connected with your sponsor and Younique Family as well as develop yourself as a real saleswoman.

Social Media Marketing

Younique was one of the first direct sales companies to market and sell almost completely though the use of social media. Their pioneering Virtual Parties created a bridge between tradition direct selling and home businesses, and the ever growing market online. For someone who’s looking to make extra money, but is hindered slightly by being self-conscious or isn’t as particularly confident as other direct sales representatives, Younique is certainly unique in that it doesn’t seem to matter. It also means that if you need to work from home because you can’t leave the house – whether as a full time carer or responsible for children full time – then you can; which in turn makes the hours even more flexible. Social networks are opening up so many possibilities to small companies now. Blogging is a tool that can be used for sales and marketing, and Facebook and Twitter make it so easy to create a network to sell towards. A few clicks of your mouse, and you’ve got thousands of people that you can sell to every day. Openly invite people to your virtual party, or be more specific. At the end of the mouse is all the research you could need to know. Which Bloggers are making money reviewing make up, which people are completely clueless, or even which product is completely underrated and therefore most in need of promoting? That’s not to say that traditional forms of sales, marketing and networking are dying out. But when creating your own business from home every little tool should be used to the best of its advantage.

You can find out more about making money with Younique on their website:

https://www.youniqueproducts.com/

Herbalife

Herbalife International is an American company with its headquarters in the Cayman Islands that specialised in nutrition, weight management and skin-care products on a global scale. Founded in 1980, it employs about 7,400 people worldwide has over three million Partners based in 90 countries and is reported to net sales of nearly $4 billion in 2014.

Making Money with Herbalife

Herbalife promises its members a making money opportunity that fits your lifestyle with flexible part time or full time hours, help with coaching and support and research proven products developed by leading nutritional scientists. The premise of being a Herbalife member means you learn the basics of better nutrition, share the fundamentals of an active and thus more healthy lifestyle and help your customers reach their weight and nutritional goals.

Herbalife Products

As with the hours, the products you promote are also pretty flexible. You can choose to specialise in a product, or represent the entire brand. Their product categories include Weight Management, meal replacement solutions etc., Targeted Nutrition, supplements and vitamins, Sports, Energy and Fitness, training and recovery solutions and Outer Nutrition for the skincare and beauty range. Having such a diverse range of products does make for less gender bias for those selling the products. A lot of direct sales companies are designed specifically for women to sell the products (Avon in fact uses that as their tag line) so it’s good to know that if the primary carer is in fact a stay at home dad who’d like to earn some extra cash, there are viable options.

Community Support

Herbalife is a strong advocate for people helping other people. The turnaround support system creates a community with other members; which in turn helps raise money to help teach children about the benefits of good nutrition. If you think that this system would not only benefit yourself and your family, but your friends and neighbours as well then it’s definitely something to consider.

There is a start-up cost, which includes your start-up kit, but Herbalife gives you the opportunity to work to your own hours and maybe even extend into full time work later on. Herbalife also has one of the more generous compensations plans with the opportunity to earn 73% commission through wholesale profits, royalties and bonuses. Plus you’ll be put in touch with a personal Herbalife coach who can offer support with both your nutritional and business development needs.

Company Evolution

Herbalife has changed a lot as a company since it started, though they promise that the standard of their products and their customer care has only improved in that time; they are also very much looking into the future and the constant improvement and expansion of their business. ‘The possibilities are limitless!’ Their reputation does put them ahead of other companies of a similar ilk such as Body by VI, so in terms of starting up an at home business, now may just be the perfect time. It’s also a strong possibility for those of you looking to make money from home – but are male. Herbalife, along with some of the other companies I’ll speak of, do not have a gender biased product. Much like Utility Warehouse, they are designed to cater to varied needs, which is perfect if you’re looking to sell a product to make some extra money, but make-up is not something you yourself would buy. It’s incredibly difficult to sell a product you have no interest in. It’s also more difficult for men to sell to women something they themselves don’t use. Not unless you have an extensive knowledge of the product, created it yourself or if you’ve been in sales your entire career. For those of you just starting out, Herbalife offers a ‘dipped-toe’ approach, as you expand your product range to suit your client base.

You can find out more about making money with Herbalife on their website:
http://www.herbalife.co.uk/

Body by VI

Body by VI is a top weight-loss challenge platform based in North America. It is marketed as a simple, rewarding, fun and flexible for your lifestyle. The idea is that your challenge starts with a personal goal for you, set by you. Then, by using one of their four challenge kits over a period of 90 days at a time, you should achieve your goals. The boast one of the pros of the challenge is that it should save you money. By providing one full meal and nutritional support for you need to be healthy, the cost per day for the program is designed to cost less than a fast food meal or breakfast. This saving spreads even further when you think about the fact you get a free kit when you invite three others to join The Challenge.

Visalus Weight Loss Products

The products are available to buy individually, however the Challenge Kit offers the best value. It is important to remember, however, that these products are not a replacement for exercise but to be uses in conjunction with exercise, with a varied calorie-restricted meal plan and routine exercise regime. Any product that claims it can ‘help you lose weight’ without exercise should be consulted on by your GP. What Body by VI offers are nutritional shake mix meal replacements, with a variety of options depending on your needs. Whether you want to raise your source of fibre, vitamins and minerals, lower your carbohydrate intake, go lactose free, gluten free or avoid GMO ingredients; Body by VI has a solution in the form of a shake. Their shakes are made with real fruit, so there’s no horrible pasty powder after taste. Add two scoops of the VI-Shape Shake Mix to 250ml of semi skimmed milk – job done. This shake does not, however, replace your daily water intake which should still be an average of two litres per day. If you have any concerns regarding a medical condition or taking these shakes whilst pregnant, please see the Body by VI website.

Making Money with Body by Vi

So how can you get involved? Body by VI offers a ‘lucrative’ making money program for all of their representatives. ‘Because they transform lives through The Challenge, bringing our mission of Life, Health and Prosperity – we are proud to reward them.’ Apart from the aforementioned ‘Refer 3, get your next month Free!’ deal, Body by VI also offers home-based work opportunities. As a promoter, your focus will be on creating a retail customer base, as well as building a team or ‘organisation’ of other promoters. As your progress through the program, you will increase your home base income through commissions on the product sales generated throughout your Partner organisation. There are, as with most direct sales companies, elite groups within the company that are recognised for their commitment to excellence. These people, within Body by VI, are the Bimmer Club, who are eligible to earn monthly BMW Bonus points that go towards a Body by VI branded black BMW.

Start up Options

There are start-up prices, and depending on how much you want to jump in will decide how much you’re willing to spend on your start-up kit. The basic promoter kit is £39 and includes a welcome guide, a challenge DVD, access to the VI-Net Lite and Promoter Marketing website, as well as a few other pieces of merchandise. The System Speed Up to Rising Star Pack – which is £349; includes all of the above plus the executive product pack, challenge journal and challenge magazine, exclusive online success audio seminars and mentorships. There is also a Star Promoter Supercharge program which includes all of the above plus 40 starter packs, 15 magazines and 15 challenge journals. From an outsider, trying to remain unbiased, this seems like an awful lot of money to become a promoter without proof of the products ability. Body by VI doesn’t have Avon’s good reputation, or Kleeneze’s heritage. Most of the information found about Body by VI is on their own website as opposed to review websites or affiliates. And the reviews I did find for Body by VI were not altogether flattering.

Reviews

One wrote ‘After two and a half months on the program, I was very disappointed and quite upset that I had paid so much for a product that didn’t work.’ The reviewer went on to say that the claims of the product make it sound like she would have no problem losing any chosen amount of weight, and that when reading up reviews post-challenge, she’d found that most of the people who’d lost weight by using The Challenges had actually had lap band surgery before the program, or had been vastly overweight before they’d begun; rather than someone who was trying to work off the last of the weight they were trying to lose as she had been. She also pointed out that whilst the ingredient list mirror a good multivitamin, there are other shakes and protein shakes on the market that far surpass the products of Body by VI. Of course, this is just one review and it’s important to take a balanced view.

My advice would be to make sure that the products available to you from Body by VI work for you, so that when you’re selling the product you know that it’s something you can put your name behind. As the products are available individually, you shouldn’t have to fork out a small fortune to be part of this company. We live in a tight economy as it is; if you’re looking to earn a passive income, this may not be the company for you.

You can find out more about making money with Body by Vi on their website:

http://www.bodyby-vi-uk.co.uk/

Aloe 2 Bee

Aloe 2 Bee was founded in 1978 and now operates in over 150 countries under the company name Forever. It is the largest manufacturer and Partner of Aloe Vera and Bee products in the world, actively avoiding the use of herbicides and pesticides. ‘Because we are not dependent on any other supplier, we can guarantee the quality of our Aloe.’ A valued ingredient for centuries across the globe, highly concentrated Aloe Vera gel is delicately separated from the leaf pulp and gently stabilized in a special patented process. Similarly to Herbalife, the product range is a variety of products such as health drinks, natural supplements, weight management products, skin care and other daily and topical solutions. Forever is so confident of it’s product, that it promises a 60 day money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with anything your purchase. These products are available to Partners at the wholesale price.

The company does not use animal testing either. As an employer, they help people to build substantial incomes and control their finances. ‘Our business is designed to allow motivated individuals and couples to earn what they are truly worth.

Money Making Opportunity with Aloe 2 Bee

As an Partner, the making money opportunity comes through the retailing of a market leading range of Forever Living products made with Aloe Vera and Beehive based health and nutrition products, and through building a team of like-minded people. Aloe 2 Bee provide a professional and easy way to build your own business on a part-time basis working alongside existing commitments or you may decide to build a full-time role as your income increases. This opportunity is open to everyone and no previous experience or qualifications are necessary as ‘award winning’ training and support are provided. Each new Partner is provided with a sponsor or an up-line manager, generally the person who introduced you to the products in the first place, who will give you day to day advice and support as and when you need it. There are also training materials available to you and a Partner training website. Within the training, you’re advised on finding customers, setting up your own website, sponsoring your own Partners so that you yourself can become an up-line manager in time. What they don’t always tell you up front is that an official Forever website has a hosting cost of £10 a month. No doubt this includes help with both technical and other issues, but it’s definitely worth looking into whether it’s better value for money to set up your own website. Aloe 2 Bee claims that they also do very well at conventions; displays, stalls, events and presentations making access to large groups of your target market at the same time. Whilst this is not exclusive to Aloe 2 Bee, they are one of the few companies that make it a part of their selling campaign. There are only so many products you can do this with. But organising a pamper evening for couples would not be a bad way to sell products to large groups of people, if you can find a venue willing to host the event. Clients will be much more likely to buy/sign up if they know, like and trust you. This means no matter how you found these people in the first place, you need to spend time interacting with them, listening to their issues, and talking to them about the benefits of your product from their point of view.

You can find out more about making money with Aloe2Bee on their website:

http://www.aloe2bee.co.uk/

Amway

Amway (short for American Way) is an American company that kick started it’s UK branch in 1973. It uses a multi-level marketing model to sell a variety of products, primarily in the health, beauty and home care markets. For over 40 years, Amway has been supporting, motivating and teaming up with successful business owners. In 2013, there were over 33,000 registered Amway Business Owners and 250,000 registered customers in the UK and ROI. It has been part of the DSA since 1981. Amway puts the credit of it’s business behind the people that work with Amway. ‘People are our most valuable asset. Our business owes it’s success to our employees and to our Amway Business Owners, all of whom we support wholeheartedly by helping them live up to their full potential.’ As with most of the other companies, Amway provides it’s own brand of free training to build up the necessary skills for a better and more business-like future, whether you’re looking to take on the task as a part time job or full time. Their opportunity is open to everyone, offering the same chances and right to work to their fair and reliable partners. Throughout their work environment, Amway promotes diversity, as well as ensure high standards in health and safety and provide benefits and development opportunities for all of their Partners.

Amway market’s it’s products as ‘Life-Enhancing’; combining expertise and opportunity to help change the world by addressing the health of wellbeing of people. Whilst their products look to tackle social issues such as malnutrition and water pollution, their training promotes entrepreneurship as a gateway to individual empowerment. Cutting through the jargon, Amway are trying to say they’re the ‘nice guys’ of direct selling. And for all intents and purposes, Amway appear to have a solid track record for looking after their Partners.

Company ethos

‘We achieve a sustained performance by growing our business in a socially responsible way, whilst continually improving the environment within which we do business.’ Whether you’re looking at making money, or run your very own business, Amway suggest that you set yourself goals to achieve and with the support and benefits one gets from working with a team with different experiences, each goal is achievable. Their work model is relatively low risk, but it would be worth doing further research into monetary targets to continue working for Amway. Very few of the companies have mentioned it on their websites, but unlike Utility Warehouse, many companies to expect a minimum sales quota per month or quarter. It can put a level of undesirable stress on anyone trying to set up a business if they know that they could potentially lose that business, and that income, if they have a bad couple of months. If you do have any concerns, please speak to someone within the company you’re planning to work with. A vital part of this team is your sponsor, who will help you get started and provide you with help and training along the way. They should be able to answer any extra questions you have up front.

Training

This training website contains everything you need to know about Amway so you can make an informed decision about your future. You’ll learn about the philosophy, the products and the support available to every Amway Business Owner. When you’re ready, speak to an Amway Business Owner, if possible, the one who invited you to the business. He or she will help you register your business and order your Fast Start bundles. Once you’ve tried these products for yourself, your recruiting Amway Business Owner can help show you how to demonstrate them to your first potential customers. “In the first year of my business I focused on getting to know the products and establishing a base of customers who would keep re-ordering with me. Once I got comfortable doing that I wanted to grow my business more. I had lots of inspiration in the beginning. I did the Amway online e-learning courses and talked to other Amway Business Owners. Gradually I started to realise the potential in bringing other people into the business. Now that I have a group, my sales volume is much higher than I could achieve alone. There’s no doubt in my mind I’m getting ahead.”- A testimonial from one of Amway’s Partners.

Support Structure

If you have a question about anything – registration, renewal, business, or product information – Amway has a dedicated Customer Care staff with all of the answers. Amway also help support your sales efforts with DVDs, websites, magazines and brochures to help you grow your business, so the marketing worry is kept to a minimum. All you have to do is sell the products, they provide the rest; such as processing the order, managing your customer accounts and handling shipping details. What’s more, each one of our products is covered by our no quibble Amway Satisfaction Guarantee. If you or your customers are not entirely satisfied with any product, simply return it and we’ll give you your money back. No questions asked.

You can find out more about making money with Amway on their website:

https://www.amway.co.uk/

Betterware

Stepping into a more gender neutral zone now; Betterware is a registered trademark of Stanley House Distribution Limited; a UK door-to-door direct sales company of household products. They have at least 5000 Partners throughout and 550 franchise team leaders. Their format is simple, and this is possibly what lead to their great success. Catalogues are delivered door-to-door in the UK and Ireland and then your local Partner collects the order forms. The products are then distributed from the company’s own warehouse. The hours of the Partners are totally flexible; with some choosing to work full time, others part time and the rest as and when they choose. They are all given a pre-determined geographical area, so there’s little to no competition from other Partners. Instead, everyone follows the family ethic that founded the company and team work is the solution to every problem.

Betterware’s market

From what I understand, Betterware doesn’t have a specific target audience, as their products are evolving alongside the company and their Partners. Whilst you’d expect there to be a specific draw towards elderly people who grew up with and trust the brand, it’s proven to be particularly popular with mums looking for specific products of good quality. This is definitely something to brag about as a Partner; as no specific target audience means that the choice really is yours. As you develop a network, you’re supported the whole way by your co-ordinator – but the structure of your working hours and your choice of target audience is completely down to you. Whether you’re an at-home parent or taking on Betterware for making money on the side, it’s perfectly suited for someone looking for flexibility.

Lifestyle Improvements

Betterware say ‘our greatest achievement is the opportunity we’ve offered men and women to improve their lifestyle and control their family’s earnings by running their own Betterware business.’ Graham Harris, one of their sales agents wrote, ‘I’d had enough of working for other people. I wanted to work for myself and I’m loving this role. It’s the best thing I ever did.’ There are different levels within Betterware that involves independent sales. The first is the Partner; this is the part time/flexible hours option where you work for cash in your local area and off of your own initiative. The next level is a Territory Sales Agent; where a specific territory is assigned to you. You must have access to a car and a computer and have the time to give your business your full commitment, though the hours are still flexible so you can fit your job around your family or any other commitments. The third level is a Co-Ordinator; this a full time position where you’ll be expected to manage a team of people and be committed to recruiting new people into your team. It provides a higher earnings opportunity, and still flexible hours – though you’ll have to work around the others you’re working with, as well as your family and any other commitments.

Weekly Commissions

Betterware pays weekly, so whatever commissions you earn you shall receive quickly; which means if you have more time to focus on your business than others, then you shall reap the rewards you sow. Your Co-Ordinator will pay your money directly once the products have been delivered to the customers each week. Betterware promises constant support, either via your Co-Ordinator for advice or the Betterware Hub online which has a ‘wealth’ of information. Betterware doesn’t clash with any benefits you may receive, though for more information on that I recommend you check out the Gov website.

There are of course downsides, as with any business; Partners have reported a difficulty with delivering and collecting brochures often enough to get orders worth submitting, and even when they do there are delivery costs and charges each month for ordering over the internet that comes out of your commission. A rival company, Kleeneze, deals with all these issues in a slightly different way, but the commission is lower and there’s no specific territory for you to work within. Whether that’s a plus or a minus will depend on your style of business and how you intend to characterise yourself as a direct sales representative.

You can find out more about making money with Betterware on their website:

https://www.betterware.co.uk/

Kleeneze

Kleeneze – originally Kleen-e-ze Brush Company – was the brain child of a man named Harry Crook, who attempted to make his fortune in America, and returned to England in 1923. The first major milestone for the company came in 1930 when the annual turnover topped £1 million for the first time, and diversification followed shortly after with the introduction of polishes and other complimentary items. Kleeneze obtained a place in the industrial history in 1959 when it became the first company to introduce the 40 hour week. Kleeneze are also a founding member of the Direct Selling Association, which means that all the companies I’ve mentioned must uphold a strict code of trading ethics, upheld by the association. In 1970, Kleeneze also stepped ahead of the crowd by being one of the first companies in the UK to utilise network marketing. After celebrating their 75th anniversary in 1998, Kleeneze extended its field of operation into Ireland and changed its name to Kleeneze Europe Limited. Just 6 years later, the company expanded its operations into the Netherlands and then a year later, Germany. Since its birth, Kleeneze has never failed to make a profit.

Kleeneze Earnings Potential

Kleeneze boast of their commitment to their Partners, explaining that the difference between earning £100 to £10,000 pounds extra per month purely down to hard work and ambition. Kleeneze use a catalogue and the prevailing income prospective of network marketing. The catalogue is a tried and true method, where the catalogues are left with friends, relatives, households and then the orders are collected a day or two later. It allows the client to have free reign of their purchases, rather than a pushy salesmen knocking on the door with his suitcase full of products. You earn 21% cash on all orders that you receive. When you start your Kleeneze business, you are given a credit limit – enabling you to order products from Kleeneze and only pay once you have received the money from your customers. This means there are never any stock purchase requirements or cash layout needed. It’s simple maths to deduce that the more catalogues you put out, the more orders you will get. Thus, the more profit you shall earn. The average national order is £1 per catalogue, but this grows once you’ve developed a customer base with returns rising to £600 with as little as 10 hours work per week. Orders will be at your house within 48 hours of Kleeneze receiving the order, which is a pretty quick turn-around. It’ll be relatively easy for you to keep up with any high demands you invoke in your client base. Kleeneze accept cash or cheque, so you get your 21% commission before worrying about paying Kleeneze back the remaining balance.

This is another ‘non-territory’ business, where it is up to you to stake out your client base. It is advised to stay close to home to save time and keep your customers loyal to you. ‘We expect our Partners to have excellent customer service. They should be reliable, polite and friendly. Keeping your distribution local means these attributes are a natural benefit to you anyway.’

Kleeneze Products

From gardening to gadgets, Christmas gifts to beauty products, the Kleeneze catalogues have it all. With over 1,500 wisely selected items to choose from, whether you’re looking to spend one pound or a few hundred, there’s something for everyone. Kleeneze has unlimited purchasing power when it comes to new products and any products added to the catalogues have been very carefully selected and priced not only to sell, but to make a profit. Specialist Kleeneze purchasing teams travel worldwide to secure the very best products for the catalogues. Many of the products sold in the catalogues are consumables; this brings repeat business on a monthly basis and Kleeneze promise 100% money back guaranteed for any products that are not satisfactory. Each year Kleeneze produces three or four main catalogues as well as a selection of smaller, supplementary catalogues. It is really up to the Partner to create their own flexible timetable and product base, to suit themselves and their clients.

That catalogues do all the selling for you; so for someone who otherwise lacks in the confidence to direct sell normally, that is definitely a positive. Over 70% of the UK already know and use Kleeneze, so there is obviously a demand for the products. But there are still millions of households without Kleeneze, and these are the people with the greatest potential for making money.

You can find out more about making money with Kleeneze on their website:

http://www.kleeneze.co.uk/

Utility Warehouse

Utility Warehouse is the trading name of Telecom Plus PLC, who provides a range of essential everyday services to over 400,000 homes and businesses all over the UK. Founded in 1996, their aim is simple – To save their customers money. Utility Warehouse have several positions put in place so that you can work from home, in the hours that you choose, so that you’re not torn between being financially dependent on your partner and ‘abandoning’ your children.

Utility Warehouse Partner

For example, the position of Partner is designed for anyone who wants to generate additional income by achieving realistic goals with the potential for bonuses should you surpass this. It costs £100 to join, but with a starter bonus gained from achieving your first 90 days goal this is returned to you. After that you earn a one-off of up to £50 for every customer you sign and a regular monthly commission based on a percentage of your customers monthly spend on Utility Warehouse services. You can also sign up as a Partner which involves building a team so that you get paid for the all the team’s customers as well. It really is that simple; and the more customers you sign up, the more your monthly commission grows – which means that if you are able to commit more hours to the job as your children are at school or what have you, then you reap greater rewards.

Added Benefits

These rewards include cash bonuses when you reach certain milestones such as personally recruiting customers and reaching targets, as well as share options among others. Once you have established yourself as a successful Partner with an income of £175 each month, you can apply for a company branded BMW Mini One. On the other hand, there is more to working with Utility Warehouse than just making money, as shown here by these real success stories:

After my children started school I found myself with plenty of free time that I wanted to put to good use, but I needed to ensure that I had enough flexibility to do the school runs. The idea of earning a little extra money had definite appeal and the Utility Warehouse seemed to fit my requirements nicely. Little did I know that I had stumbled across a potential goldmine! Now when I buy clothes or a new car, I like being able to tell the other mums that it was thanks to my own efforts!

Susan Mackenzie

Once I’d had my two children I just didn’t want to go back to work as an accountant. Darren loves his job as a policeman but we were keen to find a home-based business that could replace my earnings. Now we know we could both give up work before we are 50. We’ve made some great friends and love working with positive, like-minded people and it’s great for Darren and me to be working together.

Jane & Darren Turner

I started off as a customer with the Utility Warehouse. I was so impressed with the savings I was making I decided to become a Partner. Fitting this business around my hairdressing and raising my two sons proved to be both fun and easy! There is free training provided, and you can go as many times as you like. Now the Utility Warehouse has given us a very positive future. We’ve made great friends along the way. We now have great opportunities, and I’m able to spend quality time as a mother with my sons, while building a secure future for the three of us.

Christine Wise

Training

You don’t need have to have a specific skill set either. Utility Warehouse makes sure that all their Partners receive comprehensive training, which is both online and held in venues across the UK, free and available whenever you need it. You will also receive a Business Manual to guide you to success. All Partners receive a free hosted website, which looks just like the corporate website, where customers and Partners can sign up online and be added to your account. You’ll have access to a wide range of professionally made marketing materials free of charge, and also promotional material for purchase (T-shirts, business cards etc).

One thing mothers may be sceptical about is support once they have had the training and are officially working for themselves. Utility Warehouse will not throw you in at the deep end, nor will they leave you to fend for yourself. You’ll receive advice and support from your peers to help you build a successful business, not to mention the opportunity to meet people and make friends, which can be difficult if you spend the majority of your time at home.

My Experience With Utility Warehouse

Whilst I was at university, I was introduced to a Utility Warehouse Partner named Jonathan Hamilton. I was initially sceptical. There are so many companies out there promising to save money, I was struggling to see the wood through the trees. Jonathan explained to me that he’d had a few customers who he couldn’t save money and therefore had not gone ahead with Utility Warehouse. However, these people were so impressed with the customer service they received that Jonathan received business via their friends, family and neighbours. As Jonathan builds a rapport with his clients, his benefits also increase. He has already qualified for a free branded BMW Mini One from head office, and is now working towards the Porsche.

Utility Warehouse is an entirely ethically led company. They are listed on the London Stock Exchange (trading as Telecomplus PLC) and are in the FTSE 250. They were even awarded Best Performing Share Award in 2011 with an impressive growth profile. Furthermore customers of Utility Warehouse are provided with a service that everyone needs – their utilities, so there is a tangible product that is in high demand. According to their website information, the £100 Partner deposit is used by the company to pay for the classroom training, maintaining and upgrading the online training and for the box of initial training materials each new Partner requires. Once the new recruit has started to making money, gathering customers they then qualify for a refund of their deposit. Utility Warehouse then return the £100 in an effort to incentivise them to continue gathering customers. The company, of course, starts to make a profit from those customers who have been gathered by the initial Partner.

Commission Payments

The commission structure is based on an ethical policy of making sure that customers are happy and cared for. Therefore there are no large up-front bonuses. The initial gathering bonus for any new customer is currently capped at £40. The lucrative element of The Utility Warehouse commission structure is the ongoing monthly payments. Each month when a customer pays their Utility Warehouse bill, a small percentage (typically approx. 3.5%) is then set aside for the Partner who signed them up. On 21st of the following month, this slice is then paid to the Partner as ‘CVC’ Customer Volume Commission. This amounts to around £5 per month per customer for a typical 4-service customer. (The 4 services being Gas, Electric, Telephone and Broadband. Mobile phone is available too.) Statistically, Utility Warehouse believes a Partner working alongside them for at least two years will have worked with at least a hundred clients. That’s £500 per month, depending on the quality of the customers gathered, as a passive income whilst you work towards attracting new clients.

You can find out more about making money with Utility Warehouse on their website at:

http://www.utilitywarehouse.org.uk

Conclusion

Making Money Conclusion
Chris Rock, the comedian once said, ‘wealth is not about having a lot of money, but having a lot of options,’ and I feel that this quote pretty much covers the premise of this post. I hope it has helped you gain a better understanding of the different types of direct sales companies currently available to you, so that you can make an informed decision about your path to making money. The world of Direct Sales is your oyster; no matter your background or experience. I think it’s easy to think of these companies negatively, as quick fix solutions; but that’s really not the case. As with any business, you will need to work at it, work with people, and develop your own skills for your business to progress. To repeat what I said at the start, remember that these businesses require people skills beyond being social and friendly. To make the most of your business you’ll be expected to be involved with networking, marketing and have at least a basic understanding of the sales skills required depending on the industry.

Should you have any more questions about anything I’ve mentioned above, leave me a comment below. I wish you all the best making money with your new business venture and good luck!

Utility Warehouse Mini – Is It Achieveable?

Utility Warehouse Mini – Is It Achieveable?

Utility Warehouse Mini

If you are reading this, you may have seen Utility Warehouse minis on the road. These are white BMW Mini cars, subtly adorned with pink pigs and other brightly coloured graphics. This includes the phone number of the Partner whose car it is. Alternatively, you may be considering signing up as a Utility Warehouse Partner yourself. If so, the information pack contains many success stories of Partners who have qualified for their Utility Warehouse Mini and you may be wondering what the requirements are to qualify. This article aims to answers this and other commonly asked questions relating to Utility Warehouse minis.

Utility Warehouse Mini

Why Would You Want One?

The first time most people see a Utility Warehouse mini, they are often surprised. It is fair to say that the logos and graphics on the cars are very apparent. The thought of driving down the road in such a brightly decorated vehicle is understandably daunting for some people. Personally, my initial reaction to the Utility Warehouse mini of my sponsor Sarah Riley was, “nice for her, not for me”.

However, having been a Utility Warehouse Partner for five years now has given me a different perspective. Here are some of the benefits of being a Utility Warehouse mini owner:

  • Visibility. Everyone who sees you in the car knows what you do. This is great because all of those people who you haven’t yet got around to offering The Utility Warehouse business opportunity to, will see it and may be compelled to approach you. Also, complete strangers will approach you and ask to sign up – it regularly happens to me.
  • Credibility. Your existing customers and new prospects will realise that you mean business. You are clearly successful and serious about your Utility Warehouse business if you are a mini owner.
  • Belief. Every day when you get in your Utility Warehouse mini, you will be reminded that you are successful. You have achieved a huge milestone in the building of your Utility Warehouse business. It is the difference between having the belief and motivation to make that extra phone call or to go on that extra appointment. This is a massively underestimated benefit.
  • Win a Mini Events. A great way to recruit new Partners and to gather new customers is to run a win a mini event. This is a competition where every year a member of the public – not necessarily a Utility Warehouse customer, gets the chance to win a brand new BMW mini one – with no pink pigs! By having your own Utility Warehouse mini at a WAM event, you are much more likely to attract people to enquire about the benefits of becoming a customer or a Partner.Here is a video of last year’s draw where Chief Executive Charles Wigoder picked the winning ticket from more than 300,000 entries:

Key Facts About Utility Warehouse Minis

(correct as of 13th November 2014 & subject to change)

  • There are strict qualification criteria:
    • You must have received £175 ongoing commission per month on average for the past 3 months prior to applying.
    • You must gather at least 4 “Gold Status” customers (any customer who takes at least telephone & broadband) in the calendar month proeceeding your application.
    • You must have achieved at least Team Leader status (very straightforward and entirely achievable within a few months – the record is 2 weeks)
  • There are just over 600 Utility Warehouse minis on the road
  • You can upgrade from the basic Mini One – and many Partners do exactly that. You must pay the full cost of the upgrade at the time of application and this can be done with credit or debit card (there is a small surchage for credit card upgrades).
  • All servicing is included for the first 5 years, up to 60,000 miles
  • BMW breakdown cover is included for the first 5 years
  • There is a Utility Warehouse mini owners club uwminiownersclub.co.uk which includes trips and rallys – all entirely optional.
  • The mini is subsidised by Utility Warehouse head office and is effectively an interest free HP loan with no credit rating requirements
  • Utility Warehouse pay extra commission bonuses for basic activity (gathering gold status customers and recruiting Partners) for the first 5 years that you own the car for.
  • It is, in theory, possible to qualify for the mini and pay nothing for the 5 year duration of the HP agreement. In practise this rarely happens. However, it can be heavily subsidised with the right level of activity.
  • There is a final payment requirement at the end of the 5 years as is the case with many HP car agreements.

My Utility Warehouse Mini

On 11th July 2014, I attended Utility Warehouse Network HQ in west London and picked up the keys for my brand new Utility Warehouse mini from director Wayne Coupland. It was a day that I had been working towards for five years and ultimately was everything that I had imagined. I have been benefiting from this fantastic car ever since.

Further Information

Want to know more? Would you like your own Utility Warehouse mini? Leave me a comment in the section below, I read them all!

Utility Warehouse Partner Earnings: How Much Can You Earn?

Utility Warehouse Partner Earnings: How Much Can You Earn?

Utility Warehouse Partner Earnings

Utility Warehouse Piggy

One of the most often asked questions is:

How much can I earn as a Utility Warehouse Partner?”

The stock answer to this is: it depends how hard you work. While true, this article aims to give a more full and complete answer. There are two main ways that Utility Warehouse Partners are paid:

  • CGB – Customer Gathering Bonus.
    This is a one-off bonus that you are paid when introducing a new member to The Utility Warehouse Discount Club. It takes around an hour to sign someone up (full training is provided). The amount of CGB varies from £2.50 to £40 depending on how many services the customer takes. Typically the CGB is £20 per customer. On this basis you are paid £20 for about an hours work.
  • CVC – Customer Volume Commission.
    This is the ongoing commission that you earn as a Utility Warehouse Partner. CVC is the powerful part of your Utility Warehouse Partner earnings. Every month when your customers pay their bills, you will receive a slice of their bill as commission. The commission levels vary between services. On average a typical four service customer will earn you £5 per month. A four service customer will usually be taking home phone, broadband, gas and electricity. If they take mobile as well, then you earn more.

So the harder you work, the more you get paid? Well yes, that is accurate. Also remember that the CVC starts to be paid to you around five months after you sign the customer up. This is because of the billing and commission process.

Achieve £500 Per Month by the End of Your First Year in Utility Warehouse Partner Earnings

Apply to be a Utility Warehouse Partner Here

As Utility Warehouse Partners we are trained to explain that if you gather two customers a week for your first year, that is a hundred customers. With a hundred customers, you can expect to earn about £500 per month in ongoing commission (CVC). It took me four years to gather my first hundred customers, so I have worked comparatively slowly. Keith Bassi, another Utility Warehouse Partner did work at this business hard in his first couple of years. He achieved 200 customers in his first two years. You can see Keith here:

Training

Keith has now given up full-time employment and is a Utility Warehouse company trainer. He trained me on my first training and I am honestly very grateful for his excellent training style. A lot of the finer details that Keith mentioned have stayed with me even though I have re-trained many times since. There is also an fantastic online training course that you can use anytime to sharpen your Utility Warehouse skills!

Utility Warehouse Partner Earnings – an Example

Utility Warehouse Earnings Graph

This graph shows my Utility Warehouse Partner earnings from the day I signed up in July 2009. There have been a couple of unusual months due to business customers of mine clearing their slate. The overall trend is clear – if you keep working, the commission keeps increasing. I do have a reasonable number of customers who live in smaller properties and this is why the CVC is not quite £500 per month. The bottom line is that this commission keeps coming in regardless of whether I do any work or not – for as long as my customers remain with Utility Warehouse. Since 96% of Utility Warehouse customers say that they would recommend the company to a friend, the customer retention rates are excellent.

Get Paid For Resting in Bed

This sounds too good to be true and my experience is that if something sounds too good to be true, there is always a reason. Here’s the story: I have suffered from recurrent tonsillitis since the age of 19 and have had a some painful experiences as a result. Last month I had my tonsils removed. At the age of 34 that is not a straightforward procedure and the recovery is slow and painful.

The great thing about my Utility Warehouse Partner earnings is that I kept getting paid all the time I was in bed recovering. So is it too good to be true? Well, I did do the work to sign the customer in the first place. That’s the catch that most people fall foul of. There is work involved, you do need to pick up the phone and call people you know. I am nearly fully recovered now and looking forward to receiving my Utility Warehouse mini in a month’s time!

Sign Up Now as a Utility Warehouse Partner

Want to start building your own Utility Warehouse Partner earnings? Click here and sign up now as a Partner.

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