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Saturday, July 19, 2008

Direct Sales Opportunity Review: Silpada Designs

By Cathy Yeatts

Silpada Designs is a company that distributes sterling silver jewelry through network marketing. It was founded by Bonnie Kelly and Teresa Walsh, and is based in Lenexa, KS.

The two met as school room mothers, quickly became friends and began discussing ways to earn money from home. They tried several business ideas, but only became truly passionate about their work when they started Silpada Designs. This is because in addition to kids and the need to earn extra income, they also shared a love for jewelry.

So, with $25 saved back from a grocery budget, Bonnie and Teresa set forth to bring their creative concepts in jewelry to life. They made the first Silpada Designs Jewelry themselves and sold it at informal parties. The called the parties simply, "A Fun Ladies' Night Out Playing Dress-up with Jewelry". It was a hit. Hostesses and customers were coming up to them, sayin, "How can we get involved? It looks like you're having so much fun!"

In 1997, Silpada Designs emerged out of the basement to become what it is today. Now it is the fastest growing .925 Sterling Silver Home Show in the U.S., with thousands of independent Representatives and Home Shows averaging $750 in sales.

If a Representative makes that $750 average, she can earn $450/wk simply by holding just two average Home Shows. Home Shows generally take only three to four hours of work. So for a really ambitious Representative working 16-20 hours and holding five shows a week, the annual income would by $54,000.

The Silpada Designs Direct Selling Opportunity shares the appeal common to most network marketing companies. It allows Representatives the freedom to customized their businesses to their specific needs and schedules. Representatives may work full-time or part-time. They may advance in the company rapidly or gradually. The choice is theirs. As with most mlm companies ,the way to advance is to sponsor more and more new recruits and lead them to selling success.

Representatives earn 30% commission on retail sales. There is no waiting period or sales quota to meet in order to obtain commissions. Representatives can also earn commission on the sales of recruits they sponsor. This begins with the first recruit.

Representatives who meet certain sales and recruitment goals can earn free jewelry and prizes, attend conferences in cities across the country, and win annual incentive vacations. The vacations are called "Silpada Soar" trips, and they are set in troical locations throughout the world. Representatives can bring a guest along at no charge. New Representatives can earn up to $3,000 worth of free jewelry in their first hundred days through the Fast Start Jewelry Rewards Program.

Home Shows are the primary method of distrution for Silpada jewelry. The atmosphere of these shows is very informal, just friends having a party to try on jewelry and buy what they like. Representatives are not required to make formal sales pitches.

Hostesses can receive up to 30% of the total Home Show sales in free product. They earn $50 more if the Representative obtains two bookings from the party.

The shortcoming of the Silpada Designs business opportunity is that it can be rather limited. The company still upholds traditional mlm methods, encouraging Representatives to recruit their relatives, their neighbors, even their bank tellers! Many network marketers have found those types of methods to lead quickly to burn-out and discouragement, not to mention that their relatives, neighbors and bank tellers now avoid them!

The Internet has opened up new ways to generate leads without ever having to cold call or pester friends. Successful Internet marketers have prospects calling them, already sold on the product or business opportunity they offer. Nevertheless, Silpada Designs holds to the following policy:

NOTICE TO ALL ACTIVE INDEPENDENT SILPADA DESIGNS REPRESENTATIVES

According to the Silpada Designs Corporate Web Policy active Independent Silpada Designs Representatives are prohibited from listing on a business directory or other Web site using the company's trademarked terms, including, but not limited to, "SILPADA" and "SILPADA DESIGNS". As such, all active Independent Silpada Designs Representatives may not list on this Web site. Any such listing will be considered a violation of the Silpada Designs Corporate Web Policy and will be subject to all remedial actions.

Those interested in buying Silpada Designs jewelry or becoming Silpada Representatives may use the corporate website to find out how to contact a sponsor near them.

It costs $199 to become certified as a Silpada Designs independent Representative. Included in that price are training materials to help new Representatives build their business and develop recruiting skills. Additionally, Representatives need to purchase jewelry kits to bring to Home Shows so that guests can touch, feel and try the products on.

Representatives receive a 50% discount on all Silpada Designs products.

The Silpada Designs business opportunity might not be for everyone, particularly those desiring to utilize internet marketing techniques. However, for jewelry aficionados, it could be a really fun way to earn extra income simply by wearing, sharing and talking about the things they love.

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