What a dilemma women are in. Those who have either decided to return to work and need the flexible time to take care of their families, for those who have had to take up a part time job and others due to this recession, have been laid off completely!

This recession has brought on an up-surge in Tupperware Parties and The Avon Lady. These days though she does not go about knocking on doors. The in-thing is a party where women can buy anything from lipstick, jewelry, plastic food jars to beauty treatments.

With unemployment in the United Kingdom reaching levels of record highs since 1989, which currently stands at 8.4% or 2.5 million, more and more people are looking for alternative sources of income and direct selling is a good choice. It not only provides flexible working hours, distributors who organize up-to two parties a week are able to earn up to £1,500 per calendar month.

Silpada Designs hit the United Kingdom market last year and is currently launching in Surrey. Distributors range from management levels to single mothers and its size just keeps growing. Starting operations in 1997 by two stay at home mothers Bonnie Kelly and Teresa Walsh, in the United States, Silpada is the world’s largest home party business selling hand crafted .925 sterling silver jewelry complimented with natural elements of precious stones, wood and leather.

Consumer spending is expected to remain low with stubborn inflation rates remaining unchanged across the whole of the United Kingdom, and Silpada business owners will have to be able to encourage people to book parties, spread the word to their friends and buy products to newer distributors. They need a unique selling point to set them apart from other companies with similar offers. For Silpada, each piece has been handcrafted by at least six to eight artisans, using good quality silver and natural materials. Each distributor also learns the layering technique, which consists of wearing jewelry pieces in different ways to suit each personality.

Home parties are no longer part-time jobs to earn a bit of extra income on the side, but becoming the main source of income in many peoples lives. Silpada managing director Jeanette Zacks says that one does not need to have retailing experience and if a distributor knows how to wear jewelry they can definitely sell it. For women who want a business but do not know where to start, Silpada provides them with the tools and business model to do it. All they need is to turn up, have a couple of friends willing to host a party and the business should snowball from there.

2012-01-29

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