Becoming a VDI or how to launch a home-based sales business with peace of mind

DISENTANGLING THE TRUTH FROM THE FALSE WITH YVES DUPLATRE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE ELORA BRAND

Present at numerous job fairs, Elora's recruitment department receives over a hundred telephone calls a week. And the results are quite surprising. Many people are interested in home-based selling. But in most cases, they don't know what home selling is, or what the status of Independent Home Salesperson (IHSS) entails. Easy money, arranged contracts... you hear everything and anything about VDI. You only have to look at certain blogs or forums to read rumours, misleading information and classified ads offering "dream" jobs for crazy amounts of money.

The FVD's practical and essential guide for independent home sellers

First and foremost, you need to know - and this is the whole point of our guide - that the VDI status is governed by extremely precise laws, and in particular by the French Commercial Code.
So while some door-to-door sales companies, veritable "money pumps", interpret the Commercial Code in a way that is more than reprehensible, other very serious companies work constantly with a view to developing their network, enriching it in both the literal and figurative sense. Our company, Elora, a very active member of the Fédération de la Vente Directe (FVD), is committed to transparency and ensures that the FVD's code of ethics is respected and applied. So before you start selling from home, make sure your future company is a member of the FVD. If it is, you can be sure that you'll be able to carry out your business in the best possible conditions, in complete safety and completely legally. My advice: the FVD regularly publishes a practical guide to self-employed home sellers in which you'll find everything you need to know about being a self-employed home seller. You should definitely read it before starting your business.

Being an independent home seller is a real job..

Whether you're looking to supplement your income or take on a full-time job, being a self-employed door-to-door salesperson (VDI) is a real profession. And it's a job that can earn you a very good living. Want a concrete example? To earn the equivalent of the minimum wage at Elora, you need to do an average of two sales meetings a week, i.e. two afternoons of work, which works out at around 6 hours a week... a far cry from the 35-hour minimum wage found in other types of business. This is a reality.

Managing a team of independent saleswomen is also an opportunity that we offer to anyone who loves their job and enjoys communicating their enthusiasm. It's a chance for our future managers to discover their team management skills and to see their income increase considerably (commission on sales). But please note, I'm not talking about easy money here. Once again, Elora is fighting against door-to-door sales companies that dangle incomes of €10,000 a month and more from your sales! Let's be honest, you won't find many home sellers with incomes like that. Perhaps there are a few dozen in France! On the other hand, and here I'm talking about reality, many independent home sellers earn as much as company executives. Remember one thing: if it were easy to earn €10,000 a month, the whole of France would be doing direct selling..

My vision of the Independent Home Salesperson

Let's go back for a moment to the profession of Independent Home Salesperson. To succeed, you'll need to prospect for customers, run sales meetings, build customer loyalty and, above all, enjoy sharing moments of conviviality that are different every time. For Elora, training is a key element of success in Direct Selling... because.., working in home sales is a job like any other. It requires know-how, rigour, professionalism, energy and passion. The only difference with other activities is that your remuneration is not capped. Many employees of large groups claim that they don't benefit from record profits and only get crumbs. They should come and work in Direct Sales, because the pay is proportional to the effort you put in! Do you think that our best saleswomen - who earn executive salaries (by choosing their working hours and taking two or three months' holiday a year) - would swap their situation with shop assistants who earn the minimum wage for 35 hours a week, working 6 days a week, and even on Sundays during the holiday season? Probably because they don't know us. But a good salesman will always be a good salesman. It's up to them to choose the method of distribution that will give them the most fulfilment or earn them the most money.
In conclusion, Elora and I would like to encourage you to find out more about home selling. It's exciting, rewarding and flexible. A human activity, rich in contacts, that matches your personality, your style and your energy. But don't rush into it. Get informed. Weigh up the pros and cons. Take all the time you need to get started, and above all choose the company that suits you best.

"Those who move too quickly will move back even faster [Mencius, penseur chinois]

YVES DUPLATRE