In our last blog post, we talked about what you need to know before becoming an entrepreneur. If you’ve decided to start your own business within direct sales, you need to consider the type of products or services you will be selling.

As you can see from The Mega-List of Direct Sales Companies and What Should I Sell, direct sales offer a lot more than just beauty products, cookware, and clothing. You can sell everything from children’s books to beef jerky to fire safety equipment. You can also sell all sorts of services, like flower arranging, for instance.

Before you decide, allow us to help you think through your decision on which brand, product, or service you’re going to sell to make sure you find the right fit for you and your lifestyle.

Ask yourself some critical questions.

Direct sales can be a rewarding business, but it’s a lot of work. If you don’t do your research, you could get stuck selling something you’ll regret. The first and most crucial step is to make sure whatever you’re selling is something you believe in. Authenticity is everything in sales. If you’ve never used the product, at least make sure you’re selling a brand you can vouch for. Some questions to ask yourself:

Is this a brand you trust?

Do you currently use it?

Are the company and product reliable?

What do the online reviews say?

Are you able to attend a product demonstration?

Does the company offer a generous compensation plan?

Should you sell consumable or durable goods?

Another factor to consider is the differences between selling a consumable product, like makeup, lotions, and vitamins, versus durable goods like cookware, home decor, and clothing. Does it matter, you might ask? It sure does. While durable goods are typically made to last, they are usually a more expensive product to sell. However, consumable items have a shelf life but are often a good way to get repeat business from your customers.

Something else to consider is the price point of your product or service. If times get tough, and your customers have to cut back on expenses, they’re more likely to cut out durable products like clothing, home decor, and jewelry, since typically these are considered luxury items. While deciding between selling consumable or durable goods, make a list of the pros and cons of selling each, attributing these aspects:

• Will the product produce repeat business?
• Is the product a necessity or a luxury item?
• Is the product something that appeals to a broad demographic?