Tastefully Simple: Be Magic? Be Real

Here's something new: a direct sales opportunity that's founded by women, for business women, and even features products typically sold to women.

If that sounds like Mary Kay Cosmetics or Tupperware to you, welcome to the 21st century rendition of just that: women hold “Tastefully Simple” parties, get their friends interested in the products, and make sales on the spot and in person.

Don't laugh: Mary Kay makes its associates a lot of money. There's a reason you've heard of it: it's famous and successful!

But can the home-party direct sales model work? You betcha. Like any sales job, this requires knowing your target audience and working the magic.

Speaking of “magic”, its one-third of the Tastefully Simple motto, by the way:

Be Abundant, Be Magic, Be Real

A little vague? Yes. Does it work? Quite possibly, yes. Why? Because as a Tastefully Simple associate, your target market is young mothers who don't know how to cook and may not be incredibly sophisticated. That is to say, they make major purchasing and life decisions based on what their friends are doing. Tap into this incredibly social female type market and you can make it with TS.

The Product: Food That's Fast and Easy to Make

The TS products range from Beer Bread to spice assortments and cake in a mug. Their catchy gimmick is that their food can be made with two ingredients or less. Just add an egg and water, just add milk, just add chicken and butter.

For busy young working mothers, this is a wonderful idea and makes cooking seem fun. It's a simple idea, really.

Tastefully Simple: How it Works

The Tastefully Simple compensation plan is also simple: associates make 30% commission on the products they sell at their tasting parties. If an associate becomes a “leader”, she can make higher commissions.

The buy-in is high. That is one downside to this business (athough see below for an offsetting measure). For $170 plus tax you get a Business Blast Off Kit®. That means you have everything you need to host your first party:

• displays
• training
• catalogs for your party guests
• samples of the food for your party
• display products
• Party Food Kits®

Sponsor others and build a team and you'll make up to 8% on your team's commissions. There's a nice fat $200 when you promote…which also brings higher commissions for you…up to 40%.

As members of the Direct Selling Association, they offer a 90% buyback program. That sort of offsets the rather high buy-in price of $170 plus tax.

Can You Party Your Way to a Real Income?

Success in any business opportunity depends partly on how much effort and skill you put into making it work. Direct sales is no different, but as we said before, knowing your market and whether it exists around you plays a huge role as well. Do you live in an area where you've got of people/friends/family to tap into? Are you suited for throwing 1-4 parties a week? Can you play up the benefits of the TS product?

TS is all about doing things by the book- they've been around for almost 20 years now so they must know what they're doing. Make fun of their motto all you want, but “being real” is how they've managed to stay alive for so long, in an industry known for short-lived prospects.