Channel sees global growth despite economic and pandemic challenges
Hello direct sellers! I hope that everyone is having a great summer, staying safe and making wonderful memories with your family and friends. It is hard to believe that the year is now half over, but time flies when you are gathering the news and trends for this energetic and dynamic business channel.
It was a thrill to see so many of you last month in Boca Raton, Florida, at DSA Engage 2022. The time I spent conversing with executives, suppliers and representatives of direct selling was truly invaluable to me. And for those that I did not get a chance to visit with, I look forward to catching up and learning about your endeavors at the next event.
I must say that I continue to be extremely impressed with the innovative work that the suppliers of the direct selling channel are doing. Technology continues to advance at a breathtaking pace, and it is exciting to see the ways in which these companies are benefiting the channel by incorporating such advances into their toolboxes.
Whether it be enhanced tools for the field to connect with consumers, new avenues for e-commerce, advances in AI-powered sales training, or monitoring technology allowing compliance departments to keep up with the exponential growth of social commerce, direct sellers can feel confident that they have at their disposal a state-of-the-art set of options to help grow their businesses, along with the enthusiastic support of all the great minds behind these innovations.
On the news front this month, the Federal Trade Commission is continuing to seek updates to guidelines that affect advertisers, including direct sellers who rely on reviews, endorsements and testimonials to market their products. The public comment period to submit your thoughts on these proposals is imminent, and as always, I encourage everyone to be involved in the regulatory processes that will significantly impact your businesses.
For some encouraging news, please see our recap of the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations’ annual global sales report. The WFDSA reports that global direct sales have increased for the third year in a row, despite the difficulties faced from supply chain and COVID-19 disruptions. Great news indeed! I am eager to see how much additional success direct sellers will achieve in the coming months and years once these global disruptions are resolved.
This channel feels to me like a wound-up spring. I see excitement and optimism at every level that will contribute to the full potential of direct selling being realized once the economic and social disruptions fade and the adjustments to the new regulatory environment are made. When the regulatory agencies complete their current work, I know that the leaders of this channel will not only adapt to these revised rules and guidances, but will embrace the opportunity to grow their businesses with ethical, compliant practices and a continued commitment to building authentic personal relationships at every level.
I thank each of you for reading and for all that you do to support SSN!