Forum Thermomix
Questions Doubts and Requests => Questions? Technical Issues? The Survival Guide => Topic started by: sue_h on January 17, 2011, 11:32:06 pm
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I was hoping some of the consultants out there could give me some advice. I love my TM, I love what it does and I also love the healthy food options it provides. So much so that I was thinking I could easily sell this. I've had the TM for a month and I'm catching up with someone today to speak about opportunities to become a consultant. I'm a bit hesitant because I don't have much time. I work part time (3 days) and volunteer for 2 organisations ( at least 1 evening, 2 mornings and 1 week-end/month). That, being with my family and finding time for friends, doesn't leave me much time and I understand from preliminary discussions that I need to sell a machine a month. I don't see the selling as part of the problem, just the time it takes to sell one. My preliminary observations of my excellent consultant is that you need
3 hours - initial demo
3 hours - home delivery demo
3 hours - varoma demo
How much extra time does it take to prepare for a demo, the paperwork and to follow with your clients. If I'm going to do this I want to do a good job and provide a service for people, not just sell them a machine and have no follow up or sales support.
Any insights you could provide are appreciated.
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Sue I think there have been a few threads similar to yours.
The delivery should only take an hour. E varoma demo is not always straight away when you buy your machine, it can be a month or more after you buy.
In terms of the prep once you have a system it is about 1/2 hour. I always refill staple containers etc when I get home from a demo so my trolley is ready to go for the next demo, the same with the folders.
The only way to work out if it will fit in for you is to give it a go I guess
I love it ;D
Good luck.
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Thanks Megan. I tried to find the other threads and didn't have any luck. Maybe I was using the wrong keywords or in the wrong section. I'll have another look and see what I come up with. I agree. The only way is to give it a go. I'll sleep on it tonight and maybe tomorrow night and then see how it goes.
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it didn't work out for me but i seem to be rare in that lol
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http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=4406.0
Hmmm I am struggling to find them too ??? Maybe read through the demonstrators thread as well
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I heard the reason why they are always looking for new consultants is because they have a poor retention rate (brazen, i think you are one of many). They have their managers give a spiel about how fantatic the company is (it's their job) and before you know it, you're in. That's worth one sale to tm. How many customers still have their original consultants looking after them? Not many, looking at the responses on the forum - the girl who sold me mine certainly isn't a tm consultant anymore.
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Well, I'm like Meagan - I LOVE being a consultant!!! I guess you've got to realize you're not going to make heaps of money right away, and if you go into it as just another 'job', hoping for regular 'wages' right from the start, you're might be disappointed. It took me a little while to get the ball rolling, but I loved it so much that it wasn't 'just a job' to me - I've always loved cooking for people, and helping people to learn how to eat healthier, and I love meeting new people, so it's been perfect for me. I think you also have to think of it as starting your own business - the profits will be low at first, but the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. And once you get a good reputation in your area for customer service, and the amazing things you can make with the tmx, you'll find people are seeking YOU out, not the other way around! I have people stop me in the street to ask about the tmx, because they've seen the magnets on the car, or have heard who I am via word of mouth. I've never had trouble selling at least one machine a month (right from the start), and when I work hard and keep in contact with people I have between 5-7 sales a month. (I know that's not many compared to a lot of others, but I'm in a small country town, and I have heaps of other things on my plate, like you, Sue!) Anyway, you can always try it and see how you like it Sue - if worst comes to worst, you'll at least have made a few sales which will helps pay yours off. :)
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Thanks for the responses. It's great to get a mix. That gives me a good idea of some of the pro's and con's. I'm really not in it for the money. I love what it does and I know heaps of families/people could benefit. I'm like you Jo and love cooking for people and creating new dishes. I met with a group leader yesterday and I'm to speak with my family about it tonight. See how I go. At this stage I'm leaning towards a trial period and if I can sell enough to remain a consultant then well and good, if not, then maybe I'm not cut out for it and will continue to have demo's and invite people over. I'll let you know how I go.
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sue, i wasn't really in it for the money either - i loved my tmx, was really passionate about cooking with it and wanted to share the love! but couldn't afford to keep spending $30-40 on a demo with no sales. i also found it hard to get demos as people don't want to have a demo for a $2K machine unless they really want one and really can afford it. i thought i would do a lot better than i did because i was very successful wth tupperware, but it wasn't so. however as i said that was just my story :)
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I know you really have a passion for the Thermomix, Brazen - your blog shows that - it's such a pity it didn't work out for you. :( Maybe it's harder where you are because there's lots of consultants in the area? Not sure... I think it also helped that I had lots of friends interested before I joined up, so I had demos and sales lined up ready to go before I started... If I hadn't of had them, I might not have lasted. After a while, though, you start getting sales from demos you held months ago - I know it took me a year after first seeing it before I could get one. So I guess it takes time to get going, then gets easier. :)
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there weren't many when i started - karen3 was pretty much the only one in canberra! it was bad timing for me too, i wasn't well for months which didn't help. i did have heaps of demos lined up before i started but at least half of them never went ahead for many reasons for the hosts :(
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Oh, being sick wouldn't have helped!!! :(
I thought of another thing (Sue) - you do have to be prepared to work a lot of weekends! I keep Sunday free for family, but do demos on Saturdays - but it doesn't matter so much for us as my husband shift works, and half the time he's working too on a Saturday (mum watches the kids)... now and then I'll set aside a Saturday for the family when my dh isn't working, so we can go to the lake or something... but a lot of people want demos on weekends, so you need to be prepared for that too.
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quirky, how long did it take for sales and demos to become easier to come by? I know my friend's consultant says that it's a real struggle, and the only thing going for it is the TM - the company are really hard on the consultants and there's that constant pressure to perform.
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Some extra things to think about. I have a few friends who are interested and I guess their committment will be evident if I ring them to arrange a demo. At this stage everyone is happy to come if I have a demo so the trick is getting them to remain committed.
Brazen - also sorry it didn't work out for you. I too can see by you're posts that you love the TM. I'm not keen about being pressured. As soon as that happens I tend to go into a defensive mode and lose interest. I am aware that there is a minimum you need to sell so if I don't meet that then I'm prepared to say it's not for me. That seems to be relieving the pressure a little at the moment.
Jo - At this stage we have commitments on Saturday mornings and keep Sunday for family. Do people ever have breakfast demo's? I think it would be great to have a menu to suit. We often invite people for breakfast and they just love it. I too researched the product for 12 months before committing. Having said that though I only went to my first demo 12 months after hearing about it and seeing at a friends house.
I spoke to DH today and he is supportive if I take a break from my volunteer activities for a while. 12 months sounds like a long time to trial this. I was thinking of 6 months, or even surviving the first 2 months is something I'm aiming for if I go ahead with it. Do you have demo's at your house as well, or just at the hosts house.
My final decision now comes down to what people say when I ring and ask if they want to have a demo.
Thanks to everyone for your input. I really appreciate it.
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good luck sue!
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Sue, you can do demos at any time you (or they) want to do them - so if you're busy Saturday mornings, you could still do them Saturday afternoons and evenings, plus weekdays/evenings... The only problem with the breakfast menu idea is that there is set menus for the different demos, and you're not supposed to deviate from them too much, except when you're changing it to suit someone with allergies (eg. celiac/dairy intolerance).
I don't really feel pressured - maybe it depends on your GL? Not sure... I find her very encouraging and motivating, but not overbearing at all!
Thermoheaven, I never had trouble getting enough sales to stay in, but have just gotten more as I've gone along, as people from previous demos become ready to buy. I think it really helps to stay in contact with anyone who's interested at a demo, by sending emails with recipes, special offers, etc. I've had a lot of people tell me that my blog emails are what kept them interested, they couldn't stop thinking about it because they kept getting yummy recipes in their inbox that they couldn't make easily without a Thermomix! ;D (But I don't hassle people - I'm not much of a 'salesman' - I just show them what the tmx can do, and tell them how much I love it and use it, and if they want me to I send them the newsletter/recipe emails. I only ring them if they're interested.) :)
Hope that helps, Sue :)
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thanks for your input everyone. It has helped. Tomorrow I'm signing on the dotted line (at least I think it's dotted). The positive experiences have spurred me on and the negative are letting me walk into this with realism. I have a few people who've said that they'd love to see a demo. Some because they've heard about it and others because I'm passionate about it. I have no expectations at this stage and just want to get through the first 6 demo's and hopefully have some more. My attitude is that I'm giving it my best shot, if it works and I can stay in then fantastic, if not, then that's Ok too, I've learnt lots along the way, fed a few happy people and met a few more.
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Good luck sue :) great attitude. That is similar to me and I am still consulting over a year later ;)
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Congratulations, Sue.
Quirky, how long have you been a consultant, and how long has it taken for the sales to come along? Thanks.
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Yes, that's a good way to look at it Sue! Hope it goes well for you. :)
Thermoheaven, I've been a consultant for nearly 2 yrs. I sold about 2 a month for the first couple of months, and now my average is more like 4 or 5 a month, which I know isn't a lot, but I'm a homeschooling mum and busy with lots of things, and can't do as many demos as some can. So it's at a level that I can cope with, and I enjoy. I have had months with 6 or 7 sales, and sometimes only 1, but never less than 1 :)
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That's great, Quirky. This is so different from what I've heard from some consulltants. 4 consultants I've spoken to have said they're lucky to get 1 or 2 sales a month and have experienced months where they have not had any sales. It's good to hear you're doing so well.
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that's great Jo to hear you're doing so well. I think you have a great attitude and excellent nutritional knowledge would help as well.
Meagan, you sound like you're enjoying it as well. Very positive.
I'll have to wait another couple of weeks though as I can't sign up until Saturday. Why is it that when you've made the decision you get impatient to get underway. Time flies though so I'll just settle in and continue all the great meals in the TM.
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Thanks :) I thought I was a bit slow compared to others! I've heard of some who've sold 20 something in a month, and I know one lady sold 32 last month, so I feel like the 'country cousin' in the Thermomix world!! :D But I enjoy it :)
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Jo I reckon that is great for sales considering all you do!! Mine ranged from 1-9 per month last year. It just depends on so many factors- holidays, ilness, customer base, etc etc
I plan to reach club 100 this year ;)
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Me too, Meagan! ;D
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Don't be fooled. Working for Thermomix is hard work. There's alot to carry to each demo, and it can be heavy. It also takes up alot of time and effort, and there's lots of paperwork to do. This really needs to be factored into the time it takes to make a sale. When all this is considered, the hourly rate they pay isn't very good - you'd be better off with a regular job. Thermomix really counts on people who like doing it to do it because no one would do it based on their hourly rate.
Whether you make sales is purely based on luck, and don't let them suck you in when they say it's your business. It isn't your business - you can'tsell it when you want to finish with them. I really doubt whether they hang onto 10 per cent of the people they recruit because there is such a high drop out rate, and I'm sure people wouldn't drop out if working for them was so wonderful. There are also alot of consultants who aren't happy; you just don't hear from them. Not every one of them is a success story. Just go in with your eyes wide open.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do. give it a go and see what you think. I'd like to hear what other ex-consultants think; they shouldn't worry about voicing their opinions because they aren't alone - there are tons of them out there.
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Good food for thought there Zarbos and welcome to the forum. :) I agree it is good for people to know some of the problems they can encounter if they decide to become a consultant. For some people it seems to be a rewarding and enjoyable career, but it certainly isn't for everyone. I have often thought I would like to be a consultant as I love my thermomix and enjoy administration work (a nice change from teaching kidlets), but I just don't think I could drum up enough customers. I wonder how the average thermomix consultants yearly income would compare with other consultants - perhaps Tupperware?
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Hi Chelsea,
Nice to meet you.
The people in the group I was with had varied sales numbers, and it wasn't uncommon for some not to have any sales for the month, and it wasn't uncommon to do several demos and not have any sales. The company would say that it was because the "close" wasn't done properly, but to be honest, you can't sell something to someone if they don't want it, and to force them would be unethical. This is not to say that it doesn't happen as there is a woman in the group who really pushes a sale and needless to say that her sales numbers are high and the company loves her and doesn't care what she does as long as she has sales numbers - that's what it's all about at the end of the day.
Drumming up sales is what it's all about, and the company expects you to do it yourself. They say they help, but in all honestly, the "help" they give is feeble. On top of that, question anything, and they have an answer for it, and it all comes back to hit you in the face.
As for income, the commission is on a sliding scale, so to make anything to replace a job, you'd have to look at no less than 10 sales a month, and I can tell you that that is a rare occurence. In a group of about 20, there were only a few who managed 4 sales last month. Does that satisfy your curiousity? I know nothing of Tupperware, but I think people doing Tupperware have it much easier.
One thing I will say for Thermomix is that they squeeze as much as they can out of you - they get alot more out of you than you get out of them. If you look at the recipecommunity site they created, the competition was for them to generate more recipes. That's a good example of how they get people to do their work (and advertising) for free.
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zarbos you sound a little bitter ;)
i do agree with most of what you say though from my experience anyway...too many meetings to attend as well as demos to make it worth while
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Hi baf,
Nice to meet you.
I didn't mean to sound bitter - just trying to say it as it is.
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Thanks for the input Zarbos. It is good to read everyone's perspective so that I can go into with a realistic expectation rather than a sales pitch provided by a brochure or Thermomix member. I did the sums on the hourly rate the beginning and figured I certainly won't make any money. If I recoup costs I'll be happy. You raise a few good points that I need to be aware of. I do love the Thermomix and have an passion for cooking, healthy food and love cooking for people. I'm going to give it a go, but not with the expectation that this will make me lots of money, similar to a few other consultants on this forum. If I don't give it a go, it will always be something that's niggling at me, so better to take a chance and see what happens. I'll let you all know how it pans outs.
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Hi sue,
Give it a go, there's no harm in that. Just remember that it is time consuming and they do expect you to give a lot of yourself to them, irrespective of what they may say. So much of what is done is expected to be done voluntarily, and they will keep reminding you of this. Good luck, and I hope you have a good experience with it.
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why would you go into a business and not expect to make any money out of it....it seems like a waste of time! the only people that will benefit from it will be the company! it all very well to say you love the product and want to spread the word but to spend hours of your week not to be better off for it, then you might as well just spread the word without working for them
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Well, it's definitely helped our financial situation, we're on the way to being able to buy a house now, and we were at a standstill with our savings before. I made a good profit in my first year, after tax, and that's more than a lot of new home businesses do!!! I love it, been a consultant nearly 2 years now, don't feel pressured, haven't had any bad expriences, and I'm hoping to be in it for the longterm! :)
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I really appreciate the frank discussion from Baf and Zarbos. Baf it was an option just to spread the word and work with my consultant. By being a consultant though I also hope to learn a bit more about the machine, attend extra cooking classes and meet other like minded people and learn from them. This discussion has prompted me to look at my motivation behind wanting to become a consultant and they are so varied. Since posting this weeks ago I've looked closer and the nutritional aspects have really sparked my interest and may be something that I will follow down the track.
As for why would I do it if not for $. Similar reasons (although the not in the same category) as to why I'm giving up 4 days of this week to volunteer for SES and 2 days every week helping out the school. I think I'll have fun and enjoy it. If you believe in something and think that people can benefit from it, then its worth giving and go and seeing if its for you. With Thermomix, there's always the added benefit that it may make $ but if I go in it just for the $ then there are plenty of other things I could do, such as go back to full time (I'm currently part time) employment. It also seems a fairly safe business as there is minimal outlay and flexibility in working hours, locations.
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The discussion is getting interesting.
I joined thinking I would learn to use the tm more efficiently, but you don't really learn that during training. As for the classes, I've had to pay to get into all the classes; the only ones you don't pay for are the ones you help at and if you're helping, you don't get to watch the class. The no free lunches rule applies.
If I had my time again, I'd like to do something with a consultant where I would provide leads and get a spotters fee rather than actually be a consultant. I think part of the incentive behind being a consultant is because people feel that they love the Thermomix so much that they want to be paid for every machine they hype up - let's face it, it isn't hard to rave about the Thermomix, is it?
I think it's great quirky is doing so well, but I don't think there are too many cases like hers around. Surely there must be more current and past consultants who can come into the discussion? It's easy to hear about the success stories, but what about the ones that don't make it? There must be lots of consultants who leave, otherwise, why is it there are so many owners on this forum who don't have a consultant? This is a huge area the company should address - what is the company doing to ensure all customers are being looked after, after all, customer care should be factored into the price of the tm. I realise the company knows they don't have any competition, but it's all a matter of time before there are competitors on the market. I'm going off on a tangent now, so I'll stop here.
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Funny that you didn't feel you learnt much in your training, Zarbos... I felt like I learnt heaps! I'd had a tmx for years, but until I did my training, I didn't use it near as much as I do now. Maybe it was also the encouragement from my group leader - she taught us to do so much that I'd never tried, and the more I learnt, the more I wanted to try. I'd come home from cooking training and make the recipes all again for the family, so excited at what I'd learnt. Sue will have the same group leader as me - I'm sure she'll find her as inspiring as I have. :)
I've never paid to get into a class since I've been a consultant, but I guess I'm always helping with the class... If it was a specialty class that I wasn't helping at, but I wanted to see, I'd be happy to pay - the food and the venue and the speaker have to be paid for after all.
Like you, Sue, I've always done a lot of volunteer work, and I was thrilled at the chance to do a job that was also a help to other people - teaching them about healthy eating, helping people with allergies find ways to cook things they'd missed out on for years, helping people to be able to eat well while saving money... And it's just a bonus to me that I can also earn money doing what I love! :)
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I know there probably aren't a lot of major success stories like Meagan and Quirky Jo, but I guess people do become consultants for different reasons. Some people become consultants simply so they can earn their machine and sell a few to family members and friends. It is a means for getting a TM for people who may not otherwise be able to afford one. They may not do it for long, but they have most likely achieved what they set out to do.
I don't think there is any problem with people giving it a go and we all know there is no such thing as easy money. It is a choice and people must be choosing to become consultants or HO would be forced to change their terms of employment in order to attract more consultants. It wasn't that long ago we were congratulating Meagan on her paid trip to Dubai. ;D
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I think you've hit the nail on the head, quirky. You've been a consultant for 2 years, and your group leader sounds very experienced, as well. I don't think there's a group leader in my area who's had their tms for 2 years, let alone be a consultant for as long. Maybe that has something to do with it, and that's why what you and everyone else has to say is invaluable.
One thing I have found interesting is that it seems, in my group, it is the other consultants who seem to be really helpful when it comes to hands on knowledge, and that is probably to do with time and experience. When comes to the time when you become a group leader, your 2 years will hold you in good stead and you will be a great group leader.
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Thank you Zarbos. :) I do think it would be harder if you'd only just bought your machine - I've had one for about 6 1/2 yrs. :)
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Hmm- interesting the varying experiences as consultants. I've been a consultant now for just on one year. Positives for me - aside from financial gain have been: an increase in self esteem (I'd been out of the workforce full time parenting for 7yrs), increase in organisation (you have to be organised to do demos and the follow up work and run a house and family), life taking off in a different direction, like quirky and Sue and lots of others here I have a passion for health and nutrition. I now have started my own business as a 'food coach' guiding people through Cyndi's 21 day program (we have the licensing rights through our Chiropractic office) and am able to show people how quickly and easily they can create whole foods using a TM - it's a great partnership. I am now thinking I would like to become a nutritionist. Negatives for me have been that most people want demos on the weekend or at night and the best time for me is during the day. With a husband who works late (7pm) 3 nights a week, this just isn't an option. I know I could be more successful with sales if I was willing to give up some of my family time, but it's not worth that for me. I am lucky in that Thermomix is more of a side business and not a necessity. If I was to finish with TM I wouldn't mind either way. The bit I love more than anything is the client contact and this also makes me less effective as I spend way too much time with people when I deliver a Thermomix. I also email clients about once a month and love hearing what people have been making and encouraging them to make the most of their TM. I am having a cooking session on Thursday with a client who is not making the most of her TM and love that I can do this. Another negative ifor me is that the demos can be too prescriptive as to what you make. Often clients want to see other things - strictly speaking as a consultant you are not supposed to change the menu, but I will often do special things that have been requested, or sometimes will have people come to me and we'll cook one on one - the things they want to see - to help them make up their mind (I have found this has been more sucessful than group demos on occasions). With the things you get in your business kit when you become a consultant, even if you decided after training to not go ahead, you come out of it without speanding too much. Oh and my average has been about 2 per month.
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I like your style, Earth Mumma! :) I didn't realize you were a consultant - what area are you in? I've had the same experience as you - more confidence (after being a sahm for years), more organized (usually - lol) & loving sharing about healthy eating! (Plus many other plus-es!) That's great you're coaching Cyndi's program! I've often dreamed of becoming a naturopath - maybe one day. I'm in the same boat with wanting to keep my family time - I think that's important, especially with young kids. :)
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Thanks Jo. I'm in Bendigo - Central Victoria, we were lucky and escaped the worst of the Victorian floods. I loe your blog and recipes and encourage all my clients to check out your blog.
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Thanks Earth Mumma :) I was born down that way (Echuca) - haven't been back since I was 16 though. Glad it didn't get too flooded there - it's been awful! :(
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Finally finished my training earlier in the week. I loved the training. My GL gave me so much more info on the Thermomix to understand it's properties and uses. There will be extra work with the cooking classes and other expo type demonstrations and I'm looking forward to them which I didn't think I would at first. I loved the training demo with my GL last week and the friends who attended there were blown away by what it could do. I got 3 bookings from that and a potential sale, so that's great. I have my first solo demo on Monday and I'm really looking forward to it. I'v even got up the courage to show some people at work and I can't believe the interest that has created. People seem to really want to be able cook nutritous food but don't really speak about it until given the opportunity. Once I've had a chat I find that I can give them so much more info not only on the Thermomix but on other sites that I've found along the way (such as QuirkyCooking and Whole Food Cooking to name just few). Thanks everyone for your input. Only time will tell how I go and if I can make the minimum 1 sale per month. Should be OK with that for now.
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Yipppeeee!!! I know you're going to love it! I've just done my group leader training in Perth and I've had so much fun I'm bouncing off the walls with excitement!!! What a great job, I love it!!!! ;D
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Don't do it. Save yourself time and money. I did and it was a waste of time. If you are bored - perhaps.
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Wow this thread was a bit of a shock to the system. I am very glad people feel comfortable enough around here to be honest though.
Can someone confirm something for me: Is it true there is no minimum time to have had your thermomix for before you become a consultant? Is it true that a consultant could have got their machine a week ago and be putting on demo's and cooking classes? I heard a consultant can pay of their machine whilst working.
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Welcome Nettie. I like your honesty as being a consultant is not for everyone. Do you enjoy using your TMX?
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Chrissy, you can sign up to be a consultant when you buy a TM, but you have about a month before you start, because you have to do your training and practice until you can do demos confidently, and are using your machine confidently. Saying that, it really doesn't take long to become confident with the TM, if you're using it every day. My husband has only just started cooking with the TM, and he's been doing really well - he's amazed at how easy it is, because he has NEVER been a cook - just made juices in it, that's all.
I don't know why some people don't enjoy being a consultant - guess it isn't right for everyone, but I love it, and know heaps of other consultants who love it too!!! :)
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I've looked at this thread a couple of times but not weighed in...........
I decided to become a consultant before I'd even seen a machine, so I am a bit different to the norm!! Back then (3 years ago) they were relatively unknown & MUCH harder to sell than they are now. I think this is one of the reasons that the drop off rate in earlier consultants was so high. Earlier on the main emphasis was "become a consultant & you can earn your TM for free" so some joined simply to do that & then got out when sales didn't happen without a huge amount of effort having paid for their own machine. Thermomix in Australia is a vastly different beast than it was even 2 years ago. I'm not certain when you were a consultant zarbos but it's clear you didn't have the best experience which is really sad. I've not been consistently successful - in fact I've been spectacularly unsuccessful when compared to many others. I look at those who make 15+ sales in their first 60 days & scratch my head in wonder. It's not impossible but it doesn't happen automatically. Enthusiasm gets you going, caring about people, follow up, persistence, dedication & planning keep you going. As Jo intimates, the longer you stay in & the harder you work, the more successful you are. I've learned heaps about cooking, my machine, people & myself since joining this business. In all businesses there are politics & growing pains. Thermomix in Oz has grown exponentially over the past 2 years & there are problems inherently when that happens. Like any organisation you won't like or get on with everyone you work with - that's life!! What hasn't been mentioned is that there is very good earning POTENTIAL - YOU have to realise that potential, it doesn't fall in your lap. Aside from the commission, there is the opportunity to earn a second machine for free in the first half of the year. Once you've achieved that there is a different incentive the next year. Then there are the trips. They are totally achieveable (I haven't so far because I haven't put my mind to it!) - New Zealand, Singapore & next month Dubai - all 5 star & all paid for.....It's normally only the largest companies that do incentive trips....wonder where it'll be next year.
For me, it's been the personal growth, the friendships & the food so far. I'm now looking forward to the money & the other rewards!!!
Good luck with it Sue - I look forward to hearing how you go! Everyone has to go into it for their own reasons. Don't let someone elses bad experiences - or fabulous ones - affect you. Work out who you'll be working with & learning from & whether you think you'll be comfortable there. The geographical boundaries mean we are restricted in the choices of who we work with but they are there to enable everyone coming in to have a fair go at earning a living.
I'm truely grateful Thermomix came into my life, being a consultant is simply a bonus.
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Like Janeezee I have read this thread with interest - but have never contributed - until now!
I have been a consultant for only 3 months. I sold my 3 in the 60 days largely as a result of the 3 month interest free deal offered to customers in December - the December 14th deadline helped enormously and so, having completed training (which i found very helpful) I found myself the recipient of a consultant kit (the bag itself is terrific) and the prospect of selling my conviction to other people. I found it quite hard to get motivated - I'm not very good at the 'hard sell' approach and felt uncomfortable touting for demos amongst my friends - however, I did it - did a few friend demos - thank you lovely friends - and managed to do one or two demos (literally) in January and February - I was feeling quite overwhelmed by the expectations of the company - selling at least one machine per month - January and February are, I believe, the most difficult months - but persevered - making the scary phone calls and striding about my deck, smiling like an idiot - you sound more confident if you're moving and smiling...... and, as I come to the middle of March - I am totally blown away by the number of people who are now calling me, out of the blue, to ask me to come and do a demo. Friends of friends of friends who have one. By the end of the month I will have done 8 demos. I've sold 4 machines and know in my heart that there are at least three other people who will buy eventually and I'm so excited by the whole thing!
I am so utterly convinced that the Thermomix is the best thing for our health and our pockets and I'm so happy each time someone else realizes this and brings one home - the commission is secondary - nice, but secondary - really!
Gosh, I've banged on like a zealot - sorry........but I'm so enthusiastic about this little gem I get a bit carried away.
Now I'm embarrassed - I will never comment again................... ;)
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Great to hear JaneeZee and KateT, sounds like it's worked out well for you and you are seeing some great results. I was told that things might be a bit slow at first and then take off. Looks like you've just confirmed it again.
Thanks everyone for your support. A quick update as I head into 38 of my 60 day training.
I've done 6 demo's (7th tomorrow) so far and even managed to sell a few. There are still so many people who haven't heard about the Thermomix and are amazed when they see it and it's benefits and taste the food. The consultant team up here are great as well, so I really enjoy cooking, chatting and learning from them. There really have been personal benefits for me. Now to see what the next 22days hold and then how things pan out once my training period is over.
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Good luck Sue - if I can sell them - anyone can!
Hope you haven't been too thrown by your weather recently and all your people are ok xx
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KarenT that is a lovely story.
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I absolutely love my TM, and am not a consultant because I have my own business. If I sold TM's I would be an absolute pain - as now I just MAKE myself button up after 3 secs if I touch on the subject with anyone (people can see I am so passionate and think I am going to try and sell them one!!!)
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I wonder how the average thermomix consultants yearly income would compare with other consultants - perhaps Tupperware?
when i did TW my party average was over $900 and i did 1-3 parties a week. with thermomix i sold one in 3-4 months and was lucky to get 3 demos LOL
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I wonder how the average thermomix consultants yearly income would compare with other consultants - perhaps Tupperware?
when i did TW my party average was over $900 and i did 1-3 parties a week. with thermomix i sold one in 3-4 months and was lucky to get 3 demos LOL
Was that weekly Karen? My average is one TM a week.
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One girl I know only managed one sale after doing 10 demos in a month, and I know she had a stretch last year where she didn't have any sales. I think we only hear about the good ones, although we hear alot about owners who no longer have consultants because the disappear. We don't know why they disappear, do we, not do we know why they disappear.
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thermoheaven, was the girl you mentioned living in a remote location? If that had happened here in Victoria one of the GL's would have stepped in & observed her demo to see what was going wrong. A HUGE part of your success as a consultant has nothing to do with the demo itself, it's to do with how well you prepared the host so that they know what to expect, who to invite & how to invite and then the follow up. I know that when I applied myself more, stopped being afraid of having the conversation with the host in case she decided to cancel & followed up better (still a lot of improving to do!) then the whole thing got a lot easier.
As far as "hard sell" goes, you just don't need to. We are there to show the audience what it is & what it can do so that they can make an informed decision about whether it's for them or not. Focus on the audience, not what's in it for you & the whole presentation is more genuine. If the host has got the appropriate people there not just 3 "bums on seats" then everyone has a great time, is pleased they now know about it & the Thermomix does it's magic in their brain.......little by little.......until they are ready to buy!
There will never be a better time to become a consultant than right now. Interest is just gaining & gaining in momentum. Enjoy it & your audience will enjoy you & the TM & remember "some will, some won't, so what!"
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She's in a capital city. I don't doubt what you say, but there are a lot of consultants who seem to not last the distance, and I'm sure they would have show enthusiasm for the tm from the start. The lady I have as my consultant now is wonderful, but a few of my friends who have tms have lost their consultants (as did I) straight after the purchase. I'm sure that being a consultant isn't that easy for most of them otherwise there wouldn't be a continual drive to recruit consultants.
They should do a poll on this forum asking the members who still has their orginal consultant, has a new one and who is without one because their consultant went missing. I don't think I'd be surprised with the results if they show that most people are without their original consultant and/or are without a consultant. I think that's part of the reason why this forum is so successful - we found our own solution because so many were abandoned and left to fend for ourselves. I'm very happy with the consultant I have now, but I was in the wilderness for a good number of months until I found her.
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I have now finished my 60 day Initial training. I've really enjoyed it. I pleased I decided to give it a go. The honesty and the feedback provided by everyone who posted on this thread has kept me focused and enthused and allowed me to clarify my goals from being a consultant. Thank you. Maybe this thread will also help others if facing a similar decision.
To recap on my last 60 days since becoming a consultant.
The group of consultants in my area are great and we all get on. We are mostly like minded and enjoy experimenting with the TM. I love the training/meeting nights where people just cook up either something new out of a cookbook or something they've developed and we eat whilst discussing strategies for the next couple of weeks.
I've had no problems getting demonstrations and I haven't had to use too many of my friends to host demonstrations for me yet. I might make use of them later if things go quiet for a while. I've been able to sell a few machines as well so financially it has paid off. I haven't done a net profit statement yet so I'm not sure how much better off I am. I've been able to stick by my initial intentions and not make it about the money. It was hard at first and I grappled with do I push to get that last sale so I can get another incentive. I'm proud to say I didn't and I keep coming back to why I love doing this (mainly from the discussions on this post). I'm optimistic that I can maintain this focus.
I've done a couple of Expo's at the local shopping centre and I enjoyed trying out new recipes and giving out a few samples to see how they compared to the processed products. The milo was a huge hit and although we don't usually stock Milo it was a question raised at a demo and so I just had to try it.
I enjoy the demonstrations, but most of all I love delivering the Thermomix to new customers. They are so enthusiastic. I keep in touch with them to see what they've been cooking and they often inspire me to try some new things. I have a couple who will text me or email me with what they've been up to, especially if they weren't too adventurous with their cooking before.
So - in short. I'm happy I took the plunge. I gave myself 6 months to see how it goes. If the first 2 are any indication I'll be doing it well past 6 months. Maybe I'll report back in 6 months time.
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Thanks for popping back in to let us know where you are at at the moment Sue. So happy for you that everything is going along nicely and you are not disappointed you became a consultant. Good luck in the future.
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Congratulations Sue on completing your training and that you are truly loving what you do.Hope you have lots of sales for or all your hard work. ;D
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That's great things are going well, Sue! I still love it after 2 years :)
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Love the new avatar QJ.
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Thanks JD :)
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congrats sue on the completion of your training and glad its going well..im sure it will only get better :)
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I wonder how the average thermomix consultants yearly income would compare with other consultants - perhaps Tupperware?
when i did TW my party average was over $900 and i did 1-3 parties a week. with thermomix i sold one in 3-4 months and was lucky to get 3 demos LOL
Was that weekly Karen? My average is one TM a week.
my weekly sales were generally around say 700 - 2500 in sales. my biggest party was $1700 in sales (with 4 party bookings) i think commission was around 20% or so, i forget, but was more than tmx
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congrats Sue, glad it is going well!!!
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Well done Sue. Glad you're taking your own path & enjoying the journey. ;)
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I am where Sue_H was on 17th Jan.
I am male, mature and look a bit like Iain Hewittson without the hair and the mo. I have several people encouraging me to be a consultant.
I am booked in to an Open Day today, Thursday 5th May where all my questions about becoming a TMix consultant should be answered. After reading Sue_H’s post and the following threads I really only have one question – “Are there any males involved in this business”?
We have had a TM31 since October 2010. Most of our cooking is straight out of the EDC but we do experiment a lot using hints and tips we find on the forum and from other recipe sources.
During a dinner party on Good Friday, I demonstrated our machine to a guest by showing how to cook Thai Red Curry. She is waiting to be my first customer.
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There is definitely one male GL here in Melbourne, so you won't be alone in the gender stakes!
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I believe there are about 20 in Australia, 4 of which are in Adelaide. Today I did my bit in increasing those numbers. Let's see if I can get through the next 90 days.
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good luck ted and im sure you will get through them fine :)
also I have noticed more and more male consultants in my local area of France and im sure its the same in oz...the numbers are increasing!! good luck with it all :)
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Go Ted :D :D Nice to see you decided to go down that path. Good luck.
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That's great Ted! A friend of mine in Perth became a consultant a month ago, and he's loving it!!! I think it's great to have some men joining the team - the husbands might be more likely to come to demos if they know there's a guy doing it, never know!! :)
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Great decision Ted. I hope you really enjoy it. I'd love to hear how you're going as you venture through your TM consultant journey.
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I have really enjoyed reading this thread. The honesty & frankness has been refreshing.
Sue & Ted - congratulations!! Good for you! Sue, it sounds as though you're off to a great start, and Ted all the very best for your training.
For those whose experience was less than satisfactory, I'm sorry it was disappointing, but very much appreciate your views & insight.
I made the decision to become a consultant 6 days after receiving my TMX. My motivation was like so many others - I just really, really wanted to show people this amazing machine. I'm very lucky that my husband works full time, so my "income" is not essential to put bread on our table.
I've struggled in the last 7 months. My 60 days were hard. I didn't have a lot of family support. Getting demos was like extracting teeth. But thankfully I ended up having 9 demos & selling 3 within that time. March and April were very, very quiet - never mind about sales - I didn't even get a demo in April!! :( ... And it wasn't for lack of trying!! I've got a wonderful GL who has been incredibly supportive and can see that I'm trying really hard to grow my business.
In saying all of that, I wouldn't change a thing. Becoming a consultant has helped my self-esteem and confidence. It's getting me out of the house & over the feeling of "just being a mother". I feel like I have my own business (which I do!) and I love that feeling of being in control of something. I'm an organised person, so am lucky in that respect that the admin side of things is very easy for me.
I used to dread cooking. No confidence. Did not enjoy it at all. It was difficult getting my husband to agree to buying my wonderful machine, but now he can't believe the change in me.
My parents and my sister also, cannot believe the change in me. They say I have a new zest for life, which I do! I am truly passionate about this thing. I love that it improves our health. I love that it's helped me become a decent cook. I love that I can eliminate preservatives & know what we're eating. I love trying out new foods. And I love, love, love showing off the TMX ;D
I've had quite a few disappointments (2 demos at my house - not one person showed up :( ; supposed to be doing a presentation this Friday and only 1 RSVP so far - potentially 50 people received notification :( ... But even still I love it. I just tell myself that at least those people know I'm a consultant now. The more they read and hear about TMX, they might be ready to see it in action - and maybe they'll call me!
Sorry - I know I've rabbitted on. I need some gaffer tape for my mouth (and my fingers)... Just so mad about it! ;D
Karen
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Lovely to hear your story Karen and your enthusiasm comes bouncing out of your posting. How rude of people to just not show up to a demo - I would be shattered if I had everything ready to go and no-one bothered to turn up. Twice too ??? ???
You deserve much better than this and in spite of these setbacks, sound so positive about your new career. Good luck in the future.
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Congratulations Ted - my DH was a consultant (signed up a couple of months after me) until full time work along with part time uni just made it nearly impossible so he left it as only my baby ;D ;D
Salval, can I just say if you are loving it then hang in there!! ;)
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just thinking perhaps you could tell them you were going to make a cocktail to start with you may have a few more bums on seats. sometimes the thought of a demo party is the last thing people want to do after a hard days work, but a free drink might encourage them to come??? (just a thought...)
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Sometimes drinks turn a demo into a disaster too though as everyone gets very chatty etc ;) I generally find the offer of a free feed is enough :)
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My GL suggests telling them "Wait to get blotto after the Risotto".
We had a demo at home, too many people fueled with alcohol and it was open chat time. The consultant just forged ahead. Got the demo over in 2 hours, only got a sniff of a sale which has not yet eventuated. With a little more prompting, maybe an advanced (Varoma) demo, two of those households may see the light and invest in a Thermomix. One had just purchased an expensive Ice cream Maker with all the bells and whistles.
The visitors really didn't see the message, too busy chatting amongst themselves. I am guilty as sin.
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Love that saying Ted, think I might borrow it for myself.
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Well I've bitten the bullet and sent off MY enquiry to be a TM consultant!!! I'm really looking forward to the experience and the challenge.
DH is so taken with the machine that even he wants to learn how to use it.
I'll keep you up to date :)
Nik
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I can see why the consultants would say that, however most people begrudgingly go to a demo with the thought that they are wasting their time and not going to buy one. If you thought that you were not going to have anyone show up at all, wouldn't it be better to have at least one or two show up for a cocktail (mocktail) even? That would at least start the demo off on a positive note and get the show on the road so you could commence the rest of the demo...
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I have seriously love reading this thread as i have been passionate about TMX for about 2 years now and have often wondered how the consultant thing worked. Can't say that i have been particularly impressed by reports all round, but saying that not everyone can sell everything. I have heard along the grapevine that the incentives for consultants are not great or realistic.
How is everyone going? Sue, Ted? so pleased that a Male is getting out there, i agree with someone earlier that if a Male was doing the demo, you would get the husbands along too, and most of us would love to have them come so that you can make a joint decision on something that is about to change your life! Also it is hard to come home from a demo and DH says "how did it go" and you start raving about it so much that he thinks that it is to good to be true! So WTG Ted. Good Luck!
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I have just finished my "Basic" training and am in the process of setting up some demonstrations.
I am excited about the challenge I have set and most impressed with the help Thermomix and my GL is providing. The rest is up to me. I am finding it a little difficult to firm up some demo's but that is only me learning how best to manage that process.
I will update every now and then to keep you posted.
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Very best of luck Ted.
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Yes, well done Ted. Let us know how your first demo goes.
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Good on you Ted - we need more blokes!!!
To Kate 84 can I tell you that this is the sort of business - much like many - where the more you put in the more you get out. I have finally trained as a GL (like Quirky Jo) & I'm enjoying the new challenge. If I had been put off by all the disappointments I'd have missed some amazing experiences along the way. I love helping people find out about & get a handle on the Thermomix.
Good luck to all of you out there contemplating becomming consultants - we sure could do with the help!!!
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Congratulations JZ - ah so that is why you are so busy these days ;)
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Good on you JZ - we need more group leaders too :)
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Good on you Ted - we need more blokes!!!
To Kate 84 can I tell you that this is the sort of business - much like many - where the more you put in the more you get out. I have finally trained as a GL (like Quirky Jo) & I'm enjoying the new challenge. If I had been put off by all the disappointments I'd have missed some amazing experiences along the way. I love helping people find out about & get a handle on the Thermomix.
Good luck to all of you out there contemplating becomming consultants - we sure could do with the help!!!
I think the problem which arises is that some people put their hearts into becoming a consutant because they believe the thermie is a wonderful product, which it is, but they just don't get anywhere with it, so they are in a worse off position.
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Thanks Judy & Kathryn - yep, flat out these days but loving it! I sometimes feel guilty that I don't "welcome" everyone onto this forum like so many of the regulars do but I accept that I choose to use my time differently. I love the forum & recommend everyone to it.
Thermoheaven - & all other "doubters" - noone is ever "worse off" for giving this a go. I'm not certain what your measure of better/worse is but at worst you find out more about your TM & rub shoulders with some incredible people who are very knowledgeable about food & cooking it in the Thermomix. If you're open minded enough you learn a lot about yourself. Anyone not feeling like they are having success only has to ask for some help - & it's all around. It's not for everyone & that doesn't mean the business is not a good one any more than it means you are not a good person for trying. It's like the old saying about how people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime........for some of us the TM business offers a solution (like being able to afford a Thermomix), for some the business lasts for a while & circumstances change so we move on, others are in it for the long haul. The wonderful thing about decisions is that we are all entitled to make them & just as entitled to change our minds!!!
I wouldn't recommend anyone takes this on without really investigating whether it's the right decision FOR THEM. If you have a strong reason to do it & support from home then it's much more likely to be a success. Part of the role of a GL is to help someone make that decision in the first place by challenging them to work out if it really is the right business for them. It's in everyone's interests that new consultants are successful & motivated so none of us would want anyone coming in just to see them fail!
As I said before - good luck to anyone contemplating becoming a Thermomix consultant - wherever in the world you are............
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Great message JaneeZee :) It certainly is about getting out what you put in.. And certainly, just as with all jobs & careers, it's not for everyone. There's no such thing as "failing" as a consultant. It's either the thing for you or it isn't.. Or it may be for a while & then, as you said, life circumstances change... But in the meantime, it can be a wonderful experience.
Congratulations on becoming a GL!! I hope the passion continues & you pass it on..
Karen
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It's like the old saying about how people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.......
This is one thing that I also believe in, and if trialling a TM consultant seems to be convenient and economic solution for you why not.
If you already have a machine I would go with this option, the cheaper the outlay the better for you. Please also note, that these contracts you enter into will ultimately benefit the other party FIRST should you not sell the minimum in that time. Before committing, I would also suggest that you get together some names of people willing to have a demo at their house.
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Congratulations JaneeZee.
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Congrats Janee!! ;D Love your reply - I totally agree!!! Whether you are a consultant short term or long term, you've got to benefit from it. I sure have! :)
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the girl who sold me mine certainly isn't a tm consultant anymore.
I think it's perfectly understandable that some people only take on the role of consultant until they have sold their six to get their own Thermomix. That's a legitimate way of "buying"a Thermomix.
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Over the past two days, I have read every word on this thread. It is so interesting!!!! I became a Tupperware consultant just for a giggle. Not for the money, as I had a full time job already but seriously just for fun. My consultant kept telling me to give it a go so I did. In the year or so I did it, I sold some crazy amounts of Tupperware. It was/is so easy to sell and almost everyone buys something no matter their financial situation because there is always the potato masher which I think is $10!!! I went into it with my eyes completely open, did the minimum demos required, found out what would happen if I didn't and just "paid for my kit" up front, which I was more than happy to do if it all go too hard.
I am lucky that our TMX purchase was relatively easy also and I completely understand that it is a very expensive item so it far more a financial investment that a set of microwave safe containers. I know that TMX really sells itself and the proof was when Ed saw it in action and it was a done deal. But I do worry that I might demonstrate something to someone as a life changing appliance (which it truly is) knowing that it is worth perhaps two months salary and the money may be better spent elsewhere.
Living in Germany has been an eye opening experience for me. There is very little credit available and people pay cash for almost everything. Our VISA card gets automatically cleared from our account at the end of the month so there is no rolling credit and interest charges which is an extremely positive thing. Our TMX consultant would never have taken a credit card number, nor does Vorwerk. We received a bill for the entire amount with the machine when it was delivered by courier and we have a few days to pay it in full. How does it work in Australia? Does a consultant take a credit card? As I mentioned above, I might feel guilty allowing someone to buy something that they really cannot afford.
All that being said, I am extremely interested in the work of the consultant here in Germany and I will make some inquiries this weekend. It seems that the demonstrator does little else other than an initial demonstration in the home and goodbye. There is no delivery nor Varoma demonstration so it appears to me much easier and much less demanding on my time. I, on the other hand, may continue to make contact after the machine has arrived to see how the customer is going, celebrate a little by congratulating them on the purchase and showing them various forums for recipes and perhaps even creating a newsletter, which I believe many of you have done. Perhaps being a consultant over here is not as much fun as Australia? It certainly sounds easier though.
So, morals to this long brain drain:
Tupperware is easy and fun and great and makes tonnes of money
I am going to find out more about becoming a TMX consultant over here and sell tonnes of machines!
xxx
;D
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good luck with it lee....France is very similar except now you can pay in 10 times through your bank account as another payment option although most people i know prefer to pay up front in one go....it sounds very familiar re credit etc as here...credit cards are mainly debit cards so get cleared at the end of each month which i prefer as i know how easy it is to run up true credit cards lol and credit here is not easy to get anyway...alot get refused...our cleaner wants to buy a car but because of her salary nobody wants to give her any credit and its like that for alot of people where as in other countries like oz they are practically handing it out (meaning its a hell of a lot easier to get than here...here if you dont have at least 3 and a half times the amount in income that you are wanting to borrow, rent etc then they will refuse it and most people dont even have double....im very lucky that DH has a good job so we arent too bad...anyway lee good luck with it...will be interesting to see what you find out.....here also consultants just do demos to sell or for the host to get their free book and hopefully sell, plus they go to each guests house to do a recipe of their choice and once sold we hardly see our consultants but have email and mobile numbers to contact them if need be but any technical issues have to go through head office or any items to be purchased...they have it pretty easy and like you said the thermomix sells it self...either people want it or they dont...two of my friends have bought one and I have only had two demos...and lee I wouldnt feel guilty about people being able to afford it...people are in charge of their own decsicions and whether or not they can afford it...in any case they could always become a consultant to pay for their machine which costs them nothing but time :)
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Lee, I'm sure you would make a great demonstrator - firstly, you love the machine and what it can do for you and secondly, you have a great sense of humour and even if you don't sell anything, people will get a darn good laugh at your parties :D :D :D :-* :-*
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I totally agree with frozzie and jd, you have such an infectious personality leesmac that you would be a great consultant. I can see why you were successful with tupperware. you are correct in the fact that the TM is a life changing appliance, and I don't think that you should feel guilty if someone who appears to not be able to afford it buys one. Why? because they are prepared to sacrifice the outlay in order to change their life for better health and dietary choices. Go for it.
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If only my consultant would get back to me.... hmmmmmm
xxx
;D
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If only my consultant would get back to me.... hmmmmmm
Don't be thinking badly of your consultant, Leesmac78. If you have expressed interest in being a consultant, your consultant's role is to inform his/her GL and only when the GL has received the written permission form will you hear back ... from the GL, not the consultant. Look forward to a conversation soon and if things don't happen soon enough, why not get back to your consultant and share the fact that you're keyed up and hoping for developments?
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Oh, sorry, I should have clarified. I sent her an email thanking her for my TMX and I have heard not one sound in exactly 7 days... That's what I meant by the "hmmmmmm"
xxx
;D
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hi - it seems a few of you are consultants. I would like to ask a question about the demo's. Im having a varoma demo soon (I do have a thermomix) and the consultant has asked me to supply EVERY item needed for the demo. I have estimated this will cost me about $40-$50! Is this normal?...when I went to my original demo the host only supplied a few item (perishables). I questioned my consultant and she said that I should have most of the items in my pantry already (I dont know how she thinks they got there in the first place!!) At this stage I have 3 guests that are definately going to purchase a machine after the demo..I've heard the consultant will make about $400 commission from each sale. I have not heard about any host gifts etc...My question is - what do/should I get out of this demo??
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I had a varoma Demo a few weeks ago. I supplied most of the items and they were things I had in my pantry. I was asked for balsamic, vinegar, sugar, lemons, capsicum, 100g cashews, flour etc etc ( I am going from memory here). They are standard thermomixy items that I use often and had on hand. My consultant bought along several items also. The most expensive items were chicken breasts and sundried tomatoes.
We all found the demo inspiring and renewed our use of the machine including the Varoma which I now use much more.
As a host I bought the Full Steam ahead Cook Book for half price as no-one purchased a machine.
I was given the set of recipe cards of the demo dishes cooked which I use quite a bit.
It was good fun and motivating. I would recommend having one.
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Hi JoJo. First of all, I am assuming that you are Australia. I am a consultant in Australia so my answer only applies if you are in Australia too. Although the Varoma Flavours list is a longer one than you were required to provide for the basic demo, you are highly unlikely to be supplying all ingredients. Your consultant will also be bringing items to your Varoma, some of them quite expensive items too, eg when hosts request the Moroccan salad, your consultant will be supplying the dried apricots, grapes/craisins/raisins, coriander and the other salad ingredients as well as the vast majority of the soup ingredients. That is normal.
Secondly, I don't know where you heard that your consultant will make $400 commission from each sale of a Thermomix. That is very unlikely.
For a Varoma demo, a choice of host rewards is available with a co-payment if no-one buys. I am sure your consultant will explain this if you ask, but for the record Full Steam Ahead cookbook, Thermoserver or Thermomat.
If you aren't happy to hold a Varoma demo, tell your consultant.
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As previous posters have said it is normal. If a guest buys you will receive the full steam ahead book free or if not you can purchase it at half price of $25. You can't buy this book unless you host a Varoma demo. Comission is paid for the sale of a machine based on sales for the month so the comission can vary but is never as high as 400 ( I wish! ) i guess it is up to you to decide if it is worth hosting the demo. As mentioned you can also purchase a bread mat or a thermoserver for half price. Consultants pay for ingredients for every demo the basic or varoma and that is part of the way it works. The varoma demo is fantastic and you do gain a lot of inspiration seeing how the varoma works if you haven't used it before. good luck with your decision.
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thanks for your input...i was always going to have the demo and am REALLY looking forward to it as I know my guest will be really amazed with what the machine can do. I absolutely love mine. Just wanted to check that I was on the right track. I heard about the commission from a "retired" consultant (the one that sold me my thermomix)...perhaps things have changed.
I will ask the consultant for the recipe cards too. I was hoping to get another bowl at a reduced price, but maybe this offer is expired.
I'm having about 10 eager guests and look forward to seeing there amazement...the consultant has promised me that it is a fantastic demo...although Im still not fully aware of the dishes she will be cooking.....I'll wait and see...
Once again thanks for you responses its made things clearer for me. Cheers
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Hi JoJo - yes, it's a fantastic demo!!! So worth the extra food - your friends will love it AND you'll have leftovers - it makes heaps!! Everyone I do this demo for raves about it - great recipes! :) Have fun!
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I'm also considering becoming a Consultant for TM. I have a full time job already (I'm a shift worker), and would like to pursue this on the side as more of a hobby, rather than to make money.
My Mum introduced me to her machine, and I love it, and want to buy one myself now, and also introduce it to others, hence I thought becoming a Consultant would be the ideal way to achieve this.
I'm interested to hear from any other men who have pursued this path. A guy by the name of Ted posted in this thread, but haven't heard anything else from him. Ted, if you're listening, please let me know how you're going with it all.
I'm also concerned about the hours I would need to dedicate to it, as I have a young family that I need to devote time to along with my job. Do TM have any minimum requirement of hours per week that you need to spend doing the job, or are you free to do it as you please?
Any insights would be appreciated.
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Kent where do you live? Have you attended a demo? If not and you are in Perth I can get you in contact with the person in your area. Otherwise contact Thermomix head office and they will put you in contact with someone who can answer all of your questions :)
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Hey Meagan, I'm from Cranbourne, Victoria.
I've submitted my contact details on the TM website, but are yet to hear from anyone.
I only submitted them a couple of days ago, so if I don't hear from them in another few days, I'll give their 1800 number a call.
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Kent everyone is in Hawaii at thermofest (the annual conference) you probably won't hear from anyone For a couple of days as majority of the group leaders are here!
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Thanks Meagan, I've been in touch with someone (who unfortunately didn't make it to Hawaii) who has pointed me in the right direction.
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Oh fantastic :)
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Kent, how is it going for you? Also I would love to get an update from Sue and Ted. I am currently tossing up the idea of becoming a consultant but have certain reservations about it which have also been expressed in this thread. I would love to hear how new consultants are going (currently serving their probation period) and those consultants who have since finished their probation period and been on their own for a few months.
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Kent, how is it going for you? Also I would love to get an update from Sue and Ted. I am currently tossing up the idea of becoming a consultant but have certain reservations about it which have also been expressed in this thread. I would love to hear how new consultants are going (currently serving their probation period) and those consultants who have since finished their probation period and been on their own for a few months.
Hi there Grapesy, I have been contacted by my local consultant and group leader to organise me to attend an open day. Unfortunately it was meant to be held last week, but was cancelled due to low numbers. They're going to re-schedule it.
So I can't really tell you much about it at all. I've spoken to both the consultant and group leader on the phone, and they sound really nice. I'm going to meet them tomorrow at the Berwick food and wine festival, and I assume they'll tell me the details of when the next open day will be.
My biggest issue is whether there was a minimum amount of time that I need to dedicate to consulting for TM. As I already have a full time job and a family, I can't really spend hours and hours doing it. It was more of a hobby for me and educating others on what a great product it is, etc. Not really in it for the money. My wife has photography as a hobby, so I thought this would be good for me :-)
Anyway, when I attend the open day (not sure when it will be) I'll provide an update here. In any case, I won't be starting training until after we return from Fiji in June this year, as I'll have three weeks of holidays that I can dedicate to training, etc.
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Thanks Kent, also going to Fiji soon (must be the place to be). I went to an open day last week and although they made the job sound fun and exciting I'm still uncertain about the real commitment and targets that are required. I believe you need to sell at least 3 within your probation period of 60 days which I think is a tough ask. And then our open day suggested 4 a month to make it worth your time.
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Thanks Kent, also going to Fiji soon (must be the place to be). I went to an open day last week and although they made the job sound fun and exciting I'm still uncertain about the real commitment and targets that are required. I believe you need to sell at least 3 within your probation period of 60 days which I think is a tough ask. And then our open day suggested 4 a month to make it worth your time.
Thanks for that Grapesy. Yikes, so they've actually got targets, then I don't think this is for me. I was hoping to take more of a non-pushy aspect when it came to sales. What would actually happen if you don't make target I wonder? Would they just kick you out?
I understand that the TM is a great machine etc and I think it's worth paying the $2k to get it, but most people I've spoken to, I've just casually brought it up and explained what it does etc, then you tell them the price, and they're like 'forget it!'.
We'll see how it goes I guess. Thanks for the info!
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The targets are kind of in the fine print down the bottom of all the info Kent. I did ask what would happen if you don't reach the suggested sales of 4 a month - would you be asked to leave and she said no of course not but they would be talking to you about your approach and educating/guiding you through where you could enhance your demo to get the sales. So at the end of the day it is about the sales and I guess the GL's have targets they need their team to reach aswell so if you're not pulling your weight within the team then you'd be spoken to about it. Don't quote me on that because I'm not in your area so your GL might have a different perspective.
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I'm still a consultant after 12 months. I found it best to just put my requirements of what I need to be a consultant on the table with my group leader. I work part time and I volunteer at our school 1 day a week. My goal is one sale a month. I also attend all the team meetings and cooking classes that I can as these are also lots of fun. I still love using my Thermomix and showing it to people. There is really not much to loose if you already have a Thermomix. The business kit is things I would use personally. The 3 sales in 60 days is not mandatory. It just means you are on you're way to creating a successful business and its the Thermomix target. It's your business - you can set your targets.
In the end, the decision is yours. If you explain to your group leader what you have to offer and your uncertainty regarding targets, I'm sure she can put your mind at ease.
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Glad it is working for you Sue, doing it your way is the only way to go as far as I am concerned. These unrealistic goals they want you to reach are too stressful and cause a lot of consultants to fall by the wayside.
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Thanks for the insight people :-)
I met my future group leaders yesterday and they were really lovely.
They explained that to make it 'worthwhile' you really need to do at least one demo a week and preferably two a week.
I explained that as I'm working full-time and have a young family, etc etc that I won't be able to commit every waking hour to do this, and that it would be more of a hobby, etc, they seemed to be fine with this.
I'm attending an open day in May, so we'll see how we go. They gave me the leaflet that explains the commission structure, etc. It's not bad commission, however, when you factor in delivery demonstrations, varoma demonstrations upon sale, etc... it turns into a very low hourly wage (depending on how many you sell obviously).
But as I said, it doesn't bother me, because for me it's more about making people aware of the wonderful machine, rather than trying to make coin out of it, but I understand that for others it would be more of trying to maintain a lifestyle and earn money, etc.
In any case, we'll see how it goes.
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Glad it is working for you Sue, doing it your way is the only way to go as far as I am concerned. These unrealistic goals they want you to reach are too stressful and cause a lot of consultants to fall by the wayside.
Judy as a consultant you set your own targets. The three sales in your 60days is really achievable (I did 12 in mine and that was a lot, over 2 years ago with not the same level of media coverage promtion and interest in the TM as now) as long as you do demos and sell machines ( which is generally what happens as sales follow demos) then you are fine. However if you aren't doing the demos or contributing to the team then you aren't really getting the most out of it. I enjoy learning new techniques and skills from the meetings and cooking classes. there is room for full and part timers in Thermomix :)
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That's what I would be doing if I was a consultant Meagan but that will never happen - way to old to start working and besides that I couldn't sell a paper bag to a pasty ;D
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You would be a fantastic consultant JD however I know it just doesn't fit with your role as a carer. You are a 'raving fan' and everyone benefits from people like you :-* owners and consultants alike
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Here here. :-*
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Should we just go ahead and sign her up . . .now?? ;D ;D JD you should be on their payroll for what you do here!!
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I have been thinking of this thread during the day and thought I'd come back to say that the members of this forum do so much to help sales of the TMX. How many people have bought because of what they have read on here from all us who are besotted with our machines and spread the word whenever we can. Now I see that this is already acknowledged by Meagan and others - it's important to know our forum is working for you all, not just us owners. :-* :-*
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I always promote the forum, recipe communiyt and blogs to new owners as a great resource!
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It would be nice if the consultants were able to support ALL the people who help us. Sadly that seems not case and some members of this forum are alleged to be on the "banned " list from HO. It would take a brave consultant indeed to even mention some cookbooks at their demos, no matter how useful or wonderful they be. Very petty and very un Australian.
Toe the line or receive the dreaded "call" as I have. I am not now nor ever have nor would ever work for a company that would try to inhibit free speech on my own blog, should I have one, or on any forum I i wish to have a say. We should be supporting everyone in the Thermomix world .
Surely it is this forum that helps in the sale of this wonderful machine as we saw with the recent kerfullle over the Bellini.
I thank all the consultants who speak as freely as possible on this forum. I will continute to support them where ever possible as I will to all others who contribute. Thank goodness for MM and all the moderators on this safe, friendly and honest forum.
If anyone has an issue with anything I have to say on this forum please share it with all of us. Love it. Debate is good. In fact I think I may share some more . Just not now. Working on another recipe from For Foods Sake.
Gertinkitchen
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To my knowledge its only teninas books etc which is petty .. As quick fix is the daughter of a group leader if im not mistaken and dani's book is sold through vorwerk just my impression is HO has some issue with teninas books but there doesnt seem to be issues between tenina nd dani or alice as she is promoting and selling their books??? Sounds all a bit playground type stupidity imo and just a tiny bit immature...i think anything that promotes the thermomix is all good!
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Sounds all a bit playground type stupidity imo and just a tiny bit immature...i think anything that promotes the thermomix is all good!
You got that one right Frozzie.
Oh Gert, as a consultant (to be) am I not allowed to promote or talk about For Food's Sake, Quick Fix in the Thermomix and In the Mix? I love those books and have written about both on my blog and my Facebook page.
If that's the case, I'll be re-considering my application!
Best if you ask if you are concerned . You may be surprised at the answer. You will be a great consultant as well as a role model. After all you have been doing your own thing successfully and know what you are about. I doubt you are a woman who would tolerate any behaviour which would interfere with your right to blog or FB about anything you wish.
Gretch
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I was wondering if anyone could answer this question for me. I know this months special when you purchase a thermomix is a "kids" cookbook (well in Victoria anyway) but does anyone know if there is a May special when you purchase?
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I don't think next month's special is realised until the end of the month.
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Well done you I say MJ. If HO keep at it ppl will finally get fed up with that sort of treatment and start to be more vocal about their concerns.
Not only is there a problem with text but some consultants have been told to remove certIn images. Laughable!
The soap box is going to have to be made bigger and stronger . We may need to find a carpenter.
Gert
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I was wondering if anyone could answer this question for me. I know this months special when you purchase a thermomix is a "kids" cookbook (well in Victoria anyway) but does anyone know if there is a May special when you purchase?
You don't get an email to let you know the rewards until the last day (or there abouts) of the month. Sometimes it is real eased at team meetings a couple of days earlier. ;)
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We have a team meeting on April 30th, so hopefully will find out then!!
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My understanding is that consultants are not allowed to promote Quick Fix, or Tenina's books or classes on their Thermomix facebook pages, only their personal blogs and FB pages - as long as you don't mention you are a consultant. In the Mix is allowed because its a HO "approved" book.
Against all odds, and with little advertising its amazing Tenina got such a good turnout at her classes. It was a great night.
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I do believe there are several others banned from mention as well because they also support Tenina which means Tenina is banned and all those consultants or others who support Tenina are banned from a mention or promoting their books or whatever. Does this come from Vorwerk I wonder ?
Isn't Alyce Alexandra , who wrote Quick Fix in The Thermomix, a consultant or was? What is that all about? Why is her book banned?
I would hardly think that the German Head Office of this company would be spending time viewing consultants blogs in Australia. So that would mean that Jackie Van Der Loon née Richmond , who rang me from Perth, was correct when she told me the Perth HO had someone monitoring this forum for comments which they felt needed addressing. What a waste of time and money. I would hate to use my degree to be surfing the web looking for recalcitrant bloggers.
All I can say is thank goodness we can talk openly, honestly and without fear or favour on the forum. Well most of us anyway.
I love my Thermomix, this forum, all the helpful people on it . I hate internal politics and bullies. Thank goodness there are none here or perhaps they are just lurkers.
Made the macarons from Mara's recipe on Helene's website so will post that drama elsewhere.
Interesting times. Let's see......did I mention HotmixPro ( Gastro ) ? No? Maybe not. I would hate to leave any controversy left unsaid.
Gertbysea and elsewhere.
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From what you are saying there are Lurkers from HO Perth...hmmmm
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OK I'm confused. So consultants have their own Facebooks page - what for? And they're not allowed to talk about these so called books which contain TM recipes?? mmmm seems a little strange.
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OK I'm confused. So consultants have their own Facebooks page - what for? And they're not allowed to talk about these so called books which contain TM recipes?? mmmm seems a little strange.
I'm with you Grapesy, I'm confused too, but we're only new at the game, I guess the forum members posting above would understand the history of what's going on.
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Some consultants have a FB page (or blog) with a Thermomix related name and this is where they are not allowed to post anything to do with non HO approved books ie Quick Fix. They can however, advertise a book like In the Mix or the new Devils Island Project book which has the tick of approval from HO.
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Some may be luckier than others. I have several consultant friends. One has a blog and a FB page which does not have. TMX name and is indeed her own private FB page. She has been told to remove photographs, images, and text from it. Her blog which is her own private blog where she does talk about the TMX as well as everything from gardening to baby stuff and many other subjects has a lot of followers who discuss stuff and mention stuff. She has been told to remove stuff from it as well. Have these people nothing else to do? I thought they wanted to sell a machine not involve others in their petty grievances.
In any case she is ready to pack it in as she is finding it not so much fun anymore and the constant sell sell sell was getting her down. I told her to persevere as things may change for the better soon. Not that I believe that. She at least got her trip to Hawaii.
gert
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;D ;D ;D gert you do make me laugh!!!
im kind of surprised we havent been censored on this forum!
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If TMX HO even tried to censor this forum I for one would be ringing them and giving them an earful. No one tells me what I can or can not say. DH learnt that early in our relationship LOL.
If bloggers and facebookers can not talk about the thermomix in a positive way, HO are missing out on all the extra advertising which is done for free. These people love their TMX and are only telling their followers of the great things it can produce.
As far as other non TMX approved cookbooks are concerned, I understand that they are trying to sell their useless books. If their books were any decent they would sell and the competition from other authors such as Tenina would not be a problem.
My business motto is "any competition is good competition " because you can learn so much from it.
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;D ;D ;D gert you do make me laugh!!!
im kind of surprised we havent been censored on this forum!
Censored for what I say. Just telling it like it seems to be. One of my consultant friends just shut down her FB page, started another one in another name so they can say what they like.
The dear friend who is thinking of quitting has locked her FB page pretty tight but suspects one of her jealous "friends" of reporting to her GL. Nasty stuff. She is taking a vacation from her blog soon as it is all to hard to keep watching it for unacceptable comments . She has a hard enough time minding the kids. Some gals just take on too much in an effort to improve their lifestyle. You need a lot of family support to do it all I say.
Life used to be so much simpler before the feminists movement started. What have we done? :o
Gert
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OK so if I become a consultant, am I allowed to advertise this on FB and get demo's booked that way? Just through my own personal page?
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Grapesy, once you are a consultant you will be updated with the policies and rules at group meetings. Meanwhile, you need to ask your Group Leader this question. He/she would have the latest guideline. :)
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The more and more I read into it the less I want to do it!
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You'll be fine. It's a lot of fun. I love the role - the training, the meetings, the cooking classes, the demos, the many many challenges. I love driving around the state down roads I've never been. I I love mastering the paperwork. love getting to know new people. One night a hostess even said to me "You are an inspiration!" 90% of the time is really, really rewarding. You have to be calmly stoical and prepared for whatever else turns up in the 10% you're not expecting. Most people have very unrealistic ideas of how much service a consultant can provide but most consultants do their best to live up to people's expectations, none the less. A lot of forum members have a stake now in your success fo please don't just dabble your toe in the water - get wet and see what happens!
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Well said cecilia!
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So I did it Kent - have filled in my application form to be a consultant, handed it over to my group leader and start training next week. Have already got 1 sale teed up as they're wanting to take advantage of the interest free offer. Hopefully more to follow! wish me luck :) BTW my thermomix arrives tomorrow morning.
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So I did it Kent - have filled in my application form to be a consultant, handed it over to my group leader and start training next week. Have already got 1 sale teed up as they're wanting to take advantage of the interest free offer. Hopefully more to follow! wish me luck :) BTW my thermomix arrives tomorrow morning.
Wow grapesy you are keen. You have not even got your TMX and you are becoming a consultant. Good luck to you. I hope your first sale leads quickly to your second. .
Gert
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Fantastic Grapesy, congrats on your first sale :-) I hope the rest of it goes well for you.
I had my open day meeting today. It was really good, learnt a lot about the company, etc.
It's going to be a lot of hard work, and alongside a full-time job and Wife/kids, it's going to be very challenging, but I'm looking forward to it. I'm not starting training until late July, as we're going on a two week holiday in mid-June. I'm not too sure how I'm going to go with it all, as the first bunch of demos need to be arranged through your own social network, and I don't want to burden friends/family with hosting parties, etc and them thinking I'm 'selling' something.
We'll see how it all goes I guess.
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Good luck Kent. I am sure your friends and family won't mind seeing what you are investing in.
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I conducted my first demo last week. I thought it was awful! But they loved it. I guess I'll get used to it.
No sales, no demo's, but it was a good practice run in a tiny kitchen with 2 young guys playing silly buggers.
I'm enjoying the challenge, but finding the paperwork to be a real time killer. Seems I'm always in my TMX office!
I've had one sale since I qualified and still have three demos to go this month, so fingers and toes crossed! (I want that Oval Thermoserver!!)
What I am enjoying is being able to talk Thermomix with the like minded people in my group. I keep in touch with the girls I trained with and we share our joys and disappointments via email and text. It's wonderful!
I also love the meetings, even though it's a 400km round trip for me.
Good luck Kent and grapesy!
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Well done MJ, it would be daunting doing your first demo, I know I would of been a nervous wreck :)
I'm sure you will get more and more confident the more demos you do.
Keep up the good work :)
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Well dome MJ. I am sure that oval thermoserver has your name on it. It makes you wonder why 2 young lads would want a demo if they weren't interested. Hopefully the demos and sales take flight soon. Best wishes DG xxx
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MJ it will all work out as you have the confidence and it will show through. The paperwork will become much easier and routine. Don't fret about that.
I hope HO is paying you a travel allowance to attend those meetings as that will eat into your commission in no time. The country girls all have to travel a lot which is hard on the pocket, the car , as well as the consultants time wise.
Gert
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MJ, I had a call the other day making two orders arising from a demo I did in February. The families wanted the Thermomixes all the time. They just had the discipline to wait until there was an interest free promotion to tell me that. I also had a referral last week from a lady who had previously complained about me. So, we never know when the payoff will come for the effort you have made. Good luck in your business.
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Well done MJ - my training starts tomorrow and trying to get demo's booked for when I'm ready to go. Also very nervous about my first demo but as long as you are confident in cooking the 6 dishes then I think everything else will fall into place. Work off the feel of the group and you'll be fine.
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Good luck with it all Grapesy! I've decided to take a back seat for now and get the TM first and use it for a few months to become more confident at it before embarking on the Consultant journey.
Will definitely be still doing it, just at a later stage.
All the best with your training!
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Grapesy and Kent, did you go ahead and get into your 60 day programs? How did it turn out - well, I hope.
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I think it would be pretty hard to make money by being a consultant, with so many restrictions on you. Though I don't know.
Has anyone really worked out what they earn a year, by being a consultant, after expenses, training, petrol, ingredients, phones.
Do you find that once you have sold your 6 machines, you quit. Just curious, or do you stay for selling for years.
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I am coming up to 3 years in November ;D it works for us and I love it too :)
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I'm sure your love of the machine comes across in your demos Meagan.
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I'm sure your love of the machine comes across in your demos Meagan.
And you have a lot of common sense as well as being dedicated and helpful. You have always been so here and I thank you .
Gert
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And you have a lot of common sense as well as being dedicated and helpful. You have always been so here and I thank you .
Gert
Thank Gert ;)
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Yes im sure your a fabulous consultant meagan... Always been fabulous here 😃
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Thats great Megan.
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Meagan if only you lived on the sunshine coast 😊
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If people are asking themselves this question, the link below might help answer some of the questions you have on your mind:
http://www.earnathermomix.com
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Well, I only lasted three months. I just found the travel to be too much for me. The cost of food for the demos plus the cost of fuel just didn't add up when you look at the commission.
I enjoyed showing people the TMX, but hated the restrictions on what I could do, say etc. I also hated the paperwork and constant reporting to my GL.
It's definitely not your own business as is, say Amway, or anything like that. You are bound by very tight rules.
But, that's just me. I like to do things my way, not someone else's. When I queried the strict rules and non adaptable menus, the common message to me was, that it works, so don't change it. But, you see, for me, it didn't work! It may have got better if I stuck at it, but I just got tired of the pressure to sell, sell, sell.
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Yes im sure your a fabulous consultant meagan... Always been fabulous here 😃
Shucks thanks K :)
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Well said!
Gillian