Opportunity may knock, but missed opportunity rings the doorbell and says, "Avon calling."
When an old friend became a new Avon representative, she turned to her circle of associates – both male and female -- for her first set of orders.
My initial browse through a 180-page catalog left me hard-pressed to find anything appropriate for a male. I ordered unisex unscented shampoo and conditioner, but I really prefer the stuff I can pinch from hotel linen carts. Other male prospects, who also don’t want to smell like chrysanthemums, couldn’t find anything they needed.
It’s true that that a single catalog cannot be all things to all prospects. But if Avon does have a male catalog, it should be included in any material sent to a new rep. Unless, of course, Avon does not think men are potential sales targets, and therefore does not make any overtures toward them.
My rep and I then turned to Avon’s Web site, which contains a greater breadth of items, including a small male section. But wouldn’t the main seller catalog do well to have a few men’s pages, in addition to what appears to be an endless variety of hand creams?
Another minor irritant: My friend lives in New York City. There’s nothing in the small seasonal sub-catalog she was given that would appeal to the city’s Jewish population. Would it have been so hard for the Avon folks to identify representatives that live in heavily Jewish areas and knock together a trifold pamphlet? Even some holiday-neutral items would have been appreciated.
The "Seasonal" section on the Avon Web site revealed a single "Festival of Lights Bear," a seven-inch high plush animal that cradles a Hanukkah menorah which lights up – one light at a time – when its paw is pinched. For some odd reason the "Seasonals" page also featured a "Heated Ice Scraper," which I believe is nondenominational.
I’ll concede the Jewish Avon market: There may not be enough of us within the Avon demographic to make a separate catalog worth while. But I’m resolute that they’re missing an opportunity by not separating out male prospects. They’re going to have to do better if they want us as lather-rinse-repeat customers.
To respond to the opinions in this column, please contact rlevey@primediabusiness.com
