Paperly Milestones

A new year is always a good time to reflect on past accomplishments. Fortunately, Paperly has accomplished a lot since its inception. Below are just a few highlights:

2008: Launched with 6 Consultants
After spending 12-18 months germinating the idea, we finally launched Paperly... very, very softly.  We invited 6 friends & family members to join as Consultants. Why only 6? Because we did not have an ordering system, a multi-level compensation plan, or even a fulfillment partner. We first had to ensure the business model worked - and boy did it ever! We quickly went from 6 Consultants to 36 to 125 to 300+.

2010: Direct Selling Association Member
Of the thousands of direct selling companies, only around 200 in the United States pass muster with the Direct Selling Association. The application is an arduous 12 month task. That said, Paperly knew it was the "new kid on the block" and needed the DSA's "stamp of approval" in order to distance itself from other fly-by-night businesses. In 2010, Paperly earned membership into the DSA and has retained its membership every year since.

2011: Picked by Inc.com as "The New Guard of Direct Selling"
Paperly had the very good fortune of being highlighted by Inc.com as "The New Guard of Direct Selling". Considering 2 other companies mentioned - J. Hilburn and Stella & Dot - have developed well-known brands, Paperly feels strongly about the path it is on.

2011 & 2012: Recognized by the DSA for Ethical Standards
As mentioned above, only ~200 companies in the United States are members of the DSA. And of those 200, less than 25% have been recognized for their participation in the DSA's Code of Ethics Communication Initiative. Amazingly, Paperly has been recognized 2 years in a row... and plans to earn recognition again in 2013.

2012: Won 2 Product Innovation Awards
On 2012, Paperly became the only 2x winner of the DSA's prestigious ETHOS Awards for Product Innovation. Paperly won for its personalized iPhone cases and its personalized cutting boards.

And this is just a taste of Paperly's accomplishments. We could also highlight our first President's Council, Future Leaders Program, National Conference and much, much more. Please, if you wish to learn more about Paperly and its successes, I recommend you attend a Paperly Opportunity Event. The no cost, no obligation, 30-minute call provides a further glimpse into Paperly's past, present and future. Registration is required: http://www.paperly.com/info. Hope to talk with you then!

- Jay Rudman, CEO/Co-Founder, Paperly

The Paperly Story: Fall/Winter 2012-13 catalog

Paperly is preparing to release its Fall/Winter 2012-13 catalog. I am so excited! As part of that release, I have the honor and privilege of expressing my thoughts on the inside cover. I am especially proud of this catalog's theme because I believe it's time for Paperly to take its rightful place as a leader in the direct selling industry. After reading this catalog's preamble (see below), I welcome your feedback.

Regards,

Jay Rudman, CEO, Paperly

~~~~~~

Direct selling, which is the idea of independent Consultants sharing their passion for products via fun, at-home parties, has been a successful business model for generations. The Rockwellian image of "The Tupperware Party" evokes a strongly positive memory for most of us. While Paperly plans to follow a similar model of the past, we plan to lead the industry towards an exciting future.

Paperly’s products – personalized stationery & gifts – perfectly combines the consultative nature of at-home parties and today’s advanced technology to produce one-of-a-kind products exactly to the customer’s specifications within days of the order. Wow! Custom products delivered within days was unheard of before Paperly began, and now we’re doing it daily.

We started Paperly to enable those who love personalized products the opportunity to start a rewarding business. We also wanted to remind people that the personal note is alive and well. We remain true to these initial objectives, but now, we plan to change the world of direct selling. We invite you to join us. We’re confident you’ll enjoy the journey.

A Direct Sellers Holiday (cont'd)

Seems like my 10/21/11 post, "Direct Selling Only this Holiday Season" seems to have struck a chord. Thank you to everyone that has helped spread the word including:

• Jen Fong's blog piece titled, "Support Your Local Economy: Make it a Direct Selling Only Holiday"
• Kara Wardell's blog piece titled, "Update on the Small Business Christmas Challenge" - although I wish she had listed Paperly as one of her favorite companies ;)
• LinkedIn's "Home Party Plan - Direct Sales Group".  FYI, join the group if you're not already a member!

I even have feedback from the Direct Selling Association that they'll try to promote the idea as much as possible, although admittedly it might be a better 2012 initiative for them, given their need for more lead-time to get their PR machine moving forward.

I also have a number of direct selling executives who are willing to pledge and promote this initiative to their representatives.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

But (isn't there always a but).... now what?  How do we continue to gain momentum?  In my opinion, this is a grassroots effort.  We need every direct seller to commit or pledge that they'll try, whenever possible, to purchase their holiday gifts from other direct sellers.

So I ask you - what should such a pledge say?

Please send your ideas to jay@paperly.com. I'll compile your ideas into a "Direct Sellers Pledge" (clearly, it's a working title) and send it to you for distribution.

So again, what should our "Direct Sellers Pledge" say?

Thank you in advance for your ideas.

Regards,

Jay Rudman, CEO, Paperly
The leading direct seller of personalized stationery & gifts

TODAY Show: Does It Pay To Become a Direct Seller?

I love this video from the July 11, 2011 TODAY show about Direct Selling:

The video does a great job of highlighting the benefits of direct selling, including:

• Direct selling is a growing and robust industry.
• Direct selling is fun for the sellers and a fun way to shop for the customers.
• The average direct seller can contribute $200 per week to help with the grocery bills, the mortgage or even the family vacation.  (The PamperedChef rep in the video is earning $50,000!)

I also really like Jean Chatzky's perspective on the industry, because she strongly advocates using the Direct Selling Association to help find reputable companies.  (Doesn't hurt that Paperly was recently recognized by the DSA for its ethical business practices.)

Lastly, my favorite part of the video is at the very end when the two speakers suggest that direct selling is all about families and communities supporting at-home businesses. I couldn't agree more! In today's technology-laden world, where neighbors often don't know neighbors, I truly believe direct selling can help bring communities closer. Perhaps that, above all else, makes the direct selling industry worthwhile!

- Jay Rudman, CEO, Paperly

2 Videos, 2 Learnings

The following two videos were highlighted at the recent VideoPlus University I attended. Why am I sharing them on Paperly's blog? You'll have to watch and read to learn more.

This first commercial depicts a son using his iPhone to show his father a live video of his new grandchild.

Note that Apple - a master of commercials - never mentions the phone's features.  Apple never gets into the technical jargon that enables live streaming to occur.  Apple never talks bits, bytes or capabilities. Instead, Apple shines by answering the question, "Why?"  Seeing your grandchild for the first-time, even if you can't be there, is the "Why" you need an iPhone.

The same can be said of a successful direct seller. They too answer the question "Why?"  They don't focus on product features and functionality.  Instead, they ask "Why?"  Are you interested in Paperly because you love stationery?  Or is it because you want to earn additional income?  Or maybe it's because you crave creative fun?

Knowing your "Why" (and that of possible team members) provides the clarity you need to grow your Paperly business.

This second commercial depicts a blind man begging for money and a kind woman helping him in an unsual way.

I love this video because it shares the "Power of the Message". As the final panel says, "Change your words. Change your world." No matter what your cause, without the proper message, you will be overlooked.

Think about the message you use to promote your business. Are you too "me" focused?  Are you saying, "I'm blind... help me"? Instead, should you be saying, "I have a something special I want to share with you"?

We often talk at Paperly about your "30-second commercial". Basically, the 30-second commercial is how you explain you and your business in 30 seconds or less to a complete stranger.  If you don't have a 30-second commercial, you need one.  And if you have one, I highly recommend you review you message. Please make sure it's about the "beautiful day" you wish to share, and not about "your being blind".

I'd love to hear your thoughts. What commercials or videos do you love because they convey an important message to you?

Thanks,
Jay Rudman, CEO, Paperly

What is Direct Selling?

You have to watch this video titled, "What is Direct Selling?" put together by the Direct Selling Education Foundation.  I love the video's key themes including:

• Direct selling is the freedom to run your own business
• Direct selling is about defining success on your own terms
• Direct selling is being passionate in what you do
• Direct selling requires trust & integrity (Paperly is proud to be a member of the Direct Selling Association, meaning it abides by its Code of Ethics.)
• Most importantly, direct selling is about having fun!

I am proud to say Paperly is everything described in this video... and more.

Please feel free to share this video with anyone who is thinking about becoming a direct seller. You just might positively change her/his life forever.

Regards,
Jay Rudman, CEO * Co-Owner, Paperly

Paperly is Different... and Better!

On occasion, I hear from potential Consultants, "I'm considering a few companies. What makes Paperly different?" Fortunately, the answer is easy.

While there are many direct sellers that focus on everything from bags to jewelry, Paperly is the leading direct seller of personalized stationery. Being the leader means having the widest assortment of products, the best-in-class technology, a lucrative commission & career plan, a supportive training process and exceptionally strong marketing materials (e.g. catalogs, loose samples, etc.).

Further validating Paperly’s #1 standing is its membership in the exclusive Direct Selling Association (DSA.org). As DSA’s President, Neil Offen, has said, "The members of the Direct Selling Association pride themselves in their commitment to the highest standards in business ethics." No other direct seller that focuses exclusively on personalized stationery can make that claim.

Additionally, and this point should not be underestimated, Paperly’s designs are exclusive. Without exclusive designs, there are few compelling reasons to purchase products from you versus elsewhere. Paperly’s exclusive designs also enable it to keep its retail price as low as possible, since it does not need to pass along licensing fees or royalties.

Lastly, Paperly drop-ships personalized orders directly to customers. Therefore, Consultants do not need to hold inventory. That’s a big deal! Inventory is YOUR money tied-up in unsold products. That’s why some companies need to pay an outlandish commission. Basically, they’re trading the promise of a high, yet uncertain commission for your upfront purchase of inventory. Personally, that’s not a deal I’d want to make as a distributor.

All that said, there truly is no comparison. If you want to be a part of the leading direct seller of stationery, then Paperly is your best option.

Regards, Jay Rudman, CEO * Co-Owner, Paperly

The Most Common Gripe

Unlike any other industry I’ve ever been a part of, the direct selling industry is extremely open.  For example, in most industries, if you walked up to Competitor XYZ and asked, “How do you reward your consultants?” the question would be met with stunned silence.  Oppositely, in direct selling, the competitors share.  That same company would say, “Our rewards include A, B and C.  How about your company?”  And I would gladly share Paperly’s program (within reason, of course).

Over time, I have concluded that such openness is caused by, what I’ll affectionately call, “The My Sister-in-Law Can Find Out Syndrome”.  I’ve named it after my sister-in-law, because she’s the one that can call Competitor XYZ and say, “Hello, I’m interested in becoming a consultant for your company.  Can you tell me how you reward your consultants?”  Voila!  It’s that easy!  And because it’s so easy, direct selling companies do not try to hide much.

So where am I headed with all of this?  Well, I’ve spent a decent amount of time talking to other direct sellers – not just folks at headquarters, but consultants in the field.  The consultants, in particular, are amazing!  They are truly passionate about the products they sell, and they have so many incredible ideas as to how to grow their respective businesses.

Yet, the one gripe I’ve heard most consistently – regardless if the consultant is selling jewelry, cosmetics or kitchen products – is:

“I wish I had gotten involved from the beginning!”

All these consultants appreciate the growth, the income and the prestige tied to being one of the first.  They’re often frustrated by the oversaturation in their community.  In short, they wish they had started before all their neighbors were consultants too.

And that’s the point of this entry!  Paperly is climbing the hill towards what I hope to be amazing success.  Therefore, if you truly are passionate about Paperly’s products, then I implore you to join Paperly sooner than later.  I’d hate to meet you 10 years from now and hear you say, “I wish I had joined

Paperly when I first heard about it!”

Regards,

Jay Rudman, CEO * Co-Owner, Paperly