It’s easy for workers who have recently been laid off to quickly get discouraged, especially when faced with dismal economic news and grim job prospects.  While traditional office jobs may be difficult to snag, there are many inspiring, nontraditional ways to stay afloat until the economy settles down.  The folks at Shure Pets, a company that sells pet products, kindly alerted me to the prospect of direct selling.  In the last couple of years, the direct selling industry has expanded far beyond the Avon lady.

Says Founder Andrew Shure:  “Direct selling is a great way to earn a living, supplement a truncated income, or even keep occupied and on the ball while looking for another position in your desired field.  It prevents gaps on your resume and provides useful sales and networking experience.  It’s an opportunity for you to be your own boss and work flexible hours, and many direct selling consultants also enjoy the social aspect of the work.”

If you're interested in finding a direct selling organization to be a part of, the best place to start is the Direct Selling Association's website.  There, you can find a list of direct sellers of everything from jewelry to gourmet foods to tupperware to pupperware.  If you're unsure about whether or not direct selling would be a good fit for you, DirectSelling411.com can tell you what skills you need, how to evaluate a company and more.  They have a section "For Sellers" that will help you evaluate your strengths and weigh the benefits before entering into a direct selling endeavor.  Note that it’s important to like the products you’re selling, and find a company that can give you a solid support system for a fast, smooth start.

Worried that you don’t have a large enough network to be successful at direct selling?  Shure Pets advises consultants to start by making a list of everyone in their network, and then asking each of those people for three additional people.  Soon, they have a solid customer base to start making sales and booking parties.

When I was little, my mother sold vitamins.  She was pretty good at it, and it ended up being the most profitable career of her life.