What Is Direct Selling?

Direct selling is a method of product and service distribution that involves an estimated 59 million people worldwide.  It is defined by the Direct Selling Association as “the sale of a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed retail location, marketed through independent sales representatives.”  Customers can purchase just about any product or service through direct selling including beauty products, phone services and nutritional supplements, all of which FHTM offers.  FHTM employs the direct selling distribution method because direct selling emphasizes the relationships our Independent Representatives are able to build. In turn, this creates a more customer-centric business.

You may have also heard the term multilevel marketing (MLM).  MLM is not a type of company or industry.  Rather, MLM is a type of compensation plan found in the direct selling industry.  Instead of using a single-level compensation plan, FHTM utilizes a multilevel marketing compensation plan. This allows compensation to be based on a Representative’s product and service sales, as well as the sales made by a Representative’s downline.   This helps FHTM to encourage Representatives to build a business, while still placing an emphasis on product and service sales.

Within the direct selling industry you will often hear the terms "downline" and "upline."  A downline is comprised of the people a Representative has enrolled in the business, as well as the Representatives they sponsor.  An upline is comprised of the Representatives who have enrolled prior to the new Representative’s enrollment. This includes a Representative’s sponsor.  At FHTM, the earning potential of a Representative is never dictated by who introduced the opportunity to them or by where that person falls in an upline or downline.  An FHTM Representative’s earning potential and success depends upon and requires successful sales efforts, hard work, leadership and teamwork.  To that end, by outperforming other Representatives, a new FHTM Representative has the opportunity to earn more than others who have been a part of FHTM longer.

Head to The Reel FHTM to watch a video that gives a brief overview of the direct selling industry.