In 100 Words: The Most Crucial Step to Regain Success

Source: World of Direct Selling

The pandemic brought a wave of optimism to the direct selling industry, with numerous performance indicators suggesting a promising future. However, these high expectations have not fully materialized. Although the following chart does not capture the entire industry, it provides a general overview of the current landscape.

Despite the challenges, I firmly believe in the resilience of this business model, which has proven its strength time and again. Nevertheless, for direct sales companies to thrive in the post-pandemic era, significant changes are necessary.

To explore this, I posed a question to a panel of industry leaders: “If a direct selling company sought your advice on the most crucial step to take to regain its former success, what would you recommend and why?”

This article compiles their insights on the essential strategies companies should adopt to regain and surpass their previous achievements.

Robert Cavitt, CEO of Jenkon

“Ultimately, our world starts and stops with end consumers. The marketplaces of 2025, and beyond, mandate standing-out amongst the digital noise bombarding retail customers. The answer is developing value-added relationships with your consumers. Place special emphasis on creating a sense of community, ideally including common causes. Everyone is an influencer in their lives. Some reach more than others. But all customers are vital links, and unique connections, to new consumers in today’s digital world. Leveraging ‘shareable’ marketing content about your products and related corporate philanthropy, combined with simple, understandable reward programs, will ‘right your ship’ and create long-term stability.”

Mike Christensen, Vice President of Sales of InfoTrax

“To regain its former success, a direct selling company should embrace the Buy vs Build technology systems methodology for its speed, cost efficiency, and flexibility. Buying pre-built technology allows rapid deployment, reducing time to market and enabling swift adaptation to changes. It is cost-effective, avoiding the high expenses of in-house development and ongoing maintenance. Pre-built solutions offer advanced features and scalability, crucial for handling business growth. Additionally, this approach allows the company to focus on core business activities, leveraging vendor expertise for support and security. By minimizing risks and ensuring access to cutting-edge technology, the company can enhance operational efficiency and competitiveness

George Elfond, Co-Founder and CEO of Rallyware

“To thrive in 2025, direct selling companies must harness digital tools for growth and scalability. Fragmented tech platforms waste opportunities and drag down distributor efficiency. I’ve seen firsthand how a strategic digital transformation can turn things around. By unifying systems, companies can provide real-time insights that drive informed decisions and positive behavioral shifts. Effective data use tailors strategies, enhances customer engagement, and enables agile market responses. Centralizing digital experiences isn’t just a tech upgrade—it’s about empowering your distributors and gaining a competitive edge. A unified digital ecosystem is the cornerstone of sustained success in our fast-evolving industry.”

Tamuna Gabilaia, Executive Director and COO of the WFDSA (World Federation of Direct Selling Associations)

“In today’s fast-paced competitive environment, where new things come up every day and everyone is chasing the same customers, the key to success is flexibility and adaptability. Using the latest technologies and always focusing on customers is crucial—they’re the heart of every business. Companies need to continuously innovate, personalize their approach, and stay responsive to customers’ changing needs. Direct selling is unique because we embrace technology while maintaining a personal touch with customers. This human connection builds trust and loyalty, creating strong relationships that keep customers coming back. However, I want to emphasize that being adaptable and quick to implement necessary changes is essential for thriving today.”

Marios Iacovou, CEO of Filuet

“In today’s world, it is crucial to rely on experts to stay relevant. Direct selling companies should focus on what they do best: offering great products, marketing, and compensation plans. Traditionally, outsourcing was most common in manufacturing. However, to achieve growth now, outsourcing international expansion, operations, and technological solutions is essential. Given the new reality of geopolitical complexity, the rapid evolution of localized technological solutions, and excessive compliance requirements, direct sellers can no longer rely solely on in-house expertise to expand into new and lucrative markets. Outsourcing should be adopted as a strategic approach, not just a remedy.”

Daniel Jensen, President of Dan Jensen Consulting

“In my 45 years advising hundreds of companies, I have found that the key to regaining success lies in understanding the root causes of the challenges affecting you today. If you feel ill, the first step to treatment is always the diagnosis by a competent doctor. I recommend finding a competent professional with extensive industry experience outside your organization to help you assess the underlying causes and recommend specific solutions to gain momentum again. Internal professionals are sometimes unable to see the real issues in play.”

Jay Leisner, President of Sylvina Consulting

“Former success is in the past. New success requires adapting to a new reality. Your business needs to change to grow.  Growth comes from increases in the counts of both reps and customers and increases in the lifetime value of both reps and customers. In the USA, there is less demand today for network marketing opportunities, so your growth will come from increases in the number of customers and the lifetime value of customers. Compensation plan changes and introducing a super affiliate opportunity may help, but focusing on product differentiation and increasing lifetime customer value are equally important. We can help you in all areas.”

Brian Palmer, CEO of Think Box

“The most crucial step for a direct selling company to regain its former success is to refocus on the customer technology experience. This involves not only enhancing the quality and value of the technology but also ensuring exceptional service and support. Engaging with customers through personalized interactions and leveraging technology to streamline processes can rebuild trust and loyalty. By prioritizing the customer journey, companies can foster lasting relationships and drive sustainable growth.”

“The direct selling company that embraces customer experience, digital transformation, and personal branding for sellers will dominate.  Happy customers pay the bills because they say nice things about you, bring their friends, and return often.  The right digital tools enhance the experience, streamline operations, and provide critical insights into behaviors and sentiment. Add the secret ingredient of personal brand training that helps sellers be truly relatable and authentic, and you have the new recipe for creating new momentum, regaining success, and sleeping better with less regulatory risk on your mind.”