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Technology Award



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Technology Innovation

General Criteria:
Successful entries in this category will demonstrate excellence in the innovative use of salesforce-enabling technology.

2012 Category Winner:
Mary Kay Inc. | Mobile Virtual Makeover

Subcategories:

Mobile Technology:
Mary Kay Inc. | Mobile Virtual Makeover
The launch of Mary Kay’s first global mobile app aims to increase brand visibility, provide online/offline access to the brand for consultants and consumers, create mobile convenience and perform as a selling/viral/recruiting tool. Mary Kay’s goal was to leverage the global proliferation of mobile adoption and increase visibility of its products and brand by creating a simple, on-the-go selling tool that would allow consumers to virtually “try before they buy” and shop with their Mary Kay independent beauty consultants. The app’s purpose is to excite new customers to play with Mary Kay color and receive a personalized experience anywhere, any time. This Virtual Makeover game app will help reach Gen-X and -Y consumers and encourage potential team members to join Mary Kay. It also promotes viral word-of-mouth by enabling consumers and consultants to share makeovers all around the world, as well as create opportunities for global consultants to deliver best-in-class customer service to customers at every business touch point.
Back Office/Business Support:
21Ten | Back Office Reports
With an increasing proportion of direct selling being done online, the industry must continue to evolve technologically and provide distributors with tools to excel. Building a successful network marketing business is impossible without distributors knowing—on a daily, weekly and monthly basis—how they and their downlines are doing. Aside from the standard reports every direct selling company has, 21Ten’s Life Shotz technical team set their minds to make sure distributors were spending less time looking at reports and more time prospecting. They came up with some innovative and extremely resourceful tools for the back-office of distributors that allowed this to happen. The new Custom Downline is the ultimate in reports—it’s a totally customizable report that allows distributors to pick and choose what they want to see or analyze with more than 19 different options. This report also allows distributors to send targeted emails based on the same criteria. They also designed two 12-month profile and recruiting reports that allow distributors to see each month, at a glance, their organizational and recruiting trends.
Customer Sales Support:
Team Beachbody | Four Pillars of Coach Support
Explosive growth at Team Beachbody has required the Coach Relations team to leverage technology to enable the sales field to succeed. Sales and coach sign-ups for the company are up more than 70 percent in 2012 as attractive marketing campaigns like Beachbody Challenge Packs gain tremendous momentum. Significant productivity gains were realized last year when Coach Relations launched the Four Pillars of Coach Support, a series of four innovative technology projects designed to give coaches the information and tools needed to achieve their goals. The four pillars are: a searchable, dynamic knowledge base for consistent and accurate answers; the launch of a tech support group with a streamlined process to answer coaches’ tech questions and collect pertinent information; creation of a social media monitoring group which posts, within an hour, replies to questions posted to headquarters; and the roll-out of online chat for coaches to have immediate support while in the online office. As a result, coach sign-up and sales volumes are increasing and contact hold times are decreasing. By leveraging technology with four new tools to enable coaches to continue to grow the opportunity, Team Beachbody is now positioned to achieve CEO Carl Daikeler’s vision of 1 million coaches passionately spreading the word to end the trend of obesity in this country.

Past Recipients:

2011 Mary Kay Inc.
Mary Kay Inc. was selected as the recipient of the 2011 award by a live audience poll during one of the Annual Meeting general sessions. For the marketing of their new line of Mary Kay TimeWise foundation, Mary Kay utilized a line of business cards with two dimensional bar codes that linked directly to a video about the product. These cards were distributed to their independent sales directors and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Since their introduction, sales of cards have remained strong at more than 2,000 sets of cards being sold to date. Usage of the barcode has been tracked around the country and its usage shows a positive response to the introduction of this technology.
2010 Amway
Amway received the award for a robust application they created that is transforming the way Amway Global independent business owners (IBOs) recruit, sell and manage their businesses. The project team worked in phases to launch the first true business management application in the direct selling sector. During the first phase, Discover, market research revealed two opportunities. Inundated with business information, IBOs were seeking simplicity and convenience. Business professionals were adopting mobile devices rapidly. During Create, the second phase, the mobile business team worked with Apple’s lead application developers to put the power of the Amway Global business information, resources and connectivity onto the iPhone/iPod Touch. As they moved into the Educate phase, a stellar campaign integrating comprehensive training, videos, user guides and presentations was capped off by a launch event with 2,400 IBO leaders. Finally, during the Success phase and amid huge excitement, the application reached number four on the iTunes “top 25 business apps” list in December. With IBOs’ adoption and usage growing each month, it already accounts for seven percent of online business productivity inquiries.
2009 Oxyfresh.com
Oxyfresh’s information technology team and Web designers created a state-of-the-art “Money for Life” Web site designed to optimize the ability of field distributors to attract new business partners. This interactive recruitment system includes 13 presentations that can be customized and e-mailed to prospects. MoneyforLife.com also includes a prospect manager. With this functionality, distributors can easily manage their business contacts. MoneyforLife.com has increased traffic to Oxyfresh’s opportunity Web site by more than 500%, greatly enhancing business-building efforts for their entire field of distributors.

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Product Innovation

 

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Product Innovation

General Criteria:
Successful entries will showcase a new product or service introduced to the marketplace in 2011 that sets a high standard
of excellence and innovation.

2012 Category Winner:
Rodan + Fields Dermatologists | Rodan + Fields®
ANTI-AGE Lip Renewing Serum and AMP MD™ Roller

Subcategories:

Home Décor/Durables/Home Care:
Paperly | Personalized Cutting Board
Paperly’s personalized cutting boards exemplify the hyper-customization of the company’s product line. Customers can choose from 41 design/color combinations, 20 accent colors and 19 fonts. When mixed and matched, the final product truly reflects the customer’s unique personality. Made of tempered glass and measuring 11.75” in diameter, Paperly’s cutting board is the perfect serving piece, kitchen decoration or personalized gift. Best of all, Paperly can typically produce these boards in three to five business days, an incredibly quick turn-around for a custom product. Since its launch, Paperly’s cutting boards have risen to be the company’s second-most popular product, accounting for 4.3 percent of Paperly’s unit volume and 5.4 percent of its revenue. To the best of Paperly’s knowledge, no other direct selling company is offering personalized cutting boards, let alone ones that are completely customizable (i.e. designs, colors and fonts). Paperly believes its personalized cutting board will forever change the home décor/durables market.
Personal Care:
Rodan + Fields Dermatologists | Rodan + Fields® ANTI-AGE Lip Renewing Serum and AMP MD™ Roller
In October 2010, Rodan + Fields Dermatologists introduced the patent-pending AMP MD™ Roller. Constructed of surgical-grade, stainless steel micro-needles, AMP MDTM safely conditions the uppermost layers of the skin, allowing for maximum anti-aging benefits. By leveraging the direct selling model, Rodan + Fields was able to bring this dermatologist-office-only technology out of obscurity and into the spotlight, resulting in record-breaking sales. In September 2011, Rodan + Fields extended the skincare benefits and business potential of AMP MDTM by launching ANTI-AGE Lip Renewing Serum to be used in conjunction with the AMP MDTM Roller.
Wellness:
XANGO, LLC | FAVAO by XANGO
Thousands of weight loss products exist in the market, sometimes with little differentiation. FAVAO by XANGO is different. FAVAO is not solely focused on weight loss and is not a fad diet or magic bullet. It is a total lifestyle reset program aimed at reversing lifelong habits, enabling an active lifestyle and providing a community support system to help people achieve lasting change. FAVAO’s focus is helping people live longer, happier and more productive lives. In developing FAVAO, XANGO has built on its foundation of innovation within the wellness arena as the category creator of mangosteen-based products. FAVAO believes that as people eat healthy foods and increase physical activity, they also gain emotional and social strength and positively impact their families, friends and communities. Backed by science and supported by licensed nutritionists and certified trainers, FAVAO combines natural supplements that include mangosteen with daily meal plans that are simple to prepare and easy to follow. Daily exercise regimens can be done at home, in the office or at the gym and are scaled to fit anyone’s current fitness level. The results are sustainable lifestyle changes that lead many consumers to achieve previously out-of-reach weight loss, muscle gain and improved living.

Excellence in Salesforce Development Award

 

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Excellence in Salesforce Development

General Criteria:
Successful entries in this category will describe a specific program or tool that empowered or motivated the salesforce to succeed.

2012 Category Winner:
Scentsy | Spring Sprint

Subcategories:

Business Tools:
Signature HomeStyles | Quick Reference
How do you disseminate information to the casual seller who may work just a few times a month? How do you get important information to customers who have just purchased your products? How do you create tools that will be embraced by seasoned sellers with established sales patterns, as well as the next generation that thrives on fast and easy? Signature HomeStyles developed a Quick Reference using QR codes to address these issues. A laminated sheet with QR codes is available to all representatives and, accessed with a smart phone, information is available everywhere they go. Casual sellers and new representatives can use the guide to refresh themselves about product information before a show and codes can be accessed to provide ideas, benefits and tips to customers. Representatives can also use the information to educate customers who have just purchased an item from a specific product category. For example, if a customer has purchased a candle, the representative can have the customer access the QR code for candles to get information on burn times, safety tips and pictures with decorative uses. The QR code allows Signature HomeStyles to disseminate consistent information, as well as more details than can be included in the catalog.
Business Training:
Scentsy | Spring Sprint
Scentsy’s ever-expanding network of more than 170,000 independent consultants poses a monumental training challenge. The majority of the company’s consultants live in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and Scentsy needed a way to reach them in person, en masse, to provide the motivational and training tools that keep them invested in their businesses. The solution? Spring Sprint, an intense traveling event that spans 26 carefully selected cities. In 2012, Spring Sprint reached 22,700 consultants—10,100 more than during the inaugural Spring Sprint in 2011. Spring Sprint has led to a network of connections across the country, allowing Scentsy home office staff to interact one-on-one with consultants, giving consultants a chance to meet each other and attracting new recruits while strengthening existing businesses.
Incentive Programs:
21Ten | 10-Day Challenge
21Ten’s Life Shotz marketing team set out to create a marketing campaign that was simple, easy to promote and would get people excited to participate. The goal was to create something that would be a win-win for both distributors and consumers. They came up with the 10-Day Challenge—an innovative way to give customers what they wanted and help distributors build rapport with customers, develop a relationship and allow for easy follow-up opportunities. They found 99 percent of people feel the results of Life Shotz in 10 days or less. This amount of time was perfect for an incentive program challenge: 10 days isn’t too short, isn’t too long and allows for people to easily see the differences the product makes on their minds and bodies. The steps are easy: the consumer or prospect simply buys a box and drinks it for 10 straight days. Then they provide their results at LifeShotz.com. After taking the 10-Day Challenge and submitting a testimonial, both the consumer and his/her sponsor are entered in a monthly drawing to win an iPad. For distributors, if their consumers win an iPad, they win an iPad, too.
Personal Development/Motivation:
Initials, Inc. | Boot Camp—Operation: MORE
How do you propel a growing salesforce into a hyper-growth salesforce, especially during one of the slowest seasons of the year? The answer for Initials, Inc., was the first-ever Boot Camp—Operation: MORE! This 12-week, intense, personal and professional program was implemented in early April 2011 and wrapped up just in time for National Conference recognition. At the core of the program was a high level of personal accountability that was the result of weekly personal challenges and tasks that had to be completed and verified in order to be invited back for each consecutive week. Initials, Inc., discovered not only amazing company results, but also unprecedented personal development results for their independent creative partners nationwide. They were stretching out of their comfort zones, discovering new things about themselves, conquering the challenges, and—just as in real boot camp—were cheering each other on every step of the way. Boot Camp—Operation: MORE! was a strong catalyst for the company’s remarkable 300 percent growth in its leadership team and an overall 113 percent growth in new creative partner enrollments for 2011.
Recognition:
4Life Research | My4LifeSuccess Recognition Portal
In January 2011, 4Life launched a digital strategy to reinvent distributor recognition with the direct selling industry’s first-ever bilingual recognition portal with real time content: My4LifeSuccess.com. No models, no canned content, no clip-art or paid-for images and no delay. Just the stories, accolades, images and videos of actual distributors and their real successes for the purposes of recognition and business-building. 4Life’s new recognition portal is public, not private. This gives it a very unique position within the industry. Typically, recognition resources are ensconced by firewalls and password-protected back-offices. 4Life chose to place its recognition of distributors on stage as a public domain and premier source of credibility.

Past Recipients:

2011 Rodan + Fields
In the summer of 2010, Rodan + Fields launched the Atlanta Project after realizing Georgia was one of their “top sponsoring states,” but the independent consultants were not advancing up the compensation plan and their desired new leadership was not emerging. Their three-module program saw increasing attendance as well as a 300 percent sales growth in the months following the workshops. Following the success of the Atlanta Project, Rodan + Fields is executing similar programs in three new markets: San Francisco, Denver and Dallas/Austin.
2010 Rodan + Fields
In October 2009 Rodan + Fields® unveiled the Pulse Business Management Suite, the company’s state-of-the-art Customer Relationship Management System. As they developed Pulse, a key goal was increasing consultant retention. Rodan + Fields believes a key contributor to retention is what happens in the first 48 hours after a person enrolls as a consultant. To leverage the enthusiasm of a new recruit, they created the Pulse Wizard, a series of eight simple steps designed to quickly integrate consultants into the Rodan + Fields business system and get their businesses off to a fast start.
2009 Mary Kay Inc.
In an effort to provide the Mary Kay independent salesforce with current, effective, convenient and exciting education, the company launched the first in a series of Satellite Education Events earlier this year. The live broadcast provided distributors with educational lessons that could be immediately applied to their businesses, and aired simultaneously to more than 26,000 people in more than 150 movie theaters around the United States. Focusing on helping representatives become competitive in a tough economic environment, as well as spring 2009 fashion and cosmetics trends, this event generated tremendous excitement within the field salesforce and the majority of attendees indicated they would attend future Satellite Events.

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Vision for Tomorrow

 

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Vision for Tomorrow

General Criteria:
Successful entries will illustrate how a specific project or program made an impact beyond the bottom line.

2012 Category Winner:
The Pampered Chef | Round-Up from the Heart

Subcategories:

Philanthropy:
The Pampered Chef | Round-Up from the Heart
When edu-tainment leaders like The Pampered Chef and The Learning Channel (TLC) team up, big things happen. The two brands came together with a common goal—raising awareness and funds for Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. Their six-month integrated cause marketing campaign resulted in 25.9 million media impressions for the cause and nearly 1.3 million meals for the nation’s hungry. Through its Round-Up from the Heart program, The Pampered Chef partnered with TLC’s well-known personalities to create The Pampered Chef Cookbook for a Cause, Volume 2, featuring recipes from the stars of Cake Boss, Say Yes to the Dress, DC Cupcakes, What Not To Wear and more. For every cookbook purchased, The Pampered Chef contributed $1 to Feeding America, resulting in a donation of more than $160,000, in addition to the more than $1 million contributed by The Pampered Chef annually. The partnership was created as a marketing asset exchange, leveraging the company’s salesforce of 60,000 brand ambassadors and TLC’s loyal viewing audience. This integrated cause marketing plan included public relations, traditional, interactive and social media, along with direct selling incentive and recognition strategies.
Public Affairs:
Mary Kay Inc. | Lobbying for Good
Since the 1980s, Mary Kay Inc. and members of its independent salesforce have been “Lobbying for Good.” Congress and state legislatures have been lobbied on issues including insurance coverage of mammograms for women, the Violence Against Women Act and, most recently, legislation supporting funding for domestic violence prevention and education programs. The company invites independent salesforce members to join in an advocacy day where, alongside corporate representatives and domestic violence advocates in the state, their collective voices can be heard. Independent salesforce members speak with their legislators about the issues, ask for their support and move the needle for domestic violence survivors. From California to Pennsylvania, from Georgia to Tennessee, in Oklahoma and Texas, and from Beacon Hill in Boston to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Mary Kay is Lobbying for Good and painting the country pink.
Public Awareness:
Mary Kay Inc. | Inspiring Stories
Mary Kay has been a trusted leader in beauty for nearly 50 years, creating innovative products that are available through independent beauty consultants worldwide. The company teamed up with Dreaming Tree Films to develop a unique and engaging program that harnessed the creativity of young women to produce three documentary short films that focused on inspiring stories of women who have survived domestic violence. This program matched the Mary Kay values and allowed young women to connect, collaborate, be mentored and inspired by other women and empowered them to reach for their dreams and believe in the beauty and power of their voices, their ideas and what’s inside themselves.

Marketing and Sales Campaigns

 

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Marketing & Sales Campaigns

General Criteria:
Successful entries will demonstrate excellence, creativity and innovation in effective outreach to key audiences.

2012 Category Winner:
Rodan + Fields Dermatologist | Age-O-Meter

Subcategories:

Launches:
Morinda Bioactives | Bioactive Beverage Launch
In 2010, Tahitian Noni International (which became Morinda Bioactives in April) re-launched their company and products by creating a new industry to separate themselves from other “superfruit” companies. This re-launch included a new logo, new packaging, new science, new products and 14 human clinicals proving the efficacy of their product. Just one month after the announcement of their new line of bioactive beverages, sales around the world increased dramatically. Sales in North America skyrocketed, and double-digit growth was common around the world, with some markets hitting more than 40 percent growth. Excitement for the new bioactive beverages has been tremendous. Business-builder enrollments are up, new customer sign-ups are up and sales of business packs are higher than ever. There were as many sign-ups in March 2010 as in the three previous months combined. But it wasn’t just sales that were up. Autoship enrollments were up 28 percent, as well as commission checks being paid out to distributors. When compared to February 2010, the company sent out more checks every single week and in increased dollar amounts. The launch of the Bioactive Beverages has been a rewarding and amazing success.
Promotions:
Rodan + Fields Dermatologists | Skinapalooza
& Skintervention Tours
In 2011 Rodan + Fields Dermatologists introduced Skinapalooza and Skintervention, skincare tours held in July and December, respectively. The tours offered insider skincare tips and information from Drs. Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields on having the best skin of their lives. These events offered guests a business-free zone to learn about the company and engage with consultants. Furthermore, the tours kept consultant engagement high in traditionally “off” months and led to customer, consultant and sales growth during that time.
Social Media/Online:
Rodan + Fields Dermatologists | Age-O-Meter
The Rodan + Fields Age-O-Meter is a viral Facebook application that helps Rodan + Fields consultants leverage the power of social media to enhance prospecting efforts and promote its AMP MDTM system. Since its launch in 2011, the Age-O-Meter has received more than 100,000 hits and Rodan + Fields has experienced tremendous business growth.

Rising Star Award

 

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Rising Star

General Criteria:
The Rising Star Award is designed to recognize up-and-coming direct selling companies that have dedicated themselves to achieving a high standard of excellence in business operations.

2012 Category Winner: Viridian Energy

2012 Finalists:

Simply Said LLC
Simply Said launched as a direct selling company in October 2008 by Brad and Michelle Leuthold, in the basement of their home, with
limited funds and even less industry knowledge. Their passion for making a difference in the lives of others and their dedication to staying true to the four Simply Said core values—authenticity, abundance, appreciation and strong work ethic—has helped the company grow consistently in strength and size. From its humble beginnings in the basement of the Leuthold’s home, Simply Said has outgrown its headquarters each year since its founding and is currently in the process of yet another move to a facility that is triple its current size. Through the four Simply Said core values, the company has shaped its foundation into one that empowers its independent consultants and helps everyone that is touched by Simply Said live better lives. The Simply Said story is a reflection of this incredible industry and Simply Said is proud and honored to be part of DSA.
Viridian Energy
Through unique product innovation, commitment to sustainability and a complementary relationship with word-of-mouth marketing, Viridian Energy has made its mark in the direct selling industry, achieving more than $200 million in annual sales in only three short years. Since launching its affordable green energy in Connecticut in the Fall of 2009, the company has grown to more than 180,000 customers and 18,000 associates in six states. Viridian was the first to offer an electricity plan that was greener and more affordable than the utility companies’, allowing consumers to do something better for the environment without changing their behavior or paying more. Since many consumers in newly deregulated states were hesitant to choose a supplier based on traditional advertising, word-of-mouth marketing based on trusted, existing relationships was the perfect channel to sell the product. These conditions, along with a steadfast commitment to supporting its dedicated salesforce, have positioned Viridian for explosive and sustained growth. As more consumers realize the benefits of energy choice and renewable energy, the potential for growth is limitless.
YOR Health
On the surface, YOR Health is a company that sells dietary supplements, but in reality YOR Health is a movement unlike anything before it—a movement characterized by passionate individuals who are discovering there is more to exceptional health than being in shape. It’s about the happiness, peak awareness and celebration that comes with feeling satisfied with your life, from being able to spend quality time with loved ones and enjoying fulfilling workdays to feeling good about who you are, what you do and how you look. The company’s product marketing platform is based on enzymes and enzymes represent transformation. They apply this core principle of transformation throughout the company on many different levels. Its infrastructure is built to be light and flexible, and its systems have been designed to transform and expand in order to support and sustain substantial growth. More importantly, at a time when the world is facing a global financial crisis, they train and encourage independent representatives to become or embody the change they wish to see in the world. This resilient and altruistic outlook fuels the fire of determination that defines the passionate individuals that make up YOR Health, and
it is central to its success.

Past Recipients:

2011 Team Beachbody
Team Beachbody recognized early on that the best means of promotion was not television infomercials or ads, but instead Beachbody customers themselves. Recognizing this, the Team Beachbody Coaching Network was launched. The network gives customers the opportunity the start their independent business sharing the products they love. In one year, the program grew from 17,000 coaches to more than 50,000. Team Beachbody continues to grow in size and sales and continues to maintain high standards of ethics, philanthropy and customer service.
2010 Rodan + Fields
Rodan + Fields represents a paradigm shift in direct selling. Launched in 2002 by Stanford University-trained dermatologists Katie Rodan, M.D., and Kathy Fields, M.D., Rodan + Fields Dermatologists first established its equity as a leading clinical skincare brand in top-tier department stores. Despite its early success, the founders had a vision for changing lives beyond the benefits of the products. They recognized the unprecedented direct selling potential derived from the brand’s equity coupled with a huge market need. Pursuing this vision, the company embarked on a bold business transformation, withdrawing from department stores and launching a direct selling business model that enables passionate entrepreneurs to effectively compete with skincare industry giants. With integrity beyond reproach, products that exceed customers’ expectations and a commitment to community and marketplace values, Rodan + Fields Dermatologists strives to create an enduring legacy for its independent consultants, employees and the direct selling industry.
2009 Scentsy, Inc.
Scentsy is headquartered in Meridian, Idaho, and owned and operated by Orville and Heidi Thompson. Scentsy, Inc., opened its doors in 2004 with the idea of offering a safe, wickless alternative to burning candles in homes and offices. The company’s passion has grown from offering a safer alternative to offering a better alternative. Scentsy’s flagship product line is an array of decorative warmers that utilize a low-watt bulb to melt a fragrance-filled, wickless candle bar.

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Partnership Award

 

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Partnership

General Criteria:
The DSA Partnership Award recognizes Supplier Member companies that provide a product or service that has/had a measurable impact on the growth or development of an Active Member company or increases the profitability of a member. The judges are looking for a sustained relationship between the supplier and active members.

2012 Category Winner: Iacono Production Services, Inc.

Past Recipients:

2011 Harland Clarke
Harland Clarke received DSA’s Partnership Award for its work with a number of DSA member companies. Harland Clarke began its partnership with Mary Kay in 1994 with their branded personal check program. Their partnership grew to include an area known as MKConnections and includes business cards, stationary, and sales and business tools. In 2007, Harland Clarke took the lead on the project of the creation, development and maintenance for the new MKConnections site and completed the project flawlessly and on time. Most recently, Harland Clarke developed the MKConnections Prize Voucher program, which has had overwhelming success and, because of this, the program has been extended into 2012. Over the years, Harland Clarke has demonstrated their commitment to the success of Mary Kay’s consultants as well as their commitment to the industry.
2010 Grimes & Reese
Grimes & Reese is a boutique law firm dedicated to providing legal services to direct sellers. Because the firm only represents direct sellers, it is uniquely able to assist clients to achieve their business objectives while remaining in compliance with the law and adhering to industry best practices. The firm regularly represents and mentors clients ranging from small start-up operations to some of the largest in the industry. Grimes & Reese’s expertise in the industry is highlighted by the fact that in all of the major FTC pyramid scheme actions brought against direct sellers in the past decade the defendants have sought out their firm for representation. They have a truly unique understanding of legal expertise, marketing practices, compensation plan operation and industry ethics that enables them to provide legal services to direct sellers that other law firms simply cannot match.
2009 ServiceQuest
Supplier member ServiceQuest received DSA’s Partnership Award for its work with a number of DSA member companies. ServiceQuest is a distributor service consulting and training firm that has exclusively served the direct selling industry since 1988, providing distributor services at three levels: developing distributor service agents, supervisors and managers through mentoring and training; designing processes, scripts and work flow that create continuity and a quality experience for the distributor; and championing best practices that result in meaningful and memorable service experiences, contributing to distributor and consultant retention. The ServiceQuest program elevates the consultant and distributor service experience at all points of contact with direct selling companies, beginning with the distributor service front-line agents.
2008 Direct Selling News
Direct Selling News received DSAs Partnership Award for its work with a number of DSA member companies. Direct Selling News is a trade publication serving direct selling executives and suppliers, and strives to be a partner to the industry at large to help readers grow and manage their businesses. Each issue of Direct Selling News offers content on topics that shape the dynamics of our industry. Industry News features headlines from around the globe, including the latest legal and regulatory issues. Financial Report keeps busy executives up-to-date on the latest financial trends in direct selling. Working Smart covers the tactics and strategies that enable companies to meet industry challenges, improve efficiencies and achieve business objectives, and New Perspectives offers original content and insightful commentary from respected direct selling executives and industry consultants.
2007 Dan Jensen Consulting
Dan Jensen Consulting has helped many direct selling companies build winning compensation plans that result in long-term growth and retention. In many instances, their clients sales were falling, and with the assistance of Dan Jensen Consulting, sales and recruitment turned around significantly. The companys approach is simple: relying on industry experience, they teach clients to follow proven successful compensation incentive principles. They also teach executives to make critical decisions, building growth and removing obstacles that create poor sales and recruiting, and help each client leverage the power of direct selling. Having worked with hundreds of companies during his industry career, Dan Jensen is honored that his company makes a difference for his clients and their representatives.
2006 ZOOM.7 Genuine Meetings & Events
The team at ZOOM.7 has a 20-year track record of producing meetings and events all over the world. Their specialty is in presenting flawless shows featuring innovative product launches, high-energy presentations, engaging entertainment and inspirational recognition for top achievers. The professionals at ZOOM.7 combine a deep understanding of business objectives with extensive creative and technical expertise to rigorously respond to client requirements. Their well-tested process for organization and budgeting allows for a turnkey pricing policy that produces no surprises after the event. The results are highly effective meetings and events that bring their clients back year after year.
2005 B2 Direct
B2 Direct is an industry-leading direct marketing company providing high value solutions to its customers. The company provides field sales representatives with affordable and proven marketing tools to help them grow their business. Their experienced customer support, unsurpassed turnaround times, customized Web sites, creative services, and state-of-the-art production and fulfillment center gives the salesforce a true competitive advantage in the market. B2 Direct has developed turn-key customized solutions designed to provide an additional profit center for its partners, while ensuring brand compliance and standardization. At B2 Direct, they measure the success of their programs by the satisfaction of their customers.
2004 QuinStreet, Inc.
QuinStreet, Inc., is a leader in providing complete and cost-effective technology, business and marketing solutions to direct selling companies worldwide. With more than 250 professionals based in five offices worldwide, the company provides global solutions, services and support to more than 175 clients in the U.S., Europe and Asia. QuinStreet has extensive industry and technology expertise in direct selling, network marketing and party plan solutions. QuinStreets key offerings include order placement and management, commissions and genealogy management, online enrollment, global corporate Web sites and personalized Web sites, online marketing and design, E-commerce, and lead management. QuinStreet is a proud member of several DSA and DSEF councils and committees, and a continuous supporter of the direct selling industry. The company is headquartered in Foster City, California; QuinStreet Europe is headquartered in the United Kingdom; the Japan office will open in Summer 2004.
2003 ProPay USA
ProPay provides innovative payment solutions to both direct selling companies and their independent sales representatives. These services have led to increased sales and reduced cost for corporate and individual customers. ProPay enables customers to accept credit card payments without the traditional expense of special equipment, monthly fees or long-term commitments or contracts. ProPay makes accepting credit cards simple, safe and affordable. In addition to offering the ability to accept credit card payments, ProPay allows for movement of funds at a reduced cost in a payment intranet. This feature allows for the payment of commissions and wholesale purchases, all within the ProPay Network, at substantial savings. ProPay has recently enhanced its services with the addition of a MasterCard-branded stored-value card, further simplifying and reducing the costs associated with the movement of money. ProPays product offering, combined with exceptional customer support, has enabled it to develop and maintain relationships with many leading direct selling companies including AdvoCare, Creative Memories, Herbalife, Mary Kay, NuSkin, Oxyfresh, Tahitian Noni, TARRAH Cosmetics, Tastefully Simple and Unicity.
2002 SWJ-Southwest, Inc.
SWJ-Southwest, Inc., received DSA's Partnership Award for its work with a number of DSA member companies. The award honors supplier member companies whose work with direct selling companies has had a measurable impact on the growth or development of an active member company, or increases the profitability of a member. For nearly 30 years, SWJ-Southwest has been providing direct sellers with incentives and products that nurture field growth and stimulate sales. SWJ-Southwest carries both custom one-of-a-kind awards and unique ready-made motivational products to inspire leaders in the field. Custom-designed incentives signify recognition for jobs done well or goals reached. Led by company president Richard Janish, SWJ-Southwest has a long list of relationships with active member companies including The Pampered Chef, Ltd., The Homemaker's Idea Company, Discovery Toys, The Longaberger Company and many more.
2001 Richard Weylman, Inc.
Richard Weylman provides motivational messages and educational programs to direct sales companies. Orphaned at the age of 6, Richard has taken the negative and turned it into a positive. His career has taken him from door-to-door selling to developing several highly successful companies. Richard is a sought after speaker in the direct selling industry and was recommended for the Partnership Award by companies including Nutrition for Life, The Conklin Company, Rena-Ware International and Premier Designs. Richard regularly speaks on a number of topics including recruiting quality people, motivating and retaining a downline, prospecting effectively and expanding entrepreneurial vision.
2000 Wakefield Talabisco International
Wakefield Talabisco International is an executive search firm concentrating on senior level positions in select consumer organizations on a global basis. The firm has partnered with a number of DSA member companies including The Longaberger Company, Excel Communications, Inc., USANA, and Interstate Engineering.
1999 Cloward and Associates
Cloward and Associates, a DSA supplier member, won the 1999 DSA Partnership Award for its work in revitalizing the compensation systems for Shaklee, Country Peddlers, Tupperware and Watkins. President of the company, Doug Cloward, accepted the award.
1998 VideoPlus
VideoPlus won the 1998 Partnership Award for its work with Nikken and a host of other DSA member companies. VideoPlus' relationship with Nikken began in 1991, when Nikken turned to VideoPlus to help with video and audio production, duplication and delivery. After successfully handling this project, the two companies worked together again to use satellite technology to make Nikken's communications easily accessible to distributors throughout North America and Europe.
1997 Jenkon International
Jenkon International worked with Shaklee Corporation create a uniform and global computer system for tracking consultants' sales and earnings.
1996 Town & Country
Town & Country provides business cards, stationery and other sales tools to direct sales representatives and delivers orders within five business days, which allows them to begin their direct selling businesses quickly.
1995 The Dick Appelbaum Company
The Dick Appelbaum Company worked with six different direct selling companies and the Direct Selling Association to find the right solutions to particular problems.

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