I sell Avon door-to-door. Many of my customers work during the day, and with two young boys at home, I can't always make my rounds in the evening when folks are at home. Since sales have been slow lately, I decided to get a little crazy with my brochure distribution efforts. Every Avon Representative I know drops her brochures in the same places I do - schools, the senior center, nail salons. I decided I needed to get creative, get colorful, so that my brochures will stand out from the crowd.

Here are three inexpensive ways I came up with to bring some attention to my Avon business this week:

1. I recorded a funny and informative advertisement with sound effects (courtesy of my boys) for my three favorite Avon products. I burned the ad on a CD along with several recordings of my favorite Avon Adventures stories. I handed copies of this CD to the two nursing homes in home town, as well as the Senior Center.

Many seniors have trouble with their vision and can't read the tiny print in the brochures. I made the brochure come to life with music and jokes! I already received several decent orders due to the CD and I just handed them out yesterday.

2. I bought two dozen helium balloons in primary colors at the party store, a cost of eight dollars total. I delivered two balloons and a brochure stuffed with samples and trial sizes of Skin So Soft, Avon bubblebath, and cheerful lipstick. I handed these out at every Day Care center in town. The caregivers LOVED the balloons - they added a splash of whimsy to another routine day. Again, I received several nice orders since I distributed these earlier in the week.

3. I ripped out a page featuring lipstick in the latest Avon brochure. I folded it into an origami swan, and tucked a lipstick sample between its wings. I left them sitting on top of my brochure, on the stoops of people not at home when I came to call. I received two calls last night from customers who called to say how "darling" the creatures were, and that they would be making a list of items to order.

I realized this morning that I let my business get stale, expected people to open a random book and order. It just doesn't work that way. You need to make a personal connection, to let your potential customer hear your voice, see the work of your hands, feel the colors that dance through your mind.