Category: Rep spotlight

Hello. My name is Lori Paulsen from Worland, Wyoming! I have been an Alison’s Pantry Rep for about a year and a half. I love the convenience of the products and the quality. I enjoy going through my delivery and seeing all the interesting products my customers have ordered; I actually make a list of products I want to order after seeing them. I get a lot of help from my boyfriend and son; they do most of the heavy lifting and help with boxing orders! I couldn’t do this without them!

Our list of favorite items keeps growing; it’s hard to find just one thing. A few of our favorite items are: Bacon Wrapped Pork Fillets, Potato and Cheese Pierogies, Trident Alaskan Salmon Burgers, the wonderful soups (love how they taste like I spent hours making them), and the Potato Pearls. I try to order something new each month.

I try to keep an eye on items I know my customers have an interest in and let them know if quantity is getting low or if it’s going on closeout. I have a calendar I use as a helpful reminder for me to make contact with my customers about upcoming order deadline, highlight a special item or new products. I note when contact was made, what I highlighted and how I made contact. Helps me track so I don’t unnecessarily repeat information. When I first started, it was a little overwhelming but I couldn’t imagine not being a rep today.

Hi, our names are Melanie and Ty Bourne. We live in a little village called Clinton, Nebraska, population of about 26. We have Gordon to the East which is about 8 miles away, and Rushville to the West is about 6 miles away.  We have 2 children – Shelby (22) was just married in August and currently going to Nursing School and Ethan (10) is a 5th grader and active in baseball and football.

I have worked full time for 17 years as a cake decorator in Whiteclay, NE, which is by the Nebraska/South Dakota border by Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Natives buy cakes for funerals and sometimes I have over 20 cakes going to funerals. I draw Indian designs on cakes and then airbrush them. It keeps me on my toes, for sure, as there is a huge death rate on the reservation due to suicide, drug over-dose, or alcohol.

 

I am also very active in our community and the current Secretary of our local Cancer group called CARE. I am the treasurer and we hold different fundraising events during the year to raise money for our Sheridan county residents that have to travel outside our area for cancer treatments. CARE helps with food, motels, and gas for those suffering.

My husband, Ty, who is my rock, helps me in so many ways and supports me with Alison’s and CARE.  He is a custodian at Gordon Rushville High School.

I became an Alison’s Rep after seeing a catalog at my Dad’s house in Lusk, WY, and just got to wondering if it would “fly” in my area. After gallbladder surgery in February of 2016, I couldn’t do anything and was so bored at home by myself so I took the leap..and decided to give it a whirl..what did I have to lose out on? A few hours of paper work and maybe a few freezers that I could always sell? It has been almost 2 years now and we have loved doing this! (My Son Ethan fights me every truck day because he has school and wants to come help unload the truck❤️.) The people that have supported us in this adventure have been wonderful and I have met people in our community that I probably would have never spoken to.

Our favorite products are the flat iron steaks , bacon wrapped pork fillets, spices, egg rolls (amazing), and the #2 big buy bacon. The veggies we have tried are amazing as well, although we have a garden and a greenhouse and do tons of canning in the Summer months.

We have personally been struggling with orders since the online ordering took place. I have had some say they don’t like their credit card info out there, some that have said they don’t have a computer, some Moms that have said it takes so much more time and they don’t have time to sit down and order. But, I have a few customers that absolutely love it. I know we can’t please everyone, even in our everyday lives, but I think going back to Net 10 will help please a lot of Alison’s customers.  (Her #1 order was amazing with the Net 10 day payment option – $4,243.19!!)

Thanks so much to all of you for all of your help. Alison’s Pantry is a wonderful company!

My father instilled in his children that if a task has to be done, do it with a good attitude.  You can just imagine how well received his three children thought of that motto when we were young!  In my later years my sister-in-law enhanced the saying for me, “if it is not fun, I am not doing it!”  We all know that “tasks” and “fun” do not always go in the same sentence, but it is amazing how it makes life go so much smoother for me when I keep the two mottos in mind.

I was accepted as a “Wholesale Foods distributor” on October 2, 1996.  I tell everyone I may not be a good Alison’s Pantry representative but no one can say I am not consistent!  In those 21 years there have been many changes in my life, as well as the company.  No one can expect things, good or bad, to stay the same in their life, or in the life of the companies they work with.  From my beginning I worked and used my sales as a home based business.  It is important to keep good records/documentation to use for taxes, everything from mileage to order adjustments.  It is also important that you do not take advantage of the people you do business.  Pay your bills promptly just as you want your customers to pay you.  Keep in mind when you use your Alison’s Pantry sales as your own business it is your name on the line!

Like many of you I had ordered products from WSF, Pacific Foods, and/or Alison’s Pantry for some time, and then “our” representative quit.  I was the same, and when I used up all my inventory of the products I loved to use I was prompted to become a representative because “how was I going to prepare my favorite dishes without these products I had learned to rely on?”  Selling food for me was and is a perfect fit-I love to garden, cook, and share!

What are my favorite products?  Oh my, how long of list can I have?  I love the fast-food products for just that, but I mostly love the products I can use to scratch cook and bake.  Most used “what are we having for dinner” food: chicken tenders, and potatoes of all kinds.  Staples: all AP spices, gravy mixes and cream sauce that I use for everything from thickening my soups to flavor enhancers for casseroles and roasts.  On my order every month: pepper jack sticks.  Utensils: canning lids!  My husband’s most asked for product AP no longer offers: smoked rope!

I live in Musselshell, Montana, population of about 40, so you see my clientele is limited.  At different times I have covered a broad surrounding area but was happy to give up customers in Roundup and Custer to new representatives in those towns.  I still have loyal customers that I serve that will not order from someone new!  I use e-mail, snail mail, and phone calls to keep connected to my customers-we do not have cell service here so text and other messaging are out of my realm.  (And I hate to learn new things!)  Phone calls are what work best for my customers.  I think my customers like the time spent visiting, and if something is on sale I know they order regularly, they appreciate the reminder.

The largest block of time I spend on Alison’s Pantry is my order week.  When an order arrives I send out catalogs with orders and those without an order are mailed or hand delivered by me within a couple of days.  Each catalog is sent out with my “newsletter,” featuring everything from company changes to recipes; and most importantly, my early-bird order date and AP order dates!  The Monday before order day I e-mail my first reminder-if a customer ordered before I send that reminder their name goes in my early-bird drawing.  I always set my order date for the Wednesday before deadline.  The bulk of my orders come that day either e-mail or phone calls.  On Thursday and Friday I make calls to those I know that have an order ready but wait for me to call. (I always think that is so funny they will not call on their own when they have taken the time to have an order ready. J)  On Saturday I make a “last call” e-mail giving non-ordering customers the final day I will take orders, AND remind them that if they wish to place an order themselves online they can order until Monday night at midnight on the Alison’s Pantry website!  Since online ordering I include a small gift with orders, such as yogurt pretzels or caramels, to those customers that placed their order online; because whereas it is not necessary to place their order online it is convenient for me if they order themselves.

My hardest task is generating new customers!  Obviously our small population limits the number of events I can promote AP.  I take the opportunity to promote products in potluck items I take to events, make sure I plan our community dinner theatre’s menu featuring AP products, and regularly request customers to pass the word about how great Alison’s Pantry products are and get them a catalog.

Through the years I have found, and I encourage you to do the same, that you need to become a friend to your customers because as you become a part of their lives and they become a part of yours, your success will not be a “task,” you will naturally have fun!

We are Roger and Kathy Clark from a very small town named Crawford in
southwestern Colorado with about 300 people in it. We have two children, Tonya and
Kraig, and five grandchildren.

Our nearest grocery store is 17 miles away from us, so  you want to make sure you have supplies on hand. We have been doing this going on 5 years this December. I can remember how excited I was to become a new rep.  Understand we are just simple farmer/rancher folks who enjoy life, hard work and good food. Alison’s Pantry certainly provides us with wonderful food. We raise chinchillas for pets and Dexter Cattle, a smaller homestead beef that is very friendly.

We love so many of the products, but one thing we really like is all of the seafood.
Small grocery stores just cannot compete with our fish, we also use many of the frozen
fruits and vegetables, our favorites are just to numerous to say.
My monthly sales are consistently good and I attribute that to good products, but also
to making my customers important to me. They truly have become my friends. I like to
find out each month what is going on in their lives. The North Fork Valley, which is
comprised of several small towns has been wonderful to me and my business.

If I had one thing to tell new reps it would be to not treat your customers as just
customers, treat them like friends, which they are and you will find success. Hear their
stories, become a good listener. If something goes on sell that they love, call them and
ask them if they would like you to order it. Make them special in your life, and
ultimately give God the Glory. MERRY CHRISTMAS

Thanks, Kathy Clark

Hello, my name is Troi Williams. I am an Alison’s Pantry Representative in Shoshoni, Wyoming. The name of my Alison’s Pantry business is Grandma’s Pantry.  I have a wonderful son and daughter, son-in-law and daugher-in-law and they have blessed me with six amazing grand babies ages 11, 11, 10, 10, 6 and 3 (no twins).  In addition to Alison’s Pantry, I work as a substitute teacher at Shoshoni Elementary School, and I am the publisher and editor of our town’s small weekly newspaper.

I first became acquainted with Alison’s Pantry several years ago when the opportunity to become a rep came to my attention. It was just a year after my family had been in a nearly fatal car accident. My injuries were pretty serious, and our medical bills were through the roof. My husband Dana and I were looking for ways to try to supplement our income when I found Alison’s Pantry. Due to his work schedule, he helped occasionally when he had time, but that wasn’t often.

During that time, I served customers only in the Shoshoni area and east end of Fremont County. It was during that time I fell in love with the products Alison’s offered.  I hadn’t been a rep long when our life circumstances changed again, and it was very hard to put in the time required to do a good job, so I stepped down.

We both loved the AP products, so I continued to buy them from other reps over the years until the summer of 2014, when an opportunity for our area opened again.  This time, Dana and I discussed this opportunity at length and decided to dive in and commit to seriously working and growing our AP business as a team. We were amazed at how the company had grown through the years and were very excited to become reps again.

When we started in July, we took our customer list and went to each home on the list, introducing ourselves and handing out catalogs. We were so excited to attend the 2014 Food Show the following September and learn as much as we could about all the products we carry. The food shows are always an excellent tool for reps. We came back equipped to tell our customers anything they needed or wanted to know about our products, because we were blessed with the opportunity to sample them and learn about them early on in our AP adventure. We had big plans for growth.

Then, in December of 2015, the love of my life, best friend and team partner passed away. Needless to say, it was a hard blow and left me reeling, not knowing what to do next or how to do it. After some thought and overwhelming support from my own family and from my Alison’s Pantry family and customers, I decided Dana and I had started this adventure together, and I wasn’t about to quit. Even though I wasn’t exactly sure how to move forward, I was determined to do it. And, I’m so happy I did.

I think the most important aspect of my AP business is knowing that even more than just offering high quality products to our customers, we are in the people business. Without first caring for our customers, it doesn’t matter what we offer.  I believe it’s essential to have a genuine empathy for my customers. As a result, they have become my friends. I listen carefully to what each of them share with me. This isn’t limited to things related to AP. It includes the things that are going on in their daily lives, their families, special events, celebrations and adversities.  I always follow up with them to let them know I am truly interested in and concerned with how they are doing. In my view, this is what friends do and it plays a critical part in my relationships with each of them. When what they tell me relates to AP products or ordering/delivery, I pay close attention to those things as well, seeking the best possible ways to better serve them. It’s crucial to always have a positive attitude, because even if you aren’t aware of it, they can tell when you don’t.

Webinars are also an extremely useful tool for reps and customers alike. I always invite all of my customers to join me for our webinars each month (when not for reps only), occasionally doing a drawing for those who choose to attend.

I deliver to all my customers, currently free of charge. With customers throughout Fremont County, I deliver to customers as far as 50 miles away each month.

I do three drawings and one contest monthly and every four to six months have a contest for my existing customers to encourage them to refer new customers. I also offer  a 5% discount for each customer who refers an ordering friend. I don’t put any limits on this. I also do a drawing for a larger prize each quarter or six months to encourage my customers to refer family and friends to Grandma’s Pantry.  One of my customers always wins a great prize they can talk about with their co-workers, friends and neighbors, leading to potential customers.

I have a set schedule each month for reminding my customers that it is time to order. I have set times for emailing, texting and calling my customers the week prior to order week as well as throughout order week.  I’m certainly not a Facebook guru, as yet, but I am working to incorporate my Grandma’s Pantry page into that schedule, as well. It is a great tool for connecting with customers about ordering, how to use some of our products and to announce prize winners. I send a “Pre-order Week” letter the week before order week. Then,  a “Monday Letter” goes out the morning of the first day of order week. Reminder texts and emails are sent Tuesday through Saturday for those I haven’t yet heard from or who haven’t yet placed an order. Calls are made Thursday through Saturday for those who don’t text or email. I keep sending texts until I hear back from them or they have placed an order. No answer IS NOT A NO. Many of them get back with me fairly quickly. Several of them tell me thank you for reminding them throughout the week because they’ve been so busy with their jobs and family.

During delivery times, I try to take a few minutes to visit with each customer and when they try something new to ask how they like it. My family has been amazing at helping me with deliveries. My mom and dad especially love to visit with the customers, too.

Alison’s Pantry offers so many great products, and I have so many favorites its hard to name just one, my list is really long. I will say I do love our Daily’s Bacon, as do the grand kids! I also love most of our Soup Supreme soups, Janey Lou Cinnamon Rolls, anything Lehi Roller Mills and all of our wonderful spices and mixes.

Alison’s Pantry has been and continues to be an amazing journey that I hope to continue for years to come. Thank you to everyone who works so hard to make Alison’s Pantry run smoothly and to be such a great company to work with. I am very thankful for my RSM, Becky. She is an amazing lady and has helped me so much!

I am thankful to be a part of the wonderful Alison’s Pantry family.