The Present and Future of Direct Selling: an Interview with Rallyware’s Dan O’Marra
Unlocking Direct Selling Growth: Tech + Strategic Enablement
The Misconception of Software as a Silver Bullet
In the ever-evolving world of direct selling, companies often turn to technology as the ultimate solution for their challenges. With an abundance of direct selling apps on the market, many businesses assume that a simple software purchase will drive engagement, boost sales, and improve retention. Yet, these generic solutions frequently fail to deliver real, measurable results.
Some direct selling companies attempt to build in-house software solutions. While this approach may seem like a way to ensure customization, it often becomes a distraction, diverting leadership from their core business competencies. The result? Delayed rollouts, misaligned priorities, and costly platforms that fail to support the field effectively.
Technology alone doesn’t drive success in direct selling. Thriving companies recognize that software is just one piece of the puzzle. Sustainable growth comes from combining technology with strategic expertise—leveraging years of experience, millions of data points, and real-world insights to inform smarter decisions. Implementing best practices requires more than technology; it demands a holistic approach and a committed partner invested in shared success.
The Missing Piece: Why Technology Without Strategy Falls Short for Direct Selling Companies
Buying software isn’t the same as solving a problem. Many direct selling software solutions offer key features like onboarding workflows, sales tracking, and communication tools. However, without a strategic framework that aligns these tools with the seller’s journey, they often go underutilized and fail to create meaningful impact.
Success in direct selling requires more than automation. It demands a deep understanding of how field reps work, what motivates them, and how to design goal-driven, personalized experiences that sustain performance. Without this strategic foundation, software remains just a tool rather than a driver of transformation. Implementing best practices for direct selling companies means aligning technology with real-world sales and recruiting dynamics to drive measurable results.
Beyond Automation: The Value of Expert-Driven Field Enablement
Field enablement isn’t just about providing digital tools—it’s about ensuring that each seller receives the right support at the right time.
One Latin American beauty company struggled with low sales productivity and declining rep engagement despite investing in digital tools. Their challenge wasn’t a lack of technology but rather the absence of a targeted engagement strategy. By analyzing seller behaviors, developing the right content, and leveraging field enablement platform with Rallyware, the company refined its approach for scalable success. The result? 2X monthly growth of average sales within the first three campaigns for newly enrolled active users.

Another top American beauty brand faced high dropout rates among new affiliates within the first 90 days. Instead of simply automating onboarding steps, Rallyware helped the client to redesign the process with interactive, performance-based milestones and daily to-do activities designed to guide the affiliates to sustainable business growth. As a result, 67% of affiliates reported a positive impact on their sales.

How Strategic Expertise Has Helped Implement Best Practices for Direct Selling Companies
Over the past decade, leading direct selling organizations have moved beyond basic software adoption to true digital transformation. By streamlining operations, consolidating tools, and focusing on strategic enablement, companies have achieved significant results:
- Increase in field engagement by over 48% through actionable push notifications that drive meaningful business-building activities rather than superficial engagement.
- Reduction in rep churn by 45% by delivering the right support and incentives at critical moments in the seller’s journey.
- Boost in sales productivity by 32.5% by guiding the field with daily tasks tailored to their sales goals and progress, fostering sustainable business growth.
The companies that succeed in direct selling are those that invest in both the right technology and the right strategic partnership. Implementing best practices for direct selling companies ensures that organizations can leverage automation while maintaining a human-centered, results-driven approach. Since 2022, Rallyware has been a key industry partner, earning the prestigious DSA Partnership Award for its impact within the industry.
As the direct selling landscape continues to evolve, the key to success lies in taking a holistic approach. To see how a 360-approach can transform your direct selling business, sign up for a demo to explore how Rallyware combines technology and strategy to help organizations implement best practices for direct selling companies effectively.
News and Insights on Workforce Training & Engagement
We’re among top-notch eLearning and business engagement platforms recognized for effective training and talent development, helping to empower distributed workforces
Subscribe