The Kiss for Country campaign helps raise money for the awareness and prevention of domestic violence around the United States. More than 60 country music artists participated in the campaign in which they kissed and signed special Mary Kay prints that will be auctioned off for charity.

For Jewel, the spokeswoman of the campaign, this is a cause near and dear to her heart. The singer, who once faced homelessness at 18, said, “I experienced firsthand the fear and vulnerability that a lot of women experience, especially in abusive relationships. … Domestic violence is a preventable problem — and it’s fixable.”

The Mary Kay Ash Foundation will award $20K in each participating artist’s name to domestic violence shelters across the country.  Each year, the foundation hands out $3 Million to these institutions.

You can go to www.ubid.com and bid on your favorite country star’s “kiss” and autograph, and the proceeds go to this cause.

Forbes Article On Mary Kay

In it, the authors are talking about businesses you can start up for less than $5,000.

They have some pretty cool ideas too.  What really got my attention was the following except:

“Direct selling is serious business ($30 billion in the U.S.), and the country’s 14 million independent agents can make good money. Big names that will pay you to go door-to-door (emphasis mine) include cosmetics companies like Mary Kay and Avon, as well as houseware firms like Home Interiors & Gifts.

At Mary Kay, a starter kit runs $100 to $200, plus shipping and tax, and includes product samples, brochures, catalog and trays and mirrors; agents bag 50% of every sale. A Home Interiors & Gifts representative needs to pony up between $39 and $129 (depending on the level of merchandise) to get started, while it costs $10 to sign up as an Avon representative–though you’ll have to pay for catalogs and product samples.”

The reason this got my attention was the one sentence in the middle – that big names will pay you to go door-to-door selling their stuff.

Now, I love Forbes magazine.

And I obviously dig the direct-sells industry.

But really. Door-to-door?

I didn’t think people even considered that a viable option anymore!  To my knowledge, the network marketing industry upgraded to “friends and family” a long, long time ago.  And even as tired and antiquated as that model is, it’s leaps and bounds ahead of door-to-door selling.

About the only thing that works selling door-to-door is Girlscout cookies.  And that’s only because they are so addictive they should make the governments controlled substances list.

My advice – if you’re looking to get exercise, sell door-to-door. If you’re looking to create income, learn how to market effectively.