BETTER WAY HIKES 2009 SALES TARGET TO BT8.6BN

       Better Way (Thailand), a leading direct-sales operator and owner of the Mistine brand, has revised its sales target for this year to Bt8.6 billion, up significantly form Bt8.1 billion set at the beginning of the year.
       Managing director Danai Deerojanawong said the new sales target had followed dramatic year-on-year growth in the third quarter, with figures 15-percent higher than those in last year's third quarter. Company sales grew 13 per cent last year from 2007.
       He said the company had also been encouraged to set the new target by growth in its exports, which would double this year to a value of about Bt300 million.
       "We've been able to open new markets for Mistine products, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, including Iran, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We plan to enter Mauritius by the end of this year and will turn to Ivory Coast and the UAE next year," Danai said.
       The company expects its export sales to grow at least 25 per cent next year.
       "We've achieved sales of Bt6 billion in the first nine months of this year, including exports. We expect sales for the whole year to show growth of 11-12 per cent," he said.
       Danai said the company had increased its number of sales representatives from 700,000 last year to 860,000 now.
       "We've also found the value of purchases per bill from our sales representatives has increased significantly in the third quarter, by more than 5 per cent."
       Danai said Better Way (Thailand) had set a conservative sales target for next year, with year-on-year growth of 10 per cent expected. Sales performance should be similar to this year, depending on "crucial factors", such as local political stability and oil prices.
       "We invested more than Bt100 million last year to upgrade our information-technology(IT) system, so that now we're able to analyse our costs more effectively.
       "The new system supports our Marketing, Sales and Logistics departments, helping them work more efficiently," Danai said.
       With its new IT investment, Better Way expects to shape itself to meet a new trend of "products and marketing on demand," The company will segment its customers geographically and according to their preferred types of merchandise.
       "We plan to open two new distribution centres next year in Chon Buri, which will be responsible for the Eastern Seaboard provinces and one province in the middle of the southern region," Danai said.
       Better Way will launch a new television commercial this week called "Beauty Mind", for its Mistine No 1 Diamond lipstick. Starring movie queen Petchara Chaowarat, the 45-second commercial will be screened for the first time tomorrow, on all channels.
       Part of the sales revenue will be donated to the Foundation for the Blind on Thailand.

       With its new IT investment, Better Way expects to shape itself to meet a new trend of "products and marketing on demand".