Are You A Partier?

As you know the party plan and Direct Sales business are going through the roof as more and more people are trying to earn a living and becoming a mom to their kids.

While the party plan business is an awesome place to “work”, not all of us are partiers! When I did a party plan business, I had a heck of a time booking because my DH worked nights and I chose to have no babysitter for my child. So that left me doing parties on Friday night, Saturday afternoons and evenings. While that worked for a while, I also burned out from having no family time to speak of.

So, what’s a non partier in a party plan business to do? Well, luckily, Lots!

Change your Strategy and Focus!
•Change your focus to Book Shows. You can have several going at one time. You are not locked into 2-3 parties a week.
•Utilize online parties. You can pick the time, date and never leave home!
•Fundraising is huge! If your company offers it, use it.
•Book individual appointments with customers to show products and specials.
•Specialty sales and special priced groupings once a month using Flyers and newsletters.
•Product of the Month sales.
•Email campaigns through autoresponders.
•Utilize helpers to pass out books and take orders for you. Give them a free item or a discount on their order for helping you.
•Take small orders and create a “party” once every 2 weeks or so. Don’t make it a requirement for your customers to order only through a party situation. Take orders anytime!
•Gift registry and Wish lists for housewarmings, engagement, sweet 16, new jobs, special holidays.
•Open houses and vendor/craft shows in town.
•Join the Chamber of Commerce and networking groups.

These are but some ideas to strengthen your party plan business. Try them all and use the ones that work best for you!

Copyright 2004-2006 by Chris Carroll. Chris is a work at home mom that has been in sales for 20+ years. She has a BS in Business Management and is the host of DirectSalesTalk.com as well as her business she enjoys with her son at www.joywithsoy

35 Ways To Find Customers

1. Take advantage of the advertising of others.

2. Call others about their ads and offer them your service.

3. Post flyer's in apartments.

4. Leave catalogs a auto repair shops (women love looking at magazines while waiting)

5. Wear a badge.

6. Wear buttons.

7. Approach bake sales with a fund raiser.

8. Let your bank now what the deposit is for. Give the teller a catalog. Put a business card/flyer in night deposit envelopes.

9. Trade your product/service one home party for another is a great way to get bookings.

10. Hang a flyer inside a bathroom stall door. Captive audience.

11. Bring a catalog to a beauty salon.

12. Use car magnets - clings for windows

13. Let everyone you ever worked with know what you do.

14. Make a goal to give out a certain number of cards/flyers per day. When you give out a catalog get contact information so you can follow up!

15. Hand out your business card with all transactions each day. Always ask for a business card in return.

16. Free lunch drawings. Put your card in fish bowls.

17. Get a restaurant to sponsor your drawing.

18. Magnetize your business card - ask me for magnets!

19. Use your card as a bookmark in the library books. Leave them in the books when you return your them.

20. Instead of tear flyers use your business card at the bottom of the flyer.

21. Look for bulletin boards and leave a flyer.

22. Fundraiser Car Washes--stop in and tell them of your fundraiser.

23. Put up catalogs in all waiting rooms.

24. Join a club or network group.

25. Corporate Gift Giving. Offer your product.

26. Leave a lead box in businesses you go to a lot.

27. Go door to door--introduce yourself and your business.

28. Look on the internet for new bulletin boards to post your product.

29. Fast food, where the Moms are.

30. Always keep flyers with you to hand out.

31. Go to garage sales. Give them flyers to pass out for you. Offer a gift incentive.

32. Home Shows/Expos

33. Home Owner Association. Put an ad in their paper.

34. Always wear a logo ware to the health club/gym and outings.

35. Ask for referrals.

What are your tips? I would love to grow the list!!

Thank You Tastefully Simple

Don't you just love getting things FREE? I know I sure do! I had a gift card for our logo company Merrill, so I chose this cute garden flag and placed it near my mail box to let all my neighbors know where they can come to restock! Just wanted to give Tastefully Simple a big THANK YOU shout out!!

TS Connected

Have you signed up for TS Connected? If not, please consider doing so! Because Tastefully Simple is so delicious when people look for a consultant they often go to TastefullySimple.com and look for a consultant from whom to order. I get calls every now and then for parties, orders and even questions about joining our TS family! Cathy on our team has her first recruit Diana, because Diana found her on TS Connected! Today I had a lady email me after finding my name on TS Connected, needless to say she booked a party and is very excited! So, consider joining, who knows maybe you'll get a surprise too!

Marketing Your Business

How Do You Advertise Your Business?

Do you ever wonder if anyone is looking/listening when you advertise your business? I've been faithfully advertising my business on facebook and often wonder...is anyone really listening? But this past week I received confirmation that someone is...I received two request for parties, two orders over $50, three around $25 and one lady contacted me regarding her sister in law interested in learning more about the business. Sometimes you might feel like no one is paying a bit of attention but remember....they are!!

10 Ways To Market Your Business

• Contact your Local Temp Agencies and send them a packet of info about the Business Opportunity that you offer! A lot of Temp Workers are also looking for home businesses to get into!




• Hang up fliers in your community where people get together. For example: Laundromats, grocery store memo boards, church memo boards, community centers, Gyms, YMCA and so forth.




• Where logo ware! Right now everything is 10% off at Tastefully Simple's Marketplace




• Get a vinyl cling or a car magnet (also available at the Marketplace).
  Because of my magnet I had a $1000 party!




• Use FREE email Signature Tags and attach them to every email you send!




• Exchange business cards or flyer's with other work at home business owners!




• Hold a Mystery Hostess Open House party! Do this 2-3 times per year! Send out invites to everyone and post flyer's every where! Offer door prizes, refreshments, demo's etc! Tell everyone who comes and orders they get one entry, if they bring a friend they earn a bonus entry! If they book a party at your party they get 3 more entries and so forth! At the end of the party, draw a name and the winner becomes the hostess and earns all the FREE stuff for that party!




• Recruit Helper Friends! Ask your friends help you spread the word! Give them catalogs, flyer's & business cards! Ask them to pass them out to help get you orders etc. Offer the "helpers" free items or discounts! A lot of times these helpers will end up being full recruits after they see how profitable & easy Your Home Business can be!




• Contact your local hospital and ask them if they give out the FREE new baby bags filled with gifts etc to the new moms in their hospital? If so, ask if you can add a flyer, business card, coupon or catalog to the mix!




• Contact Local Fire companies/fire houses in your area! See if they would be interested in holding a Fundraiser or Party to earn FREE Items for their Summer Barbeque's etc that they always have to raise money!
  
  I would love to hear your marketing ideas!