Turning Down Home Party Requests

I was recently asked by 2 different Direct Sales consultants this burning question… “Do I have the right to turn down a home party request?”

My answer is yes! When it comes to having your own home party plan business, you do indeed to have the right to turn down a home party request due to safety or health reasons.

Here are some common problems with some suggested solutions.

Example #1: Your party host lives in an unsafe area of town. If you feel your safety could be compromised, I recommend selecting an alternate location. If your party host refuses to relocate her party to a different location, I feel it’s your job to help her find another consultant who doesn’t mind traveling to that area of town.

Example #2: If your party host has had parties before but his/her home is unsanitary, you can nicely suggest an alternative location. You can also offer to let her use your home if need be to host her party. When dealing with this type of scenerio, please watch your wording as you don’t want to offend your party host. If the host still insists in having the party at her home, you can be tactful and explain your reasons why you feel this would not be a good idea. If the conversation has gotten to that point, 9 chances out of 10, she will decide on another location or she will come to terms that her home needs to be cleaned up.

Example #3: If the party host has a reputation of booking numerous parties with various consultants and is constantly canceling them or there are some other type of serious issues that you are aware of, you can indeed refuse the request. However, it is also your job to find another consultant for her or to refer her to corporate headquarters so that they can help her find a consultant.

These 3 examples are just that…examples of some scenerios you might face while in Direct Sales. The important thing to remember is that you do have the right to refuse any home party booking that you do not feel comfortable with. In doing so, you are more than likely losing a customer and/or party host.

I feel it is important that you be honest with your party host about any concerns you may have and if you need to refuse the booking, help him/her find a new consultant who will accept the booking.

~Shelly~

Direct Sales: Easy To Use Checklist To Guarantee Party Success

As a Direct Sales consultant, it is our job to be thoroughly prepared when doing a home party for a host. The better prepared you are, the more successful your show will be.

Here is a simple checklist of what you need to do before the party.

1. Prepare your hostess packets. You want to have a minimum of 5 hostess packets prepared and ready to go.

2. Fill out the invitations with your contact information and the host’s information. Stamp invitations and mail them out approximately 2 weeks before the party date. Call your host and let her know that the invitations are in the mail. Take this opportunity to build excitement about the upcoming party.

3. Prepare the catalogs and order forms. Stamp and label your catalogs, attach any inserts and get them ready to go. Fill out the order forms with your contact information. Pack all of your ordering supplies and make sure you have enough pens/pencils.

4. Prepare the games. Make sure you have enough games and prizes. I recommend 2-3 extra prizes just incase there is a tie or you need extra gifts.

5. Contact your host 24-48 hours before the party to confirm and get directions. This is a good time to ask your host to remind her guests about the party.

6. The day before, finish up the last minute preparations. If you are personally bringing any food or beverages, this is the time to prepare them. Before packing up your supplies and products, do a visual inspection of each item to make sure they are in perfect clean condition.

You can print out this handy pre-party checklist for your next home show. I can guarantee, when you’re organized and prepared, you will have an error-free and more successful home party.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can contact Shelly through her Tupperware Website or visit her Recipe Blog.

Tip: Invest Your Time In Hostess Coaching

Do you invest your time in coaching your Party Host/Hostess? If not, you are really doing a dis-service to yourself and your business.

When you invest your time into coaching your host towards a successful home party, you reap the rewards. Studies have shown that when you coach your hosts, they have higher party attendance which means higher party sales. Those higher party sales equals more commission for you. In addition to higher party sales, you will get more bookings and more recruit leads.

Hostess coaching is also beneficial to your party host. He/She will be able to earn more free or half-priced items from having the higher home party sales.

If a host/hostess is completely satisfied with their home party experience, they are more apt to rebook parties from you in the future or refer others to your business.

Do yourself and your business a favor…Take the time to properly coach your party hosts and you will both benefit.

Hostess Coaching – Increase Party Attendance Game

Use this game idea to encourage your party host to invite as many people as possible to his/her home party.

To get your Hostess in the party spirit, give them this Hostess Scavenger Hunt. This is a list of 35 different types of people. If he/she has 12 of them at their party, award the party host with a special gift. Each person counts for only one category. (gift is at your expense so give something small)

Hostess Scavenger Hunt

1. A good friend
2. A relative
3. A grandmother
4. Someone the host works with
5. Someone who owns a camper
6. Someone with red hair
7. A neighbor who lives within 1 mile of them.
8. Someone who wears eye glasses
9. A person who lives in a mobile home park
10. A person who goes to college
11. Someone from their church
12. A secretary
13. Someone who enjoy sports
14. Someone who drives a mini-van
15. Someone who just moved into the neighborhood
16. Someone who is alot of fun!
17. Someone who works part-time
18. A daycare provider or babysitter
19. A former neighbor
20. Someone who works from home such as the Avon Lady, MaryKay lady…
21. Someone who owns a cat or a dog
22. Their best friend
23. Someone who they went to school with
24. A mother-to-be
25. Someone with all daughters in their family
26. Someone with all sons in their family
27. A school teacher
28. A nurse
29. Someone who is a hair stylist/hair dresser
30. Someone who does nails
31. Someone who enjoys crafts
32. Someone who works at a restaraunt
33. Someone who drives a white car
34. Someone who likes to cook
35. Someone who delivers mail or works for the Postal Office

Hostess Coaching Tips To Ensure A Successful Home Party

As Direct Sales consultants, it’s our job to provide hostess coaching. This can be done in-person, by phone or via email.

Not sure how to do hostess coaching? Here are some easy tips.

Before The Party

1. Thank your new host for booking a home party. Give he/she the party planning packet. Inside the packet you should include a guest list, invitations (if he/she is mailing them out), 3 catalogs, 10 order forms (for outside orders), business opportunity flyer, 10 business cards, consultant contact information sheet and a pen.

2. Set the dates – you need 1 date for the host to get the guest list back to you (if you are mailing the invitations), and 1 date for the party. Make sure you both get a written copy of these important dates.

3. Contact the host 1 week after the booking to follow up and to confirm. Answer any questions and give additional information if needed.

4. Contact the host 1 week before the party date. Have your host send out reminders to his/her guests.

5. Call 24-48 hours before the party. Get directions and confirm how many guests will be attending.

Offering Incentives To Help With Hostess Coaching

1. Give a free gift for booking on the spot! Offering an immediate reward starts the excitement early.

2. Give a free gift for getting the guest list back to you in a timely manner.

3. Offer a free product for having 10 outside orders before you arrive.

These gifts can be inexpensive little items.

After The Party

1.Call the host 24 hours after the party to thank them. Let them know when to expect product delivery.

2. Send a thank you card by postal mail.

3. Contact your hosts every 3 months to get re-bookings or referrals.

Following these coaching tips will help to ensure a successful home party. If it’s a positive experience, the more likely it is that he/she will re-book another party with you.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a manager with Tupperware. You can contact Shelly at:
Web: Classy Home Business Women
Web: Shelly’s Tupperware Home Business

Tips To Get More Bookings And Higher Home Party Sales

Are you in Direct Sales? Are you struggling with getting more dating’s and higher party sales?

As a Direct Sales Consultant, its important to keep your dating and booking calendar full. Why? Keeping a full calendar means consistent income for you!

It’s equally important to work closely with your home party hosts. You want your host to have a successful home party so that they achieve the goals that yield them the most free and half-priced items. The more successful the party, the more bookings you will get from it. If the party host feels completely satisfied, she will rebook another party from you.

Try these tips to increase your party bookings.

1. Offer an immediate dating gift to someone who books a home party with you and sets a date for the party within the next 21 days.

2. Half-Price selections are one of your most valuable tools. Let party guests know they can purchase these products at the half-off price by holding a party with you.

3. Reward hosts who have a “Dating in Waiting,” a party dated before you arrive. I like to offer a product that retails for $10-$15 as my extra incentive for outside bookings.

4. Re-Bookings. Offer an incentive to your host if she rebooks another party with you, to be held in 90 days.

5. Offer Exclusive Host Gifts. These are products that only party hosts can earn for free or 1/2 price for having a home party with you.

Try these tips to increase your home party sales.

1. Attendance Specials. Provide an incentive for hosts who have 10 guests at their party. Provide an additional incentive for hosts who have 20 guests at their party.

2. Encourage party guests to bring an uninvited friend to the party. One way of doing this is by labeling the party invitation with the bring a friend to the party information. I personally reward guests with a 10% discount off their personal order for bringing along a friend.

3. Offer several Purchase with Purchase Specials, also known as Bonus Buys.

example: With a $50 purchase, you can add-on xyz item to your order for only $10.00 or with a $100 purchase, you can add-on xyz item to your order for only $25.00

Enticing customers to buy more to receive a special offer is a great way to increase party sales.

4. Have plenty of items to demonstrate at your home parties. The more items guests see, the more they will buy.

5. Make your parties fun and interactive. Get your guests involved in the party. Play a few games, offer some great prizes and more importantly, make sure you enjoy yourself.

By offering incentives like these, it helps to increase party attendance, which in turn increases your party sales. When you have satisfied hosts and guests, they will in turn, book parties from you!

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can contact Shelly at:
Web: Shelly’s Tupperware Home Business