There are several things that a direct sales consultant wants their customers to know.  Here are some examples:

• This is a job for us, not a hobby.  We are taking time out of lives to come to your home and present our product, and we expect you to do your part to make the party successful.
• Please do not ignore us.  We have been doing these parties for a while so we know what steps to take to ensure that your party is a success.   Listen to our suggestions and if you do not agree with us, please ask us the reason behind it.  There is likely a good reason due to past experience.
  

  Image via Wikipedia

• If the party starts at 7 pm, please stress to your friends to be at your house by 7 pm.  It is disrespectful to me by not starting until 7:30 not to mention for those that showed up by 7 pm.
• Not all of us do this full time.  For this reason, do not expect us to return your phone call within 2 hours.  Please give us the courtesy of 24 hours before you look for another consultant or decide that we are not interested in helping you.
• For me, a good party has to do with how many people buy.  This should be true for you as the more that buy, the more free items you get which is likely part of why you invited me.
• Keep food and drinks to a minimum before the party.  I do not want to hang around for 3 hours because everyone is too busy eating.  I have family and friends that I have left to come do your event; I would like to get home to them.

Related articles

• How do I get free stuff at my direct sales party? (directsalesbusiness.com)
• Why does the direct sales consultant want to close the night of the Party? (directsalesbusiness.com)

Many times the consultant will ask you to make your wish list up in advance so that your party can be closed the night of the party.  There are several reasons for this which you may or may not be aware of.

Product Delivery – The longer you hold off closing your party, the longer it is going to take for your product to be in and delivered to you and your customers.   If you live in an area where the product is there within a few days, this may not be as much of an issue as if you live where it can take a week or two to arrive.  People start wondering where the product is after two weeks and they tend to blame the direct sales consultant, not the hostess.

Penalizing those that Attend – One thing about holding the party open for longer is that it is penalizing those that were able to attend.  Chances are, you knew about the party for a week or two before the event and so did your friends.  Therefore, they should have had a chance to check out the items online/look at a book, and determine what they want before the event.   Holding it open makes it appear that you do not value those that came out in person.

Outside Orders – A lot of times the hostess holds off as her friends have told her that they plan to order.  But the reality is, a hostess rarely gets orders after her party.  Friends tell her this so that they get off their back and leave them alone and hope that they end up forgetting.

Excitement – The excitement wears off after the party and people are not as likely to order once they leave.  By closing that night, people have to make their order that night.  If they are not prepared to order, then they may want to host their own event and then they are able to get product for free.

Related articles

• Picking a Consultant to have a Direct Sales Party With (directsalesbusiness.com)

You may wonder why the direct sales consultant that you have booked a party with keeps calling you before your event.  There are actually a few very valid reasons for doing this.  That said, it is not something that all reps do and some prefer to do hostess coaching via email or other means instead of over the telephone.

Preparation – A lot of times a hostess does not know what all to do to get maximum attendance when she has her direct sales event.  By doing hostess coaching, the consultant can help to get a maximum amount of attendees which gives the host a larger customer base which will help to get all the items that she wants for free.

Outside Orders – Quite often the hostess has people who cannot attend but want to order.  By staying in touch, the consultant is able to answer any questions these other people may have and also get the totals for the hostess.  Some hostesses are not comfortable with adding up orders themselves so this helps them out.

Reliability – While this may not seem like an obvious reason to stay in touch, when the direct sales consultant gets in touch with you on a regular basis, you know that you can trust them to show up when they are supposed to.  I have had people who told me that they booked with someone and they never heard from them as their date got closer so they found me instead.  Their loss, I once had a $1,000 party due to this!

Space – Many consultants require space when they arrive whether it is for setting up their display or a place for ordering.  When talking to the hostess beforehand, they can let her know what they require to make sure that the hostess can have it ready when they arrive.

Wish List – It is beneficial for both the hostess and the consultant if the hostess has her wish list made up in advance.  With the coaching, the direct sales consultant can make sure that she has thought about this and knows what she wants to earn free at her party.

While you may find it a bit of a hassle when the direct sales consultant calls you and wants to know how things are going and if you have any questions, they are really doing it for both of your benefits.

Related articles

• How to be a Great Direct Sales Customer (directsalesbusiness.com)

Chances are, when you booked your event the consultant gave you some information to look over and to plan your party with.  Or, if you booked a few months out, the consultant is mailing this information to you when the date is closer.

The next thing that will likely happen is that the consultant will call you closer to in order to make sure that the party is still going to be happening and to go over some details with you.  This will be things like the amount of space that will be available or what is required to setup the display.  A separate space may be required for ordering or maybe she wants to make sure you have gone through the host package.  This is a good time to ask the consultant about any questions that you may want to ask.

You likely will have two or three calls from the consultant in the weeks leading up to your party.  This is simply because the direct sales consultant wants to make sure you have a successful party and that you are able to earn everything on your wish list when you have your party.  Many people do not host these types of events often so they require some guidance and help in order to have a satisfactory event.

The night of your party, the consultant likely will show up before the time you have all your guests arrive.  This gives them a chance to set up the display in a way that pleases them as it is always different in each house.  Then, when guests arrive everything is ready to go and the presentation is able to start.

The direct sales consultant may close your party that night or they may wait a few days depending on your preference.  Do not be surprised if they want to close that night as it benefits everyone instead of waiting a few more days.

Once your product is in, chances are your direct sales consultant will end up sorting it for you and delivering it all sorted out.  If you are not sure, make sure you ask what they do in this regard as not all consultants do this.

There are many direct sales consultants out there that would all love to host a party for you.  But how do you decide which one you want to invite into your home?  There are a variety of methods that people use and which one you pick is up to you.

Booking at a Party – Quite often people will book their party with the person who was the consultant at an event they attended.  A lot of people do not know half a dozen different consultants with each company so they pick the person that is easiest and that they have met already.  But if you do not get along with this person, there are other options.

Ask Friends – If you have not been to a party recently and are looking for a direct sales consultant, you can try asking friends if they know anyone.  You may be surprised at who they know and that they can hook you up with.

Company Website – A great method to find consultants is to visit the company’s website.  Chances are there is a spot where you can enter where you live and it will list several consultants in the area that you can get in touch with.  If you are not sure, pick a few different ones and send them a few questions.  See how they respond and see which one seems to mesh with you the best.  Even if you do not see anyone in your area, you can contact the company and they will find someone for you.  I recently acquired a customer who did this – the consultant search wasn’t working for her, she called my company and they sent me the lead.

Local Classifieds – Another place you can look for a consultant is your local classified ads.  Depending on the website you are using will determine how successful you will be.  I know that I have difficulties getting ads posted on some sites as others like to report them so that they are the only ones.

Facebook – Try searching for the company you are looking for on Facebook.  I find that those who are local to me come up first in my searches.  If the consultant has a fanpage or information in their profile, they should come up.

Search Engines – Go to your favorite search engine and type in “Company Name” and your city.  I have had a few people tell me that they located me that way.

Between all these methods, you should be able to find someone to come in and do a party for you.  If you can’t, it may be an indication that you should join the company as you may have an area that no one is in yet!

If you have booked an event with a direct sales consultant and want it to go off great, there are some things that you can do to guarantee this.  Just by finding this blog post, it is obvious that you want to have a wonderful event!

Listen to the Consultant – Consultants tend to do many shows and they learn what does and does not work.  If the consultant asks you to do something, there is likely a reason for it.  If you are not sure what it is, ask them why they ask you to do something.

Over Invite – Invite way more people than you think will attend, even though it would be standing room only if they all attended.  It is well known that only 25 to 33% of those that you invite will actually attend – that is 2 to 3 for every 10 that you ask to come over.

Use the Phone – More and more people avoid using the phone but it still is the best way to get in touch with someone.  Call and leave a message to invite the person to your party as well as calling them the day before or the day of to remind them.  People are forgetful.  You can still invite everyone through Facebook or Evite but it is still good to give that phone call.

Keep it Simple – Some hostesses go all out with the food and the drinks at the party.  But this can scare your friends into thinking that they have to do all that if they have their own event, which they don’t.  Pop a bowl of popcorn or a bag of chips and you are done.

Drinks – Keep drinks to a minimum or at least wait until after the presentation and ordering is done.  It is frustrating for the direct sales consultant if she has to wait around due to people drinking and getting out of control.

By doing as the direct sales consultant asks and planning ahead, you can have a great and successful party in which you earn all the items you want for free or half off!  And honestly, who doesn’t want that?

When it comes to direct sales, or truly, any business, picking your product is going to be one of the most important things to decide on.  Some people easily know what product they love and they sign up to sell it without a second thought, but for others, it is a bit more difficult.

The first company I signed up with, I really did like the product and I knew that it would sell well.  But for a variety of reasons, I decided it was time to leave the company.  Before I left, I did some research as to what I wanted to sell.  There were a lot of products out there but nothing that really jumped out at me and said “Sell Me!”.  But I did find a few that intrigued me enough to look into them further and once I did that I found a company that I could sell for.  But due to me not being “in love” with them when I started, I have struggled more than others have in selling the product.

Why do I tell you this story?   To show you the importance of really loving the product that you sell.  Now when I present at a party, I am able to highlight the products that I have come to know and love (products that came out shortly after I started) and I get the sales for them.

Believability – When you believe in and love the product, the excitement comes through in your voice and people want it.  People can tell when you are honest and when you are not.  Point out the negatives – people will thank you for it and helps increase your believability factor.

Ambition – If you love the product, you will want to share the product with everyone you can which will increase your bookings and potentially your recruits.  They will want that excitement in their lives as well.

Personal Use – The best way to sell a product is to use it yourself.  This way you can easily promote it to others and give examples of how to use it.  If people ask you how it works for you and you have to tell them you don’t use it yourself, it looks bad.  There are valid reasons such as a nut allergy when selling food products but for the most part, you should give it at try.

Loving a product and having that come through is one of the best ways to make sales.  It is possible to sell products that you do not love but it will likely be more difficult and more of an uphill battle.

—-

Sharon has been involved in direct sales for almost five years and as a manager with Gold Canyon Candles for over 2 years.  If you love having your house smell wonderful when using wicks or without wicks, you can buy Gold Canyon products at her website http://mygc.com/skcandles

photo credit: quinn.anya

Chances are, if you are just getting into direct sales for the first time, you attended a party or an event, fell in love with the product, and decided to join.  While you may only be signing up for the personal discount, it is possible to make this into a profitable business where you can get your product free or you can even end up making a few dollars as well.

For some, they love the product so much that they do not care about anything specific when they join, they just want to join.  But if you are someone that needs to do some research and to make sure you are making a good decision, there are some things you want to look into.  If you considering changing from another company, then chances are these questions are even more important.

• What kind of commissions do you make on all activities – sales, team, fundraising, website?
• What do you get when you sign up – product, supplies, support?

• How much does a website cost for customers to shop on?
• Can you host parties on your website?
• How much is shipping?
• How do you get paid?
• Where does the product ship from and how long does it take?
• How do you process credit cards?
• Do you have to carry inventory?
• Are there any restrictions on advertising?
• What kinds of costs are involved – catalogues, order forms, supplies?
• How often do new catalogues come out?
• Are there quotas you have to meet on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis?
• Who pays for the hostess benefits and customer specials?
• What kind of training does the company offer its consultants?

These are just some of the questions you may have about a company you are considering.  Some of these may not have any importance to you while there are others I may have missed that are very important to you.   Write them down in advance and record the answers you get from any sources you may use.  Check the company’s website as it is the most reliable site and then talk to your potential sponsor on things that you could not find an answer for.

Hosting your first demonstration, or home party, for your new direct sales home business can be daunting. You hope and pray that someone will be interested enough in your products to purchase them, of course, but you also hope that you will get at least one future booking. Using these seven tips may help you to get more bookings at your next direct sales party.

1. Exchange shows – chances are you know other people who have direct sales businesses. If your goal is to book another party, ask them to do it and then tell them that you would book a party through them in return.

2. If the school doesn’t object, leave a catalog or two in the teacher’s lounge where your child goes to school. Teachers are always on the lookout for bargains and things that will benefit their children. If you sell educational toys or items, you may be able to obtain more than one booking.

3. Leave brochures or catalogs in the waiting room at your doctor’s or dentist’s office on your next visit. Also leave a copy with the receptionist or ask if you can leave one in their lounge.

4. Check with your local Chamber of Commerce to see if there is a Welcome Wagon for new people moving into the area. If there isn’t a Welcome Wagon, ask them if you could leave a stack of brochures or business cards to be placed in welcome packages for new citizens.

5. Send catalogs or opportunity literature to people chosen randomly from the telephone book. Make sure to keep a record of everyone that you have sent this information. If you choose to try this tip in the future, you want to send the information to other people.

6. Begin your demonstration by mentioning to the guests that the hostess will be receiving free gifts for having the party. Also tell them what the hostess is working toward and exactly what she needs to receive that item. Don’t be afraid to boldly ask them to book a party to help the hostess reach that goal.

7. Make the suggestion that by booking a second show in the future, the hostess will be guaranteed an opportunity to see and try new products as they are released. This is particularly effective if your hostess last held a show in the spring. Hosting a party closer to the holidays would help her save money on her own holiday shopping.

These seven tips for getting more bookings at your next direct sales party are just a drop in the bucket. Take a few minutes to think of other things you could do to get bookings. If all else fails, ask family if they will host a party for you.

People who are considering a home based business in direct sales begin to think about companies that use party plans as a means to generate income. Party plans encourage prospective customers to host a party in order to earn free or discounted products. Are parties necessary if you want to work in direct sales?

Not all direct sales companies require their associates to conduct parties. In fact, some direct sales companies don’t require parties at all. You may want to look further into companies offering a different plan for marketing if you are not comfortable talking to crowds of people.

Melaleuca, Avon, and World Book, among others, do not require a party plan. So, are they necessary for success? Obviously, the answer is no. Even people that are associated with party plan companies can succeed by using other marketing plans. It happens every day, you just have to do some research and determine what the other options are.

Direct sales success really depends more on you than on the method of marketing the product to potential customers. If you don’t believe in the company and the product, it doesn’t matter what you do – you won’t be able to make your home business a success. Here are some ideas to help you succeed whether you’re using a party plan or not:

1. Familiarize yourself with the business manual you received in your start-up kit.
Make a list of questions you have and then contact your upline sponsor as soon as you can. Understanding what is expected of you, what you can and cannot do to market the product, and how the company will pay you will make all the difference in how you conduct your business.

2. Follow the instructions given to you during training.
Most likely you will be told to make a list of everyone you know. This will be your master list, the first people you will contact about your new business. If you don’t complete this task, you’re not going to do the rest. Swallow your pride and ask for your money back. This company is not for you.

3. Begin networking with other business owners.
Join the local Chamber of Commerce and get plugged into regular meetings. You must promote your business if it is to grow, and networking with other business people is a great way to let others know about your company.

Grow your Direct Sales Business by getting updates on the latest information and trends in Direct Sales. Sign up for the DSB Newsletter now and as a BONUS receive a copy of “How the Internet Can Improve Your Direct Sales Business” Special Report.