Well Happy New Year Folks!

Already into the 2nd day of the year wow!  Yesterday I referenced a most inisightful book titled GO For NO.  The concept of this little 80 page book is very powerful.

If you haven’t read Deadly Home Party Business Mistake : FEAR, I will advise you do, so that what I will share with you will make sense.

Fear, according to the army definition is False Expectations Appearing Real.  The news as far as I can ascertain is that the economy is in the toilet and that we are all going to hell in a hand basket so to speak!

Well hello home party consultants!

You know the question that has been coming up lately is why and how did I come up with the name Party Plan Pat?

Well let’s see if I can explain the method to my madness.

“If the gloves don’t fit, you must acquit!”
“Bounty the quilted, thicker, quicker, picker-upper!”
“Caution and measure will win you treasure.”
“What sobriety conceals, alcohol reveals!”
Birds of a feather flock together
“Click it, or ticket!” ahhh i know you know that one!

Well hello Direct Sales representatives,

direct sales success stories

Oh don’t we all wish our customers were that dedicated!

Direct sales consultants and direct sales opportunities are definitely making a buzz in the industry. Jim Cramer can’t understand why more people aren’t into direct sales. Warren Buffet, owns a direct selling company…yes the richest man in the world is the owner of none other than Pampered Chef!

If the richest man in the world has made the move to direct selling, what more do you need? Time Warner owns Southern Living and CitiGroup owns drum roll please…Primerica!

Alright, Alright!  I know you are totally excited about today’s tid-bit so I will get right to it

I always thought that phrase in one ear and out the other to be really funny.  I guess its just a kid thing cause you see these visual images…ok ok!

One of the most frequently asked questions by direct sales representatives is “How can I in direct sales book appointments and get them to hold?   Party Plan Pat is here to offer you some direct sales help. Lend me your ears!

Your potential customers often express opinions and stories in every conversation. These opinions and stories hold the keys to fantastic opportunities that are laid out for our use. The problem is that while these stories are being told, we often allow our minds to wander focusing on when you are going to make the sale or worse still worrying about how to seem natural to get the sale.

You see the hidden secret to direct selling success stories is learning to capitalize on the opportunities is to Listen on purpose.   My friend, coach and mentor Ann Sieg, a.k.a The Renegade Network Marketer would always say to me “Kagwiria, You cannot give information until you get information!”

There is a very simple mind game that can be played while listening that will assist in maximizing each bit of information that is expressed as you go about your direct sales recruiting.

Hello Home Party Consultants!

Time for the golden rule, you know what they say, she who has the gold rules!

‘Ts the season to be jolly.  Yep time to give thanks, time to give gift it is all about giving.

As you all know I have been reading Influence by Robert Cialdini.  I must encourage you to pick one up if you are serious about your direct selling business.  In Chapt. 2 he discusses at length the law of reciprocity.

The Rule of Reciprocity firmly states that we are all bound, even driven, to repay debts of all kinds. Someone does something for you. Then you feel obligated to repay. It is an almost automatic reaction.

Direct Sales Tip: Putting Reciprocity To Work In Your Favor

The formula for using the Rule of Reciprocity to your benefit is simple: Give something away - a gift, a service, valuable information, assistance, or anything - to create in the other person a feeling of indebtedness. Once the other person feels indebted to you, then you ask for what you want and let the Rule of Reciprocity go to work.

That’s it.

Here are some steps for ensuring maximum return:

Hello Home Party Consultants,

In this day and age of the Secret, vision boards living the law of abundance, do you find yourself frustrated, bothered and angry wondering why your desires are not materializing as fast as these new age thinkers are suggesting?

What I know for sure is that goal not written is merely a wish.  That said, a goal without a plan is merely a wish.

Why People Fail

The enormously successful Amway Corporation, many years ago hit on a way to spur their direct sales personnel to great and greater accomplishments.  What they did as part of their direct selling marketing training, was ask staff to set individual sales goals and them commit themselves to those goals by personally recording them on paper:

Hello Ladies and gent!

Recently I got a call from an Arbonne International Consultant.  Among the things she shared was her disgruntlement at her company provided site.  It wasn’t working and worse still she was not able to access leads nor have people buy from her online.

Outside that, the other issue was how to add meta tags and personalize her direct sales website, especially with her hands being tied with by the mother party plan company!

Do you have a company website?  Is Your URL a mile long?  Did you purchase advertising but, don’t know if it even brought visitors to your site?  In order to increase home party plan sales, A Personal Website is the answer!

Hi Y’all

There is a party going on right here!

Having a home party? Well here is a tip for you, in home show party games.
Have you had a lot of home parties and just need to add new ideas to your repertoire? Having a successful home party means the guests are having fun! I bet like many other home party consultants you struggle to get your guests involved and entertained Home parties can get a boost of fun with special home party plan games. Direct Selling Reps I trust you will find this game very helpful. Nothing like a trip down memory lane.

Games to play at a home party need not be over done elaborate matters, the simpler the better!  Get your guests to interact, divide them into small groups, preferably of those that don’t know each other and make it a constest.

Home Party Games For Consultants: How many soaps and detergents can you find?

Good News Mary Kay independent beauty consultants!

The polls are in and it appears even in a so called recessed, depressed economy, lipstick sales are continuing to climb.  So I suggest you hurry and host a mary kay cosmetic party with a total lipstick them.  Resurrect the old lines, I bet a lot of people have stories from yester-years they would love to share !

According to a recent article published in Yahoo! news

The Lipstick Economy by Claudine Zap Lipstick is unfortunately an Economic Indicator of a down economy

Ms. Zap states “In this economy that’s in the red, there may be one bright spot that comes in shades of pink, brown, and taupe: the lipstick index.”  All these I believe fall in line with some of the mary kay plum rose lipstick persuasion?

She continues to say that “In bad times, lipstick sales soar while other sales sour. The term “Leading Lipstick Indicator” was coined by Leonard Lauder, chairman of makeup company Estée Lauder, after he noticed the trend during tough economic times. And what is indicated right now? All lips are pointing upwards.

It comes down to simple maths $8 women don’t need to think twice about plunking down eight bucks for a drugstore lipstick or a pair of $800 Jimmy Choos.

>> It is my hope you are thinking of using this angle at the your next home party!

Hello Party Folks!

Again I have been trolling the world wide web looking for goodies.  Bottom line you are in the direct sales business to make a profit.  Sometimes this goal can be lost in the hoopla of home parties, political correctness and just plain old lack of business savvy!

The Travelling Sales Woman, is a bona fide direct sales consultant, with fabulous anecdotes, tips and strategies on her direct sales blog.  I highly recommend you ditch your party plan company , direct sales website and borrow a leaf from this lady.

Get A personal website.  Trust me on this!  I have chosen to include one of her very excellent teaching posts,  with a commentary from me!

The other side of the fence,

Last night I swapped roles and hosted a direct sales party at my house for another consultant.  Sales were good and we all had fun.  But I had some observations on the things she did that were less than optimal, from my position as a hostess.  Rather than ‘What Not To Wear”, think of this as “What Not To Do As A Consultant”.

* Keeping me on the phone for 9 minutes, when all she needed to communicate was that she had purchased tortilla chips and baby carrots for my party, so I didn’t have to.

Party Plan Pat advises : Time is money.  I know as women we feel guilty about everything.  I am sure the consultant on the other side of the phone was worried about everything under the sun, from the price of bread in China to the generosity of the travelling sales woman in hosting a home party on her behalf.  Remember a well trained hostess is an asset.  Delegate and move on! Don’t use your time on the unnecessary, instead use this time to discuss the taking of orders.

* Giving an extended history of the company and her reasons for joining, in excrutiating detail, right at the beginning of her presentation.

Home Party Plan Business Commandment: Thou Shalt Make the home party demonstration about the customer.  I stand amazed as I watch home party sales rep. talk themselves out of a sale dishing out useless information.  Look your customers attention span is 45 minutes and verbal diarrhea is a total turn off!  If I hear one more person tell me and other home party attendees, I am just doing this to get the pink cadillac or white mercedes…Really!