Direct Sales - Tricks or Tips of the Trade and first ever “ahomebasedmom” contest!

Monday, October 22, 2007, by Leigh Anne

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It’s that time of year - Trick or Treaters will be arriving next week. In preparation for that I thought I’d share some “Tricks or Tips” of direct sales that I have picked up recently.

One of the things I have learned since being in direct sales is that one of the best places to pick up new “Tricks or Tips” for my business is at other direct sales companies events or home parties. Sometimes as direct sellers we get so busy holding our own home events (this is a GOOD thing) that we don’t take advantage of going to the “parties” that we are invited to by our friends. Recently I realized that it had been a while since I had attended another company’s home event. It just so happened that that same week I received a couple of invites to various home parties (guess it was meant to be) and I received a call from one of my customers who is a consultant in another direct selling company asking me to host a party for her. This is not something I do very often as I am usually too busy holding my own home events but I love her particular company and their product and wanted some of their new fall pieces without having to pay full price (isn’t this what most hostesses want?!) so I said yes.It is amazing, even though I have been doing direct sales for 17 years, I learn some new tip or trick each time I attend a home party of another company. The consultants whose home events I attended have different “experience’ levels in direct sales but all had something to teach me.

The “newbie” – this young gal had only been with her company a few months. Her sister-in-law was the hostess and the consultant admitted to me that she really wasn’t sure she was going to continue with the company. She was mainly interested in getting the products she wanted for herself at cost. She did a great job though – she had been trained well by her upline and did the things she was trained to do. I loved that she got her audience involved – gave them each an opportunity to get their hands on the products and try them out. We each were able to make our own “Coldstone” ice cream – and guess what – I bought the ice cream scoop that evening. Tip: Getting your customers to touch the product is so important whether you are passing it around the room, having them use it or trying it on. Another “trick of the trade” she used was to do a drawing. To insure she got everyone’s contact information she had us each fill out a slip for a drawing for some “free product” – even if you aren’t interested in buying anything you aren’t going to pass up on the opportunity to win something free! Everyone filled out the form.

The second event I attended was for a jewelry company and this consultant was also fairly new – she has been doing it less than a year and has begun to build a team. She too did a good job of getting people to touch the product and try it on – (not really too hard when you are dealing with women and jewelry!) Tip: In the middle of the table was a card – on the card she had listed the first names of her last ten hostesses and the amount of free product they had earned at their party in one column and in the second column she listed what her profit had been from the party – it caught my attention! Several days after the event I received an email from her – thanking me for attending the party and letting me know approximately when my product should be arriving – good follow-up!

The third event was the one that I hosted at my home. This was a clothing company. As each of my friends came into the house I greeted them wearing one of this season’s outfits (I got to pick something out from the rack of clothes the hostess brought with her – fun!) As each friend arrived, they too got to pick out an outfit from the rack and put it on and we then each modeled for each other throughout the presentation. Now I can tell you I bought the outfit I had tried on and I know several others did too – Tip: I realize that letting your customers try on the clothes only works for clothing companies but – you can get your customers involved with YOUR particular product - touching and using the product as soon as possible! Get them involved from the minute they walk in the door, put your hostess to work helping you demonstrate too! – they are going to buy what they have used and touched!

So next time you are invited to a home party event – see if you can’t fit it into your schedule – think of it is as field research, part of the job. Take the opportunity to talk to the consultant and ask her questions – watch what she does, how she does it and learn from her. Think about how you can incorporate the tips and tricks you learn into your business.

Another thing I learned at a home event I attended several months ago wasn’t from the consultant but rather from my friend who hosted the event. It really has nothing to do with direct sales but is a fun decorating tip that I have been using so I thought I’d pass it on!

If you have an island in your kitchen, like I do, it becomes the center of your kitchen and when I entertain and have parties I use the island a lot to serve off of but part of the island isn’t useable as a serving space because of the stove top. Well, my friend had bought a simple black tray from Pottery Barn which she placed over the top of her burners (of course this only works if the burners are turned off!!) She then turned the tray into a “display” piece – using candles, flowers etc. to decorate it – it could also be used as a place for additional food serving pieces – I loved the idea and decided to recreate it. It is also fun to use during the holidays and create little holiday “vignettes” on the tray. The other great thing is – it covers over your dirty stove top! I am including a picture of the Halloween vignette I have been using this month at a dinner party I hosted as well as the high school cast party I had at my house Saturday night!

NEW!! Monthly Contest! If you have a favorite “Tip or Trick” that you use in your home event or one you have learned from a home event you attended please share it with us by clicking on comments below. Each person who shares a “Tip or Trick” of the trade with us will be entered into a drawing. The prize will be a copy of one of my favorite books that is FULL of “Tips and Tricks” of the trade - Build it Big - 101 Insider Secrets from Top Direct Selling Experts. To participate in the contest just click on comments below and share your top “Tip or Trick” with all of us. Your name will entered in a drawing on Trick or Treat Day - October 31st and the book will be mailed to the winner!! I look forward to reading your “Tips and Tricks” Build It Big: 101 Insider Secrets from Top Direct Selling Experts