MazimiIg Your Party Invitations

Let's Talk About Maximizing 

Your Selling Appointment Invitations!

Let's face it. We are in the Party Plan Business. We HAVE to have Parties for us to have residual selling opportunities, meet new people and as part of our main stream of income. Because we have parties, we need hostesses and those hostesses need invitations. Or rather they need to compile a guest list and WE mail the invitations. But you know what? Most of the party plan invitations I have received were post cards. Some of them were bland and unappealing. And some were uninteresting. And they got lost in the junk mail on the side table. One actually managed to get posted om my fridge, but it was covered up with some notice from the city about the parameters of garbage collection. And I really wanted to go to that party. And I know from experience as a hostess, I procrastinated to the point where I had to literally BEG a friend and a family member to attend. EEK! And I also received an e-Vite which I mistakenly deleted with the junk email in my box. Whoa! Now you don't want any of that to happen to your invitations do you? Well I don't. Not any more. So, with that in mind, here are a few tips to help you maximize your invitations.

Black Friday Blues

The Holiday Dollars are out there

What are you going to do to get 

your share?

So It's that time of year again and you can see Wilma and Betty grabbing their charge rocks and you can hear the "ta da da da ta daaaaaa" of the trumpets and then a resounding CHARGE!  

And They're Off

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Safe At Home Sunday (we can only assume that that means we are watching QVC and HSN or thumbing through all the catalogs that have come in the mail, and telephoning in orders), Cyber Monday, Mop Up Tuesday... All those named and un-named shopping days leading from Thanksgiving afternoon and leading up to Christmas Eve. That's a lot of retail and sales. So what do you do as a direct sales / party plan consultant? You Join in. You make sure you have the infrastructure to do business.

Thinking Like a Retailer (Pat 2)

What Mary Kay Did Not Teach or What I Found Along the Way

What Else Can You Do

To Think Like a Retailer?

Thinking like a Retailer So, as I considered that concept, I looked at one of my Favorites at the time, JC Penney. It Begged the Question, What did JC Penney have that my Mary Kay Business did not have or more to the point, What Were the Tools I Needed to be Just Like JC Penney.  And Better Yet, What Tools could I Utilize that were not Available through Mary Kay? 

I Don't Have Time (Time Management 101)

Thoughts on Time Management

Time Is Money!

Adage 1: Time is What We Want Most, but What We  Use Worst.

Adage 2: Time Invested in One Area, is Time Taken Away From Another.

Adage 3: Take Your Time, But Hurry Up!

Adage 4: Time is Money

Everyday we use words like schedule, calendar, appointment, day, date, minute, month, hour, year.  And you know what? It's true. We are obsessed with time; too much time on our hands, the lack of time, not enough time, where did the time go? I don't have enough time! 

Maximizing Your Inventory

You Can't Sell From an Empty Wagon,

 But you Surely Can Empty a Full One!

We have Heard it said at the beginning of the Mary Kay Career, "You Can't Sell From an Empty Wagon". So you have made the decision to stock Mary Kay Inventory. That's a business choice, a financial choice, a family choice and a personal choice. Think of this: No matter when you started your business, whether it was in the winter, spring, summer or fall, there is always going to be an occasion or holiday to cerebrate. So your inventory investment will not have been done in vain (unless you don't sell it - and that too is a choice!). So here are my recommendations for:

Thinking Like A Retailer (Part 1)

Are You Thinking Like A Retailer?

One of the greatest concepts that Mary Kay had given to the sales force was the concept of Think Like a Retailer. At the time I was a newbie. I had just gotten my starter kit, I had gone to two unit meetings and had received some valuable (and much needed training) and I had been on the "Inventory Phone Call"  with such things to consider as a) What was my beginning or proposed customer base b) How much inventory would I need c) How much inventory could I reasonably afford d) financing options.  As it happened, a small inventory order was keyed in and released to Mary Kay Corp. in my name, paid with another's credit card and sent to my home address. That incident was not without its' problems but it got me to thinking about one of the major selling concepts of that season: Think Like a Retailer. So, I looked at one of my Favorites at the time, JC Penney. It Begged the Question, What did JC Penney have that my Mary Kay Business did not have or more to the point, What Were the Tools I Needed to be Just Like JC Penney. 

50 Actions to Take to Build Your Business

Think Outside the Box to

Expand Your Business!

Which One Will You Do Today?

If you have your sights set on earning more and advancing to higher levels of leadership, or if you are just starting out and would like to build your business to leadership level, there is no faster path to cash (and fulfillment) than to fill your Date Book/Calendar with group presentations. Whether you call them parties, shows, classes, selling appointments or presentations… they all translate into sales, recruit leads and the perpetuation of your success. That’s why keeping your schedule full, needs to be a top priority for growing your business, growing your  income and expanding your sphere of influence as well as  your team in the coming months.

Creating An Office on the Go

Your Business Is Not Just 

At Your Desk or Computer!

So You are A Busy Consultant and You Can't stay home and be in your office. What do you do? You Create a On the Go Office. Keeping an On the Go Office in your car is a 100 % MUST DO! In this "office" you will keep everything you need to book selling appointments (also known as parties), warm chatter (make contacts), recruit and generally do business. You shouldn't over think this. You really want this to be simple, organized and most of all portable and reproducible. If you make it too complicated, you will never carry it or use it. Your On the Go Office can be carried in a portable file box or "milk carton"carrier on wheels, which can be purchased from Office Max or WalMart. Some of the portable file boxes even have places for pens and other useful accessories. That is convenient so you would never have to search for a pen. 

So...You Want to Stay at Home (Part 3)

So, You've Decided to take a Leap of Faith 

How Does Your Future Look?

And now it's time to build your wings on the way down.  There are some things you need to decide:

·  What things you like: This will determine what kind of company you choose and I really do hope you choose mine.

· How much money you wish to make: This will determine whether you stay on your job and work on your business as a hobby or part time OR if you can leave your job and work on your business full time.

· How many hours you wish to work: again your considerations are Hobby, Part Time or Full Time. And..Will the Benefits outweigh any perceived risk?

· Can I really do this, Do I have what it takes? Of course you can do this. Do you consider yourself friendly? Are you a good talker? Are you confident? If the answeres to any of these questions is yes... you can do this and do this well.

Recruit with this R. E. C. I. P. E.

In direct sales, recruiting is considered the life-blood of your business.  When you learn how to create

Recruiting is like putting together 

a puzzle; You just have to follow

the steps to success. 

duplication by adding new team members you will leverage your income with this R.E.C.I.P.E.

Recruiting

To get yourself in the right mindset for recruiting, understand all you’re really doing is realizing in your heart that you have something special to share with people and it comes wrapped up in a product or service and a business opportunity.  That business opportunity can be a gold mine if you share it often and don’t pre-judge. If he or she doesn’t want the opportunity at that moment, that’s ok. You shared it and you’ll never know, maybe at another time it will be something that they would be willing to hear more about.

I Love Going to Work

Out of Fashion or Old Fashioned

The other day I went shopping with my sister Sharon. Not a remarkeble incident; just your everyday, two sisters hanging out type of thing. Anyway... We went into this clothing store, and  I noticed some sundresses hanging by a clothing round. One dress in particular caught my attention. I thought the print was very pretty. I thought the shape of the dress was nice. I thought the straps may have been a little flimsy. And then I decided to feel the material. I got the shock of my life. No exaggeration here! When did they decide to make sundresses out of night gown material? You know, the type of flimsy, nylon material used for "silk - like" panties and nightgowns. Oh my goodness. What have women been excepting as clothing? Is this world so obcessed with sex that it now expects and excepts women to walk around in nightgowns? Do women really want their clothing to say "jump me"?  Or... and here is the horrifying thing... Am I just Out of Fashion or just too old fashioned? And another thing... When has it become o.k. for people to parade around in their pajamas? I am talking about the fuzzy flannel pj's and the soft pima cotton pj's and of all things "baby doll's.  No joke... The other day, I saw a teeny bopper, a junior high school girl, going to school in what looked like baby doll pajamas! Two questions: Where was her mother and Did her mother buy the "outfit" for her daughter? 

Build Your Character to Build Your Business

 By definition,  character means (among other things):

• moral or ethical quality: a man of fine, honorable character.
• qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity: It takes character to face up to a bully.
• reputation: a stain on one's character
• good repute.
• an account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.

We all have character...Right? Well we do. But,  I am talking about an acronym of how to develop and get the most out of your business. 

How Are Your Numbers?

It’s that time of year again when we all should consider our health and well-being. Our

Are Your Business Numbers

Where You Want Them To Be?

health and weight loss journey may not be as we would hope, but we truly need to start to think about consistency as well as what we are willing to do in actuality. Your progress may be slow or non-existent and you may not be as focused or as calculated as you would like, but that’s ok. In truth we should focus on body composition, form and wellness and not completely on the numbers on the scale. Those numbers don’t lie, but they don’t tell the whole story of you. Only you know how good you feel and how you want to look, so that makes the goal attainable. So, now it’s time to get to work on yourself.

So... You Want to Stay At Home (Part 2)

Dealing with Fear

So, you have a few questions.

PartOne left us in the Limbo Land of FEAR. But, in order to deal with Fear,  we need to ask ourselves "What exactly is fear and what am I really afraid of?" Some say that fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. I really dislike this acronymic definition because it trivializes what we feel. It makes our concerns seem small and it makes us self conscious. Others say that FEAR  is a human's natural instinct of sensing danger and then having a great need for safety. And that is true. When we encounter things that we don't understand (ie. direct sales) we do feel apprehensive. This is  because we haven't had experiences with it, or we have  heard about negative experiences with it or we simply don't want to do it because "I'm not a sales person". and "I don't want to be pushy".  However, I rather think that Fear is a process of thinking things through, while addressing our concerns about a given decision or situation.

A Site to See: The Booster

Let me be one of the first to introduce you to a GREAT supplemental website in the Party Plan Industry.  The Site is the Jenny B website called:

The Booster

This site is a consultants dream. You will find:

• Stickers - to enhance your catalogs and other business materials
• Postcards - for party reminders, recruiting and "just because"
• Buttons - to help you advertise your business while you are out and abou
• Erase Boards - for tracking 
• Free Training - Party and business idea, 
• And much, much more!

The Stickers are colorful and you have the choice of pre-printed, printer ready, general business and company/business specific. I have found that placing the stickers in catalogs have helped to draw attention to new products, best sellers and even team building. It is said that if you want a woman to hold a party, you have to mention it at least seven times. What better way to mention having a party by saying it in stickers to bring home the words that you have spoken. 

I myself have worn the Booster buttons and have found a certain confidence as I have gone out and about. I have even gotten sales as well as a few appointments booked that way. 

So, if you are looking for business enhancements, Visit The Booster and get pleasantly surprised!  

The Booster is moving to Etsy. The Web Address is:  

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBoosterJennyB

Make of their New email at:  

 TheBoosterJennyB@hotmail.com 

Please make a Note. And be Sure to subscribe to their email list From:  

 http://eepurl.com/gzePWb

I hope the update to this article has been helpful.

Thanks. PS. I whole heartedly recommend the Booster for the little touches that make your invites and catalogs a MUST READ.

Party With A Purpose: A Book Review

So you are in the Home-Based, Direct Sales/Party Plan business and you are wondering what types of books you should have as personal growth and business education on your book shelf. And you are wondering what types of books you should be recommending to others. Well here is a book for you:

Party With A Purpose

The Psychological Secrets to Recruiting and Retaining Party Plan Partners 

by Pat Pearson  -  MSSW

Your Parties are not just for showing off your products!

According to the author, the key to success and longevity in the Party Plan Business is recruiting.  Sharing the Marketing Plan of your Party Plan Company is a must. Because this business is a people business, and people are emotional creatures, "life strategies" must be developed. This book gives the Party Plan Consultant a Psychological Blue-Print  that will help her/him recognize and deal with the emotional issues  that always come up in this business. This book is designed to help you understand the major emotional roadblocks that keep people from coming into or staying in the business. You will learn to empower yourself and your team members in the Art of gaining new business associates. You will learn how to enjoy the benefits of the business: Making a Difference in the lives of others, while you are Having Fun and Making Money!

This slim volume is a fast paced, easy-to-read  must read for anyone who wants to understand the ups and downs of a party plan business. You will find insights and have "Ah-Ha" moments that are valuable for you and your team members. This book is for the rank and file consultant as well as the seasoned leader. Chapters Include:

• Gratitude Recruiting
• Retention the Elephant in the Room
• Cycles of Change
• Stopping Self Sabotage
• Balancing on the Emotional Teeter Totter

among others. Have pen and paper available and be ready to Recruit, Recruit, Recruit!  Get your copy TODAY!

This book can be found on Amazon.com or on PatPearson.com

So... You Want to Saty at Home (Part 1)

Would you like to stay at home?

You're tired of your job...You can't stand your boss...You miss your kids...You hate getting up in the morning...You have too little time and waaaay too much to do...You have waaaay too much month at the end of your money...You are busted, disgusted and you don't know who can be trusted... So...You Want to Stay at Home? And I don't blame you. But, you can't make any of your ends meet, so you'll just walk away from your dream, forget it and contimue to work a boring job, with a boss you hate, for not enough money, while getting up way too early, trusting your children to someone else and having way too much to do that it seems you don't get anything done and the thought of catching up is just simply too ridiculous for words. I say to you "Not so Fast".

Letting Go

 I am sharing an article written by my business and life coach Lisa Robbin Young. You may know her as The Renaissance Mom and the owner of The Direct Sales Classroom. She originally posted this blog post quite a while ago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 In the past 24 hours it feels as though I have awakened from a 35 year coma. I can’t begin to explain everything here, at least not yet. But new realities have come into my field of vision, and I’m seeing the world through somewhat different eyes. As moms, we often think that we are doing so much for everyone else, and we don’t have a voice of our own. Sometimes we feel squelched. 

Help Yourself and B. E. G. I. N Again

Have you ever struggled with starting over; perhaps thinking it appears as if you are standing still of moving backward? Perhaps you have the feeling of failure or resignation? Guess What. You are not alone.  Even with your self recriminations and emotional baggage — (the feeling of not being enough or having enough or the problem is all your fault), from time to time having the choice to B.E.G.I.N. Again is the best option and can be your best friend.

The Wizard of Oz: A Business Parable

No, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore Dorothy! In fact, I don’t think we’re in Oz either. Where we are is at a crossroads in life and we have to make some very important  decisions if we are to survive. Because, the days (and ways) of doing business (or creating an income stream to earn extra money) are changing rapidly and we just can’t sit around and wait for someone else to make something happen or to  make choices for us. As Mary Kay once said "You are either going to make things happen, or watch things happen or you are going to wait until it's too late and ask 'What Happened'" So, we have to adjust and grow  WITH the times or we are going to be left behind! (I’m not saying that there are flying houses or monkeys in your future, but you get the picture, right?)