I can’t believe we had Thirty One’s Fall Reveal already. It was AMAZING! No this is not about all of the newness coming our way which will tickle you PINK. It is to shed some light on how to make a catalog change an AWESOME experience for the consultant and her customers.
For those in direct sales, you know the introduction of NEWNESS creates a lot of excitement. You are eager to share the catalog with friends, family and customers. You want everyone to be excited so YOU can fill your calendar for the next few months. But unfortunately, there are still a few weeks left in July. I don’t know about you but I would like to get a paycheck in August, so sharing needs to be done in a way to NOT lose business in July. Yes, it can be tricky BUT it can be done!
As a hobbyist, I was one of those people who wrote off the current season and eagerly shared the new catalog. I didn’t have a plan nor was I thinking about what it could do to my current month end. I was just pushing for the Fall – the busiest selling season of the year. I figured my customers had the same catalog for the last six months so they were ready for something fresh. I know I was. As soon as I shared the new, sales for the current month dropped or sometimes stopped. Could I have expected anything more?
Here are some tips and tricks to keep the excitement building for the new catalog while grabbing those last sales in the current catalog. So, whether you are a new consultant or a seasoned one, let’s all make the most of the next few weeks as we get ready to launch a NEW catalog season.
Here are some of the tips to finish off the season strong:
- Use Customer Care Card or Door Prize Slips to secure bookings and leads at events. Those who book with a date, get a sneak peak at the new catalog. Let them be the first to receive it in the mail. Follow-up is important.
- Use Hostess Stacking and booking games at parties.
- Keep the party fun to keep your calendar full. To keep your business growing, your goal should be at least 2 bookings from every party or event. Ask yourself, would you have fun at your parties? If not, time for a change!
- Build strong relationships with customers and hostesses. Communication before, during and after the party is the key to building trust and begins building a solid relationship. They will trust you and people buy from who they trust!
- Think outside the box for a home party. Everyone is on the go, so, why not take your party on the go? From a backyard barbeque, an afternoon at the park with your girlfriends and the kiddos, a pool party, the beach, a night out with girls, an ice cream social and traveling with friends and family.
- This is tricky time – products and prints will be selling out. Know what is available, and be ready to offer options. Have an idea about what is coming to encourage conversations with potential hostesses. It allows you to have a one on one conversations, making them feel special because you are providing them with a sneak peek of the upcoming hostess and customer specials.
- Offer a fun enticing way to get their hands on a book! A Last Chance, First Glance party. Give your July hostesses the opportunity to get a sneak peek of the new fall catalog at their party.
- Reach out customers who liked a certain print to help them finish their collection if it is leaving. Encourage your hostesses or customers to plan parties or purchase early in the month (or as soon as the list comes out), as items begin to sell out closer to the end of the month.
So, what is YOUR best tip for keeping momentum during a catalog change? Share your tips with us.
Have ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 