All the Perks and More

The summer is quickly approaching…. are you looking for some extra money?  Would you love a break from the kids for some girl time?  Do you just LOVE a great deal?

Yes, you are reading it correctly!  Till May 31st, you can join Thirty One for just $49 (no tax).  SAY WHAT????

Wouldn’t you LOVE to be a part of the excitement as we kick off a Summer Season with Thirty One?

Let me show you all the things going on right now at Thirty One and why NOW is the best time to join! The Summer Seasonal Guide is AWESOME!  Fun new prints and products for everyone in the family.  PLUS you will be able to grab some of the Retiring Products from our Spring Collection.  Your NEW Customers will love all of the different solution sets to get ready for Summer.

So, for the $49, you will receive:  a Welcome Packet, a How-To Guide, one Summer Guide and one Spring/Summer Catalog, plus a $131 Gift Certificate!

Are you wondering what you can use your gift certificate on?  ANYTHING to help you jumpstart your business.  OPTION #1: You can use it in your launch party (I will be there to help you every step of the way) so you can start earning Personal Volume (PV), Hostess Rewards and commissions, counting toward earning AllMyPerks (AMP) incentives and rewards.  OPTION #2: You can place an order in Marketplace and get the 40% discount off all products ordered.  You will earn Personal Volume toward the AMP incentive. OPTION #3: You can use it to buy Business Supplies and/or a mix of product.  OPTION #4:  You can simply use the Gift Certificate as a payment type on your order. You will earn commission of $32 on your order.

What is an AMP Reward?  So you will be able to pick one of these AMP products for 60% by just using your gift certificate by the end of the month.  If you collect additional orders, up to $1,000 in the month, YOU will get MORE perks!

When you reach $1000 in sales (and multiples of $1000) in your first four months, you are going to earn Wishes Rewards.  So for every multiple of $1,000 you will earn $200 in Wishes Rewards.  These rewards can be redeem for product and/ or business supplies; VISA gift cards or Disney dollars.  I know this is A LOT to take in but stay with me.

Let’s say you host a launch party (in your home, online, Facebook).  You only need $70 more in orders to reach party status when you use your gift certificate.  Easy Peasy!  The average party is about $600 which means YOU are going to earn as the hostess a $150 in commission, the hostess benefits ($100 in FREE products, 2 half price items, 2 hostess exclusives and a monthly hostess special), as well as the AMP reward.

Now, imagine your party jumps to $1000 in sales.  It can happen, believe me.  Now, you are earning $250 in commission, $200 in FREE products, 2 half price items, 2 hostess exclusives, an AMP $100 level reward, 200 in Wishes Rewards and you have unlocked a Fall Hostess Exclusive.

All of this can be yours with just a $49 investment!  I will help you along the way.  If you are close (within an hour’s ride) I will come to your home to help with your launch party.  If you aren’t, I will help you with a Facebook party and can FaceTime in for your party to answer any questions or help out.

SHARE the love and ask a friend to join you on your journey. They could join you for just $49 as long as it is by May 31st.  If they have $1000 in sales (or multiples of $1000) in the first four months, YOU will receive an additional 400 Wishes Rewards points.

Who do you know who could use some extra money?  Maybe they just need some girl time and a break from the kids this summer?  Maybe they just love to shop great deals?  Whatever the reason, Thirty One has the answer.  What was the last thing you spend $49 on?  If you do nothing else with the $131 gift certificate than shop, you will earn $32 BACK in commission and earn the $100 AMP Reward.

By sharing the love, you are also earning points towards The Sea of Dreams Wishes Incentive.  A chance to earn a 7-day cruise for TWO!  This is the first time Thirty One has opened this incentive to all consultants.  It is so doable when you join now and start sharing Thirty One.  What better way to start your own business then with a group of your friends, right?

Did I mention you get ME too.  I am the one in the PINK cowboy hat along with some of my team at Thirty One’s National Conference.

 

Ask any question you want about my business. I am an open book!  I am here to help you on your journey. I LOVE to answer questions.

Here is how you can reach me:

Website: www.partywithHope.com

Facebook: Hope’s Thirty One Gift Closet

Email: HopeWs31@gmail.com

 

Quality vs. Quantity

It is the time of year when many direct sales companies encourage their consultants to recruit. When you get people making money during the holiday season, hopefully they will stay around for the rest of the year, right?  Now I am all about sharing the opportunity all year long BUT I will admit it can be a struggle sometimes.

This brings up the question….When RECRUITING is it  quality or quantity?

There are pros and cons on both sides so no hate mail, please.  When I decided I wanted to be a Leader with Thirty One, I was encouraged to make sure certain some basic components were in plan in my business.  First and foremost,  my personal sales/ parties had to be consistent.  Then I had to show my team how building a team can make a difference in their life.  I have talked about my initial step (or fall) into leadership.   When I started to grow my team, I quickly realized the difference between quantity and quality of recruits.

When I started with Thirty One,  it was recommended I follow the  2 – 10 – 1 model.  What it means is to hold at least 2 parties a month with at least 10 guests per party and 1 recruit per catalog season.  I know you are thinking,  ONE recruit per season will take you forever to grow your team, right?  Some do 2 recruits per season with the goal of each of those recruits being successful or maintaining their business.  I mean what good is it to have 100 girls on your team if only 10 of them are working their business and the rest are  barely staying active.  Leading by example is a great way to build your team.  I have found consultants who are on a recruiting mission to see how many new recruits they can get per month.  Is that you?  Are you helping your new recruits to grow, learn and nurturing them?  Do you compare the size of your team with those of other leaders?  Be purposeful in your recruiting – focusing on how your company can best meet the needs of your potential recruit.  What is their WHY?  What good is recruiting lots of people only to have them be part of the revolving door – coming and going all of the time?

I LOVE my team because it is a diverse group of women who all have their own goals for their business.  I have been blessed to only have a few kit-nappers over the last 7 plus years.  As a Director, it is up to me to help new team members – CELEBRATE, ENCOURAGE & REWARD them as they reach for their goals.  Sometimes life gets in the way.  That is okay!  Maybe their vision for their business has changed. Maybe they only want to work their business for some extra money.  Maybe they are not interested in having a team or recruiting.  Maybe they are a one party a month or just vendor shows or just collecting retail orders. There will be others who will go from the initial plan of 2 – 10 – 1 to wanting and growing their business to full-time potential.  The beauty of direct sales is YOUR business is YOUR business!  I truly believe a team needs to have diverse members to be successful – you never know who your next ROCK STAR will be!  If you focus on just those people who KNOW what they want and ignore those who have some great qualities – you may be missing YOUR next ROCK STAR.

Do you believe in QUALITY or QUANTITY when recruiting?

If you want to learn more about joining my amazing team, contact me for details.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day.

How To Be a Remarkable Recruiter

For those in direct sales, we know the best way to build our income AND to make a difference in someone’s life is to share the opportunity.  We call those individuals new to our teams “recruits” so we are in essence “recruiters”.

A term I am not thrilled with.  Why?  The term recruiter by definition is “a person whose job is to enlist or enroll people as employees, in the armed forces, or as members of an organization.”

For years, I would say “I’m not good at recruiting”.  I would play the comparison game with those who grew their teams by leaps and bounds.  By no means would I call myself a remarkable recruiter, at best an average recruiter and most of the time not recruiting at all.  I tend to miss cues of those who may be interested, or not sharing with everyone while asking if they would be interested in the opportunity.  I could blame the MS but the truth is I worried about those I invited to be a part of this pink bubble.  I worried if they would be successful. I worried if they would think I mislead them.  

Then one day, I stopped worrying.  I just shared the difference Thirty One make in my life and things started to happen.  Did all of those who joined, stick and stay?  NO!  But the odds are getting better.  

Here are FIVE habits which make a REMARKABLE recruiter – rate yourself on  a score of 1 – 10 with 10 being ALWAYS to see how you do.  Don’t score yourself on where you WANT to be or be too hard on yourself.  Be honest, this will help you to achieve your business recruiting goals.

1. Remarkable recruiters work consistently smarter and not harder.  They consistently have parties booked on a monthly basis.  They are sharing their products with EVERYONE they run into whether they know they or not.  
2. Remarkable recruiters ALWAYS smile.  No matter how bad the party or the day, they always have a smile on their face and a positive thought to share.  Did you know smiling is a reflection of what’s inside of you?  Share the joy you feel about your business with everyone simply by smiling.  I remember a comment a friend made “your face lights up when you talk about Thirty One“.  I am learning to wear the joy all of the time so people are curious why and I can share the blessing given to me.
3. Remarkable recruiters are active not passive.  They take the lead when someone shows interest in the business.  They get on the PHONE (I know the dreaded 500-pound one) and don’t rely on flyers and emails to recruit new consultants.  
4. Remarkable recruiters think about what is in it for someone else!  Yes, more recruits mean more money for us.  The key is to focus on how your business will help someone else – make more money to reduce debt, have a vacation, pay for their kid’s activities  etc.  CONNECT with people.  Our business is all about relationship building – go out and BUILD one today.
5. Remarkable recruiters stay in control of the recruiting process. If a potential recruit says they want to think about it – do you wait for them to call you?  The fortune is in the follow-up.  How about asking them what the TWO things are that keep them from jumping in?  LISTEN to their answer and see if you can overcome those doubts.

Okay, so how did you do?  What were your weaknesses – where you scored yourself below a 5. Now focus on developing those skills.  Habits can be learned so if you are trying to GROW your business – find some training calls and then practice these habits.  Honestly, I have some weaknesses but I am working hard to overcome them by listening to training calls, talking with those who are successful in this area and seeking out ways to overcome my fears.  

 

Love to hear from REMARKABLE recruiters with their tips for success.  

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Now is the Time to Grow Your Business

We are kicking off the busiest selling season of the year which is the perfect time to think about growing your business.  I mean people are shopping, ready to spend money on those they love and you have amazing products to offer them.  So, building your business now should be easy right?  Many of us will do 60% of our sales during the next 6 to 8 weeks, BUT we want the business to keep moving forward, right?  I don’t know about you BUT I like getting a regular paycheck.

This is the time of year when we get to connect with new and repeat customers.  We get to share all of the newness of the holiday gift guides and help them to find the perfect gift for those they love.  What happens when the holiday excitement fades?  Will your business fall flat or will it continue to grow or at least maintain an even pace?

This time of year gets me excited.  There are lots of vendor events connecting with other direct sellers and business owners.  I get energized thinking about new ways to build my business.  For those of us in direct sales, we know to build your business, you need to:

Sell, Book, & Recruit

Sales are easy during the busiest selling season of the year.  Vendor events open the door to new customers.  We get to introduce our product to people who have never heard of our companies.  Lots of customers result in an increase in sales, right?  Potential customers are all around us.  Sharing our passion about our products along with tips and tricks is something which comes easily for most of us.

Booking and recruiting can get a little harder.  Despite the fact I love the company I am with, the hostess benefits are awesome and I am blessed to have it pay all of my bills as I work from home; I still stumble over words when talking to someone about having a party or becoming a consultant.  Crazy, right?

So what is the trick to turning customers into hosts and recruits which will help to grow your business?  The truth is not everyone is going to be interested in having a party or becoming a consultant and it is OK.

Here are 3 simple ways to increase the number of customers who turn into hosts and new team members.

Strategy 1: Keep it all about them.

When we share our hostess program or business opportunity, how often is the focus on us as the consultant?  I can hear all of the denials but sometimes it is tough to turn “our needs for sales/bookings” into being all about them, right?   We need to practice talking about how it could benefit THEM.  As a business, people need to see how it can fit into their life and add value to it.  The key is building a relationship with our customers and then sharing the VALUE of what you have to offer with confidence!

Asking questions and offering solutions to fill their needs, helps our success rate go up. Whether tit is for the discount on the products,  time with friends/family, or a chance to earn extra money, YOU offer solutions.

Strategy 2: Uncover their concerns.

The key to finding new hosts and customers is knowing how to listen. If you ask someone if they would like to have a party and they say, “no”, don’t be too quick to move on from the conversation. Asking more questions doesn’t have to be pushy or salesy.  You can simply ask “is there anything holding you back?”  Then LISTEN to their response, it allows you to overcome their objections

Validate their concern and offer a solution along with some encouragement.  Who knows you could turn a no into a yes. Take time to find out more about their hesitation.

Strategy 3: Consistently Follow-Up

When someone says “no”, do you ask them if it is okay to check back with them at another time?  Then do you actually follow-up?

Think about when you were invited to attend something. Maybe you initially said, “Thanks for the invitation, but I’ve got so much going on I won’t be able to attend.”  A few days go by and the same person asks you if you are attending.  Now you respond with, “I don’t know. Maybe. I’ll have to see how my schedule pans out.”  Another week or so goes by and you get a messaging from the person saying they are hoping to see you at the event. This time you say, “You know what. It sounds like fun. Yeah, I’ll see you there!”

It happens all of the time. Initially, someone may decline to join your team or host a party, simply because they are busy and don’t want to think about it.  Then some time passes, if you reach out again they may be more open to the idea. A “no” doesn’t mean never contact me again, just not at this time.  You will miss opportunities if you don’t follow-up.  Remember, follow-up is important because needs and situations change.

When we focus on the needs of our customers, uncovering their concerns, and following up consistently, you will turn more customers into hosts and recruits.

A little long but hopefully it will help you to extend this busy selling season into the new year.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

 

Direct Sales and FUNdraising

I don’t know about you but as soon as it hit September 15th, I feel like my mailbox (snail mail and email) has been hit with LOTS of requests for donations.  Some from organizations near and dear to my heart while others are those spammy kind which try to pull on your heart strings.  As someone who does fundraising through my direct sales business, I tend to look at the pleas in a different way.

Fundraising can be done with monetary donations or by making a difference in the lives of others with gifts which will bring a smile to their face as they battle their struggle.

I know, you are wondering how to make fundraising work for your direct sales business right?  I actually issued this as a challenge to my team.  Find out what causes are near and dear to the hearts of your customers, pick one which is also dear to you and go for it!  What better way to get to know people then by finding out what causes they love.

So, why is fundraising a good move for your business?  Let’s start with your desire to build a team and move up in leadership.  In most DS companies, you earn income not only from your business but also from those who are on your team – bigger team = greater income.

If you want to grow your team, statistics show the more people you’re in front of, the more you will recruit. It’s a number’s game.

TIP #1:  Some of your best recruits can come as a result of being the hostess of fundraisers. Don’t forget to ask them to join your team and do their OWN fundraisers in the future! If they are raising money for a group, chances are-they know TONS of people!

TIP #2:  Make sure you funnel everyone into your customer group so they will continue to see your recruiting (and booking) posts.

TIP #3: Make sure you invite people from the Facebook Event to your team’s monthly opportunity night!  Find the one who comments a lot, who already has a lot of your product or the one every seems to ask for their opinion.

TIP #4: This is the most important as far as I am concerned! Send a “thank you” email to everyone who ordered from the party with links and graphics for booking and recruiting.

How can fundraisers help you with your bookings?  Again, the more people you’re in front of, the more bookings you’re going to get. Funnel everyone from your fundraiser into your customer group and you’ve created a breeding ground for future bookings!

TIP #1: Create a way for everyone who attends the fundraiser to help even more Tell by offering a booking incentive.  Something like, anyone who books a party (limit the dates) will also have 10% of THEIR party donated to this fundraiser/cause.   This is a great way to get your hostess booking parties for you! I also offer something to my hostess so she is pushing the bookings too.

TIP #2:  I do my events so they are linked to my public business page so everyone can SHARE the event! Maybe even do a giveaway for anyone who shares a certain post onto their personal timeline.  Create excitement.  Make it fun.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could have an extra $500 to $1000 a month in baseline sales BEFORE you even enter in any your regular parties?

What are some of you best fundraising tips?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!