Can You Beat Vacation Veronica?

How long is this sign on your business during the holidays?  For Vacation Veronica stepped into the picture right around Thanksgiving weekend.  She may have come and gone a few times since them but she is sneaking back to see if she can stay till the spring thaw.

Some will take a holimonth instead of a holiday.  I used to take a holimonth from the Christmas cutoff till after the first of the year.  The end result was the need to kick start my business every spring.

As we creep into the final days before Christmas then head into the week till New Years, the holiday season takes on a life of its own.  The time spent in the office is all about paper pushing.  Now, I am not saying this isn’t productive in some ways but can put a damper on the most productive, money making time of year.  Pushing papers and getting things in order are good things I do in between Christmas and New Years as I prep for the upcoming year.  The truth is, we need to keep working on building our business so in January, we are not sitting around trying to figure out WHY we don’t have any business on the books.

Here are some tips from JulieAnne Jones:

• If you are a Leader, plan all your meetings for 2018. As Leaders with Thirty One, they help us stay on track with giving us all of the materials we need.
• Schedule time to connect with your downline to see how you can help them with their goals in 2018.
• Share with your team some fun ideas for theme parties as well as other tips on how to boost their business in the new year.
• Call your September, October, November and December guests – you know the “pink bag calls” we talk about. Check in and make sure they are happy with their product.
• Call your past hostess and check in. Don’t be afraid to ask them about hosting a party.
• Commit to listen to/ or read at least one training program. Don’t just listen or read – IMPLEMENT it!

As for me, I am excited to be kicking of the new year utilizing the Tag Team Party format.  Since 95% of my business has been online, I have been on the hunt for a way to hold fast, fun and easy parties online.  The format will plant booking and recruiting seeds while guests enjoy a 31-minute party online.

I am tweaking my follow-up system.  With our new ship before the party closes, there have been some challenges.  So, I am trying to get a system together.  The money is in the follow-up and I need to remember it on a regular basis. It isn’t just about the emails or social media, it is also about snail mail AND the phone.

Here’s to hoping Vacation Veronica doesn’t linger long at my house or yours. Take a break and enjoy your family and friends during the holiday season but don’t neglect your business. If you had a store front, you wouldn’t close for 2 weeks would you? So why should you close your direct sales business for 2 weeks unless you are fully booked for the next 2 months – even then, I am not sure I would stop working my business.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

A Thank You in Life and in Business

Do you remember, as a child, being reminded to send thank you notes when you were given a gift?  Maybe it was a birthday, a special occasion or for some it was even for holiday gifts.  I used to dread them.  I mean what do you say to someone who you never really see who sends you a gift, right?  I always wanted the thank you notes that had messages already on them.  Less writing and I could just sign my name!  LOL!!

Fast forward to being a Mom. I had Belinda write thank you notes.  She grumbled ALOT but what kid doesn’t, right?  She thought that saying “thank you” when she saw the person was enough.  I have to admit, at times it made perfect sense.  When she asked, I always said “it is proper”.

Then I became a business owner.  I heard “the fortune is in the follow-up“. So, what would make me stand out from so many other consultants?  What would make them remember ME?  I began handwriting thank you notes and mailing them about 10 days or so after an order was placed.  At first, I didn’t think much of it.  If I met the individual in-person, I mentioned something that I remembered about them.  If it was an online order, I thanked them and told them that I knew how much they would love their order.

I thanked them a second time when I sent them the shipping information for direct ship orders.  If I was delivering them, another thank you note was included in their bag.  Some thought it was “overkill” BUT I I truly do appreciate their support of my business.

I have continued this practice for 5+ years no matter what – old or new customer.  The response is AMAZING!  In this day and age of internet and social media, people truly appreciate “snail mail” that is NOT a bill.

I still hand write thank you notes for things that people do for me personally whether it is a gift or just a thoughtful gesture.  I want people to know that they have made a difference in my life.  Now, I will admit that if I use a thank you card that already has a message, I will add a special note.  People need to know that you care.  They buy products from people that they like and care about.  What better way to continue to build that relationship that by sending a thank you note, right?

Here is my tip to make this easy for you (or your children)… I use Thirty One’s Timeless Beauty Bag to hold everything.  There is a spot for pens, cards, envelopes, and stamps.  It is a great gift for that NEW team member or for the college bound student or someone in the military.  I picked up LOTS of thank you cards at the Dollar Store.  You get 8 or 10 in a pack and then I get a variety of them.

Have thank you notes to send to your customers, grab the bag & take it with you.  You can write a few while you are waiting for the kids to get off the bus or while they are at practice.  We all know how long that can take, right?

Just remember that a little “thank you” can make a difference in the life of the person that is receiving it.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

A Plan Comes Together

I LOVE when a plan comes together!  That is God’s plan, not mine.  This is week 2 of my new system and it WORKS!  Okay, you can laugh if you want but the lights are flashing….

So in addition to effectively using my tickler file to keep track of things to do… I have actually been picking up the phone when I am in my office.  I have to admit, I stumble a little especially with those people who I haven’t talked to in months – it is okay.  My call is focused on sharing the new catalog PLUS asking if they are interested in having a “girl’s night out”.  I know that there is probably a better way to approach the subject but it is a work in progress.  The fact that I don’t stutter when I actually get a real person is amazing to me!  I am half way through the 100 NO Challenge and have booked parties!

At the same time, I have been posting a little smarter on Facebook, Twitter (a default from Facebook), Linked In and even a little bit on Google+.   What does that mean?  First of all timing is key.  Have you noticed how many likes you get on a status update depending on the time of day?  Facebook makes me crazy since I only see limited amounts of what people post in my news feed.  If that happens to me, I am sure that it is happening to my customers and friends.  If it is something that I really want someone to see – I tag them.  Now that doesn’t mean that every post has a tag just the ones that really make me think of the other person. As a result, fundraisers and parties are coming together.  A month that was slow has picked up because I am being intentional.

Snail mail!  Love it or hate it!  I am the corny person that sends “happy mail” to my team, my hostesses and occasionally my customers.  Who doesn’t like getting something besides a bill in the mail?  My goal is to put a smile on someone’s face while I am sharing the gift of Thirty One.  No, I am not hawking items to sell, just sharing the wonderfulness that is Thirty One.

My paper planner has lots of notes with things to do while my electronic calendar holds my meetings and appointments.  Scheduling office time at varying hours and sticking to them is making a world of difference in my business.  Who would have thought that people would actually be willing to talk at 7PM at night.  Thank you Maggie for sharing your business tip.  I have watched your Beauty Control business ROCK with your consistent follow-up for 1 hour every night.  I may not make it every night but at least one night a week is making a difference.

I am not sure that I had a plan but I asked God for help in my business… what I got was some determination and my passion back.  Things may not be happening in my time frame or the way I want BUT they are happening.  Moving in a positive direction.

What small change have you made in YOUR business that has proved successful?  Share it with us..

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!