Tailgating Season is Back!!!

The weather was a little crazy the last week on the East Coast!   I actually woke up to snow on the ground BUT I also saw signs that baseball season was starting at the local fields.  First comes outdoor sporting events then it is beach weather…. YEAH!!!  Here are some things to help you be prepared, as well as be the “cool mom”….

Taking snacks, waters and other beverages with you can save you time and money.  We all like to do both, right?  The added bonus is that it will help you and the kids eat healthier rather than buying things on the go.  Yes, it will require a lithe preparation and the right gear.  Everyone loves with Thirty One’s Picnic Thermal Tote.  It’s just the right size for a few drinks, some sandwiches and some drinks. Not too big and not too small this can easily fit on the floor of the back seat, and hold enough food for your whole family. It’s adorable and comes in lots of fun patterns. It has an adjustable strap so you can carry it out to the soccer field or to a picnic spot. It’s easily wipeable when it gets dirty and it even folds down for easy storage. You can keep groceries cold on their way home from the store!  It will hold up to FOUR bottle of wine or a six pack of beer – perfect for those “adult” getaways.  It even comes in MAN colors so it makes a great gift for dad for Father’s Day!

Tired of having the soccer ball roll around in the trunk? Or looking for a missing shoe just before you are ready to head out the door?  The Large Utility Tote by Thirty One can come to the rescue.

You’ll be amazed at how much this classic tote can hold. The structured metal frame keeps it open for bulky items and provides strength for durability. Keep it in your closet to help organize your shoes or the “stuff” that seems to gather on the floor.  It is great for carrying or storing toys and easy for the kids to manage on their own.  Hate those plastic bags when you go grocery shopping? Or do you go to stores like Aldi’s where you have to pay for bags?  Here is the perfect alternative – keep it in your truck.  You can use it as a basket as you walk around the store, empty it to check out and then reload it to head home.   It even collapses for easy storage!

Yes, it comes in MAN colors as well as fun prints.  These can be personalized as well for your favorite team or with a catchy phrase.  Want some for the whole team?  Why not Fundraise with Thirty One?  contact me at HopeWs31@gmail.com for more details.

Be the envy of your friends when you show up full stocked with snacks and drinks while looking fashionable and organized.  Isn’t that every mom’s dream?

Click on the product links to order yours today!  Need help, just reach out to me.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

What Does Fun Mean to You?

Guess what day it is???? That’s right, it is HUMP day which means it is WOOHOO Wednesday.

I LOVE to celebrate!  I have found that by celebrating at least 3 things EVERY DAY, my perspective on life has changed.  I no longer hang out for hours with Negative Nellie or Doubtful Debbie.  I SQUASH those inner gremlins and send them on their way.

It has been a rough two months for me – health wise and with the JOB.  So I want to do some celebrating of things that are FUN!  When was the last time that you treated yourself to ANYTHING?  Maybe it was a bubble bath or that special coffee or maybe it was just sitting and watching the sunrise/sunset.  Maybe it was playing in the park with the kids?

Think about it… what is your idea of fun?  I have to be honest, for a LONG time I wasn’t sure that I even knew what FUN was.  As a busy working single mom, fun was doing things with Belinda.  Then the empty nest syndrome snuck in.  Left my full-time job, Belinda moved to North Carolina now it is just hubby and I.  We are creating our own NEW ideas of what fun is.  Sometimes we have FUN together and then there are times that we do things apart.

I absolutely LOVED Eryka Peskin‘s definition of fun: “By fun I want you to be frivolous. I want you to do things that have no other value other than making you laugh or feel good.”

Life is filled with LOTS and LOTS of stuff to do and it isn’t long before we push aside things that are fun.  I know it is intentional – life gets in the way.  Now, I know that some of you enjoy cleaning or cooking or running with the kids – to you that is fun.  But at the end of the day are you energized?  I mean what could re-cahrge you more than some basic fun.

 

I know that fun varies from person to person BUT I want you to figure out what’s FUN for you, do it, and celebrate it!  We are so worthy of having FUN!

Here are my three things to CELEBRATE having fun:

 

I celebrate that I spent an hour just working on a puzzle which at that moment I thought was a total waste of time BUT it was fun.

I celebrate that hubby and I watched a movie (I don’t even remember the name) but it was so dumb that I laughed out loud.  It felt good to laugh at something so silly.

 

 

I celebrate hanging out with friends.  Just talking and laughing over everything and nothing.

What are you going to do to have FUN today?  Share it with us so that we can all CELEBRATE together.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Give a Special Gift

Valentine’s Day is gone.  Mardia Gras has passed too.  I can hardly believe that Easter is just around the corner.  No, really, it is true?  Easter is early this year – March 27th.

Now, if you don’t have kids in school you might not have realized that it is slowly creeping up on us. Holidays have a tendency to do that now that Belinda is grown and I work mostly from home.  It is like a SMACK on the head and then it is almost too late to get things together.

So, today is just a sneak peak at some of the AMAZING things that Thirty One has for the upcoming Easter basket…

Maybe you are a planner and need some gifts for: birthdays, anniversaries, or graduations; these are great for everyone.  Check out my website for more prints and to personalize that special gift.  Need help?  Reach out, I am always available to do print previews for you so that we can find the one that is perfect for you.

Placing an order, be sure to add this month’s customer special.  Get the NEW Tall Organizing Tote for $10 with just a $35 purchase:

Which “basket” would you pick and who would you give it to?  SHHHH!!! We won’t tell. 🙂

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Pictures are courtesy of Christina’s Creations

Are You Building Relationships?

If you read my blog regularly, you know that building relationships is BIG with me.  I think it is the key to having a life that is full of harmony – personally and in your business.  Today, we are going to talk about building relationships in your business.

Tis the season that you will run in to a LOT of people – old friends, new friends, family. Tis the season to build  relationships, that can fuel your entire year with loyalty, referrals and more!

Let’s start with building Relationships with Potential Anything (customers, hostess, team, etc):

Do you think before you speak, act or even post on Facebook?  How often have you vented on Facebook?  Admit it, we all have.  The truth is that if you are Debbie Downer or Negative Nellie all the time –  nobody wants to buy from you, you probably wouldn’t even buy from yourself PLUS nobody wants to be around you.  Are you constantly posting about “needing to fill your calendar” or needing xxx amount is sales?  Guess what – you sound DESPERATE! People don’t buy from people who are desperate.

People buy from people that they like.  People buy from people who make them feel good about themselves.  Show the honest, real, caring, kind, compassionate, positive, confident, and upbeat side of YOU and guess what? People will want to be around you and as a result will want to buy from you.

How about building relationships with your customers?  I know you are thinking, “they’re already buying from me, what do I have to do?”.  The truth is you want to KEEP their business.  I can’t tell you how many times I have seen someone carrying a Thirty One product and started a conversation.  I always ask if they have a consultant because I would never want to steal someone’s customer.  It breaks my heart when they say “I don’t remember” or “I never hear from them, so do you have a card”.

UGH!  I pray that it is never one of my customers who answer like that…What do you do to stand out from the crowd?  What do you do to let them know that you appreciate them?  Not just when they place an order or maybe all year long.  I will admit I am good at this for about 4 months from the time of the order but then it becomes more difficult.  I continue to work on this (see, you aren’t alone).

Remember that YOUR CUSTOMERS are what fuel your business. They keep you in business. THANK THEM OFTEN! It doesn’t matter how you do it – a thinking of you card, a post on a picture they posted on Facebook, or a phone call just for no reason.  Let them know that you think of them as more than just a paycheck!  Make them feel special!  Make them feel appreciated!  It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money but believe me when you let them know how much you appreciative them – they will stick with you!

Okay, will they occasional buy from someone else, maybe.  Ask them about those purchases, how they are liking them and make sure they were happy with their customer service experience! More times than not, when you have a super loyal customer buy from another consultant, its because she was helping out a friend with a party or an order. She isn’t trying to hurt you, its not always about you, get over it. She was doing a selfless thing for her friend, make her feel special for doing that. She will remember THAT. I promise you!

The bottom line is that relationships are the meat of our business – our products are just what get us in the door or through that computer screen.  Be someone that stands out and makes a positive impression on those that you come across. Make sure you are remembered as THAT person that made her feel special!

What is your best tip for building relationships and growing your business?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Holiday Bazaars – Love them or Hate Them?

Happy Saturday!  It is the first Saturday in November and the first of many weekends filled with Holiday Vendor events.  I LOVE doing vendor events well they used to be called craft shows.  I have about 30+ years experience in craft shows.  I am now an “Angel” crafter.  I love making angels – with bells, as ornaments, and in plastic canvas. This is just one of the styles…

Yes, I squirreled.  Today I am in Farmingdale sharing the gift of Thirty One:

As a direct seller it is a great way to meet new people, expand your customer base, book a few parties and who knows maybe even recruit a new team member.  Did you notice that I didn’t say “sell some products”? I know it sounds crazy but the truth is that I never go to a vendor event with the thought of “selling”.  Thirty One – like most direct sales companies – is a party plan business. Yes, we love the retail orders.  Yes, we love to sell at events.  The truth is that “face to face” is “heart to heart”.  The more people we share our products with in the form of a party, the bigger our business will grow.

According to Lynn Bardowski, Million Dollar Party Girl, here are some basic questions to ask BEFORE you commit to doing a vendor event:

1. Is this the first time you’re holding the event?  If not, how many attendees did you have last year?
2. Who attends (Moms, families, etc…)? Note: Pets and children are big distractions.  If you decide to do one with children, have something for them – stickers, coloring sheets, etc.
3. What kind of marketing are you doing for the event?
4. Do you have a Facebook event page I can share and post my website link on?
5. How many vendors total (be wary of too many vendors)?
6. Will you provide a table? If yes, what size is it? 
7. Is there a fee? Note: Most will ask for a table fee ($25 – $30 avg) or a % of sales, and  a $25 door prize donation. I prefer a % of sales because it only costs you money if you make money. Everything is negotiable. Ask if you can donate a % of sales instead of an upfront fee before you say yes.
8. Are you going to have duplicate vendors (more than one of a product type or industry)? This is a no-no in must direct sales companies per their Policies and Procedures.
9. Tell me about your school/group/charity…how many active members do you have? (The more active members, the more successful the vendor event will be.)
10. Do you have access to electricity and/or wireless internet?

For me, the most important thing is foot traffic.  If there is foot traffic then I have an opportunity to share the gift of my business with everyone that walks by my table.  The truth is that when I changed my perspective from “getting sales” to “making contacts”, I found that I had sales.  Relationships are the key to every direct selling business.  You start building those relationships at the event and then continue them as you do follow-up.  Remember the “money is in the follow-up“.  If you don’t plan on following up with people, why are you taking their information, right?

Did you know that 70% of direct sellers will make 80% of their money during the holiday season?  Don’t get me wrong, that is GREAT but wouldn’t you like that business to carry throughout the year?  Use vendor events as a stepping stone to build relationships and your business so that you can make money all year long.

What is your best tip for a successful vendor event?  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!