$500 Show average Gina
I currently have a $615 show average (I've held 38 shows
this year so far). First though, you have to realize my shows are in NY/NJ and the show
average is highest in this part of the country. My unit show average is consistently at
$450 per month. Here is what I think helps me have a high show average:
1) Hostesses who book shows with me really want to have a
show! I am not at all pushy about bookings so those who book a show do so because they
want to and they are excited to make it as successful as possible!
2) HOSTESS COACHING! This is the
KEY! I am in contact with my hostesses quite a bit via phone and mail. I send a thank you
postcard the day they book their show with a sticker "I'll be watching for your Guest
List" (from Jenny B) and a note "please let me know within 48 hours if the date
you selected is inconvenient". I also send the Tic-Tac-Toe challenge separately in
the mail another time. I then send a letter showing a side by side comparison of a regular
show vs. a starter show to get them thinking about the PL opportunity and I send this at
the same time I mail out all the guests invitation cards. If I don't receive a Guest List,
I call to follow up for it! If I receive a Guest List with only a few names, I call and
help the hostess add more names using FRANK or offer an incentive to call each guest who
is coming and have them bring a friend or two! If it is too close to the show date for
reminder cards to go out, I don't make a big deal out of it because I don't want my
hostess to cancel just because written cards didn't go out-I coach her to call everyone
AGAIN and re-remind them verbally. At the end of April (for example), I send letters to
all my May hostesses listing the Hostess Specials and some more coaching reminding them to
collect outside orders and the awesome hostess program! I then call again a few days
before the show to follow up for directions and how many people are attending. Again if it
is a low number I coach her to call all of them to incent them to bring friends, etc. My
average guests per show is 11.5 and that definitely accounts for a higher show average!
3) Carry high-ticket items only! The least expensive
product I carry is the Heritage Sampler. I carry the Garden Lantern, Ships Belle, Library
Lamp, Feather Pillar Holder, 3-wick on the Floral Tracery, Mosaic TL holder on the 4"
Falmouth. If someone can't afford to buy these pieces its a great way to get the booking!
I do SELL a lot of Lanterns, Ships Belles and Lamps though!
4) Get creative with groupings-always suggest gift ideas
for occasions coming up. Like this time of year I talk a lot about shower and wedding
gifts, housewarming gifts and bringing candles to a BBQ instead of more food!
5) Always make sure the guest is ordering the candles to go
with the product they ordered and I always try to encourage 2 dozen TLs or votives instead
of just 1 dozen to save on having to pay S&H on another candle order.
Low show average...
help!?! Julie
Offer the hostess an incentive to get guests to show up.
Invitations are simply reminder cards and the real proof of a show is in the power of the
hostess. If she has 15 guests in attendance, she can have a 3-wick for $5.00. That works
most of the time. So, maybe most hostesses will only have 12-14 guests show up, they will
have nothing to lose by trying and everything to gain!!
I had a low show average up until January of this year.
Kathy Cunningham, Field Trainer, from PLG, came to our area and gave me this very
suggestion when I mentioned a low show average. Now, this year, my show average is about
$450.
For summertime, when a lot of hostess' guests are away,
offer the same incentive for 10 outside orders. This way, the hostess will still have a
successful show even if only two people show up.
Good Luck!
Overcoming Objections
Yvette
Objection: Everyone I know is here already, why
would they come to another show?
Answer: because there are other things they want that they can't get tonight, and they
will have fun getting together again. Look at the fun they had tonight! And you can be in
(hostess) shoes, earning free products while you socialize!
Objection: Things are so crazy now, what with
the kids' soccer tournaments and school getting out in a month.
Objection: My house is so small / such a mess /
under construction.
Answer: Oh, yeah-I know that feeling! I live in a duplex with a toddler, a big husband, a
dog and a cat, and we don't even have a garage or a basement for storage! But you know,
your friends will enjoy themselves-no one ever cares about things like the size of the
room, or the state of the house.
They just come to have fun, and they never care about the details. Let me
worry about those - you just relax and have fun with your
friends!
Objection: I don't know anyone here.
Answer: What a great way to get to know people! We can send invitations to your neighbors,
your co-workers, your spouse's co-workers, and your family. If your family lives more than
an hour away, let's send them a book and ask them to order! They'll love the products,
you'll have fun making new friends, and you'll earn free products for yourself! It's a
win-win any way you look at it!
Tealight Sampler
Daria
Hey everyone...something else we learned at this VIP
meeting with Nancy Woodruff was the Tealight sampler...
You can order them on a COF but personally, I always write
up a show, order 12 boxes of popular scented tealights...
Put an assortment of the 12 different tealights in each
box. I recommend putting a label on the bottom of each tealight of what scent it is. Put
your name label on the box also...you now have 12 of these.
When you get a booking at a show, hand the new hostess this
box with her hostess pack...this will make it easier to get outside orders...her guests
can smell the most popular fragrances...(You can determine which are popular).
Now.... She is just going to love this dear little
box..."Oh, you like this...well I tell you what, use this to collect your outside
order...and when you have 2 bookings set up before I get to your show, you can HAVE
this...however, if you don't have the 2 bookings, I will have to take it back...ok?"
Coach and guide her to getting the 2 bookings and have her call you immediately when her
friends decide to have the show so you can date them and give them their packs
immediately.
At the show work on getting 2 or more bookings...sounds
easy huh? it really is...if she only gets one ahead of time and decent orders from using
the sampler...well hey, she's done your job, let her know...maybe SHE would like to be a
consultant....
I placed my show ordering actually 24 dozen...I should be
set for...24 shows.
Top
Ten Reasons Given...Why they won't have a party...
(plus the solutions)
10. I don't want to
(ask them why not?)
9. House is too small!
(Can we have it at a friend's house, parents, etc.)
8. Hubby says NO!
(Ask them...when will he be away from the house?)
7. I already have enough [Pottery,
pictures, candles, kitchen utensils, food containers, rubber stamps, etc]
(Sell the old and get the new stuff!)
6. Went to a party recently.
(Did you get everything that you wanted?)
5. Kids are home
(bring the kids??eh? Let them play)
4. I don't like the gifts!
(You can give them away for gifts..)
3. I am going on vacation and all of
my friends are away
(when can you have one...and when will they be around)
2. I don't have any money.
(you don't need any...you'll get products for FREE!)
1. I am too busy!
(Do a quickie...office party, 15 minute demo, etc.)
Lessons
Jaymie
1.
It is a PARTY. People are there to visit and to have fun. It needs to be
presented in that way! When I first started as a consultant I found myself lecturing on
our products- I began to feel so BORING! I now keep it as interactive as I can.
2. It is the HOSTESS'S night.
Unless asked, I don't give any direction about the evening. If she wants to feed people as
they come in, I have had no problem with it. The more I let it be HER night, the more she
can feel positive about her hostessing experience.
3. There are some pieces that
people just don't like. I am honest about that. The perfect example I have
of this is the Galaxy- people love it or they hate it- and I say it just that way if
someone gives "that look" when they see it! That is the best part of our product
line: there is something for every taste!
4. This is all summed up with my final
"rule to myself"- I am nothing more than the bearer of good news with this
stuff. The guests are not there to see me!! I think of it in
this order: first, they are there to support the hostess; second, they are there to see
what [company] is all about. I am simply playing the role of sharing information about the
candles.
I have found my parties to be more relaxed and
much more FUN when I present with these rules in my head. I know that guests can be rude,
but I have had good luck with even those who don't really care to be there by having this
attitude. Just my experience!
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