5/25/99
This was in response to a request for help
having successful book parties (silent shows, catalog parties, etc) from
the onelist groups.
Dear Jennifer,
I would like to pass along a few facts and personal thoughts on book
parties.
When I was begged to have my very first party, 2
friends NEEDED 1 booking so I booked a catalog party. I got my hostess
kit and had 3 weeks to close. I plopped the catalogs out at work and
spent little or no time working on bookings or orders. I kept putting
the date later and still got no orders. I NEEDED the Lighthouse for
a gift to a friend so I had to change it to a show party.
At the show, all my friends that did not want to order
before spent over $800 ( I THINK) at the show!
When people SEE your candles and all the things you do
with them, they want them! People thought they could get better prices
at the store till they saw how good [company] candles are. At book
parties, you have little chance at getting more than one bookings if you
get that one! With book parties you have no chance to really make
a good pitch about joining [company]. Just think of all YOU miss
with a book party, not to mention all the catalogs you put out and often
never see again.
At STAR GAZERS we have talked about the importance of
the candle show! It's the good SHOW that makes GREAT parties!
If someone tells me they want a book party, I tell them. "If you
are going to be asking all your friends to buy candles from you, why
don't you have them all come together one night at your home and I'll
make the pitch for you? You'll see all your friends and they will
see all my candles! Book parties can be a lot of work on the hostess as
you have to do MY job as well as yours. It will save you time and you
will have more fun. Most all my hostesses that have a show, earn
over $125 shopping spree!" You will find that if you can get
them to do a book party, you can get them to have a show.
People forget that they have to do all the selling for
a book party. It is a lot of work. For that reason, most book
parties are a flop! The truth is that very few book parties ever
happen. When they do, they often have no bookings and you almost
never find a new consultant from them. I will let a hostess do a book
party if she has one of these things going for her.
1) She had a party with over $250 in outside
orders BEFORE the show AND one
booking!
2) She and her friends have all been to many [company] parties and know
our
product!
3) If I think that she is really excited about it, I'll book a catalog
party.
I call her after a few days and talk her into a show
when she sees how hard it is! This MUST be done while she is still
excited.
I know many people have had great book parties and I'm about to hear
about them all. You will find that for every great catalog party
people talk about they have forgotten to tell us about the 5 that never
happened or were a nightmare! I'm telling you this in hopes that it will
encourage you not to settle for less in your [company] business.
You have GREAT phone skills as you were able to get the 3 bookings!
That's GREAT! You will go far in [company] with that drive.
Work on making those catalog parties a show and your business will grow!
Best wishes, Hank
P.S. [company] does not encourage book parties.
This page last
updated July 06, 2005