More January 21
What's in My Bag?

I promised to try to explain a little better how to get everything in one bag...here's the best I can do. There's also a link for all the instructions for various little games & accessories...home-made lapboards, show folders, Stealing Hearts, Lei Game, Sponsor Packets. Use what you like, change what you don't. The real theme behind it is Pack your Bag by going Back to Basics!

Belinda

January 21
Dust it Off...

Folks I have to tell you that I am afraid a lot of your homes may be in danger...not from the candles..it sounds like a lot of Consultant Manuals may be heading for self-combustion and burst into flames from neglect!

I was getting ready to preface with...I'm not yelling or scolding...but you know what - I am. (but with a smile still!)

If I were the CEO of a major corporation you had just been hired into, and had given you the company training manual, $300 worth of office supplies to do your job with, a nice office, a phone, and told you that I only required you to work as much as you think you need to, and then you started asking me questions that are very clearly answered in the manual that I probably paid someone hours of income to write...I think I might fire you! And if you didn't report to work on the days when I had scheduled someone to train you, I KNOW I would let you go!

It is your JOB to read your manual...or at least to know where it is...LOL...how can you do your job if you don't know how? This is especially true if you are telling me that you don't get communication from your leader, you don't get along with her/him, or you are long distance sponsored so you can't go to meetings. Well.....it won't cost you anything to drive to your manual...if that's the only meeting you can get to, then at least get to it. But I think you need to re-evaluate how valuable an hour or two drive may be once a month (or more...so be it). It's FREE TRAINING to learn how to make $1,000,000 a year? Surely it's worth the drive...

IF you are posting on the boards for clarification of something you read in the manual, great....if you are asking a question that you haven't looked for in the manual yet...then you just don't have a leg to stand on if your leader tells you you are spending too much time on the internet.

You know I love you all to death...but once in a while we need a reality check...if you now can't stand me and have no intention of contributing to the Best of Boards fund/ACS donation...oh well...that's ok...it's STILL a FREE site with more FREE training that comes from your FREE manual that tells you how to use your FREE supplies to make $1,000,000 a year to spend more FREE time with your family!

(but if you do send a contribution AND a SASE....you'll get FREE goodies in return...are we seeing a theme here yet?!!) The address is Belinda Johnson, 210 W. 19th St, Holden, MO  64040!

January 20
Great Questions From a New Consultant

I hope this answers some basic questions for some of you who may be just starting out. Thanks, Stacey, for wording them so very well!

January 19
Great Valentine Groupings (click on this link)

Diana compiled a lot of the suggestions for Valentine's groupings from the lists & aol board, and came up with a few more, too, complete with suggested pricing! Thanks Diana!

More January 18...
Top Ten Reasons to be a Hostess - from the AOL board

TOP 10 reasons to have a [Company] Show:
10)  It's a GOOD excuse to spend a relaxing evening at home!
 9)  You'd like to actually do some EARLY Christmas shopping, like you've said you were going to do every year!
 8) You can see how something looks in your home BEFORE you buy it!
 7)  You'd like to catch up on all the latest gossip!
 6)  You've been wondering who to try that new recipe on!
 5)  You're husband needs to spend less time with the remote and more quality time with the kids!
 4)  Candle light is an alternative to dusting!
 3)  You LOVE sales!
 2)  You'd like to get something for 1/2 price that doesn't have missing parts!
   And, the #1 reason is:
   You don't want to BUY one to get one FREE!!
-Sandi

January 18
Helpful Excel Master Worksheets

Here are two master worksheets I set up on Excel to automate my show summary & enable me to fax ROFs without a scanner. I tried to format them EXACTLY like the real forms, to make it easier for me to use them. Both are set up to print landscape view versus portrait view, so the columns don' t get crunched when you print.

The summary form prints the summary itself on one 8 1/2 x 11 page, and the optional worksheet on a second page.

The ROF is set up to be an 8 1/2 x 14 page, just like the original form, so that it comes across the PL fax machine exactly as if it were on the original form. Difference is - since you prepare it on the keyboard, the fax is going to be crystal clear when it gets to PL, instead of smudged handwriting or whatever! I have faxed MANY ROFs using this form since November and the only problem I have had is when I fax one that should have been mailed in the first place (read your manual!!!!)

They are in EXCEL 97 format - that is the quickest and smallest file size to download. I will also save them in EXCEL 95 format so you can use that if you need to. Each of the files are 22k to 29k, so none of them will take long to download.

Summary.xls  Show summary in Office 97 version
ROF.xls ROF in Office 97 version

questions? email Belinda

January 17
Another Folder Option

The newest business on Business Links is Creative Converting...supplying custom made folders and plastic inserts for your show folders. Check out their new webpage, or contact them at 708-672-6213, or online at snowrae@aol.com (Heather)

January 16
More Recent Fund Raiser Ideas

Here are a few recent fund raiser posts that sound very do-able. Adapt them to your particular group and get your February moving! Some ideas for groups to approach...Basketball teams (high school), 4-H, Little League or Sports Booster clubs - they are starting to gear up for Little League in the spring - at least in my small town, Church choir, Day Care Co-ops, who's got more ideas? Email them to me - I'll add them to the new fund-raising page that I am working on. In the meantime - try out these great tips from consultants on the AOL board:

Subject: Pillar Of Light Fund Raiser

Subject: Votive Fund Raiser

January 11

Here's a great success story...I asked her to share some more details and allow it to be posted here...so here you go! Nancy's Tips

January 8
I'm back...!

Happy New Year Everybody! Hope all of your holidays were fantastic, and that you have incredible Januarys booked...which will mean incredible February...which will mean incredible March...which will mean ARUBA! See you there!

Big apologies for letting this poor 'lil ol website be lonely for the past two months. You know...I really thought when I left my full time job October 30 to work [Company] full time and be home, I would be picking up TIME...didn't happen! But lots of good things did happen...my new unit is strong, my personal business is strong, we moved into a larger house over Christmas with a 3rd bedroom...aka my new office!!! Wow, we've even been eating dinner in the dining room now that PL business has a room of its own...with a door that closes at the end of the day! What a difference! It feels really good to get up in the morning, go into my office to work, go pick up Evan from school (1 block away - wow does he love that!), and come home to be a family at night.

YOU CAN DO THIS TOO! If it is what you want to do. Do not feel pressured to do more than you want to do with your business. If 1 show a week is enough for you, that's great! Pick a bill or a purpose for the income from that one show a week, and then make it work! If you have no bills to pay, have no need for extra cash, just want to stay active in order to purchase product at a discount...then so be it. Do your $500 a month, and feel good about it. When and if the time comes that you have a higher goal, then revise your direction and go for it!

As a unit leader, I would LOVE to have 20 consultants in my unit bonusing every month, maybe 6 or 7 hitting $3000 regularly, myself included, and we WILL get there...but until then...20 consultants who do $500 per month consistently would be just fine with me too! Please remember why you started this business - for yourself, not for your leader, or anyone else, so what you do with it is completely up to you!

On the other hand, if your income goal is $1000 or more per month, you must be realistic about it, and do what it takes to get there. Unless your show average is hitting $1000 every time...it's gonna be pretty tough to reach that goal with 4 shows a month. Talk with your leader about your goal. Set a business building phone call with your UL once a week to help keep you on track. BUT...you MUST keep your part of the deal as well! YOU must commit to doing everything that is asked of you by your leader. If you try, and it doesn't work - talk about it in your next call. What did you say...what did they say...what should I say next time...HOW should I say it?? Write it down as if your life depends upon it, and TRY IT! You cannot say "nothing works" if you do not try to make it work!

Again I say...talk to YOUR leader. I receive many requests for help from consultants I have never met other than online. I hope I have never gone without replying to any of you...if I have I sincerely apologize! I will help as much as I can, IF you also help yourself! That's a pretty fair deal I think...? Anyone who emails me for help usually gets a challenge of some sort...I've made good on the ones who fulfilled their challenge...but that's only been a few :(

Finally...Get Back to Basics. You don't need to carry the company store with you to a show. Starter kit plus $100. It works for everybody. And it gets you in & out of a hostess's home that much earlier...hopefully with a new sponsor in the process because they couldn't believe how easy it looked! If you're just starting out...and want to purchase something from the new catalog as the added $100...I would imagine the items sent to leaders as kit additions would be a great idea. Windsor Sampler, Pineapple Jar, Ocean Mist Votives & 3x9, Tempo, Gemini, Honeydew T-lites. You can use whatever you want, but these are the basic items that the company feels strongly enough about to send to all leaders. The catalog is wonderful this year. The pictures are clearer, bigger, and more thoughtfully arranged. Take advantage of that!

Here's how my unit made our folders...worked great & looks fantastic. Maybe you can adapt it to your use.

Folder How-TO

That's enough for now! Didn't realize I was writing a book...go forth & BOOK SHOWS!