The Party Plan Guru

Fighting for the same space.

May 16th, 2012

The Guru

Have you ever been to an event that is full of other direct sales companies and you are just trying to stand out from the other party plan companies there? I always find it very interesting when you go to an event and you can see the groups and individual people walking through the door, all looking at different products and when they reach your stand they automatically KNOW what you do and that you might try and push them into having a party or making them join and sign up even if they don’t want to. It is interesting to see the response you get from people even just by saying “HELLO, How are you today!!”

Yesterday I was taking 5 mins out to have a mooch around Facebook, not just for business but personally as well, checking out people’s photos and the (some interesting and some not) posts about people’s days and their lives in general and came across a picture that Carla Allen, Jelly Cat Therapy, had put on. This is the picture:

Domino's and Papa Johns fighting it out on same street with Pizza hut just to the left - Christchurch Dorset.

As you can see this picture features a Domino’s Pizza Board telling all of the passers by where their shop is and right behind that in a very funny pizza costume (I really feel sorry for the guy in it) and a board telling passers by about Papa Johns Pizza a little further from the road. When I saw this on Facebook, after I had stopped laughing, I thought that this can sometimes be so true with the direct sales world. I have been guilty of this myself when it comes to leads, when someone makes an enquiry on the website they have probably made an enquiry with other companies as well. Once you find out that they are looking you will do anything you can to make sure that they come to your business rather than the other one.

I had a conversation with a lady who has been out of the industry for about 5 years but had been working on and off with direct sales and party plan for over 25 years. When she contacted me about an opportunity for herself I explained about the products (the reason I did this was because the company I was working for, their products were the UPS (Unique Selling Point)) Yes the business opportunity was there for her but the products were something that she was keen about, she knew about the subject in great depth and being able to talk to her about what she liked rather than all of the other bits of information made her make her decision better, I was the only one out of 5 companies that had listened to what she was about. After I had finished talking and she was thinking she said something to me “Thank you for making me excited about the products and not just the opportunity”.

This industry is all about standing out and also offering something to the customers that they want and need, whether it would be products or the business opportunity. But you have to find out exactly what it is that they need. Taking it back to how I started this, at events we can all be eager to get that potential recruit that is coming through the door and if we don’t show them how our opportunity is the best they will go to someone else. We do not need to look like we are fighting, like the picture shows. Desperate to get the business and worried that others will be better. What we have to all remember is that we all have great products and opportunities, it’s all about what the potential customer or recruit NEEDS.

I will eat Domino’s Pizza but Pizza Hut is my favourite (although I am now unable to eat wheat) I have never had Papa John’s pizza, but what would make me try it. The silly person in the pizza shaped costume or the fact that their pizza made me loose 10lbs if I ate one (If only they existed!!) I don’t like doughy pizza and have to go for a thin crust but maybe Papa John’s has just what I need. Enough about Pizza, I am hungry now!!

Let your customers and potential recruits see what is out there, if they are looking at other opportunities be interested and find out what they like about each company in turn. Not only will this be great for any objection handling about your business but also you will get to learn what SHE/HE wants. Your company may not be right for him/her and he/she may wish to go to the company next door to you, but that’s OK, I would rather have a team that wants to live their dreams and succeed with the products and me, then ones that are not that sure about it and end up leaving after a little while.

So are you like Domino’s and scared that Papa John’s will take your customers and recruits or are you like Pizza Hut – safe in the knowledge that you don’t need to stand in a costume making people come to you, you know your opportunity and products are available to everyone and you are providing exactly what the RIGHT person needs?

“Capitalism Begins At Home”!!!!!!!

May 15th, 2012

The Guru

This weekend I decided to pick up the Independent as I was told by Holly Williams (reporter) that direct sales would be covered in their Saturday supplement. I am not normally a newspaper reader, mainly because I don’t have the time to read it so they end up sitting in my lounge for a week or so. As it was featuring my favourite subject I decided to pick one up and have a gander.

The title was “Capitalism Begins At Home” and featured 4 different business, Avon, Jamie at Home, Partylite and Best In Glass. Upon starting to read the article I was getting very excited about the idea of this being something that would really open up the direct sales world in this generation, with so many people out of work, this is such a great opportunity for us to show the UK what we can do. Holly, had other ideas it seems!! The first company/direct seller that she decided to feature in the article was AVON and Phillipa Onslow. Avon has just celebrated their 125th birthday and it is still the worlds largest direct selling company, with an annual revenue of $11 billion (£6.8bn) rolling in from over 100 different countries. Like many of the companies they are facing financial problems at the moment, hard to believe with all of that revenue!!! But she states that this company along with the likes of Tupperware are PREDICTABLE, I would not say predictable but more well known from our mother’s running a business or buying the products when we were kids. She also states that “Businesses range from predictable products like jewellery or cookware or cocktail making – get together to parties showcasing items whose appeal seems, frankly, limited – How many greetings cards or scented candles does one really need?” No this should be objection handling at the best of times!!

She also goes on to say that how can anyone want to purchase a lip gloss every 3 weeks and that delivering 15 brochures and only getting 1 sale from it was completely pointless. I am sure that the Avon Sales leaders would have something to say about that. She did commend Phillipa Onslow on her dedication, determination and organising skills that it takes to keep her customers happy.

The next company one the hit list was Jamie at Home and Karen Walsh. Which the reporter of the article refers to as being backed by a celebrity name (self explanatory) and, now please will all the Jamie at Home consultants take a breath before reading this, explained it as “Tupperware Deluxe”. It just gets better to be honest:

We pass around salad servers; there are actual coos over a cheeseboard, and much approving discussions of dishwasher friendliness. Jamie at Home is, apparently, an “exclusive brand”, that is “desirable and collectible”. Actually, the stuff is very nice, and were I a little more house-proud I might be tempted to “invest”; it’s not outrageously expensive though hardly supermarket-basics prices either. A “Terrific Trifle Bowl” is £29; storage jars start from £3.50.

Next up for the test is Partylite and Maria Elias, who has been in direct sales for 15 years, she states that she holds six parties and week and has 80 in her team. However being well dressed in a suit at the party that she held did nothing for her business as the reporter states how the company HEAVILY incentivises the hostess guests to spend money to earn extra prizes and gifts. Partylite is a favourite of mine and although all of the scents are not my favourite, not everyone will like everything, but listen to what she has to say:

Fortunately, the guests are fans. There’s fussing over snail-shaped candle holders and a glittery lamp stand that looks like it is made of tin foil. After about 20 minutes, though, I can feel the powerful candle scents sticking in the back of my throat

She also goes on to say that “Diptyque this isn’t – but nor are the products shudderingly, snobbishly overpriced. And Partylite are obviously doing something right: the guests tonight swap and sniff away at different scents”

The last on this list of direct sellers that the Independent want to talk about are Best In Glass, one of the newer and up and coming party plan companies. Other than mentioning that they sell Cocktail and Wine Accessories and quoting the consultant about the opportunity and why people should be joining direct sellers there is not much about the person or the products themselves, other than the very last piece:

although direct sales could be a way out of recession for thousands, I think I prefer my Friday night without the expectation that I’ll be buying a wine thermometer at the end of it

So what is you take on this and I would love to hear from the people that were involved in this article. To be far the reporter of this article looks like she has just stepped off the train from university and this is her first “proper writing job”. We all know that you have to be in the right frame of mind you have to be at that place in your life where direct sales is going to work for you. The fact that this reporter from the Independent has taken direct sales from the products we all sell, rather that doors and opportunities that it can make for people is amazing. Yes the products that we sell are an important and vital part of our businesses, but is this all we do????

Are we just glorified Suitcase sales people, going door to door knocking for business??? NO we are business people in our own right and we are running a business that is flexible, manageable and allows us to run it how we wish. Although she has mentioned, in parts, that you need to work at building your business and you can not be a success over night, she has totally missed what Direct Sales is all about in the grand scheme of things. We can open opportunities to people that they never thought possible to them, we can make them be successful with a company car and incentive trips, just like any call centre company would to motivate their staff to do well at their job.

I say that Direct Sales/Party Plan / MLM WILL get this country out of the recession and will allow people to look at us in a totally different way than before. We have grown since the days of Tupperware (don’t forget they started in the 1940′s) we are in the 21st Century and everyone of your reading this today has a future for themselves.

I LOVE direct sales/partyplan and MLM and will continue to do this job until the day I die, there is nothing more satisfying that providing a customer with her long awaiting products and seeing her face as if it was Christmas day, or being able to get that person out of debt and go on holiday with their family for the first time in over 10 years. Its all about the people we do it for as well as giving us the freedom to actually LIVE.

Would love to hear your comments.

Business Smells so ……… Amazing!

April 30th, 2012

The Guru

Best In Class for Best In Glass

April 24th, 2012

The Guru

“The DSA plays a vital role in our industry and The DSA’s role is to promote Direct Selling and uphold the highest standards of good practice by its Member Companies through its Codes of Practice” – from the DSA website

Each year the DSA hold their annual conference and awards ceremony to recognise the good and the great from within the industry, the awards cover all aspects of the direct selling business but the coveted award is the “Excellence Award” which is given to the top direct selling company in recognition of their best overall performance in the past year.

As you would expect with such prestigious awards, all the household brands are listed with familiar names such as Avon, Pampered Chef and Kleeneze among the finalists for a number of categories. However this year one company stands out amongst those familiar faces and Best in Glass (BiG) has been shot to fame, as they have been shortlisted for the biggest industry award and have been judged “excellent” by the judging panel (made up of well respected industry figures). As one of three finalists, and to have been recognised alongside such well known household brands, is a huge allocate to the company and a sign that things are about to get BiG in direct sales.

The great thing about a relatively new company having this acknowledgement for the industry is how it shows that opportunities are still out there to get involved while the company is young and you can really feel a part of the company’s success.

Best in Glass are a direct selling company offering a different experience within party plan. Best in Glass Consultants offer wine tasting and/or cocktail making experience evenings for men and women, with the opportunity for guests to purchase from a range of barware that will tempt any budding mixologist or wine enthusiast. With a selection of carefully selected wines (available to buy by a single bottle rather than a case) and fun spirit miniatures available so guests can create individual cocktails at home without the cost of buying full bottles, there is something for everyone. Consultants don’t need to be experts in the field of wine and spirits to enjoy running a Best in Glass business, consultants receive all the knowledge needed and the emphasis is on providing a sociable interactive evening for guests.

Susannah Schofield, Founding Partner for Best in Glass spoke to The Party Plan Guru about the DSA announcement of finalists for the Excellence Award…

“We are delighted to have been shortlisted for ‘The Excellence’ award at the Direct Sales Association Conference and Awards. As a business we are thrilled to have been selected against some of the mighty companies that were up, we are honoured to have made it to the shortlist of three, the office went wild when we heard – my ears are still ringing!! At the conference all three CEO’s of the finalist companies have to carry out a panel interview on stage in front of all the delegates – I am very excited at this prospect, but also a little nervous that I don’t forget to tell people all the great stuff that our consultants achieve on a daily basis. I hope I get across the fact that we couldn’t have done it without all the support we receive from our wider business teams. Best in Glass was always meant to be an extension of the family – I hope, despite being up for such a huge, amazing award that I do not get tongue tied and fail to do the team proud, only time will tell but please wish us luck!! I also would like to say thanks to all our supporters, all our amazing consultants and all those lovely people who Host a party time and time again! Here’s to 2012 being as good as the last year! Let’s lift a glass ………. together! “

The Party Plan Guru also asked about the role of the DSA in direct selling…

“The Direct Selling Association definitely does play a vital role in our industry. The role of the DSA is to offer support, guidance and structure to direct selling companies and assurances to anyone looking to get involved in direct selling in selecting the right company for them. The guidance they provide their members includes a Code of Conduct which all member companies voluntarily agree to adhere to. This Code of Conduct is essentially a list of compliances that demonstrate the company is working to the highest level and is safeguarding their consultants and customers in their processes. Belonging to the DSA is not compulsory for a direct selling company but many choose to become members and receive the official “DSA approved” stamp to provide the reassurance to any prospective consultants that they are a reputable business to work with.”

For more information on Best in Glass visit www.best-in-glass.com

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