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How To Get Your First Six Bookings
Your first objective in starting your new CH business is to date six shows in a 30-day period of time. I can't stress enough how important this is to accomplish. Setting a goal to achieve all three levels of your Smart Start Program is key to achieving a successful start in your business and in earning 45% commission.
If you have scheduled appointments, meetings, kids’ games, bowling, etc., you will not want to book shows on those days. Do you want to work only on Monday through Thursday? Do you want to work weekends? These are all questions you need to ask yourself. Then, sit down with a calendar and write down all your obligations for the next 30 days. Put a star on all of the days that you want to hold shows. This gives you a plan when you begin making your calls.
Some of you may say, "Well, I came into this business
to do only one show a week," or
"I came into this to do it
part-time."
That's fine. This is your own business, but I believe that to
really establish yourself in the very beginning,
it is very important that you hold
six shows in a three-to four-week period of time.
If that has to be extended over just a couple of days, that's okay, but
the closer you can make that time frame, the better off you will be.
Statistics clearly show that those Designers who start off strong have a
greater level of long term success.
The only way to
get really good in this business
is to practice, practice, practice. The more you do it, the better you get
and
the more comfortable you become.
Usually, from these first six shows, you will have a couple that are going
to be
fantastic;
a couple that are
not going to work out so well;
and a couple that will be
average.
So, after those first few weeks, you'll be able to
look back and evaluate
and feel very good about the entire experience.
4.
You will be able to take advantage of the Smart Start Rewards Program and
earn back the cost of your kit, earn free supplies, earn Award Certificates
and more! Before inviting everyone to book a party consider the reasons why someone would be interested in hosting a party: * They are asked to book a show. * They want to receive FREE or deeply discounted items. * They have FUN at the party they attend as a guest. * They find it of VALUE to make the time to be there. * They feel their FRIENDS will enjoy the products and the experience. * They want to show off a new home, etc. * They like YOU. When do you want to work? * Decide how many times a week you can walk out the door to do a party. * Block the days and times in your date book. * Block pockets of time for hostess coaching and customer care. (more on those topics later!) * Work when you are scheduled to work. If you don’t have a party then use that time for making phone calls for new bookings, finding fairs etc.
Who are your booking prospects? Your goal is to expand your business into different “circles of influence.”
There are
five different areas
that you know people:
2. All the places you've ever worked,
i.e., co-workers, associates, past bosses, past employees, employees of
other firms with whom you did business, your spouses, etc. Once you have completed your list prioritize them A, B, and C. A’s are most likely to book a show, B’s maybe, and C’s least likely. You’ll begin by calling your C’s first for practice. When they say “yes” you’ll be thrilled, when they say “no” you won’t be surprised. Work your way through the C’s, then the B’s, and finally the A’s. Before visiting with friends and making calls put together an open date sheet with all the days you are available for the next 3-4 weeks.
Once you’ve really racked your brain for names, you should have at least 50 names on your list. If you don’t…remember: keep thinking and don’t eliminate anyone! Now that you have your list in place, it’s time to begin making your phone calls. Because most of us get overwhelmed when we think of sitting down and making calls, I suggest that you call about 5 a day. When you first start your business you may want to contact a minimum of 5 a day until you get at least 6 bookings in your date book.
Getting on the Phone: What To Say
Create Interest in Celebrating Home "Hi Mary, this is Deb. Is this a Good time to talk? The reason I am calling you is because I've just started an exciting new business with Celebrating Home. Have you ever heard of it? We offer fabulous and affordable items such as Candles, Jewelry, Food, Framed Art, Pottery and so much more! I know how much you love to burn candles (or decorate etc.) and I thought of you right away! And Mary, I'm in a contest during my first 50 days and am looking to book 6 parties. I'm giving away $20 in free items for the first 6 Hostesses that help me to get started in my business and I chose you. I wanted to call you right away and see if you would be interested. Could we get together so you could see our catalog?" FYI, the $20 in free merchandise is an $18.50 booking credit which costs you $5.00 plus the additional $1.50. It is a small investment to get your business rolling and to get those additional bookings to keep your business building!
What to say… To those on your talk to list... “Hi Jan. This is _______ with Celebrating Home. Do you have a couple of minutes?” Always begin by qualifying the time of the person you call. Then explain why you are calling. Here are some sample scenarios: “I’m introducing my CH business in your area and I’d really appreciate your help. I’m booking parties for the next 3 weeks. I do several types of parties like ‘girls night out’ parties, daytime parties for moms who are home with kids and parties Sunday afternoon after church. Which of those would work best for you?” If the person says, “No,” ask, “No, like never or this just isn’t a good time?” If it’s not a good time, find out when you should follow up. If the answer is “Never,” ask for referrals. As you are calling the people on your list, if they say “No” to the proposal of hosting a show, then make sure you ask them two questions. The first question is “May I put you on my Maybe Later List?” This is asking for her permission to call her back at a later date. The second question to ask before you hang up is, “Who do you know that is fun, outgoing and loves to have parties to earn free things?” If the prospect isn’t interested, chances are that she knows someone who is, so make sure you are asking for referrals!
“Does anyone come to mind who _____________. I’d be happy to give you a gift for referring me.” "It is an exciting time to have a show because of _______________, (i.e. I’m just starting my business, CH is offering this unbelievable promotion this month, the release of the new catalog etc) and I especially thought of you and wanted to give you opportunity to host one of my first shows to help me to start my business. I also wanted to give you the chance to take advantage of a fabulous promotion that is only being offered this month (and then share our current promotion offered by CH or one that you create.) I am doing ‘Girls night out’ shows in the evening, daytime shows for stay-at-home moms, fun summer parties, and Sunday afternoon ‘escape football season’ shows. We can even invite friends to get together to watch a baseball game, Deal or No Deal, American Idol etc and have a mini party presentation. Which would work better for you?” To a Referral... “Jane gave me your name. Did she mention I’d be calling?” Often, people are hesitant about having enough time, so when you talk about a "small show," this seems doable to them. Ultimately, a show is a show, but this helps people feel that maybe their commitment isn’t as large as it would be to have a large show. At this point, they don’t fully understand that there really isn’t that much work involved in having a show, so it helps overcome their objection to helping you out. A word about feeling “pushy”... Some Designers are very uncomfortable with picking up the phone to make contacts. Any successful Designer can tell you just how IMPORTANT these calls are. To avoid feeling like a telemarketer, remember these two simple tips: 1. Qualify the time of the person you are calling. This means simply asking if it is a good time to talk. A telemarketer doesn't care if it's a good time! The simple act of asking the question helps to set you apart in their mind because they know you respect their time. If they say “No,” ask them when you should call back!!! Many times you will hear, “Call me back in 10 minutes.” Just because they're busy at that moment doesn't mean you need to wait a day or a week to call back. 2. Ask them when they'd like you to follow up with them. If they are not sure, you can suggest a timeframe. If you have permission to call them again, you're hardly acting like a telemarketer and you know they will be receptive when you call back. If they say they'll call you, tell them that’s fine. Then let them know that you know how busy people get and you’d like there permission to touch base with them if you don’t hear from them. Most people are perfectly fine with that! Keep track of your contacts. Make at least five contacts each day when you are a new designer. If you get behind, make more contacts the following day until you get caught up. This is a fantastic opportunity to fine-tune your listening skills and build your business. Make a commitment to call at least 5 people per day until you have at least 6 bookings! Then, make it a practice to make at least two contacts per day to grow your business. By doing so, you will become an excellent prospector, earn significant income and find lots of people who need your services. Continue to build your business while out and about your daily routine... Practice starting conversations with…People you meet in your daily routine; bank tellers, hair salons, nails, dentist’s office, doctor’s office, post office, grocery store, Library, office supply store, restaurants, etc. HINT: Be prepared and be sure to carry literature in your vehicle!
Hold a Grand Opening Party
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