Monday, December 15, 2008

Rainbows 2009 Unit Meetings

Hello. After polling the Rainbows, it seems that Wednesdays remain the best alternative for our Unit Meetings. Here are important dates for you to diarise in 2009.

Unit Meetings - Venues may rotate
Jan 28
Feb 25
Mar 25
Apr 29
May 27
Jun 24
Jul 29
Aug 26
Sept 23
Oct 21
Nov 25
Dec 16

Product Launches
Sydney – Tuesday 24th February
Wollongong – Thursday 26th February
ACT – Monday 2nd March
Cooma – Wednesday 4th March

NSW Consultant Training and Events
Jan 31 - Sydney - Plan to Shine 2009 (9:00-3:00)
Apr 8 - Sydney - Business Development Training (7:00-9:30)
May 16 - ACT Consultant Training Day
Jun 10 - Sydney - Business Development Training (7:00-9:30)
Aug 6-9 - Conference (Royal Pines Golf Club and Resort, GOLD COAST!)
Oct 10 - Sydney - Consultant Training (9:00-3:00)

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Setting Delivery Expectations

Whatever you do... don’t expect to receive orders quickly.

Sometimes we are spoiled with a speedy delivery and then we start to expect to get the same delivery speed all the time. But it takes time to pick orders, time to box them, time to get them to Australia Post, and time for Australia Post to dispatch them to couriers.
  • Sometimes PartyLite receives over 1000 orders in one day.
  • Sometimes it takes a few days for the boxes to get to the destination even after the box leaves PartyLite.
  • Sometimes boxes in the same order get separated and arrive at on different days.
We all need to expect a 10 business day delivery time and be happily surprised when the products are delivered faster. If you set expectations (yours and your clients) for the norm, everyone will be delighted when we beat their expectations.

And that's platinum customer service.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Lessons from Yoda, Ducks, John, and Stacey

Hi. You might have heard Angela and me say something about not sorting socks and jocks. That's a little saying we heard from Janelle and it's all about not spending time getting ready to do something... just do it!

Personally, I love Yoda's insight: Do or do not, there is no try. I've taken "try" out of my vocabulary.

In Seth Godin's Blog (the one I can't help but read everyday) I just read another saying with exactly the same sentiment:

Getting your ducks in a row is not nearly as powerful as actually doing something with your duck.

Last night Alan and I had dinner with some really good friends. We talked about old times, current times, jobs, playtime, and all kinds of things. Interestingly, the conversation moved to the importance of sales to a business.

John's Story

John shared a story with us about a business stationery business he started many years ago. The business plan was there. The processes were ready. The systems were in place. Everyone was at work. But there was nothing to do. Because there weren't any sales. He started making phone calls. His target was 40 per day. Then he hired some sales people. Each one had a target of 40 calls per day. He measured the number of calls they made (they kept a tally). He got results. There were sales!

Moral of the story: Make that call!

Stacey's Story

Stacey, in a previous life, had been in a sales role for a training company. She called one potential client. The client was busy, and said that the company wouldn't be ready for training for at least another three months. Stacy made a note in her diary and called three months later. The client was still busy, and said that the company wouldn't be ready for training for at least another three months. Stacy again made a note in her diary and called three months later. The client said some changes had just occurred and that they needed one more month before they'd be ready. Finally, when Stacey called the client that month, they were ready for the training.

Moral of the story: Persistence pays!

Wendy's Story

I got an email today from a client I met at a show in July 2007. She wants to order 3 boxes of Strawberry Rhubarb tealights and the Snowflake Pair. She's willing to pay the postage. I've looked up that show on the system and I'm about to stop writing this article and call each person who went to that show. I'm going to let them know that I'm putting in an order and that it will be delivered to Kurrajong before Christmas. I'm going to ask if they would like me to add anything to that order.

I'll let you know how I go in the comments. I bet there's a happy ending. :)

Thursday, December 4, 2008

PartyLite Australia Has a New Website!

Hello. The new-look website has been launched at partylite.com.au. I couldn't help myself, so I looked up my name and my postcode to see if it found me and, guess what? It did!

The new site is beautiful. I will be promoting it at my shows and in my emails. This launch gives you something else to tell your clients when you make your customer calls.

Rainbows and Candles Dot Com

You might also notice that the website for this blog has been streamlined. The new address is rainbowsandcandles.com. No need for the www at the beginning and no additional blogspot in the address. Now it's easier than ever for you to let potential consultants know about this as a resource if they join.

Why doesn't PartyLite let us take online orders?

Clients ask me this. So do Consultants sometimes. Though you might think it would be a convenient way for clients to order, it completely bypasses the most important part of your business... YOU! From the website:

All of Our Business Is Personal. We offer our products only through PartyLite Consultants and catalogues. That means our Hostesses and Guests receive personal service and the opportunity to build a lasting relationship. You certainly never see that in a retail store!

So be the difference. The next time you are at a show, let everyone know that you want to be their candle lady. Tell them that the website is there so they can find you. And set yourself up for success... tell that you will call to make sure they are happy.

Friday, November 28, 2008

What Do I Bring to Candle Parties?


Reprinted from Friday, May 18, 2007
(Updated lists, of course!)
Hello. I've just finished getting ready for a party tonight. I bring all of the stuff with me to work and go straight to the party from work. You might want to use this as a checklist.
Things I Always Bring:
Diary, Pens, Guest Gifts*, Host Gift*, Door Prize, Scissors, Spare Votives (12), Spare Tealights (12), Change, Scent Pots, Velour Cloth
*Optional to provide guest and host gifts - I do - some don't - it is completely up to you. I have a $5 limit and a personal rule that it must be PL products.
Literature I Always Bring (Labeled where appropriate):
Order Forms, Door Prize Slips, Guest Specials, Host Specials, Catalogs, Discover PL Brochures (4), Consultant Agreement, Brite Start Brochure, Live By Candlelight Cards, Show Cards
Products I Always Bring:
Used Pillar (I light it first when I arrive), New Pillar, Flat as a Pancake Pillar (to prove the point), Square Pillar, Square Votive, Taper, Unwind Linen Spray and a nice handkerchief, empty Reed Diffuser, Mirror, Peglight, Snuffer
Example of a Perfect 10:
  1. Something to Wow Them (e.g. Global Fusion Hurricane)
  2. A Hostess Special (if I have one)
  3. A Starter Pack Item
  4. The Garden Whimsy Tealight Trio
  5. An Aroma Melt Warmer
  6. A Votive Holder (usually the Iced Crystal Trio)
  7. A Sconce (and I try very hard to put it up somewhere before people arrive)
  8. Quad Prism Pedestal (shows versatility and is beautiful)
  9. Savannah Sunrise (only one, I bring it in the box for the extra globe to save space)
  10. Thai Inspiration Pillar Sleeve
A nice arrangement is important. At every show, I explain that I couldn't possibly bring the entire catalogue, so I don't try. I bring enought to share the quality of the products and to demonstrate how to take care of different candles. I rotate my products to make every show different, and I guarantee every product they purchase. If they buy it from the catalogue without seeing in in person, and it isn't what they thought it would be, I'll exchange it to make sure they are 100% happy.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Kindness Angels

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley’s rim...

cheering you on...
praying for you...
pulling for you...
intervening on your behalf...

and waiting with open arms at the Valley’s end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you . . .
Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-inlaw, sisters, sisters-in-law, mothers, grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins and extended family, all bless our life!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Get Over $500 For Every New Sponsor

As part of my ongoing personal development, I have subscribed to Mary Christensen's Monday Mentor. I get a fortnightly email from Mary with some great tips and hints for developing my network marketing business. It's a paid subscription, and I'm not allowed to forward it to you; you have to subscribe for yourself if you want it.

In the most recent issue, Mary asked a question that I thought I'd share with you.

What if I offered to give you $500 for every person you sponsor?

Would you be more inclined to promote the business opportunity if I were to give you $500 for every Consultant you bring to PartyLite? Well, you might be interested to know that if you make Sponsoring a priority, you'll probably get more than $500 per person over a year.

Follow my logic:

  1. Say the average Consultant does 2 shows per month.
  2. We know average show sales are $500. (Rainbows average is over $600.)
  3. Therefore, the average annual sales per Consultant is $12,000.
  4. PartyLite Profit for Unit Leaders is 6%.
  5. 6% of $12,000 is $720

There's no secret to how much I make as your Unit Leader. On top of my personal profit and bonus, as a Unit Leader I make 6% of our total Unit Sales. You can do the math. Just think about what that means to my income as I sponsor more and more people. I guarantee I've earned more than $500 per person I've sponsored. That's why sponsoring is a priority for me.

The best part about Sponsoring is that while it helps build my business, it also starts someone else on the path. Whether they are involved to make a few extra dollars, to be more socially active, to develop confidence, or to change their career path... I know PartyLite gives everyone involved the opportunity to grow and shine.

You have to admit, it's a pretty cool business. With good training and support, and with you leading by example, the people you sponsor will be making money for themselves from the beginning and over time, you will reap the rewards, too.

  • PartyLite wins - because the word gets out about PartyLite products
  • The new Consultant wins - because she makes money from the beginning
  • You win - because you grow your team

Go for it! If you want coaching, just let me know. That's how I earn my 6%. :) WLC.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Great Videos About the PartyLite Opportunity

Hi. I was just googling around the www and found a site I think you'll like. It is a US PartyLite site with videos about the PartyLite business opportunity. You have to put up with accents like mine, a little bit of sappy American charm (did I say sappy?), and US prices (don't get jealous), but overall, the messages are fantastic.

For me, it took a minute for each video to load, but after that, it worked pretty well.

Here's a link: PartyLite Opportunity Videos.

P.S. In some of the videos, check out how big the US conference is. Amazing. I like ours better, but I know we will grow. Could you imagine filling up an arena???

Hostess Packs

Hostess coaching is an important part of your business. One element in that process is the hostess pack.

What do you send you a hostess who has booked a show?

Here's what I send:
  • A letter from me with hints and tips for a great show. This letter is signed and also includes the day, date, and time for her show.
  • A copy of the guest specials
  • A copy of the host specials
  • 20 postcard invitations
  • 3 order forms
  • 1 set of catalogues
  • 1 Discover PartyLite brochure. I use the brochure as a folder with everything else inside.
I do not use the hostess envelope provided by PartyLite; my letter says everything the hostess envelope says about how to have a successful show. I have found that the personal letter with my writing on it, combined with my phone calls to follow-up on the hostess pack, is effective. I do think the hostess envelope might be just as effective, but I encourage you to personalise it for each hostess before sending it.

There is a lot more to hostess coaching than this, but this is what I include in a hostess pack.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Rainbows vs Ignite: Rawhide!

Hello Rainbows. I know not all of our readers are Rainbows, so please excuse this Unit specific communique.

We have been challenged.

Last night, at the Leader meeting, it was like an old western showdown. Eliana and I stared each other down, circled each other with our hands just near our holsters, and slowly watched the sweat drip from each others foreheads as the dry, dusty air swirled around us. I got the first round off with a little bit of recognition from Jenny. Yes, the Rainbows had once again beaten the mighty Ignite.

But could we do it a third time?

Eliana smiled with confidence; sure that her Unit was capable of reincarnating its former glory. Cocky, even. She started rattling off statistics about how much they had sold last November.

I countered.

She then changed direction and came after our sponsoring record. Claiming that her precious Ignite would beat us there, too. Little does she know that we've been plotting. We've been training. We've been practicing. We've been looking for interesting people to join our tribe. Our team. Our lifestyle.

The whole room watched as the challenges and one-upmanship continued.

We turned away from each other and took our paces. Now, we're standing in the middle of a dusty road with our backs to each other, separated by 10 paces, in a town filled with candle lovers. With our hands itching to pull out the big guns so when we turn around to shoot, we'll see who ends up on top.

Who will win?

In the end, we'll both win. In fact, we'll all win. But man I love a challenge. Never call me yellow.

Rawhide! Go get 'em!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Inactive? Get off the couch!


ARTICLE UPDATED TO REFLECT $500 MINIMUM RESTART REQUIREMENT. 5/4/2014. WLC.

Inactive Consultants are a natural part of a business. Circumstances come up where you simply don't do shows and your business starts to dwindle. After a few months, you notice that your Reflections stops coming in the mail. Maybe you try to log into the CBC to order some candles, but you can't log in.

It's OK. You're still a Consultant. You just need to kick start your business again to re-activate.

What Happens When I'm "Inactive"?

When you are inactive:
  • You do not receive Reflections.
  • You cannot log into the Consultant Business Centre (our consultant website).
  • You do not receive regular emails from your leader (because your name moves to an inactive list).
  • You cannot place Consultant orders (unless you contact your leader and inform her/me that you are re-activating and need to restock catalogues and wax for your shows.
If you hold or host a show while you are inactive, you need to know two things:
  1. the show must reach $500 in sales, and
  2. the show must be submitted by mail or fax.
If the show doesn't reach $500 in sales, you need to collect outside orders to bring it up to the $500 level. Wendy special: If you cannot get it to the $500 level, contact me, and either your Sponsor or I will put the order in for you as a dovetail. You'll get the hostess benefits and 40% of the profit.

Once you submit that $500 show, you will be active in the system again for another 3 months. You will not be an "active" Consultant for promotions unless you submit $900 in a business month, but you will be active in the system.

Restarting your Business

If you decide to restart your business, you should go back and do all of the things you did to start in the first place. Go to your FRANK list and your client list and organise 6 shows in 2 weeks. Use the $50 booking vouchers to entice people. Host your own show. Have your calendar in order, and be ready to take more bookings at every show you do.

You are also welcome to attend a New Consultant Training to brush up on your skills, to reset your goals, and to reinvigorate your drive.

The most important part is to remember that it's your business. Sometimes that means playing the boss and giving yourself some basic jobs to get back on track.

I'm happy to help. Just call. WLC.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Replacement Order Forms

Just some hints and tips from me about the Replacement Order Forms (ROFs) and the process.

1. You are allowed one free ROF per show for damaged, missing, wrong, or defective items. Ideally, it is best to make sure that you have all of the customers taken care of before sending in the ROF.

2. Exchanges or second/third/fourth ROFs do cost $9 in postage. Generally, I pay for that myself. Rarely, but if appropriate, I’ll pass that cost on to the client.

3. You can have replacements sent to the host for redistribution or directly to the affected client (if there is only one affected client).

4. You only have 90 days from the show date to send in an ROF. Exceptions are extremely rare. So contact each customer to make sure they’re happy before those 90 days has gone by.

5. If customers report that their candles are not burning properly, you do need to assess the candle care they are using. Be a candle doctor first.

  • Wick not centered – can they move it back to the center when the candle is lit or is it really faulty?
  • Burning unevenly – where are they burning it? Is there a draft? Is the wick trimmed to half a cm? Is the wick centered? Are they burning it long enough?
  • Not burning flat (pillars/3 wicks) – are they burning it long enough? Are they hugging the candle? Developing sides is not bad (hugging over a longer burn time will resolve that), developing a hole in the middle is (and is usually caused by not burning the candle long enough).
  • Flame not bright – is the wick too short? Usually only a tealight issue. Have they tried multiple tealights out of the box?
  • Wax went everywhere – where are they burning it? Is there a draft? Is the wick trimmed to half a cm? Is the wick centered?

The most satisfied customers are often ones who have had a problem and we’ve fixed it without much fuss and followed up to make sure they are happy. The ROF is a great tool for that. Use it when you need it.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

How to Unpack a PartyLite Order

Here are the instructions I provide to my hosts when they receive their PartyLite Order:

When dividing up the order, I suggest that you do the following:

  • Open all post boxes and get out all products. Check what you have against the packing slip provided in one of the boxes.

  • Put products into piles of like products (i.e. votives in one area, tealights in another, big boxes in another).

  • Find the PartyLite bags provided.

  • Get your list of who gets what. (I sent it to you!)

  • One person at a time, fill up the bags, label them, and set them aside (I literally cut the list up and staple what each person ordered around one of the bag handles).

  • If you are missing any items or have extras left over that you can’t figure out, call me.

Hints: Garden Whimsey Tealight Trios come with a box of Strawberry Rhubarb Tealights, Votive Samplers usually come with a Votive cup, Guest and Hostess Specials are sometimes made up of multiple products (e.g. Iced Crystal Trio with one dozen votives)

  • Call/email your guests to let them know their stuff has arrived!

  • Light your candles, relax with a cuppa, and enjoy!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

How To Get Referrals

This month I have had two shows with people I've never met before. Both of them were referrals. Both shows had over $1000 in sales and both ladies are potential future Consultants.

How do I get referrals?

  1. I ask for them at shows.
  2. I call hostesses after their shows to make sure everything went well with their order.
  3. I call guests to ask how they like their candles.
  4. I finish most calls with a final request for referrals.
  5. I tell people at my shows that I want to be their candle lady.
  6. I call people and remind them that I am their candle lady.
  7. Once a month, my customers get an email from me (Candle Connection) reminding them that I am their candle lady.
  8. When people want to buy candles, they remember that I am their candle lady.
  9. When my clients need more candles, they write to me or call me.
  10. When my clients meet other candle lovers, they tell them about me.

Just a few ideas to help you grow your business.

Absolute Gold

My weekly email from Flying Solo arrived in my inbox today. Once again, I am inspired to pass on the information to you, my fellow Independent Candle Consultants.

The article supports our customer service strategy. The one Eliana and Janelle have been sharing with us at training for over a year now. The one that Angela and I have been testing regularly and challenging ourselves to diligently follow. The one some of you have started to work through.

And it's simple.

Call your customers.

Here's the original article: Grow Through Your Existing Customer Base. I sincerely recommend browsing through this website and subscribing to its free weekly "jolt of soloist wisdom."

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Success Secrets: Sponsoring Calls

The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do. ~Author Unknown

My heart is racing. I've just done something I've never done before.

After talking to one of my Rainbows about her shows this weekend, I asked her to let me know the names and numbers of a few people who she met. I wanted a list of people who she liked, who liked the candes, and who she thought would make great Consultants. At first she told me that no one was interested. But I persisted. I said I wasn't interested in the ladies who told us that they were interested. I was interested in talking to the ones we think should be interested.

That was easy. Our Rainbow went through her door prize slips and was quickly able to identify five people who should want to be candle ladies. She told me why she thought so. I took notes.

Then I called each one. Here's the script I used.

Section 1: Introduction

Hello, would (lead’s name) be in? Hi (lead’s name), my name is Wendy and I am a Unit Leader with PartyLite. I work very closely with (consultant that gave the lead’s name) and I understand you know her from _______________. She has had some really wonderful things to say about you. Would you like to know what they are? (Wait for response)

Section 2: Compliment

She has told me that you are (sincere compliment #1) and (sincere compliment # 2). The reason she told me all these great things about you is because she believes you would make a great PartyLite consultant and just based on what (consultant’s name) has had to tell me about you I would most definitely agree.

Section 3: Listen to Answers

Now I have no idea if PartyLite is for you or not, but I do want to let you know we are looking for new consultants and the income potential is incredible. Could you use some extra income (lead’s name)? (Wait for positive response)

Section 4: Set up Meeting

Okay great; well let me tell you that there is no cost to start PartyLite and just to start for working 5 hours a week you are looking at making $900.00 per month on average. Like I said (lead’s name) I have no idea if PartyLite is for you or not, but what I’d love to do is give you some information so you can find out, if it turns out to be something you’d like to try, great, if not, than no big deal, it would be a pleasure just meeting you because of the wonderful things (consultant name) has had to say. So (lead’s name) is there any reason we couldn’t get together for a quick coffee and I can give you some info?

The Results

When I made the calls, I got through to 3 out of the 5 people. I left a message for one and I will call back the other at 2:00 this afternoon. In the three that I did get to talk to, I got to Section 3 of my call and they did not respond positively. I listened to their responses and discussed their situations nicely. I accepted no for an answer. If I had felt an opening, I would have worked to overcome their objections, but each one was pretty specific in her reasons for not wanting more information.

It felt wonderful to make the call. I honestly think all three left the call not feeling pressured, definitely feeling complimented, and happy with their Consultant. I left each call reinforcing that her Consultant looks forward to taking care of her as a client.

It would be my pleasure to go throught this process for every Rainbow after every show. Helping you to grow your business is my responsibility as your Unit Leader. It is a priviledge.

I encourage you all to send me names and numbers. We're offering opportunities, not pressuring people.

Trust in yourself. Your perceptions are often far more accurate than you are willing to believe. ~Claudia Black

Thursday, September 11, 2008

It's My Business

At training this week, Janelle asked us to write down what excited us about the business. My answer came to me instantly. I love being my own boss. I love not being responsible to report to anyone but myself. I love not having to work to anyone else's schedule. I love not giving employee reviews. I love not getting reviewed. I love not being involved in the politics of the workspace. If politics exist at PartyLite, I surely love not being a part of them. I love reporting to me.

My expectations are high and the responsibility is actually huge, but I like my boss.

Another thing I love about my business is that I'm responsible for quality control. PartyLite significantly supports me here (product guarantee, reliable deliveries, great looking brochures, and great offers), but I completely control the perceived customer experience. Even if PartyLite or Australia Post let me down (which does happen from time to time) I alone am responsible for the customer experience. By owning it, I can make it right. In fact, fixing a problem usually results in a stronger client relationship. By not passing the buck, I get my client's respect and I get their loyalty... especially when I call them a few days after I've fixed it to see if they're happy!

It's all about me!

You see... the difference between a corporate role and running my own company is me. I am really important to this business. Almost more important than the candles. I'm selling me. And you are selling you. The more you like what you do, the more you do it consistently, the more you give of yourself to your customers... well, if you're good, you are creating value.

If that seems arrogant, change your perspective. Because your clients, your future hosts, the people you are going to sponsor are watching you. Be proud of what you do. Be confident that it is you they are investing in. Because the products don't really sell themselves. You are a big part of it all. And that's not arrogance... that's confidence. That's working for yourself. It's your business!

FYI, this article is what gave me a boost in my thinking and inspired me to write this to you.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Hawaii!

This could be the view from your room. Oh yeah!

Do yourself a favour, OK? At a minimum, be active in August. Just get $900 in sales this month. No matter what.

At our Unit Meeting next Wednesday, we'll be setting up a game plan for all of us to get on a plane to Hawaii next May 29th. Mark May 29-June 2 on your calendar. You can do it!

Angela and I will show you how. But you have to be active. Don't let it pass you by in the very first month. Go for it! If you don't have any shows this weekend, that's OK. Get on the phone and put in some effort to collect orders. Get $900.

Of course, if you're working hard already to bonus, that's great. Keep pushing. Get as many points as you can in this double points month. You can get on the phone, too and put another order in. It all adds up.

We're going to Hawaii! Let's go as a team!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Sydney Candlelight Night

Hi. Thanks for making the Sydney Candlelight Night a raging success. Now that you've seen how it works, perhaps you have some suggestions on how to improve it and make it more valuable for your clients. Feel free to write some suggestions to me or to comment at the bottom of this post. It's really your night, so give us your feedback on how it went for you. (Remember follow-up is the key. Even if you are calling people who didn't come, you can use the event as an excuse for the call. "Sorry you couldn't make it....")

Does anyone have any pictures from last night that they can share?

Canberra and Cardiff are the other two Candlelight Nights for the Rainbows. Good luck to Kathy in Canberra and Tamsin, Kylie, Tash, Susanne, and Teresa in Cardiff. Use these nights to get your clients excited about the PartyLite opportunity. Whether they are clients, hosts, or potential consultants, it's a great atmosphere to share.

FYI, here is an article I just put up on my client blog site.

On Wednesday, August 13th, 20 Sydney-based Consultants and over 100 guests filed through the door at Parramatta RSL to see presentations on our new 2008 Summer/Holiday catalogue. Six table displays and presentations were prepared by Eliana Scott, Grace Juco, Claire McMurray, Angela Little, Judi McIlwrath, and Amanda Duckitt. Yours truly was the MC.

We worked hard on our preparations to make the presentations flow smoothly. One highlight of the night was turning out the lights and letting our guests watch the video on how the Heirloom Nativity Tealight Creche is made. What an impact that had! It gave our guests a little bit of insight into the care and detail for all of our products. They loved it.

Obviously most of the guests are already big fans of PartyLite, so Candlelight Night is simply a fantastic opportunity to cement relationships, get bookings, and sponsor new consultants. We've had great success with our Candlelight Nights and we get better and better at this every time.

This was the best one ever!~Amanda Holley, Consultant

All Sydney Consultants are invited to participate in this semi-annual presentation of all things new at PartyLite. Consultants contribute $5 each toward expenses (we usually have a consultant raffle, too). Guests come for free and can buy $5 prize envelopes until we sell out. This time, every ticket was a winner which made it an easy task to sell them out. After expenses, we raised over $200 for the Children's Hospital Foundation of Australia. Every little bit counts.

If you were there, thanks for coming! If you missed it, that's OK. Just give me a call and let's schedule a show. I'll bring what I have and we'll make it a lovely afternoon/evening for you and your guests. Burn those candles! WLC.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

OMG! She said YES!

OK. I only have a minute or two, so I'll type fast. At Conference I learned a new method for taking care of clients at the end of a show.

My normal approach after a presentation is to set up at a table with a stack of order forms and a calculator. As people are ready, they bring me their door prize slip and I take their order, offer advice, upsell when possible, see if they wanted to host a show of their own, and then ask if they are interested in learning more about the opportunity. The most common result of that conversation is, yes-thanks-maybe-no-no. Most often, I ended with two no's. And a smile. I felt great that I had asked.

What I learned at conference was a new approach. Completely the opposite of the way I had been doing it. Here's the method.
  1. Hi. Thanks for coming. What did you like best about the show?
  2. Can you think of anyone who might be interested in doing what I do?
  3. How about you?
  4. OK, are you considering hosting your own show?
  5. Super, what can I get for you today/tonight?

What's great about this method is that you get to the juicy bits first. Imagine if the client is already thinking about joining and you start by taking her order. You would approach her order completely differently if you knew that, wouldn't you?

Last night was my first show of the month. It was a starter show. My host was already sold. Our first customer, Clare, came up to me after the show; I took a breath and started to practice my new training. Here's how it went:

Hi. Thanks so much for coming and supporting Tamsin at her Grand Opening. We really appreciate it. Did you enjoy it?

Yes, it was great.

Can you think of anyone who might be interested in doing what I do? In being a candle lady?

[2-second pause.] Yes, me.

I was so surprised that I almost forgot what to say next. We discussed lots of things after. Tamsin will do Clare's starter show later this month. What a hoot!

Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know. Oh, and I also want every single Consultant to read the Phone Phobia article in Reflections. After you read it... re-read it. Even if you're not afraid of the phone, that article is fantastic! In fact, I think I'll go read it again now.

Happy Wendy!

Monday, August 4, 2008

Conference 2008

A Message About Conference
By Judi McIlwrath
(WLC: I couldn't have said this any better.)

Having never been on a plane to anywhere in my whole life, the thought of flying terrified me, and waiting for my flight on Wednesday afternoon, I must admit I seriously considered running and not getting on that plane. I am SO glad I did! Not only did I get to conquer my fear of flying (Thank God, otherwise how could I get to Hawaii for the incentive trip next year!!!) but I got to experience conference, most of it anyway, and it was Amazing.

I guess that’s what happens when you have the pleasure of knowing some truly inspirational women, as I do.

I got up there a day early as I was leaving a day early to get home for my bubba’s 1st birthday. I knew I had embarked on a pretty special journey when I already felt inspired to start putting together this blog piece in my head, before bed on Wednesday night (ok, let’s be honest, early hours of Thursday morning) and conference hadn’t even begun yet! I guess that’s what happens when you have the pleasure of knowing some truly inspirational women, as I do. Little did I know I was about to meet so many more, as I did. If I was asked to sum up the experience in one word, I couldn’t, and not just because it’s me and I am seriously incapable of summing Anything up in one word, but because no mere one word seems anywhere near adequate to describe the life changing experience conference gave me.

It made me realize there is no mold, or a particular "type" that makes a PartyLite consultant, or leader, or RVP for that matter. It’s open to anyone from any walk of life. It made me realize success can be mine if I want it, and not only that but, yes, I even deserve it. It made me realize that FREEBIES ROCK!!! Because it seriously felt like Christmas, I don’t think I’ll be able to hear the song "Summer Holiday" and not expect to be handed free goodies for quite some time. I foresee a little disappointment in my future, but at least I know it’ll only last until conference next year! It made me realize there is no elaborate plot or plan required to succeed in my business, just simple steps duplicated consistently. Also that it’s ok to stuff up, I can’t fail if when sh*t hits the fan it’s ok to pick back up and start again, not to mention incredibly easy to do so.

I also came to the realization that I have an incredible amount of support, and that if I need help I just have to ask. I think it was really summed up for me when on Thursday night at the meet & greet ‘P’ Party, after watching one of the most awesome fireworks displays I’ve seen outside of Sydney Harbours’ New Year’s or Olympics displays, I was moved to tears. Tears of joy and pride as I felt so proud to be a part of something so amazing that is the PartyLite family. I can’t imagine the tissues I’d have needed had I been able to stay for the Gala dinner evening. Aside from the overwhelming emotional side to it that I experienced, there was also fantastic training which has given me tools to make my business successful.

I would so highly recommend conference to anybody joining PartyLite, I certainly plan to never miss one in the future. At dinner on Friday night Angela asked me what I would be taking home from conference, what had I gained from the experience? I couldn’t answer her at the time, but I have my answer now and it is this:

  • Reinvigorated enthusiasm for My business
  • PASSION, PRIDE and the drive to succeed - And last but certainly not least
  • The courage to Dream BIG (plus the tools & support to achieve them)

What more could a girl ask for out of one (almost) weekend? Thank you, Wendy, for telling me I didn’t want to miss this... I certainly didn’t! Thank you, PartyLite, for offering all of us the best opportunity in the world! Thank you, Me, for having the guts to get on that plane!

Jude

[WLC: Here is a link to some pictures.]

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Online Ordering Hints and Tips

FAQ Answers! I've got a few hints about online ordering that ought to help new Consultants. Before I list them though, I want you to know that there is a whole chapter in the Consultant Guide about this. So please read it!
  1. Make sure you've sent PartyLite your debit/credit form so you can easily process cash sales. It takes 24 hours for the system to work once PartyLite has received your form.
  2. Make sure the show date is accurate at the beginning. This may be an issue if the show was postponed from an earlier date. Specials are only available in the month offered, so that date is important.
  3. Always select the "contest" at the beginning. Even if you don't think you'll need it. This enables you to provide sale prices to people who are eligible.
  4. If someone is NOT eligible for a sale price, you can use the pull-down arrow in the price field to select the higher price.
  5. For phone numbers you need spaces in the right places. Home and work need to be XX XXXX XXXX and mobiles need to be XXXX XXX XXX.
  6. Credit cards numbers cannot have spaces. Just 16 numbers all in a row.
  7. Only add your hostess in as a guest if she's buying items at full price.
  8. After you have finished putting in all of the guest orders, you'll be able to put in all of the hostess order.
  9. When you get to the hostess product credit order, hit the Redeem Coupon button at the bottom BEFORE you put the order in. Otherwise you will have to re-enter the items.
Though I tried to come up with 10 (such a good number), I think that's about it. Do you have any hints to add? Please comment. WLC.

Friday, July 11, 2008

$100 shopping spree plus more

What's Wendy Say?

Hi. This is part 2 in a series. I use the show cards at almost every show I do. Even if the clients have had shows before, I use the cards and ask my repeat customers to help me explain what the cards mean. If they get it really right, I give them a tealight.

I invite you to comment on this post. Tell us what you say.

$100 shopping spree plus more

This card is all about you. Jenny is the host of this show, so she gets all of the benefits I’m about to describe. But you can get them all too. If you’re having fun here tonight, then you should consider hosting a show. PartyLite is very generous to the people who invite us into their homes and introduce us to their friends and family. The entire catalogue is available to you.

First of all, the magic number is 400. When we hit $400 on sales your show qualifies for everything I’m about to describe. My personal show average is between $600 and $700 anyway, so as long as you have 8-12 guests over, you’re bound to get all of this.

The $100 shopping spree refers to the 20% product credit you get as a host. So, for example, a $500 show would give you $100 in free products.

The first plus is that I have $50 booking vouchers that I will give to anyone who books a party with me tonight. So you can add that straight to the 20% - that's $150 in free products. Have you seen some things in the catalogue that you would want for free? I bet you have.

I never expect anyone to buy everything they like in the catalogue all at once. This takes time. I want you to think about where you will put things in your house. Burn our candles and fall in love with them. Then at the next show, you add to your collection. It’s likely that 2-3 of you will want to have another show, so all of you will have a chance to buy more.

OK, so now, so far, the host has gotten about $150 for free.

There is more. We have specials every month just for our hosts. Here are the specials for this month and here are the specials for next month. (Discuss/demonstrate specials.)

And, finally, for every $400 in sales, our hosts are eligible to buy one more at 30% off. So, as a host, if you don’t get everything you want for free, you get a great discount.

So do consider booking a show. I promise that every show is a little bit different, I demonstrate different products at every show, and I promise to make it fun, light, and informative. I've got my diary and we can discuss dates when you place your order with me.

Series Recap

$100 a Night, 2 Nights a Week, Fun, Easy and Free
$100 Shopping Spree Plus More 
Wrap It Up!

Friday, July 4, 2008

$100 a night, 2 nights a week, fun, easy, free

What's Wendy Say?

Hi. This is part 1 in a series. I use the show cards at almost every show I do. Even if the clients have had shows before, I use the cards and ask my repeat customers to help me explain what the cards mean. If they get it really right, I give them a tealight.

I invite you to comment on this post. Share some feedback on things you say or do that might be different? I'd love to see what you say and I'd love for other people to see that we all do this differently.

Anyway, I'll start with the Sponsoring Card - $100 a night, 2 nights a week, fun, easy, free.

This card is all about me and my business.
  • Let's start with $100 a night. Well, night or day, I rarely make less than $100 profit per show. That's after my expenses and not including the bonus I get for being a Unit Leader. All Consultants use this card, so based on averages, you can expect to make at least that much, too.
  • Two shows a week. That is the minimum I like to do to meet my monthly income objectives. Some consultants do more, some do less, but 2 shows per week pretty much guarantees that a consultant will achieve PartyLite's bonus level each month.
  • Fun? Well, I’m having fun. :) I get to meet great people like you, drink the host’s wine (that usually gets a giggle), and tell people all about the candles I love. And that's fun.
  • Easy? PartyLite provides free training and cue cards. :) I really don’t have to remember very much for my presentations. Some people think the hardest part is getting shows, but I have to say that we offer such great benefits to hosts that I am usually booked a few months in advance.
  • The best part is that it's free. Turn over your catalogue and see the little insert there. That is the starter kit. It costs you absolutely nothing to get it. You just schedule a show at your home and I come do the presentation. As soon as we hit $550 in sales, the kit is yours. It includes enough literature and supplies to get you through your first six shows.
My personal show average is between $600 and $700 anyway, so achieving the kit is easy as long as you have 8-12 guests over. New Consultant Training is a free 2 hour orientation and we run those classes every week.


So, you see, it really is fun, easy and free. It might not be for you, but you might know someone who wants a part time job. We're growing. Who could use an extra $200 a week?

Series Recap

$100 a Night, 2 Nights a Week, Fun, Easy and Free
$100 Shopping Spree Plus More 
Wrap It Up!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Do You Make Money?

Bookkeeping is not my strength. In fact, I am really quite hopeless at it. One of my New years resolutions was to track my expenses and my income more rigorously. Here it is almost the end of June.... (Sigh!)

Last night I went onto the CBC to collect my income statements. Did you know that you can see your income statements on the CBC? Just look under Consultant Reports and then click on View Electronic Documents. Then click on the PROFITAU link and pdfs of your statements will magically appear. I had 5 pages of them! I've decided to do this every week from now on. I printed them, checked them for accuracy (they were), and then thought about calling some of the hosts from last year (I'll do that this weekend).

Whether you work this business as a hobby or start to build a real income stream out of it like I have, it is really good practice to know how much you are bringing in and how much it is costing you. You really should get into the habit of tracking your income and expenses. If you start now, you'll be ahead of the game. If you have a simple system and keep up with it, it won't take nearly as long.

Eliana has sent me an Excel spreadsheet that she fills out with her expenses over the course of the year. At tax time, she simply hands this over to her accountant and her taxes are done (she, of course, keeps her receipts). Want to see it? Email me and I'll send it to you. My email address is wendy [at] wlcenterprises [dot] com.

Happy bookkeeping! WLC.

P.S. Feel free to click on the image above and see what one of my income statements looks like. This is one week. It shows income from two standard shows, one starter show, and my Unit Leader Bonus. It also shows my Stash for Cash deductions. For some reason it was missing the $10 Bonus Voucher deductions for each show. They took them out in the next statement.

Spare Time?

I heard a good quote at the Unit Meeting.

“Your PartyLite business can be full time or part time, but it won’t do much if you only do it in your spare time.”

Set aside a few hours a week to develop your business and watch your business grow.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

June Unit Meeting

Hi. What a great turnout for the Sparkler/Rainbow Unit Meeting. Thanks to everyone who brought guests. All of the guests have scheduled Starter Shows, so we must be doing something right. A special thanks to Nicole for sharing her experience in the Fast Track to Leadership program. Though leadership may not be for everyone, I think we all were fascinated by the information Nicole shared.

July Challenge

Ange certainly put me in my place, didn't she? Like Marty McFly, I just can't say no to a challenge. So, for those of you who weren't at the meeting, here's the July Challenge.

  1. Bonus in July ($2800 in sales - easy - just hold 5-6 shows)
  2. Hold one Starter Show in July (easy - just offer it to every host - Ange and I are happy to help with your latte appointments)
  3. Help your new consultant to be qualified by the end of August ($2000 in sales - easy - just make sure your new starter attends New Consultant Training ASAP)
  4. Have 6 shows of your own booked in August

Everyone who achieves these things gets a black PartyLite duffel/roller bag, a PartyLite Zippo lighter, and a $50 PartyLite Gift Certificate. That's from Ange and me. From PartyLite you get a minimum of 20 Share and Succeed points, bonus, a great August, 1000 points towards next year's incentive trip, and more.

Go for it! The winners will be recognised and rewarded at our September Unit Meeting.

Summer/Holiday Catalogue Information

Joining the Everyday Catalogue on August 4 will be a second catalogue: our Summer/Holiday catalogue. You will be able to pre-order the new Summer/Holiday catalogue (SKU #820008205) from July 1 - July 31. Orders will be released and should arrive (depending on your postcode) as close to Monday August 4 that we can organise. The pre-order price for the Summer/Holiday catalogue is $20.00 (25 pack).

There is also a special pre-order price of $45.00 for two packs of catalogues (2 x 25) and the new Summer/Holiday fragrance stacker. The SKU# for this promotion is #82008205C. This special will only be available until August 1, 2008.

Inspirational Quotes

Several of you asked me to recap the inspirational quotes I shared at the end of the meeting. Here they are:

"Your dream is not big enough if it doesn't scare you."
~Matthias Schmelz --- Portugal
"When an egg breaks by a power outside, a life ends. When an
egg breaks by a power inside, a life begins. Great things always begin from the power inside!"
~Author Unknown
"Don't let your history interfere with your destiny."
~Steve Maraboli

Fundraisers

To close, the image at the top of this email was sent to me in honour of Jane McGrath. Over the years, I have done a few candle shows to raise money for breast cancer in the name of my good friend Lisa, who didn't win her fight either. I share it with you in memory of anyone you know that has been struck down by cancer.

Take a minute to think of your own friends and family everyday. Light a candle for them. Be grateful for good health and be generous to help those who aren't so lucky. If you feel like it, hold a candle party and raise some money to fight cancer. Its a great cause.

Make it a great month! Finish June strong and give our July Challenge a try. The worst you can do is build your business. :) WLC.

Monday, June 23, 2008

We are growing!

The Rainbows unit continues to grow and flourish. In the first half of 2008 we have had eleven new people start up their own PartyLite business. Congratulations to them and congratulations to us all. Introducing new people to PartyLite is a great thing to do. You take steps toward leadership. They take steps toward their goals.

Several Starter Shows are already scheduled for July. I suspect we'll have more than 20 people join our team between now and Christmas. That's not just me sponsoring people - its all of us. Every show host is a sponsorship opportunity. Every customer you meet is a sponsorship opportunity. The potential is everywhere.

Do you have a goal to get 2 leads from every show like I do? If you don't, just ask me how. It's easy.

Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours.
~Les Brown

Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on
something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.
~Charles Kettering

PartyLite is Too Expensive

How often do you hear people say that? They flip through the catalogue and see some of the prices and look at you with kind eyes before saying, "Wow, there are some nice things in here, but it is a bit pricey."

You know from experience that they are wrong. That PartyLite is different. That our candles and accessories are better. That our guarantee is unrivaled. That your customer service is second to none.

You need to be ready to tell people about the differences. One of the blogs I read regularly had the following to say about the matter:

[There is] No such thing as price pressure - Your sales force and your customers may scream that you need to lower your price. It's not true. You need to increase your value. If people don't want to pay, it's because you're not delivering enough value for the money you're charging. You're not selling a commodity unless you want to.
So don't sell a commodity. Sell the benefits of PartyLite. Deliver those benefits. Be confident and sure that PartyLite has the best products and is the best value in home decorating, home fragrance, personal well being, home spa, relaxation, illumination, ambiance, and customer service.

Because it is true.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

PartyLite and Pandora

Dear Wendy,

Had a blow today – one of my shows has cancelled (I know this happens), but she cancelled because she has shown some catalogues around to friends and they think partylite is way too expensive and they won’t be buying. The hostess felt too, that items were too pricey, so decided to cancel. Quality items… but I was really surprised she did cancel – guess she did me a favour so that I can book in someone else!!! What do we say when people express that they think it is too expensive?


From, Wax Rocks

Dear Wax Rocks,

Just like Pandora charms, PartyLite candles cost a bit more than our competitors. Some candles are more dear, but a lot of the time, ours are more expensive. So how do great companies like Pandora and PartyLite stop people from looking at the price tag? They compete on value, quality, and service. That's what we offer!

What do I say? Well, depending on the mood and the situation I'll agree with her (that usually stops them in their tracks) and then pop a few of these little ditties into the conversation.
  • Shows are fun and informative – definitely worth having just to see what it’s all about

  • Platinum quality candles and accessories – you will be proud to have them in your home – not knick-knacks… interior decorating

  • 36 long lasting fragrances to choose from

  • Beautiful burn (they will notice the difference)

  • 90 day satisfaction guarantee

  • Successful shows across a wide variety of demographics

  • Platinum Customer Service – their own personal consultant for life… You!
I also use a FEEL, FELT, FOUND response. Something like this....
"I know exactly how you feel. I felt that way too when I first saw the catalogue. But you know what I've found? People love the parties because they learn so much about candles. They might only buy something small to get started, but I have found that they see the difference once they've been to a show. Why not get a group together and let me just give the presentation? No one has to buy. I have found that once they see the display, smell the fragrances, and learn a few tricks, you and I are likely to have a successful show."

If that doesn't work, I’d invite her to a future show and let her see what it’s all about. Tell her she doesn’t need to buy anything, but that you want her to see the show so she knows….

There are tonnes of examples of how to overcome objections in your Consultant Guide (I love that section). Have a look and practice them.

Make it a Great Day!

WLC.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Information For Sponsoring

Hi. I just wrote a couple of new articles on my client site, www.wlcenterprises.com. That is the site where I speak to my hosts, guests, and future recruits. I also sometimes write music reviews, tell people about websites I've helped develop, and get the word out about some of the bands I'm in. It's sort of a potpourri of all things Wendy.

Anyway, I think the last two posts will be of interest to you. Here are links:


Enjoy! WLC.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The Left Right Game

Hi. At Share and Succeed, Raena mentioned a game that she uses at her shows to get things started. It's called the Left Right Game. You seat the guests in a circle and give a gift bag to one of the guests. As you read the script, each time you say LEFT or RIGHT, the guests pass the parcel to the person next to them in that direction. Whoever ends up with the package at the end, gets the prize. What's the prize? Could be tealights, a votive, or a bar of chocolate. Whatever you want. Here 'tis!

I LEFT my house and was on the way to (Hostess), but I LEFT the directions at home RIGHT by the phone! I knew RIGHT away that I needed to have the RIGHT directions to (Hostess) house, so I turned LEFT and I turned RIGHT and made my way back to my house for the RIGHT directions. Sure enough, there they were, RIGHT where I LEFT them, RIGHT next to the phone. Finally I was on the RIGHT track, I arrived RIGHT on time and set up my display, RIGHT over here. You all arrived and sat RIGHT down and now I will get to work and tell you the three reasons why I am here today (tonight):

  1. To tell you all about our wonderful company and provide you with the RIGHT kind of customer service.

  2. To explain how (Hostess) and anyone of you have the RIGHT to take advantage of our very lucrative Hostess Plan.

  3. To share with every one of you that now is the RIGHT time to start with PartyLite as we are looking for the RIGHT kind of people who are looking for the RIGHT kind of opportunity with this very RIGHT kind of company.

In a moment I will be showing you our exquisite candles and products. If you LEFT home with the intention of shopping for gifts Today/ tonight from your seat and not your feet, remember PartyLite has just the RIGHT gift for everyone, ranging from $12.95 and up. Review your list; we wouldn’t want anyone to be LEFT out. We have just the RIGHT gifts for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, showers and Christmas. I almost LEFT out we do bridal showers & house warming parties where you can send your loved one on a shopping spree and they can select just the RIGHT thing for themselves.

When your merchandise arrives, please check it RIGHT away and if something has been LEFT out, please call me and I’ll be sure to take care of it RIGHT away. We don’t want you to be LEFT with something you are not 100% satisfied with, RIGHT? If you would like to be a Hostess and earn lots of free products or if this is the RIGHT time for you to explore joining PartyLite as a Consultant, please talk to me RIGHT after the Show. I am really enjoying being here with all of you this evening and I hope you are having fun too. I know you can’t wait to see what I have to offer each one of you. Without further delay I will get RIGHT to the point of this presentation, which is showing you what I give away. Therefore, there is nothing LEFT for me to do now except congratulate the winner, RIGHT?

Just a Touch of Paradise

Sawatdi ka. Hello.

Looking back on the last six days of my life, it’s hard to write a concise account. I have a feeling that the best way to tell you about my trip to Thailand will be in a stream of conscious fashion. That’s the way I would likely tell you about it if we were together in person. On a blog that might work. Let’s see….

The Beach

I’m not really a water person. At least not in my regular life. But for the last four mornings, I’ve gotten up early, put on my swimming togs, sunnies, and a sarong, and walked the 100 metres or so from my Thailand resort room to the sandy beach. There, I laid down a towel, did my own version of yoga (I call it “woga” – Wendy Yoga) and then slipped into the waves for a 15 minute swim. The water was cool/warm and invigorating. It was beautiful. I miss it already.

The Pool

After that start, you still must believe me that I’m a person who doesn’t like the water that much (I seriously haven’t been in a pool for years). Yet, the infinity pools at Pimalai (that’s the name of the resort) were more than attractive. They literally pulled us in. While some people in our party of about 70 (PartyLite people and our guests) didn’t make it into the surf, I don’t think anyone could resist the pools. An added bonus was that no one came running to stop us from drinking beautiful cocktails in the pool while we basked in the sun and floated around. Occasionally I would crawl my way from one side of the pool to the other – just to work off the calories of my Mai Tai… so I could have another.

The Sea

An unexpected highlight of this trip was the “Island Excursion.” What I thought would be a short boat trip to an island where we could walk around and play and eat and drink for a few hours actually turned out to be a 2+ hour luxurious sea tour to a remote island. We tied up the four boats to some buoys and put on the snorkel gear.

I jumped into the ocean, prepared my goggles for a fog free viewing, and looked down. There was nothing. I said to myself that I shouldn’t be disappointed, I’ve already snorkelled in the greatest coral reef in the world (sample of one, and I still think I’m right… it’s the Great Barrier Reef), so I decided to just play in the ocean for awhile.

Then Alan told me to look down. I did and I didn’t come back up again for at least 10 minutes. Once again, I was swimming with fish. They were all around me. In the shallower water, I had hit a rocky, reefy area where the beautiful, tropical, colourful fish swam around me in the hundreds, probably thousands.

After an hour or so in the water, and a beautiful lunch on the boat, the rain decided to drop in on our party. But since we were wet already, we didn’t really mind all that much. We considered calling it a day, but (thanks so much Jason) we took a vote and decided that we would hit our next stop, the Emerald Cave. It was an experience I’ll cherish the rest of my life. I think I’ll save a full description here; the Emerald Cave deserves a posting of its own. (But I've put a picture up above - found it on the net. Just to give you a look inside.)

The Scene

Pimalai is simply a spectacular looking resort. The layout of the buildings provides privacy and texture. The architecture is beautiful, functional, exotic, and lavish. The gardens are simply stunning (and the maintenance to keep them that way is never ending). The entire environment is tranquil, secluded, tropical, rich, and tantalizing.

Away from the resort, Thailand, specifically the island of Koh Lanta, was also beautiful. From the coast, islands dotted the horizon. On the roads, people smiled as they drove their scooters from place to place, sometimes with four people squeezed onto one scooter. Tropical green trees, palms, vines, and flowers of all colours carpeted the view. Hills and volcanic formations gave the island character.

The People

One thing I didn’t ask was what most people on the island do for a living. I assume they all work to make people like me happy. There didn’t seem to be a rush hour. No one looked like they were in a hurry to get anywhere. The element of stress didn’t seem to exist. Genuine smiles came from generous people. Not just at Pimalai, but at the markets, in the neighbouring resorts, at the local beauty salon, and at the airport. Though I will say that the care, attention, friendliness, and respect from the people at Pimalai itself touched me deeply. I’ve never before cried when I left a hotel. I shed a tear when we left as 60+ staff from the resort surprised us by waving good-bye. They will miss us. I will miss them.

The Animals

We rode elephants, worked hard not the hit monkeys as they tried to cross the road, took photos of scorpions that seemed to pose for the camera, and watched geckos defy gravity and crawl over the resort. We listened to the orchestra of birds and insects as they sang and buzzed and chirped their day away. We saw fireflies. We saw fish. We loved it.

The End

For now, I think I’ll stop. The story isn’t complete. I always say that I am proud to be a PartyLite Consultant. But I can honestly say that I am more proud now than when I left. I had no idea what to expect. It seemed like it was going to be fabulous. Instead it was so much more.

Sawatdi. Goodbye. WLC.

Photo Credits: (1) Pimalai Resort Publicity Shot, (2) Unknown, (3) Pimalai Resort, (4) Our Elephant Guide.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Ultimate Customer Service

An Excerpt from our Share and Succeed Training

This training was written by Eliana and presented by me. I'd like to encourage every one of you to develop some sort of system for making customer calls. You'll see one example in this article. Just do it... I KNOW your business will flourish.

The Cream of the Busienss: Customer Service!

We spend a lot of our time booking and doing Shows, which is a great way to meet customers and also reacquaint with old Customer. But our business could be in a stronger position purely by continuing to build the relationship with our Customers and servicing them. Remember direct selling is about selling Direct to the Customer not selling Direct to the Customer at your show alone.

Let me share a story with you. We have a Unit Leader who was going to be in bed for at least one month of her business due to illness. Understandably, she was concerned about her Personal Sales and her business. She challenged herself to do some Customer Care calls whilst she was in bed. By just simply ringing a couple of customers a day, she did over $1500 worth of sales from her bedside.

Who would like at least $1000 worth of outside orders come in each and every month?

The first thing we need to ask ourselves is, "Would your Customers appreciate Ultimate Customer Service?" I think most of us here today do appreciate in our busy lives some old fashion service.

What we need is simple systems that will help us have time to connect with our Customers.

Develop Your Follow Up Folder

  1. Get yourself a simple folder with Jan – Dec tabs in it. The set up will cost you about $4.00.

  2. How many customers do you currently have? Some of you have hundreds of Customers – let's concentrate on your customers that have purchased from you this year.

  3. Most of our Customers' wax products would probably last them about 2 months before they need to purchase others. So, let's build our folder around a 2-month time frame.

  4. We are currently in the month of May. So the May tab will be the first tab. What I would like you to do just after you process your show is photocopy each customers order form. This will allow you to keep your show orders together as a Show.

  5. Customer orders that you have in May will need to receive a call from you in July. So take each of those Customer orders and attach a blank piece of paper to them for notes and pop these under the July tab. Do this throughout the month.

  6. Then go back to the April Customers and place their copied order under the June tab.

  7. Put your March, February, and January customers under the May tab. (DON’T be too adventurous first up. Let's get this years customers and VIPs Customers serviced first.)

  8. Then what you do each and every month is open the current monthly tab, and they are the Customer service calls for the month. EASY.

  9. As your are speaking with your Customers each month you deal with your follow-ups straight away. For example if I was speaking with Tanya in May and she was fine at the moment with all her products I would say to her “Would you like me to give you another call in July?" If she says yes, I would take her order and pop it under the July tab straight away.

  10. Don’t forget to write any notes that you may need to on her order form or on the paper attached to her order form.

Simple up to date and accurate information at your finger tips.

This is a continuous system so in November you will start your new folder for 2009 starting with the January tab.

Your goals are to empty the tab before the end of the month, give your Customers Ultimate Customer Service, earn more income, and have happier Customers.

Very simple! Just set yourself a daily agenda to phone 3-5 Customers each and every day. Of course, when you first start there may be a little catch up happening. Don't stress about it, just get on the phone.

The most exciting thing is that this system works, it’s cheap and you are able to share this system with every new Consultant to help him or her build his or her business. The other thing that will happen when you are regularly speaking with your Customers is that you will also be booking more Shows and more sponsoring appointments. BONUS.

Let's challenge ourselves to start a follow up folder immediately. Keep a track on your sales that are purely from Customer Service calls. Let me know how you go, because I know that there will be a lot of Wow stories from this wonderful service.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Scents of Ambience

From the CBC:

We have been advised that the Scents of Ambience decorative diffuser will definitely not be available in its current design, for the life of our current Everyday '08 Catalogue. The R & D Department in partnership with the suppliers are working on a new design that meets the PartyLite global quality criteria. We are sorry for any inconvenience that this product's withdrawal may have caused but our primary objective has always been to provide platinum quality products at all times.

What Every Good Marketer Knows

By one of my favourite marketers and bloggers, Seth Godin. I'd love to meet him and have dinner. Bet I'd learn heaps!
  • Anticipated, personal and relevant advertising always does better than unsolicited junk.

  • Making promises and keeping them is a great way to build a brand.

  • Your best customers are worth far more than your average customers.

  • Share of wallet is easier, more profitable and ultimately more effective a measure than share of market.

  • Marketing begins before the product is created.

  • Advertising is just a symptom, a tactic. Marketing is about far more than that.

  • Low price is a great way to sell a commodity. That’s not marketing, though, that’s efficiency.

  • Conversations among the members of your marketplace happen whether you like it or not. Good marketing encourages the right sort of conversations.

  • Products that are remarkable get talked about.

  • Marketing is the way your people answer the phone, the typesetting on your bills and your returns policy.

  • You can’t fool all the people, not even most of the time. And people, once unfooled, talk about the experience.

  • If you are marketing from a fairly static annual budget, you’re viewing marketing as an expense. Good marketers realize that it is an investment.

  • People don’t buy what they need. They buy what they want.

  • You’re not in charge. And your prospects don’t care about you.

  • What people want is the extra, the emotional bonus they get when they buy something they love.

  • Business to business marketing is just marketing to consumers who happen to have a corporation to pay for what they buy.

  • Traditional ways of interrupting consumers (TV ads, trade show booths, junk mail) are losing their cost-effectiveness. At the same time, new ways of spreading ideas (blogs, permission-based RSS information, consumer fan clubs) are quickly proving how well they work.

  • People all over the world, and of every income level, respond to marketing that promises and delivers basic human wants.

  • Good marketers tell a story.

  • People are selfish, lazy, uninformed and impatient. Start with that and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

  • Marketing that works is marketing that people choose to notice.

  • Effective stories match the worldview of the people you are telling the story to.

  • Choose your customers. Fire the ones that hurt your ability to deliver the right story to the others.

  • A product for everyone rarely reaches much of anyone.

  • Living and breathing an authentic story is the best way to survive in an conversation-rich world.

  • Marketers are responsible for the side effects their products cause.

  • Reminding the consumer of a story they know and trust is a powerful shortcut.

  • Good marketers measure.

  • Marketing is not an emergency. It’s a planned, thoughtful exercise that started a long time ago and doesn’t end until you’re done.

  • One disappointed customer is worth ten delighted ones.

  • In the googleworld, the best in the world wins more often, and wins more.

  • Most marketers create good enough and then quit. Greatest beats good enough every time.

  • There are more rich people than ever before, and they demand to be treated differently.

  • Organizations that manage to deal directly with their end users have an asset for the future.

  • You can game the social media in the short run, but not for long.

  • You market when you hire and when you fire. You market when you call tech support and you market every time you send a memo.

  • Blogging makes you a better marketer because it teaches you humility in your writing.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

May Day!

Well, here it is. May 2008. PartyLite Australia has been around for six whole years. The specials are fabulous. We all get spoiled: guests (with cheap votives), hosts (with a nice gift), and active consultants (with an extra 6 percent commission). How awesome is that?!?

What are your goals in May? Will you be active (min $900 in sales) and get the extra 6%? Will you bonus? Will you make enough money to buy a new outfit? To pay for a new heater? To go on a mini-holiday? To save up for Christmas? Will you sponsor a new Consultant this month? Will you offer the opportunity to more people?

Here are my goals:
  • Double Bonus (Sell $5,600)
  • 2 Starter Shows
  • 100 Customer Calls
  • 12 Visits to Curves
  • 12 Hours of Guitar Practice (geez, I'll be good)
  • Complete My 2006/2007 Taxes (oops!)
  • Save for Our New Kitchen (to be installed in June/July)
  • Lose 5 Kilos
What are your goals? Write them down. Make them happen.

Supporting you! WLC.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Smart Advice

I'm a letter writer. When I get great service, get bad service, hear something positive, want to make a change, or feel like my opinion will be helpful, I write a letter. Or an email. But I really consider them both to be the same as far as quality writing is concerned.

Emails should be well written, using complete words, not shorthand. They should be carefully constructed, re-read before sending to ensure you really are saying what you mean to say. Text messages should be used sparingly. I wouldn't confirm a show via text message; I'd call the host and have a chat. When I do send a text message, I always include my "WLC" at the end; who am I to think that they'll have my phone number in their phone. I do this even for my husband. Overkill? Maybe. Good practice, definitely.

In an email, if you ask yourself the question, "Will this person misunderstand my tone?", chances are that they will and that a phone call will probably be more appropriate.
Hi, it's Wendy here, I have written an email here that I'm about to send and just wanted you to know that everything is moving along smoothly. All of the details are in the email. Let me know if you have any questions; I'm happy to help.
The way we react to customer complaints is very important. You might think it's the American in me that has ingrained the belief that the customer is always right. Maybe it is. But I believe it so strongly that I want everyone on my team to know it and believe it, too. PartyLite supports that philosophy very well. They have systems and procedures that they follow, of course, and they really do have the customer in mind throughout.

But WE are the mouthpiece to the client. We are the cold face. We must be the ones who respect our clients and assure them that they are our first priority.

What if they complain?

Now we're getting to the point of this post. (Took me awhile, didn't it?) I just read a great article about this very topic. I will share it with you rather than recreate it. Here's a link.

What do you think? Do you have any examples of complaints that you handled well? Or not well? How might you do things differently next time?

Think first. Then react with the customer in mind.

Supporting you! WLC.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Happy, Independent Wendy

Every now and then I read an article and think to myself, "I HAVE to share that with the Rainbows!" Today, I read one of those articles.

Now, I know PartyLite isn't a career choice for everyone. Some of you happily fit PartyLite into your lives around other careers, from health care to fast moving consumer goods to head of your household, and everything in between. But for me, I've made PartyLite my career choice because it offers me exactly what I need in terms of flexibility.
  • I can meet with people during the day without "taking time off of work." People like the kitchen remodeling man who came by this morning to do a final measure. Alan had to take a hour off work; I just had to get out of bed. :)
  • I take every single holiday I want to. My friends and I want to go camping, so we've scheduled it for April 20-22. I didn't have to ask anyone for Monday and Tuesday off, I just took 'em. Oh, and I'm going to Thailand, Italy, and possibly to the US of A. Not asking anyone - just doing it.
  • I work out when the sun's out. I walk the bay, or around Chiswick, or I go to Curves. But I don't get up in the dark to do it "before work." And I don't have to leave work in a rush at 5:00 to get home, workout, and then cook dinner. Nope. I just eat brekky and then go for a walk. Nice.
  • I shop during the week. There is nothing better than doing your grocery shopping while everyone else is at work. Seriously, this is awesome. I also don't have to wonder about the mail or the bank being open, because I can get there whenever I want.
  • I sing in 3 bands, go to weddings, parties, dinners, and Swans games, see lots of live music, and generally try to live every day exactly the way I want to. Candles, music and wine. I throw a little marketing in the mix and I'm a happy chappy. :)

Do I work hard? Well, I do make my phone calls and I do place my orders quickly, and I do mail out packs almost every day. I don't deliver often, but this week I have one delivery to make. I think about you guys and I try to give you the support you need without being intrusive. Truth is that I like all of you, so that part of my job is easy. In fact, it's all easy. I don't think I work hard at all, but I do work.

Here is the article that started my thinking about all of this: From Solo to Employed. I sure do love my job. Hope you do, too! WLC.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Develop Your Personal Brand

I can't help myself. I have to share this article with you guys: Develop Your Personal Brand. It is succinct and right on target. I love it.

In fact, I love the Flying Solo website and have been a subscriber for years. Once a week they send me a little note which encourages me to keep pushing. Since we all work for ourselves in this PartyLite business, it is important to network with each other at Unit Meetings and Conferences, to keep improving through training, and to keep motivated. I find that this site helps with all three.

Supporting You!

Rainbow WOW News!

PartyLite has been sharing some WOW news on the CBC, and I thought you'd all want to know about the WOW news right here in our team.

First Month Brite Start Achievers!

Congratulations to Judi and Sandra who not only achieved Brite Start Month 1, but who also bonused in their first full business month. Congratulations ladies. You have set goals and achieved them.

Earth Hour Success

Judi deserves some special recognition. She had a Saturday show blow out on Friday. She knew that she wanted to bonus and she quickly put together a recovery plan. She held her own Earth Hour party at her place. It was a fun night, she got $550 in sales and her friends all got to experience a beautiful candlelight night. I bet they come back for more! Good on ya, Judi.

The photo here is of Britta's house during Earth Hour. Thanks for sharing, Britta.

Thailand

I don't really like to brag, but... I DID IT! I earned the trip to Thailand. Sales-wise it was simple, I just do my 8-10 shows a month and it all falls into place. And sponsoring wise, it was easy, too. I just got into the habit of offering this great opportunity to everyone I meet and look what happened. Noelene, Britta, Judi, and Sandra all started and all qualified in their first business months. You can't do anything alone, and I really thank all of you for your support and encouragement.

You want to know who I thank the most though? It's Angela. She never gave up on me, even when I did. I think she's wonderful. I'm glad she is going to Thailand, too.

April

April is going to be a huge month guys. If you don't already have six or more shows in your diary, you're crazy. Just organise your diary, know when you are available, and get on the phone.

"Hi, it's [insert your name], the candle lady. We met at [hostess's name] house last [month, week, Feb, whatever]. [Chat and make sure it's a good time.] I'm just calling to see if you got everything and it all is up to your expectations. Are you burning your candles? [Now chit chat about how beautiful they are and how good they smell.] Hey, I should also let you know that PartyLite is celebrating its 35th birthday and we are offering our April hosts 35% product credit for a successful show. With a booking voucher, that equates to over $190 in free products for shows over $400. I do have some dates available in April if you are interested. Do you like weekdays or weekends?

If they end up saying no, let them know that you love referrals, so if they want to do a joint show with a friend or some other arrangement, that you would love to book it in. Remind them that April is the month where they will get the most benefit.

I've got my power hour scheduled for tonight. Now I'm off to practice my guitar and then to the gym. I love PartyLite. Make it a great day!