Personal development comes from investing some time in reading, learning, doing new things, and sharing ideas.
I'm sharing this. What Matters Now. WLC.
Wendy Lloyd Curley - Expert in Profitable Party Planning
Most of us spend our time getting ready to do something. Preparing. Training. Practicing. Dreaming. Considering. Wishing.So now, go back to the post I wrote yesterday and ask yourself what you've done in the past 24 hours to accomplish the goals you set for yourself.
Just do it.
The purpose of setting up goals is to accomplish them.
"Plant a seed, grow a strong root system, feed your tree well, and watch the new branches grow, the leaves sprout, and the trunk get stronger and stronger every year."
"If you've been looking for an opportunity to make some extra money, but
don't know if the party plan business is for you, just try our free six show
trial. Host a show where I present, and organise 6 shows for yourself. If you
find you don't like the business after the six shows, simply let me know and
I'll work with you to transition your customers to another consultant. Whether
you stay or go, you get to keep the starter kit. Watch what I do today. It's
fun, easy, and free to start with our six show trial."
We had a few queries about the article in "The Telegraph" which stated the following:
"Burning candles made from paraffin wax –– the most common kind used to infuse rooms with romantic ambiance, warmth, light, and fragrance –– is an unrecognized source of exposure to indoor air pollution, including the known human carcinogens, scientists are reporting. Levels can build up in closed rooms, and be reduced by ventilation, they indicated. The researchers say said that that candles made from bee's wax or soy, although more expensive, apparently are healthier. "
Toxins are emitted from all burning things. Paraffin and soy release almost exactly the same ingredients in the same amount when burned. The amount of toxins released by a candle are far below any level that is a concern to health. A study conducted on behalf of all the candle associations in the world demonstrated that fact. The summary of the report can be found at: http://www..kerzentest.de/eci/pdf/Oekometric-Wax-1797_NCA_NL_42908.pdf
It's interesting, isn't it? The feeling of inviting someone to an event where it's all about them has made these calls easy. I feel like I'm giving back a small bit to people who have given me so much.
I'm calling to invite you to the launch of our supplemental summer/holiday catalogue. It's an opportunity for you to see all of the new product ranges. We're offering champagne on arrival and we'll have some fantastic raffle prizes to raise money for Children's Hospital Foundations Australia. No formal presentations, just tables of beautiful products and an opportunity to see them all live and in person. Would you like me to send you some tickets for you and a friend?
The response is quite good. Much, much better than I've ever gotten with my emails and post. Even written invitations didn't get as good a response as I'm getting now.
And you know what? I'm enjoying making the calls. I've developed a pattern and have a process so I know who I've called and what my action is. It's working!
I have hundreds of clients, so this will take me awhile. I want to have all of these calls done by next Wednesday and then I'll prepare my reminder SMS for the day before the event and the day of.
I hope I've inspired you. Call me if you want to know my process - it's working a treat. :) WLC.
Why the Tree?
The tree represents your business. The roots represent your strength, your support, your effort, your discipline. The trunk represents your income. The branches and leaves represent your downline. Plant a seed, grow a strong root system, feed your tree well, and watch the new branches grow, the leaves sprout, and the trunk get stronger and stronger every year.
With consistency, persistence, and discipline, we can all be RVPs!
1. Eliana had five show tips for us as we launch the supplementary catalogue with the everyday: (1) keep it simple (perfect 10), (2) use three placemat settings, (3) display in simple groups representing about $150 in product each, (4) show off our product versatility wherever possible, and (5) use your display to emphasise the hostess benefits.
2. Dracy took it one step further. Offer our beautiful products at full price. Offer each setting to future hosts who want to collect the whole table for free by hosting 3-4 shows. And offer impatient people (who want it all now) the opportunity to do a six show trial and get the whole table full for free. That was a WOW for me and I'm going to say something like that at every show.
3. Duplication is the key to succeeding grandly in this business. If you sponsor 1 person this month, and if she and you both sponsor one person in September, and if the four of you sponsor one person in October, and if the eight of you sponsor one in November, and if the 16 of you sponsor one person in December, and if the 32 of you sponsor one person in January, and if the 64 of you sponsor one person in February.... Well, you can see the power of duplication. Not only would you have an impressive downline, you would be a Unit Leader, you would be earning your personal commission and 6 % of what your downline sells, and surely 5 of your personal sponsors would have qualified in their first business month, so you would have lots of points to go to Vietnam. You would indeed be succeeding grandly.
I read my Reflections from cover to cover last night. You should get it early this week. Janelle has written some great training inside. The back cover has an article by Debbie Phoenix that all of us should read several times. Debbie is an inspiration. I am so happy that she shares her ideas and her knowledge so freely with everyone.
The Rainbows Unit has plenty to be proud of. Eliana gave us some regional recognition that, to be honest, surprised and delighted me. We had the highest regional sales and the highest regional sponsoring of all the Units under Eliana. We even beat Eliana's Unit, Ignite, which is the first time that has ever happened. I am so proud of the Rainbows and so happy that our successes have been recognised. There are beautiful awards filling up my new office. And plenty more to come, I'm sure!
Each year, the Butterfly Ceremony is a special tradition for new Unit Leaders. I was honoured to escort Nicole to the stage and to light her Unit Leader candle. It would make me incredibly proud to do the same for every member of the Rainbows. Leadership with PartyLite can make you as happy, proud, and financially independent as I am... and more.
Our guest speaker, Lisa McInnis-Smith, was an absolute show-stealer. Her messages to us were ones we can and will take into our daily lives as women, wives, mothers, employees, and PartyLite Consultants. If she sold DVDs of her presentations, I'd buy them to share with you all. I sincerely hope that you get to see her one day. Everyone could use a little Lisa!
So I'm back on the ground and putting my nose to the grindstone. August has brought me a new catalogue, double points for Vietnam, cool candle weather, and a heap of new words and ideas for shows. I'm going to make that call everyday and grow my business. If RVP is the place to be, I want to be there. And if I have to put a date on it, why not make it there within 12 months? Well there, I've done it. I've put it in writing. I know where I'm going. Who's coming with me? :)
Just a reminder about some of the benefits of being a PartyLite consultant:
How to prepare for your starter show:
Schedule NCT with your sponsor and your unit leader. (You should do NCT as soon as you can after scheduling your starter show.)
Organise your show planner. Make up a calendar for the month of your starter show and next month. Make sure to block out family time, training dates, and other commitments first. Then highlight the days you are available to work.
Treat your starter show like a grand opening. Make a list of all the people you want to come. Call each person on that list and let them know you are sending them an invitation. Share with them how important it is to you for them to be there. Ask them if they know someone you don’t know who should be invited. Write out some blank invitations and keep them in your purse to hand out when you see people. Restock when you need to (your leader can provide you with more invitations).
If people can’t make it.
Don’t over cater! Candle shows are social, fun, and informative. Depending on the time of the show, your guests might just like a drink and a light snack. Most of the time, coffee, tea, and a plate of biscuits is all that is needed. Or maybe a bottle of wine with some cheese and crackers. It doesn’t need to be extravagant... the candles will be.
Ask a friend to help you host the party. Part of your training is to watch me do the show. A friend who can get drinks, answer the door, or get food out of the oven for you will be very helpful.
Call your sponsor or your leader whenever you have questions – we’re here to help!My biggest hint: First call people to invite them. Then send the invitation.Please do come to our unit meeting on [date and time]. It’s at [location]. For NCT, please let me know if you can do [small selection of dates and times] [include location].
Welcome to the team! WLC.
Here it is Tuesday morning. You were diligent over the weekend and called ten clients. Only three of them answered the phone. The rest you left messages for. Did the messages sound something like, "Just calling to see how you are enjoying your candles. Please call me if you need anything." Or maybe you got one of those cool (annoying) phone recordings that will leave your callback number if you wait until after the beep. Surely the person you called will phone you back if they are interested....
The cold hard truth is that you need to call those seven people back.
My husband taught me a very valuable lesson about a month ago. It's been really liberating for me. He told me that a good salesperson always takes the action to get back to the customer.
I'll call you. I'll call you. I'll call you. I'll call you.
It's simply not their job to call us back. And that's why they don't.
Some of you are reading this and thinking that you will feel like a stalker. That if you have called someone 4 times and they haven't called you back then it indicates that they don't want anything. But that's simply not true.
You are a sales person. Our calls are easy. You are calling people you've met. People who've spent money with you. People who are either burning their candles and loving them, burning their candles and disappointed in something, people who gave candles away as a gift, or people who haven't opened the boxes yet.
My inspiration for this article was another brilliant post from Seth Godin. The little shovel is our phone calls. The bigger shovel is when we sponsor people.
So, this week, go back to your list and make that call (again).
I am so excited about where I am now! I didn’t realise how much I needed this change in my life, but after being in the same job area for 36 years it is a breath of fresh air. I was aware this direction was totally outside my comfort zone but now I am so glad I rose to the challenge, finding myself in a far better place.What is is about this business that has made you a better person? Do you have a similar story to tell? Why not write to me and I'll publish your story, too. Let's start a wave! WLC.
I cannot believe it is not that long ago I started. I am proud of myself for forging ahead, appreciative of the confidence others have in me helping me take each step as it comes. I will continue to learn about the business and about myself as a person and about my hidden abilities now blossoming!
I am enjoying the journey, meeting such lovely people along the way in both PartyLite and at my shows. At last I so enjoy going to work and I look forward to building a ‘bright’ future in the wonderful world of candles.
Jan W 6/7/09
CHRISTMAS IN JULY
What fragrances are in the three holiday mini barrel jar sets? The Answer:
A few of you asked me if I would share my little Tea For Two brochure with you. Hopefully I've figured out how to attach it here well enough for you. You can make your own or just use the Tea For Two coupons.
ESSENTIAL OILS
We discussed essential oils. I have followed up with Eliana on this and she reports back:
I have spoken to the office and they stated that we don’t mention essential oils for any of our Wellbeing or Fresh Home. It’s stated they are exclusive oils in the catalogue.
So please use the words "exclusive oils" in all instances.
30 % HOSTESS CREDIT
How impressive is 30% host credit? Maybe not as impressive as our hosts getting an average of $230 in free products! Yes, the Rainbows have a $600 show average, so on average our hosts will get $600 x 30% PLUS the $50 hostess voucher.
Hi, it's Wendy the Candle Lady calling. On average my hosts will get $230 in free PartyLite products just for hosting a show in July. I have a couple of dates left, should we get the girls together for our Christmas in July specials?
Ok, now it's time for me to MAKE THAT CALL for real. See you later. Happy burning! WLC.
Hello. Thank you very much for coming to XXXXX’s candle party. I wanted to send you this email so that you have my email and phone contact details as well as some important information.
Delivery
The order will be delivered to XXXXX directly and she will contact you to organize pick-up or delivery. I processed the order today, so it should be delivered to her in 2-3 weeks. Please contact me immediately if there are any problems with your order as I do want you to be 100% satisfied. Remember that we have a 90 day limit on returns or exchanges.
Candle Care
If you have any trouble with your candles or forget any of the tips I gave you, feel free to contact me. I love to help.
How to Reorder
When you need more candles or if you decide you want more things you can call me to order. I take a lot of orders over the phone. If you collect $150 in orders I’ll give you a 15% more in free products. If you collect $400 in orders, I’ll give you 20% more. Of course, having a party yourself is the most fun, best value, and I do the work instead of you. When you host a $400+ show, not only do you get the 20% more for free, but you also get a $50 voucher. On average my hosts get over $150 in free products at every show.
How to Become an Independent PartyLite Consultant
If you want to know anything at all about my business or how you might be able to start your own, please just let me know. I’d love to share what I know with you. This business is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It could be for you, too. There’s no harm in asking questions. Let me buy you a coffee and let’s have a chat.
Candle Connection
To keep you informed, I will send you a monthly email called Candle Connection. This email comes out every 28th of the month and it includes links to all our new specials and promotions. When you get it, if you see something you like, please give me a call! If you change email addresses, just send me a note and I’ll update your address.
Thanks for letting me be your candle lady! Happy burning!
WLC.
"It's a numbers game."
Hello! In May, I earned $4,347.50. Yay for me, but why am I telling you this?
Fulfilling a Promise
You might remember that in March and April, when I knew I needed shows in May because of my travels, I promised to give 10 percent of my earnings to the McGrath Foundation. Since my friend Lisa passed away, I have been a big supporter of any organisation that benefits people and families affected with breast cancer or any group that works to get us closer to a cure. I figured I could do a good thing and fill up my calendar.
So I am exposing my income to you and the world, so that I can shout from the rooftops that I have sent the McGrath Foundation a donation for $434.75. I've never donated that much to a single organisation at one time. It feels great!
Food For Thought
For those who think PartyLite is only a hobby, I have news for you: you can and will make lots of money at PartyLite if you follow your leader. It might not happen overnight, but it can happen quickly. Over time, if you just keep your store open, your business will grow if you simply follow your leader. Do shows, make calls, offer the opportunity, and give great customer service and you will build yourself a great little business.
Imagine what $1,000 a month would do for you. Now imagine what $4,000 a month would do for you. What about $10,000 a month? The best part is that there is no limit. The other best part is that you don't have to give up anything else to do this. Your family can remain a priority. Your other job can remain a priority. Spending time with your friends can remain a priority. Do PartyLite when you want to.
Be Unselfish!
This is not about me, and growing your own business is not all about you. It's all about unselfishly sharing our great products, our incredible hostess benefits, and our unlimited, flexible, free, fun, amazing consultant opportunity. Give it all away with passion. Share all of what you already have.
Now is always the time to talk about the business opportunity. Always aim to bring a guest to your Unit Meeting and let them see the camaraderie, the training, the rewards, the recognition, and the benefits of being with PartyLite!
And when you can, give a little. 'Cause what goes around....
Happy Burning! WLC.The picture to the right is Angela and me in our Mustang Convertible on our day trip around the island of Oahu. What a great day. What a great holiday.
There is nothing I would love more than to have you come with me to our next destination.
On August 8, 2009 we will find out where and when our next incentive trip is. The points required, the way to earn points, and the terms and conditions will all be revealed. But you don't have to wait until the announcement to prepare. You just have to build your business.
Do YOU want to go?
If you do, my strongest recommendation is for you to build your business now. Have a strong June, book for a strong July, then pack August and September with bookings. We don't know what the contest dates or requirements will be, but it really doesn't matter. You'll be better placed for the incentive trip if you simply build your business now.
Practice sponsoring now. You will certainly have to sponsor in order to earn the trip, so give it a go now and see how easy it is once you start. Simply offer the opportunity at every show. The seeds you plant now may be the ones that bloom for you later. Inspire others to start their own PartyLite business.
Basically, I'm telling each and every one of you that I guarantee that you can achieve this. If any other business you've been in offered you a free overseas trip just for doing your job, you'd do it. So if you want to go.... just do it.
Dream it. Believe it. You will achieve it!
Just a note re: the importance of customer care calls. We talked about it on Wednesday – but WOW, did I get a kick up the butt last night to make more of them.
September last year, customer bought Reed Diffuser from show.November I did a customer care call and she said she was not happy with it as she couldn’t smell it. We worked out it was next to an open window. Customer moved RD and was very happy with performance.
Anyway, I saw her at a show last night – she said she loved it, raved to others how long it lasted, how I helped her work out the placement of it (ie, away from open window), and how she wanted to buy a refill.
She later said to me how much she appreciated that customer care call last year, because she was dissatisfied with the RD before my call. She said she came to show last night, because I had given her a call to check if products are OK.
I don’t make enough time available for these customer care calls – how vital they are for our businesses – how many customers do we have who may be disgruntled and a simple call can change everything for them (and us).
I have asked this customer for a show several times, but at the end of last night, she is now booking her own show.
Building rapport through customer care calls builds our businesses and our reputations as “The Candle Lady”.
Shell
These ladies simply got behind the 7 for $77 guest special. They made calls. They got excited. They sent out email and they made that call to follow up!
As a result, here it is on Monday morning and we already have over $10,000 in sales. You know we can do it - let's be record breakers!
May Sales End on May 29th
Please don't forget that for bonusing and activity qualification, the month ends on the last business day of the month. So this month will end at midnight on Friday, May 29th. Any shows submitted after that will count for June.
One Page Flyer for the Extra Specials
You can click the flyer above and download the full size flyer, created by fellow Rainbow, Jan, for the additional items listed on the CBC. Thanks to Jan and Michelle for making this flyer. I used it this weekend and it was very successful.
Happy Burning!
3. Answer the question, “What do you do?” with a happy compilation of what you do. If you don't mention that you're a candle lady, how will they know? If you come across as negative about it, how interested will they be? If you are happy, up-beat, and proud of it, your good vibes will be felt! Here are some examples. Do you say something different and have you found it to be effective? Please share your answer with us here as a comment.
4. Give interesting people a tealight and tell them you want to know what they think. Get their number so you can call them to ask. This takes practice. You simply have to follow up to get it to pay off. Be confident about the quality that you are representing and be genuine in your desire to hear what they think.
5. Book your own show and invite people to it. If they can’t make it, give them a $50 voucher to host their own. I do this all the time. At least 6 times per year. Last Thursday, I got 2 bookings and I sold over $400 worth of candles while catching up with people I truly like. What a great way to spend an evening.
6. Definitely register for Candle Connection. Make it a priority to get your client email addresses so they can see what our specials are each month. If you didn’t get the email address at the show, what a great reason to give them a call.Hi. First of all, I want to laugh at the audacity of that thought: that I have all the answers. I'm learning. Everyday. Just like you.
But seriously, many of you have commented that I'm so smart or so quick with an answer or that I know what to say.
Thank you for saying that. It's completely due to two things I've learned along the way.
Look it up
When I would do my homework when I was little, I used to ask my mom how to spell words. Her response was always the same, "Look it up." I remember asking her how I could possibly look it up if I didn't know how it was spelled, but she would just smile and say, "Look it up."
She was teaching me to be independent. As a result, I'm pretty self-sufficient. I don't often need to ask people how to do things, where to find things, or what things mean. If I don't know, I look it up. Google is a great source, but I use dictionaries, thesauruses, online encyclopedias, books I've read and, get ready for it, the PartyLite Consultant Guide, almost everyday. Seriously.
Just Do It
What a simple concept, but you've heard it since you were little. Practice makes perfect. The Beatles weren't born great musicians. Bill Gates wasn't born a computer wiz. Jamie Oliver doesn't have magical cooking capabilities. Wendy Lloyd Curley was not born knowing how to conduct the perfect PartyLite show. (I do like the idea of being compared to the Beatles, Bill Gates, and Jamie Oliver, however, and since it's my blog, I will do just that.) :)
This Nike tag line is so valid. Just do it!
The Moral
I often say that I "make it up." That's not really true. I just do it. I just push through and learn from my mistakes and look up the answers when I don't know them. My confidence increases after every experience - even if those experiences weren't perfect.
There's no such thing as the perfect gig for the Beatles. There's no such thing as the perfect code for Microsoft (how many patches can there be?). Jamie adds and dilutes and tastes his way until his concoctions are tasty. For me, there's never a perfect show, just a great practice session for the next one.
This article was inspired by a quote I just read from a site I subscribe to: "Great managers insist that their employees “Think”, and instead of giving them an answer, they give them the tools to find many answers."
You aren't my employees. I'm not your manager. But the tools are all here.
So get out there! Look it up. Just do it!
Do you know anyone who might be interested in earning some extra money with no cash outlay, no boss, no deliveries, no cold calls, no inventory, and free training?
Here's a challenge for you. Make 10 calls. Don't ask for anything. Just give. Give feedback, give information, give a compliment, give advice. Call for a reason and practice using the word, "because." Then tell me the results and how you feel. I can't wait to hear!
He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shrivelled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened!
In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shrivelled wings. It never was able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that this was natures’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. The restricting cocoon and the struggle required was necessary for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening to be able to fly.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we went through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
Hi Rainbows. We've been challenged! As you know, I love a challenge! This is one I think we can all sink our teeth into. The picture is of the trophy Eliana is offering. She also wrote this note to the leaders in her region, Ignite (that's our region):
It’s time to have some fun again... This time it’s not laughing at me but something that you can treasure for time to come.
Create some magic into you and your team. Our region goal is to sponsor 30 new consultants into March...and I will publish and award the following:
You can be part of the Stars of Champions... Be an exclusive member of this special newsletter to be published with your name and photo. There are several ways to get your name mentioned in the newsletter.
- 1st leader in top sponsoring
- 1st unit in top sponsoring
- 1st consultant in top sponsoring
- 2nd leader in top sponsoring
- 2nd unit in top sponsoring
- 2nd consultant in top sponsoring
- 3rd leader in top sponsoring
- 3rd unit in top sponsoring
- 3rd consultant in top sponsoring
There are three very special awards to be handed out and your name could be on any one of them for being in first position.
Encourage your team to sponsor and be part of this special moment to be the stars of Champions for 2009.
This is a once of a life time achievement for our Region... Go for it and let me put your name amongst the stars....Remember we must do the 30 sponsors...
~Eliana
Let's keep the Rainbows on top. A little competition is always great. We have a fabulous March Sponsoring Promotion to help get us there. And, as always, I'm available to all of you for coaching or latte appointments.
If each of us sponsored just one person, did just one starter show, we'd cover the challenge for the whole region! Come on! Go for it! WLC.
Here's the inside scoop:
Bookings Presentation – Training by Shell, Notes by Dianne