Ten Things You Need to Know About Starter Shows

There are really only three criteria for a show to be turned into a starter show. The first one is $550 in sales (though there are alternatives if a starter show does not reach that amount). The second is six (6) initial bookings. The third is a signed New Consultant Agreement.

Once the new consultant has achieved these three criteria, she is ready to go. If she hasn't already done it, she should sign up for New Consultant Training ASAP (within 10 days of her Starter Show).

Here are ten things you need to know about/do for Starter Shows.

1. You need to send in the Starter Show forms via mail or fax. Starter Shows cannot be done online.
2. You need to use a Show Order Form and tick the Starter Show box.
3. The hostess credit is calculated differently. Take the compensatable sales and subtract $550. The amount remaining is the earned product credit. Then add the $50 bonus voucher. (Basically this means that for a starter show, she will get 50% off all purchases. Starter Shows should generally not use the 30% off option because that won't get her the best bang for her buck.)
4. The hostess is eligible to purchase the Hostess Specials.
5. You need to send in credit card information. You can either fax in the Guest Order Forms OR you can rewrite/retype the credit card information out and mail/fax it in on one page. I retype them to improve legibility.
6. You need to keep an eye out on the Show Order Status to make sure the mail/fax is received. You also need to make sure that the order is being processed. PartyLite will not process the show if any of the credit cards doesn't work. They will call you if there is a problem. Call them back right away to deal with it quickly.
7. If it hasn't already been issued (sometimes your Unit Leader can arrange a Starter Kit to be pre-issued), the Starter Kit will be sent out to the new Consultant right away - usually within 24 hours of processing the paperwork. If it has been issued, please note that on your fax cover page.
8. Any Starter bonus products will generally be sent out with the guest orders.
9. You need to provide your new Consultant with a list of guest orders. For a Starter Show, I usually leave one copy of the guest order forms with the host.
10. You will not be paid the 22% profit on any Starter Show. The Compensatable Sales will count toward your total sales for the month. If you achieve bonus, you will be paid the 6% bonus on the Starter Show Compensatable sales.

Why aren't you paid for Starter Shows? Starter Shows are an investment in your business. By bringing new Consultants into the business PartyLite and you are growing your potential revenue base, so PartyLite and you both contribute to the cost of bringing on the new Consultant.

All of these details are in your Consultant Guide. I just wanted to point them out since we have so many people sponsoring these days. Good on you! Happy burning! WLC.

Why Do I Have All the Answers?

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!

You Only Have 14 Days!

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?

OK, you have 14 days to go before the awesome $1000 Starter Kit goes away forever! How about making up some flyers and passing them out to people tomorrow to let them know about this last chance offer. How about calling each of your hosts and letting them know aboutthe $1000 Starter Kit available in March only? How about contacting people who you thought were interesting and letting them know about the $1000 Starter Kit. How about calling 5 people a day and asking them if they know anyone who would be interested in earning some extra money with no cash outlay, no boss, no deliveries, no cold calls, no inventory, and free training? What other ideas do you have to get people interested in this amazing Starter Kit and this amazing business?

If you were in charge of your own company (and you are) and if you had a $1000 Starter Kit available (and you do) plus a free Essentials Hurricane for the $550 show with 2+ bookings (which you have) and 14 days to attract a person to this business, organise a Starter Show, and make it happen - could you do it????

Of course you could!

What ideas do you have? What are you doing to excite your clients about this offer? Please share your ideas by commenting here!

Non-Pushy Reasons for Calling

When I started writing this article, I thought specifically of you because I know you are always looking for ways to call people without coming across as being pushy.

And that's how easy it is....

Every time you make a call, you need a reason to be calling. Mary Christensen says that the magic word is "BECAUSE."

I thought of YOU because....

You see, pushy sales people call to talk about themselves. We aren't pushy. We provide Platinum Customer Service. So when we call our clients, it's to help THEM. As individuals. Always. Every time.

Here are a few great reasons to call your clients.

1. Her delivery has been shipped.
2. The host has received the goods and you want to see if she received everything in good order and is happy.
3. An item has been listed on backorder and you want her to know what the process is (contact the host and the affected client).
4. His Candle Connection email bounced and you want to make sure he gets it in the future.
5. The monthly guest specials have just been released. Is she attending a show this month? If so, great. If not, she is welcome to place and order through you to take advantage of the specials.
6. When she does need more candles, she obviously can host another show OR she can simply call you to order more.
7. She ordered a reed diffuser in 2008 and she might not know we have refills now.
8. Let a past host know that if any of their guests want to order more, she can add it all to her order and have it shipped straight to her.
9. Make sure you let every client you have know that orders of $150 or more are shipping for free and earn 15% product credit for whoever sends in the order. If you forget to say that at a show, call them to tell them. If you remember to say it at the show, call them to remind them.
10. Let her know you have been thinking about her - tell her why.

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!

Lessons from Butterflies

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly.

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!

Eliana's March Challenge!

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.

PartyLite National Conference 2009

Hello Rainbows. It is time. Time to get excited about Conference 2009!

Here are a few handy hints to keep you on track.

1. Put it into your diary. August 6-9. Plan around the dates. Don't accept shows. Don't accept invitations. Do put in your leave forms at you other jobs. Do organise for other people to care for your little ones (and your significant others).
2. Send in your registration now. You don't pay now and you will owe nothing at all if you need to cancel as long as you cancel in writing to Head Office by Monday July 6.
3. Tell me you're coming. Email Wendy.
4. Book a room. Find one (or two) roommates. Rooms are for two, but for a $45 fee you can add a third person. Don't have a roommate yet? That's OK, I will distribute a list of who's coming and who they are rooming with via email and those without roommates can buddy up.
5. Buy your flights. There are sales all the time. I suggest you buy your tickets now to get the best fares (I'm getting mine tonight).

Here's the inside scoop:

• Thursday - Arrive in time for registration. Go to afternoon session. Go to room and get dressed up for the Meet & Greet Party - Hooray for Hollywood! Fancy dress - we'll discuss costume ideas at future Unit Meetings! I suggest you bring some munchies to the hotel in case you're hungry - there's never enough finger food to be "dinner."
• Friday - Eat breakfast and then go to the sessions all day. We have dinner together on Friday night with everyone under Eliana. Everyone chips in for that meal.
• Saturday - Eat breakfast and then go to the sessions all day. Award night - time to dress up! A fab dinner is provided.
• Sunday - Pack up all your free stuff (easier said than done), check out and go home!

Can your family come? Sure, but don't make plans to be with them much. It's full on work and play! I'm going out a day early so I can relax a bit and enjoy the spa at the hotel - there's no real time to yourself once the Conference starts. You'll love it!

Who Signed the Star?

The people listed below signed the gold star to say that they want to go to conference. Please update me and I'll keep this list current!

1. Judy A
2. Kylie B
3. Di H
4. Shell B
5. Leanne M
6. Libby G
7. Sandra B
8. Lorelei H
9. Natasha K
10. Michelle C
11. Jacqueline A
12. Nicole B (rooming with WLC)
13. WLC (rooming with Nicole B)

Ideas to Book More Shows

From the Wednesday 25 February 2009 Rainbows Unit Meeting

Bookings Presentation – Training by Shell, Notes by Dianne

1. You can talk to the person better if you have a reference point, ie, you have done a mail out (e.g. Shell sent out a birth announcement for the new Baby Elephant). This is a memory jogger for the person and it gives you the opportunity to lead into talking about having a Show. (WLC Note: Candle Connection is another great reference point.)
2. Shell added incentive for herself by photocopying a $100 note and having it by the phone when she was making calls – every booking she got earns her about $100!
3. Cancelled bookings – call them! By committing to a booking in the first place their Hostess received benefits – now they can keep up their end of the bargain.
4. FRANK List – revisit, revise – add new people (Shell’s son started school this year which gives her new people to add to the list). Same for when your kids start playing a new sport – new families you meet there.
5. Don’t overdo the asking at the Show – Shell found that she was asking all the time, starting to sound a bit desperate.
6. Be casual – both in your presentation (but professional!) and in how you approach people. Make it part of the conversation.
7. Bookings at Shows – Ask them to choose something they would really like if money wasn’t a problem, then tell them they can get it for free! (WLC Note: Read Kim Wood's article in this month's Reflections about Hostess Stacking. Great ideas!)
8. Existing groups – these are groups that have had a few Shows already. You don’t have to use the cards, talk more about the products.
9. Take your Hostess Pack with you to your Shows – Shell puts a catalogue, pretty pen, tealight, enviro bag, invites, Hostess and Guest Specials (laminated if you like) etc into a gift bag and tells the guests that they can take it with them tonight when they book their own Show.
10. Tell the guests that we don’t just sell candles. Also, words matter; we are all about "home décor," not "accessories." (WLC Note: Top Tip! I've changed this one word all weekend and what a great effect it has had!)
11. When talking to people out and about, or to your friends, tell them we’re about home décor – candles, candle holders, pieces that stand alone unlit (Global Fusion Hurricane for example).
12. Enlarge pictures of a few key products to actual size (e.g. the Sahara Sands Lamp, page 42), laminate them and take them to Shows so guests can see the products in proportion. Have a tape measure with you as well to help guide guests.
13. Offer a booking special – Shell is offering a Mini Barrel with Shade for a limited time. The Hostess will receive it at their Show.
14. Have a monthly kit – tell your customers that your display will be different every month, that way they are not seeing the same old same old.
15. Have a script when you’re calling to get Show bookings – this helps to keep on track and be concise. Ask are they happy with the products.
16. Use monthly promotions from Head Office – monthly specials for Hostesses and Guests, special promotions etc.