Need Some Bookings?

You can probably tell from my results in Reflections that I consistently have 8-12 shows in my monthly diary. Getting bookings with that sort of a show schedule is pretty easy. But what if you don't have as many shows as you need and you want to get some more? Well, here are my top booking hints:

1. Always, always have your diary with you. Even if you simply carry around one page with this month and next month filled in, it is really important to be able to show your potential hosts your schedule. Have a pencil with you! No one should be scared to pencil in an appointment. It's much easier to reschedule a penciled in appointment than to book a show later.

2. Always, always have your booking voucher book with you. My personal goal is to give away one entire book every month. I give them away at shows, I include them in hostess packs, I give them to nice people I meet. I mail them to people who booked last year and who didn't end up having the party.

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.

• I’m a full time mom and I sell candles at home shows twice a week.
• I’m a nurse by day and a PartyLite Consultant by night.
• I sell the best candles in the world.
• I give away candles.

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.

7. Get on the phone and make customer service calls. This is the number one way to keep up with your clients. Emails don't do it. SMSs don't do it. Wishing they'd call you is a pipe dream. Just pick up the phone and call. There is no bad time. Always ask them if it's a good time to talk. Actually, I don't ask that - I ask if it's a bad time. If they say no, I keep my pitch short and sweet and get straight to the point. (Great. I'm calling you because...) If they say it is a bad time, I ask what time I should call them back. There are heaps of reasons to call your clients. Confirm their email address, point out the hostess specials, tell them about some guest specials, tell them you are putting in an order and thought they might need a top up by now, invite them to a Unit Meeting so they can learn more about the business, follow-up because they were interested in booking a show. Don't be afraid to ask for referrals on these calls.

8. Simplify your shows. Make them fun for you to do, easy for hosts to host, and fun for guests to attend. If it all looks to hard, then it probably is.

9. Don’t get stressed when people say no. In fact, give them an opportunity to say no. Don't make them feel guilted into having a show. Make them feel comfortable. If they say no, thank them. Here's a cold, hard fact: You should feel absolutely fantastic if you get 2 YES responses out of 10 calls. And once more, you should feel absolutely great about the 8 NO answers because they represent you giving great customer service. If you are only getting 1 YES out of 10 calls, then you just need to practice more. If you are getting 3 YES out of 10 calls, you need to train us all on how you get those results!

10. Follow up bookings you do get with great hostess coaching. Hostess coaching is so important. You are the pep team for your hostess. You need her to feel motivated and happy even as she gets rejections from her group of friends. Make sure everyone feels like this is a social event with a great product and that it will be fun. Remind your host of that. Keep her interested in you and your business. Make sure she knows you care about the outcome as much as she does.

One last suggestion... unless it is really a burden (e.g. heaps of kilometres away), don't cancel a show because of a small turnout. The host might call to say that she thinks she should cancel because she only has 3-4 people coming. I have found this to be a great opportunity and usually results in a short show with great sales and great relationships.

OK - I'd better get to the phone now.... Happy burning!