Monday, April 30, 2007
What is your biggest challenge in your Urban Botanic business?
Great advice from TSF:
When I first started out as a party plan consultant I decided that the only part of the job I was going to do was to sell product, period - nothing more, nothing less. My recruiter was a strong seller and didn't focus much of her business on recruiting and so, when I told her I wasn't going to “do” that part of the business (recruiting) - she told me that was fine.
After about a year, I realized the error of my ways and went about the business of learning how to “do” that part of the business. It took me almost another full year before I had finally built a large enough team (five people) to promote to a leader in my company. And for the next several years, recruiting continued to be the area of my business that I was most challenged by.
So, I determined that recruiting would become my focus. I read every book on the topic I could get my hands on. At convention, I attended seminars offered by the leaders in our company who were experiencing the success that I desired. I picked brains, I listened in on conference calls and every time I got in my car I listened to tapes on recruiting. By becoming a serious student of the area of my weakness I eventually got better. Much to my delight and surprise I started being the leader who was asked to teach this part of the business that was once my biggest challenge.
What part of the business do you most struggle with? A CD training set is a great way to help you to focus while traveling in your car. Training and coaching calls can be customized to the area that is YOUR biggest challenge. Feed your mind by reading, listening to tapes/cds and listening to people who are achieving the success that you would like for your business. Success leaves clues...pay attention!
Shawna's Note:
In the UB Book Club we're reading "Never Eat Alone" by Keith Ferrazzi. An incredible book for networking and recruiting. This is a great opportunity if you don't have a workshop scheduled Monday night.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
5 Tips on Utilizing your Business Cards in your Urban Botanic Business
Your business card screams to the world upon first glance whether you are just "playing business" or if you are in it to win it. A well-crafted business card speaks volumes; it is a great, yet, inexpensive marketing tool. Conversely, you can loose a customer without ever uttering a word if your business card is not up to par. If your business cards are of poor card stock (flimsy), contain any grammatical or spelling errors, have outdated information, and fails to reflect the brand of your business stop reading this article right now! These issues need to be addressed immediately, as this article deals with those who are looking for ways to increase the impact of their business cards, I am assuming that the basics are already taken care of. So, for those astute business owners looking put your business card to work, here are 5 tips that will surely help:
1. Give Out Two. When you meet someone give them 2, not just one card, don't be stingy! What this does is allow that person to pass one on to any others that may be interested in your product or service. Now, don't get carried away and give them all the cards in your wallet, that is unprofessional. Make a habit of giving out two cards, not only is it smart business, but it is efficient. Encourage your networks to work for you!
2. Put Something On the Back. Every business card has two sides, there is no reason not utilize the back of your business card. If you are not utilizing both sides of your card you are wasting valuable advertising space. You can use this additional room to add customer testimonials, a brief product list, tips or anything that will provide a value add to the person reading it. Calendars, appointment reminders, kitchen measurements and sports schedules are other practical ways for using the back of your business card. Yes, it may cost a little bit more, but it is well worth the expense.
3. Go For Quality. Your business cards may be of professional quality. But if you are in a saturated industry such as real estate then you should seek to add a little something extra to your cards to make you stand out among the competition. This could be as simple as switching from a plain to a glossy business card stock. Or as dramatic as getting a complete business identity overhaul by a professional and utilizing professional printing services with all the bells and whistles. You may want to even look at the business cards you have from others, and jot down notes on what works and what doesn't work and begin to adjust your own cards based on your analysis.
4. Make It A Magnet. Let's face it, even well-intentioned people loose business cards. They wind up in a shoebox, a Rolodex that never gets used just or scattered all over the place in cars, chair cushions, utility drawers, toy boxes, you get the drift here. Consider ordering business card magnets. If they can be stuck to something, say a refrigerator, the higher the likelihood your card will be retained. What is even better, is that your card will be highly visible! The great thing is that business card magnets are fairly inexpensive, but as with anything, go for quality even if you have to pay a tad bit more.
5. Be Different. Your business card is your chance to shine, to show your uniqueness, your personality so you can let your customers know what makes you better than the rest! Do something extra, something memorable. Since horizontal business cards are the norm, consider going vertical. As a mortgage consultant, specializing in working with women, I have some of my business cards attached to a chocolate treat of Hershey's Kisses wrapped in tulle. It is a hit with virtually everyone. While this works for me, it may not work for a man who owns a construction company. So be creative, but keep in mind your customer, your industry and your brand. The sky is the limit.
Now that you have been equipped with 5 powerful tips to make your business card work for you, get to it! What changes can you make to increase the impact of your business card? Enlist trusted family members, friends and colleagues and ask them their opinion of your cards. Ask your customers their opinion too. I challenge you to jot down at least 5 ways you can update your business card to increase impact right now. Enjoy the process!
Shawna's Note - using the perfume vials clipped to your card is a GREAT way to become memorable :)
1. Give Out Two. When you meet someone give them 2, not just one card, don't be stingy! What this does is allow that person to pass one on to any others that may be interested in your product or service. Now, don't get carried away and give them all the cards in your wallet, that is unprofessional. Make a habit of giving out two cards, not only is it smart business, but it is efficient. Encourage your networks to work for you!
2. Put Something On the Back. Every business card has two sides, there is no reason not utilize the back of your business card. If you are not utilizing both sides of your card you are wasting valuable advertising space. You can use this additional room to add customer testimonials, a brief product list, tips or anything that will provide a value add to the person reading it. Calendars, appointment reminders, kitchen measurements and sports schedules are other practical ways for using the back of your business card. Yes, it may cost a little bit more, but it is well worth the expense.
3. Go For Quality. Your business cards may be of professional quality. But if you are in a saturated industry such as real estate then you should seek to add a little something extra to your cards to make you stand out among the competition. This could be as simple as switching from a plain to a glossy business card stock. Or as dramatic as getting a complete business identity overhaul by a professional and utilizing professional printing services with all the bells and whistles. You may want to even look at the business cards you have from others, and jot down notes on what works and what doesn't work and begin to adjust your own cards based on your analysis.
4. Make It A Magnet. Let's face it, even well-intentioned people loose business cards. They wind up in a shoebox, a Rolodex that never gets used just or scattered all over the place in cars, chair cushions, utility drawers, toy boxes, you get the drift here. Consider ordering business card magnets. If they can be stuck to something, say a refrigerator, the higher the likelihood your card will be retained. What is even better, is that your card will be highly visible! The great thing is that business card magnets are fairly inexpensive, but as with anything, go for quality even if you have to pay a tad bit more.
5. Be Different. Your business card is your chance to shine, to show your uniqueness, your personality so you can let your customers know what makes you better than the rest! Do something extra, something memorable. Since horizontal business cards are the norm, consider going vertical. As a mortgage consultant, specializing in working with women, I have some of my business cards attached to a chocolate treat of Hershey's Kisses wrapped in tulle. It is a hit with virtually everyone. While this works for me, it may not work for a man who owns a construction company. So be creative, but keep in mind your customer, your industry and your brand. The sky is the limit.
Now that you have been equipped with 5 powerful tips to make your business card work for you, get to it! What changes can you make to increase the impact of your business card? Enlist trusted family members, friends and colleagues and ask them their opinion of your cards. Ask your customers their opinion too. I challenge you to jot down at least 5 ways you can update your business card to increase impact right now. Enjoy the process!
Shawna's Note - using the perfume vials clipped to your card is a GREAT way to become memorable :)
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Beyond Self-Promotion: Why Good People Should Sell Themselves
If you work for yourself, and are perhaps a teeny weeny bit resistant to selling, this wake up call is for you. It is possible that "learning to sell" -- as opposed to learning how to promote yourself -- is not on your priority list. But, if you truly care about your customers, self promotion deserves your attention.
Maybe you feel that it is inappropriate to promote yourself in any way, especially when you meet new people. Have you ever you met someone who asked about what you do, and watched their look of confusion when you gave them a barely adequate answer, all because you didn't want to seem pushy or self-interested?
I imagine you have the most sincere motives for avoiding self promotion, but may I also suggest that you may be confusing modesty with self-protection? It's natural to want to protect yourself against anything short of drooling adulation that you might receive in response to a sales pitch. (By the way, how does that phrase "sales pitch" land with you?) It's natural, but it isn't modest.
It also isn't kind to the other person. There they are, carrying on a friendly conversation, and suddenly you classify them as a threat to your self-esteem. How likely are they to benefit from the interaction?
Until quite recently I thought that the reason I lit up in some sales situations while hanging back in others, was that I was highly sensitive. (I hear this from my clients a lot. Highly sensitive people keep a lot of coaches employed.)
One day I realized that I wasn't avoiding self promotion out of sensitivity, but out of fear. And it wasn't even fear of a particularly elevated kind. It was the venal fear of not getting what I wanted when I wanted it and as I wanted it. In other words, when I felt confident of getting the result I wanted, I'd reach out. If I thought somewhat might question what I wanted or say, "No," I'd hang back.
Notice that the fear of being denied what you want is not the same as the fear of rejection. Being told "no" in response to a sales pitch does not signal the end of a relationship. It doesn't have anything to do with accepting or rejecting you as a human being. It doesn't even have anything to do with increasing or decreasing your perceived worthiness. All it means is "No. I do not want what you are offering." (Hey, you want a glass of water while I'm up? No. You see?)
You are perhaps a better person than I. But even if your reluctance to self-promote or sell is rooted in the soil of modesty, isn't it time to distinguish modesty from playing small?
Cloaking self-seeking in the garment of selflessness is not a mortal sin (believe me, I would know), but it's awfully unattractive and it's an abysmally ineffective strategy for staying employed when you work for yourself.
So what's a person to do? Ask your internal monitor to nudge you when you move away from instead of toward selling or self-promotion. Don't try to change anything yet, just notice. Jot down some of the flickering of thoughtlets that run through your mind at these moments.
"Just noticing" will allow you to experience how your current attitudes toward selling and self promotion keep you from being a clear and open channel for your best work. As you become more aware of how avoiding sales or promotion keeps you from authentic engagement with your best clients and customers, your reluctance to sell or self-promote will shift into curiosity about how to reach and support the people you serve.
About the Author:
Molly Gordon, MCC, is a leading figure in business coaching and an acknowledged specialist in small business marketing. Don't miss her article about writing elevator speech at authenticpromotion.com/self-promotion/elevator-speech.html Join 12,000 readers of her ezine and receive a free 31-page guide on effective self promotion: authenticpromotion.com/self-promotion/index.htm
Maybe you feel that it is inappropriate to promote yourself in any way, especially when you meet new people. Have you ever you met someone who asked about what you do, and watched their look of confusion when you gave them a barely adequate answer, all because you didn't want to seem pushy or self-interested?
I imagine you have the most sincere motives for avoiding self promotion, but may I also suggest that you may be confusing modesty with self-protection? It's natural to want to protect yourself against anything short of drooling adulation that you might receive in response to a sales pitch. (By the way, how does that phrase "sales pitch" land with you?) It's natural, but it isn't modest.
It also isn't kind to the other person. There they are, carrying on a friendly conversation, and suddenly you classify them as a threat to your self-esteem. How likely are they to benefit from the interaction?
Until quite recently I thought that the reason I lit up in some sales situations while hanging back in others, was that I was highly sensitive. (I hear this from my clients a lot. Highly sensitive people keep a lot of coaches employed.)
One day I realized that I wasn't avoiding self promotion out of sensitivity, but out of fear. And it wasn't even fear of a particularly elevated kind. It was the venal fear of not getting what I wanted when I wanted it and as I wanted it. In other words, when I felt confident of getting the result I wanted, I'd reach out. If I thought somewhat might question what I wanted or say, "No," I'd hang back.
Notice that the fear of being denied what you want is not the same as the fear of rejection. Being told "no" in response to a sales pitch does not signal the end of a relationship. It doesn't have anything to do with accepting or rejecting you as a human being. It doesn't even have anything to do with increasing or decreasing your perceived worthiness. All it means is "No. I do not want what you are offering." (Hey, you want a glass of water while I'm up? No. You see?)
You are perhaps a better person than I. But even if your reluctance to self-promote or sell is rooted in the soil of modesty, isn't it time to distinguish modesty from playing small?
Cloaking self-seeking in the garment of selflessness is not a mortal sin (believe me, I would know), but it's awfully unattractive and it's an abysmally ineffective strategy for staying employed when you work for yourself.
So what's a person to do? Ask your internal monitor to nudge you when you move away from instead of toward selling or self-promotion. Don't try to change anything yet, just notice. Jot down some of the flickering of thoughtlets that run through your mind at these moments.
"Just noticing" will allow you to experience how your current attitudes toward selling and self promotion keep you from being a clear and open channel for your best work. As you become more aware of how avoiding sales or promotion keeps you from authentic engagement with your best clients and customers, your reluctance to sell or self-promote will shift into curiosity about how to reach and support the people you serve.
About the Author:
Molly Gordon, MCC, is a leading figure in business coaching and an acknowledged specialist in small business marketing. Don't miss her article about writing elevator speech at authenticpromotion.com/self-promotion/elevator-speech.html Join 12,000 readers of her ezine and receive a free 31-page guide on effective self promotion: authenticpromotion.com/self-promotion/index.htm
Friday, April 27, 2007
3 SIMPLE STEPS TO MAKE A GREAT “FIRST IMPRESSION”
As a preface to Karen Phelps words I do want to say that I am pretty casual at my parties. The Apron itself shows that it "could" be a tad messy and it's a workshop that is fun for everyone and not a stiff presentation so I don't necessarily agree
How often have you heard the expression, “You never have a second chance to make a first impression”? How often have you judged a person based on your first impression of him or her?
It’s human nature to make our decisions about others based on how they look, speak, and act the first time we meet. At the first meeting your mind is busy creating a “mental picture” of that person. Oh, by the way, once we form an opinion about another person in our mind, it’s almost impossible to get our mind to switch over because we keep going back to the mental picture of the first meeting.
So, how do you make sure that you put your “best foot forward” in every situation? Here’s three simple steps that will help you create a “super lasting impression”.
1. Dress for Success. It’s easy with the casual lifestyle we live to attempt to dress down for every occasion. I’m going to suggest you do the opposite. When you are getting dresses for any occasion ask yourself this question. “How will I feel if I am the only person dressed like this?”
Example: If you show up in jeans and everyone else is wearing business casual, how comfortable will you be? If you are dressed casually and everyone else is in an “after five dress” will you be at your best? I have found over the years that when I am “underdressed” I feel uncomfortable, but if I’m overdressed I don’t! Why do I feel like that? Probably because I’m thinking about “what they think about me”. Let’s face it, most of us really do care about what others think, whether we admit it or not. If you were attending the Oscar’s would you rather be on Mr. Blackwell’s “Best Dressed” or “Worst Dressed List”? Ask yourself that question before you walk out the door.
When I did my parties I always wanted the guests to know WHO was putting on the presentation. I wanted to feel comfortable with the guests and that meant not being “uncomfortable” myself. In 22 years I never wore jeans to a presentation. I wore dress slacks and a blazer or in some cases a suit. Why? Because I knew that it was a possibility that a guest would be coming from work in a suit, and I would feel awkward if I was underdressed. I preferred to dress to avoid uncomfortable situations.
2. Smile. The best accessory you will ever add will cost you nothing! It’s your smile! When you smile at someone more often than not, he or she will smile back at you. Smiling is contagious! Smiling is comforting! Smiling is friendly! People are drawn to “smilers”. People respond favorably to you.
3. Be Sincerely Interested. Ask people about themselves. Become interested in the people you meet, sincerely interested. Ask questions that are personal, but not too personal. Keep your questions simple so as not to draw out long stories. Example: “How long have you lived in this area?” , “How long have you been with XYZ Company?” “What do you like best about your job?”
So remember the next time you know you’ll be meeting someone new; to “dress for success”, “smile” and “be sincerely interested” and you’ll make a great first impression everywhere you go!
How often have you heard the expression, “You never have a second chance to make a first impression”? How often have you judged a person based on your first impression of him or her?
It’s human nature to make our decisions about others based on how they look, speak, and act the first time we meet. At the first meeting your mind is busy creating a “mental picture” of that person. Oh, by the way, once we form an opinion about another person in our mind, it’s almost impossible to get our mind to switch over because we keep going back to the mental picture of the first meeting.
So, how do you make sure that you put your “best foot forward” in every situation? Here’s three simple steps that will help you create a “super lasting impression”.
1. Dress for Success. It’s easy with the casual lifestyle we live to attempt to dress down for every occasion. I’m going to suggest you do the opposite. When you are getting dresses for any occasion ask yourself this question. “How will I feel if I am the only person dressed like this?”
Example: If you show up in jeans and everyone else is wearing business casual, how comfortable will you be? If you are dressed casually and everyone else is in an “after five dress” will you be at your best? I have found over the years that when I am “underdressed” I feel uncomfortable, but if I’m overdressed I don’t! Why do I feel like that? Probably because I’m thinking about “what they think about me”. Let’s face it, most of us really do care about what others think, whether we admit it or not. If you were attending the Oscar’s would you rather be on Mr. Blackwell’s “Best Dressed” or “Worst Dressed List”? Ask yourself that question before you walk out the door.
When I did my parties I always wanted the guests to know WHO was putting on the presentation. I wanted to feel comfortable with the guests and that meant not being “uncomfortable” myself. In 22 years I never wore jeans to a presentation. I wore dress slacks and a blazer or in some cases a suit. Why? Because I knew that it was a possibility that a guest would be coming from work in a suit, and I would feel awkward if I was underdressed. I preferred to dress to avoid uncomfortable situations.
2. Smile. The best accessory you will ever add will cost you nothing! It’s your smile! When you smile at someone more often than not, he or she will smile back at you. Smiling is contagious! Smiling is comforting! Smiling is friendly! People are drawn to “smilers”. People respond favorably to you.
3. Be Sincerely Interested. Ask people about themselves. Become interested in the people you meet, sincerely interested. Ask questions that are personal, but not too personal. Keep your questions simple so as not to draw out long stories. Example: “How long have you lived in this area?” , “How long have you been with XYZ Company?” “What do you like best about your job?”
So remember the next time you know you’ll be meeting someone new; to “dress for success”, “smile” and “be sincerely interested” and you’ll make a great first impression everywhere you go!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
TSF on Selling Yourself in your Urban Botanic business
Yesterday I baked a double layer chocolate cake to bring to a luncheon. It was when I was trying to figure out how I was going to transport it that I realized in a moment of frenzy I'd sold my “cake taker” at our last garage sale. Now I'm acquainted with a gal who's been the consultant for a company that sells `cake takers' at a few multi-vendor events that I've done over the past few years but for the life of me - I can't recall her name or even the town she lives in.
Are YOU a memorable consultant? Have you `sold yourself' to your customers? Do your customers think of YOU when they want to purchase product from your company or do they boot up their computer and pick a random consultant off of the web?
Here are some things you can do to help your customers remember YOU:
Are YOU a memorable consultant? Have you `sold yourself' to your customers? Do your customers think of YOU when they want to purchase product from your company or do they boot up their computer and pick a random consultant off of the web?
Here are some things you can do to help your customers remember YOU:
- Make sure you leave your customers a refrigerator magnet.
- Get to know your customers personally - pay attention to and make a note of personal details they share about their lives (where they live, family details, etc;)
- Send birthday or anniversary cards
- Send Mother's or Father's day cards
- Send hand written thank you notes
- Be in touch at least four times a year regarding sales, specials and new product offerings.
- Follow up with them when “add-on” products or accessories for their original purchases become available.
- Be sure you have a web page or email address that is easy to remember
The key is keeping your name, phone number and any other contact information in front of your customers in a positive way so that they think of YOU FIRST.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Hive Member Spotlight - Avis Board - Colton, CA
I have been married to my husband for 6 years. We have a blended family. He brought 2 children to the marriage and I brought 2 children to the marriage. My 2 sons and his son all live with us fulltime and my step daughter lives with her mother fulltime. My boys are 14, 16 and 18. We live in Colton, California which is in Southern California…half way between Los Angeles and Palm Springs. My birthday is December 9th.
My job as a Special Education Administrator is very stressful and there are many days that I wish I could afford to go back to teaching. Although I am good at what I do, I believe I am a Teacher at heart and not an Administrator. So…I was looking for a business that would allow me to have fun doing something that made up the difference between a teacher salary and my administrative salary. I was also attracted by the fact that this is a young company that I would be able to get in on the ground floor and that it involved smells and estrogen. My life revolves around testosterone and I need to do something “girlie”.
I did discuss my desire to do this business with my husband and he is very supportive of me doing what I want to do. He understands my goal to get out of administration and would like me to be able to do that. My best friend is very supportive and is ready for me to come to her school to allow her office staff to make their own scented lotion for Secretary’s day. I have not discussed it with any one else but am confident that my friends and family will love this and support my business.
My strongest scent was “herby” followed by “woodsy”. I have not been to a party and do not have my kit yet, but in looking at the scents that fall in those two families, I think it will be right on.
Because an educator’s contract goes from July to June, by June 2008 I plan to be at a place with Urban Botanic to have a choice to go back to teaching. I am a business builder. I am a Christian with a great deal of faith that this is an answer to my prayers. I believe that God wants me to prosper. I am also creative and sociable.
My job as a Special Education Administrator is very stressful and there are many days that I wish I could afford to go back to teaching. Although I am good at what I do, I believe I am a Teacher at heart and not an Administrator. So…I was looking for a business that would allow me to have fun doing something that made up the difference between a teacher salary and my administrative salary. I was also attracted by the fact that this is a young company that I would be able to get in on the ground floor and that it involved smells and estrogen. My life revolves around testosterone and I need to do something “girlie”.
I did discuss my desire to do this business with my husband and he is very supportive of me doing what I want to do. He understands my goal to get out of administration and would like me to be able to do that. My best friend is very supportive and is ready for me to come to her school to allow her office staff to make their own scented lotion for Secretary’s day. I have not discussed it with any one else but am confident that my friends and family will love this and support my business.
My strongest scent was “herby” followed by “woodsy”. I have not been to a party and do not have my kit yet, but in looking at the scents that fall in those two families, I think it will be right on.
Because an educator’s contract goes from July to June, by June 2008 I plan to be at a place with Urban Botanic to have a choice to go back to teaching. I am a business builder. I am a Christian with a great deal of faith that this is an answer to my prayers. I believe that God wants me to prosper. I am also creative and sociable.
Shawna's Fun Questions:
What is the strangest date you've ever been on and why?
The strangest date that I ever went on was with this guy that picked me up wearing a velvet suit with an ascot around his neck…and I believe it was a shade of purple. He told me he had two front row tickets to the theater to see the play “Evita” and had reservations at an upscale restaurant for dinner. Funny thing is that the restaurant could not seem to find his reservation so seated us by the kitchen and the front row tickets ended up being in the nosebleed section…second to last row. Everything was bad about that night, but I would have to say that the worst part was looking at the ascot all night!
What is your greatest accomplishment in your life so far?
I believe that the greatest accomplishment in my life so far is my education. I am the only one in my family with a college education. I have my Masters Degree in Educational Administration. When I graduated from high school, I had no concept of college and had to figure it out on my own.
The strangest date that I ever went on was with this guy that picked me up wearing a velvet suit with an ascot around his neck…and I believe it was a shade of purple. He told me he had two front row tickets to the theater to see the play “Evita” and had reservations at an upscale restaurant for dinner. Funny thing is that the restaurant could not seem to find his reservation so seated us by the kitchen and the front row tickets ended up being in the nosebleed section…second to last row. Everything was bad about that night, but I would have to say that the worst part was looking at the ascot all night!
What is your greatest accomplishment in your life so far?
I believe that the greatest accomplishment in my life so far is my education. I am the only one in my family with a college education. I have my Masters Degree in Educational Administration. When I graduated from high school, I had no concept of college and had to figure it out on my own.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Staying Positive on the roller coaster ride of Urban Botanic
I've been working with a lot of folks on the team lately who have been going through the ups and downs of starting a new venture (ie U.B.).
If you've never tred into the waters of direct sales before, it can be a frustrating business at times. A lot of team members have asked me "how do you stay so positive when things go to crap?" (direct quote of course LOL)
I think I have an average ratio that I can use scientifically now from months of experience in Urban Botanic. For every 3 good things that happen, one bad thing "may" follow. I don't say "will" because sometimes I get really lucky, but I have learned that I need to always "prepare" and to not take things PERSONALLY or it can really bring you down.
Many of you know that I do a lot of work with bloggers and trying to get UB's name out there as often as possible. About a week ago I took a serious butt kicking verbally from a Blogger that felt receiving an email after taking the test was spamming her and read me the riot act. Just so you know (and thanks Lauri for pointing it out) - the results on the test will show up on the screen and an email is only asked for if the client "wants" the results sent to them. So it's "not" mandatory but this person had issues.
It's funny how I let that get to me that day. It really broke my confidence and I took it personally which I pride myself on NOT usually doing. Well the next morning I received an email from a Blogger that WANTED to work with me and thought our company was amazing. I also had 2 other great leads and things happen and a consultant emailed me to let me know she was signing her first team mate.
SO the moral of this is, things will go crappy at times, you will have disappointments and you can either chalk it up to more experience and lessons learned, or you can let it eat at your enthusiasm and confidence until it festers there and begins to destroy everything you've been working towards.
I truly hope you choose to brush it off and go on. Every great experience you have which are ALWAYS more than the negative ones should continue to build your outer armor and become a great defense and testimony to you that Urban Botanic is an incredible, fun and unique experience that our customers love and our partnerships treasure.
Keep on keeping on!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Making Lemonade out of Lemons in your Urban Botanic business
I wanted to share this incredible experience Kristie Edelman in MA had this Friday. I know she was frustrated to not have received any RSVPs on her bubble bath event at the Children's museum but we had a quick pep talk before the event and I let he know that regardless this was a great venue and opportunity and she could get the UB word out to many prospects regardless so to keep her chin up and GO FOR IT! She was a trooper and was rewarded as explained below in her words:
"Ok Ladies, you are not going to believe this crazy luck. I had my bubble bath workshop today at the Child's Play Museum which I thought would be a total bust. I went to set up on Thursday evening and while setting up, a mom was leaving the space and she inquired about what I was doing. After explaining to her, she asked for my card b/c she is planning a slumber party at her church and wants to use my services for the slumber party. At least 30 women will be there. Cha-ching.
So, today the first rays of sunshine were in the sky after 5 consecutive days of rain and gray clouds. Not the best day for an indoor playspace. There were only 5 women that came in with their children during the 4 hour time frame and three women bought products, one wants to host a party and one wants to be a consultant! Then b/c the day was on the slower side, the owner and his teenage daughter made a whole party package for his wife for Mother's Day.
That's not all! He told me that he is so impressed with the idea that he would like to have me EVERY friday if I would like to do it. After I establish myself as a regular, we would then share some of the profit. I'm so excited! Yeah. My husband is excited for me but I had to share the news with those that REALLY understand."
Kristie I'm so impressed with your tenancity and just really getting out there and making your business work for you! It takes a lot of energy, confidence, and overall consistency to see the pay offs of UB but you are well on your way to becoming Scentsational! Congrats on a big weekend!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
A good read for your Urban Botanic business
Hello fellow team members! I wanted to make sure that all of you have had a chance to read Kelsey's blog on principle centered coaching! It's a great read and I don't want you to miss it!
http://ubmamaspice.blogspot.com/
http://ubmamaspice.blogspot.com/
Saturday, April 21, 2007
TSF on Income Goal Worksheets for your Urban Botanic business
We talk frequently about the fact that this is a Y.O.B. (Your own business) not a JOB. WE are in charge, we determine when and how much we work and WE determine if and when we want a raise in pay. Here's a great tool to help you to better control your monthly income.
Please note - this worksheet is based on your personal sales production only. Any income earned from team members should be considered as BONUS income.
Complete the following:
My Income Goal for the month of ______________: $____________
Income Goal: $__________ ÷_____% (your commission rate) = Sales needed
Sales needed ÷Average Party sales (your average party)* = Number of parties needed this month
*To determine what YOUR average party sales are, total the sales from your last six parties and divide by 6. That number should give you an idea of your average sales this time of year. Six parties is a good sampling because it assumes that two of the parties were above average, two were below and two were about average.
This is also a great coaching tool to use with your team members!
Shawna's Note:
Our Goal Worksheet in the UB Library is even more amazing and helps you figure out "how" your team can influence that income number.
Please note - this worksheet is based on your personal sales production only. Any income earned from team members should be considered as BONUS income.
Complete the following:
My Income Goal for the month of ______________: $____________
Income Goal: $__________ ÷_____% (your commission rate) = Sales needed
Sales needed ÷Average Party sales (your average party)* = Number of parties needed this month
*To determine what YOUR average party sales are, total the sales from your last six parties and divide by 6. That number should give you an idea of your average sales this time of year. Six parties is a good sampling because it assumes that two of the parties were above average, two were below and two were about average.
This is also a great coaching tool to use with your team members!
Shawna's Note:
Our Goal Worksheet in the UB Library is even more amazing and helps you figure out "how" your team can influence that income number.
Friday, April 20, 2007
TSF on Thank You Note Etiquette
Shawna's Insight: This is one area I really pride myself on and try to master as much as possible. I know what it means to me when I receive a thank you but I also know what it does to me when I "don't." When someone helps you with a referral or lead in your business it is IMPERATIVE that you respond positively. No one likes to help out without recognition. Even the most giving person needs to feel appreciated and if you are receiving the help it's YOUR JOB to make sure you take care of them. Even though I may pay for a booth at a Vendor Fair, I will stay thank the facilitator who thought of me over other vendors. Currently I'm getting ready to participate in Crave Shop 07 which is a boutique convention and I am one of 12 Vendors that were chosen to participate. The booth is $500 but guess what? I will be thanking the event staff graciously for allowing me to participate over the many other vendors they could've chosen and I know they'll remember me for next year's event.
If you slack off in any area, make sure it isn't this one. It can be detrimental to your business and stunt your growth. Be sure to always send a thank you to your party hostesses as well. Even if they were a TOTAL PAIN, they helped pay the bills and send you on your way to other bookings!
TSF has covered the topic of thank you notes on numerous occasions. Sometimes we think that in this day and age of email communication that perhaps we are a bit behind the times in our thinking. However we share this article that is, a breath of fresh air.
THANK-YOU NOTE ETIQUETTE
By Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP
Bremer Communications
The impact of a handwritten thank-you note is often overlooked in today's fast-paced "why-write-something-when-I-can-email-it" world. A note written promptly and sincerely is an important ritual of etiquette that is much more effective and appreciated than a phone call or electronic message. Yes, we have a lot of technology at our fingertips, but just because we can do that way doesn't mean we should.
Most of our mail each day is filled with advertisements and bills. Handwritten notes and letters are a rarity, which makes them that much more meaningful to the recipient. When you write a note by hand, it shows the other person that you cared enough to pull out the stationery box and choose your words without the conveniences of the grammar tool and spellchecker! Written notes are also permanent, which means they can be saved by the recipient and passed around to share with others.
A few years ago, I worried for weeks about what to get a special client for Christmas. This was someone I had worked with very closely for a number of years on many different projects. She is laden each holiday season with several dozen gifts - fruit, wine, books, etc. I didn't want my gift to get lost in the crowd, so I decided to send her a personal note of thanks. I spent a long time choosing just the right words to express what I had learned from her and how I valued our working relationship. She called me the next week to tell me how special the note was, that she had passed it around to her staff and would treasure it forever. She said it was the one gift that actually meant something to her that year.
Thank you notes should be written to thank someone for a gift, a meal or for a favor done. Your appreciation should be acknowledged within 72 hours; thank-yous seem much more sincere when they are expressed promptly. I think one reason people don't send thank-you notes is because they don't own proper stationery. Both men and women need a collection of personalized social stationery, such as letter sheets (for women), Monarch sheets (for men), half sheets, foldover cards (also know as Informals), correspondence cards and envelopes. This set of stationery can be used for letters, thank-you notes, issuing invitations, replying to invitations and gift enclosures. Consider investing in these items; they will serve you well and make a great impression on your recipients.
Correspondence cards are the best choice for thank-you notes, however women may also choose Informals for their notes. Here is a sample format for a thank-you note for a gift:
Start by expressing appreciation - "Thank you for the beautiful picture frame."
Mention the gift's usefulness - "It is the perfect size for our large anniversary picture. The fact that our names and anniversary date are engraved on the frame makes it so special. It looks perfect on the hall table. In fact, it's the first thing you see when you open our front door."
Express the hope for a future meeting - "I hope you and Don can visit us soon to see how we are enjoying your thoughtful gift."
There is really no excuse for not writing a thank-you note. Purchase the proper tools and make it a habit to write a note as soon as possible after the event or receiving the gift. And, please, teach your children to do the same.
It is believed by many people that thank-you notes helped elect George Bush (the first one!) to the U.S. Presidency. He carried a box of cards with him everywhere he went on the campaign trail and jotted a note immediately following each event to the volunteers or hosts. Many believe the personal touch of those notes is what propelled him into the White House. Is there a presidency in your future? Start writing those notes. And when you get there, send me one, too!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Your Car and Urban Botanic
Great info from The Success Factory...
I don't know about you, but I do some of my best thinking when I'm driving in my car.
When I'm riding in my car it seems like that's where I think of new marketing ideas for my business, I think of people I'd like to join my team or book a party with, I remember odds and ends of things I've forgotten to do and I even pick up information from some of the signs in front of park districts and churches (for upcoming booth opportunities).
Something that might be handy for you to have in your car is one of those little hand held tape recorders. When these thoughts hit - just press the `record' button and start talking! You'd be amazed when you play the tape back. You think you'll remember what you were thinking by the time you get home but I promise you, you won't. And a little recorder is probably safer than writing it down on a piece of paper. While I'm not a fan of talking on your cell phone while driving - some cell phones do have a “messaging” option to do the same thing - just be sure you can speed dial it easily so you don't get distracted.
Finally, always be sure that you carry supplies with you in your car. Use an extra briefcase or a small file box that doesn't ever leave. Keep it stocked with business cards, consultant information - including agreements, catalogs and hostess packets. ALWAYS be prepared wherever you go!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Hive Member Spotlight - Lisa McKeever - New Jersey
I'm married (newlywed, got married 7/1/06). I have three children Nicole 21, Jason 18, and Paige 14. I'm 40 I was previously married for 19 years. I live in Harmony NJ. My Birthday is 8/4.
UB caught my interest because it was brand new with a great growth possibility. I've been looking at many, many companies and since UB didn't have a consultant in NJ ( I had to be the first).
(Picture of Lisa on her 1st day of her honeymoon in Ireland)
My support network consists of my husband and children & my friend Jackie. They all wish the best for me.
My personality test results are 23% herby and 22% fruity and I agree that I fall between the two.
I want to be a business builder. My personality is type A. I've been in sales before and loved it. So I'm able to step out of my comfort zone.
Shawna's Note: I asked Lisa the following "fun" questions below...
When I was a little girl I wanted to be a wife & mom (both of which I accomplished). If I were a sandwich, I would have to say crunchy peanut butter and Jelly, because it's a blend of flavors a little salty (spice), but mostly sweet and very nutty!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
What it "takes" to become UB Scentsational!
Before I post about this incredible accomplishment that Kelsey has had this week and her interview on "making UBS," I wanted to remind all of you that are new to The Hive we have our New Member Orientation Call tonight at 7:00pm PST/8:00pm MST/9:00pm CST/10:00pm EST at (712) 775-7000 Code: 805628#
Please review the NMO document on TeamBurst.com - Login: hivemember Password: thehive
Looking forward to helping you get your buzz on with Urban Botanic!
So on to our fun and inspirational interview with Kelsey Foster, our newest addition to UB Scentsational! I am so impressed with this incredible "bee" and eveything that she brings to the team. I never tell her enough how excited I am to be in business with her and have her as part of my life. I can always depend on her to tell the truth and give me honest feedback without holding back and I treasure that friendship we've been building.
Lauri H and I were talking the other day about the incredible stage this company is in and how at a former company she had been involved with she had been attending a convention and was in the elevator with 2 girls that were talking about meeting this incredible leader in the company and the fact they had "actually shaken hands with her." It was Lauri's upline and she found it so surreal. What's amazing is we are going to be the leaders that are being talked about in the elevators at UB conventions and I know that leading by example is a huge part of how those conversations will go. Kelsey has NO WORRIES in this department and I'm excited to see her team grow. She is 2 away from her promotion as Manager and I better hurry up before she catches me on directs! WAY TO GO KELSEY!
In Kelsey's words, what it takes to make UBS...
What is the #1 reason you wanted to become UB Scentsational?
If I am given a challenge or a goal, I strive to meet it. So even though the perks for UBS are outstanding, I think the #1 reason I wanted to accomplish becoming UBS is simply to say I did it and to prove to myself that I will be successful with UB.
How were you able to find your 3 recruits for UBS and what helped you to recruit them into UB?
The recruiting sort of fell into my lap. I had some great success early on in getting fantastic exposure for UB on two blogs. Three of my five team members came to me from that exposure.
Was doing the volume for UBS difficult? How did you manage that?
The volume was the harder part for me. I have focused so much of my energy on marketing that I haven't been following up with parties. So at the end of my UBS qualifying period I placed a substantial order to meet my volume requirements.
As a new UBS member what is the thing you look forward to the most in the rewards?
Right now, the $300 check to cushion my bank account for the big order I just placed! haha
I am looking forward to the jewelry and the special perks surrounding conventions. Also, in a few weeks when I have more parties, I am treating myself to a new Coach purse with my $300 reward to celebrate achieving this goal.
How will you help your downline become UBS?
Any new recruits that come my way I will sign up under my downline. I also have asked them to give me their short and long-term goals so I can offer advice and help where I can to help them reach their goals.
I also offered them all a special reward for meeting the 60-day milestone for UBS. :)
Any words of wisdom for those working towards UBS?
Keep focused on your goals and keep getting the word out about UB. The hard work you do might not have a direct result right at first but those "seeds" can be ready to harvest just around the 60-90 day mark! Don't be afraid to ask your upline and other veteran UBers for help. This is an incredibly supportive group of women with lots of ideas on how you can succeed.
Please review the NMO document on TeamBurst.com - Login: hivemember Password: thehive
Looking forward to helping you get your buzz on with Urban Botanic!
So on to our fun and inspirational interview with Kelsey Foster, our newest addition to UB Scentsational! I am so impressed with this incredible "bee" and eveything that she brings to the team. I never tell her enough how excited I am to be in business with her and have her as part of my life. I can always depend on her to tell the truth and give me honest feedback without holding back and I treasure that friendship we've been building.
Lauri H and I were talking the other day about the incredible stage this company is in and how at a former company she had been involved with she had been attending a convention and was in the elevator with 2 girls that were talking about meeting this incredible leader in the company and the fact they had "actually shaken hands with her." It was Lauri's upline and she found it so surreal. What's amazing is we are going to be the leaders that are being talked about in the elevators at UB conventions and I know that leading by example is a huge part of how those conversations will go. Kelsey has NO WORRIES in this department and I'm excited to see her team grow. She is 2 away from her promotion as Manager and I better hurry up before she catches me on directs! WAY TO GO KELSEY!
In Kelsey's words, what it takes to make UBS...
What is the #1 reason you wanted to become UB Scentsational?
If I am given a challenge or a goal, I strive to meet it. So even though the perks for UBS are outstanding, I think the #1 reason I wanted to accomplish becoming UBS is simply to say I did it and to prove to myself that I will be successful with UB.
How were you able to find your 3 recruits for UBS and what helped you to recruit them into UB?
The recruiting sort of fell into my lap. I had some great success early on in getting fantastic exposure for UB on two blogs. Three of my five team members came to me from that exposure.
Was doing the volume for UBS difficult? How did you manage that?
The volume was the harder part for me. I have focused so much of my energy on marketing that I haven't been following up with parties. So at the end of my UBS qualifying period I placed a substantial order to meet my volume requirements.
As a new UBS member what is the thing you look forward to the most in the rewards?
Right now, the $300 check to cushion my bank account for the big order I just placed! haha
I am looking forward to the jewelry and the special perks surrounding conventions. Also, in a few weeks when I have more parties, I am treating myself to a new Coach purse with my $300 reward to celebrate achieving this goal.
How will you help your downline become UBS?
Any new recruits that come my way I will sign up under my downline. I also have asked them to give me their short and long-term goals so I can offer advice and help where I can to help them reach their goals.
I also offered them all a special reward for meeting the 60-day milestone for UBS. :)
Any words of wisdom for those working towards UBS?
Keep focused on your goals and keep getting the word out about UB. The hard work you do might not have a direct result right at first but those "seeds" can be ready to harvest just around the 60-90 day mark! Don't be afraid to ask your upline and other veteran UBers for help. This is an incredibly supportive group of women with lots of ideas on how you can succeed.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Crossing the “T's” and dotting the “I's" in your Urban Botanic Business
Great stuff from The Success Factory...
The sale is not made until the customer places her order, pays for it, and the order is submitted.
The same holds true when signing on new team members. The paperwork needs to be filled out, a kit choice made, payment collected and the agreement form submitted to Home Office.
Why is it that for some of us, submitting an order for product is so much easier than submitting a new consultant agreement? Somehow, more often than not, if we are actually successful booking a recruiting appointment - we end up leaving the job done halfway. We are afraid to cross the “t's” and dot the “I's” for fear of being too pushy.
“OK, thanks so much - I'll leave this information with you to take home and think about it and then I'll call you later.” How many times have you heard yourself saying those exact words and then later never comes? We are so PROUD of ourselves for just having made the appointment and met with the customer that we drop the ball when it comes to finishing up the transaction.
So, shift your paradigm just a bit. Signing a new team member is as simple as selling product - in fact you ARE selling product - the product is the business opportunity. So, treat it no differently - whenever possible - don't leave the table without finishing your transaction.
The sale is not made until the customer places her order, pays for it, and the order is submitted.
The same holds true when signing on new team members. The paperwork needs to be filled out, a kit choice made, payment collected and the agreement form submitted to Home Office.
Why is it that for some of us, submitting an order for product is so much easier than submitting a new consultant agreement? Somehow, more often than not, if we are actually successful booking a recruiting appointment - we end up leaving the job done halfway. We are afraid to cross the “t's” and dot the “I's” for fear of being too pushy.
“OK, thanks so much - I'll leave this information with you to take home and think about it and then I'll call you later.” How many times have you heard yourself saying those exact words and then later never comes? We are so PROUD of ourselves for just having made the appointment and met with the customer that we drop the ball when it comes to finishing up the transaction.
So, shift your paradigm just a bit. Signing a new team member is as simple as selling product - in fact you ARE selling product - the product is the business opportunity. So, treat it no differently - whenever possible - don't leave the table without finishing your transaction.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
TSF on Attitude is Everything in your Urban Botanic business
We just got back from dining out with my family for dinner - a rarity as our busy schedules make it difficult for everyone to be available. The restaurant was a favorite - one where, historically, we knew the food and service were good…usually.
Our waitress today, was very competent - every order was correct, delicious and the food delivered in a timely fashion. However, hard as we tried, we could not get her to warm up to us at all (and we are a friendly bunch). She had a drill sergeant attitude in the way she greeted, took orders and served our lunch. It made for a most uncomfortable situation whenever she came to the table. We managed to have a good time, nonetheless, but it really tempered the afternoon a bit - her attitude was a dark and cloudy as the cloudy, rainy day outside.
It made me think how important OUR attitude is when we do our parties. Often, getting our families settled into dinner or homework and getting ourselves out of the house in a timely fashion can leave us tense, crabby and frazzled. If we are not careful, that attitude comes right in the door along with our display of samples.
Here are some tips to help you arrive at your destination refreshed, relaxed and ready for FUN!
Cut down on stress by being sure your car is packed up the night before your party or in the morning. This will leave one less thing to worry about when you leave.
Have two or three “standard” demonstration outfits that you always wear - this avoids a last minute clothing crisis.
Consider hiring a neighborhood teenager as a mom's helper to smooth the transition time as you depart.
Cook double so that on the nights you are working, you already know what dinner for your family will be - pull out that crock pot!
Know where you are going in advance! Double check the directions your hostess gives you online so you aren't stressed if you are traveling somewhere unfamiliar AND so you know how to get home!
Be sure you have a cell phone in case of emergency.
Carry a great CD of upbeat `traveling tunes' in your car to chase that departure stress away and get you pumped up for a great evening.
Remember, packing a great attitude is as critical as your samples in order to have a successful evening! If you are having fun, they will have fun. And if THEY have fun, why wouldn't they want to join your TEAM?!!!
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Shawna's Birthday Count Down
So we are nearing the 2 month mark from my birthday which is June 15th. There are 2 specific things I want for MY birthday more than anything...
Well there is this as well, but I'm thinking more for my 40th...
Ok so back to reality for a moment...
I want to have lost another 20 lbs by June 15th and look amazing on the special day where I plan to rent a dinner cruise for friends and family with a DJ - which I am currently working on and doing really well (6 lbs already in a little over a week).
The other is to celebrate the 50th Hive Member!
And I know the team can TOTALLY help with that present. Do you realize if everyone in The Hive hired 1 person we'd be there? If just 16 people in The Hive made UBS we'd be there?! It's amazing how little it takes! I am going to work SUPER hard to bring in 10 new members myself. A huge and exciting goal in its own...BUT - if you really want me to have the BEST birthday ever and share my presents (meaning anyone that assists in this effort gets a bday present from me!) than we need to get it going on! I know that Lauri has 2 people in the works right now which gives us 27 and Kelsey has 2-3 as well which gets us to 30! See how quickly it's going!!! LOVE IT!
So your fearless leader (wow that's funny) is asking for her dreams to come true by 6/15 and I want to know who's with me? LEAVE A COMMENT PEOPLE! LOVE YA XXOO
Friday, April 13, 2007
Phone Scripts on the Way to "warm up" your Urban Botanic Business
Hi Team!
Angie Davis had a WONDERFUL idea for me to come up with some phone scripts on how I call different contacts to help those of you who are new to the personal approach (ie not email ;)
I'm having her and Lauri review the ones I've done currently on the following topics and then I'll be adding them to the team site for your use. While I'm in the middle of it, I wanted to know if we'd covered most everything or if there were some topics others might need. These are the ones in process:
- Contacting a potential consultant lead from your Prospect Manager
- Contacting a potential consultant lead from your PM after already leaving a message
- Phoning a Product Info Request Lead
- Contacting a local prospect for a party (ie they requested one on your site)
- Contacting a non-local prospect for a party (they requested a party but are out of your area)
- Customer Care Follow Up Call
- Contacting Business partnership relationship after sending info
Let me know if there are any missing here by adding comments to this blog.
I also want to announce a new call for team builders in The Hive. It's called "Building Your Bees Nest" and anyone that has a downline in The Hive will be invited to attend. We will have it every other month so that we don't get too crazy in tying up your schedules but it will be a great venue to help all of us become better leaders and discuss challenges team members may be having that we could use help addressing and learning the process to help our designers become more self sufficient and build teams of their own.
Once you have a Designer in your down line, the call details will be sent to you automatically!
I'd also love comments on the blog from Designers that have questions not covered in New Hive Member Orientation they would like assistance on.
We have one other thing up our sleeve, but I'll leave the details for our next team newsletter. I hope your April is starting off on the right foot and that Mother's Day is something on your minds in helping you to market more product and more workshops!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
TSF on CHANGE
Someone once said, “The only thing constant is change.”
Our industry is certainly no exception. Change can be exciting. It can be a new product line or a new promotion to share with our customers and it is always easier to be in touch when we have something new to talk about, right?
Change can also be upsetting. A favorite product is discontinued. A new product line is incorporated that is nothing like what is traditionally offered by your company. A policy change from Home Office means you have to do things differently. A `hot shot' from another part of the country transfer to your town and decides to do business in a way that is different than you. A new consultant joins your team and changes the dynamics of your meetings.
When change occurs you have (basically) choices.
1) Embrace the change, adapt, stay positive and keep moving forward.
2) Whine, complain, stomp your feet, write emails and gossip to others about your frustration.
I know, I know, I am simplifying things. I can hear you already…”But you don't understand - this is different…I have been SO WRONGED.” And maybe you have.
Maybe that change from home office is something they don't realize will affect things in the field so negatively. However, the choice is yours and we encourage you to pick your battles wisely. You can, potentially, waste huge amounts of time getting hung up on things that, in the big scheme of things, really don't matter all that much. And the worst part of it is, the negativity you feel will fester and grow into something really ugly and unproductive. It has the potential to spread like a virus throughout your organization and that is NOT what you want.
The thing about change is this - the only thing about change you can control is the way YOU react to it and that choice is yours and yours alone.
If you spend five minutes complaining, you have just wasted five minutes. If you continue complaining, it won't be long before they haul you out to a financial desert and there let you choke on the dust of your own regret - Jim Rohn
Our industry is certainly no exception. Change can be exciting. It can be a new product line or a new promotion to share with our customers and it is always easier to be in touch when we have something new to talk about, right?
Change can also be upsetting. A favorite product is discontinued. A new product line is incorporated that is nothing like what is traditionally offered by your company. A policy change from Home Office means you have to do things differently. A `hot shot' from another part of the country transfer to your town and decides to do business in a way that is different than you. A new consultant joins your team and changes the dynamics of your meetings.
When change occurs you have (basically) choices.
1) Embrace the change, adapt, stay positive and keep moving forward.
2) Whine, complain, stomp your feet, write emails and gossip to others about your frustration.
I know, I know, I am simplifying things. I can hear you already…”But you don't understand - this is different…I have been SO WRONGED.” And maybe you have.
Maybe that change from home office is something they don't realize will affect things in the field so negatively. However, the choice is yours and we encourage you to pick your battles wisely. You can, potentially, waste huge amounts of time getting hung up on things that, in the big scheme of things, really don't matter all that much. And the worst part of it is, the negativity you feel will fester and grow into something really ugly and unproductive. It has the potential to spread like a virus throughout your organization and that is NOT what you want.
The thing about change is this - the only thing about change you can control is the way YOU react to it and that choice is yours and yours alone.
If you spend five minutes complaining, you have just wasted five minutes. If you continue complaining, it won't be long before they haul you out to a financial desert and there let you choke on the dust of your own regret - Jim Rohn
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Hive Member Spotlight - Lauri Hetzer - OH
My birthday is June 2nd and this year I'll be the big 3-0. My kids are Rowan, who's 5, which, should you ever call and she answers the phone she will quickly tell you, Liam is 2, going to be 3 on June 8th, and Zoe is 18 months.
A fun fact about my kids, they are all born on the 8th of their birth month. The first two were a fluke, but Zoe was talent. :) I'm a stay at home mom, and before that I worked in arts marketing and PR. I was also an actress and a dancer/teacher for a number of years.
I have always adored perfume and fragrances. I went to school for Chemical Engineering because it's what I always wanted to do. When I stumbled on UB, it was a no brainer. Most my family members are broke or far away. I do bounce ideas off my baby sister (currently setting the curve in her MBA program in Texas), but mostly it's my husband, friends and the Hive who are always lifting me up.
I am pretty much across the board (see Aimee's, that's pretty much it right there!) leaning towards floral. Woodsy and Leafy come up next, but I also deviate and lean to the fruities sometimes. But just some of them. It was pretty much right on target for me!
I am definately a business builder. Business is kind of a hobby of mine, and I love all the marketing and PR work I've been able to do with UB! I'm optimistic to a fault. I never believe there's anything I can't do. It's got me banged up a couple of times, especially in dance, like the time I recreated vaudeville's famous pointe and ball bearing technique and almost broke my neck, but I still always believe I can do it!
Shawna's fun and crazy questions...
If you were a tree, which type would you be and why?
A Christmas tree. Because I love Christmas.
If you had $1000 handed to you for UB Marketing, how would you spend it?
That's a toughie! Probably local print ads, and preparing presentations for large scale partnerships.
A fun fact about my kids, they are all born on the 8th of their birth month. The first two were a fluke, but Zoe was talent. :) I'm a stay at home mom, and before that I worked in arts marketing and PR. I was also an actress and a dancer/teacher for a number of years.
I have always adored perfume and fragrances. I went to school for Chemical Engineering because it's what I always wanted to do. When I stumbled on UB, it was a no brainer. Most my family members are broke or far away. I do bounce ideas off my baby sister (currently setting the curve in her MBA program in Texas), but mostly it's my husband, friends and the Hive who are always lifting me up.
I am pretty much across the board (see Aimee's, that's pretty much it right there!) leaning towards floral. Woodsy and Leafy come up next, but I also deviate and lean to the fruities sometimes. But just some of them. It was pretty much right on target for me!
I am definately a business builder. Business is kind of a hobby of mine, and I love all the marketing and PR work I've been able to do with UB! I'm optimistic to a fault. I never believe there's anything I can't do. It's got me banged up a couple of times, especially in dance, like the time I recreated vaudeville's famous pointe and ball bearing technique and almost broke my neck, but I still always believe I can do it!
Shawna's fun and crazy questions...
If you were a tree, which type would you be and why?
A Christmas tree. Because I love Christmas.
If you had $1000 handed to you for UB Marketing, how would you spend it?
That's a toughie! Probably local print ads, and preparing presentations for large scale partnerships.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Doing the unexpected for your Urban Botanic customers
We had a GREAT Hive Talkin call last night and for those of you that couldn't be there "live" you can listen to it again and again at: (641) 985-5009 Access Code: 805628# - A special thank you to everyone that was able to attend and participate. Our calls are so much more exciting and engaging when you do!
Below find some great advice from The Success Factory...
Ours is a service industry. We can, if we choose, run circles around retailers - especially the Big Box Stores - in the area of customer service.
Customer loyalty is birthed from amazing customer service. Amazing customer service comes from doing the unexpected.
- How surprised would your customer be to receive a birthday card from you?
- How much MORE surprised would she be if you phoned and personally wished her a happy birthday?
- How surprised would your customer be if you personally delivered that last minute birthday gift?
- How much MORE surprised would she be if it arrived already wrapped?
- How surprised would a customer be to receive a hand written thank you note?
- How much MORE surprised would she be if you sent her one just for taking your phone call (even if she didn't book a party today?)
Get the idea? Put on that thinking cap. Put yourself in your customer's shoes. Amazing customer service is all about being treated the way you'd LOVE to be treated yourself.
Go ahead - do the unexpected. You may be AMAZED at the results!
Below find some great advice from The Success Factory...
Ours is a service industry. We can, if we choose, run circles around retailers - especially the Big Box Stores - in the area of customer service.
Customer loyalty is birthed from amazing customer service. Amazing customer service comes from doing the unexpected.
- How surprised would your customer be to receive a birthday card from you?
- How much MORE surprised would she be if you phoned and personally wished her a happy birthday?
- How surprised would your customer be if you personally delivered that last minute birthday gift?
- How much MORE surprised would she be if it arrived already wrapped?
- How surprised would a customer be to receive a hand written thank you note?
- How much MORE surprised would she be if you sent her one just for taking your phone call (even if she didn't book a party today?)
Get the idea? Put on that thinking cap. Put yourself in your customer's shoes. Amazing customer service is all about being treated the way you'd LOVE to be treated yourself.
Go ahead - do the unexpected. You may be AMAZED at the results!
Monday, April 9, 2007
Finding a Fall Fair for your Urban Botanic Business
Find a Fall Fair
Most communities have fall and holiday shows. Some are craft fairs. Some are boutique style where you turn in your merchandise and they display it and take payments. These charge you an entry fee and charge a commission.
Others you can rent a table and sell your products. This can be a great opportunity to sell a large number of specials at once. You will need to have the merchandise there on hand so they can buy and take it with them. You will also want a display board showing samples of all the products. I have clear acrylic 5 inch cubes I get at Office Depot that I display each product in with a price sign on the front. You may want a way to take credit cards. http://www.propay.com/ is one way. Your local bank may be another option. Do not let this fall season pass without participatingin these opportunities. It is the biggest buying season of the year.
http://www.craftmasternews.com/showlistings.htm
http://www.craftersdb.com/page1.htm
http://artandcraftshows.net/
http://www.craftsfaironline.com/Listings.html
Don't forget! "Hive Talkin" is tonite at the following times: 4pm PST, 5pm MST, 6pm CST, 7pm EST. Call in info is: Conference Dial-in Number: (712) 775-7000 Participant Access Code: 805628#
Most communities have fall and holiday shows. Some are craft fairs. Some are boutique style where you turn in your merchandise and they display it and take payments. These charge you an entry fee and charge a commission.
Others you can rent a table and sell your products. This can be a great opportunity to sell a large number of specials at once. You will need to have the merchandise there on hand so they can buy and take it with them. You will also want a display board showing samples of all the products. I have clear acrylic 5 inch cubes I get at Office Depot that I display each product in with a price sign on the front. You may want a way to take credit cards. http://www.propay.com/ is one way. Your local bank may be another option. Do not let this fall season pass without participatingin these opportunities. It is the biggest buying season of the year.
http://www.craftmasternews.com/showlistings.htm
http://www.craftersdb.com/page1.htm
http://artandcraftshows.net/
http://www.craftsfaironline.com/Listings.html
Don't forget! "Hive Talkin" is tonite at the following times: 4pm PST, 5pm MST, 6pm CST, 7pm EST. Call in info is: Conference Dial-in Number: (712) 775-7000 Participant Access Code: 805628#
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Happy Easter to The Hive!
I love Easter for so many great reasons. As I sit here tonite with a load off since hubby picked up the Sam's 7 year old boy special Easter Basket and is at the store handling the Easter dessert that we're in charge of for the extended family Easter dinner. I realize that spring, Easter, and of course The Lord who is the true meaning of Easter leaves me feeling full and inspired.
Today was an extremely exciting day in The Hive. Anne Eschino in CO had a party of 27 today and I'm dying to hear from her ( we talked before and for a minute during, but I know she's exhausted so hopefully we might be able to catch her on the call Monday or I'll make sure to find out the details and share them out).
Irene Macias in Las Vegas left me a message that her Vendor Fair was a huge success and I'm so excited to talk to her as well! She booked 4-5 parties and may also have some interest from some folks in becoming a UB Designer. I could tell from her voice mail it went awesome and her confidence is shining through the cell phone and I LOVE IT! Way to go DIVA BEE!
After such an incredible March I was sure we might have a little lag on the Team RSV but low and behold it's 4/7 and GUESS WHAT?! Over $1400 in Volume already! I LOVE THIS BUSINESS! It's so exciting to see the incredible progress we're making and I just keep the petal to the metal because I don't want the momentum to stop...
I hope you all take today to give thanks for your blessings and success and those of you beginning the journey, remember to take a breath and relax! This business is supposed to be fun so make sure you're having some! I know it feels like you need to go a million miles an hour to make UB Scentsational, but 90 days is the perfect amount of time for 3 - 30 day goals that will get you there. Focus and stay strong and it WILL happen for you!
HAPPY EASTER!
Today was an extremely exciting day in The Hive. Anne Eschino in CO had a party of 27 today and I'm dying to hear from her ( we talked before and for a minute during, but I know she's exhausted so hopefully we might be able to catch her on the call Monday or I'll make sure to find out the details and share them out).
Irene Macias in Las Vegas left me a message that her Vendor Fair was a huge success and I'm so excited to talk to her as well! She booked 4-5 parties and may also have some interest from some folks in becoming a UB Designer. I could tell from her voice mail it went awesome and her confidence is shining through the cell phone and I LOVE IT! Way to go DIVA BEE!
After such an incredible March I was sure we might have a little lag on the Team RSV but low and behold it's 4/7 and GUESS WHAT?! Over $1400 in Volume already! I LOVE THIS BUSINESS! It's so exciting to see the incredible progress we're making and I just keep the petal to the metal because I don't want the momentum to stop...
I hope you all take today to give thanks for your blessings and success and those of you beginning the journey, remember to take a breath and relax! This business is supposed to be fun so make sure you're having some! I know it feels like you need to go a million miles an hour to make UB Scentsational, but 90 days is the perfect amount of time for 3 - 30 day goals that will get you there. Focus and stay strong and it WILL happen for you!
HAPPY EASTER!
Saturday, April 7, 2007
What's hot from Bath & Body Works for summer? How about their cool tempations line that is SOOOO EASY TO RE-CREATE I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bath & Body Works Temptations
Melon Cooler™
HONEY, I DO. "Bring me another," she said. "This time I'd like an orange one." By changing something as simple as the color of her cocktail umbrella, everything seemed new. Yes, she was a woman who loved variety in each and every thing she did. From shoes to companions to vacation destinations–she simply couldn't understand how anyone could enjoy the same thing twice when there were so many unique experiences to be had in the world. Next, she would test her European accent at the beach. Domestic.
The clear, fresh scent of juicy honeydew melons, raspberry and orange (yes we have these 3 in the kit!)
American Girl realbeauty inside and out™
Limited Edition Wish and Wash Shower Gel
Sunny Orange
The rich, creamy lather rinses easily to leave skin feeling soft and conditioned, and scented with a sunny blend of juicy oranges and vanilla ice cream. Domestic.
(Use Mandarin and Vanilla and maybe just a touch of brown sugar)
Friday, April 6, 2007
Some great help for facing your fear...
Today's Blog is sponsored in part by KAREN PHELPS! LOL
Please visit her blog for some great inspiration...
http://karenphelps.net/index.php/face-your-fear/
Please visit her blog for some great inspiration...
http://karenphelps.net/index.php/face-your-fear/
Thursday, April 5, 2007
TSF Building Confidence - the key to success
New team leaders often get sidetracked when they first promote in rank. They have a new title. They are excited. They feel as though somehow their role has changed and it is now time to “manage” the people on their team… “I'm a new manager, now what?”… is often their mantra.
Well, the “now what” is simple. Keep doing what it is that you did to promote in rank.
Spend 90% of your time being a great consultant and 10% of your time coaching team members.
*FACT - Your team's perception is that they can do ½ of what you do. So if your team sales goal is $2000 for the month we recommend that for the first couple of months that you are a team leader, you aim for that sales goal all by yourself WITHOUT the help of your team. WHY? This is a HUGE confidence builder for you. By being a strong seller, you will never have to worry if you have a month where half of your fledgling team gets pregnant and has morning sickness and the other half moves to a new state.
BONUS - If you are hitting your TEAM numbers month after month ALONE that means you are doing lots of parties. IF you are doing lots of parties, you are also meeting lots of new people. New people=new team members. New team members=more team sales. More team sales means you only need do those TEAM numbers for a few months by yourself.
EXTRA BONUS - When you are selling strong, your team will mirror what you do and your team will be doubling or tripling team sales and recruiting goals. Extra commissions, extra overrides, extra income - basically there is NO downside.
Consistency develops competence. Competence develops CONFIDENCE and CONFIDENCE is the KEY to SUCCESS in your business!
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Hive Member Spotlight - Aimee Aikens - Sacramento, CA
Hi, I’m Aimee! Originally from Grand Rapids, MI, (home of Amway—Kelsey and I had a funny discussion about this), I lived in Portland, OR, and am now in Sacramento, CA for a couple of years. My birthday is September 2, and I suppose I really wanted to be a Virgo since I was supposed to be born right around August 8. I am not married, but Ian and I have been together for six years as of March 5, and eventually we’ll get married. (Ian is in law school right now, so we really have NO extra cash which is the main reason we aren’t married yet.) No kids, no pets right now though we are trying to get our apartment people to let us get a kitten. We live on the law school campus, which is great for Ian but crappy for me, since my commute to work is 40+ minutes most days.
I work as a Key Account Designer for Harmon Homes (any of you in the Seattle area may have seen our magazines, or a lot of places really, we do 40+ different areas in our center). I have a BFA in studio art from Michigan State University, with a concentration in design and photography. I do a lot of ceramics, hand building only right now since I don’t have a wheel, and I’ve been doing some letterpress classes in San Francisco. When Ian gets out of law school and we are more settled, I am going to open a chocolate shop/dessert bar—modeled like a combo of Pix Patisserie in Portland and Vosges in Chicago (all of our friends/relatives get chocolate for the holidays--one year I did white pepper balsamic, apricot lavender, and black currant sage, and my coworkers were too afraid to try them! Punks!). I love to cook, I love to bake and I make a supremely excellent apricot tart with lime/lavender cream.
Note from Shawna: We'll have to have her do the desserts for our convention!
I saw the UB post on Something Old, Something New, took the personality test, thought it sounded really neat, and asked Kelsey for more info. I was reading Shawna’s and Kelsey’s blogs, and got more excited and Kelsey was so encouraging and enthusiastic and I decided not to wait!
I am sort of marooned out here, no family or anything. We have a pretty decent sized circle of friends, some of whom are excited about my UB venture, some apathetic. However, I don’t really care, since I want to be successful and won’t let anyone stand of the way in that. As far as support to and from the Hive, just ask! We won’t get anywhere without communication, and I am not afraid to ask for help and more than willingly to give it in anyway I can.
My results were:
Floral 22%
Fruity 12%
Herby 16%
Leafy 19%
Spicy 11%
Woodsy 20%
Which makes floral my strongest by a small margin. I do agree with most of it—I am a perfectionist, sensitive to moods of the people around me, and I absolutely have a healthy appreciation of the finer things in life, as evidenced by my Kaboodle wish list. Also, I am most drawn to scents with a strong floral note—I wear jasmine and geranium a lot. I do have quite a bit of the woodsy and leafy characteristics too—I am very independent, ethical, and creative. I do seek out information pretty much constantly, and I am very good at organizing said information. I do also agree with the idea that Leafies like solitude when they are stressed out—that is totally true for me. I need a little time and space to decompress sometimes.
My ultimate goal for my UB business is to earn enough to pay off my student loans and upgrade my Mac in the next three years. This means I will need to bring home about $30,000-$35,000, eek! I think I totally will be able to achieve this with the support I have gotten already from the Hive and Kelsey personally! At this point I figure I have nothing to lose by trying.
I think probably my creativity will be most helpful. Having a background in design really prepares you for handling crises with grace and efficiency, and trains you to look for solutions in unexpected places. Plus I am pretty good at persuading people to do things, so that should also be an asset.
If I were a dessert, I would be an Amedei Porcelana chocolate bar, because it's the most delightful experience you could ever have; simple, elegant, and refined! And dark chocolate is extraordinarily good for your health. :D
When I was a tiny child, I ALWAYS wanted to be an astronaut. Until I found out astronauts had to have perfect vision (my vision is really really terrible). Then I decided I would be an engineer, which is kind of a strange choice for a child, but I really was into science fiction (like Ender's Game) so maybe that was the influence there. But now, if Stephen Hawking can go into space, I figure I will have my chance someday!
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Tip from Success Factory
Subject: Team challenges…
Jennifer writes:
I am having a hard time coming up with new challenges to do with my team. Any suggestions?
Dear Jennifer - that's a great question, thanks so much for writing.
Team challenges should be based on team goals - reward what it is you are trying to achieve - sales, recruiting or promoting leaders are the obvious categories you might think of at first. However, think of “activity based” challenges as well. Perhaps you might reward anyone who comes to the next meeting having made 100 phone calls since the last meeting. No matter what the results, they get a prize for the activity. Remember, the numbers will always start to work in their favor - activity will bring results!
Here's another thought that takes the pressure off of you as the team leader. Rather than trying to come up with an idea yourself, why not have the TEAM decide what the contest/challenge should be for the month and (if you are brave and they are reasonable) they can decide what the reward will be as well. This keeps things fun and light and also helps the cream (your new team leaders) begin to rise to the TOP.
Challenges can also be unique to individuals on your team. Have team members state a personal goal to the group and then write it down on a self addressed postcard. You gather the postcards and mail them to each individual (as a reminder) a week after the meeting (be sure to add a note of encouragement.) The team member who comes back with their postcard goal completed gets a prize.
Finally, think about networking with other team leaders in your company to see what kinds of activities they are doing with their teams to keep things fun, upbeat and MOVING FORWARD.
Jennifer writes:
I am having a hard time coming up with new challenges to do with my team. Any suggestions?
Dear Jennifer - that's a great question, thanks so much for writing.
Team challenges should be based on team goals - reward what it is you are trying to achieve - sales, recruiting or promoting leaders are the obvious categories you might think of at first. However, think of “activity based” challenges as well. Perhaps you might reward anyone who comes to the next meeting having made 100 phone calls since the last meeting. No matter what the results, they get a prize for the activity. Remember, the numbers will always start to work in their favor - activity will bring results!
Here's another thought that takes the pressure off of you as the team leader. Rather than trying to come up with an idea yourself, why not have the TEAM decide what the contest/challenge should be for the month and (if you are brave and they are reasonable) they can decide what the reward will be as well. This keeps things fun and light and also helps the cream (your new team leaders) begin to rise to the TOP.
Challenges can also be unique to individuals on your team. Have team members state a personal goal to the group and then write it down on a self addressed postcard. You gather the postcards and mail them to each individual (as a reminder) a week after the meeting (be sure to add a note of encouragement.) The team member who comes back with their postcard goal completed gets a prize.
Finally, think about networking with other team leaders in your company to see what kinds of activities they are doing with their teams to keep things fun, upbeat and MOVING FORWARD.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Work/Life Balance in your Urban Botanic business
SUBJECT: HELP! I'm spinning out of control!!!
“When I'm working my party plan business I feel like I should be spending time with my family and when I'm spending time with my family, I feel guilty because I'm not making my phone calls. I always feel like I'm out of balance.”
Sound familiar? The issue of family/business balance is an occupational hazard can be a common malady for anyone who works from home.
“Balance” is about putting time into your business so that you can genuinely enjoy the time off. By making wise choices and feeling good about what you do, you will establish a sense of harmony in your life.
Here are some practical tips to get you started:
Run a part-time, not a spare time business. Use the “one a day” formula to build a successful, profitable business. Each day do just one of the following:
“When I'm working my party plan business I feel like I should be spending time with my family and when I'm spending time with my family, I feel guilty because I'm not making my phone calls. I always feel like I'm out of balance.”
Sound familiar? The issue of family/business balance is an occupational hazard can be a common malady for anyone who works from home.
“Balance” is about putting time into your business so that you can genuinely enjoy the time off. By making wise choices and feeling good about what you do, you will establish a sense of harmony in your life.
Here are some practical tips to get you started:
Run a part-time, not a spare time business. Use the “one a day” formula to build a successful, profitable business. Each day do just one of the following:
- Recruit someone
- Book a party
- Hold a party
- Add A Customer/Sell product
- Get organized enough to function, avoiding extremes. Being disorganized can mean wasting time trying to find what you need to function. The opposite is spending so much time “playing office” that you don't conduct any business.
- Interact with your family and team members based on their Love Language and Personality types. That way, the time you spend with them is quality time.
- Don't multi-task. Be in the moment, ie; when you are reading to your kids don't answer the phone.
- Post a visible schedule for “office hours” and play/family time. That way everyone knows what to expect…without surprises! Be proactive to reduce stress.
- Finish month end sales by the 25th of the month
- Close and submit orders immediately
- Have 2-3 standard “party” outfits, ready to go.
- Cook double and freeze ahead for party nights
- Use Mom's Day Out, babysitting co-ops, or Pre-school to get work done
Finally and most importantly, pay attention to your needs, both physically and emotionally. A wise woman once posed a question to me that I have never forgotten - “Who is taking care of YOU?” Working towards balance is a must. Do your best NOT to neglect your daily quiet and exercise time; even if it means getting up a little early or staying up a little late at night. It will make all the difference in the world!
Sunday, April 1, 2007
One party can make a difference in your Urban Botanic business
Today's post is actually a re-direct to another favorite blogger of mine! Karen Phelps is the Direct Sales Queen and and has some incredible advice today as to the difference one party can make in your career...
http://karenphelps.net/index.php/one-party-can-make-a-difference/
http://karenphelps.net/index.php/one-party-can-make-a-difference/
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