HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

If you're like me you're bustling around to handle work and trick or treating going and coming so today I want you to take a breath and remember that tomorrow is November and it's time to start preparing for your holiday sales/parties -if they aren't booked get them booked but take tonight off!

Party Recipe and Great News from a Hive Member

Here is a super recipe to use when having an open house or hosting your own party:


It makes 20 sandwiches so freeze a couple of extra batches!

Crock pot Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

3 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 (12 ounces) bottle prepared chili sauce
1 (6 ounces) can tomato paste
2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar, to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
toasted sandwich buns

In large deep skillet or Dutch Oven, onions, celery and green pepper, transfer to Crock pot
Brown ground beef, drain off fat. Add ground beef to crock pot.
Combine chili sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. Stir into beef and veggies
Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve Sloppy Joes on toasted sandwich buns.

On a separate note, I received a great update from Kimberly Fischer in OR. I was so pleased to see how she's been attracting great opportunities with her positive attitude and great team spirit. This event could have been a real downer for some folks but she didn't let it affect her and what happens next was really worth sharing!

"My Saturday workshop did not have the number of attendees that my hostess (my cousin) had hoped for and planned for. She'd made some really nice snacks/ treats, and only her mom and one friend came. That being said, it was still great fun, and a "success".

My aunt brought her recipe from my Open House and made a shower gel in the scent she had done before. Then, she got to playing around and created another lovely scent and decided to purchase a lotion for that. I packaged it together in one of those cute plastic bags with a twist tie from the Dollar Tree (thank you for the idea) and she loved it even more.

My cousin created her free perfume (I just let the hostess pick a free item for having the show for now) and then created a different scent for a shower gel to purchase. The friend immediately fell for the Urban Botanic concept, decided she was going to purchase the show special, and then told me straight out that she wanted to book her own workshop. Yay! When finishing up with her order, giving her the hostess packet and all, I asked if she would be interested in finding out more about the business side of UB as she had been in direct sales before and this was right up her alley. She said she was interested and so I gave her that. She also went home with an ingredient list and a fragrance family list.

We made plans for contact/followup dates, and her show is scheduled for Dec. 1st (she was so accomodating for a daytime show after finding out about my Chiari and eyesight). My cousin said she is a great person to get interested in this as she has some great connections. I was happy with how it turned out.

My cousin wants to have another workshop to include some others who didn't make it, and to create for herself. She and my aunt are the ones who are familiar with the shop in Portland that lets one create a fragrance, but not in the same way UB does. I'm so glad to have converted them to UB! My cousin said the shower gel did not irritate her skin as other shower gels do, and my aunt loves the lotion. The friend tried the unscented lotion on her hand before adding her scent, and loved the feel and hydration that stayed on her skin throughout the party. She was in love with the ingredients! "

Congratulations Kimberly! You're doing an amazing job!!

Be Your Own Critic

Today's Tip

This tip came from one of our subscribers - Lisa S. WE JUST LOVE this idea Lisa….and you said it best:

I just had a light bulb moment recently and wanted to share it with you. Another direct seller and I were talking about some challenges some of our team members were having. They call and call and call and never get parties. Why, we ask? Well, let's give our downline the assignment of calling THEMSELVES and leaving a message and either ask yourself to book a party OR ask to recruit yourself in the business. Later, have them pick up their message and let them ask themselves "Would I book a party from me?" or "Would I like to be in business with me?" This way, THEY are their own critic , not you.

For the call replay from last night's New Member Orientation Dial:

Free Conference Play Back Playback Number: (641) 985-5009 Access Code: 805628#

We had a great call last night with some great questions and wonderful input!

New Hive Member Orientation Tonite!

Just a reminder for the newbies and their uplines, our orientation call tonite is:

7pm PST
8pm MST
9pm CST
10pm EST

Call in number is 712-775-7000 code: 805628#

Feeling out of BALANCE?

Recently, I had the opportunity to hear Wayne Cordeiro, Senior Pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship Church speak on Leadership and the issue of balance.

While his talk was directed towards church leaders - much of what he had to say can apply to those of us who are in business for ourselves.

The good and bad news of having a home based business is that often it can be easy to feel like you are out of balance. When you are working your business, you feel guilty because you are taking time away from your family. When you are with your family, you feel like you should be working. Personal time, especially in the fall can be at a premium and so it gets ignored completely.

Pastor Cordeiro spoke of the importance of being aware of what fills and what drains your emotional tank. That if you push and push and push, too hard, for too long - eventually your body will be drained of endorphyns and you will find yourself running on adrenaline. This recipe for disaster was the predicament he found himself in several years ago and actually ended up under a doctor's care because he had burnt himself out to the point of complete physical and mental exhaustion. He described himself as a “Dead Leader Running”.

His suggestions are practical, doable and to the point:

Be aware of what fills and drains your emotional tank and write it down. What makes you feel most alive is what fills you.

Think about:

Who am I with?

What am I doing?

Where am I doing it?

The busier you are the MORE you must increase what you do to fill you because if you get too busy to FILL UP you will drain your tank - this is suicide!

Ask your spouse to write down the same list and then exchange lists - it is so important to know one another in this way.

Understand BALANCE in life and the principle of the fulcrum - life and business/ministry and family and business/ministry aren't separate. All are part of each other and sometimes balance happens when you move your heart (fulcrum) more towards one or the other. In other words, there may be times in your life when there is a need to give your family more of your time and energy and the same holds true with your business. The idea that you will be completely be able to operate 50/50 is not realistic.

Learn to lead out of REST. When filling out your calendar, schedule your REST points first and then fill in the work time.

FIND your lightening rod. This is a trusted friend who you can dump stuff on - and they will GROUND it. They listen, don't judge and keep whatever you have said confidential. He also recommended that this person not necessarily be your spouse.

Finally, he stressed the importance of “Disciplining your Daily Devotions.” Once again, beginning the morning with a quiet time is crucial for a day that is in balance. You may have to get up 15 minutes earlier than you planned - but a daily quiet time for reading, prayer or meditation is vital in order to establish and maintain balance in your life.

Ten Ways You Can Support Your Downline

By: Audrey Okaneko

As the team is continuing to grow and many of you are adding your first team members, I thought this article was time appropriate:

Very often in direct sales, folks will ask “how can I help my downline?” Here are ten suggestions of ways to support your downline:

1. Prepare a series of emails that you’ll send to the new person, either one per day, or one per week, depending on how much material you cover. These emails can contain any combination of the information below, or they can contain information on how to host your first party or how to get your first customer. (Thanks to Corp for already doing this)

2. Send a list of phone numbers. Include your phone number, your uplines phone number and the phone numbers to the various departments at your company.

3. Send a list of links to the company, where to order, where to view downline information, where to view personal monthly sales, and where to read about the compensation plan. (This is great - I plan to put these together for the team)

4. In addition to all of the prepared emails and prepared literature, either call or email your new recruit at least once a week for the first month. (I think this is crucial and I'll be taking a lesson from it as well)

5. Most companies offer many support materials. Send a list of what is available and what each of the products are. (Thank you UB Library!)

6. Create a Yahoo Group, or a team website with message boards where you can communicate with your group on a regular basis. This website or group will be available to not only those you sponsor, but also the folks they in turn sponsor. This creates an overall strong group connection with everyone learning and sharing together. (Feel free to utilize teamburst instead of re-inventing the wheel)

7. Make sure you establish a relationship with the downline of your first level recruits. You never know when your first level person might quit, or might become inactive and you don’t want to lose their downline as well. Establishing a relationship with those in your 2nd level, 3rd level etc, helps to ensure everyone’s overall success.

8. Offer incentives to your entire group. One time offer a prize to the top seller. Another time offer a prize to the person who sponsors the most during the contest time. I know some folks who have offered prizes like a fax machine. Other prizes might be sample products, or full size demo products. You might offer a business book, or any other tools that will help your downline increase and build their business. Incentives can be a month long or even a quarter long. I know a few times, I’ve received plaques and awards for year long overall sales or sponsoring.

9. Either through a newsletter or through your team website or Yahoo Group, offer articles relevant to your company or product line. Invest the time to find articles that will be beneficial to your team members.

10. Recognize birthdays. Everyone loves to be told “Happy Birthday”. Make a point of sending a card or small gift to your downline on their birthday. Small gifts would be more appropriate for top achievers, while cards are more appropriate for the rest of your group. By following these suggestions, you’ll contribute to building a strong, solid team.

Hive Member Spotlight - Darlene Debardelben - NC

I am a married mother of five and a grand mother of eight living in New Bern, NC. My birthday is February 19. I have a degree in culinary arts, I’m a publisher poet, and I love the arts. Twice a week, I teach voice to some of the area children who attend Shooting Star Performers, Inc. a nonprofit arts group.

While I was on one of the WAHM sites, browsing the new businesses section, I came across Shawnas' ad. I inspected her site then gave her a call. The decision for me was two fold. The first being, Shawnas' honesty and her willingness to help me understand the business. This is one of the key factors and should be for anyone wanting to join any business. If Shawna had shown the slightest bit of disinterest in having me as a team member or answering my questions, "I Wouldn't Have Signed up!"

A firm example is the story on the blog about the consultant who went to buy a stove. Please read it if you haven’t. The second, was Shawnas' willingness to save me money. Shawna could have allowed me to spend $89.00 to experiment with the signature collection but she didn’t. Her concern was that I would be spending more money than I needed to spend. These are qualities of a true leader and business women. As consultants we want to make money but money should not be the guiding factor of our business. If we will put the needs of the customer first, our business would soar. Customers will always remember that we cared about how and what they felt and most of all we met their needs.

There are no words to explain what’s going on here. My father gave me his blessings and blessed my business last night, My daughter and her friends are hosting shows for me, and several family members have begun to save money to sign on. If I said, "I don't have support I would be lying." For the first time, I have been blessed with an overwhelming amount of support. My fathers’ blessings and prayers have left me speechless. Please know that I am willing to help any one of you. If you have advice, I am willing to listen. We are never too old to learn.

What were your results on the personality test? What is your strongest scent family and do you agree with the results? I love flowers and fruit. The test couldn’t be more accurate. Floral 25% and fruity 25%.

I am a business builder and plan to be with UB for years to come. By next year, I will have a team of consultants who want to build a business as well.

What is one personality trait you have that you think will help you be successful at UB? I am my names’ sake, Beloved.

Shawna's Note:

First of all thanks Darlene for all your kind words! I know you were attracted to the UB for all the right reasons and I'm glad that I could be a part in your journey. Darlene will be a huge success here because she's really focused on the basics and that's scheduling A LOT of parties before her kit arrives and setting herself up for success. With almost 10 parties booked she will have many places to go and financially pay off her kit in her first week! CONGRATS!

The juggling act… (TSF)

Gloria writes: I've been a Independent Consultant for 2 1/2 years. I love my products, but I really needed a pay check job. How do I do both without giving one up?

Dear Gloria -

Thanks for your question, it is a good one.

First of all, you need to know you are far from alone. Many of our subscribers work full or part time jobs outside the home alongside their home party businesses.

We have found that they are probably more successful with their home businesses, because they have a limited amount of time to work. I know from personal experience that when I have more to do in less time - I am more productive. How about you?

The key to juggling two jobs; is organization.

Always carry your list of phone calls to make with you. Take advantage of your commute by making calls and also use your lunch hour to be in touch with customers and team members. You will probably find that you are more effective and efficient with your phoning because you have a list AND because your time is limited.

Having a portable file box with you in your car with pre-stuffed hostess and recruiting packets will help you be prepared to do business anytime and anywhere. Take advantage of the networking opportunities that your job presents whenever possible; always being careful not to step on toes with your employer.

Finally, we at TSF encourage you to build a sizeable team (75-100+) as quickly as possible. You will find that the residual income created when your team is at this size will become the steady paycheck that you need from your direct sales business. Once your team has grown to this size, it may be that you will no longer need that “paycheck job”.

Shawna's Note:

This post was really helpful for me because I realize that SIZE does matter LOL and that the larger the team the better your paychecks will be! At a team of 43 my commission checks (off of the team not my own personal volume) are around $200 - $300 a month depending. So I can see currently what I need to do in order to get the point I'm making the Beach House payment (my first goal with UB) on a monthly basis. A team of 100 is the first stsep and I'm almost 1/2 way there in just a little over a year!

The Tricks with Boutiques

A Designer on the team had a boutique she's interested in working with and sent me an email in regards to how they wanted to "partner" with UB which made me think this would be a great post for those of you out there trying to link up with some boutiques in your area.

Working with boutiques is a very fine line. They can be a great way to get the word out and their events can draw in party goers for you that you would never have met BUT there are quite a few BUTS on the ins and outs with staying legal in Corp's eyes that I want to point out as they can be a slippery slope.

This specific Designer was VERY SMART. She contacted me before things got out of hand with the boutique and we were able to set them straight before anything had been promised. Here are the main issues with what they wanted to do and what MOST boutiques will want to do unless you let them know up front.

1. This boutique wanted to pay the regular UB price to the Designer and then upsell the products for 3x the amount to their customers. I explaiend to the owner that we can never upcharge the UB products. We're happy to give some of our commissions to the boutique owners, but the customer can in no way pay more than the regular retail price regardless who the scent is named after, etc.

2. The boutique requested specific labeling and packaging for their store. This again is a NO NO. Our packaging is what it is. If you'd like to have a sticker or logo on the back with the recipe and tape over it so it stays, that's fine but we cannot change the packaging.

3. The boutique wanted to stock our product in the store and sell it retail. Again this is a very fine line. We have permission to leave a sample for store clients' to try. If they wish to purchase I have them fill out a UB order form and pay the store who in turn pays me the amount and I drop ship the product to the customer. (You may charge the actual shipping costs as well).

These 3 items seem to come up the most often and it's critical that we don't misrepresent what the store can do with our products and what we can offer the store.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to post a comment...

Using Themes in your Urban Botanic Business

As I thought about what I was going to blog on today, it hit me that Halloween is just around the corner and this week is a bit crazy with the Seattle Spin Party on Thursday night. Themes have a way to really work themselves into our business in a fun and inexpensive way to add some much needed flair to the regular UB Party.

I wanted to throw a couple things out there that I've been doing and also get some great ideas from the team...

First on the birthday party angle, I've been collecting cellphane bags in cute designs like Hawaiian and Dragon Fly with matching ties that I use to send home the lotions or bubble baths at bday parties with just one product. I add my card into the bag and tie it off and the girls can see through them so they know which concoction is their's for the taking.

For my last party I used dollar store Halloween Treat bags for those that purchased 1-2 products and again added my card so they would have everything they needed to contact me and remember their "treat."



With Christmas coming I may use a holiday them and I have also used the "Christmas in July" theme for something different and fun. This gives the hostess an easy way to throw in some refreshments and allows me to help with the color scheme and basically all the how to's to make her UB party fabulous and memorable.

What types of themese have you or do you plan on using in your business for variety?

Create a Budget For Your Home Based Business

By: Audrey Okaneko

Reading message boards, one of the things I see regularly is "I don't have any money to invest" or "I have very little money to invest."I believe you need to create a budget before you ever begin a business. Without a budget, you are setting yourself up for failure.

I know you can find ads that say "no money required" or "free to join." However, money can only be made if something somewhere is bought and sold. In order for you to buy and sell whatever it is you are now in business with will require money to invest.

To begin with, whatever you are selling, you need to try yourself. While it might be free to "join a program," there will be a fee to try the service or product. Now consider the actual business aspect of your venture. There are fees to purchase a domain and fees to host your domain. "But the program gives me a free website" you might be thinking. There's not a lot you can do with an affiliate site URL. If you want to advertise, write articles etc, you're going to need your own domain. Free websites give you what you pay for. They are loaded with ads and try to find 10 people, just 10 people who have made purchases from a free web site.

To put up a website will also take an investment. You'll either need to purchase a site building program or you'll need to hire someone to build the site for you. Either way, this too is a financial investment.What about marketing? How are you going to market whatever it is you are selling? Again, you might be thinking "but I know you can advertise for free." Yes, there are forms of advertising that are free, such as article marketing, plug boards and message boards. However, these methods of marketing need to be combined with paid advertising. You'll need to place classified ads, place banner ads and put ads into ezines. This all costs money.

Are there any supplies you'll need? Often folks will buy a software program to help keep track of inventory, or help them keep track of customers. Sometimes folks will buy an accounting program to help them keep track of money in and money out.

What about your work space? Do you have everything you need at home for your work space?Often in business, you'll need a long distance service for your phone. I use a combination of the free long distance on my cell phone and a phone card that I pay only a couple of cents per minute on. I believe one of the first things you'll need when considering a home business is a realistic budget of how much this business will cost to get off the ground. There really is no such thing as a "free business".

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com
Audrey Okaneko has worked from home since 1983. She can be reached by email or visited at this website.

Selling the sizzle, not the steak…

Yesterday I wrote a little about my experience buying a new stove and touched on the issue of benefit selling.


Certainly, the features of products are important - what size is it, how many pieces does it have, what is the color, etc;


So, how do we transition from feature to benefit selling?


Take a look at your product line. List at least 50 features of the products that you carry. Then, next to each feature write “so this means that…” and you fill in the blank.


For example - when we bought our home, my realtor said to me - “Look at the amount of counter space in this kitchen - can't you just see yourself baking Christmas cookies?”
Get the idea?


Obviously, you won't share every benefit of every product in your line - this is where the listening part of your job comes in. Ask good questions and listen, listen, listen to what your customer says in order to match benefits with what your customer is looking for.

A lesson in how not to sell…

My oven finally bit the dust. I knew it was going. I've been telling my husband since the holidays that things weren't sounding right - and finally on Saturday, when pre-heating the oven to bake a meatloaf and I realized after an HOUR we were still at 135 degrees….Houston, we have a problem.

So, my husband (our family shopper), hit the road. He has a nose for a deal and never met a bargain he didn't like.

Sure enough - three days later - I find myself at Best Buy looking at two outgoing floor models.
They were similar - both gas ranges and stainless steel (what I wanted) - priced within $50 of one another. So, after reading the descriptions on the cards - when the little sales lady (who I think was around 12 years old) came to ask if she could help, I asked if she could tell me the difference between the two ranges.

And so, Melissa launched. Tight faced, serious, and down-to-business she clipped along in short sentences telling us in detail about each range - reciting the same features that I had just read off of the card. The faster she talked the slower I talked, in the hopes that she might slow her speech down just a tad. * Side note - does anyone else out there feel like the older you get the slower you hear?

I was looking for the practical aspects of these two stoves - how would they make my day-to-day life simpler? I needed benefits, not features! Tell me which one is easier to clean, tell me which one holds bigger pots, ASK ME SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I NEED!
I cook a lot. My stove is broken. I was going to leave with one of those stoves despite Melissa's “help.” I made my decision and now it was time to fill out the paperwork. Still determined to build rapport, my husband and I attempted to make amusing small talk - but to know avail. We used all of our best material - nothing. Wow, this was certainly a study in personalities! She was nothing but business - serious business.

And then, in just a blink of an eye, she was gone. There we stood, in the middle of the appliance department, alone and a little shell shocked. You see, the price of the range had magically increased by about 30% (because you have to add installation, a warranty, and some special gas pipe thingy that apparently the federal government requires). We also had our new, “ No obligation, no- fee” Best Buy rewards card in hand (a marketing ploy to encourage return business).

We left that day, feeling like we had just been sold a used car…(did I mention that she never even said “thank you?”) Do you think, after I get my delivery I can expect a Customer Care call from her?

The Big Box stores survive and thrive for lots of reasons - volume, price, advertising, etc; Thankfully, not every sales person employed by Best Buy is a “Melissa” because I have to say, if they were - no amount of advertising in the world would keep them in business for very long.
Our direct sales businesses are the polar opposite of the Big Box stores, and we have a distinct advantage. We have the opportunity to build rapport with our customers and make them feel special, cared for and happy to have done business with us. THAT is our edge and we must use it to the fullest.

Benefit sell by asking good questions, listen for answers, mirror your customer's voice patterns and body language - don't forget to SMILE and say THANK YOU! Pick up the phone and make Customer Care/Customer Service calls. Your customers will thank you. THIS is how you build a loyal customer base that will return to you over and over again!

Powerful Partnerships

There is nothing more important in building your business than to create powerful partnerships. I've been very lucky to do that with Melody from CRAVE and Darnell Sue from Girl About Town and now Seattle Spin Girl! I wanted to share her newsletter and the fact that 7500 people viewed it last month. That may not seem astronomical but the fact that it's ALL LOCAL views makes it really important to me ;)

Here is her newsletter she just sent out and I'll put in blue the parts I'm taking part in...

Seattle Spin + Girl About Town = Seattle Spin Girl. Your Chic Seattle Resource

My Girl About Town blog for the Seattle PI has been steadily increasing from month to month since its inception in January, with September seeing 7,500 page views. That was an increase of 2,000 views over August! Because of this growth, (and probably because of my sassy voice, yah baby!), I have joined Seattle Spin to create Seattle Spin Girl, an more in depth extension of my PI Blog. Go to http://www.seattlespin.net/ to sign up for the Seattle Spin Girl newsletter, launching in two weeks. To celebrate Seattle Spin Girl, we'll be holding a private launch party at Veil next week that will be covered by D-List Magazine (Seattle's newest Entertainment/Fashion/Lifestyle Magazine), so if you received the Evite, please RSVP ASAP. If you have not received the Evite, please let me know if you would like to attend, as there is a limited amount of space available. - I'll be attending the Veil invite only event and have put together a scent for Seattle Spin Girl (thanks to Jeanette W) with postcards and lotion samples in all the goodie bags. I'll also be contributing a big gift bag of UB garb as one of the prizes. Lots of exposure, press and fun stuff I usually don't get to enjoy first hand ;)

In other news, I'll be spinning (aka: DJ'ing) at the Clubvibes Boogie Monster Halloween Party at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club on Wednesday, October 31st. Yes, there are a million Halloween Parties going this month, but I'm only playing at one of them, so that makes it extra special. Cover = $10. Driving Time to Ballard = 25 minutes. Seeing Darnell Spin Groovy Records in a Haute Halloween Costume = Priceless.

If that wasn't enough to mull over, take this! Girl Power Hour. Have you heard of it? If not, let me dish. Girl Power Hour is Seattle 's newest (and chic'est - I made that up) women's social group bringing young, creative, savvy and business-minded women together in a casual environment. GPH was created by myself and my galpal Samantha who, after meeting at a run-of-the-mill networking event, felt there was a more engaging and groovier way to meet fabulous women. Our first event was held in September at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club (darn I love this place), where around 100 women from varying creative industries came to socialize, make connections and hopefully a few new friends. We had over 20 donated door prizes (thanks to our sponsors!) and a goodie bag for everyone. Our next event will be held on November 15th - RSVP at www.girlpowerhour.com. *If you are interested in donating a Door Prize or something for our Goodie Bags, please let me know! - I know that Kelsey and I will both be jumping on Girl Power Hour. I think it will be fun and I plan to attend the next one in November. Great networking with great minds that can really help you get your business off the ground. Regardless of people's spin on direct sales, you can find ways to infiltrate (just like I did with Crave's goodie bags) and can change the opinions of those that feel it's a lesser business by showing them how IN it really is :)

Lastly, http://www.girlabouttownseattle.com/ is currently under construction. Once finished, you'll be able to keep tabs on the Girl About Town PI blog, Seattle Spin Girl and Girl About Town Mobile Hair & Airbrush Makeup - Coming Soon! Please check back!

I plan to learn about Darnell's new mobile make up and find out how UB's personalized scent could be a part of it!

Stay Stylish,

Darnell Sue Girl About Town, LLC Girl Power Hour
http://www.girlpowerhour.com/
blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/girlabouttown

Dates to Remember:
10/19 - Columbia Tower Club Masquerade Party
10/20 - Emerald City Swank, Bell Harbor
10/25 - Seattle Spin Girl Launch @ Veil
10/26 - Just Cauz Halloween Party
10/27 - Freaknight and Zombie Prom
10/29 - Seattle Spin Girl 1st newsletter - http://www.seattlespin.net/ to sign up!
10/31 - Clubvibes Halloween Party @ Shilshole Bay
11/3-4 - Crave Party!

Recovering Nicely...

I'm so thankful that bug only hit me for 24 hours. I wanted to share an email I received yesterday on appreciation...

I think you'll find that it really hits home!

http://www.appreciationmovie.com/land.html

Great networking at a Silent Auction

I'm out with the flu so this post is pretty short but I did have the chance to be featured at DIFFA's private auction....

http://urbanfashionnetwork.blogspot.com/2007/10/diffa-party-at-mansion.html

Special Cash Bonus Program for Hostesses

In reading some articles on partyplannetwork.com I ran across this cash back plan for hostesses that I found interesting. It really helps in preparing them to help you "book" parties which is a big need for everyone that's new on the team. You can edit the dollar amounts to suit what you think is reasonable but I think these are pretty reasonable when you consider the amount you'll make with 3 parties :)

"For your upcoming In-Home Shows......try this! WHO knows your Hostesses friends and family better than the Hostess....When you arrive at the Hostesses home, after you set up and you are waiting for Guests to Attend....Tell your hostess that you have a "Special Cash Bonus Program for Hostesses"

Hand her 3 Hostess Packets. Tell her she knows her family and friends better then you do, and ask her to find out who, out of her friends and family would want to have a Show.....for the 1st Booking she will receive.... $10 in Free Merchandise, for the 2nd Booking she will receive.... $25 in Free Merchandisefor the 3rd Booking she will receive.... $50 in Free Merchandise.

You can explain to her that she can be the 3rd Booking and schedule a Fall/Christmas Show and she would be staring her Show with $50 FreeAt the End of the Show.....Thank everyone for coming ...Explain our Services and what we have to offer....

In-home shows, Brochure shows, Fundraisers....etc, etc, Also inform her of all Hostesses receive....And, I would like everyone to take Advantage of Our Free Program. If you are Considering on having a Show See Our Hostess __Name____ she has all the Hostess Packets

After the Shows are Held the Hostess receives her $10, $25 or $50 in Free merchandise......and don't you think she will make sure the Shows Hold! She wants her Cash Bonus! ( Or use amounts that will work with your Party Plan Business.)
----------------------------------------
These tips were submitted by:
Madelyn Santana
Decorating Consultant
www.homeinteriors.com/decoratewithmaddie

7 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid when Promoting your Business

Many people rush into business thinking it will be easy to run, but very soon they realize that it is not as easy as it looks. A successful business is a finely tuned machine. In order to keep your business running smoothly it is important to avoid making mistakes.

Here are the 7 most common mistakes to avoid:

1. Not having clear objectives: Many business people start a business without clear objectives. They fail to set realistic goals for their marketing and consequently set themselves up for failure. It is important to make a list of goals and objectives based on a quarterly time line. If you do not have company goals and objectives you are like a car driving without a road map. Make sure all employees are briefed on company objectives. When your employees are not properly prepared you will not be able to achieve company objectives.

2. Neglecting to analyze your potential customers is a dangerous mistake. It can lead to many problems. When you do not analyze your customers wants and needs you do not know what products and services to develop for them. This will lead to targeting the wrong market and neglecting to understand your own niche market. It is important for any business to do their marketing analysis so that you can target your market and maximise your sales.

3. Not testing: By not testing your sales copy and places you advertise with split testing your advertising, you will be losing sales. Split testing is simple to do but many businesses fail to do this. This results in a lot of wasted time and effort. If you do not test your ad copy and marketing promotions you will not have a proper idea of the ads and promotions that are pulling and what is not working. It is simple to do by placing 2 ads for the same product in a publication or website etc. You can then see which one is performing the best.

4. Not budgeting: Budgeting is extremely important in business. Your business should never run out of money. This is especially true with your marketing and advertising ventures. It is important to have a monthly or quarterly budget for your marketing. Within that budget put aside money for each promotion you will be doing. Start small, test and then build on successes. This will allow you to always stay solvent and have enough for promotions.

5. Giving up too soon: Companies go out of business at an alarming rate these days. One of the reasons is that the owners give up too soon. Just when success might be just around the corner they give up and decide to close the business down. In exactly the same fashion marketing promotions can fail. You need to give your promotions at least 3 months before you decide to scrap them. Some promotions will take longer than others to bring results. As always, test all marketing tactics before you launch a larger promotion. Patience is one of the hallmarks of business and you need to implement it.

6. Poor sales copy: How often have you wanted a product but when you read the sales page you had serious doubts? Poor unprofessional ad copy will cost you sales. In fact without good sales copy you will not be able to sell effectively at all. It is critical to your business to get this right. If necessary get an experienced copywriter to do this. It is worth the investment, as you will see returns when you make sales.

7. Not screening your employees carefully: To handle the extra load for the Christmas season you will need to hire new employees. It is very important not to rush into this. There is no dearth of people needing employment but you need to screen them carefully before hiring. One rude customer service agent can cost you customers. Do not take this type of risk. You want to preserve the integrity of your company at all times and screening employees is the way to achieve this. You will then be able to build a core of loyal professional employees that will be an asset to the company.

The golden rule is to diversify. You should always use multiple forms of marketing promotions in your business. Do not just do one or two promotions and then wait for results. This will slow company growth and your business will stagnate. The last thing you need is to slow your marketing in the Christmas season. So remember to diversify and enjoy the increase in sales.
By avoiding these mistakes you will take your company to the success you deserve. You will be able to have year round success for your business and really be able to cash in on the Christmas season. So plan ahead and be careful not to make these common mistakes.

About the Author: Sean McPheat is a leading authority marketing consultant and helps businesses across the UK, Europe, US and the Middle East. Sean's marketing services include direct mail, internet marketing, sales copy, sales training, telemarketing, PR and strategic alliance marketing.

Meeting THEME ideas - continued

Any party is always easier to plan when you have a theme to wrap it around. The same holds true for your team meetings. The following is a potpourri of some themes you might consider using at your next team meeting:

Airplane trip - Set the meeting up as a plane trip. First time attendees get their wings. Have each consultant rank take a role as a pilot, navigator, etc. Put chairs in rows and have flight attendants pass out refreshments and handouts. Great for getting ready for convention!

Scoop Meeting - After convention, plan a meeting where those who attended share the `convention scoop' with everyone else. Everyone brings a topping and ice cream sundaes are served!

Flower Exchange - Have everyone bring a flower or plant to exchange for spring gardens. Every plant is assigned a number and attendees draw a number to identify their new flower!

I Can't Funeral - Make a shoe box into a black coffin. Everyone wears black. Each person writes down the things they want to do in their business, but feel they can't do. Then the funeral procession starts and all the “I Can'ts” are buried.

Spring Into Action - Have small pots and packets of seeds available. As part of the meeting, each person says how they are going to plant seeds for the current month in their business. Everyone goes home with a pot and watches it grow!

Fall Harvest - Talk about everything you have done the entire year to work your business, and then talk about what needs to happen to have a big harvest. Decorate with fall plants and pumpkins

Fall Survival - Have a `hands on' get together to assemble hostess and recruiting packets and share quick dinner ideas and recipes.

December meeting ideas - A great time to have an ornament exchange or host a get together
with spouses. A white elephant gift exchange makes for a great party mixer!

As you build your local teams this becomes even more important to look at ways to draw the team together. Remotely you can host "cyber" meetings and mail different things before hand, etc. You'll find key people on your team that can really cheer lead the system and make sure to reward them appropriately!

Sometimes it just really sucks...

I know the title is a bit off for my usually upbeat post but today has been a bittersweet day in a lot of different ways.

First of all, many of you know that hubby and I have been flipping a house for the last 3 months and FINALLY this baby is on the MLS (see here). I would've hoped for the sell it in 3 hours like the last one did but unfortunately as you all know nationwide the housing market is at a standstill. I will have to find the before pictures of this house so you have an inkling of the "before" on this baby and how far we've really come with it. For Christmas all I want is for it to sell and us to relax about not paying the mortgages triple anymore :).

I also have a lot of past clients that I work with in the financial services industry and one of them is my best friend's Mom. Her husband passed away in August and I handle all of their investments. She left me a "message" on my cell today letting me know she has a new friend, (woman) that understands the new journey in her life and will be taking over being her financial planner and she'll be moving all of her investments (mind you they are doing FANTASTIC) away from my guidance but "thanks anyway for all you've done."

To be honest this is a client that will probably be better off with someone her own age that she respects and if she's taken advantage of my conscience is clean. I let her know the pitfalls to look out for with this new "friend" and hopefully she'll listen, but she has her free agency to choose whatever path she takes and I can't protect her.

Losing a client is a lot like losing a Fragrance Designer. I'm happy to say that the attrition rate in the Hive is only about 20% and that's truly amazing. So many people commit to the idea of running a business and the glamorous life they believe it will be. The quick money making/fix my life opportunity that we "should" ALL know doesn't exist. Any business worth doing takes a ton of work, commitment, and effort and also longevity to see results.

There are peaks and valleys and business can also be very seasonal. Sometimes you just have to realize that staying positive or choosing to be negative is a choice and though it may be difficult at times, choosing to stay positive will continue to attract great opportunities and other positive people in your life.

The more you dwell on the negatives, the more they keep coming your way. So note to self - remembering the incredible team I have with UB, the new parties and events I have this month, and the fact that the house is finally on the market and such a great floor plan even though there is a lot of inventory, there isn't any competition!

Team meetings - Do's and Don'ts

Whether you are currently conducting team meetings or plan to in the future as your business grows - the following are some basic guidelines that will make your meetings something your team members will want to attend!

Team meeting `Do's'

DO have a timed agenda
DO begin and end on time!
DO ask someone to act as timekeeper
DO involve other team members by asking them to prepare and present.
DO display product
DO have a meeting focus and train on a specific topic
DO have fun!
DO have a `parking lot' - (a flip chart or dry erase board to post any topics that come up not on the agenda to be discussed later…this will keep the meeting running on time).
DO encourage people to invite guests!
DO have fun!
DO end your meeting with a challenge and an inspirational quote or `heart-tug'.

Team meeting `Don'ts'
Don't forget to make a special point to help guests and newcomers feel comfortable
Don't do all the talking yourself - delegate meeting responsibilities to help groom future team leaders
Don't let the discussion go off on `rabbit trails' - use the Parking Lot (see above)
Don't allow negativity - your meeting standard should be positive and upbeat - address business challenges that come up by training team members to be solution oriented.
Don't wait until the last minute to plan meetings - be prepared and organized so that people leave feeling as though it has been worth their time to attend.
Don't forget how important recognition is!
Do review important dates and important deadlines - DON'T waste meeting time reading aloud from company newsletters

Don't forget this DO AHEAD recipe for a good meeting (the following ingredients need to be prepared and delegated in advance:

Start with a meeting facilitator/planner
Add the following:
1-2 greeters
1 Time keeper
Team members who are shining in areas such as sales, recruiting, product knowledge etc; to help with training
Season with a mix of door prizes and raffles
Blend in some upbeat music
Fold in a helping of light refreshments
Finish with clean up!

Are you a business renegade?

Being a business renegade involves taking smart risks
By Sheila Norman-Culp

At work, given the choice of being a sheep, a drone, a weenie, a bully or a renegade, which would you choose?

Hmm, just what I thought.
That's why Christine Comaford-Lynch's new bestselling business advice book, "Rules for Renegades," (McGraw-Hill) appeals to the outlaw in all of us.

It also doesn't hurt that the author, an early Microsoft rebel, has probably earned and lost and re-earned more money that you or I will ever see in a lifetime.

She has founded five companies that have either been bought up or gone public, held operational positions at Microsoft, Lotus, Adobe and Apple, and been a strategic adviser to Oracle and Symantec. Now she operates Mighty Ventures, which helps Fortune 500 companies and others optimize their performance.

Just hearing about it is exhausting.
Still, who says you can't be a fabulous business titan? We asked the author for a crash course on bringing out one's inner renegade.

Q. How would you define a "renegade"?

A. A renegade is a person with a degree of passion and commitment that exceeds the norm. A renegade is not a rebel. A rebel trashes the system, is a loner, is all about not fitting in. A renegade acknowledges that there are systems and bureaucracies, and finds a way to optimally navigate them.

Q. Why is being a renegade so important?

A. Because renegades see stumbling blocks and resolve to make them into stepping stones. Renegades don't just talk about it; They do it!

Q. What stops us from being as daring as we need to be?

A. Fear is what stops us from being daring. Fear of rejection, fear of failure. This is why we must intentionally desensitize ourselves to rejection. Throw a rejection party. When people read all the ways I've been rejected and failed, and how I've turned these potential disasters around they see that nothing is ever the "end of the world."

Q. What's the difference between being a renegade and jumping off a financial cliff?

A. Renegades take smart risks. They don't ditch their day job to start a new venture -- they do it nights and weekends to see how it develops. Yes, I've maxed out my credit cards to cover payroll a few times. But I'd never invest my retirement dollars in a startup!

Q. What's your favorite "money" advice for entrepreneurs?

A. You need to follow Rule 8: Work Your Money Mojo. Read it carefully, download the cool resources on RulesForRenegades.com that relate to money, realize that you are a steward for money. Money is energy. It needs to be moving around, creating things, growing.

Q. Why do control freaks need to change?

A. Control freakism is about not being able to delegate. Not being able to delegate is about not trusting others. Not trusting others is about not being connected.

Q. What advice would you give to young workers?

A. You want everyone to know you as the person who "gets stuff done." A "GSD" is the most important credential a person can have. Second, network "palm up." When you meet someone, don't talk too much about yourself. Find out about them, what they care about, what they want, how you can be of service to them. Then help them get what they want. You'll end up getting what you want in time, too.

Q. What was your biggest mistake?

A. Thinking I needed a business partner. Bad idea. Each one was a disaster: they didn't work as hard as I did, didn't contribute as much to the company as I did, and were often difficult to part with.

Q. Why do you think you have succeeded?

A. I learned from Bill Gates to declare victory as you step onto the battlefield. You must decide to have self-confidence, even before you have evidence. We all have moments of fear, self-doubt, discouragement. Heck, if you don't, you just aren't taking risks!

Motivating Strategies

“I just need to get motivated!”

What can you do to get motivated? Are you waiting for someone else to do it for you? Perhaps you think that this is the job for your manager.

It is true, part of a team leader's job is to train her team, hold them accountable and cheer them on; motivation is something that must come from within.

However, there are some specific things you CAN do to keep yourself motivated.
Feed your mind. Spend a few minutes each day reading something inspirational.
Use your car as a traveling library. Take advantage of time on the road to listen to motivation and training CD's.

Challenge a buddy! If you are having trouble getting on the phone - call a buddy and agree to blitz the phones for the next hour. Whoever gets the best results gets treated to Starbucks.

Reconnect with your current goals. It is the 4th quarter - how are you doing with the goals you set for the end of this year in January? What do you need to do in order to hit those goals?

Make a plan and then ask your upline to help you stay accountable. Break it into bite-sized chunks. What will you do TODAY, this week, this month and through the end of the year?
Imagine yourself having already achieved your goal - really picture it in your mind. Ask yourself - Where are you? What are you seeing, hearing, doing, wearing, etc;

How does success feel - imagine that feeling right now.

WRITE IT DOWN and/or cut out some pictures to help bring the feelings back to life. If you are working towards a trip - get some travel brochures. If you are working towards a new car or a new couch - post pictures somewhere you will see it often.

Write an affirmation statement and carry it with you on a 3x5 index card. For example - It's January 2008 and my husband and I have just stepped onto the beach in Hawaii. The sand is warm between my toes, the sun is shining brightly on my face and the pina colada I am sipping is icy cold and sweet. He and I are taking our first vacation alone in years and it is wonderful to reconnect with him. I feel so proud that all the work I did last year helped me to earn this all inclusive trip for us!

First Party Selling Home Scents And My Stats...

So Saturday was a party that was supposed to have about 30 people but unfortunately for the hostess ended up with closer to 8/9. I had about 7 people at my presentation and wanted to share the sales and how things went. I did book 2 parties from it surprisingly enough. This is an area UB really hasn't penetrated yet so it'll be interesting.

This was also the first time I've presented the Home Scents at a party and I was BEYOND pleasantly surprised at the results.

This party was smaller and the sales were $150 lower than my usual total but still everyone except for one girl that couldn't handle the smell of the scents (according to her) bought.

Ruth was loads of fun and is my tentative party giver. She purchased a shower gel and a lotion and was very excited about her concoction naming it Ruth"less."

Tina #1 was a little slower to grasp everything and find scents she liked and ended up making a lotion for her daughter that turned out really nice. She actually ended up using Tina #2's recipe but that was no problem for either of them. She's also interested in throwing a party.

Tina #2 is a constant party goer of mine and good friend. She was saving her pennies for the purses that came after me (another reason I rarely ever do a more than one vendor party fyi) but bought a new shower gel.

Darlene was the hostess' Mom and actually the most excited and into it. She mentioned having a party as well with some help from the others. She made herself the party special in Gardenia, White Tea, and Egyptian Musk and it was heavenly.

Kim wasn't as lucky in finding the "personal" scent she wanted and would probably have been a shower gel or lotion only kind of girl but she loved the clean smell of Verbena, Sandalwood, and White Tea together and chose that for a full Home Collection! YES a $50.00 order for someone I would have considered a possible lost sale. She was really wanting her home to have a "clean" smell which everyone verified this combination was doing for her.

Shannon was my hostess and had just signed as a Home Interiors consultant. She was so busy and again wasn't finding "the scent" for her and since she had earned a free product I took the $19.99 price of the Warmer off of her home scent collection and she paid for the rest. Plus it doesn't hurt my regular commission on that because Corp doesn't take the $10 savings out of our commission.

After this many parties you'd think I'd have it down but I forgot the coffee beans. No one noticed or even said anything but I know they're helpful so no worries - I forget the tape to cover the writing and the sharpie pens as well at times. You just make due!

So what could've been a partially "just ok" party, turned into a really decent one with $150 in sales and 2 parties to book.

Next weekend is a party with probably 10-15 ladies at Vera's house (one of my 1st consultants ever hired finally doing her 2nd party ever LOL). Never give up on people! Another lesson learned this weekend :)

The Recruiting Mindset - Part 3 Final…

Yesterday, we talked about changing how you look at yourself and considering yourself to be an ambassador or a corporate recruiter for your company.

Your best results, realistically, come when you give this new process - this new way of thinking time to evolve, germinate and develop. We recommend giving yourself an entire year for this `out of the box' thinking.

Change your `norm' … raise the bar.

Keep in mind that only one in ten people will say `yes' to joining.
For your organization to grow, you need to make a goal to recruit at least 24 new people personally over the next year. That is just two a month. Recruiting half that number (one a month) and your team will end up exactly where it was at the beginning of the year (this takes into account consultants who leave the business or change their level of commitment).

Remember - your `year' can begin anywhere you want it to begin. Why not start right now - while we are at the beginning of the fourth quarter of our busiest time of year?

Things to do to promote strong personal and team recruiting:

Front end load your “year” (EASY to do when you are meeting so many people right now!)

Help your team to front end load as well.

Take a look at the vehicles you are providing to your team. Think about what you can help organize and facilitate:

Fairs
Fundraisers
Ads (the more who participate - the more money available to run a bigger/longer running ad).
Get good at asking for referrals and train your team to do the same.
Piggyback - NEVER walk alone - treat each event you do as a training opportunity…bring a team member with you!
When coaching team members - save time by using three way calling or free teleconferencing services.

PREQUALIFY recruit potentials by asking them:
“Is there anyone else who you will need to talk to about this?”
“Please talk with them and tell them why you are interested in doing this.” (remind them what their reason is - example;…you wanted to be able to take care of that car payment, you wanted to be able to purchase our products at a discount and know your friends will love them too, you want a work at home option…) If you have been listening well when the prospect was selling YOU on why she would be good at this she will have let you know what her reason for getting involved is!

“He (she) will probably ask you some specific questions - please bring these questions to the appointment with you.”

At the recruiting appointment - once paperwork has been completed - have new team members immediately make a list of the top ten people who they know will be interested in what they are doing and ask them who they will call first.

Follow up with them the next day to help with any questions and to keep them excited about their decision to join.

What is your recruiting mindset? Part 2

Before reading this post be sure to visit Avis' blog and see the incredible contest she's running and the great blog she received! It's on the right hand navigation of my blog :)

Yesterday, we began our discussion on the mindset of recruiting.
When you think about asking someone to join you in the business - where are you, mentally?
Is this something you are doing to someone or for someone?
Are you bothering/pestering/pushing or are you inviting?
Are you focused on your goals or on her needs?
If your paradigm is in need of a shift - let's look at things a little differently.

Make a list of the characteristics that make you good at this business. This becomes the job description of what you are looking for in a potential consultant.

Make a mental shift and start to think of yourself as an ambassador recruiter. By definition an ambassador is an authorized messenger or representative. Consider your main job to be finding good people for your company - using your job description - and this will help you get the focus off of your own goals.

Work like a corporate recruiter. Instead of working hard to convince someone to join the business what would happen if you used the following script instead?

“Working from home takes a lot of self-discipline. Let me tell you what we're looking for. We are looking for someone who is self-motivated and interested in (fill in the mission of your company). Tell me a little about what YOU are looking for and then we will see if this seems like a good match.” (PAUSE - Stay quiet and then she will start to sell you on herself).
Once you have a “job description/composite” of what makes a good consultant - this will enable you to ask more specifically for referrals.

“Who do you know who is a self-starter?” “Who is the busiest but most organized mom that you know?” “Who do you know who is a great `people person'”?

Hive Member Spotlight - Theresa Small - PA

I am married to my high school sweetheart. We have been married for 27 years. We have 3 daughters. Tiffany 26- married with our first grandchild Zachary 3 ½ and one on the way in February (also a boy). Lindsay 22- just married in July, and Ashley 18- starting college spring semester. I live in Wrightsville, PA approximately 30-40 minutes from Harrisburg. My birthday is March 11. I have a full time job right now in the health care field which I plan to eventually replace with UB.

I have been looking at UB since about March. I just fell in love with the whole concept. It was something new and different and very original. Plus getting in on the ground floor and being the first FD in PA was very appealing. I decided for sure that this was the business for me after attending a workshop held by Cat. That was in August and I have just spent the last two months saving up to get my kit. (I am actually a week a head of my goal for starting!!!)

My immediate family is very supportive. I haven’t really told extended family yet. I plan to invite them to an open house to tell them. It has been so amazing to me already how much support and information I have received just from reading the wahm message boards. Keep up the good work.

I am an herby. Yes I agree with the results. Most of the characteristics do apply.

My plan is to be a business builder. I believe very strongly that with Urban Botanic I will be able to achieve this goal. I am a people person and I am very passionate about this business.

What is your recruiting mindset?

When I got involved in party plan 20 plus years ago, we were taught that there were four basic reasons people got started in the business:

Money - and I want to work from home, flexibly!

Social - I want to make new friends & I love parties!

Recognition - I just LOVE to walk across stage!

Product - I LOVE everything in the catalog!

Mission driven - I LOVE how this company improves people's lives!

To that list I would add a sixth reason (my reason for joining):
Need a life - HELP! I'm home with my kids - I love them, but I'm pretty sure my `grown-up' mind has left my body!

Truth be told - reason number 5 is probably just a variation on reasons number two and three. BUT, the bottom line was that I got involved with my company to sell product - nothing more, nothing less. That first year that I was in business I wore a recruiting blindfold.

I sold product like crazy - and loved every minute of it. “But”, I told my recruiter/manager, “don't even TALK to me about the `R' word. I don't want to `do' that to anyone.”

An interesting attitude, wouldn't you agree? It was birthed from an unpleasant experience with an overly ambitious consultant from another party plan company who - in her attempts to sign me - did lots of talking, very little listening and was more interested in advancing her status in her company than being sensitive to my needs and concerns. I had vowed never to be that party plan lady. I didn't want people to duck when they saw me coming.

However, in hindsight, I realize that there were many who crossed my path that first year who were genuinely interested in joining me in the business. As I replay conversations with different individuals in my mind - I realize they were asking all the right questions and I was giving all the right answers. I never took it a step further and asked them if I could share business information with them. Because, you see, I didn't do that part of the business.

Shawna's Note: It's so easy to worry about getting everything right with your presentation or just selling to make income. Your first year in the business is probably your most passionte and the easiest to recruit others. In my first 3 months I recruited 10 people personally and the team has continued to build from them and myself since. But never was it easier than recruiting those first 10 believe me ;)

Fourth Quarter Success Strategies for Leaders and Future Leaders - Part 2

Today we continue our `mini-series' on success strategies to help you balance at this busy time of year.

When working with your team - here are some additional tips:

Keep your team calendar up to date.

Be sure your team has at least 10-15 selling events scheduled each month!

Ask team members to share their personal goals and help them to be accountable for them.

Track fairs, opportunity nights and recruiting appointments.

Motivate your team to constantly add to the team calendar.

Identify your active sellers.

Help them create a plan and track it with them.

Set up a call schedule (jointly agree on frequency). Keep the calls short and to the point - business focused and specific.

Start a savings account NOW for next year's convention and encourage your active sellers and recruiters to do the same.

Make the most of your time.

Use the internet wisely. Make sure the time spent is revenue/business generating activity or to support your team members.

Give recognition of accomplishments immediately.

Let your company provide the prizes - you provide lots of recognition and praise!

Maximize on-the-job training. Take new consultants to parties, recruiting appointments and fairs.

Have your future leaders share training and meeting responsibilities.

Encourage all team members to host their own parties or open houses.

Keep on selling to present a strong role model to your team.

Keep on recruiting!

Recruit enough new people to keep your team strong.

Make a goal to invite ten people to join your team each week. Statistically one in ten will join - so, that means four new team members joining each month.

Peridot Boutique Launches their Urban Botanic Partnership

Well the boutique received their shipment of goodies from me yesterday. 100 to start with and I have another 100 on the way to work with them. They are really great about marketing it and have actually blogged about the partnership which I thought was pivotal for those of you trying to work with your own local boutiques. Click here to see their blog and how super cool their postcards turned out!

I know you'll be hearing soon from Kelsey on Aroma Graphics, her new site that will allow UB Consultants to have personalized cards to use for boutiques, or mailers, or events! Next on my list is Seattle Spin Girls' event in late October. This month is BOOKED solid with parties and events to keep things rocking in the Seattle area.

What cool things are Hive Members up to this month? Be sure to comment so we can all take advantage! Hopefully you've all received my October newsletter with the fun halloween idea (I thought it was clever at least) and some back to basics to get your fall season rocking!

Welcoming Annette James - CA

Hello my name is Annette James and I live in the high desert community of Lancaster, California. We are located about an hour and a half North of Los Angeles.

We use to be a small town but with the ongoing building of new homes and businesses our town is anything but small anymore. I am married, my husband and I have been together for 15 years and we have a 10 year old daughter. I am a stay at home mom and enjoy being involved with my daughter’s school and our community.

Recently I started looking around for a new business opportunity and kind of stumbled onto the Urban Botanic site by accident. Before I could click the back button I got a glimpse of what the site was about and before I knew it I was researching as much as I could about the company. For a couple of days I just kept thinking of it and I could not get it out of my mind. I knew that this must be the business for me.

I later spoke to my husband to get his thoughts and decided to move forward with contacting the company to answer a couple of last minute questions. The next day I was sold and sent away for my kit. I can’t wait for it to arrive. I have to say I have a great support network. My main support is that of my husband he supports me in anything and is always there to lend me a hand if needed.

In the past my daughter has even helped me out at parties and festivals when I needed an assistant or extra pair of hands. I also have a great group of friends who are always there for me when I need them physically, emotionally or spiritually. I did take the UB personality test and I am a fruity. I have to say this was pretty accurate and the funny thing is with all my perfumes, lotions, and even air fresheners I am always drawn to the fruit smelling ones.

As for where I see myself in the next year. I hope to have a successful business of course and I would love to build a team in the neighboring towns. There is about 7 neighboring cities that I would love to be able to have teams in. I am a very creative person and I will use some of that creativity to help market myself and the UB product line. I have already felt so welcomed by everyone and I can’t wait to start doing some parties.

What a way to start off our great month of October! We're so happy you've joined The Hive Annette and we're all here to support and buoy each other up so never fear :) - Shawna