Getting to know you….

Continuing on the topic of eliminating cancellations forever our topic today is “getting to know you.”

In the course of the 3-4 calls you make to your hostess prior to her party; be sure that you are taking a moment or two to be interested in her personally. This doesn't mean that you have to chat at length with her on each call; but do be sure that you have taken the time to find out things like her husband and/or children's names and some of her outside interests.

Most people reveal things about themselves personally in the normal course of conversation; especially if the listener is sincerely interested. Your job is to make some notes on your hostess file folder as these things come up so that you can ask about them on subsequent conversations. For example, “is Michael's cold better?” -or- “how did that basketball game of Amy's go after our last conversation?” You get the picture. Taking a personal interest in your hostess shows her that you care and you are more than just a `salesperson'. A hostess is much less likely to cancel on a friend than a sales person.

How am I doing?

Why is it that some people are so successful in their businesses and others are not? Well, there are lots of contributing factors; but today, we will look at one of the most important ones. The most successful business people never stop observing themselves and learning.

Once you decide that you've learned everything there is to know about your business, in our opinion it is the kiss of death. Never stop attending meetings and seminars, listening to tapes and reading and never stop learning from others who are successful in your company but also from your CUSTOMERS!

One of the smartest questions you can ask your customers is, “How am I doing?”

Our tip for today is a challenge to you. At your next presentation, during your introduction, let the guests know that you are always striving to do a better job. Ask that they watch what you do in order to give you some honest feedback about your presentation, your company, and your product. Then, be willing to listen to what they have to say and analyze the comments in order to make you more effective at your next presentation.

You might be surprised at the results!

Assessing the financial health of your business- Part 1

Recently we asked that you answer a series of questions regarding the finances of your business. Today we will talk about the answers to those questions.

1) Do I have a separate checking account for my business? If you haven't already, open a separate checking account for your business. This helps track expenses more accurately. You will also find that you are not mixing business expenses with the family bills such as the grocery store. Also, if you are ever audited by the IRS, having a separate checking account is a good indication to them that you are running a business (vs. a hobby).

2) Do I have a separate business credit/debit card? If you don't, then you should for the same reasons as indicated in #1. Also, for the purposes of tracking expenses, do your best to always use your checking account or credit/debit card when paying business bills. Receipts for bills paid by cash can easily get lost in the shuffle.

3) Am I carrying a balance on my credit card? If you are, then you are overspending AND probably paying high interest rates too boot. If you have difficulty with credit cards, consider using only a debit card.

4) Do I have too many business supplies on hand? Basic is better. It can be easy to get carried away ordering all kinds of brochures from the company; however you'll probably find that less is better. Stick to the basics: order forms, invitation postcards, recruiting contracts and catalogs. E-vites can be a great alternative to postcards and many company websites offer forms and fliers that are downloadable from their websites so take advantage of that! Remember too that statistically there is a 1% return on direct marketing (ie; leaving brochures on your neighbor's doorknobs or in their mailboxes; so save a tree and pick up the phone!

5) Do I own lots of extra “stuff” with my company's logo on it (tee shirts, stationery, magnets, hats, etc ;) We get so excited “shopping” for these kinds of things (especially at convention) that we can overspend. Keep in mind that in most cases, bumper stickers and tee shirts book very few parties.

Tomorrow, we will see how you answered the rest of the questions on our survey…so tune in then!

Hive Talkin Tonite...

Join us tonite on the Hive Talkin call for info on taxes, booking more parties, and overall catch up!


Sunday February 24, 2008
Time:

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm PST
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm MST
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm CST
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST

Location:

(712) 775-7000 Code: 805628#

Success leaves clues…pay attention

One tip you will hear from us time and time again is the important role CANI (Constant and Never-ending Improvement) plays in keeping you moving and motivated in your business. In addition to reading good books and listening to good tapes and CD's, take advantage of trainings that are available to you. Your company may provide these speakers, either from within your sales field or professionals hired from the outside. You may also have the opportunity to take educational seminars depending on what area of the country you live.

Speakers and trainers are chosen because they are qualified based on success they have experienced. They have DONE IT and can therefore, `talk the talk' because they HAVE, `walked the walk'. While most of us will never agree 100% with everything a particular speaker or trainer has to say, listen with an open mind. Take the best and leave the rest.

Sometimes we find ourselves resisting a tip or a technique. It is important to remember that the thing you are most resistant to is USUALLY the thing you need to hear the most. Chances are good that in a few years, you will look back and realize that the one thing you were offended by was the one thing you needed to change to grow your business. Don't make the mistake of dismissing everything a speaker has to say because you disagree with one thing they had to say. It is like throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Taking advice from someone who has not yet built a successful business is pure folly. There are REASONS why people succeed and EXCUSES why they don't. Success is not accidental or “lucky” but the end product of hard work.

Success leaves clues…smart business builders pay attention to successful people.

RAVE REVIEWS for The Aladdin Factor!

When I go to church on Sunday morning and the pastor uses a personal story to illustrate a point he is trying to make on a passage of scripture, it always makes a bigger impact on me. There is something about storytelling that makes everything clearer, wouldn't you agree?

Apparently The Aladdin Factor is having the same effect on some of our loyal subscribers who have ordered this book from our website.

On our personalized training calls this week you gave it RAVE REVIEWS. You agree with us that this easy to read book is really hitting home with its simple tips and stories. Many of you are singing the praises of the great results you are getting because it is helping you to move beyond your FEARS and JUST ASK! This is exactly why we added this book to our product line.

To those of you who are already reading, enjoying and applying the principals in The Aladdin Factor, we are so glad it is working for you. Our hope is that many more of you will see the value of owning this phenomenal book!

How much are you spending?

This is the time of year when we often hear “my spouse says I'm not making enough money in my business and wants me to quit.” Sound familiar?

If so, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I have a separate checking account for my business?

Do I have a separate business credit/debit card?

Am I carrying a balance on my credit card?

Do I have too many business supplies on hand?

Do I own lots of extra “stuff” with my company's logo on it (ie; tee shirts, stationery, magnets, hats, etc;)

Am I spending money on extra hostess gifts (over and above my company's hostess plan)?

Am I mailing out catalogs/brochures and sale fliers without asking my customers if they want them and/or not following up?

Do I often spend cash when a customer uses the real “green stuff” (vs. check or credit card) instead of depositing it?

Am I paying at least one family bill in addition to all the expenses created by my business?

Am I doing enough revenue generating activity each week or am I spending too much time playing office?

Am I keeping good financial records?

Do I know how to file a Schedule C so my family benefits fully from the tax advantages available to me because I have my own business?

Take a moment to answer these questions and BE HONEST!

Now or later?

How often, when we are giving information to a prospect regarding the business opportunity do we get the response, “Maybe down the road…” (When the kids are in school, when I have more time, when I finally get organized).

You've heard it all, right? Well, suffice it to say, that timing is probably never perfect; and while sometimes there is a legitimate reason why someone can't begin immediately, often it is just procrastination and fear raising its ugly head.

Your job is to ALWAYS know why RIGHT NOW is the BEST time to join your company. Right now, it is just $_________ to get involved.

Right now, we have a wonderful hostess special, so you will have a really easy time booking parties!

Right now we are just beginning to work on earning next year's incentive trip. No matter what, RIGHT NOW is always better than later and you should be prepared to know each month of the year why RIGHT NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO JOIN!

If you are having a tough time figuring out why RIGHT NOW is the best time for someone to join your company; check in with your upline. They will always be able to tell you why someone would want to join today. Each time you accept the reply “maybe later”, rest assured that you will have to start from the beginning when you contact this prospect about joining your company again down the road. Creating a sense of urgency is key to helping new prospects get started RIGHT NOW!

Having trouble with RSVP's? Give this a try!

I LOVE this Monica! Way to be creative and think outside the box. Thank you for sharing….TSF

I wanted to tell you how much I LOVE your emails! They are always encouraging and informative! It seems you send a message that applies to a topic that I am currently dealing with!

So, I wanted to share with you a contest I recently held regarding the RSVP'ing. My hostess booked a last minute party and she was going out of town the day after the evite went out. She wasn't returning until the day before her party. So I had her guests RSVP back to me. Her party was scheduled on a Thursday and it the Saturday before and only 3 girls had responded back. So, I emailed the list of guests and held a RSVP contest.

I thanked the ladies who had already RSVP'd and then told them whoever RSVP'd back by Tuesday (the RSVP date) would be put in a drawing for a special gift even if they couldn't attend. Well... I got 20 RSVP's by the next day! It was such a good response I'm going to do it for all my future parties. You can certainly share this with your email loop if you'd like.You all have a blessed day and keep up the GREAT work!Kind regards,Monica

The Hive - this is a great idea! Definitely try it and tell me how it goes.

Money, money, money….MONEY!

Can I make any money at this? As women sometimes we steer clear of this topic. As if it is something we aren't supposed to do…make money for our time. Well, get over that. The fastest way to lose your spouse's support is to treat your business like a hobby. Remember that hobbies generally COST you money. But, I digress. Let's come back to the subject that is on a prospects mind.

Will I make any money in the party plan business? Do you know how to answer that question in a simple way? And by simple, I mean NOT percentages. Percentages generally mean NOTHING to someone who hasn't been in the business. What are the average sales at your parties? (Know you can get this information from your home office or your upline, trust me, they watch these stats like hawks). Based on the percentage that you make as a base commission, you should be able to easily tell someone what range of income they can make for an average night out doing a party. For instance, you need to be able to say to someone, “the average consultant makes $50-$125 for an evening out doing a home presentation. Our presentations take about 2 hours, so that's $25-$63 an hour, more than you'd make working at Kohl's, wouldn't you agree?”

Obviously, this will vary from company to company. Your job is to get the facts and STOP keeping them a secret. Figure out how to subtly wind them into your presentation. People ARE nosey…they DO what to know how much you earn doing what you do…don't be shy about letting them know!

Are we having FUN YET?

Today we focus on John Kalench's number 2 question that all prospects have, “Can I have fun doing this?”

As in yesterday's email, I encourage you to look at your presentation. Are you enthusiastic? Are you having a good time? If you aren't, why aren't you and what can you do to have more fun? If you need some new ideas to “spice up” your parties, consider attending a presentation by another consultant in your area. If that's not possible, at the very least, get yourself invited to a couple of other parties that your friends might be throwing. Take what you like from the other consultants and leave the rest. You might find that if you aren't having fun anymore, you are just a little stale. Open your mind, use some new ideas and start having fun again. People will like what they see and want to do what you do!

Also, if you have been on a company incentive trip or a company convention, don't be shy about having a small notebook of pictures laid out for people to look at. This is another great way to show what fun you have doing what you do!

Finally, again we land on team building. As you grown into management, be sure that you let your downline know all the things you enjoy. Don't complain or talk about being so busy you can't see straight. If there are parts of your job as a manager that aren't fun anymore, then take a look at what those things are and what you can do to change them. Get the help of an upline. Someone with more years in the business than you is a great resource, as it is likely she's been through what you are going through already and knows what to do to tweak and fine-tune!

Is this business simple?

How difficult are you making your job look? Remember, the best place to recruit is at your parties. At your next one, take a moment to critique yourself. Observe yourself through the eyes of someone who might be thinking about joining your company. How “perfect” is your display? How about your presentation? Do you know every item number and every price? If you do, certainly it is great that you are doing your job well; but are you doing it too well? Don't make your job look hard to the outsider looking in. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to make a couple of “boo-boo's”, and then treat it like it is not a big deal by saying something like, “See, I told you my job wasn't brain surgery!” Also, this is where using notes is OK as well…it makes you look duplicatible. Get the idea?

For those of you building a team, the same principal applies. You need to make management look simple. Don't complain to your downline if you are having a bad day (this is where the saying “dump up” is crucial!) Talk about and be conscious of, all the things that your company does to make your job simple. Do they provide team meeting agendas? Do you get coaching calls from your upline or home office? Any of the little perks (besides extra money) that you get for being in management with your company are the things you need to brag on with your team. They will want to do what you do and you will begin building a strong organization!

5 points worth memorizing!

In his book, “Being the Best You Can Be in MLM” author John Kalench discusses the 5 key questions in any prospects mind when considering your company's business opportunity. Committing these to memory will net increased confidence in your recruiting skills, which will, in turn, increase the number of people who you help get involved in the business.

Here are the questions:

1. Is this business simple?

2. Can I have fun doing it?

3. Can I make money doing it?

4. Will they help me do it?

5. Is the timing perfect for me to get involved - now?

It might help if you memorize just 5 key words:

1. Simple
2. Fun
3. $$
4. Help
5. Now

Getting team members to events

Cheri writes…
I really enjoy your emails - very short, concise and helpful! I was wondering if you had any tidbits on how to diplomatically get team members to return calls, RSVP to events, etc. I have a decent sized team and am working on a regional meeting and they have known about it for almost 2 months - I did the Evite concept to make it easy and still many have not even responded. I have also done personal follow up calls and an email specifically asking if they will attend or not - no response. I hear this frustration with many others and wondered if there was diplomatic way to address it with the team. Quite honestly it is rude and I know we are in a non-RSVP society now, which is really frustrating. Any thoughts would be great!

TSF:
Hi Cheri,
Thanks for your compliments - we are glad to be of help.
As to your challenge, what we CAN say is “been there, done that” and we have been in your shoes many times. It IS a “non-RSVP” society and yes, it is very frustrating to say the least. Here are some of our thoughts on this topic.

Firstly, we always say in this business, “It's the same job, same job, same job.” If nothing else, your frustration will help you empathize with your next hostess who goes through the same thing with her friends! Use this as a personal example when coaching her that people do NOT RSVP and that the personal touch is very important.

Secondly, in terms of getting people to events…this is a process and a culture that you as a leader need to create within your team. “Attend everything” needs to be your mantra from the day your new recruit signs the paperwork. Frequently a potential asks, “is it a requirement that I attend meetings?” When accompanied with body language like a shake of the head or roll of the eyes, we find ourselves saying ANYTHING just to get them to sign. Heaven forbid we set an expectation…(PLEASE just FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK)…“Oh no, meetings are helpful, but not required.” The end result can be the frustration you are now experiencing when we try to turn the culture around so-to-speak.

Thirdly, when planning events, distribute the workload LIKE CRAZY. Divide EVERYTHING up into bite-sized pieces. If people have a job, they will come!

Evites can be easily ignored. People need to be sold on coming to an event. Just like we tell our hostesses…their enthusiasm will come across when they personally talk to people. Keep phoning and give them a reason they won't want to miss this event. Again, it is the same skill we teach our hostesses to use. Think about the person you are calling and why they personally will benefit from attending this event. Keep phone messages upbeat and excited and be sure you tell them that it just won't be the same unless they are there. Stay positive and avoid making people feel guilty because they haven't responded.

Finally, some strategies to use “post-event” in order to ensure better attendance for your next meeting.

1) Sing the praises of the event like crazy. Sending emails that talk about how FUN and exciting the meeting will leave people kicking themselves for not coming.

2) Ask those in attendance to share (via email) 2 of the best tips they received.

3) AVOID re-enacting the event. When team members call to ask how the event was, stay upbeat and positive. Tell them the event was UNBELIEVABLE and how you will look forward to seeing them at the next meeting! DO NOT take time and energy to re-present the information. If you do this, why should they ever attend events themselves?

Advice from a mother-in-law

OK, many of you are squirming at the title of this tip. I love my mother-in-law dearly but in my early years of marriage found she often was a little too “helpful” with her advice (do you know what I'm saying?). However, one piece of advice she gave me has been SO helpful over the years and comes back to haunt me when I don't heed it.

Years ago, she and I were running errands together. I was a typical young mom, 2 kids in car seats, frazzled and in a hurry making a quick stop at the local ATM. I flew back into the car, tossed the cash and my card into the console area between front seats and started to throw the car into reverse. My mother-in-law stopped me and said… “Wait, just stop for 30 seconds and put your card and your cash away, it's a good habit and 30 seconds now will save you lots of time later looking for a misplaced ATM card or lost cash.” Her voice rings in my head every time I am frantically looking for keys or a purse that didn't get returned to their proper place and I am running late. Her words came back to me yesterday as I was running my business profit and loss statement in order to fill out college financial aid forms. I'd gotten sloppy with some of my transactions in November and December and was wracking my BRAIN to try to remember what it was I'd done.

What should have been a 15-minute process took the better part of the day. WHAT a waste of time. All it would have taken was an extra 30 seconds with each “mystery” transaction and so much time would have been saved in the long run.

Needless to say - “take 30 extra seconds” is one of my New Years resolutions. How about you? What is taking extra time in your business or personal life because you rushed through it and didn't do it right to begin with? Think about it…

“If you lose your money, you can always make more, if you lose time, you can never get it back…” - Jim Rohn

Ode to the Macy's Perfume Catalog

I love Valentines' and the Macy's catalog that is ALL perfume. It's an awesome opportunity for me to find out what's in the hottest new perfumes and find ways to re-create that with our UB stash of goodies!

Michael Kors Island Carpi sounds delightful and it's top 3 ingredients are as follows:

• Orange (use our mandarin)


• Rose Petals


• Violet

Escada Moon Sparkle boasts Strawberry and Apple

Sean Diddy Combs Unforgiveable is quite the concoction. See the story below

Eau de Bad BoySean Comb's Sleek, Sexy Scent Epitomizes Cool

As with any perfectionist, it goes without saying that Sean Combs would be hands-on in the making of anything and everything that has his name on it. His experience as a mixologist dates back to childhood when he would cook up crazy Kool-Aid™ flavor combinations for his family—long before companies began selling them that way. So it’s not surprising that during the creation of Unforgivable, Combs went so far as inviting the team of perfumers to his home for what turned out to be a marathon mixing session. An incredible 665 sample scent combinations later, Combs finally made up his mind.

Unforgivable (a.k.a. #666) is a citrus-musk mix made up of three main elements:

HOT: An uplifting introduction of Italian bergamot, green mandarin, and Moroccan birch are topped with a sparkling champagne accord.

FABULOUS: Crisp and sensual Mediterranean air accord dissolves into a crisp pool of refreshing Tuscan basil, Florentine iris, clay sage, and lavender.

SEXY: A delightful contrast of warm cashmere accord and cool sea moss blend with the sophistication of Australian sandalwood, amber, tonka bean, and the smooth sensuality of rum for the perfect finish.

Another winner is Coco Mademoiselle:

You might want to call her Miss -- but she prefers COCO MADEMOISELLE.With the creation of COCO MADEMOISELLE in 2001, Jacques Polge reaffirms the modernity of the young Coco Chanel, who overturned convention with the pure and simple lines of her inimitable style. COCO MADEMOISELLE is the fragrance Coco Chanel would wear if she were 21 at the dawn of the 21st century.

Fragrance Family

Fresh oriental, enlivened with modern, unexpected notes.

Sparkling, lively top notes of Orange and Bergamot are followed by clear, pure middle notes of Jasmine petals and Morning Rose. Base notes of Patchouli and Vetiver express a discreet sensuality.

The basics for one of my favorite scents Juicy Couture are:

Mandarin, Rose, and Lily! Make a lotion or shower gel to go with the complex blend.

Last but not least I'm a huge fan of Gwen Stefani's new scent called LAMB! Look at all the notes she uses that UB carries!

L L.A.M.B. Fragrance By Gwen Stefani Introducing L, the first L.A.M.B. fragrance by Gwen Stefani. Gwen's iconic style goes beyond music, beyond fashion, beyond boundaries. The L stands for Love, the first letter of her L.A.M.B clothing and accessories collection. Her signature fragrance is a fusion of feminine and masculine, with a luscious floral scent that bursts with sparkling freshness, then wraps you in the warmth of sensual musks. The packaging reflects all the things Gwen loves, by utilizing the Rasta colors red, yellow, and green, plus turquoise, white, and black stripes. This is truly a glamorous, sexy signature scent that is pure Gwen.

Notes:Fresh Green Notes, Water Hyacinth, White Freesia, Fresh Pear, Violet Leaves, Jasmine Petals, Rose, Muget, Sweet Pea, Orange Blossom, Heliotrope Flower, Sensual Musk, Frangipani Blossom, Peach Skin.

Style:Unique. Powerful. Cool.