Some doctors have a great bedside manner. They are sensitive, personable and in tune with the specific needs of their patients. Even if the topic that they discuss with you is `routine' for them - they talk with you as if it were the first time they were ever giving anyone this information.
Then there are the doctors who have said what they need to say so many times that they are on automatic pilot. They are in and they are out - so busy thinking about whatever is next on their agenda that the emotional needs of their patient are not even a consideration.
If you are a seasoned consultant and have been tempted hit the delete button because this `building blocks' series is seemingly old information for you - I would urge you to read on. You may be, unwittingly, in the category of the doctor lacking bedside manner.
In today's email, I encourage you to take a step back and look with discerning eyes at your hostess coaching skills. Are you as really as effective as you could be? Are you covering ALL the points necessary for your hostess to have a successful party or has it become so familiar to you that perhaps you are assuming that she knows how to throw a successful party and some details are getting lost?
One of the best tools that I can recommend when coaching your hostess is a checklist. Pilots use them before each flight - no matter how many hours they have flown. They never trust their memory and neither should you. The difference between a party that is average and a party that is GREAT is usually the work you do prior to the party coaching your hostess.
Below you will find a generic hostess coaching checklist. Feel free to customize it to the specifics of your company, parties and products. Of course this is a great training tool for new consultants but I would challenge you today to use it yourself for the next 90 days and see if this new habit makes a difference in your parties.
Hostess Coaching Checklist
Name:____________________________________________
Date/Time:_____________________________________
Phone:____________________ E-Mail:__________________
Address:_______________________________________
Directions:__________________________________________
Wish List:_____________________________________________
___ Hostess Packet given or mailed (circle one)____________________________
DATE
Call #1 (When the party is dated)
___Review the Hostess Program with her
___Stress the importance of personally inviting guests via phone or in person.
___Have her contact 8 - 10 `key' people on her list within the next 48 hours to be sure the
agreed upon date will work for them so that she may reschedule immediately if necessary.
Personal contact is more effective than email invitations because her guests will hear her enthusiasm.
Call #2 (48 hours later)___________________________
DATE
___ Confirm date or reschedule if necessary
___ Re-excite the hostess by helping her to develop her wish list
___ Brainstorm her guest list. Help her think about all the circles of friends in her life. Over-invite (30-40 only 1/3 will come). Help her with what to say to her friends to invite them.
___ Review any specials
___ Send me the invitation mailing list within 48 hours so I can send out invitations and/or help with day before reminder calls.
___ Thank her, schedule a time for your next call (about a week prior to the party)
Let her know how excited you are and how much fun her party is going to be!
Call #3 (Approximately one week before the party)________________________________
DATE
___Invitations have been mailed or emailed (by me or Hostess)
___ Continue inviting people (hand out invitations in person as well)
___ Keep your hostess encouraged by reminding her that people do not always RSVP so follow up is important. Typical responses are YES, NO, MAYBE or non-committal. Remind her to let them know they can book their own party or place an outside order if they cannot attend.
___Help your hostess with details of collecting outside orders. Ask friends to keep the catalog for 24 hours and have all orders collected before the party in order to close that night.
___Plant a recruiting seed with your hostess - Have you ever considered doing what I do?
Call #4 (Day or two before the party)_______________________________
DATE
___ “I am so looking forward to your party - we are going to have so much fun!”
___ Who have you talked to in the last day or two? I'll be helping you by doing reminder calls to your guests, just like the dentist office does.
___ Check on lighting in the room you where you will do your presentation.
___Double check on “kid status” (dad or sitter please)
___Serve refreshments first
___Double check directions, I'll arrive 30 minutes ahead of time to set up. See you then!
____Thank you note mailed to the hostess _________________________
DATE
____Follow-up/Thank you calls to the Guests and Hostess (preferably the day after the party)
________________________
DATE
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