By Jill Pfefer

It is so frustrating to have cancellations and postponements when booking your calendar. You are organized, why isn’t everyone else?  Unfortunately, it is a part of the home party business.  The two most common reasons the hostess cancels her show is due to procrastination and projected low attendence.  The hostess often  puts off inviting her guests and by the time she gets around to inviting them-it’s too late because everyone has plans. 

Communication and education with your hostess is the key to minimizing your cancellations and postponements and maximizing your attendance. Keeping in contact and focusing on her excitement about the party is crucial.  Make sure she understands “what’s in it for her.”  She’s having this party because she loves the product. Ask her “Do you remember what you receive for hosting a show?” Remind her that the more attendance +more sales = more rewards for her.   It’s a numbers game..

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by Vic Pfefer

The lives of educators can be rewarding and frustrating. Most entered the field because of their interest in helping people, especially children. Unfortunately, the pay scale of educators tends to be be in the lower quartile of the  salaried occupations (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), especially when you consider the amount of time that is required for lesson planning, grading, etc, that tends to take place after “working hours”. This situation is compounded by the fact that school budgets are being slashed and many teachers feel obligated to pick up the slack and buy supplies out of their own pockets.

Direct Sales is a perfect way for educators to generate additional income for themselves and can also be a great way to raise funds to help support their school, if that is a motivator.  Many direct sales products ( jewelry, handbags, cosmetics, etc) are well positioned to take advantage of the demographics of both the teacher/seller and the buyer/parent, which tend to be dominated by women. The majority of direct sales take place in the evening and on weekends which also works well for their schedules.

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How do you know when you have achieved success in your direct sales business?  Is it a certain dollar amount?  Is it a certain position within your organization?  Is it the fancy car you drive or the enormous house you can now afford? How do you get to this success?

The definition for success is different for each individul. A methodical and logical way to acheive this success is attained by setting goals and having a clear vision. Learning to set goals takes practice and a strong focus.  It’s like going to Weight Watchers and having set that weight goal and planning each step as to how to get to your desired weight.  With practice, focus and support you can acheive your goal and the more you do it the easier and better you get at doing it. By creating a good habit you will see positive results and your behavior will likely repeat itself.

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By Jill Pfefer

After spending 4 days in Los Angeles at the Direct Selling Women’s Alliance (DSWA) conference it was  evident that there are new trends in the home party plan industry.  In fact, direct selling in general has changed. People are looking  for a conversation rather than a presentation.

I believe a lot of this has to do with technology and the new era of social media. People are spending a great deal of time on their computers and smart phones and are not conversing as much in person. Therefore it seems that when people communicate with  technology they feel that they have to get straight to the point and offer their product as soon as possible before losing their audience. WRONG! So many times I see on Facebook , Twitter or 3rd party sites  the deal of the month or why their product is the greatest product on earth. WRONG!

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