1. Time and Convenience (I’m too busy to make a commitment.”)
2. Money (“Everyone I know is out of money or work.”)
3. House or location (“I’m never home”, or “My house is a mess.”)

For the time and location issues, try using the Low-Carb Alternative party*–in other words, just give them the meat. Low-Carb dining is popular. Just as a Low-Carb meal needs to be light, flavorful, instant and satisfying, so it is with low-carb booking success.

Light: Minimize the presentation time and the number of guests required.

Flavorful: Power-pack the mini product demonstration tailored to their needs.

Instant: make it easy to book with you with minimal planning or lead time-book in close.

Satisfying: Cut the time, but don’t skimp on customer service.

One nice thing about Low-Carb parties is that they can be done virtually anywhere! Before and after presentations work well. They are done before the movies, after work, after exercising; in fact, meet them at the gym! Because the Low-Carb party happens without much notice, invitation are informal (a call or an email) and the hostess need not be stressed about her home or refreshments.

Of course, this recipe only works if you make the booking calls and offer! It might sound like this: “Sally, I would love to conduct a party for you because I know it would be successful and fun. I offer two options: we can do a regular party with all the bells and whistles, or I now offer a lighter low-carb alternative. What sounds most appetizing to you?”

She may laugh, but she will certainly ask you to tell her more.

Address the money issue with free product offerings for the hostess or for a guest who provides referrals. Also, adopting a genuine no-pressure sales attitude is the key! If you are passionate about your jewelry, you know they will love it once they see it. 

Catalog parties have become quite the craze. It’s a matter of  dropping off a catalog and some order forms and having them fill out the information on their time and place.

Here are some suggestions of where to find sales…

-School Front Office- the ladies love to wear the jewelry and show it off to other parents

-Doctor and Dentist offices

-Starbucks, Panera (post a flyer on the corkboard)

-Discussions in the gym locker room

-Supermarket

-Church or Synagogue

-Airport

*Thanks to Build and Big and Joellen Sutterfield, direct seller, for her low-carb alternative idea.

Eleven years ago, I was laid off from one of my favorite jobs when I was on maternity leave. Being a first time mom, I wasn’t exactly sure if I was going to go back to work or stay home, but the decision was already made for me. I felt like I needed something just for me–to have adult conversations and a little pocket money. It was hard 11 years ago to find a job with flexible hours working from home but I was determined to find it. I started my own wholesale business and it was the perfect combination of work and family for me. I really feel passionate about giving other women the same opportunity.

What gave you the inspiration to turn your passion into a business?

At a moms networking group more than 10 years ago, I met a new friend who made me a bracelet as a gesture of our friendship. I loved it so much that I insisted she teach me how to make jewelry. At this point our friendship and business began. We were encouraged by our friends to start having parties and sell the jewelry with our unique style. Since I have a degree in Fine Art and the ability to sit still, I was inspired to combine both my artistic background and my interest in starting a business together and fit it into my family life.

What makes your jewelry unique?

Each piece is designed by me, as we do not resell pieces already designed and manufactured. My jewelry is known for it’s whimsical colors and that it lends itself to both dressy and casual wear.

How did your boutique business help prepare you for being the CEO of a direct sales company?

Growing my other business helped me learn how to build an organization. I learned how to wear many hats including designing, buying, marketing, sales and accounting. I learned what type of styles to sell and what price points work–especially within this economy.

Why the direct sales business model?

I had a successful wholesale business for nearly 10 years. In addition to selling to small stores and boutiques, I began holding annual Open Houses for friends and family. Each year, the party became larger and larger. I have seen how successful these parties can be and wanted to provide this opportunity for others to enhance their earning potential. This business felt like a natural next step.

How does Sydney Andrews stand apart from other jewelry companies in the direct sales industry?

We keep it simple. We have designed a very approachable program that is straight forward based on generous consultant commissions and affordable, unique products. We cater to both people who want to work and structure their own part-time business and people who want to build an organization.

What advice would you give someone who’s been burned by another opportunity who is afraid to try again?

One of my favorite sayings is, “When one door closes, another one opens.” While Sydney Andrews is a new addition to the company, the proven success of the product is not new. To counter the relative “newness”, we offer enhanced commissions, generous hostess gifts and the opportunity to build a team of consultants. Since we are starting out small and planning to grow this business over time, we are available by phone. We are open to suggestions from our consultants, as we want to grow this company together.

What type of support do you have from your family?

I have great support from my family. My husband, Vic, is my partner and he handles a great deal of the marketing and sales. He encouraged me to more forward with this business. My children, Andrew and Sydney, are my PR department! They love to tell people about my business and how it is named after them. They also enjoy helping out at the shows, when I was doing them myself.

As a busy mother yourself, how do you balance it all?

Since I work from home, and with modern technology, I am able to work around the schedule of my family. I work during school hours and after the children go back to bed. As my business has grown, I’ve also had to hire people to assist me so that I can continue to allocate time to my family.

Last question…name 5 things that most people wouldn’t know about you?

I’m a chocoholic.
I love to dance hip-hop and salsa.
I am originally from New Jersey.
I am not known for my cooking.
I am a dog lover!

As you can see, Jill is quite a woman. I can tell how much she cares about her consultants and helping them achieve success. It was great to get to know her better and I see great things in store for you all at Sydney Andrews.