Offering a Customer Newsletter (or eNewsletter) is one of the most TIME effective and COST effective things you can do to increase your Party Plan Business in big ways.  Reports show that companies that use eNewsletters have seen an increase in business both in first time sales and even larger increase in returning sales.   eNewsletters can also increase your customer loyalty, referrals, and enhance your reputation as an “expert” in your field.

But how do you know you are writing a great eNewsletter?  Here are some tips for making each eNewsletter that you send an exciting, effective marketing tool.

Carefully plan out your content.

Each eNewsletter should include these five vital pieces:

• a welcome note from you
• a product highlight and/or special with testimonials
• hostess rewards with a call to action to “book your party now”
• information on the business opportunity with a call to action to “join my team”
• and an informational article relating to your industry

The welcome note should be a personal, upbeat note in your own words that thanks your readers for reading the newsletter, tells a bit about something you might be “excited” about, things going on with your business etc.  Make sure it is positive and upbeat – it will most likely be the first thing your customer reads.  Make sure it makes a great first impression.

Always highlight a single product or product bundle with a link to purchase going directly to that product check out page if possible.  Include a picture, description, sale or special if applicable, and a testimonial – even if it is your own!   Include a call to action (“Order Now While Supplies Last”) to create a sense of urgency and inspire your reader to purchase.

Hostess Rewards and Opportunity should be in every single eNewsletter you send out!  You never know who might receive your mailing at “just the right time” for them to book a party or join your team.  Your Hostess Rewards should include the sales or specials for the upcoming month – encouraging bookings early in your month to help “front load” your month to increase your monthly volume.  Also include a call to action with these as well.

A Informational Article turns your eNewsletter into a resource instead of simply a sales page.  By offering “free” information – tips, ideas, strategies, etc – your readers will come to know that your eNewsletters are full of useful information for them – even if they do not intend to purchase at this time.  Instead of simply deleting the eNewsletter, they are more inclined to open it to see what they might learn.  Your readers will be drawn in with the article, and may venture over to reading your sales pieces as well.  Either way you are continuing to show that you are knowledgeable in your field and willing to share what you know.

Build Your eNewsletter List.

Even if you have the best, most well written eNewsletter EVER – if no one is receiving it, your business is not going to benefit at all.   The larger your mailing list, the more beneficial each eNewsletter will be.

At your parties, ask your party goers for their email address to add to your email newsletter list.  If you are using the “Three Ways to Be Involved” introduction at your parties, include the eNewsletter offer when talking about benefits of being a customer or client.

Write a report or eBook to offer for free to everyone who signs up to your eNewsletter.   eNewsletter software such as Constant Contact give you the option of creating an auto responder which can give your brand new readers a free eBook or report when they opt-in to receive your eNewsletter.  The report can be “Top Ten Tips” for your industry, a great “how to” report, etc.  Remember, YOU are an expert – and the training you receive from your company is meant to build your business.  Share what you know!

Invite people to join your eNewsletter via your Social Media outlets, email, voice mail, etc.  With an Opt-In form – which most all eNewsletter software offer you – you can offer the opportunity for people to sign up for your eNewsletter no matter where they live, what time zone they are in, etc.  Your Opt-In form will be there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  So spread the word about your Newsletter on your Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, account, LinkdIn, in the side bar of your blog, in the signature on your email – everywhere!

Timing Is Everything.

The whole foundation of Party Plan Divas is a Time Management System that I have specifically created for Party Plan Consultants.  If you follow the Diva Success System, you know that I recommend your eNewsletters are sent out on the 20th day of each month.   This may go against other trainings you have seen that suggest sending them out near the beginning of the month, but let me explain why the 20th is an ideal time frame for your eNewsletter.

Sending later in the month creates that sense of urgency with your sales and specials because the “offer” is only good for another 10 or so days.   When you receive a “sale” that is good for an entire month, it is easy for a customer to think “oh, I want that, but it can wait till next payday.”  Chances are you will be long forgotten about by the time that next payday rolls around.

The 20th day of the month also gives you time to get some Hostess Coaching in – even if your Hostess books for the very first day of the next month!  Let’s say you send out your eNewsletter the morning of February 20th, and you receive an email or call of a hostess asking to have a party on March 1st – that gives you a full eight days to get invitations in the mail, get her some catalogs to show for outside orders, etc.  You can still get some of the vital Hostess Coaching steps in even with a party the very first day.

Likewise with the Business Opportunity information, most every Party Plan Company has a blueprint for getting started on the right track in the first month of her career.  With that in mind, you have the 8-11 days from the time the eNewsletter is mailed out until the first day of the following month to meet with her, tell her more about the opportunity, etc – even to schedule a KickOff Party if you choose to get her started at the beginning of the month and help her have a fantastic “first month in the business.”

With eNewsletter software you can also track your statistics to see who opened your eNewsletter, what they clicked on, and whether or not they shared or forwarded the email.  You can easily track what works – and what doesn’t!

 Be Consistent

With anything else in your business, consistency is key.   This is why I recommend The Diva Success System – it helps you to stay on track and solidify a system so that you can maintain consistency on every aspect of your Party Plan business.  Your eNewsletter readers will come to know and expect an email from you each month, and will look forward to reading what you have in store for them every single month.  Sporadic, thrown together emails are obvious and annoying, and show disorganization within your business.  Create the habit, get in the routine, and give your eNewsletter the same priority as every other part of your business.

An email Newsletter is a phenomenal way to increase your business quickly, economically, and effectively right from your home.  You can work on your eNewsletter with your children at home, with or without a car in the driveway, or even in the middle of the night when you finally get some time to concentrate. You do not have to pick up the 600 pound phone, or worry about what you are going to “say” to someone.

Whatever your situation, you can begin right now to increase your business using an eNewsletter.

Last night Mike and I dined at a local restaurant and listened in as a customer was trying to give his order to the waiter… who was just NOT understanding what he was trying to say.  Both the customer and the waiter got frustrated, and sadly when the order came out – and was wrong – instead of sending it back, we over heard the customer say “No, it is fine, we just will not come back.”

Communication is such a critical part in Leadership, that it can truly be a defining factor on whether a company succeeds or fails.  Misunderstandings, Assumptions, and simply LACK of Communication are all detrimental to even the best of businesses.  In fact, I think it may be THE #1 thing that could make a difference of whether a company succeeds or fails.

In the last few months I have seen many Party Plan Consultants walk away from their businesses stating reasons like “I never knew what was going on,”  “I felt all alone,”  “I never heard from anyone,” “I was only talked to when I was producing big numbers,”  “I only felt important when I had big sales.”  In the case of the restaurant, it is a customer who was unhappy and will probably not only not visit the establishment again, but share with his friends the poor experience that he had.  In Leadership, you simply can not afford to have this barrier.

So how do you overcome this?  How do you communicate effectively to ensure the success of your business?

Do it well.

One misconception about effective communication is that there needs to be a lot of “fluff” and “pizazz.”   With all of the junk and distractions we are presented with each day, effective communication now is more about getting the point across in a clear, concise manner as quickly and effectively as possible.   Do not try to jazz up your communications with a bunch of fancy words or phrases in an attempt to sound more professional.  Research shows that the best communication is at about a 4th grade reading level, there fore everyone understands it.  Get to the point so everyone can get on with their day.

Do it often.

In my opinion you can not OVER communicate something important to your team.  In fact I think a lot of times it is not even WHAT you are communicating as much as it is showing that you ARE communicating and keeping people “in the loop.”  People want to feel informed, they want to feel included -  the sense of unknowing leads to fear, upset, and eventually giving up.  By “touching base” often, even with small updates, you are showing that their time matters, and that you care about them enough to want to keep them informed.

Do it together.

Collaboration is the new business model in 2011.   People not only want to be in the know, they also want to be seen and heard with their opinions.   Tools such as YahooGroups, Google+ Circles, Facebook Groups, etc allow for you to not only get your message sent, but also for everyone in the “group” to be able to discuss and weigh in as well.   It gives your team a feeling of belonging, and that their feelings truly matter.

Do it now.

My pastor said this week “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago… the second best time is right now.”   Whether you are a brand new Leader, or whether you have been leading a team for years, the best time to begin great communication is right now.  Stop what you are doing right now, and send an email out to your team.  Or create a Facebook Group and then announce it to your team.  Let them know that you care, that you are there to help them, and that you will be working to keep them as informed as possible to help them succeed in their business – no matter how high or low their sales are this week.   Send a note to them that effectively communicates that you will be communicating more effectively

Keeping your team connected and informed is one of the first steps to building a remarkable team.  It is one of the easiest, and most effective things you can do to ensure the success of your business.

Last month we talked at length about YouTube and how to make great videos to increase your Party Plan Business.  The conversation continued to our Message Boards and I have been delighted to see so many Divas stepping up and stepping in front of the camera for some amazing videos!

Whether you are just getting started with Videos or have been uploading for a while now, there are a few great tips to make sure you get the most out of your Video Marketing Efforts.

1. Stabilize your video.  Regardless of what filming device you are using – make sure you have it on a flat, STILL surface.  There is nothing worse than watching a video that invokes the need for a Dramamine.  You can stack your camera on books, tables – I have even used a flower vase to get the right height.

2.  Intro and Exit Music.   In our business we know how the “little touches” can make so much difference.  Video is the same way.  By adding intro and exit music clips, you immediately grab the viewers attention, and set the tone for a fun, entertaining video.

3. Speaking of music, having a great video editing software is imperative.   Thankfully, there are several out there to meet every budget and techy ability!  You can also use a multimedia software that will “do it all” – text, video, imaging, and audio.  Even minor editing touches – like music and captions – will make your video more exciting and memorable to watch.

4.  Begin with a picture preview.  A great way to grab your viewers attention is with a preview at the beginning of the video.  You can do this with a series of images scrolling while the intro music is being played.  You can grab images from within your video, or take still images with your camera and use a digital picture editor to edit them and insert into the video.  The preview will be the first impression the viewer has of your video, and will be the deciding factor on whether or not they will watch the entire video.  There are many photo editing programs that you can use to make sure your pictures are the best they can be, and will draw in your viewers.

5. Use captions.  As I mentioned before, captions are a great way to keep your viewers involved in your videos.  Using your video editing software, add in additional thoughts, comments, links, or tips to add value to what you are saying.  Make sure you use a font that is large and easy to read, and you leave it visible long enough to be read.

6. Use Humor.  Let your personality shine in your videos, and use humor to keep your viewers engaged.   Make sure not to offend anyone, but you can be funny and gently poke fun – even at yourself – too lighten the mood and keep your viewers entertained and wanting more.

7. Involve your Customers.  Be sure to end your video by involving your customers – either by asking a questions or giving them a “call to action” to do something after the video is over.   Asking your customers to “visit your blog,” “Like your Fanpage,” or “tell me what YOU would like to see” will most often inspire your viewers to engage with you further, thus continuing to build the relationship.  Make sure that when they DO what it is that you ask, that you respond as well.

8. Don’t worry about perfection.  Even if you have the best editing software there is, do not worry about trying to be “perfect.”  our industry wants and needs to show that we are all human – not robots, not paid actors – real people.  Let your personality shine, have a sense of humor, laugh at yourself for little boo boos, and be proud of yourself for even getting in front of the camera!

Video Marketing is one of the best things you can do to expand your Party Plan Business and Online Presence.  Make it a goal to start right away and start taking advantage of this amazing opportunity to literally be seen and heard!  I promise, you will be so glad that you did!

Hi! Thanks for stopping by the 30 Days of Faves Blog Party hosted here at The Party Plan Coach! Each day Divas from around the World will be highlighting their favorite products from their Home Party Plan line. I will be highlighting my favorite business tips, tools, and inspiration for you to help build your Home Party Plan business. Be sure to check back every day in June to see what’s new!

One of my favorite business building tools costs literally pennies and can add hundreds or even thousands to your monthly retail volume, fill your calendar or even build your Diva Empire.  What little tool is this powerful?  EasyScratchOffs. Check them out:

EasyScratchOffs.com offers Scratch Off Stickers in many different shapes, sizes, and colors.  The ones I use most are the 1 inch silver stickers.  You can see many different style and ideas of Scratch Off Cards here.  They even have a downloadable template of a Birthday Card that you can print and use directly from your home computer!  Create a new VIP Program, Referral Program, or simply increase your Sales, Bookings, and Recruiting with the help of EasyScratchOffs.com.

Hi! Thanks for stopping by the 30 Days of Faves Blog Party hosted here at The Party Plan Coach! Each day Divas from around the World will be highlighting their favorite products from their Home Party Plan line. I will be highlighting my favorite business tips, tools, and inspiration for you to help build your Home Party Plan business. Be sure to check back every day in June to see what’s new!

One mantra you will hear me say over and over is “Actions which are REWARDED are REPEATED!” I am a huge believer that the more you recognize someone for their achievements, the more they will work to do it again and again.   Even the smallest of achievements are deserving of a reward, and with companies like Glitz Et Al,  recognition has never been easier!

Glitz Et Al has over 2,000 items for Recognition, Rewards, or Motivate your Team Members.  With items as low as $1, it is easy and affordable to recognize even the smallest achievements.  The also have Ribbon Holders, Add-A-Beads, and   Build-A-Necklace/Bracelet options while let you create Recognition Campaigns for your team!

In their own words:

Glitz Recognition and Promotion has been providing direct sales leaders the tools for growth for over 15 years. With backgrounds in design and marketing, Glitz Recognition and Promotion sources and designs cost effective, quality and fashionable jewelry and accessories that your sales associates will strive to earn! Through hundreds of manufacturers Glitz Recognition and Promotion is able to offer thousands of products for imprinting and branding your message!

Whether you are brand new to Leadership or looking for a cost effective way to recognize a large team, Glitz Et Al has you covered with everything you need to add some “bling” to your rewards!

Hi! Thanks for stopping by the 30 Days of Faves Blog Party hosted here at The Party Plan Coach! Each day Divas from around the World will be highlighting their favorite products from their Home Party Plan line. I will be highlighting my favorite business tips, tools, and inspiration for you to help build your Home Party Plan business. Be sure to check back every day in June to see what’s new!

In my coaching I get two main questions over… and over… and over.  The first is “How do I manage my time?” which of course I answer simply with The Diva Success System.  The second question though is even more common – “How Do I Book More PARTIES!?!?”

Booking Parties is the real lifeline of the Home Party Plan Business.  Without Parties… you really do not have a Business.  Sure, you can have outside random orders, but it is at the Party that the real “magic” happens. My mantra always is – One party a week you are maintaining a business, two parties a week you are building a business!

Now, all Party Plan Companies offer awesome Hostess Rewards, but from time to time you need a little extra *something* to get Parties on the books.  Just a little extra incentive to get the calendar filled.  THAT is where my next Fave – TwentyDestinations.com – comes in.

TwentyDestinations.com offers wholesale vacation vouchers that you are free to use in any way you choose.  Each voucher will give your customer a free* two night stay at any one of the over 20 destinations (understand the name now? ) The customer will pay a $15 processing fee, as well as the taxes for the room (generally less than $12 per night) and the rest is taken care of with the voucher.

The Travel Industry actually benefits from this as well, as it has been proven that we are creatures of habit, and most often will return to the same vacation spots over and over again.  These vouchers work as “testers” for customers to see the city of their choice at a reasonable rate, in hopes they will stay there again (and pay full price) for their next vacation.  Also, many vacationers choose to stay longer than the 2 nights – especially if they have to fly to their destination – so they will recoup their cost with the travelers additional stay.

I used one of these vouchers several years ago to test it out and stayed in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Our hotel was very nice, and not far from the French Quarter.  It offered a continental breakfast and was within walking distance of everything we wanted to see.  It was a fantastic trip, and using the voucher was a piece of cake.

You can use the TwentyDestinations.com vouchers as Booking Incentives (Book a party in the month of July and receive a free Two Night Romantic Getaway!) as Sales Incentives (Order $100 or more and receive a free Two Night Vacation for you and a friend!) or even Recruiting Incentives (Join my team and I will send you on Vacation!) And at only around $.20 a piece, you can even send them randomly to your “VIPs” (Just a free gift to say Thank you for all you have done to help my business!)

See all of the details, FAQ’s, and Place your order at http://www.twentydestinations.com/

Hi! Thanks for stopping by the 30 Days of Faves Blog Party hosted here at The Party Plan Coach! Each day Divas from around the World will be highlighting their favorite products from their Home Party Plan line. I will be highlighting my favorite business tips, tools, and inspiration for you to help build your Home Party Plan business. Be sure to check back every day in June to see what’s new!

One of my favorite Recruiting Tools is a Brag Book.  Simply put, this is a simple binder full of personal pictures, awards, and thoughts about how your life has been enriched by being a Party Plan Consultant.

In this Brag Book you should include:

Your Monthly Bonus checks – I have my first one, and then one from exactly one year later – it is over seven times larger than the first one!

Any recognition you have received – from the company, from your sponsor, from ANYONE who has given you a pat on the back! Any awards you have won.

Pictures of any events you have been involved in – Expos, Convention, Regional Trainings, etc. I have my bus pass from my very first Convention in Las Vegas!

Team pictures – Carry a camera everywhere, and when you meet with your team, get someone to take a snapshot!

Who you work for – Nope, not your sponsor – Your FAMILY! Share pictures of any trips you have taken thanks to your business, or simply just spending time with the ones you love – being your own boss is GREAT! I even have a picture of my Chihuahua!

The Brag Book can be left out while you are taking orders so everyone can flip through. It is also a great way to keep you motivated – even when you get down, flipping through your Brag Book can remind you why you do this business, and how lucky we all really are to have this gift!!!   Check out my old Brag Book:

Running Sales and Promotions are a huge part of the Party Plan Industry – but how do you make them a huge success?  No matter how great the offer may be – if it doesn’t generate business – what is the point, right?    Use this quick five tips to create an awesome promotion, get the word out, and keep your customers coming back again and again!

1. Decide what the objective is for the Sale. What is your goal?  Do you wish to increase your monthly sales volume?  Are you looking to gain new customers or reservice your existing customers?  Do you want to including Bookings into your Sales promotion?  Set your goal for EXACTLY what you want the promotion to achieve and then plan everything with that goal in mind.

2.  Create a Sales Promotion gives a great deal, without giving away your profit. Contrary to popular belief, you can have a great sale without “giving away the farm.”  I am a firm believer that we are in the business to MAKE money, not SPEND it… well, don’t GIVE it away either!  If you make 20% commission on sales, running a 10% off sale has just given away HALF of your earnings!   The truth is, your Party Plan Company has gone to great lengths to get you exceptional products at exceptional prices.   Get creative with your sales promotions and offer services along with product to add more value to your promotion!  Examples: Complimentary Skin Care Consultation with any order over $50.  My Top 5 Recipes with any Home Kitchen Purchase over $50. Free Gift Wrapping with any order over $50.

3.  Plan Your Promotions  ahead of time to be properly prepared. Timing is key, give yourself at least a few weeks in advance to get all of your sales tools ready. You will use this time to get some flyers, and advertising materials that will best showcase your promotion. Think about what kind of sale you will be running as well as what is within your budget.  Consider holidays, seasons, and other National and Worldwide events when planning your promotions.  Try to have all of your Sales planned out no less than 90 days in advance to have plenty of time to order and receive your promo items.

4. Create “Limited Time Offers.” Speaking of TIME – Run promotions for no longer than a week to ten days to create a sense of urgency.   People do not want to “miss out” on a great opportunity, so so create the sense of urgency with a close ending date on your promotion. Giving someone an entire MONTH for a sale will most likely allow for the customer to procrastinate (“oh I will buy that next payday”) and then forget about it entirely.

5. Get the word out! Sales promotions – like bookings – are about numbers.  The more people you tell – the more sales you will receive.  Simple as that.  So get the word out!  Send a Customer email, post on Facebook, write a blog post, ask others to share on their Facebook and Blog pages,  post on community message boards -spread the word like your life depended on it, be excited, this excitement will transfer well to your customers.

Building your Home Party Plan Business CAN be a very expensive endeavor – but it doesn’t HAVE to be!  There are hundreds of ways to build your business FREE or nearly free.  In fact – many of the FREE options will have even more ROI (Return on Investment) than many of the pricier options.  Check out my best tips for Building Your Home Party Plan Business on a Budget:

1. Customer Care - First and foremost always remember that we are all in the RELATIONSHIP business – the better the relationship you have with your customers, the better your business will be.  Whether you sell lipstick, lingerie, handbags or hair accessories, Customer Care is an absolutely FREE way to build your business in huge ways.  Keep in close contact with all of your customers, hostesses, and prospects.  Emails, phone calls, and text messages are all ways to keep in touch with your customers on a regular basis and keep them coming back time and time again.

2.  Referrals - Make it a habit of asking the Five Magic Words – “Who do you know who…” Referrals are an incredible way to build your business with no expense.  You can literally ask every single person you know or come into contact with the Five Magic Words – “Who do you know who…. would be interested in earning some free jewelry this month?”  “Who do you know who … would like to make some extra money this summer?”  “Who do you know who is in need of a fun Girls Night In?” By asking “Who do you know who” – you are asking for a NAME, not a “yes” or “no.”  You can make the Five Magic Words work for you in any situation and get the results you want – a REFERRAL!

3. Take Advantage of Free Advertising Outlets - Have you ever been in a store and saw a Community Board or Bulletin Board?  Many stores have a local “What’s Happening” cork board somewhere – even if it is in the Employee Break Room.   Take advantage of these boards by putting up Tear Tab Flyers, Business Cards, Postcards, etc.  As a member of Party Plan Divas you will have access to hundreds of Templates you can download to your computer to use any time!

4. VistaPrint – Speaking of Business Cards, Postcards, and Flyers – VistaPrint.com is an incredible resource for stocking up on these crucial marketing materials at a fraction of the price.  By signing up for their Exclusive Offers emails (bottom right hand side of the page) you will receive all of their promotional emails – offering items such as 250 free business cards, 100 free post cards, 25 free brochures, and more!

5. Party Swapping - Look up other Party Plan Consultants and consider Party Swapping – you agree to host a party for her, if she will host a party for you!  This is a great way to meet new customers who you might not otherwise meet!  Other Party Plan Consultants can also be a great resources for finding Expos, Networking Events, and just Sisterhood Support.   Remember that it is very unethical to try to Recruit another Party Plan Consultant – even if she is struggling, do not use that as an opportunity to recruit her.

6. Hold An Open House - Looking for Hostesses?  Why not BE one!?  Hold your own Open House and invite literally EVERYONE who you have ever done business with, or would want to introduce your business to.  Offer incentives for Bookings and Sales!  You can even consider making it a “Mystery Hostess Open House”  – put all of your orders in a basket after the event is over, and draw one customer to receive all of the Hostess Rewards from the Open House!  This is a great opportunity to showcase new products, introduce new collections, and highlight new Hostess Rewards Programs.

7. Social Media - The numbers for Social Media in 2011 are staggering – with nearly 600 MILLION users on Facebook alone.  Even if you are not very tech-savvy, you can begin building an online presence via Facebook, Twitter, LinkdIn, and – my absolute favorite – BLOGGING! With Search Engines all but eliminating phone books, it is crucial to have an Online Presence to keep up with today’s market.

8. Join a Networking Group – Many cities offer all kinds of Networking Groups.  Women’s Groups, Small Business Groups, Direct Sales Groups – you name it – they are all out there!  Check your local Chamber of Commerce Events Calendar to find Networking Events in your area. ( If there isn’t one in your area – START ONE!  Check out Diva Success Sisters to learn how!) Some are free and some are paid – but most all of them will let you attend a meeting or two first to make sure it is a good fit.  Be sure to take your Business Cards and other Marketing Materials, along with your Award-Winning Smile, Positive Attitude, and “Elevator Pitch” and talk to as many people as possible.

9. Gardening - Gardening is the term we use at Party Plan Divas for Marketing your business.  Gardening is like “planting seeds” of success while out doing your normal daily routine.  While you are dropping your kiddos at school, run in and offer Gardening Gifts to the teachers and staff in the office.  When you head to lunch, take Gardening Gifts for the waitstaff at the restaurant.  While you are at the Grocery Store, offer little Gardening Gifts to the employees in each department – including the checkout clerks. GO IN to the bank instead of using the drive-through, and offer all of the Tellers a Gardening Gift.  Truly ANYWHERE you go is an opportunity to “plant your seeds” with Gardening Gifts.  Keep Gardening Gifts in your car and in your purse – you never know when an opportunity may arise.

10.  Just Start TALKING! The “Gift of Gab” is a learned behavior – you are not born with it!   Talking, selling, prospecting – all of these skills are learned by repetition, consistency, and trial and error.   The more people you talk to about your business, the more Customers, Hostesses, and Team Members you will receive.  You can not sit at home and grow a million dollar business – not quickly anyway – so GET OUT AND START TALKING!

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Upselling is one of the easiest – yet overlooked – ways to increase your income significantly in your Home Party Plan Business.  The term “upselling” means simply to add on additional products or services to a sure sale.   The best part of upselling is that it is practically effortless, since the customer is already committed to the initial sale.  By presenting additional “add on” type products in a relax, assumptive manner, you will increase the sale – and your income – quickly and easily.  Here are the most important keys to Upselling success:

1. Know your Products - the more you know about your products, the more able you are to recommend products which will compliment each other.  If you sell skin care for instance, a cleanser and moisturizer would be complimented by a toner, or a daytime product can be complimented with a night time product.  In jewelry, a necklace and bracelet purchase might be complimented by earrings.  With handbags, an add on might be a wallet or change purse.  The list goes on and on.

2. Know your Customer - The more you know about her, the more you will know the products she would benefit from or be interested in.  People have a tendency to “tell on themselves” the more they talk!  This is a GOOD thing!  Encourage the conversations and continue to ask questions.

3. Be specific and tell her WHY she needs it – Simply saying “Can I get you anything else” is most likely NOT going to get you an additional sale.  However, specific questions “would you like a toner to go with that to complete the set?” or “This is a great product for daytime, and our nighttime product will help even while you sleep – would you like to get both?”  will help your customer understand why she needs -and ultimately wants – the additional product.

4. Assume the customer already wants it - When offering an additional “add on” type product, always assume the customer already wants it, similar to “Do you want fries with that?”  Because most Upsells are complimentary of the first item, it is somewhat of a “no brainer” that she would want the additional items as well.

5. Focus on the Customer’s needs, not yours – As much I am sure you want the sale, remember that ALL sales are more about taking care of the customers needs than your own.  Do not try to sell a customer something you yourself would not want to have, or something that in reality, they do not NEED.  Always sell with integrity – that will give you a lasting relationship with your customer – resulting in more sales over time.

The biggest mistake in Upselling is simply making no attempt for the sale.  As a business owner, it is up to you to ask for the sale.   Make asking for an Upsell part of the sales process – like second nature.  Get the McDonald’s Mentality and always think “Do you want fries with that!?”