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.

Every Thursday night is “Date Night” for Mike and I.  It is a night to relax, no cooking, no cleaning, just spending time together.   We use our iPhones to select random restaurants, and spend just a few hours “unplugged” from work.  I had been presented with a Gift Card  few weeks ago at a Speaking Engagement, so we chose to go there for dinner to unwind.

I chose a seafood dish and Mike chose a “mixed grill.”  When our plates arrived I cut into mine… and my fish was raw.  Not “undercooked” – RAW.  I motioned to the waitress and showed her just how raw my fish was.  She was very apologetic (and a little grossed out) and said she would get me a new one “right away.”  Well, cooking fish is no “quick” task, so Mike was completely finished with his meal by the time I received my new one.  (I insisted he go ahead and eat – no sense in letting his get cold while mine cooked.) 

While we waited the Manager came by, overly apologetic and offering us everything under the sun – from cocktails to salad bars to appetizers.  The waitress also stopped by a few times to check on us, and see if there was anything she could do for us while we waited.

Once my meal was ready both the Manager and Waitress served me, and asked for me to cut into it to make sure it was satisfactory before they walked away.  Of course it was perfect – honestly, probably the best that meal has ever tasted – and I thanked them as they continued to apologize and let us know that they would be comping the meal off the ticket.   Since Mike had already finished and now had to wait on me to eat, they brought him a dessert to enjoy as well. Until the moment we left they took care of us, apologizing almost to the point of annoying    They had removed my meal, salad and dessert off of the bill, leaving only Mike’s meal to be paid.

The amount they removed from our check was over $25… which is the exact amount I left for the TIP.  Those two ladies went over and above to take care of me, after a very simple mistake – WHICH neither of them had any part in making.  My reward was a tip greater even than the final bill that was owed.

How do you handle mistakes when they happen in your business?

Do you “avoid the phone” and let upset callers go to voicemail?  Do you respond via email, so you can avoid the conflict?  Do you blame others – corporate, shipping, manufacturers?

Or do you go over and above to right the situation, even if it means you *may* lose out in the end?

One of my best Consultants of all time came to me first as an unhappy customer.  She had ordered from another Consultant in my town who would not answer her calls, would not return emails, blocked her from MySpace – you name it, the Consultant was avoiding the conflict.  I worked with the Customer, worked with my Corporate Office, paid out of my own pocket to right the wrong, and told her I would “take care of her any time she ever needed anything.”  Within 6 months she was a Leader on my team making me ten times more money than what I had paid out to right the other Consultant’s mistake.   I am also happy to say she is still one of my very best friends.

An upset customer is a remarkable opportunity for you to show your fantastic Customer Service skills.  By “making it right” and doing what is right by the customer – EVEN if you have to spend some money in order to do so – can come back to reward you ten fold.   Tonight I was reminded of just how true this really is.

If you have an unhappy customer – make it right.  Call and ask her HOW you can make it right.  Be apologetic – even if the mistake was not your own – and be willing to do what is needed to make your CUSTOMER happy.  Show her that you have the integrity and the commitment to your business to run it ethically and professionally.  It WILL come back in your favor.

Last night we had our weekly Conference Call as part of the Party Plan Divas membership.  It was a great call and one that I believe is SO important that I just had to share!

Customer Care is critical to the success and longevity of any Home Party Plan Business.   Without it, you are truly “leaving money on the table.”   Listen to our call from last night to learn how to increase your volume and your income NOW – without spending a bunch of money!

Click here to listen to the recording:

Join Party Plan Divas Today for as little as $12.95 per month and gain access to hundreds of NEW training tips, templates, audios, videos and more!   Join the largest and fastest growing ORIGINAL Home Party Plan Training Community!

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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Morning Lynsey!

What do you do when this happens?

Hey FANTASTIC question!!

Ok, lets address a couple things.
  First, this explains why I INSIST ON A GUEST LIST!
  If you had 25 people who had been invited – it isn’t so easy to cancel.  OR if the hostess DOES cancel, you can call the first few people on the guest list and say “Hey Mary, Ashley isnt going to be able to hold her party due to a family emergency, but we already have 20 people confirmed… might you be interested in earning some free products by having it at your home instead?”

Also – this is why you use a CANCELLATION POLICY – so that either A – she tells you that she has to cancel in plenty of time to rebook it or B – she holds the party to avoid paying the fee.

If you have done all of this and she STILL is avoiding your call, you need to leave a message that states “Hey Ashely, this is Karen with SpaGirl, I have called a few times but have not been able to reach you to confirm our party.
  Please know that if I do not hear from you by 5pm tomorrow night, I will assume the party is canceled, and will not be available. Please call me if you still intend on having the party no later than tomorrow.
  Thank you”

There is nothing that is 100% guaranteed to keep this from happening. Unfortunately it is just part of the business. But there are some things (the hostess packet, hostess coaching, etc)  that can cut it down significantly.

#1 – I am the worst when it comes to follow up….I don’t do it. I know this is so important in business but I just can’t do it.  Do you have any tips that may help?

#2 – Me too, please. I have my hostess tracker sheets that are awsome but I just can’t get around to following up because I am getting ready for the next job I have to do.

Hey ladies, gosh this is SUCH a common problem. I am so glad you asked this because it is so common but also so important for our business.

First of all, understand that “follow up” and “prospecting” are two different things. With Follow Up you have already made contact with the person, so it is a “warm lead.” This is a GOOD THING!

“Follow up” also indicates that the person is EXPECTING you to call. You have already put plans in place – be it a party to date, information to share, etc – so it is kind of like setting up a meeting, and then not confirming it. NOT a good thing. If a friend set up a coffee date, and then you never heard from her again, you would feel a little “stood up” right? Not a good feeling, and certainly not one you want in your business.

So, with that being said, let’s talk about getting ready for the phone, and then I will share a script that I have to make the calls run more smoothly.

The #1 most preparation to make your phone calls run smoothly is to make sure you are ORGANIZED before you pick up the phone! You do not want to be scrambling around trying to find things once you have someone on the line. This will freak you out beyond recovery LOL

Clean off your desk or work area. Clutter is going to make you FEEL nervous. You want a calm, clean slate in front of you.

Spend a moment getting in the “zone” with your Party Diva Mantra.

Make sure to have at hand:

Mirror – yes, you want to look at yourself to make sure you are smiling!
Your Diva Success System Planner
Pencils/Pens
Calculator
Order Forms
Consultant Applications
Customer Care Cards
Party Bank
Phone – charged up!
SCRIPTS!!

Now, this is my all time FAVORITE Script for Following Up after I meet someone at a party. Remember the MOST important part of this is when you GET QUIET – silence is golden!

Customer Care Calls
1-3 Days After Product Delivery

Hi Customers Name! This is Your Name with Your Company! Is this a good time to chat?
I wanted to tell you how nice it was to meet you at Hostess’s party and to Thank You for your order. Are you happy with all of your products?
Great! I would like to verify the information on your Customer Order Form for my Customer Care Service and off you a Percentage Off or Free Item on your next order just for sharing your information with me! Is that ok?
Is there anything I can help you with today – maybe a question or something you overlooked at Hostess’s Party? (THEN HUSH!! This part is crucial!)
And I also see you have several items still on your wish list – can we set a date for you to hostess a party and see about getting those items for free? I can still give your friend credit for your Party Booking. (HUSH! This is another time to LET HER TALK!)
Terrific, I will get you a Hostess Packet in the mail first thing tomorrow and look forward to seeing you soon!
-OR- No problem, I understand completely. I will add you to my mailing list if that is alright, and will touch base later in the year to see if it is a better time for a party.
Thank you so much Customer’s Name and talk to you soon!

This is my favorite one, but there are a ton more in the Training Library of Party Plan Divas!

As a Leader it is your job to train your team, show them “the ropes”, coach them on what to do, and more importantly what NOT to do.  You teach a new Consultant about Branding, about Gardening, about the importance of Hostess Coaching and how to not “leave money on the table” by implementing a good solid Customer Care Program.  You teach her how to Book Parties from Scratch and how to Upsell at a party.  You teach her how to BE a Party Plan Diva.

What have you been preaching and teaching… but not doing yourself?

It happens to the best of us.  We know the right path to take, and we get in the habit of telling others, only to look up one day and realize that we ourselves have not been walking down that path for quite some time.  We have told other how, when, where – but we are not taking our own advice!

Or – something even WORSE happens.  We see that we don’t HAVE to keep doing those things in order to still get a paycheck, and this false sense of entitlement sets in, and you stop doing those basic things in business that you must do to move it forward.  You see that your team will produce an income for you, so you stop Gardening, you stop Hostess Coaching, and you might even start handing your parties away to your team.  You tell yourself it is to “help” them, but the truth is you are getting pretty happy pulling a paycheck from your La-Z-Boy.

If you have ever done this however, you will see that your teams numbers will steadily decline.  Slowly at first, as you have trained your team well.  But eventually the numbers will fall, and you will wake up one day having lost your entire team, when you were not even looking.  You stopped working your own business, you “took your finger off the pulse” and you went from the Leader of a High Performing Team, to The Leader That Had Such Potential.

So how do you stop this from happening?

1. Get Back To Basics. If it has been a while since you worked like a New Consultant, challenge your team and begin a Back To Basics training.  The great part about our industry is that the basic tasks are the same no matter what level of Leadership you hold.  Book, Sell, Coach, Recruit! Let this be your mantra, and go Back To Basics with your team, and your personal business.

2. Re-write your goals. People change, situations change, even desires change.  Therefore your goals must change as well. If your initial goals were to “stay home with the kids” but those “kids” are now in school, your main goal may need to change.  If your initial goal was to reach a certain Leadership level, and you already have reached it, your new goal will need to change.  Rewrite your goals with what is important to you NOW, and get excited about them.Define your new reason and motivation to work, and share it with your team.

3. Start all over. Re-qualify yourself over and over.  And challenge your team to do the same. If you have to recruit 12 people to make Leader, start counting RIGHT NOW to recruit 12, no matter how many you have.  Re-qualify yourself by recruiting 12 people starting right now.  And when you sign up #12, start over again with #1. See how many times you can qualify in 12 months time. If you keep only counting to 12, you will look up and see how fast your team has grown.

4. Kick Start Bonus. Each company offers some kind of Quick Start or Fast Track Program.  Come up with your own, and Challenge your team with it.  Race alongside one another to all achieve your Fast Track Program, and celebrate together when it is over. Remember to include sales as well as new Team Members in your challenge, and reward your team (and yourself!) well when it is over!

5. Beat The Leader Challenge. Each month come up with a Beat The Leader incentive.  Each month whomever beats your sales, recruiting, bookings, etc will win a prize as well as their name in the newsletter.  Women are naturally competitive, and this is a fun way to motivate both your team to work harder, but also YOU to get out there and do what you need to do!  The Beat The Leader Challenge has no minimums – someone can beat you with a $10 order if your orders are $0!!  Get your team moving and having fun again, and get yourself back “into the groove” of consistently doing parties again.

Every Leader will hit this point at some time or another in her career.  If you haven’t GREAT – I hope these strategies will keep you from ever doing this.  But if you have, or maybe you are in this pattern right now, I hope these tips will help you get back on track, and get you back to Walking The Walk, AND Talking The Talk!

Here are the ten top tips for improving your Customer Service Skills:

1.  Stay in contact with your customers on a regular basis. Offer then a free eNewsletter, add them to your Social Media outlets, make Customer Care Calls for special events (holiday, new catalog, etc)

2. Create a Customer VIP Program. People want to feel important, and recognized.  Create a Customer VIP Program and give them special discounts, the “first look” at new products, etc.

3. Give Customers more than they expect. There is no such thing as “too much” customer service.  Send “Thank you” notes for no reason other than to say thanks.  Offer discounts at random times throughout the year.  Send free gifts with large purchases with no notice.

4. Resolve complaints and conflicts quickly. Show your customers that you really care by taking care of problems quickly.  Sometimes we have to go a little beyond ourselves, maybe even lose a little bit of money, but good Customer Service does not have a pricetag.  Personally take care of the problem as best as you possibly can.

5. Make it easy for your customers to find you. Offer as many contact methods as possible, so that when a customer reaches out, she feels like she will be able to get to you.  Email, cell phone, social media, etc are all great contact methods.  Also, make your contact methods easy to remember by using a universal business name as often as possible (i.e. www.yourparties.com, yourparties@email.com, etc)

6. Build strong relationships with your Customers. Create special Customer Appreciation events every quarter for your customers like parties, barbeque’s, tea parties, Open Houses, etc. Your customers will feel important when they are included in these kind of business and special events.

7. Make it easy for Customers to use your website. Have a “FAQ” page on you site to explain any questions your customers may have.  If your company only allows you to use their Corporate site, use your blog to house your FAQ’s.  You can even ask your customers to fill out an online survey to find out how to make your site more user friendly.

8. Always be polite. Use the words “you’ve welcome”, “thank you”, “please” etc often.  Be calm and polite even when they are upset. Be willing to apologize first in the event you make a mistake, and then make up for them in a big way.

9. Create a Product of the Month Club. This is a benefit to both you and your Customers.  Assign a product for each month of the year, and offer it at a flat rate to be billed and auto-shipped each month.  For instance, if you are with a candle company, choose 12 scents to be directly billed and shipped on the 1st day of each month.

10. Make sure your entire team uses the same Customer Service practices. Explain to your team the importance of Customer Service and Customer Care.  By all using the same “policies”, your Customers will always know what to expect in the instance of having to pass along a party or order.