Home Party Plan

What are some of the best resources to learn or get training to bring your home party plan business to the next level?

Of course your first step should be to attend all consultant meetings that your company runs. They are usually full of great ideas on finding customers and recruiting people into the business. And as a bonus they are usually company specific.

However there are also a lot of great generic resources out there as well.

The first start could be to check out the very popular Lemonaid Lady book series. They give some brilliant ideas on building your business and is considered a home party plan training bible by many in the business.

Secondly you might like to find business online, such as using some of the blogging resources found on this page.

If you want to get a full blueprint and step by step guide to increasing your home party sales and becoming successful then the Little Black Book of Home Party Marketing Secrets is also a good little guide.

Blogging can be used as a method of marketing that is becoming more and more popular for businesses because it is so cost effective and produces great results.

It is also one of the easiest ways to get started online.

They are free to get started and are also a good way to make some money too if that is your interest.

If you are a beginner then head over to Blogger.com and follow the instructions.

The key to creating a successful blog to promote your home party plan business is providing useful content that people will want to read.

You will need to keep the advice very generic (most companies don't allow you to mention their name or the product names) but this actually works in your favor as people start to view you as an expert rather than a salesperson.

And then once they contact you for recommendations you can tell them which products you use - your companies!

If you want to take your home party plan blog to the next level and use it to find customers 24/7 then we recommend Blog Your Way To Party Plan Success.

It can sometimes be difficult to grow your home party plan business if you don't know a lot of people, and if you are shy to boot then it makes it even harder.

Many companies will often tell new reps that to increase their business they just need to talk to more people and hand out their business cards to everyone they meet, but while this can be effective for some people, it just doesn't work for everyone.

Not too long ago I too was a struggling home party plan consultant. When I asked my upline how to increase my bookings and find new customers she just told me that I needed to see more people.

As frustrating as it is, that advice is actually very sound when you consider the millions of people online, and as they say - go where the people are!

Blogging is one of the easiest ways to get started online because it they are simple to set up and they usually rank quite well in the search engines (search engines love fresh and unique content).

However the trick to using a blog to increase your home party plan business is in what you write about.

Most companies don't allow their consultants to mention the company name or products online as it is against their trademark policies; however it is still possible to build your home party plan business by writing about your products and services in a generic way.

So, if you are a representative for a skin care company you could offer advice on your blog on how to get rid of wrinkles. If you work for a company that is associated with food then you could put recipes online.

By giving great content people will start to come to see you as an expert in that field and ask you for recommendations. Once they contact you then you can recommend products from your company line.

As a direct sales consultant, your number one goal at your home party demonstrations is to date more parties. The more parties you date, the more customers you will see, and the more orders you will take.

Dating parties is the backbone of every party plan business. So how do you date more parties? The easiest, most fun, and most effective way to date lots of parties at each and every one of your demonstrations is to offer guests the opportunity to choose a theme. You do this by placing a theme book out on your hostess's coffee table.

Your theme book will list all of the different types of parties that you offer as a representative of your company. These themes can be based on a certain type of product or it's use, such as microwave cooking, or on a certain type of game, such as an auction party.

You can have as many themes available as you feel comfortable with. Ideas include: auction party, the price is right, let's make a deal, couple's party, children's party, Christmas cookie exchange, bring a banana, girl's night out, ice cream social, specialty cooking class, spa or relaxation party, bridal or baby showers, margarita party, or anything else you can think of.

It's easy to create your own party plan theme book. You'll need a color printer, pastel cardstock, a 3-ring binder, page protectors, and a little creativity. Just print off a colorful cover and one page for each of your themes on a piece of cardstock. Your page should have a graphic, the title of the theme, and a sentence or two explaining what it is you will be doing at the party.

For example, an auction party could say, "Join us for a great night of fun! Earn auction bucks to be spent on fantastic prizes at the party! Win auction bucks for bringing a friend, answering questions, and booking a show."

Insert each theme into a clear page protector, and place them into your binder. Instant theme book! Make sure that you include a page in your theme book about fundraisers as well. Many guests do not realize that party plan companies make excellent fundraising partners.

Bring your book with you to every party, and just leave it on the coffee table. Your guests will automatically thumb through it, and will discuss with one another their favorites. Chances are, the party you are currently giving has some sort of theme to it, so your guests will see firsthand how much fun the party is.

By the end of the party, when you mention the rewards for booking a show, your guests have already picked out their favorite theme, and are ready to date. When closing out their orders, ask each guest which theme they liked the best, and when they would be able to host a show in their home.

Rayven Perkins is a 7 year direct sales representative. Her site http://www.direct-sales-supplies.com offers game ideas, tips, and hard to find consultant supplies for all distributors in the party plan industry.