Home Party Consultants

Do you want to be more successful in your home party business?

Do you want to book more parties and recruit more consultants?

Goal setting is one technique that directs your subconscious and conscious decisions to succeed. Goal setting strengthens your motivation to attain your business or personal goals. In general, this technique emerged from numerous practical experiences as well as psychology research.

Goal setting helps you decide or prioritize your desires. By knowing exactly what you desire to accomplish, you will have a better focus and concentrate your efforts. Furthermore, proper setting of goals can be extremely motivating. As it becomes a habit, you will discover that your self-esteem is turbo-charged.

Actually, people set goals when they plan what they want to achieve for the day, week or month. These include simple goals like clean the house, do the laundry, finish homework, etc. You make a decision on what you want to do, then discover what is needed to accomplish your goal. From there, you move into complex goals leading to your future.

Here are some goal setting guidelines:

1. Be accurate. You need to set an accurate goal and indicate specific time frame and resources required. Having measurable goals helps in measuring levels of achievement. Doing this will enable you to discover exactly when the goal has been achieved. Furthermore, this will motivate you on setting another goal.

2. Write down your goals. This ties them together and provides reinforcement. So if your goal is to book 3 parties each month then you need to write down that specific goal.

3. Set only goals that are realistic. Take note that you only want to set achievable goals. Disappointment sets in if you set a very high goal and fail to reach it. You won't be able to recruit ten consultants from a party that only has ten guests so a more realistic goal might be to sponsor two of them

4. Set priorities. If you have numerous goals, then you need to number them according to importance. This will help you from feeling overwhelmed, direct your concentration to the most significant ones, and achieve goals one by one.

5. Keep goals manageable. Work on achievable and small goals. If your goal is too big, then it may appear daunting and difficult to achieve. Small and incremental goals provide more reward opportunities. Derive smaller goals from huge ones.

6. Set performance-type goals rather than outcome goals. Set goals wherein you have co

Party Plan Business - How to Promote Your New Business

Let's face it - promoting and marketing your new business is usually listed in the Top 10 of "Most Difficult" or "Most Hated" tasks by a majority of new party plan consultants. The reasons are varied and include:

%u2022 I love my products, but I am having a hard time finding new leads or customers

%u2022 I'm basically a shy person and am not comfortable talking to perfect strangers about my business

%u2022 I'd like to recruit some new people and build a strong team, but I don't know how to get started

%u2022 I'm afraid that my friends and family will start running the other way when they see me coming if I promote my business to them

%u2022 My spouse and family members aren't supportive of my business and don't want to hear anything about it

%u2022 I've placed some ads but didn't get very good results and I don't know what to do next

The truth is, your business isn't going to promote itself, and unless you spend some time - starting right now - to promoting and marketing it, you're not going to achieve your goals.

The first thing to do is to take a few minutes and think about why you went into business for yourself in the first place. What did you want to achieve?

For some consultants who've started a home party plan business, goals were:
%u2022 To make a little extra money to help with the bills

%u2022 To have the freedom to be my own boss and still take care of my family

%u2022 To create a second income

%u2022 To have enough money to go on vacations, be able to buy a few luxuries and have the lifestyle that we want

Whatever your reasons for becoming a party plan consultant were, it's important that you keep those goals in mind - because you can achieve them.

Now, the next thing to do is to take three pieces of paper or if you have your contacts on your computer, open the program. Label the three pieces of paper: Friends Family Others. Write down the names and contact information of everyone you can think of on those lists. Include neighbors, co-workers, teachers, community leaders, Internet friends, business associates, book club members and anyone else you know, even slightly.

Now go back to your list and put a checkmark or star (or whatever symbol you'll remember) by the name of every person who is in your "circle of influence." In other words, the people who you are closest to and who are your biggest supporters. This might include family members or siblings, your closest girlfriends, etc.

Start by calling or emailing them. Be honest, and tell them that you need their help and support in getting your business off the ground. Ask them to host a party for you in the next couple of weeks.

Next, go back to your list, and put a checkmark (use a different color marker or symbol) by the people you think might be interested in coming to a party, booking one or buying your products.

For these people, use the method of contacting them that you're most comfortable with - email them or call them, to let them know about your new business and ask if they'd like a catalog or brochure. Don't forget to ask if they'd be interested in finding out more about the company (it's never too early to start your recruiting efforts - that's where the big money, promotions and even prizes are going to come from!) If they're close by, offer to drop one off in the next day or two. Another good idea is to create a simple flyer on your computer and print it off that lists a few of your seasonal items, products on sale or even your newest items and include it in the brochure. Always include a business card as well. (Another good idea is to include a coupon with a discount or special prize if they attend a party, bring a guest or book a party.)

One of the best business building tips for new party plan consultants is for them to host their own first party - and to do it within the first two weeks of becoming a consultant. This helps to get the ball rolling and gets your business off to a great start. So invite all of these people to your first party, too.

After you've contacted all the people in the second group, go back to the list again and send each person on that list a short note or postcard, telling them about your new business. You can include a flyer, an invitation to a party or a brochure - you decide.

If you've followed this plan, by now you should have your own party scheduled, with at least one or two additional parties on your calendar, and made contacts with several other potential customers or hostesses - and as you've seen, it really wasn't difficult!

But don't stop there.

Now you'll want to expand your horizons and start making other business contacts, and building a support network. A really good place to start is your local Chamber of Commerce. If it's within your budget, join up. This has several advantages - it makes your business look more professional, you'll gain valuable business contacts by attending free Chamber events and networking meetings, and most chambers offer free placement in their annual business directory, so you'll get additional free exposure.

What other business associations do you have in your area? Check with your local Small Business Development Center (or Association of Governments if you're in a rural area), and ask the Chamber of Commerce director. What about the PTSA? Toastmasters? Women's Associations? You'll want to start attending these meetings, and becoming known as a small business owner in the business community.

Also, chances are your party plan company offers sales meetings and business training events on a regular basis. Make sure to attend these as well. Not only will you meet other associates, you'll receive valuable tips and advice and learn about industry news. As you make new friends, consider creating a co-op and leveraging your marketing and advertising budget and time. For example, what if three or four of you got together and shared the costs - and the hours - of buying a booth at your county fair or local craft market or swap meet? You could offer door prizes (something that each of you donate) and collect the names and contact information of attendees. Or do live demonstrations, sell products or offer gift ideas. Then after the event, split the names evenly.

When you're thinking about these kind of events, think a little outside the box as well. For example, if you sell cosmetics, jewelry, home décor or cooking products, these are all things that engaged women or new brides might be interested in. What about getting a booth at the next bridal fair that comes to town? Or if the holidays are approaching, get a booth at local craft fairs - and offer free gift wrapping. Speaking of bridal fairs, if your product line is something that a new married couple could use for setting up housekeeping, you could create special parties based around bridal showers or baby showers. The hostess (or the bride or mother-to-be if she's not the hostess) could make a "wish list" of products, and at the party guests buy items from that list. You can make the party really fun by centering it around the bride or expectant mom, have games with prizes for guests, and create a special demonstration related to the main theme.

Once you create a marketing plan for promoting your party plan business, you'll find hundreds of different ways to get the word out and create a steady stream of incoming leads, expand your customer base and develop a recruitment process. Set aside one day a week to work on networking and promoting your business and keep at it - you'll be amazed at how quickly and easily success builds on success!