How to Boost Your Direct Sales Success: Tips from a Newbie

Hi everyone, My name is Jessica, I am new to this! I qualified in my first 30 days, with 4 shows and overall 1440 in sales. And now I am at a standstill. Everyone I know here (military town, so not many) has already politely refused me or hosted a show or given me a good size personal order. I have tried drumming up business with wives of hubbys coworkers and its just not going well. So I joined this board for help and ideas.

Then I saw that some of you have personal show bests in the multiple thousands of dollars! My question is how the heck did you do that????

I dont know my director well- just met her once. She seems helpful enough, but many times doesnt respond to my Emails and we dont really have cluster meetings I guess. And she was going to get me some names and numbers of potential hosts -- that was 3 weeks ago and I still have nothing :-(

Im just facing the conundrum of whether or not to continue...
Thanks all

where r u in MO?

I am new also will finish my first 90days at the end of July. I live near Kirksville Mo. I was hoping we were close to eachother. My director is from Iowa so too far to travel for meetings. And the consultant that I signed under went inactive the week after I signed. So I am also lost with ideas. This place is great and if full of ideas. We will have to keep in touch.

St Robert, near Ft Leonard Wood

Your little guy is cute how old? Max is 17 mths.

So u have had 4 shows and stuck. I sort of got in a tight spot so I had someone do a catalog show. Which got me 2 bookings. Hang in there it will get better!

Hes just shy of 8 months. And already a handful! I started this PC business because I stay at home with him during the day, and was hoping for some adult conversation and contact at night.

All of my friends and family are in NY. I know if I was there, I would have no problem moving forward with this. I just dont know more then 5 people here. I am a member of a military wives chat board on another site, and I put it out there to them about catalog shows, and no bites yet.

Ive gone as far as to offer additional free items- Im just not sure I have the people basis here to keep going.

For some reason I can't get the file to attach - but if you do a file search on here for 118 Booking Ideas - it might give you some avenues you hadn't thought of before!

The other night at a show i booked a catalog show. The lady is from California. So maybe you could get a relative or friend from NY to host a catalog show for you. I am always worried that once I have hit everyone in my family/friend circle who do I turn to. All of my shows so far have been with people I know.
I work a 8-5 job m-f. Yes I am at work doing PC stuff. I have a really laid back job. They don't mind what I do in the spare time as long as my work is done. I am hoping within the next year or so I can go to part time and stay home with my son. So far I have loved PC and what it has brought to me. My 8-5 job is with all guys except the other secretary. So it is nice to interact with other ladies in the evenings.
Have you done an open house and invited all the military wives? If not do that and as one of the gifts give a free show away(you buy the ingredients).

Eveytime you go to a store, (grocery, clothes etc) Take out a catalog while you "look" for your walet or checkbook. This almost always sparks some interest in those around you and makes starting a conversation about the business with strangers a lot easier. I've gotten several orders and a booking this way.

Welcome to both of you!Have you worked through your list of 100? It's one of the best ways to start back up with good bookings.

raebates said:

Welcome to both of you!

Have you worked through your list of 100? It's one of the best ways to start back up with good bookings.

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Thanks so much!

The thing with my 100 list is, that my family and friends are all in NY. I am currently living in MO, my husband is deployed to Ft Leonard Wood- hes in the Army Reserve and doing some active duty time.

So Friends & Family-- all in NY. Neighbors- dont know any of them, think it would be presumptuous of me to introduce myself for the first time and then ask them to host a party. Colleagues- Im a stay at home mom Hubbys colleagues- this is tricky in the military. Hes an officer- I cant ask wives of enlisted guys to do me a favor- there are rules against that kinda thing. Friends from college are also not local. I do not have a local dentist, doctor or professional yet. Contacts through children- mine is only 7 months old, he doesnt socialize much. We dont go to church, I travel back to NY to get my hair cut, my bank is online..... Do you see my frustration here?

Short of just walking into local businesses and asking to drop catalogs, Im at a bust. I cant see myself doing that either- I would just assume most business owners would not appreciate it.

Not trying to be negative here, just realistic. Hoping I didnt get myself in over my head.

JTNT8704 said:

Short of just walking into local businesses and asking to drop catalogs, Im at a bust. I cant see myself doing that either- I would just assume most business owners would not appreciate it.

Not trying to be negative here, just realistic. Hoping I didnt get myself in over my head.

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Laundromats are a good place to do just that...

Don't assume businesses wouldn't appreciate it. Do a search here for Pamper a Business. People have great success with doing that very thing all the time.And, don't worry about sounding negative. What works for some doesn't work for others. As a former Marine wife, I understand the whole military/moving thing, even though I wasn't a PC consultant at the time.

I get many contacts and bookings from setting up a table at local schools when they have a fair or carnival. When school is about to start in your area, start contacting them and asking them if they do a Fall Festival. Make sure you first tell them who you are with...I recruited a lady who answered the phone! She had wanted to sell Pampered Chef but lost contact with the person she knew!!

Get the mini-catalogues to pass out to people you see every day- grocery store, dry cleaners, etc. Don't be shy to tell them you can get them some of the stuff for free if they'd like to get some friends together one night.

Good Luck!

Have you hosted a show for yourself? You could do an open house...hang up flyers. Then anyone on base or in town can come by during the scheduled time. My husband is an officer - 2nd Lt. -well, was an officer, he is not in anymore. I know it is hard. Military has a lot of rules that don't apply to the rest of the world. But, if you hang flyers, then even enlisted people can participate because you didn't ask them or push them to come or buy.

I would also ask my family and friends "back home" to host catalog shows. They can gather orders and mail or email them to you...or do it over the phone. When will you be back in NY? If it is soon, then I would also start asking them about hosting cooking shows when you returned. Good luck.

We were at Ft. Leonard Wood one summer...about 19 years ago. It was so hot...I pretty much lived at the pool. But, it was pretty there.

Pamper a business...Everyone LOVES free food! Leave some catalogs and offer incentive for 1 person (Usually the receptionist) to collect orders within the week...Offer extra incentive for booking a cooking show with you!

Hi Jessica, I am also a military spouse. I asked my family to support me during the move to a new town. I would suggest asking your family back home and friends. Good luck!!!

Hi Jessica,

I am also a military spouse and I just started having my cooking shows in these last 30 days also. My husband is actually on deployment so I was coming home to CT with my 16 month old son for two months. Before I came home I started having friends and family book parties for me for my first few weeks home. From those parties I have booked four more parties for July before I leave to go back to Guam. Plus, I have also told people that I will be returning in the fall sometime if they are interested in having a show then with the new products. I have two potenials from that also.

I am like you...I don't know any of the neighbors....my son isn't involved in activities yet...I gave up my career when we PCS'd so now colleagues...and most of the guys in my husband's office are unmarried. I feel like CT has brought me such luck and that I would thrive here but I am terrified about bringing me business back to Guam.

Maybe we could swap some ideas. Once I go back I am going to do a "Grand Opening" and hope that maybe I can get a booking from there. Plus, I also belong to a family support group website so if I could even get one booking from there that would be great also. My director (who I have talked to 2 since I signed up two months ago) said that once you get the ball rolling and have a party or two then booking will come naturally. I hope she is right.

Are you going back to NY anytime soon? You could plan a few parties before you head out and send a hostess packet in the mail. Then, once you get to NY just jump right in and do parties while you are home.

Well...sorry this is so long...if you get any good ideas or want to compare notes let me know. Good luck to you.

AmyO said:

Hi Jessica, I am also a military spouse. I asked my family to support me during the move to a new town. I would suggest asking your family back home and friends. Good luck!!!

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Hey there, Nice to meet you I have had my family help- thats how I was able to qualify in my first 30 days. I had 3 shows at home in NY while on a 2 week vacation there. Hit up pretty much everyone I know. My fourth show was here at my house with the half dozen girls that I do know here. I couldnt get any of them to host a show as they all only know eachother too!

cookingmommy said:

Hi Jessica,

I am also a military spouse and I just started having my cooking shows in these last 30 days also. My husband is actually on deployment so I was coming home to CT with my 16 month old son for two months. Before I came home I started having friends and family book parties for me for my first few weeks home. From those parties I have booked four more parties for July before I leave to go back to Guam. Plus, I have also told people that I will be returning in the fall sometime if they are interested in having a show then with the new products. I have two potenials from that also.

I am like you...I don't know any of the neighbors....my son isn't involved in activities yet...I gave up my career when we PCS'd so now colleagues...and most of the guys in my husband's office are unmarried. I feel like CT has brought me such luck and that I would thrive here but I am terrified about bringing me business back to Guam.

Maybe we could swap some ideas. Once I go back I am going to do a "Grand Opening" and hope that maybe I can get a booking from there. Plus, I also belong to a family support group website so if I could even get one booking from there that would be great also. My director (who I have talked to 2 since I signed up two months ago) said that once you get the ball rolling and have a party or two then booking will come naturally. I hope she is right.

Are you going back to NY anytime soon? You could plan a few parties before you head out and send a hostess packet in the mail. Then, once you get to NY just jump right in and do parties while you are home.

Well...sorry this is so long...if you get any good ideas or want to compare notes let me know. Good luck to you.

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Hi Erin. I know that I could thrive in NY as well- its just that we are here in MO another 19 months. And I could keep going with parties in NY Im sure, but I only travel home every few months, and mostly I fly solo with the baby. So dragging a suitcase full of PC stuff is really not feasible.

I just wish I had more of a support system here. My girlfriend did Tupperware for years and whenever she had a hard time her upline always threw something her way. Like I said, I cant even get mine to return an Email. I met her once in person and told her about my concerns, and since she had contacts in a town she was not familiar with around here, she said she would send them my way. Never heard any more about that.

I have thought about the open house idea- but my husband discouraged it. Even though his rank wouldnt be disclosed on my flyers per se, he feels there would be a problem if someone decided to make it a problem-- if that makes any sense. My husband commands a unit of 160 people- all enlisted. I originally thought Jackpot- I would put out a letter, mail it using the social roster. Not going to happen I guess. I brought it up at our FRG steering committee meeting last week-- What if I hosted a battalion spouse ****tail party and intertwined it with PC sales. LTC squelched that quicker then I could spit out a defense. Grrrr... I guess my main focus should just be to survive for the next 19 months, just try to remain active at least until I get home.

Thanks all for your ideas and for listening to me vent. I am very wet behind the ears so to speak- and I admire you all and your successes. I hope I can learn something from you all and make this work! I love PC products and love sharing them with people. Anyways, Im rambling.

*PS-- There is a duty station in Guam??? Wow- is that a 3 year tour?

Is there a Curves in your vicinity that you might join? They saved my business by letting me display PC products, for one week at a time, about once every three months. In my first year, I did that three times, and got
several bookings, and some orders that I added together to make a party.
I also did a "show" by having my niece look through a catalog, before her
bridal shower, and select the things she would like to have. I then e-mailed all the out of town family members with her selections, and prices. They called me, and placed their orders. We had them shipped to her sister's where they were wrapped and taken to the party. She was treated as the hostess and got $90 worth of Free Products (all the piddly little items she had selected) which we put in one box and told her was a FREE gift from Pampered Chef for making her choices. These may help you to keep active, if you hear of anyone who is getting married, and/or you get invited to a Bridal Shower. We will be praying for your success. We all have been through it. Getting started and staying active is a real challenge.

Jessica,

That's for your reply and no you weren't rambling...I may be though, lol. I can see that you have exhausted many avenues but I know we can find some more for you. Have you thought about going to any bridal salons (especially private ones) and seeing if they will let you post a cooking show and bridal registry flyer there. You can give an incentive to the owner....maybe a free product(something small) or a gift certificate or % off an order. Just some ideas. I am thinking about doing that once I go back to Guam.

I understand your frustration..I come home to go to the dentist...to get my hair cut...so I don't have those connections either. I also understand the different community the military is. This is my real new duty station since during my husband's 9 years in I have remained in CT with my friends and family (none of whom are military). I gave up my career when we moved to Guam and being that my husband is enlisted it is weird to me that I am not "supposed" to be friends with the upper ranks. I have never encountered that in my life. I do however have friends from every pay grade...their husbands are just not directly above or below mine. It is such a different community and one hard to understand if you are not involved in it.

Keep going and keep finding ways to promote your business. You seem to love PC and it will come across to people who will want to host if even just to see why you love the products so much.

If I come across any ideas I will send you a note. We can make this military PC business work!!!!!

You only have 19 months left...then do you get out? We are in Guam for 3 years...we have 2 left...unless he promotes (fingers crossed) and then hopefully less. Do you enjoy your duty station?

Host a show for yourself and invite ALL of your neighbors and anyone else you can get an invitation to. You will be surprised at the turnout. Also, give the invitation to your husbands co-workers, including the enlisteds wives. If you invite them to a party and they book, that is not the same as asking them to do you a favor. They are hosting, you are simply providing the services that your business offers!!
You can do this! Don't give up!!

ljeffries said:

Also, give the invitation to your husbands co-workers, including the enlisteds wives. If you invite them to a party and they book, that is not the same as asking them to do you a favor. They are hosting, you are simply providing the services that your business offers!!
You can do this! Don't give up!!

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I wish I could do this But there are rules, and for my husbands sake and reputation, I need to follow them. I will find a way Im sure.

Just wish my director would return an Email

I think your rules are a little more stringent than our are. If an enlisted wife came up to you knowing that you are a consultant and wanted to host a party...you are not allowed to? Even though she sought you out?

My director/recruiter (not that I have spoken to her more than twice) is an officer's wife and I know she has hosted shows for more senior officers' wives and enlisted wives. Actually she started her business in Guam and had like 100 parties during her 2 1/2 years.

The thing of it all is- the battalion CO is tough. Lots & lots of rules... For instance-- I wanted to host a party at my house for some of the guys in his unit that worked especially hard one month. I was flat out told no- I could only do it if I got an OP-Order and extended it to every member of the company.... So for wives in the battalion- its better not to even bother...

If I was approached by someone I guess that may be different. I also would definitely be able to do parties for enlisted wives- as long as they were outside of the battalion I guess. So the trick is just finding them!

The fraternization policy stinks-- and is taken wayyyyyy out of control sometimes.

19 more months and we can go home to normal life. (He'll go back into the reserves)

Thanks, Mom. That is what I was going for whether it came out that way or not.

Jessica,

That is hard that the rules are so strict. It really is making it that much harder for you. Maybe we are a little more relaxed since we are 10,000 miles away from home,lol. Well, do what some other of the ladies on this site have suggested. Take out a catalog when you are shopping and are getting your wallet...get one of the small catalog totes so that maybe you will pass by someone and they will see that you are a consultant.

I'm sorry that the guidelines are that stringent but I am sure you will make it through and then thrive when you move back to NY. Where are you from in NY? Also, if you do go home and can arrange a party or two see if you can bring home a few light things and then maybe if you have friends and family you can borrow some of their items to use at a party.

Have you thought of doing a mystery hostess party with some good customers/friends at home. You could collect the orders before you fly home and then have it shipped to whoever's house you are going to be at so it's there when you get home. Maybe even offer an incentive up to your mystery hosts if they get a booking or two from you. I don't know...just some ideas. I'm really super new to this also.

Ohh, I second you with wondering how people get shows in the multiple of thousands. I thought I was doing pretty good with shows of $950, $750, $1050 and $1140 but then I see others high shows and think "WoW".

Jessica! Get Advertisement Stickers on the Back of your CAR!!!!
PAMPERED CHEF CONSULTANT
JESSICA ______________
(777) 777-7777

Your bound to get a few calls

Try pampering a business...We can all make excuses all day long but hit the ground running and see what happens to your business in the next 90 days!