Staying Active as a Consultant: What Are the Disadvantages of Inactivity?

[StuporOfThought]

How much do you need to sell to stay active as a consultant? What are the disadvantages of becoming an in-active consultant? What do you do to become active again?


Thanks.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Don't even go there!To stay active is simple. You only need to submit $200 in sales within a 2 month period. For instance, if you had no sales in Jan in Feb you need $200 in sales to stay active. If you had $50 in sales in Jan you would need $150 in sales in Feb to stay active.

To reactivate yourself you only need to submit $200 in sales. Unless you have been inactive for over a year then I believe you have to sign up again. However, if it is recent enough there is a "Come Back to the Table" kit for $50 (maybe 40) you could purchase to reacitvate.

But you don't want to do that!!! Try very hard to stay active. It is all about momentum. Once you let it go it will be more difficult to pick it back up again.

Good luck. We are all alway here for you if you need support!

 

[PamperedGinger]

If you become inactive, you loose all your past sales totals. You get a 2% raise when you get to 15,000. At conference you get to go to special meals for different sales amounts.

 

[codie]

You also lose all your recruits that you may have if you go inactive...

 

[pampered1224]

The hardest part of inactivity...And I speak from experience, is getting going again. It takes 90 days to reap the rewards of the seeds planted today. If you have been inactive for a time, it will be a while to get bookings even if you get on the phone today. It will be a while of doing shows before you become comfortable again at doing them. It will be harder to keep your business going again at start up because it will be foriegn to you to be working your business. It takes time to get used to setting a side that time and doing those phone things and, well, you get the picture.
And yes, you do loose all of your built up sales. I lost $10,000 in sales from my first year because I missed the warning. I would be $10,000 further ahead if it had not happened. But, because I did, I can twist that into something good and pass the experience on to some one else.
I can tell you not to let it happen. Even if you do a catalog show yourself, do not loose it all.
Everything is effected when you go inactive.
Try very hard not to do this.

 

[janel kelly]

how can I stay activeI am looking at my husband being stationed at a new base sometime this year. Before he is stationed he will be going to Tech school for 5 months. During those 5 months I am planning on going to stay with my parents for awhile. I really don't want to become inactive during that whole time but I'm worried that will happen with moving to a new place, and staying with my parents for awhile. My mom is already doing a catalogue show as I write this so I don't want to ask her to do another one so soon. Has anybody gone through a time where it was hard to stay active like moving to a new place or living with relatives for while and how did you manage to stay active. I really really really don't want to become inactive. Would love any advice,
Janel

 

[terriann77]

You can put in a waiver. If you go under email contacts I think it is right there. When you do a waiver, you get an extra month to put in shows. You also keep your sales, which is a great thing!!

 

[Lisa S]

JanelSince your mom is doing a catalog show for you, try to get a booking off of it from one of her friends. Then you could do that show while you are staying at your moms house. If he's only going to tech school for 5 months, you would only have to do 2 - 3 shows to stay active. Throw in another catalog show or two and you are set.

Remember, PC can be sold anywhere. Just because you are stationed in one state does not mean that you can't have a friend in another state do a catalog show to keep you active. What are friends for?

 

[janel kelly]

Thanks for the advice! How many months can you waiver? Just one month? I'm not too worried about the time spent at my families house and doing shows. I think I could pull that off. Its the moving to another state and starting all over thing I'm a little worried about. I know its going to take a little time to meet people and feel comfortable to start asking them to do parties for me. I don't want people to think I'm just getting to know them because I want them to host a show for me. I know I will just need to suck it up and try extra hard, I just don't want to become inactive during the whole moving process. Maybe the waiver will help at that time. Thank you!
By the way my husband said it may be a possibility that we may move to Texas near San Antonio. Maybe I will meet some of you some day.

 

[kitchenqueen]

Hi Janel, don't get discouraged. As mentioned before try to get more shows booked from the guests on your mom's catalog show. Also I assume your husband is in the military. So is mine. When your move is complete, you should ask your husband to find out when the FRG (Family Readiness Group) meetings are held (that is what the army calls them) - in other words, the wives club for your unit or battery. Get involved and casually mention Pampered Chef. I bet you'll get a few shows from there and branch out in the area!! Good Luck to you!!

~Erica

 

[janel kelly]

Thanks for the encouragement ladies. I'm excited about moving( I live in Minot, ND -enough said right ) Erica, how long did it take you to meet new people and get comfortable enough with them to ask them to book a show after you moved to another duty station? I'm thinking with moving out of this house and then moving to the next house, unpacking, and settling down enough to start working my business again may take over a month- which is why I'm a little worried I may have to become inactive. Also if you've ever heard of MOPS groups on base or in town is a good place to meet people especially other moms. Thats always another place I can try to get bookings. I still do have several months before I need to really worry about it... Is there anything I can de beforehand to prepare for the business change that will make it easier to get more bookings?
Janel

 

[Chef Kearns]

Been ThereWhen I moved from Austin, TX to Phoenix, AZ I asked for referrals. Espcecially living on a military base people have friends and relatives all over this country. About 3 months before I moved I made the little announcement at my shows that I was leaving and did they know anyone.

That helped alot. Also, don't feel like you necessarily have to wait until the whole house is unpacked. We have made 2 moves in 9 months (Austin to Peoria, Peoria to Surprise) so I never really got unpacked, but I didn't put my business on hold. I packed my PC stuff myself e.g. my desk, catalogs, stuff for making packets. And my kit rode with us in the car.

Hopefully from your referrals you will be able to jump right back into doing shows. We arrived in Phoenix on a Friday and I had a party the following Tuesday night. Everyone there understood if something was missing from the packets or if I was jittery. It was good and that was an $800 show. I moved in August 2004 and that was a $2000 month for me. That was WAY COOL!!

I grew up in the military so I know how it can be to pick up and moved every couple of years or so. My mother sells (and sold as I was growing up) Home Interiors and Gifts. She moved her business to every new base we were stationed at. I gotta tell you, you just have to be focused and think of this like a business. When your husband switches bases the army is not going to give him 3 months to get settled. They expect him to get right to work. If you try to think that way for yourself it will help you keep moving.

 

[kitchenqueen]

Your right about that Chef Kearns - the army doesn't wait for your family to get settled! The family really has to work together in order for moves to go smoothly!
Janel - I moved here at Fort Sill, OK March of 2001 and just recently started PC. As a matter of fact, this my SS month! But it didn't take long to meet people. Have you ever switched duty stations before? It seems that people within the battery sort of reach out to meet you. But if it were me, I would definitely get involved in the wives clubs and mother's groups. And try to take your kit with you as Chef Kearns suggested - so you don't have to wait until you are all unpacked to pick up where you left off. And I bet your new neighbors would love to know they have a PC consultant right next door! I think if you casually mention it - it would spark up a conversation with potential hosts or recruits! It's good you are planning now though for the move. Also, if you have to go through a realtor to find a new home in the area or the housing agents for on post housing - I would definitley ask them to help get you started in the area by hosting a catalog show in the office, etc. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!! Email me if you need to talk!

~Erica

 

[Boatergirl]

Hi,

Perhaps starting was easy for you, or maybe not, but for me, the follow up calls were always hardest. Just take recipes (served on Simple Additions or stoneware) anywhere you go, along with catalogues and people will ask!

 

[dawnsclassycupboard]

If you feel like you will need more than 2 months to get settled and restarted, talk to your Director about taking a leave of absence. I am quite sure that there are details about this in your product information guide but you Director will be able to tell you just what you need to do.

Hope this helps.

 

[janel kelly]

Thank you all so much for the info. I feel better about restarting my business when we leave. Although I don't have to worry about it at the moment it is in the very near future. I really didn't know what my options were as far what I needed to do if it looks like I might not have sales enough to stay active. I have alot of ideas now and plan on talking to my director about them at the cluster meeting. Its good to know it is possible to still have really good sales in the midst of changing states. Thanks so much again!