Staying Motivated in PC: The Realities of Direct Sales

[Christy217]

I hope I am not going to burst anyone's bubble here. I am having second thoughts at PC. I don't know if I set myself up for failure, or not. I have a lot of their products so I know a lot about them. I had a show two years ago that did 1400 in sales as a host and then one recently that did 700 for a catalog. I then decided to give it a try a second time around. So I am now a consultant.
I went to a fair, which was a county away, and signed up for it without thinking, hey the people that are going to be coming to the fair, are from that county, which is about an hour or so away. It was an okay turn out, I wasn't as nervous or shy as I thought I would be, actually it ended up better than I thought in terms of approaching the public.
I am not feeling very motivated, I listened to Belinda Ellsworth's speech about creative bookings, etc., I've put together my host packets and so far, with getting my website started, ordering some cheap business cards off of vistaprints.com and having the super starter kits and supplies and paying for th fair entries, I've almost spent over 200 bucks. I know you might think I am crazy, but I am now realizing how much time PC actually does take.
Yes, you are doing the shows at your leisure, but coaching the hot, checking up on the host, following leads, etc., have to be done in a timely fashion, etc., I am just starting to think that this isn't for me.
I have 2 catalog shows this month, my first month of starting, next month I have the prospect of 5 cooking shows, but I don't know that all the time and energy is worth it, what keeps you going?

 

[whiteyteresa]

I am thinking the same thing. I have done okay so far. But so much money is going out. One month I will have a fantastic month and then the next month is crap. My director keeps telling me to get on the phone. Well I have and now I have no one to call. I have called everyone that seemed to be a little bit interested. No shows booked. I went through my 100 listed several times is the past year since I started. I get very discouraged. My husband and I are separated (at this moment), I have a 6 year old little girl. I need the income to help pay the bills. I just don't know where to turn sometimes. But I keep going. Thinking that I couldn't find another job that would let me be there for my daughter to get her on the bus in the morning, to be there for her when she gets off the bus, and be there to tuck her in bed 4 out of 5 school nights. Be at parent activity day at school. I don't have to pay for a babysitter, my husband watches her while I have a show. I don't have to call off work because she gets sick, has a doctor/dentist appointment. (and right now we are seeing the dentist and her plastic surgeon a lot because of her medical concerns), taking her to speech 4 afternoon each week and dance 1 day. I keep telling myself that things will work out because they have to. I have to keep pushing myself for my daughter. I know that I wouldn't be able to this with a regular job.

Thanks for listening and sorry for such a long post.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Back in January, I was having the same thoughts. I didn't have a single show on the calendar (a few maybes). I figured if I wanted to quit, now was the time. I started in July 2005 & had a great half of the year-until Jan. But I listed my pros & cons of the business & realized I enjoyed it too much to not really give it a good try. Little by little, I would book one show a month, then two, & now I'm finally having 6 shows this month. I'm not a phone person, so I probably could be better if I would get on it more.

Christy-try the business for a good 90 days to really make a decision. If you still don't think it's a fit after really trying at it, then maybe now is not the best time-if ever. But make sure you give it a try. Call those prospects & tell them that you are grateful they are helping you get started & try to get them to set dates.

Teresa-have you tried day shows if your daughter is in school? I really can't do them (I have a 1 1/2 year old & babysit 3 year old & 11 month old nephews), but once a year in September I have an office lunch show for my husband's office the day he only works 1/2 day (the rest work a full day). It works pretty well. I've seen threads about going into schools & doing a show in the teacher's lounge. I used to be a teacher & I would have really enjoyed it! I plan on trying that when no more kids are at home.

Sorry so long, but I've been there & understand your feelings. Try to think outside the box & try to think of things that would be free! HTH!

 

[whiteyteresa]

I have tried to do a fundraiser in my daughters school and to do a mini show for the teachers but they said NO. They said that so many parent has home based business and if they let one parent do something like that then they would have to let all parents do it. So they don't do anything like that with parents.

I do have some daytime available.
(I also take care of my dad - my mom passed away 3 years ago. My dad suffered a stroke 22 years ago and been going down hill from there. My brother and sister lives out of town. My brother comes to town once every other month and my sister comes in town every other weekend. So I am my dad's so called care giver(my dad doesn't have any brother or sisters). Even if my daughter is at home sick, she goes with me.)

I have never thought about a day show except on Saturday mornings - I have done 3 of them. I won't know even where to begin on that. I have gone to Realtor offices and talked with them but nothing.

I will take any advise you have.

Thanks and again sorry for a long post

 

[Ginger428]

I have tried to do a fundraiser in my daughters school and to do a mini show for the teachers but they said NO. They said that so many parent has home based business and if they let one parent do something like that then they would have to let all parents do it. So they don't do anything like that with parents.

I do have some daytime available.
(I also take care of my dad - my mom passed away 3 years ago. My dad suffered a stroke 22 years ago and been going down hill from there. My brother and sister lives out of town. My brother comes to town once every other month and my sister comes in town every other weekend. So I am my dad's so called care giver(my dad doesn't have any brother or sisters). Even if my daughter is at home sick, she goes with me.)

I have never thought about a day show except on Saturday mornings - I have done 3 of them. I won't know even where to begin on that. I have gone to Realtor offices and talked with them but nothing.

I will take any advise you have.

Thanks and again sorry for a long post

I have a good friend that wanted to have a party for me when I first started, but she said no way could she have it at her house ( 3 boys 7,8 & 9 & a hubby adding on to the house) I told her we would have it at my house, just let me know when Since most of the people she wanted to invite all had school age kids....we decided on 9AM-12 NOON. Everyone dropped off thier kids & came to my house....We had a box of joe from dunkin donuts, bagels, donuts I made an omelet in the oven & demoed the bacon & cheddar bubble bread. Everyone came & went to fit thier schedule & we had a GREAT party!! Was just thinking maybe you could do something like this? Good Luck

 

[cmdtrgd]

Try Belinda's Power Hour. I believe the key is being consistent, whether consistent is every day or three days a week is up to you. You can find pockets of 15 minutes of time throughout your day. Also, if you only have 15 minutes to do host coaching, you do it fast.

 

[lacychef]

What keeps me motivated is all the perks that this company offers us. Whenever there is an incentive I work my butt off so I can earn it. The word "free" really motivates me!
I understand this company may not be right for everyone...but I do think to figure that out you really do need to give it 2-3 months. Or 4-6 cooking shows to see how it feels.
Yes, following up with people does take some time. I am one that doesn't really like to be on the phone much; so my hostess calls are pretty much straight to the point. Usually 10 maybe 15 minutes at the most. Unless I get someone else that is chatty, then maybe they're longer. But, to have successful shows, you must have some contact. The thing with being an independent consultant is you're responsible for your own biz. The number of shows is dependent on you; how much you make is dependent on you. I think if you really WANT to make it work, you will find a way to do it. You hear stories all the time about people doing this on top of working fulltime, having kids, going to school etc...it just depends on how it fits for you.
To me, this is the most rewarding job I've ever had. Not only does the company reward you for your efforts, but I have grown as a person too. I'm much more confident in myself; plus I've made so many new friends! I can't imagine my life without PC
Just give it some time, and evaluate if it is the right fit for YOU.

 

[gilliandanielle]

I just picture what I can do with the money that I make by calling people, organizing things and doing shows, and I get motivated. Like if I want a purse (I don't even carry one, but it is an example!) then I tell myself that if I make this call, I am one step closer to that purse, or every contact that you make is more money towards a vacation or preschool. Picture exactly what you are going to do with your profits, and it keeps things in perspective.

 

[lisacb77]

I like the advice of give it a few months. I have a friend who has done a lot of DS companies and she said these things do take time. So this will teach me patience!

I feel like right now I haven't "broke even" yet either when I run my expense reports in PP...but I also know that you spend more at the beginning than you do to maintain a biz. And if you can even out after just a few months, that's a lot quicker than most businesses! Hang in there

You did the right thing by posting here, these folks help keep me going!

 

[melindag]

Try Belinda's Power Hour. I believe the key is being consistent, whether consistent is every day or three days a week is up to you. You can find pockets of 15 minutes of time throughout your day. Also, if you only have 15 minutes to do host coaching, you do it fast.

I just have to say, I agree with everyone's advice...but this right here is the HEART of the matter (at least for me). I have seen a significant boost in my business since spring - and its all because I am determined to stay consistent. I have started using my lunch break as somewhat of a power hour. It doesn't end up being a complete hour, but what I've been doing is each day focus on a different task. In other words, I will use that hour one day to host coach, the next day, customer care calls, the next day, put together host packets, the next day to mail things like post cards, etc to hosts. Its been really helping me a lot.

And consistency in my show schedule is really helping. The more consistent my show schedule is, the better my presentation and "show flow" stays - and that turns into MORE enthusiasm, MORE fun, MORE sales, MORE shows and it all comes full circle.

You get out of it what you put into it.....I love the incentives, I love the products, I love the company! Find what you are passionate about, and let it roll!!!!

Melinda

 

[tlennhoff]

I'm about to complete my 4th show and qualify. None have been really big. But it looks like by the end of the month and 3 more shows closing that I'll recoup all of the money I've put into the business so far. You've already laid out some money and the only way to recoup the cost is to go forward. At least get in 6-8 shows. See where you are after that and then make a decision. I've also been discouraged as average show attendance has been 4 people and sales are average about $200. But I figure it must get easier over time and that I'll have good months and bad and as long as I keep my spending down and only buy what I need I should be ok for a while.

 

[lisacb77]

I wonder if I am claiming more than most folks on how much you've "spent" yet?? I count EVERYTHING. If I meet a host in person to coach and we have lunch, I've been tracking the expense in PP. It's only a 3 mi round trip to make copies at Ofc Depot, but I claim it everytime. And DH and I recently took a cooking class, so I claimed my half as I did learn some new techniques I have incorporated into my shows. So that's why I haven't quite recouped yet, I guess. I hope it helps at tax time!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

The thing that keeps me motivated in doing this is my family, I have a finacee that constantly is cheering me on.. My daughter she is five she is my lttle side kick I bring her to my shows with me sometimes. She has her own hat and apron to wear at my shows!!! Without my family supporting me and motivating me along the way I know that I would not be where I am in my business right now. As a matter of fact if it wast' for my finace I wouldn't have attended confernce in July. But thanks to my wonderful soon to be DH I did attend he talked me out of being stupid!!! When Ihave a bad show or a bad month like I did in July I stop and thinnk about why I decided to sell PC to begin with. Simple to earn extra money, wellalong the way I found that it is very rewarding to me personally. I made my first SS month!!!!! So anythig is possible if you have faith that you can do it!!!!

 

[Pampered Laura]

We all have slumps. Even the top dogs in the company have had slumps! My motivator is knowing that the thing that sets successful people apart from non-successful people, is that the successful people kept trying and pushing through, while the other ones quit when it got rough. Decide which group you wanna be in, and join 'em.

 

[jasonmva]

I too have pondered if this is something I really want to do anymore. While I like the fact that I can set my own hours and do shows when I want, I still (after 4 months) have an impression that PC is more compatible for someone who only has this to do. I work a full-time job and am a full-time student. By the time I get home it is too late to make phone calls and who wants a solicitation call on the weekends? I have been averaging about 1-2 parties a month and have spent more than I have made in commissions.

I enjoy cooking but the hardest part is getting the word out about my business, especially since a lot of the major advertising can only be done by those in the upper levels (which I personally think is a disadvantage to the consultant). I paid for my kit just like they did so why can't I advertise in the phone book if I want?!?

I am hopeful that with the holiday season fast approaching that I will get a few more bookings from the shows I already have scheduled.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I too have pondered if this is something I really want to do anymore. While I like the fact that I can set my own hours and do shows when I want, I still (after 4 months) have an impression that PC is more compatible for someone who only has this to do. I work a full-time job and am a full-time student. By the time I get home it is too late to make phone calls and who wants a solicitation call on the weekends? I have been averaging about 1-2 parties a month and have spent more than I have made in commissions.

I enjoy cooking but the hardest part is getting the word out about my business, especially since a lot of the major advertising can only be done by those in the upper levels (which I personally think is a disadvantage to the consultant). I paid for my kit just like they did so why can't I advertise in the phone book if I want?!?

I am hopeful that with the holiday season fast approaching that I will get a few more bookings from the shows I already have scheduled.

What are you wanting to happen with this business? Are you wanting to quit your full-time job, or just do both? If you want to do both, then maybe 1-2 a month is really good for you. Someone in my cluster is just a hobbyist & enjoys doing only a couple of shows a month. If you want to quit your full-time job, it's going to take some time to get to that point. Most of the upper-level people I know spent years getting to where they are today.

Four months isn't very long to get your name out. I've been doing this for 14 months now & have only recently started getting people to remember I do this, refer me, do online orders, etc. I think it takes some time to get this business running and successful. I guess you just have to decide whether you're willing/able to take that time.

 

[soonerchef]

I didn't read all of the posts so here is my answer...sorry to repeat if that is the case.

I find that my business goes in waves, obviously the harder I work the biz the better I do. I will admit that NC helps my motivation every year...also the ever allusive PC vacation keeps me going. But, when all is said and done I really like just having something that is all mine, no one to tell me what to do, no one to judge me, no one to say "hey you can't do that". It's mine, all mine! I like to be able to get out of the house and do something that I love. I really think that you need to dig deep and find out why you are doing this. In one of the courses at NC we were told to do the 5 item list (I forget what exactly it was) anyhoo...you could modify this. What you do is write down 5 reasons why you want to do PC, then write down 5 more, then write down 5 more and then one more time list 5 more items. Those last 5 are the real reason why you do PC.

 

[pckimboyers]

I qualified as a consultant at the end of April, and I have struggled to get bookings, there have been times (especially in June when every last person canceled on me) that I wanted to throw up my hands and quit! But I read here, I know I'm not alone, I see my director with her picture in Consultant News, knowing that she was just like me not too long ago and I just decide that I am worth trying. What if I can recruit and become a director? What if I can go to conference and go to a city I've never been? What if I meet more amazing women and make them my friend? That's what's important to me. I'm just going to keep plugging away, 'cause, so far I have lost nothing and gained so much! I love this company and everything it has to offer!