30-second commercials

Every single business and marketing course will talk about today's topic and how important it is.  Why?  Because you don't often have a lot of time to tell a new, potential customer everything about your customer and why she should be buying it. This tool is called the "30-second commercial" or "the elevator pitch."  It was so named because it was developed for businessmen who were being interviewed on the elevator.  If they didn't create a good enough impression of themselves by the time the elevator got to the boss's floor, they had to go back down.
Developing your own elevator pitch gives you the advantage of being calm and relaxed when you come into contact with your latest client. You will sound organized and professional to this client.
So, today, I'm going to go to several different business pages and combine all of their information here so that you can develop the best elevator speech you can.  Remember that this might be the only chance you get to connect with a new client, so work out your speech with these tips.
You want your speech to embody Jamberry as well as you as a consultant.  The delivery of your speech will help a lot with selling yourself.  This technique is going one step beyond, "Thanks, I sell these," or "I do them with my hair dryer!" when someone notices your nails.  This is a practiced, cohesive, and specific to your Jamberry business.
The best breakdown I've found of a 30 second commercial lines out all the things that your commercial/pitch should entail.  I highly recommend you write down each of these on a piece of paper and skip a couple of lines so that you can write down your ideas.

• Your name
• Your company
• Specialty - What do you do?
• Features and Benefits - Why is it better than other products like ours?
• A "hook" - why your customer should act

The key to your success here is to connect the ideas together in one cohesive statement, preferably no more than three sentences long. Here's what mine is:
Hi, my name is Jennifer, and I'm a consultant for Jamberry nails.  Jamberry shields are a non-toxic alternative to nail polish.  They don't chip, they don't crack, and they can't spill on your carpet!  Would you like a sample?

Now that you've created a commercial for yourself, stand in front of the mirror and practice.  Have your friends listen to it (you might get them to try Jams if you do).  Practice over and over until it's second nature - just another normal thing you'd say.

Homework:  Post your elevator pitch on the team page!  Due tomorrow.

Basket Marketing

If you feel like your contact list is running dry, it might be time to explore new avenues of marketing.  Today, I'm specifically going to talk about bringing baskets to businesses in order to connect with their employees.  Why should you do this?  Because you don't know these women yet and they all have friends you also don't know.  If only one person from each business you bring a marketing business to books a party, you're going to have a ton of new contacts from which you can "snowball" your business.
I put my baskets together for virtually nothing.  I buy the basket at Michael's at 70% off (go see if there are still sales at your craft stores) and the rest is just catalogues, samples, gifts, and brochures.Here are my Do's & Don'ts of Basket Marketing.

1. Don't choose a store where you already have friends and/or clients working.  The key to basket marketing is that you want to meet new women.  Your friends and clients can use their referral cards to get your name out at their places of business.  You need new women!
2. Do put your name, phone number, and website on everything.  It doesn't matter what's in your basket, it has to have your name, your phone number, and website on it!  How else is your new client going to know how to get ahold of you?  Download the return address label template from your back office and print off a sheet.  Put a sticker on everything!
3. Do include a catalogue.  Who cares if you never get it back?  You want these women to see everything we have to offer!
4. Do put in samples!  However you want to package them (see below) make sure that these new customers have samples to try.  You never know, someone might bring a hair dryer into work one day so everyone can try them!
5. Don't just put in samples!  You don't want to bring these ladies a basket of only samples and catalogues.  You want them to have a reason to look in the basket.  Include candy, hot cocoa or tea.  Put the candies in inexpensive tulle bags you can get at the dollar store.  Remember that it can be inexpensive without being "cheap."  Here are some suggestions:
        Personalized Tea Bags
        Smarties bearing the tag "Be a SMARTIE, book a party!"
        Reisen candies with the note, "You don't need a REISEN to book a party - any day is good!"
6. Do check back.  There are two reasons you want to check back.  First, you want to connect with your customers and tell them that they're more than just money to you.  Second, you don't want them throwing away your basket.  I don't care how cheap you got that sucker, you want to reuse it as much as possible.

So, those are my rules.  Here's a really good optional tip:  Give your new clients more than one way to get ahold of you.  Of course you have your phone number and website on your tags and catalogues and flyers and samples, but you might want to get one more way for them to find your website - I use a QR code.  That's one of those cool square barcodes you see on movie posters that take you directly to the movie's websites when you scan it with your phone.  If you use QRstuff.com (forgot about that on "free tools day), you can create your own that directs them directly to your website.  Mine goes to the "view all" section of my website.

Snowballing Your Business!

So, by now, you have a good idea what the end of January and beginning of February looks like for you.  You know how many parties you have on the books, and you may be thinking that it's not enough.  Well, let me tell you what, if you even have one party (or party lead) on your books, you have everything you need to grow your business.  We're going to snowball it!
Set yourself a goal for how many parties you want to book from any given party.  Now double it!  Here's why:
At any given party, you're given a new set of women that you've potentially never met.  Now, you might have a former hostess there, but let's assume that most of them are new.  You ask every single woman at that party to have a party and you book your goal (or even a little under it, remember, you doubled your old goal).  From each of those parties that you book, you then book your goal and so on and so on and so on.
Let's assume your goal is 3 parties, and you have 1 party on the books.

That 1 party becomes 3 parties. (Total 4 parties)

Those 3 parties become 9 parties.  (Total 13 parties)

Those 9 parties become 27 parties. (Total 40 parties)

And so on.  If you only book in the next month and you actually keep snowballing, you would potentially have 2187 parties!  I don't know how you would hold that many either, but wouldn't it be great to have that problem?  Yes, you will have cancellations and not all the bookings will be successful parties, but if you keep growing and growing and growing, one cancellation or bad party isn't going to get you down. You've got 8 more coming!

Homework:  Post your "snowballing" party goal in the Facebook group!  Due tomorrow.

Make a Party Packing List

Have you ever gotten to a party or event and realized that you've forgotten something really important?  Have you forgotten something that's not really that important, but you forgot it nonetheless?  Well, today, you're going to make a list that insures that never happens again.  You should have a list of everything you take to parties and have it ready to print and check off as you get ready for your parties.  Last week, we talked about organizing your week and having a day where all you do for your business is get ready for parties.  I have a hard time making any of these priority over the others, so I'm just going to write them in the order I think of them.  I'm also including a downloadable checklist you can edit for your needs.  This is a list that you use to make sure you can do that:

• I make Sample Packets to make sure I don't forget anything for application purposes, but if you don't, you'll need:
      Alcohol prep pads
      Orange Sticks
      Files
      Samples
      Business Cards
      Application instructions
• Even if you do have sample packets, you'll still need to bring:
        Nail Scissors
        Cuticle Pushers
        Heater
        Extension Cord
• I also have my binders that have my sample packets in them as well as:
        Customer Care Cards
        Catalogues
        Pens
• Include 5 Hostess Packets (or more!)
• Calendar
• Party Bank
• In case of guests with painted nails, I also bring:
        Acetone/Nail Polish Remover
        Cotton balls or pads
• Don't forget your Book to Look Boxes! (Make sure they're the right ones, haha.)
• You'll be lost without basic business supplies like:
        Calculator
        Receipts
• Hostess Gifts
• Party Prizes
• As a last look, make sure you're not supposed to bring something for refreshments (see Theme Parties).

Homework:  Tell me what your checklist has on it, or what I forgot!  Due January 26.

Recruiting Red Flags

What are RED FLAGS? Red flags are clues that someone might have an interest in a Jamberry Business! They can be subtle (liking all or many of your posts/pictures) to bold (asking how much it is to get started) and everything in-between! Identifying these and asking the right questions can lead to more mew team members for you!

Following are some Red Flag Questions that commonly come up:

    How many nights a week do you do this?
    Do you do this every night?
    Don’t you get tired of loading and unloading your car?
    Are there very many consultants in this area?
    How long have you been doing this?
    What does your husband think about you doing this?
    What do you do with your kids while you do shows?
    Is this all you do?  Do you have another job, too?
    How far do you have to travel to do shows?
    Do you get trained how to do this?
    How do you remember all these product names?!
    Do you only do shows at night?
    Do you have to go to a lot of meetings?
    Did you have to buy all these products?
    Do you ever get nervous before a show?
    I used to sell _______, how do you like Jamberry?
    You really seem to love what you do!  I could never do something like this.
    I live pretty far away from here, would you come that far to do a show?
Remember that the key is to answer the question with a question.  And of course, you’ll want to send her some information about the company and a catalog and sample.  Very few of us consultants “checked the box” on a door prize slip, so if you’re missing Red Flag Question askers, then you’re missing some great recruits!  If you don’t ask, someone else will!  JUST ASK.  J

Remember – the key is to answer with an open-ended question, NOT a statement that leads nowhere!  Practice saying these responses so you’ll be ready at your next show!

1. Is all that stuff heavy to haul around?
   Would you be willing to haul it for $100 a night?
2. How often do you do this?
   I do between 1-3 parties a week, depending on my family’s schedule.  How many do you see yourself doing?
3. I bet your husband hates it when you go out at night.
   At first he did, but he found he loves the paychecks.  Would your husband mind you making $100 a night?
4. I want everything.
   I can tell you love the products.  Would you like to hear how to get PAID to wear the products?
5. Can you really make any money doing this?
   Absolutely!  Could you use some extra money?
6. I’d never have the time to do this!
   How much time do you think it takes?
7. Who watches your kids?
   Would child care be an issue for you if you made $100 a night?
8. I could never do what you do.
   What is it that I do that you think you couldn’t do?
9. I hate my job.
   I know how you feel.  Have you ever thought about doing something fun on a part-time basis and make full-time pay?

Remember to keep the focus on the person asking the question – NOT yourself! Recruiting is NEVER EVER about you!

Homework:

1. Write your own responses to some of the questions listed above.
2. Think about your Facebook activity. Make a list of people that have liked/commented on your posts multiple times. What type of leading questions can you ask each one to spark the extra interest? (If you need help with this, post on the team page and we will all help you out!)
3. List any additional questions you have been asked that you think are RED FLAG questions.

Book to Look Boxes

I don't know about you, but when I'm setting up my table for shows, I always had a problem figuring out what goes in the middle of my table.  I don't want there to be anything that obstructs guests' views of each other, but I also hate the look of a bare centre.  When I heard about the idea I'm going to present to you today, it solved my problem!  This is an idea that can be transformed for any month/holiday/season, and you can use it over and over again!
First off, let's start with what my November/December tables looked like:

See that pile of presents in the middle?  Well, those are my Book-to-Look boxes.  They're pretty, they're unobtrusive, and they're going to get you a party!These are jewellery gift boxes that I picked up at Dollar Tree for 3 for $1.25 (that's how Dollar Tree works here).  I got cheap ribbon and tiny bows and decorated them.
Inside each of those little boxes is a slip of paper with a prize on it.  There are 12 of them.  3 of the prizes are "big;" 3 are small, and the rest are just a set of nails:

• 1 has an Indulgence Set (8% chance)
• 1 has a heater (8% chance)
• 1 has a manicure set (8% chance)
• 1 has a nail oil (8% chance)
• 1 has a "grab bag" (8% chance)
• 1 has a half sheet of nails (8% chance)
• 6 have free nail sets (50% chance)

When I start my parties, I recognize my hostess, do introductions, all that stuff, then I say, "Now, you might have noticed the gifts in the middle of the table.  Those are for you!  Inside each of those gifts is a different prize, up to and including an Indulgence hand set!  Here's how it works - if at any point during this party you think, 'My friends would love this!' I want you to reach out and grab a gift and put it under your chair.  When we're all done, you bring your gift with you to my private sales room, and you get to find out what you've won!"

So, you have these pretty boxes in the middle of your table that your guests have to look at when they're sitting around and they keep hearing about all the fun free stuff they could earn when they have their own party?  There's a good chance someone's going to pick one up and put it under her chair before you're at the sales part.  Even if they don't, when someone says, "I think I could book a party," it's almost always followed by "wait, does that mean I get to pick a present?!?"

When you give your hostess her packet, make sure she understands that she only gets her gift at her party and when her party reaches $150 in sales.  Write what she got free on the front of the packet.  Remind her about her prize when you follow up on her booking.  Keep driving it home that she's getting something in addition to all of her hostess prizes.  People love free stuff!!  If you make your own look to book boxes and they all have things you can buy at the Dollar store, no one cares because she's excited to get something for free!

Now, I've only shown you my Christmas setup, but I promised that you could customize this for whenever you were having your party, so here are a few years to get you through the year:

• January - buy snowflakes or hinged disco balls
• February - Find some heart-shaped boxes
• March/April - Easter Eggs!
• May - Put the prize at the bottom of a floral stem and put them in a vase.
• June - Glue them to the bottom of flip-flops
• July - Same thing as May, but use American or Canadian flags
• August/September - Apples, pencil boxes, school stuff
• October - Plastic jack-o-lanterns

Homework:  Tell us what you'll be using for your book to looks and what your prizes will be! Due tomorrow.

Ask for Bookings!

You know what the #1 way to guarantee that you'll get a booking from the party you've already got on the books?  ASK EVERYONE FOR A PARTY!!!!! Really.  Don't think "She didn't seem interested" or "I don't think she's the right one."  Everyone could want to have fun at her party.  ASK HER!!
Wouldn't you feel awful if you didn't ask someone if she wanted to have a party and found out she signed up for Jamberry with another consultant 3 months later?  That could have been your recruit!  Don't let this happen!

So, how do we make it so that we never, ever are afraid to ask someone if she'd like to have a Jamberry party?  Well, there are two ways, you reward yourself or you punish yourself.  Booking a party in and of itself should be the reward, so asking every single person at your party should be rewarded with getting new parties.  However, that doesn't always work for us.  Put a pile of Hershey's kisses next to you, and every time you actually ask someone to book a party, you get to eat it (once your guest has left the room).

Rewards aren't working?  Here's my new favourite method:

I am not even kind of kidding!  Download that picture or make your own sign.  When you get to your next hostess's party and you start setting up your booking area, tape that sign to the wall where your guests will see it.  I guarantee you that the first woman that says, "Hey, you didn't ask me to book a party," will absolutely make you ask the next one in.
The sign has an added benefit - if you put it up and ask a woman for a party, she can't be offended that you asked.  You're enforcing your own rules (or the company's rules, she doesn't know).

Up the ante.  If you use the sign and are still not getting the job done, make a new one that says $20.  I bet you'll never forget to ask again!