It’s spring…have you wondered how to get “Bookings”? Answer: “Start planting some Booking Seeds”

Throughout your show demo you should be planting booking seeds.  At least 12 -15 different ones.

What is a booking seed? you may be asking!

A booking seed is a Key phrase that you ‘Plant’ throughout your show demo.

Things like “my last hostess received this for free” or “if you fall in love with more than your pocket book allows…talk to me about booking your own show”.

It’s been proven that the more “booking seeds” you plant throughout your show gets more results!!!

So start today!

After all, spring is upon us and its time to start “Planting!”

Jody

www.DesignedforDivineDestinations.com “Where its not just about the Destination, it’s the Journey to get There!”

So it’s January of a new year and some of you in Home Party Businesses may be thinking “It’s the beginning of the year.. everyone has already spent all their money on the holidays and no one wants to have a party” or “People are all partied out and just want to rest”.

Uh oh! Sounds like someone is just making excuses. Delete that thought and replace it with a new one! Here are some suggested thoughts to replace those ones with….. Read the rest of this entry »

Right now, most of you are getting ready for Christmas and shopping.

I encourage you to take a break from your business…have fun with friends and family.

When this is going on keep a pad and pen handy beside you though…I have always found that when I am at my most ‘relaxed and happy’…that is when my best “Business Ideas” come through.

So, if you don’t jot them down quick…some of your best ideas can slip right by you.

By making a quick note of your ideas…you can then look at them more closely come the New Year.

This helps you in two ways:

1) You are allowing your ideas to flow freely when you are “Relaxed” and in a “Fun” state….and those ideas are usually geared to this too by the way.

and

2) When you re-start your business in January you are doing so “Refreshed” and “Looking forward” instead of ….drained…desperate and scared.

See the difference???

So go ahead….Be Merry….have FUN!!! and Jot Down your Great Idea’s!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Jody In Beautiful BC

Jody Maley is Motivational Speaker & Trainer, mom of six,retired entrepeneur, ToastMaster, Queen of the Home Party Plan Biz!

http://www.DesignedforDivineDestinations.com

“Where its not just about the Destination, it’s the Journey to Get there!”

Some of you may have heard a Rumour! The Rumour is shhhhh….

January is the slowest Month of the Year in any Home Based Business!

Well, thankfully that’s just a Rumour!!!!

For the 9 yrs I was in the Direct Sales Company I bonused (didn’t do just the minimum sales) Each and EVERY January!!!!

I’m going to share with you some of my Top Tips on how to maximize your January sales NOW!!!!

Scene #1
So, it’s near the end of the year! September, October, and November have been totally amazing. Sales have been through the roof, you are glad there is a lull so that you can finally slow down for your own Christmas Agenda.

Then, a funny thing happens! It’s January 5th and you have no shows left!

No customers to talk to!

Realizing, yikes, how did this happen? I better get on the phone and do some calls!

So in a panic you start phoning a tonne of customers, hostesses, then you bug your best friends (again!) to please look at the new catalogue and ask,

Sound familiar?

How does this sound instead?

Scene #2

It’s January 5th and today I’m calling my 6 hostesses that I already have booked, letting them know the new catalogue is in, it’s amazing and I give them 3 great New ideas that they can tell their guests about to help get them to the shows!
They are:
1) Fabulous Gifts for each guest in attendance
2) New products at the show
3) Shipping is on me (or whatever you want to offer)

Now, I don’t know about you….but I’d rather have Scene #2 and Know what I am doing…then doing something out of Frusteration and Desperation!

If you had been building Bridges behind you then Scene #2 is totally possible, if not, it’s not too late!

Here are my three Easy Breezy Ways to build some bridges for the New Year!

1) Stay Connected with your Past Hostess’s/Customer’s
2) Have a mail-out list
3) Keep up connections with their family (spouse/parents/siblings)

Let me Expand on each of these for ya!

1) Stay Connected

• Go through all your sales from the past year…YES..the past year. List all your Hostess’s/names/address’   Also make a list from your customer base…put them in 2 categories…those who bought under $50…those who bought Over $50  

2) Have a Mail Out List

• After you have made out your Connections you will now have 3 different mail outs!!!
• One to all your past Hostess’s thanking them for their time and business (include your new catalogue & that you are going to have an event in the New Year…just for them!)
• Second to all your customer’s who ordered over $50…let these ladies know that they are now one of your “preferred customer’s” and that they will Always be in the know of upcoming specials
• Third…will be to your customer’s who ordered under $50…thank them for their patronage..and how happy you were to meet them.

3) Keeping up Connections with Family

• You want to make sure that you get to know every hostess’s family! 
• Make sure you write down in your hostess’s file their husband’s name, sister, brother, mother etc…if you can…then when there are great Christmas specials….Valentine’s Special’s…and in the summer Anniversaries….you know Who to talk to & help them choose fav gifts for your special Hostess

(some of my most successful & lucrative parties have been my Spouse parties….one was well over $10,000 just before Christmas!)

So there ya go!
Some great ideas for how to Jumpstart your January!

I’d love to know how you stay connected with your Customer’s!

JODY )

Jody Maley is Motivational Speaker & Trainer, mom of six,retired entrepeneur, ToastMaster, Queen of the Home Party Plan Biz!

http://www.DesignedforDivineDestinations.com

“Where its not just about the Destination, it’s the Journey to Get there!”

A few years ago I was doing a home party show and was doing my Hostess Coaching with a great gal!

I knew she had done a few other different parties with other companies, but even knowing this I made it a point to set a coffee date so that we could sit down and go over the hostess package!

I met her at her home, brought the package and proceeded to go over the details.

We went over some key things that I do for every hostess:

• Brainstorm for guest names
• Discuss that if someone cannot make the show, they can definitely place an order
• I always tell my hostess’s that they know their guests better than I do, and how I do not like to “push sales on anybody”, so with this in mind if she has a guest who is on a ‘fixed budget’ this would be the ideal person that she could talk to…to host her own party!
• We also discuss how the hostess will contact people, and a ‘warm way to invite them’

My hostess was ECTASTIC and over the edge with happiness!

She gushed on how “no other consultant had set out clearly” about having a party!

UH???  I was stunned.

I had “ASSUMED” (ya know the old saying…it makes an ASS-Out-of-U-and-ME) that because my friend had several other parties with other companies, she would know all the fun details about being a hostess!!!

I was also pleasantly surprised by her warm “thanks” about how to even “invite her guests”…this was always something she had dreaded doing in the past…and she mentioned such things like:

• I never knew Exactly what to say when I invited people….so I’d usually say something stupid like “oh just come…have fun…I don’t expect you to buy anything” ((uh, even tho she did want them to buy a little something))
• Sitting down and making a list was always daunting and I put it off…but now we’ve done it together..thanks!!
• I never thought of keeping the food simple…I had no idea about giving people too many choices..I always thought I had to put together a huge COSTLY spread..thanks for simplifying it!
• I’m looking forward to this party, you have made it fun!

It just goes to show ya all….never assume that people who have had tonnes of other parties know even just the basics of having a Successful party…sure you mite get the seats filled…but filled with people who have no INTENTIONS of spending anything!!!

Think about it & I’d love to hear some of your most fun Hostess’s!!!

JODY )

Jody Maley is Motivational Speaker & Trainer, mom of six,retired entrepeneur, ToastMaster, Queen of the Home Party Plan Biz!

http://www.DesignedforDivineDestinations.com

“Where its not just about the Destination, it’s the Journey to Get there!”

I watched Dr. Phil the other day and this was his topic! Wow!

I couldn’t believe how strongly against working moms, some of the stay at home moms were.  Well, probably just one in particular.  She shared that staying at home was the ‘be all’ for moms, and anyone who chose any differently should be ashamed!

Now, I love my children (4 natural and 2 stepsons), but I distinctly remember when my oldest ones were 4 1/2 and 6 mths old my thoughts and feelings.

I’m a smart person who’s life revolved around changing diapers, potty training, cleaning up puke…and although I love my life the question kept nagging “Is this really all I’m meant to do???”

Entered my first business, and the need for ADULT conversation.

I chose a Home Party Plan biz because of two factors: I chose when I worked & it enabled me to be at home as much as possible for my kids!

I loved getting ‘dressed up’ and talking to a ‘few adults’…without having to intervene in between toddlers fighting over a toy, who’s feelings were hurt and the many things we moms take on.

What a gift I thought I had been given.  Even better, I left for most of my shows at 6:30 and my kids went to bed.  So, on top of making a great income….yup in the 6  digits people…I did around 12 shows per month and since my kids went to bed at 7 I only missed 1 1/2 hours of their awake time.

Plus here were some great benefits of having my own business:

• Getting out with other moms/women
• Being the center of attention (ha ha not really, but I just wanted to see if ya were really reading)
• Definitely more $$; in fact, I was soon making more than my ex…who at the time resented that..oh well
• Great tax savings! It’s true, when you have your own home business, you get a tonne of tax breaks!
• I felt like a woman! (to quote Shania)
• Plus my kids NEVER saw the inside of a daycare

If someone years ago had JUDGED me based on my decisions, I would’ve felt very very sad.

After all, what I have learned the most is that being a Happy mom is truly the best gift I could ever give to my children!!!!

Speak up moms, let’s hear your side!

Sincerely

Jody In Beautiful BC

Jody Maley is Motivational Speaker & Trainer, mom of six,retired entrepeneur, ToastMaster, Queen of the Home Party Plan Biz!

http://www.DesignedforDivineDestinations.com

“Where its not just about the Destination, it’s the Journey to Get there!”

Once upon a time…..there was a mom who had two little children.  One was five and the other six months old.

Loneliness and just having that feeling inside of her that there was ’something more’ she decided to run a business that had just literally fallen into her lap.

She bought a ’starter kit’ at a home party show cause it was way cheaper to do that than to ‘outright buy’ all the wonderful things she had fallen in love with.  Candles, crystal and solid brass items…quality pieces that she couldn’t just ‘buy now’ on her family budget.

Once she gleefully opened up her kit of “goodies” she actually sat down and started reading the ‘manual’ that came with it. Mmmm…to think that she could actually make a dollar or two spurred her ‘creative genius’.

Her skeptical husband said, “How are you going to do that? And who would be your customers? This product is too expensive!”
She knew though in her heart that ’something had led her’ to this particular product.

Having invited over for dinner one of her most skeptical friends, who also had a great taste for expensive things, she said to her husband “Look, if Mrs. Skeptical decides to buy what I have, and wants to host a party for me…then I will know that this is, indeed, the business for me!  Not only that, but she will decide this tonite within the first 15 min’s of coming into our house!”

Well, skeptical husband didn’t even wait 15 min’s….Mrs. Skeptical came into the house…saw the mom’s new pieces and within five min’s said “Oh my goodness, this is beautiful! Are you selling this? I used to sell MaryKay and I will host a party for you!”

Born in that moment in the mom’s heart was confirmation that she had indeed chosen a great product, and if she could instantly get Mrs. Skeptical on her side…success would be hers…and it WAS SO!

I guess I don’t need to tell you that I was that mom! I made a decision to start a business & had three key ingredients that made me start, and also three “motivators to my success”. 

Just how successful was I? Let’s try to the tune of $4,200/week average, won National Leadership awards, earned Top Ranking Consultant too many times to count!  I must just add here that I accomplished this in a tiny little town with less than 10,000 people!

Here are the Top three reasons most moms/mompreneurs decide to start in a business!

1) There are just plain lonely and in desperate need for some Adult/Female conversation!  Let’s face it….women on average talk 40% more than men, so if you are planning on your DH (darling hubby) to provide that Convo that you need everyday just to stay sane…uh it ain’t gonna happen!
2) Need for the Extra income.  Whether you have come from the corporate job and have now decided to be a SAHM (stay at home mom) or like our young family the need for that little bit extra is a top motivator for moms!
3) Knowing that your life is missing just that “Something”…that you were meant to do!  After all, every mom at some point wonders if this is all her life is cracked up to be: changing diapers, nursing, breakfast lunch dinner, bath times and puke times!  It doesn’t mean you don’t love these things…maybe minus the puke, but you start to seriously question what your “Better good” is!

Let me continue my story just a little bit more!

At my shows, which I absolutely Loved doing BTW, I had hundreds (yes hundreds) of women in other businesses keep asking me two questions: 1) How do you keep getting so many bookings? (I averaged around 10-15/mth) and 2) How are you getting such high sales? (again I AVERAGED around $750…which mean some were the minimum $250 and some were over $1500!)

At that point in my business these were two questions I honestly couldn’t answer!  I guess I didn’t have a ’set formula’ then for success!  I loved what I was doing, I loved sharing what I was doing and I definitely loved to make the money I was making!

After I ‘retired’ from that business, God has a great sense of humor so I developed ‘allergies’ to alot of the fragrances,  I tried a few other business’s sucked in by the money aspect.  Did I do well in these other business’s? Sadly, no!

I hopped from business to business, trying to find the ‘right one’ for me again!  I tried everything from scrapbooking (mom of six here) to vitamins (health is good right?) to even an on-line self development course (which I found after having been told I had a hrt condition). 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I really did love all of these businesses and I’m 100% certain of their merits and value that I could add to peoples lives….but one thing was missing….my heart!  That little voice in my gut saying “This is what you are meant to do!”

I started some real ’soul searching’.  I don’t believe that something happens in our lives for no reason!  So I sat down and for four months really worked out what my passion is!

Here it is: “My passion is to help other moms/mompreneurs learn the three steps I did to Be happy, Love what you do & Make money doing it!”

Here are the three steps that I realized years after many ladies were asking me how I got more bookings and higher sales:

1) I knew that something in my life was missing and allowed something new to open up to me!
2) Once I fell in love with a certain product (or passion) I was not deterred by what other people told me. I was focused and used the simple techniques that I was told by my mentors.
3) I knew in my heart that this was for me, and I believed that it was going to work for me.

Bio: Jody is a WAHM, owner of www.DesignedforDivineDestinations.com, mom of six of a blended family, an accomplished ToastMaster & Speaker and has a passion to work with mompreneurs!

Being a “mompreneur” is the new logo for moms all around of one key essential, Balance.

Having balance today means that a mom can have the option to choose a different path! We wear many different hats today by being a mom. Mom, taxi driver, cook, psychologist and oh yeah, major six figure executive.

I’ve been a “mompreneur” for over 13 yrs and I wouldn’t change one thing.

Choosing to have my own business can sometimes be scary (uh, but isn’t that how one grows and stretches?), it can sometimes be hard to maintain that balance (many business TeleConferences have been interrupted by a bleeding something or just the need for a hug), but I would not choose anything else!

Being a “mompreneur” also has many rewards too!

No time clock! I work when I want to, not when I have a boss pressuring me to get a report in.  BTW this makes my work the best quality I have ever produced, because it comes from True Passion vs Obligation!

My children (six in total) have never seen the inside of the daycare system!  This is something that has no price tags, my time is my most valuable commodity and I will not settle for someone else watching my kids take their first steps.

When I do have to go away for work, yes I get booked quite a bit to speak, run seminars and do Business Coaching, it’s like a mini-vacation.  It’s more Fun than work and it’s always a pleasure knowing I’m getting paid for this too!  When I return home, refreshed and ready with more ideas, my family gets the best of mom.

I always shake my head when so many moms come to me frusterated, burnt out and definitely not in Balance.

Here are some of my best tips to help you restore that Balance in your home/business and hopefully bring back some of that passion that made you start your own business to begin with!

1) Take care of YOU! Set aside a few minutes every day to drink  your tea, write out some things that make you happy and just ‘take in the moment’.  This will literally take about 10-15 mins, but you need to take this time for YOU!
2) Make sure you have a great day planner/calendar for your whole household.  This way your family can see when your set ‘working hours‘ are and you can plan when you are going to have your family time.
3) DreamBoards are essential! How do you know how far you have come, if you have no clue to where you are going?

These are just a few things that I make sure are done everyday to bring balance to my own life.

So don’t hide your light under a ‘bushel’, step out and say I’m a mompreneur and I’m proud of it!

The other day I was driving past a local neighborhood park and I saw a mom with 3 little ones all decked out in collegiate alumni outfits. I like to imagine what scenarios might go with what I see when I’m out. I was prompted by a common scenario… Read the rest of this entry »

Quite often when our family has guests in our home, my husband can make the Best Steak in the world. 

He is often asked “How to Cook a New York Strip Steak  to perfection” and he just smiles and never really gives away his secret. 

After all, a great cook knows how to keep his audience coming back for more & more & more!

I, on the other hand, love to talk and share my knowledge with everyone around me. 

In the past when I’ve worked with hundreds of ladies in the Home Party business Christmas was usually pretty good!

Lots of Customers! Lots of Hostesses! Lots and I mean LOTS of Sales!

Then came January.  Typically the slowest month for the Party Business….but not in my group!

I worked with my awesome and amazing team to make sure they started out the yr with a Bang (no pun intended..lol) and they sure did.

When other teams were struggling (arrrggghhhh hate that word) MY team was Thriving. 

Sure they had a few shows cancel or postpone, but they had plenty to cover that!

And when other teams were trying to ‘ReBuild’ in Feb……MY team consistently signed up new People, had high shows and kept their INCOME Rolling IN!?   Why?

Because I taught them well!  

I gave them Simple and Usable Tips/Strategies to do every Day!

Their shows CONTINUED well into January (then Feb…Mar…and April….amazing how that works!), their CUSTOMER/HOSTESS Base grew, and best of all…..so did their POCKETBOOKS! Ka-Ching!

Now my mission is to help other ladies, no matter what your home biz is! 

These are the tips and encouragment I used with MY team for over 9 yrs! Now you can benefit too!

You can learn “How to cook a New York Strip Steak” in your business, and have people asking how you did it….you can just smile!

If you weren’t happy with your results in 2008, don’t SETTLE for your results in 2009  CREATE New and Better ones!

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got!”

Jody Maley

owner of www.DesignedforDivineDestinations.com
“It’s not just about the Destination, it’s the Journey to Get There!”