Conducting a Successful Home Show

Conducting a Successful Home Show Setting Up for a Home Show Dr. Lynn’s theme in every area of the business is “keep it simple!’ Setting up for a home...
Author: Earl McCarthy
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Conducting a Successful Home Show Setting Up for a Home Show Dr. Lynn’s theme in every area of the business is “keep it simple!’ Setting up for a home show should not be different. Be aware that from the moment you get out of your car at a home show, you are onstage for selling, booking and recruiting. You are being observed, and it is your job to not only make what you do LOOK easy but to have it BE easy. 1. There’s no need to arrive any earlier than 45 minutes to an hour before the show begins. Arriving earlier than that will only overburden your hostess. If it takes you longer than an hour to set up, then your setup is too extravagant. You should only have a tablecloth, lights, jewelry trays, mirror, credit card sign, the Booking Tree, at least two necklace displays and shopping baskets. 2. Table decorations are not necessary. The jewelry is enough decoration. You are more likely to attract prospective Consultants by keeping it simple. A table full of decorations can be intimidating to someone who is not as creative. Think about what your objective is…Is it to “wow” them with the decorations or is it to “wow” them with the simplicity of this business. 3. Streamline how you transport everything into the show. You should have no more than three trips from your car to the house. If it is more than that, it will come across as a lot of work to your hostess. One look at you and any thoughts that she may have had of becoming a Consultant will quickly disappear! Use an inexpensive, flight attendant-type suitcase with wheels, one that is small enough to be considered a carry-on. This will hold your lights, extension cords, necklace displays and tablecloths. On top of this suitcase place your jewelry case. This will also carry your receipt book, calculator, catalogs, hostess packets and recruiting packets, etc. You can easily pull both of these with one hand while carrying a jewelry case in the other. On your second trip, bring in another case, depending on your inventory. It’s a good idea to have a portable left table or folding table to control the space set up. You should always keep duplicates of your bestsellers. The portable table should be brought in on a second or third trip. As easy as one, two, and three…you’re in the door!

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4. Use two black washable tablecloths. (one for the bottom, one for the top cover risers, ex. Shoe box). Our jewelry cards are black, our trays are black velvet and our company colors are black and gold. 5. Use halogen lights. Place two to three halogen lights on the table’s perimeter. That way, none of the light is lost on the floor; all of it shines down on the jewelry. By connecting extension cords under the table, you will only need to use one plug. Do not depend on your hostess to have good lighting, this is your job. It is amazing what two or three halogen lights can do. They really make the jewelry sparkle!

Displaying the Jewelry 1. Use the catalog as a guide. Dr. Lynn puts plenty of thought into the catalog layout. Take advantage of her expertise when arranging the jewelry in the trays. It is your job to help your customer shop, whether or not you’re at the table to assist them. By grouping the jewelry together by color, texture and sets, like Dr. Lynn has on the catalog pages, you make it more convenient for the customer to shop. In just one tray, your customer will not only find a bracelet and a pair of earrings to go with the necklace she’s chosen, but also other earrings and bracelets that she can mix and match with that same necklace. 2. Maximize the space in your trays. Place earring cards across the long side of the tray with their matching necklaces in front of them. Keep all of the trays inserts flat in their trays for a home show. Only prop up the inserts that have hooks when trying to attract customers to your booth at a show where there are other vendors. Customers will freely shop from your trays, but it takes more of a commitment for a customer to reach out and carefully remove a necklace from a hook. If you’ve noticed that you have not been selling the necklaces that you have on the hooks, try laying them flat at your next home show. You’ll be pleasantly surprised! For bracelets, try using a bracelet bar to display them. 3. Be sure to place your price tags dollar-side up! We’ve got great prices! Some customers are too proud or embarrassed to turn over a tag to see the price, and you will miss a sale. The most important thing to remember is that this is a fun business! By keeping it simple, you will see more, book more and recruit more!

Conducting a Home Show A Traci Lynn home show is unique in the world of direct sales. It is designed to be successful for the Consultant, rewarding for the hostess and welcoming to the guest. Before arriving, set a goal for the show and then utilize the energy and excitement of the two hour home show to help you meet your goal.

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Don’t you just love it when someone comes up to you with a basket filled with jewelry at a home show? Or wants to book a show? Or wants to sign up? That’s the magic of a home show! There’s just something about getting women together with jewelry in a home setting…It’s Exciting! Let’s look how we can maximize and utilize that excitement for your next home show! 1. Use your setup time to talk with your hostess. You’ve created a rapport with her during your hostess-coaching phone calls. Now is a good time to remind her that you are there to help her earn lots of free jewelry! As you’re straightening the jewelry in your trays, give her a copy of the Wish List that is found in the Consultant Training Manual. Encourage her to make a list of the pieces she’d like to earn for free. As she makes out her Wish List and as you continue to get the table ready for her guests, share with her how you became a Traci Lynn Consultant. Tell her your “I” story. As she listens, it may be just the thing she needs to hear in order to move a step closer in her decision to become a Consultant. Picture this…She’s already observed how easy it is for you to set up and now she’s picking up and trying on jewelry. This is the perfect time for you to tell her about all the fun you’re having with Traci Lynn’s. 2. Greet each of her guests warmly as they come in. You might say something like, “Hi! I’m the jewelry lady! Have you ever heard of Tracy Lynn? If she says “no,” you could say, “Well, for the most part, it’s priced between $16 and $38 and many of our pieces are inspired from the top designers.” If she says “yes,” then you could say, “Great! I’ve got lots of beautiful pieces here today. Have fun shopping!” You might have someone ask you “How do this work? Do we have to place an order?” Then you can say something like, “No, you get to shop right from the table and take your jewelry home tonight!” Once she has a piece of jewelry in her hand, you can offer her a basket and say “Here’s a basket. All you need to do is fill it up!” That’s always gets a smile. It’s also a good idea to have a copy of the Wish List and an alcohol swab (for trying on earrings) in each basket. 3. Mingle with the ladies as they shop a. Encourage them to try on jewelry. b. Point out pieces that are sold as sets. c. Show them how they can combine bracelets. d. Point out how most of our necklaces have extenders and many of our bracelets come in two sizes. e. Draw attention to a few designer inspirations. f. Show a few jewelry tricks. (layered styles) All of this should be done as casual conversation at the table, NOT as a presentation. Get to know your jewelry well enough so that you are able to point out all of these things to your customers. 4. Your checkout area should only be a few feet from your display. It is important to be able to listen to your customers as they shop. When you hear one customer say

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to another, “Ann, you should book a show,” you can encouragingly say, “I would love to do a show for you Ann!” When you hear “I wonder if this necklace has some earrings to go with it,” you can quickly take a look at which necklace it is, point to a couple of options and say, “I love to wear either one of these with that necklace.” And when you hear someone tell a friend, “I think I want to sell Traci Lynn,” you can exuberantly say, “I’d love to sign you up!” By having your checkout area close by, you won’t miss out on these great selling, booking and recruiting opportunities. 5. Use a number system when two or more ladies are standing in line at you checkout area. Nobody likes to wait in line. Write 1 to 6 on halved index cards and give each customer in line a number. Encourage them to go back and enjoy some refreshments (hopefully, they’ll make their way back to the jewelry table to shop some more!) Assure them that they will not lose their place in line. This way, you won’t become tied to your checkout area. You can wait on numbers 1 and 2 and then take a moment to go back to the jewelry table to up-sell or replenish before calling on number 3, so on. 6. Our mini-presentations speak volumes! When strategically placed and enthusiastically given, these presentations will increase your sales, guarantee you bookings and bring you recruits. •

Periodically tell the hostess how much she’s earned. We have a very generous hostess program. Use it to your advantage. Don’t whisper her earnings to her…wait until she’s across the room and then, with receipt book in hand, enthusiastically say, “Ann, up to this point, you’ve earned $30 in jewelry and one piece at 50% off!” After a few more sales, announce “Ann, you’re now up to $60 in jewelry and two pieces at 50% off!” Once her show sales have reached $500, go over to the hostess, ask for everyone’s attention, and say “Ann, you’ve reached $500 in sales!” Ladies, thank you so much for helping make this show a success for Ann! Ann because you have reached $500 in sales, you now have earned $75 in jewelry and two pieces at 50% off...and you can purchase one of our exclusive Hostess only Bonus bag! Ladies, be sure to remember to announce the hostess’ earning throughout the show. Her friends know she’s earning something (they’ve been to all those other home parties), but they don’t know what she’s earning. It’s up to you to tell them. Once they hear it, they’ll be more likely to book a show.



Introduce the Gift with Purchase Incentives. If you don’t introduce them and only give them away at checkout when your customers just happen to purchase enough, you will be doing just that…giving them away. But if you introduce them early in the show, your customers will have a specific dollar amount to strive for. Then the current incentives will be exactly what Dr. Lynn proposed them to be…incentives to encourage your customers to buy more.

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A quarter of the way into the show, take a minute or two to present the hostess with the Hostess Thank You Gift. As she chooses one of (whatever the current gift is) thank her for hosting the show. Be sure to tell her guests, “Ann is not only getting (whatever the current gift is) tonight; she’s also earning lots of free jewelry!” This is a very important point to remember. You don’t want the guests who have to leave early, to leave with the wrong impression thinking that all a Traci Lynn hostess earns is (whatever the current gift is). We have a great hostess program…Use it to the max!



Hold a drawing using the Business Builder Tear Pad. The key is not WHAT you choose for the drawing, but WHEN you choose to hold it. DO NOT place the tear pad on a table for guests to fill in as they arrive. Instead, wait until a third of the way into the show. They will be more apt to answer “yes” to the questions on the sheet once they see how fun and easy a Traci Lynn home show is how the jewelry sells itself.



Take a few seconds to introduce the booking incentives. Let them know that if they book a show that night, they will receive one item at 50% off. (You may also choose to give both the current booking incentive and an item at 50% off to someone who books a show.) Use the Booking Tree to fill in gaps on your calendar or specific dates. For instance, you might prefer to do shows on weekends. To encourage them to pick those dates, you can say something like, “Ladies, if you choose a date from my Booking Tree, you may choose (whatever the current booking incentive is) and TWO items at 50% off.” Offering items at 50% off doesn’t cost you anything (that’s what you paid for them), and it helps you meet your show goal.

Each of these mini-presentations bring fun and excitement to your show…When you remember to use them all, they will ensure success! 7. Keep up-selling, booking and recruiting in mind during checkout. Remember to use the excitement of the home show to help you reach your goals. Here are some tips for checkout: • Pre-stuff your shopping bags with your business card and the Jewelry Care Sheet. • If you notice that a customer has a matching set in her basket, but not the matching bracelet, be sure to let her know that there is a bracelet. That’s not being pushy; that’s being helpful. Someone might have scooped the bracelet up before she had a chance to see it. • Remind each customer that she can choose the current booking incentive or have the most expensive piece of jewelry in her basket at 50% off, if she books a show. She might have totally forgotten about your offer, or she might be waiting for you to ask her. • Refer to the Business Builder Tear Pad sheets. Remember, you’ll have a much better chance at turning a “maybe” into a “yes” during the excitement of the home show than if you wait to contact her once you get home.

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Be sure to have both the Hostess and the Recruiting Packets on hand. Display the Gift with Purchase Incentives, the Hostess Thank You Gift and the other current incentives in a tray at your checkout area. While you’re adding up your customers’ purchases, they’ll have time to really take a good look at them and even try them on. It might be the extra nudge they need to make the decision to either purchase more jewelry or book a show.

Supermarkets utilize this marketing strategy by placing a candy rack at every checkout counter. And you know what they say about ladies at a Tracy Lynn home show…They’re like kids in a candy store!

For more information on conducting home shows, please watch the “How to Conduct a Home Show” DVD

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Hostess Coaching Checklist For____________________________ Home Show Date_______________________________________ Phone/Email___________________________________________ At the time of booking :_____________( date)  Provide Hostess Packet and take materials out of the envelope and familiarize her with them.  Set the expectation that you will be contacting her again and identify convenient times to reconnect.  Be excited and confident that she will host a successful show, and introduce the “wish list” concept-so she sets a goal for the jewelry she wants to earn.  The most important thing to do is over-invite (50% will not attend)

Two weeks prior to the show, call or send a reminder postcard_________ (date)       

Tell hostess to send show invitations. Suggest that the hostess takes orders from those who cannot attend. Tell hostess to ask a friend to book a show. Tell hostess to keep snacks simple and in the same room as the jewelry. Ask hostess to check on attendance. Tell hostess to wear a simple, solid color top so she can be the model. Share enthusiasm for your Traci Lynn business and all the jewelry she will earn.

1-3 days before the show: Call________ (date)  Confirm the time of the arrival.  Get/Confirm directions.  Ask hostess where you will be setting up the jewelry and inform her that you will be bringing a table.  Suggest to the hostess that she calls her guests and let them know that they will receive a free gift for bringing a friend.  Remind the hostess to keep snacks simple and in the same room as the jewelry!

Two days after the show: ________ (date)  Send a thank-you note to the hostess.

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