How to Support Frustrated Consultant?

[kdangel518]

Hi everyone- I have a consultant on my team who has been with me since January. She has great passion and people skills and I really feel she has awesome potential! The problem is she just seems to be having very lackluster results in her business and is getting very frustrated...

She was inactive in April, didn't meet the $150 requirement. That was the first thing that really set her off. She has had several shows where the host will say "there are 10 people expected to attend" and she will get there and there will be 3-5 people instead. OR her hosts are not good about returning her phone calls, even when they are scheduled in advance for host coaching.

She also gets many guests at shows that are "maybe's" for booking their own shows, but she just can't seem to get them over the hump to turn into a "yes". We haven't tackled recruiting yet, we're just trying to get her to hit her stride with bookings and sales first.

She has no bookings for July and is so disappointed and frustrated. She saved one of her later June shows to submit after 7/1 so she wouldn't be inactive for this month.

There is another added element of challenge here- she is a very close personal friend. I know our director has weekly calls with her, and they are working on tweeking some of her wording, etc. but otherwise our director says she is doing everything right during host coaching and full service checkouts.

I've just offered to attend a show with her to see if maybe I could give her some feedback or suggestions on how I do things differently that work for me, and also maybe we can do some customer care calls together and give e/o feedback on those (as those are not my strongest point, I tend to be nervous on the phone.)

I am just concerned that she is going to get frustrated to the point where she will quit, which I would hate to see because I really do feel that she has the potential to be very successful!

What other suggestions do you have that might help pinpoint what the problem areas are for her? That is the first step to me- let's figure out what is going on that is preventing you from having successful shows where you get bookings or preventing your hosts from returning your calls, etc. Then we can work on solutions after that.

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[raebates]

Offering to sit in on one of her shows is a great idea. You might invite her to sit in on one of yours, too. I know she's probably attended yours in the past, but she'll be viewing it with fresh eyes as a consultant.

 

[etteluap70PC]

Could she attend a show of a successful clustermate. This has been huge for me in the past.

 

[NooraK]

For the maybes. I got an email last night from my director, passed on from her upline about "think-about-it" packets. They're essentially hostess packets, but you give them to the potenial host by saying it's a "think-about-it" packet. There are three rules:
1. They must actually think about it for a few minutes
2. They must agree to take my call at the agreed upon time.
3. If they do not wish to have a show after thinking about it, they must let me down nicely.

I can't get to the full text, maybe someone else saw it too. But I thought it was a very interesting idea.

 

[kdangel518]

For the maybes. I got an email last night from my director, passed on from her upline about "think-about-it" packets. They're essentially hostess packets, but you give them to the potenial host by saying it's a "think-about-it" packet. There are three rules:
1. They must actually think about it for a few minutes
2. They must agree to take my call at the agreed upon time.
3. If they do not wish to have a show after thinking about it, they must let me down nicely.

I can't get to the full text, maybe someone else saw it too. But I thought it was a very interesting idea.

Noora- This is a really interesting idea!:thumbup: Would you mind forwarding me that email? I'm very curious to see what the packet entails! My email is [email protected] Thank you!

 

[NooraK]

Here's that email:

The following is an article by Julie Ann Jones, a direct sales coach and trainer and former direct sales professional, Julie worked a party plan business for several years, consistently holding three parties per week and winning national awards yearly. I love her marketing approach to host packets.May 15th, 2009
How many times has someone left one of your parties “on the fence” about booking. They haven’t exactly said no but they aren’t ready to commit by saying yes. And how many times have you followed up with these leads repeatedly without reaching them until you finally give up out of frustration, feeling rejected and frustrated? If you’re like most direct sellers, this is a common chain of events. Today I’m going to offer you a tool which, used properly, can virtually eliminate this scenario from your business. Have I got your attention?A think-about-it packet is really exactly what it sounds like. You have someone who is on the fence and wants a little more time. Instead of just saying, “I’ll follow up with you next week” and then letting them walk out the door, hand them a think-about-it packet.Now, my think-about-it packets were basically host packets, because it was always my intention to book them when I followed up, and I wanted them to have the packet so they had everything they needed to host a party. So I put the same things in the think-about-it packet as I did in a normal host packet. I just called it a think-about-it packet. (Get it?) If they decided not to book the party, because they already had outside order forms and catalogs, I could often talk them into at least doing a catalog show.Here’s how the think about it packet works:Before she left, I’d say, “Tell you what, Marilyn. I want to give you some time to think about it. Would you be willing to take one of my think about it packets? All you have to do is take some time in the next few days, look over all the benefits, and think about doing a party. I’ll follow up in a few days by phone.”Here’s the important part. I would say to Marilyn, “Now, I just have three rules for my think about it packets.” (These are crucial to the success of this tool, and I said them pretty much verbatim when I gave out the packets):1. Rule number one, you have to actually think about it, for at least a few minutes between now and when I call you.
2. Rule number two, you have to take my call when I follow up. When can we talk for about five minutes in the next few days? (Set up this time firmly on both your calendars so she’s expecting your call).
3. Rule number three, if you decide not to book a party, you have to let me down easy. It’s that simple.Now, I believe that people generally do as they’re told. I swear! It’s a pretty amazing phenomenon. So these rules are key because now she understands how to use the packet. More importantly, she’ll take my call (because it was one of the rules) and I gave her permission to say no. By telling her up front she can decide not to book a party, I take the pressure off of her and she’ll pick up the phone when I call. I’m telling you, this works! I’d say 90% of the time, the people who took my think-about-it packets were there at the time we’d agreed upon and actually answered their phones. And about 75% of the time, they booked a party.And that, after all, is the name of the game!So, what do you think of this idea?

 

[pamperedchefqueen]

Thank you! I think I will try this! It sounds awsome, and eliminates a long trip to deliver or the $5 to mail the packet later! Mary