Director Mastering Personal Sales Consistency: Tips and Tricks for Steady Income Growth

[PCJenni]

Anyone have advice about creating consistency in your personal sales? I have found that my personal sales have been all over this year... $1200 one month and 10,000 another. I need a more consistant income or I am going to have to leave my business. Any advice except... over book... that is a bit tired for me. I do over book and find that at certain times/months I have huge amounts of cancellations that are difficult to recover from.

 

[Inomiamenda]

What seems to help me is to have several catalog shows going on each month. I book two nights a week- usually Mon and Thurs and send invitations, do the grocery shopping for my hosts, etc. I used to do 3 or 4 shows a week and was just exhausted. This month is going to be low... around 3000 in sales. I usually do between 6000 and 8000 depending on the month, but 6000 is my minimum sales goal. Spacing my shows our gives me more time to host coach, which leads to fewer cancellations. I have also noticed that my show attendance and sales have increased, so I'm working smarter, not harder.
The catalog shows fill in the gaps. Any time someone tells me they don't have time to host a show, I offer the opportunity to pass around a catalog among their family and friends so they can take advantage of the great discounts.
I use the alpha list during my shows to allow people to mark their wish lists. I tell them to locate certain products on the list ( magic pot, stainless mixing bowls, cookware, and whatever is on special the month I am trying to book) and mark through them. Then I have them change the price to what they can get it for when they host. It is a simple and very effective visual.

 

[finley1991]

Consistency is funny because it means different things to different people. Since you asked about personal sales, determine what that number is each month and with your show average, figure out how many shows you need each month. Then book that many shows each month no matter what and host coach the heck out of them. (PS: I agree that the *overbook* phrase is tired!)If I have a cancellation, I will offer some kind of incentive to replace the show at my next show (like if they book within the next 2 weeks they get additional free product, etc). I also try to follow the 2 booking from every show rule. Linda Bowles taught me that a few years ago and when I do it (I lag at this sometimes), my show schedule ROCKS! (If anyone isn't familiar with it, tell me and I'll share it with you. I don't want to make my response LONGER if it doesn't have to be!!!)For me, consistency means doing at least 1 show each week. 2 each week is ideal but I'm trying to avoid the 1 show in 1 week, no shows the next week and 3 the week after that. My main goal is 8-10 shows each month with at least 8 submitted and at least 1 each week so I am taking a week off at any time (other than previously planned). When I have that, I know my sales will be because I've pretty much maintained the same show average for the last 3 years.Ultimately, I'd love for my sales to be $7400 each month but that would be 12 shows each month with my show average. I'm honestly not sure I can find 12 nights with the other commitments I have so I'm focusing on recruiting and getting 75% (vs. 50% right now) of my team to be *active* each month. This is a great thread! I'm glad you started this and it's going to be interesting to see what other have to say about it!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Consistency is my DREAM. (and my husbands too. )I too have found that when I try to do more shows in a month, my host coaching and follow-up goes in the tank.2 shows a week is perfect for my schedule. Ideally, I'd love every week to be one night and one brunch. Right now, for January, I have every Thursday, and every Sat. (other than the 1st!) booked. I look at the schedule, and think it looks perfect...but then, the biggest variable and struggle is making sure they all hold.I REALLY want 2011 to be my "year of consistency" - so what I'm doing right now to help January be consistentis this, I'm using the January Host Letters. The first one is going out today, and with it I am including a PC Recipe Calendar with all of the reminder dates marked for the host's show. (when I need addresses, when they need to send email/FB invites, when to call to remind guests, when I'll be calling, and Show Date!)Then, I figure they know what to expect, and they know that I'll be in contact with them - and their shows won't get lost in the Christmas/New Years Shuffle.The other thing is to work more on those Catalog Shows. My catalog show avg. is $350, so every 2 Catalog shows submitted covers a Cooking Show that may cancel/reschedule. If I hand out 6 Catalog Show packets, and only half of them come back with orders, that's still an avg. of $1000 in sales that I wouldn't have had, and worth the investment of the 6 packets.I LOVE this thread - and am looking forward to hearing more ideas and more of what works for those of you who have learned to be consistent.

 

[Sheila]

I've never made PC my full time job ... so no real advice.

Booths did help me though! There have been several months when I was in Okinawa that I had too many bookings & started handing out the booths & extra bookings to my downline!!! The base did a monthly Market Day where all the home-based vendors would gather & have a table. Because it was only 1 day a month, they got a fairly decent turn out of customers. Everyone knew it was the same weekend each month & would plan to be there. Then various other organizations would do an event or two in the year so we would work those as they came up too.

Really wishing this base gave me that opportunity! Bookings were so much easier on Okinawa! LOL

 

[cookingwithlove]

Cancellations are my biggest fear. The one single thing that I did to reduce the number of cacellations is to mail their invitations. Right now, I have 8 parties booked for January and I have 6 guest lists. I know I will be getting one more and the last one is a bit iffy. Her party is at the end of the month so if I do not get it soon, I will try to reschedule her. When a someone books a party, the guest list is due to me in 1 week, it does not matter how far away the party is. Most host get it to me on time. If I don't get it, I ask them when I can expect to see it. I let them know that this is a service that I provide and it makes it really easy for them to invite people. Once I receive the list, I am 99% sure it will hold. Mailing the invitations has given me control of my schedule. I highly recommend it.