The BIG Day!

Expo morning was exciting - unlike the day before when I was craving time with my husband!  Having had a nice evening with him, I was ready to take on my New Hometown - time to tackle my future business.  (For those of you with no business lined up - find yourself a local expo.  You can turn your entire business around with the same principles I am sharing with you today.  It is NEVER too late to make your business a success!)

Hubby and I went for coffee, and sitting in the bright sunshine of New Hometown I felt blessed and a bit nervous.  My last expo had been four months earlier, and I had secured 13 bookings from the 200 in attendance.  I knew this expo would have limited attendance (I was expecting perhaps 50) but I was counting on my new networking idea to bring in extra bookings as well.  Time would tell.

Right away, I faced challenges.  Like lots of stairs.  First in the parking garage, then at the hotel.  My little carry-on weighed about 50 lbs!  Then there's the nerves as you are setting up, and you don't know a soul in the room!  The questions of do you know such-and-such advisor, who does really well in sales here (really?  Then why doesn't she come up in an advisor search??  And speaking of the advisor locator, excuse me while I go change my info with lia sophia!!! lol!!!)  It's like being under a microscope!  Thankfully, my mother had taught me at the age of seventeen that a smile goes a very long way.  So I smiled.  I got my jewelry set up, and chatted with a few vendors.  One vendor arrived late, having gotten her times mixed up, so I helped her set up. 

The first customer at my table loved the jewelry, and loved the idea of booking a show.  This is despite the fact that I stumbled through my presentation, and surely overdid it!  Feeling immensely better, my presentation got smoother each time.  By the end of the day, I had EIGHT bookings from just 25 customers.

I think the key here was I had a planned presentation.  I knew what I wanted to say to the expo attendee, and I had a promo item on hand that broke the ice (they bridal bubbles caused tremendous fits of giggles!  I would hand the customer a bottle and tell them I didn't want them to blow their budget-they would then figure out I'd handed them a bottle of bubbles and the smile would break out on their face!)  I would tell them EXACTLY what I was offering (If you book a show today you will receive THIS item today to take home and THIS item the night of your show).  I also assured them that if the date we set didn't work, they could change the date - but no one walked away with a catalog and hostess packet unless I had a date.  Finally, I had a smile on my face the entire time.  Sometimes I think that smile has more power than we think!

The little details...like your EMOTIONS??

Saturday was chocked full of getting ready for the expo, but by afternoon, I really wanted to see my man.  Afterall, it had been three weeks apart, and me working on the expo could kinda be a killjoy, don't you think?

So by evening,  I was really NOT wanting to finish up the work, and really wanting to focus on my hubby.  I really didn't want to do the expo, either, I just wanted to be with him!

How often do we let our emotional wants get in the way of our business needs?  We use the excuse of our family to put off what we KNOW our business needs.  In my case, I KNEW this was my best shot at establishing immediate bookings in my New Hometown, and yet my emotions told me it would be ok to blow off.   I'm not saying to blow off your family, or to put your business before them.  I just saying we have to recognize that we sabotage our businesses by not making them one of our priorities.  No one will argue with your family being a priority, yet repeatedly I hear women NOT making their business a priority, and then wondering why their businesses failed!  In life, you have to balance family and work, and recognizing the fact you use emotions and family as excuses NOT to do business is a major thing.

When it came down to finishing up for Saturday evening, it took me about 15 minutes to repack a carry-on suitcase with catalogs, promo items and the jewelry.  I made the decision not to label my catalogs that night (and only packed two packs of catalogs - big mistake) and once everything was done, we went out to dinner and enjoyed a stress-free night.  Fifteen minutes was all it took to get my priorities lined up for the evening, and I felt better about the next day having had quality time with my husband that evening.  Very often, that's all it takes.  Fifteen minutes of packing up bags, fifteen minutes of hostess coaching, fifteen minutes of calls.  By giving your business just fifteen minutes you'll find it takes nothing away from your family time - and you'll actually enjoy that time MORE because you know the business has been taken care of!

Promos on the Run :-)

Now equipped with the necessary labeling and display pieces, I need 50 promo items to hand out.  I know I saw a Michaels on the south side of the highway, so I take off to the east, scanning the right side.  When the road suddenly changes and there is nothing but a tall rocky mountain on the right side of the road, I realize I missed the store, and head further east to Hobby Lobby.

Now Hobby Lobby has got to be one of the greatest stores on the planet when you are in direct sales.  There are so many items you can take and create into ways to book parties, its simply amazing.  Thankfully, it was Bridal Bash week - and all wedding items were half-off (if you wait long enough, everything will be half off at Hobby Lobby.  In fact, it may be a sin to pay full price for anything there!)  Wedding items work wonderfully for the jewelry business - the BLING is what its all about, so you can often find ideas in the bridal area!  Running a quick eye over the assorted wedding goods , my eyes alight on the bridal bubbles - you know, the cute little bottles of bubbles that guests use to blow bubbles at the bride and groom.  At $3.99 for 24 bottles, I can buy two boxes and decorate them on the cheap with a simple ribbon, a glitz rhinestone flower on the lid and a label with my info...but what can I do to tie in this promo so that they will remember me?

This is where many girls get stuck.  Instead of trying to come up with an idea, they say, "I'm not creative" and don't try.  I stand in the wedding aisle, talking to myself.  "Bubbling with joy?"  "Bubbles of happiness?"  "Blingy Bubbles?"  "Bubble Bling"  "Double your bubble bling?"  (at this point, a women also in the aisle shot me a strange look) "Blow away your troubles?"  "Blow your way to free jewelry" (terribly inappropriate, that one could be!) "Don't BLOW your budget?"  BINGO!  "Don't BLOW your budget, get your jewelry FREE instead."  I knew I had a winner, and quickly got to work.

The last minute "planner"

So I think I totally have this expo thing under control - the jewelry and supplies are packed in the three carry-on suitcases that I and my kids are carrying, even though it is free to check - am I really checking jewelry?  (That and I haven't seen my husband in three weeks, so like I'm really going wait for baggage to be unloaded at the airport, *insert eyeroll here*!)

We get to New Hometown, and daughter gets sick to her stomach.  Now mind you, this is a fairly frequent occurrence with her, but I am suddenly tied to the cottage (have I told you about the cottage?  600 sq. ft. of kitschy bliss!)   No trips to Hobby Lobby for a cute promo item to hand out.  So I simply don't think about it.  Afterall, I have Saturday to prepare, right?

Saturday morning I kinda get into a checklist mode and realize I have left my stickers all at home.  I have 50 catalogs and 200 pieces of info at the cottage, shipped directly from lia sophia and I forgot the labels.  (Have I mentioned I hadn't seen my husband in three weeks?  Yeah.)  Fortunately, my husband's new boss is most gracious, and offers to let me use her printer.  Hence I need a Staples store, and fast.

So, in my New Hometown I can't quite find the Staples (I know I saw it somewhere!) but an Office Max will do (we don't have Office Max in my old town.)  Walking in I head towards labels and remember, oops!  Forgot a display stand for the banner.  Time to improvise.  I find the nearest Office Max Dude, a kid about 24 years old, fresh out of college and now the new assistant manager :-)  Time for an accent, right?

Brian is quickly convinced of my need for sticky-surfaced foam board that I need half-cut.  Apparently they don't normally sell this item (its an "Impress Area" item) but he meets with the manager and I agree to a price of $2.49.  (This is a major coup, because at Hobby Lobby they are $8.99, not that I'm mentioning it to eager-to-please new assistant manager Brian.)  He assures me that Ken can make the half cut I need...and Ken agrees with much eye-rolling.  (One of the huge benefits of my job as a lia sophia manager is I don't have 24 years old as my boss :-)  Ken also tells me the story of Alice in Wonderland and his family history in America as I wait (yes, I have that odd affect on people.)  I grab my stickers, and off I go in search of promo items...

Making new contacts by giving, giving, giving

This January, a dear friend was a guest speaker at our annual workshop.  A master networker, she stressed that the key to successful networking was giving, giving, giving, then asking, then receiving.

I am the new girl in my New Hometown.  What is funny is, that unlike many in my New Hometown, I've known the area for 25 years.  You see, my best friend's grandparents live there, and from the time I was 15 I've visited my new Hometown every few years.  So I know the area as a tourist rather well...so I think this will be an advantage with the current locals.  Or maybe not!  lol!  We will see, but for now, I need to firmly remember, I am new here.  I must give, give, give.  Not expecting getting now, but giving to sow seeds for the future business relationships I wish to start.

Thinking of my display, I know I cannot make it as grandiose as I would like simply due to the constraints of traveling with supplies.  I could simply purchase new in my New Hometown, but as of now, there is no where to store items after I leave.  So I am taking this opportunity to reach out to the vendors still participating in the event.

My first thought is a florist.  Flowers always beautify their surroundings.  Looking through the vendors list, I am thrilled to find one!  My plan is to call and ask for the one in charge of setting up at the expo, let her know that I am also a vendor, and could I please order a few small bouquets for my table?  I will offer payment when I make the I'll make certain she knows that I'd also love to have her business cards with her bouquets and that I am paying (the plan is to give the bouquets to those I've already met - the health insurance agent, etc.)  Problem is, it's the week before Mother's Day.  Florists are incredibly overworked that week, so do I really want to add to that mess?  Would they even remember me?

So, I go to plan B.  Networking 101.  I'll simply have to give when I get there...but to do that, I need to get women to book.  Back to packing!  All the jewelry, a few display pieces, and jewelry most befitting to the expo, plus our trademark expo giveaway (no, I'm not telling what it is - but wowzers!  It works!)  My hostesses go home with a promise, a gift and a gift to come - at a cost of about $10 to me for the show that holds.  Giving works!

Getting Ready for the Expo

As I am still living 2000 miles away from my New Hometown, preparing for an expo is different than before.  I cannot wait until the week of the event to pull together my supplies from storage; I am forced to get it ready now so that it can be shipped beforehand.

My first thought had been to bring everything in my luggage, as I am flying Southwest and the bags are free.  Now lets add to this fact that I am bringing my two youngest children and my mother with me, so they can see their New Hometown (yes, I said mother.  My parents are moving to the New Hometown with us!  I am thrilled, but it does add another dimension to the move!)  My mother's flight is also one hour behind mine and the children.  The plan is to deplane, get the rental car, come back and pick her up.  This puts in the New Hometown around 3:30pm....and I need to go to the DMV that day.  So, not having to wait for luggage is a bonus.

Looking at my supplies, I realize I am low on some regularly stocked items, such as catalogs.  Aha!  Our company offers extremely low flat rate shipping on everything (regardless of order size, its always $3.80!!)  I decide to send the supplies I need directly to the New Hometown, instead of lugging them cross-country (have you ever tried to haul catalogs in your carry-on?  Not fun lifting that sucker into an overhead bin, I can assure you!)  The few supplies the company does not supply, I can easily fit in my carry-on (our the children's....thankfully we have three bags to work with!)

So now the question begs, how much jewelry do I take?  Do I buy extra favors for the attendee's?  What will my display look like?  Normal questions for any expo, but when traveling, again a challenge.  Normally I use boxes under a tablecloth to build height...where can I get the boxes?  Hmmm...I sense an opportunity to make more new contacts in my New Hometown...

Making Contacts: Do what you KNOW to do!

My "plan of attack" on my new hometown starts with something I know how to do:  Work an expo. 

The first challenge was to find the expo; the type I needed tended to be held only at particular times of the year, and the season was not yet upon us.  Google searches turned up little, so I had to spend time sifting through other websites to find the information I sought.  Bingo!  I found an expo for May 15th.  Plane ticket was booked immediately.

Imagine my horror, when three weeks before the expo my vendor payment envelope was returned, unopened, marked "return to sender!" 

I called the contact number I had, and was told that half of the vendors had LEFT the event!  It seemed the organizer had ruffled some feathers one to many times, and that the future of the event was in doubt.  This contact, in fact, was no longer part of the event...and did I want the contact information for the organizer?

In eight and half years working with women I have learned the number one rule is:  Don't get involved in other people's drama!!!  I declined the information, and asked her instead about her business.  I told her how I had established a preferred business network in my current home town, where I advertised other businesses at my home shows, and would she be interested?

To my delight, she was very interested in learning more, and seeing the jewelry.  We set a date for coffee when I got to town and had settled in.  Number of women I now knew in my new hometown:  3.

So what to do about the expo??

I sent a simple email to the organizer, explaining that I had received my check by return mail.  She was very quick to contact me, and apologized for the mishap (she simply stated that the vendor had dropped out, and did not speak ill of them.)  Was I still interested?

Given the fact that this expo was an annual event, that the year prior they had had a respectable number of attendees, and that advertising was still going strong for the event, I decided to participate.  This was still the most likely source of new bookings for me, and the cost of being a vendor was minimal.  If few attended, that was ok.  I am choosing NOT to get involved in the argument that I was not part of.  Business is business.  Number of women I now knew in my new hometown:  4.

Moving the Tribe

How often is it that you can pick up your business, move it cross-country and have no fear of change in income?

Welcome to my business.

The beauty of direct sales is by far its flexibility.  You decide when you are working, how much you will work and where you will work.  You decide if you need a pay raise.  You choose what inspires you, and you make it happen.

In planning our cross-country move, one of the first things I had to do was get my house ready to sell.  We purchased this home with two toddlers and a seven year old in tow; eight years later you can imagine the wear and tear!  All carpets needed replacement, walls needed painting, stuff needed to be packed up for storage or Goodwill.  The last two months have been full of hustle, sometimes working 12-15 hours in a day to get the house ready to sell.  Remarkably, my business did not suffer.  During that time I personally sold over $6000 in product, and our team produced an appreciation event entitled "Don't Be a Fashion Fool" for April Fool's Day.  I held three meetings, and flew to my new home state for an extended weekend.

A month from now, I hope to be "settled" in my new hometown.  Thus far, I know my husband's bosses, my new health insurance agent, and my new car insurance agent and his secretary.  I am literally starting from scratch to rebuild my home show business, and this is the exciting story of how I will grow a new tribe in a new area.  I am excited to be posed with this challenge; to live first hand what I have trained.  I invite you to follow in this journey.