Fall is flying...literally and figuratively! With the new house, new schools, new schedules and wow-new state the days do not seem long enough. Fortunately, the promised milder weather is holding true; today the high should be 72. Not too bad for the last day of October to this Michigan-raised girl!
How is business? Well, I've had to scramble. In September I flew back to Michigan twice for meetings and shows-and at the end of that round of frequent flying decided on a break. While I have continually been doing shows in Michigan, that hasn't helped my Arizona show line-up. Add to that the fact that the longest I'd lived in Arizona at anyone point was only 3 weeks and 3 days...and that was when I visited at age 18! There was a desperate need to put down strong ties to this New Hometown, so I made arrangements for the next meeting and Michigan shows be taken over by those long in the business and well able to handle them.
My October lineup of 5 shows dwindled with the normal whining about how no one had any money right now. (Please note, I held and turned in 3, despite the whining and 4 of the 5 shows canceling - yes, I did my own show!) With one week to go to November, I had no line-up. None in Arizona, none in Michigan. Sure, I had prospects, but nothing dated. Time to get resourceful once again.
I booked a Senior Citizen's health fair with just 5 days notice. It cost me $100 plus $75 in jewelry for the prizes the center would give out. With that cost in mind, I determined I needed 5 shows...knowing full well that senior citizens do NOT like to host parties!
After setting up at the event, I quickly distributed catalogs to EVERY vendor there. I let them know I was new in town, and what the October sale was, plus the fact I'd give them a free piece of jewelry if they booked a show (from my treasure chest.) From this, I was able to host my own catalog show with the orders I received (so I got the Amplified earrings for free as hostess!! Yipee!!) I booked 4 shows with vendors (two during office hours!) and one happy little old lady who still loves to do shows! Being a good girl, I booked them in tight and have them all lined up before 11/15.
Once again, I've had nothing lined up and had to rebuild. Once again, I've looked for a solution, thought a bit outside of the box, and made it work. Looking back, I wish I had handed every vendor an ORDER FORM with the catalog! I am still thrilled with how well a Health Fair could go-but it was really because I knew my target was the female vendors. When we go to craft fairs and the like, how often do we share our products with them? One huge benefit was the fact that the other vendors were not personally selling a product, they had a service and (in general) they were employees of a company, not the business person themselves. Being employed, they had money to spend and were interested in hosting a show-which is a target customer/hostess!!
When left with nothing - get back to basics and then rework them to get the MOST out of them. I learned late in the vendor fair that the fact I am new was actually a plus-women wanted to help me out. Take advantage of the things going on in your life-not for sympathy, but for mere fact. If you started out lia sophia awhile ago and life got crazy (you had a baby, you moved, new job, etc) let your friends know that's why you need their help again in restarting. People do understand :)
No matter what trials and obstacles you face in your business, you can make it work. Ups and downs should be no surprise-they are normal cycles in our business. As the economy improves, those of us with solid businesses will be the ones to move up the ladder of success in the next cycle...where will you be??
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