Perplexed by Postponements?

by
Phoebe James
Arbonne Executive National Vice President

    To ensure you’ll have a hearty holiday presentation schedule, and a full calendar the whole year through, we suggest you follow new Executive Vice President, Phoebe James’ advice for overcoming postponements.  You’ll find that by using a little extra effort, postponements will only occur in rare circumstances and you’ll enjoy having a schedule you can count on!
    Realize that postponements are more apt to occur during busier times of the year such as during the holiday season.  Plan ahead for these times and over-schedule your calendar.  By doubling the number for presentations and appointments you normally have in a week, you ensure a minimum level of activity.

    Some of our most successful consultants work only two evenings a week, holding two presentation appointments each evening.  One is scheduled for 6 PM, the other for 8 PM.  Knowing that you have another appointment makes your time more valuable and encourage more respect for your schedule.  Doing this also minimizes your preparation and travel time.

    Carry stamped postcards in your calendar or planner, ready to be written and mailed.  Once you schedule a presentation, write a thank you note and immediately put it in the mail to thank you host or client for scheduling the appointment.  Let them know you are looking forward to meeting their friends and sharing Arbonne with them.

    Block-out specific times on your calendar for your business appointments and let your clients know that you are available for presentations on those dates and times.  This way, when your clients are selecting times for their presentation, they will realize that you keep a business schedule and will be more respectful of keeping the appointment.

    Offer a gift to your Host for keeping the original presentation appointment.  The gift could be a gift certificate for an amount toward their Arbonne purchase, sample packs, or a non-Arbonne item in keeping with the season.  It does not need to be an expensive gift to generate the motivation to keep the appointment.  Be sure to present a scheduling gift, and express your appreciation for your host in front of the guests – people love to feel appreciated!

    Contact your host at least three times prior to the appointment.  One call may be to obtain the guest list for pre-profiling, another to obtain directions and the final call on the date of the presentation to verify to verify directions and let them know you are on your way.  With each call, remember to express your appreciation and your enthusiasm!

    In those instances where due to circumstances the appointment cannot be held, reschedule a future date.  If a December date is not available, schedule a Week 1, 2002 presentation.  You’ll want to fill your calendar in advance for this exciting week!  Remember to send that thank you note and perhaps a Holiday card reminder!
 
Scheduling Success
Through The Holidays

It seems that every year when  I walk through the malls and department stores with family and friends I seem to say the same thing, “I can’t believe that the stores are putting up holiday decorations this early” and every year it seems that those decorations are going up earlier and earlier! Just watch, the minute summer comes to a close (right after Labor Day) you’ll see signs of the holidays – Christmas Trees, Candy Canes, Dreydels and more! Did you ever wonder why you see these decorations so early? The answer is quite simple! The Holiday Season is the most important time of year for retailers. And Arbonne is no exception. I can speak from experience that my personal retail business goes up 25% during the Holiday Sales, which means my Regional production goes up 25% as well! So, if you’re asking yourselves, “why is there a Holiday Training in the Accent in the middle of the summer” ?? It’s because serious retailers are already planning their holiday business!
So here are some tips to start planning YOUR holiday business!

1) Make a contact list of your potential Holiday clients the same way you did when you first became a consultant! Make a list of everyone you know who will benefit from our incredible holiday line!

2) Once you’ve made your list, decide on your approach. Some of the people on your list will become the leads for your corporate sales, others may become your host or hostess for Holiday Open Houses, while others may look to you for all their holiday gift shopping for family, friends, teachers, business associates, etc.. The only way to determine which category they fall into is to ASK! (And by the way – this is the time to pause and ask yourself – “Is there anyone in my immediate circle of family and friends that does not know that I’m representing Arbonne?” If the answer is yes, then it’s time to open your mouth and let them know! Stop keeping Arbonne a secret – IT’S A GIFT!)

3) Here’s a sample of a dialog you can have with a brand new client, a women you met when you were standing in the grocery line. She loved the entire skin care line which she purchased in May. (Does she belong on your holiday contact list – ABSOLUTELY , EVERYONE DOES!! Your new client has a huge network of family and friends who are all in need of holiday gifts!)

“Hi Susie, this is  from Arbonne, do you have a moment? Great! Are you enjoying your Arbonne products? Wonderful. I’m calling to ask you a favor (People love to do favors!) As you know, my company doesn’t do any advertising and I’m preparing for my Holiday Season , Arbonne has fantastic holiday products! I’m scheduling appointments with people to help them customize their Holiday Gifts for their clients and employees. Who do you know that might fit into that category? And, by the way, I know it’s early, but you know how crazy and hectic the holiday season is – I’m scheduling Holiday Open Houses now and I’d love you to be a host! I reward my hostesses very generously!

4) Be creative and learn how to put together Holiday Gift Baskets! Take it from me, a women who couldn’t get two products to stand up in a gift basket when I first attempted to create Holiday Gift Baskets 9 years ago – If I could learn to put together a beautiful and professional looking gift basket – you can too! If you don’t know how to make a gift basket, look in the yellow pages under Gift Baksets! Tell, the owner of the company that you’d like to learn how to make a gift basket and that you’d pay them for an hour of their time! (If you’re a manager, invite the basket making professional to your meeting to teach your successline – I’ve been bringing in a professional to my meetings in September every year since I’ve been an Arbonne Manager) Tell him/her you’ll bring your products over to them. Explain that this time of year it’s important for your business to create professional gift baskets! (And by the way -  the basket MUST look professional, particularly if you’d like to target corporate offices!) Bring your product over the gift basket professional! Three things will happen – 1. you’ll learn how to make a basket, 2. you’ll probably have a new client and 3. they might want to put Arbonne in their gift baskets!! By connecting with a professional basket person, they’ll help you get all the basket making goodies at wholesale prices!

5. Once you have the baskets finished ( and my advice is to make three price range baskets, depending on where you live and who is your client base) Here in the LA area, I usually do three price categories, a $35 basket, a $75 basket and a $150 basket. Then of course, there’s room for customizing and personalizing depending on your client’s needs! ) Take them with you wherever you go! And I mean wherever you go!! I purposely schedule my doctor appointments during the pre-holiday season so I can show the doctors my baskets! I simply say, “by the way, I have some great ideas for holiday gifts for you to give to your office staff – I have one here in this bag and a few more in my car!!” Some of us even meet in hotel lobbies, coffee shops, Starbucks,etc… I would sit at the table with my baskets waiting for my Arbonne “partner” to join me – During the 15 minutes that I’m “waiting” for my “partner” many people approach me and ask what I’m doing! I say that I’m waiting for a friend to show my holiday baskets and one thing leads to another and I have at least two or three new clients for the holidays!! I’m sure you can understand why it’s important that your baskets look beautiful and professional!

So the bottom line is Plan now for an incredible holiday season!