Whether you are hosting a food related party, jewelry, wine tasting or home decorating party there are certain things that will make these home based event successful and others that will make them fail. So regardless of the event you are hosting, here are some general guidelines that will help it be successful.
DO invite three times the number of people than you would like to attend. If you want 15 people to attend, invite 45. Yes, you DO know 45 people. Put these categories on a sheet of paper and try to think of 4 or 5 names connected to each: close friends, relatives, neighbors, church friends, co-workers, people for whom you have attended a home party, people you know from your children, friends you haven’t seen in a while, people you went to school with, friends of your parents, people who you know are into this product.
DO invite people for whom you think would be interested in the product and encourage them to bring friends. There may be a totally different list for people who want to attend a wine tasting than a cooking supplies or food event.
DO make it actually feel like a party. At a fun party there is good food, music and wine or beverages. As the host, it’s your job to make sure that people talk with each other, so mill around and introduce people to each other.
DO allow the products to sell themselves. If people can touch them and see for themselves how they are helpful they will be more likely to buy. At my annual Silpada party I simply have the products displayed on the kitchen table and the sales associate takes orders and answers questions. There is never a formal presentation. If people remember the good time more than the fact that they are there to buy something, they will be more likely to come to your next event.
DON’T make people feel like they are attending a class. Insist that your sales associate makes comments about the product brief. Nothing is more frustrating that thinking that you are going to a fun wine tasting event and then be lectured to for hours and shushed when you try to talk with a friend.
DON’T push sales. People will buy if they want to and Always put NO OBLIGATION on the invitation. I like to stress that these events are an opportunity for a ladies night out. You will sell more if people feel like they don’t have to buy.
DON’T schedule it on a day or month that you know will be a conflict for most people. A Friday night may be good for a ladies night out, but not during football season in a football town. Scheduling a party before the holidays is good if your product can be given as a gift, while right after the holidays when people are broke may not the best time.
DON’T forget to support your friends when they have a party too. People resent being invited to events of people who haven’t supported their home parties in the past.
Following these tips will help you have a successful home sales party.
