5 Hostess Tips for your next party. | Direct Sales

If you have a direct sales or network marketing business, chances are parties are the lifeblood of your business. One of the most important aspects of to having a successful party is to successfully work with your Hostess.

It all starts with a plan, who knew “party planner’ was part of the job description of Entrepreneur Goddess?

Basically, when it comes to having a successful party, it will come down to a strong strategic plan, communication and truly partnering with your host or Hostess. You will be able to increase your party sales, and bookings, by working with them on several different levels. Here are a few things to remember when working with your host or Hostess.

Remember, if they have a successful party – you will have a successful party!

1. Appreciate your Hostess!

Send your Hostess a handwritten thank you and let her know she’s appreciated. Build a solid foundation of trust and confidence by sharing that you’ll be there to guide her along the way. Include a “save the date” graphic ( easy to create in Canva) that she can easily send to her guests.

Mail a Hostess packet with a cover letter, catalogue and order forms. Be sure to place post-it tabs in the catalogue on the Hostess program page and special products. Also, put a few extra post-it tabs in the package, so the Hostess can tab her favourite pages and products.

2. Be A Good Listener:

Call your Hostess and set up a “Wish List, time it so you call soon after her packet arrives. Write down everything on her list and create an action plan to help her get it all. The plan should include pre-party orders and a pre-arranged booking.

Discuss any concerns that your Hostess might have. Brainstorm ideas on how to get outside orders, create e-vite reminders for friends and family, not on Facebook, and possibly teaming up with a friend to

3. Set High Expectations:

We’ve all heard, “Aim for the moon and you’ll fall among the stars.” So, aim high. Add a Hostess tip and tricks checklist in your hostess packet.

Don’t settle. Challenge your Hostess to beat your highest or last party. Be sure to recognize her efforts on the event page, using fun graphics, emojis and stickers to build her confidence.

4. Create a strategy:

Advise your Hostess to only invite FB friends that she knows well enough that she’d invite them to a home party. That will help keep both you and her in a spam-free zone. Encourage rules of engagement: Personal phone calls or send hand-written invitations to the party. Encourage social media engagement by having your Hostess comment on all posts on the event page put up by you and to post some herself. She could tag friends who shop and share her own pics of her fave products.

Encourage rules of engagement: Personal phone calls or send hand-written invitations to the party. Encourage social media engagement by having your Hostess comment on all posts on the event page put up by you and to post some herself. She could tag friends who shop and share her own pics of her fave products.

Make sure your Hostess builds excitement for her own party: review your “day of party” game plan prior to the event, which should include personal reminders to everyone who is attending, a “party crashers welcome” post on her personal page and an “I’m so excited” post on the event page a few hours before party time.

5. Risk Taking:

Remember that your phone was created to be used as a… phone. Personal phone calls with your Hostess could be the most innovative risk you take and encourage her to do the same with her guests.

Success is no accident! Free 2018 goal setting workbook!

It is time to actually live the life you have always dreamed of. Make 2018 the year you are going to achieve incredible things. Over the next year, you are going on an epic journey. You will be growing your business and will accomplish something incredible by creating a life you love.

All of this will not happen overnight, it won’t be by accident, and it will not be handed to you on a silver platter. It will happen because you will make it happen, with intention.

All you need to do is show up, work hard, and never give up.

About a that “hard work” part I mentioned, I am here to help, we will do this together! So, let’s get started!

First, be clear about what you want to achieve in 2018 – and stand by it! Everything you want to accomplish is going to need a plan, which is why you are going to make a plan to make it happen. It isn’t easy achieving your goals but with focus, you can set yourself up and get on the path to success.

Download the 2018 Goal-Setting & Planning workbook at start your year off with intention. No sign up required, it is totally free to download! As I said above, the only thing that will get you to where you want to be you. So it is time to make a plan for how you are going to be the best version of yourself for 2018.

Be sure to leave a comment and share your business goals for 2018!

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2018 Goal Planner

Everything you want is on the other side of fear.

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” ~ Will Smith

Just kidding – That quote should be credited to the brilliant Jack Canfield.

Will Smith is credited for this quote all over the internet because of this amazing motivational video. He actually said, “On the other side of maximum fear are all of the best things in life.” Which is a pretty good quote in itself! The video is fun, witty and inspiring. Be sure to take a couple minutes to watch!

The internet is full of misquotes, what is your favourite?

Is starting your own business a good idea?

Have you ever wondered “Should I start my own business?” I am thinking that is a solid yes, or you would not be reading this. I hummed and hawed about it for years, the only regret I, eventually, had was that I did not start sooner. Starting Your Own Business

There are a lot of things you need to consider before you start your own business but that is not what this article is about. Today, I am only going to talk about the reasons why you should.

I am going to fill you full of “the grass is greener” syndrome. Don’t get me wrong, there are just as many perks to being an employee as there are being your own boss. The same goes for the downsides, there are plenty to go around on both sides of the fence. However; not everyone was born to be an employee. Some of us were meant to be leaders, creators, and entrepreneurs.

So here is my happy little list of why I say, Yes, it is a good idea to start your own business.

Freedom

The biggest reason, I feel, one should start their own business is freedom. When you are your own boss you have a lot more freedom. Yes, there will be customers, regulators and possibly investors telling you what and how to do things – but – you have the freedom to make your own decisions. You can even make the decision to not listen to those listed and do your own thing. The choice is yours, just remember so are the results.

You will have the freedom to determine your own work hours. Of course, within reason. You may not get away with sleeping until noon every day and only be available to customers only between the hours of midnight and 3 am – but – you will be able to plan your days according to your own personal schedule. You can schedule your days so you can pick up your kids from school, schedule any appointments whenever you want, or even go grocery shopping in the middle of an afternoon on a Tuesday. (It’s the little things in life, right?)

Being your own boss also gives you the freedom to be your creative self! Every person should strive for this, and when you are calling the shots you are able to do this by building on your own ideas as opposed to implementing them into someone else’s business success.

Challenges

As a business owner, every day will be full of new challenges. You will constantly be learning, creating, problem-solving and more. You will never say that your work is the “same old boring routine, day in and day out” again. I promise you that.

Job Security

Sounds a little wonky, I know but believe it, there is job security in owning your own business. How is this possible? You ask – well, as long as you have a business, you will have a job…

Financial Opportunity

Not trying to blow any smoke where it doesn’t belong but when you own your own business the financial opportunities are endless. Whereas an employee, your salary will most likely be capped at some point in your career.

There you have it! A few key reasons why I believe starting your business is a good idea. I am not saying it is the easy path to take but for some of us – it truly is the right path.

If you have no idea where to start, check out The Virtual Studio’s Idea to Income Group Coaching Program! In this 90-Day Program, I walk you through big-picture dreaming and planning by helping you create a business plan, define your purpose, set goals and build a strategy.

Do you need more? Accountability. Community. Support.
Why not join us inside the Study Hall?

Become a member for only $7/month!

Benefits of the Study Hall Facebook Group:

Accountability Calls – 30 minute “working” room sessions. You can pick and choose which ones you want to join, just a few or all! (total value of $120/month) (These are NOT social or coaching sessions – we hop on, we focus on our business, we work together-quietly.)
Ask Me Anything Sessions – Monthly 1-hour AMA group session, inside a Library Room, that you can ask Joelene anything you want. During AMA sessions, I will do my best to answer all questions, but research may be needed and patience is appreciated! (Group coaching value $150/ month)
A goal-setting session on the last Friday of each month to review successes and declare intentions for the next month. There is also an accountability goal-setting thread. (Group coaching value $150/ month)
Access to the Studio Library Resources

This group is capped to allow for intimacy, networking and to ensure member success.

Starting Your Own Business Why starting your own business is a good idea.

Starting Your Own Business

Create Your Social Strategy

The power of social media is that it is easy communication, a collaborative community builder and it has a high entertainment factor. In short, it’s simple, relatively easy, and fun. Because of this people gravitate towards it. When in business, whether large or small, social networking is your online connection to your customers and potential customers. Plan to have a social media presence, make it an enjoyable experience for you and your audience.

“If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.”
Russian proverb

With all the social media options out there, it is very important you chose the right path, or paths, in order to be successful with your business. Is Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, or YouTube the best place to invest your time and money? All of these are amazing platforms to promote your business but are they the right platform? In order to determine the best path; you are going to have to take a hard look at your business.

Where is your audience?

I am an advocate of knowing who your ideal customer is for everything business-related. With choosing your social media platform I am going to reiterate the importance of this. If you do not have a complete profile of who you want to work with for potential clients and customers, create one. This will help you locate them. If you know where they are, then you will know where your business needs to be. You don’t need to be where the world is, only where your clients and customers are.

Don't go chasing too many rabbits.

Align your social media goals with your business goals.

You want to ensure your social media efforts have a big impact on your business. To do this; your social media goals need to be aligned with your business goals. Your mission is clear, it needs to be apparent when you are engaging with others online. When you are setting your social media goals, keep in mind to look at the big picture. What are the top goals for your business and how will social media help you accomplish them?

Optimize your social media accounts.

There is a lot of value in social media so it is worth the time and effort into setting them up properly. Or, if you already have accounts set up, go and optimize them.

Ensure your bio or description is up to date and has your contact information and website clearly stated.
When you are filling out your bio or business description be sure to use keywords that relate to your business and industry. Using words or phrases that your potential clients and customers may use in a search to find your type of business.
Strive to have images that fall in line with your brand and represent your business accordingly. Also, with any platform, be sure that photos are sized to the correct dimensions for that social network.

Create a content plan and editorial calendar.

Having an amazing content plan and an editorial calendar is essential to succeeding at social media. Your content plan should have what type of content you intend to post on what platform, how often you will post, who will create the content and how you will promote the content. While your editorial calendar lists the dates, topics, and platforms you intend to publish the content.

Having this all planned out ahead of time, instead of updating constantly, will give you the opportunity to work hard on other aspects of your business.

It's called Social Media, so be social.

An engaged audience is an audience who know, like and trust you and your business. When it comes down to it, you are going to need to be social with your audience. Being engaged will help you build a community of people who know and love your business and what you have to offer.

Social media an opportunity to turn your fans, followers, readers, and subscribers into voices for your brand and ultimately, your sales force. Be sure to use it with purpose. Align your social strategy with your business goals and branding, be prepared and be engaged!

It is time to go out and get visible! Decide which social media network is right for your business and create or optimize your profiles.

If you are unsure what platform is the best fit for you and your business, set up a free 30-minute Support Session with me and we can figure it out together!

It really is a free personal support session, so there’s no pitch or pressure to commit.

Book a FREE 30-minute Personal Support Session

This is a Premium Article, more like this are available only inside the Entrepreneur Essential library! If you are not a member, don’t fret! You still can be AND it is totally FREE!

Sign up below, if that isn’t your thing, I still want to help you the best way I can! So be sure to check out other available resources I have that will help you grow your business!

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6 Stress Management Tips for the Small Business Owner.

6 Stress Management Tips for the Small Business Owner.
Being a small business owner doesn’t come with an instruction manual, and more often than not it includes unforeseen stresses and challenges that are out of your control. This leads to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, which will interfere with your ability to run a successful business.

As a result, more and more small business owners are giving up and going back to the 9-5 instead of finding ways to cope with the stress of being a small business owner.

[Tweet “Dear Stress, Let’s break-up. Sincerely, Me.”]

Don’t overlook the small causes of stress in your daily routine. They may seem little, but it all adds up. Keeping a positive attitude and just powering through is great but will not help you overcome all the stress you encounter.

Stress will always be a part of owning a business, not to mention a part of life. It is how you manage it that will help with your business growth and overall success.

Did you want a copy of my ebook, Cause & Effect, to help you minimize the stress of being a small business owner? Sign up for instant access to the Entrepreneur Essentials Library! It and a whole lot more are ready and waiting for you to level up your business!.

Should we sit down and assess your stress? Let’s chat, so we can minimize your overwhelm!

If you’re stressed about your business and curious about the idea of working with a mentor, try a free 30-minute call with Joelene to get an idea of what working with her is all about.

Joelene will answer any and as many questions, you have about your business, and share every idea and resource she’s curated and created as a coach to help solve your problem.

It really is a free personal support session, so there’s no pitch or pressure to commit.

Book a FREE 30-minute Personal Support Session

Stress Management Tips

Is being that busy really good for your business?

Are you really busy? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

I came across an article in the Huffington Post on how being busy is actually good for your brain. After reading it, I just so happen to come across another article – again by the Huffington Post – on how being busy makes you unproductive.

We can’t win, can we?

The first article, which you can find here, discusses a team at the University of Texas looked at the difference in memory and other brain functions of men and women. This was to see how people who are busy compared to those who are not. Lead researcher Sara Festini said “People who report greater levels of daily busy-ness tend to have better cognition, especially with regard to memory for recently learned information. Living a busy lifestyle appears beneficial for mental function.” I don’t know about that, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast – wait, did I even have breakfast? I guess I am not that busy.

I don’t buy it.

The article continues to say that maybe, the busier people are already just more cognitive and capable of doing more tasks. While their counterparts – not so much. So I have to ask, did they actually learn anything in that research? I am thinking the answer to that is up in the air because the second article goes on to tell me that the busier you are, the less productive you are. This I agree with. David Meyer from the University of Michigan published a study that showed switching what you are doing, mid-task, actually increases the time it takes you to finish each task by 25%! I firmly believe this and have always said so! Well, I didn’t exactly have the numbers before but now I do.

Science officially backs up my opinion that being busy is bad for business! You can find this article here. There is no such thing as multi-tasking and society today believes that you have to multitask to succeed. Pfft. Not true, you have to be able to prioritize and focus to succeed. (In my humble opinion.) When you are busy, you are not really present. There are a million moments happening around you, some good, some great, some – you’d rather not experience but when you are busy you are not able to be

When you are busy, you are not really present.

There are a million moments happening around you, some good, some great, some – you’d rather not experience but when you are busy you are not able to be in the moment. You tend to opt out of opportunities. Which are always around you, but if you are too busy you will end up passing some really good ones by. Which; in turn, causes your momentum to go stagnant. You are no longer moving forward, you are just too busy and are bouncing back and forth on task after task not getting much done. I could go on for hours about this but in short, when you are too busy you forget to invest in yourself and your business. It feels like you are because you are so busy, yet you are burning the

I could go on for hours about this but in short, when you are too busy you forget to invest in yourself and your business. It feels like you are because you are so busy, yet you are burning the candle at both ends, not really living and your business is not really growing.

This can cause you to lose patience, lose sight of your endgame, lose quality control on your products or services, shall I go on? When you are too busy you forget your purpose and your “why”. Your why is the reason you got into business in the first place, right? So, stop, take a moment, slow down, and focus.

With so much on your plate, maybe it is time to start delegating some of your projects or daily tasks. Helping your business grow, simplify your life and ensure you do not lose sight of your why!

Have you considered outsourcing some of your work or possibly hiring a VA? Leave a comment and let us know how you could slow down, be less busy and grow your business as a result.

How to Boost Your Productivity.

Boost Your Productivity!
Are you really busy? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

“Focus on being productive instead of busy.” – Tim Ferriss

Time is precious and when you are a busy entrepreneur or small business owner you know this more than most. Running your own business is hard work and long hours and it is especially hard when you are a mom, taxi driver, maid, cook, wife, caregiver, the list goes on and on! When you do have the time to focus on your business it can sometimes be hard to be productive. And it isn’t something that can just happen overnight, it is almost a lifestyle change. So, hopefully, we are going to make it that much easier with a few simple steps.

Declutter and stay organized.

If your office is clean and organized you will spend less time looking for things. Make sure everything has a place. If it is to be filed – file it. If it is to be mailed –mail it, and so on.

Don’t get too personal and keep no more than three personal items on your desk. I suggest that you also limit the supplies on your desk to only those you will use daily and ensure your phone is flipped upside down so you don’t see the light go off when you get a notification. Finally maintain an empty paper-sized space on your dominant side to make reviewing, signing and organizing papers easier.

Create a routine, schedule it, and stick to it.

Start with creating a routine, schedule your daily tasks on the same day at the same time. Sticking to that routine will require you to schedule all appointments and meetings around it, making it easier to accomplish those pesky little things that always got tabled.

Prioritize your time and then put it on your calendar. Book time for things like check email only at specific times a day, coffee breaks, update social media accounts, go for a run, eat lunch (you know you work through your lunch, don’t deny it!) and even family time! I know it sounds sad to have to schedule family time, but if you don’t you might just work away your evening and miss out on some great things.

Trust me, as an entrepreneur, I would eat dinner and head right back to the office to get something done. My super supportive husband would take care of dishes, kids, etc… This needed to stop, and so it has.

Focus on that one thing.

When in the office, do not get caught up the check off my to-do list vortex! Yes, you probably have a lot of things that need to get done, but break it down to that one thing. Focus on the single task that will move your day forward. Look at your to-do list, then cut it in half with the highest priority items. Take that second list and cut it in half with the highest priority items. Keep doing this until you come down to that one item on the list that needs to be worked on now. Then, get it done.

Set a timer.

Set timers to complete specific tasks, great apps like Get It Done App or Tomato Timer are fantastic to assist you with this. This may help you with ensuring your time is organized and you do not lose track of it.

Delegate what you can.

Don’t be afraid to have others do some of the work for you! If your spouse was heading out you would have no problem asking them to pick up milk on the way home, right? You can do the same for your business. Why not ask your spouse to deliver a package to the post office, or pick you up some highlighters while they are out and about? Hire a virtual assistant to create your social media graphics, put together the monthly schedule and newsletters, and other administrative tasks such as data entry and bookkeeping.

Take meaningful breaks.

If you are able to step back and have as much of your workload automated, that is going to increase your productivity, a lot. If you don’t have the option to delegate some of the more time-consuming tasks, then consider automating as much as possible.

Consider looking into automating things such as your social media posts, client invoicing, client booking, and more. You can set up a FAQpage to answer common questions for your customers, this way you are not spending a lot of time responding to emails. Or an “If this, then that’ page on your website. Email list automation, bookkeeping… I could go on. So look at your current workflow and ask, what can you spend the time to set up an automated system for that will save you a lot more time in the long run?

Automate what you can.

We touched on setting up your schedule and in that schedule breaks need to be included. These breaks need to actually need to be a small break from work. Not just a couple of minutes to grab another cup of coffee and click through facebook. Schedule breaks for you to recharge, so you can be all the more productive when you return back to “work mode”.

Go for a short walk, meditate, do a bit of yoga, read a trashy novel, do something to calm your body and your mind. As long as you are timing your breaks, you will be able to get back to work and tackle your day.

Just remember that they are not so short that as soon as you start to feel the purpose of the break it is time to get back to it or that they are so long you just lose your motivation for the day. Your breaks need to be purposeful and meaningful.

There you have it! Declutter your office then look at your daily routine and create a schedule that works for you and your family. Look at your workflow and systems, what can be delegated and what can be automated?

Finally, take care of yourself. Those breaks are important for your productivity and your mindset!

How to Boost Your Productivity

Be sure to follow the Studio’s Facebook Page, leave a comment on how you are boosting your productivity, and any other tips that may help. We’d love to hear from you. The page is a free space where you will find business-focused training and support for female entrepreneurs, as well as inspiration and Studio updates!

How to Boost Your Productivity!

Do you know your website bounce rate?

Do you know what a website bounce rate is? I have had a few questions regarding this topic, the first being “What is it?”.

The bounce rate is one of the most important things you should track on your website. It measures is the percentage of how often visitors “bounce” off of your web page.

Why it is important.

It is defined as a person landing on a page of your site then immediately leaving. They could be closing a browser window, hitting the back button to get a new URL or clicking on a link to go to another site. Meaning they only saw the one page, the page they came in on is the page they left on.

This percentage is something you want to pay attention to. In most cases, a high bounce rate is bad. It indicates that someone did not find what they were looking for and decided to leave your site. A visitor arrived for a reason then, maybe they couldn’t navigate or thought the information is irrelevant, there is no way to know why they left, only that they left. What you do know is they came to the site for one reason or another, possibly a google search, a paid ad or a referral click, they expected to see something when they arrived and it was not there. The higher your bounce rate the more you are not meeting that expectation, which means it is time to correct this.

When you see this happen, you need to take action on the pages with high bounce rates and lower the percentage. A lower bounce rate leads to a more effective website that will have visitors more engaged and will help them find what they are looking for.

When looking at your percentages, keep in mind some pages you would like a higher bounce rate than others. Pages that you would like a higher bounce rate on, are pages that will lead visitors to your Etsy store, to purchase products. Or a lead page that does not require your visitors to keep navigating your site but to collect contact information. Essentially, if the goal is to get visitors to this page for one specific reason only, then you may not have to worry about the bounce rate on that page.

So, when looking at your website analytics, look at bounce rates per page and not overall.

My suggestion is to play the video below, bounce to the music why you check out your website bounce rate!

Bounce Rate

Be sure to follow the Studio’s Facebook Page, leave a comment and let us know! We’d love to hear from you. The page is a free space where you will find business-focused training and support for female entrepreneurs, as well as inspiration and Studio updates!

How important is social media for your small business?

To some who have a small business, social media is the next big thing, a powerful fad that must be taken advantage of while it is still in the spotlight, and relatively cheap! To others, it is a time suck with no practical advantages and a complicated learning curve.

According to Hubspot, 92% of marketers claimed that social media marketing was important for their business, with 80% of them indicating their efforts increased traffic to their websites. According to Social Media Examiner, 97% of marketers are currently participating in social media; however, 85% of them do not know what social media tools are the best to use. This shows that there is a huge potential for social media marketing to increase your business, but a lack of knowledge on how to accomplish this increase. When used properly Social Media can boost brand recognition, improve brand loyalty and provide more opportunities to engage with your customers. Take a peek at these 5 reasons why it is important to use social media for your small business:

1. Exposure.

You can get more exposure through social media. As a small business owner, you want to become as visible as possible to your target audience. The world of social media has made this easier and has made your audience more accessible.

2. Social listening.

Aside from simply knowing what people think about your brand you are able to actively listen. Their thoughts and concerns will be given through mentions, reviews, and conversation. This gives you an opportunity to actively listen, respond, and address to grow your business in the direction you want.

3. Relationship building.

Now you are actively listening to your target audience you have the opportunity to build relationships. Trust is one of the most important parts of a successful business – Social media will give you the opportunity to build it with your audience.

4. Personal touch.

Social media will allow you to ensure that you are being seen by those who want to see you. Targeting who will see your business is a great way to ensure your marketing dollars are being put to good use.

5. Minimal cost.

Spending a lot of money to promote your brand is not necessary with social media. You can promote your brand yourself while in the comfort of your own office. Every chance you have to make your brand visible is a chance to find another customer. Social media accounts make your company accessible for new customers, familiar and recognizable for existing customers and will help in creating a loyal client base.

Take a peek inside our new accountability group!

Accountability benefits you in several ways as you pursue your dreams. Being held accountable isn’t only for those who are struggling with a particular issue, but for anyone with a goal. Working with an accountability partner or team is a key to success for anyone who wants their business to grow. If this is something you need, please, join us inside the Study Hall!

Become a founding member of the Study Hall community and gain access to exclusive content from the Studio Library, Mentorship, and experts in all areas of small business.

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