How to Have a Great Consultant Party

Scrapbooking Tips & Techniques

By Betsy Burnett

Memory Works Consultant

http://forgetmenotmemories.memory-works.com

Quick Search #9868

So you are going to do it!....invite some friends over, see some great scrapbooking products, maybe do a project and play with some of the great new supplies out there.  It sounds simple enough...and it is, yet sometimes you can hit a few bumps in the road.  Having been a direct sales consultant for 5 years and working as Business Specialist for MemoryWorks for 3 (the gal that provides advice to consultants as to how better serve YOU the customer) I can offer some insight to being a great hostess and make working with a consultant for a party a fabulous experience and pave the way to a successful show!

1) Be excited about your party...you get free stuff, you get to see great scrapping or stamping items and maybe work on a project.  Your enthusiasm is contagious to your guests (i.e., their enthusiasm means more sales for you...translate more freebies!)

2) Have a couple of different dates ready not only with the consultant but with your guests, this will help with the ease of planning.

3) Be ready for the party.   Before....prepare your guest list, have a couple of dates for a show, have the area set up where you are hosting the party.   During...help your consultant with the "sticky situations" (i.e., uninvited children, needing extra space, point out where the bathroom is, maybe offer a quieter place where orders can be taken after the show). After...decide on a closing date and be respectful (she might be trying to make a minimum for the month...or to get a special price for a sale...late orders may sometimes interfere with that).

4) Ask questions. If you don't understand the hostess benefits ask.  If you are not sure what to have ready for guests...ask.  If you need clarification on the closing date of the party...questions about tax/shipping....nothing is worse than a misunderstanding.

5) Be sure to look through the catalog and see if there is anything you really want to know about or see demonstrated and let your consultant know. That way, your consultant can be prepared for the party. (Also if you pass a catalog around your consultant can take information and demonstration requests from your guests also).

6) Ask where/when your consultant would like food and drinks served. It's always a sticky situation when guests want to eat and drink and look at my albums (or have food and drink around their projects). Ask when the best time would be (while people are ordering? during a break between demo and project?). You don't want anything to get damaged (your projects included).

7) What about the kids? Are you wanting them to participate?...the party will run differently if they are there. Also remember that if the kids participate you may have to pay for a project for them as well.   (If kids are included, keep a watchful eye, to help ensure things are not damaged).

8) If you have any house rules (no shoes on the carpet, no smoking etc.) make sure the consultant knows about them. This can help avoid problems.

About Betsy
Betsy currently lives in Newark, IL with her husband and 4 kids. Betsy not only works with MemoryWorks as a consultant and Business Specialist, but currently teaches scrapbooking classes at JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts in Naperville, IL. When she isn’t scrapping, she enjoys reading, bike riding and actively serves in her church.