Mary Kay Women

Games, Games and More Games. SimplyFun

2007-09-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

I know that I have had several positive comments posted for ice breaker games. People seem to really enjoy them so I have a few more to share with you.
This is a great game that keeps going throughout the party. That way it won’t get too dull.
As each guest arrives, hand him or her a clothespin. Tell them to attach it to themselves in an obvious spot, and each time they “catch” another guest crossing or uncrossing their legs through out the evening, they can “steal” that guest’s clothespin(s). This definitely keeps the party from getting too “formal”. Whoever has collected the most clothespins at the end of your presentation gets a gift!

For a twist, (I did this for a bride-to-be hostess), have each guest write a message for the hostess on their clothespin. Give all the clothespins to her and the next time she hangs out laundry, she will be reminded of them!

Another fun one is the Candy quiz. You could have one of these candies there as the prize for whoever wins the game. Have each guest number their paper 1 - 18. Tell the guests that you are going to tell them something, and that they need to write the answer in terms of candy, a candy bar, or other candy.

1) A famous trio? (3 Musketeers)
2) A Galaxy? (Milky Way)
3) Can't hold on to anything? (Butterfinger)
4) Twin letters? (M&M's)
5) To chuckle to oneself? (Snickers)
6) Before 1? (Zero)
7) A famous baseball player? (Babe Ruth)
8) A workers favorite day of the week? (Payday)
9) An Indian burial ground? (Mounds)
10) A joy to be around? (Almond Joy)
11) A rainbow of color? (Skittles)
12) They can save your life? (Lifesavers)
13) A planet (Mars)
14) What do you call this? (Whatchamacallit)
15) Superman's human name? (Clark)
16) A famous New York street? (5th Ave)
17) These Tamalies are great? (Hot tamalies)
18) Don't be a sourhead? (Lemon Head)

This game does not necessarily relate to Mary Kay products but the guests seem to really like it.

Here is a game that does have to do with products though, guess the product.
You need to think of the twelve different clues for 12 different products. Gives the guests each a piece of paper numbered one through twelve. Read each clue out loud to the group. Then go through at the end and give the answers for the products. The guest with the most correct answers wins. They can either win a prize or raffle tickets depending on which way you are doing prizes. Here are some products that work well for me.

1. TimeWise Target Action Eye Revitalizer
2. TimeWise Cellu-Shape Contouring System
3. TimeWise Microdermabrasion Set
4. MK Signature Eyesicles Eye Color
5. MK Signature Ulitmate Mascara
6. MK Signature NouriShine Lip Gloss
7. Satin Lips Gift Set
8. Mary Kay Body Care Collection: Lotus and Bamboo
9. Satin Hands Set
10. Bella Belara Gift Set
11. Mary Kay SPF 30 Sunscreen
12. Mary Kay After Sun Replenishing Gel

Most of these products your guests will be familiar with but it will still give them a challenge. If you have trouble coming up with the product clues, go to the website and use the product descriptions.

Recipes

2007-09-11T23:23:00.000-07:00

So I received a couple comments about people really liking the recipes and the idea of giving them out. So I thought I would post a few more for consultants to have on hand to give out to hostess who want to make refreshments.

For the beverage try a citrus tea

2 qts. water
(if desired, add 1 qt. Club Soda in place of 1 qt of water)
8 regular-size tea bags
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 cups sugar

Bring water to a boil (if using Club Soda, boil 1 qt. water and add Club Soda before serving); add tea bags. Remove from heat; steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add fruit juices and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Serve hot or cold. Yield: 9 cups

For something tasty try Dump Cake

1 box yellow cake mix 1 large can mandarin oranges 1 can cherry pie filling Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain oranges (keep juice). Mix oranges and pie filling in bottom of 13x9 pan. Pour dry cake mix over fruit mixture. Dot with butter. Pour juice from oranges over cake mixture.

Put in the oven for about an hour until the edges are brown.

One more tasty treat to try is Pumpkin Dip

8 oz. Cream Cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
15 oz. (sm) can pumpkin
1 tea. cinnamon
1/2 tea. cloves

Mix all together until creamy. Refrigerate. Serve with gingersnaps, butter biscuit cookies or graham cracker sticks.

These are quick and easy recipe for any hostess to serve at her party. Also the ingredients are minimal so the cost is low, most of them she may already have in her home. Having these typed up on recipe cards shows the hostess that you want her party to be the best it can. Making sure that her guests have a great time with games, refreshments and of course fabulous products.

Banana Game

2007-09-10T21:29:00.000-07:00

This is a really fun game to play. The guests thought it was very creative and kept them guessing the whole time.

Just write on your invitation, "BRING A BANANA". The curiosity kills everyone and it is a great attendance builder. They all want to know what the banana is for. Your hostess must keep the secret to make the game fun. At the party everyone's imagination got the best of them. You have them there, which is what you wanted and the purpose of the game.

If you are playing a points game. Give out chips, cards, money, raffle tickets, whatever you use and the top points wins the prize. You can make it a bigger prize with a booking from the winner. Give points for whatever you want. Biggest, smallest, brownest, greenest, hardest, softest, etc. When all is done, your hostess serves ice cream/toppings and everyone makes a banana split as the refreshments.

We did not reveal what the bananas were for until the very end of the party. The guest could not wait to find out why in the world they would bring a banana to a Mary Kay party. This was party of the fun of it. It kept the party light and friendly. It also gave the guest something to talk to about as people were arriving to the party. Almost like an ice breaker as well.

Holiday Mood

2007-09-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

The holidays are just a couple months away now. I know, can you believe it! It feels like summer vacations end and the holidays are here in the blink of an eye. If you are trying to get your guests in the holiday mood, this month or next month here is a great game to nudge them that way.

1. Name a holiday carol with 4 words in the title.
2. How many types of Christmas cookies can you remember?
3. Name one of Santa’s Reindeer?
4. How many days are left until Christmas?
5. Write a small holiday tip that always helps you through the busy season.
6. In “Twas the Night Before Christmas” who was not stirring?
7. Name a Christmas Flower and Christmas Green.
8. Name a Holiday Greenery with human anatomy in the word.
9. Name 6 common items you would see on a Christmas card (like sleigh, Santa Claus, etc)
10. Name your favorite Holiday Tradition or custom.

Answers:

1. Joy to the World, Away in a Manger or any others with 4 words only. Have guest give one point if answered correctly.
2. The guest with the most varieties of cookies gets the point here. Any type of cookie made at Christmas counts.
3. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph (any one of these; guest gets one point)
4. 14 (only one answer here…and one point)
5. Any answer here gets a point.
6. Not even a mouse (one point for correct answer)
7. Poinsetta, Christmas Cactus, Boxwood, Holly, Mistletoe, etc. (one point for correct answer, but you must have both)
8. Mistletoe (only one correct answer here…one point for correct answer)
9. Christmas tree, holly, snowflake, snowman, ornament, gingerbread cookie, candy cane, star, angel, Nativity set, toy sack, gift, etc, etc. (must have 6 to get a point.)
10. Any answer here gets a point.

This game is sure to get your guests feeling festive and maybe even their shopping festive.

New Fragrance

2007-09-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

Have seen or smelled the new fragrance bella belara? It is fantastic. There is a fragrance and a lotion available in this scent. Here is a little about the scent.

New Bella Belara™ is more than a fragrance –it’s a beautiful feeling.
The exuberant floral fruity eau de parfum captivates immediately. The senses are first treated to a delectable medley of apricot and red nectarine. At its heart, dew-covered rose petals and Moroccan jasmine unfold, while a delightful mix of creamy blond woods and cool moss linger.

’Tis the season for being beautiful, so give the New Bella Belara™ Eau de Parfum.
It’s a delightful fine fragrance for the woman who knows how beautiful life can be. For a limited time only, you can get Bella Belara™ Eau de Parfum together with Bella Belara™ Shimmeriffic® Body Lotion in a gorgeous ready-to-give bag

The lotion and fragrance can be sold together in a gift set or can be purchased separately. I have some customers who love Mary Kay fragrances. I will be sending out a pink foil card with new product information on it with a sample of the new scent. Hopefully I will get some new parties booked or at least some orders from this. I will let you know.

Staying Focused

2007-09-04T21:14:00.000-07:00

When we work from home as opposed to an office setting there are so many distractions such as; personal phone, dinner, kids and your chores just to name a few. So I looked up some tips on staying focused at home. I have mailed them out to my consultants on nice piece of cardstock for them to post in their office. I thought I would share them with my blog readers as well. Thanks to the wahmconnection.com for the tips.

TIP #1: Whatever your reason for going out on your own, you must keep your reason in the forefront of your mind. If you forget your reason for starting your own home business, you will not be working for yourself for long. It is far too easy to let circumstance drive your activities --- and when circumstance is in the driver's seat, you are more likely to crash and burn.

TIP #2: Remember, your own business is a lot like a real job. Some people go to work to play, some go to socialize, and others; most often those who are paid in a commission or tips environment go to work to work and to make money. When you work for yourself, your salary is directly proportional to your productivity. Therefore, wouldn't it make sense to stay focused on getting as much done in as short of a period as possible? Go to work to work and to make money. Leave playtime and recreation for when your workday has ended.

TIP #3: When you are dealing with family in the course of your workday, it is important to schedule your activities as much as possible. With small children, you must take time when you must, but you should also work hard to make sure you dedicate a specific number of hours to your workday. With older children, it is much easier to tell them that you will be working between the hours of x and y. Your children and your friends must understand that certain hours of your day are devoted to the activities of your business.

TIP #4: Don't permit your friends and extended family to run over you. Many people get the blind idea that if one works from home then they are not actually working. Well-meaning people may try to fill your doorway to bring advice about getting a real job. Others may simply believe that if you are at home, then you are fair game for chitchat and socialization. You must stand firm. You must make certain your friends and family understands that when you are working, then you ARE working! If they wish to socialize with you, then they need to do it during the hours that are not dedicated to your home business. You are the only one who can stand up for you. Your friends and family will seldom be able to appreciate your dedication to your home business, unless you make the effort to make sure that they have the same respect for your business that you do.

TIP #5: You should allot a certain portion of your day to email and to regular mail. For example, allot one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon to handling your written communications. Unless you dedicate certain times to the handling of these communications, you will soon find yourself on the downward slope of decreased productivity.

I hope that you find these tips helpful in your daily activities.

Who Knows the Hostess Best

2007-09-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

Here is an ice breaker game that you can play at your next party. It does require a slight bit of preplanning but not much. Keep thing game on file in your mobile office to use last minute if you need to.

Here is how to play.
Give a piece of paper to your guest and have them number it from 1-10 then ask them the following questions.
1) What is your hostess’s favorite color?
2) If she could have any vehicle what would it be?
3) How many kids does she have?
4) What is her favorite hobby?
5) Who is her favorite actor/actress?
6) What is her favorite item on the table?
7) What is her favorite scent (can be a perfume)?
8) What is her favorite cartoon / cartoon character?
9) What is her favorite animal?
10) If you were in need of something would your hostess give it to you if she can?

After everyone answers the questions then I read the question again to the hostess and she will reply out loud what her answer is, and they would mark on the paper if they got it right or wrong. Then they total up their score.

Now you can rearrange or change any of these questions but this gives you an idea of a game you can play. I put the last one in there and saved it for last because this is a way to lead into how your guest can get free products and help your hostess at the same time for having a party. Right now your hostess needs something from them and they are the only ones that can give it to her; and that is to book a party so she can get more free products. The one with the most answers correct gets some kind of a prize or raffle tickets if you are having a raffle at the end of the party.

This game is really fun for the ladies to play. Everyone has a competitive edge to them. They will enjoy seeing who knows the most about their friend.

TimeWise Target Action Eye Revitalizer

2007-08-31T11:25:00.000-07:00

I do not feature products on my blog very often however I love this product lately. TimeWise Target Action Eye Revitalizer. I have taken this product description and typed it up and placed it out at my parties for woman to read a little about the product.

Imagine a product so powerful it can reduce the appearance of both dark circles and under eye puffiness in just two weeks*. Now you can get these real results with TimeWise® Targeted-Action™ Eye Revitalizer. This power-packed serum contains an exclusive blend of ingredients specifically formulated to address the multiple causes of dark circles and under eye puffiness. Within seconds of applying it, you'll feel a cooling sensation as the product begins to work.
When I have a woman order this product I like to give her a little card with the order of application for their products. Just something small that they can have in the bathroom as they are getting ready, this way they will get the maximum results out of each product.

1. TimeWise Targeted-Action Eye Revitalizer
2. TimeWise Firming Eye Cream or Age Fighting Eye Cream
3. TimeWise Targeted-Action Line Reducer
4. MK Signature Concealer
5. Mary Kay Foundation
6. MK Signature Eye Primer
7. MK Facial Highlighting Pen
8. MK Loose Powder
9. Color Cosmetics

If your client has never used a facial care system before or it has been a while they will find this information very helpful. I am sure they will grateful as well, it is one less thing they have to remember.

Success Quotes

2007-08-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

When I first started out in Mary Kay there were times when I thought about quitting or putting it on the back burner. However I would get these fabulous little quotes in the mail for my upline and it would turn my spirits. I do not know how she knew but it seemed like every time I thought of quitting I would get one in the mail, not an email. There is something more personal about a note being mailed rather than emailed. So naturally when I worked my way up in the company I began to do that for my consultants. I am sharing this idea in hopes that you can inspire your consultants or yourself.

I usually type these up and then cut them out and place it on a decorative piece of paper. This way they can display the quote at their desk or in their car or maybe even by their front door.
Here are a few quotes that I have really liked.

"There is no self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others."

"Procrastination is the natural assassin of opportunity."

Something I tell myself when I feel like someone is trying to tear me down: "When you are standing on a table...Be careful...For it is a lot easier for someone to pull you down from the table than for you to help them up onto it.""----Lisa Frisby

"There is only Me stopping Me from being Successful."--Mike Pritchard

"The best way to predict the future is to create it!"--Jason Kaufmann

"Success is getting what you want; Happiness is liking what you get."

"This is the way to success in all things: Make your plan and follow it to its completion. Then relax and enjoy the bounties that life brings."--Lori hard

"In order to Succeed, We must first believe that we can."---Michael Korda
"You've only failed, If you've failed to try."

"The only difference between a Good Day and a Bad Day Is your ATTITUDE!"---Dennis S. Brown

"Whatever we possess becomes of double value, when we have the opportunity of sharing it with others."--Bouilly

"A dream is just a dream, unless you make it come true."---Michael Landon Moody

"If it was easy anyone would do it!!!"---Randy H.

"Increase your service to others, and you will increase your value."--Kandi Rico

Remember the power of words is limitless. You can succeed at whatever you want to. If it takes reading a few quotes everyday to get you going then do it.

Application Tips for Brow Definer Pencil

2007-08-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some quick tips that you can have on hand to give your guests that order the Brow Pencil. Type them up and have them available when you give the customer their product.
Shaping your brow:
Step1
Hold a pencil upright along the side of the nose. The brow should begin at the line where the pencil intersects the inner corner of the eye.

Step 2
Next, angle the pencil from the tip of the nose to the middle of the iris. The brow should arch highest at the point where the pencil crosses the brow.

Step 3
Finally, angle the pencil so it touches the outer edge of the nostril and intersects with the outer corner of the eye. This is where the eyebrow should end.

Defining your brow:
Step 1
Start by using the Eyeliner/Eyebrow Brush from the Mary Kay® Brush Set to remove any excess foundation or powder from your brows and to brush them neatly into place.

Step 2
To apply the brow pencil, make short, light strokes with the pencil from the beginning of the brow to the arch.

Step 3
Use longer, feather-like strokes to finish the ends.

Step 4
Finish by brushing brows to soften and blend the strokes.

You can inform your guests that they can go online to get these tips as well and there are pictures to go with the tips, if that helps them more. Give your customers all the tools to help them look their best.

Lucky Lady

2007-08-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

This is great game that I have used to get my business cards out there. Here is how you play:
On the back of one of your business cards write "LL" for lucky lady. Hand out a business card to every guest and tell them not to tell who has the LL on her card. Before just letting them go, tell them to put the cards in a safe place until the end preferably their wallets or purses so they won't lose it or throw it away. At the end have the girl with the LL on her card receive a gift, and by now all the other guests have forgotten about their business cards in their purses or wallets so they won't take them out or throw them away. Now when they think of your Mary Kay, they will remember your card in their wallet.

So hopefully they have ordered plenty of product from you that evening, and when they need a refill they will have your card handy. They may even come across the card while cleaning out their wallet and decide they would like some product for free so they host a party. The possibilities are endless; get your name out there.

How else are you able to get your business cards circulating?

Booking Tips

2007-08-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

When you are getting your booking here are some tips to remember. I have found them valuable and give them out to each of my new consultants. Everyone can learn a little more. Thanks to the homepartyplannetwork.com for the tips.

1. Never hold a show outside a 2-3 week window-if the party is more than 3 weeks away when they say yes, they have time re-think, get talked out of, or change their minds. In some cases it's ok, but for the most part, if they want more than 2 weeks, you'll just be scheduling a cancellation.

2. Get a guest list within 48 hours of dating the party. And, then mail out the invites ASAP. Guests should be getting their invites about 10-12 days before the party-don't worry that they'll be getting them too soon--your host should be phoning those guests a couple of days before to remind them anyway.

(Hint-it's a lot tougher to cancel out on a commitment if the invites have gone out) And, be sure that your host gets an invite too. I always mailed out the hosts invite after I mailed out her guests-this way, she knows that by the time she gets hers, everyone else has gotten theirs.

3. Coach your host well. Let her know, up front in your first meeting, that the date you schedule out for her is just for her. And, don't feel obligated to allow anyone to reschedule without a fight. This is YOUR business, and when you commit to something, you stick to it. Too many people think of our jobs as just fun hobbies. Let them know that, by canceling (most often times within a day or two before their party), they have had that date tied up and you could not schedule anyone else on that date at this late time. I always told my hosts they got 1 chance to reschedule in my book, and no more. My job is important, and I just don't have time to be rescheduling all the time. Be firm, honest, and stick to your word on it.

4. Most of all, remember that your business is your income. Don't let people push you into working on days you don't want to, in areas you don't want to, and with people you don't want to. You are in control of your business, not them. Set your limits, stick to them, and lay them out on the table to each and every host. And always, ALWAYS be consistent in what you do. Yes, some times variation is good and fun, but if your customers don't know where you stand, or if your hosts think they can take control over you, they sure are going to try-and where will your business go if every time you turn around, someone else is telling you how to do your business?

What do you think about these tips? What do you do to keep you business first?

Appetizer Recipes

2007-08-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

I was contacting a hostess today to see if she had any last minute questions before her party, which is in two days, she said she did not know what to serve for her guests. This usually isn’t a problem for my hostesses so I emailed her a couple of appetizer recipes that she could make for the party. This gave me an idea. I went and bought some nice looking recipe cards and wrote out a few different appetizer recipes. I place two recipes in each of my premade hostess packets. This way she will have some new recipes to make for her party if she wants. I wanted to share the recipes with you.

Dessert Cheese Ball

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened

½ c. softened butter (no substitutes)
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¾ c. confectioner's sugar
2 T. brown sugar
¾ c. mini chocolate chips (must be mini)
¾ c. finely chopped pecans (optional)
Graham crackers or Graham Cracker Stix

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter & vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars, beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate two hours. Place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least an hour. If you choose, just before serving, roll cheese ball in pecans. Serve with graham crackers. (You may add other flavors such as toffee chips, peanut butter chips, etc. along with the chocolate chips...but chop them into smaller pieces)

Raspberry Bars

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1 (10-oz.) jar raspberry preserves

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture, mixing well. Press half of crumb mixture into a greased 13-x9-inch pan. Spread raspberry preserves over crumb mixture. Sprinkle remaining half of crumb mixture over preserves. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack; cut into bars. Yield: 32 bars.

Coffee Cream Punch
1 gallon of strong coffee

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 quart of real whipping cream (whipped)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

Shaved chocolate (optional)

Combine hot coffee and sugar. Stir and chill. Pour into punch bowl and add scoops of ice cream. Float whipped cream flavored with vanilla on top. Garnish with chocolate shavings or sprinkles if desired.
I hope that you find these recipes will make a great addition to your hostess packets.

Booking Tips

2007-08-22T22:46:00.000-07:00

Booking a new show is always something that we as consultants struggle with. Here are some great ideas submitted by Julie Ryals from wahmconnection.com.

The telephone is your best friend, use it. Make at least 5 calls per day for bookings and recruits. Do this faithfully and assure yourself a full date book.

A walk-in or open house. To acquaint neighbors and your community with your product, send invitations to friends, neighbors and acquaintances. Advertise that there will be refreshments and a chance to see your product.

Mystery Hostess Party. The consultant has a party in her home and awards the hostess credits to the guests. The credits can be divided up or given in different ways. For instance, name goes in for each $25 bought.

Trade shows, fairs, expos, events. Check on local activities and reserve well in advance. Consult your up-line on methods and set ups.

Brochures. Distribute your catalog or mini brochure at dentist, doctors, or anywhere you do business.

Bridal registry/bridal showers. For the bride where the guests may purchase gifts.
Show on the go/Booking in a basket. Excellent for the office. Place several small items in a basket and one larger one. When an order of $30 is placed, the customer can select a small gift. When all the gifts are gone, the hostess gets to open the bigger gift. (suggest 10 gifts)
Delivery Day Special. Offer the hostess, at the time of delivery, a special gift from you when she picks up a booking or two as she delivers her guests items.

Offer the hostess an additional gift when she re-books herself with-in 3 months. You may want to offer her an extra incentive for holding 3 shows within a year.

Offer a free product of their choice to people who take the brochure home, share it with friends and family and get 5 additional orders resulting in a certain amount of dollars.

These are some old and new booking ideas that will help you to reach your sales goals for the current month and the next month.

Green Game

2007-08-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

Here is another get to know you game. It is called how green are you? Have these questions typed out on a half sheet of paper for each guest to answer then read the points aloud for the guests to score themselves.

How Green Are You?

Answer truthfully. The player with the most points wins.

1. Do you have a green house?

2. Do you have green paint?

3. Do you have green eyes?

4. Do you have on a green ring?

5. Do you have on green shoes?

Thread Game

2007-08-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a great ice breaker, quite creative actually. Sadly I did not come up with it. However I am happy to use it and share it with you. I got it from homepartyplannetwork.com. It is really fun and does not require any prep work to play. Just carry a spool of thread around with you.

Once you have begun your party, tell everybody that you are going to pass around a spool of thread and that they are to take a piece "as long as they think they will need". They will begin asking ... "need for what etc." You smile and say, oh it could be for anything, and just take a piece as long as you think you will need, and pass the spool. Of course they might think well whoever comes closest to going around their waist etc. Or if they see their closest neighbor sitting to them takes a real short piece, they will take a very long piece. After everybody has taken their thread, you tear off a piece and wrap it once around your finger and hold telling them they have to do the same and they have to talk about themselves for as long as it takes to wind the rest of the thread around their finger. Start by telling them about yourself and your business (so take a longer piece). It can get wild if somebody has taken yards of thread!

This is a fun way for the ladies to get to know each another, in a creative way. I am going to keep this paper with a spool of thread in my mobile office so I can have it handy for my parties. For more details on the mobile office see my previous blogs.

You can also type this out and give to your consultants with a spool of thread at your next team meeting. This is something inexpensive but definitely useful. I know the consultants that I work with really appreciate it when we share ideas with each other. Stay tuned for more fun games and party themes.

Application Tips for the Facial Highlighting Pen

2007-08-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

The facial highlighting pen is a fabulous item that Mary Kay has to offer, but many women that I talk to have no idea how to use it. I’ve typed up cards for the women at my shows on how to apply the facial highlighting pen. When they order it, I place a laminated copy in their order for them to keep on hand at home. I’ve found that it’s a great addition to their purchase. Here are the directions:

Step 1 - Apply your concealer and foundation before using the Facial Highlighting Pen. Now, slowly twist the pen and release the product.

Step 2 -Apply the pen to the shadowy area of the inner corner of the eye. Then, to diminish the look of puffy eyes, apply the pen below the puffy area. Only highlight the shadow under the puffiness (not the puffy area) to “lift” it and make the area appear more flat.

Step 3 - Apply the Facial Highlighting Pen along the smile line to diminish shadows. The pen can also be applied below the lower lip at the crease of the chin.

Step 4 - Use your finger to lightly pat the edges to blend.

Handy Beauty Tip - Here’s a handy beauty tip. Reapply the Facial Highlighting Pen throughout the day to give yourself a quick “pick-me-up.”

I find that customers really appreciate when I have taken the extra time to help them with their make up application once they have left the party. I always do a follow up call in about a week to see if they have any questions I can help them with.

Application Tips for Lips

2007-08-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

Here is an application tip for the perfect lips. This is for medium lips. This was taken off the Mary Kay website. I like to have these on hand at parties. Lipstick seems to be the one item that everyone wants to learn more about.

First, apply TimeWise Age Fighting Lip Primer on lips, inside and outside of your lip line, to extend lipstick wear and help prevent lipstick and lip gloss from feathering and bleeding. Allow to dry prior to applying any other lip products.

Second, to help increase lipstick wear, create a matte base by lining lips with lip liner along the natural lip line and filling in lips with lip liner pencil.

Third, apply MK Signature Crème Lipstick to the tip lip, working from the center out. Then apply to the bottom lip, sweeping color from corner to corner.

Fourth, for the finishing touch choose a coordinating MK Signature Lip Gloss. Apply lip gloss to the center of the top and bottom lips to make your lips appear fuller.

Here is a tip for picking the perfect MK Signature Crème Lipstick shade. Remember that lighter colors illuminate and help make lips appear fuller. Bright, warm colors tend to make lips look more youthful while darker colors can cause lips to appear smaller.

These are great tips the Mary Kay has available to us as consultants. You can make up cards with this information on it so your guests can take them home. That way they can have the tips available as they are getting ready. What tips do you give your guest to try later?

Anniversary Party

2007-08-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

I just had another consultant tell me about this fabulous party theme. It is for an anniversary party. You know how a lot of couples have a big party at their 30 or 40 or even 50 year wedding anniversary. Well what a better way to celebrate then with a new fresh look.

Here is an angle you can take. Have the daughter of the mother or mother in law throw the party. She can use her hostess benefits for the honoree. You can invite the all of the family and friends and remind them that their order will help this wonderful women who has been married __ number of years get a new look. You could even throw in a 10% off the whole order of the honoree to get things rolling and in the giving mood.

You could even play some games that maybe she would have had at her wedding shower. Get her the fun crown to wear and have the congratulations cake. Serve some yummy punch and treats. Have this be a girl’s afternoon.

Now you want to make sure that the party is about two weeks before her big anniversary party. That way there is plenty of time for whatever product she may want to come in. After all you are showing her a new look to have or introducing her to the skin care line, she will want it for her big day.

I really thought this was one of the greatest ideas I have heard of. I am going to add it to my party theme idea book, so it can be an option for someone to have or to refer to someone else.

42 Booking Ideas

2007-08-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

I always like to share new booking tips when I find them. We need to help each other out. I was looking for some new ways to spread the word, not the typical PTA meeting or welcome wagon basket. I did do a blog with those ideas in it. This list seems to have some fresh ideas though. So do not work for me but they may work for someone else. I got these on thewahmconnetion.com.

1. Take advantage of the advertising of others.
2. Call others about their ads and offer them your service.
3. Post flyers in apartments.
4. Leave catalogs a auto repair shops.
5. Wear a badge.
6. Wear buttons.
7. Approach bake sales with a fund raiser.
8. Let your bank now what the deposit is for. Give the teller a catalog.
9. Barter-Trade your product/service.
10. Hang a flyer inside a bathroom stall door. Captive audience.
11. Bring a catalog to a beauty salon.
12. Use bumper stickers.
13. Let everyone you ever worked with know what you do.
14. Make a goal to give out a certain number of cards per day.
15. Hand out your business card with all transactions each day. Always ask for a business card in return
16. Free lunch drawings. Put your card in fish bowls.
17. Get a restaurant to sponsor your drawing.
18. Magnetize your business card.
19. Use your card as a bookmark in the library books. Leave them in the books when you return your them.
20. Instead of tear flyers use your business card at the bottom of the flyer.
21. Look for bulletin boards and leave a flyer.
22. Hang a sign on your car window about your business.
23. Bumper stickers
24. Fundraiser Car Washes--stop in and tell them of your fundraiser.
25. Put up catalogs in all waiting rooms.
26. Join a club or network group.
27. Corporate Gift Giving. Offer your product.
28. Leave a lead box in businesses you go to a lot, like a nail salon
29. Go door to door--introduce yourself and your business, around your neighborhood
30. Look on the internet for new bulletin boards to post your product.
31. Fast food, where the Moms are.
32. Always keep flyers with you to hand out.
33. Former Business Associates.
34. Former Customers
35. If your neighborhood has an annual garage sale, have some catalogs out on the cash table.
36. Wear a name tag to the grocery store.
37. Church Bazaars
38. Home Owner Association. Put an ad in their paper.
39. College newspapers and bulletin boards.
40. Hospital waiting rooms--Always leave a catalog.
41. Always wear a logo to the health club.
42. Do cross-promotions with other businesses.

I thought that some of these ideas are pretty creative. What ways do you use to get new bookings?

Men's Party

2007-08-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

Throwing a men’s party will be a little bit more difficult then other parties. The first one I threw was actually thrown by a woman for her husband and some of his friends.

How to get them there is the big question right? Throw a sport party. Promise that you will keep your spiel to a minimum and then they can enjoy the food and the game. Be sure and keep your explanations brief and to the point. Men enjoy hearing that they are getting a bargain. Try offering a discount if they purchase the men’s skin care gift set or maybe even free shipping.
Now I am sure you are wondering why in the previous paragraph I said game. You should have this party on a game day. You know football, basketball or baseball. Make the show an hour before the game so you have plenty of time to talk, for them to sample and to complete the orders without encroaching on game time.

Who ever is throwing the party should have game day food there for them. For example chips, buffalo wings, chicken and cookies. Those sorts of foods are always a hit. The beverage could be soda or beer if they chose to spend that much. The great thing about this party is that men have game day parties already so spending the money on food and beverages really is not an extra cost.

Men's Products

2007-08-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Now most people assume that Mary Kay is only for women and young girls. However it is also for men and sometimes it is really hard to market to the men. I have posted some party ideas for men in past but they have always been about buying for the women. In this blog I wanted to go over the products available.

Mary Kay offers several items for men. The first being a face bar that helps to cleanse and buff the skin to reduce the signs of aging. They also offer two items for shaving; a shave foam that will soften the beard and protect from razor burn and an after shave gel that will shield the skin from irritation and moisturize the skin to leave it feeling soft. The sunscreen for men is something that every man should be using daily. This is an SPF 25 that will protect his skin from UVA/UVB rays.

It is important for men as well as women to take care of their skin. This is especially important to men who work in a business where they contact with other people, which we can safely say is most men. They skin care line that Mary Kay has created for men is something that is simple and quick for men to do. There are a lot of men that take the time to shave everyday anyways, so the only time added would be the face bar in the shower and then the sunscreen at the end, really only a couple minutes.

Mary Kay also offers a few different fragrances for men. Two of the fragrances have a body wash that is also available and one also has an after shave that is available. Fragrances are something they do not want to buy without first sampling, so be sure at the party you have plenty of samples available.

After they try the Mary Kay products they will never go back to their past products.

Where Am I Game

2007-08-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

So I haven’t posted an ice breaker game in a while and I know for sure that one of you out there really liked them. So I found this one on homepartyplannetwork.com it is the Where Am I Game. This is a very simple ice breaker game that takes very little preplanning and can be used over and over. The guest will have to mingle and talk to each other which will help break up the uncomfortable silence. I would do this game at the very beginning, right when the walk in the door. Here is how to play.

Cut photos out of magazines (or print your own), and tape one photo to each guest's back as they come in. Each guest has to ask other guests simple questions about what the photo is in order to guess what his or her picture is of (Grand Canyon, Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate bridge, or some type of animal or common item). Each guest who figures out what his or her picture is gets a small gift or discount. Be prepared for all guests to win (so pre-set discounts are probably the best!)

I hope that you have a wonderful time at your next party with this game.

Dice Game

2007-08-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

So here is a great game to get some parties booked. Thank you to homepartyplannetwork.com and to Melissa for submitting this game. I am always looking for ways to get parties booked off of other parties.

Supplies needed:
One pair of dice
11 cards with envelopes numbered 2-12
2- GRAND PRIZE
3,4,5,12- WIN A PRIZE
6,7,8,9,10,11- BOOK A SHOW
Several goodie bags (I put a small brush set or extra gift with purchase I had)

Here's how to play:

Ask, "Who here likes to gamble? Great because I've got a gambling game for you! The game is optional to play, but you will win something for playing every time. The way the game works is you roll the dice and you get the coordinating envelope for the number you roll." (For example, if they roll a 3 and a 2 they get envelope #5.) "Inside each envelope is a prize. In one envelope it says GRAND PRIZE which is ________ (hold it up for them to see…if you don't have the item, show them a picture of it in the catalog.) Some of the envelopes say WIN A PRIZE. If you get this envelope, you will get a goodie bag to take home tonight. The rest of the envelopes have the best prize it them…they say BOOK A SHOW! Now, the catch is whatever envelope you get, you have to follow through. So, if you get grand prize, you have to take home the grand prize. If you get Book a show, you have to book a show. And just so you know, having a Mary Kay party is so easy. All you do is give me a guest list and I send out the invitations for you. Also, if you provide phone numbers, I will even give your friends a reminder call for you! And then you reap all the rewards by getting loads of FREE products! So, do I have any takers?"

Let them roll the dice and take their envelopes, but tell them not to open the envelopes yet. After everyone that wants to has rolled, tell them, "Okay, I have a deal to make with you. (Hold up larger prize, say a body wash) You can, regardless of what your envelope says, without even looking, go ahead and book a show. If you do so, you will get a free body wash like this one at your show AND you will still get the prize that is in your envelope. Again, you will be helping _____ out, and earning lots of free stuff for yourself." Let them decide what to do. Coax them along by reminding them they have a chance of getting book a show in their envelope and this way they get the body wash for booking. After everyone has decided whether or not to make the deal for the body wash, let them open their envelopes. Give prizes to those that earned them and book the shows of the people that made the deal or got it in their envelope. Make sure you book the show THAT NIGHT EVEN IF IT IS TENTATIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

Sounds like fun huh? Most people have a gambling streak in them.

The Floor Game

2007-08-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

Here is another fun game to play at a party. It is sure to spice things up a little. Thanks to homepartyplannetwork.com and Esther Earle for submitting it.

Give each guest three pieces of paper and ask them to put their name on each piece. Collect all papers and put them in a bag or bowl. On the floor, place three or four small prizes. Start calling names from the bowl. When each name is called the guests have to pick something from the floor. When the items are gone off the floor, they have to take from each other. When all the names have been called three times, the guests left holding a prize wins.
The prizes can be some samples or gifts with purchase that you have leftover. This will give them a taste of some of your products. Who knows it could become their next favorite product.
This game would work best, I think, with a group of women who are all friends and would feel comfortable enough with each other to “steal” someone’s prize.

Online Parties

2007-08-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

Online Parties are a great way for people with busy lives to be able to host a party. Chances are if they are busy their friends will be too and on online party works well for them also.

There are draw backs to having an online party. You are not there next to them to promote your product. You do not have the opportunity to show them how much fun Mary Kay is and maybe have them host a party.

There are advantages though to having an online party. The guest can access the virtual make over and see how different product may look on them with their hair style and facial shape. This feature on the Mark Kay website is fabulous; the system puts together several looks for each person on the system.

You overcome the other draw backs listed by keeping the guest well informed. In the hostess packet for an online party instead of invitations you would have flyers. This would provide the guest with your web address and a listing of all the specials happening for the party. Consider offering a percentage off or free shipping when a set dollar amount is spent. I like to offer free shipping for any order over $50.00. Sometimes people have a set limit, like $40.00 and this might entice them to spend a little more.

You will want to make some follow up calls with each guest about half way through the week that the party is open. See if they have any product questions or concerns that you can answer. Possibly ask if they would like to host a party, if the call is going well.

I will touch more on the online parties later this month. Give it try if you haven’t yet. If you have done it, care to share any tips with your fellow consultants?

Dish Soap Game

2007-08-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is another fun game. I got this one off of wahmconnetion.com. Try to spot the words that are household cleaning items. Here is the phrase on which the game is played.

With joy in my heart, I made a dash for the mailbox. What a thrill to find that my special package had arrived. Giving a shout I raced into the house like a Haley's Comet. "Why all the excitement?" asked my husband. "If you'd use some of the energy to keep the house spic n span and to get the laundry done, I might have enough clean clothes to tide me over." "So, you think house work is a breeze." I retorted. “Here’s the whisk broom now why don't you climb down from your ivory tower and give me a hand?" "And as for the laundry, I thought I Woodbury that in the back yard." "One more bold remark like that", he replied" and I'm going to dial the dress shop and cancel the order on your new chiffon dress. How duz that strike you?" "Not on your lifebuoy" I said, grabbing the phone from his hand. "I was only teasing Sweetheart he said, "Now go and open your special package to cheer you up.

Now you can either read this and have people write them down as they hear them. You can also have copies ready and have them circle their answers.

Here are your answers:
Joy, Dash, Thrill, Shout, Comet, Spic N Span, Tide, Breeze, Whisk, Ivory, Woodbury, Bold, Dial, Chiffon, Duz, Lifebuoy, Sweetheart, Cheer

Now you can hand out raffle tickets to the winners or prizes whatever you choose to do. If you are curious about how the raffle works, see my previous blogs about them.

Blue Light Special

2007-08-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

I was looking for another game that would not require any preplanning. I think it is important to have a few games in your mobile office, see my previous blog for what else to have in your mobile office. It is nice to be able get a feeling for the crowd and see what they may like to play and how much fun they would have.

This game would work with any group of people you are working with. Get a timer and set it for whatever time you choose. Then begin your product demonstration. Whatever product you are demonstrating when the timer goes off is on sale for the rest of the show.

You can decide how much of a sale you want it to be. It could be as small as 10% off or as large as 25% off. You could also reset the timer and have two products on sale for the show.
This is something really simple and the guests will love it. The anticipation of what might be on sale. Will it be their favorite product or not, one can only hope.

Give it try, some people may be on the fence of buying the particular item and with 15% off they may purchase and be hooked. Have you ever done this? How did it go?

Take a Shot

2007-08-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

Here is game that works wonderful if you have a quarterly sales meeting with your consultants. It allows the women to get a little something and have a shot at the prize.

Place a goldfish bowl filled with water in on the table. Then place a shot glass in the fish bowl. Give each woman their pennies, according the chart below, and see who can drop the penny in the glass. If you make it in the glass then you win the prize.

Prizes can be given like the ones mentioned in the previous blog, or you can had out some things their business may need. Maybe extra catalogs, order forms or business cards.

Here is how the pennies are awarded:
$500.00 in sales = 1 penny
$1000.00 in sales = 2 pennies
$1500.00 in sales = 3 pennies
$2000.00 in sales = 5 pennies
$3000.00 in sales = 6 pennies
$4000.00 in sales = 7 pennies
Adjust the sales to penny ratio as you see fit to.

This contest will have the whole group laughing as the women see who can drop a penny in the glass. They will soon be strategizing about how to best get the penny in the glass, watch you will see. This is also a great way for the women to bond. This could become a quarterly tradition.

$1000.00 a Week

2007-08-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when you are doing a contest people can become discouraged if they assume they cannot catch up to the winner. Here is contest that everyone can be the winner. Hopefully this will get those people moving.

The game is simple, get a $1000.00 worth of sales in a week and you win. Now you can adjust the amount up or down depending on what you think you consultants can handle. For me a $1000.00 seems to really give them a push. It is two really good parties and some phone calls for them to see how there regulars are doing.

I will typically give the ladies a week heads up before the game starts, incase they want to rearrange some things. I do not want to give them too much notice the idea is to boost the sales not save the current sales for that week.

For the prize I have done some very simple and inexpensive prizes. Like dinner for two, pasta sauce, noodles, bread and candles. If you want a little more add some wine. I have also done dessert, with strawberries and chocolate and sparking cider. Bath in bag is a great idea. Shop bath and body works sales for this and it is really cheap. Get a small tote place a body wash and new loofa and a candle in it. Also you can watch store like Ross and Marshalls and find wine glass for a dollar or so each. Place two wine glasses and some sparking cider in a bag or basket. The gifts do not have to be extravagant just something for them to enjoy.

Give it try. Let me know how it works for you.

Who Sells the Most

2007-08-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

The first is pretty simple and seems like it would be a no brainer however when I first started and suggested this to my upline she had never thought about it before she said.

It is so simple. Pick a product, maybe it is the product that is being featured for the season, like right now the body care collections in lotus and bamboo or red tea and fig. Once you have decided on your product then see you can sell the most of it. The contest is that simple. Keep track of how many sets each consultants sells. At the end have a prize for that consultant.

You could break it down a little more so the consultants did not feel like it was an all or nothing competition. You could give half a point for each separate piece they sell, for example the lotion and cleanser would be one whole point. When they sell the whole set, all three items, they would get two points, an extra half point for each set sold.

Now you can run this contest for a month or two or even the season. Now be careful when you are running the contest for a longer period of time, you need to keep people inspired. Send out a listing of who is in first, second and third place or a listing of how many points each person has. Half way through you can send out a letter explaining with the gifts will be.

However you decide to work this game it is one that is sure to boost sales and morale.

Contests

2007-08-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Contest are a great way to boost sales for anyone. Most people have a competitive drive in them, whether they realize it or not. Holding contest between consultants is a great way to give everyone’s business the push it may need.

If you do not have any consultants to run a contest for then talk to your upline about running one or you can contact a few other consultants that you know. You can always do the contest with yourself. Set the goal and when you achieve it reward yourself accordingly.
When you are the upline run these contests for yourself with other women you know at your same level in the business. Set the example for your consultants with participating in the contest and getting excited about it. If you are excited about something chances are they will be too.

Contests are also a wonderful thing do at parties. The competitive drive runs in everyone, even your guests. You can do games that have them competing. Stay tuned for other ways to get the guests competing with each other.

I will be posting some contests for consultants and guests soon; so check back or review the previous blogs that I have done on this topic. Tell me what contests you use to stay inspired.

Mobile office

2007-08-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

I wanted to jump back a bit to the blog where I spoke about having the mobile office. I wanted to touch on the party theme book with this. When I have my crate with the hanging files I have a file for each of the party themes. In the file is all the information that the hostess might want to make the most of her chosen theme. I will usually have a piece of paper that has some creative ideas for invitations if she chooses and some decorating ideas as well. I also like to have a few recipe ideas for them to try as well that coordinate well with this theme.

So when I am at a party and a guest decides that she would like to book a party with me I have her review the party theme idea book and decide which one sounds like the most fun to her. Then I go out to the car and get a hostess packet which will include the current specials, order forms, catalogs, a hostess scavenger hunt, etc. Then I also check my hanging files and grab the corresponding paper to give her in addition to the other paperwork. Now I do like to make it very clear that she is not required to do any of these things and she can just do as little or as much as she likes.

I just wanted to help add to anyone’s mobile office.

Hawaiian Snack Recipes

2007-08-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I said that I would provide you with the recipes that I use for the hostess at the Hawaiian themed party so here they are. I like to give her options.

This one is great if they have a bread maker

Hawaiian Bread

1/3 cups canned pineapple chunks, drained, reserving juice
3 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice
1 egg
1/3 cup sliced very ripe banana
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup shredded coconut (frozen, thawed, is best)
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Put all ingredients into bread machine or follow your user's manual. Select correct bread cycle and crust color, then press start.

Hawaiian Bread Dip

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 cups chopped beef wafer
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon chives
1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all together well and serve with crusty bread

So obviously this will go well as a light snack. If this is more of a dinner time thing then maybe the next recipe is what you want.

Hawaiian haystacks

I do not know if they are actually true Hawaiian food but they seem to work well.

4 cups cooked rice
1 can chow mien noodles
2 cans cream of chicken soup
grated cheese (as much as you want for topping)
1 can pineapple chopped
diced tomatoes
coconut flakes
1 large can chunk chicken

In a deep pan, make your rice in a frying pan on low to medium heat, heat up cream of chicken soup and canned chunk chicken. Put in order on your plate, chow main noodles, top with rice, cream of chicken soup mix, grated cheese, chopped pineapple, diced tomatoes, sprinkle with coconut flakes for desired sweetness.

This may sound gross but it is heavenly. These recipes were provided by cooks.com and my own recipe book.

Hawaiian Themed Recipes

2007-08-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

In the last blog I spoke about a having a Hawaiian party and that I usually give the hostess a couple recipes if she chooses to have her refreshments go along with the theme. I wanted to share them with you as well.

The first two are non alcoholic drinks.

Easy Hawaiian Punch (Serves 15-20)
1.5 Quarts Orange Juice
1 Quart Pineapple Juice
1 Liter Lemon-Lime Soda
4 oz (shots) Grenadine
Sliced fruit of your choice

Combine the liquid ingredients in large bowl, garnish with sliced fruit and chill with ice or the refrigerator. Adults can easily add a little “punch” to this recipe.

Tropical Plantation Ice Tea
1 Pitcher of your favorite Ice Tea
½ Quart Pineapple Juice
1 Pineapple sliced lengthways

Stir the Pineapple Juice into the Iced Tea and garnish with the Pineapple “spears”. You may remove the skin of the Pineapple or leave for that “rustic look”.

If you are looking to spice it up a bit here is one for a Mai Tai

Invented by the famous Trader Vic in 1944, “Mai Tai” means literally “the very best” in the Tahitian language. How’s that for a bit of history for you?

1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Orange Curacao or Grand Marnier (Triple Sec can substitute)
½ oz Amaretto (Almond liqueur)
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1 Dash lime juice
1 Dash Grenadine

Shake well and pour over ice. Garnish with a Cherry and Orange slice if available. Don’t forget the paper umbrella!

I got these recipes off of www.hawaiianluauparty.com. I like to have multiple copies ready for whenever someone decides to have this party. Stay tuned to tomorrows blog to find the recipe for the treats/snack.

Hawaiian themed party

2007-08-02T22:56:00.000-07:00

If you really like the game in the previous blog, you could go all out and do a Hawaiian themed party. This could be really great in the summer, when it feels like it is hot enough to be in Hawaii or this would also be great in the winter, to brighten up everyone’s day.

Invitations for the party can be simple, perhaps just a postcard with all of the information on it with maybe a few Hawaiian stickers or something. Invitations can be really fun and creative. For instance you can go the party and get a pack of leis very inexpensively and have those be the invitations. Tie a simple knot to them containing all party plans on it and have the hostess deliver the leis to the guests.

For the games of course we have the blind Hawaii game which, as you can imagine, is a hoot. You can also encourage the guests to dress appropriately and give out awards for the attire. You could give out most authentic and most creative dress.

I like to give the hostess a couple of recipes that may be helpful in order to set the mood for the party. One recipe is for a delicious drink and another for a tasty treat. These are things the hostess can choose to do or not do, remember if people have fun they will be more likely to come to the next party or even have one of their own.

For this party I would particularly highlight the aftersun lotion and the lip balm with sunscreen. These are two very important parts of the sun care essentials line that get over looked. The aftersun lotion will help to replenish you skin from a day of harsh treatment from Mother Nature. The lip balm helps to protect your lips from a terrible pain. I have had sun burned lips and it really hurts.

You can host this party indoors or outdoors. Get as creative as you want. Remember it is your business and it is only as good as what you put into it.

Game of the day: Blind Hawaii

2007-08-02T22:52:00.000-07:00

Game of the day: Blind Hawaii

So here is a really fun game to play called blind Hawaii. This is perfect for your Hawaiian themed party. Stay tuned for the blog on how to do that. I got this game off of partyplanmoms.com a while ago, it is really a very comical game to play. Here is how to play.

Have everyone close his or her eyes. Tell them to picture Hawaii. Have them do the following with their eyes closed and they must keep their eyes closed the entire time!

Then ask them to draw the island (10 points). Then a sun in their sky (15), fish in their sea 20), a palm tree on their island (25), a boat in their sea (30), birds in their sky (35), a hula girl next to the palm tree (40), port holes on the ship(45), a drink (Maitai) in the girls hand(50), and last but not least a sailor on the ship(55).

The trick to getting the points is the drawing should look like this:

The island must be in the middle of the piece of paper.

The sun must be in the right hand corner.

They must have three or more fish and birds.

The palm tree must be in the middle of the island.

The hula girl to the right, the ship to the left of the island.

The drink has to be touching the girl, the ship must have the portholes on it.

The sailor must be touching the ship.

The person with the most points wins.

This really is a great game. People just enjoy looking at each others pictures, not necessarily seeing if they got things in the right spot. Remember if you are going to do a raffle at the end, you could give two tickets to the winner and one ticket to the second place person.

2007-08-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

This is a really great game. I have had it for years. It is another great game that takes no planning and can be taken at any point in any party. It is also a way for you to talk about becoming a consultant when the game is over. Here is how to play.

Have a roll of tickets (the kind you’d use for a 50/50 draw). Say “For the next 3 minutes we’re going to play ‘Ask Me About My Job’. The first person to come up with a question will get 3 tickets, the 2nd person will get 2 and every question after that earns 1 ticket.” Questions like “How many hours do you work a week?” and “How long have you been doing it?” will start coming at you. Answer them as positively as possible. Ie. “I only work evenings and weekend because I want to be home with my children.” “I’ve been doing this job for 18mos and I’ve never had so much fun.”

At the end of the Q & A you can either draw for a prize right then and there, or you can tell the guests to hang on to their tickets and do a little more Q & A towards the end of the party (they may have thought of other questions by then).
It’s a lot of fun when the questions start coming in fast and furious… guests try to out-do each other and ask the most questions (they want to be the one with the most tickets) and it’s GREAT for teaching people about your business and how it might benefit them.
It is a little cheesy and may not work with every party. You really need to read your audience and see if they are open to something like this. If at first there are not any questions you can start by talking about how you got started in the business. Then if there still isn’t any question then you can talk about why you continue to do it.

Add the tickets to the raffle bowl that you may already have going for the prize at the end of the show. See the previous blogs about raffle drawing for further explanation.
What other ways do you bring up becoming a consultant? Let me know.

Self Promotion

2007-08-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

I received an email from my upline today with the following tips in it. I really liked it and wanted to share it with you. My upline does a great job at sending out weekly tips and ideas on how we can improve our business. I thought I would pass it along to those of you who have the same problem listed below.

From my upline;

“Good Morning ladies. I hope you all are having a fabulous day. I wanted to pass this along to help inspire you to generate more business for yourself. This is from a website www.showmomthemoney.com

One of the most frequent things I see as a leader or upline is the fact that someone will call me and say I have no sales! Of course you ask them, "Well what have you been doing?" And the answer 9 times out of 10 is "oh, I talked to my mom and her friends and I have gotten nothing." "OK", I say "what else have you done to promote yourself?" "UMMM, nothing. I pass out books but nothing happens!"

Here is problem number one...I pass out books and nothing happens. Ok, do you get the person's phone number and call them and ASK them for an order? Do you call them and just leave a reminder, "Hey my order is going in this weekend in case you need something!" Do you order extra books and pass them out like water? Do you make flyers and mail them out to everyone you know? Do you TREAT your business like a business?

Honestly, most of the time the answer is no. The most self defeating thing in our business is our self!! I will say it again. The most self defeating thing in our business is our self! WHY? Because we are afraid to promote OURSELVES!

I have seen ladies hang their head and mumble while trying to push a book into someone’s hands. Would I order from someone like that? Probably NOT! I have seen ladies cringe at the thought of talking to a stranger at the grocery store. Be proud of your business! If you truly love your business, why are you ashamed to talk about it and shout it to anyone who will listen???Stand up and say "I sell ___ and I LOVE my job!" Wear pins, carry books or business cards with you everywhere! Put stickers on your car; signs on your lawn; notices or biz cards in your mail; talk to the other moms; network locally; tell the world! You do not have a neon sign above your head that says you sell ___. So if you don't promote it, who will???

Take a hard look at your business and how you act with it and see what you can do to improve yourself and your attitude about it. Everyday, work on improving your business visibility in your community and with other people, your potential customers. And remember, customer service and consistency is key! Then, watch your sales rise!

I found it to be just the kick in the pants that I needed this month as I have set into the summer lull. Remember you are your business and it is up to you how far you take it.”
WOW! Isn’t she amazing. I love my upline because she is always thinking of us. What do you do when you business hits a slump?

Tips for Party Success

2007-07-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

I was looking around the internet, trying to find ways to improve my parties. I came across these 5 tips to make your party more successful. Take a look here at what I’ve found and maybe something here will improve your parties. I know that it has sparked a few ideas for me. Thanks to showmomthemoney.com for the tips.

1. Be prepared - Always be prepared well beforehand to avoid any last minute rushing around (you know what I’m talking about). Know exactly what you are going to present and have needed materials and visual aids at hand. If you are passing out take-home information, have enough on hand for everyone. When you transport your material to another location, use sturdy boxes and label each one so you know where everything is. Having a husband or friend along to help can save you time and stress, if you are doing a big show, like a holiday bazaar.

2. Cleanliness counts - If you are hosting the party at your home, do the cleaning the day before or hire someone to do it for you. If a friend is hosting for you, ask them to be sure the home is clean and even offer to come over early to help tidy up if they need the help. Messiness detracts from you and your presentation. Indoor animals should be shut in a room with food and water to cut down on distractions, and children and husbands should go out for a few hours or stay quietly in another part of the house.

3. Set the stage – Allow yourself plenty of time to set up your materials. Once everything is set up, check it out from the perspective of the clientele. Can you see everything clearly? Light a few scented candles or use a plug-in air freshener to help the mood – subtle scents can relax customers, like lavender and increase their desire to buy. A word of warning: try to find out ahead of time if any of your guests have asthma or breathing difficulties, and avoid candles if so. Having a potential client go into an asthma attack at your party is not the way to boost sales!

4. Relax yourself – Before beginning your presentation, do a few breathing exercises or, if you can go somewhere private, some stretches to help loosen yourself up. Good speakers come across as confident, self-assured people who really believe in the product or service they are presenting and this in turn convinces the audience that the product or service is something valuable.

5. Circulate, circulate, and circulate! – Once your presentation is finished and the guests are involved with refreshments, make yourself available to anyone and everyone who might want to talk to you. Be friendly and accessible, and move around the room, not just around your table. If you are away from the table and see someone examining materials, you can always go back, but frequently guests feel more comfortable talking away from the display, which can mean pressure to buy to some.

Great tips, huh? To some people who have been doing this a really long time they may seem like second nature but to those just starting it can be a big help to have a check list to review before each party.

Summer Sizzle

2007-07-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

A fun and a different party theme is the summer sizzle. We all have hot days in our areas that seem unbearable. Have a summer sizzle party. The idea here is that the guests each bring their favorite way to cool down in the summer.

For this party a really fun invitation to send out is a big yellow sun. You can make a sun out of cardstock and stick it to a postcard or hand them out. The sun can contain all of the important information about your party on it. Be sure and put on the invitation that each guest should bring their favorite idea for cooling off.

The game for the party is pretty obvious. Who has the best way to cool off for the summer? Have guests vote on what idea they like best. The ideas for cooling off can be as simple as a fan or air conditioner or a pool. The guests can also think bigger and put ideas like going to the lake or a local water park as their answers. I had one guest say that she rents a hotel room when it gets too hot. She said she has air conditioning and a pool right there. The ideas are only limited to the guests.

I would feature the sun care essentials line in my presentation. Take about the importance of keeping your skin protected from the sun and your lips as well for that matter. Also I think I’d highlight how to use the bronzer for the sun kissed look without actually being sun kissed. You could even show the women how to achieve the light and fresh look with make up. Instead of their usual make up look that may be heavy for say a picnic with some friends or a trip to the local water park. I like to talk about the eyesicles. They are water proof, so when they are applied they give that fresh looking glow and won’t sweat off over the course of the day. They do come in two beautiful shades, for the fairer skinned fresh look use the vanilla and for the dark shades of skin use the island bronze. Both will give off a glowing summer look.

Have you tried a summer sizzle party? How did it go? What tips to you have for me? I think this is a fun party to throw in those hot months.

Build Your Own Sundae Party

2007-07-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

Here is another fabulous party theme that you can try. It is build your own sundae party. This party is sure to be a hit with any age group. Who doesn’t love ice cream.

To help make this party stand out, I would try some fun invitation idea. You could cut three circles of pink paper out and one tall skinny brown triangle to create your ice cream cone. Then after you assemble them into a tall delicious looking cone, you can write all of the important information in each circle. You could also try and create postcards on your computer using cardstock. This way you can put a yummy pick of an ice cream sundae on the front. You could always just send out the regular postcards with ice cream party written on them.
For the set up you can have the hostess supply the ice cream and topping or she can ask her guests to bring a topping to share. I have also done the party where I brought the ice cream and she supplied all the toppings. Make sure you have plenty of pretty pink napkins around the table for guest to use.

You can this fun party game at the party. You will need a bag of marshmallows for this game. You have each guest put a marshmallow in their mouth and then say Mary Kay. Then have the guests continue to add marshmallows one at a time, then saying Mary Kay between each marshmallow, until only person can say Mary Kay. It is pretty much like the chubby bunny game only with Mary Kay. This is sure to bring a lot of laughs to the party. It will remind them all of their sleep over days.

When you are giving your presentation on skin care you can talk about how eating the right foods for your body makes difference in your skin. Explain that we all have cheat days, like today, so a great skin care system is essential for to keep your skin looking its best.

Good luck with the party! I know the women that have held this particular party for me have really had a good time. It is good to change things up now and then.

Taking Mary Kay on Vacation with you

2007-07-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

When you and your family pack up to head for this summers vacation, don’t forget to bring along Mary Kay. It is quite simple to make it known that you are a Mary Kay representative and that you are open for questions.

With the world we live in today technology makes it possible for you to have customers and consultants anywhere in the country. They can do all of their ordering over the phone or online. You can ship their products to them like every other client. If the decide to host a party, they can have a book party and you can again mail them their needed supplies.

There are a few ways to “sport” your business around town. The first would be to always look your best. You are a representative of Mary Kay whenever you walk out the door, so look your best. I know the couple of times that I have gone out wearing seats and no make up I was embarrassed to say that sold Mary Kay products. It was like a walking billboard saying I sell the product but do not use it. Look you best at the start of every day.

Take your Mary Kay purse with you. You know the one I am talking about, the beautiful black bag that has a clear front where you can place your catalogs. See where I am going with this. If you use this purse while you are out having all of your family fun, you are advertising for your business. Now you don’t have to try and sell to people however this may spark up a conversation with a potential client while you are waiting for your family to get done with their latest thrill ride.

Another idea to Mary Kay on vacation with you is to use their products while you are out. For example if your family is going to the beach, put your sunscreen on at the beach. Let other who are passing by or sitting next to you see the Mary Kay sun essentials. You can use the after sun lotion when you guys are getting ready to head back to the hotel or campground. Don’t forget about the lip balm as well, you can carry that around with you all day.

These are just a couple of really quick and easy ideas that you can try while you are on vacation to spread the word about your business. I know I will be doing my best to do them. What do you do to help get business out there while you are on vacation?

Marriage Spice Up

2007-07-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

When you work at home sometimes it is tough to separate work from home. I have talked about several ways to make sure that your kids get your attention throughout the day. What about our husbands? I know sometimes if my business is busy then as soon as the kids go to bed I rush to the office to finish what I need to. One night my husband came in and was talking to me and apparently I wasn’t listening I was just agreeing with everything he said, it was quite comical in retrospect, some of things he was saying when he realized I was not paying attention. However it made me realize I need to treat the time with my husband as sacred as I do the time with my kids. Here is a list of 24 ways to strengthen your marriage from http://www.hbwm.com/.

Start each day with a kiss. Decide to begin the day with love.

Wear your wedding ring at all times. Let it be a visual reminder of your commitment.

Go on a date with your spouse once a week. Even if it's just for coffee, dedicate time for the two of you.

Accept differences. Try to remember that once you thought your spouse's idiosyncrasies were cute. Your chances of changing them are slim, so decide to live with them.

Be polite. Are you more polite to co-workers or store clerks than you are to the one you love?
Practice good manners at home.

Be gentle. Harsh words and actions have no place in your home. Choose to be kind to those you love and who love you.

Give gifts. While diamonds are a girl's best friend, a card, a single rose, a favorite candy bar can also do the trick.

Smile often. Put on a happy face and let it determine your disposition. Remember how meaningful the glances were which you once gave each other.

Touch. A pat on the back or a soft caress of the cheek can show love and connection.

Talk about dreams. Get your conversation beyond coordinating schedules and talking about the kids. Take time to talk about ideas and dreams.

Give back rubs. Another day you'll be on the receiving end.

Laugh together. Find something daily to share a laugh about. Life is complete with laughter.
Do what your spouse wants before being asked. Anticipate your spouse's needs and jump right in to help. Put his or her needs before your own comfort.

Listen. You don't have to solve problems, just be an active listener. Turn off the TV, put down the newspaper, and give your spouse your full attention.

Encourage. The best way to give support is to encourage your spouse to do his or her best, to feel confident, or accomplish great things.

Call your spouse. Check in with each other throughout the day - just to say Hi or love you.
Hold hands. Take a walk or watch TV while holding hands.

Look your best. Comfort doesn't have to be socks and a T-shirt for bed every night.

Apologize. Almost as good as I love you is I'm sorry, forgive me. Marriage isn't a game where you keep score. It's not important who's right.

Ask, what can I do to make you happier? You may be surprised at how simple it is to please your spouse.

Reminisce about your favorite times together. Talk about special times you shared, and create new times together.

Pray for your spouse daily. Don't let a day go by without praying for your marriage, your spouse, and your family.

Watch sunsets together. Find the beauty in life and share it.

End each day with a hug. Decide to end the day with love

Exercise For Your Health

2007-07-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

I have done a few blogs about taking care of you, as a mother, mentally. Now though I wanted to talk to you about taking care of you physically. Exercise is so important. According to the American Heart Association here is a list of benefits, not just physical ones.

1. Reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout the body
2. Keeps weight under control
3. Improves blood cholesterol levels
4. Prevents and manages high blood pressure
5. Prevents bone loss
6. Boosts energy level
7. Helps manage stress
8. Releases tension
9. Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well
10. Improves self-image
11. Counters anxiety and depression and increases enthusiasm and optimism
12. Increases muscle strength, increasing the ability to do other physical activities
13. Provides a way to share an activity with family and friends
14. Establishes good heart-healthy habits in children and counters the conditions (obesity, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, poor lifestyle habits, etc.) that lead to heart attack and stroke later in life
15. In older people, helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer

About eight months ago I began regiment of exercise. You may have noticed from my daily schedule I do have time set aside for the gym. Now that school is not in session I pay for the day care services available at the gym. Here are some tips for Exercise Success from the American Heart Association.

1. If you've been sedentary for a long time, are overweight, have a high risk of coronary heart disease or some other chronic health problem, see your doctor for a medical evaluation before beginning a physical activity program.

2. Choose activities that are fun, not exhausting. Add variety. Develop a repertoire of several activities that you can enjoy. That way, exercise will never seem boring or routine.

3. Wear comfortable, properly fitted footwear and comfortable, loose-fitting clothing appropriate for the weather and the activity.

4. Find a convenient time and place to do activities. Try to make it a habit, but be flexible. If you miss an exercise opportunity, work activity into your day another way.

5. Use music to keep you entertained.

6. Surround yourself with supportive people. Decide what kind of support you need. Do you want them to remind you to exercise? Ask about your progress? Participate with you regularly or occasionally? Allow you time to exercise by yourself? Go with you to a special event, such as a 10K walk/run? Be understanding when you get up early to exercise? Spend time with the children while you exercise? Try not to ask you to change your exercise routine? Share your activity time with others. Make a date with a family member, friend or co-worker. Be an active role model for your children.

7. Don't overdo it. Do low- to moderate-level activities, especially at first. You can slowly increase the duration and intensity of your activities as you become more fit. Over time, work up to exercising on most days of the week for 30-60 minutes.

8. Keep a record of your activities. Reward yourself at special milestones. Nothing motivates like success!

I hope that these bits of advice for the American Heart Association will inspire to create healthy life habits for you and your children. When we are feeling better about ourselves it will project into every aspect of our lives, like our business.

Recruit Lead Tip Sheet

2007-07-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

I am sort of on a recruiting kick today. I have set myself a goal for next month. I would like to have two new consultants. It is important to set goals for yourself and for your business. This will help you in knowing what you are working for; it is more tangible to see it on paper so make sure you write it down. Thus, the focus on ways to recruit. I have written several blogs on this already but you can never have too much information or ways to look at the same information. I found a recruit lead tip sheet on homepartyplannetwork.com. I am going to print this off and post it in my car and office. I am going to make sure I read it at least twice a day. Hopefully this will help me to open my eyes, so to speak, to all of the women around me.

Recruit Lead Tip Sheet

* People who need extra money
* People who are bored
* Someone who is temporarily out of work (male or female)
* Party guests who give the most input about your product
* The guest with the largest order
* Guests who ask lots of questions
* Part time worker
* Mothers with small children
* Women whose families are grown
* People who bring extra guests to a show
* People who are not working now but would like to find something to occupy their time.
* Anyone who stares at you during the presentation
* The guest who picks up a product and demonstrates it
* The guest who lingers after the presentation
* The person who is naturally attracted to you as a person
* Anyone who needs money or is dissatisfied with their job
* The person who is looking to buy a car or any type of luxury
* People who want promotions at their job
* People who nod their head when you give your recruit talk
* The person who is kid crazy and needs a night out
* The person who is 40 middle class and bored

Let me know if this is helpful to you at all. I know for me having something to read each day really helps me to refocus my attention on the career goal I have set for myself.

Hostess Bonus

2007-07-26T14:55:00.000-07:00

Part of finding new people who may want to be a part of Mary Kay, is booking new shows to extend your network. One homepartyplannetwork.com they listed a hostess cash back bonus game. It is newly listed so I have not tried it. You can be sure that I will be trying it though. Here are the instructions they have listed.

WHO knows your Hostesses friends and family better than the Hostess....?When you arrive at the Hostesses home, after you set up and you are waiting for Guests to Attend....Tell your hostess that you have a "Special Cash Bonus Program for Hostesses"Hand her 3 Hostess Packets.

Tell her she knows her family and friends better then you do, and ask her to find out who, out of her friends and family would want to have a Show.....
for the 1st Booking she will receive.... $10 in Free Merchandisefor
the 2nd Booking she will receive.... $20 in Free Merchandisefor
the 3rd Booking she will receive.... $40 in Free Merchandise

You can explain to her that she can be the 3rd Booking and schedule a Fall/Christmas Show and she would be staring her Show with $40 Free

At the end of the show, thank everyone for coming and explain our services and what you have to offer them, such as In-home shows, brochure shows, fundraisers, etc.Also inform them of all that the hostesses will receive for hosting a show.And, I would like everyone to take advantage of our hostess benefits. If you are considering having a show see our hostess __Name____ she has all the Hostess Packets.

After the shows are held the hostess receives her $10, $25 or $50 in free merchandise and don't you think she will make sure the shows hold! She wants her cash bonus! (feel free to change to dollar amounts to suit your business’s needs.)

I think this new approach may help. This way I am not the one who is pushing for them to book a show it is their friend or family member. They may be more receptive to that. Good luck to everyone. I will keep you posted on how this goes.

Recruiting Game

2007-07-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

This game is a great way to show women how easy it is to become a consultant. It goes through some things they might need to have for the business or want to gain from being a business owner. I found this game on homepartyplannetwork.com, thanks.

Give the ladies a small slip of paper and a pen or pencil to tally their score as you go. As each item is read, if it applies, have them mark down the corresponding score. Here is what to read.
If you have done any selling before, put down 10 for the start of your score. If you have a car and are able to drive, the thing you must do is just add 5. If some extra money is what you would like, add 10 more which is just about right. A little spare time will add to your score, for this you may add 15 more. If you like people and think they are grand, add 6 more to see where you stand. Add 10 points if you think parties are fun, and when you add this you are almost done. If you score the highest, it is plain to see a Mary Kay beauty consultant is what you should be. Add 10 to your score if you would like information on becoming a sales person.

It is an easy way to segue into asking who may be interested in learning about becoming a Mary Kay beauty consultant. Happy gaming!

Ice Breaker

2007-07-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

I found a fun and different ice breaker that you can do. I haven’t posted one of these in a while and I know that people were enjoying them. A big bonus for you here is that there is no preplanning for this one. The game is called Who Is This? Here is how to play.

Everyone would write down on a piece of paper something that they thought nobody knew about them, some obscure fact or tidbit of information that might not be known to their friends. Then I would put them all in a box or bowl, draw them out one at a time, and ask everyone to identify who the person was. For every correct answer you could hand out a raffle ticket for the evening’s prize.

Have fun at your parties, make them the talk of the town.

Mom's Job Description

2007-07-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

As promised I am posting the other funny mom story I found. It is a job description of a mother. So it is something you might read in the want ads or at an employment office. I found it quite humorous and true. This helped to remind me of just what it is I do on top of my Mary Kay job.

What is being a mom - really?

JOB DESCRIPTION:Long term team players needed for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in faraway cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:Must provide on-the-site training in basic life skills, such as nose blowing. Must have strong skills in negotiating, conflict resolution and crisis management. Ability to suture flesh wounds a plus. Must be able to think out of the box but not lose track of the box, because you most likely will need it for a school project. Must reconcile petty cash disbursements and be proficient in managing budgets and resources fairly, unless you want to hear, "He got more than me!" for the rest of your life.Also, must be able to drive motor vehicles safely under loud and adverse conditions while simultaneously practicing above mentioned skills in conflict resolution. Must be able to choose your battles and stick to your guns. Must be able to withstand criticism, such as "You don't know anything." Must be willing to be hated at least temporarily, until someone needs $5 to go skating. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys and battery operated devices.Also, must have a highly energetic entrepreneurial spirit, because fund-raiser will be your middle name. Must have a diverse knowledge base, so as to answer questions such as "What makes the wind move?" or "Why can't they just go in and shoot Sadam Hussein?" on the fly. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT AND PROMOTION: Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required, unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION: You pay them, offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered, job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

Enjoyable, isn’t it? Sometimes I think we as mothers do not take enough pride in ourselves as mothers. Previous to becoming involved in Mary Kay when someone would ask what I do for a living I would say “oh I just stay at home”, not that I was embarrassed by it. However I think that I was not feeling or at projecting how crucial and tough this job is. So ladies pat yourselves on the back, and relax. For ways to take care of mom see my previous blogs.

Thank to betweenmoms.com for this as well.

A Good Laugh About Moms

2007-07-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

Now and then we all need a good laugh. I found two really fun poems/articles about being a mom. Today I will share one of them. Reading through something like this helps me to laugh about the sometimes very irritating or crazy situations I end up in as a mom. There are also a few that make me say ahhh and remember why I love to be a mom. I am so grateful to Mary Kay for allowing me to stay at home with my children and have these treasured memories. So read and enjoy and check back tomorrow for the second one.

Things you might find amusing as a mom …..

1. As soon as you pass the last rest-stop for the next 90 miles, someone will need to stop.
2. At birthday parties, parents are usually early to drop off their kids, and late to pick them up.
3. The child you are currently dealing with is always treated more unfairly than his siblings.
4. The child you are currently dealing with is always required to do more work than his siblings.
5. You no longer have to lock up your favorite candy stash. Just put it on the stairs under the folded laundry and no one will touch it.
6. If a kid suddenly offers to do dishes or clean the house, it is either for money or credit for a school project.
7. I don't have to use a road map-- I can just use the veins on my legs.
8. If I had to choose one voice in the world to have instead of my own, it would be Daddy's.
9. Your teens get more enjoyment out of watching you cry at the sad parts of the video than they do in watching the video.
10. Hearing your three teens singing their way through the hymnbook "just for fun" is more gratifying than any CD you will ever buy.
11. "An object at rest tends to stay at rest" is a law written to describe the contents of your child's bedroom.
12. "An object in motion tends to stay in motion" is a law written by a parent with toddlers.
13. I've learned to quickly tell the difference between a good disposable diaper and a bad one.
14. If you say, "It looks like I'll get to bed early tonight," you won't.
15. A child's thank-you letter takes 25 times as long to formulate as a Christmas/birthday wish list.
16. There is no use crying over spilled baby cereal on a wicker chair.
17. The people that know best how you should be raising your kids are never free to baby-sit.
18. An Emmy is never more deserved than by a child just asked to clean her room.
19. Fridges were designed because children needed a cardboard box big enough to make a slide or playhouse.
20. Every parent possesses many valuable pieces of artwork that didn't cost them a thing.
21. Your child driving at 50 miles an hour is suddenly much faster than when you drive at 50 miles an hour.
22. When you help your children with their math homework, you suddenly realize how little you learned in math.
23. The bags under your eyes do not disappear until at least three years after the birth of your last child.
24. Mothers alone hold the secret recipe for refilling ice-cube trays.

Game Day

2007-07-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

I found a couple of original games on betweenmoms.com. I haven’t ever heard of either of them. They sound fun. The nice thing about these games is they do not “push” the business. It is nice to have game that coyly mentions the business and how they can become a part of it, but doesn’t make it seem like you’re pushing it. However for a change if you are playing two games try one that is just for fun. Here are two that seem like a lot of fun.
Spring Time Flowers

Directions:

Spell SPRINGTIME down the left side of your paper. Next to each letter, write down a flower that begins with that letter. You get one point for each flower not duplicated by another player! Here are some examples!

S - Sunflower, Strawflower, Sweet Pea, Snowball
P - Petunia, Pansy, Peony, Poppy
R - Rose, Rhododendron, Ruby Lily, Rosemary
I - Iris, Impatiens, Ironweed, Indian Pink
N - Narcissus, Nasturtium, Night shook
G - Geranium, Gladiolus, Gardenia, Goldenrod

T - Tulip, Tiger Lily, Thistle, Trillium
I - Indian Pipe, Indian Paintbrush
M - Marigold, Magnolia, Morning Glory, Mums
E - Evening Primrose, Easter lily, Edelweiss, Eglantine

This game is really quick for when you are running short on time, also no preplanning, which is a bonus for you.
So here is the next game.

This is good for "End of the summer" parties... have them bring a photo from that summer's vacation! Ask each guest to bring a picture from her favorite vacation. Then ask them the following questions about their pictures.
1. Is the picture in color? (If yes, 5 points.)
2. Was the picture taken in the last 6 months? (If yes, 15 points.)
3. Are there mountains in the picture? (If yes, 10 points.)
4. Is there a lake in the picture? (If yes, 10 points.)
5. Is there an ocean in the picture? (If yes, 10 points.)
6. Was the picture taken on an island? (If yes, 15 points.)
7. How did you get there? Airplane 15 points; Train/Bus 10 points; Car 5 points
8. Is there a landmark in the picture? (If yes, 20 points.)
9. Are there any people in the picture? You 10 points; Family/Friends 5 points each
10. Is someone waving "hi" in the picture? (If yes, 30 points.)
11. Is someone in the picture riding a horse, camel, or elephant? (If yes, 100 points.)
12. Did someone accidentally appear in the picture? (If yes, 50 points.)
13. Did you have a stranger take the picture for you? (If yes, 25 points.)
14. Is anyone kissing or hugging in the picture? (If yes, 75 points.)
15. Was the picture taken on your honeymoon (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or whichever)? (If yes, 50 points.)16. Did the person taking the picture accidentally get their finger(s) in front of the lens? (If yes, deduct 10 points.)

After reading the 16 questions, go back and give points that correspond to their respective answers. Total the points to determine the winner.

This game is a fun way to get the guests visiting with each other, as they may not know one another. This is also a great game to play at the pool party. If you are not sure what the pool party and want to know more, see my previous blog. I love games, do you? What is your favorite game? Please share it with everyone.

Booking Ideas

2007-07-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes getting bookings at each show is almost like pulling teeth. I know that I’m always looking for some new ways to get bookings. I have thought of some new ways and have posted them on this blog. I feel like I am stuck right for new ideas right now, so I went on a hunt and found new ideas that I did not have. I got them at partyplanmoms.com. Some I think will work well for me and my personality; others may work well for someone else. Here they are.

1. Hand out door prize slips to each guest, asking for their info and if they would like to book a show or join the company. While they are filling out your slips suggest that anyone who said yes or maybe to booking a show can get free shipping on your order tonight if you date your show tonight. This really helps getting guests booked and often, a guest who said "no" will change their mind to save a few dollars. Even if she still says no, you have her information and can call her when you have a great special to offer!

2. Before the show make a few "book to look" envelopes. In each have a coupon for free shipping, free product (an item that you chose), 15% off coupon, 1/2 item of their choice, $10 gift certificate, or what ever you would like to give away. Give each guest an envelope and tell her not to open it until you say so. After you tell everyone about the hostess benefits, let them know that the envelopes are a game and the only way you can open them is to book a show. This seems to work great because it will drive them crazy wondering what is inside. Let them open them now, but tell them that they get to cash it in at their show.

3. For those of you who keep products on hand here is a great idea. If you have a hostess that works or just does not have the time to have an in home show, offer her a basket party! Get a large basket, and get together everything you have on hand that you want to get rid of. Wrap each item nicely in cellophane and place a small price tag on it with tax added in. Give the hostess the basket have her sell the items in it to her friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. Give her the hostess benefits according to how much of the product she sells. Be sure to write down everything you put in the basket and what the cost was.

4. While taking orders at the show, stop half way through and announce to everyone at the show, " so far (hostess) has $$$ in sales. So far she is going to receive $$$ in free product, etc. But if she has at least one booking within 20 days she will receive $$$ in free product!!!Additional bookings will earn her an extra $25 each in free product. Sharing the excitement and the difference in free product with bookings as compared to no bookings makes all the difference in the world! It also gets new hostesses excited for their show because they see how easy it really is to go on a shopping spree!

5. At your show tell everyone that if they can give you a list of their friends that might enjoy the products that he or she can take 10% off her order. Give them a paper with the space already marked out for 10 friends each with a spot for name, address, phone and email. Have them provide as much information as they can. This is a great way to get in touch with others and possibly get bookings.

I know that I am going to try the basket idea. I have a couple ladies who have said they would love to host a party however they do not have the time. They do have time though to take a basket of product to work or their son’s baseball game. I am going to see if they are interested. Let me know if any of these were helpful or if you have other ideas.

Family Feud Game

2007-07-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

It’s the old favorite family game!
I’m pretty sure we all know how to play this game but for those of you who do not know how here is a quick explanation. You read the question and the guest will try to give the most popular answer. Below is what the website, partyplanmoms.com, has listed as the most popular answer. You could add a second answer for the first most popular and then the second. Then you could award 100 points for the most popular answer and 50 points for the second.

1. Name a vegetable that makes a lot of noise
2. Name a cartoon character
3. Name something a clown wears
4. Name something that you use to clean your teeth
5. Name a magazine with one title
6. Name a color for boys
7. Name something a kid wears in the winter
8. Name a popular month for a vacation
9. Name a type of cookie
10. Name something people do on a plane
11. Name a type of pizza
12. Name an actor whose first name is Tom
13. Name a woman comedian
14. Name an expensive car
15. Name an animal in the zoo

Family FeudAnswers
1. Carrot
2. Mickey Mouse
3. Red Nose
4. Toothpaste
5. People
6. Blue
7. Mittens
8. July
9. Chocolate Chip
10. Eat
11. Pepperoni
12. Cruise
13. Roseanne Barr
14. Mercedes Benz
15. Lion

I hope you really like this game. I know that I am trying it and passing it along to my consultants. This is another fun, no planning game. Enjoy!

Game of the day

2007-07-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

By now I am sure you all know that I love games. They add so much fun to the party. I found this game on partyplanmoms.com and It sounds really fun. Here is how you play.

Let everyone know you are playing a game for the prize or number of raffle tickets you choose, tell them they must listen very closely. Read the following to everyone and when you are done have them write down all of the TV shows they can remember that you just mentioned. The one with the most correct answers written down wins the prize.

I was THIRTY SOMETHING, living through THE WONDER YEARS with my FAMILY and my husband taking ONE DAY AT A TIME. We were doing okay, but THE FACTS OF LIFE were that we were not born with SILVER SPOONS in our mouths. Our savings were in JEOPARDY and we didn't want to be in debt for the rest of THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES. I finally told my husband, it's time to get out of THIS OLD HOUSE or at least make some HOME IMPROVEMENTS. I don't want to start a FAMILY FEUD but I'm YOUNG AND RESTLESS and I want to contribute to the family finances. It's time for me to GET SMART.
Don't be THE CRITIC, I'm in search of AMERICA'S MOST WANTED job. FAMILY MATTERS to me and I don't want to miss out on the PRIME TIME with the kids by hiring THE NANNY. Mary Kay offers a great opportunity. THE PRICE IS RIGHT. Part-time work with full-time pay! And WHO'S THE BOSS? I am! But could I get up in front of a FULL HOUSE of PERFECT STRANGERS for 60 MINUTES and tell people how to take home their BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL with Mary Kay merchandise and become DESIGNING WOMEN?
Of course, I have experienced some GROWING PAINS, but soon I was able to spread my WINGS and watch my business BLOSSOM. Mary Kay has made me feel like I'm part of the A-TEAM. I have GOOD TIMES at home with ALL MY CHILDREN. My family CHEERS when my profit check arrives!

Soon I'll FLY AWAY TO PARADISE...a dream vacation for which Mary Kay will pay. My husband and I will be like HONEYMOONERS again, sharing HAPPY DAYS in ANOTHER WORLD. Mary Kay may not be for everyone, as they say, DIFFERENT STROKES for different folks. But, if you are MARRIED WITH CHILDREN and have strong FAMILY TIES, I highly recommend Mary Kay to you.

Sounds fun huh? It will be interesting to see how many of those your guests can remember after you have finished reading this little poem. Another fabulous thing about this game is that it does not require any planning on your part. Have a splendid party.

Mobile Office

2007-07-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

When you are doing most of your work from home and the road you need to be prepared wherever you are. So I created a sort of mobile office that I keep in the back of my van or trunk depending on the car I take. That is the great thing about this mobile office I can transfer it from the van to the car in minutes. I usually have to do this if my husband needs the van the night I am out.

So here is what I keep in it. I went to the local office supply store and got a crate that is used to store hanging files. I bought some hanging files as well. I use this to keep extra order forms and catalogs in. I do want to be at a party and run out. I also keep extra host packets in there. You never know how many women will book a party. I have had it happen once where all four women at the party booked a party. I am glad for this system. It great to have it right there in the car, so I am not carrying in arm loads of items to the hostess’s house. Of course I take in the supplies I think I will need, but it is nice to have back up so handy.

I also keep a small flat container that has a lid that snaps down with my hanging folders. I keep a stapler, paper clips, tape, a three hole punch and extra pens. This is great because I never have to worry about running out of supplies and I can keep myself organized while I am out.
I know that the mobile office has saved me a time or two. I hope this will help someone else keep their business organized.

Brunch Party

2007-07-20T16:44:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I was running around crazy with the kids taking them here and there and trying to get my errands done on top of everything else. I started to think about Saturday afternoon or early evening parties and how this might be inconvenient for some moms. So what about a morning brunch party, before you start your Saturday run around game?

Send out the invitations to let the women know that this will be a brunch. People are always more likely to come if there is food. Have the hostess invite friends and neighbors for some yummy treats and fun.

You can go through your normal party routine. Add in a couple of games, however be mindful of the time and that people are usually busy on Saturdays. Perhaps you can feature a light make up look, something fresh and soft that they would wear running errands that day. Have your party theme idea book there for the women to browse through if they chose to book a party that day. For more information on what the party theme book is, check my previous blogs.

I think this is a great idea I am going to try and schedule my next couple of Saturday parties as brunches. I will let you know how it goes. Have you ever tried this? How did it go?
Until later….

Price Is Right

2007-07-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

I’ve never heard of this game but it sounds quite interesting. I will give it a try at a party this weekend and let you know how it goes. I could see this game being a great success. It also incorporates the raffle system that I have talked about in my previous blogs. So here goes and thanks again to homepartyplannetwork.com

This game offers an alternative and fun way to describe some of your products.
First, choose products you want to highlight. You’ll need 1 for the first “item up for bid;” 3 for the first “pricing game;” 1 for the 2nd item up for bid; 1 for the 2nd pricing game; 1 for the 3rd item up for bid; and one for the 3rd game.

In between games 1 and 2 will be a “Commercial Break” and in between games 2 and 3 will be a “commercial break.”

Ask for 3 volunteers to bid on the first item. Give each a ticket (I use tickets and draw one winner at the end of the show; others use auction dollars) for volunteering. Describe your first item. Ask each to guess the actual price without going over. The person guessing closest to the real price wins. Award one ticket for winning; 2 tickets for exact price guess. The winner plays the first pricing game. This game is “Which two?” or “Same Price.” Describe 3 items—two of which have the exact same price—and ask the player to guess which two are priced exactly the same. Award one ticket for an incorrect guess and two tickets for a correct guess.

1st commercial break—guests ask you questions about your hostess program. Award a ticket for each question asked.

2nd item up for bid—if there are enough guests, ask for 3 new volunteers. If there are not enough guests, replace the winner from game 1 with a new contestant. Describe your next item. Winner plays the 2nd pricing game—“More than or Less than.” Describe one of your items and state an incorrect price for that item. Ask the player if the actual price is “more than or less than” the amount you stated. Award one ticket for an incorrect answer and two tickets for the correct answer.

2nd commercial break—guests ask you questions about your business and its wonderful opportunities. Award a ticket for each question asked.

3rd item up for bid—repeat #2 process. 3rd pricing game—“higher or lower.” Describe an item and have the player guess the price. You then tell her if the actual price is higher or lower than her guess. Keep doing this until she gets it right (it’s the “clock game” on the TV show). Award two tickets for getting the right price.

WOW this really does sound fun! Now you can highlight new product lines, like the Lotus and Bamboo body care set. This is something that not a lot of people would know about. Also think of the perfumes and men’s care line. I will keep you up to date on how this goes.

Money Game

2007-07-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

This game is so clever. It is a little corny and I am sure you will get a few sighs and forced laughs but you never know who might really be interested.

Can you tell who is on what piece of money… there are two that don’t have presidents on them.

Penny-Lincoln
Nickel-Jefferson
Dime-Roosevelt
Quarter-Washington
Half dollar-Kennedy
Dollar coin- Original-Eisenhower
Dollar Bill-Washington
Two Dollar Bill-Jefferson
Five Dollar Bill-Lincoln
Ten Dollar Bill-Hamilton
Twenty Dollar Bill-Jackson
Fifty Dollar Bill-Grant
One Hundred Dollar Bill- Franklin (not president)
Five Hundred Dollar Bill- McKinley
One Thousand Dollar Bill-Cleveland
Five Thousand Dollar Bill-Madison
Ten Thousand Dollar Bill-Chase (not president)
One Hundred Thousand Dollar Bill- Wilson

NEED MORE OF THIS…. ASK ME HOW!!!

Thanks to homepartyplannetwork.com. What a perfect lead in to ask if anyone is interested in becoming a consultant. It will give the chance to talk openly about the opportunities and freedom that Mary Kay has to offer them. What is also great is that even someone who wasn’t interested at the time can have an opportunity to hear a small portion of the business plan and who knows they may become interested after all.

Pass the Gift

2007-07-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

Today I have had a lot of fun playing games with my children. Now we played a couple of board games then we went outside when it wasn’t raining and played Simon says and other outdoor games. Everyone had such a good time, no one was complaining about can I go here or can I do this, it was just family time. That got me thinking about party games again. If it can turn families into fun time then it certainly can turn parties into fun time. So I went on a hunt of some new games. I really like the ones where you pass the prize around the room. You never know who will end up with gift. Well I found a new one on homepartyplannetwork.com
Start by giving the gift to the hostess or person in the middle of the group

1. Take this gift and with out a sigh look around and give it to a person with brown eyes.

2. Yes, you are the lucky one for a moment, but let us all share in the fun! Please look around with eyes discreet and give it to the one with the smallest feet.

3. Your feet are tiny and very small, now hand it to someone very tall.

4. Please take your time and don't be harried. Give it to the one who is longest married.

5. You must be proud of your life, now please pass this to the newest wife.

6. Of this parcel you are bereft, give it to the one on your left.

7. The largest earrings I'm looking for now, if you are wearing them, step up and bow.

8. Now to the person with buttons... big or small, any kind, the most you can find, gets the gift this time.

9. Now don't get cross and please don't fight, but pass it to the person 3rd on your right.

10. We should stop now, don't you agree? This gift is yours to keep with glee!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I am going to play this at my next party and pass it on to my consultants. Enjoy and I’ll be back with some more games. I have decided that this is GAME DAY! If you have any please share them.

Chocolate Lovers

2007-07-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

Nothing calls to women more the chocolate, right? Then why not have a chocolate lovers party theme?

These invitations can be really fun. You can find Hershey bars on sale all the time for 4/ $1.00, stock up when you see them at that price then you will have them when you need it. You can take off the brown Hershey label and wrap it with one that you create. On the front you can have it say something like join us for a night of chocolate and make up, just the girls. Then on the back you can have the information of when and where the party is.

At the party have a few bowls of candy sitting around for the women to munch on throughout the show. Then have one really fabulous dessert there. Let the hostess decide what she would like to have. Some great ideas are of course a double layer chocolate cake, chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate chocolate biscotti, chocolate banana bread and chocolate mouse. Now feel free to tell the hostess she can put out as many desserts as she would like. You can provide her with the bars for the invitations ready for her to fill in with her specific party information.
This is a great opportunity for you to talk about the skin care line and maybe even do a mask. Nothing says a girl’s night like chocolate and face masks. When you talking about the skin care line and how important it is to take care of our skin inside and out, you can mention that while we would all like to be eating and drinking what is right for our bodies life happens. This skin care line will help to correct that. Then talk about the difference in the masks based on their skin type. You can also introduce the satin lip mask set. It is a great time to have them try it out. They may get hooked on how great their lips feel.

The bottom line of this party is to have a good time. Turn on some fun music while they are washing their faces and wiping off the masks. Even have it on as you are going around and helping everyone with their order form. A fun thing to hand out with each order placement is a little bit of chocolate for the road. You can wrap it up or put it in a little bag. I like to hand out for our five of the Andes mints for their ride home. I always put my business card in the mini bag with the mints.

Have a yummy party and good luck.

Mary Kay Quiz

2007-07-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

In my previous blog I mentioned the trivia game that I like to play. This can of course be played at any party or show you have. I usually like to do it at this one because I have all of the answers around the room in the informational frames. So here goes.

1. When was Mary Kay Ash born?
Answer: May 12, 1915

2. When did she launch Mary Kay Cosmetics?
Answer: September 13, 1963

3. When were the first pink Cadillacs awarded?
Answer: 1969

4. How many were awarded?
Answer: 5

5. When did Mary Kay Inc. quit testing on animals?
Answer: 1989

6. When did Mary Kay start the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation?
Answer: February 1996

7. How many beauty consultants are there currently working for Mary Kay?
Answer: over 1.7 million

8. How many products were in the initial collection?
Answer: 9

9. How many are now in the collection?
Answer: more then 200

10. How many countries is Mary Kay, Inc. active in today?
Answer: over 30

11. What are the two new scents of the body care collection?
Answer: Red Tea and Fig & Lotus and Bamboo

12. What is new about the new eyeliner?
Answer: It has a retractable pencil that never needs sharpening

This is the quiz I am currently using. I of course change the last couple of questions based on the new products that are available. I created the quiz using the information that is on MaryKay.com. So feel free to use this quiz or create your own. Happy parties!

Pink Punch

2007-07-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

In the Pink Party blog I talked about a punch that I usually make for the party. Sometimes I will make it at any show I am doing, it really just depends on what the hostess wants.

Pink Punch

Ingredients
4 liters cranberry ginger ale
1 gallon raspberry sherbet

Directions

In a large punch bowl, pour 2 liters chilled cranberry ginger ale. Next scoop the raspberry sherbet into the bowl. Then pour the other 2 liters of chilled cranberry ginger ale over sherbet. Serve.

I really like this one, it is simple and easy.

Now I just found the following recipe on allrecipes.com and I cannot wait to try it. It sounds unique and yummy.

Pink Rhubarb Punch

Ingredients

8 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
8 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 cups pineapple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 cups ginger ale, chilled

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring rhubarb and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid (save rhubarb for another use). In a large bowl, combine sugar, gelatin and boiling water until dissolved. Add pineapple and lemon juices; mix well. Stir in rhubarb liquid; refrigerate. Just before serving, pour into a punch bowl and add ginger ale.

Either of these will be a great addition to any party and will set you apart from other hostess’ they might have seen. Remember you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Until later….

Pink Party

2007-07-17T21:23:00.001-07:00

In yesterday’s blog I talked about the pink party. It is a fun idea to do with Mary Kay. I am sure that many consultants have their variations on the party. I don’t have a lot of set things to do at the party but there are some ideas that are just fun. Now you can do this party as a show or as your hostess appreciation luncheon.

Party supplies for this can get expensive if you let them. I try to go the party store right after Valentines Day. I get really amazing deals this way. Last year I got a pack of 50 pink forks for a dollar, same with the spoons and knifes. They always have different pink and white plates on sale too. If you are lucky they will have some nice cups too. Now you do not want it to look like someone puked pepto- bismol on your party so it’s a good idea to add in some black and white as well. Also hot pink is another route you can go. Maybe you want to look for Hawaiian themed party items. Sometimes you can find great platters and decorations for a bargain.
Now I usually serve the pink cake and some punch. I’ll give you the punch recipe in a later post. Sometimes I will add in some fruit or veggies. I keep it low key in order to keep the cost down.

At this party I will have a couple of frames around the room with different information about Mary Kay featured in them. One is about Mary Kay Ash herself, about her life and how she founded the business. The second features how the business has grown over the years to be a stable income for woman who chose to work from home or as a second job. The third features new products that are available or will soon be available. The company is ever changing and this is a great opportunity for guests to read about the advances made and the products offered as they mingle.

During the party I usually have a table with most of the products on display, especially things like the perfumes and lotions. These are items that guests sometimes forget we have. I try to stay located near the product table so I am available to answer any questions the woman may have.

This party is pretty low key and I think that is why people tend to like it. There is a game that I play at the party. It is a Mary Kay trivia game. It is full of questions from the information that was posted around the room, like things about Mary Kay Ash, the business and the products. It is really fun to just see what people know.

I will usually have a raffle at the party as well. They can earn tickets in multiple ways; booking a party, placing an order, bringing a friend, winning the trivia game and of course just for coming. The winner of the raffle usually gets 20 % off their next order, which helps to ensure another order from them. Sometimes I will give out last month’s hostess gift if I have extra on hand.

Good luck with the party and let me know what you think. What would add to the party?

Organize your desk

2007-07-17T21:21:00.000-07:00

Today I was trying to print off my hostess letter for next month to mail out. When I realized I was out of ink. I went in search of ink, when I finally found the ink it took me 15 minutes to clean off the top of my printer. It was then and there I noticed how out of control my desk has gotten. I mean it was bad. Papers were just in piles, not even organized piles, just piles. So I spent a significant portion of my day cleaning and organizing my desk, which needless to say sent the rest of my day out of schedule, so I went on a search. A search for ways to keep your home office organized. I found a great article on the wahmconnetion.com, I was going to paraphrase it but then I could not decide which parts to cut out, so here is the whole thing.

“Many of my clients are truly frantic because their desks are such a mess. They can't find slips of paper on which they wrote important phone numbers; they know they received information they sent for, but it's buried in a pile of paper; they were working on a chapter of a novel, but the notes for the next chapter are gone. Here's how I counsel them when I make a house call:
Address your desk problems in blocks of time. You may be able to straighten out the clutter in a few hours, or you may need a weekend. Sometimes it's better to devote a couple of hours a day to the job until you're done.

Have on hand a trash can, a pen, file folders, labels and the other desk organizational aids mentioned above that suit your needs.

Clear the space you want to organize (the desk surface, one of the drawers, etc.). Then make a big pile of all the paper.

Evaluate each item, categorize it and put it away (in the desk drawer, in a file, in one of the desk organizers, etc.), throwing out as much as possible.

Even when you are feeling overwhelmed, just keep sorting and categorizing. If you devote the necessary time, your desk can be cleared.

Enlist the help of a partner; a spouse, a secretary, someone who can help you keep going.
Organization is a skill that can be learned. The most difficult part is breaking your lifelong bad habits (like letting your paperwork pile up). The key to getting better organized is to start with one small step and then take others one at a time. You may find that what you've put off for years takes only an hour to do. And once you see the benefits in one part of your life, you'll be motivated to go on.

If you implement the ideas given here, you'll be free from chaos and feel in charge of your life. Once you've started, stick with it. Getting organized is the first step; persistence and follow-through will keep you that way. Now, go get started."

About The Author: Ronnie Eisenberg, a nationally recognized time-management and organizational expert.

Let me know what you think about the tip. Is this something that will help you, maybe? I am going to include the bold points in my September hostess letter. Everyone could use a little help in the office area.

2007-07-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

With our busy lives as work at home moms, sometimes are kids might not get the all the attention they want. So I went hunting online for some ways to make sure they know I love them and they are the most important things ever. I found this list on webmomz.com. Some of them seem like no brainers and others are some fun ideas to have a good time with them.
The Top Ways to Show Kids You Care

Notice them.
Smile a lot.
Acknowledge them.
Seek them out.
Ask them about themselves.
Look in their eyes when you talk to them.
Listen to them.
Play with them.
Read aloud together.
Giggle together.
Be nice even when we so not feel like it.
Say yes a lot. Tell them their feelings are okay.
Set boundaries that keep them safe.
Be honest.
Be yourself.
Listen to their stories.
Hug them.
Forget your worries sometimes and concentrate only on them.
Notice when they're acting differently.
Present options when they seek your counsel.
Play outside together.
Surprise them.
Stay with them when they're afraid.
Suggest better behaviors when they act out.
Feed them when they're hungry, don’t always wait until the next meal.
Delight in their discoveries.
Share their excitement.
Send them a letter or postcard.
Follow them when they lead.
Call them to say hello.
Hide surprises for them to find.
Give them space when they need it.
Contribute to their collections.
Discuss their dreams and nightmares.
Laugh at their jokes.
Be relaxed.
Kneel, squat, or sit so you're at their eye level.
Answer their questions.
Tell them how terrific they are.
Create a tradition with them and keep it.
Learn what they have to teach.
Use your ears more than your mouth.
Make yourself available.
Show up at their concerts, games, and events.
Find a common interest.
Hold hands during a walk.
Apologize when you've done something wrong.
Listen to their favorite music with them.
Keep the promises you make.
Wave and smile when you part.
Display their artwork in your home.
Thank them.
Point out what you like about them.
Clip magazine pictures or articles that interest them.
Give them lots of compliments.

I know that some of these have inspired a few new ideas in my head. I really like the one about hiding surprises for them. I think a treasure hunt now and then will be fun. I am going to commit to reading this list each morning when I wake up to make sure that I am in the right frame of mind each day, even if I have been up all night with one of them. What do you think about the list? If it has inspired you at all let me know.

My Schedule

2007-07-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

In my previous blog I talked about how I run my life off of a schedule. Now as I said before it may sound more stressful for some but for me it really works. I have time scheduled into the day for all of things I need to accomplish. Now of course emergencies will come up and I will have to take care of them but for the most part I can shuffle some things or just not get something done that day. When you have a schedule it is important not to become to neurotic about it. If you do not get to something at the specified time and put it in your free time or just forget about it. So here is what my schedule looks like.

600 am Get up and Get ready

645 start on breakfast and making lunches

700 get kids up

730 feed the kids gather up all paper and things they will need for the day

750 kids out the door

800 sit down to review emails from customer or whoever else

830 business time; make calls, send email, gather order to be sent, take care of any office issues

1000 start on house see chore list and start there.

1200 have a lite lunch

1230 leave for gym

200 run errands while I am out

310 pick up kids

330 have snacks talk about the day

345 free time

500 start dinner and kids do homework

600 eat together

630/645 clean up dinner; kids do dishes

715 review any new phone messages or emails and return them. Kids if homework is done, free time

800 baths, I can still be working on Mary Kay if I need to

830/845 bedtime for kids. Free time for me to finish up work, do more chores or spend time with my husband

This is just a rough draft of my schedule but as you can see it allows time fore just about everything. Now when I have a show do to it is usually in the evening so my husband is home about 530 and he can finish dinner and get kids ready for bed. I just check my emails and phone messages when I get back. Now sometimes I do have an earlier show to do, then I just get a sitter and the family goes on with their routine. Other thing can disrupt the schedule sometimes like church activities and sports, you just try to stick to the schedule and work with the extra events. I know for me this has really saved a lot of heartache.

Pink Cake for the Pink Party

2007-07-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

So I am going to be posting a party idea for a pink day. This is a really fun party. So today I wanted to post the cake recipe that I like to make for this party. So here it is.

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 (16 ounce) package sliced frozen strawberries
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry gelatin mix
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and add oil, water and 1/2 of strawberries; mix well. Beat in cake mix, flour and gelatin mix. Pour mixture into greased and floured pan
3. Bake in preheated oven for 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. To make icing: In a medium bowl, mix sugar and remaining strawberries; frost cake while warm.
5. Chill in refrigerator before serving.

This is a fabulous recipe I found it on allrecipe.com. I also like to make this cake for any open houses that I do and for my hostess appreciation parties. If you are wondering what either of those are, see my previous blogs. I hope you enjoy this recipe and come back and check out the pink party.

Seven ways to keep your life in order

2007-07-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling a little scatter brained lately, which is unusual for me. I am a very organized and scheduled person. I feel I have to be for my life to run smoothly and to have time for everything to get done. For some reason I have been off the last few days. I sat down and tried to think about what I was doing different in my daily activities. I noticed I was not doing number one on my list below. Here are seven ways that I help keep my life in order.

1. Get up early. This is a great way to start your day. You can watch the sun come up or go for a run. I like to get up at the same time each day so that I never feel rushed or like I am running behind the whole day. I typically get up before the rest of the family so I have a little down time each morning. I take my time to get ready each morning without children pulling at me. Then go on and start breakfast and lunches for the family for the day. This leads to number two.

2. Eat breakfast. Start each day with breakfast, it is really important. It fuels your body for the day. Now I do not sit down and eat with my family for breakfast because I am usually finishing lunches and gathering other items for the day. So I bake a muffin mix and freeze them. Then each morning I pop one in the microwave and have the muffin with some fruit. This is great for me, I eat while I work on getting my family ready for the day or I can eat it in the car on the way to the kid’s school.

3. Smile at strangers during the day. You will be amazed at how much this helps improve your attitude when you smile at just about everyone. You cannot help it, you are happier. As I run my daily errands I am smiling at everyone, even if I have to force it. I find that if I am in a bad mood and I make myself smile then my bad mood is over sooner.

4. Do not procrastinate. Nothing is worse for me then feeling rushed, on anything. So if you accomplish your tasks in a timely manner you should not feel stressed or pushed to finish something. How do you ensure you finish things in a timely manner? The answer is in my number five.

5. Keep a schedule or to do list. I keep both. I add to my to do list throughout the day then I put them in the schedule where there is time. It sounds really neurotic to keep a schedule like this, but really I never feel like I am forgetting things or like there won’t be time in the day for something, because there is a check in the schedule. Now there will always be emergencies or things you cannot plan on and you have to roll with them. For the most part the schedule works, you should give it a try.

6. Forgive and forget. Do not hang on to anger or grudges because they just drain energy that your family and business can use. Just because you forgive someone doesn’t mean you have to be friends again, it means you are done being upset about it and you are ready to move on with your life.

7. Each day do something nice for someone else. Now this act of kindness can be for your family or friends or a random stranger. This will improve your mood a lot when you doing something nice for someone else. Offer to pick up a friends child form school while you are there so they do not have to go out or have a surprise unbirthday for all or one of your children, they will love it.

I practice these each day to the best of my ability. Of course I do not accomplish all everyday, but the point is that I try. You give one or all a try and let me know how it goes.

Game

2007-07-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun little party game that only takes a few seconds to play. They will have to be paying attention and use those rusty old math skills that we have all put away and maybe not used as much since calculators have been around. Give it try I am sure you will get a few laughs and at least get some conversation started. Here goes.

I wonder who came here from afar; Give yourself 5 if you came by car.

Were you on time? Not one minute late? Punctuality pays so give yourself 8.

A watch is 6 and each ring is 2, 10 more points if your eyes are not blue.

Score yourself 5 if you show any pink, but take away 10 if you left dishes in the sink.

Count all of your buttons... each gives you 1. Except if they are white and then you get none.

For each bow that have add on 2. But safety pins are taboo, so for each one you're wearing you must subtract 2.

1 point for each year that you have been wed, but take away 5 if your purse is red.

Now sons are neat, on that we agree, so for each one you have you my now add 3.

But when adding up points, girls are worth more, so for each one that you have you may now add 4.

If you kissed your husband or boyfriend today, add 12

If you kissed them both you must subtract 20 because you're in trouble and trouble a plenty!

Now, that's all there is so total your score

Except if you're a special friend, there IS one more. It's 50 points bonus for VIP

If you'll be a Party hostess for me!

Sounds fun. I know you will like it. I have been using this game for quite a while. I found it on the wahmconnection.com, so thanks to them. The great thing about this game is that there is no planning, just some paper and pens. Until next time.

I love this business

2007-07-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with my children the last few days in the hot hot sun. We have such a great time going to the pool and playing the sprinkler. Yesterday we retreated indoors to the science center for some air conditioned fun. While I was watching my children run and play in the kid’s area I began to chat with another mom. She was on her day off work and talking about how lucky all of these moms were to stay at home with their children. She just did not understand how people survived on one income these days with mortgage prices and such. Unless of course they are all doctor or dentist wives here. I laughed and smiled. I then began to tell her about how my husband is a computer engineer and while he did make enough money for us to survive on, that was not the lifestyle I wanted, just barley getting by. So I told her about how I got started with Mary Kay. I explained how the business allowed me to stay at home with my children and still gain an income. When I first started I told her it took a little more time then now, as I had to familiarize myself with the company and the direct sales life. However now it is amazing I do as many or as little shows as I want each month. For example I said in the summer I tend to do a little less in the booking world as I am at home with my kids. So the rest of the year I crank it up while they are at school. I told her it is work, there is no free money, however it is fun work and I really enjoy it. She has booked a party for two weeks from now and we will see how that goes because she is going to consider becoming a hostess. This is the great thing about this company even when you are taking a break you still have opportunities to help your business grow.

11 Recruiting Tips

2007-07-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

I found these recruiting tips on wahmconnection.com. They are fabulous, so if you are stuck hopefully one will help you out of the funk you are in. I modified some of them to fit with Mary Kay.

1. One of the first mistakes everyone makes in recruiting is trying to find that one "perfect" recruit, and you have overlooked the other nine who would have been "good" in this business. Each person has their own characteristics and personality. Each person with their special traits can succeed in this business. Try and harness the great qualities that each person has and make them work for the business.

2. When you are looking for women who may be great and successful in the company. Usually the women who have a fun loving personality and are outgoing are the best. They will tend to stay with the business longer as they will not get tired of getting up in front of the group.

3. When you are recruiting try not think about what is in it for you, about much money you will make if this person succeeds. Try to think about what this business can do for them and their family.

4. Do not wait for someone to approach you about the opportunities in Mary Kay. It may happen occasionally but most of the time you will be approaching people about what this great company can do for them.

5. Recruiting at parties is the most obvious and easiest way to find new consultants. However there are opportunities everywhere you have to train your brain to be open to them.

6. Take a moment and find out what she is looking for in her life. Is she looking for extra money or just a chance to quit her job and be at home with her kids? Then tell her the great things Mary Kay can do for her. How this company can meet her needs. Find the “win” in it for her.

7. When you meet someone who you really think has something to offer the company, tell her that. Explain how she will impact Mary Kay and how Mary Kay can impact her life, bring it close to home.

8. Look for an attractive person but don't let looks deceive you. Look for someone who smiles and can get along with people, one who loves the products and believed that your company is best for her.

9. Make sure and show them that this business can be done full time or part time. This is whatever you make of it. Treat you business as a job and put your best into, when your possible consultants see your hard work it can only inspire them.

10. If she has been to a show already, show her your books and the profit that can be made in this company. She how much time is spent in the beginning and how much time you spend now on the company.

11. Listen to the women who want everything but cannot afford anything. Perhaps a woman whose children are grown and have moved out and she is now bored. These are your new consultants.

What ideas do you have for finding new recruits? Please share them so we can all learn new ways to do things.

Thank You

2007-07-06T23:29:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say thank you to the women who have stopped by and read they blog and the ones who have left comments. I think it is great when women can help each other out with their experiences and ideas. We are all promoting this fabulous company and we should help each other whenever possible. Take care, until tomorrow.

Scavanger Hunt for You

2007-07-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

Now I have given out a couple scavenger hunts for your hostesses but none for you. So here is one I found on the wahmconnection. It is a book a party scavenger hunt for you. This should help you to drum up some new business or even make a few calls to some old hostess. I am going to try this one myself. I will let you know how it turns out. So here is your mission, should you chose to accept it.

1. Book a show with someone who has a new home.
2. Book a show with someone who has red hair.
3. Book a show with someone who is a grandmother.
4. Book a show with someone who has a green car.
5. Book a show with someone who has a twins.
6. Book a show with someone who lives in an apartment.
7. Book a show with someone who has a pool.
8. Book a show with someone who has a dog.
9. Book a show with someone who has blonde hair.
10. Book a show with someone who has a garden.
11. Book a show with someone who has a hot tub.
12. Book a show with someone who has a son and daughter.
13. Book a show with someone who is pregnant.
14. Book a show with someone who is named Kathy.
15. Book a show with a guy.
16. Book a show with a family member.
17. Book a show with a teacher.
18. Book a show with a nurse.
19. Book a show with a neighbor.
20. Book a show with a referral.
21. Book 4 new shows within the next month.
22. Book an outdoor show.
23. Book a show out of town.
24. Book 2 shows at a show.
25. Book a double hostess show.

Good Luck ladies. Let me know how it goes. I will keep you posted as well.

Product Working for You

2007-07-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

So over the fourth of July I had a great opportunity to use my Sunscreen for the first time this season. Now I do use my day and night solution so I get my sunscreen everyday, do not worry. However this was going to be the first time where I was spending a substantial amount of time out in the sun. It is so great to only have to reapply the sunscreen about every hour and half even if I have been swimming. That evening when I got home I used the after sun replenishing gel to give my body a rehydration. Let me just say WOW!! It felt amazing. My skin was so soft and just felt better.

So now mind you I was reapplying my sunscreen throughout the day and applying my chapstick to keep my lips from burning. Now in my previous blog I mentioned how I did not do any networking that day at the two parties we went to. I saw my friend today and she was burnt to a crisp. She was asking me how I did not end up burned or with a really dark tan. So I explained out Sun Care Collection to her. She ordered the whole line right there. So even when you are not trying to sell the product, it sells its self.

Guarantee

2007-07-06T23:25:00.000-07:00

I love this company’s willingness to stand behind their products. They will take back the product and replace it or give you something else you would rather have. So here are some experiences I have had as a consultant and a customer that can attest to this.

The very first Mary Kay party I went to I fell in love with the products. The quality was outstanding and the value, even better. So that day I ordered about $150.00 worth of product. When I got my items I took out an eye shadow and dropped it. The eye shadow broke everywhere and I hadn’t even used it yet. Now I didn’t call the consultant or the hostess, I thought oh I did this so they won’t replace it. I was wrong. The consultant called me a couple days later to see how everything was going and I mentioned that I had dropped one eye shadow and it broke. She ordered me a new one right then and there. I was so impressed with her and the company I booked my first party that day. The rest is history I guess.

As a consultant I had a customer who was not so happy with the lip gloss. When I called her to make sure she received all her products and ask how things were going. She said all of the current product she ordered was fabulous. However she had gotten some lip gloss about two months ago and she really did not like it. She said that she felt as if her lips we drying out. I took a few moments to tell her about the new lip gloss Nourishine. I explained that this new Nourishine was saturated with moisturizers and conditioners, over 80%. I invited her to have her old product replaced with the new lip gloss. She said okay. I reassured her that if she still did not like it she could replace it with any product she chose. She received the new lip gloss a week ago and is loving it.

I hope that these testimonials are something you can use in your business to help women understand the minimal risk in trying out something new with Mary Kay. Have you had a great experience, please share it.

7 Ways to Build Your Network

2007-07-05T20:40:00.002-07:00

There are a lot of ways to try and expand your network. Sometimes we feel as if we have hit a wall and reached the end of our network. Here are some great places to leave either your business card or catalog. These are from wahmconnection.com

1. Mechanics waiting room. This is great I hadn’t ever thought of this one but your mechanics and oil change place is perfect. Women are sitting there usually for thirty minutes to an hour waiting for their car to be completed. Why not have a catalog with a couple business cards stapled to the back there for them to look at.

2. Laundry mats. I have done this one. I had a great experience; I got a call from a young woman who picked up the catalog I left there. She had used Mary Kay in high school but hadn’t used it in years and her consultant no longer sold the product. She booked a party and then at her party she had two friends book one as well. You never know who is need of Mary Kay products.

3. Kids Resale Shops. I have not done this nor had I thought about it. However it is a great idea. Most of the stores that I have been in to have a community board where people post their businesses or things they have for sale. It would be great idea to post a business card again you never know.

4. Nail Salons. There is usually a place at the front of the salon that you put your nails under to dry. Sometimes I am so bored while I sit there, waiting. See if you can place a catalog or two there. Offer to take a few of there business cards with you and pass them out in exchange. You could hand out their business cards to some other consultants you know, share the idea with them when you do,

5. Walk in Medical Clinics. If there are some drop in medical places in your area this is a great idea. I have been in one before and the only thing they had to read while we waited for an hour and a half was a two year old People magazine. Had a catalog been in there I probably would have looked through it so many times my wish list would have been likely.

6. Tanning Salons. This is another fabulous idea. There is usually a comfortable waiting area in most salons with some items to read. When you do have to wait for your tanning appointment it usually isn’t very long. What an opportunity to flip through a catalog and see what they have. Remember to attach your business cards to it so they can just take a card if they want.

7. Gymboree centers. These are places you know are full of moms. Moms who may not have time to go to the nearest mall for their quality make up product. Who probably would much rather call a consultant and place their make up order or log on at night and make their purchase. We are moms and we know things get busy. Cater to these busy moms. You never know you may end up with a new consultant.

I hope these ideas have helped you to think beyond the normal networking places. I know I have a few new ideas. I tried to take the basic idea from the website and expand a little on each on to help bring it into focus.

How do you expand your network? Where do you meet new contacts?

Family

2007-07-05T20:40:00.001-07:00

So as am sitting at my desk this morning I am looking at pictures of my kids swimming on the fourth of July. They had such a good time at the two parties we went to. They here in there swim suits splashing with their dad. These are the memories that I treasure. I got to thinking about what a great business this is and the opportunities it gives me.

On the fourth we had a family and friends only day. I did not answer the email, phone or cell phone. I did not do anything Mary Kay related. What other company allows me to decide that family is first that day and take the day off? Family is the reason I do this business. They will always be first in my life.While it would have been very easy for me to network and “talk shop” with people yesterday at the different parties we were at, I didn’t. I think that while there are opportunities everywhere to make contacts, we do not need to necessarily take them all. I am not saying to do this a lot but “regular” jobs have a day off and so should you. You and your family deserve it. Remember why it is that you are doing this business. Put that focus up on your office wall or stick a picture in your Mary Kay show bag.

Hostess coaching

2007-07-04T22:59:00.000-07:00

1. Hostess Packet. This is your first chance with that person to make an impression, make it a good one. Take the time to review the hostess packet with them. Show them the hostess gift they will receive and amount of credit they will receive for each sales level. Be thorough but not condescending. Have your hostess packet be fabulous. Put catalogs, order forms, maybe a couple samples of a new product and the scavenger hunt list (see previous blogs). Of course you need the invites for the party. Remember always come prepared with enough packets for each person who might want to do a show. That would be horrible to not have a packet for someone who wanted one.

2. Guest List. Include in your packet the 40 guests in 4 minutes (see previous blog) sheet for them to fill out. Ask for the guest list in about three or four days, write that date at the top of the form next to your phone number, which should be printed on the form. If you do not have the guest list, then drop them a friendly postcard or give them a call five or six days later.

3. Wish List. This is a great idea I got off of the wahmconnection.com. Have a guest list in the packet as well. The hostess can write down all of the items she would like to get. You can work with her on a strategy to meet this goal. Explaining to her that if she wants all of that for free she will need this amount in sales, this will help show her the importance of attendance and outside orders.

4. Outside Orders. One way for the guest to reach their sales goal is with outside orders. This is for the people who cannot make the show or who live too far away. Set a goal with her of $100.00, at least, in outside orders before the show.

5. Days Before. About three days before the show I call the hostess and remind her to make reminder calls to her guests and encourage them to bring a friend. If you are offering a raffle at the show tell the guest they would get two tickets for bringing someone. The day before the show I call her to see how things are going. Check on the outside orders and ask about how many guest she is expecting.

6. Career Opportunities. I like to meet with hostess either before or after the show and talk with her about the opportunities this company has to offer her. Ask her if she has ever thought about doing what I do. I like to review with her what my job is the behind the scenes. Then I ask if she would be interested in becoming a consultant.

I hope that these ideas have helped you learn how to encourage your hostess to have the best show possible and maybe even join a fantastic company. What do you do to prepare your hostesses? Please comment and share them.

Bingo

2007-07-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

I got this I idea from the article 5 Fun Party Games for Direct Sales That Will Boost Your Business. I modified it to fit for our company.

Create some bingo cards by drawing a 4 by 4 box grid on a piece of paper. Write “Free” on the center box. Then write the names of the products on the remaining boxes in random order on each of the bingo cards and make yourself a set of cards with just one of the products on each card. You will use this set of cards to draw the bingo “numbers”. You may want to have a sample of each of the products with you and show it and talk about it when the product is drawn during the bingo game. As in ordinary bingo, the first person who has a row of items checked off wins a prize.

I think this would be so much fun. It is an ongoing game for the guests to play. Bingo would help to keep them engaged and excited about the products you are going to demonstrate that night. I am going to try this at my next show, I will let you know. If you try it let me know.

Attitude

2007-07-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

In life and in business life is what you make of it. There is great poem/saying that I have hanging on my office wall above my computer and I wanted to share it with you.

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitudes."
-Charles Swindoll

When something has gone wrong or I perceive it as wrong I really like to take a minute and read this. I believe that it helps put my life in perspective. When I first found this saying I read it every morning before I started my day and I found that it really did help with my attitude and how I took things in and processed them. In any part of your life sometimes things are probably not going to go how you want them to but if you can change your attitude about it, not necessarily like it, then you will be far better off.

The day I am having

2007-07-03T21:49:00.002-07:00

So I just wanted to share with everyone that I was having one of those days. Nothing seemed to be going right. I could not get my kids dressed and ready to save my life. I had a lot of errands to run today before a show I had tonight and nothing was flowing right. It seemed that every time I turned around there was another unexpected problem. So I followed my own advice for stress relievers and it worked, see 11 ways to reduce your stress. I put in my ear plugs and shut my office door and had quiet time. I was able to sit for fifteen minutes and calmly prepare my thoughts and items for my show. I felt show went great. I was calm and happy really not just faking it. We all have those days and I really encourage everyone to try one of the 11 ways and see how it goes. Let know.

One more 4th recipe

2007-07-03T21:49:00.001-07:00

I wanted to post another recipe that you could have at a party around the fourth of July of even Memorial Day. It is a flag cake courtesy of Martha Stewart living. It is a flag cake.

Here is the cake recipe:

Ingredients:
Serves 24
2 recipes White Sheet Cake
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 1/2 pints fresh blueberries
1 1/2 pints fresh raspberries

Directions:
1. Trim any rough edges from cakes using a serrated knife. Place four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of a serving platter. Place first layer, bottom side up, on serving platter. Using an offset spatula, spread cake with 2 1/2 cups frosting. Top with remaining layer, bottom side up. Spread entire cake with 5 1/2 cups frosting. Place remaining frosting in a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip (such as Ateco #35). Remove parchment paper strips.

2. Using the tip of a toothpick, outline the shape of a flag on the cake. Fill the upper left-hand corner with a single layer of blueberries. Place one row of raspberries across upper edge of cake to form first red stripe. Pipe one row of stars just below raspberries to form first white stripe. Repeat process with remaining raspberries and frosting until you have 7 red and 6 white stripes.

Here is the cream cheese frosting recipe it is to die for:

Makes about 12 cups

1 1/2 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions
Place butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until fluffy. Reduce speed; add confectioners' sugar and vanilla beat until well combined.

I enjoy bringing a cake to show on occasion especially if it is a holiday near by. I think that women enjoy the extra touch and time spent on it and of course the cake. Who doesn’t love cake.

Raffle

2007-07-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

I love games and ice breakers. They are a great way to get the party going. Women tend to really enjoy them as well. I have found that since I started doing some games and ice breakers at my shows, which has increased. Now I know that this is in part due to experience with the shows. The more shows you do or practice at the less nervous and smoother things will flow. You will also just be able to read people and how the party is going. Some people you can be a little more direct in asking them to book show then others.

So a lot of the games and icebreakers have a prize at the end. This can get a little expensive if you are handing out a prize, gift or discount every time. So I really like to do a raffle for one prize or discount at the end. So you can get a roll of raffle tickets at almost any office supply store, remember keep your receipt for taxes. I have a small board written up with how you get tickets and how many you get. Here is list that I have posted next to a small fish bowl.

Booking a show 3 tickets
Placing an order 2 tickets
Bringing a friend, who was not, invited 2 tickets
Just for coming 1 ticket
Winning a game 1 ticket
Giving a product testimonial 1 ticket

I have the women write their names on tickets when the receive one and then place it in the bowl. At the end of the show I draw a name and that person wins a small gift or prize. I usually like to offer a 10% or 15% discount as my prize. If the person was border line on placing an order they usually will or they may increase their order. If you are giving the discount as the prize you need find out if people are placing an order before you draw so they can get their tickets. If you take all the orders and had out tickets then draw for a winner it is better to use a prize or gift instead of a discount, however you still can.

Now if you do not want to run through tickets that fast you can have the tickets numbered. So instead of having the guest put their name on the back of the ticket they get number 1 so all of the tickets they receive have a number one on the back. I did this when I first started. I took about twelve tickets per number and wrote the number on the back of the ticket with a sharpie. Then at the party I would just assign each person a number and whenever they won something they got a ticket with their number. This way when the party was over I could reuse the tickets at the next party. Occasionally I would have to replace the tickets if they got bent or torn but not as quickly as having the guest write their name on it.

This is just another way to make the party fun without having to cut into your profits as much. Have you done parties with a raffle? Did you like it and how did it go? Please share you experience with this.

Funny Ice Breaker

2007-07-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

This is just funny and I like to do it when the crowd seems a little dull or bored. Tell everyone that gets the correct answer they win something.

Here is the question:
A frog, a steer, a duck, a deer, and a skunk wanted to go to a dance, but needed $1.00 to get in. Who didn't have the dollar to get into the dance?
So here is the answer:
The frog had a greenback, the steer had four quarters, the duck had a bill, the deer had a buck, but, the skunk only had one scent.

I just really like it. The game is quick and easy not prep time required. Now for the prize you can use whatever you want, but here is something I like to do. I like to hand out raffle tickets as the prizes. I will explain in my next blog tomorrow. For now I really would like to hear your fun little games or prizes you use. Until tomorrow.

More Games

2007-07-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Since my commenter April said she enjoyed the games, I decided to post a few more today, in case she was checking back.

The first one is a great ice breaker game with a few variations added in that can be done to make it a fun game for your guests.

Balloons Ice Breaker

To start you need to prepare by having a bag of empty balloons. Now you can play this one of two ways. The first is to have each contestant grab a balloon. The first person to blow it up, tie it off and pop the balloon by sitting on it wins a prize or gift. You can also take a small slip of paper and insert it into each balloon, written on each paper is the gift or prize they will win. Remember you can offer a discount as the prize, giving them a 10% discount still gives 40% you may have had. After you have put the papers in the balloons, then have the women pick a balloon, blow it up, tie it off and pop it by sitting on it. You can let the first person get the prize or the first three people get the prize. Something else to think about is having them hang on to their prize slip even if they did not win. When you play another game you can use that slip as their prize. You never know they may really want the gift or discount and get really involved in the next game if you tell them that their slip is their winning prize.

Early Bird

I got this game off of consultantmoms.com/partygames.html, so a big thank you to them. I never done this but I cannot wait to try it.

Of course, we all get to our parties early to set up, right? Now, while I am setting up, as the guests arrive, I hand them a piece of paper and have them write each letter of the alphabet down the left-side; Tell them that you are playing a game only for the early birds. Have them fill in each letter with the name of a lady that they know. Tell them that whoever fills out the entire alphabet will win a prize. Of course, give this list to everyone who arrives. You could wait a few minutes after the last person arrives to really give her a chance to fill out her list.

Go up to the front of the room and announce that it is time to start the party: Tell everyone to write their name at the top of their list. Then, ask who filled out the whole thing. Most people did not because of those Js, Qs, and Zs, but, if they did, give them a small prize. Now, ask who filled out at least twenty names. Have these people stand. Woo Hoo!!! They are excited because they think they did better than everyone else. Tell the hostess, "Now you don't have to worry about getting bookings tonight, because all of these people are going to book a Show for you, and they have even their guest list!" There might be some funny comments made but, some of those ladies may book, and give a reward to those that do!

I think this is a fabulous game. Now if you have your party theme book, see previous blog, and hostess packets there for the night. You’re all ready to send them on their way with a successful start and hopefully a little excited too.

Thank You

2007-07-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

I have really enjoyed writing this blog. It gives me place to come at night or during the day and get some thoughts and ideas out there. When I first started in the business I would have loved a place like this to come and read someone else’s trial and error parties. I have received a few positive comments lately thanking me for providing some information that they may not have had. I know there is a lot of information out on the internet, in books and given at meetings, I think it is nice to be able to go to one spot to gain ideas for your business. You know the ideas on this blog are focused on Mary Kay and not on general direct sales businesses. While there are many similarities in the direct sales companies, each is a little different or sometime a lot different. I am glad to share the knowledge, experience and ideas I have with other consultants. I hope that other women will soon begin to share their ideas and form a community, sort of, sharing our ideas and experiences.

How well do you know your hostess

2007-06-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

This is really fun when the ladies are all friends or family of the hostess. They get to see who really does know her best. Had out some paper and pens for each guest to write down their answers on, have it numbered 1-10. Have everyone write down their answers including the hostess. So here are the questions.

1) What is your hostess’s favorite color?
2) If she could have any vehicle, what would it be?
3) How many kids does she have?
4) What is her favorite hobby?
5) Who is her favorite actor?
6) What is her favorite animal?
7) What is her favorite TV show?
8) What is her favorite food?
9) What is her favorite scent or smell?
10) If you were in need of something, would your hostess give it to you if she can?

When you are done reading the questions, including the hostess, have the hostess read her answers outloud. Give each person a point for each answer they get right. Now rearrange the questions if you want to but leave number 10 last. It is a great lead in for you to mention that she will get free product based on the amount they spend and if they book any parties. So even if they do not have a lot to spend that night then they can still help her out. I really like party games and I encourage my consultants to use them as well. If the party is fun there is a better chance of someone at that party booking a party. We love new bookings, don’t we!

Purse Game

2007-06-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

I love games when I give a Mary Kay party. They are always a great way to start a party and if things are moving slowly then it helps to liven up the party. This one is really fun for women. People always say women have everything in their purse but the kitchen sink, well now is the test. Here is how it works. It is the purse game. Read the list of items below. For every item they pull out they get a point. The person with the most points wins a prize. This is a simple game that requires no prep work on your part. Keep in your bag or brief case whatever you always take to a party then you will always have it when you need it.

1. A pen - Now you can fill out your order.
2. MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover credit cards. - You can use one of these credit cards when you place your order tonight.
3. Cash - I take cash too.
4. Address Book - You can use your address book to make a guest list for your own show
5. House Keys - You can use your house keys to open your home to friends and family so that they can have fun like we are tonight.
6. Checkbook - If your checkbook contains checks, but not as much money as you would like, you can talk to me at the end of the party and I can help you put more money in there.
7. Calculator - You can use this to total your free merchandise that you would like Mary Kay to give you when you have your own party.
8. Another Pen - You will need this to write a letter to tell your current boss goodbye when you start your new career with Mary Kay
9. Chapstick - You will need this to freshen your lips after you talk to every one you know about Mary Kay.
10. Cell Phone - You need to call everyone you know to come to your show.
11. Having a purse - You deserve that just for packing all those things around.

This is a really fun game. People usually enjoy this and tend to laugh throughout the whole game. Just another way to break up your party if there is a dull spot. Happy purse hunting!Thank you to http://www.wahpnetwork.com/partygames.html for the game.

Happy Fourth of July

2007-06-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the holiday spirit that is upon us, I wanted to post a recipe that would make a great party treat if you have a show to do in the next couple of days. It is a Festival Flag Cake. What a way to celebrate the Fourth of July! You could even make one or two and drop them off at a former hostess’s house with a note saying you were just thinking of them and wishing them and their family a happy Fourth of July. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients
Margarine
Flour
1 package (2-layer size) white cake mix (plus ingredients to make cake-listed on box)
1 package (4-serving size) JELL-O gelatin, any red flavor
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
3 1/2 cups (8-ounce container) Cool Whip whipped topping,
thawed1 pint strawberries, washed and sliced
1 cup blueberries, washed
1 cup miniature marshmallows

DirectionsGrease 13 x 9 pan with margarine and dust lightly with flour. Prepare, mix and bake cake mix according to package directions. Cool cake for 15 minutes.

With large fork, make holes in cake about every 1/2 inch.
Pour gelatin into mixing bowl. Add cup of boiling water and use scraper to mix thoroughly until gelatin is completely dissolved. Use measuring cup to pour gelatin over cake. (It will run down into holes, making sliced cake have red stripes.)
Chill cake in refrigerator 3 to 4 hours.

Cover tray with aluminum foil.

Put about one inch of warm water in kitchen sink. Take pan out of refrigerator and dip bottom (don't let water come up over sides) into water for about 10 seconds. Put large tray on top of cake, and invert.

Frost sides and top with whipped topping. Arrange strawberries and marshmallows in alternating rows for stripes, leaving upper left for field of blueberries. Chill again until time to serve.

Recipe from http://www.practicalkitchen.com/holiday/July_4th/flag_cake.shtml

Pool Party

2007-06-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

Since the hot weather is out now, everyone loves a pool party. So here is the basic idea for the party. You have a small plastic pool, which the hostess may have if she has small kids, and fill it with cool water and ice. Then you can add the drinks to the pool to keep them cool. You can also have the drinks in a cooler or tub on ice and use the pool for soaking their feet.

For this party make some fun invitations, maybe cut out life preservers and put the party information around the ring. Give your hostess a scavenger hunt (see previous blogs) in her hostess packet. Also consider having on the invitation, that those who dress for a pool party will get a little something extra.

For the refreshments have the drinks on ice, whether it be in the pool or in a cooler. Then you can have some veggies and fruits if you want, it really depends on the time of day you are holding your party.

This is a great opportunity to highlight the sun care line. The chapstick is something great that you can suggest the women buy for their children. Now obviously not the three and five year old, but this is something for the eight or ten year old. They are outside all day in the summer playing, so a good lip protector is a must. Go over the importance of sunblock and how it works. You can also mention that the Timewise Day Solution has SPF 25 in it, so that is a good way to always be protecting their face. If they want the tan look without ruining their skin, there is the sunless tanning lotion. There is also the bronzer to mention when they want that sun kissed look. Now one important summer must for them to have is water proof mascara. This way they can head to the beach and still look fabulous when they are done playing in the water.

This party is a lot of fun especially this time of year. Consider samples of the above products for the prizes or gifts you may give away. Also, maybe get a small beach ball to add to the theme of the party or even lay a few beach towels on the grass. Have fun with the theme; after all it is a pool party. Have fun cooling off. Let me know how this goes.

Keeping the Kids Busy

2007-06-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

So I received my inspiration for today’s blog from the telephone call I tried to make this morning. Let me begin by letting you know that I have been trying to contact this hostess; we have been playing telephone tag for a couple weeks. So this morning I got her on the phone and of course my kids went nuts. What is it about the phone next to my ear that chemically changes them into animals? I was sure that other women must have experienced this, so I went on an internet search to find out how other moms handle this situation. I found some great tips on http://www.thewahmconnection.com/wahmkidtips/phonetipswithkids.htm . Ways to keep your kids entertained and occupied while you are busy with customers. Now some of these I have done and some are new but I am sharing all because maybe someone else hasn’t tired one of the ways to tame their phone animals, which is what I am calling them :)

1. Keep a special box of toys that only come out while you are on the phone. I thought what a great idea. I can go to the dollar store once a month and spend five dollars getting a few new toys for the month, then when I get on the phone they will have a new toy to play. I will probably buy three months worth and rotate them, so every third month they have the same toys, which will of course seem new.

2. Crafts available. I had this in place already and it does seem to work well for a planned phone call. Before you make your call get out whatever crafts you may want them to do that day. If you have a little one under the age of three, put them in the high chair with water colors. Let the older kid’s creativity flow with play dough. I have a good experience with this it usually guarantee fifteen to twenty minutes of quiet.

3. Put together a briefcase of old catalog and order forms, throw in some pencils and play phone, whatever other office supplies you have around or find cheap at the dollar store or thrift store. This way they feel like they are a part of what you are doing. I was really excited about this. I can put this bag together and then only pull it out as someone calls me. This kids love to play in my office stuff which is usually a no no but, now that they have their own supplies everyone should be happy. Keep your fingers crossed.

If you can step outside these are some great ideas as well.

4. Bubbles. What kid doesn’t love bubbles? They have spill proof containers now, I saw some at Target, so they will actually have some bubble solution for a while. They will love the treat of bubbles, maybe even get excited to know you have to make a business call, because then the bubbles come out.

5. Sidewalk chalk is another fun thing for them to do. You can take a hose to the sidewalk that night and the next morning the creativity can start over.

6. Washing their bikes is also something they love to do. Now I never thought about this as a phone activity but it works great for conference calls. I can pay attention to the call and they have fun.

7. Something else that is fun to have and works great for calls is a gravel pit or garden spot. The kids can have some shovels and pails, go to town. They will love to dig in the dirt or play in a small gravel area.

11 ways to reduce your stress

2007-06-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

I spoke yesterday about ways to pamper ourselves and how we should always remember to take care of us. In this amazing business and the life that we live things can get stressful at times. So I have researched some ways to de-stress yourself.

I got these off a great website at the Texas Woman’s University,
http://www.twu.edu/o-sl/counseling/SelfHelp001.html

1. Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning. Now I have tried this one and it really works. When last minute things comes up you have time to fix it. For instance when your three year old son cannot find his other tennis shoe, you can take a deep breath and have a couple extra minutes to find it.

2. Prepare for tomorrow the night before. Lay out your clothes and the kid’s clothes. This ensures that when they finish their bath they already know what they are wearing for the day. This way you won’t stand in the closet for 10 minutes wondering what you’re going to wear. It’s also a good idea to make all the lunches the night before. I was doing these things already but the next tip is an excellent one. Set the breakfast table. This is great; I put out the bowls, spoons and cereal. Then all I do in the morning is put the milk out and we are ready to go.

3. Do not rely on your memory. Write down all of the appointments and things you need to do for the day, use a planner or palm pilot if you need to. This way you won’t be worrying that you forgot something or miss an appointment.

4. Plan ahead. Do not let the car get below a quarter tank of gas. According to Murphy’s Law, If you do that then you will more than likely be on empty when you are running late for a show and have to stop and get gas. Keep stamps and office supplies in stock. Nothing is more frustrating then getting ready to mail out postcards and not having stamps available.

5. Don’t use something that isn’t working right for you. If your alarm clock isn’t working the way you want and it is aggravating you every day, get a new one. If your shoe laces are broken do not wait and get new ones next week, get new ones that day. The little things can add up and turn into big things.

6. Eliminate or reduce the amount of caffeine in your diet. Try switching to decafeined coffee and caffeine free soda to see if it helps make the day flow a little smoother for you.

7. Relax your standards. If the grass is not mowed this weekend, the world will go on turning. it is okay, relax. If the toys only get picked up once a day then it is okay. Try to think if this will help you to worry or if it will just add stress to your day. If it is not doing any good then let it slide for a bit. It’s not the end of the world.

8. Count your blessings. Try making a gratitude journal. Take some time at night and write down all of the things that you are grateful for, then take a few moments the next morning and reread it. This will help start the day with a positive outlook on the day.

9. Say no when your day is busy and someone asks you to take on an extra project from church or the PTA. Learn your limits and what you have time to do. Perhaps say I can do this part but I do not have time to for this part, maybe someone else can do it. You do not have to say yes to every invitation you get. If they are having a birthday party or a stamping party, send a card or ask if you can order from a catalog instead of coming to the show.

10. Wear ear plugs to get quiet time. You do not have to wait until the kids go to bed to get quiet time. Go upstairs and pop in ear plugs, instant quiet time.

11. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify …….

I know that some of these have worked for me in the past and still do today. When we are less stressed, our lives will run smoother and happier and with any luck, so will our business. What ways do you unwind from a busy day? Until tomorrow…

Clarification

2007-06-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

I wanted to respond to the comment that was left on the blog about holiday fairs. The comment stated that Mary Kay was not permitted at the holiday fairs. I have spoken to the Mary Kay legal department about this and here is what I have heard. They advised me that it is okay for me to participate in holiday fairs or church bazaars. They think this is good idea. However they stated it is not okay to place any items in a regular weekly fair like a flea market or in retail shop. I was aware of these policies and would never advise anyone to do this. I appreciate the comment that was made and I was happy to clear up the matter. I do understand that the person who made the comment signed the comment with a website that is dedicated to a negative Mary Kay image. It is unfortunate that anyone has a negative experience with Mary Kay, however this is my business and I have only had good experiences with this company. So any further negative comments left on the blog will the deleted. Please do not misunderstand, I love comments and questions however I do not want any slander of a company that has given me great success. Thank you.

Pamper Yourself

2007-06-27T00:02:00.001-07:00

I have to say that after all the talk and party ideas I have for pampering other woman, I forget to take of me sometimes. Okay a lot of the time. I am very diligent about making sure that my kids, husband, consultants and hostesses all have what they need. So that usually means I am at the bottom of the barrel. So I decided that I would make a list, usually if I have a list then I will accomplish it. I wrote out twelve things that I really wanted to do for me, and each month I am going to do one.

1. Get a manicure and pedicure
2. Go and see a movie with whoever I want or no one. I will buy whatever snacks I want there.
3. Go to a book store and read for as long as I want, maybe even buy a book or two for ME.
4. Go and get a massage.
5. Have a date with my husband.
6. Go and buy a new purse or shoes for myself.
7. Take a long uninterrupted nap.
8. Get a facial.
9. Go scrapbooking with friends for the night.
10. Buy a stack of magazines and sit in the sun with a cool drink and read them.

The complete 9 tips

2007-06-27T00:01:00.001-07:00

The complete 9 tips
I know that everyone has been on pins and needles waiting for explanations to go with each tip. Seriously though, some of these have really helped to draw boundaries with family and work time. So let’s dive in.

1. Give your kids time targets. This is basically a way to break your work day into chunks. Set a timer for 20-30 minutes explain to the kids that when the timer goes off it is play time but while the timer is going it is work time. Then when playtime is over you can reset the timer again for work time. Try to keep the time the same each time so your children know what to expect as far as a length of time.

2. Have dinner together. However the day is going and whatever the schedule may be, eat together. Do not answer the phone or email. Spend this time visiting about the day you have all had and what things may be coming up for the rest of the evening. If one of your children has a sporting event at six o’clock then eat at five o’clock. When you start to make excuses for why you cannot eat together then excuses will be more frequent and you will miss the family time.

3. Do one thing as a family a day. Do not count your dinner as your one family thing to do a day. It could be as easy as a favorite TV show that everyone likes or a card game. It could even be reading your scriptures or saying a family prayer. When you make time to something each day it will help to ensure that your family in not lost in the work at home shuffles.

4. Put them on the payroll. This is great way to spend time with the kids and teach them about the value of a dollar. Have the kids do simple things like putting labels on packages or gathering one of each paper laid out and putting together a packet. They also could be filing some paperwork if they are a little older. The kids will love the opportunity to be involved in your job and earn a little extra spending cash.

5. Set aside some money for fun activities. There are a few different ways that you can do this. You could take a percentage of your profits, like ten or twenty percent and put it away in a family fun fund. You can also decide on a permanent amount like ten dollars a show or twenty five dollars for the weekly orders. Whatever you decide have some way of letting the kids see it add up. You can literally put the money in a jar or you can have a thermometer to color in each time you add money to the family fun fund. Your kids will be less upset and maybe even excited to help you leave for a party.

6. Schedule your family obligations first. You should have a business calendar, whether it is paper or on the computer. Go through as soon as you get your family’s events and mark them off as busy times. Get their sporting events, recitals and school plays down early so you never have to worry about double booking. One of the greatest things about working from home is you set the pace. If your kids have a really busy month in April then in March and May you can work to make up the difference and spend more time with them. You are the boss and the decision is yours.

7. Be honest with your kids. Let your them know how important your business is to you and the family. Explain what this will help the family do. Be up front about how much time this is going to take. Be sure and let them know if something is urgent to come and see you but otherwise you need your work time.

8. Create sacred time. Create a block of time in your home that is not able to be interrupted. Whether it is the morning time when you get the kids up and ready for school or it is the evening for dinner and bath time. Whatever you decide stick with it and you will see and feel a sense of calm in your life.

9. Work after their bedtime. One of they great things about kids is they go to bed early, or at least they are supposed to. Take advantage of this time even if it is only thirty minutes until you are exhausted, use it. This is the best uninterrupted time you will get. It’s a great time to lay out products or paperwork that you may not want them getting into.

So there you have it some great time savers that will help you to organize your day. Let me know if these work for you or if you have any others.

Tips for extra family time

2007-06-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

So we all have had trouble from time to time scheduling or making time for our kids while we are working from home. I know that for the first 6 months that I was doing Mary Kay I was ready to pull my hair out. I was running between a call and crying child or worse I would trying to gather my things for a show and trying to make dinner for everyone. So here are 9 tips to help make extra time. I know that most of these have helped to give me the extra time I needed. They seemed to magically put an extra hour or two into the day. Here they are.

Give your Kids Time Targets
Have dinner together
Do one thing as a family each day
Put them on the payroll
Set money aside for fun activities.
Schedule your Family Obligations First
Be honest with your kids
Create sacred time
Work after their bedtime
Freezer Meals

Now I know these are just teasers I will expand on these in my next blog. I will go into some more detail about each tip and how to make a reality for your family. If you have any ideas on how to make more time with the family then please share them.

http://www.thewahmconnection.com/wahmkidtips/9tipsforwahmkids.htm

Contests for Consultants

2007-06-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

Looking for ways to inspire your consultants, here is a couple of contest ideas that may inspire them.

Two is better then one

This works well if you have a larger consultant a base. Pair up your consultants in groups of two. The ways to earn points to earn points and the team with the most points at the end wins.
Here is how you can earn your points
25 points – Highest sales for one party and highest sales for the week
10 points – Each order turned in for that week and attending a sales meeting
5 points – each show booked for that week
If there is a tie the highest combined sales will be the winners. The winner will get whatever you choose maybe a sample book or a roll up bag. You can also give them gift certificates to Mary Kay to order whatever supplies they might need.

Pie Time

This is a fun hands on way for your consultants to get excited about sales and bookings. Here is what you do.
Draw out a circle to look like a pie and divide it into 6 sections. In each section write a consultant goal. Here are 6 examples to use, but use whatever works best for your team.

Hold 4 parties in one week
Have a 350.00 party
Get 3 bookings from one party
Get 2 cold bookings
Attend your sales meeting
Have a 200.00 party

Each time they complete the section you can mark it off on the pie paper or have them cut it out and place it on a mat. When they turn in the pieces to the pie they get pie prizes, like a pie pan, pie crust mix, rolling pin, pie filling, measuring cup and a mixing bowl. Now you can assign each prize to a goal or you can let the women chose what they like. I have assigned the prized and let them pick it was fun both ways.

I hope that these fun contests inspire your consultants to boost theirs sales. Review the ideas and feel free to customize it to whatever area your team needs extra inspiration in. For example if they are not getting any consultant referrals then maybe that should be a goal in the prize or a 35 point item. Let me know how this works out for you.

http://www.thewahmconnection.com/SalesContestIdeas/bestfriend.htm

Game to include in the Hostess Packet

2007-06-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

Here is something fun to include in your hostess packet, a scavenger hunt! It is a guest list scavenger hunt. This will help the hostess think outside of her usual circle of friends and family. Some women need a little push to stretch out of their comfort zone and this gives her an excellent opportunity do to so. List the following on a sheet of paper and make a little check box next to each one.

Here is a list of different guests that you can invite. For every 10 guests off the list you will receive an additional gift.
A lady with blonde hair
A woman who is pregnant
A cook
A friend from church
Someone who lives in your neighbor
A woman who has at least two grandchildren
A woman who has all sons
A woman who has all daughters
A woman with a newborn (under one)
A guest who will probably order more than $50.00 in sales
Someone who has been or is currently on a bowling league
A person who is proficient at decorating cakes
A guest who is participating in a diet program or workout routine
Someone who wears size 9 shoes
One of your in laws
A guest who used to live in your neighborhood
A teacher from your children’s school or church
Someone who participates in some club (like tennis or rowing club, Rotary or the Lions club)
A guest who does not have children or is an empty nester
A guest who will book a party
A friend who is not working outside the home

Their must be 10 different people to qualify for the gift. Happy Hunting!

Hopefully this will inspire your hostess to invite people she may not have thought about and get the brain moving around to look for different guest opportunities.

Ice Breaker

2007-06-22T21:36:00.001-07:00

Ice Breakers are such a great way to get to know your guests and for them to get to know each other. Also it is a way for you to see if anyone is interested in hosting a party in the future. So I have another Ice Breaker to share. This is another get to know you game. Have a piece of paper ready with it numbers 1-14 and a spot for their name. So here are the questions to ask.

Do you have on earring?
Do you have green eyes?
Do you have black hair?
Are you under 5’3”?
Do you have your nails done?
Are you wearing a bracelet?
Are you wearing pink?
Do you have black shoes on?
Are you wearing a watch?
Are you under 25 or over 45?
Are you a former hostess or would you like to be one?
Are you wearing contacts?
Do you have a white car?
Do you have children?

Have them give themselves 5 points for each question they answer yes. Then the winner with the most points gets a prize. Be sure and have a spot for their name at the top and collect the papers at the end so that you can contact the potential hostesses. You can adapt these questions to the audience that you have. For example if it is a college age party try changing the question about age and children and making them more relevant to the class. Like who’s major is Psychology and who is going to school farther then 30 miles from home. If you have a much older class then ask they have grandchildren or they still work. Get creative with the questions.