Bookings! The life blood of the direct sales industry. Everyone knows when you’re out of bookings, you’re out of business.
Party plan consultants everywhere are looking for the magic words, the best booking games and the right combination of products to entice the guests at the demonstration to book.
Recently, at the beginning of a one-on-one coaching session with a consultant, I was asked for more booking ideas. I was a bit frustrated as I had, in the previous call, provided her with several sound ideas. I asked her about the results she had in using one, and she replied, she hadn’t used it because she was afraid she wouldn’t remember all of it. I asked her about another, and she hadn’t used that one either because she was afraid they wouldn’t like her selection. The third idea I’d given her wasn’t attempted either and, again, because she was afraid she’d forget something.
So I asked her what type of ideas she was looking for and her response was, “A simple, easy game that will guarantee me bookings.”
The theme here is not the “magic” words to say or the “guaranteed game.” Those things don’t exist! The theme here was this consultant’s fear. So I asked her what she was afraid of, and her response was typical: “I don’t want to look like a fool.”
What is the number one reason why they book? To have fun!
Now I may sound like I’m changing the subject here, but I’m really not. Have you ever gone to a professional play? Didn’t the actors appear to be confident in what they were doing? Yet, at the same time the actors could go with the flow when a prop didn’t work correctly or someone forgot a line.
The other thing actors do is, they are “up” for each performance. They make you believe, at least for a little while, that this really is a sweltering courthouse in the south, and he really is Atticus Finch. They make you believe these are the streets of London, and she is Eliza Dolittle. It truly is amazing how the audience is swept away in a performance.
How do they do that? They practice! They practice and practice until every mark on the stage and every facial expression is second nature to them.
Did you enjoy the play? Did you have fun? Did you tell others about it? Did you enjoy it so much you wanted to see it again?
Isn’t that exactly the response we want from our audience? We want them to enjoy themselves and have fun. We want them to tell others about us – by booking. We want them to see it again – by the hostess rebooking. Yet most consultants recreate the wheel every time they do a “performance.” They walk into the hostess’s home and have no real idea what they’re going to say and do. They wing it at each presentation. No wonder they’re afraid! No wonder they lack confidence! No wonder they hem and haw. No wonder they don’t get bookings.
The confident consultant is the one who knows what she’s going to say and can go with the flow of the audience. She has practiced. Her confidence allows her to relax and enjoy herself. That allows her audience to relax and enjoy themselves. What happens when the audience is having fun? They book!
Practice your presentation until it is second nature to you. Once you know exactly what you are going to say you can start to analyze your presentation, tweak it, and make it better and better. The better it becomes the more your audience will enjoy themselves and the more bookings you’ll have.
Ruth Fuersten is the author of HOW TO BOOK, SELL, AND RECRUIT YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS, a step-by-step recipe for success in direct sales. Ruth has 12+ years in direct sales. She earned many incentives including international vacations. Ruth’s top show was $5,956 and she moved into management in 3 months.
