Key 4: Sales

Boost your sales at every party or show by reminding your customers of all the
upcoming events they need to buy gifts for.

When you get your customers thinking about upcoming events that they will need gifts for they have a reason to buy.  Let them know that you can help them find a solution for all their needs.  Boost your outside sales by asking customers to fill out their wish lists so you can contact their loved ones with gift ideas.  

In this Key Pack training we are focusing on “Boosting sales by selling gifts.”  Remind your customers that in addition to buying your products for themselves, they can buy them as gifts for their friends and family.  Let them know they can call you anytime they need something, they don’t need to attend a party to order.  Get them thinking of upcoming events they’ll need to buy gifts for, and give them suggestions of which products would work well for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, etc.  Help them understand how buying gifts from you can be easy, fun and convenient.  Implementing just this one concept can bring THOUSANDS of DOLLARS in additional sales to your business.

1.   Suggest reasons to buy gifts at the party.
 One of the main REASONS people buy things is “To meet a need or solve a problem.”    Remind your customers of all the upcoming events they could be needing gifts for. 

Then, show them how YOU can make it easy for them to get their shopping done and the benefits of letting YOU help them.  For example, rather than making a special trip to the store, they can conveniently shop from you now or anytime and get credit marked off on their preferred customer card!

It is important for you to generate interest in how your products can be given for the occasions we normally buy for ncluding: Christmas, Hanukkah, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, wedding showers, baby showers, promotions, etc.    

Remind them that they can “Call you anytime to place an order” (S40247) or remind them they can email you orders by putting these stickers in or on your catalogs. Invite them to “Visit me on the web” (S40462)  Or, use the printable sticker (PSA4204 or 05) and put your contact information on it.  This way you’re sticking TWO messages at once! 

Use stickers throughout your catalogs to draw awareness to products that are good for gifts.

You can also promote the idea of giving gifts “Just Because,” and explain that you don’t always have to have a specific holiday coming to want to give a gift to someone.  (For example, show a product that anyone would want and suggest that she give it to a friend when she is having a bad day, or to a neighbor to show her how much you appreciate her.)  It seems like there are always events sneaking up on us, so why not get your customers to plan ahead for those events and purchase their gifts from you.  Suggest products that are great “generic” gifts they can keep on hand.  Put the “Affordable Gifts” or “Gift Idea!” stickers by items in your catalogs!

2.  How can YOU be more effective in SELLING GIFTS?
It is often difficult for your customers to come up with an idea of what to give as gifts, so they will surely appreciate your ideas.  When you are giving your demonstrations, SHOW your customers HOW your products will benefit the people they are seeking gifts for.  You need to “push their buttons,” so to speak.  You want to create the need for your product.  Use  stickers to draw attention to specific products. 

One of our customers has us print “Give the gift of ______ (her company) on the “Gift” Large Square.  She puts this on the front of every catalog.  She orders them over and over again so they must have a positive impact on her business!

A)  Use stickers to remind them of upcoming events.

Put stickers not only on the pages of your catalogs which show great gift ideas, but on your invitations and order forms too.  As they are filling out their order forms, they’ll think again about what gifts they need.  (Wear the “Gifts for all Occasions” button (B40386) or use it in your display.)  Use stickers like “Think ahead… birthdays, anniversaries, weddings” (S43117), “Gifts for all occasions” (PR40125), “Is a Birthday Coming?” (PR40128)  and “Gifts for every holiday” (S40492).

B)  Sell in sets.
Put together two or more items that go together or fit a theme.  Offer a few dollars off, or a discount, if they buy the set.  Use our “Printable Stickers” to print information about a “set” you offer and put it by the products!

C)  Use one-liners throughout your demonstrations.
Talk about gifts in connection with many different items as you present them.  Don’t go into a lot of detail on every item, just use little “one liners” like, “I gave this as a gift to my mom and she loved it because it …..!” or “Your daughters will feel pampered when they use this to ….”       

Make a list of products and of people who could use your products.  For example, if you sell candles, promote that candles would make a great gift for real estate agents to use at their desks or to give as gifts to people purchasing homes.  Keep in mind INTERESTS or HOBBIES!   Suggest products that would be great for people with certain hobbies.  List gift ideas for men, women, and children of all ages.  Include suggestions in several price ranges.

Once you put together these lists, include them in your catalog folder, or at least review them so you can make great suggestions.  Put together a “Gift idea” notebook showing an item and WHO it could be given to!  You could even make this into a game to play at your parties!
 DOWNLOAD the GAME version off our website under KEY PACK CLUB> KEY CLUB SPECIALS.  It is in the PDF you can purchase or get for FREE when you are a member of the Key Pack Club! There’s room to put S40427 on the upper right.

If you tend to cater to a specific group of people, print a suggestion of who an item would be good for and print it on the Printable Stickers.  The small square size stickers (SS) work great and you can easily cover them up with a different sticker if the sale or group changes.

 See the great selection of PRINTABLE STICKERS we have online!  Download our FREE TEMPLATES and use them to print whatever you want ONTO the stickers purchased from The Booster.  See our “USING TEMPLATES FOR DUMMIES” for complete step-by-step instructions of how to do it.  It is really EASY!  I promise!

D)  Offer “Gift Cards!” or “Gift Certificates”
Sometimes we just don’t know what to get for those “hard to buy for people.”  After giving your suggestions for gifts, let them know that if they are not sure what someone would like, they can give a gift certificate.  Explain that you offer gift cards for any amount they want.  Then, you’ll include your contact information with the gift card and whoever they give it to can contact you directly. You will then help them pick out something special. We offer our gift cards with fill-in-the-blank redeem information on the back, or you can purchase them blank on the back.  Or we can personalize the back with YOUR INFORMATIONso they can  even be given as “To-From” type gift cards with a gift purchase so your customer doesn’t have to go get a card.  With YOUR info on the back. the person receiving the gift knows where to get more!

Whether you use our gift cards or the gift certificates your company offers, use the “Gift certificates available” type stickers in your catalogs to remind customers that you offer them. 

E)  Offer free gift wrapping.
To encourage more gift buying, offer to wrap their gifts for free if they spend over a certain amount.  This makes it even more convenient for your customers and it gets their average orders up.  (Use this sticker in your catalogs or whatever promotion you’d like to offer. )  

F)  Invite your guests to fill out WISH LISTS.
In last month’s training we discussed the importance of getting your customer information.  The back side of our “Customer Care Cards” (V4124) has a wish list section to fill in.  Wish lists help you to know some items she would like, but will not be buying at the party.  As an added feature, if they would like YOU to contact someone to purchase the items for them as gifts, it has room for them to include that person’s name and contact info.    (Download the instructions under V4124 on our website for more information about how to organize and use this information on a regular basis.) 

If you would rather just have a wish list, we do have those available separately.
Husbands and boyfriends LOVE getting reminders and gift ideas.  Once they’ve finished purchasing for their wives, see what you can do for their mother, sister, etc.  Offer “Free Gift Wrapping” for orders over $$$ to encourage them to spend more.  This is a WIN-WIN situation.  Everyone is happy!
We even have postcards you can send to let them know you have their wish list and to let you help them.  Once the card is sent, follow up with a phone call.

G)  Call your “Preferred Customers” or mail them postcards with gift ideas.
When holidays are coming up, you have a good excuse to call them to see if you can help them with anything.  Remind them that buying their gifts from you helps them to fill up their “Preferred Customer Card” more quickly and of the gift they will receive when it is full.  Use our BACKGROUND Printable Postcards or type up a flyer with your gift ideas.  Offer a dollar or so off items, or offer something special with a certain dollar amount purchased. 

Use the “Call me for a new catalog” (S40200) stickers on your postcards or flyers.  Or, customize a printable sticker with another message that will get them call you immediately.

(H)  Stash a Few for Gifts.
When your company is offering a product at a really great price, draw attention to it with the “Monthly Specials” sticker by that item.  Suggest during your demonstration that as this is such a great buy, they may want to get several to have on hand because they make a great wedding, shower, etc. type gifts!  (Are you using the same catalog next month when the product is NOT on special?  Just cover that sticker up with one of the other “gift” type stickers.)

I)  Make the most of Birthdays! Everyone has one!
 So far we have been discussing how increasing your customer’s awareness of gifts solutions can boost your sales.  However, you can also increase your outside orders by sending Birthday gifts yourself!  Once you have your customer’s information using our Customer Care Cards, or the NEW Birthday Register cards, develop a program to send birthday cards to your ustomers offering them a discount on orders placed within their birthday month.

Birthday Register Cards are so you can easily keep track of the birthday’s of your customers and send an entire month at a time.  Just pass around the set (put on the ring included) and have your customers put their birthday on the correct month.  When you get home, transfer the info to a set you keep in your card file.  In this pack, you are only receiving ONE set, so you’ll need to order a complete set, but you can get started immediately.  Then, once you get your next set, you’ll have an extra set if some months fill up faster than others.

We have recently developed a complete idea on how to use Birthdays to boost bookings sales and more!  You can see the complete training on the website under FREE Training > T4-Sales > T4-03-Birthdays!  Included in this pack are samples of the Birthday and Celebrate cards we offer.  Some with text and some are blank so you can write your own message.

Conclusion:  Sometimes the guests at your parties will just buy one small item so that they feel like they’ve helped support the hostess.  These guests forget that they’ve got to run to the store the next day to buy a birthday gift for their daughter, or a wedding gift for the neighbor, etc.  Stick the stickers and mention the one-liners as we discussed in this training and you will reach your potential for thousands of dollars in additional sales.

Click the link below to go to our website and see all the products discussed in this training:

http://www.thebooster.com/286-kpc-key4b-sales-gifts

Or for even more products see the Key 4: Boost Sales category

Let your customers know that when they need your products, they can order from you anytime, not just at a party.  Boost sales by encouraging reorders, promoting specials & more!

KEY 4A: Get Sales Soaring with Outside Orders!
Encourage your customers to place orders from you anytime.  

When guests are at your parties, it is up to YOU to present your products, tell of the benefits, find out your customers needs and wants, and get them to buy your products.  But, what is often forgotten in this industry is following up with those contacts in the future for additional sales.  Put “The Fortune is in the Follow UP” Bookmark (BM72634) in your datebook or Magnet (MPR70334A) on your fridge or to remind you to do this important concept!

Since the key 4 area of “Boosting Sales” is so extensive, we will address it in three different Key Packs.  This Key 4A focuses on selling your products through “outside orders” (meaning building relationships that may START at a party and then generating orders long after the original party.) (Make sure to go online this month to download the BONUS.PDF document entitled “Have successful catalog parties.”)  The Key 4B pack (coming May 1st) will focus on Boosting Sales by Selling Gifts” and the Key 4C pack (coming Sept. 1st) will focus on Preparing your catalogs.

First, it is VITAL to develop a SYSTEM to keep track of your customers!
Make sure to get every person’s name, address, phone number, and email address if possible.  (In our Key2 training we suggest that you get their names and addresses on a guest list from your host before each party.  That way if some do not attend the party, you can still contact them and build a relationship.)

We’ve developed a system using our Customer Care Cards (V4124).  Include a card in each of your guest folders.  During your presentation explain the Customer Care Card and the “Preferred Customer Program.” (Read more details on these cards and programs online under V4124)  Ask each person to fill in their information so you can take care of them.  It is important to refer to these cards as CARE CARDS, to instill that you want to take care of their needs.  These cards help you collect and keep track of additional info such as birthday, anniversary, if they are interested in receiving free products or earning extra income, their wish list items and who to contact to buy them, and how many squares they have marked on their “Preferred Customer Cards.”  (See more info about PC Cards in item 3) 

Then, when you process their order, mark off their boxes, give them the PC card and encourage them to call you when they need gifts or any of your products.

When it comes to keeping in touch with your customers, ask yourself the question: Is the Benefit greater than the cost?  Big companies seem to think it is!  Don’t you get ads in the mail and your newspaper on a regular basis?  Big companies know it is important to keep what they have to offer in front of their customers.  We realize you are not a big company, that is why we have developed products, such as the printable postcards, that look professional yet are a easy for you to personalize to make offers to your customers. 

You need to develop a plan to keep in contact with your customers regularly.  Here are some ideas:

1.  Send sale flyers, postcards, or mini-catalogs to your customers several times per year.  At each party, make sure that your customers understand that they can order from you anytime, not just at parties.  Use this sticker (PR41036) to add some color to your flyer and ask them if it is time to reorder with this sticker.
 Put stickers like “Call me anytime to place an order” (S40247)  or printable stickers with your contact info included (PSA4204) on your flyers, catalogs, and order forms.  Send postcards, sales flyers, mini-catalogs, or emails to all of your customers on a regular basis.  Let them know what’s on sale and what’s new.   The printable version are so nice because they look professional, and are so EASY!  View the sticker then click the download TAB for the TEMPLATE and save it to your own computer.  OR, have US print them for you! (SEE PSA4204PR  Using our Printable Stickers so much better than just stamping your name for several reasons which include:
1- Stick TWO messages at once (Saves time!),
2- They stand out!
3- They look professional,
4- Since they’re laser printed– no smeared, unreadable information,
5- So much faster than stamping because you don’t have to wait for it to dry (and no smearing!!)

Many times customers attend parties, buy your products, and truly enjoy them, but they don’t think to call you when they need more.  You need to remind them of your great products and services.  Put a “To reorder:” printable sticker (PSM4501) customized with your name and number on the back or bottom of every product that you send out. (See the FREE TEMPLATES online.) 

If you don’t ever see the order but it is delivered to your host, ask your host to put the “To Reorder” stickers on customers’s products before she delivers them.  Tell her you’ll give her a gift or mark-off extra squares on her Preferred Hostess Card (BC2670) for doing it.

Doing mailings is an effective way of developing a more personal relationship with your customers so they will come back to you over and over again.  Use the stickers included in the SSK4 or SSK4B combo sheets to dress up your mailings and highlight certain items.  NOTE- these could also be used to dress up catalogs that your customers view at the party or those that you send to them!

For customers who have not ordered in a few months, send them the “Is it time to reorder?” postcards (PP40376C).  Have a system to follow up after a certain amount of time with customers that may have used up a product so you get them when the time is right.   Our postcards are easy to use whether you are sending several or just a few.  They come with text for you to just fill-in-the-blanks or your can print your own message ONTO them.  (FREE TEMPLATES are on our website in the DOWNLOAD TAB under the product.)  Sending postcards is an affordable and very easy way to send notices to multiple customers at once.  (Remember, Postcard stamps are cheaper too.)

Encourage customers to call YOU to get a new catalog by sending the “Brand new Catalog” postcard (PP40572(C or CT).  This is particularly good if your catalogs are expensive and you haven’t heard from the customer in a while.

See our colored BACKGROUND postcards that you can print onto yourself or check back often because we’re constantly developing NEW postcards with TEXT preprinted for you. See the POSTCARD category online.

2.  Call your customers!!!
After each mailing you send, take the time to call as many people as you can to follow up.  You’ll be surprised how many people thought about ordering, but didn’t get around to calling you.  Be  of service to them and they will come back to you.

You might try mailing to just a portion of your customer list one week.  Then, a few days later start calling just those customers.  A few days before you expect to have those all called, mail out another batch of postcards or flyers.  Then, start calling them in a few days.  With this type of system you will get a better response from both your mailings and calls.  We call this the “Keeping in Touch Program!’

Make a goal for yourself to make a certain number of calls each day or week.  If you don’t have a reason to call, make one up.  For example, you could say you are having a “white sale”.  Tell them that for the next 3 days everything in your catalog that is white is on sale for 10% off.  You could give them suggestions if they don’t have a catalog.  Or, you could have a “free shipping” sale.  Get them to make an immediate decision by giving them a time limit to take advantage or “double box or circle mark off on their preferred customer card” if they order that day.  (You can print specials onto PRINTABLE BORDER Stickers to draw attention to specials on the front of mailings and catalogs.  See them online.)

3.  Start a “Preferred Customer Program.”

Give a “Preferred Customer Card” (BC4601T or BC4603T) to each new customer at your parties.  (If you use the Customer Care Cards (V4124) they have a perforated Preferred Customer Card on the side that your customers can tear off and take home.)     This gives you an excuse to keep in touch with each person, and it encourages them to order from you again.  When you pass out the cards, explain how they work.  Tell them the dollar value of each square or circle and what they will earn when they get the entire card filled.  To reinforce this, have them fill out the back of the cards at the party.

Keep a list of the people to whom you’ve given “Preferred Customer Cards.”  Call them and offer them “2 for 1” squares marked off, or ask them if they are ready to book a party to fill up their card, etc.  (See lots more details online- search for BC4601.)

4.  Encourage guests to bring OUTSIDE orders to parties.
Isn’t it great when customers CALL YOU to place orders?  Include the “Outside Orders Welcome” sticker (S40376), on invitations or cards or catalogs that you mail to customers

HINT:  Put the “Bring ____ in outside orders” stickers on 5 catalogs.  Ask your hostess if she has “working friends” or friends that belong to a book club or something like that.  Suggest that she give one of the 5 catalogs to those people and invite them to show them at work, etc. and take orders.  Her friends will receive a “Free Gift” and the hostess will enjoy greater sales totals for her party or the “Bring ___ in outside orders & receive a Free Gift!” sticker (S43049) on each invitation.  OR, when your hostess is making her reminder phone calls, have her explain to her guests that they can tell their friends that they are attending a ____ party, and ask their friends if they need anything.  She could also offer to drop by some catalogs and remind them that they’ll get a free gift for any outside orders.  (Be sure to recognize those helpful friends at the party and make them feel special.)  This also helps you get more bookings because potential hosts will see that others could help her make her party successful.  Then at the party recognize those who brought the orders and offer to do a party for them.  I have had customers tell me these little stickers are made of GOLD based on the orders they bring in! 

5.  Use stickers on your catalogs to promote outside orders.
By sticking the “Outside orders welcome,”  “3 prices,” or other Key 4 stickers in your catalogs, you remind customers that they can order from you anytime.  These also give some of the benefits of doing so. (These stickers and some others mentioned in this training are on special this month but NOT included in your keypack- Order online under KEY PACK CLUB then KEY CLUB SPECIALS for special pricing.)

6.  Let your customers know how easy it is to order from you.

On all of your literature, include stickers like these!
You can also PRINT your contact information on  printable stickers.  Use them on receipts,  mailings, and product packaging. 

Let customers know they can charge their orders both at the parties and in your “outside orders” information.  When they know they can use a credit card it makes it easy and they know they can do it right then!  (We have several different “Charge It type stickers showing which cards you may accept.  See them under KEY 4 stickers online.)

7.  Encourage your customers to refer their friends.
 Getting NEW customers is a way to boost your sales as well.  Encourage your good customers to help you get NEW customers!  They already know the benefits of using your products, they love your products, and they love working with you so invite and remind them to share.  These customers make the best advertisers.  Include stickers like these on their products & catalogs.  Then, when one of their friends is looking for your product, she’ll have been reminded that you’d love to help them.

8.  Boost sales & contacts with OLD Catalogs!
Turn leftover catalogs into money-making advertising!  (You’ve already made the investment in the catalogs- just a few cents more an a little time can introduce you to new people!)  Put these stickers on the front of old catalogs.  Be sure to include your contact info on the “Call Anytime” printable stickers on the back of the catalog as well.  Then leave them in doctor’s offices, beauty salons, laundromats, etc.  ANY waiting room will do.  People will look and call!  Be sure to plant booking and recruiting seeds by putting Key 1:Booking and Key 6:Recruiting stickers (look online) in the catalogs as well.  You never know where planted seeds will germinate do you?

Don’t JUST generate sales by doing parties.  Build a residual income by letting your customers know that they can order from you anytime, encourage them to have “catalog or book parties” and encourage them to refer their friends to you.  You’ll be amazed at the boost in your sales when you follow these techniques!       When you DON’T follow up with customers, they go elsewhere to get similar products.  Follow up with your customers, meet their needs, and you’ll see an increase in your sales.

Here is the link to the Key4A Category on our website that has all the products mentioned in this training.  For additional products see the KEY4 Category.

http://www.thebooster.com/285-kpc-key-4a-outside-sales