We have ALL experienced what you are about to read.  I have not read a truer article in a very long time and I think Julie Anne Jones does an exceptional job explaining to us why it’s so important to “get real” with your direct sales business.

In- Home parties are a great way to market your home based business. For one, you are invited into someones home and are now a trustworthy contact for their friends and family. Secondly, you are now a friend and someone they can trust. Sales boom when customers feel like you are “one of them”.

However, just because you are invited into someones home, doesn’t mean that every party will be worth your time. Here are a few tips to make sure that this event is a great success for both you and your hostess.

Hostess Coaching:  Work closely with the hostess to invite her guests. Give her an attendee goal and help her with the invitations. For example, I would recommend inviting through several means: phone calls, snail mail, evite, facebook, or text. People respond to different medias and you want to make sure they feel personally invited to the party.

Speak with your hostess at least 3 times before the event.
1. To explain how a party is run and the hostess benefits. Perhaps give her an attendee goal!
2. To discuss her created guest list and ensure that all invites have been sent out.
3. To gather a guest count and remind her of her hostess benefits.

Gather the names, phone numbers, and emails of the guests and contact them the night before to remind them of the party and see if they have any questions.

Do not be nervous to call the guests who have not RSVPed. People are busy! If they haven’t gotten back to you, it doesn’t mean that they are not interested. It simply means that they are busy and forgot to reply, or maybe they have questions regarding your product before they commit to attending a party at their friend’s home.

Successful In – Home Party Presentation:  Have fun! This is a social gathering of friends, as well as a product demonstration. This is a time to build relationships, ask questions, and get to know your guests needs.

Keep it simple. Keep food to a minimum. You do not want future hosts to feel like they have to provide a buffet for their 2 hour home party.

Be organized and have a clear plan so the guests know what to expect.

Party Follow – Up:  It is important that you follow up with your guests several times over the next few months.

Remember the 2/2/2 rule:
1. Two days after the event to thank them for coming and see if they would like to book a party,
2. Two weeks after the event to make sure they received their order,
3. Two months after the event to see if they have any questions and are still pleased.

This follow up is an important piece of the puzzle as you build relationships and gain more business!

If you’re truly looking to have a lucrative and fun home party, the above tips should get you off to a great start. To learn my BEST secrets for having a great in-home party, check out the following link: In-Home Parties

Denise Walsh is a direct sales expert and certified Life Coach. You can read more about Denise at her blog, I’m Loving Life

Making money through home parties is great way for great revenue… party preparing has significantly became popular amongst one on one retailers and people within the multi-level marketing online community since it is proven to become possibly the best methods to gain effective deals. Sales and profits throughout party planning are actually really powerful. Through holding a sociable celebration, it is possible to make use of the big event to show and present your products or services for your guest visitors.

When the party is really a financial success, you may take on orders placed for your merchandise prior to the get together closes. The main prospecting method for home party plan product sales is through the home party by itself. Here are several tips you need to bear in mind to throw not only a fantastic party although the one that really sells!

Making money through home parties & Time period – An additional issue in organizing parties will be the precious time. Day time events throughout the week wouldn’t be readily available for folks who work all through normal business time. Week-ends could be a little bit challenging as well because many might have by now arranged it to see relatives time. The key for this issue would be to think about what type of men and women you’ll be getting over so you can prepare and plan a party that a lot of these if not all will probably be readily available for.

Making money through home parties & the right place – It is crucial to determine a spot that’s available to you and your guests and even one that’s favorable for that party. In situations where you will find that there’s insufficient space in your house, contact a good friend or a family member and request to get the meeting over at their location.

Making money through home parties & Party style – choose regardless of whether or not to opt for official cuisine of informal tea afternoons. Set in your head that far more official occasions are likely to frighten many people today from going to. It might be ideal to come up with a concept that would certainly be comfy for everybody.

At the end of this article I will show you were to get the hottest information about the best and easiest ways to make money through home parties.
Making money through parties & your Attendees – The guideline is easy: invite as many folks as you possibly can. A few people may get prior obligations; other people may merely not be fascinated. So it is usually much better to come up with an extended checklist so the probabilities of good turn-outs are great. Recommend on your own invite that folks bring in along a buddy. Anticipate about fifty percent of your checklist to appear.

If you are really trying to have a profitable and exciting home party, the above mentioned tips should get you off to an excellent start off! To learn my Very best secret for having a great in-home party, just go to the following link: http://marketingclassesonlineblog.com/making-money-through-home-parties/

Why do so many women feel uncomfortable approaching others about their network marketing or direct sales business? They believe in their product, they believe in themselves, they know their business opportunity can literally change lives, yet they hesitate. Can you relate? If so, it’s likely that you’ve been taught a way to recruit others that feels a bit “unnatural.” You may have been instructed to use a cheesy script or “old school” technique that can leave you feeling like a bad used car salesperson.

Does It Have to Be This Way? – Absolutely not! Fortunately, there is a different approach to sponsoring that will make this experience so much easier for you (and believe it or not – you’ll even come to enjoy it!) Women who use this approach feel so much more comfortable and confident when talking about their opportunity (and therefore take more action and get much better results than ever before).

By following this simple five-step process you’ll engage people in meaningful conversations. They’ll trust you, be a lot more open-minded, and seriously consider whether your business opportunity can help them achieve their goals. The best part? You don’t have to leave your integrity at the door.

Five Steps to Elegantly Recruit New Business Builders

Step 1: Serve, Don’t Sell – “Recruiting with integrity” is about service, not about selling. You’re not out to convince people to join your business, but to see if you can make a positive difference in their lives.

Before approaching anyone about your business, decide to come from a place of curiosity and non-attachment. Check your agenda at the door and put other people’s needs and desires first. Your prospects will pick up on your sincerity, and be more open to your questions and suggestions.

Step 2: Listen More, Talk Less – Many women (blame it on our enthusiasm) talk too much when sharing about the business. We can go into (overwhelming) detail about the compensation plan, the history of the company, or the science behind our products. We can unintentionally hijack the conversation (and leave our poor prospects staring blankly at us with that “deer in the headlights” look)!

When you are recruiting someone, spend the majority of your time listening. Ask questions to find out what is meaningful to them. Ask about their job, income, family life and kids. What are their goals? What is their ideal lifestyle? Aim to spend 80 percent of your time listening and only 20 percent talking.

By listening and asking questions you’ll learn key information about your prospect’s main problems, concerns or dreams, and how your business could possibly help them in these areas. Without uncovering and connecting to their most important problems or desires, any information you share about your business won’t carry much weight.

Step 3: Have Nothing to Hide – Many of us have been taught ways to snag prospects into discussing the business (without being completely upfront about our intentions). Ultimately, this approach just doesn’t work. People can smell your insincerity a mile away. You may get them to agree to a meeting, but they won’t be truly interested in what you have to say (and chances are, will make a last minute excuse and now even show up).

It’s better to be direct and sincere. Tell people you have a business opportunity that could possibly be very helpful to them. Point out the benefits that are relevant to them (and you know what’s important to them because you’ve listened, asked questions, and uncovered their motivation). Share how you think your business can help them reach their goals, then ask if they’d be willing to sit down over lunch or coffee to learn more.

Step 4: Take the Pressure Off – When you meet over coffee, start by taking off the pressure. People will fear that you’re going to try to sell them something they don’t want. Tell them upfront: you’re not there to convince them of anything-you just want to educate them about your business so they can make an informed decision. Let them know you only want them to join the business if it’s an absolute fit (and mean this!) and there are no hard feelings if they say “no.”

By being completely honest and up front, people will trust you more. They’ll feel more comfortable answering your questions, and you’ll be more “attractive,” especially to the more polished professionals or business people in your warm market.

Step 5: Be Willing to Not Sponsor People – So you’ve come from a place of integrity, listened, asked questions and removed any pressure. You’ve finished your coffee, but your prospect seems only mildly interested-what now?

You’re far better off sponsoring a few people who are serious about your business than many people who are not. Trust your gut (as hard as that may be!). Don’t waste time and energy trying to recruit someone who’s just not a fit – it won’t be a workable situation for either one of you.

Knowing when to let go of a prospect (and move on to someone more qualified) will give you the confidence to act with integrity. There are plenty of people who want what you have. Be brave enough (and picky enough) to find them-then everyone wins.

Sonia Stringer is a professional speaker, coach and popular mentor to women in the network marketing/direct selling profession. Known as “The Women’s Business Coach,” she is fast becoming the “go to expert” for women who want to build a 6-7 figure business from home. Sonia’s unique approach can help you earn a great income AND set up your business so you have more time (to spend with your family or doing what you love). Visit her website and to grab a free copy of her audio CD, “Six Figure Success Secrets for Network Marketing Women”. http://www.SavvyNetworkMarketingWomen.com

With juggling kids, homeschooling, home, business, everything that we as Mothers have in our hands, it can really get tough sometimes.  So, what do you do to recharge? What helps you make it through and feel creative or inspired or just able to face things again?
Here are some things that work for me.

• Meditate or Pray: Taking time to be still and quiet, and to reconnect can do wonders for the spirit.
• Journal: I journal most days, even if it’s only for a few minutes. I write down my visualization exercises and then I write down at least 5 things that I am thankful for right then.
• Thank Someone: A few times a week I randomly pick someone who I am thankful for and/or inspired by and just send a little note or email. I find that my effort to lift someone else’s spirits lifts mine too.
• Movement: Yoga, pilates, or dancing. I turn on iTunes and exercise or dance with my kids. It can really relieve stress. The days when I least feel like doing this are the days when I need to the most. If I can just make myself move I find I feel much better the rest of the day.
• Quiet Time: Sometimes I light a candle and just sit and read quietly from my Bible or an inspirational book.
• Bubbles: Yes, I know this is a stereotype, but it works. If I’m lucky and the kids are all asleep I’ll give myself 5 or 10 minutes in the bath to relax with bubbles and just work to clear my mind of all the stress.
• Coffee (aka Reward Yourself): I purchase frappucino mix and make them at home as a treat when I’m particularly stressed. Use something you love as a reward for surviving your day.
• Foot Massage or Reflexology: Giving yourself a foot massage or doing reflexology on your feet can really boost your energy level.
• Energize with your Nose: I find certain essential oils to be energizing as well — peppermint, lemon, or orange oils work for me. Some people like pine or rosemary or thyme to energize.
• Identify and Attack: A few days ago I was really stressed and I cleaned out a closet. As strange as that might sound, I identified that I was feeling “out of control” about a particular situation, and so by doing something that helped me feel organized and in control I resolved that feeling, and then was able to focus on work.
• Write it Down: Making a “to do” list before bed helps me sleep better because I don’t worry that I’ll forget something that way. It also lets me easily rank what’s important, and what I can let go of, and that helps me feel more focused and energized.
• Support Group or Coach: Sometimes we all need a little support and encouragement. One of the things that helps me tremendously is when I have a session with my business coach. Just the listening ear, outside perspective, and relentless positivity is so inspiring. I really questioned it before I gave it a try, but I can say that this is one of the best business decisions I’ve made. The accountability doesn’t hurt either when I need to motivate myself to action. Knowing someone else is going to ask if I made positive steps this month is a good motivator. But more than that it’s really recharging to get out what’s going on, what’s going wrong, what’s going right and have someone there to help you through it. So get a coach! Or find a sounding board. Talk to a friend or colleague about being accountability partners. Surround yourself with support and you’ll find comfort and inspiration.

And now, let me give you access to some great free resources for small businesses including 101 Free/Cheap Ways to Market Your Business, 119 Things You Can Outsource, and more at www.michelleshaeffer.com

Michelle Shaeffer has been a work at home mom for more than 10 years and loves to share the tips and strategies she’s learned to help other home based business owners balance, manage, and market their businesses.

Is someone a leader because they have a title in a company? Maybe, but it takes more than a title.

It’s not  just about having a team or being in charge of a group of people. Nor is it just about being a department head and in charge of budgets, giving reviews, and going to meetings. Sure that and more is important but we’re talking about being a leader.

What is it that defines a leader? There are tens of thousands upon thousands of managers, supervisors, directors, and more in the workforce. If the employees were asked if their manager, director, supervisor is a leader, what would be the response? It is my belief that a leader would ask that question to the employees. What better feedback can someone get, than the people that are affected by that person?

There are many things that define a leader and below are listed a few of them.

1. A leader is involved.  – Some would say they are involved because they are at work every day. That’s not what I mean. It is knowing what is going on with the employees and the work being performed. Leadership is being proactive rather than reactive. Leadership involves identifying potential problems and solving them, allowing employees to make decisions, and finding new and innovative ways. It is about getting the team to think and solve.

2. A leader has a vision. – Vision. Where are we going? It’s a wonderful thing. If it becomes the same day after day and the employees do not know what they are working towards, if anything, it will affect attitudes and productivity. Boredom makes the mind wander with it becoming the chore of sameness. No thinking is required. Challenge them. Get ideas. How can it be done smoother or better?

3. A leader believes in the team. – We see it in sports a lot, or dramatic plays, or school concerts, projects, etc. where having someone believe you will make a difference gets the adrenaline flowing. There is a feeling of winning and certainly not wanting to disappoint. There are great feelings about being able to complete the task and get recognized for the effort. Even daily when the leader believes in the team it makes a huge difference.

4. A leader serves the team – Yes you implement planning and it is you that sees it is carried out. Yes the employees need and should do their jobs at all times. Yes it is you making correction along the way. And yes it is you making some very hard decisions along the way. Yes it is your responsibility as the leader, to have the best team possible perform daily. But it is also part of being a leader to not blame but instead get the obstacles out of the way that may include further training, adjustments, different or better equipment, or finding new ways.

5. A leader mentors. – Who inspires you as a leader? Why? It’s probably someone who gets awards. Someone who get things done and is on time. Probably someone who is talked about well by the team members. It is a person who cares about the job, the employees, and the company. It is also someone who holds the lines, expects a lot, but is extremely fair to people. And it is someone who listens to the team to name a few. A leader will find the strengths in each member of the team.

Leaders are always becoming. By that I mean they are bettering themselves, are not afraid to learn more, can listen, try new things, and care about the team. Leaders can see where things need to go and plan to get them there. They are involved with seeing what is and is not working. Leaders are about doing what it takes to serve the customer.