WAHM Forums

I have a husband that thinks my company's products (and actually all companies products in the Party Plan Business) are way overpriced and that no one will buy them, therefore...no success. He does NOT believe you can create a full time income doing it.


Howhave youdealt with them if you have one? Is there any hope to convince them on the value or is it just a lost cause and wait for the day when you can tell him "I told you so!"

Well the best way to convince him is to "show him the money" Meaning you need to hold consistant parties and be bringing in a regular income for him to see it. Most people in this business don't succeed at it. They don't work at it long enough of hard enough (in order to make money you have to treat it like a JOB) or they spread themselves too thin (something I see a lot of on these message boards). If you don't stick with just one plan you're heading in too many different directions and none will be terribly profitable. My husband has always been supportive, but he's become far more so since I've been able to make it a regular income that's always there. Now that he sees success, he's a bigger cheerleader than he was before and he'll readily admit he's anxiously awaiting the day he can stay home and work for me! Well that's my 2 cents on it.

My hubby was SOOOOO that way when I started - part of it was he was sad listening to my whining as I tried toget bookings nightafter night on the phone all perky and then get off all discouraged - well with my first few businesses he was right - the products were way over priced - and the party stuff just really did not fly here - most everyone I know in this area has gone out of biz with strict party plans -


He was a little skeptical when I started with AVON too - but not as much - now that I've done really well - he is really proud - he tells everyone - and he actually started promoting it before I made much money - I started making a little profit my second month and was really thrilled my first year when I paid for all of christmas with my Avon money plus bought myself a new digital camera and the family a new digital camcorder - I think his jaw dropped when he opened that - LOL


He is now my biggest fan and no longer rolls his eyes when we go somewhere and I start prospecting - I just signed a new gal while we were at a casino a month ago - He was so surprised but not upset - LOL


So like others will tell you if they see you are happy and enjoying what you are doing and eventually see more money coming in than going out - they will usually come around -


Hope that helps :)


Meg

Rebecca,

Hello, I feel your pain! My husband is not supportive of my business at all! It causes more fights then anything in the history of our marriage (3yrs), and even dating (5 years on top of the 3 married). I know your frustration! It is hard to stay positive and really work your business when you have a negative person making comments at every turn, and of course it is not just a negative person it is a person who is supposed to support you through everything, be your biggest cheerleader etc. The irritating voice of negativity that you can't escape because you live with them. Ok, so now I am getting fired up smileys/smiley36.gif! Here is my plan...

Stick it to the man! Book your calendar solid, build a huge team, and make lots of money!! This is no joke, at the top of every page in my planner I put ***Prove Bryan Wrong***. Each night before I go to bed I write on the next days page names and numbers of recruit leads and/or party leads, then in the morning when I call I see my note on the top of the page that keeps me going. I know the only way to shut him up is to do great, and the money I make in the process won't hurt either.

Remember in an ideal world your husband should be your biggest supporter. In our world we need to be!

They can say what they want $ does not lie!

Good Luck With Your Business,
Melissa

P.S. If you get frustrated and want to chat let me know. My email is wahmoutreach@yahoo.com, I know you can be successful and so can I now we just have to "Stick it to the Man".
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in some ways, I think my husband was right to be skeptical because I think half the people in DS do not get anywhere or make any money (not any of us of course! we are all dedicated !! LOL)





but.. when you need help with kids to go to a party, etc. it is nice to have their support. I was the same way as Melissa.. basically I want to show him the money!! and it does help, and he does see people calling and emailing for product, so obviously I'm doing something right! its frustrating.. but show him what you can do!!





deb

You are not alone. The thing to do is take him to the store and price compare. You'd be surprised at, except Wal Mart, our prices compare.


Actually, DT has a toy in it I can find locally at our educational toy shop, and ours is cheaper! Hah! Plus take into consideration play value, durablity, etc. Take any direct sales product. You know what you find? Quality. Most of them guarantee the product. AND, don't forget awesome customer service and free shopping sprees! Direct Sales is the way to shop. smileys/smiley36.gifAnd the fact that special education teachers, daycares and hospitals not only use, but cherish our toys, well if they could find something comparable for cheaper, don't you think they'd spend their limited budget on it?


If I get this with a customer,I ask them to touch our products, then go home and touch similar items. Also, give examples. For me, my pitch is "Have you ever gone to the store, bought something that looks cool, you take it home, and your child doesn't play with it? Guess what, I don't care how much you paid, it was too much. Wouldn't you rather have the right ____ then too many ____."


Like with candles, but a cheap one, how much wax is left after you burn it? Or the after smell? What about the cheap tupperware stuff? Wouldn't you rather buy it once, then over and over again?


Plus the originality and exclusivity of some items gives a market as well.


But as said, the check is what sold my husband. And what sold me was the customers reaction, especially those who have kids with special needs, to our products.


Hope that helps a bit!


Debbie





Debbie

Rebecca,


Hugs to you! I would like to share some advice that was given to me.


First,Don't complain about your business to your husband.Share all problems,questions,concerns(from your upline,team,fellow consultants and even customers) with someone you can confide in.I believe there are some ladies on the board that would be more than happy to be your shoulder to lean on.Your husband already thinks that your party plan business is unprofitable,don't feed his negativity.Always be positive about your business.Share with the him agreat customer review,something fabulous your company is doing or maybe how much fun you had at your team meeting,telephone conference...etc


Second,With the profit that you make each month,purchase a little something forhim (alsoyour children).It doesn't have to be much,whatever yourcomm will allow.Let him(andkids)know,"This month I would like to treat you to something specialwith mypaycheck and I appreciate you".(He doesn't have to know you appreciate him not riding your back this month).


Thirdly,when you come home from your parties,fundraisers...etc,if you can wait till morning to put your orders in and after the children are asleep.Spend some alone time with him.The key to this is the time needs to be his time(something he wants to do).It may come to the point where he can't wait for you to do your party because he getsrewards when you get back:)


As a wahm or wahw(work at home wife,girlfriend,significant other),we have alot of shoes to fill and it seems we are pulled in all directions.Our kids needs us,our families need us,our husbands need us,our team needs us,our upline needs us,even our homes need us.In all of this don't forget you need you.Plan some downtime for you.A bubble bath,manicure,pedicure,shampoo&amp; style,a good book,a movie with a friend,some time with extended family....etc.


I don't know if this helps you,but I hope you can use something out of it.


Sharon

I understand where you are coming from Rebecca! I spent 3 years with the wrong company, it was my first experience in DS/NM, I thought it sounded great so I joined. I put every dime and every bit of spare time into the business. I flew across the country twice to big meetings and countless other outputs of my time and money. My husband did support me at first, but then I was not doing well!!! I really never earned anything and eventually fizzled out and quit. Henever said "I told you so" but so many times I just knew thatshow he felt.


Well, fast forward a few years, I am now with a company I love and am already earning money. My husband was very against mesigning up,we even had an argument after I didthat really upset me. I just knew that this time it HAD tobedifferent. I researched many companies first and foundone that I knew I could promote!!I knew that there was money to be made in this industry and that it was perfect for me as a stay-at-home mom.


My husband can see the many differences in this company and how Iam working differently and actually earning! I thinkhe is just quietly waiting now to see if I am going to go forward and become successful with it, or let it fizzle out. I had a big launch party recently and did really well, he was very supportive, watched the kids, and was anxious to hear about my profits when I got home :) I just can't waituntil those big monthly checks start coming in!!


So, I guess that's my plan is to justgo go go until I can show him those big checks! Good luck to you!


Carrie

Sharon, I think we were posting at the same time, but thank you for all the great tips!! Very good advice smileys/smiley1.gif

Thank you,Carrie.Choosing the right company fit is also very important.Very good advice from you as well.smileys/smiley20.gif


Sharon

Great advice Sharon! Spoken like a true leader!


Debbie

Thank you so much everyone for the great advice! It's great to know that I'm not alone when it comes to this. My husband is often my "practical side" and I was starting to think maybe he was right....but only for a minute smileys/smiley2.gif.

Hey Rebecca!


Glad you brought this up because it is one of the most common comments that I get from people on my team.


When I started in DS my husband was the same way. He is extremely practical and conservative. I actually quit my job to pursue my business and it scared him to death.


I started handing him my commission checks (or cash from parties) as soon as I got home. I would literally walk in the door...and handhim the money I'd earned. Soon, he was starting to tell his friends about my business. He actually helped me sponsor my first four consultants (his co-workers wives).


Quite honestly...I think it takes *everyone* not just husbands a long time to recognize that Party Plans aren't just "play money". My friends really don't "get it" and neither do my parents.


I often wondered what my neighbors thought when we bought a new van on my husband's police officer salary! smileys/smiley2.gif(They don't think I work...)


I would continue to show him the fruits of your labor until he figures it out. It will take time...but it is so worth it in the long run!


Good Luck...and NEVER, EVER give up!

Wow, awesome advice given!! I don't know that I can add anything to that at all.


I just want to encourage you to not give up. Follow Sharon's advice and stay positive. Keep working your business and the profits will come and when you can treat him to something special or pay a bill that comes in unexpectedly he'll realize what's going on. This has been a blessing to my family in so many ways and now my husband realizes how much I actually am contributing to our household income because we lost what I was making for a few months and got VERY behind because of it. I guess he went through the "don't know what ya got til it's gone" thing. He was always supportive of me but when I was spending every waking moment working on winning $10,000 from my former company he felt neglected but put up with it because it was going to get us out of a hole big time. Of course, that never happened because the company sold out a month and a half before I won it but that's a different story, LOL. Anyway, he appreciates what I do even more than he did before.


So, be patient, keep working and before long you'll have tangible evidence of what you are providing to your family. And he'll see how happy you are by doing it.


Take care and I wish you all the best! I'll be saying prayers for you that the Lord softens your hubby's heart toward your business and that He blesses your business and you and uses you to be a blessing to others!!

I think all this advice is wonderful and my dh was the same way. he still is to some degree but one night we had a discussion that helped. I said "anyone would love to earn the same amount of money and work less" he said 'of course' and I said "well thats what I am trying to do". I also said, even if I never actually make a dime I am happy to be doing this business. I actually LOVE it. he said "well if you love it then I can support that. So, he started being supportive not of "the business" but of me in the business. I also actually use the products in my home and so he gets to see how they work and how great they are. He said the other day"why do you always burn that fresh linen one (I sell candles) I liked that hot apple pie one you had the other day. I want you to burn that one.smileys/smiley36.gifSo he is coming around.


But heres my advice : first I made a ligitamate plan. I have goals of both monthly income that grows till I get to my goal and I also have recruting goals and things like that. i have made up a realistic plan of attack and he sees that. I have also set up a home office and some other things to prove that to me this is a business and not just a hobby. I showed these business plans to my dh and that helps because men are very logical and they like to see goals and you achieving the goals. I always tell my dh about my goals and how close I am to the goals...like this is my goal for this month and then I say I only have to make X amount more and I have reached my april goal. I even post the info on the fridge. I think its good for my kids to see too.


The other thing I did was to ask my dh for help. guys are problem solvers and they like to feel like they "saved the day" So my dh is going to school to be an electricain and so I asked him to put some plug ins in my office and I also asked him for some help on the computer and now he is all gung ho on "helping me". So see if you can ask for his "help" occasionally and see if that doesn't appeal to his macho side and he might be more supportive.


Hope that helps a little!smileys/smiley1.gif

My husband thought I was nuts, but since I have had sucess and he has been able to enjoy the product too (wine!) he has come around. There will alwyas be nay-sayers, (my family thought I was nuts too) but if you can show them that you are serious about the business and enjoying what you do, they'll come around.


Husbands are more difficult, because it is their financial health that is at risk too. But, if you can styart out with a modest inventment of $ and then build your investment commensurate with your success, then it will seems less "risky" to him. I started with TTV for $129, spent less than $40 to buy things for my kick off party at my house and made $150 and got bookings, so pretty early off I recouped my initial expense. Now, the company has made it even more affordable to start ($99 kit) and I hear is going to announce a rebate offer for consultants who attend one of our taste of the business meetings across the country. I have heard other companiesdo a similar 'rebate' on their starter kits, which is a great idea.


I think the ability to recoup your initial cost pretty rapidly is a very important thing to point out to your significant other to get them on board early on.


All the best, Lori

I just had to reply to this thread because I sort of expected some
skepticism on the part of my husband. Afterall, I was a bit
skeptical myself (not of the product, but more of my ability to
sell!). Anyway, I am SO excited about my company and the products
that I ended up talking my husband's ear off about it. I thought
he might have been bored, but instead it got him excited and he has
been telling all of his co-workers and friends. I would have
eventually asked him to pass the word along, but he did it without a
bit of encouragement from me. Considering that my husband isn't
someone who wouldn't ever even think to try to sell something, this is
amazing.



Anyway, I'm expecting my first few sales to come from HIS efforts!



I agree with other ladies... just show him the potential and be careful
not to get yourself in over your head. If you make a small
investment, you should be able to earn most of it back before you need
to invest more. That should make him feel more comfortable.



Is he skeptical about Discovery Toys?! If you want to sell them,
you'll be able to. You've got an excellent variety of quality
toys! Sometimes you need to pay a little more for quality, but
it's definitely worth it in the end.



=},

Christy

MEN NEED TO SEE THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is what they are all about.





I brough my husband to a show! I made $700 in a weekend and he perked up! LOL He know understands and is 100% behind me closing my daycare doors! Yahooo May 1st I am running my business full time!

I know exactly what you mean!! My husband did not want me to join a romance company. He was dead set against it. But I did anyway without him knowing.


When the kit arrived he was actually a littleintriguedby it when he saw the contents! Then when the bookings started he asked me for some business cards! Then after my 1st party last week-end in which I sold $576 HE was totally sold. Imade 50% of that!


Yours will come around too, he needs to see the MONEY!!


Good Luck!

I remember one day casually asking my husbad to please deposit my check
with his. I pointed to the table, and when he saw how much it was, he asked
if I got a refund from sending my products back. I said "No. That's my
bonus check for this month."He quickly got the messge and joined me
in the company. I did the skin care, and he did (and still does) the nutrition
company.

Nondy