Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisajean
I know I can't count on family and friends to carry me through, but if they won't even help me start, that could be a problem.
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This is one reason that I always say do a debut show and don't ask your friends and family their opinion
Because most of the time, they are not going to be encouraging.
This is what I did when I joined. I set a date for a debut and invited people. I sent out a full sized catalog with each invitation (we didn't have mini catalogs then!). I didn't ask their opinion, I simply invited them and showed them the products (or a sampling of the products). My family did not show up. I mailed about 40 catalogs (thank goodness for the Mini catalogs now!) and had about 6 friends show up. These were not my best friends. Most of them were "second tier" friends. Not my besties.
I sold $700 and got 3 bookings. Why? Because I loved the product, because I prepared and was ready to show them how to use the products (and thus build value and reason to make a purchase) and I gave them the opportunity to see the products in person. I can't tell you how many times I have heard from previous customers who had only purchased from the catalog in the past about how much different it was to see it in person. They can see the fabrics, the stitching, the size, the colors.
I say that it is best to ask the question of hosting after you have actually given them a chance to be excited about the product. This maximizes your chance that they will say yes.
In my experience, friends and family, just really aren't that encouraging when starting a new business. It isn't their business so I see no value in asking their opinion. They are either going to support you or they aren't. Your success is not determined by that. Yes, it might be easier if they help you get started but this is not an easy business. It is a simple business but if you want to make full time income, then it will not be easy. Even if you have a great product at a great price and work with a great company, you have to put in effort and be willing to overcome challenges. If you are not, then you will not succeed. Business will not come to you-especially at first. You have to go get it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. The rewards for your efforts are greatly rewarded in this business but it does take effort, persistence, and tenacity.
Make a decision to sell what you love and give it your best shot. Work with your sponsor to come up with a game plan that gives you your best shot at success.
I always remember that Thomas Edison tried over 1000 times to create the light bulb. Someone asked what made him keep going after failing so many times. He said he never thought of it as failure. He said he thought of it like "I have figured out another way it is not going to work". Now there is General Electric.
10-06-2014, 05:41 PM
