June Monthly Meeting Tidbits - Flip Flops!

Thank you to all who attended our June Monthly Meeting!

To celebrate the official beginning of the summer season, we wore flip flops (which I forgot to take a picture of) and discussed products that can be "flip flopped"... either literally or by its use. This is a fun "theme party" idea that you can share with potential hostesses. Call it "Flip Flops & Fizzies" or "Flip Flops & Frou Frou Drinks" or "Flip Flops & Fun"... have the guests wear flip flops and then give a freebie to the person show is voted to have the best/cutest/ugliest flip flops! During your presentation, you can highlight a series of products that can be "flip flopped"... either literally or by its use.

The ideas for "flip flopping" we discussed tonight are:

• Hemingway Hurricane: a great piece that can be easily "flip flopped" from a decorating item to an entertaining item! Lori shared that she loved seeing this product when she was at a party and it contained a layered trifle in it. She thinks it is a great piece for those who are decoratively challenged becuse you can throw just about anything inside and it looks great! She brought it tonight filled with bright lemons... very cute!

• Entertaining Bucket: another great piece that can be "flip flopped" between organizing (as a catch all, toy bucket, magazine holder), decorating (plants, firewood, decorative towels), and entertaining (filled with ice for drinks!). The base of Entertaining Stand can also be flipped upside down. When it is upside down, the Bountiful Bowl sits inside the stand. You can also put the Jamestown Tray on the upside down stand and create a little decorative table. Melissa loves this product and often uses it as a catch all to organize things... even in her car!

• The Galveston Tray: flip it upside down to be used decoratively or to create height on a serving table. Both Ashley & Jenny love this one... when it's not sitting on the back of a toilet, it can be used as an elevated serving piece (flip in upside down and top it with an appetizer tray). Ashley loves using this on her dresser top (apparantly her toilet is in the minority of toilets and doesn't hold the tray on it's back!)... she throws her everyday jewelry and perfume on it.

Other items that make great "flip floppers" include:

• The Cinnabar Footed Server
• Galveston Hurricane
• Barley Twist Pedestal
• Rosedale Plant Holders

What other products do you lilke to "flip flop"?

Leave a comment and share an idea!

Be sure to check your workstations for the new June announcements! I've updated the side of the blog with new incentive flyers, July specials,and July outside order forms! Be sure to check out all the announements on the workstation though :)

Stay the Course

As summer heats up, business usually tends to slow down. Truth be told, my personal business slows way down in the months of May, June and July. You may experience the same thing, but the most important thing you can do is NOT SHUT DOWN completely!

Do whatever you can to keep your business going, at a minimum, during the summer months! Try to hold a few parties and start talking up the new catalog that will debut in August! People WILL book NOW for August... you just have to tell them WHY they want to get on your calendar now! I've been telling people that August is likely to be a Double Hostess Dollar month. While that is not a "for sure" thing, it is likely and I give that caveat to the hostesses as we discuss their August booking. Also, people love a new catalog with new products... another reason to "sell" August bookings. August is generally one of my BEST sales months... as long as I get it booked in ADVANCE! So, don't be afraid to start talking it up with your friends, family, and of course, your customers!

The other thing you need to do this month is prepare for a July clearance sale! It is very likely that we will have a Summer Clearance sale in which approximately 50-60 items will be marked down to clearance prices. I generally "work" this sale as hard as I can. I recommend preparing for this sale by doing the following:

1. Make sure your Insider newsletter is updated with emails for all your friends, family, hostesses, and customers


2. I also keep an email "group" in my personal email system. I make sure this "group" is updated to include ALL of my customer's emails. This is the group I will email when the sale announcement is made.


3. If you use PostCalls, I suggest updating a group of "best customers" and/or "hostesses". I always make a PostCall to my "best customers" and my "hostesses" to remind them to check their email and my website to get the sale details.

Once the sale announcement is made, I will be forwarding you an email that I personally use to send to my customers. You are welcome to use it for your customers as well. However, please review my personal policies in that email before sending it out to your customers! Due to the sheer volume of customers I have acquired in the past 3 1/2 years, I can "afford" to offer a reduced shipping rate and waive the required $29.95 minimum purchase. You should change these policies to reflect how YOU want to work your own sale!

So Stay the Course...

August - December are the VERY best sales months! I promise you that if you stay consistent this summer, start working to book August in July, and keep a positive attitude, you WILL make MONEY this Fall!