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1. Never hold a show outside a 2-3 week
window-if the party is more than 3 weeks away when they say yes,
they have time re-think, get talked out of, or change their minds.
In some cases it's ok, but for the most part, if they want more than
2 weeks, you'll just be scheduling a cancellation.
2. Get a guest list within 48
hours of dating the party. And, then mail out the invites ASAP.
Guests should be getting their invites about 10-12 days before the
party-don't worry that they'll be getting them too soon--your host
should be phoning those guests a couple of days before to remind
them anyway. (Hint-it's a lot tougher to cancel out on a commitment
if the invites have gone out) And, be sure that your host gets an
invite too. I always mailed out the hosts invite after I mailed out
her guests-this way, she knows that by the time she gets hers,
everyone else has gotten theirs.
3. Coach your host well. Let
her know, up front in your first meeting, that the date you schedule
out for her is just for her. And, don't feel obligated to allow
anyone to reschedule without a fight. This is YOUR business, and
when you commit to something, you stick to it. Too many people think
of our jobs as just fun hobbies. Let them know that, by canceling
(most often times within a day or two before their party), they have
had that date tied up and you could not schedule anyone else on that
date at this late time. I always told my hosts they got 1 chance to
reschedule in my book, and no more. My job is important, and I just
don't have time to be rescheduling all the time. Be firm, honest,
and stick to your word on it.
4. It is my personal impression
that incentives don't work. Well, sometimes, but for the most part,
if they really don't want it or care about it, it does you no good.
Your companies have host plans and guest incentives, use those, and
only offer special incentives in rare occasions. Otherwise, they
begin to know what you're going to do, and if they know that you
offer a certain thing every certain month or date, they'll wait for
that.
5. Most of all, remember that
your business is your income. Don't let people push you into working
on days you don't want to, in areas you don't want to, and with
people you don't want to. You are in control of your business, not
them. Set your limits, stick to them, and lay them out on the table
to each and every host. And always, ALWAYS be consistent in what you
do. Yes, some times variation is good and fun., but if your
customers don't know where you stand, or if your hosts think they
can take control over you, they sure are going to try-and where will
your business go if every time you turn around, someone else is
telling you how to do your business?
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