A common mistake I see a lot of direct sellers make is to take party bookings whenever and wherever people want them. I used to make this mistake myself.
I’d be so happy someone booked with me and I wanted to accommodate my hosts so I’d basically let them dictate my diary.
This caused chaos in my family life and interrupted plans. I even started to resent hosts who booked at a time that I didn’t really wanted to work or times that actually interrupted family time. Of course that was a little silly because I was the person who allowed that happen in the first place and it wasn’t the host’s fault – they had no idea!
The solution is to take control of your diary and your bookings so you can have a life too!
How to take control of your bookings diary
Step 1: Decide when you want to do parties or demonstrations.
If, for example, Sunday is a family day for you then mark Sundays as family time not as business time. If you play sports on a Tuesday, then cross that off as business time.
I used to keep my weekends open for bookings but I would only party on one day. If I booked a party on Sunday I’d keep Saturday for family and the other way around. That way I’d always have one day each weekend to spend with my family.
If you’d like a free direct sales planner to help you take control of your time, you can grab one here.
Step 2: Learn what to say to help promote the times you want to take bookings.
I’ve always found that once you get one party on your preferred day, it’s easier to keep that flow because bookings from that event usually stick to the same day and time. After all, it worked for them in the first place.
Here are some examples you can make your own:
Monday is often a lost night for many people. Why not start your week in a really positive way by having a ….. party?
Tuesday is a very popular night for parties. I find that people have so many activities scheduled for family towards the end of the week that my Tuesday parties have the best attendance.
Wednesday parties are usually very successful! It’s the middle of the week and people generally feel caught up on work and are happy to socialize and play with our beautiful products.
For many people Thursdays are a night out. The parties I book on Thursdays are usually a hoot because everyone is already looking forward to the weekend.
Friday parties are excellent! It’s the end of the week and most people have finished work so they’re happy to come and have a glass of wine and a chat.
Step 3: Have a system to direct bookings to specific days
You can also control your diary by using ‘Star Dates’ and an incentive for people who book on your preferred dates. Print off a calendar for the month and put stars on the dates you want to party. Say something like: I have Wednesday the 17th free, which is a Star Date. That means you get a product XYZ / other incentive if you book on that day!
To prevent cancellations and no-shows, follow that up with: I have found that parties held within 2 weeks are always the most successful. People know what they’re doing in the coming fortnight but usually don’t want to commit yet to a month down the track.
This way you can control your diary and they get an extra little something for accommodating you!
These tips will help you to have a better work/life balance and not let your hosts dictate your life. It’s tempting to just take any time and date someone wants a booking, but in the long run you’ll need to direct bookings to times that suit you and your family so you don’t burn out.
