Hosting a direct sales party is amazing: you earn free or discounted products, you get to have a fun catch-up with friends or family and you get to shop leisurely.
I certainly can’t imagine walking into a normal retail store with eight friends and three bottles of bubbly and expect a staff member to spend two hours exclusively with us. Can you imagine the response if we demanded to sample as many products as we wanted and then expect free and discounted products at the end? I suspect we’d be invited never to return…
What we have to offer in our industry is very special. The best way to overcome booking objections is to be confident with the fact that you are in fact offering something fabulous. If you anticipate objections and are prepared with an answer, you’ll have a full diary!
I’ve written about common booking objections such as no time, house too small, and the worry that friends aren’t interested. You can read about that here.
Below I’ve listed 3 more common objections to hosting a party with suggestions on how to respond.
“My husband won’t like the idea”
Perhaps their husband is tired and just wants to watch television and decompress in the evening. Perhaps their husband likes peace and quiet when at home because he sees enough people through their work. Either way, there are several things you can offer this person.
First of all, you can offer to work around the husband’s schedule. Perhaps you can offer a party or workshop on a morning or afternoon when the husband is not home.
Remember that you can also offer different party formats. Perhaps this host is more comfortable with a couple of friends around the kitchen table, or perhaps she would actually love to have 10 of her friends over. Make sure she knows you can accommodate her.
If your company offers men’s products, it might be nice for this host to shop for a few things for her husband so he gets something out of it too.
“We are tired of parties”
Oh dear, your potential hostess is all partied out! Again, make sure she knows you can offer different party formats and different themes to accommodate her tastes.
Also explain that a direct sales party isn’t just a party, it’s an interactive and fun shopping experience. Tell her you are her boutique retailer and you bring the shop to her and some friends. Sometimes reframing what it is that you offer will make all the difference.
My friends don’t have extra money
Explain the different payment methods you accept. You can also point out that hosting a party is the best way to get free or discounted products. If you have any guest offers going as well, make sure to mention them.
Remember that practice is key. The more you attempt to overcome objections, the easier it will be become and the more confidence you gain.
I’m curious to hear if you’ve come across any other objections to booking an in-home party. Be sure to leave a comment below to share your experiences with the community.
Ready to unlock the secrets to overcoming objections?
Across 8 modules, you’ll learn how to spark interest at your parties, find new team members and overcome objections.
