Christmas Open House - Amazon S3



Christmas Open House—

By Rita Schaefer, Exec. Sr. Sales Director

Date: I have an “annual” event—held the same time each year—the week before Thanksgiving and always on Wednesday and Thursday. Choose a date that works with your customers. Also check dates so they do not conflict with huge community events, such as Southern Christmas Show, etc., which does happen to me—Raleigh’s Christmas show always starts on my Thursday. However, it has not been a problem.

Time: 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM. Choose a time that you think will catch the most people. I have in the past kept my hours until 8 PM—but would only have a few who came that late. Again—these hours work best for me & my customers. You may consider setting up appointments instead of just having your hours open.

Reason for my scheduled date—(mid-week & right before Thanksgiving): The world goes crazy after Thanksgiving and has no time for anything. Weekends have become a busy time for all, including me. I have found that women have more flex time during the week regardless if they are a working woman or a stay at home mom.

Planning is important—keep a file year after year, with pictures & ideas. This makes it easier to remember what you did last year. Write down everything you did so you can remember what to do the next time. With digital camera’s now, you can “file” your pictures on line & share with your team members to help them build a solid Christmas Business.

Also, you can encourage other consultants, (preferably your team members) to be your assistants to watch & learn what & how you do things. They can assist with getting orders together, doing Satin Hands, answering questions, and greeting at the door. This is especailly helpful for new consultants who do not have a large customer base. They can also invite some of their customers to stop by & shop—of course filling their orders with their own inventory or taking orders.

Inventory & supplies: Make sure you have sufficient product! They are coming to buy and your best profits are when they take it with them and you don’t have “deliveries”. You will also need a good supply of sales tickets, bags, beauty books and samples. Mary Kay shopping bags add a beautiful touch to the shopping experience (they take one at the door to fill as they shop). I order 1-2 of these each time I order thru out the year so I do not have the added expense at one time. If you have not planned on this, you can purchase nice shopping bags at the Dollar stores or Paper stores for usually $.50 each. Watch the sales.

Decorations & Atmosphere: I keep this very simple but with a Christmas theme. A Christmas bow on the mailbox, wreath on door, small tree on front porch, and potpourri brewing. A little bit of garland here & there, wrapped around a staircase, adds so much to the festive look. I collect Santas and put them all around and I use Christmas dishes for candies and food. I do not have my house completely decorated for Christmas. How nice that would be—but that just doesn’t happen!

Purchase at least 1 or 2 poinsettias—it get’s the Christmas spirit going!

Use “Red & Green” markers & holly stickers on price tags & product info signs. What I find works best for these are name cards or blank note cards that fold over & stand by each product.

M&M’s and peanuts all around house—the red & green M&M’s are usually out by this time. The sweet & salty is a favorite for my guest.

Holiday music & candles to set the festive mood.

Food: I do more here than the usual cookies and coffee or cider. Get someone to help you with refreshments, or visit your local deli for a sandwich tray. This again is based on your attendance, which you hope will grow from year to year.

• --I order a Club sandwich large tray & a large Veggie tray with dip, but have the deli divide these on to 2 smaller trays so I have fresh trays for the next day.

• I have cheese, crackers & green & red grapes on a platter, banana bread (a box mix, made the night before while I am setting up the displays)

• Cream cheese & hot pepper jelly with Town house crackers (a favorite that my customers comment on each year..)

• Assorted cookies & also pretzel sticks with mustard dip.

I encourage the working ladies to have “lunch” with me & shop too. I do have a large turnout of working girls. And, they usually bring me new customers because they invite other women from their office to join them. (This gets them extra tickets for door prizes too)—I have lots of working ladies who come on their lunch hour. Offer lunch—they come!

Set Up: The key is that as your customers walk in, that the eye travels to what you want to feature the most. Usually the dining room is right off the entrance & this is where I host the “main attraction”—with all products displayed. Use boxes for varied height & mirrored trays for glamour displays. Always spotlight our newest at the front of the table. When I introduced the AM & PM Solutions this way, they were an instant hit & sold immediately-- I sold over 30 Sets—that alone was $1500. (AM & PM was before our Day & Night Solutions) It was the first thing they saw as they entered. Every year the newest products are “introduced” to the customers who may have seen them in the Look book but have not had the opportunity to try yet.

Product information: Most customers don’t want to have to ask “how much” for things. I take apart the Look Books & laminate the pages (you can purchase laminate sheets or purchase a cool laminator at a craft store) the company has done all of the art work for us—why not utilize it? Any gift “sets’ that I have put together, are priced with a stand up name card (mentioned above)

Gift Ideas: I have lots of odds & ends that I have picked up in “after Christmas sales”. (50% off). But, the dollar stores still do carry nice mugs & plates so you do not have to spend too much for your presentation tools. Also, AC Moore, Joann’s & Michael’s have nice baskets etc for presentation. I also use Lasting Impressions for the majority of shreds & fillings & cute ideas…makes it so easy for me.

Displays:

• TimeWise, Miracle Sets, all supplements. This is a great place to show your “Sets” placemats to create a good visual & also to show them the value of booking with you to earn lots free.

• Fragrance table: Spice containers with cotton balls sprayed with the fragrance for them to try. Label with name of fragrance. / Have a container of coffee beans near by to cleanse their sense of smell between fragrances. (get these at Bed, Bath stores for $.99)

Glamour Collection Area: With all colors & shades of blushers, lip & eye colors as well as pencils. I use the MK display trays to show the actual product.

Sun & Spa Line -Specialty Items Table-new merchandise

Accessories—Brush sets & other applicators -Men’s Products

Gift Idea Table-Christmas Collections -Sale Table-discontinued merchandise

Satin Hands (one at the kitchen sink & in bathroom too)

Famous Bargain Area: All “discontinued” & “classic” products on special. Some, depending on how long in my inventory—greatly reduced and move out very well. Use “buy 2 get 1 free”—some items even below cost to “clean out.” What I do not want to keep, I donate to the Woman’s shelter or Woman’s prison. It is better to take the tax deduction than to have it sit on your shelf & fool you into thinking you have lots of inventory.

At Entrance: Give them a Mary Kay Shopping Bag (I order these through out the year), stocking stuffer list and holiday gift list. Pens, pencils, and a note card to write down as they go what they want. (Many things can be picked up off the table and put in shopping bag.) Also, Mary Kay literature and recruiting literature.

Answering Machine: "Hello and Merry Christmas.!! Yes, today is my Christmas Open House and I’m probably with a customer at this moment…the hours are 9:30 am - 7:00 pm Wednesday & Thursday. Please leave your name & order & we will have it ready when you stop by. Bring a friend & receive another entry for the door prizes. And, don’t forget your invitation! Fill out & tear off the bottom portion & YOU could be the lucky winner to receive your TOTAL order FREE. See you soon!!!

Order Area: Have sales tickets, beauty books, and money bag with change, calculator, pens, samples, preferred Customer Gifts, & Customer files. Give them a Wish List to complete so you can talk to Santa for them.

Invitations: Postcard stock paper—something bright that catches their eye. Put 2 or 4 to a sheet & mail as a postcard. Or, a full sheet done in color & tri-folded, taped & labeled to me mailed. Mail out 1½ weeks before event. Mail on Monday—receive on Wednesday --one week before. I have hired someone to call customers for me this year (I should call and follow-up—but I never seem to have the time—maybe I could break $13,000 with some phone work!!) If I do have a “lull” time—very unusual—I will try to call a few to remind them. This is also a good time to check the answering machine.

This is also a great time to update addresses on Preferred Customer mailing. The “returned” invitations are back to me usually in time for Spring Preferred Customer deadline.

IMPORTANT: I have on the invitation for them to call me in advance with their regular MK order, so that it will be ready when they come by. This helps tremendously—already bagged & sub-totaled.

Door prizes & incentives: Get 1 ticket for every $10 purchase; bring a friend and get another ticket or “hostess” a class by bringing 3 or more non-Mary Kay user friends with you and receive “HC” (Hostess Credit) on their purchases.

Door prizes: Have a basket available for tickets. I give away $ amounts in product—starting at $50 down to $10. I give away 5 door prizes. Example- 1st prize--$50. in Mary Kay Product. 2nd Prize--$40. in MK Product etc.

Music: Have Christmas tapes or CD’s playing.

Discounts: 15% on all products—this is the only time I offer a discount except for their birthday month of 10%--November and December Birthdays receive 25% off—only fair!

Be prepared. Check that your clothes are ready, nails polished, be your best!

Say a little prayer and have a successful open house.

Get a good night of rest the night before.

Always call those who did not come and set up a time for them to come by when it is convenient or when you can go to them.

Men’s Night—invite husbands of good customers to an evening preview. Offer free gift-wrapping and delivery. Take orders for 12 Days of Christmas. Men need us to make suggestions to them!!! And, when you offer free gift wrapping & delivery, you have them as a customer!! Don’t be afraid to call them, they are the ones who will spend the money & not think about it!

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