Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Daily Flight Plan, March 13th, Booking Parties

Wednesday, March 13th - Booking Parties
     You made or updated your list of 100 last night right?  I know, you're getting anxious now.....it's ok.....woosah!  I guarantee you that WHEN you pick up your phone and start making these calls, some people are going to tell you 'no thanks', or 'right now isn't a good time for me'.....that's ok!  It's not personal ya'll!  We tell our kids 'no', we tell friends 'no', right?  For some reason, so many of us are terrified of this little two-letter word.  I promise you, it does NOT hurt...AND, guess what?  Eventually you get used to it and learn that it's really not that bad at all!  So, Wednesdays mission - get ON the phone.  Not your computer, no email, no Facebook, you're going to actually talk to people today - woot!
     ****Remember:  Having home parties are the lifeblood of the Scentsy Family Business.  This is where you'll get your bread and butter for growing your business and you'll be diving into previously undiscovered networks of hostesses, recruits, referrals (and just good old plain fun times!).  In order to get some parties booked, we're going to break this down into a few quick and easy steps over the next few days.  Make sure your phone is charged, and have some water nearby!!  

Get down to it:
     1.     Grab your family calendar(s) for the current month and your updated list of 100 - You already identified your available dates last night. 
     2.     Grab your phone and get ready! Pick five names from any category.......take a deep breath....
     3.     Smile & Dial honey!  Get in as many calls as you can in 15 minutes!  Less than five, more than five, so be it.  

  • If you get voicemail, keep your message short - an example: "Hi Anna, when you get a minute, would you mind giving me a call back?" 
  • If you connect with someone, keep it short and informal - something to the effect of:  "Hi Anna!  How are you?  I just wanted to let you know that our new Spring and Summer Catalog has just been released, and I thought of you as I thumbed through it and as I smelled all of the great new fragrances we have this season - I wanted to see if you might be interested in hosting a party in the next few weeks?"  Your call doesn't have to be any more than that!  
** If you're booking April parties because March is already full for you, then you can mention the host exclusive - only available to our qualifying host parties, BRICKS!  In ten of our all-time best-selling fragrances!!  What a great tool to use to book parties!!

Monday, March 11, 2013

Daily Flight Plan - Booking Parties


The Pre-Flight Checklist

  • Are you using dedicated time for this?  You've cleared your calendar, the kids (animals, husbands, etc.!) are occupied.
  • Take a deep breath, and get rid of all of your perfectionism, get the tasking done, and move on with your life!
  • Set your timer for 15 minutes and go!
Tuesday, March 12th - Booking Parties
     Having home parties is the lifeblood of the Scentsy Family Business.  This is where you'll get your bread and butter for growing your business and you'll be diving into previously undiscovered networks of hostesses, recruits, referrals (and just good old plain fun times!).  In order to get some parties booked, we're going to break this down into a few quick and easy steps over the next few days.  Make sure your phone is charged, and have some water nearby!!  
Get down to it:
     1.     Grab your family calendar(s) for the current month

     2.    Pick out four potential dates that you can work in parties within the next 30 days.  This doesn't mean that you will have or are limited to four parties, these are simply the dates you have available at the moment.  When you get to tomorrow's tasking, you'll see why this is important.  
     3.     Pick up your original list of 100 from your New Consultant Startup Guide, or download a copy from the Workstation, give yourself no more than ten minutes, and go!  Keys to successful list of 100 making:

  • Don't let yourself second-guess any names.  If it comes to mind, just go with it! 
  • Be QUICK!  This is not an exercise that requires strategic thinking, just get the names on the list and GO! 
That's it!  That's all!  Enjoy the rest of your day!!  

Daily Flight Plan - Organization

Scentsy Headquarters, Meridian, Idaho

The Pre-Flight Checklist

  • Are you using dedicated time for this?  You've cleared your calendar, the kids (animals, husbands, etc.!) are occupied.
  • Take a deep breath, and get rid of all of your perfectionism, get the tasking done, and move on with your life!
  • Set your timer for 15 minutes and go!


Monday, March 11th - Organization - Where is your 'office'?
     Your Scentsy Family business, whether it's a fun hobby or you plan to become a millionaire, is still a business, and should have an area that is dedicated and functional when you sit down to work your business.  So today's task involves designating and preparing your Scentsy Family Office space.  "Autumn, I already have a desk.......that's my office"....ok, ladies hear me out?
     A dedicated space can a plastic box that houses your supplies for a quick set-up in your living room, or maybe it's a corner of the dining room table, or perhaps you have an entire desk or physical office space that is dedicated to the time you spend working your business. All of these are great, but if you have to get up, out of your seat to get things, change things out, go find a pen, find a calculator, ribbon, etc. that takes away time from your life outside of your business.  I have found that if I know it's going to take me a little while to get all of my supplies together, I tend to procrastinate accomplishing a task, so instead let's make sure that you're ready to go so when you sit down to work, you can focus on it and knock it out as quickly as possible and then get back to living life!!

5 Minutes each for these tasks:

1.     Choose your space & make it work
* Pick the space you want to consistently conduct business
* Clear any serious clutter from the space by grabbing three shopping bags, one each for Give Away, Throw Away, Put Away.

2.    Make a list of all business tools/supplies you need ready access to.  What business tools do you need ready access to when it's time to work your business?  Common supplies include
* Pens
* Mailing Labels
* Envelopes
* Markers
* Paper Clips
* Staples/Stapler
* Highlighter
* Postage Stamps/Meter/Scale
* Not pad (s)
* Ribbon (for bagging orders)
* Scissors
* What else do you need....?

3.     Gather the items on your list that aren't already at your physical workstation and put them there.  If you're using your living room, or you have a roving 'office' based on your family schedule, a plastic bin with each of these items works great and everything can go back into the bin when you're done with your business for the day, otherwise, make sure all of the tools you need are easily accessible to you in your dedicated space and ready for next time you need them.


Autumn.....this is too easy.....
If that's how you're feeling, that's OK!!!  I have intentionally and systematically broken down tasks into fifteen minute segments, so they're easily accomplished.  We can knock them out, feel like we've accomplished something, get motivated for the next task, but not burn ourselves out to the point that we don't want to look at anything Scentsy Family related because we're so worn out!  The tasking might be simple, but do it, take pride in it, and look forward to the next Flight Plan!

Team One Sweet World - Daily Flight Plan Introduction


Hello Ladies! 

I am thrilled that you have decided to join me in this first ever run of the Daily Flight Plan!  This will be an iterative tool that grows and changes as I find things that work, get feedback from you all, as well as from other Directors on my approach.  My intent is that this is a helpful daily tool, applicable to each of your businesses, regardless of your rank or title within the Scentsy Family, and that you'll give this fifteen minutes each day to accomplish the tasks that come out in the Flight Plan.  No more, no less.  Perfectionism MUST be a thing of the past, or you run the risk of burning yourself out, and letting your business fall to the wayside, and I want nothing more than to help you succeed!

15 Minutes?
     Yes, fifteen minutes!  This means, when you get to your dedicated time to knock out the activities in the Flight Plan, set a timer.  Do not get caught up in perfecting details - accomplish the tasks as quickly as you can and get on with your day!  By no means, am I saying that fifteen minutes a day is what we will all be able to work our businesses and be successful, this is simply a tool to help you re-focus on the foundational pieces of running your business, so don't go overboard or let any of this overwhelm you.
     If you don't finish a task in fifteen minutes, complete as much as you can, and come back to it next time we hit that topic (we'll circle back on it, promise!).  After this first month of Daily Flight Plans, you'll be ready to change this routine to adjust for the scale you intent to grow your business.  Also, during the month, you'll have added at least one party to your calendar, so the tasks that come along with entering your party into the workstation are not figured into these fifteen minutes.  Outside of the 'busy-ness' of business, this will unfold a solid roadmap to help keep or get you on track to help you hit on each of the keys to successful growth of your SF Business:

  • Selling
  • Sponsoring
  • Hostess Coaching
  • Business Tools/Organization

What's my first assignment?
     Day one of the Flight Plan begins tomorrow (Monday, March 11th), so you have a little bit of homework before you jump into your first assignment tomorrow.  Take some time to look at your family schedule, and determine a dedicated time to accomplish your Daily Flight Plan tasking.  You need fifteen minutes of uninterrupted time - it can be at 5:30 AM, or 5:30 PM, but it is imperative this becomes a part of your daily routine.  Identify the time, and work that time.  If you decide it needs to change over time based on family/work/school needs, absolutely make the change, just make sure that your time is as consistent as possible.  When it's part of your routine, it becomes second-nature!

Final thoughts before we jump in......

  • Have FUN!
  • You can do anything for fifteen minutes!
  • Some tasks may seem menial, or perhaps you have already done them - what have you got to lose by doing them again?  Give this a real shot, and see where it takes you!
  • Here we go!!  The First Flight Plan is on it's way very soon!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

All Expenses Paid - Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
All expenses paid......

I woke up early, last week Monday to go to the airport to catch a chartered flight out of the contry...someone pinch me! I really went to the Dominican Republic for six days?!  And it was ALL paid for?!

Ok, so I have to admit, when I signed up with Scentsy, I was more skeptical than anyone, thinking to myself, nobody ever actually earns the free trips you hear about, or gets promoted in these companies.  "Don't get your hopes up Autumn" - BUT - I promised myself I'd give it the old college try and if it didn't work out, what would I lose?  $99?  I spend that at Target all the time....I'd write it off on our taxes and be one our merry way.  Much to my surprise, people DO earn those trips, and I, yes me, Autumn, was one of them - four months after joining the Scentsy Family!  I had an amazing time too!  I got to meet a TON of other consultants and we talked shop, enjoyed lounging on the beach, partied Scentsy Style at our 70's/80's party, then a beautiful White party.....it wasn't a dream!  I have pictures to prove it! Now that I've been once, I have to be on all of the future incentive trips, I refuse to miss out!  Join me!!  As of today, we have 32 inspiring women on my team, and we're looking for great, hard-charging additions all the time!!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Up...up....and away!

Independent Scentsy Director....I like the sound of that!  But, what's in a title?  In many brick and mortar 9-5 companies these days, we have titles nobody has ever heard of, or are simply not applicable to what people are actually accomplishing on a daily basis such as "Director of Excellence"....hmm.

On the other hand, when you are running a direct sales business, your title actually equates to specific, quantifiable, achievements that you have attained.  So, out in the general population, the term Indpendent Scentsy Director isn't going to mean much, but if you're a Scentsy Consultant, you know exactly what that person has had to work for to accomplish that milestone.

In the 9-5 world, it's frowned upon to give people too many promotions too close together - don't want them to get ahead of themselves after all!  How awesome is it that in a Scentsy business, with determination, some creativity, positivity and perseverance, you can achieve multiple promotions (and commensurate raises!) every month if you choose to?  In six months since I joined, I have had five promotions and this month made it Director and have 21 amazing women on my team.  I'm not stopping here though, my goals reach much higher, but I am elated to have reached this milestone in my Scentsy Career!  The sky is the limit and the world is your oyster, so get out there and make it happen for yourself!

If you're interested in what has worked for me, here are my quick tips to success - they worked to get me to Director in six months, hopefully they'll help you too!

1. Set your goals and a plan - One of the mantras I live by is 'plan your work and work your plan' - you can't make your plan if you have nothing to plan toward.  So set your goal, and work backward from there to see what it will take to reach it, set up your plan, and move forward!  Regularly check to see what is working, and what isn't; tweak your plan accordingly and march on.

2. Get over yourself! Yep, biggest problem in my mind, of not being successful in a venture we set out in is our own insecurities.  Ask yourself if everyone you know, knows that you are a Scentsy Consultant - if you're not sure, or question that at all, it's time to fix that.  I never push the product on people, I just talk about it in general, or find a way to casually work it into a conversation.  Believe me, everyone knows I do this :)

People will tell you 'no' (you tell your kids or pets 'no' don't you?).  It doesn't mean people will never speak to you again, or will now avoid eye contact in the hallway (unless they already did..), it's just 'no'.  The answer is always no unless you ask, so get over your fear of that tiny little word and get out there in front of people.  Make phone calls, send emails, chat with people at the cash register at the store or in line at the bank.  You have nothing to be ashamed of; you are a small business owner, putting food on your family's table and a roof over their heads.  Be proud of your business and the fact that you had the intestinal fortitude to try this!  You'll often be surprised to find that what you were thinking they might be thinking, is not what they were thinking at all ;)

3. Get determined - is your goal, really something that you want?  If so, set purpose to your regular tasks throughout your day/week/month to reach your goals.  Make it a priority.  Make sure the important people in your life understand that it is a priority and establish a business rhythm that incorporates them when possible (labeling product, labeling envelopes, making samples, etc.) and time that is yours just to focus on your business.  10 minutes a day to eight hours a day - whatever is going to help you reach your goal, but set it up and adjust when necessary.

4. Get creative.  You might be the lucky person in life whose 9-5 job includes making arts and crafts - I didn't get so lucky, and I work with Engineers all day (enough said, <3).  So get out to the craft store, get your kids (or borrow some) involved, and make your displays and signage a fun arts and craft project.  Make small gift baskets for the folks who support you in life (teachers, doctors, Realtors, etc.); get out into your local community to see who needs a fundraiser, and offer to contribute your commission off of sales to it; provide 'loaner' products to local business to try out for a trial period; get a booth at a local craft/vendor show; do basket parties; online parties.  Are you tracking analytics on your website to see when people are visiting and where they're going?  If so, what can you do in your marketing that changes those metrics?  This business does not have to be all about home parties if you get creative.

4. Stay Positive & Persevere.  Naysayers abound. Some people actually want to see you fail - can you believe that?  You will have bad days.  Chances are, at some point you might have a party without a single guest.  It happens.  Nothing you can control in that situation - except yourself and your attitude.  Stay positive, and go into every day knowing that there are likely going to be some hurdles you'll overcome, or you might get the feeling that what you're doing is futile, so why keep going?  Keep planting seeds, and staying positive externally (particularly when you're in public forums, and social networking sites), and in your own mind.  If you feel those negative thoughts creeping in, take a break from whatever you're doing to focus on what the negative thought is related to and come up with a high-level plan to fix that issue - and set it aside to continue doing what you were doing.  Come back to it and work it into your bigger plan when you have your planned business time.  When it rains it pours, so be prepared for it!

Feel free to contact me anytime to discuss more, I'm more than happy to help!  If you're a consultant, what has worked for you?

~Autumn
www.autumneveritt.scentsy.us