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Most Business 101 books will tell you not to give away the farm; remember you’re in business to make a profit.  However, when it comes so to direct sales parties, guests will be more likely to remember the fun event if they walk away with a prize.  Just make sure it’s a product prize from your company.  I’m amazed at the number of consultants who give away chocolates, lip balm or other items that don’t even represent their own company product line!

So how do you determine the best way to establish who receives the prizes?

Know your hostess and the crowd.  If you decide that you’re in front of a group of guests who may be open to some games, then play some. People are by nature a bit competitive, some more than others, and a game is a great way to get the party started. It helps people become acquainted and adds a bit of fun competition to the festivities.

Assuming you have a competitive group, pick a game, anything from a trivia game about the products or a game of strategy and skill.  Another benefit to playing games is that it provides the perfect opportunity to find people to donate prizes to.  Depending on how much time you have and how many prizes you have to give away, you can award first, second, and third place a prize.  Or you can play a couple games and the first place winner of each game gets a prize.  Just be sure to give a disclaimer that each person can only win once!

Obviously if you get blank stares or groans when you announce a game, that may not be the best crowd for games. Instead have a simple drawing.  Invite each guest to enter the drawing and the first, second, and third names drawn each receive a prize.  The upside to this method is that a drawing is a great way to generate leads.  Instead of having people simply put their name on a piece of paper, they can actually fill out a pre-set postcard.

Consider asking for the following information:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email
- If they are interested in becoming a consultant
- If they are interested in hosting a party (and earning free gifts)

Make sure you actually use the information you’ve collected to send out information about promotions and new products.

Whether you choose to host a drawing or ask your attendees to play a game, giving away prizes is a great way to introduce new people to your products and gain future customers.

About the Author:  Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan and a Star Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles.  She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business.  You can find Laurie at http://www.Scentsy.com/LA or http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com