If you’re asking customers to do you a favor by ordering: JUST STOP IT!
“Can you do me a favor and host a party for me?” “Can you do me a favor? I’m only $200 away from reaching my goal. Can you place an order from me?” “Can you do a favor for me and place an order. I’ll place one from you next month, I promise!”
Six words that should never be uttered by a Direct Sales consultant are “Can you do me a favor?”
Exception: the only time those six words should be uttered by a home party plan consultant is if she is asking someone to assist her by holding the door open.
Think about it. It’s backwards thinking. You are not in business so that customers can do YOU a favor. You are in business so that you can make your customers’ lives easier, better, healthier or prettier (and yes to make a profit too!). If no one needs or wants your product or service, then why bother to be in business?
If you’re trying to earn an incentive trip, you’re not earning it by begging customers to you do a favor. If you’ve been working your business throughout the qualification period, then you’d be earning it.
Don’t manipulate people to buy something from you or to agree to host a party. Can you really feel good about yourself and your business if you need to guilt or pressure people into buying? What message are you sending? You’re sending the message that you don’t really believe in your products or opportunity.
Tacky and Unprofessional
Consider this – if you went to a restaurant where the food was second to none; or if you saw a movie that was one of the best you’ve ever seen, wouldn’t you want to tell the world about it? You probably couldn’t shut up about it and want everyone within ear reach to have the same pleasant experience.
Or would you say, “Can you do me a favor, try that new restaurant?” That just sounds ridiculous. If you can’t stand behind the product or service your business offers, then now might be a good time to close up shop. You should be able to have the same enthusiasm you easily have when talking about the fettuccini Alfredo as you do when sharing your business with others.
You were just getting ready to say, “But I don’t want to impose,” weren’t you? Bite your tongue! You’re not even allowing your contacts to make their own decision whether or not they are interested in your products. How audacious of you to take that decision process away from them. Remember: Some will. Some won’t. So what?
At least give people the opportunity to hear about your exciting, fabulous product. If they didn’t care for the pasta or were bored with the movie; it’s no reflection on you. Neither will it be when you offer them the opportunity to host a party and receive free product.
Stop asking for favors and start offering choices; you’ll be pleasantly amazed at the results!
About the Author: Laurie Ayers is a Michigan work from home mom and a Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. She enjoys helping men and women start and maintain a home based business in the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Germany, Ireland, UK, France, Austria and Spain. To download a FREE Start Up Guide which provides more details about how to start a home business as well as to learn about our compensation plan go to www.thrivingcandlebusiness.com/how-to-start-a-candle-business/
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Denise says
4 August 2012 at 16:15How do you ask people to host parties or buy product from you without asking them to do you a favor?
Admin says
11 August 2012 at 17:30Customers and hosts never do us, the consultants favors. That’s the whole point of the article and the stinkin’ thinkin’ that some consultants have and why they get stuck and are unable to really grow their business. That’s backwards thinking. If anyone is doing anyone a favor, it’s the consultant who is making such great products and opportunity available to the customers and hosts. But it’s really not even a matter of favor, they’re just sharing something great with others. If a consultant thinks someone buying or opening their home is doing the consultant a favor they need to really re-evaluate how that attitude can hurt their business.
April says
30 June 2015 at 02:39It puts the potential hostess in the hot seat and makes them feel guilty when you ask for a favor. I had a consultant do this to me when she didn’t meet her sales goal at the end of the month because my party didn’t do very well (and by that I mean it bombed). It made me feel incredibly guilty and like I needed to go out and ask strangers to buy product so she would make her goal. Super awkward.
Admin says
30 June 2015 at 06:22Thank you for saying that April. It’s so true – and yet I continue to see so many consultants employ this poor tactic.