Ok…I am the first to admit that I am guilty of this. I get to the Spa with every intention of keeping it simple and within a 1 to 1.5 hour time frame out of respect for my Host, the guests and myself. Low and behold, someone will say…”I bought a foot cream product from BeautiControl a long time ago, can we see that?” Next thing I know, I have pulled out every product I have, telling everything I know and my 1 hour Spa has turned into a 3 hour nightmare. By the time we are done, the guests who would have purchased either need to get home or they are just so confused they don’t know what to buy.
The Spa is not intended to be a venue where you show every one of your products and solve every one of the guest's problems. Sometimes, as we get caught up in the selling situation we forget the very simple objectives of both the Spa and the Spa Now Case. I am a stickler for "objectives". I personally believe that to run a successful business, everything you do needs to have a clear objective in order to build successful strategies. Below are the key objectives of both the Spa and the Spa Now Case.
The Objective of the Spa:
- The Spa is intended to be the first step in what will hopefully be a very long and fruitful client relationship. It is where you find new clients, future Hosts and create a pool of individuals who see you running a rewarding and profitable business and may want to do the same
The Objective of the Spa Now Case:
- The SOLE purpose of the case is to allow the Consultant, particularly the new Consultant to join and have everything they need to hold the core party (Spa) that the company trains to, by allowing the Consultant to personally demonstrate products on each of the Spa guests.
Please hear me when I say this…there is both logic and strategy involved in the core Spa that we train our New Consultants and the contents of BeautiControl’s Spa Now demonstration case.
The Core Spa that we train new Consultants at BeautiU uses all of the products that are included in the Spa Now demonstration case. Are you wondering why we recommend this Spa as your first Spa? Well, that is because the products that are demonstrated in that core Spa, the BC Spa Manicure, the BC Spa Facial, Lip Apeel, etc. will not only allow you to create a full 1 hour of treatments and pampering, but it is using our best selling products that build the most loyal re-order clients. In addition, the Skin s.p.a. diagnostic tool allows your clients to see you as a contemporary professional who is offering them a personalized prescription for their skin. You could build a business by selling these products alone. Add in the Instant Facelift products and Wet/Dry Foundation and you have everything you need to keep your clients coming back month after month.
After your initial Spa with a Host, you have a menu of additional Spa themes and treatments that you can use to book additional Spas with your existing Host, or allow a guest at your Spa to host their own Spa. Your follow-up Spas could be Detox Spas, Pedicure Spas, Margarita Happy Hour Spas, Glam Spas, Instant Facelift Spas, etc.
As you become more mature in the business and gain both experience and knowledge about your products, you will be tempted to increase the products that you bring and demonstrate at each Spa. I should caution you that when the Spa becomes more complicated, more lengthy and loses the core focus, it is no longer perceived by your guests as some that is duplicable. Your goal at each Spa is to gain new business and new Consultants. When they don’t feel that they can do what you do, then you minimize the opportunity to attract new Consultants. One of our highly successful National Executive Directors, Saralyn Ostwinkle told me something years ago that I will never forget, and I hope it proves to be good advice for everyone who reads this. Saralyn (remember she is a National Executive Director, so she is doing something right) has been in the business for probably close to 20 years. Regardless of her title, she ALWAYS carries the Demonstration Case that the new Consultant will receive when they join. She always wants each guest to see how the Spa is done with the contents that the company provides when they join as a new Consultant. How smart is that? Saralyn is coaching and modeling this business with every Spa that she does. I think that is genius.
So we have clearly identified that the Spa Now Demonstration Case is intended to help you show and sell the products that have been proven to build a re-order business. It clearly meets the Spa Now Case Objective and is consistent with the Party Plan business. Now, I want to talk about what the Spa Now Demonstration Case IS NOT. The Spa Now DEMONSTRATION case is meant to be a business tool for our Consultants to hold a successful Spa. It is not a “set” of products that should be featured for purchase.
Next week, we will talk about Selling in Sets, one of the best ways to sell in the Party Plan business. One thing that I feel strongly about is that the Spa Now Demonstration Case IS NOT one of your sets. When you are closing your Spas, and you see that your clients are interested in purchasing product as a Client, make sure that you have a set for them that meets their needs and let them have the opportunity to purchase it at full retail price. If you see that you have someone who is interested in doing what you do, but will want to purchase products to use for themselves, sell them products at full retail price, then talk to them about starting their own business for only $125. Do not confuse the "selling situation" with a "recruiting situation". The products in the Spa Now Demonstration Case are intended for DEMONSTRATION, not personal use.
I personally like to close my Spa, sell in sets, then tell everyone that I am "hiring" and looking for anyone who might want to make a great income working part or full-time doing what I do. I let them know that they can start their own business for $125, which includes all the products that they need to do what we have done here tonight as well as a day of class-room training which will give you the ability to become a Certified Consultant. Then simply ask if they know of anyone or if they are interested themselves.
There are 2 questions that people ask me every month that drive me crazy:
- How much does the Case cost this month?
- What is the Retail Value of the Case?
First, when you join, you are not "buying" a case, you are starting a business, so the question could be asked differently by saying, "What is the cost of joining BeautiControl and starting my own business?" We are selling an opportunity, not a set of products.
Secondly, the "retail value" of the case is irrelevant as long as it provides all the products and/or samples to successfully hold the core Spa that the company trains to. We need to be careful about what "value" we are selling...the value of financial freedom, flexibility and control over your own time and income, I believe, far out-weighs the retail price of the products that come in the bag. Never cheapen the value of your products or your opportunity by presenting them as a "deal". When things are seen as less valuable, they are more easily disposable. You have products that work and an opportunity that changes life...don't limit either by selling them as a "deal".
Over the years, we have blurred the lines between set selling for personal consumption and recruiting new Consultants with the intention of helping them start a business. This is not only counter-intuitive to our business model, but it will quickly cause your business to start running you, rather than giving you the control to run your business. I will go into more specifics about the balance of "buyers" vs. "sellers" (and by the way...we need both) and how to refine or define your recruiting verbiage as we go more deeply into this series...it is a topic that I believe is key to the success of this company.
As you take the opportunity to evaluate your business and set your business plan for 2012, please ask yourself the following:
- Am I getting the sales at my Spa that I want?
- Am I getting as many re-bookings from my Spas as I would like?
- Am I getting the re-order clients from each Spa that I would like?
- Am I finding people who want to do what I do and join my team as a new Consultant?
- Do I feel comfortable doing Spas?
- Am I having fun doing Spas?
If you answered NO to any of those questions, then it may be time to re-evaluate your Spa/selling situation:
First, if you aren't having fun or feel comfortable doing Spas, then I can promise you that the answers to the remainder of the questions is going to be NO. This business is supposed to be fun. When you inject your personality and your passion into your Spa presentation, you will find that it makes all the difference in the world. There will never be anyone's Spa that is exactly like yours.
If you aren't getting the sales that you want, what can you do to learn more about the features and benefits of the products, be more passionate about the results or allow your clients to experience them on a more personal basis? Sales lead to re-orders, so if you are showing products that build loyal clients, re-orders shouldn't be an issue. If you aren't getting the re-orders that you are looking for, it may be time to look into your follow-up after the Spa. Follow-up and Follow-through are key to building loyal clients for life.
Perhaps you aren't getting the sales and re-order clients you need to sustain your business because you "recruited" all your guests rather than allowing them to become clients, by selling them "a set", otherwise known as the Spa Now Case. You hear us say "one recruit from each Spa", meaning you should target at least one person in each Spa that may want to do what you do, again, this comes from follow-through after the Spa. The best Consultants come from those who were good clients before joining as a Consultant. Even if they only join to get the products at a discount, they are more loyal consumer Consultants after they have purchased the products for full price as a client and understand the value of the Consultant Level Discount.
If you aren't getting the bookings that you want, perhaps you aren't creating a vision of what a follow-up Spa would look like. Do you have a menu of services that you can offer your guests that feature additional treatments that you offer at your Spa?
If you aren't find guest's who have any interest in doing what you do, are they seeing you make money? Are they seeing you have fun? Do they see a Spa presentation that was easy enough to make them say, "Hey...I can do that"? If they are not seeing your business as a profitable, fun business opportunity, they will never see the value in joining to become a Consultant who is interested in selling and viewing this as a business opportunity. While it is important for each guest to see you as the expert, that doesn't mean your Spa should be difficult to duplicate. I think you will find with a more concise Spa flow you will retain your guest's attention and present a money making opportunity for each of your guests. Not only will you find more bookings, make more sales and get more bookings, you will also find more people who have an interest in joining your team as a new Consultant.
The most difficult Spa you will ever have will be your first...but trust me, it gets easier each time. Find you passion, find your voice and let everyone fall in love with BeautiControl just like you have!
I can already hear the emails coming in and the postings on message boards reading, "That's not how I joined", "That's not how I do it", etc. Please hear me when I say, for WHATEVER reason you joined, we love having you as part of our family. Whether you joined as a seller or just for the intent to buy, there is a place for you here at BeautiControl and we are thankful that you are here. If you are, however, in the business with the intention of it being your business, it may be time to ask the tough questions and fine-tune the fundamental basics of your business that help you to work SMARTER, not HARDER. Again, none of this is my opinion or my point of view...these are the core building blocks of a Party Plan Direct Sales Business and the defining principles of our business model. My job here is not to state my opinion...it is to make your business more profitable and put BeautiControl on the lips of every woman.
Have a great week. Be sure to check back on Friday for a Special blog live from Leadership Conference here in Dallas!
Ciao