Tips for successful Facebook Marketing!

1. Silence isn't the enemy - Sometimes I get frustrated by the lack of comments on certain topics. BUT, I believe that as long as you are still excited about what you are doing and willing to let everyone know that "you are still out there" you will find success!  I still have people out there who don't know what UL is, and although there are probably those who won't be interested anyways, those who are just finding out what UL can do for their spaces are pretty excited about it!

2. Friend...anyone - Ok...this is debated from time to time...BUT you are asking to be someone's friend AND they have the opportunity to ignore that request(or deny it).  I friend people I know well, hardly know and have just met!  I friend customers who I worked with 1 on 1, hostesses and team members!  And I friend people who I meet at conventions!  I counted yesterday and have more than 88 people who I met just because of Uppercase on my Facebook!

3. Keep your page fresh! - You want to be adding new design, new photos(before and afters make a huge impact) and new sale info.  If you let your facebook page get stale...people will wonder if you are still selling and if they think you might not be...they will find someone else!

4. Keep your page clean! - Not like...no dirty jokes clean(although I don't really recommend).  More like, no clutter!  You have the ability to delete anything off your page that you don't want.  Comments that aren't helpful to your business, game postings, etc.  You want your customers to be able to go to your page and then see exactly what you can do with Uppercase!

5. Add pictures of designs as well as finished projects - I take pictures with my phone of designs I am working on and post them!  And...have sold the design to multiple people!  It is great to show people what you have actually done BUT it is also great to show them what you can do with our design tool!

Approach a school! I dare you!

There is nothing more rewarding than positive chatter from elementary students filling up a hallway as they walk by their new school decor!  

I had the honor of working at Park School today installing new Uppercase Living in their hallways and as the chatter got louder and more excited so did my interest for working with more schools!

So much so that I intend on approaching many more schools.  The thing is...schools are notorious for bad reports of "no funding" BUT like found in Park School's order, Uppercase offers an affordable way to display the things that matter to them.  I can't tell you how good it is to hear "oh...it's only that much, I thought it would be more" when telling the customer what their total is!  

So grab a healthy dose of confidence and reach out to a school!  And if they say "not now", reach out to another one!  I highly recommend it!

Welcome to January...where is your brain!?

Isn't it funny that what looks like complete chaos to one person is what calms another person!  That is SO true of my schedule!  If I have tons of parties and stuff to do...I relax!  When I don't....I FREAK OUT!

Thus the issue with January!

Last January my husband and I went on the UL Cruise which I had earned the year before!  It was a great trip and because it was about two weeks after the holidays I wasn't scheduling parties before we left.  I had 2 great parties during the very last few days of January.

This year the lull of the end of the holidays has thrown me into a complete tizzy!  I told my husband the other day that things "didn't look good" and that I was "really nervous" about my party number, sales number etc.  The thing is....I have 6 parties this January!  And...had only 2 last year!  I also know that I am further along with my trip points this year than I was last year...

So...my point is...

If you are stressed out or feel like you are getting behind sometimes it helps to grab last years planner and see where you were the year before.  It may be that you are right...things need to get better OR like me you might find out that you didn't remember that the sales pattern for the month was lower than usual!

I hope I am not on here next month saying that I can't believe that I only have 6 for February(I shoot for 12) but if I am I know that I will be throwing more "irons" in the fire looking for different types of customers!

New Year, New Plan! :)

Hello Everyone! Happy Holidays!  I am thrilled to be back on the blog and thinking about a new year!  2010 was my best sales year to date and I am highly anticipating getting pen to paper to write my 2011 goals and strategies!

I have heard it said before that there are those who "wonder how I can do it" or "want to do what I do" so here you go!  First and foremost - GO BUY A NEW PLANNER! :)  You can't keep track of your dates/months/appointments without a good one!  I really liked my Brownline one from last year(www.brownline.com) because it ONLY had months...not weeks!  I find days of the week overwhelming so I like to look at my life a month at a time.  With that being said, my calendar really begins to look messy during my really busy months and I think that some people would be really quite frustrated by the mess.  So, whatever works for your schedule is great!

Hopefully you have parties booked for January already.  IF NOT, you have a great promotion in the buy two get one free coming up!  It is SO necessary to get the word out about this promotion and then at those parties let the guests in on the February info!  Even though we don't know what the promo is, we do know that February will be great for our guests, hostesses and new team members and you can still get your peeps pumped up without knowing all the details!  Just promise them that you know it will be great!

So...get cracking! :)  I am going to go and write some goals!

Another adjustment to my balancing act!

Don't ever think that I have it together! Puh-lease!  I am no where close to organized or balanced and we are now throwing a wrench into my constant persuit of balance!

My husband started a side company!

This is great news.  He makes WAY more money than me, so this is great...except...I am doing the administrative work so that he can keep up with his normal salary job.  What a wrench!

So over the next few weeks as I am picking up my new found "job", I will be trying to get the next things accomplished-

1. Maintain contact with my hostesses using the new hostess center(perfect timing!).
2. Mainstreaming my systems so that I am more efficient.  (This includes researching postal options, creating a schedule of operations and setting time aside to work on time consuming tasks)

I think that focusing on my systems *might* allow time for me to devote to my husbands work.  Key word...might! :)

Then again maybe I will lose my mind, lock myself in the bathroom and call a few of you to vent! :) 

If you like me are going through a schedule change, I challenge you to keep moving forward.  I try to remind myself that if I am doing at least one thing for UL each day, then I am making progress!

Welcome Newbie's!

Thanks for joining the blog.  If you would like your site and name added to the "let's network" section of the blog please leave me a comment with your name and website.

For those of you who have asked to be added and are not already there...I apoligize, I lost your email.  If you would leave a comment with the info, I will be sure to add it :)

Real Me Monday!

If you stopped by my house right now you would notice that among the normal clutter are numerous laundry baskets.  UGH!  I hate laundry!

An action plan for today!

Hello Fellow Direct Sales Girls!

I want to challenge you today...and maybe you want to challenge your teams as well...

What could happen for your business if you wrote a note to each one of the people who were interested in hostessing with you at one point that said "I would love the opportunity to host a party with you" and enclosed a few sample words?

It's an interesting thought...and could potentially help someone on your team who doesn't have any parties on their books. 

I think the small effort needed could pay off big!

Guess who has two thumbs and is going to be an Aunt???

This girl!!!!!

How to choose your display items.

After a new catalog comes out, if you are like me you have a difficult time figuring out what display items to buy for your parties.  I mean...if I carried everything that I wanted to carry I would throw my back out and talk way too long!

I have a few rules that I live by when choosing display items for my parties...and they go a little something like this...

1. Is the piece already pictured in the catalog? If it is already shown in a full color photo, I won't use it.  I think that our photography is SO good that bringing something that is shown isn't necessary.  You might as well use the accessory that you love but put something different on it.

2. Do I love it? I firmly believe that you will talk about the things that you are drawn to with more passion than you would about something that you are not.  Case in point...I am not Italian, so having something that said "beinvienue" wouldn't be something that I would be passionate about...I mean quite frankly...I can't prounounce it much less spell it!

3. Will it fit in 1 container?  I only carry one tote.  For a few reasons...the first one and most important one...I am lazy!  The second one...I want everyone to see that what I carry isn't difficult so that if they wanted to sell UL they wouldn't think that they needed to carry multiple totes.  Truth be told...we can fit quite a bit of our product in one tote.

4. Does it work for a large group of people?  Holiday items are great.  Holiday items on one side of the punched mini or large tile with an everyday expression on the other side...even better!  You can sell that idea...even when its HOT outside!  Same idea with our awesome acrylic blocks. 

5. Would you give it as a gift?  I taylor at least two of my display items to be highlighted as gift items.  Maybe a set of monogrammed coasters for a lower price point and a personalized metal embossed board for a larger item.  They are great again, because your customer can see them in their own home AND can use them for gifts!  What bride wouldn't want a set of monogrammed coasters with a nice card.  They are more meaningful because the bride knows that the gift giver took the time to think of a font/color/etc.

Those are my rules.  As I think of what I want to bring to my parties this is the list that I am pretty sure will make it to the tote-

1. Coaster set with FALL(14258) mirrored in 9092 and 9002(I know that it is a one color expression.  I will show it with two colors and market it as something for them to buy for themselves and a friend if they want two colors)

2. Acrylic block with PEACE(14234) in 9092 on one side and A PERFECT TEN(17135) on the other with the LED insert.

3. White frameworks frame with seasonal AND general inserts.

4. Punched metal tile with childrens miracle network expression on one side and GET YOUR MERRY ON(18502) on the other.

5. Vintage Embossed Metal Board with CAREY/this family established 2000 in custom lettering.  (carey is in Trajan and the other lettering is in liorah)

6. Display board with color swatches labelled on one side and a sample of dry erase/chalkwall/decorative print on the other side. 

*This is my list as of this moment...I am kicking around the idea of doing a hook board.

**IF things that you are showing aren't selling, I highly suggest changing them out.  I change up my display pieces every other month because I get bored with them.  I think that adding things from the mini catalog will help your display stay fresh and exciting!

New Diggs!

A huge shout out and thank you to my friend and best blog designer Becki!  Thank you SO much!  I now have a design that I am thrilled to share with my friends and family!

Isn't it good?

Real Me Monday!

Let's keep it real!  The real me does my best work on a coffee table that is in dire need of being refinished while fixing the girls mp3 player and opening the milk jug.  I am not sure why I have two pens there...probably because I lost one of them while working and grabbed another but typically I would only use the blue pen :)  I can't wait to showcase my messy world on Mondays!

Thoughts from a few wild and crazy days!

I would be lying if I told you that it hasn't been difficult to keep everything that I have floating in my head organized.  I am trying.  :)

Last Tuesday we set out towards our annual Uppercase Living Convention in St.Louis.  It was great to be able to drive and spend time with some of my frontline. 

The details of the trip are great...trust me...the way our company has changed our businesses by incorporating hostess tools, online ordering linked to parties, new products, our new annual catalog and new incentive trip are not to be understated.  They are amazing! 

But as I sat working on some customer thank you notes last night, something more profound hit me...

How would focusing on going the extra mile with your customers change your business?

So...a little story about me...

I started UL and like I got shot out of a rocket had at least 6 parties on my calendar for the first 6 months.  After those 6 months, I had at least 9 parties on my books.  After being with UL for 1 1/2 years my goal was to have 12 parties on the bookes each month...and often I had more than 12. 

Nice story eh?

What happened along the road was that I lost the excitement of what it felt like to be NEW!!!  I don't remember my first customers anymore, and although I send thank you notes and try to be as available as possible for my customers...I feel like I have lost some of the splender that is being NEW!

Being at convention changes you.  Quite simply being around those who are new reminds me that I don't have to get so caught up in being busy that I lose that feeling.  If you didn't make it to convention this year, I highly encourage you to get there next year.  Get in your car, ride a bus, train or hop on a plane...because the lessons that you don't know you need will be the sweetest lessons yet.

ACTION PLAN - I have decided to go into my UL Express and find my best customers.  Thankfully in the customer search box, there is a section where you can type in a dollar amount and find the customers who have spent more than _______.  I encourage you to write a note to those customers and enclose a small gift.  Maybe a few of the small incentives that we bought at convention or a few of your sample words with a short note that says "thanks for being such a great customer".

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

WOW! Todays the day! I AM SO EXCITED!


Todays the day girls...I challenge you to write your yearly goals!

Here are a few things to think about or ponder upon...

Why are you selling UL? Where is your passion?  What do you want to use your UL profits for? (car payment, groceries, fun money?)  In what areas could you push yourself harder?  How many parties do you want to work per month? 

Once you have those answered you have a great basis to write your yearly/monthly/weekly goals!

With this new year comes our NEW TRIP INCENTIVE!!!!!  Remember that the small bites make the big goal seem much easier!  YOU CAN DO THIS!  The first step along the way of earning this trip is the 2500 points needed for the hooded sweatshirt.  You have until the end of August to earn those points and with the double point for the first 12 days of this month, this is a very attainable goal! 

Go get em' girls!  I am honored to be along for the ride!

Updates from Convention to be posted!

Because this blog(so far) is followed by mostly Uppercase Living Demonstrators, I will be posting the announcements and updates from convention here! 

As all of you know convention is only 25 short days away and I think that this will be the best one yet!  I hope to be able to provide photos and announcements in close to real time so that you can all be kept up to date with the exciting things that I know you don't want to miss!

So, let your teams know to add this blog and check it regularly during convention!!!!!  I am excited to devote time to keeping you informed! :)

What keeps you distracted?

Yep!  You read that right!  Not "what keeps you focused?" but "what keeps you distracted?"  Right now, I am in my living room listening to the sultry sounds of....all 5 daughters being home from school for the summer!!!!  Oh.my.goodness!  Welcome to reality Mrs.Carey, you are now the proud owner of 5 nearly grown-ish girls who walk, talk and go to the bathroom...on the potty!  FANTASTIC! 

This has now thrown a wrench into my regularly scheduled life!  And I think the crazy part about it is that I have forgotten just how difficult the summer is to move my business forward! 

Are you feeling this way?  What is your plan to keep moving things forward?  Have you come up with a work schedule?

My Apoligies!

I have been running for the past two weeks!  Thankfully for good reasons!  Between working on the house, working UL, and wrapping up our Girls on the Run season I have been CRAZY busy!  My apoligies!  I am planning on making a strong comeback as we stretch into the summer and wrap up another UL year!

One tip to keep in mind as you begin thinking about making new goals for the upcomming UL year.  If you write long term goals they may seem daunting, so continue to write small goals to encourage you along the way.  I keep a ticker like the one below to show me progress as I continue to accumulate it.  If you go to tickerfactory.com you can create your own ticker!

Recognize your strengths but focus on your weaknesses!

It isn't fun!  In fact, chances are that your weaknesses are weaknesses because you don't choose to focus on them.  The problem is that the gap between your strengths and weaknesses will get broader if you only focus on things that you are good at.  And I should know...

I have actually fantasized about hiring someone to tackle the things in my life that are weak.  I would prefer to PAY someone to handle them instead of struggling through them.

So how do I(we) go about strengthening our weaknesses?

I think you start by making a list.  What are you good at?  What are you passionate about? What do you DISLIKE?  What do you know you could spend more time doing?

I will give you a few examples-

What are you good at?
-one on one contact with customers

What are you passionate about?
-enriching customers lives through the power of words

What do you dislike?
-making phone calls

What do you know that you could spend more time doing?
-organizing, phone calls, mailings

The funny thing is that like me you may find contradictions in your list.  In my case, I am good at talking to people one on one about UL and things that I believe UL can do for their lives BUT I hate calling!!!  I am the email, texting queen and would prefer to conduct my entire business day with my keyboards.  Do you see the problem?  I know that my customers respond to my contacts BUT I don't do them...wow...I need to focus on that weakness alone to build my business!

I think that once you take inventory of your own skills verses things that you really dislike, you can force yourself to get over a hurdle in your mind, thus moving your business forward.

I dare you...write a short list and dwell on the weaknesses instead of the strengths!  You might even surprise yourself!

Conventions...they are not to be missed!

If I were new to Uppercase(or any company), I would think that the company and demonstrators alike were trying to brainwash me so that I would come to convention.  And even if I had been with UL for awhile but hadn't been to an event...I still might not drink the kool-aid, but I have been to an event and I have been with UL for long enough to know the secret...

CONVENTION IS SO MANY THINGS AND MORE!!!!!

It is...

-refreshing

-relaxing

-business re-charging

-the best way to learn about new products

-rewarding

-a place where you are understood

-an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends!

-a place to reconnect with old friends.

-where you hear the new announcements RIGHT AWAY! :)

-full of suprises

-an occassion to buy a new dress

-where you get to know the home office team

-hands on fun!

-SO WORTH IT!

So even if you are new...maybe even SO new that you haven't put a party through yet...it is well worth the time and expense to advance your business!  I urge you to ask your upline and see how you can share a ride and room so that this is a more affordable trip! 

I can't wait to celebrate with all of you in July!  This has been a great year!

A reader question! THANK YOU!!!!

Erin,


I have a topic for your blog. Party consultants that talk about their personal life when they are doing a party. We all know a few like this. I wish the ones that do it would be more aware of how the ppl in the room are reacting and change. I just did a Mary Kay party and my mom ended up leaving before it even really got started because the consultant wouldnt shut up about her personal life and get on with the party.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angie Dowling-Buckhannon, WV

Angie-
Thanks again for writing this question! 

As a demonstrator who does NOT do parties with other consultants, I don't have a ton of experience with these types of demonstrators.  If I were in a situation where I felt that the other demonstrator wouldn't move on...I would try everything in my power to re-direct the party towards something that was much more constructive.

I also have a set of things that I do at every party (either instinctively or learned) to keep the party moving and to maintain a professional image.

1. I do not eat or drink at parties - I believe that the hostess has made the refreshments for her guests.  Not me.  I will get a water if I feel parched but other than that, I have never eaten or drank at a party.

2. I don't tell stories unless they are absolutly appropriate and have something to do with the product.  So, for example...I DO start my parties with "Welcome everyone, my name is Erin and I live in Woodstock with my husband and 5 daughters".  This typically is quite the attention grabber!  There aren't many parties where I have met someone who wasn't impressed with the amount of children or girls that I have.  They remember me and sometimes ask me questions about what my girls ages are, names, etc., and I believe that is completely appropriate.  Sometimes its the stories that help other women relate with the demonstrator BUT when the stories replace the product knowledge that you are able to give them...they are NOT constructive.

3. I do not take a good parking space.  This is a very little thing but it shows the hostess that you respect her and her guests more than having to walk an extra 100 feet.  My box isn't heavy and I only have one,  so this isn't a  big issue.

So, if you have someone on your team that you believe isn't being as professional as you would have hoped OR that you feel needs to stay on point, maybe you can ask them to shadow you at one of your parties.  That way you can show them what it looks like to be professional BUT still FUN!  Just like parenting you want to be these guests "friend" but you don't want them to get annoyed or walk all over you because they think that you will give them a discount.

I hope this answers your question!  If anyone else has an opinion, please post your answer in the comments section!
Have a great Mothers Day!  You are some of the most hardworking mothers I know!