By Pamela Henshaw

HERE'S SOME IDEAS TO FINISH YOUR STAR AND RED JACKET...WHEN YOU SELL BIG, YOU BUILD BIG!!! 

I have had several people recently come to me and ask if I can give them some really hot tips and selling ideas.  Some of them have committed to Seminar and need the cash.  Others are trying to pick up their sales.  I thought I'd pass it along in case there is anyone else out there who is looking for a big finish for their seminar year, quarter, or just wanting to make some extra cash fast!!

First of all, the very best way to make the most money in the shortest time is by holding classes!  When I need to get classes on my books I usually do so by telling the person that I am in a contest with the other members of my unit to break the company record for the most classes held in one week.  You can say two weeks, but you get a better response when you work with a sense of urgency.  I tell them that the week we are working on is NEXT WEEK.  This provides further urgency.  I find most people love to HELP you.   I can usually get 5 classes on my books immediately using this approach.   Usually 2- 3 more will say they can't next week, but they can the week after.  If they ask what the company record is I tell them that my director won't tell us until after the challenge is done.  I used this approach to finish Queen's Court of Sales last year and booked 4 classes the second to last week of June and 5 classes the last week.  I had almost $4000 in sales for those two weeks!

Here are some other fast ways to make money that I have found to really work!  

1)  Have a Mascara Mania sale.  Make it a week long.  Tell everyone that you are in a contest to sell the most mascara in your unit in a one week period.  Tell them your goal is to sell 100 mascara in one week.   ALWAYS tell people your goal and ALWAYS make it HUGE!  If you say you want to sell 20 in one week people are more likely to say no because they feel that you can easily reach that without their help.

2)  Bag Ladies This idea has been around a long time.  That is because it works!  Make up bags with $100 - $200 in items.  I wrap the individual items in cute little cello bags.  Put them in a gift bag.  I buy them at Big Lots for 59 cents each.  Give the bags to your best hostess, customer, or possible recruit.  Have them sell the items in the bag.  Make sure you have filled out the sales slips with the item, price, tax and total.  Then tell the bag lady that all she has to do is have the customer fill out the top portion and collect the money.  You get a lot of new customers and leads this way.

3)  $5 Friday...  If you aren't doing this then you need to start.  I do a lot of sales this way along with building my customer base.  Here's how it works:  Choose some items that you have that cost around $5 and put them into a basket.  Carry the basket EVERYWHERE you go on Fridays.  When people ask you what's in the basket tell them it is $5 Friday and that anything in the basket is $5.  They look through the basket and this gives you the opportunity to ask them if they currently have a Mary Kay consultant.  I carry my business cards and give them out as well as samples of the newest products and of course TimeWise.  Make sure you are getting their names for your preferred customer list.  I have had a lot of women tell me that their consultant is no longer in business and they have been looking for someone.   Since I started this in October I have added 16 new basic customers this way along with many more on the spot orders.  If you need suggestions on what to put in the $5 Friday basket, I use some of the Limited Edition things that I have that I am trying to clear out.  Like last fall's colors, Christmas things.  I also managed to get in on the Pink Sale and got some items to use in my $5 Friday basket.  Nail polish works great, eye color, hand cream.  I usually make over $150 each Friday and I have such a faithful Friday clientele that they get upset at me when I forget to bring the basket on Fridays!

4) Have a "bag" sale.  Buy lunch bags, decorate them, and send them to your customers.  Tell them that anything they can fit in the bag is 20% off.  When the customers stop by to fill their bags show them the newest product, book a class or book an interview.

5)  Offer a half off item.  When my customers call with a reorder I take their order and then ask them if they are interested in my half off item of the month.  Each month I choose on item that I am overstocked in or trying to clear out and offer it to my reorder customers at half off when they reorder. I only offer it after they have placed an order and I only offer it on reorders over $20.  Also make sure that you have an alternate half off item.   If my customer orders what I have as my half off item I use the alternate half off item instead.  This will bump up your sales and get your customers to try more of our product line.  This would be a great way to introduce your customers to new products.

6) Use the Referral Tic Tac Toe.   Again tell people that you are in a contest to see who can get the most referrals.  People LOVE it when they feel they are helping you.

I hope these ideas will help you reach the goals that you are working towards.  I will be using them as I finish up my third straight year on the Queen's Court of Sales!