Do you have friends that are in Direct Sales?  I’m sure you do.  These days it seems everyone is trying to earn a little more, reach goals, and build an empire.  Once I started in direct sales, I had a new appreciation for anyone else that is in direct sales.  I recently hosted a party for a jewelry company. A friend I met through attending one of these parties is working her business to pay off medical bills from her son’s numerous trips to the hospital.

That’s the thing with direct sales.  Your friend that is selling is probably trying to pay for something really important, or contribute to the family so there can be more family time.  That’s been my biggest realization with Rodan and Fields, we’re all just people trying to do what’s best and we believe in what we’re selling.  It’s not about trying to get all of our friend’s money, it’s about sharing products we love and helping our families.

Jewelry DisplaySo, as I was saying, the jewelry party.  I met the jeweler through another friend and really liked how versatile the jewelry is.  You can wear things long, short, flip them around for a different color/look, it’s like getting three pieces in one!  Here’s how I recommend hosting a jewelry party, or any direct sales party for that matter.

1. Invite a Lot of People

Be sure to invite more people than you think will come.  Typically for this type of party, there is a 4 to 1 ratio.  So if you invite four people, it’s likely that only one of them is going to show up.  With that in mind, be sure to invite everyone.  Coworkers, neighbors, friends, church members, and encourage your guests to bring a friend.  It also helps to send several reminders leading up to your party.  Get them excited about the party with information on the products.

2. Communicate with the Seller

Confirm with the seller what the party will entail.  Will there be a formal presentation?  Do they need table space? Do they need any audio/visual equipment?  How long will the party or presentation be?  Typically most sellers will give you all of this information right up front, but as you’re planning your party make sure you are prepared for what they need and to make it the best possible party for them and your guests.  All we needed for my jewelry party was some table space and a short informal presentation of the jewelry.  The jeweler brought everything with her and set it all up.

Jewelry DisplayOne thing to take into account is lighting.  After the sun went down, my living room got a lot darker than I realized so I had to bring in another lamp to make sure we could see everything well.

3. Food/Snacks/Drinks

It always helps when hosting these parties to include some sort of snacks and drinks.  My jewelry party was hosted after dinner so I provided some snacks, sweets, and drinks.  I made a specialty pink cocktail since this was a girly type of party.

Drink StationFun straws are always a must!

I offered a variety of cheeses, my Perfect Little Appetizers, and some sweets.  One thing I did notice was that everyone seemed to gravitate towards the sweets.  I think maybe because my party was after dinner, people were already full and didn’t need as many snacks.  So be sure to take into account the time of your party and gear your snacks towards that.  In hindsight, having just a variety of desserts may have been better.

Cheese PlateThis fruit dip was a big success!  Everyone seemed to love it, and I could probably just eat it with a spoon!

The recipe I linked is pretty close to the one I used, except mine had two cups of powdered sugar instead of one.  Basically, it’s all sugar, but delicious!

Sweet TreatsThree easy steps to hosting a jewelry party, or any direct sales party is all it takes.  Initially you may think it’s a pain to host a direct sales party, but it’s actually a pretty fun night, and you’re helping someone grow their business.  What’s better than that?

Help share the love, if you or someone you know is in direct sales post a link to their website or products in the comments below!  A follow up post with all of their information may be in the future!  I hope your week is off to a great start!

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