We’re told to be successful in party plan selling you need to be consistent.  Decide if you’re going to be hobby - one show a week, part-time - two shows a week, or full-time - three shows a week.  Then do one, two, or three shows every week.  But what do you do if you’re having difficultly being consistent?  What do you do if you open your calendar and there’s a show here and a party there because you can’t seem to get hostesses to book when you want them to.One of the secrets is to appear busy.  This worked for me and it’s worked for others that I’ve shared it with.  First, you need to decide when you want to work.  Do you want to do two shows a week, and you’re willing to work on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons?  Great!  Now what do you do with Wednesday, Friday and Sunday in your calendar?  How do you keep people from trying to book when you don’t want to work?

Fill in those dates.  Does your child play basketball, the games are on Friday, and you want to be there to see each and every game?  Have you ever had a potential hostess attempt to talk you into doing her show on a Friday and miss your child’s game?  I have.  Don’t put in your work calendar, SALLY’S BASKETBALL GAME.  Instead, put in there the names of other mom’s, a phone number and time.  Make it look like a show.  You know it’s your child’s basketball game but someone who wants a show on a Friday will realize you’re already busy that night.

Do you belong to a league that meets or Wednesday?  Do you have a class that night?  Is that when your business meeting is held?  Make it look like a show!  Put in the names of the other members of the league, class, or other consultants.  Mine would look like this:  

JoAnne

555-1211

6:30 p.m.

No one needed to know JoAnne was another consultant.  

Is Sunday family time?  Put in family members names.  You’re mother, mother-in-law, aunts, and sisters.  It’s amazing how this will work in your favor.

First off, you appear to be significantly busy.  That ’s going to give you a psychological edge.  When potential hostesses see a calendar that is filled with “shows” it gives you an edge.  They are going to realize that if they want a show with you they need to book now before all your “good” dates are filled. Secondly, It gives them a sense of urgency.

When someone wants to book a party, it’s important that you control the conversation in order to control your calendar.  That conversation may go something like this:

You:  What works better for you, the beginning of the week or the end?

Hostess:  The beginning of the week.

You:  Would a Monday or a Tuesday be better?

Hostess:  I’d really like a Sunday.

You:  My Sunday’s are booked for the next three months, and if you want to take advantage of the specials I talked about tonight, you don’t want to wait that long.

Hostess:  Oh!  Well Tuesday would work better for me.

Now, let’s say that this is the beginning of the month and you have only one show booked for the last week of this month.  You really want her to book into that last week so you have the two parties you want.  This is what I suggest you do and say:

First start turning pages in your datebook. Also start muttering to yourself:

“Tuesday, Tuesday.  Let’s see — oh, no, that won’t work.  Let’s see —- Tuesday.  I could squeeze you in here, on the first Tuesday of next month (you need to say this with little, if any, enthusiasm and don’t make eye contact - keep flipping through your calendar)

Now with enthusiasm and making eye contact, say:  ”Wait!  This will work - we could do your show on the last Tuesday of this month!”

Guess which day she will want?  Yup.  The day you want them to book.  When you say the date you want them to book with enthusiasm, a big smile, and eye contact they almost always pick the second date.  Always offer a hostess two dates.  Attach little enthusiasm with the first date and lots of enthusiasm with the second.  

Try it out and see if this helps you work when you want to work!