Is Being Honest Negative?

In the home party business, and I've been successful in a few over the past 25 years and not so successful in others, I've noticed a new trend - God forbid we are just honest with one another and what's going on!  It's like instead of being honest with your downline or your upline, because, GASP!, they might take it negatively (when it's really the dishonest person contributing to all negativeness) and... what?

When you are not honest and realistic with the people you work with, in your own business or any other, lest someone takes it the wrong way, guess what? They're going to take it the right way.  Yes, the RIGHT WAY.

If your business is great, then why does it matter once in a while when you admit something could use improvement?

Macy's, the huge department store for years and the inspiration and genius of the Macy Day Parade, knew that good salesmanship was honest salesmanship.  If there's something your company cannot or will not do, just admit it!

When Macy's said something to the effect of, "You're right, you can get it cheaper at so-and-so, and by the way, here's the quickest route and store hours so you don't miss the sale," customers loved them more and were more loyal, spending even more money to shop Macy's than elsewhere because of their integrity and honesty.

I'm sad to know I come across a bunch of people who speak before they know the answers, and always to defend something that's not even defensible.  What the heck, it's an observation, in most cases.  It's someone remarking, hey, I noticed this and it's not really working, and guess what, there's a way to make it work, easily, and make even more sales for us and the company. The people sabotaging possible greatness are the very people who would most benefit, since they make money off the lower end, which propels them into business starshine status and yet, they are sabotaging themselves in the longrun.

For instance, when I first joined AtHome America, I was devastated to learn there was no direct shipping - behind the times!  And instead of anyone saying, wow, you know, I see it works, and even if there was no one else doing it, I can see how it's necessary in today's world, they told me all the reasons it was okay, to avoid the question at a home party (yes, someone told how to do that!), and well, you know me, I wrote nearly daily about what was needed and how it can happen and guess what?  Less than 6 months later, the very people who told me how to deal with it and how it's okay and so-and-so company doesn't have it and we have the best company (yada, yada, yada) are the very ones who exclaimed loudly how great our company is because guess what, now they're doing this and they're so great, etc.

What I am saying is that it's okay if you are not perfect and you admit it. Those who admit it can change, those who don't, especially for the sake of "looking good," will forever be dependent on someone else for their good fortune.

Me, I'm changing. I'm changing for the better.

Well, That's Not How I Saw It

So many home party businesses. Even in Hawaii, the majority of them deliver straight to the customer, without an extra charge.  I just learned today that my beloved At Home America, who is finally offering direct shipping (which is extremely important for military families), is going to charge extra for it. So you are already paying shipping and handling, based on the PRICE of an item, rather than weight, I can't do it.  I'm going to resign. Sigh. 


It sucks when you love something and you enjoy it but you cannot with a clear conscience continue with it.  Thank you everyone for your help.  


There's still everything else!  Go writing! Go ChaCha!

WTH?

My jobs are easy enough (for me):

God
Husband
Kids
Advocating
Writing
At Home America

Why is it that I feel like I'm failing at it all? And here's the kicker: I'm actually POSITIVE! I'm happy. I love life.  How can I be so sure of all this and enthusiastic, yet still... I suck.

Don't go thinking I'm having a pity party, and please do not tell me all the reasons I'm okay.  I'm not pitying myself and I am realistic. But why? All I want to know is why?

And while we're at it, why is it that everyone thinks I should be able to do everything? Why do they believe I can do anymore than they can?  Okay, that's me feeling sorry for myself-don't you feel better now?

One thing I say to complainers is to figure out a solution or admit you can come up with none, then stop complaining.  I'm done.

Home Party Business: YES!

Well, friends, live and learn!  It WAS worth it (see previous post). I ordered supplies I wanted (as opposed to needed, though I will soon) and it was really easy. My BROWSER was not working; after changing it everything worked great. Not only that, but I found out I reentered all the items, but they were actually in a place I could have clicked on, ironically (snicker, snicker) called ORDERS.

Today is my first At Home America party, it's my Grand Opening. I'll come back and let you know what's going on throughout the day and how I'm feeling.

Anyone who knows me:  yep, I'm ready to write like crazy. Why? Because today is not a writing day.  :-)

Tools of Success: Notebooks

So much is going on before my first party. I need to feel like I'm in control and I know and understand what I'm doing. I've now filled up TWO notebooks - and one is HUGE (so big it cost more than $10, but it's worth it), with notes, training, and ideas. Before you think you have to go through all this "trouble" for your own business, let me say that I am a visual learner. Preferably, words. You may be better by doing. AND I have no one to learn from by watching or attending another party. It's not work to me, either, I actually like it.

In fact, last night, my middle daughter said, "Gosh Mom, you're so organized!" Ah, those were words I needed and longed to hear. I've not always been. This time is different. I am VERY SERIOUS about what I'm doing. I am determined to put Hawaii on the At Home America map.

Another thing I've done to study and learn, is to browse and participate in the discussion boards set up on our AHA website and on the Yahoo Group's email list. If you don't have this where you are doing business, create it yourself! If you have questions and ideas, someone else will, too, and they'll be grateful someone took the initiative.

Home Party Business: SIX Parties?

As you know, I began this odyssey long before I actually applied. Because of that, I'll backtrack to that day and move forward until we are here. TODAY here.

The decision to become an At Home America consultant was easy. Applying, thanks to my mentor, Donna Moses, was easier. At Home America suggests and encourages you to book your first SIX parties before you apply, that meant I had to hurry and find hostesses because I was applying the day I received my application.

Luckily for me, Donna's daughter, Maureen, booked my first party - we live on the same island, making it easy for me to accept and her to commit. Donna was very happy about it and is sure to be the reason for Maureen's party success. How can you loose when your mother is your party girl's mom? We can't!

Five to go. I decided NOT to ask my family for many reasons. First of all, I've never seen At Home America anywhere but online. Not even one product. Though I know that I am confident in their products and hostess program, they do not. Family is often harder to convince then others because they know you and maybe have been in this position before (ha, ha!).

Second of all, I love challenges, and because I have not had any friends for about a year (other than my friends at home or online), it was high time to make new ones and invite them to enjoy my business. I said a prayer and took a leap. I asked anyone in my few Hawaii/military groups to help me out.

On a very serious note, many of you already have your friends and family nearby and you may have lived in your area a very long time. Might I suggest to wait on your family in order to expand your circle? Your first bookings, if coming from friends and new people, will have you feeling successful and on a business high. If it's family, it's great, but not the same. I know because I'm on that high, even while we speak! And guess what? When it's slow, maybe in January, I can now ask everyone in my family AND be even more excited about the quality and care of the product and At Home America.

(I'm apologizing now for rambling, I'm just very excited AND I have so much to share... my hopes are this will help just one person and myself become more efficient with their new home business and that it directly affects your family in a great way)

Anyway, back to I need five more bookings and I have my online application open and waiting. Armed with my one booking, I went to my personal Facebook page and using my personality, I made a request to watch me give you a fun party where you can laugh out loud at me while I practice being a home party direct sales consultant, and YOU get free gifts and specials and we all get free food, because I do encourage food and drinks - sometimes that's what hooks people. I'm not kidding (but that's an entirely new post because there are many people who think food and drinks are distracting, too).

I got party number two, as a catalog party, though I was not positive there are catalog parties available (I assumed from my designated time as a hostess - and there ARE those parties, called "e-show"). Here's a funny thing about Jennifer:

I've been a victim's advocate pretty much my entire life, but I've been putting my money where my mouth is for only a decade and a half. I have websites and professional social network accounts. To gain a better following, I did what social networks did; I played Mafia Wars. Yes, me. I know, I hate games, especially video games, but it worked. People came to me for play, but they stayed for my heart and they believe in the messages. Jennifer is one person.

When I called out for parties, even though I had stopped playing Mafia Wars a long time ago, she was there right away. We had conversations over the couple of years and it was natural, we were already friends in this technological world.

Jennifer is officially my first party. And she has my first questions, but is awesome by being patient while I learn.

And that's all for now... I have things to do, places to be. See you soon, when we can discuss the rest of my application and creative ways to get your first bookings.