Most people’s first experience of party plan is an invitation to a relative’s home to view kitchenware or cosmetics, jewellery or giftware, or to sample the latest rejects and returns from some local fashion designer. Whatever the scene, the main objective is to create a pleasant, welcoming environment, one where guests are inspired to enter into the spirit of things – and BUY!

Party plan is just another marketing method, probably originated in the USA, and an extremely effective means of generating mountains of orders from all over the country – or the world – for the organisation at the heart of the plan.

There’s a lot of money to be made in this business, especially if you are the sole supplier for goods promoted this way. So exactly what does party plan involve and how can you grab your share of the action – and the profits?

THE MECHANICS OF PARTY PLAN

Party plan operates through agents who normally enrol with the company direct on an undertaking to sell the firm’s products in return for commission on sales often a fixed percentage; sometimes increasing at specified levels. Some companies reward agents with additional gifts for achieving set targets, while others operate on a networking – multi-level marketing – structure, generating even higher profits for super-achievers.

Marketing is easy, with guests invited into agents’ homes – sometimes the host’s home, for a well-organised get-together which should be both enjoyable and create an almost captive audience for the items involved. Friends, neighbours, colleagues and relatives are invited to attend and a few simple refreshments are usually offered.

On the day – more often the night – the party starts with the host welcoming guests and encouraging a little social interaction before the main task of demonstrating and selling begins. Guests are usually allowed to try on samples and to pass items around before orders are finally invited, usually as the party draws to a close. The most common final task of the evening is to invite guests to host parties in their own homes in return for various incentives, usually a small gift coupled with a percentage of the takings on the night.

ABOUT AGENTS

Being an agent means arranging parties yourself or looking for others to host them for you. Party guests are your most likely source of new recruits and others can easily be contacted through advertisements in shop windows and local advertising freesheets. Whether you want to become an agent for an established business or you intend to market your own goods through party plan, try to gain experience first by hosting a few parties yourself or by enrolling as an agent with one of the major party plan firms advertising in most business opportunity magazines. Alternatively, become a regular guest at other people’s parties, noting what goes on, what literature and display equipment is used, how goods are demonstrated, and how orders are taken and processed.

WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED

No experience or qualifications are needed to be an agent or host, although it helps to have an interest in the things you are promoting and to genuinely enjoy selling to a live audience. What you do need, more than anything else, are products with universal appeal, like current party plan favourites books, designer clothing, costume jewellery, perfume and cosmetics.

WHAT YOU CAN EARN

Average earnings are inappropriate to this business where agents can receive anything from a few pounds pin money to hundreds of pounds at each and every event. Most importantly, the agent can increase his profits in many ways, and might even consider starting his own party plan business and recruiting others to work for him as agents and hosts. It really is up to you!

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE TO RECRUIT AS HOSTS

Hosts must be friendly and entertaining, not just interested in benefits to them. Most importantly, they should have a wide circle of contacts friends, relatives, workmates, neighbours.

A useful tip is to keep your eyes open for anyone working for a major company or living on a particularly large housing estate, as well as any who have already hosted parties successfully and need little prompting from you.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PARTY GREAT? PROFESSIONAL TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

- Displaying your goods properly and attractively can increase sales many times over. Products should be displayed on a sturdy table with quality cover, preferably in a fabric and colour to compliment your goods. Crushed velvet or silk is excellent for silver and jewellery and increases the perceived value of what you display. Go for pastel shades and medium fabrics, not fancy textures or gaudy patterns! Have a spotlight focussed on your display, especially for silverware and jewellery. Where possible, stage your display to add height at the back and make sure everything is easy to see.

- Keep ‘like’ goods together fancy goods beside giftware, jewellery next to cosmetics, household goods beside kitchenware, and so on.

- For jewellery and cosmetics, always have a few hand mirrors available or arrange a fancy mirror on a small folding card or picnic table covered with plain fabric. Place a chair alongside.

- Evening parties tend to be most productive, with possible exceptions Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and it seems the most convenient time for most people to attend is between 7.30 pm and 9.00 pm.

- When a party has been arranged and a host appointed, follow up with a telephone call a few days before the event. Go over the arrangements and send an informal note indicating the hosts’ responsibilities. Make a point of emphasising what incentives the host receives. Ask the host to send out party invitations and to remind their most regular contacts.

- Don’t forget it’s a social event too. Arrange chairs in a circle and place refreshments and nibbles close by. Allow guests at least ten minutes to mingle and chat before the selling begins.

- Don’t have television, radio, pets or children playing in the background. Keep all distractions to a minimum.

- Work to an agenda, including starting and finishing times and the order you want to accomplish your major tasks demonstrating, selling, taking orders, recruiting hosts, and so on. Allow about 20 minutes for demonstrating the goods and follow up with 15 minutes or so for guests to get a closer look or discuss their purchases with friends. Place order forms in a convenient spot and announce the time when guests should place their orders with the host, or with you direct.

- Mingle with guests but don-t be too pushy. Have them wear name tags and make sure your name is noticeable, too.

- At the end of the party, make a big thing of presenting the host with her gift and inviting her, publicly, to the next party to receive her cash award. Hand out leaflets or business cards to guests indicating when your next party will be and how they might apply to host parties themselves.

Above all, be enthusiastic! If you show you are enjoying yourself, this will reveal itself in the way you demonstrate your goods and, in turn, will mean increased profits for you. Have a good time!

Download your free guide to starting your own PARTY PLAN BUSINESS at: http://www.publishingcircles.com/party_plan_business.html

If you have recently added a new addition to your family then let me be the first to say congratulations. There is nothing more wonderful or exciting than becoming a parent.

Though it is great and wonderful to be a new parent, many fathers quickly loose that excitement and want to return to their pre baby sex routine. Most men are very disappointed to find out that their sex life is not going to return to normal right away.

If this is your first child then I am sure you are not familiar with how sex after a baby works for women. Here are a few helpful tips to help you out.

Give your wife space. Chances are she is not emotionally or physically ready to have sex. Having a baby is a very draining process. Have compassion towards your wife. Don’t be selfish. After all she just carried your baby for 9 months and went through several hours of labor to give birth. Your wife needs time to heal. Doctors recommend you wait at least a month before having sex after you have had a baby. Please know that every woman is different. Your wife may be ready to have sex much sooner or even much later than the average recommended time frame. Just play it by hear. Your wife will let you know when she is ready.

Do not have high expectations right away. Having a baby is a very overwhelming experience, especially for moms. Remember she has to feed the baby late at night. She has to get up with the baby when the baby is crying at all times of the morning. These things can and will prevent your wife from wanting to have sex. She will also not be able to get her normal daily tasks completed. Things such as cleaning the house or getting dinner prepared will all take a back seat to her having to care for the newborn baby.

The best way to get your sex life back to where you want it to be is to help your wife out. Do the dishes and cook dinner. Don’t let your wife feel completely helpless and overwhelmed after giving birth. Pitch in. Helping out will give your wife less things she has to do and give her more time to possibly be intimate with you.

Do not push your wife into having sex if she is not ready to do so. Remember she needs to heal. Also, if your baby is sleeping in your room then your wife will probably not feel comfortable being intimate. Take all factors into consideration. Be patient. Take this time to “wow” your wife all over again like you did when you first met her. Be romantic. Prepare a nice dinner. Send her flowers. Let her know you think she is the best mom in the world. These little things could possible get your wife back in the mood for sex much sooner.

For more articles, tips and information on ways you can improve your sex life visit Have Better Sex Now.