Not a bit basket related -- but, well maybe, you never know if or
when you might have to translate some of the new flyers! A piece of
useless knowledge ~ you can translate from English to
French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish and vice versa
(good for those Spanish flyers, as well as newsletter blurbs for those
of us who are not bi-lingual or need a different language): http://babel.altavista.com/translate.dyn
Wishing everyone baskets full of holly-day sales,
MINDING YOUR BUSINESS by Laura
P.
Anyone looking for ways to increase your business???
Use your resources wisely. Of
course this means the obvious of sharing samples when possible.
Splitting supply orders, etc. Make those phone calls.
But do not forget your most
valuable resource. YOUR TIME! This must be one of the most overlooked
aspects of our business. How much is your time worth? If you work outside
the home in a salaried position, it is pretty easy to calculate. But how
much is it worth to Your Business? Take advantage of time savers.
Computerized programs your company offers to process shows are a fantastic deal. At
one convention I think I paid about $85. Even at $99 it was
truly worth it! I spend less time working around orders to get the best deal
for my hostess. I get correct totals every time. I can not tell you how many
times I felt the need to "eat" a mistake I made by goofing up the
hostess order section. A few dollars here and there did not seem worth
calling back the customer. The mailing label ability saves me time with my
mailings, no more hand writing and it looks very professional.
I happen to enjoy writing my
newsletters but if you struggle every time, why not pay someone to do that
more efficiently too (check out the "Looking for Something section of
this website for services)? If you spend 3 hours trying to write and prepare these
for about 7+/- mailings that is 21 hours in a year. If you "paid"
yourself minimum wage $5.15/hr, that is over $100 per year. Most
subscriptions are less.
My last point about spending your
time - When other consultants offer discounts or other activities that your
direct sales company
discourages and you get frustrated - Spend more time on your business and
less time worrying about someone else's. If you feel you must do something
about this consultant, follow normal business protocol. There is a proper
chain of command. Going straight to your sales compliance department is like going to the head of
your company to complain about a coworker. It makes you look petty and
probably will not accomplish anything. Instead try educating this
consultant. Explain why what they are doing is counterproductive to her/his
business. A consultant who is really trying to build a strong business
will appreciate the information. One who is looking to make a quick buck or
other short term goal will not be the least bit interested in your comments,
and may be rude about it. But this person will likely fade out quickly
too.
Kudos to those who have a
great business or want to build a great business. And those that just want a
hobby - you are loved too!
How
to do the ® symbols etc.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/devprods/vs6/visualc/vclang/_pluslang_ansi_character_codes_chart.htm
This works in Microsoft Word...
Hit these keys in order, holding them down together.
Ctrl - Alt - C to
get the copyright symbol (C in a circle)
Ctrl - Alt - R to
get the registered symbol (R in a circle)
Ctrl - Alt - T to
get the Trademark symbol (TM)
Re: Registered ® and Trademark
™ symbols
You just hold down the ATL key and type a code.
The complete list is in the link below. Remember that you must
preface the code shown on the list with a zero (ie it shows 174 for ® and
you must type ALT+0174
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/devprods/vs6/visualc/vclang/_pluslang_ansi_character_codes_chart.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHY
PEOPLE BUY BASKETS ...
An Online post by Susan Shaw of
Wichita Kansas
Hi Basket Friends,
This is probably my only free time today, but I wanted to spend it with you
all.
I went to my first Longaberger® Basket party in 1984. Could barely
afford the $20 darning basket, but I bought it and I still have it. The
hostess is a special friend.
I got my first home in 1989, about the time the "Bed and Breakfast™" set came out. I thought $100 was a scandalous amount for the
set, but wanted something special for my new home. That hostess has been a
friend through sickness,
kids growing up and more. Right now I've learned some new computer skills at
work so I can cover for her while she recovers from surgery. I just bought a
"Thinking of You™" tie-on and I'm going to give it to her with the
Horizon of
Hope basket she has admired on my desk.
Next month I will adopt one of my foster kids, one who is retarded and
aggressive and mean, but needs a home just like any other child. The last
time she bit me and left scars, I went to my consultant and told her I was
ready to order the "Generosity™" basket. This consultant knew that
something serious had happened because she knew that the only reason I would
order such an expensive combo was to treat myself when I felt totally
exhausted like I had nothing left to give this kid. That day the consultant
and I shared stories and I learned of heavy burdens I never realized she too
had in life.
My child, now almost 14, plays with the toddlers across the street. They are
three kids in an ideal family, and ideal house. Their mom is unfailingly
kind to my problem child and me, despite our less than ideal house and yard
and
life. That mom is also a consultant. I splurged recently and ordered the
"Note Pal™" basket with lid from her. I know I don't need to be
buying baskets (In Kansas right now, adopting a special needs child is
extremely expensive because they have cut way down on subsidies, so we're
poor now!), but if I spend money on anything its likely to be a basket or a
liner or a lid or something Longaberger® related.
Why? Because I love these baskets. I don't know exactly why. I do know that
I see hope and memories and friendship and hospitality when I look at them.
(Probably that's why the company gave them names using some of those words!)
To me, they are more than maple splints and rivets. They are more than a
monetary investment. They are tangible reminders of what has been good in my
life, including some things which have passed by in my life that I can never
regain. I know I am not a consultant, but I think when consultants sell
Longaberger ®,
they are selling a lot more than baskets and pottery. They are selling the
idea of a warm and comfortable home, a way to organize our "stuff"
in a pretty basket, not a shoe box, and a way to be a gracious hostess.
Why do I scrimp to buy a Longaberger® basket when a Walmart® plastic container would
be just as practical for holding my coupons, sewing supplies or whatever?
Because the Longaberger® is beautiful. I want that beauty in my life, regardless of
whatever else is going wrong. I want to believe that life can be better.
WEDDING
GIFT IDEAS WITH IN A BASKET
1. The Marriage Survival
Basket
Include these items, with the following
note, in your favorite basket. Tie up with a
nice bow or gift bag.
Match or Charcoal
- to
spark the coals which will smolder and glow with the warmth of your
love.
Red Yarn
- to tie around
your finger so you can remember to say "I love you" at
least twice a day.
Paper & Pencil
- to
keep track of your blessings.
Soap
- for pure &
natural clean living.
Mirror
- to reflect on
your life as you build it together, always magnifying the positive.
Tissues
- to wipe the
inevitable tears away.
Chewing gum
- to add
flavor and freshness.
Band-Aids
- to help small
hurts heal.
Candle
- to soften the
glare of everyday bustle with a romantic glow.
Shiny Penny
- for Luck.
Paper Clip
- to help you
keep things together.
Antacid
- for the
occasional upsets you encounter.
Analgesic
- to soothe the
headaches in any relationship.
Highlighter
- to make the
important times in your life stand out.
Eraser
- to rub away the
problems of the day.
Safety pins
- to keep you
safely "stuck on" one another.
Crazy Straws
- to keep a
sense of humor in even the most mundane tasks.
Ruler
- to measure your
love as it deepens.
Bourbon
- to relax &
unwind.
Perfume
- Wings to scent
the night and let you fly.
Flashlight
- to light the
way through dark times.
Rolling pin
- to smooth
all the bumps along the way.
Hershey's Hugs & Kisses
- to help you think of each other when you’re apart.
Possible baskets to use:
Bread Basket™ - May there always be
food in their house (use sample sizes of the bigger items).
Medium Gathering Basket™ - For
gathering up hopes and dreams for years to come. (Everything might
not fit in - may have to incorporate a box as well).
Chore Basket™ - Great to start the
chores together.
2. Address™ Cards
For keeping up with all friends and
family members on both sides!
At the bridal shower, have everyone fill
out an address card. Complete cards for those unable to
attend the shower. Put filled-out cards and a good supply of new cards
into the Address™ Basket, wrap and give as a Wedding Gift!
- Chore™ Basket
Fill the Chore-type Basket with sponges,
dust cloths, cleaning products, etc. with a note that this will get them
doing their cleaning chores together!
4. Picnic™ Basket
Fill a Picnic™ Basket with wine,
fruit, cheese, crackers, tablecloth, wine glasses, napkins, etc. Don’t
forget the wine bottle opener!
BRIDAL
REGISTRY by Teri Vogel
Basket Company
Baskets, Pottery and Fabric
Bridal Registry
Bride
____________________________Groom _____________________________
Address
___________________________________ Phone Number _____________
Wedding Date
________________________
Your
{Company} Cons. is Teri Basketlady XXX-XXX-XXXX or
email:urcnsultnt@smewhere.com
On the next
several pages you would make categories of the items your company
sells. For instance "Baskets", "Pottery",
"Linens", "Furnishings" and under each category heading
you would put an order type form for the registrants to fill out. Kind
of like this:
Basket
Name
Qty
Protector Liner
Choice
_____________________________
_____ _______
_________________
_____________________________
_____ __________ _________________
Wood
Products
_____________________________
_____ _______
_________________
_____________________________
_____ __________ _________________
Pottery
_____________________________
_____ _______
_________________
_____________________________
_____ __________ _________________
Note:
You will want to put several lines under each category -- so they can freely
choose what they want. This entire form could be several pages long.
On each form you should have printed at least very small your name and how to
contact you. For your info -- you may also want a line somewhere that
lists their name on each page.
Next
you can inform their friends and family that the couple has registered with
you. A sample letter follows. This would explain how a Bridal
Shower would work as well.:
Dear
Guest,
You have been invited to use a unique and different type of Bridal
Registry featuring the {Company}
Basket, Pottery and home décor
line which
(name of registrant} have chosen for their home.
These products are available only through a {Company}
associate, and are not available
in stores.
The following is a list of items {name
of registrant} has registered for.
If you feel that you would like to purchase an item from the list, as
a gift, let me know. I will
then be able to tell you if she has already received that particular item,
or if it is still available, just like a store registry.
Should you have a Consultant, please order through them and let me
know the choice so I may indicate it on the registry.
A
certificate with the gift item and the givers' name will be given to
{name of registrant}.
She
will then be able to turn in a show of her own and receive hostess benefits.
This eliminates the need for wrapping.
Your purchase can be made over the phone prior to the wedding using
your credit card.
{Company
flyers}
are available from the
associate for any additional purchases you may want to make for yourself.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
TEACHERS
AND BASKETS by Kathy
I did a couple "teacher" shows last year, one
for Elementary teachers and one for High School teachers. Here are
the suggestions I gave for basket uses: (please bear in mind
that High School teachers sometimes share class rooms with other teachers
and do not keep many "permanent" items in the class.)
Address™ Basket: Keep all your class
information at your fingertips: a card with all pertinent
information for each student, extra cards for special needs, special
rewards, etc.
Business Card™ Basket: The perfect
size for Post-it Notes™, small sticker sheets, little encouragement cards
(like the inspirational ones Currents sells)
Button Basket™: (with 3-way protector)
Keeps all your paper clips, rubber bands and chalk handy! (with
regular protector) Nice way to keep wrapped candies for "treats"
Cracker Basket™: What teacher doesn't
need to keep loads of spare pencils on hand when the students
"forget" theirs? Also great with the 2-part protector and
a divider for paper clips, rubber bands, etc
Fruit Basket™: Ideal for holding
crayons, small counting manipulatives (grade school)
Key Baskets™: Use for a classroom
"mailbox". Homework, etc is deposited in the beginning of
class. Also great for "in" and "out" baskets.
One for papers to be graded, one for completed papers.
Kiddie™ Purse: Classroom / traveling
first aid kit.
Magazine Basket™ with Organizer™ System:
Your traveling desk. Keep papers to be graded, projects and lesson
plans you are still working, etc in folders in the bottom and all your
pencils, pens, stickers, etc in the top part.
Paper Trays™ and Stand: Fantastic for
organizing your work space at home! Use one tray for graded papers,
one for those that need grading, one for projects, one for regular
homework, etc.
Pen Pal™ / Note Pal™: Keep your pens,
pencils and scissors all in one place! Note Pal™ holds note cards,
note paper, etc.
Medium or Large Spoon™: Holds rolled
Maps, rulers, posters, etc.
Tea Basket™: use with 2-way protector for
pens and note paper, clips and chalk, etc. Looks pretty with a small
plant. Great little file basket.
Pottery Mug™
and Cover™: keeps your
drink hot (or cold) and dust (and spitball!) free.
Pottery Flowerpots: Brightens any
room with a pretty plant. Also use to hold treats, pens and pencils,
etc.
Pottery Trivet™
and Wrought Iron Stand™:
Use with wipe-off marker as a mini-message center. AM/PM schedule,
etc.
Booking Basket™
(with bookings, of
course!): This is great for a birthday special for grade school
kids. Decorate it with a pretty ribbon, and make it your Birthday
Basket. The birthday child gets to keep the basket on their
desk for the day. Fill it with stickers, little wrapped candies,
erasers, or even a cupcake!
My business is slow, but I'm full of ideas for uses.
I love {Company} products. I was thinking of doing a flyer with
uses geared to different careers. Like the teacher, above.
RECIPE
FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE from
D. Wilson
I wanted to share this idea with
all of you. Recipe™ basket with protector, tie-on and recipe card set.
On one of the recipe cards I wrote this:
Recipe for: A Happy Marriage
From: (your name)
Serves: for a lifetime
1 headful of understanding
2 heaping cups of patience
1 dash of laughter
2 hearts full of love
1 Tbs. courtesy
Mix well with humility, sprinkle with kindness, add plenty of faith, will
last a lifetime if recipe is properly prepared.
SCENT-UOUS
COOKIE MOLD GIVE AWAYS
#1) You can easily use scented wax tarts (such as Yankee Candles
have) and melt them in your microwave -- short time only so they don't
catch fire, or put in a pyrex measuring cup on the heating element of your
coffee maker to melt. Two tarts, any scent, will work great in ONE
cookie mold. When the wax starts to set up, place in the freezer to
finish. When you do this, the wax molds pop right out. Heat
the tip of an ice pick or sharp object and put a small hole in the top for
threading ribbon, jute, etc. for hanging. They are so cute and smell
yummy. Go to your local floral supply (or florist) and ask for
corsage bags, use these to hold the finished product. Staple a
pretty ribbon on it and there you go!
#2) Another recipe for the cinnamon ornaments!
We did this very thing several years ago. They are super easy to
make! What we did was make them up, tie raffia around them and then
attached them to a FBC recipe card with the recipe on them. (one of my
gals ran them through her printer.) I didn't paint on them but I'm
sure you could with some sort of acrylic paint. The one thing I
would recommend is use a cutter that is larger than the shape you
want because they shrink up A LOT!!! Have fun!
Scent-Sational Pins/Ornaments
1 cup cinnamon, 4 tablespoon Elmer's Glue, 3/4-1 cup
of water
Mix ingredients together to cookie dough consistency.
Adding more water if necessary. Set in refrigerator for 2 hours.
Roll out to 1/4" and cut with cookie cutters. Dust with
cinnamon to prevent sticking. Use a straw to punch hole if you wish to
use as a tie-on or an ornament.
Lay on waxed paper for 4 days turning twice a day.
Or bake for 2 hours in a warm oven turning ebout every 15 minutes to
prevent curling. Glue on pin back or tie with bow. Embellish
as desired.
#3) I made these last
Christmas. I had to ask my mother-in-law how to do it. She said,
one jar of applesauce and some cinnamon. Well, I bought a WHOLE LOT of
cinnamon, and didn't use all of it. One jar of applesauce and yes, as
much cinnamon to make it doughy. Roll it out, cut it into cute shapes
and then bake at 450 for about two hours. If you want a hole, poke it
before you bake. If you want them to smell cinnamon-y - you won't want
to seal them or spray anything on them. I would just poke a hole in
them and tie a pretty ribbon through it. Make sure you tell people who
are unfamiliar with them that they are NOT edible!!
FREE
CLIP ART IMAGES
If you are
a registered user of one of the Microsoft(r) Office products including Word,
PowerPoint(r), Publisher, FrontPage(r) etc. you have access to 120,000 clip
art images for free at http://cgl.microsoft.com/clipgallerylive/
A search for basket returned over 300 images. You might want to check it
out.
HOLIDAY
DECORATING IDEAS from
Jo Williams
I know it's early for
holiday show ideas, but wanted to pass this list on for consultants doing
holiday parties -- lots of good decorating ideas for use with the regular line
baskets, so print it out and keep it in your folder for holiday shows:
-
Decorate a basket with a holiday
tie-on you've made of cinnamon sticks, a sprig of evergreen, jingle
bells and a holiday ribbon. Fill with pine cones for a great holiday
decoration.
-
Slip a holiday
poinsettia into a Basket, or a bunch of them into a larger basket for lots of color.
-
Group all your
children's holiday storybooks in any of the a larger basket & keep them handy for nightly Christmas
stories beside the tree!
-
Fill a basket with all your holiday card supplies, including blank
cards, stamps, return labels, holiday stickers, pens & address book.
-
Use a tall basket to gather your tubes of holiday wrap in a
convenient place. The basket makes it look so beautiful, you don't mind
having these items out on display.
-
Fill a medium or large basket with small wrapped gifts
for the neighbors, teachers, bus drivers, etc... all those small gifts
that need to be delivered before the big day.
-
Take a plastic protector, fill it with a little gravel, water & add 8 paper white
narcissus bulbs. Place by a sunny window around Thanksgiving and have a
beautiful flowering centerpiece for the holidays.
-
Don't forget to
tie-on some ribbon or a craft store holiday floral pick for added
beauty.
-
Also use your
baskets with protectors for holiday punch & cookies for your
guests!!
SIGNING
BASKETS ... WHAT TO USE
I
use a Pigma Micron permanent marker in the 0.30 mm line width. It has
a nice fine point and tends not to bleed into the wood. You can find
these where scrapbooking supplies are sold. You can also use and extra
fine or ultra fine Sharpie.
LIVE FOR THOSE
YOU LOVE ...
Give Hope to Others when you give a {Company} fund raising
basket filled with Love.
Mom ~ Fill the {fundraising basket} with some of her favorite perfume, nail polishes
(nail kit), a special piece of jewelry.
Dad ~ Give him tickets for s special sporting event, or a subscription to
his favorite magazine. He can also use it to hold a remote control or on his
dresser for car keys, pocket change.
Grandmother ~ Give her some Hershey's Kisses & Hugs, or fill it with
seed packets & bulbs for the sunny days ahead! She will love it with
note cards too.
Grandfather ~ Give him film to capture favorite photos or with his favorite
sweets. Tuck inside some favorite snapshots of that special grandchild.
Great for Grandpa's reading glasses by the bed, or medicines or vitamins.
Teacher ~ This can be a gift from the class, have each child sign it and put
candy, flowers, or pencils in it.
New Baby ~ This one is great to fill with sample sizes of lotions and
powders. Add a Tie-on on the front. It also holds pacifiers and
small baby toys.
Pre-School Child ~ Little ones always like crayons, scissors, markers and
glue sticks. Or as a little girl's purse.
College Student ~ Great filled with stamps, pens/pencils and quarters for
laundry. Don't forget movie passes.
Best Friend ~ Fill with gourmet teas or coffee, great to share when you get
together.
Co-worker ~ Good for office supplies such as Post-it notes, paper clips,
rubber bands, or diskettes. Also for wrapped candies for her/his desk.
Teenage Girl ~ Fill with some colorful hair scrunches, perfume, or a new
pair of earrings. Or special concert tickets.
Teenage Boy ~ Fast food coupons, collectable baseball or trading cards or a
gift certificate to a record store.
A {Company} Lover ~ Fill with packets of dip mix to use along side a basket. A perfect duo: chips, vegetables or fruit in
a Basket and dip
in the {fundraising basket} Basket.
Others ~ Your hairdresser, clergy, baby-sitter, neighbor, special health
care provider, filled with lifesavers for enriching your life throughout the
year!
Yourself ~ It's great for a window sill catch-all (jewelry), {Company} Salt &
Pepper Shaker Set, sweetener packets, lemon slices, teaspoons, dessert
forks, napkin rings, cocktail napkins, contact lenses, recipes, note cards
or pads, and coupons. Collect several to decorate your Christmas tree
BUNNY MUFFINS GIVE AWAY ITEM
Idea from Paula Brown
This
cute idea was submitted to me some time ago and I am just now getting it on
the website. I hope who ever submitted it to me will see it and let me
know who they were and make sure my info is accurate. The following
recipe/picture was created and printed on a color printer in an 8x10"
format and then laminated. This was given to guests as they came to a
spring Open House. It is cute and suitable enough to be put in
a frame and hung on the wall.
.
HOW TO BOOST BUSINESS
by Kristen
I just started my 2nd year of selling. My first year was fairly slow. I
remained active the whole year (barely), but I knew I wanted to grow my
business this year, The first thing I did was PRAY! (really) The next thing
I did was get one of the retired purses, (of course now I'll have one of the
new gorgeous ones!!) and carried it around with me. I got several comments
about it, which opened the door for me to talk about my business, but also
made me realize that there are a lot of people out there who would fall in
love with {Company} if they were only exposed to it.
Then the last thing I did was decide to "move out of my comfort
zone" and make some phone calls. I called people who had shown an
interest in being a hostess earlier but had never gone through with it. Some
people said no, but a couple people said yes, and from that one afternoon of
phone calls, my business has just TAKEN OFF!!!! (Relatively speaking...its
taken off for me compared to last year.) Yippee! For example, I did a show
last night that was a booking from a show that I booked on that afternoon of
phone calls (are you following this?) *grin* Yesterday's show was almost
$2800 with 3 bookings and a person who wants to do a bridal registry with
me, AND 2 strong recruit leads!!!
The moral of the story is that you never know where the big turn in your
business is going to come from, so get yourself out there! All of the
speakers at convention had the same message of being positive in how you
approach your business, and its absolutely true. You have to change your
mindset.....you're not asking someone to do you a favor by having a show,
you're offering them the opportunity to save a lot of money on a great
product.
If you love what you do, recruiting is just a matter of giving someone
the opportunity to have fun and share your love for {Company}. I've
had more success with approaching potential customers, hostesses and
recruits, its becoming easier to do, and the "no's" that you get
aren't as devastating, because you know that your next "yes" could
be your next phone call, and you never know where that particular yes will
take you.
CRAFT
SHOW QUESTIONNAIRE
Now is the perfect time of year to get exposure
through Craft Shows, Fall Festivals, County & State Fairs. Here
is the form that I use not only at these events but also give to each
guest at my home shows to fill out. I say "Please take a moment
to fill out the questionnaire so that I may know how to provide the best
customer service to you." I do put them in a basket when they
are done and have a drawing for 2-3 post-it pads. The ones we were
able to get at the BEE and I believe are available on supply order, come
out to .60 ea!
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Day Phone
Evening Phone
_______ I would like to be kept up to date with new
product information by being on your Mailing List!
_______ I would like to be added to your email
update list! My email address is ___
_______ I would like to take advantage of the
Hostess Benefits by being a {Company} Hostess!
_______ Now is not a good time, however, I would
like to Hostess a show at a later date!
_______I would like information on becoming a {Company} Consultant! (or know of someone)
I really like the 4th one, this one lets you know
that they ARE interested and gives you a reason to call them to find out
what would work for them or what they were thinking. Of course answering
yes to the others is great too :o)
When I do an event, c. show etc. I visit with
them and if there is interest I offer for them to fill out this form.
If they do want to be on the mailing list then I will give them the
current flyer and catalog. This saves me the postage on those
flyers. I will then follow up with my "craft show letter"
(another contact with them) and then follow up with a phone call to see
how I can be of customer service to them.
This is how I have built my business over the past
10 years. It's a great way to get into a new area and a perfect
excuse to talk {products you sell} ....do I feel a
song coming on.... :o) Sue
Join