Host a Home Party!

Confession: I never planned to do a home party. For real. I was planning to build my business online and thought skipping the home party scene would just be fine. Womp womp. This is true of so many partners! After a few months, partners usually realize they are missing a HUGE opportunity. First off, home parties are super fun. As the Partner leading the party, you usually get to drink mimosas, hold babies, and make new friends. Also, some of your customers WANT to see the products in person, touch the products, see the quality and have an excuse to get out of the house and do some shopping. Next selling points – home parties are almost guaranteed sales! If a guest shows up at your home to check out some fair trade products, they’re likely going to buy a few. Plus, the energy of a home party feeds off the other guests. They get to hear the artisan stories from YOU and connect with them in a way like no other. They begin suggesting products for each other and discovering new pieces together. It’s good for sales! All that to say, don’t skip a home party! Set a date for a home party and a back-up date for your guests that can’t make it that day. Here are the logistics for a home party that you need to know:

When? It’s truly up to your hostess, but block out days and times that YOU are available and let them choose from there!

How do I invite?  Just like a Facebook party, you want to personally invite your guests. You can use an e-vite or a Facebook event to track RSVPs. Often times, Partners will provide their hostesses with cute postcards to hand out to friends, a sample email invitation or an image that they can text out to their friends and family when inviting.

What’s the set up? Watch This Video by Erin Woods! It’s from 2017 so many of the products we do not carry anymore, but you will get to see how to do a Party Set-up in only 8 minutes!

What else should I bring? You definitely want to bring catalogs, pens, order forms, and some change in case your guests pay with cash. Partners often raffle off a prize so you might want to bring along a small giveaway too. Make sure you bring your planner or calendar so you can book future parties as well.

How do I run the party timeline? Here’s a step-by-step outline:

What do I say at the party? Use your cue cards that came in your kit!! They tell you exactly what to say. Here is a video of Erin Woods using our cue cards in 2015, so your cards will be more up to date than this, but this is how you do it!

How do I take orders? When your guests are ready to place an order, you’ll have them complete an order form. Make sure to add your local sales tax and shipping. If they’re paying with a credit card, you can take their payment via Square or write down their credit card information so you can enter it in in your back office at the conclusion of the party. Pro-Tip: Bring a tablet or laptop & your phone hotspot to enter in orders right then & there!

Why should I recruit my home party hostess? It’s likely your home party hostess will have a ton of fun. I mean, she’s already opened her home to you so she’s clearly passionate about the products/artisans. Unlike an online party where orders are placed on your website, if your hostess decides to join your team, you can attribute the sales for her party to her as an added incentive for joining. Yes, you’d lose the sales credit BUT you’ll gain a team member which is even BETTER for growing your business in the long-haul.

How do I enter home party orders? Head here for a step-by-step: https://hopecentral.tradesofhope.com/resources/parties/home-party/#1574193384165-8319d7f1-fb18

Watch this short video to learn:

• My best resource for learning about Home Parties, Erin Woods!
• Booking Training by Erin Woods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGdNpbdzFOQ

Tawny’s Bonus Tip: Head Here to learn some ideas of “themed” parties you can use to keep it fun & change up your parties a bit: https://hopecentral.tradesofhope.com/resources/parties/home-party/

Your To-Do List:

• Set a home party date and back up date.
• Watch the Erin Woods Videos I have linked throughout this post.
• Create a home party box of supplies.
• Jot down some notes of what you’d want to say at your home party.
• Comment below with what excites and scares you about a home party.