Saturday, November 2, 2013

Selling Scentsy at a Demo is Easy!

When Scentsy launched in Australia on the 2nd of September 2013 there were a lot of us who had been waiting for years for the opportunity to sell Scentsy!  There were also a lot of new girls who'd never done any direct selling or party plan before.  Some of the girls have found it daunting to openly ask for parties or to tell others about the Scentsy opportunity but others of us have found it so EASY.  I've been involved in direct selling on and off for the best part of 25 years.  I've sold everything from beauty products, childrens clothing, ladies clothing, books, shoes, toys, aromatherapy, candles and cooking appliances and I can honestly say that NOTHING has ever been easier to sell than Scentsy and I am so glad that they finally launched in Australia. Anyhow, I'm getting off topic, because the reason I wanted to write this post was to break down some of the preconceptions that many people have about running a demonstration and give my reasons why.  I feel that the best way is to allow people to expand on the very basic demo to incorporate their own personality but to also point out how very simple it can be and still work.

The Basic Demo

This is me, this is what I do and how I run a party.  I don't do games.  I don't do ice-breakers.  These are the reasons why.

I don't like them myself when I go to a party like this.  I feel uncomfortable having to say fun/silly things or being put on the spot in front of strangers.  If I know EVERYONE at the demo it would be a different matter but I've often been to a demonstration and been the one person who doesn't know anyone but the hostess and I've squirmed my way through party games.  They also prolong the process and in this day and age, people are busy and may have to rush off and pick up little Billy from Soccer or bake a cake for the in-laws who are coming to tea.  That's why I like to keep it really brief and let the product speak for itself.

I like to get there half an hour before the guests are due to arrive.  That way the warmer will be working it's magic the minute the guests arrive.  I set it all up and only usually have two or three warmers in total.  That way it's not too much to carry and you can get in from the car in one load! (something that turned me off other party plans were repeated trips in and out to the car).

Once I've set up, I can relax a little and chat with the early arrivals and the hostess and let them see that I'm relaxed in my approach and not going to be a pushy saleswoman.

Once everyone has arrived (I don't mind waiting ten or 15 minutes but that's all) I'll start the demo.

I'm going to give you an example below.

"Hi everyone, I'm Jo and I'm a Director with Scentsy here in Australia and I'm so thrilled to be able to introduce you to this gorgeous product.  I'd like to take this opportunity to thank "Jane" for having me here and giving me this opportunity to share the Scentsy experience with you all today. (this is where I might give "Jane" a little gift if I'm going to do that - more on that in another post).

"Scentsy has been around for almost 10 years and is very successful in the USA and Canada and has now branched out into the UK, Europe and Australia.  Scentsy is a household name in the USA and outsells many of the most well known brands that we all know very well"

"One of the things that first drew me to the Scentsy Opportunity was the safety aspect.  No naked flame, no smoke, no soot, no lead and no toxins in the air.  You can go out and leave it on and not have to worry about leaving it on - you could even go away for the weekend and leave it on with the added benefit to coming home to a beautifully scented house!"

"Our warmers heat the wax bars to just above body temperature which means that they are safe to have around babies and small children as well as any inquisitive pets.  Even if they pulled over the warmer and spilled it on themselves, they won't be hurt.  The worst that can happen is a little fright.  (sometimes I'll dip my finger in to show them, or encourage the hostess to do so).  I FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A LIFETIME WARRANTY AGAINST MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND THE GLOBE NEVER NEEDS REPLACING"

At this point I tell them about the different warmers - the element (no light, small spaces) the gallery (different frames), the silhouette (different wraps) and also about those that are glazed and those that are unglazed (glazed are not translucent but unglazed are).  SHARE YOUR PASSION!!  If you LOVE Whoot, tell them you love Whoot - tell them why you love Tilia or which silhouette wrap you love and why!

This is also where they'll often ask whether they can use their 'oil burners' they have at home and where we take the opportunity to explain that they are too hot, that the wax may split or spit, that the perfume load in our wax is high and made for a slow release and that the heat of the candle will mean that the perfume is evaporated much quicker and that the Scentsy Warmer and Bars are a complete fragrance system and designed to work together... I add that other melts may not work in our warmers as they aren't warm enough for their lower scent loads nor is it warm enough to release the beneficial fragrance of an essential oil and also that THE WARRANTY IS VOIDED IF ANYTHING OTHER THAN SCENTSY WAX IS USED IN OUR WARMERS.  This is where I then go on to our wax.

"Scentsy bars are the premium wax melts on the market.  Not only is their fragrance amazing but they are incredibly long lasting.  I have had single blocks (I hold up a bar and explain that there are 8 blocks in a bar and that you only need one block at a time and that they are only $7.75 a BAR)... a single block last me for more than 5 days.  I've heard of many others who have had the same little block in their warmer for more than 2 weeks.  It depends entirely on the fragrance however as there are far more subtle scents that may only last 2 or 3 days. I like to say the average is 3 - 5 days per block and if you add that up it's a LOT of hours of divine fragrance for under $8.  ( I then go on to tell them how they can pour the wax back into the container if they want to change scents and re-use it later - and I also explain to them how easy it is to peel the used wax out.  I also explain about the fact that it's foodgrade, non toxic - because it WARMS at such a low temperature, and that it's what they use to coat apples, the inside of milk cartons and take-away coffee cups with.)

I then very briefly cover buddies and scent paks... passing the buddy around for them to smell, and explain other uses for Scent Paks - hanging in wardrobes and broom closets, under the car seat, in your suitcase for holidays, in the gym bag, in school lockers, in a caravan which is locked up most of the year, etc.,  And Scent circles and how long they are likely to last... I give examples from what I've learned... I had a coconut lemongrass circle that lasted 2 whole months!  Some scents such as Honeymoon Hideaway are far more subtle and if it's summer it may only last a week or so, but lovely if you were going on holiday and wanted the special aroma to remind you of a particular place.  (I ALWAYS TELL THE HONEST TRUTH - AUTHENTICITY IS KEY).  I then go on to briefly describe the layers products for personal and laundry use and only elaborate from my own experience or from what I've heard from friends or family.

After I've introduced all of the products I say very simply "I absolutely love my job, I love these products and the amazing opportunity that this Scentsy business has given to me and I can't wait for July 2014 as I'll be going on an all expenses paid trip to the USA with Scentsy - it's just so easy to sell and I'm so grateful to have this ground floor opportunity!  Scentsy is so incredibly popular here in Australia and I'm wanting to find more people to join my team here in (Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo, Hamilton, etc.) Victoria and if they know of anyone that might be interested to please let me know. (I've only done ONE demo so far where I haven't got a recruit or a potential recruit and that was with two other party plans and only three guests)!!

That's generally where I say that it's OVER TO THEM, let their noses do the shopping... I explain that it's better to smell their inner forearm or even the palm of their hand to clear their senses than coffee beans.  I sit close, but not right on top of the display... I offer guidance if someone is reticent or seems to like or dislike particular scents... (in my mind I am making a fragrance profile of every person at the demo - it's really easy and once you get to really know the scents yourself you can pretty much choose what they'll like every time - 9 times out of 10 they'll purchase the ones I suggest too).  This is  where I often explain the combine and save packs - when people are choosing, or having trouble choosing...

Anyhow, all up the actual part where you do the talking should be no more than 5 or 10 minutes and the rest of the time I let them shop for themselves.  I try to keep it casual and friendly and encourage laughter...   If someone says 'oh I should put a warmer in the bedroom to hide the smell of my husbands farts' later when I'm showing the scent paks I'll suggest one for her husband's back pocket or something silly... they all laugh!

Most importantly BE YOURSELF, be exuberant, be chatty, be approachable - know your product... and SHARE THE SCENTSY LOVE  oh and if you know anyone who might be interested in joining my team direct them HERE <3