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 put on the roast for the in-laws who are coming for dinner. 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. Choose a wax that's not overpowering and that is generally liked by everyone (avoid anything with vanilla, lavender or coconut at a demo as they are the three most likely to have Love/Hate reactions at a party and also most likely to cause headaches in those with sensitivities).
I set it all up and only 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! Also, it's worth bearing in mind that your next recruit is likely to be sitting in this room and you want to make it appear as simple as possible so that she is more likely going to want to take this up. Having a bad back meant that I was always looking at the set up time and how much a consultant had to carry - for that reason (but not just that reason) - Scentsy tops the list!
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 tops) I'll start the demo.
I'm going to give you an example below.
"Hi everyone, I'm Jo and I'm a Star 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 - perhaps a bag of samples or a washer whiffs tub or something - I usually give a bag with 6 or 8 cubes, all individually wrapped, of discontinued or hard to get fragrances).
"Scentsy has been around for over 12 years and is very successful in the USA, Canada the UK, Mexico, Germany, Spain, New Zealand and Australia - it launched here on the 2nd of September 2013. 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 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 art glass warmers (how they change colour) 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 give them other ways to change the wax (soaking it up with cotton balls, pouring it into an old coffee jar and wiping or simply waiting for the wax to cool enough and go 'gummy' and simply peeling it out). I also explain about the fact that it's food-grade and non-toxic (because it WARMS at such a low temperature that the only thing going into the air is fragrance, not melted wax, wick, smoke, etc.,) and that it's what they use to coat apples, the inside of milk cartons and take-away coffee cups with.
This is where I move onto our Diffusers (I will have one already set up but not yet switched on) and I turn it on to show them the different light settings and the different mist settings. They tend to 'ooh and ahh' over the colours so I'll often stop it on one colour while I talk about the next bit so that the diffuser itself is less distracting. I make sure they know about the negative ions as that is the most amazing benefit that they can get from our stunning diffusers. If you want to know more about the benefits of negative ions, you can read up on them here. I make sure they know that using other oils - essential or fragrant - will NOT void the warranty on our diffusers, however, we have a truly beautiful range of Essential and 100% natural oils that they can smell shortly.
I then very briefly cover the kids range, focusing on 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, and I always tell them about the benefits of buddy's and separation anxiety in children (ask me about that if you want to know more) etc., I then move onto the Scent Circles, Car Bars, Room Sprays etc., and how long they are likely to last... I give examples from what I've learned... I had a coconut lemongrass scent 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 tell them that I personally baulked at the cost of the room sprays when I first joined and thought to myself that "I'll never sell those" and yet after hearing stories from other consultants and then caving and buying one for myself that I will NEVER use another room spray as long as I live - there is NOTHING like our room sprays that even come close (I ALWAYS TELL THE HONEST TRUTH - AUTHENTICITY IS KEY). I move onto the laundry range and rave about it - I throw in personal stories about my kids or those of customers to really get across how widely loved our products are. Lastly, I cover the Skin & Groom range and tell them my favourites and why - once again, personal stories are the most effective sales tool you have, whether they are yours, those of your sponsor or teamies or customers :)
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. I tell them about the incredible incentive trips that I've earned to the USA, Bali and the Carribbean and tell them I'd like to have them join my on my next trip! This is where I mention that I am building a worldwide team and if they know of anyone who might be interested in joining my team that I'd love to have a chat to them. (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)!! This is where you can also briefly mention that Scentsy have very generous host incentives and that "Jane" will get everything she wants for just a fraction of the price with her host rewards and half priced items.
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... getting them to laugh and have fun is powerful!
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
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 put on the roast for the in-laws who are coming for dinner. 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. Choose a wax that's not overpowering and that is generally liked by everyone (avoid anything with vanilla, lavender or coconut at a demo as they are the three most likely to have Love/Hate reactions at a party and also most likely to cause headaches in those with sensitivities).
I set it all up and only 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! Also, it's worth bearing in mind that your next recruit is likely to be sitting in this room and you want to make it appear as simple as possible so that she is more likely going to want to take this up. Having a bad back meant that I was always looking at the set up time and how much a consultant had to carry - for that reason (but not just that reason) - Scentsy tops the list!
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 tops) I'll start the demo.
I'm going to give you an example below.
"Hi everyone, I'm Jo and I'm a Star 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 - perhaps a bag of samples or a washer whiffs tub or something - I usually give a bag with 6 or 8 cubes, all individually wrapped, of discontinued or hard to get fragrances).
"Scentsy has been around for over 12 years and is very successful in the USA, Canada the UK, Mexico, Germany, Spain, New Zealand and Australia - it launched here on the 2nd of September 2013. 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 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 art glass warmers (how they change colour) 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 give them other ways to change the wax (soaking it up with cotton balls, pouring it into an old coffee jar and wiping or simply waiting for the wax to cool enough and go 'gummy' and simply peeling it out). I also explain about the fact that it's food-grade and non-toxic (because it WARMS at such a low temperature that the only thing going into the air is fragrance, not melted wax, wick, smoke, etc.,) and that it's what they use to coat apples, the inside of milk cartons and take-away coffee cups with.
This is where I move onto our Diffusers (I will have one already set up but not yet switched on) and I turn it on to show them the different light settings and the different mist settings. They tend to 'ooh and ahh' over the colours so I'll often stop it on one colour while I talk about the next bit so that the diffuser itself is less distracting. I make sure they know about the negative ions as that is the most amazing benefit that they can get from our stunning diffusers. If you want to know more about the benefits of negative ions, you can read up on them here. I make sure they know that using other oils - essential or fragrant - will NOT void the warranty on our diffusers, however, we have a truly beautiful range of Essential and 100% natural oils that they can smell shortly.
I then very briefly cover the kids range, focusing on 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, and I always tell them about the benefits of buddy's and separation anxiety in children (ask me about that if you want to know more) etc., I then move onto the Scent Circles, Car Bars, Room Sprays etc., and how long they are likely to last... I give examples from what I've learned... I had a coconut lemongrass scent 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 tell them that I personally baulked at the cost of the room sprays when I first joined and thought to myself that "I'll never sell those" and yet after hearing stories from other consultants and then caving and buying one for myself that I will NEVER use another room spray as long as I live - there is NOTHING like our room sprays that even come close (I ALWAYS TELL THE HONEST TRUTH - AUTHENTICITY IS KEY). I move onto the laundry range and rave about it - I throw in personal stories about my kids or those of customers to really get across how widely loved our products are. Lastly, I cover the Skin & Groom range and tell them my favourites and why - once again, personal stories are the most effective sales tool you have, whether they are yours, those of your sponsor or teamies or customers :)
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. I tell them about the incredible incentive trips that I've earned to the USA, Bali and the Carribbean and tell them I'd like to have them join my on my next trip! This is where I mention that I am building a worldwide team and if they know of anyone who might be interested in joining my team that I'd love to have a chat to them. (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)!! This is where you can also briefly mention that Scentsy have very generous host incentives and that "Jane" will get everything she wants for just a fraction of the price with her host rewards and half priced items.
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... getting them to laugh and have fun is powerful!
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
