Love Token for his mother!

I had the most touching moment at a party for Kay in Eden Prairie last night. Her little nephew Charlie (approx. age 7) wanted to know how much a pair of Lingo earrings was that his mother had been admiring so that he could buy them for her. Upon learning she has already ordered them, he turned his attention to the Love Token necklace, wondering once again how much it was so that he could go get his wallet out of the car to buy it for her.

Imagine the surprise on his face when I told him he could have the necklace to give to her! We put it into an empty box that I had on hand and he tucked it into a grocery bag that he had brought with him with some of his toys inside to share withi his cousins while the moms shopped. I told him I was certain he would find the perfect time to give it to her ~ and he walked away with an ear-to-ear smile I will never forget!

Little Charlie touched MY heart, indeed!

Top Seller for July!

I was pleased to learn yesterday that I was the top advsor is sales in the Donita Dahm Zone and Michele Brick Region for the month of July with $6411 in recognition sales! My recruit Wanda was third ~ a personal best for both of us! And while this is very exciting and rewarding, I can't help but think how much BETTER it would have been if I was a unit manager earning 40% commission and a 10% override on recruit sales. I know I will get there ~ but, I sure hope it is sooner rather than later!

I had a show cancel last night 10 minutes before I was to leave the house because of low attendance and last-minute cancellations. I wonder if/how I could have effected a different outcome. The hostess did reschedule for September and I hope to work with her to get better attendance ~ to benefit both of us!

With shows tonight, tomorrow, Saturday and next Thursday, I should have a decent August. I have five shows already booked for September and with the beautiful hostess-only watch, I am hoping to have a really full calendar!

Back to the Blog ~ and Recruiting!!

So, I set up this blog with high hopes of using it and Twitter to promote my business and learn from others ~ and what did I do? Absolutely nothing! Shame on me for not following through on updates. I still struggle finding value in Twitter ~ I love Facebook and will continue to focus on using it to create top-of-mind awareness for my business and desire to help women look and feel great!

My business has been growing by leaps and bounds over the past four months; I have been amazed at how smoothly and easily everything has gone. July was my best month yet ~ with over $6,400 in recognition sales! lia sophia makes it easy to do business ~ the website, advisor tools, and customer service are all amazing. I have six shows in August, and four already booked for September. With the amazing Hostess-Only watch (I just received my sample) for September hostesses, I am hoping for a full September calendar soon!

I am working on recruiting now, fully desiring to get three more advisors on my team to increase my income to 40% of show sales, earn an override on group sales, and, of course, the trip to Cancun! I truly believe in this opportunity and all that it has to offer women ~ both from the standpoint of the earning potential it offers as well as the energy for success it generates.

So, let's get the conversation going on recruiting! Any ideas to share on how to recruit (fast!) and what has been most successful for you?

Using Social Media to Promote Your lia sophia Business

I love social media ~ Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (although I am still trying to figure this one out!), this blog, etc. I would like to hear ideas on how other lia sophia advisors have used these ~ or other ~ social media sites to not only raise awareness for your business, but to generate sales and new recruits. Please post your thoughts ~ what works, what doesn't, what you might try next. And don't forget to suggest new topics you'd like to discuss!

Article for Local Papers

I wrote this artile and pitched it to the editor of our local paper ~ the Eden Prairie News ~ today, telling her that the NY Times, Today Show, and the St. Paul Pioneer Press have done articles on the boom in direct sales as a result of the economic downturn ~ all referencing lia sophia. I checked with lia sophia headquarters and they are o.k. with preparing articles for publication as long as we reference ourselves as independent advisors. Here goes:

Jewelry Business Sparkles as Recession Fallback
No stranger to corporate downsizing and restructuring, Eden Prairie’s Diane Welter decided to “recession-proof” herself after being laid off in January by becoming an independent advisor for lia sophia, the world’s largest direct seller of fashion jewelry. “Interestingly,” said Welter, “in recessionary years, direct selling organizations such as lia sophia experience growth as people seek to earn money to pay bills or bring in extra cash as they or their spouses look for work after a layoff. lia sophia, for example, saw its number of new independent advisors swell by 26% from February 2008 to February 2009, and is on track for its most successful year ever as consumers cut back on expensive items and treat themselves to affordable luxuries.”

Welter’s interest in lia sophia was piqued three years ago when a co-worker hosted a “catalog” show at the office. Intrigued with the beautiful styles and affordable prices, she purchased several items and has been passionate about lia sophia ever since. “What I found so amazing was that it opened a whole new world for me in looking and feeling great about myself. One piece of jewelry can sparkle up an otherwise ordinary outfit!” said Welter. “The company offers amazing value with its buy two, get a third more expensive item for half price Customer Save Plan and monthly half-price specials. What’s more, hostesses can earn hundreds ~ if not thousands ~ of dollars in free and significantly discounted jewelry by simply getting a group of friends together for an afternoon or evening of fun! lia sophia is a ‘win-win’ for customers, hostesses, and independent advisors alike, and is a company I am proud to represent.”

With beautiful display jewelry and catalogs in hand, Welter has been successful in establishing her business in Eden Prairie with her casual, no-pressure approach, and is now expanding to other Twin Cities suburbs as additional bookings result from current shows. “The jewelry is so beautiful and affordable it really sells itself, and once I show women what they can earn in free jewelry by hosting a show in their home, they are eager to book,” she explained.

Welter is now developing a team of independent advisors to work with her, having signed on one new advisor and seeking to add at least two more in the second quarter. “This is a great opportunity with lots of flexibility and potential,” said Welter, “and the start-up cost for new advisors is just $149 for over $1,000 worth of display jewelry and supplies to get started. Advisors can earn, on average, $200 or more for 3-4 hours work. Multiply that by two to three shows per week, and the earnings can really add up.”

Anyone interested in hosting a show or joining lia sophia can visit Welter’s website at www.liasophia.com/dianewelter or call 952.941.6872. She offers hostesses any item up to $100 in value for only $20 when they book a show.

Sell Your Old Gold ~ Buy New lia sophia Bling!

I have been invited to participate in a unique opportunity. A friend of mine is bringing in a woman who does home parties buying old gold for cash on the spot. She has been to one and said it was very successful, and most women walk away with hundreds of $$. I will be there offering the perfect place to spend their new-found cash ~ on new lia sophia bling! I thought it might be fun to have a door prize to tie back to the gold theme and get contact information for future bookings. Does anyone have any creative ideas to share?

Presentations

I love the casual presentation style I learned from my GREAT Region Manager Michele ~ a little about me and my passion for lia sophia and the great opportunity; an overview of the Hostess Rewards with a visual of lia sophia boxes and tent cards to demonstrate what all the FREE and discounted jewelry "looks" like; and an overview of the Customer Save Plan, monthly special, and lifetime replacement guarantee.

Let's share some ideas of fun presentation successes for all to consider for their Shows.

Send me topic ideas for new posts!

Diane