Conference

I didn't believe all the great things I had heard about our annual conference. We've all attended one conference or another during our working career. Well, let me tell you right now how wrong I was. This wasn't a conference. This was the world's biggest slumber party!!! Imagine nearly 6,000 of your best girlfriends all gathered in one place to celebrate. There was food, wine, socializing, training, industry celebs and personal heroes (I love Karen Wilson, Edie McBean, and Frenttress Villani). It was amazing.

I'm not a fan of crowds so just imagine my stress level when the main event was about to start. It was like that event in Spain. You know the one w/the bulls. But once I got into that room, I felt like a kid in an unlocked candy store and I had all the time in the world. I could just try on as much or as little of the jewelry as I wanted. It was fun to people watch, too. The looks on the faces of my 'sisters' were priceless. It's what they wait all year for. This was my first year so I was just trying to take it all in.

You might want to know what I liked the most about this event. It wasn't the prizes or the jewelry (okay, this year's catalog is fabulous!!!!!) or the food. It was the friendships. One minute you think you're alone and the next you're surrounded by friends for life. The other thing I loved were the clothes. I'm surprised I don't have whiplash from all the great outfits that people wore to showcase the wonderful jewelry.

Til next time!

Lost

Dagnabbit! I lost my favorite bracelet yesterday. It was the first one I 'bought' with my free jewelry. I loved the silver beads interspersed with gray freshwater pearls. It was a great everyday piece. On top of it all, my beloved bracelet is being retired. I do hope that the company is going to come up with a fabulous item to replace it. I don't know how though.

A New Year, A New Me

What new year? What do you mean? It's almost July! That's right. The end of the fiscal year is almost upon us. And this year, I've decided to take advantage of that. I'm evaluating this year's performance. I'm looking at the available training and planning what classes to take in the near future. I'm gearing up for national conference. Also, reading, researching and preparing to recruit are activities that I am currently engaged in. To be a top sales rep, I'm the only one responsible for my success. However, I have an obligation to my team leader to produce. And I don't want to disappoint. In the next few days, I'll be re-committing to my goals. Will post them here for all to see.

Do You Like to Party?

We do! That's one of the most attractive things about what I do. When they say party, they really mean party. I know that some other direct marketing firms out there say the same thing, but we mean it. You gather your family, friends, their friends and some acquaintances and let your hair down. It can be as casual as a Friday night Girls' Night In or as fancy as a Sunday Champagne Social. If you want to party, come party with me.

Silver Jewelry & Me

A little over six months ago, a friend of mine invited me to a party. Her e-vite stated that she was hosting a silver jewelry party for friend. She said that there was no obligation to buy, just come on over and hang out with her and have some fun with the girls. It sounded like fun.

I know all of you have been invited to at least one of 'those' parties. Some pretty lady comes in and tells you all about the wonderful product that you must have for your home, your kitchen, your life, your health, your child, etc. Well, there was none of that when I got there. Sure, the pretty lady was there. And there was a table set up with all sorts of beautiful things. But not once, did she mention that I needed anything that I saw on the table. She didn't talk about all of the way I would feel when I wore it. There was no hard sell or soft sell for that matter. There was only a table filled with some of the most beautiful sterling silver jewelry I'd ever seen. Even better, I didn't suffer sticker shock when I chose a pair of peridot studs that were perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

As I stood there listening to the sales rep, I thought, "I can do this". I was looking for a part time job. I'd never done a direct marketing job before. I had been asked to do Mary Kay, Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, etc. While I loved the products, I just didn't like the pitch. I'm not a fan of the hard sell. I also felt I had to love the product yet not be tempted to constantly buy something for myself. The sales rep assured me that Silpada would satisfy my cravings for the jewelry. They offered numerous opportunities for the individual reps to earn hundreds of dollars in free jewelry. Zing!!!!

The first six months have been a little slow. That isn't a bad thing. I'm getting to know my own personal style. I'm learning new techniques that will help grow my business. Don't be fooled by the shiny baubles. This is a serious business. It was started by women as a way to earn some cash while caring for their young children. From $50 in seed money, they have built a multi-million dollar family business. That also appealed to me. I want to be a part of an organization by women that helps other women.

Please join me as I go on this journey. I'll be posting pictures of my parties, the jewelry that I own and some of the looks my clients have perfected.