Whether you’re a WineShop at Home consultant or you’re involved in another direct sales business, you’re probably familiar with the last minute crunch.
You set your sales goals for the month. You have your eye on a larger-scale incentive (can anyone say “Free Trip”?), you want to pad your paycheck or maybe you just want to prove to yourself that you can do it.
Whatever your reason, it’s important – and when the 30th of the month starts creeping closer and closer, you know you’ll have to take BIG action to reach your goal.
Need some help? I’ve put together some of my favorite tips to help you finish the month with a bang, featuring advice from Debra Gomes, the Superwoman of Last Minute Sales!
Tip #1: Know What’s Selling Out
If you have a client who you know loves the Deluge Pinot Noir and it’s about to sell out, you’d better get on the phone with her and let her know! Chances are, she will be touched that you remembered her preference. A phone call like that is very likely to result in a sale but if nothing more it will get you REMEBERED for your great service.
And by the way, it doesn’t always have to be a phone call. Some clients are much more responsive via text. Facebook and email, not so much.
“I don’t bother posting a Facebook status update to say that I’m looking for orders. I’ve never found that successful,” says Debra. “But I might say, ‘Tonight is my last night to earn Barcelona; contact me [to purchase wine!] and add a picture of Barcelona. But I’ve never gotten orders just based on a status update.”
Tip #2: Know Your Clientele
If you have regular customers, you know their preferences. If you know that Sheila loves a particular product and she hasn’t ordered in a couple months, it’s probably time for her to restock her panty. Reach out individually to her and ask for the sale – she’s be grateful for your call.
Are you worried that’s being pushy? It’s not, it’s being thoughtful and proactive. When is the last time your grocery store called to say “Hey, Sheila, we are having a sale on milk, need any?” Is THAT pushy? I think it’s AWESOME!
Tip #3: Connect With Your WineClub Members
It’s never a bad idea to regularly reach out to your WineClub [LINK: WineClub sign up page] members just to see how they’re doing. This is also a great time to mention that you’re trying to reach an end of the month goal.
“It’s really important to tell them you’re working toward something,” says Debra. “Give them as much information as you can. If you’re working toward a trip to Barcelona, or working toward a promotion, they’ll feel like they are directly impacting something. Innately people want to help you work toward something.”
Remember, the reason people buy product from you as opposed to heading to the store around the corner is because you offer an elevated buying experience: you know them, you know what they like, and you’re giving them a personal touch.
Tip #4: Host Your Own Tasting
Yes! Invite some friends or acquaintances over to your home for a self-hosted wine tasting.
To avoid inviting the same people over and over again, keep a running list in your purse or on your phone (because I know you won’t lose it if it’s on your phone since it’s likely glued to you) of people who mention that they’re interested in what you do. They may not be ready to host their own tasting, but if they’ve expressed interest, they are the perfect person to invite to a tasting.
Here’s a real-life example for me: I’ve been going to the same doctor for over 6 months. I’ve told the doctor and her staff what I do several times but it didn’t sink in until last week, when I mentioned that I was getting some cute wine-carrier bags for my team and they totally perked up. I finally had a chance to really explain how WineShop works.
“Oh my gosh, that is so cool!” They gushed. Guess which names are going on my list?
Tip #5: Check In With Inactive Consultants
Let them know that if they want to keep their account active, they need to place an order. After all, they probably started this business because they LOVE wine!
You know they love wine and they are buying wine anyway, so they might as well purchase from WineShop and earn their commission back (heck, it might even be a tax deduction). Now, this might not result in sales that are personal to you, but they sure as heck result in team sales!
Now that you’re armed with a few great tips, go forth and meet your goals this month! I know you can do it.