Be A Party Plan Superstar

Be A Party Plan Superstar

The "party plan" model of direct selling introducing products through home parties, social gatherings, and fund raisers has been the route to financial freedom for millions. This inspiring, hands on manual, written by an author who has achieved unprecedented success herself, shows other women how they can generate more bookings, more sales, and more business leads at their parties, as well as build a team of independent party planners, and drive up their own commissions.

Exemplified by powerhouse brands like Tupperware, Pampered Chef, and Mary Kay, the party planning method is an unparalleled opportunity for anyone to live the life they dream about and deserve. In Be a Party Plan Superstar, readers will discover, step-by-step, how they can transition from selling to friends and family to building a profitable business, develop a who's-who customer base, create an environment of fun, be an engaging host, and close sales effortlessly. This is the one book that shows women how to become direct-selling superstars…simply by being the life of the party.

For more information see:
Be a Recruiting Superstar: www.femail.com.au/be-a-recruiting-superstar
Be a Network Marketing Superstar www.femail.com.au/be-a-network-marketing-superstar

Mary Christensen has more than 25 years of experience in party plan direct selling, first on her own and later in leadership roles in two party plan corporations.

Wayne Christensen previously an award-winning creative director, now writes full-time.

Be A Party Plan Superstar
McGraw Hill
Author: Mary Christensen
ISBN: 9780814416518
Price: $26.99

Interview with Mary Christensen

Question: What inspired you to write Be A Party Plan Superstar?

Mary Christensen: I write my books (there is another coming) to help aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide start their own business, just as I did as a young mum who needed to pay the bills. This business changed my life and I am paying it forward.

From growing up poor, to achieving the financial freedom to live life on my own terms has been a dream journey. I left teaching to start my direct selling business and the only regret I have is that I didn't do it sooner. I got to be the mum my kids deserved - and be the breadwinner at the same time. Today I get to live a life I never dreamed possible. But my greatest achievement is that I became a good role model for my own kids.


Question: Who is best suited to run party plan?

Mary Christensen: There's no secret as to why an increasing number of companies are adopting party plan as their preferred business model. For the independent distributor, a direct selling costs very little to start so it's a relatively stress free entry to a business. And because there are no fixed premises, direct sellers don't have to wait for customers to come to them. They're taking their products right into their customers' homes.

For many families an extra hundred dollars a week can be transformational. The profit of one party can pay a family's weekly grocery bill.

But it's not just about surviving tough times. Mums are doing parties to fund big-ticket purchases, private schooling for their kids and family holidays.


Question: Why is the Party Plan industry booming?

Mary Christensen: The magic of a direct selling business is that it allows women to control their income. And when they control your income they control your life. By building a direct selling business many have achieved a lifestyle most people only dream about. And what makes the business so appealing to women is they did it by helping others achieve the income and lifestyle they dream about.

While owning a business has always been the Australian dream, crippling costs topple the majority of them before they start making a profit. From interest on capital borrowed to get the business started, to rent, utilities, inventory and wages to keep it running, the bills keep coming whether your business is generating income or not. Losses through customers who default on their payments, and shrinkage through theft, damage and obsolescence, make it hard to profit in good times, let alone tough times.

In direct selling, the lion's share of the investment comes from the corporation you partner with. You won't have to use your personal savings to fund your business, or incur significant costs to run it. By taking advantage of the significant tax breaks available to home-based entrepreneurs you'll keep more of what you earn.

The economic wakeup call that is defining Australia right now is flipping attitudes to employment one hundred and eighty degrees. Australians who used to seek security in employment now accept that the only security is self-reliance. Direct selling is the ideal solution for everyone who wants to control their paycheck, not live with the frustration of subsidising lazy co-workers, or the fear of being laid off, forced to take a pay cut, or denied a raise.

In direct selling you get to call the shots on when you work, where you work and with whom you work. You won't have to work with people you don't like, or compete with co-workers for promotion. The better your performance is, the higher your paycheck will be.

Smart technologies equip direct sellers to run their businesses with resources that equal any large corporation. By taking care of the back end of the business, the corporation frees them to work the front line, where you'll generate your income. Tasks that used to consume time, from keeping in touch with customers, prospects and team members, to placing and delivering orders, tracking performance, and staying informed, are now performed at the click of a button. You can be at the park with your kids or on the treadmill at your gym, and check on your business in an instant.

As direct sellers are independent contractors, the profession attracts a wide range of ages, ambitions and experiences. You'll find young entrepreneurs who re shunning 'traditional' employment in search of freedom and flexibility, and experienced workers who are tired of playing office politics. You'll find career professionals who have climbed the corporate ladder only to realise it's leaning against the wrong wall, and mum-preneurs who do not want, or cannot afford, to give up their income to raise a family.

Many ambitious women are waking up to the fact that discrimination gets worse the higher they climb. Direct selling does not favour one gender over another. The cream rises to the top.

A direct selling business is mobile. Whereas retail stores have the mobility of a stalled car, direct selling is a high-performance vehicle in motion. Direct sellers take their business direct to their customers, instead of waiting for customers to come to them. They do in-home presentations to showcase their products to shoppers who are bored with the monotony of malls. They buy each other's products and attract new prospects at trade shows and fairs. They create contacts in their community by speaking at clubs and professional associations, and sponsoring events and fundraisers.
Direct sellers, are in business for themselves but not by themselves. They receive all the support they need from their corporate partner, and the person who recruited them into the business. They then experience immense satisfaction helping the people they sponsor into the business.

We get to spend our time with people who aspire to have more, do more and be more in their lives as we do. Their energy and excitement kindles ours, and their successes inspire us to reach higher.

Few workers can afford the luxury of an abrupt career change, but aspiring entrepreneurs can start a direct selling business while working their fulltime job. The opportunity to build a business by working part time or even in your spare time gives the profession an edge over most opportunities. "I'm working towards replacing my paycheck," is a goal many part time direct sellers share.


Question: Can you share your top tips for being a party plan superstar?

Mary Christensen: Stop overestimating the challenge and underestimating yourself.
It takes courage not confidence to grow a business. If you're willing to work and willing to learn you can do it.
Give yourself permission to succeed. It doesn't matter what brought you to this point in your life, if you're not where you want to be, switch paths. Regardless of how much you're earning in your current job, if you're not happy what's the point?
If I can do it anyone can. It takes passion, courage and discipline to grow a business. And the best news is that you cannot fail if you do not quit before you succeed.


Interview by Brooke Hunter