Having online parties can be fun and profitable!

As a party plan consultant or an independent rep for a company having an online party can be fun and profitable! They became popular in the late 90’s and most of the ones we attended back then and even now are on The Mouse Connection.com. While you may be new to online parties online parties are not new to the mom- wahm world.

A few things you need to do before you hold your 1^st online party is

#1 Set a Party Time!
Remember the Hostess and her guests can be all over the country so keep this in mind when setting the time. Try to make it best for everyone but the Hostess time zone should be considered 1^st. You don’t want her to have to BRB for her to feed her family dinner if she is West Coast at 6PM and your East Coast at 9PM

Plus set a time frame for the party too. Say 6 to 7:30 and if it goes a little over it’s okay. But it allows the guests and even the Hostess to know there is a time limit. No one wants to be the 1^st to leave so knowing the end of the evening is coming helps and they will be sure to place their orders before that too.

#2- Know your merchandise well!
If asked a question knowing the answer within a few seconds makes you look good and prepared. But feel free to say “let me look that up if it is about something you do not know like sizes as no one expects you to know it all- just most of it! Have your catalog near by and if your company also gives a detailed description booklet have that near by too.

# 3 Plan a few games to play. Planning ahead of time and figuring out

prizes will make you as organized as you look! Plus remember you will have to mail the winner their prize. If they order you can include the prize with their order if you ship it yourself. Dollars off shipping can also be a prize if the person(s) places an order. Keeping the game easy and about your products is the best way to go. * Often you can ask them to open another browser ahead of time if they need to go to your website for the answers.

#3 Visit the chat room with a friend before hand and get to know it.

While many of your guests may have been to online parties before you are better off knowing how the room works, how to change your color typing and things like that. Having the guests being able to help you is fine but just like in home parties knowing what your doing is better!!

Most chat rooms have 1 side where you can ask to have your information put. List your name, party plan or business, email and phone number with time zone, And your website or business banner linked to open ina new window. Plus the Hostesses name.

#4 Your Hostess. You can do an online party as a mystery party or have a hostess like in home parties. What you need to decide BEFORE the party with the hostess is who is going to receive the merchandise and if they guests are not local who is going to mail them their orders.

* Most party plan companies will not give “ Hostess Credits” if the guest orders are shipped separate so this is important to consider. Allot of the times YOU as the company rep will receive the order and ship everyone’s individual order to them including the hostesses - and keep in mind this will cost you money to mail them. Sending her a Hostess Packet for even online parties can be beneficial!

#5 Keep a notebook next to you! Keep track of prize winners. Plus if someone shows an interest in being a hostess ask them for their email and write it on paper besides in your computer! They may even give you’re their address and phone number in party chats.
Plus some people use another name for their log in besides their real name. When you have everyone intro themselves write down their real name on paper for quick reference during the party.

Now to the Party and why a person should be a Hostess

Online parties are more accommodating for both you as the company rep. and the hostess for various reasons.
For you there's no driving to another persons home, loading and unloading all your products, catalogs, order forms and prizes. No need for a baby sitter while your not home and well you don’t have to get dressed up like we do for in home parties!

For the Hostess- She doesn’t need to cleaning her house, get snacks ready, try to keep the kids out of the way, worry about guests bringing their kids along to play with hers and best of all no dressing up for the Hostess or guests either!

For the Guests - They can log on as they are! If you have ever been a guest at an in-home party then you know the feeling of the Rep/Consultant looking around the room saying the Hostess, your friend -needs just 2 bookings to get this or this. I really disliked the booking pressure game some reps did. As a former Party Plan Manager I never did it to the guests! Most likely the pressured ones would cancel anyways the day of the party! So guests feel allot less pressure online.
* But in home parties are still fun and popular so don’t give up the idea of doing them also!

Once you have found a Hostess take some time for hostess coaching ( similar to in home parties!) Have them invite invite invite! This can be done by them sending emails to their friend and family with the date, time and chat room link! Plus both of you can post it on any groups you are on such as yahoo & MSN groups if allowed. See the rules per group.

If they have a website they can also post it on the homepage. If your able make a special banner announcing it! Post it on your website also.
Sometime the chat room will have a calendar they will post it for you also.

* Ask the hostess to cc you on her emails then ask her for permission to email her guests the day before for her as a reminder! And remember allot of people on yahoo lists are on digest so if allowed announce the party again the day before or the digest people will read about it the next day and so will the people who did not check their emails the same day before the party!

Explain the Hostess program to the hostess BEFORE the party! This is part of the hostess coaching I mentioned above. Don’t let her be upset if she thinks her sales will get her more then it really does! If possible it is a good idea to mail her a catalog or two with order forms to her house a week or so before the party. She will also be able to get outside orders from friends, family and neighbors that way.

It’s Party Time

Be sure to log on 10 minutes or so before the online party. Some guests will arrive a few min. early and some late. Ask the Hostess to log on before the scheduled time also. When you and the hostess feel that most of the guests have joined the room start the party and others will come in as you go.

Keep the party going. If the room gets quiet between games and no one seems to be talking ask them questions. Ask if they have seen a favorite product or if anyone has a B-day or Anniv. coming up.
Ask the Hostess if she has decided on what she would like and the guests will see her reply too. And usually go peek at it!
Then ask the guests is they have written down some things they liked. Ask them if the are ready to order, after they do ask them if they had a good time and want to have their own online party!

Remember as the party ends and people start to leave say good bye and THANK You to each of them! Remind them the party page will be up for a few days for them to come back to it or give them your websites URL.
Tell them to feel free to email you with any questions. The next day they may decide to order the item they were looking at during the party.

Give them the Hostesses party closing date. If possible do not close the party the same evening!

You should have discussed this with the hostess during hostess coaching before the party ( days before) SO now it is order time, How will the guests place their orders?

1 -If allowed for a party the guests can order from your company website?
2- you can do a form on a website if you have your own website?
3 If you do no have your own website have them email the orders to you

THEN send them a paypal request with the order or other form for payment?

By the end of the evening your notebook should have the guests log in names and real names and maybe their email addresses.

Have your notebook ready to keep track.

Announce the game is starting for people browsing your website and products to get their attention and make sure they are with you and not off looking when the game starts.

The points game

Give a point for arriving to the chat on time
A point for asking a question,

A point for -Ask them a question about your product for a point - * Sale items are good for this! Give them time to give the answer

** Do a few of these as they browse your website looking for the answer.

A point if they have a list made of items they like- on paper beside them or somewhere else ( some will do it in an email to themselves)

A point placing an order that evening
2 points is they book their own online party within a certain time frame so the hostess receives booking credit.

* Remind anyone who is leaving the party before your ready to stop the game that they game will end in xx minutes. Be sure to stop the this game at least 10 minutes before the party is due to end.
End the game and count the points - announce the winner and the prize!

Again either a small prize or $ off shipping are good prizes. You can even let the winner choose between the two it is up to YOU!

Game -Word Scramble - .Pick about 8 -10 words from your site

and see who can get them all right (unscrambled) in the least amount of time.

Ask everyone at the party if they are interested in being a hostess and or if they could use some extra income as a consultant like you! If no one has already asked during the evening ask them if they want to know about your company and business.

The best way to have a great party is to do your homework ahead of time so the evening of the party you have fun! Your Hostess and Guests will feel your excitement! Being prepared means being yourself, having fun and having a hostess and guests who had a great time too!

Hope this article is helpful. Doing a few and getting experience will make them easier and easier. If you get a chance go to a few yourself as a guest, this is good for consultants just starting out doing online parties but also for those of us who have done them for awhile to see how others do them too!