Great 'Party for Profit' Hunt. How to make cash from party planning

ethereal

[QUOTE=JayBeeVIE;21922325_I_came_home_from_a_meeting_last_week_with_products_to_the_value_of_£56.50_and_a_pile_of_business_tools,_bringing_the_total_of_free_stuff_to_over_£90_[/QUOTE]

I went to a bumper meeting last week and was rewarded with so many free gifts I literally had to have someone help me carry it all out to the car! I love my job!!! :j JayBeeVIE, where are you based?

Suzannah_781

Thanks for the advice, am a bit surprised at the public Liability insurance required, it just shows what the world is comming to!

Glowboy

A friend of ours has been selling for a cosmetics company (not one of the better known ones) for several years. She did a few parties but now mostly relies on wedding fairs.

As far as I can see the best way to make money is by recruiting other people. Some of the managers drive expensive company cars. The irony is, these high rates of commission and overheads mean the products have to be overpriced, and the prospective customers soon realise it. I consider the company she works for to be little more than a pyramid selling scheme. And yet they make a big fuss about empowering women, running an ethical business, etc.

From what I can see, she is struggling to make any headway at all. This was supposed to become her main source of income but she's now back in a "normal" job and with the up-front set-up costs I've no doubt her profits don't justify the time she's had to invest.

So just a word of warning. I'm sure there are some great companies out there but there are also a lot of people like my friend, out of pocket but too proud to admit it's failed to deliver.

Caroline73_2

Glowboy wrote: »

The irony is, these high rates of commission and overheads mean the products have to be overpriced, and the prospective customers soon realise it.

Not necessarily. The companies have little marketing overheads, no retail premises and few wages to pay. They only pay for the head office and warehouses, so they can afford the commission rates, there is no sick pay or maternity pay.

I don't think it means the product is overpriced anymore than if it was sold in a shop.

dprg101

I've done party planning and hated every minute of it.

Put simply - if you can sell then sell something else with better margins by working as a full time salesperson, if you can't sell then stop wasting your time and go and do something else more profitable.

Professional sales people laugh at party planners because of their low sales, high costs and pretentious terminology.

ethereal

dprg101 wrote: »

I've done party planning and hated every minute of it.

Put simply - if you can sell then sell something else with better margins by working as a full time salesperson, if you can't sell then stop wasting your time and go and do something else more profitable.

Professional sales people laugh at party planners because of their low sales, high costs and pretentious terminology.

That's a bit harsh! I don't consider myself to be a professional "salesperson" and would actually not like to be classified with such. I love being a consultant for the company I work for because I love the products and my customers love them too. I don't do "sales talk" as the products sell themselves! So, I'm not earning a small fortune (yet) but I started it as a paid hobby. I saw it as a way of SAVING money (by getting free training and products as opposed to paying to go to college) not as a way of MAKING money. The financial prospects can be big, however, as with any new business you may start up, if you are willing to put a bit more effort into it. As for the low sales, high costs and er.... pretentious terminology..... I don't have a clue what you are going on about!

Sarahmillsy

I'm a jewellery wholesaler and I sell to a large number of party planners who run their own independent businesses. Many of them are verysuccessful, and tend to be the ladies with good school and social networks, and who also do school fetes, craft fairs, etc.

Several of them have established themselves so well that they are often the first port of call when somebody needs a gift or has an outfit that needs accessorising.

And many of them sell jewellery along with bags, scarves or even perfume.

To be successful you just need to be motivated and prepared to put in the groundwork!

Caroline73_2

dprg101 wrote: »

I've done party planning and hated every minute of it.

Put simply - if you can sell then sell something else with better margins by working as a full time salesperson, if you can't sell then stop wasting your time and go and do something else more profitable.

Professional sales people laugh at party planners because of their low sales, high costs and pretentious terminology.

What a fantastic first post.

Full time sales rep = long hours on the road, hours to suit your employer, often a given location to cover.

Party planner = hours to suit, geography boundaries set by yourself, unlimited earnings.

I could guarantee money working in my trained profession, but I like the flexibility of 'party planning'. My party planning pays my mortgage each month and then some.

what is a 'professional sales' person anyway?

JayBeeVIE

ethereal wrote: »

I went to a bumper meeting last week and was rewarded with so many free gifts I literally had to have someone help me carry it all out to the car! I love my job!!! :j JayBeeVIE, where are you based?

Sheffield branch - South Yorkshire

The free stuff is just brilliant - can't wait for the next BM where I know I've got more to come:j. Also can't wait for aromatherapy launch next week.

ethereal

JayBeeVIE wrote: »

Sheffield branch - South Yorkshire

The free stuff is just brilliant - can't wait for the next BM where I know I've got more to come:j. Also can't wait for aromatherapy launch next week.

Yeah... and the aromatherapy training that's going on around the country. My nearest class will be in Bristol. :rotfl: