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

JennyJewell

Dawn7890 wrote: »

Dear All,

I wondered if any of you could please help me. I would love to start up my own party plan version of Ann Summers (but not Ann Summers) and I wondered if anyone has any hints or tips. I have found a couple of wholesalers who do sell to other party planners so I know there are some people out there who do it. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

I apologise to Mods in advance if there is a problem with this post by mentioning companies by name. As although I read lots of posts, I rarely posty myself so Im a bit new at this!

:A

Hi Dawn,
It's fab that you are thinking of setting up your own company One of your biggest challenges will probably be finding printing companies for your catalogues.
I would suggest that you try to make an appointment with a business enterprise centre - they should be able to give you advise on the legal side of things and may be able to give you a better idea of costs, etc.
Hope that is of use to you :T
If you decide to work for a company I know a fab one that it is similar to other lingerie companies but a little classier :j It's called Blue Bella
Good luck hun,
Jenny :A

gingernights

i used to do bodyshop but found i could never get enough parties to make it worth it.
i just dont think it's a stable enough income you can live on, well i couldn't anyway.

i perfer catlouge selling it's less personal and i hate talking infront of strangers (which u have to do with partyplanning)
i sell o.r.i.f.l.a.m.e cosmetics they are a swedish
brand and have a new catlouge out once a month
they have a good product range, you get 30 percent commision if you sell over £135 which is easy to do within a month unlike avon you can put your catlouges anywhere.

I also sell avon they have a new brochure out every 3 weeks, i love avon and the products plus there's a rep magazine every 3 weeks with selling tips/ideas
plus discount products only for reps and you get to try the new products out before they are out in the brochures at special rep prices, the website is also great where you can chat on the busy forum to other reps 24/7.
you get 25 percent if you sell over £140

you can do parties with both of these if you like.
o.r.i.f.l.a.m.e did start out as a party planner but starting with the brochures aswell a few years ago.

gingernights

also you can get others to join these and you earn a commision on everything they sell.

but i'v never tried this yet.

Moonbeam

Hi

I sell Miglio Designer Jewellery and recently gave up my job with a high street bank to focus on it full time. I would agree with previous posts that you get out of it what you put into it. The more time and energy I spend on it the more effective the results are.

I love the jewellery, we have a core range for a full year, with trend specific pieces coming out as an addition 3 times per year. The catalogues are fabulous, well produced and the jewellery is of the highest quality. It is all designed and manufactured in-house (South Africa) and the company operates fair trade policy.

I love that it is a combination of necklaces and enhancers so you can be a jewellery designer, and create your own look without having to have any technical knowledge of jewellery. This also means that I get a lot of repeat custom as people love the range and are always looking for more as the range changes throughout the year

I've found that parties can be very successful, but I also offer one-to-one consultations and attend appropriate events to promote the range.

I also always wear the jewellery and have had people buy pieces from round my neck or wrist when I'm out and about.

We have been in the UK for 5 years now and are growing very fast and I'm particularly focused on growing the range in Scotland.

It costs £125 + P+P to join and you commit to holding at least 2 parties in your first 3 months - which is an extremely achievable goal. Up-lines aren't constantly on the phone setting targets - it is our own business and we run it our own ways, but there is a fantastic training scheme in place and we always have the option to speak to people if we need some advice.

As with other organisations you earn commission on sales, starting at 25% and able to work up to 40% + bonuses (you never drop down a level once you've gone up). There are also incentive schemes where you can win various things including an annual holiday scheme. I recently won a trip to the Direct Selling Association Awards at Alton Towers where Miglio were nominated for 3 awards.

Sorry if this is a bit of an essay, but I think this information is all worth sharing.

Passiflora_Polar_Bear

Suzannah_781 wrote: »

Hi, I have got an idea for you, why don't you try beauty salons and small hotels as many have display cabinets selling local crafts which tourists go mad for! I've worked in many hotels that have them, normally the hotel just asked for a small comission fee of what they sell, think its normally 10 or 20%.My brothers girlfriend runs a beauty salon and the girls love it if it's unique - If you have a website or any details you can email me I may be interested in your jewellery as most of the stuff I like to sell is handmade, can't say that I sell loads as I'm just starting out but I always say whatever I sell is making money for me and I love doing it just as a hobby.

Thanks Suzannah for the tips and your reply! Sorry its taken me so long to get back to you only I've been madly making jewellery every day for the last 2 weeks and selling in the 3 Harbours Art Festival- a great idea where artists show their work in houses in this fishing village outside Edinburgh - exhausted! Didn't make heaps as I have to pay 25% comission but its much easier than selling paintings, and I gathered a long list of interested people to invite to a future exhibition! I hope to have a website (possibly called 'Seen & Felt') by Oct, when I've got a lot of stuff to show...
With the hotel idea, does the hotel actually take the card payment and the tourist take the piece away there and then? Or does the tourist or hotel contact you to enquire/buy it? Sounds like a good idea if you can get a look in. I will check this out -thanks again. :T
I don't know how one emails from the forums- is there an instruction page for this, as it would be good to keep in touch to help each other in a little jewellery forum! Hobbies have a peculiar way of growing...

partyplanner

Hi don't think anyone has mentioned them yet but I am an agent for Tish Tash Toys. I started because I loved the range of toys and wanted a job that I could do whilst still staying at home to look after my two girls. Tish Tash fitted the bill perfectly and as a family run company with no targets and pressure it was ideal for me. I have now been an agent for two years and love it. Also have any other party planners looked at Party Plan Together? It is full of great ideas and inspirational ways to get your business going.

Moonbeam

partyplanner wrote: »

Hi don't think anyone has mentioned them yet but I am an agent for Tish Tash Toys. I started because I loved the range of toys and wanted a job that I could do whilst still staying at home to look after my two girls. Tish Tash fitted the bill perfectly and as a family run company with no targets and pressure it was ideal for me. I have now been an agent for two years and love it. Also have any other party planners looked at Party Plan Together? It is full of great ideas and inspirational ways to get your business going.

Hi

I've looked at party plan together and its quite interesting, but wasn't sure about the advertising idea as surely it is only other party plan people that will be on it? I'd love to hear if anyone has had any success advertising on it. I also like compare extra income as it has a good selection of companies on there who are involved in direct selling. Did you see the news this morning on BBC where they focused on a gold selling party plan company!!!! WOW - don't think it would be for me though....

partyplanner

There seem to be quite a few event organisers use it as well, and I suppose it would come up in a search if people are looking for a party planner. Also there is the chance to get party swaps. As you say compare extra income is a great site as well. I didn't see the thing on the BBC - how bizarre!

stardrops42

Hi

I've just signed up with a company who sell perfumes(catalogue/party plan etc) and was wondering if it was possible to replace a part time wage with it I currently earn around £630 a month after tax etc working 20 hours a week. I would love to be able to work for myself and do this instead but not sure if its possible to earn the same as in my current job. Or should I just look at it as a way to earn a little extra;)

Moonbeam

stardrops42 wrote: »

Hi

I've just signed up with a company who sell perfumes(catalogue/party plan etc) and was wondering if it was possible to replace a part time wage with it I currently earn around £630 a month after tax etc working 20 hours a week. I would love to be able to work for myself and do this instead but not sure if its possible to earn the same as in my current job. Or should I just look at it as a way to earn a little extra;)

I can't honestly comment on the company you've set up with. They are all different in terms of commission etc. However I quit my job in banking earlier this year to focus on my DSA Jewellery business and am currently earning more than enough to cover what I would have earned at the bank. This isn't without a lot of hard work though so it's all about how much effort you want to put into it. It's up to you with direct selling companies - you can earn as much or as little as you want but as far as I'm concerned it's a career for life. I plan to earn enough for my wages, a few nice holidays a year and to put my kids through uni - I'm in it for the long haul....