Wholesale Distributors (Retail Sites)

As you know, retail stores can carry Paparazzi Accessories.   AND why wouldn't they want to?   Having this jewelry could:
1. Increase sales throughout the store
2.  Bring in new customers
3.  Make money off Paparazzi sales
4.  Have the option of doing parties and making a downline
5.  Increase word-of-mouth advertising with customers

What would make a good retail site for Paparazzi?
1.  Salons
2.  Boutiques
3.  Craft stores
4.  Gift shops
5.  Anywhere women frequent it
6.  Beauty supply store
7.  Clothing stores
8.  Bookstores
9.  Athletic/workout gyms
10.   ANYWHERE  (there is a framing/art store in my downline and they sell a bit!)

When approaching a retail center, there are a few ways to do it.
1. Call and make an appointment with the buyer, manager or owner.
2.  Wear your accessories in and strike up a conversation with one of the above people. If you try either of these ideas, have a basket of jewelry with you to show them.
3.  When you are asking where women work at parties and you find out one of your customer has one of the above positions, talk about them carrying Paparazzi in their store.

When you are talking with the person in charge, use the term "WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR."   Ask them if they would like to become a distributor - not an "independent consultant."   It just sounds better for a business owner to be a wholesale distributor.  Let them know every piece of jewelry only costs $2.75.   They can sell it for $5 OR MORE.   Explain that they will probably sell more volume if they sell it a lower price, but will make more profit per item if they sell higher.  They can choose at what price to sell it.  After they decide they want to do it or as you are talking about the benefits of carrying Paparazzi in their store, you can mention home parties, basket parties, and the other stuff we do as consultants.

If by some chance, they do not want to become a consultant and pick their own jewelry and order and stock by themselves, you can ask if they would allow you to put it in their store.  Most likely they will want a percentage of sales.   They best way (in my opinion) is to have them join themselves and take care of it by themselves.  You will still get commission from them without the headache of checking up on it often.

Leave a comment if you have other ideas or advice on retail outlets and distributors.

Teacher's Lounge Set-up!!!!

 There are so many places you can display your jewelry if you just ASK!!!!  This is my display in a teachers' workroom.  I asked the administrator if I could set up for a few days to provide the teachers with reasonably priced jewelry and accessories.  She said, "Yes."  Just ASK!!!! 

I brought my whole headband and clip display.  Of course, I don't have every item I own on it, but I did provide a good variety. I only brought 3 boxes of rings, a few starlit shimmers, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.  I broke my rule of one necklace per hook because of lack of space and not being able to restock every time someone bought something.  I vertically lined up earrings, bracelets and necklaces in corresponding colors.  It looks very nice and is a great upselling technique! 

This diplay is 36" tall and about 8 feet wide.  Just ask the Home Depot or Lowe's guy to cut a 4x8 pegboard for you.   One cut at 3 feet or 36" (so it becomes a 3x8) and then 4 cuts on the 3 foot section.   2 cuts should be 6 inches and 2 cuts 3 1/2 feet or 40 inches.   Then you can either use hinges to hinge them together or ribbon.   This is what it looks like when it is all folded up and ready to carry to my parties!  If you want it to fit on a 6-foot table, have one foot cut off so it is 3x7.  Make the longer 2 cuts 3 feet long.  If you need more info about how to make these, email me.

Here is my 5yr-old daughter modeling it in her Barbie pajamas.  I carry it by a handle.  This actual case does not have jewelry in it.  It can be heavy, but it is worth it!!!!!

Invitations and Postcard Invitations

When I book a party with someone, I always tell them I have two options for invitations.   I can send them one via email that has some good information they can print out and photocopy to hand out to friends, I can photocopy that kind for them OR I can give them the postcard kind from the company.    I love it when they say, "Oh just send it to my email and I will do the rest!!!!"  Yeah!!!!  If they say they want the postcards, ask how many and do the following.

If you are using the postcard invitations with your hostesses, I suggest doing two things.  The first is to write somewhere on the invite that everything is only $5!!!! 

I first was introduced to Paparazzi by being invited to a party.  An invitation was handed to me in passing.  It said nothing about everything being $5 and the hostess didn't say anything to me about the price.  I actually don't wear much jewelry and since most parties are expensive, I didn't go.  Had I known the price, I would have attended and bought something and probably joined the company a few weeks earlier.

I used to print two "ALL Items $5" on one label and cut it in half.  I would put one $5 label on the back of each invite by the hostess info.  That way anyone who looked at it knew the price.   You can get a stamp also if you would rather do that.  Just make sure you get the fast drying ink!!!!

The other suggestion I have is to print out the info for the party (hostess' name, date, time, phone number and address) on a label so the hostess doesn't have to spend an hour or two writing it out by hand.  It is a PAIN and I was to make it as painless as possible for my hostess.  If I do, she is more likely to hand out more invites and talk to more people.   If she gets tired and annoyed, she is less likely to write out and hand out as many invites as if she just peels and sticks it on.  This may cost $.50 to $1.00 more per party, but if this makes it so the hostess invites more, it only takes one extra item bought to cover the price.  It is well worth it.  If you need me to explain how to print on a label, please call me at 435-610-1609 and I would be happy to walk you through it.

Additionally, I send two different invites via email to my hostesses.  I tell them they can print either of these out for reminders, post on office bulletin boards, post to facebook or send in emails.   Some of them do it and others don't.  I still believe it is worth the 15 minutes that it takes me to change the information and send to hostesses.

In the email, this is what I write:  (sorry that it is centered.  I can't get the post to line at the left.)

Hi __________, 
These are some invitations to the party at your house you can use with email, Facebook and to copy.   They serve as a great reminder when emailed or facebooked the day before the part.  I have attached two different ones.  You do whatever is best for you.   I also am attaching a paper about how to get the most free jewelry (hostess tips).  

The most important thing is to give a physical invite and say the following:
1.  Everything is $5 or less ($5.50 with the tax).
2.  It is cute!!!!!
3.  Bring a friends and daughters.
4.  Stock up for Christmas!!!!  Makes great stocking stuffers and accents to outfits!!!

Let your guests know that they can do their Christmas shopping at this party because everything is cute and reasonably priced!!!!

Something that has worked great for hostesses lately is to send out a text and facebook reminder the day of of the day before the party.

Let me know if you need anything else or have any questions.  

Thanks.
Michelle

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If you want the invites that I send via email or the hostess tips, please email me at jewelryforfive@gmail.com and I will send it back to you!

INVENTORY! Inventory! Inventory!!!!!

I've had a few people ask me how to sell more, book more parties and enroll more people.  I say, "Display a lot of jewelry at EVERY party and event you do and have more in boxes."  

Some people have asked how much should I take and show at each party?   My answer, "A LOT!!!!"  I recommend at least 200-300 pieces.

One person asked what a 400-500 piece display looks like.  
I finally remembered to take a picture of what I have been taking to parties for the months of October, November and December.   

Some parties, I don't need this much and other parties, I have been VERY grateful for a large display that can handle 15 women looking at it at the same time.   Because of my inventory and displays, I have had many $500+ parties and one $700+ party.

(This last picture isn't the best, but it is good enough for now.   It is 3 pegboards with one to two rows of necklaces.  There are about 15 columns on each.  (So a total of about 25-30 each pegboard - group by color!!!)  

So what do I have displayed?

I try to have between
90-100 necklaces on display
60-80 pairs of earrings
40-60 bracelets
40-60 rings
30-50 heabands
50-75 clips

That is a lot, but the more variety and quantity I have, the more people can find what they want.   They will buy more when there is more to buy!!!   They will buy more when they can find that perfect piece or maybe 10 perfect pieces.

If you notice in my pictures, I have boxes below the tables and displays.  My duplicates and blockbuster extras, I keep in boxes.   I tell people they can look in the boxes if they want to find something different.   There is one box where I put all the blockbusters.  There is another box where I put all the necklaces ordered in sets.  They are bagged by color.  So if the display is missing one or two purple necklaces, I can just grab the purple necklace bag and pull two out.   If someone is looking for a certain color of necklace, I hand them the bag with the color they want and tell them they can look through it.  It works great for me.  I also have a box for clips and headbands, one for rings and starlet shimmers, and one for bracelets and earrings.  I usually have most of the earrings and bracelets displayed, but after a big order, I will have a few I don't put out until some are bought.

How long did it take me to acquire this much inventory?   Well, I bought the $1400 starter package.  I had to put it on a credit card, but I knew that it would sell.  My hope was that from my very first party, I would have a hearty selection and satisfied customers who would want to buy from me and book parties with me.   My first party was over $500!   I never could have had  a party like that with a 100 or probably even a 150-200 piece inventory!   From my first 6 or 7 parties and events, I reinvested all the money I made back into building inventory, making displays and building my business and paying off my initial debt.  REINVEST.  This is not just a job!  It is a business.  If you treat it like a business, you will have success.  If you sell and put money in your pocket starting with your first show, you will be less likely to make more money in the end.

After I built my inventory to where I was comfortable, I started paying myself.  Now, I make very good money.  I have had usually 4-6 parties a week since the beginning of October.   I have given parties away to people when I am too busy or can't do it on a day that someone wants one.   I would not have the business and customer base I have with a small inventory and selection.

One week, I had 6 parties booked and 3 basket parties.  I was happy to have enough jewelry to do shows and have 3 baskets out at the same time.  That week, I sold over $2200!!!   That was a sweet week!

A few times when people walk into a party, I will hear them say something like, "This isn't a jewelry party.  This is a jewelry store!!!  Sweet."   "Yes.  I can do my Christmas shopping with a selection like this."   "This is a jewelry party on steriods."   "The last Paparazzi party I went to was nothing like this.  She only had one display."   EtC!

NOW, do NOT think that you only can do parties if you have as much as I have.   You can do parties with as much as you have.   You can make money with smaller inventories.   Businesses take time to grow.   You may have to grow yours more slowly.  That is ok!  You do what is best for you. 

I want to offer some ways to make your inventory look bigger than what is it.  
1. If you know of other Paparazzi consultants in your area, mark you jewelry (with a sticker or nail polish or something on the back of the tag) and combine your inventories until you get enough to do parties with your own inventory.  This does require cooperation, good record keeping and maturity.  You can even use each other displays.   Pay $3.10 (or the cost of the jewelry after taxes) for each item sold.  You keep the profit to apply to your next order.
2.  If you enroll someone and they live near you, offer to help them with their first/second/third party.  Add some of your inventory to theirs.  When they have a bigger inventory from the beginning, they will book more, sell more and have more success and less frustration.   Give them some extra confidence.   Let them keep the profit from any jewelry they sell of yours to put towards more inventory.
3.  Lay everything you have out for customers to see.   If you don't have a huge inventory and/or don't have lots of room for displaying what you do have, you can just lay necklaces on a table.   It doesn't have to be on a pegboard. 

If you would like to talk with me about increasing the size of your parties and booking more parties, please feel free to email me (jewelryforfive@gmail.com or call me at (435)610-1609.