The pumpkins are gone, the ghouls have vanished, and now we have the faint sound of sleigh bells just around the corner.
The day after Thanksgiving,also known as Black Friday, is the official start of the Christmas shopping season. Thousands if not millions are out looking for the best deals possible. Instead of standing in line for the early morning hot deals customers are starting to look towards the internet while staying warm. This is your time to shine.
What better way to get those products to your customers than an online party. For many this is a very new concept while others this has been going on for years.
First off an online party is similar to a home party except you and your customers are at home and you interact within a chat room. Some provide sound and cam streams while others stick with the old classic text type. Simpel text is far less intimidating for the newbies while others just enjoy the relaxed feel.
If you are wanting to hold an online party, it is easier than you think. First google online party rooms. There are many out there. The price is very reasonable at approximately $2-$5 a half hour time slot and many offer a discount if you reserve a room for a 2 hour exclusive party with an average of $15. Black Friday may be slightly higher so look for those bargins.
There are many ways to look for a party room that is right for you. Me personally I prefer to seek rooms that are not necessarily high traffic but high sales with a high return rate. They usually have a lower attendance rate but I always get a sale with this type of room. I can tell I am in the right place when everyone knows everyone and they are pumped to see what I have for them. That is not true for everyone so don't take my word on this being the best. Some know how to really hussle a room and find success anywhere they go. Ask for referrals if you are stuck on where to begin.
A popular room does not always mean success so beware of these rooms. A tell tale sign is a room that is very chatting and not very interested in your product. If you have a moderator that has to keep directing guests to a site, consultant, or game, you are in the wrong room. A moderator should never have their hand in a party except when bad behavior is taking place.
This is a good time to talk about room moderators. It is getting a little ahead but since I have started, lets keep going. A moderators job is to keep the party on track in terms of time and guests behaving. Moderators will correct anyone trying to step in and offer a product of their own. This is a HUGE no no. Doesn't matter if it helps the host DO NOT DO IT. A moderator is there to help support the host so the host can help customers and not have to take attention away to correct bad behavior.
Now onto the parties! When wanting to hold a party the first thing I always tell people is write a script. Some companies offer a script. For the first couple times go ahead and use it. I recommend modifying it to make it your own. Having a script even for seasoned hosts helps keep you on track and allows you to say everything you need to without leaving guests hanging and not being able to say what you need.
Have a sale or special going. When guests go to a party they expect a special deal or special price. In terms of specials I can't express this enough, DO NOT offer specials where only a few can take part in. If you want to offer something special for the first 3 orders, make sure the rest will get something out of it too. Reason is if your guest takes awhile to select their items and place an order, and you want your customers to really browse, you don't want to punish them for really looking at your products. Getting them to rush or offering such a good deal to just a few sounds like a great idea but customers will see it as greed and poor customer service. Keep that in mind with your specials and sales.
Keep your party fun. Avoid the boring. Throw an interesting game into the mix. I like to do this in the middle. Keeps everyone entertained and keeps the party interactive. The best games are scavenger hunts. Reason is you just made those somewhat interested or not all looking all over your site. You turned the skeptics into window shoppers and soon to be customers. There are many ways to include a scavenger hunt. One is use the hunt to conduct your presentation. With each question you are introducing or highlighting the best part about your site and products.
Before you have your first party, visit a few and see how they work. Everyone has a different way of presenting so go take notes (you remember that notebook don't you? USE IT!). Watch how hosts interact with guests. Pay attention to how you feel about the party. Are you bored? Interested? Having fun? Not interested but became a believer in the end? If you are in the shoes of a customer you will see all the points where a customer will want to buy buy buy.
Now get out there and party!
Olivia Vidal
©2008 All rights reserved
http://sochicbagboutique.com
