The "party plan" model of direct selling -- introducing products through home parties, social gatherings, and fundraisers -- has been the route to financial freedom for millions. This inspiring, hands-on manual, written by an author who has achieved unprecedented success herself, shows other women how they can generate more bookings, more sales, and more business leads at their parties, as well as build a team of independent party planners, and drive up their own commissions. Exemplified by powerhouse brands like Tupperware, Pampered Chef, and Mary Kay, the party-planning method is an unparalleled opportunity for anyone to live the life they dream about and deserve. In Be a Party Plan Superstar, readers will discover, step-by-step, how they can transition from selling to friends and family to building a profitable business, develop a who's-who customer base, create an environment of fun, be an engaging host, and close sales effortlessly. This is the one book that shows women how to become direct-selling superstars --simply by being the life of the party.

MARY CHRISTENSEN has more than 25 years of experience in party plan direct selling, first on her own and later in leadership roles in two party plan corporations. She is the author of Be a Network Marketing Superstar (978-0-8144-7431-0) and Be a Recruiting Superstar (978-0-8144-0163-7).

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction: There's No Business Like Show Business	p. 1
Who Wants to Be a Superstar?	p. 9
Light Your Fire	p. 11
Believe It to Achieve It	p. 15
Building Your Business	p. 19
Master the Art of Selling	p. 21
Be Your Own Best Host	p. 35
Create a Bookings Bonanza	p. 42
Book Smart at Parties	p. 58
Sponsor to Succeed	p. 69
Coach the Most from Your Host	p. 84
Let's Get the Party Started!	p. 107
Set the Stage	p. 109
Make Your Parties Sparkle	p. 120
Step into the Spotlight	p. 125
The Grand Finale	p. 140
Reap the Rewards	p. 144
Reward and Recruit Your Host	p. 150
It Pays to Play	p. 156
When the Party's Over	p. 179
Time for the Reviews	p. 181
Follow Up	p. 184
Share the Spotlight	p. 193
Afterword: It's Your Time to Shine	p. 208
Index	p. 211
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

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<html><head></head><body>Party plan selling is the perfect vehicle for personal and financial growth. Whatever your current circumstances are financially or otherwise, you don’t have to settle for less than you want when you can have it all as a star of your own “show business.” Party plan is a business model that anyone can follow. As an independent business entrepreneur, you partner with a corporation, which takes care of the back end of the business (including the products, marketing, administration, and technical support) so that you can focus on the front-line activities that will drive your income. No matter what you call them—parties, shows, classes, presentations, group consultations, workshops, gatherings, celebrations, experiences, or demonstrations—parties are the perfect way to build a business. Whether you currently work inside or outside the home, a party plan business could be your route out of debt and into financial freedom. You can work full-time, part-time, or in your spare time and still hit the big time. Why wait for customers to come to you when you can bring your business into their living rooms? Most business owners would swap their souls to stand in front of a captive audience in the warm, friendly environment of their customers’ homes. If you’re ready to start calling the shots on your life, this book will teach you how to build a successful party plan business from the ground up. If you’re already a party planner, you will learn how to catapult your business to the highest levels of your compensation plan. You will create income for today with higher sales, income for tomorrow with more bookings, and income forever by empowering others to become successful party plan entrepreneurs. The sooner you start, the sooner you can start enjoying all the rewards that will come your way as a party plan superstar: * Family first * Financial security * Friendships * Flexibility * Freedom * Freebies * Fun If you are a direct seller or multilevel marketer and your company doesn’t have a traditional party plan structure, you can still incorporate party plan concepts into your business. My strategies will help you communicate effectively with one, ten, or one hundred business prospects. The strategies will add pizzazz to your business presentations and fire up your meetings, training seminars, and product launches. Many direct selling, multilevel marketing, and network marketing companies are embracing party plan concepts to reach a wider audience. When companies stage opportunity nights or business seminars, they’re employing party plan techniques. The only difference is the product they’re promoting is the business. If your product lends itself to demonstration, display, education, or experience, it makes sense to market it to groups. Why talk to one person when you could talk to ten? If it’s new, unique, or innovative, the sooner you establish market share, the harder you will make it for competitors to gain a foothold. If you’re confident that your product offers better quality or better value than anything that’s available through stores, telemarketers, or online retailers, party plan is an effective way to spread the word. I stumbled into party plan as a young mom. I was raising my family and working as an elementary school teacher. Every weekday I had to leave my baby son and two-year-old daughter with a babysitter, while I was at school. When they were safely tucked into bed at night, I prepared lessons for my class of nine- year-olds. Weekends were a juggling act of household chores and family time. I often dropped the ball. My children deserved better, but not working wasn’t an option. The bills had to be paid. When I saw an advertisement that offered “Work from Home,” the lightbulb flashed and I picked up the phone. Less than eight hours later a stylish woman was sitting at my kitchen table. She interviewed me for all of thirty minutes, and to my delight, I got the job. Not exactly the job I had expected, but it sounded exciting enough for me to leave my teaching career behind to sell skin care and color products as an independent party plan consultant. That meant swapping a teacher’s salary and benefits for a compensation plan and a promise that the harder I worked, the more I would earn. I seized on party plan as a second chance to be the mom my children deserved. </body></html>