This is something that I hear from women many times when they are thinking of possibly signing up as a stylist. I really do find that this is a hard question to answer, as everyone has a different story and many reasons to attempt this type of business. But it is the question I get asked often. When I hear this question, what they are really asking is ‘help me figure out if this is the best decision for me’.
Here are some questions you may ask yourself:
1. Do you like people?
Maybe you have never done sales or even worked in any type of customer service, but do you like people? Because hosting jewelry parties (trunk shows in our lingo!) is about connecting with people, creating a relationship and trust so that a) they value your opinion, and b) they may consider inviting you into their home. And this must be genuine, not contrived or forced. You have to have a sincere interest in someone’s life because that sincerity shines through! When considering inviting people into your own home, don’t you only invite people you like? You want to be that girl that other girls want to hang with for an afternoon or evening. Personally, I love connecting with people and learning about their life, how they live and what is important to them. I find that being genuinely interested and then finding things in common with them helps me to continuously keep my calendar busy.
2. Are you okay with working odd hours?
Sometimes, although the beauty of this type of business is that you can make your own hours, our guests have their own schedules so you have to be flexible about booking parties. I don’t particularly love working Friday night, Saturday night and then Sunday afternoon all in a row, but if I can do three shows in one weekend, woohoo! I may get the next entire week off! So it is flexible, but you also have to be flexible. if you are a 9-5 or punch-in, punch-out kinda girl, then you may not really like this kinda thing.
3.Are you very technically savvy? Are you willing to take the time to learn to be?
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, blogs) are a FREE way to market yourself and your business and simply put, make finding and connecting with others much easier. If you cannot or do not know how to do this, then you really MUST be willing to learn. You don’t have to be a tech superstar, but you have to be open to learning a few simple things and not afraid to make a mistake or two while doing it. The same goes for the Stella & Dot website; there is so much on the site that is set up to help your business that you have to be open to surfing around and learning it. If this is not something you can do or want to do, then it will be much harder to work your business. Stella & Dot is leading edge in technology when it comes to the Direct sales world, so not taking advantage of that is like washing your clothes in the river instead of using a washing machine. It really is advantageous to learn the technology.
4. Can you think beyond the product?
What I mean by this is that you can purchase samples and catalogues in a smart and strategic way? While the jewelry is beautiful and you may want to purchase all of it, it probably isn’t the best business move unless you are really selling enough before hand. This is not just shopping for jewelry for yourself, but also purchasing samples of pieces that OTHER people will like. So separating your love for all things cute and fashionable with your business is imperative. In my last business, I spent boatloads of money building a boutique that I wanted to hang out in all day. However, I never did separate my love for creating beautiful thing with my BUDGET! And that got me into trouble later on.
So there you have it. Should you sign up as a Stella & Dot stylist? These are the few questions I would ask you to reflect upon first. If you decide that you would rather be suited to be a hostess and have a party yourself, then you know who to call!! Me! And I truly am interested in learning about YOU!
no comments