Thursday, November 12, 2009

All about online parties!

Monday, April 9, 2007

All about Online Vendor Parties!

Joining in on an Online Vendor Party is a great way to get your name and company out there. It happens in a live chat room, and at your time you will present your company.The usual Vendor party works something like this

First off do your research. Some online vendor party sites have a screen in the chat room, so as you talk about an item you simply show it on the screen. In that case you need to make sure you have the links already written so you can just copy and paste. Some sites do not have these. Some sites you may need to do something extra to copy and paste. Make sure you know about it prior so you are prepared. If you really want to research it further join in on a vendor party as a guest not a rep and see how they do theirs.


-Check their Online Vendor party times and schedule.

-Sign up under a time that is good for you that you are free (you don't want any distractions)They have vendor spots for 30 min -60 min (you may have to pay extra if you want 60 min)

-Usual vendor party's cost about $1-$5, so make sure you have a pay pal account.

-Make sure their are no other reps for your company. All the vendor sites i have been too only accept one rep per company per party. (Which makes sense)

- Some sites require a prize giveaway (around $5). Unless your company has items that you can purchase at this price, use a gift e-certificate. This gives the winner a free $5 and will usually give you a sale. So lets say your prize is a small bottle of hand lotion that cost you $5. Well if that person wins this, he/she may not like it.Even though they won and took it doesn't mean they will like it or use it.They just want something that is free sometimes. When someone else that loves that lotion would have loved to receive it. Also remember it cost a little to ship..so lets say $3 for shipping theirs an $ 8 loss. By giving them a $5 gift e-certificate it gives the winner a chance to purchase something they want. They may even end up purchasing more (so theirs a great sale for you!). Now if someone is not interested in purchasing anything from you they will not use the gift certificate and no money lost to you.

- Once the mod receives your request he/she will have your name on the schedule.

- Now its time to type up all your information. You usually will only have 30 min to represent your company, so you want to spend less time typing and more time answering questions( 30 min goes by very fast). So type up your info and save it so you can copy and paste your info (quicker). Include your link, any sales or discounts your company is offering for that week/month, talk a little about certain items (usually your top selling , or new items), and also include information on becoming a representative (awesome way to recruit!). Also you may want to think about including a discount for the day or a prize or both. Some shoppers who attend these love discounts and of course who doesn't like free stuff?.

- When the day comes for your Vendor fair make sure your wide and awake. You want to be attentive to your audience. *remember Your not just going for a sale, but a way to meet other great wahms!. So chat with everyone, also make sure you have your pay pal ready their may just be something from some other rep you would like and maybe even a discount :).

- Your time is here, first off introduce yourself and link. Simply copy and paste your info from the list you wrote earlier. Don't just go copy and paste crazy, make sure your looking out for questions people may ask, or comments. After you finish your presentation make sure you chat with everyone else about your products and ask if their are any other questions.

- Use all of your time, just don't stop after you have finished, keep people attentive to you even throw in a little game or two for a small prize. This really gets people's attention.A good Moderator will not allow constant chat between each other unless its a "shopper" chatting with you. I have been to a few vendor parties before that during times of "representing" their is chat going on about what their kids did that day or whatever between other people and the rep can barely get a word out.Especially if you paid for a vendor spot I'm sure you would be highly upset.

- Let everyone know the options for instance :" I can take pay pal or credit cards, or please email me your order or order directly off my site"

- When your finished thank everyone for their time, and you will be standing by for any other questions and or orders.

- Unless you have to go do other things, stay in the room for at least another 30 min or even till the end of the party. When someone purchases or thinking about purchasing they don't want to see the rep leave right after their presentation. Not only is that a bit tacky but some that were planning on purchasing will not now, due to them thinking your just all about the money and not about customers.It also gives people a chance to catch up and ask questions. Sometimes during a break the mod will let everyone post their link again and their may be someone that just joined in and sees your link.

Some quick info..

A lot of online vendor party's you attend will usually not have more than 20 people in it. Sometimes you get a great turnout, sometimes you don't. Either way, represent your company in the best way. So make sure you advertise it as much as you can to everyone so they will show up to the party.

Sometimes you make a sale, sometimes you don't. Don't get upset though, just look at it like practice.

Some "shoppers/vendors" will ONLY purchase from you IF you purchased from them. This is an ongoing battle that needs to stop. The same with you, if theirs something that you really want and you like the Representative than purchase from them. Don't expect them to turn right back around and purchase from you. Sometimes they will and sometimes they wont. I wont purchase anything unless i want/need it. Not because they just purchased from me. I will be very thankful though :)


Party hardy! :)
Have you had experience with an online vendor party? How did it go? let us know!
This article may be republished as long as the resource box is kept at the end and fully intact.
Author: Jordan Gaffey
Written: April 9,2007

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