Warm Lists ~ Why You Need One & How to Use One
Written by Guest MyMommyBiz Author Rachael Hoffman

Do you have a warm list? When starting a direct sales or home party plan business, you need one. I talk to so many people who do not know about or just have never followed this basic approach.

Create your warm list - Sit down and write down everyone you know. This means everyone. Do not prejudge people's responses. It doesn't matter if you "know" Jamie would never host a party, write her name down. Your warm list should contain friends, family - both immediate and extended, neighbors, your bank tellers, your hairdresser, your real estate agent, your child's coaches and teachers... anyone you know on a first name basis. You should have a minimum of 50 names on your list... if you don't, keep going until you do.

Next, circle the five people on the list that you feel will be the least likely to book a party or be interested in your products or service. Maybe it is your friend Jamie, who you "know" would never host a show... just circle five people who you feel will be the least interested in what you are doing.

Now call them! Tell them what it is you are doing... see if they would like to host a party. If they say no, ask if they would like a catalog... ask if they know of anyone who might want to host a party... ask them to show the catalog around to a few people and see if they get a response. Then take or mail the catalog to them. Follow up a week after they receive it - make a note on which day you send stuff to which people.

Then, tomorrow, circle the next five people who you think are most likely to turn you down, and call them! Keep going until you have finished your list. This accomplishes a few things:

First, you have let everyone know what you do! Even if Jamie does not want to host a party, what happens if a month later, she runs into someone who mentions your business... she will refer them to you! If you had never called her because you prejudged her response, then she would not have been able to refer the person to you at the later date.

Second, by the time you make it through your 50 people, you will have become an expert at sharing your business... strangers will be no problem after all that practice.

Working a warm list is the easiest and fastest way to start or rejuvenate your business. If you have been in business for a while, when was the last time you worked your warm list? If it has been a year or more, or, if you never did one at the start of your business, do it now! You'd be surprised who we meet in a year and who we may have contacted long ago who didn't have interest, but has interest now.

When Rachael isn't busy chasing after her two children while trying to simultaneously clean her house, she works as an agent for a telecommunications company offering discount long distance, internet access, and toll free service. Rachael can be reached at info@discountlongdistancerates.com or through her website at http://www.discountlongdistancerates.com.

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