Summer - Busy or Not?

The school year is quickly coming to an end.  The hazy, lazy days of summer are about to kick in.  Do you have a plan for your business?

Last summer, my business DIED!  I am sure there were people who wanted to have parties, even those who wanted to shop.  I had solutions for their organizational problems during the busy summer months.  So, why did my business DIE?  I didn't prepare for the summer, I was taking a summer vacation from business even though I didn't have any school age kids.  WOW!  Did that make for a tough start to the Fall even with new prints and products.    I found a million reasons for NOT working my business but this year will be different.  I began looking for my June parties in April and continue to ask people about booking parties for the balance of the summer.  What mom wouldn't want a "Girl's Night Out" during the hectic summer months?  

Here are some tips from Sales Moms Network for those who have children:

1. Plan now for your kid's summer schedule.  
2. Have a Summer Fun meeting with your family and create a list of things to do.
3. Get your kids organized.
4. Have a Plan B with sitters, etc that can help if Plan A falls through
5. Keep your sanity throughout the summer by WORKING YOUR BUSINESS.  That may mean attending training, networking sessions, etc.
6. Be ready to do business while you are on the move.  Keep a mobile office in your car ready to book, sell & recruit.  

For those of you who don't have children or they are grown, these tips can still work:

1. Plan your summer vacation or weekend getaway.  Have something to look forward to while working your business.
2. Talk with family & friends to create a list of things you want to do this summer.  Planning & scheduling will help you to still enjoy the summer while working your business.
3. Get organized.  
4. Have a Plan B. If a party or event falls through, be ready with a backup idea to keep the business momentum going.  
5. Continue to work your business like a business.  If you want a seasonal business, GREAT but most of us would prefer to have year round customers, parties and income. 
6. Be ready no matter where you are to book, sell, recruit.  Use your products.  Share tips with potential customers on how you can make their life easier with your products.  Always carry a mini catalog or information with you (whether on the beach or shopping) and make sure that you get THEIR contact information even if it is just their email address.

It is not too late to get ready for the lazy days of summer.  Look for vendor events to expand your customer base - there are lots of festivals, etc in the summer.  Call customers & past hostesses - encourage them to book by offering an extra free gift.  The possibilities are endless.  I am determined that I will meet my goals during the summer, will you?

Blow off the summer haze and get busy.  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day.

The Start of Summer at the Shore

Growing up on the Jersey Shore, Memorial Day weekend was filled with mixed emotions.  It was the start of the summer season which meant that the "bennies" (or shoobies as we called them in South Jersey) would be invading for the next few months. 

In high school, I worked at Kohr's at Third Avenue so this was the first BIG weekend that we got to work.  Typically, we started working on weekends when it was nice around Easter.  This was the weekend that we were able to reconnect with old friends who came home from college or those who traveled to work for the summer.  We enjoyed days on the beach and long nights on the boardwalk - working and hanging out with friends.  The summer traffic was never really thought about nor did we really think about the people that invaded our shores.  

As I got older, moved to South Jersey (just outside of Ocean City), I came to dread this weekend.  No longer did if hold the joy of traveling to the beach and long nights of hanging on the boardwalk.  Now it was filled with shoobies/ bennies who congested the roads and littered our beaches.  It made parking impossible.  The joy of the summer was replaced with dread.    Honestly, we spent more time at the beach from Easter to around the middle of June then we did the entire summer.  These were the days that were filled with sunshine, quiet moments on the beach and only a little bit of traffic mostly caused by locals.

Yes, I know it is great for the economy and is a definite plus for all of the small businesses in the area. For many businesses, the summer season is what carries them through the long cold winter.  This year holds even more challenges at the shore as many businesses are still recovering from the devastation of Sandy.  

As for me, I will wait until the mid-week between now and mid June to enjoy the warmth of the beach and strolls on the boardwalk.  Then I will wait, patiently, for the crowds to go home before I head back to the beach.  The pool at the complex will be my haven during the day and on an occasional mid-week night, we may travel down to take a stroll on the boardwalk.  

What are your plans for this weekend at the Jersey Shore?  Do you have any tips for avoiding the crowds and still enjoying our wonderful beaches?  I would love to hear them.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!