TIP
Be sure to carry extra brochures, flyers, samples and business cards to share with everyone! - Every contact is a potential Recruit  or Customer 

Here is an idea to garner more sales and earnings for you. When holding a 
bingo party, do the following:

1. Send invitations to all your customers.
(Let your customers know they will receive an additional bingo 
card for bringing a guest.)
2. Get together all samples and products you have on hand to show your 
customers.
3. Get together products for prizes.

When playing bingo use the small paper cards that can be tossed 
afterwards.

Rules:

1. Each customer receives 1 bingo card for coming.
2. Each customer receives 1 bingo card for placing an order.
3. Each customer receives 2 bingo cards for a $25 order.
4. You can increase cards as sales increase.
5. Each customer receives 1 bingo card for bringing a guest.

Add your own special touches and Have Fun!

My friend and I have been doing AVON BINGO for almost 4 years now. 
We first started with the idea of running it based on orders, etc. but we 
have since changed the format to run it like a regular BINGO only 
difference being prizes are AVON, not money. We started with the first BINGO 
having only 12 but now, the last BINGO we had on December 10th we have almost 
50 people. We advertise solely through our customers with a simple flyer 
and they bring friends. We've found it to be fun and a profitable way to 
get rid of overstock items, etc.

This is how our game(s) are structured: Entrance is $5 which gives 
you cards for 8 games and a ticket for the door prize raffle. Cover all 
cards are 5 cards for $3 and 10 cards for $5. If you like to play more than 
one card per game, extra cards are 5 cards for $3 and 10 cards for $5. We 
do a 50/50 games where the winner gets 1/2 the money collected and a 
special AVON prize (i.e. the Musical Carousel) and those cards are 5 cards for 
$3 and 10 cards for $5. We have raffles too - a kid's raffle where we 
raffle off items for kids, an adult raffle where we raffle off items for 
adults and an end of the night raffle where we raffle off whatever prizes 
haven't been won during BINGO those tickets are 3 for $1.

That's are twist to the AVON BINGO!

Mary Ann
District #2267
Rose Circle (heading to McConnell Club this PC cycle)

How to Market Without Money by Brenda Nixon

Whether a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker, you must promote your 
business. Marketing is critical. For the beginner, or entrepreneur, it is your survival.  It remains essential when your work is at an intermediate or even advanced level. One of my mentors reminded me that there will be lean and fat years. "But," he counseled, "Market yourself even in the fat years to prepare for the lean ones." We've heard the saying, "It takes money to make money." The question for most beginners is, "How do I market without the money to do it?"
Many of my successful ways were learned by reading library books on the topic. Others come from persistence. Some are hair brained but worth the try. If you're 
starting a small or home-business, here are seven, low- or no-cost, tips to advertise: 

Tip #1: Marketing requires a Mouth. Tell your friends, neighbors, relatives, and former coworkers what you do. Show them your product or service even if they are not your target client. I'm a speaker on parenting. Frequently, I invite key individuals to be a guest in my audience -- even if they don't have kids. I just want to introduce them to my work. When people see or hear the quality of your work they tell others.  Now, you have a volunteer sales force. 

Tip #2: Marketing requires a Plan. Some have maintained, "Without a plan, you won't succeed." Even if you have zero dollars now, design ways to advertise. Don't let monetary restrictions prevent you from creating a strong market strategy. If you want to purchase expensive classified ads in industry publications, great! Hold on to this plan for the years ahead when you have the budget to work with. If you plan to expand office equipment list the steps involved. However informal, write down a plan -- it gives you something to
work toward. (*note from Roberta when making copies check out different prices and do comparison shopping in my area Staples is the cheapest do it your 
self at $.06 each) 

Tip #3: Marketing requires Patient Persistence. I have this Shakespeare quote taped to my computer, "Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast." At times 
when I feel discouraged because the E-mails, calls, or contracts aren't returned, I read this quote. It gives me the tenacity to keep trying.  

Tip #4: Marketing requires Giving Away. In order to get your name out you must be willing to give away some of your product. We recognize this in supermarket 
samples.  If your start-up business is making candles donate one to be an event's door prize. If you contract out for medical transcription, offer to transcribe for a doc when her/his transcriptionist is sick. Donate a gift certificate for your product 
or service to a church rummage sale.  

Tip #5: Marketing requires Movement. Move beyond your comfort zone. 
Get involved with civic organizations or church groups presently unfamiliar to you.  Join associations that help you meet new people. Until and unless you get out beyond your computer or basement office you will not meet prospective people who need your product or skills.

Tip #6: Marketing requires the Obvious. Get your own business cards, 
stationary, and phone line. These items are affordable, tax-deductible, and make you feel more professional. If you do not have the $50 or so for business cards do a trade-out with the printer. This means you swap a service he needs in exchange for him doing your stationary. Add a marketing message to your fax cover sheet, E-mails, or on envelopes.  I have "Brenda Nixon, your speaker for family events" tagged to my cover sheets. (*note from Roberta vistaprint has color business cards for only $4.95 shipping for 250 free cards 

Tip #7: Marketing requires Follow Through. When you contact a 
prospect be sure to follow up.  Allow a reasonable amount of time to pass then send word that you're checking to see if a decision has been made. This follow through also means you send a thank you note when appropriate. When you've met with a prospective client, send a "Thanks for your time" card. I discipline myself to mail a personalized note of appreciation to each program planner following my speaking engagements. Does this courtesy translate into smart
marketing? You decide. Would you rehire the speaker who sends you a 
note of gratitude and offers to help you again or the one who took the check and ran?  Much of advertising is creative common sense and practice. Both of these are affordable.  Brenda Nixon partners with organizations to educate and encourage parents. She is a professional speaker and the author of "Parenting Power in the Early Years" (WinePress Publishing, 2001) and may be reached online at: www.parentpwr.com copyright 2001, Brenda Nixon

To get customers to increase their order size offer free product with $_____ amount of sales.

FREE gift with $_____ order.

FREE gift for any order size.

Do call backs, to every customer at least every other campaign.

Offer a discount for ordering online.

Ask customers for referrals.  Offer them a discount or FREE gift.

Put label on book that says "Recycle This Brochure And Receive _____ Discount On Your Order When They Place An Order And Pay. Tell Them To Mention Your Name."

 Creative Ways for Selling 

Give an item to the customer with a note...
Free In Home Trial.. try for two weeks... etc...

(Most people will not return the product thus making a sale for you.)

Buy a 100 bag box of tea and stapling a tea bag and this little note to them, 
maybe a sample or two. 

Here's a little gift for you.
tea bag for a soothing brew.
Sit back, and relax, enjoy your tea,
And see how simple shopping can be.
Pick lovely gifts to show you care
And never leave your easy chair!
To Order Call: __________
or e-mail: ___________@_____.___

SAMPLE ADS TO RUN

"Avon reps needed. Earn/Save 40%. Call XXXXX." 

Looking for Avon? Avon is looking for you! Contact me to receive a book
or to learn about the earnings opportunity!

Avon! Career or pocket money, you decide! 1-800-258-1815

AVON! Call Lisa 1-800-258-1815