Where is the Best Place to Hold a Virtual Party?

Where is the Best Place to Hold a Virtual Party? from http://jenfongspeaks.comLast week I posted a couple of articles about virtual parties, outlining best practices for this type of an event. Read them here and here. Now it’s important to note that everyone having success with this type of an event is finding that it’s a SUPPLEMENT to an in-home party strategy, and not a replacement. Typically your sales will not be as high, and sales events don’t typically produce recruits. However, virtual parties can be an excellent way to fill your calendar with in-home parties, because people who get a taste of your products virtually will often then decide to commit to the longer, in-home experience (and get the hostess rewards).

But one of the questions I got from several people last week was, “Where do I do the party?” People have tried it in various locations: Skype, Google Hangouts, Custom Software Platforms, Facebook Events, uStream, and so on. But what’s the BEST venue for a virtual party?

Right now, based on what’s available, I believe the answer is Facebook Events.

The live, 30-minute party happens directly within the Facebook Event. There are a few reasons why this seems to work best:

  1. Everyone is already on Facebook, and doesn’t have to leave and go elsewhere to participate.
  2. Facebook notifications help you keep guests in the loop and engaged.
  3. You can do lead-up to the virtual event in the same location as the actual party.
  4. There is no learning curve…people already know how to use Facebook.
  5. You can upload your videos and images directly into Facebook, creating a seamless experience for your guests.

The only thing that is challenging about the Facebook environment is the actual ordering. Yet we are finding that sending people to the consultant’s replicated website is overwhelming and often people don’t come back. So there are still kinks to be worked out, and different consultants have used different systems (from personal contact after the event, to custom Facebook photo albums of products, to comments within the event itself) with varying levels of success.

But overall, if you’re going to use a tool for a virtual event, right now it seems that your best option is Facebook Events.

Do you do virtual events? Where do you host them? How do you handle ordering? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

Wrestling with Online Virtual Parties? Guest Post by The Tag Team

From Jen: I’ve spent a lot of time lately researching Virtual Parties, working to identify the techniques that bring the best results consistently to those in direct sales party plan companies. And since many direct sellers are running Facebook Parties, this is one area I’ve spent a lot of time. That’s how I came upon The Tag Team. Another direct seller, seeing my research, asked if I’d heard of them. I had not, but took some time to review their materials. I thought they had a lot of great techniques (and even more personality!) :) Since they’ve spent a lot of time refining techniques for Facebook Parties that have helped them double the sales in their jewelry businesses, they’ve certainly figured a few things out. I invited them to share some of their best practices here with you, and I’m delighted they accepted!

Wrestling With Online Virtual Parties?
Guest Post by The Tag Team

Online virtual parties are becoming more and more prominent in the direct sales industry.  Much of this can be attributed to the busyness of life, the convenience of online shopping and the ability to make connections like never before.  When conducting these virtual online parties, it is important to consider the following factors.

Catalog Parties vs. Virtual Parties

Social media has created a platform for direct sellers to connect with their hostesses and customers like never before.  As a result, the traditional catalog party pales in comparison to virtual partying because often there is a lack of connections made between the consultant and customers.  It is so much more enjoyable for customers and hostesses alike to experience the one-on-one interaction and service provided through the virtual party.

Public Event vs. Invite Only Event

The most common social media platform for virtual parties is Facebook.  We suggest setting Facebook party events to “invite only.”  By making it a private event, the direct seller is creating a more personal shopping experience in a virtual setting.  Many consultants set their events to “public” thinking they will get more exposure and in turn increase their sales. However, the complete opposite may occur.  Events set to public create spam and as a result, people end up “un-friended” or “hidden,” a result that is almost irreversible.

Extended Online Party vs. 30 Minute Party

We are seeing many direct sellers hosting extended online virtual parties with little success.  These lengthy parties often consist just of instructions on how to place orders from the company’s online catalog.  This is not a party because there’s little interaction, no fun factor, and often times very low sales.  The solution is to set a day and time and then invite the hostess and her guests to an event that will last 30 minutes with live interaction and service.

Online Catalog vs. Custom Album

We do not recommend linking your company’s online catalog to the virtual party.  Clicking on the link to the online catalog takes customers away from the event page and they often don’t come back.  Another problem with online catalogs is that they can be overwhelming.  Remember, these events should only last 30 minutes so it’s important to have a smaller, more manageable album of products for customers to look through.  Another key factor with the custom albums is to make the price point $40 or less because guests are more likely to make purchases when the prices are under $40.

Sales-y vs. Service

There’s a fine line between pushing your product and sharing it. People want to discover the product on their own and receive amazing, personal service. When relationships and connections are made, and good service is received, sales will increase.  It is so important to remember this when creating your virtual party atmosphere.  If a guest sees the representative hard selling the product, they are less likely to attend the event than if they are learning about the product through a series of fun posts prior to the party.

It’s through trial and error that we’ve found these practices to be successful. Although virtual parties should never replace home parties, they do provide a supplement to the traditional catalog party plan.

 

Wrestling with Online Virtual Parties - Guest Post by The Tag Team from http://jenfongspeaks.comAbout The Tag Team

Amanda Holland and Rachel Perry, both current direct sellers, were frustrated with the lack of communication and personal touch that traditional catalog parties yielded.  So, they took catalog parties to Facebook.  After months of trial and error, they finally figured out the formula to successful virtual online parties.  The Tag Team currently trains representatives from over 50 direct sales companies.  Their dynamic personalities bring a sense of freshness and excitement to the direct sales industry.  You can check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tagteampartypeeps.

 

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