bella soy Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I was doing some research on candle parties on this forum. I can across something called catalog parties. I was wondering how the heck you get a catalog made with your items. Im assuming that its a full color glossy catalog just like the professionals right? Is this very expensive to do? And how do you design it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I was doing some research on candle parties on this forum. I can across something called catalog parties. I was wondering how the heck you get a catalog made with your items. Im assuming that its a full color glossy catalog just like the professionals right? Is this very expensive to do? And how do you design it?Catalog parties are done usually when the customer doesn't want to have a show in their home. In most cases that I know of, the customer shows your catalog around, collects the orders/payments, gives them to you to fill. And you would in turn give them free product or whatever depending on how much in sales they collected. I wouldn't say you had to have something that looks like what a company like Partylite has. Do you have a brochure? You could probably use it, but make sure it has all of your fragrances and pics of what you make. Then maybe later on you can branch out into doing a catalog.I know a while back there was a brochure swap that I participated in (sometime before last summer). And someone here had a little catalog...Don't remember who though. Maybe they'll chime in.HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 You can design a brochure yourself. Or check into the designers on this forum for help. Beckie (BizzyB's) did mine and it turned out awesome. For the party end of it....The host(ess) takes a few brochures and invoices/receipts and takes orders for a certain amount of days. She/He then turns in the orders and you pour/deliver..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bella soy Posted June 6, 2006 Author Share Posted June 6, 2006 hmmmm, I guess I can start with designing a brochure. Ill speak with bizzyB if I cant figure it out myself. THanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guppygirl Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I've had a few catalog/online parties that essentially work just like a home-party, just without going to the home! I have a tri-fold brochure that I made myself that I give the hostess and she hands them out and/or directs people to my site. They give her orders, she sends them to me and we close on the date agreed. I use the same hostess reward program for online/catalog parties as I do for home parties as long as she gets me over $100 worth of orders. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerinarkansas Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 That sounds like a good way for "shy" people like me to get there products out and about. Is it a good money maker? I love to make candles but I'm not a good seller...I usually have my daughter do that or just word of mouth sales. My daughter could sell ice to an eskimo. Some got it...some don't. I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bella soy Posted June 6, 2006 Author Share Posted June 6, 2006 grumpy, what program did you use to creat your brochures? I have Avery design pro. Im at work now so I cant see if I can use that porgram or not. Do you just print on regular pieces of paper or get glossy, card stock etc..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Microsoft has a ton of brochure templates to use...http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/results.aspx?Scope=TC&Query=brochures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 That sounds like a good way for "shy" people like me to get there products out and about. Is it a good money maker? I love to make candles but I'm not a good seller...I usually have my daughter do that or just word of mouth sales. My daughter could sell ice to an eskimo. Some got it...some don't. I don't.I think catalog parties can be very profitable. For me, in home ones are better since people can see, smell and feel the products. When I was just a candle buyer, I would never buy a fragrance that I hadn't smelled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda (OH) Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I have done brochure parties since beginning my business in 2002. These are my bread and butter . What I do is put together a folder like I used in school. I include brochures, order forms, pictures of all my products with prices. I print the picture/price sheets on card stock. I include a 6x9 envelope for the host/hostess to keep track of the money collected. They get a set of smelly samples that I pour into little solo cups with lids for their customers to smell. The host/hostess decides how long they want to keep the party open (1-2 weeks typical). At the time the party opens we decide on the date to close. I call a day or two before closing to confirm everything. On the closing date I collect all the money and tell them a date for delivery. Usually this is 1-2 weeks depending on the $$$ amount of the orders collected. I pour and make everything up and individually package all the orders with the people's name on the bags for easy delivery on my end and theirs. I also include in the package a sheet for additional party bookings with my candle party incentive flyers. If they get party bookings then I contact the individuals before delivering the orders to confirm their agreement. The host/hostess gets a coupon for a free 8 oz candle that they can use when the new party bookings open. As far as incentives for the host/hostess I give a free 16 oz to sales over $150.00 and 10% regardless what their sales are. These work great for me since I have always poured according to order. This saves on my raw inventory since I offer over 60 scents and alot of different products. Once the candle parties get going they will branch out. I travel a radius of 40 miles at times to open and close parties in person. Online parties are not that popular for me but I do offer online orders from my website for the host/hostess' convenience. Sorry so long but thought I would let everyone know these do work very well for me PS - All my brochures, order forms, ect have been formatted in MS Word with my logo, business name, website, email addy, etc.Many Blessings ~ Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoapDiva24 Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Thats some great info there brenda. I use microsoft word for my brochures to. I have a color catalog and i use regular white paper. I started with a tri fold but now i have a six page brochure. The brochure parties work great for shy people but also during a busy season like now when so much is going on that people just dont think they have time to do in home. Hope it all works out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guppygirl Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 grumpy, what program did you use to creat your brochures? I have Avery design pro. Im at work now so I cant see if I can use that porgram or not. Do you just print on regular pieces of paper or get glossy, card stock etc..?grumpy, guppy, whatever LOL!!I use MSPublisher for my brochures for it's ease of use... I tweak all of my photos in PaintShop Pro 9. I print on brochure weight (heavier than resume paper, not quite cardstock) bright white matte paper that I get from wallyworld, but really need to find a bulk source for since I'm giving so many away!HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerinarkansas Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Thanks Brenda for all the info. I am the quiet/shy type who lives out in the middle of no where, so most of my orders are from coworkers....then people who smelled theirs and so on. Word of mouth most of the time. This catalog party might work well for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerKay Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 I have done brochure parties since beginning my business in 2002. These are my bread and butter . What I do is put together a folder like I used in school. I include brochures, order forms, pictures of all my products with prices. I print the picture/price sheets on card stock. I include a 6x9 envelope for the host/hostess to keep track of the money collected. They get a set of smelly samples that I pour into little solo cups with lids for their customers to smell. The host/hostess decides how long they want to keep the party open (1-2 weeks typical). At the time the party opens we decide on the date to close. I call a day or two before closing to confirm everything. On the closing date I collect all the money and tell them a date for delivery. Usually this is 1-2 weeks depending on the $$$ amount of the orders collected. I pour and make everything up and individually package all the orders with the people's name on the bags for easy delivery on my end and theirs. I also include in the package a sheet for additional party bookings with my candle party incentive flyers. If they get party bookings then I contact the individuals before delivering the orders to confirm their agreement. The host/hostess gets a coupon for a free 8 oz candle that they can use when the new party bookings open. As far as incentives for the host/hostess I give a free 16 oz to sales over $150.00 and 10% regardless what their sales are. These work great for me since I have always poured according to order. This saves on my raw inventory since I offer over 60 scents and alot of different products. Once the candle parties get going they will branch out. I travel a radius of 40 miles at times to open and close parties in person. Online parties are not that popular for me but I do offer online orders from my website for the host/hostess' convenience. Sorry so long but thought I would let everyone know these do work very well for me PS - All my brochures, order forms, ect have been formatted in MS Word with my logo, business name, website, email addy, etc.Many Blessings ~ BrendaThis is very similar to what I do. The differences are: I have a 12 page catalog that I made on MS Word that changes three times a year (spring/summer, fall, winter/Christmas), my incentive program is different and my samples are poured into the .25oz clear lip balm pots. I will put everything into a nice little gift bag and they have samples, invoices, catalogs and complete directions on how to handle their party. As Brenda states, very good business. Very little labor in the selling dept and I get lots of repeat sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpoitras Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 That is awesome info. Thanks. Do you think tea lights for fragrance samples would work???? You know, to pass around so they get a whiff?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saw Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 This is very similar to what I do. The differences are: I have a 12 page catalog that I made on MS Word that changes three times a year (spring/summer, fall, winter/Christmas), my incentive program is different and my samples are poured into the .25oz clear lip balm pots. I will put everything into a nice little gift bag and they have samples, invoices, catalogs and complete directions on how to handle their party. As Brenda states, very good business. Very little labor in the selling dept and I get lots of repeat sales.lip balm pots sounds interesting for samples. Where do you get these at.~thanks~ saw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerKay Posted June 14, 2006 Share Posted June 14, 2006 SKS, but there are several places that sell them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhughes Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 i have catalogs, invoices & all that but my problem is when i say to people "you can have a catalog party, it's a great way to get discounted or free items" people just change the subject or don't answer at all. I'm not a very social person either, i tend to keep to myself. i've started a new job, have candles on my desk (in a cubicle) catalogs in the break room but i have had only 2 people order from me & only 1 who keeps ordering. how do i get people to order or even take a look, alot say "oh, that is cute or i like that" but no orders, can anyone help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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