Below are my tips for a successful home show:

I agree to keep the food simple - cookies - doritos & salsa - chips
& dip & coffee-are always great choices, also if you have moms with
little ones coming I suggest getting juice boxes or hugs so they
also have something & aren't doing the MOM I'm thirsty act when you
are presenting.

Make your display eye appealing - I always opt for country. You
don't have to spend alot on tableclothes - actually cotton striped
sheets (the red one I use in my pictures I got at the thrift store
for $3.00), yard sales are also a great avenue for finding linens at
great prices. A sheer curtain draped over a solid sheet is always
pretty too.

I love baskets - I fill baskets w/tarts - mini critters - potpourri -
anything that looks pretty in them. Watch your height displays -
smaller in front - taller in back. Open products so when they walk
in the room it starts teasing their sense of smell right away.

I highly reccommend having a good stock on hand & always offering
everything for cash & carry. Many people are impulse buyers & want
what they want now. If it's there - sell it - you can order more -
this gives you an instant sale. How many times have you looked at a
product - thought about - had to order - said you would call with
the order & then something came up & you didn't order? Sally can
tell you most of her sales at on the spot. Have small items
available such as tarts - smaller battery candles - etc. Many times
people attending feel obligated to buy something & if you have
something small - $5.00 or under they will grab it - hey a sale is a
sale - no matter how large or small.

I highly reccommend having wax dipped critters for sale. These are
my best sellers at shows! Perfect for the person that says I am
afraid to burn candles because of the kids - pets - etc. Great for
dorms - old age homes - childrens bedrooms - mention all these
things when making your presentation. Open the bags - invite them
to smell everything. Pass one around. Make them imagine what it
would be like to have your home smell so good without worrying about
burning a candle. I have in the files section a sign you can print
out that explains what they are - always hang it on your display.

Offer a discount for orders over a certain amount. 10% isn't much
but people love bargains - look how all of you stock up when I run
my sales!

You also want variety - you never know what people are going to want
to buy. I reccommend trying to have one of each item you can
afford. You can order if they want more but but having it there
even if it is only 1 lets them see it - a catalog is nothing like
having the actual product there to see & smell. Always order an
assortment of scents so they get an idea of what different scents
smell like.

My reccommendations to have on hand:
A variety of different tarts
votives & tealights
wax dipped critters
1 electric candle
1 window candlestick
potpourri & rosehips
1 battery tealight candle
1 5" & 3" Gel pie
A non gel cobbler pie
A loaf
wickless candle
Cinnamon bun of some sort
Lighted potpourri jar

As I said it need only be 1 of each - just imagine if you sold each
one that night as cash & carry?

Also as Sally said (& I do not mind at all) Check your dollar
stores - thrift stores & yard sales. Someimes you can find
tartwarmers - perfect for putting on display with your tarts. Gift
baskets can easily be made by just adding a few items to what you
have on hand. Think creatively & make the products your own so to
speak.

Always have business cards available - always be willing to answer
questions & if ever you are unsure of the answer tell them you will
contact the company & let them know. Always smile & be sweet (LOL)

I want to start packing tomorrows orders to go & will be posting
DC#'s for what was sent today either later or tomorrow. DC#'s will
be posted out of order - when I made labels today I was in a crunch
to beat the mailman so didn't post them all to the group.

I hope the above tips help & if you are all interested can post
tomorrow tips on presentation - etc.