Hostess Benefits / Party free gifts

Although of course the world should feel honoured and privileged to hold a party with your products, you need to offer them some incentives!! There are several types of free gifts involved with doing parties. Of course you don't need to offer all or any of them, but this will give you some ideas.

These are the items that you offer to the hostess as a thank you for holding the party. It is entirely up to you what value to set on these gifts and whether you have a standard free gift or let her choose from a selection of gifts. Last season I offered a 3 wick loaf candle and two 2x4.5" pillar candles (with a limited scent choice!) which had a retail value of just over £20 ($30) this season I have decided to let the hostess pick from either a hurricane candle shell with a glass votive holder and a pair of votives - or she can pick any one novelty candle from my range. These items are presented to her at the start of her party and are hers to keep regardless of how many guests arrive or how many sales are made.

You will want to spend some time working out the hostess bonus gifts. These are additional free gifts / catalogue credit that she can earn for the value in sales at her party. The more sales - the better the bonus gift. This is the section of the parties that took me the longest to work out. You need to make sure that they are attainable by the hostess, attractive enough to give her the incentive to invite as many people as possible without leaving yourself out of pocket!!!

I give lots away free at a party. They are mainly votives or wax potpourri melts .... little sniffy teasers to leave them wanting more!! Any guest bringing a friend will win a freebie ... the first to ask a question or start introductions will win a free gift, the winners of party games get a free gift etc. Also at the end of the night I ask who hasn't won a free gift and they get to pick a 3pk of wax potpourri from the display. It's just an added extra so that everybody goes home happy, and the wax potpourri is mainly made from my leftover votive wax anyway, so it costs me very little to do this and it really puts a smile on their faces!!!