I went to my first Tupperware party yesterday (July 15, 2017). My neighbor invited my wife to the party and I thought I would tag along. Being a network marketer, I thought I might pick up a few tips that could help me in my own business.
This was my first time attending a Tupperware party. I was the only guy there. From what the rep told me, I was the only guy that had ever attended ANY of her parties.
The purpose of the party was to raise money for a local church.
What I Liked About the Tupperware Party
- We received an invitation several weeks ahead of time
- We were greeted at the door when we arrived
- The house was clean
- Food and refreshments were available
- Good sized crowd, about 15 people
- Nice display of products, colorful and attractive
- It was for a good cause (fundraiser for a local church)
- People were encouraged to participate in the demonstration
- The rep used the products to make ice cream and salsa
- There was a product giveaway at the start of the meeting
- The hostess was rewarded with free gifts (in front of everyone else) for hosting the party
What I Disliked About the Tupperware Party
- Started about 7 minutes late to accommodate stragglers (I’m an old military guy so this drives me crazy)
- No open, close or call to action in the presentation
- No explanation of the business opportunity
- Phones were not unplugged or turned off, and no one asked people to do this, so phones rang during the presentation
- We were not walked through the catalog or order form and it was confusing
- We weren’t told how long it would be before we got our products
Tips for Reps Conducting a Tupperware Party
I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a Tupperware rep. That being said, I’m very good at direct sales. I’ve been doing direct sales for 15 years, and I believe I have a few tips that will help you have a successful Tupperware party.
If you are an independent Tupperware rep doing parties, here are a few of my best tips.
# 1 Do an Overview of the Business Opportunity: Spend at least 5 minutes during your sales and product presentation to explain the Tupperware opportunity. Focus on the BENEFITS. Share your story how Tupperware has helped you. There’s no need to hard-sell anyone, but it’s foolish not to at least “mention” the opportunity and explain how it could potentially help your guests.
# 2 Focus on Booking Additional Parties: Have a plan and reward people who book parties. If you have 8-12 guests, you should be able to book at least two additional parties. That being said, it won’t happen by accident. ASK people to book a party. Talk with each person and specifically ask them to host a party. If possible, offer an enticing gift to get them off the fence and make a decision.
# 3 Ask for the Sale: You must ask for the sale. Tell people how to order. Walk them through the ordering process. Review the catalog with them and explain how to fill out the order form. Have some type of incentive such as, if you order $100 today you get this free gift or if you order $200+ you get this free gift. People need to be told EXACTLY what to do, or they won’t do much.
# 4 Start and End on Time: I am a big believer in punctuality. If your meeting is scheduled to start at 7pm, shame on you for starting at 7:01 pm. That might sound harsh, but you need to value your guests’ time. If you say the meeting will be one hour, keep it to one hour.
# 5 Have a Way for People to Order Online: Give your guests an option so they can order online, right then and there. Have your laptop with you, or have your host set theirs up. Some people might want to pay by check or cash. That’s fine. But many people would much rather pay with their credit card right then and there and order right through your website, so the products are shipped directly to their house.
# 6 Have Some Inventory on Hand so People Can Leave with Something: We live in a society where people want instant gratification. Don’t make people wait 1-3 weeks to get their purchase. If possible, have some inventory on hand, so people can walk away with something in their hand. I’m not saying to stock up with tens of thousands of dollars worth of inventory, but it might make sense to keep an inventory of some of your best-selling items.
# 7 Have Drawings, Contests, and a Free Prize: It makes sense to give away some free, inexpensive gifts. Do a door prize or raffle. People feel good when they get a free gift. This builds goodwill with your buyers and entices many of them to reciprocate and want to buy from you.
# 8 Collect Everyone’s Contact Information: Other than making sales and scheduling follow on parties, your number one objective is to collect the contact information of EVERYONE in attendance. Doing so allows you to build up your customer list or newsletter list, so you can stay in touch with people and make additional sales in the future.
# 9 Give Out Plenty of Marketing Materials: Make sure every guest leaves with numerous marketing materials, such as business cards, flyers, catalogs, etc. Make sure each person knows how to order from you and get in touch with you, in case they want to place repeat orders or host a party of their own, at some point.
# 10 Have People Turn Off Their Phones: To start, make sure you turn off your own phone. Prior to starting the presentation, have the hostess unplug the home phone and have the guests turn off their phones. To some people, this might sound crazy. Personally, I find it rude when phones constantly ring during a meeting.
Tips for Hosting a Successful Tupperware Party
If you are ever a person HOSTING a Tupperware party, I suggest you follow the advice in this article. In addition, meet with your Tupperware rep ahead of time to find out any success tips they can mention.
At a bare bones minimum, make sure your home and restrooms are clean. Keep pets in the other room, or put them outside. If you are a smoker, I wouldn’t do a party in your own home. Instead, pick a neutral, smoke free location. Cigarette smoke will really bother your non-smoking guests.
In addition, send out invitations a couple weeks ahead of time and have people RSVP. If needed, provide driving instructions so people know how to get to your home.
Make sure you have refreshments on hand. They don’t have to be expensive or fancy, but have something people can drink and eat.
Next, make sure you send each guest a handwritten thank you note after the event. This personal touch makes a big difference.
Finally, make sure the products get delivered to the guests promptly. Don’t make them wait 2, 3 or 4 weeks just to get what they ordered. Keep your guests informed as to WHEN they will receive their product order.
My Biggest Takeaway
This is just my opinion, but my biggest takeaway is that men could absolutely crush it in Tupperware. I know it is mostly women who work as reps and host parties (and they do an amazing job), but if you are a well-groomed, good looking and/or nicely dressed guy, with a pleasing personality, you could do AMAZING things with this opportunity. From personal experience, I’ve found that many women enjoy buying things from men, not just other women. Food for thought.
Final Thoughts
In review, I enjoyed my first Tupperware party. Rachel and I had fun, met some great people, bought some great products and enjoyed ourselves. Overall, I give the experience an 8 of 10 and would recommend that anyone reading this article host their own Tupperware party, or learn more about becoming a rep. You can visit the company’s website to learn more.
Disclaimer: Tupperware® is a registered trademark. I am in no way affiliated with the company. This is not a sponsored ad or paid review. It is for your educational purposes only.
Sincerely,
Chuck Holmes
Network Marketing Professional (21+ years)
Top Recruiter & Top Rep
mrchuckholmes@gmail.com