Laurie Fischer, Home Business Job Fair Vendor

Active networker, Laurie Fischer, direct sales rep for Home & Garden Party of Litiz, PA attends Home Business Job Fair.

[Pictured with fellow Home & Garden Party Rep, Danielle Farmer (left)]

Finding out about this particular even was easy for Laurie since the coordinator emailed her. She now keeps a running list of all the vendors she comes in contact with so she can keep in contact and find out about upcoming events such as these. Knowing that networking is a very important tool to her direct sales business, Fishcher knew that attending a home business job fair would be a good choice.

In May of 2004 Laurie was asked by her sponsor about becoming an H&GP Designer and since she already loved to products she decided to give it a try. Now with over 18 members in her downline with the title of Diamond Designer and titled 2005 National Star, Fischer keeps her team motivated with meetings, workshops and phone calls. Laurie as sends cards to her members once a month just to say they are wonderful. She does this whether they're working or not ... just to keep up the encouragement. Her team does challenges and are in the beginning stages of doing a mentoring program with individual team members.

When I asked Laurie what her favorite aspect of her business was she replied with, "The people that I meet and the relationships that I have built." If Fischer was only allowed to bring one type of promotional item to the event, she would bring her hostess packects because all the products and opportunity info is in there.

Laurie shares some wise words of wisdom...
"I say when you do an event like this ... you can't sit behind your table ... you need to be out there talking to the people. If there is no one around or there is down time, go out and about and talk with the other vendors, or depending where you are, go around the hotel or facility and hand out your information. Just keep talking to the people."

Fischer is also very active in her community with other business women and a member of "Litiz Women in Business" - a group of professional women business owners committed to providing consistent superior service and quality that benefits both customers and community. They are a group of business owners and operators who have banded together for the good of the community and to help each other's businesses thrive.



A little more about Home & Garden Party ...

Home Decor and Accessories are the products carried.

H&GP do not have any territory restrictions.

They do not have a requirement to hold home paraties.

Designers can either earn or purchase promotional materials through the company.

Designers also have the opportunity to buy some of the promotional materials in bulk to really save. One way Laurie's team saves is buy buying materials in bulk and dividing up the costs making it very cost effective.

H&GP doesn't have any quotas nor have any requirement to keep inventory.

The company only offers a company website however, designers are able to create their own website if they choose.

Home & Garden Party pays for the hostesses free credits (they offer 20% free with every $100 in sales before tax and shipping) and consultants pay $2 for every half priced item. A hostess can get 1 half priced item/grouping for every $100 in sales. (The company pays the remaining.) HG&P also very generously pays $10 per booking gift and the consultant pays the remaining $5.

Shipping & Handling Costs are as follows:
$0 - $99 = $2
$10 - $19.99 = $3
$20 - $29.99 = $4
$30 - $39.99 = $5
$40 - $49.99 = $6
$50 - $74.99 = $8
$75 - $99.99 = $10
$100 & over = 10%

Delivery time is 2 - 3 weeks max but is always quicker than that. HG&P gets them out in a few days, and then it in the hands of Fed Ex. They do not offer dropshipping.

The commission structure is as follows:
The basic is 30% until you make your first $1500 in sales and then it goes to 40%. The commission level stays at 40%. You can basically do a $300 party and that night pay yourself $120 when you're at the 40% level.

Depending on which level consultants are on, they can pay themselves the commission of either 30% or 40% at the night of your poarty or the time of the sale. Sponsoring commissions are paid to you the 15th of the following month.

HG&P also offers designers many contests to earn bonuses and prizes as well as sponsoring bonuses when you reach certain levels in your career.

There is a $25 annual renewal fee.

Cash, personal check, Master Card, Visa, and Discover are the types of payments accepted with no minimum purchases.

The opportunity structure is as follows:
-->When you first start, you are a Designer in Training until you do your first $1500 in commissionable value sales.

-->After your first recruit you are a Master Designer.

-->Two recruits is a Silver Designer

-->Three recruits is a Gold Designer

-->Five recruits is a Half Carat Designer

-->Ten recruits earns you the Diamond Designer title
After that, there is a guideline for monthly team sales to earn the title of Infinity Designer and with that comes extra bonuses.

Home & Garden Party offers a very simple fundraising program.

This company offers you the choice of 4 different start up kits.
2 of the kits are $99 and they have over $200 worth of products, training and start up materials.
2 of the kits are $149 and have over $300 worth of products plus the training and start up materials such as catalogs, order forms, hostess forms, training manual, dvd's and much more.

They offer online training, telecourses, annual Rally, annual Spring trainings, team meetings, workshops, and much more to help train upcoming designers.

Taxes are simply handled by the customer paying the tax at the time of the sale and then the consultant pays it with the order.

HG&P does have a non-compete clause in place - you can not represent a competitor while you're representing HG&P.

This company also has a 30 day guarentee on all products as well as 1 year warranties on their pottery.

Designers Can advertise online.

Please note that any of the above is subject to change and was true at the time of this writing. Please be sure to contact consultant below with any questions, comments, concerns and/or changes.

Laurie Fischer
Indpendent Diamond Designer/Career Builder
2005 National Star
lfisch80@ptd.net
http://www.homeandgardenparty.com
http://www.decorateyourhomewithlaurie.com (Personal Website)