When I was looking at new ways to connect to the internet with my laptop (besides the DSL I currently have), I noticed that few sites had support chat. A customer service person was able to ask me if I was finding everything okay, and if I need help. Instead of spending an hour or more trying to figure out where exactly I need to go on their site, I was able to figure everything out in less than 15 minutes. She told me where to find the broadband cards I needed, what kind would work with my needs (I wanted to be able to use it on the desktop also), and what my choices were for data plans and their cost. She knew the site inside and out and was able to answer my questions with minimal time and effort. I love it, because I didn’t need to waste my time looking for answers. I ended up deciding that I would just keep my DSL. However, due to the wonderful help I did receive, if I decide to get a broadband card for my laptop, I know where I am getting it from.

This technology is great. If you are a business that has a site, you need to get this. I cannot see how this would not drive sales to you. LiveHuman has this technology, and you can get a 7 day trial to check it out. It even has a stat package that you can use. It can show you your visitors geo location, referring sites, current page, and time on site just to name a few things. I know if I was still running my lia sophia page, I would be investing in this.

I am such a Vista Print fan, so when I found out that they are now doing custom t-shirts I was super excited. This was an item my fellow lia sophia consultants were looking for last year. We had just come through the Christmas season and the shipping disaster. Lia sophia had changed its distribution center in October, and lets just say it did not go well. It completely messed up our shipping schedules. We had looked all over for a company that would do the shirts at a reasonable price. We just wanted something that said: “We survived the move of 2006″. A bunch of us wanted to wear them to our convention.

This would also be a great way to get shirts made that say lia sophia for my shows or just to wear out and about to drum up moe business. The T-shirts are only $9.49 a piece and get cheaper with amount you order. Now that I think about it, this would be great for sports teams too. Bill plays softball, and each year we have to get him a new shirt. I’ll have to talk to the coach about this. This would be a cheaper way to get the whole team shirts with their sponsor on it.

That question gets asked a lot around this time. Since the new catalog starts July 27th, this seems to be on everyone’s mind. Here’s why:

1. Free Jewelry! Receive 20% of your show sales in FREE jewelry credits. (For example; if your show sales = $1000, you receive $200 in free jewelry!)

2. Hostess Bonus Items! Choose any 4 items with a retail value up to $100 each for a special hostess bonus price of $15.00 each. (Items with a retail value over $100 may also be chosen and will have a byline in the catalog stating its price to hostesses.)

3. Half Price Jewelry! Choose any 2 additional items from the lia sophia catalog for HALF price!

4. Double your FREE jewelry! When you get 10 orders and 2 dated bookings from your show, receive 40% of your show sales in jewelry credit for only $15.00 (For example; if your show sales = $1000 you receive $400 in jewelry credit for only $15.00)

Now, if you want to have a show and you don’t live close by, have no fear.  I can do a catalog show or an internet show for you!  I also do direct sale orders, so I can order anything you want that way also.  August is one the best sales of the year — Buy 2 get 2 half off (your most expensive being your half off items!)

Since my lia sophia business hit a slump due to me taking time off to have Will, I had to come up with a new marketing plan.  I just mailed out 50 of the new catalogs to my prior hostesses and customers.  I also sent a letter stating, “Since you all have helped me in the past, I wanted to offer you all a great deal that I am offering.  Normally, when I arrive to your show, I give your hostess thank you gift that you paid $20 for.  However, since I want to get back into the swing of things, I will pay for that gift for you.  Again, that is any item in the catalog valued up to $100, I will be giving to you for free for having a show!”

I didn’t really know if this tactic was going to work.  However, I just got my first booking from it!  Hopefully, I can pick up a couple more and get my business going again!

When I was pregnant with Madison, I was a telemarketer. It is a thankless job, but it paid the bills. However, I did learn many things while working for this magazine seller. Most telemarketing companies have automatically dialers. I did not get a call until someone picked up and answered. The computer would then tell me their name. I often wondered how they found these people. What I learned was that telemarketing companies are able to buy telemarketing lists. They do not just randomly pick people. For example, I know one list that was bought was for people who recently signed up for phone service.