Diversions Pub

Patricia Kagwiria Makhulo asked:


Home Party Business Marketing is largely a matter of understanding what one is getting into. The party plan method is the use of social events – home parties to parade, demonstrate, show off and sample products used primarily to sell items whose main appeal is to women by women, such as Tupperware, Mary Kay Cosmetics, kitchen utensils, home decor items e.g, home garden & party, jewelry, skincare e.g, Arbonne International, candles e.g, Mia Bella. Recent additions to the field include lingerie, and *** toys e.g., Passion Parties.

It is very evident that the home party plan traditional business idea is fresh once again as a new generation of sellers open their homes for direct sales.

Home parties now account for approx. 30 percent of the nearly $30.8 billion in U.S. direct sales, and 15.2 million Americans bought or sold goods from home in 2007; according to the Direct Selling Association, the premier resource for all thing direct sales.

With the growth of the internet, customers find that they continue to benefit from a personal and convenient way of purchasing products.  The Internet is fast becoming an essential element of home party plan business success. It gives both the home party consultant and their customer each a worldwide base.  The growing trend is to host virtual parties online.  Internet sales account for 14% of all home party sales!



The 4 Elements Of A Successful Home Party Plan Business

1. A Home: As with real estate, location, location, location matters.  Let me share with you some statistics. Home parties account for roughly 70% of the 78% face to face sales made in the US.  Cozy, comfortable, social always wins out!  So be sure to host home party plan fun monthly meetings at the least.

2. It’s A Party: Success with home partys lies in the fact that it’s a party at your home–or better yet, at someone else’s. Customers socialize, and you make money. Need more convincing? Make fun is the order of the day. Party like a rockstar!

Home Party Plan Success Tip: Fundamentals are the building blocks of fun

3. Plan(ning) : When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  You need to plan the party elements.  You need to plan your business element i.e., marketing, business plan, training, education & development.  Your party plan hostess must be coached and prepared.  The Home party demo must be planned before hand.  Don’t get side tracked and have a show that goes on for 3 hours.  No one makes great purchases when they are tired

4. It’s A Business |?biznis| ( bus.):

noun

2 the practice of making one’s living by engaging in commerce : the world of business | whom do you do business with in Manila? | [as adj.] the business community | [with adj.] the jewelry business.

• trade considered in terms of its volume or profitability : how’s business?

As Max Sanborn asserts, “The ultimate objective of a business is profit. The primary purpose of a business is to create customers. Profitability without customers is an impossibility.”

You are a home party consultant, you are in this of course to have fun, partying in your home or that of a hostess for the express purpose of making and increasing home party sales and profits.

Party like a rock star,

Andrea Ayling asked:


Having written some articles on party games for kids, I was asked to explain my formula for a successful kids party. So here it is… in this 4-part series you will find out my 4 essential rules for planning a successful kids party, why a party plan works, the 7 steps of a good party plan and how to use a party plan to ensure a successful kids party.

The key to my formula for a successful kids party is concentrated around 4 essential rules.

1.      Keep it simple. By this I mean simple food and simple games. Simple really can be best.  Keep the party simple and you will have time to enjoy preparing and participating in the party. Keep the party simple and it will also cost you less.

2.      Make a party plan. In other words be prepared. You need to plan ahead, know what you need to do and do as much as is possible before the day of the party. You will create great memories for yourself and your kids because you will have time to enjoy the party with them.

3.      Party Games. Use party games as your party entertainment. Your party will be full of fun and laughter. The kids will love you for planning party games as the entertainment and they are inexpensive too. In my book of party games for kids the games fall into one of four categories, food games, races and relays, musical games and memory games. Four to six games will be enough.

4.      Designated areas. I have found that having a designated area is essential. All the party equipment and supplies are given a designated area where they can be stored and found with ease. This makes it easy leading up to the party and especially the day before and day of the party. This may seem like an unnecessary thing to spend time on, however, it will save plenty of wasted time and stress trying to locate items you know you bought and have forgotten where you put them.

One area in both the fridge and freezer where you can easily locate all the frozen and cold items. Cupboard space, table or the corner of a room for all the non - perishable items.

 

A party plan is key to a successful kids party. Why do party plans work? My next article in this series will explain how a party plan helps reduce stress, keep you on budget and manage your time.

Sarah Porter asked:


2nd Birthday, 3rd Birthday, 4th Birthday, 5th Birthday, 6th Birthday Party Celebrations

Although the first birthday party for a child is usually the most memorable one, the 2nd birthday, 3rd birthday, 4th birthday, 5th birthday 6th birthday and older are also important milestones and merit a birthday celebration for your child. When you have a baby it doesn’t seem any time at all and you are looking at a first grader.

Second (2nd) Birthday Party: You think back to your child’s second birthday party and they still feel like yesterday. Once your child passes his 2nd birthday party the theme and atmosphere of such parties start to change. One simply approach would be to have a few playmates over for a small birthday play day with cake, ice cream and presents.

Third (3rd) Birthday Party: Today many three year olds go to day care while their parents are at work and so they are bound to form relationships with other children – if your child started at day care before they were three then their 3rd birthday party could mean third birthday party invitations for a number of other three year olds. A third birthday party should include the birthday boy, his playmates and a few simple birthday songs and games like ‘Stack the blocks the highest’. A 3rd birthday party might be too young for a clown or playing blindfold games. Your 3rd birthday party guests might not be able to understand fully structured games very well. They only know if they do something good or better than other children, everyone will give them attention. Finger foods and one or two easy games, ring around the roses, for instance, are usually fine at this age. Most of the guests at a third birthday party will need to be in bed soon after eight p.m.

Fourth (4th) Birthday Party: For a child’s fourth birthday party, he should be ready for a ‘real’ birthday party. The 4th birthday party list should begin with his playmates. At 4 year old, they enjoy and love lots of birthday party decorations. By the 4th birthday party your child and most of his or her guests will probably be into Sesame Street, which makes party ideas a breeze. Give your child and their fourth birthday party guests a Sesame Street party and they are bound to have a great time. If you use the image of your child’s favorite Sesame Street character wherever possible and your child will have a very happy fourth birthday party. Fun fourth party games can include games such as musical chairs and carrying a hard-boiled egg on a spoon to the finish line without dropping it relay race can be appropriate. Additionally, a good spellbound movie will always be good to relax the kids and you. Simply spread a few blankets on the floor and have some pillows handy for sleepyheads.

Fifth (5th) Birthday Party: It seems like only yesterday you were making plans for your baby first birthday party and now they are already five. They are hitting the big ‘5’ and either starting school or just in school, and having a ‘big’ party will not happen every year. A 5th birthday party is a rather different affair to the parties that preceded it. Children become a lot more aware of other people and the world around them by the time they are five, and will regard a lot of things that they loved only a year ago as babyish. Some five year olds are more mature in their attitudes than others and it can sometimes be difficult to arrive at a happy medium when it comes to their fifth birthday party time. Five year olds like to be entertained at their 5th birthday party. A clown gives many young children a lot of fun as they like the silliness that a clown sometimes engages in. Face painting is another thing that five year olds enjoy. Make a boy up to look like a pirate, put a kerchief round his head and he’s good to go for a great time at a fifth birthday party.

Sixth (6th) Birthday Party: The first five years of your child’s life will fly by, and then it isn’t very long before you find yourself planning a party for half a class full of first graders. Your child’s 6th birthday party should be one to remember as it will be the first party when he or she has had some input into the guest list. Around the sixth birthday, the birthday party can be simple sleepover parties, slumber parties for girls and all nighters for boys, along with popcorn, video games, junk food and movies. Half the fun is letting the 6th birthday kids stay up all night and sleep half the next day. What 6 year old kid doesn’t love staying up all night. Even better yet, during the summer time, maybe sleeping outside in a tent.

Get your child involved in sending out the birthday party invitations. One good way of doing this is to get your child to draw something and then have it copied on the personalized children birthday invitations. Children of this age love to show off their skills. If your child likes to dance or sing then why not have a karaoke party? Kids love trying to sing the songs while they struggle with some of the words on the screen. It really will be a 2nd birthday, 3rd birthday, 4th birthday, 5th birthday 6th birthday 6th birthday party to remember if you video the birthday party.

Shawn Chua AKA Captain Amazing asked:


Planning is the TINY secret to organizing a the perfect birthday party for your child. Here are a number of key points that you should cover when planning your party.

Choosing the Party Date & Time

Needless to say, the date of the party should be as close to the birthday child’s actual birthday as possible. If your kid’s actual birthday falls on a weekday and you can’t have a party on that day, do not fret. You can throw the party on the weekend closest to the actual day. For example if your kid’s birthday is on a Monday, you can choose to have the party on the day before, which is a Sunday. If your kid’s birthday is on a Thursday, then consider throwing the party on the coming Saturday.

However, if your child’s birthday falls during the school holidays, it may be prudent to have the party earlier as many of his/her friends and classmates may be out of town on vacation. Have your child inform all friends and classmates at school about their upcoming party and make sure that they know who can and cannot make it. Alternatively, you can contact the parents of your child’s friends directly to inform them about the party.

Next, choose a party time that would suit most kids. It is seldom possible to choose a date and time that would suit everyone perfectly. Late mornings or mid-afternoons on weekends are a great time for a party. As some children may have other extracurricular activities (e.g. swimming lessons) in the late afternoon, it is best to have the party earlier in the day, leaving the rest of the day free for your guests to enjoy other activities. Simply choose the time that would fit most guests and your entertainer, if you are hiring one.

As a general rule, set two possible dates for the party and determine the actual party day based on which day most people are able to make it.

Now that you know what you’re going to have at the party, where you’re going to have it and when it’s going to be, you can now start sending out party invitations! Send your invites out early to make sure you get as many RSVPs as possible so that you can adequately prepare for all of your guests.

To ensure a smooth program, don’t forget to indicate the expected time for the guests to arrive in your invitation cards. You can also include the program in your invites so that your guests know what to expect and will be eager to arrive on time! You can also indicate if the party is just for the kids. This means parents will drop off their kids at the party and be back at a designated time to pick them up.

Budget

The second step in planning a great birthday party is to plan your budget. You should allocate how much you can or are willing to spend on things such as food, decorations, renting a venue, hiring an entertainer and so on.

You can consult the birthday child to help you along with some of your choices, it’s their special day after all! Find out what your child wants or would like to have for their party and provide certain options so that they understand the benefits and drawbacks of each option before deciding. However, do note that you do not have to give in to every one of your kid’s demands. Consulting the birthday kid is meant to make it easier for you to decide who (guests, entertainer, etc) and what (decorations, type of food, etc) to have at the party, which can then help you plan your budget better.

Venue

Choosing the right venue for the party can play make or break a party. The choice of your venue can affect the number of guests you can comfortably hold, the party activities you want to have or whether you have to deal with the weather (for outdoor venues).

You also have to consider if the venue is easily accessible to most of your invited guests. While your child may enjoy having the party at the zoo for example, it might not necessarily be the most convenient location for some of his friends to get to.

From our experience, we have found indoor venues to be better suited for party activities or venues with both indoor and outdoor facilities. Naturally, if you are looking for a specific venue like the Zoo, Birdpark or amusement attractions, a large portion of the party will be outdoors. However, many of these venues also have indoor function rooms or restaurants that can cater for an indoor program.

If you choose to have an outdoor venue, try to secure the use of a sheltered pavilion or tentage for food and various party activities. This will also be shelter should the weather turn wet.

Here are some common and recommended party venues:

Multi-Purpose/ Function Rooms

If you are able to book your condominium’s function room or hall, it would be a perfect party venue. If you do not live in a condominium, you can try asking relatives who do to help assist you with the bookings accordingly.

You can also consider function rooms available for rent at affordable prices at your nearby community club. A typical function room has enough space, tables and chairs prepared for guests to enjoy the food and any entertainment you have planned.

Restaurants

Many restaurants have private rooms which you can use. Similar to a function room, it meets all the requirements needed in throwing a great party. In such cases, you get a 2-in-1 as you don’t have to worry about catering separately, since food would be provided by the restaurant.

A popular restaurant venue for a party is the Lion’s Den at The Hard Rock Café. Not only is it easily accessible, this private room is big enough to comfortably hold about 80-100 kids and adults.

At Home

Why go out when you can stay in? If you’ve got the space to throw a party then having the party at home has many advantages. You won’t have to source for a venue. You can comfortably prepare the food for the party if you want. Plus, when it’s party time, there’s no chance that you will forget or leave anything behind. Doesn’t that sound sweet?

The only disadvantage to having a party at home is that you have to personally clean up after everyone has left. It’s a small bummer but at least you’ll have all the convenience of home!

Food

You can hire a venue that can cater your food at the same time, or have the party at home which would save cost. Once you have decided on the number of guests, you can allocate the budget for food.

You may want to cater separately for kids and adults or simply just cater for everyone. Choose a reputable caterer for your party or you can choose to prepare your own food. Whatever you decide to do, always remember that the food at a party is one of the main things that guests will remember, so do not spare any expense in getting the best.

Decorations

Decorate your venue so it truly looks like the place for a really cool party. Get a “Happy Birthday” banner or even a customized banner with your kid’s name on it for that special touch! A great way to add color to the event is to add some balloons. Balloons are always a hit with kids and a hundred colorful helium balloons to decorate your venue should do the trick. You can get them yourself if you have the time and resources or you get them at an affordable price from professionals.

You can also use decorations to highlight a specific theme for the party. For example, some kids have specific preferences and likes such as Superman. You can then theme the party by having Superman decorations (i.e. balloons, coasters, banner, paper plates, etc) or just have a generic superhero theme. However in this case, having a generic superhero concept might be a lot more cost effective as you would not need to source for specific decorations and can instead find more economical alternatives.

Party Host/ Entertainer

A professional party host or entertainer can make a great difference to the success of a party. If you’ve decided to hire an entertainer but are unsure where or how to start, you can always search the internet or get recommendations from friends. If you have a theme for your party (i.e. Superhero), then it would be a good idea to find a suitable entertainer who can fit into the theme as well

An entertainer plays a HUGE influence on the kids as s/he will be the one who directly interacts with them at the party. While a good entertainer is one who can keep the kids entertained, s/he should also be a good role model. Choose a professional entertainer who speaks well as they are very strong influences on the kids. Also ensure the entertainer or entertainment company boasts a good track record and this will be reflected on their website, party rate sheet or promotional material. Take heed of entertainers whose marketing material contains bad English such as multiple typos, grammatical mistakes or poor sentence structure, this is usually a reflection on the quality of the entertainer. Lastly, you do get what you pay for!

Timeline

While a kid’s party is a relatively simple event to organize, you still need to allocate enough time to ensure all elements will be in place on the big day.

Purchase all party items such as prizes, gifts and party treats early. This is so that you have ample time to make sure that you’ve stocked up on everything you need and that there’s time to get more if necessary.

Book your professional party host or entertainer as early as you can! Popular ones will require at least one month’s notice to ensure an available timeslot.

Prepare your party program in advance. Decide on the time you want your invited guests to arrive, the time for the food to be served, the games to start, the time for the birthday cake cutting and so on. When planning your program, the key thing is to keep everything as organized as possible, so that the party flows smoothly.

Finally and most importantly, involve the special birthday kid in the preparations as much as possible. It is after all their birthday party!

John Thomas asked:


Childrens parties and party supplies are married together synonymously.

Hosting a childrens party can be an exciting time for both you as a parent/guardian, or for a child who is the centre of attention on that special day. We all want whats best, but how do we make the best of the occasion.

1. decide where the party is to be held.

Indoor parties.

Party Themes are a great way to enjoy a childs party. What is the child into? spiderman, Barbie, Pirates, Scooby Doo? Most party shops will cater for many different themes. A whole range can be purchased online in many themes. Banners, Plates, cups, napkins, tablecover’s are just a few ideas each theme range can have. Costumes and Themed balloons are an idea to set a great party to remember

Depending on the childs age, a pinata party is generally a great party activity which all children can be involved with. Pinata’s are made in many designs, so finding one to suit should be fairly easy. Checkout online party supplies stores for different designs. Fill the pinata with lots of toys and sweets and hang it up with plenty of room to spare. The aim of the game is to hit the pinata with a plastic pinata stick as hard as the child can. If the pinata doesnt break, the child joins the back of the que for their next turn. If the pinata breaks, the sweets and party toys will fall out onto the ground. At this point, all the children scramble to collect as many items as possible. This marks the end of the game. Great fun for all

Outdoor Parties

Party themes may not be as effective for outdoor activities. Sure, the themed partyware can be set indoors and other attractions can be available outdoors. Bouncy castles are a great way to keep the children occupied, as long as they are supervised by a responsible adult.Bouncy castles accomodate various themes for all ages, and really tire the kids out. With reasonable prices, hiring a bouncy castle is a great way to enjoy a mess less kids party.

2. How many guests

Make sure the guests are invited formally with a party invitation. This gives the guest the all important facts about the occasion. Only when you get a reply can you count the exact numbers if guests on the list. Purchase only the right amount of partyware for the occasion. Over allocating can be a costly affair. Each child usually has one party plate, cup, hat, blowout, party bag and piece of cake. These are the essentials to purchase as a minimum for each child. Balloons, party bag fillers can be bought form many superstores and party stores.

Take a look online for further party ideas and I hope your party occasion is a great success

Joe Boujja asked:


o plan a First Birthday Party for your child

Everyday of life should be a time of celebration. However, a Baby’s 1st Birthday is unique and should be celebrated accordingly. Think of it like, it is one year ago that this adored Baby was brought into your world. Of course, at a one year of age the Baby doesn’t seem to know what is happening, but it is still a time to celebrate. It is an event that you can look back on for years to come. It is as much a celebration of your achievements in the baby’s life as it is an achievement for your baby’s development.

Here are some 1st birthday party ideas to help you better plan your kids first birthday party.

decide early whether or not you want a particular birthday party theme. Birthday themes make it easier to shop for birthday supplies and birthday decorations. A theme will also bring a sense of harmony to the whole atmosphere. A typical baby blue for boys and pink for girls theme could do the trick. But any theme could work : Jungle party, Safari Party, princess party, pirate party, Animal party, train party, character party, just to name a few. You can serve cupcakes, a sheet cake or make a cake to match the party theme. Birthday party favors for the children that attend your kids party are great way to end your party. You can put together goodies bags that match your theme very cheaply by shopping online. A simple search under birthday party favors, party supplies, birthday decorations, kids party supplies, kids birthday, birthday theme, could turn great results. You can just as easily personalize your first birthday party invitations to fit your theme or style. choose the best children entertainer for your 1st kids Birthday party, a professional children entertainer can add a lot of value to your event and make it especially memorable. Pictures:

Take lots of pictures, remember this day and remember how easy and stress-free it was. As they get older they’ll have time to celebrate with big parties and actually remember them.

Food:

Pizza is a favorite food for kids. If you want to keep this short and sweet, finger foods are perfect. Cupcakes at the end are great. Everyone gets the same portion, and your little one can be as messy as they want with their own private cake.

Allowing your baby to open his or her presents maybe cute for 10 seconds but your guests are going to get bored very fast. Toddlers love their Cheerios! Put out a bowl of cheerios for the toddlers and pretzels, crackers for older kids. Placing the bowls next to chips and dip for the adults can be fun for kids! Use your judgment.

As a kids birthday party entertainer and father of four kids, my best advise for new parents who are putting on their very 1st kids birthday party is to relax during the party. You have planned your party well, you have recruited some friends and family to help organize your party. There will be a few surprises during the party, if you take it with ease. Your guests will sense that you are calm and relaxed and will automatically follow suit.

Safety Tips for Birthdays:

Balloons, If they burst they can be inhaled and cause a child to choke. Hard candy, bonbons or Finger Foods like raisins, M&Ms or popcorn can cause chocking as well. Be careful where you put your matches or lighter for the birthday cake. Save any sweets until the end of the party, other wise the kids will have to run wild during the party.

Enjoy your child’s party because there will never be another “first” birthday party for your baby.

Mandy Chagger asked:


Finding the right party venues is an important factor when looking into throwing a party. This is especially the case for parties around Christmas time and the New Year for corporate events. Choosing the right party venues can make the party run smoothly, and make it is as much fun as possible for the attendees.

Finding party venues is not only about finding the place to hold a party. There are other factors involved. This is why, if you are looking into throwing a party, you should use a party venue finding service, which can make it less a hassle for you. With a party venue finding service, they will take care of many things that you didn’t even know had to be taken care of when throwing a party. Some of the things that have to be considered when finding party venues are transportation, cost, parking, the venue itself, accommodation, and event management. If you are looking into party venues, but do not take into consideration some of these factors, then the party may not run smoothly, and you can encounter various problems. These problems can be prevented by using a party venue service. For larger parties, you will need to have several party organizers working to make sure that everything goes according to plan.

Besides the actual venue of the party, transportation needs are very important when looking into party venues. People need to be able to get to and from the party, and there also needs to be ample parking. Many times, depending on the party, the guests will be drinking alcohol, and it may be a good idea to look for party venues that either have shared transportation to and from the party, or is a venue that has, or is near, accommodations. By taking care of these needs, you can be sure that the guests of the party remain safe after they have been drinking. This is another reason why a party venue service can be of help. You can simply let the service know what your needs are, and they can find a venue that will fit those needs.

Many times, when people throw a party themselves, they forget to take care of all the details. From food to transportation, throwing a party is not easy, as it takes a lot of organization. This is especially the case with corporate events. A corporate event is generally larger, and there are more things to take care of when you are hosting the party. A party venue service can make the entire process simple, as the company can simply contact the party venue service, and voila, everything is taken care of from food and transportation to finding the venue.

When you contact a service to find party venues, there are several things that they will do for you. Depending on the service you use, you can find party venues both in the United Kingdom and internationally. A party venue finding service will have employees work for you on an individual basis in order to book the best party venue for you. This aspect can be especially useful when you are booking Christmas parties, since many venues fill up quickly during that time of year. The party venue service will also have contacts to many venues, and they will find you the best price possible for the venue that will fit your party needs. The service will allow you to view all the information on the expenditures of the company for the party and how the money is being spent.

Most party venue finding services will have on staff or know reputable party organizers that will take care of not only the needs of the guests, but the person or company that is throwing the party. It is important, especially for larger parties, that the on-site support staff be there at all times, so they can deal with any problems that may arise. If party venues are not booked by a service, then the only thing taken care of is the venue itself. But, as you can see, there are many other factors that need to be considered when throwing a party. The people, who are at the party, even the ones throwing it, are there to have a good time, and don’t want to worry about every detail of the party. This is another reason why it is a good idea to use a party venue service.

It doesn’t make sense for you to do all the work throwing a party, especially during the busy holiday season, when a party venue service can do it all for you. Services that find party venues are very popular, simply because they organize every detail from beginning to end, allowing you and everyone else time to enjoy the party.