Monday, March 26, 2012

Week 6 & 7 Results

You ladies have been working hard.  Are you seeing results?  Successes?  This week you will highlight your sucesses in green for the entire challenge.  Then I also recommend that you continue to do so...as you will start seeing lots of green in the coming weeks as well!  Here are the totals for the last two weeks.  Sorry if I have missed some.  Let me know so I can fill them in.  Have a great week! 



Week 6
Lalia 115
Tracie 175 points
Jessica 200 points
Cindy 210 points
Carla (any points for week 6?)


Week 7
Carla 95 points
Lalia 180 points
Tracie 110 points
Jessica 220 points
Cindy (any points for week 7?)

Week Eight Team Challenge

This is the final week of the challenge.  Part of the work this week is to evaluate your progress and provide feedback.  Chris and I will also use this feedback for future challenge planning and do appreciate your constructive ideas...and hearing about your successes!  Have a great week.   

Hobby

5 points each task



Organize:  Party time

·         Summer is coming.  Anticipate the parties, BBQ’s, family reunions and holidays ahead.  Put the dates on the calendar, even if tentative.

·         Create a list of party items that you can make with your paper crafting talents or hostess gifts if you are attending a party.

·         Browse Pinterest for party theme/planning ideas.  Pin a minimum of five items to a board.  (You can see a sample of this on my Tea Party board.  http://pinterest.com/michele21920/tea-party/)

·         Plan an order so you can obtain Dotty for You Papers during the consultant preview period.  Are there stamp sets, cardstock papers, or embellishments that you would like to purchase for your play time with this paper?

·         Print out the Dotty for You flyer and put it in your idea book or binder for reference. 



Share a party idea on the Facebook page or blog.



New Connections:

  • Continue to plan a creative event with friends and family and even new friends for Nat’l Scrapbooking month.  Share the Dotty for You Special with family and friends.
  • Spend some time on Pinterest looking for cards or projects you could make with your Dotty for You paper.  Create a board for these ideas. 

·         Find an opportunity in your community where you can volunteer you time or something tangible.  Look at this as a way of also meeting new people and making new connections.

·         Include your creative time event in the personalization part of your newsletter. 



What will your plans be for National Scrapbooking Month event? 





Create:  Cards & Accessories

·         Create a layout using the 6x6 Flip Flaps.

·         Create an item that you will use for a summer event.

·         Create a card, mini album or other project using the Kraft die cut cards. 

·         Create any layout with Studio J

·         Create a card or layout using the Dotty For You paper kit.



Share your artwork on Facebook or email a photo and I will post on the blog.





Business Builder



10 point per task

Email Handouts:

Goal Planning Form





Organize:  Business Planning

©       Take some time to look at your calendar for the next quarter.  Schedule dates for monthly class and workshop dates for April, May & June. (If you have already scheduled dates for these two months, schedule the next two months). Determine open dates to schedule gatherings. Outline dates in calendar with a highlighter.

©       Evaluate the goals that you set in the first week of the challenge.  What were your successes?  Did you meet your goals?  Exceed your goals?  On your calendar for the past 7 weeks or if you kept notes, highlight or circle in green the connections and activities that produced sales/income.  What were your challenges and why you weren’t able to meet goals?

©       Goal setting (2nd Quarter) Print Goal Planning form. Set sales and recruiting/teambuilding goals for April, May & June. Determine how many sales events you will have each month (gatherings, workshops, crops, national scrapbook month celebration, etc). If you have already done this for 2nd quarter, sketch out goals for 3rd quarter (July-Sept).

©       Continue to plan National Scrapbooking event, include the information in your newsletter. 

©       If you have new recruits this month, sketch out a coaching plan with each recruit, what are their goals for 2nd quarter, how will you support them?

©       As the challenge comes to a close, assess what activities have been successful and sales/income producing.  (From goal evaluation above)  What will you continue to do on a regular basis and how frequently?  Schedule CTMH “work” time in your weekly calendar to maintain a level of productivity that is realistic to your goals and the rest of your life. 



Share your evaluation of your goals, your new goals, and the challenge overall on the blog or in an email to your upline.





Connect:  Web & Social Media

©       Post information, set up an event or share artwork about the Dotty for You Special coming in April.

©       Add a post to your blog about the upcoming Dotty for You Special

©       Pre-schedule a week of posts to your blog featuring the artwork you have made during the challenge or will make this week.

©       Update your contact list in Order Entry and import your addresses for the CTMH newsletter.

©       Make a list of customers who you want to contact about National Scrapbooking month event/special. , write a script for National Scrapbooking Month event and /or special.  Make your connection calls.



Share how the challenge has helped you with your business during this challenge? 





Create:  Business Building

©       Create a card or layout using the May SOTM

©       Create a card or layout using the June SOTM

©       Create a demo board for Dotty for You special.

©       Create the Love Your Layout for March on Studio J.

©       Create a customer goodie or gift for Nat’l Scrapbook month. 

©       Watch the CTMH video about the Sweet Surprises card kit.  How would you use this kit?  What would you put in the treat cup besides candy?



Post a photo of all your artwork on Facebook or email me a photo to post on blog.


Monday, March 19, 2012

Team Challenge Week #7


Connections from the Heart
Week 7 – Monday, March 19 to Saturday, March 24, 2012
Hobby - 5 points each

Organize:  Papercrafting

·         Create list of techniques using Close To My Heart products you would like to learn.  Be specific (watercoloring using blending pen, watercolor pencils, waterbrush, etc)

·         Create a list of products you would like to learn more about using at our team meetings.

  • Using the list of special occasions you created in Week 4, create a list of papercrafting gifts for each person.

·         Adding to the list you created in Week 4, list the dates of birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions (baby due date, weddings, etc) in the months of July, August and September.

·         Schedule your next Creative Night and determine your project for the evening.  Creative Nights are a great way to introduce friends, neighbors, coworkers, church members, moms of kids to Close To My Heart.



Share: On the team Facebook group or on the team blog post for the week the techniques and products you would like to learn more about at our team meetings.



Connect:  Beyond Family & Friends

Beyond Family & Friends

  • RSVP to Michele via the Facebook group event (or e-mail) if you are attending the team meeting on March 27th!
  • Schedule an event for your Creative Night and share on you Facebook.  If you would like to increase your exposure to people searching for events in your local area, make it a public event.  Be sure to include all details in the event including a link to your new OBA (Online Business Address)!
  • Share information about your Creative Night with someone NEW this week by inviting them to your Creative Night.
  • Ask your family & friends on Facebook to share your new website on their wall to their family and friends.
  • Ask a professional service (hairdresser, massage therapist, etc) person in your life to share your idea book with someone they know who might be interested (if they are not!).


Share:  On the team Facebook group if you are attending the meeting and the results of Facebook, asking a Professional or sharing with someone NEW.

Create:  Papercrafting

Papercrafting

·         Plan and/or create a home decor item for your house.  If you are inspired by something you see on Pinterest - share the photo on our team Facebook Group.

·         Create a gift for one person on your gift giving list.

·         Create a masculine birthday card using Victory or Superhero paper packets.

·         Create a celebration banner using the My Creations Mini Banner or My Creations Banner or with the AP Cartridge!

·         Share a card using a sanding technique - describe the technique used on the team Facebook group.


Share: Photos of all your artwork on the team Facebook page or email a photo to me and I will post on the team blog. 

Business - 10 points each

Email Handouts:

·         Facebook Pages - Overview

·         Facebook Pages - In Depth


Organize:  Workshop or Studio J

·         Create your workshop, Studio J and Class schedule for the next two months that are not scheduled.

·         Schedule your open gathering dates for April and May or the next two months that are not scheduled.

·         Using the blog planner page attached to this week’s e-mail, plan your blog posts for the month of April.  Decide how often to post, what days you will post and what you will post.  Be sure to add posting to your list of things to do.  Scheduling blog posts is the easiest way to manage your blog posts.  Be consistent when you schedule blog posts such as when you will post artwork for the stamp of the month.  If you decide to post the artwork on the 1st of the month, develop a consistent pattern for your followers to become used to when following you.

·         Read the Facebook Pages Overview and the Facebook Pages Product Guide attached to this week’s e-mail and read how to customize your Facebook timeline at the following link: ttps://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=239180129497043&in_context. 

·         Learn more about blogging (marketing, driving traffic to your blog, etc) by going to Amy Baliss blog, she is the creative genius behind the planners!   Go to this link:
http://amybayliss.com/31-days-of-printables/ - click on Day 27 for the blogging info.  Be sure to check out the resources for blogging (a seperate link you have to click into).  I know that I am going to be buying me some books!


Share: On the team FAcebook group your plan for your blog (how often you will post, post ideas for April, etc) and how many open gathering dates you have to fill in the month of April and May. 

Connect: Newsletter & Blogging

·         Continue connection calls sharing this month’s special and/or inviting them to be a hostess during April & May to take advantage of the National Scrapbooking Month special!

·         Schedule a blog post for the first week of April.  Ideas: April Fool's Day post - no foolin' (Free products or another call to action type post), Stamp of the Month artwork, Be a Hostess - sharing your open gathering dates, Workshop or Class information. 

·         Network your blog posts to your Facebook page.  By networking your blog to Facebook, your posts on your blog automatically show up on your Facebook page.  Giving you two online interactions for one posting!  If you don't know how, Facebook or Blogger has help documents that can show you how just search "Networked Blogs" in the help section.

·         Update the links on your blog to the new pages on your OBA (Online Business Address).

·         Customize your Facebook timeline page using something you learned in the handouts or on the link from Organize.


Share: On the team Facebook group how your connection calls are going and how many gatherings you have scheduled for April or May. 

Create:  Monthly Class

·         Create artwork for your next month's workshop, gathering or card class.

·         Create artwork using the paper for the National Scrapbooking Month special and the May Stamp of the Month. 

·         Create thank you cards for hostesses and/or online orders or for outside order from a gathering. 

·         Create a Studio J layout you plan to teach in your next Studio J class.

·         Create class paper layout using the same pattern as your Studio J class layout.  Share this at your next Studio J class.  You could even create in the same paper packet but alter the direction of the layout and show how you can mix classic scrapbooking and Studio J scrapbooking together!



Share: On the team Facebook group photos of all your artwork or e-mail me the photos and I can post on the team blog.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Week #5 Results

And the results are in...

Jessica 230 points
Carla Pizarro 5 points
Lalia Harris 45 points
Cindy Newell 55 points
Tracie Cassidy 155 points

Monday, March 12, 2012

Team Challenge Week #6

Hobby
Organize:  Scrapbooking
·         Last month you organized your digital photos and printed them.  Now, with those printed photos, create layout packets with the photos, paper pack, journaling notes and even layout pattern from How To book or WOTG.  Now you are ready to crop on the go!
·         Put together the photos and products to create a mini album.  Will it be for you or a gift? 
·         From the layouts you journalled on last week, put them in a permanent album or “in progress” album.  Also include any Studio J layouts you have ordered.  Do you use CTMH albums?  Work in Progress Album?
·         Develop a way to “label” your albums from the outside so you can tell what you will be looking at from the outside.  Do you use our label holders?  Do you need to order some page protectors?  New album? 
·         Create a list of products needed to “finish” these layouts and put them in the albums

Share your tips for getting ready for crops or scrapbooking “away from home”.

Connect:  Family & Friends
·         Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and end of school year are just around the corner.  Plan a creative get together to make decorations or gifts for one or more of these special events. 
·         Make a list of people you want to invite to your creative night.  Add 5 new people to your list that you have connected with this past month.
·         Send out invitations to friends, family, and neighbors to join you for the creative time. 
·         Post a photo of your project on Facebook or Blog.  Or email a photo to your friends.
·         National Scrapbooking Month is coming up.  Look for local crops to attend with friends and family or consider hosting a small get together with friends.
Share:  Will you attend or hold a crop for National Scrapbooking Month?  What project will you be doing with your friends and family?

Create:  Scrapbooking
·         Create the Studio J - February Love Your Layout
·         Use Studio J to preplan a layout and then create the layout with your classic scrapbook paper
·         Create a layout with a new paper packet from the Spring/Summer Idea book
·         Using stamps, create your own patterned paper and then use on a layout.
·         Flip flaps add interactive interest to your layout.  Create a page using flip flaps from any of the CTMH size selections. 

Share your artwork on the team Facebook page or email a photo to me and I will post on the team blog. 

Business
Email Handouts:
“A” Size stamp club
Reap the Rewards Stamp Club
One Key Projects by Tera Boring
Organize:  Sales
·         Clubs are a great way to develop loyalty and consistent business.  Consider the options of starting a club or if you have a club, create a plan for adding new members or a new club.

·         Selling:  One of the things that we DO in our business EVERY DAY is Sell Products that we LOVE!  One thing that we must remember to DO is to not just give the obvious- this is how you USE this product, but also to give its BENEFITS.  IE.. If we Sold Shampoo - Instead of telling them the Wash, rinse, repeat ~ Tell them that that it makes your hair smell like fresh cut flowers... THREE DAYS LATER!!!  We have THOUSANDS of Products...:)   Pick ONE of them and share what the "Benefits" are - how do you "Sell it" to others???

·         Choose three products that you commonly sell and list the companion products for upselling.  Write a sample script of how you would upsell the item or items.

·         Create drafts or schedule blog posts for all of the Stamp of the Months for the Spring Summer Idea book.  You may not have all the details you would like for your post (your own artwork) but use images from the image gallery and the flyers to begin your posts. 


·         Make a contact list of customers who have not yet received the new idea book, and customers who have made a purchase from a gathering or workshop in the past three months.

Share your product and the “benefits” you listed on the FB page.  Share your upselling ideas for the products you commonly sell.
Connection Calls
  • Write a script to contact customers from your list above, telling them about the new idea book. 
  • Make connection calls to these customers.
  • Write a customer follow up script with customers who have made a purchase from a gathering or workshop in the past three months.
  • Make follow up calls to these customers.
  • Schedule blog posts or newsletter articles that highlight your “product benefit” and “upsell” ideas from above.
  • Continue to make connection calls from your list last week of potential recruits.

Comment on Facebook how many connection calls you have been making and the results of these calls.
Create:  Product highlights
  • Create a Cricut display board that highlights the benefits of the Art Philosophy cartridge.  This can be your own creation or replicating the ideas from Tera Boring’s One Key Handouts.
·         Create a set of mini cards using an A sized stamp set.  Write down the “benefits” of these little sets and an upsell item you might recommend.
·         Create a Studio J layout using one or more of the techniques from the “Fun Studio J” techniques posted last week on the Studio J Facebook page.
·         Create a “welcome” for your new recruits. 
·         Using the My Creations Milk Cartons, Bookmark album or other My Creations product, create a workshop project. 
Share photos of your artwork. 

Monday, March 5, 2012

Week 3 and 4 challenge results

Ok, here are the totals.  Am I missing Week#3 for Cindy and Week #4 for Carla?  Let me know and I will update!


Week #3:

Carla Pizarro  135 points
Tracie Cassidy 100 points
Lalia Harris 185
Jessica Booth 185
Cindy Newell 70 points (update March 13)

Week #4
Cindy Newell 105
Tracie Cassidy 145
Lalia Harris 80 plus 2 boxes of tissues :(
Jessica Booth 240
Carla 35 points (update March 13)


Team Challenge: Week 5


Week 5 Team Challenge Blog post

Hobby

5 points per task

Handouts:

·        Photo - Page protector cardstock organization

Organize:  Paper packets & Cardstock

·         Update your month by month shopping list for ordering.  Be sure to add those “now I gotta have” stamp sets and paper packets that you did not think you would need!

·         Using the photo e-mailed in the Week 5 e-mail as a suggestion, create some organization page protectors for your zip strips.  Organize your colored cardstock.

·         Continue organizing paper in your craft area.

·         Continue organizing accessories in your craft area.

·         Using the scrapbook layouts you have set aside for journaling, add journaling to layout(s).



Share your accessories and cardstock organization on the team Facebook group or comment on the team blog.

Connect:  Online & Facebook

·         If you are not already a part of our team Facebook group, send me a friend request (Chris Green) and I will add you to the group.  If you are on the team Facebook group, share a creative idea or a creative resource.

·         Create a list of your “go to” blogs that inspire you when you need a creative boost.  Share your list on FB or comment on blog. 

·         Find me on Pinterest and follow a board (or two J)

·         Go to Jeanette Lynton’s blog (www.jeanettelynton.com) and find a creative idea.  Share what you found and how you will use it on the team Facebook group.

·         Go to the Studio J blog, find a blog post that inspires you.



Share a creative idea or blog post that inspired you from Jeanette’s or Studio J blog.



Create: 



·         Create a layout using any Workshops on the Go layout pattern with a different paper packet.

·         Choose a card pattern from Wishes and create 2 cards with different orientations of the same pattern using 2 paper packets (different from previous weeks challenge)

·         Create a box or bag using Art Philosophy cartridge with any key EXCEPT the box pattern keys.

·                                 Create a card using a layered element using the Art Philosophy cartridge.

·                                 Create a layout or card using the alphabet on the Art Philosophy cartridge.



Share photos of all the artwork you created this week on the team Facebook group. 



Business Builder

10 points for each task

Email Handouts:

·         2012 Team Member Sales & Recruiting

·         28 Ways to Recruit by Karen Pedersen

·         Making Money with Close To My Heart

·         One Key Projects by Tera Boring



Organize:  Hostesses & Recruits

·         Using the 2012 Team Member Sales & Recruiting and your commission report from January & February, write your team members sales and recruiting for the month of January.  Go to your reports from last year and fill in the previous year’s sales.  If you do not have a team, do your commissions.  What are some of the events that may affects your sales?  Season, Campaigns, Vacations, etc? 

·         Print flyers for March (Constant Campaign, Stamp of the Month, etc) and prepare hostess packets for the next two months.

·         Schedule dates for monthly class and workshop dates for April and May.  (If you have already scheduled dates for these two months, schedule the next two months).  Determine open dates to schedule gatherings.  Outline dates in calendar with a highlighter. 

·         Organize crop or other event for National Scrapbooking Month. Select date, determine theme and cost.  Successful events require time to plan and prepare.  I recommend at least 8 weeks preferably 12 weeks.  Four weeks for planning and creating and 4-8 weeks to market the event.

·         Using the “28 Ways to Recruit” by Karen Pedersen, create a list of what will work for you in your business to share the opportunity to someone to have them join as a consultant.



Connect: Web & Social Media

·         Create Facebook business page and send invitation to your family, friends and customers to like your page.

·         Listen to “Social Media Magic” by Karen Clark in the Listening Library.  Refer to the handout for this call in this week’s e-mail.

·         Continue making connection calls with customers, potential recruits or places where you are hoping to schedule an event.    

·         Using the list you created last week, make calls this week to schedule an interview to share the opportunity with Close To My Heart.

·         Read “Making Money with Close To My Heart”.  Set a promotion goal for 2012.


Share an idea from the “Social Media Magic” call, your promotion goal for 2012 and your Facebook business page on the team Facebook group.

Create

·         Create thank you cards for hostesses for the next 3 months.

·         Create booking gifts for your open gathering dates for the month of April.  (In a few weeks we will have you create for May once we know the special for National Scrapbooking Month)

·         Create a demo board for the AP Cricut Cartridge.  You can use the One-Key Art Philosophy class by Tera Boring or create your own. 

·         Create artwork using the April or May stamp of the month with any new paper packet.

·         Create hands on project for gatherings for the month of April.

Share photos of all your artwork you have created this week on the team Facebook group.