Having a GREAT Meeting, courtesy of Kate Holmes and Too Good to be Threw

Have a GREAT Meeting!
by Kate Holmes, author of Too Good to be Threw, The Complete Operations Manual for Resale & Consignment Shops and The Picker Who Perished, A TGtbT Consignment Shop Mystery

It's easy to get the most out of any business meeting. Print this sheet out to prepare for a worthwhile time!

A request from Kate:

Cut the little messages below out and pass them around at your meeting.
The more the merrier on Sharing!

1. Talk to people!

Now is NOT the time to be shy. Walk up, introduce yourself, hand out your card.

Whatever you do, do NOT stick with him what brung ya. If there's more than one of you from your shop, split up. You'll get twice the helpful info that way.

2. Get serious

Sure, every conversation starts in generalities. But a meeting is not the time for chitchat. Ask a question: What type of sale brings your customers in best? or offer an insight: Since I started sending postcards every 6 weeks, I've been able to cut my media advertising in half. Get down to it. Forget the funny stories about your dog. Share what helps you sell 100 designer bags a month...
In preparation for serious fact-finding, list your concerns before you go to the meeting. What do you want to find out? In order to share what YOU know, pack those extra sale fliers that were such a success, your shop photo album, the specific names and contact info of your favorite wholesales, supply houses, etc.

3. Is it your style?

Listen to all sensible ideas. It may not suit your shop's image, but there's a lesson there. Just what does that person's idea do to their bottom line? Figure out how you can do it too.
For example, you may not want to do an after-hours party. But maybe listening, you'll learn that people really like to "belong", and you'll turn that party idea into a Preferred Customer Club...

4. Take what fits

They might have a really big budget. They might have a teeny shop. They might be in the country or the city.

Not everything will seem to fit. But we all have similar customers, when you come right down to it.

5. Keep notes

Scribble flashes of insight down, along with the person who said it. Later, in a free moment, go back over your notes and flesh them out. If you need clarification, you'll have the person's name right with the idea.

Write each brilliant idea on a separate page or index card. That way, you can shuffle ideas around, combine and subtract... and put them on your to-do calendar when you get back home.

And most of all: have FUN! The resale business is unique... and so are you and everyone you'll meet!
All my best,
Kate Holmes

Go to:

Our Home Page

Our Products Page

The Picker Who Perished

Tips and Hints

Oh, one LAST TIP: (Don't you hate how I always seem to do this? Me too.) BEFORE you leave home, make up a handful of business-sized stamped envelopes addressed to yourself. Then, when you ask someone to send you something, you can write WHAT on the back of the envelope and hand it to the person. You'll increase your chances of actually GETTING it 1000%.

1. Talk to people!

Something to SHARE:
There's a great web resource hosted by Kate Holmes, winner of the NARTS Educational Service Award and the coveted Renee River Award, and industry expert.

Kate Invites you... to join us 24/7 on our Sharing discussion board at www.tgtbt.com where we talk about everything resale. It's free, it's fun, and you can do it in your jammies.
- - - - - - - -
Really, I mean it. Hand this info out along with your business card. The Crotch Cricket Monster will get you if you don't.

2. Get serious

3. Is it your style?

4. Take what fits

5. Keep notes

Kate says: Enjoy your meeting and SPREAD THE WORD with the tiny handouts on the right: just hand them out with your business card!

Courtesy of Kate Holmes www.tgtbt.com where resalers learn and SHARE!