Today’s post has been written by one of our wonderful Mindbubblers who has been contributing to the blog for quite a while now… Ladies (and gentlemen), let me introduce you to Sarah!
Sarah hosted her first “home party” last week: she actually offered her living room to a consultant-friend of hers to present and sell her skin care products. How was the evening? Are the Tupperware meetings of yesteryear making a big come back? Will vegan skin care products tempt Sarah? To know more… read on!
Tupperware parties were all the rage when I was growing up in the 1970s and ‘80s. Ann Summers home parties were an outrageous success in the naughty Nineties: I know this because my student house held one. Needless to say, we were literally buzzing with joy at the amount we sold long after the batteries ceased to operate.
‘Me time’ continues to be high on the agenda and I have just held an Arbonne Foot Spa Home Party’ in support of my friend Katie, who has become an Independent consultant. They’ve been producing botanical, Vegan skin care products for concerning individuals in America for thirty years, with an emphasis on products that are “unparalleled in quality and effectiveness”.
In the last six months since Katie’s been using the products her skin, which is prone to eczema, is noticeably glowing.
Despite her positivity I was sceptical about hosting a party, partly because the products aren’t cheap and partly because I didn’t want anyone to feel pressured into buying. I was amazed when my email invites came back positive.
Was it the draw of getting out for the evening, free nibbles, plonk and a good dose of gossip or was it the opportunity to properly experience the products without children moaning in the background, which drew my friends in?
Like many women I have my daily beauty regime – it varies from a quick water spritz, to a Liz Earle ‘hot polish’ cleansing and I need a lot of convincing to switch to something else.
Party day: I spent the rainy afternoon making pizzas and brownies, with my little boy. I could’ve bought them but wanted to make a meal of it.
Katie’s presentation was at 8pm and friends started arriving at 7.30. We stuffed and supped in the kitchen while she and her co-consultant Di, turned the living room into an oasis of foot-spa calm.
Giggly with anticipation (and half-cut) we went upstairs to soak our toes in, almost too hot, oiled water and oh, the sensation was delicious.
We relaxed as Katie began her spiel. The evening wasn’t just about the experience, it was also a sales pitch but the atmosphere took the edge off this fact. There is no getting over the fact Katie is running a business – she believes in Arbonne and is an evangelical saleswoman.
Palm-Springs based Di has earned herself a sexy Mercedes sports car thanks to her success as a consultant in the US and Katie makes no apologies for the fact she intends to reap the same rewards.
My only criticism of this is that surely such a health conscious company should be rewarding its staff with bikes or at the very least a souped-up Smart car, rather than a fleet of Mercs?
My home party had the feeling of a focus group about it as my guests challenged Katie when she revealed that absolutely none of the products used are, or have been, tested on animals . They queried how important is the fact that they’re Vegan? As one friend pointed out ‘why shouldn’t wasted animal products be used if they don’t cause us harm? Isn’t it better to use the whole animal if it is already being killed for food?’ And so on…
Ninety minutes later we were lotioned to our legs’ content, awash with information and choice. Hardly anyone bought anything on the night. However, there has been a trickle of purchases since. This has to be put down to Katie whose after-party service, thanks to distributed client cards, is impeccable… persuasive!
Due to lack of on-the-night sales I didn’t get a weighty hostess discount but I feel relieved that my concerns about pressure-to-buy were fruitless. I bought a hair mask, which I hope will flatten the frizz in the current freeze.
The after-party emails I received were ebullient and I would seriously consider holding another. One friend remarked that Katie was persistent but not intrusive, she was still happy to buy something. Others remarked that the price was a little steep but, thanks to the brochure, they won’t rule out trying something from the range.
Like Posh Spice I understand the need for out of hours shopping and what better way to do it than with your feet up with your friends?
