Being primarily a virtual consultant, I always had lots of questions about how to host coach for Facebook parties. Most people seem to think that there’s a magic trick or silver bullet that will guarantee hosts rock their virtual parties. But the truth is, it goes back to very simple processes and techniques that we’ve used for coaching hosts at in-person parties for a long, long time. I’m going to walk you through the steps that you need to take to host coach for your next Facebook party effectively, so let’s get started!
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DECIDE HOW YOU’LL COMMUNICATE
One of the main differences between in-person vs. virtual host coaching is that there’s a bit of a disconnect for our virtual hosts. Because we don’t actually meet them face-to-face, it’s important that you concentrate on making genuine connections. And the first step to creating that connection is to communicate with your host regularly, whether you do this via messenger, text, or phone call. Believe it or not, your hostess wants to hear from you. She wants to have a relationship with you. This isn’t like a blind date. She has already booked the party, so she’s interested.
What would you like your host to do before, during, and after the party? If your host has no idea what to do or how to do it, you’ll end up with one frustrated hostess who doesn’t want to do anything for the party. So make sure you communicate effectively!
Use a system that works for you and be flexible enough to pivot if your host needs to communicate on a different platform. The key is just to make sure that communication happens!
COMMUNICATE OFTEN
Communicating with your Host does not mean a one-time message, email, or phone call. You must connect with them multiple times during the party planning process. Here’s an example:
- The Day After They Book the Party – Let them know how excited you are to party with them! Encourage them to start working on a wishlist and tell them when they can expect to hear from you again.
- 2 Weeks Before the Party – Tell your host that their host packet is on the way, and you’ll reach out to them again once it arrives
- The Week Before the Party – Chat with your host about all the final party details.
- The Day After the Party – Finalize the closing date and let them know what they have earned with their host rewards.
Without your hosts, you would have no business. Period. Treat them like they’re important. I don’t care if she has a $200 party or a $1,500 party. Treat every host the same. When you focus on loving your hosts and making sure they feel valued, the sales and bookings will come. Thank them several times. Send your host some happy mail after the party. Find fun ways to show you appreciate them. Your hosts can be your biggest cheerleaders and source of referral business when they have a great experience with you.
By communicating often, your host will feel more connected to you and partner together for party success.
CHECK YOUR VERBIAGE
If you communicate with your hosts via Messenger or Text, it’s essential to check your verbiage. Because your hosts can’t hear your voice, sometimes what you say can be taken the wrong way. Make sure the messages you send your host aren’t too direct or sound overly bossy. And if communicating via Facebook Messenger, don’t forget that you can send voice messages – sometimes you can convey things with your voice that are difficult to convey through the written word!
The next thing is to set clear expectations and give specific instructions. Even if they’ve hosted before, take the time to educate them on your party process because things change, and they probably forgot what they did last time anyway. Not sure what to tell your host? Ask yourself the following questions –
- What would my ideal host do before the party?
- How many guests would your ideal host invite?
- How would they invite them?
- What would my ideal hostess do during the party?
- What do my most successful hosts do to wrap up the party?
During your conversations with your host, relay all of the above info in a conversational style. Don’t just hand them a list of things to do.
MIX IT UP
Consider mixing it up and using different formats depending on what you’re trying to communicate.
Some hosts are visual learners and will connect more to a graphic presentation, such as a Checklist made with your favorite graphic program.
Others are more auditory, and a quick video or Messenger voice clip will be all they’ll need. By mixing up your format, you’ll support all different types of hosts.
SEND A HOST PACKET
I’m a big believer in sending a Host Packet. It doesn’t have to be huge, but it does provide your host with a visual reminder and gives them some tools to use with any of their friends who aren’t online.
At a minimum, I recommend your current Catalog with the Host Rewards highlighted. As well as a personalized Thank You note thanking her for hosting.
Other items might include any monthly specials, paper order forms with instructions on collecting orders, and your business info. Let your host know you’ll be contacting them via the format you’ve chosen (phone, messenger, text, etc.) so that they know what to expect. All of this goes a long way to building your relationship and creating a stronger partnership.
MAKE IT EASY
This is so important! Some hosts are intimidated by Facebook Parties because of the added tech requirements – not to mention that those requirements are always changing. Don’t assume that they know how to invite guests, what a “group” is, and try your best to avoid using direct sales party jargon.
Keep your instructions, tips, and suggestions simple and clear so that even new virtual hosts aren’t overwhelmed by what to do and how to do it! When possible, give your hostess text and graphics that they can copy and paste. They will LOVE that you took the extra time to make it easy on them.
AUTOMATE WHEN POSSIBLE
Because Facebook Parties are an easy way to scale your business, you can do more parties online than you ever could with in-person parties. However, when you get busier, that means it’s easier for things to fall through the cracks.
Try to automate as much of your communication with your hosts as possible, including using scheduled emails or programs like Project Broadcast. Once you’ve decided your preferred way to communicate with your hosts, try to find an automated program that will work for you and master it.
Be open to new ways to automate as tech changes and new programs are added all the time!
Hostess coaching for Facebook parties isn’t as difficult as most people make it out to be. Results will follow if you focus on communicating with your hostess, building a long-term relationship with them, and providing them with a fun, easy party experience.
My last bit of encouragement is that good host coaching is a skill that must be practiced and learned. It doesn’t happen overnight or from one party. Take your current host coaching process, if you have one, and look for ways to improve it. There’s no magic script. There’s no super-secret technique that guarantees amazing results. It’s all about learning and growing as you work to improve your business.
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Want a proven plan for growing your direct sales business without feeling like you're chasing your tail? The Direct Sellers Business Blueprint explains the 4 key areas you must master to build a simplified, systematic business. It will even tell you which area to tackle first, so you can stop feeling overwhelmed or confused about what to do next. The best part? It's completely FREE!
Mary Haynes is a highly successful direct sales leader turned strategist and coach. Her passion is helping party plan people streamline and scale their businesses using simple, proven strategies. Her goal is to eliminate business overwhelm so direct sellers know exactly what to do and when to do it. Mary is also a homeschooling mama that lives in sunny Florida with her husband, 4 kiddos, 2 dogs, and various other backyard animals.
