When is the right time to Host Hotel Meetings?

I wanted to get this brief article out after a conversation I had with our amazing founder, Sherri Wear, so that we are all (1) Building Properly and, (2) Spending our money and time wisely.

Is it a good idea and a prudent business move to host hotel meetings? When should you do that?4

The only time it’s justified hosting hotel meetings is after you have an in home culture going on in your market place. This business is built from the foundation of in homes. In our members area of IGoDiamond there’s a “Building with In Homes” document that I wrote with one of my mentors and if you’d like to build a large organization, it’s your blue print. After you and a few others in your market place have that in home culture building, the next natural step will be to host a monthly (which then leads to bi monthly) meeting in a larger more public venue.

How many distributors should be in your market place before that is justified? It depends upon the price of space and whether or not you can find free or inexpensive space, but generally speaking you want to make sure you can cover the cost of the room by charging distributors $10 each to help with that. When you start getting over $15 to cover costs, you may want to re evaluate. If you ask around you can also find cheap or free space in someone’s conference room, back room of Starbucks or other facility, etc – get resourceful.

Your business will flourish by following the “Building with In Homes” document – not by spending money and time on hotels until the market justifies it.

Now, what do you do once your market is building and you have a leader coming to town. Well, Kim and I have a simple set of guidelines you can use before we come into your market and they insure you and us a successful, profitable & fun visit:

• For at least 60 days leading up to the visit, send us email recaps of those you are prospecting and new distributors so we can begin to build momentum with you towards the event.
o During the same 60 days engage in 3 way phone calls (or skype ins) with all guests you’re speaking to and/or those that have viewed a full presentation
o Speak to all your distributors and guests about the speakers coming and get their commitment. Your conversation is never about “the event”, but rather – the speakers coming.
o Host a conference call 2-3 weeks prior to the event with all distributors and establish goals and accountability that include each distributors commitment of # of guests.
• When these are followed, we know when we show up that relationships have been formed, new people have started and that the room will be full so you’re commitment to the venue will be covered by your distributors.
• When these are not followed, we unfortunately know with certainty that the event shouldn’t take place and if it does the funds committed to the venue will be out of your pocket which is not why you joined the business. You joined to put dollars in your pocket and bank account!

So, in homes, in homes, in homes.