I try to do something with Alison’s Pantry each day whether it is sending out a newsletter by email, posting something on Facebook, calling and updating information with customers, sharing catalogs, entering orders, using the products in my everyday cooking or sharing something with friends or at functions. This past month I had several contests! Like my post on facebook to be entered into a drawing for a free brownie mix, drawing for a free recipe book if you place an order over $25, free cookies if you pick up your order on delivery day, $10 off any one item or free shipping on any size order when you place 12 consecutive orders, and today I just posted that everyone who likes my post today can get 5% off their catalog #3 order. I also participate in a yearly craft fair, and some of my best and most faithful customers have come from that alone, and because of that they have become my best friends! I don’t seem to grow in sales, but I am pretty consistent. The best way for me to get new customers is through the hot buys! I have tried many different things from having a sample each month at pick up day, a table of products to buy on pick up day, which I don’t charge shipping or tax on (I pay it), prizes for referrals, and any time I win anything from Alison’s Pantry, I pass it on to my customers! One last think is I multitask a lot! I don’t just go to a soccer game, I pass out catalogs while I am there. I don’t just wait patiently at a doctor’s appointment, I browse a catalog while I wait or in November when my husband was in the hospital, I made a lot of phone calls updating information. When I see a picture of myself or a testimonial from myself in a catalog, I try to do a seek and find contest with that. I love reading other people’s ideas and then try to implement them in my plans too! The attached picture is of my most faithful customer, my mother, Dawna Carlisle, at my craft fair in November (notice she is passing out catalogs). Remember, I multitask? So I did the craft fair with my son, Rick and his wife, Heidi, who make wood burning crafts. I forgot to take a picture of me at my booth.
