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We all know the Aesop’s fable of the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. The Hare thought he had it all figured out,  just run faster than everyone else and he would finish first.  While the Tortoise had the plan of just to keep moving, the Hare had time to spare. After a few stops along the way, the Hare found himself behind, and the Tortoise in his slow but consistent pace moved along and ended up finishing the race first. The Tortoise had determination, set his eyes on the prize and let consistency be the determining factor. In the end he met his goal and left the fast burning Hare in the cold.  In all fables, there lies a moral to the story, this one is no different, slow and steady wins the race.

 

How can we as Alison’s Pantry reps use this little story in our own businesses and lives? As we began our businesses, we were more like the Hare than the Tortoise, so excited and more than ever determined to meet the goal and get there fast. As we moved down the track to the finish line, many obstacles were placed in front of us, new babies, health struggles, teenagers, changes in work, family and finances, and just like the Hare some of us doddle on the path.  Many obstacles can slow down the progress of our movement towards our goals. How do we get back into the race or step up our pace to reach the finish line? We can learn from the Tortoise and keep going, he looked ahead, saw the goal and pushed forward and never stopped.  What’s our goal? Do we see the finish line? Here’s a few tips to help in finishing the race and being consistent in our AP business.

1. Set a goal for each month, whether your goal is to reach the minimum, or to beat your last month’s sales, maybe you would like to add 2 new customers each month, or find someone to deliver the 10 extra catalogs you receive. Whatever the goal is the key to achieving your goal is to acknowledge it, write it down, be accountable. Tell your RSM, she is there to help you with ideas and suggestions to help you achieve your goals. Then when you do, she will be your biggest cheerleader, she wants you to see the success you so richly deserve and want.
2. The next thing to help you is to set a plan in action to achieve the goal. Plan your daily calendar and your work will flow much easier. Set a day to deliver your catalogs, plan your contests, then mark those days on the calendar to remember to advertise them to your customers. Use our pre-designed FB ads to share with them, it couldn’t be more easy! Try to advertise to your customers a minimum of once a week leading up to order week, then daily on order week. Post pictures of your own family meals and suggestions, recipes from the webinars and suggestions from the catalogs.
3. Order your samples the month before they will be sampled to your customers to ease you in finding the time to prepare them before your delivery day.
4. Order your gifts for the winners of your contest, remember that your samples and gifts are a tax deduction for your business expenses on your taxes, save your invoices for that.
5. Plan the time in your schedule to deliver your Alison’s Pantry catalogs in a timely manner, allowing you customers at least 7 days before the deadline to find time to look it over, then contact them to confirm that they received the catalog and let them know that you will be contacting them in the future for their order. This would be a great time to let them know about any contests or programs that you might have started, i.e.; punch cards, early bird contests, coupons.
6. Print out your customer list, check it against the orders you have received and then plan to contact those that you haven’t heard from. Don’t prejudge your customers! You will not receive an order from them if you don’t contact them, and if you contact them and they don’t want to place an order, you are not out anything, you have nourished the relationship and offered customer service that will benefit your business in the future.

In business and in life being consistent will bring about great things. You will reach your goals and will feel accomplished at your success. Remember our friend the tortoise who kept the goal in sight. Follow his lead, be consistent and you will win the race.

Stacee Izatt 

RSM

I’ve worked for Alison’s Pantry since 2009 in different capacities.  I started by reviewing products and writing content for the catalog for Alison. Then I supported Regional Sales Managers, and eventually Alison trained and mentored me to handle the catalog planning and marketing.

I love people, so I enjoy getting to interact with a wide variety of people—from AP owners and staff, to brokers and suppliers. I’m also a big foodie, so it’s always fun to be thinking about ways to use our products.

My job is busy and has a lot of deadlines so, like most working women, juggling family, work, and church is probably the biggest challenge.

My husband and I knew we would marry when we first met, and that’s always been a great decision.  He and I both work from home much of the month, so we’re together nearly all day every day—and we like it, which a lot of people think is pretty funny. He is truly my other half. We have 5 daughters, ages 8 to 19, and our household is constantly filled with funny conversations that include TV show and movie quotes and internet memes.  We laugh a lot around here!

Reading is my favorite indulgence, and I like a wide variety of book genres.  I like to bake, and love to host a gathering at home (we do this a lot during college football season!). I also love our Southern Utah weather in the spring and fall, and love to get outside and hike.

I’m a big fan of Janey Lou’s products, and on a busy night Beehive Rolls and Blount Soups are my go-to meal.

I love to keep Farmland Pork Tenderloins in our freezer for lots of meals, but my family’s favorite is copycat Café Rio Pork Salads.  I mix 1 cup each of salsa, brown sugar, and Sprite and pour it over the tenderloin in a crock pot.  Then I cook it on low all day and shred for stacked salads with black beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, etc.  It’s one of our favorite meals, and so easy!

 

 

 

Meet Kimala Douglas from Cedar City, another one of our fantastic reps! Kimala loves to hike and go on fun adventures with her family, she loves to create fun and beautiful things. One of her new favorite AP items is the Foster Farms Marinated Sauté Ready Chicken, but it’s hard to pick just one. Kimala was introduced to Alison’s Pantry when her  mother bought it when she was in high school; it was then that she learned that she didn’t want to bake cookies without PARCHMENT PAPER!  After she was married and started her own family she wanted more of the Alison’s Pantry products in her own kitchen.  Following the birth of her second child, she quit working, but wanted something to help her family and keep her busy.  It was then that she remembered Alison’s Pantry and decided to give it a try.  She has been a representative for 6 years!
She feels so grateful for Alison’s Pantry. She loves that she can provide quality foods to her own family and help others to do the same for their families.   She does most her grocery shopping with Alison’s Pantry each month which is a great financial benefit for her family. She has 3 children, ages 9,5 and 2 that keep things hopping and are the light of her life. Her husband is so supportive, although he is very picky when it comes to food.  She loves pick up day when she gets to visit with her AP friends.  She loves the relationships she has built with them.
She feels the key to increasing sales is to start early, and give reminders about the order deadline. She posts on social media many ideas for meals, including school lunch ideas.
She loves the AP motto, “Be Nourished” as that is what this is all about!

Because we like to make YOUR life easier, here is the schedule for each catalog for 2 Important dates that is the same for EVERY group:

1:  Update Addresses Deadline– By this date, make sure all mailing addresses are up to date and you have turned in any requests for extra catalogs or mailings.

2:  Date Portals Opens– Date when you are able to start entering in orders for your customers in portals.   This is also the date that new Closeout Items will be posted on the website to reserve for the next order.

 

 

 

FAQ

Closeout items are now on the website under Products | Closeout Food OR Closeout Non-Food. These items are now to be reserved by you OR your customers on the website just like Hot Deals.  View the email here.

New Items:  New closeout items are posted for each catalog on the day that the catalog opens in portals for ordering.  View those dates here.

*If you haven’t reserved it, please don’t add it to your portals orders!

Although you and your customer should receive an email verification when an item is reserved correctly, if in doubt please feel free to email [email protected] to check if a reservation went through.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

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1. Read Your Email.  We try not to send out too many emails but the ones we send have important updates and other necessary items you need to know to be successful in your Alison’s Pantry business.  Are you wondering why that item won’t go into portals? The explanation is in an email.  Are you looking for the 2017 delivery schedule?  It’s in your email.

For those of you who have a Gmail account, Gmail automatically sorts your emails into folders.  You need to check all of your folders to find your Alison’s Pantry emails.  AP emails sometimes go to your Promotions folder (see picture below).  Keeping up with your AP emails consistently will help you be confident in the information you have to offer your customers.

 

2. Contact your customers and follow up every month. You will hear it over and over from the reps who are most successful; they contact their customers on a regular basis.  People love AP products but usually won’t place an order until you remind them to do so.  They are grateful for the reminder; it’s good customer service.

 

 

3. Reach out to new customers.  Customers’ budgets change. Customers die.  Or move away.  There are lots of reasons to regularly build your customer base and lots of ways to do that.  Getting new customers each month is a great way to have consistently high sales.

 

4. Ask for referrals.  Hands down the very best way to get new customers is to ask your current customers for referrals.  People trust their friends.  So don’t be afraid to ask for help getting new customers!  Try this: “Will you share your catalog with your friends at work?  I will give you free shipping on your order when you give me a new customer who places an order.”  Easy peasy.  Then FOLLOW UP.  Follow up is key.  Later in the month when you contact that customer say, “Did you get a chance to share the catalog at work? Was there anyone who wanted to place an order?”

 

 

5. Attend Webinars.  The webinars are fun and informative.  We train on Alison’s Pantry products, how to use them, and how to sell more of them. We also give great tips on how to build your Alison’s Pantry business.  Consistently attending webinars builds your confidence, your knowledge,  and your ability to be a great Alison’s Pantry representative.

Consistency works.  The more consistently you do the important things the more consistent your sales will be!

-Julie