Your Tour in Week 1 is your time to show off! You’ll be the Showboater. As a Showboater this is your chance to educate, inspire, and stimulate questions about your business. You’ll have the opportunity to speak for two (2) minutes about your business and what you do. Don’t wing this part. Take some time to think about and write down what you want to accomplish and say. Two minutes is not very long so don’t try to tell your sales force everything … it’s unlikely to be remembered ½ hour after the meeting anyway. Tell your sales force about specials, something very unique to your business, or something that is available for a short period of time.

Additionally, Showboating is a great opportunity to show the rest of the membership specific examples of what you can do for them and their network. This is usually done with a tabletop display of physical items, or an electronic slideshow, or really anything else you can come up with!

Some examples could include:

• Auto Body Repair: Brought in examples of common repairs
• Caterer: Create a tasting station
• Chiropractor: 3-D spine model adjustments
• Computer & Technology: Show examples of latest tech gadgets and upgrades
• Health & Wellness: Set up a sampling display of Essential Oils
• Massage Therapist: Give a demonstration
• And if you have retail or promotional items, this is a perfect time to sell them or give them away!

Make your presentation look professional, just as if you were in a trade show. Be energetic. If possible, educate your LeTip sales force by using all five senses.  As a way to stimulate better recall, and thereby enabling the members to be more effective when they “sell” your products or services, try educating your LeTip sales force by using all five senses:

• Touch: Incorporate different textures – smooth displays to hold cards and samples, textured paper on brochures, unusual fabric for tablecloth display.
• Sound: Use appropriate music as a background, but keep it light. Energetic music is a great way to start a meeting, but remember to not drown out your fellow Showboater!
• Sight: Use mini spotlights to cast hues on your display. Focus on your corporate colors, flowers, or ornamental items to complement your corporate colors. Provide marketing or promotional items that members can take with them. Include a multi-media display if it works for you.
• Taste: Food is always a great draw especially candy or cookies.
• Smell: Pleasing scents open us to new experiences, so Essential Oils, potpourri, or scented candles can be put to work as well. Use them sparingly!

Showboaters should plan to set up 30 minutes before the meeting starts and be at the showboat table before and after the meeting to answer questions.

Your Tour in Week 2 is your warm-up! This is your opportunity to set-up the meeting! This one is easy. In addition to arriving at least 30 minutes prior to set up the meeting room, the Greeter ensures that everyone, both members and guests, are greeted warmly and made to feel welcome.

Make sure all guests sign the guest register, are given a paper name badge and our brochure. The Greeters should never leave the registration table until just before the meeting begins, other than to escort a guest to the showboat table. Be sure to give the President the guest list so they can introduce our Guests during the meeting. Before each person leaving the greeter’s table, be sure to remind them to visit the Showboat tables. Remember … if you want a greeter to send members and guests to your showboat table, be sure to reciprocate. And lastly, the Greeter is responsible for taking everything down at the end of the meeting and resetting the room.

Next up, for Week 3 you’re the STAR! As the Speaker you’ll have the opportunity to speak in depth about your business, your industry, and all the stuff you’re the expert about! That’s 10 minutes for you to shine (e.g. 8 minutes to speak, and 2 for questions).

Unused to speaking in front of a group? Many new members dread to be the Speaker – Relax! Preparing and presenting a speech becomes easier with time, especially if you break your program into three parts: the opening, the middle and the closing. The most important thing you can do is to prepare. The more you practice the more confidence you will have and it will show! And don’t be afraid to use note cards, PowerPoint presentations, or any other visual assistance you think will help. LeTip members become your sales force. Your job is to teach the members how to sell your product or service and keep them updated on your company so however you do that is up to you!

Be sure to include these key points during your time:

• Give your name, company, and short bio
• Your goal in speaking. Is it to sell product, educate, or entertain?
• The message you want your listeners to retain.
• Three key words would you like them to remember about your business?

And don’t forget …

• HAVE FUN!
• Use your key words wherever possible.
• Pinpoint ways members can send you business,
• Give scenarios of what “A good Tip for me is …”
• Engage members with visuals. This gives members a mental picture and enables them to connect your words to an image.

Okay, Week 4 is actually your easiest – you don’t have to do anything (except show up that is)! As the Target Tipper for your fourth week, it’s everyone else’s job to try to match you to a qualified business tip. You’ve spent the last three weeks educating them on your business, now’s the time to reap the rewards of that time. And remember, if you do get a Tip, be sure to respond promptly!