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                    In a Nutshell
   Information and Tips for your Image Consulting Business

 08/07/02                                           Issue #4
 Linda Gerloff, Editor, linda@blueflute.com
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     By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of
                   "In a NutShell".
 You are receiving this newsletter because you have
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 Updates or this newsletter.
 Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.
 
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   IN THIS ISSUE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    =>  Inventory Updates for August
    =>  Blue Flute News 
    =>  ‘In a NutShell’ archives 
    =>  Feature Article -
          Paperwork – I started my business to do this?
    =>  Fun Trivia

    =>  In my business, how do I ...
         Record the purchase of the Celebration prepack?
    =>  Guest Column
    =>  Getting along with your Computer -
          First Aid for your computer
    =>  NutShell Tip – Backup Often  
    =>      My Life as a Consultant -   Something to Share
          Some Ideas for Jumpstarting your business
                   by Karen Mosteller
    =>  Recognition Corner 
    =>  Party Game
    =>  Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Inventory Updates for August
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Your inventory updates for August are ready. You can get them
 here: http://www.blueflute.com/btyupdt1.htm

 If you lose this link, you can always download your updates
 from the main Blue Flute web page. Just click on the
 'Pre-Paid Updates' button.
 
 If your subscription to the updates has expired, you can
 purchase another year online here:
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 Blue Flute News

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 New – Gift Certificates! Blue Flute gift certificates are
 available just in time for the awards portion of our year.
 You can reward and encourage your hard-working consultants
 with a gift certificate to help them get their business
 computerized with NutShell. For consultants who already
 use NutShell, you can give them more time to sell with a
 gift of Inventory Updates!

 More info about Gift Certificates:
 http://www.blueflute.com/GiftCertificate.htm

 Celebration – Celebration has come and gone and I believe
 a wonderful time was had by all! Thank you so much for
 taking the time to stop by my booth for a quick Hello!
 I loved seeing all of you. And thank you, too, for
 spreading the word about NutShell. I couldn’t stay in
 business without you!

  Address change – I have changed post offices:
  Blue Flute Software
  P.O. Box 77882
  Fort Worth, TX 76177

 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 ‘In a NutShell’ archives
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Did you miss a prior ‘In a NutShell’ newsletter, or would
 you like to review one of the articles? You can view it
 here: http://www.blueflute.com/Newsletters.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Feature Article –
   Paperwork – I started my business to do this?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Not many of us start our businesses so that we can do
 paperwork! It seems to be a necessary evil when we
 become entrepreneurs that we have to keep up with our
 business on paper.

 When I started my software business, I started it because
 I love to program and I enjoy playing around with numbers.
 (I know, I must be crazy.) But, I didn’t start a
 software business so that I could fill out paperwork for
 the state and deal with tax forms that were way over my
 head. My business wasn’t big enough for all that! I just
 wanted to write software! I began to wonder if the
 American dream was all it was said to be. After all, isn’t
 this the country where anyone can start any business
 they choose and the only thing between them and success is
 themselves? It seemed to me that paperwork was between me
 and my success.

 I began to feel like I was living in my own personal Russia -
 dominated by rules and regulations – gotta do this and
 gotta do that. Then I realized that as irritating as all the
 paperwork is, it is better than having no business at all;
 that is, working for someone else! I decided to quit
 grumbling and play the game. After all, owning my own
 business IS a part of the American dream and I feel so
 grateful that I get to do it.

 So, how to keep the business from becoming all paperwork
 and no fun? There is one simple answer: Do it often. Stay
 on top of your paperwork so that it doesn’t become a big
 deal. If you work your business every day, then do your
 paperwork every day. A few minutes of work every day is
 so much less painful than hours and hours of *re-creating*
 your business on paper the last week before taxes are due.

 One of the advantages of computerizing your business is
 that the daily paperwork tasks can be done quickly and
 easily. On a daily basis, do these things:

 

  1) Enter the invoices for your sales
  2) Enter your expenses
  3) Enter your product orders (only necessary the few
     times in the month when you place an order)

 When you spend just a few minutes every day on your
 paperwork, it will never really become an issue. You will
 be able to spend just a bit of time on your paperwork,
 while spending bunches of time working your business!

 ~~~~~~
 You can get more information about using the NutShell
 software here: http://www.blueflute.com/btynut.htm
 

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 Fun Trivia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Women (and men) used vermilion rouge in the eighteenth
 century at great risk. The beauty product was made of a
 sulfur and mercury compound, and caused the loss of teeth
 and inflamed gums.

 from www.absolutetrivia.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 In my business, how do I ...
       Record the purchase of my Celebration pre-pack?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 If you purchased one or more product pre-packs at
 Celebration, you got a really good deal. A lot of product
 for a low price. To record this purchase for your business,
 you can show it as:
    1) Retail A discount: 60%
    2) taxable value per pack: $488.89
    3) shipping/handling- for pick up at Celebration: $5
                        - for shipment to you: $14

    4) Adjustment: -$.40
       At 60% discount, the product package comes to $220.40
       Our price was an even $220, so subtract the 40 cents.

 If you use NutShell to run your business, enter the
 pre-packs by creating a new purchase order. Follow these
 steps:

   1) Add the following items to your PO:

       Item #:  3887    Qty: 2   (per pre-pack)
               10086         2
                3438         1
               10125         1
                8984         2
                8987         2
               10022         2
                8985         3
                8988         3
               10023         3
                8989         3
               10024         3
                7756         2
               10003         2

   2) Put 60% for your Retail A discount.

   3) Enter your shipping ($5 or $14)

   4) Calculate your tax:
 

       ‘# of packs you bought’ X $488.89 X ‘your tax rate’

      and, for shipping:

       $5 (or $14) X ‘your tax rate’

      Add these two together and key into the Tax field

   5) Make an adjustment in the Adjustment field: -.40

   6) This should get your PO to the correct total. Then,
      just receive and close it, and you are all set!

 

         *-----------Quote of the Month-------------*
           
             Opportunity is missed by most people
             because it is dressed in overalls and
             looks like work.
                               - Thomas Edison

         *------------------------------------------*

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 Guest column 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Last month, Michelle, a consultant from Virginia, shared
 her questions with us regarding building a successful
 business. To summarize her comments, she said:

 

 "How to maximize profits without appearing stingy" that's
 the question.  Do most new consultants go into debt or am I
 unique and just a poor money manager (and bad consultant)?
 I am planning on becoming a Director so I am working my
 business.  Right now I am a 3 person strong Senior
 Consultant and will be in your newsletter soon as a
 Unit VIP.  The titles are great, but what about the
 profits?  

 To view Michelle’s complete comments, see the July
 newsletter: http://www.blueflute.com/Newsletters.htm

 

 Beverly Ward from Colorado, responded with:

 ‘You are not struggling, you are learning! 

 Here is what I do at my parties/spa retreats: The only
 people who leave with gifts are my hostesses and that
 includes guests who commit to being a hostess by booking a
 party.  I always bring a "gift basket" with my discontinued
 merchandise and items that I have obtained very
 inexpensively (like Mustang red lip color I buy for $2). 
 Each item is in a festive cello bag with ribbon and looks
 "gifty". 

 Hopefully, you are selling in sets and if so, you can also
 offer a "gift" with set purchase.  If you are gifting
 everyone, you minimize the incentive to become a hostess. 
 Your ticket idea is a good one; how about rewarding with
 monopoly $1 bills and then offer the recipients that much
 off their order that night? 

 Recruiting is your best plan to grow your business since it
 gets you closer to that 50% discount at the VIP level. 
 Remind your husband that the IRS doesn't expect you to
 show a "profit" for a couple of years.. so enjoy your
 start-up years!!’

 Laura Mcland, from Texas contributed her ideas:

 ‘Actually, my Director gave me this suggestion...buy things
 when they are on sale or clearance.  Just like you do at
 the store. Purchase under "While supplies last".  You can
 buy items at $2.00 ($4 retail) instead of $5.00 "at cost",
 and your client still gets a free gift.  This is also great
 for those times when people want you to "donate" products
 for a fund raiser.

 

 Also, have as many parties at your house as possible.
 Traveling always takes extra time and money.  When it is at
 your home and your product is set up nicely, people always
 buy more.

 

 One more thing... I always have my product displayed on my
 china hutch (or wherever). When people come over to visit,
 they see the nice display and immediately gravitate toward
 it.  I have sold many items this way.’

 As Laura mentioned, be sure to let your Director help you
 when you are struggling with issues related to your
 business. We all face many of the same issues and your
 director can be a great resource for both problem-solving
 and moral support.

 By taking advantage of all resources available to us, both
 from our inspiring director and the wonderful community of
 fellow consultants, we can get through the challenges of
 growing our businesses.

 Thank you to Michelle, Bev, Laura and others for
 contributing to this discussion! Let me hear from you if
 you have something to add:
 mailto:answers@blueflute.com



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Getting along with your Computer –
    First Aid for your Computer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 For many consultants, the computer is a pretty scary and
 intimidating piece of equipment. When it starts ‘acting up’,
 it can be hard to know what to do to solve the problem.

 Very often, minor misbehavior on the part of your computer
 is due to overtaxed memory. This will show up in the form of:

  1. Web pages not loading – ‘Page not found’ errors
  2. Pictures on web pages not loading – just little blank
     squares show up where the picture should be
  3. Programs taking too long to load
  4. Any kind of ‘crankiness’ where the system won’t respond
     properly or gives you error messages.

 When you have symptoms like this, close all your open
 programs and reboot your computer. To reboot, click the
 ‘Start’ button in the lower left corner of your screen and
 select the ‘Shut down’ option. You may have to reboot twice.
 There is a good chance that your system will begin to work
 normally again. If it doesn’t, then it is time to call
 in some extra help.

 If you find yourself having to reboot several times per
 day, there is probably a conflict between two or more
 of your programs. If you can stand it, then just reboot
 as needed. If it drives you crazy to have to reboot several
 times each day, you can try eliminating some of the
 programs that start up automatically when you turn on
 your computer. Often, programs will assume that you want
 them to start up automatically when you don’t really need
 them to. Any two programs can conflict with each other
 and create all kinds of irritating symptoms on your
 computer. Try disabling one or more of your non-essential
 startup programs and see what your computer will do in
 response.

            
       *---------------A Good Laugh--------------*
       "Researchers have discovered that chocolate
        produces some of the same reactions in
        the brain as marijuana. The researchers
        also discovered other similarities between
        the two but can't remember what they are."

                  - Matt Lauer (on NBC's Today Show)
      *-----------------------------------------*

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 NutShell Tip – Backup your business!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Backing up is like buying insurance – it is a pain and no
 fun until you need it. When you need it, however, it is
 worth its weight in gold!

 If you have trouble deciding how often to backup, think of
 it like this: How much work are you willing to re-do in the
 case of a computer tragedy? If you are only willing to
 re-do a day’s worth of work in the event of a system crash,
 then backup every day. You can backup a million times and
 not need it. Then, one day, out of the blue, something can
 happen and you will you need your backup.

 When my daughters were younger, and I reminded them to put
 on their seatbelt while riding in the car, they would
 reassure me by telling me that if an accident was to happen,
 they would put on their seat belt ‘real fast’. When
 something goes wrong with your computer, you may wish you
 could do a backup ‘real fast’! So, don’t forget to do your
 backups! You will be immeasurably glad you did.

 Be sure to backup often!

 

 When you backup your NutShell program to floppy disks, it
 should take at least two disks. If your backup is taking
 only one disk, please let me know! You may not be getting a
 good backup. This is critical, so if your backup just
 takes one floppy, let me know:
 mailto:OneFloppyBackup@blueflute.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 My Life as a Consultant – Information to Share
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Note from Linda: Karen has been so kind to share some ideas
 with us about how to have a successful business. She knows
 what she is talking about, having been the #1 consultant in
 2001! Yea Karen! The first half of her article is presented
 here. The second half will be printed in the September
 edition of “In a NutShell”.


 SOME IDEAS FOR JUMPSTARTING YOUR BUSINESS!

 

 by Karen Mosteller

 UNIT VIP

 Marietta, GA

 

 

 To BeautiControl’s newest consultants, I bid you a warm
 “Welcome,!” and to those of us who have been in the
 business for a few years … or many years … I say, “Let’s
 get ‘ready to rock’ during the upcoming Fall Fashion
 season!”  My objective in putting pen to paper with this
 article is to address the questions which our newer
 consultants may be having regarding just how to get their
 businesses up and running in the right direction after
 Celebration.

 Hopefully, you’ll be able to gather some “nuggets” which
 you can file away and use throughout the years to come …
 some ideas which have helped me become successful with my
 own BC business. I will work from “bullet points,” and then
 expand on each idea, and I will be sharing my personal
 values and beliefs within this article.

 

 1) Don’t leave God out of it.
 I am a Christian, and I strive daily to allow God to use
 me as His instrument … to accomplish whatever His purposes
 are for my life.  Some days I do a lot better than others,
 but I know that no matter how much I may stumble and fall
 along the way, God will always love me and never leave my
 side.  I hold to His promises that He will be with us until
 the end of time.  To that end, I have committed my life and
 my business to God’s will, and I ask Him everyday to give
 me opportunities in my business to bring glory to His Holy
 Name, not my own.  A particular Bible verse which speaks so
 clearly to me about this idea goes something like, “Trust
 in the Lord with all Thy heart, and lean not unto Thine
 own understanding.  In all Thy ways acknowledge Him, and He
 will direct Thy paths.”  I’m ashamed to say that I can’t
 quote you the Chapter and Verse on this particular passage
 of scripture, but God has written it on my heart, and I
 work daily to live accordingly.  So, my first point in
 achieving success with your business is this: Don’t leave
 God out of it.

 2) Be yourself. 
 God made you uniquely you. You are unlike any other of His
 creatures, and I have to think that He did this for a
 reason.  How boring it would be for Him … if we all looked
 alike … talked alike … approached everything in the same
 way!  I’m sure we’re much more interesting to Him BECAUSE
 He made us all unique!  He has blessed each one of us with
 particular talents, skills and abilities.

 Some of us are fabulous at doing Color Analysis and
 Makeovers and telling women about the “hottest styles”
 of the upcoming season.   If that sounds like loads of fun
 to YOU, then become a  “Fashionista Extraordinaire!”

 But some of us are scared to death about doing that!
 You know what, ladies, THAT’S OKAY.  Perhaps you’d feel
 more comfortable focusing your time and efforts on
 learning how to do those marvelous, relaxing Spa Retreats.
 Read up on it.  A lot of our consultants are doing HUGE
 amounts of business with Spa Retreats, and I know they
 would love to share with you what they’re doing. That’s
 what we ladies at BC are all about - sharing, encouraging,
 and supporting one another.  So, learn all about how to
 do Spa Retreats, and then go be THE BEST “Relaxation
 Specialist” out there! 

 Or perhaps you’d enjoy and feel more comfortable learning
 all you can about skin care and BC’s incredible
 anti-aging products.  If that sounds like it’s more down
 your alley, GREAT!  Go pick up a copy of Dr. Nicholas
 Perricone’s NY Times Best Seller, The Wrinkle Cure. 
 Learn to be a “Skin Care Specialist” and “Wrinkle Cure
 Guru.”  Start doing Skin Care Clinics. Lord knows, we
 Baby Boomers DO NOT want to LOOK our age! So, if you’re
 more comfortable learning about and talking about good
 skin care and how to achieve the “flawless face,” then by
 all means go out and capitalize on this market!

 My point is this:  We are able to help both women and men
 in several different ways in BeautiControl.  Find out what
 facet of our wonderful business gives you the most JOY,
 then go be THE VERY BEST that you can be while doing
 something that you LOVE.

 Not everyone has to be a Fashion Guru in our business.
 Not everyone’s good at that or is meant to do that.  So,
 okay, go find out what YOU are good at … then learn, and
 learn all about it - what to do - how to do it. Then just
 GO DO IT!  And remember,  “If you love what you do,
 you’ll never work a day in your life.”

 3) Keep inventory on your shelves. 
 It’s a settled fact, ladies, that we women are notorious
 “Impulse Buyers,” which roughly translated means, “If you
 have it, I’m gonna buy it!”  If you continually DO NOT
 HAVE the items which your client would like to purchase,
 then she’s going to start becoming annoyed with you. 
 And guess what?  She may even go buy her BeautiControl
 products from someone else. I have personally taken on a
 few clients who came to me for the sole reason that their
 original consultant NEVER had what they wanted to buy.
 

 Now, all of us are going to be low on SOME items now and
 again … but don’t you be a consultant who NEVER has the
 products which your client is looking to purchase.  That’s
 called poor customer service, and it will keep you from
 growing your business.

 Furthermore, the amount of inventory which you keep on
 your shelves is totally determined by how much you’re
 working your business. How many clients do you see each
 week?  How quickly are you turning over your inventory?
 Which items are you selling the most?  The answers to
 these questions will determine how many of which products
 you need to keep on your shelves.

 I would encourage you to work with your Director or another
 consultant within the company, whom you respect and trust,
 regarding your inventory levels.  After all, we each need
 to be good stewards of our financial blessings. Don’t
 stockpile more inventory than you will EVER possibly sell,
 but by all means, do have a “good working level “ of
 inventory on your shelves at all times.

 

 (more of Karen’s ideas to come next month!)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 If you have a story or information to share in an upcoming
 newsletter, please contact me:
 SomethingToShare@blueflute.com  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   Recognition Corner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Congratulations to the following NutShell users who have 
 worked hard and achieved success in advancing their careers!
 

 ~ $10,000 Parent Director!~

  Susie Pratt
 
 ~ $5,000 Parent Director!~
  Amy Bouschart
  Beth Pickel

 ~Executive Director~
  Jan Cobb

 ~Senior Director~
  Amy Bouschart
  Beth Pickel

 ~Mustang Director!~
  Mary Wozniak

 ~Director~
  Linda Derrick
  Michael Ann Dillinger
  Laura Pantzlaff
  Donna Pollack

  ~Unit Manager~
  Lisa Sloan
  Kelly Wofford

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   Party Game – Have You Ever?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Sorry, due to Celebration, I haven’t located a game for
 this month. If you would like to share a game, please do!

 mailto:games@blueflute.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   Copyright Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
 Please pass this e-zine along to your friends. Just click
 the Forward button on your email screen to send this
 newsletter to other consultants who would enjoy reading
 it! However, please keep it intact and forward it in it's
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 Copyright 2002 Blue Flute Software Creations, Inc.

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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Linda Gerloff
 Blue Flute Software Creations
 linda@blueflute.com
 P.O. Box 77882 
 Fort Worth, TX 76177
 817-439-1081