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                    In a Nutshell
   Information and Tips for your Image Consulting Business

 11/04/02                                           Issue #7
 Linda Gerloff, Editor, mailto: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
 subscribed to either the monthly Automated Inventory
 Updates or this newsletter.
 Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of this newsletter.

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   IN THIS ISSUE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    =>  Inventory Updates for November
    =>  Blue Flute News
    =>  'In a NutShell' archives
    =>  Feature Article -
         Be inspired by your books!
    =>  Fun Trivia
    =>  In my business, how do I ...
         Handle a new consultant package?
    =>  Guest Column
         Holiday Gift Baskets By Helen Williams-Baker
    =>  Getting along with your Computer -
         Email Etiquette - 6 Reasons why it really matters.
    =>  NutShell Tip -
    =>  Recognition Corner
    =>  Party Game - Business is Sweet
    =>  Subscribe/Unsubscribe information

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Inventory Updates for November
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Your inventory updates for November are ready. If you have
 subscribed to this service, you can get your updates 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:
  http://www.blueflute.com/orderpage.htm

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 Blue Flute News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 November Special - More Free Spa Tools! This month,
 consultants who purchase NutShell can get a free Herbie the
 Herb Pac along with wooden body massagers. This is great
 for new consultants as well as experienced consultants who
 are building their spa businesses.

 Consultants who download and purchase NutShell and
 Inventory Updates in November will receive a Herbie Pack
 and body massagers free! This is a $25 value!

 Don't forget that when you refer NutShell to a friend,
 you win, too. Not only will your consultant will have more
 time for selling and recruiting, but you will receive free
 inventory updates, as well!

 Please note that in order to receive the free spa tools,
 NutShell and updates must be purchased within 10 days of
 downloading the NutShell 30 day trial. Download the free
 trial here: www.blueflute.com/ordrform2.htm

 Tell me what you want - Thank you for your feedback
 regarding party management and reorders. I am still taking
 comments on these topics, so if you haven't responded or
 have more thoughts, please send them my way!

 Party Management - What are the tasks that you do from the
 day you book a party through the day of the party and even
 in the completion of paperwork and follow up? How can
 NutShell help you with this?
 Let me know: PartyManagement@BlueFlute.com

 Projected Reorders - How would you like to determine when
 it is time for a client to reorder and how would you like
 to handle it? Should it be based on each client's personal
 buying pattern? Do you want to 'do' reorders periodically,
 say, once per month? How would you like NutShell to remind
 you - with a report, a reminder on the datebook, an
 on-screen list? Would you like NutShell to create an
 invoice for the client automatically and let you adjust it?
 Y'all are smart and creative, so tell me what you
 want!: ProjectedReorders@BlueFlute.com

 New! Online Checks - I am now able to accept online checks.
 This makes it very easy to process your purchase and the
 payment plan is better than ever! No checks to write or
 mail! You can make a purchase by online check on the
 Blue Flute Order Page: www.blueflute.com/orderpage.htm

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 '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

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 Feature Article -
  Be inspired by your books!
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 Nothing is quite as dry and boring as keeping books for
 your business. Do you agree? The fun of the business is in
 the people - the parties, selling and recruiting. But, your
 books actually can help you by providing you with some
 structure and focus in both good times and more challenging
 times.

 Your books tell you where you stand financially. When you
 know exactly how much income you have and exactly how much
 you have spent on your expenses, you have solid
 information to guide you in response to challenges in your
 business.

 Every business has its hard times. A difficult month or
 even an entire season can pose a challenge to the most
 seasoned consultant. When a hostess fails to hold her
 party, or has a 'lipstick' party in which all you get for
 your hard work is a few dollars in sales, it is easy to get
 discouraged. Your books can help you keep an eye on the
 bigger picture and keep you inspired. An unsuccessful
 party or a month full of 'No' can have an impact on the way
 you feel about your business. This is the time to turn to
 your books. They will help you stay practical and matter of
 fact when you may be tempted to get emotional.

 The problem that can happen when you don't know where you
 business stands financially, is that you begin to operate
 on emotion, based on ungrounded information. If a party
 cancels, what does this mean to your business? Does this
 mean you have failed? No, it doesn't. Is this the one party
 between you and your monthly goals? Maybe so. If so, find
 another way to meet your goal. Or, set aside the current
 month and start working on the next month.

 Get very practical! Take a look at the numbers. Put
 yourself in a problem-solving state of mind. What kind of
 months have you been having? How does your income compare
 with your expenses? Is your 'bad' month an exception or the
 rule? If it is the rule, that is great information. Now
 you know that changes need to be made. Ask your recruiter
 or your director to help you look at your techniques to see
 what you can do differently to improve your results. Maybe
 you can limit your hostess rewards to product that you buy
 on sale. Maybe you can make one more phone call every day.
 Try something different for a few months, watch your books
 and see what changes.

 If your hard times are the exception rather than the rule,
 this is good information, too. Your methods are OK overall.
 This is just a slump and it will pass. Start to work on
 your next goal; put this one behind you.

 A good understanding of where your business stands
 financially can be stabilizing in what could otherwise be a
 very emotional situation. It can give you focus and pull
 you out of the world of emotions, into the world of facts.
 Instead of thinking in terms of 'It seems like', you can
 think in terms of facts.

 Instead of:
   'It seems like nothing I try is working.'
   'It seems like everyone is saying NO these days.'

 Think in terms of facts:
   'I am halfway to my goals for the month.'
   'Since that party cancelled, I will find another way to
    make $200 in sales this week.'
   'I am behind for the month. I will make 2 extra phone
    calls every work day this week.'

 Facts lead to specific goals, which lead to activity and
 success. Emotions can be debilitating and can cause a sense
 of defeat and paralysis. Let the facts of your business
 keep you operating on a practical level. Remember, this is
 a business. Think in terms of the business and you will
 progress toward your goals. Think terms of the business and
 you may even be inspired!


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

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 Fun Trivia
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 Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, was
 originally an instructor for deaf children and invented
 the telephone to help his deaf wife and mother to hear.

 from www.absolutetrivia.com


         *-----------Quote of the Month-------------*

         Courage and perseverance have a magical
         talisman, before which difficulties disappear
         and obstacles vanish into air.
                  -- John Quincy Adams

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

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 In my Business, how do I... Handle a new consultant package?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 The very act of becoming a consultant creates a bookkeeping
 task. If you are a new consultant or have one or more new
 recruits, the question of how to handle the package will
 need to be addressed.

 The answer is determined by how the package will be used.
 Most consultants use all the product in their packs as
 demo products, not to be re-sold. In this case, the pack
 can be considered a sales aid. This will involve three
 separate expenses:
    1. Sales Aids - the kit itself
    2. Sales Tax - the tax paid on the kit
    3. Shipping - the amount paid for shipping the kit.

 If you are using NutShell, just make the three entries in
 the Income and Expense Log and that will be the end of it.

 However, if you plan to sell some products out of your
 pack, the picture is more complicated. In order to sell
 the product, it must be in your inventory. To get product
 in your sellable inventory, you should record its
 purchase. For NutShell users, create a purchase order for
 your new consultant pack. For specific details, drop me a
 line and I'll help you with it.

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 Guest column - Holiday Gift Baskets
                 by Helen Williams-Baker, Sr. Director
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Note from Linda: The Holiday Season is prime time for gift
 baskets. Busy women and creativity-challenged men (yes, you
 hear a little chauvinism on my part!) need help in
 completing their gift shopping. You can offer the perfect
 solution with gift baskets. Helen has some great ideas for
 putting together appealing gifts in a wide price range. She
 has kindly shared them with us and you will be seeing her
 ideas here, in the Guest column, throughout the holiday
 season.
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Gift ideas and packaging --- determine prices of your gift
 packages based on the price of product and your materials.
 Don't forget to add your business card and invitation for
 free skin analysis and color analysis.  Baskets can be
 surrounded with shrink-wrap, tulle, clear or decorated
 cellophane with a bow added.  Use the packing materials that
 come in your product orders in the bottom of baskets and
 containers to raise products.

 Have fun!!

 Gift suggestions ----

 Herbal Serenity  ---- Include several different tea bags
 with Herbal Serenity Body Crème.

 Ski Buff ---- Use a glamour set bag. Add Regeneration Hand
 Therapy, Sunlogics UV Lip & Eye Stick, Waterproof
 Sunblock #30.  Have your client add mittens, muff or scarf.

 For Teen:  "Bearly There Look" ---- Use a small Teddy Bear.
 Attach Lip Gloss, Mascara & Nailogics nail color with a
 rubber band around the bear's neck.  Tie a bow to hide the
 rubber band.

 Bear Essentials ---- Use a soft Bear, Herbal Serenity Bath
 Gelee, Scrub, Cream and a soft washcloth.  Place the
 washcloth on the bear's tummy, place products side by side
 on top of the washcloth. Hold in place with wide rubber
 band or elastic.  Cover the band with ribbon and bow in
 front.

 Peeper Keeper ---- Include Lash & Lid Bath and Eye X-cel
 or Regeneration Gold Eye Repair.  Place in a small basket
 or glass container with iridescent shred.

 Take it like a Man ---- Manmade supplements and Menswear
 Shower Gel.

 Serenity Theme Basket ---- Use a pretty basket with
 iridescent shred.  Add orange body puff, Herbal Serenity
 products, a mug and box of Herb Tea in different flavors
 along with hard candy sticks or honey stirrers.

 Put Your Best Foot Forward ---- Include Spa minerals,
 Herbal Serenity Foot Crème, Foot file, rolled hand towel
 tied with a ribbon in a basket or skin care set bag.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 To share your ideas, contact me here: Guest@BlueFlute.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Getting along with your Computer -
    Email Etiquette - 6 Reasons why it really matters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Last month we explored the subject of email privacy and how
 important it is to protect the privacy of every person we
 are in contact with. Respecting our recipients' privacy
 honors those we communicate with which in turn makes our
 communications more effective and productive.

 Privacy protection is a form of 'Email Etiquette'. As in
 other types of communication, good etiquette promotes
 smoother, more effective conversation. It prevents
 misunderstandings and leads to happier clients. For good
 email etiquette, remember:

 1. Check your email often (at least once per day) - If you
 give your email address to clients, you are making a
 business commitment to them to provide good service via
 email. A prompt email reply will show your clients that you
 are committed to providing them with the best possible
 care.

 2. Use a meaningful subject line in your outgoing email -
 Everybody has trouble with spam. As a result, email inboxes
 can become crowded with junk email. Emails are often
 deleted without ever being read. Be sure your subject line
 contains enough information to let your recipient know you
 have a valid message. If you are trying to pique the
 interest of a client or potential client, the subject line
 will need to stand out from the crowd. However, be careful
 about using catch words like 'FREE', 'Urgent',
 'Immediately', etc. Many spam filters will delete emails
 with such words in the subject and your recipient will
 never get your message.

 3. Use punctuation and capitalization - Good punctuation
 and capitalization is vital in email! In spoken
 conversation, the words that are said are only a small part
 of the communication that takes place. Non-verbal cues
 carry a substantial portion of the message. Such cues,
 which include tone of voice, intonation (where your voice
 goes UP at the end of a question), pauses, facial
 expressions and body language all give information
 to your listener. Literally all of these non-verbal cues
 are missing in email. So, you have to provide as much
 clarity as you can. Don't make your recipient guess at
 what you are trying to say. Make it clear - use good
 punctuation and capitalization.

 4. Good spelling and grammar help, too - Because your
 recipient can't see or hear you, they will make their
 impressions based on the information that they do have.
 How you come across in your email is all you have to work
 with. Good grammar and spelling will help you present
 yourself as a well-educated, respectable and respectful
 person.

 5. Let your personality come through - Everything in life
 requires balance, right? You don't have to be perfect in
 your email, you just want to communicate effectively. If
 your personality wants you to type 'U' for 'you' and '4'
 for, well, 'for', then go for it! Just remember who your
 audience is and what kind of image you want to project.

 6. Don't forget to sign your email - There are several ways
 your recipient will be able to recognize who their emails
 are from. There will be something in the 'From' field of
 each email that you send. The information that shows in
 the 'From' field will be determined by how you have set
 up your email program. If you haven't put your name in
 the proper spot, the 'From' field will simply display
 your email address. This will be OK for those who know
 your email address by heart. For anyone else, though, it
 is a guessing game. Other methods to identify yourself
 are to either type your first and last name at the end of
 each email (with an appropriate closing) or set up an
 automatic signature line.

 Try it out: Send an email to yourself. When it arrives
 in your inbox, see if you think a stranger could tell who
 it is from.


       *---------------A Good Laugh--------------*
       Great Truths about Life, according to children:
    1. No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
    2. When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her
       brush your hair.
    3. You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
    4. Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
    5. Never hold a DustBuster and a cat at the same time.
    6. You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
    7. Don't wear polkadot underwear under white shorts.
    8. The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.
      *-----------------------------------------*

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 NutShell Tip - Finding the item you want
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 In NutShell, there are several ways to search for a
 particular item. On the invoice, purchase order and
 inventory screens, you have the following options:

   1. By Word
      Type a word or two of the description. Select a more
      unique part of the description to search on. For
      Invoices and Purchase Orders, type the search word in
      the Description column. For example,
       - type 'plat' to search for Platinum products
       - type 'beige' to get a list of all products with
         'Beige' in the description
       - type 'single' to get a list of all Shadow Singles
   2. By Item Number
      If you know the item number, you can simply type
      it in. For Invoices and Purchase Orders, type the
      item number in the Item# column
   3. By Category
      Use the 'Find' buttons to search for a product by
      category. On the Invoice and PO screens, start by
      clicking the appropriate button (Skin Care, Makeup,
      etc.) On the Inventory screen, click the Find button.
      These buttons allow you to navigate to the product
      you want, similar to the way you would search the
      printed order form.
   4. By Double-Click
      Once you get the list of products to chose from, you
      can double-click an item to add it to your order and
      then return to the list of items previously displayed.
      So, if you are entering an invoice for Sheer Rain
      Body Lotion and Shower Gel, you could type 'rain' to
      get a list of all Sheer Rain products. Double-click
      the Body Lotion. It will be added to the invoice and
      you will again see the list of Sheer Rain products.
      Click the Shower Gel, then click OK. It will be added
      to the invoice as well.


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   Recognition Corner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Congratulations to the following NutShell users who have
 worked hard and achieved success in advancing their careers!

  ~ $20,000 Parent Director ~
  Margo McBee
  Karen Watson

  ~ $10,000 Parent Director ~
  Linda LaFavor-Coyle

  ~ Sanibel Winners - Trip for Two! ~
  Debbie Foote

  ~ Sanibel Winners ~
  Karen Mosteller
  Carolyn Barlowe
  Margo McBee
  Pam VandenBulk
  Susan Weese
  Catherine Bailey
  Judy Byrum
  Denise Goodman
  Joanne Harder
  Karen Haynes
  Linda LaFavor-Coyle
  Teresa Ledoux
  Janie McKeithan
  Rhonda Moreau
  Denise Newsome
  Wendy Norman
  Deb Ott
  Beth Pickel
  Lois Ann Royer
  Renee Stevens
  Debra Tucker
  Diana Underwood
  Stacy Wallert
  Kay Wolpert

  ~ Unit Manager ~
  Diana Baker

  ~Unit VIP~
  Pam Andros
  Wally Bouchillon
  Adrienne Davis
  Barbara Dawson
  Patricia Duke
  Sherry Holley
  Tracey Lindsey
  Kym Mahler
  Laura McLand
  Rhonda Moreau
  Jennifer Myers
  Kimberly Robinson
  Jackie Ross
  Carolyn Searcy
  Iris M. Simmons
  Dixie Sweeney
  Diana Underwood
  Paula Valenzuela
  Laura Ward
  Amber Wilkinson
  Julia Wensel

 ~ New DIQ ~
  Debra McComb
  Wendi Lawson See
  Barbara Matich
  Heather Smith
  Jennifer Tate Bokesch
  Teresa LeDoux
  Karen Witt

 ~ DIQ ~
  Carolyn Barlowe
  Thelma Blount
  Edie Broussard
  Connie Brown
  Geri Cozine
  Gena Flanary
  Brenda Fogerty
  Karen Fritschi
  Jenna Fujimoto
  Mary Hamala
  Karen Haynes
  Bonnye Hicks
  Norma Holland
  Tawana Hornaday
  Nancy Johnson
  Donna Kirkbride
  Donna Kistler
  Beth Krantz
  Tracy Kruse
  DJ Loehr
  Sue McKeithan-Jensen
  Amy Messinger
  Karen Mosteller
  Sandra Mozey
  Debbie Neill
  Alicia Nelson
  Denise Newsome
  Donna Oehlert
  Bridget Psaromatis
  Renea Reeves
  Heather Richter-Egger
  Marcy Roitman-Boothe
  Jeannie Russo
  Barbara Sloan
  Lisa Sloan
  Angie Toben
  Pam Vanden Bulk
  Diane Vivlamore
  Carol White
  Donna Winegard
  Kelly Wofford

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   Party Game - Business is Sweet!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Thank you to Sharolyn Luevano, who  contributed the
 following game. It is great for getting your party guests
 talking about the opportunity of joining you as part of
 your team.

 To play the game, have the following handy:

 1. Plenty of yummy pieces of candy in a color cello bag.
   (Be sure to use good quality candy.)
 2. A timer, set for 3 minutes.

 Challenge your guests to ask you as many questions as they
 can think of about YOUR business in three minutes. For
 every question they ask, they receive a piece of candy.
 Give quick, concise answers to allow the game to move at
 a fast pace.

  ***LET PARTICIPANTS KNOW:  Each piece of candy they collect
 is good for $1 off their order that night!

 Examples of questions they may ask:

 1. What is the cheapest/most expensive item in our line?
 2. How did I get started in BeautiControl?
 3. How much does it cost?
 4. How long does it take to get trained?

 These are ALL great questions!!!  It really opens the door
 up for sharing more about BC.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 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
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 it! However, please keep it intact and forward it in its
 entirety.

 Copyright 2002 Blue Flute Software Creations, Inc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 Subscriptions to this e-zine are FREE.
 Newsletter 'In a NutShell' is published monthly.

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