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'In a NutShell' Newsletter - November 2003

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                    In a Nutshell
   Information and Tips for your Image Consulting Business

 11/05/03                                          Issue #19
 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
 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
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    =>  Inventory Updates for November
    =>  Blue Flute News  
         Change is coming!
    =>  Feature Article
         The 10 Spa Success Secrets by Marie Garrett
    =>  In my business, how do I -       
         Prepare for the New Year?
    =>  NutShell Tip –
         Purchase Order Questions
    =>  Game –
         How well do you know your hostess?
    =>  Consultant Success Story      
    =>  Recognition Corner
    
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 Inventory Updates for November
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 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

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 Blue Flute News
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 Change is Coming! – This is news that I am so excited to
 tell you about! First, you will have the opportunity to
 upgrade your invoice printouts! The upgraded invoice is
 available to you at no charge. Watch for more information
 in the November Newsletter Part 2. I’ll tell you exactly
 what will be different on the invoice and you can choose
 to download the updated format or not – you decide!

 Also – There is a software upgrade coming – and soon! I will
 fill you in next month on what the new features are, but
 in the meantime, I need some testers! If you use NutShell at
 least several times a week and are comfortable with the
 program, you will be a good tester. That is, if you like
 playing around with new features and looking for bugs! If
 would like to test the new version, please let me know
 right away: mailto:Tester@blueflute.com. 
 



         *-----------Quote of the Month-------------*
         'Our dilemma is that we hate change, but we
          love it at the same time. What we want is
          for things to remain the same, but get
          better.’
          -- Sidney Harris

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


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 Business Trivia
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 15 More Places to Leave your Business Card:
    1. Model Homes
    2. Real Estate Offices
    3. Gas Stations
    4. With your tip at a Restaurant
    5. Send with Bills    
    6. Grocery Store
    7. Video Stores
    8. Dressing Rooms
    9. With Fast Food Clerks  
   10. With Bank Tellers
   11. Shoe Stores
   12. Kids Resale Shops
   13. Gymboree Centers
   14. Flower Shops
   15. Temporary Staff Offices

 

 As a special note on business card usage, I have a tip that
 has proven to be effective in my current and past careers.
 It is considered impolite to accept a card from someone and
 not read it with interest in front of them, thus, when you
 hand them your card, they are apt to do the same. Many take
 cards and discard them just as quick, but if you know they
 have read your “message” it is sure to hit home quicker!
 --Kemper Bushnell
   Sr. Consultant
   Orlando, FL
   
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 In my business, how do I - Prepare for the new year?
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 Prepare for the new year? I’m joking, right? Well, just a
 little bit.

 We still have almost two months left till the end of the
 year, and during those two months we have the Thanksgiving
 and Christmas holidays. So, you have a lot on your plate,
 I know.  Don’t make this a big deal. Do just a little bit
 at a time.

 What needs to be done? You need to do 3 main things:
  1. Get your inventory in order.
  2. Bring your client and sales information up-to-date.
  3. Get your expenses organized.

 Which one of these do you feel most like tackling? If you
 are easily intimidated by bookwork, then pick the area that
 seems the most approachable and get started. If the
 incomplete bookwork is bugging you, pick a bigger task and
 get going!

 For your inventory, start getting your shelves organized,
 so that end-of-year counting will be easier. Do you have
 product scattered everywhere? Spend just a few minutes
 straightening up. Get all skin care together in one place,
 spa products in their group and glamour in its own section.
 Group like items together. Have you taken product out of
 inventory without writing it down? Start thinking about this
 and make a list.

 What about your clients and sales? Have you gotten behind
 entering this information? If you are behind, believe me,
 you are in the norm. Don’t feel bad about it. Just tackle
 it a little bit at a time.

 The same is true for your expenses. Get your receipts
 organized and start entering a few. If you have a bunch of
 receipts for the same type of thing (postage, copies, etc),
 it is OK to lump them together. Add them all up for the
 month and just make one entry into your books for each
 month. As long as you keep the receipts for documentation,
 you are covered. You don’t have to log each and every
 transaction, unless you want to.

 Right now, you have the luxury of just doing a little bit
 at a time. Pick a regular day and time and stick to it. For
 example, every Monday, spend 20 minutes working on your
 expenses or sales. You can do one month at a time. And you
 will watch that big pile of work get smaller and smaller.

 The Holiday Season is a great time to find computer savvy
 teenagers hungry for a little extra cash. Find a reliable
 teen, put him/her in front of your computer with a stack of
 receipts and let ‘em at it! At $7 per hour, this is one of
 the best investments you can make in your business. You can
 spend time doing what you do best (talking, recruiting,
 selling – making money!), while someone else works on the
 part you don’t like that much anyway!

 Good intentions at this time of year are easy to come by.
 It is the follow through that is hard. Start small and take
 it slow to insure your success. Every time you get a little
 bit accomplished, you will be encouraged and this will
 motivate you to do more! Start now!


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 NutShell Tip – Purchase Order Questions 
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 Two questions commonly asked by new consultants using
 NutShell:

 1. “Should I enter a Purchase Order for my sign-up kit?”

    The answer to this question starts off with a question:
    What do you plan to do with your kit? Most new
    consultants use the products in their new consultant kit
    for their demo case. This means that the products in the
    kit are being used as Sales Aids, and not to be re-sold.

    For this reason, there is no need to enter the kit as a
    Purchase Order. You would have to turn right around and
    take the products out of inventory for your case. Instead
    of entering a PO for your kit expense, just enter it
    (the expense) directly into the Income and Expense Log.
    You will need to make 3 entries:
    1. Your signup price. This will be classified as ‘Sales
       Aids’.
    2. Shipping

    3. Sales Tax

    If you have received any free product kits, the same
    idea will apply. If you plan to sell these products,
    enter a PO (to get them in your inventory). Be sure to
    put a 100% discount on this PO since the products were
    free. However, if you will be using these products,
    either personally, or in your case, you don’t have to do
    anything, since there was no charge. If you paid sales
    tax or shipping for these free products, though, be sure
    to enter these costs in the Income and Expense Log (if
    you don’t enter a PO).

 2. “I need to enter product orders that I received before
    I started using NutShell. I don’t want them to affect
    my inventory because I have already entered the products
    I had in stock when I started using NutShell.”
   
    Once you have your system up and running, you want to
    be careful not to invalidate your counts. Any business
    activity that took place before your NutShell start
    date needs to be handled carefully.

    You won’t want to enter any past Purchase Orders. They
    will mess up your counts. But, you can still account for
    these expenses, and they can still be used for your end-
    of-year tax calculations. Just enter each past product
    order directly into the Income and Expense Log. You will
    have 4 entries for each order:

    1. Product – this is your Retail A Total less discount
    2. Sales Aids
    3. Shipping
    4. Sales Tax

    If you make all 4 entries for each past order for the year,
    then you will be able to run accurate reports at year end
    for your taxes. Ahhh, what a relief!



       *---------------A Good Laugh--------------*
        A nursery school teacher was delivering a station
        wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck
        zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire
        truck was a Dalmatian dog.

        The children fell to discussing the dog's duties.

        "They use him to keep crowds back," said one
         youngster.

        "No," said another, "he's just for good luck."

         A third child brought the argument to a close.

        "They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the
         fire hydrant."
       *-----------------------------------------*

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   Consultant Success Story
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 Contributed by:
   Saralyn Ostwinkle, Maquoketa, IA, Executive Director

 Chimene Ross is listed in ‘Recognition Corner’ as a New Unit
 Manager!  WELL!!  She joined BC in March of this year!  She
 went to training as a DIQ!!!  And in just 8 months is a new
 Director as of November 1st. Pretty Cool HUH??!!


 _________________
 Who are you proud of? (It can be yourself!) Sing their
 praises and inspire others in future issues of this
 newsletter:
 mailto:SuccessStory@blueflute.com

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   Game – How Well Do You Know Your Hostess?
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 Give a piece of paper to each guest and have them number it
 from 1-10. Then ask them the following questions:

 

 1) What is your hostess’ favorite color?

 

 2) If she could have any vehicle what it be?

 

 3) How many kids does she have?

 

 4) What is her favorite hobby?

 

 5) Who is her favorite actor/actress?

 

 6) What is her favorite item on the product display ?

 

 7) What is her favorite scent (can be a perfume)?

 

 8) What is her favorite cartoon / cartoon charactor?

 

 9) What is her favorite animal?

 

 10) If you were in need of something would your hostess
     give it to you if she can?

 

 You can rearrange or change any of these questions. 

 

 After everyone answers them all, read each question again
 and have the hostess give her answer. Tell the guests to
 mark their paper - right or wrong. The one with the most
 answers correct gets a small prize of your choosing.

 

 The last question leads into booking. The guest can help
 the hostess. She needs something from them that only they
 can give to her - to book a party so she can get free products.

 

 (Don’t forget to use discontinued or hard-to-move products

  for the gifts in your games!)


 -------------------
 Do you play a game that is a big hit? We would love to
 hear about it: mailto: Games@BlueFlute.com    

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   Recognition Corner
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 Congratulations to the following NutShell users who have
 worked hard and achieved success in advancing their careers!
 
 ~ $15,000 Director ~
  Denise Goodman

 ~ $10,000 Director ~
  Karen Delk
  Beth Horn
  Sue Ross
  Stacy Wallert

 ~ New Executive Director ~
  Saralyn Ostwinkle

 ~ Mustang Director! ~
  Tawana Hornaday
  Donna Kirkbride
  Bridget Psaromatis
  Deborah Tyndall

~ New Director ~
  Faye Bullock
 
 ~ New DIQ ~
  Eileen Dakan
  Regina Hazel
  Mary Laughlin
  Shannon Munsick
  Claudette Sealy
  Mary Ann Smith
   
 
 ~ Unit Manager ~
  Regina Hazel
  Bonnie Schulz
 
 ~ DIQ ~
  Diana Baker
  Julie Boschert
  Michelle Bulyszyn
  Vicki Callaway
  Cathie Crate
  Patricia Crowley
  Christine Engelbrecht
  Linda Foreman
  Pam Fowler
  Patsy Franklin
  Susan Furrow
  Connie Glenn
  Barbara Gordon
  Terri Grahlman
  Alice Gray
  Gillian Greer
  Marilyn Hillman
  April Iwan
  Dawn Jones
  Tracie Jones
  Tania Kinzinger
  Sandra Knellinger
  Laura Le Blanc
  Wendi Lawson See
  Sue Light
  Linda Mallog
  Tressa Malone
  Barbara Matich
  Cathy Matteri
  Laura McLand
  Leann Mezzacapo
  Rhonda Moreau
  Karen Murphy
  Donna Oehlert
  Chimene Ross
  Anna Sessoms
  Heather Smith
  Sheryl Statham
  Tina Stock
  Leslie Strzelecki
  Lisa Vanetten
  Lisa Vazquez
  Karen Witt
  Sandra Woods
  Patricia Woodward
 
 
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   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 its
 entirety.
 
 Copyright 2003 Blue Flute Software Creations, Inc.

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 A note about referrals and your email address – Being an
 avid hater of email spam as much as you are, I have
 never (and will never) give, sell or rent your email
 address to anybody who could possibly spam you! However,
 I will give your email address to consultants who list
 your name as their referral. I will give her address to
 you, as well. This is so that you and she can be ‘NutShell
 partners’! If you would rather not have your email address
 given to your referrals, please let me know:
  mailto:privacy@blueflute.com             
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Linda Gerloff
 Blue Flute Software Creations
 Linda@BlueFlute.com 
 P.O. Box 77882
 Fort Worth, TX 76177
 817-439-1081

 
For more information about NutShell,send questions or comments to:  info@blueflute.com 

All screen images as wellas the NutShell logoare Copyright 1996-2001 Blue Flute Software Creations, Inc.