Home parties can be a lot of fun and a great way to earn extra money. Following a simple guideline can help you have a successful home party that runs smoothly and everyone enjoys. The following guideline will give you a basic idea of how to do this and can easily be adjusted to fit your own tastes.

Before the Guests arrive

Be sure to arrive at your hostess's home about an hour or so before the start of your party to review any last minute details. Set up refreshment table. Re-arrange furniture if needed. Set up your display. Do a quick review of the guest list. Review any before-party sales. Don't forget to lay out the catalogs, brochures and business cards!

Greeting the Guests

Have the hostess warmly greet each guest as they arrive. Have her introduce you and engage in some general chit-chat. Ask them about themselves, what do they do, how do they know the hostess, do they have any children? Remember to smile!

The Ice Breaker

Games are a perfect ice breaker. Play a game or two to make the guests feel welcome and comfortable. Make your games fun and with as much interaction with the guests as possible. Another good ice breaker is to thank your hostess for holding the party and giving her a gift. If you offer gifts to guests who bring friends; now's the time do hand them out.

The Presentation

Start showing guests the items that you've brought for display and give a brief description that you've prepared before-hand on each one. Guests love hands-on viewing. After each description, hand the merchandise to the guests to get a better look and pass around. At the end of your presentation, discuss the opportunity for guests to become hostesses themselves and briefly discuss the rewards. Be sure at some point to open the floor to the guests for any questions, comments and/or concerns. At this time the hostesses should be doing any last minute preparations of the refreshments.

Finishing up Guest Orders

Be prepared to help guests fill in their order forms and answer any questions about sales tax and shipping costs. It might not be a bad idea to bring along a calculator for quicker or more accurate order totals. Also be prepared to accept checks and let it be known who you'd prefer the checks to be written. Make sure you thank each guest who purchases and give them a copy of the completed order form.

Ending the Show

Make sure you once again thank the hostess for having the show. Be sure to thank each guest for coming as they leave whether they made a purchase or not. Don't forget to have all the needed information to contact guests after the party concerning their orders or potentially hosting a party themselves. And don't forget to have fun!