Candle parties are a common sales strategy employed by independent distributors to promote and sell candles produced by a specific company. Usually structured to be a mixture of a festive atmosphere and a sales presentation, they draw together a group of people who are ultimately shown the current line of candles offered and provided the chance to purchase them. While a traditional candle party takes place at a physical location, it is also possible to hold an Internet version and process real time orders.
Home candle parties are the most common application of this strategy. In this scenario, a distributor invites friends and acquaintances to attend the party and enjoy refreshments along with a little shopping. Home parties may be relatively intimate affairs, with the host or hostess issuing invitations to a select group of potential buyers. However, many distributors follow a pattern of issuing invitations to a core group of attendees and then offer free gifts or samples to anyone who brings along a friend.
The home is not the only possible setting for a candle party. A distributor may choose to go with a larger venue, such as the clubhouse of an apartment complex. While the event is likely to be less of an intimate gathering and more of a formal sales effort, the advantage is that more people can attend and the chances for higher sales increases.
A third approach is to assist a non-profit organization to hold these parties as a means of raising funds for the organization. These fundraisers can be profitable for everyone, including the distributor. In many instances, the candle company extends a buy rate to the distributor. The distributor in turn offers a slightly higher buy rate to the non-profit, who then prices the products at a price that will allow the organization to earn a profit.
Since the 1990’s, the idea of holding a virtual candle party online has become an attractive option. Thanks to the advances in voice and real time video streaming online, people can be invited to an online party and have the chance to view the products for sale, ask questions about the products, and place orders. While not as intimate as the home type, an Internet candle party does offer the advantage of inviting guests from anywhere in the world to attend.
Many of the candle companies that use agents to move their product lines provide some rudimentary training to new distributors. The training often includes suggestions on how to set up a home business, as well as acquaint the novice with the total line of candles and supplies offered by the company. Included in the orientation training are ideas on how to plan and promote different types of candle parties and be successful with the effort. This is in the best interests of the company, since a successful candle party not only means earnings for the agent but also for the company itself.