Q: My cousin is an at-home salesperson, and she frequently asks me to product demonstrations at her house. I’ve told her that money is tight right now and have consistently declined to attend. Yet last month alone, she invited me to two of these events. Is there a polite way to get her to stop?
A: Your cousin may not realize you find it awkward to attend if you’re not buying. She might be asking you simply because she likes you and thinks you’d enjoy meeting her other guests.
Honesty is the best policy here. Tell your cousin politely that you appreciate her invitations, but you feel uncomfortable accepting them because your budget is so limited.
If you don’t want to create hard feelings, go the extra mile and invite her over to your house. She’d probably be pleased to take a break from selling and enjoy some downtime with you.
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When a person sneezes more than once in a row, how many times should you say “Bless You” ? When we’re in public and someone starts sneezing like five to six times in a row, he continues with “Bless You” each time. We say after the first one, stop because you then are putting the sneezer in an awkward and embarrasing position. PLEASE SETTLE THIS!!!
Once is enough; more than that, and yes, it becomes embarrassing to the person sneezing and the “Bless You,” rather than offering comfort, becomes distressing.
I’m a consultant and team leader for a direct sales company. When a person starts their own direct sales (in-home party) business, they’re encouraged to make a list of family and friends and ask everyone on that list if they are interested in hosting a party. Unfortunately, many consultants turn to that same list time and again. Be clear that you are not at all interested in hosting a party. Too often people make it sound like their answer is “not this month” instead of “not in the foreseeable future” or “never.”