Is the PWS Worth It? A Broke Consultant's Guide to Deciding

As a *very* broke new consultant, is it worth getting the PWS? I know the rate is going up at the end of the month, so I know I should do it now if I plan to do it in the near future. Just looking for some input... Thanks!

kdietrich said:

As a *very* broke new consultant, is it worth getting the PWS? I know the rate is going up at the end of the month, so I know I should do it now if I plan to do it in the near future. Just looking for some input... Thanks!

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PWS? (please humor my ignorance!):blushing:

Pampered Chef Website

vtchef said:

Pampered Chef Website

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lol! Ahh yes...Duh! :blushing: Thank you!

i haven't had any orders from my website yet but i have had my hosts get their e-vites out that way... i'm glad i got it.

I just got my first order from it. It was a nice surprise to get an email with confirmation of activity. Too bad the buyer was anonomyous, so I can't even send a thank you email.

As for the PWS, I think it's definitely worth the money. A lot of my hosts use it to collect order from family and friends that don't live closeby and for evites, etc.

I'll definitely keep mine for as long as I'm a consultant.

Mine does not generate enough order to pay for itself at all. Maybe 1-2 orders per year. But I cannot make myself let it go either b/c I know I have people that "look" at it often.

Personal Web Site...and yes, it is worth every dime!

Mine has paid for itself. I have my hosts send emails to all their long-distance friends and family about their show with a link to ordering online. I've had at least 1 online order for every show I've had this past year.

Mine paid for itself in one show. You have to get your hosts to use it and then it's worth it.

As a director, I wouldn't go without a website. I'd miss out an A LOT of sales.

I live in an area (rural Indiana) where surprisingly few people have internet access. Still, I have at least one show a year that is handled mostly online. Those inevitably pay for my website.Also, I think having a website tells people that you're a professional. I feel like it gives me credibility when I'm speaking with other professionals.

I have had my website since they started offering them, and would never NOT have one. In this day and age, if you are in business, you need a website, period. The fact that PC offers one for us that is maintained by HO and they only charge us what they do is a HUGE bargain! Go ahead and do a search on how much it costs to create your own, have your own domain, manage it yourself or pay someone to manage it for you, be able to take payments (thru Paypal, etc.) and it really adds up. Believe me, the cost to us is minimal compared to what it would be if we had our own company and made it ourselves or paid someone to make one for us.

Aside from the fact that it's a bargain, you can't just say that it 'pays for itself' with orders or invites through shows. It's also an excellent PR tool for getting your name out there and keeping it out there. I use the Customer Connection emails as my regular monthly newsletter because they look professional and are consice and to the point. I can also now create groups of people (people from a bridal event that only want info on a registry, for example) and send messages to certain groups that are tailored to them. For the new recruiting promotion, I sent an email to all of the potential recruits I have about it through there - they are linked back to the website where they can peruse it, order, book a show or become a consultant right there.

Like I said, I gladly pay for my website every month b/c I think it's just part of my business - just like having catalogs and order forms. Also, all 3 of my August shows used only the email invitations through my website to invite their guests (they chose not to do the postcards, which saves us all money!), and they each have 12 - 15 people coming to their shows! It also easily allows the guests to invite a friend via email, and many more people are doing this lately, which is really boosting attendance. Like others said, if you can get your hosts to use the website, that is the best use of it of all - esp. for those outside orders from people who can't attend or who are out of town!!

Silly Question #7859Since I havent signed yet, I obviously dont have a website. I would like to have labels made. Is your website automatically your name? In other words, if I wanted to order them now, will I know what my website will be? (Got a sneaky feeling Im not gonna get the answer I want because Im trying to organize ahead of schedule!:blushing: )

Dena - you won't know until you apply for your website. Now, they are mostly making them people's names, but you never know if someone else has the same name as you and you have to pick something like "/denarella2" or something like that. I would wait.

It is always going to be .biz/.....
It just depends on the name you choose. If it is already in use, then you can't have it.
That said, type in your browser pc.biz/nameyouwant and if no ones name comes up, you should be fine.

ljeffries said:

It is always going to be .biz/.....
It just depends on the name you choose. If it is already in use, then you can't have it.
That said, type in your browser pc.biz/nameyouwant and if no ones name comes up, you should be fine.

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LOL! Easy enough, eh? Im guessing I will have to wait until I get closer...my luck, I'll order the stuff and presto I have a mysterious twin out there in Norway....

I would wait, too, until you can actually sign up for your website, because you will want it on your business cards also.

I get business from my website, plus, I am with the other poster, it is just professional and actually the 'norm' these days.

Denarella said:

Since I havent signed yet, I obviously dont have a website. I would like to have labels made. Is your website automatically your name? In other words, if I wanted to order them now, will I know what my website will be? (Got a sneaky feeling Im not gonna get the answer I want because Im trying to organize ahead of schedule!:blushing: )

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It has to contain your name, 1st or last or both but as others have pointed out someone could have selected the name you want and so you might have to add something else to it. I would not print anything with the website on it until you've signed up.

ljeffries said:

I would wait, too, until you can actually sign up for your website, because you will want it on your business cards also.

I get business from my website, plus, I am with the other poster, it is just professional and actually the 'norm' these days.

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Other poster?

I keep hearing that they are making you choose your first and last name for PWC--but that was NOT the case with me! I just signed up for it last month and I'm "kitchenCPR" (which is also used in my email).P.S. In my first show, I got 6 outside orders, including the hostess' mom in Alabama.

From what I've read, as long as you don't use "chef", "Pampered" or any word from "Discover the chef in you" tagline in your PWS name, you're good. Glad I wasn't able to get "ChefCathy" back when I signed up for mine - it was already taken, that's why I went with "CathysKitchen"!

'other poster' meaning raebates.
I could not remember who said 'Also, I think having a website tells people that you're a professional. I feel like it gives me credibility when I'm speaking with other professionals.' so I said 'other poster'. Sorry for any confusion.

Thanks for the feedback! I went ahead and signed up today. Unfortunately, I could only afford 6 months, but hopefully things won't be quite as tight next time around.

I had not gotten any hits on my site for 3-4 months. I am closing out a $600 show tomorrow. The host had 3 aunts in FL, they all went to my site and ordered. Each of them placed $40-$45 orders. I am thrilled, but til then I had not made any $ back off the site cost. I do keep it bc I have a lot of people that visits it and I love the email flyers and other benefits we get off it. So it is a win win - lose lose situation. But overall I am happy with it.

It is worth it, I just did a fundraiser with 21 outside orders through my website, my fundraiser was based in NJ but I got orders from FL, IL, NC, Michigan, VA...I don't know if I would have without it. I use it with each host, and get outside orders from shows as well. I tell everyone at my shows that I have the website, they can order 24/7 and I also tell them they can find the recipes I make at my shows on there too...that gives them a reason to go check it out...Plus you can write it off for taxes...

pckrissy said:

It is worth it, I just did a fundraiser with 21 outside orders through my website, my fundraiser was based in NJ but I got orders from FL, IL, NC, Michigan, VA...I don't know if I would have without it. I use it with each host, and get outside orders from shows as well. I tell everyone at my shows that I have the website, they can order 24/7 and I also tell them they can find the recipes I make at my shows on there too...that gives them a reason to go check it out...Plus you can write it off for taxes...

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Hey Krissy, why don't you tell them what your fundraiser $ amount turned out to be? (I'm dying for you to share it with them!! You should be SOOOO PROUD!!!)):thumbup:

Ok...My fundraiser was submitted at $6,508!!! and then I had people still asking if they could order after it was closed so I did another one and it closed at $512.01 so in all it was $7020.01

Also I love those email they have set up in Customer Connections...I sent one out the other day through there and got 3 bookings for September! I also sent out a recruiting email from there in the spring and signed a consultant.

pckrissy said:

Ok...My fundraiser was submitted at $6,508!!! and then I had people still asking if they could order after it was closed so I did another one and it closed at $512.01 so in all it was $7020.01

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Congratulations that is a great fundraiser.

I also use my PWS to be my e-mail info. For instance, I had an e-mail with adelphia, whom was then bought out by Time Warner. My e-mail changed 3 times in 6 months. I like the fact that I can advertise my website and it will keep my current e-mail there. I won't be changing my site name anytime soon.

I know I can go to yahoo or something similar and get a 'stable' e-mail, but I like the fact that I have my PWS printed on everything and can say, you can get my e-mail at my site. If they want to write it down, I do give it to them, but advertise my site more than my e-mail. Gives them another reason to go to my site !!

I have heard of consultants putting there e-mail on their cards, or stamps or whatever, then changing e-mail and having all their money wasted buying new cards / stamps and throwing away the old. I put my name, phone number, and PWS on them, not my e-mail.