How Many Stress New Recruits Get Bookings Before Signing?

I'm struggling with this one. When I first started recruiting, I just let 'em sign with dates they wanted to work and off they go...my first five turned into kit-nappers. :cry:

After that I started strongly suggesting they ask around with their circle to see who would do a show for them if they started...a little better...some qualified and stayed, some qualified and left after struggling.

So now I'm contemplating "requiring" the potential recruits to have at least 4 shows on their calendar (they can do one or two of their own if they wish) BEFORE they sign.

It's so frustrating to see new consultants sign and then struggle to bookings. Any suggestions on getting new consultants off and running at a good clip? My director thinks I should just let 'em sign and then coach them to take the online classes, etc.

I'm curious as to what y'all do and what's been working (or not working) for you.

I don't know what to tell you. I have struggled w/ recruiting and retaining. If someone has wanted to sign right then I have never turned them down. I don't just sign them and drop them I always suggest having a coming out party, and calling everyone you know to tell them of your new adventure. I hope more can post!

i got burned by someone signing then not only not booking shows, but not even being able to get people to come to her "open house". my director requires 4-6 shows before signing, and now i know that's the way to go.

I encourage them to start a catalog show immediatley so we have a show ready to submit as soon as their kit arrives. I also offer to do their Grand Opening show for them.

susanr613 said:

i got burned by someone signing then not only not booking shows, but not even being able to get people to come to her "open house". my director requires 4-6 shows before signing, and now i know that's the way to go.

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How did you get "burned". I'm pretty new and I wondered what would happen if someone signed and then didn't do 4 shows... Does the director get "in trouble" somehow with HO?

pampermejolene said:

How did you get "burned". I'm pretty new and I wondered what would happen if someone signed and then didn't do 4 shows... Does the director get "in trouble" somehow with HO?

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You don't get in trouble but you can waste alot of your personal time working with someone who ends up stealing the kit or you help pay for it and they don't do any shows, etc.

I didn't vote because I haven't recruited anyone yet but I think I would have them at least have a couple shows, better than nothing. I can talk from experience that having no shows on the books when you first sign up is not good. I signed up the first night I talked to my director. We booked my kick off show for 2 weeks later. I had one booking two weeks after that and only two the next month. I just have to say that this was on the "old" program that counted your first month (not 30 days) from the first full month so I did have 3 extra weeks on my first month but it was not as good of a start as it should have been. I would never let another person go through what I went through! I wish my director had sat down and talked to me about show dates and how to book them. Like sitting down with my calendar, marking all my personal days down and then figuring out which days I could book the day she brought me my paperwork kit. Not just throwing on a date for my kick off show and then leaving with no other bookings figured out. There are going to be people who don't know what they are doing (like me) and wouldn't really see it as a bad thing to start "pushing" them to get bookings! I struggled my first four months because I really had no clue about getting bookings on my calendar.

My director (to be) apparently rocks. :-D

All it took was her telling me about the extra incentives you get the first 30 days, and I was like "how do I do that?" She told me about how long it would take to get the kit, and that we'd strategically order the kit to arrive a couple days before my first show, and of course, the fast start kit thing (which I've already got) is a huge help. I'm actually sending out a package for a friend who's going to do a catalog show for me now... even though I'm not signing until Mid May. She's going to collect orders and have it ready to go shortly after my month starts.

I think if you push the benefits to qualifying and doing well the first 30 days, it's a no brainer. Unless, of course, they're a kitnapper. (love that word!)

Here's my two cents...

I chose option #2 b/c it's not my business to run. Yes, I am helping them get started & I do want them to succeed. But, if they don't, it's not my fault. Saying that I require them to have those dates booked is me trying to control what they're going to do. There's nothing stopping someone who is going to be a kitnapper (ultimately, I think they know this going in) from writing down 4 names & show dates. Are you going to call their family & friends before you sign the agreement with them?

Give your recruits the information about the rewards program, find out what they want & help them succeed.

I do require my new consultants to have at least 4 shows set up before they sign. I don't nessesarily make them have them all dated, but I have them do a list of 100 and start calling before they sign. I also explain to them that we are doing this so that they have a good head start. I have had very few kitnappers since I started doing this. While I know it is their business, I also don't want to see them set themselves up to fail. I have seen too many new consultants start out very excited, but because they hadn't started the ball rolling first they immediately got frustrated and gave up. This way they know they have those first few shows and so a little of the presure is off and they can maintain that excitement. I also tell them to encourage their first few hosts to make sure there are people they don't know to those fisrt few shows, so that they get outside their original circle of friends quickly.

I'm leaning towards this. My first 2 recruits have done nothing and are now inactive. I've got a couple more recruits that I'm working with, and I'm encouraging them to line up their first 4 shows.

Part of the problem is that some don't treat PC as a business! And I'm referring to current consultants and potentials. But this is a business! If you got a job at Target, would they hire you and say, "Okay... look at your calendar and let me know which 4 days in the next month you want to work!" No... they would say, "Here's when you're working!"

Obviously, we can't and won't do that as recruiters. With that though, if they don't have the 4 shows lined up, we are basically telling them that it's not okay to work, and then when they don't work, the complaints start flying! It can't be both ways.

HO is committed to our success and that is why they ask us to have 4 shows lined up when we sign... and that statistics have show that those who qualify within 30 days have a higher rate of sticking with PC.

Plus, if they do have the 4 shows lined up, you can be sure they won't be a kitnapper!

Here's what I usually suggest for the 4 shows so it doesn't overwhelm them... 1. Their own grand opening show 2. A cooking show with a friend 3. Catalog show with someone local and 4. catalog show with someone out of town. This gives them specific people to look for as hosts.

When calling to get the shows, I have her use the 40 Contacts in 4 Minutes sheet because the List of 100 can be overwhelming! She fills that sheet out (usually with me at the interview or soon there after) and starts calling. On the call, she asks if they would host a cooking show... if yes, she dates it. If no, she asks for a catalog show. If no, she asks them to attend her Grand Opening. The calls are easy to make for 2 reasons: 1. she already knows who she's going to call and 2. she knows what to say (aren't those the 2 main reasons we don't pick up the phone?). It gets her past that fear immediately!

Anyway... hope that helps a little... Have a great Monday!

I put option "c", but agree it isn't a matter of requiring them to have shows...it's their business not mine.

I explain to potential consultants that my job is to help set them up for success and benefit from the amazing new consultant program (PC$) as much as possible. If they agree, the goal is to at least qualify in 30 days...so that means having a plan of some kind. Most opt for getting at least four shows (cooking and catalog) scheduled within 30 days. (Sometimes, this means delaying their sign date so the timeline works more to their benefit.) We're each ultimately responsible for own success, but having a plan at the start makes a huge difference (in my humble opinion ). As Colleen said, treating this as a business is the foundation for achieving one's goals....even for hobbyist.

Like most directors, I'm willing to invest a lot of time and energy to help consultants get a successful start and then achieve/maintain whatever business goals they have (hobbyist, part-time, or full-time). Most respect that effort, but it's frustrating when they don't (happily, those are the minority....and the few I've had aren't on this board).

On the other hand, I have no respect for someone who is just interested in taking the kit and doesn't feel the contract means anything. The Pampered Chef is more than generous (I think) in asking for only four shows or $1250 in sales...it's a fair expectation. If I get that it's just the kit they're interested in, I tell them up front I'd rather they not sign with me. If they want to just qualify and then stop, I'll support them. (I hope that doesn't sound harsh. I'm actually a softie at heart, really :angel: )

finley1991 said:

Part of the problem is that some don't treat PC as a business! And I'm referring to current consultants and potentials. But this is a business! If you got a job at Target, would they hire you and say, "Okay... look at your calendar and let me know which 4 days in the next month you want to work!" No... they would say, "Here's when you're working!"

Obviously, we can't and won't do that as recruiters. With that though, if they don't have the 4 shows lined up, we are basically telling them that it's not okay to work, and then when they don't work, the complaints start flying! It can't be both ways.

HO is committed to our success and that is why they ask us to have 4 shows lined up when we sign... and that statistics have show that those who qualify within 30 days have a higher rate of sticking with PC.

Plus, if they do have the 4 shows lined up, you can be sure they won't be a kitnapper!

Here's what I usually suggest for the 4 shows so it doesn't overwhelm them... 1. Their own grand opening show 2. A cooking show with a friend 3. Catalog show with someone local and 4. catalog show with someone out of town. This gives them specific people to look for as hosts.

When calling to get the shows, I have her use the 40 Contacts in 4 Minutes sheet because the List of 100 can be overwhelming! She fills that sheet out (usually with me at the interview or soon there after) and starts calling. On the call, she asks if they would host a cooking show... if yes, she dates it. If no, she asks for a catalog show. If no, she asks them to attend her Grand Opening. The calls are easy to make for 2 reasons: 1. she already knows who she's going to call and 2. she knows what to say (aren't those the 2 main reasons we don't pick up the phone?). It gets her past that fear immediately!

Anyway... hope that helps a little... Have a great Monday!

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I never did a list of 100 because of this. I come from a very small family and a small circle of friends. I tried several times to do a list of 100 but it never worked for me.

I at least have them schedule a Grand Opening party that I attend, and I tell them I'll help them get bookings. Then, I announce at the Grand Opening that the whole point of it is to help XXX get started in her business, and she needs 3-4 good friends to set dates for parties with her. That usually gets the bookings they need. But, most of mine have had their first 4 booked when they signed, so it wasn't like pulling teeth. I think offering to help them get their first few shows booked at their Grand Opening is the best way to go, esp. for people who can't seem to book on their own at first. HTH!

finley1991 said:

Here's what I usually suggest for the 4 shows so it doesn't overwhelm them... 1. Their own grand opening show 2. A cooking show with a friend 3. Catalog show with someone local and 4. catalog show with someone out of town. This gives them specific people to look for as hosts.

When calling to get the shows, I have her use the 40 Contacts in 4 Minutes sheet because the List of 100 can be overwhelming! She fills that sheet out (usually with me at the interview or soon there after) and starts calling. On the call, she asks if they would host a cooking show... if yes, she dates it. If no, she asks for a catalog show. If no, she asks them to attend her Grand Opening. The calls are easy to make for 2 reasons: 1. she already knows who she's going to call and 2. she knows what to say (aren't those the 2 main reasons we don't pick up the phone?). It gets her past that fear immediately!

Anyway... hope that helps a little... Have a great Monday!

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I love the suggestions of the 4 shows...I'm definitely going to try that one out on my next recruit (and my current ones who are struggling, too).

Thanks!