How Can I Motivate My Host for a Successful Holiday Open House?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

This thread explores the challenges and experiences of Pampered Chef consultants regarding motivating hosts for holiday open houses. Participants share personal anecdotes about their own shows, host attitudes, and strategies for engagement.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, discusses a host who is hesitant to pressure friends and is not actively inviting guests, leading to frustration.
  • Another participant shares their experience of a host who was enthusiastic but did not follow up with potential guests, resulting in a low turnout.
  • Several users mention that smaller shows can allow for more personal connections and may lead to bookings or recruit leads, despite lower sales totals.
  • One participant notes that expectations can affect perceptions of success, sharing a story where a seemingly unenthusiastic host had a successful show.
  • Another participant reflects on their experience with a low turnout but highlights the importance of building relationships and having fun during the event.
  • One participant mentions the impact of location on sales, indicating that shows further from home may yield different results.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the effectiveness of hosts' attitudes and the importance of expectations, with some participants emphasizing the unpredictability of show outcomes.

Contextual Notes

Participants share experiences from holiday-themed shows, often highlighting the challenges of low attendance and host reluctance during a busy season.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants looking for insights into managing host relationships and expectations during holiday events may find this discussion relevant.

Y
Yakmama
Messages
199
I have a host who is having a "holiday open house" at her home on Thursday. She told me she didn't' want it to be high pressure, so I was just going to put out a couple of things and have some food samples. I was also going to have a "hot cocoa making station" and have the ingredients out so the guests can make little packets of hot cocoa mix and hopefully get some sales of "coffee and more" mugs.

Anyways- I've been coaching her for a month now, and every time I talk to her she says, "I don't want to pressure my friends. No one has money right now. I don't know how many people are going to come," etc. etc. I come back with the "now more than ever" speech, but she's not buying it.

It's my ONLY cooking show on the books for December- so I REALLY need it. Any ideas on what I can do to put a fire under her? Her show is this Thurs and I don't' think she's really putting any effort into inviting people. This is also over an hour's drive away from me.

I also know for a fact that she lives in a HUGE gorgeous house, but she is always telling me how tiny it is, and that she can't fit many people into it, etc. etc.

Ugh - this is so frustrating.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #2
Oh- I also thought I'd add that she is very very very nice and I could tell from the beginning that she didn't really want to do this, but she is doing it as a "favor" to me.
 
Since the drive is so far, and many of my shows are an hours drive.

I would ask the guest to give me a "confirmed" headcount (and normally for an hours drive I require 10 guests and since its too late, I would have said 3-5 outside orders) If it is less then 10 people coming, I would say to the host, would you like to turn it into a catalog show?

Personally if you have a gut feeling about it not going well, you are probably right. I don't have any Dec. bookings, and I am not stressing. Its a bad time of year for people and regardless of the speech, I wouldn't buy that speech if I was a host either.

Don't give up, but learn from this.
Good Luck
 
I had a variation of this on Friday, and it was also my only December show. The host seemed enthusiastic but didn't want to put any effort into it. About a week before the show, he directed me to his community website and I sent 82 evites. He did not follow up with any of these neighbors; and didn't reach out to friends until I told him that none of his neighbors were attending. So we wound up with his mom, his wife's mom, a couple, and a single guy as guests. The host wound up ordering more than everyone else put together, so it wound up being almost $400.00.

Fortunately, the host, his wife, and the guests were genuinely nice people who treated me as more of a new friend than a worker bee, so it was a pleasant experience. Plus, I may have gotten a booking out of it.

What is my point? Don't go in with any expectations, and clearly explain to her that sales need to be at least $150 for her to have free shipping, her friends to have $4.25 shipping etc. That seemed to wake up my host. Enjoy meeting new people, and focus on bookings instead of sales.

Good luck!
 
Susan, sounds like my show on Friday. When I spoke to my host, she did not have a lot of people coming. But I really wanted to get the new spring product being offered in Dec and since I only have one other party, figured I did not want to postpone Friday's party. And what a perfect time for me to finally try the 30 minute chicken recipe. Not so many witnesses if I screw up. Got to the house and she only had 3 guests!! Not very promising but we made the 30 minute chicken and used it for the jerk chicken nachos. The host and one guest bought the dcb. The 2nd guest is thinking about getting one. The other guest booked a party for Feb and is considering becoming a consultant. Yes, at this point the party is at $350 which is one of my worst on record but sometimes, it is not about the commission. We spent time talking about the business, and how much fun I am having. I tried out a new recipe and got great feedback. And I was able to really connect with the women and we had fun.
 
wow doughmama - 2 dcbs, a booking and a recruit lead! you made the most of that show!

sometimes the smaller shows allow you to relax and focus more on the host and guests, which can improve your chances of bookings and recruit leads.
 
WOW I thought I was the only one on Friday with a low show. Okay so my show is at $116 thanks to two orders I put from others, there were two guests plus the host even after the host told me 6 the day before. But the host wants to join, one guest wants to do a show but I told the host that if she joins that show could be her's and both the guest and host got excited (thats a good sign), and so I guess it wasn't too bad.

The house was a mess but I brought my 6ft table and I ended up putting the hot cocoa mix together for the people instead of them doing it but I was fine with that since we talked so much about the business and products.

Oh well, we live, we learn, and move on!!
 
Well, my show on Friday was at just a few dollars over $400 when I left the house.....that would be great if there had only been 5 or 6 people there.....but there was about 15! But it was the area. I know if I do shows closer to my home the totals are lower....more people pay with cash and order less than $20.....whereas if I go about 45 miles away down toward Atlantic City 15 people would easily mean $750.
 
I agree about not going in with certain expectations... I had a host that had a DIL in the hospital a couple weeks before her show, and every time that I talked to her she was just very ho-hum about the whole show thing, and I was driving about an hour away. I figured it was going to be such a waste of my time, gas and babysitting money. When I got there, she had made a ton of food, had the house looking really nice, a ton of people came, and her show total was over $800, and I got one booking. That showed me never to judge by the hosts attitude (completely), then sometimes you the opposite, someone telling you they always have huge totals in guests and sales and end up with 3 guests and had to purchase stuff herself to get to $150... but that's another show....... Win some Lose some!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #10
Here's the update. Her house looked beautiful- but I only had $151.50 in sales ($50 of it was from outside orders that I got myself). It kind of flopped- but oh well. At least it goes towards my SAT product.
 
Sorry for the outcome. I didn't read the original post date, and was like you're doing a party on Christmas??? LOL
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some effective incentives I can offer my host for a successful holiday open house?

Consider offering your host exclusive discounts on products, free items based on sales thresholds, or a special gift for hosting the event. You can also create a tiered incentive structure where the more sales generated, the better the rewards for the host.

How can I help my host promote the holiday open house?

Provide your host with promotional materials such as invitations, social media graphics, and sample posts. Encourage them to share their excitement about the event with friends and family, and suggest they create a Facebook event to reach a wider audience.

What themes can I suggest to my host to make the open house more appealing?

Suggest themes like "Holiday Baking Extravaganza," "Festive Appetizers," or "Cozy Winter Meals." These themes can help guide the product demonstrations and create a fun atmosphere that encourages guests to engage and purchase.

How can I ensure my host feels supported leading up to the event?

Maintain regular communication with your host, offering assistance and encouragement. Schedule a planning call to discuss the event details, answer any questions, and provide tips for success. Being available and proactive will help them feel confident and motivated.

What follow-up strategies can I recommend to my host after the holiday open house?

Encourage your host to send thank-you notes to attendees, share photos from the event on social media, and follow up with guests who expressed interest in products. This not only fosters relationships but can also lead to additional sales and bookings for future events.

You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar Pampered Chef Threads

How to Motivate a Reluctant Party Host?
  • beckysuem
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
5
Views
2K
thefoodking
Game Ideas and Thoughts for an Open House
  • Sara Dawn
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
4
Views
7K
byrd1956
Help Me Prep for Successful Recruit's Open House!
  • vogee13
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
2
Views
2K
Admin Greg
How Do I Setup and Run a Facebook Mystery Host Virtual Show?
  • Roadtripray
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
2
Views
6K
Admin Greg
Applying the $25 Host Special for My Host this Month
  • Diamond
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
6
Views
5K
bellakieu
Holiday Host Packet Mystery - What Is It?
  • lisa717
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
4
Views
1K
Wildfire
Join Us for a Holiday Open House and Get Excited for Gifts, Games, and Prizes!
  • ChefKelebel
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
6
Views
2K
ChefKelebel
Host a Successful Holiday Open House: Tips and Ideas for a Memorable Event
  • FromMaria'sKitchen
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
22
Views
3K
PCSarahjm
Can I Secure a Repeat Host and Beat the Competition? Find Out How!
  • Intrepid_Chef
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
10
Views
2K
Intrepid_Chef
How can I spread the word about my Pampered Chef Open House/Grand Opening Show?
  • ChefgoesPamperedChef
    • Pampered Chef Shows
Replies
12
Views
3K
scottcooks
Back
Top