Do You or Your Host Pay for the Show Recipe Ingrdients?

[Katiek77]

I have a consultant friend who always pays for the ingrdients for her show recipes. I'm just wonderfing if this helps for bookings or if it causes one to pay too much out of pocket for the recipe?

Right now I have the hostess pay for the recipe. However I may use paying for the recipe as an incentive for my hostess to get more guests in attandance.
Katie

 

[Jen1409]

the host always pays for them

 

[chefjeanine]

When my host sends me a guest list of 45 names, addresses and phone numbers by the date I specify, I pay for the ingredients for the recipe we are preparing.

The ingredients are a tax write-off and it's more than worth it to get a list that big.

 

[NooraK]

The host pays. That's why they get a $15 Hospitality Bonus. I get the "you have to spend money to earn money" concept, but I want the "spend money" to be as little as possible.

 

[kdangel518]

I also have the host pay- as with Noora, the program is set up for the host to pay and that's why there is the $15 Hospitality bonus, to thank them for providing the ingredients.

If it's a cooking show for a fundraiser I will bring the ingredients, but I only have a few cooking show fundraisers each year- most of those are catalog shows. I will raffle off a free cooking show at a booth/fair and sometimes offer it as an incentive when I'm doing games at shows around the holidays, but this is mostly a one off thing.

99% of the time the host buys the ingredients, and no one has ever complained. If they have 15 or more confirmed guests I will bring a simple appetizer (bread and dipping seasoning/oil or cream cheese with pineapple rum sauce and crackers) or quick dessert (microwave lava cake).

 

[pampchefsarah]

I agree with Noora. We decide on the recipe, and I send the shopping list. There are two exceptions:

If we're making the Incredible 30 Minute Chicken to turn into Chicken Caesar Salad, I buy and cook the chicken ahead of time, so I can demonstrate how well the DCB (or, any stone) keeps the food warm for hours.

A couple of weeks ago I had two shows in one day, and the second we made the Tiramisu Brownie Trifle, so I baked the brownies ahead of time, so they'd be cool and so the show would be done quicker. In cases like these, I don't request reimbursement, just mark the receipt in put in my tax file.

For some recipes, like the above Trifle, where there's an ingredient I have on hand which the host may balk at having to buy, I'll let them know I'll bring it with me (in this case, it was the rum extract).

No host has ever complained about having to buy the ingredients, and no potential host has ever asked how much they are going to have to spend. In my experience, then, it would not be a booking advantage.

 

[raebates]

If I'm doing one of my Walk through the Catalog shows, I pay for the ingredients. I'm making something at home and am able to keep the cost really low.

If I'm doing anything else, the host pays.

 

[pc_jessica]

The host buys the ingredients for whatever recipe she chooses (i give three options of recipes). I have never had anyone complain about this. However if she lets me know that there is going to be at least 10 guests and has outside orders I will take another quick recipe with me (cream cheese and spicy pineapple rum sauce with crackers).

 

[gilchrist_pchef]

At the beigining of my business I had the hosts pay for ingredients and it was just awful... they always got the wrong stuff or forgot something! I then decided to just pay for them myself and when there are leftovers I get to take them home I just do one cheap recipe and keep it quick and simple. I tell hosts that if they want to fix more that is great, but if not they just get the drinks. They love it and my schedule is always booked! I consistantly sell around $3000 a month and do about 4-5 shows a month. I don't spend more than $15 on any show, usually less. I think it is up to you and where you live. Here in the South where I am people want cheap recipes. If they wanted more expensive recipes then I would make them pay for ingredients.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

I do the shopping but have the host reimburse me $15 (or less if the actual cost was less). If their show reaches $1,000, I pay for the ingredients. I also do unlimited half-price once they reach $1,000. The unlimited half-price is a greater motivator so I may drop the free ingredients. I do give away "free" shows from booths, where I pay for the ingredients.

If you feel the need to offer an incentive, do a product where you'll earn commission and have it count for promotions. Whatever you do, you have to market it and communicate it. For example, during my host coaching I let them know about the unlimited half-price, but they usually get really motivated by it when I wrap up the show for the night. If they're at $800 and have several friends who said they want to order, you better believe they're working the phone and getting those orders and get more than $1,000. Typically they don't order much beyond the 4 half-price that the company provides after using up their free (and I make sure the 4 half-price are to my advantage when I put them in P3, ie. the most expensive items). My last $1,000 show, my consultant gift on the host order was $7.

Becca

 

[Sheila]

I do not buy the ingredients, I leave that up to the host. There have been a couple of times where I've said that I had the food coloring, or the garlic and bring it. But otherwise, I don't go to the store to pick up items for a show.

 

[cathyskitchen]

Host always buys the ingredients. I go over the shopping list in my 3rd Host Coaching call so she gets all the right stuff. I even call on my way there to ask if she couldn't find anything so I can stop on the way. I don't spend more on my business than I'm making, or I wouldn't make any money!! They get the $15 in free product value for buying the ingredients, so why should I buy them? I think it sets a precedent that you better be prepared to follow through on forever, and I wasn't willing to do that. JMO

 

[pcchefjane]

It depends on the Host. I had a lady call me 2 weeks ago to book a Show. I told her that since it was her very first Show, I would buy the ingredients. She is thinking about the biz as well as gave me 39 names/addresses for guests and has 20 CONFIRMED guests tomorrow night plus I put a sticker on the minis I mailed out to "Bring a guest and get a free gift"! I think she is going to do very well! She was so excited tonight!