anOpen House With 6 Different Ds Consultants

[Sheila]

This is a whole new thing that I'm trying. Not sure if any of you have done it before. I was approached by a Consultant from another DS company about doing an Open House here on the Military Base in Japan.

Friday night, there will be 6 Consultants from 6 different DS companies (Pampered Chef, Longaberger, PartyLite, Mary Kay, Tupperware & The Angel Company) participating. Each Consultant will have a table to display products & each Consultant is bringing a prize valued at $100 plus an additional 5-6 items to be raffled during the event.

Guests get 1 Raffle Ticket for attending, 3 Raffle Tickets for bringing a friend, 4 Raffle Tickets for bringing an outside order, 10 Raffle Tickets for booking a show at the event and 20 Raffle Tickets for signing up at the event to be a consultant. Additional Raffle Tickets can be purchased for $0.50 each.

During the 2 hour event, over $700 in prizes will be raffled.

As the guests enter, they will "sign in" at the front table with their contact information & then be given their 1st Raffle Ticket for attending. At the end of the night, the woman who organized this will take the list home, type up all the contact info in an Excel Spreadsheet & e-mail it to the other 5 consultants. So there's really no need for marketing techniques to get leads as everyone who attends will become a lead for all the consultants.

I did a flyer and each of the 6 consultants e-mailed it to our customers. So far, we are getting a pretty good response. We have about 75 RSVP's thus far. The room capacity is 150. I'm attaching a copy of the flyer in case any of you are interested in seeing how we advertised.

Anybody have any other tips or advice to help increase on the spot sales at the event?

Any other suggestions are welcomed too!

 

[pcchefjane]

The flyer looks great! Good luck!

 

[Sheila]

Thanks Jane!

I've been waiting for someone to give some suggestions, but I'm too sleepy to stay awake (it's 11:30 PM here in Japan). So I'm going to head to bed. Hoping to see some suggestions that can help me make lots of sales on Friday night!

Come on Ladies & Gentlemen! I know you are out there & just full of good ideas.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

WOW!! mot sure I'd want to be out that much $$$
good Luck

 

[babywings76]

WOW!! mot sure I'd want to be out that much $$$
good Luck

I thought the same thing. I guess there should be a good turnout since there's going to be the possibility of winning great stuff and the different vendors appeal to different people. But I'd be hesitant to give $100 value item PLUS 5 or 6 more items to be raffled. Since there's so many vendors, do you think the people are going to hate to be on the lists of all of them? Following up with them after the event, I'd be afraid they might blow me off. It seems like it would take a lot of bookings to get that $ back also. But I have zero experience with this kind of stuff. Hopefully others will have more concrete advice for you. Good luck though! Keep us posted on your details!

 

[Sheila]

The life out here is a little different than in the states. We don't have the ability to run to the Mall, Wal-Mart or Target. We all live by direct sales companies and mail orders. And the 6 consultants are all good about sending out ONE mailing a month. None of us do multiple mailings. So I really don't think we'll have a high ratio of people saying "I just came for the freebies, now go away and leave me alone."

And it's $100 of retail value. That's not what any of us actually paid. The additional 5-6 gifts are small stuff like you would give away at your shows. I'm not concerned about the investment. It's well worth the "word of mouth" in our small community.

 

[stefani2]

What about offering an incentive - no gst, no shipping, etc.

OR

advertise that you are grouping orders to make the draw for a Mystery Host.

 

[stefani2]

Sorry, I am from Canada - GST = tax

 

[legacypc46]

I started my business overseas (germany), and you are so right about the shopping environment! I still think a $100 in prizes per consultant is awfully high though. I've participated in events involving over 1000 people and the most I've ever been asked to donate is $50.

My concern is not simply the amount of personal investment but the potential to set high expectations. I've seen consultants give away a lot at their shows, and then customers come to expect it.

Do you have the option of offerring a $100 'gift certificate' instead of actual items? If you have $150 or more in sales, you can then make the raffle winner the co-host of your show. (Just make sure you demo or serve something so it can be a cooking show...since you can't be a co-host on a catalog show.)

 

[Sheila]

Jenna, we are tax exempt on the Military Base. We are also restricted by SOFA Status Regulations where we are not allowed to accept mail for others. So "Ship to Host" option is OUT. Each person has to have their merchandise shipped directly to them. So if I offered free shipping, it would add up really quickly.

But I just :love: LOVE :love: the Mystery Host idea ... hmmm, decisions, decisions! I was really wanting to use the host benefits to obtain more items for future events!

- - -

Most of you seem to be fixated on the amount of the prizes, let me reitterate that all of the consultants have used their discounts to purchase the prize items so none of us have actually spent $100 on the prizes. The items I'm giving away were purchased as half price items or 40% off.

This is the first time that we are doing this. We'll see how it goes & then decide if it's cost effective to keep going with big prizes, lower the amount of prizes or stop & not do it again.


Legacy, a $100 Gift Certificate would actually be $100 out of my pocket. It's more cost effective for me to give away items that I've purchased at a discount.

And yes, it will be considered a Cooking Show. I'm making brownies in the Mini Muffin Pan & taking the EAD with Peanut Butter to let them try the EAD on their own brownie. I'm also taking some veggies to let them try the Forged Cutlery Knives & the Ultimate Mandoline. I'd like to do more, but not sure yet if we are going to have 1 or 2 tables each, so I may not have room to do more.

 

[cltrinity]

ok well I thought was all ready for the start of October when I set up advertising through US Bank, but need help!!!!!!

Every month the bank highlights a Business of the Month where you can set up a table, display, etc.. for the month. I signed for October but now that the time is getting closer I not so sure I know what to set up now.

The bank supplies the table and thats it. One business had baskets made up and place through out on individual desks. I dont want it to be to much info but enough for people to take notice (or to read while standing in line)

I do have enough to form 1-2 baskets. I just need input please help!!!

 

[jcsmilez]

Sheila,Beautiful flyer! I was concerned about the amount given away for the same reasons that leggy stated (customers come to expect it) but it sounds like you are set on that so good luck and let us know how it goes. The one thing I would change about your flyer is the names with email addresses, could you make space to put their company? People may want to RSVP to "the Pampered Chef" person or something like that. It will also help in case someone sees your flyer and wants to purchase something from you but can't come to the event.

 

[Sheila]

Tristen, I'll keep your suggestion about adding the company name with the e-mail address in mind for future flyers! Great idea.

ETA, I did put the e-mail address directly above the photo of the product that the person sales. Guess that doesn't pop as much as I thought it would! LOL

 

[ChefBeckyD]

First - I love your signature, it makes me smile every time I see it!

Then - I don't have much advice, because it sounds like your situation, being on a Military Base, is very different than it would be to do this here. But I love your flyer. I think it's fun and creative, and it would make me want to come to the party!

 

[ilovepc]

Love the flyer. Great job!

 

[Jenni]

I don't think $100 in prizes is to high... people pay that to rent tables all time. It's not like it cost you $100! I normally would read a flier like that and not go but I must say those big prizes would probably draw me in. I am one of those people who often win things... by husband says I'm lucky! I haven't won the big lottery yet, darn

 

[Sheila]

We have a Typhoon (for those of you in the states, that's a Hurricane) headed our way. It's supposed to hit Friday Night or Saturday Morning. :grumpy: I'm hoping it holds off until Saturday! Our event is supposed to be on Friday night.

 

[noelskitchen]

Sheila,

What program did you use to make the balloons with all the different companies names. I'm doing the same type of event in November with 6 other types of consultants and I'm in charge of the flyer. We are doing a holiday open house.

 

[Sheila]

Noel, I used Microsoft Digital Image Suite 2006 Editor.

 

[noelskitchen]

Thanks, I wonder if I can create that effect in Word with writing the company names, I have Publisher but not sure how to do the flyer

 

[Sheila]

I don't think Word will allow you to create transparent balloons or group them like that. You will probably have to create your balloons in another program and then bring them into Word as an existing photo.

 

[Sheila]

The event was fun! We had a Typhoon (Hurricane) off the coast & lots of rain, so our turn out was very low. Only about 40 people. But the guests had a BLAST! We were doing prize drawings every few minutes, and the guests were so excited, no one left. They were all screaming & clapping each time a number was drawn. Between the 6 consultants, we took $1,500 in orders, booked 12 shows and signed 1 new consultant.

We are thinking about doing regular events every 3 months. We already have 2 consultants with different companies who have contacted me wanting to join in the fun the next time. It looks like our event may continue to grow!

 

[Sheila]

2 days after the event, I had another person who didn't get to attend call & book a show!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Congratulations Sheila! Glad it turned out so well for you!

 

[Jenni]

40 people is still a pretty good turn out in opinion... glad to hear you had a great time with your business I think thats the key to success.

 

[Sheila]

Thanks ladies! The shows are just rolling in!! I've booked two more shows since my last post!

I also have 2 more people who told me today that they just gave out my info to someone they knew who currently wants to host a show.

My current total is 5 shows booked in the last 4 days and just e-mailed a 6th lead. I'm still a newbie and have only done 8 Cooking Shows thus far. I only had 1 more Cooking Show on my calendar before my event on Friday night. So I'm loving that my 1 show just turned into 6 shows between now & January! And even better ... that the 5 new shows are all from people outside my current network. I guess the snowball effect has begun!!!

 

[tlag1986]

Thats terrific!!!!! Way to go.

 

[riggs62]

yay! great job!!

You've inspired me to get off my butt and do my own. I was supposed to do it last year and it just didn't work out. I'll start early this year!

Great flyer btw )