Are All Our Costs Increasing at Once???

[krzymomof4]

I am trying to come out of the desperation phase I have been in for awhile now. Baby steps I guess.

 

[sfdavis918]

I am trying to come out of the desperation phase I have been in for awhile now. Baby steps I guess.

I'm with you! I have been in that phase too but am going to stop. I agree that our host program is great, but if I'm offering extra incentives, then I'm not really projecting that, am I???? I need to believe in the program for others to really want it!!

 

[chef_kimmo]

The only time I have offered incentives is from drawings from fairs such as a Free show to the winner. I have to say though if I am really needing bookings I will have more than one "winner". Other than that I seldom offer more and when I have no one has booked.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Yeah - but I have a whole lot less into my host folder!
2 Catalogs ($.90)
5 OOF
5 postcard invites
Folder ($.10 usually from Back to School sales)
Guest List sheet
Show Planner (free or minimal cost)
Cover Letter
50 Guests Flyer
Opportunity Brochure

Probably $2.00 total - and not many of them cancel.......if I mailed all of them, I would have the cost of the Host Folder PLUS the cost of mailing!

My point too! I only put in 3 catalogs (no, the host usually doesn't need more), 5 OOF, the folder (usually $.07-$.10), guest list sheet, show planner (free), cover letter & opp. brochure. So it is cheaper to hand them out than to mail them. Plus I've only had one show I can think of that cancelled completely after I handed out the folder that I never got back. All the others usually just postponed their shows if anything.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

the other part of offering too much, when you are trying to recruit they think they have to do all this too.

I had a recent host during the show keep telling guests the guest who spent the most would get the dozen red roses on her coffee table.
Every guest that came got a gift, the first person to arrive got a gift, the people who brought a friend got a gift, the person who booked got a gift. while I was taking orders she would announce who had spent the most
It was very annoying to me, embarrassing to her guests and made my giveaways seem cheap. She wanted to sell, I told her upfront if she wanted bookings and to make $$ she couldn't do the roses etc. She was miffed and
told me I was demanding. Whatever!!

I just explained how our program worked and that bookings were the lifeline of our business & if people were expecting all the extras it might be hard for her to do PC.

 

[DanielleQ]

PC offers an AMAZING host program!!!! DON'T OFFER INCENTIVES!!!! If the free product and host special isn't enough, they most likely won't book anyway. Offering incentives shows desperation. We work hard for our $$$$ so keep it!!!! Plus, once you start offering incentives, it's hard to stop because your customers expect it. Work with what PC offers. You will see the $$ come in.

And there is no requirement to mail the invitations. Consultants do this to cut down on their cancellations. Since I started sending the invites 3 years ago, I've had 2 shows cancel. But I knew they were cancelled at least 2 weeks prior because I didn't have a guest list. I wasn't stressing the day of the show "wondering" if it was going to happen. As a side note, hosts don't even get a host packet from me until I get their guest list. What's the point? No guest list... no show... no need for host packet. Plus, when they book, I want their focus to be ONLY on their guest list. Once that's done, we plan a great party for her.

One last thing in comparing other DS companies... I have a friend who sells a jewelry line... her minimum sales EACH MONTH to stay active is $1500. YIKES!

Yikes! Which company is that? My mom just signed with a jewelry company and it's pretty expensive, so I wonder if that's it.

 

[krzymomof4]

Premier is $1500 plus they have to pay like $300 each year to remain a consultant.

 

[heat123]

On paper my business doesn't make much money either (I "made" less than $1000 last year after deductions of expenses) but I pay my car payment every month, bought a new computer, paid for several weekend trips away and vacation, of course, all business expenses, and other things.

Keep track of everything and you will probably see that you actually are contributing with your PC income.

That is so me too Beth, making cc card payments, several weekender trips for me and DH or just myself and a family trip to Disneyland this year and misc. things then showing not a whole lot of income after taxes