Director Are We in a Changing Enviroment..again???

[pckelly]

So it seems that things in my area are changing again. For the last 4 years, I've had great success mailing the invitations for my hosts. Since January, I've STRUGGLED with getting guest lists from people. I've seen more cancellations due to no guest lists in the past 6 months than I've seen in my business in 14 years.

Is it time to change it up again? Is there something I'm missing? I had 8 shows for June and am now down to 4...feeling a little panic to say the least. What are you all doing to keep shows on the calendar? It seems like people don't want to be communicated with - not by email, by FB, by text and certainly not by phone. We are overwhelmed with methods of communication these days. I get that. So how are we to adapt to people who want to hide behind technology and screen your call, pretend they didn't get your email or cancel by text????? I"m at a loss here.

 

[cookingwithlove]

I feel your pain. My March turned over twice. I had that many cancellations. I really "sell" the guest list and insist on getting it. I make it due shortly after we book the date. I put a guest list in the packet and I email a copy for her to email back to me. I feel like most of my host coaching goes into the guest list. Not everyone gives me snail mail addresses, I get a lot of email address, but at least I know they are inviting people. If they insist on FB, I have them friend me and I set up the event and make them an administer. This way I can see who they are inviting and the responses they are getting. If they have no contact with me, I cancel their party and rebook their day. I no longer wait. If I don't get the guest list and I have asked about it twice, I consider the show cancelled.

 

[almondfarm]

OK... don't have a panic attack... but after listening to our team call from Michael Reeves... I no longer depend on paper invitations. I was never sending the invitations for them...
** To Listen to the Call ***
Dial - (605) 477-2199
Enter Access Code - 534366#
Ref #15

What I am doing is vigorously telling them to txt, email and facebook everyone and giving them about 25 full sheet invitations to mail to the few people who dont' have any of those and hand out at work.

It seems that it is working, because I am getting better attendance since I went to this. I am also offering to do phonevite for them.

As far as cancellations, my May has been horrible and I am just working to double book June as much as possible to ensure a great month! Would love some ideas there!

I do find that my hosts are more relaxed with me when I tell them that they just need to txt, email and facebook, plus do reminder calls and it is seeming to build a better relationship with them. I tell them that no matter who it is they need to invite them two ways.

I signed a recruit at my show on Thursday, because I was the most laid back PC lady she'd ever met... (we were doing margaritas, and I kept stopping for "refill breaks")

 

[ChefBeckyD]

OK... don't have a panic attack... but after listening to our team call from Michael Reeves... I no longer depend on paper invitations. I was never sending the invitations for them...
** To Listen to the Call ***
Dial - (605) 477-2199
Enter Access Code - 534366#
Ref #15

What I am doing is vigorously telling them to txt, email and facebook everyone and giving them about 25 full sheet invitations to mail to the few people who dont' have any of those and hand out at work.

It seems that it is working, because I am getting better attendance since I went to this. I am also offering to do phonevite for them.

As far as cancellations, my May has been horrible and I am just working to double book June as much as possible to ensure a great month! Would love some ideas there!

I do find that my hosts are more relaxed with me when I tell them that they just need to txt, email and facebook, plus do reminder calls and it is seeming to build a better relationship with them. I tell them that no matter who it is they need to invite them two ways.

I signed a recruit at my show on Thursday, because I was the most laid back PC lady she'd ever met... (we were doing margaritas, and I kept stopping for "refill breaks")

I posted about this same thing a couple months ago. I have hosts tell me flat out that they don't have addresses for people, and they don't want to have to dig up addresses, when they can just facebook them or email them or text them.

So - I encourage them to use every means possible to invite people. I give them invites to hand out, I have them set up a facebook event, I have them use invites from my website, and have them send a text, and make phone calls. I do still offer to mail out invites for them, and just include it as one more way to invite people. I just sent out invites for 2 shows today. One host gave me 6 addresses - all older relatives, and the other gave me 15 - again, older relatives, and a few friends who don't FB, and don't check email often...they both are inviting people via email and FB also.

I have to say that I really don't mind this trend. Less work for me, and less money out of pocket. (yes, I know I can write it off, but I have to wait til next year for that reimbursement. I'd rather have the money to spend right now!)

 

[PCJenni]

Ok, so call me crazy.. but I have never sent out invitations for my hostesses. I rarely have cancellations anymore... yes, I am booking the daylights out of June, July and August to insure I have enough shows. I offer to send email invitations if the hostesses provide me with the email addresses. The difference for me has been hostess coaching them to death.. and also saying, several times both verbally and in email "While my business is a party, it is how I support my family. As you know my calendar fills quickly. If for some reason you need to reschedule your show, please let me know as soon as possible so I can offer that date to another hostesses. I have hostesses waiting for Friday and Saturday nights. If I don't work the night of your show, I don't get paid and my family suffers." People "get it" when I put it like that. Now I do 10-12 shows a month adn anyone who has booked sees my calendar and knows that they won't be able to easily get another prime date if they reschedule. I follow up a LOT. I send at least 1 email each week to every hostess who is on my calendar.. I don't care if her show is next week or in 2 months. They get touched by me... something as simple as 'Just checking in to see if you had a chance to look at the recipe I sent you" "did you receive the hostess packet I sent"

 

[baychef]

Not finding this too much yet, however, I know since I have been sending out invitations, there have been higher shows and hosts are relieved that I take over the job for them. Too many parties cancelled without them and facebooking people is a flop...I ignore more than I reply because I am not sure. One party was a huge flop just using FB and the host never re-booked.:cry:

When hosts e-vite, there are not many replies as well. Unless a host is dedicated to calling (which far too many are not), then the turn out is poor.

In a way, I feel like a stick in the mud or in need of control. I used to send out or hand out host packets and then cancel...out the almost $5 in postage plus the cost of the packet. It is work for me to send them, cost in postage, ink and paper but the results are good.

I will be watching this thread to see what everyone else is doing that works. Maybe it is part of host coaching to just let the host invite the way she/he wants? All boils down to getting them excited.

 

[chefkathy]

So - I encourage them to use every means possible to invite people. I give them invites to hand out, I have them set up a facebook event, I have them use invites from my website, and have them send a text, and make phone calls.

This is what I do. I stopped mailing invites for folks a while ago. I needed to simplify and that was one area that could give. Most everyone I know sends emails and creates FB events for everything, so I figured I better jump on the bandwagon.

 

[chefkathy]

oh, and I DO NOT have them send the evites via my PWS. I send the evite to myself and then forward it to them to send via their regular email. The ones sent directly from my PWS go to spam most of the time.

 

[PCJenni]

I agree about the spam Deb, anything I send out from connection I send to myself and forward from my email account. way better response