Booked Event Drama: My Frustrations with a Difficult Client and Freebies

[nikkijo]

I'm still confused on why you refuse to demo just the cake? When I did it, I had over a thousand dollar party. Here were some of the tools I used

*fluted pan
*ead for whip cream
*food chopper for peanuts
*kitchen spritzer
*cutting board (with food chopper)
*the small brown mciro bowl (sorry memory lapse) for the peanut butter and chocolate
*SA platter
*slice in serve
*cutlery knife of your choice to cut up the peanut butter cups
*bamboo spoon or whisk to mix the ingredients
*ss bowl (or batter bowl) to mix up the cake in

If you want to show off the cookware you could always use do the pull aparts. I used the recipe from this site (search under fluted pan) To me this is a good amount of products to use.

 

[crazy4dabug]

Stephanie, really? cool. I'm more towards downtown...but go thru abilene alot! Who is your director?

Nikki- Probably the confusion is coming from the cake recipe between us. That's not the cake I demonstrate. But, it sure does sound yummy! I've never seen a recipe that includes those ingredients...would you mind sharing? :0) Thanks for the info too..always love new info and recipes to use. And yes, yours sounds like it could definately be a hit being the only recipe.

 

[crazy4dabug]

Oh ok...just saw the search under fluted pan part. lol So, I'll do that.

Thanks again Nikki!

 

[crazy4dabug]

Andrea...that is a good idea. I would probably include "purchasing guests at your show" to ensure they purchase something because I know that with these ladies she'll tell them "just come, you don't have to buy anything".
But, I will definately think about that one.

thanks!

And thanks to everyone else for your comments and ideas too! I'm thinking about them all I promise. :0)

Will keep you updated.

 

[beepampered]

I would probably tell her I would pay for it if she sent xxx invites or had xxx people there or xxxx outside orders. Give her a bit of incentive and reward to work harder...

 

[MeesMom3]

Stephanie, really? cool. I'm more towards downtown...but go thru abilene alot! Who is your director?

My director is a woman named Laurel Jordan. She just became a director her and my AD is in Florida. Let me know if you want that list of the products I use for the demo

 

[crazy4dabug]

I have been trying to contact her to tell her 10 ppl at the show that order something and she gets it free...but she's not answering her phone...she doesn't have a machine, cell phone, work phone, or caller ID so I just have to wait. I'm afraid though, the longer I wait...The less chance of her trying to do anything because it's tomorrow afternoon at 1pm, the Show.
Yes, stephanie I would like the list.
Thank you!

 

[ivykeep]

Deanna, Here is the recipe. You will use quite a bit of parmesan cheese so I would recommend that the host buy the pre-shredded bag and just talk about the cheese grater or demo it with something else like the almonds. You can also show the guests how to chop almonds with the chopper as well. I like to sometimes show different ways to get the end result! Notice in the recipe that it says GRATED cheese, but I would recommend the SHREDDED. It works better. Now looking over this recipe, it doesn't look like you can demo a lot of products, but you can. Let me know if you want me to send you want I use with this demo. It is one of my customer faves! Plus it's like $6 or $7 tops on recipe ingredients! By the way, I used to live in Midland for a couple of years when I was first married! Right off Midkiff and the Loop!

If Shredded works better than GRATED, it sounds like a great microplane grater demo!

 

[crazy4dabug]

Ok, newest update.
I got ahold of her tonight and told her your idea. Told her I had been thinking about it and if she could get 10 purchasing guest AT her show tomorrow afternoon then it would be financially feasable for me to purchase the ingredients. She said "well, I have 8 will that count?". I told her "no, it has to be 10 to be doable for me financially". Then she started counting...1,2,3...then she said "well, I think I'll have 12 ppl there".
LMAO!
Anyways, we'll see what happens. I'm betting on 4-5 counting her.

 

[amcclanaghan]

Ok, newest update.
I got ahold of her tonight and told her your idea. Told her I had been thinking about it and if she could get 10 purchasing guest AT her show tomorrow afternoon then it would be financially feasable for me to purchase the ingredients. She said "well, I have 8 will that count?". I told her "no, it has to be 10 to be doable for me financially". Then she started counting...1,2,3...then she said "well, I think I'll have 12 ppl there".
LMAO!
Anyways, we'll see what happens. I'm betting on 4-5 counting her.

I'd say if she has 9 counting her pay for it, but 4-5 - sorry no dice! You offered her a great incentive and now its up to her to get the people there. So when only 4-5 show up you'll have to stick to your guns. I'm glad you got a hold of her! I hope it works out for you!

 

[pamperedbecky]

I would just love to take her to knuckle junction!!!

Now THAT'S a saying I had never heard before! That made me laugh!!! I'll have to use that one.

Great advice everyone--to only pay for ingredients if there are the 10 paying guests. Hope it goes well!! Keep us posted.

 

[crazy4dabug]

Ok, just got back from her show. SHe did give me my invitations back which I was glad. Everyone was pretty much an hour late arriving, but it gave me a little more time. She had 7 purchasing guests so I took home the leftover ingredients and only charged her $15 for them...I paid the rest.
She's at $300 right now and nomatter how hard I coached to take catalogs to work, call ppl that didn't show...she just said "we'll close monday cuz I'm not gonna do that".
So, after 70 miles to get there and back I'm closing at a $300 show. I guess $50 isn't TOO bad..just not what I wanted.
Eh well...better than nothing.
I'm glad it's over with.

 

[jrstephens]

Ok, just got back from her show. SHe did give me my invitations back which I was glad. Everyone was pretty much an hour late arriving, but it gave me a little more time. She had 7 purchasing guests so I took home the leftover ingredients and only charged her $15 for them...I paid the rest.
She's at $300 right now and nomatter how hard I coached to take catalogs to work, call ppl that didn't show...she just said "we'll close monday cuz I'm not gonna do that".
So, after 70 miles to get there and back I'm closing at a $300 show. I guess $50 isn't TOO bad..just not what I wanted.
Eh well...better than nothing.
I'm glad it's over with.

Don't mean to sound mean but I think after driving that far and the trouble I have read you have been through nothing would have been better than $50!! HAHAHA!!

 

[crazy4dabug]

I did say it was better than nothing. But for all the trouble as a Consultant you'd like to at least get paid for your trouble...not make $30 (after Gas and grocery cost).
:0P
;0)

 

[Paige Dixon]

Whenever I have a host who seems shocked that she needs to provide recipe ingredients, I point out the host benefits chart in the back of the catalog. I show her that PC is "reimbursing" her in $15 extra product for buying the recipe ingredients instead of having a catalog show. I don't mind bringing the rice cooker cake ingredients (around $1!), but you could use that as an incentive that if she has at least 15 for sure yeses coming, you'll be glad to demo a second recipe, and you'll bring the ingredients (rice cooker cake).