Booking Weekday Shows: Tips and Advice

[cookingwithlove]

Hi Everyone,

Right now I do most of my shows on Friday nights and Saturday morning/afternoon. I have made a conscious effort to not schedule any shows Sat. evening (date night with hubby) and all day Sunday (family/church day). I really would like to get more weekday shows. The ones that I have done usually tank for attendence. My potential hosts do not seem eager to sign up of weekday shows. How can I get better at booking these? I know, I know, it is my business and my schedule, but I need more advice than just that.

Thanks!

 

[cincychef]

I have always done week nights and it has worked well. It may depend on the group. Alot of stay at home moms will do week nights. Alot of working moms want the weekend. I do shows on Tues, Thurs, and Sat. Thursdays have always been my most popular day. I used to avoid Saturdays. Now the Sat book out furthest, but I find that they have a high cancellation rate for me. I don't know if this helps much but I don't have a problem with weeknights. I would pick a weeknight you want to fill and work until it is full. Also offer it first before the weekend and see what happens.

 

[dannyzmom]

Some of my highest shows ever have been on Tuesdays and Thursdays...

 

[letscook04]

Tuesdays are good when American Idol is not on! Last year during American Idol people were rushing to leave to go watch it....

 

[susanr613]

I do well on Thursdays - some people still think it's "party night". However, I get far more weekend bookings. Then again, I don't offer M,T,W...

 

[pampered.chris]

I have not been offering w/ends this month and it has effected my bookings. I will probably not do many w/ends through the summer either, and by w/end I mean Friday, Saturday, and Sundays. I usually schedule on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. Again, Thursdays seem to be the best nights to have shows. It could be b/c it falls the night before some peoples payday.

 

[merego]

Thursdays are great for me ( except when American Idol happens to be on, like last week). Friday night shows do well for me to. I book 1 weekday and 1 weekend show so I still have enough family time with my Dh and kids.

 

[wadesgirl]

I mark the first two weeks of the next two months with the open days I want to book. I use sticky notes. This usually includes most weekdays except Thursday and also Saturdays, unless I have something personal going on. That way when someone wants to book, I ask them what day of the week works best for them. They will tell you a certain days, days to avoid or what exactly they are looking for. If you have repeat guests who think you only book on weekends (I had someone ask at my Saturday show if I do weeknight shows, thought it was a little weird), they need to know that they can do a show any day of the week. With this system that I've been doing since September, I've found that I book the first two weeks faster and that it books the days I want to fill. As the month moves on or I fill up certain dates, I move the stickies around

 

[stacywhitlow]

I book shows Tues, Thurs & Friday. I don't think the day matters as far as sales or more bookings. I am pretty consistent. I just started doing Fri about 6 months ago. Before that it was M, T, Th. I had to change days because of family things. I do the occassional Sunday afternoon but very rarely.

 

[stacywhitlow]

I mark the first two weeks of the next two months with the open days I want to book. I use sticky notes. This usually includes most weekdays except Thursday and also Saturdays, unless I have something personal going on. That way when someone wants to book, I ask them what day of the week works best for them. They will tell you a certain days, days to avoid or what exactly they are looking for. If you have repeat guests who think you only book on weekends (I had someone ask at my Saturday show if I do weeknight shows, thought it was a little weird), they need to know that they can do a show any day of the week. With this system that I've been doing since September, I've found that I book the first two weeks faster and that it books the days I want to fill. As the month moves on or I fill up certain dates, I move the stickies around

I have thought about doing my schedule this way. Especially since things might come up on a night I would usually schedule shows. Maybe I'll try it.

 

[wadesgirl]

I have thought about doing my schedule this way. Especially since things might come up on a night I would usually schedule shows. Maybe I'll try it.

It has worked wonders for my business! I used to highlight the dates but you cannot "move" them the way you can do stickies. Plus I use really bright ones and can just show the potentional host which days I have open if she doesn't know what will work for her. I was getting alot of bookings at the end of the month and this has helped straighten that out. It's all mental for me. I even know what days I want to book now!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

When someone is interested in booking, through conversation I narrow it down to the dates I want to book:

"Sally, were you one of those interested in having your own show?"
(she replies yes)

"GREAT! What month were you thinking?"
(she tells me)

"Okay, May is a great month for a show! - Now, I work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and I also do 2 Saturday brunch shows a month (don't offer this if my Sats. are already booked for that month) - which of those days works best for you?"
(she tells me)

"Oh, good - I still have 2 open Tuesdays in May - the 20th, or the 13th - which of those would you like?"
(she picks the date she wants)


By doing it this way, you are in control of your calendar, and are booking only the dates you want to book - but the future host is also feeling like she is getting what she wants to. This works really well for me!

 

[wadesgirl]

When someone is interested in booking, through conversation I narrow it down to the dates I want to book:

"Sally, were you one of those interested in having your own show?"
(she replies yes)

"GREAT! What month were you thinking?"
(she tells me)

"Okay, May is a great month for a show! - Now, I work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and I also do 2 Saturday brunch shows a month (don't offer this if my Sats. are already booked for that month) - which of those days works best for you?"
(she tells me)

"Oh, good - I still have 2 open Tuesdays in May - the 20th, or the 13th - which of those would you like?"
(she picks the date she wants)


By doing it this way, you are in control of your calendar, and are booking only the dates you want to book - but the future host is also feeling like she is getting what she wants to. This works really well for me!

Exactly! That's why I found the stickies easy to help figure out which days I have open before I even get to the show. Then you can use dialog like this to show them which days would work for them.

 

[hperschnick]

For quite a while ALL of my shows have been during the week. I work about 30-45 minutes from my home and most of my shows are here so I just book them after work. In the circles I've worked people tend to book the same day and time as the show they attend. I think that is kind of interesting.

 

[StacieB]

I do most shows on Mon, Tues, or Thurs. I will occasionally do a shower on Sat.

 

[kearstin]

Hmmm... I've never had anyone request a weekend show until the last couple of weeks!!! I have a lady that wants a Friday night show and I'm going to do it only because she has legendary shows in our area.

It seems like hubby and I are gone most every weeknight with a meeting, sporting event, me with a PC show or something else that we don't see much of one another so the weekends are our time together and I don't really offer weekend shows. Looks like I'm in the minority though!!

 

[paroese]

This Saturday is my first weekend show. Most of mine have been on Monday or Thursday nights. I usually don't offer weekends because that is our only family time but my MIL requested it and I couldn't turn her down. She already has over $500 in outside orders and 27 confirmed guests so it will definitely be worth making the exception.

 

[chefjeanine]

When someone is interested in booking, through conversation I narrow it down to the dates I want to book:

"Sally, were you one of those interested in having your own show?"
(she replies yes)

"GREAT! What month were you thinking?"
(she tells me)

"Okay, May is a great month for a show! - Now, I work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and I also do 2 Saturday brunch shows a month (don't offer this if my Sats. are already booked for that month) - which of those days works best for you?"
(she tells me)

"Oh, good - I still have 2 open Tuesdays in May - the 20th, or the 13th - which of those would you like?"
(she picks the date she wants)


By doing it this way, you are in control of your calendar, and are booking only the dates you want to book - but the future host is also feeling like she is getting what she wants to. This works really well for me!

Sometimes I feel like you and I were separated and birth. . .

I also work Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings with a Saturday morning thrown in here or there. I use a highlighter in my calendar and generally only highlight the first couple of weeks in case they see the page. If someone can't fill in that time (during the month they want), then I'll tell them about open dates later in the month.

It is so important to book only the dates you want. I've learned that when I (allow myself to) get backed into a corner on a date I don't normally work, the show is just not good for me.

 

[pamperedpals]

I hold my shows on W & F evenings, a brunch show on Sunday's. My weeknight shows seem to be better than my Sunday shows. I have had people ask for shows on Saturday, but that is my only family day we have together, so I just let them know, my Saturday's are already booked with family comittments.

I also use a booking tree for my available dates. This has worked wonders for my business.

 

[buckeyefan08]

It seems like all of my hosts want weekend shows and it STINKS!!! B/c of this I've thought about doing one weekend a month and cramming in four shows that weekend. Then I would do like two more shows on weeknights so that I still get a comission check every "pay day". With summer coming and ball season getting started (t-ball, and soccer) we are kinda busy during the summer. I don't want every weekend this summer taken up with shows, it seems like I get one per weekend and it spoils every weekend of the month.
Looking for some feedback here....

 

[wadesgirl]

It seems like all of my hosts want weekend shows and it STINKS!!! B/c of this I've thought about doing one weekend a month and cramming in four shows that weekend. Then I would do like two more shows on weeknights so that I still get a comission check every "pay day". With summer coming and ball season getting started (t-ball, and soccer) we are kinda busy during the summer. I don't want every weekend this summer taken up with shows, it seems like I get one per weekend and it spoils every weekend of the month.
Looking for some feedback here....

I've double booked one Saturday and I thought it was really beneficial. I did morning and afternoon so I still had my evening open but you could do what ever works for you to still have time. Do what ever you want to for your business!

 

[Ann F]

I work full time and that includes about every 3rd Saturday. That schedule isn't in granite, though, so I have to keep my weekends open. The Saturdays that I'm off I tell people are 'sacred' to me. Mondays and Thursdays are my best nights.

 

[kearstin]

It seems like all of my hosts want weekend shows and it STINKS!!! B/c of this I've thought about doing one weekend a month and cramming in four shows that weekend. Then I would do like two more shows on weeknights so that I still get a comission check every "pay day". With summer coming and ball season getting started (t-ball, and soccer) we are kinda busy during the summer. I don't want every weekend this summer taken up with shows, it seems like I get one per weekend and it spoils every weekend of the month.
Looking for some feedback here....

Remember - it's your business and you can choose how to run it. Mark the days in your calendar that you are willing to work and give your hosts those dates to choose from. You can always bend the rules if you see fit, but that's why PC is so great - you can run your business in whatever way works best for you!!

 

[buckeyefan08]

I need to learn how to be firm! Not rude but firm and I think that is a fine line. I don't even come close to crossing that line but I think I do at the time.. in other words it's all in my head. I can't continue it though, I got into this biz. so that I could work when it was good for me!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I need to learn how to be firm! Not rude but firm and I think that is a fine line. I don't even come close to crossing that line but I think I do at the time.. in other words it's all in my head. I can't continue it though, I got into this biz. so that I could work when it was good for me!

It's not rude to tell people your business hours! As I wrote in a previous post, when people say yes to booking a show, I let them know the days that I work, and the times I have available - just like making an appointment with any other business. You don't set your own date and time for the Dr, the Dentist, the hair stylist, etc.......

 

[buckeyefan08]

You don't set your own date and time for the Dr, the Dentist, the hair stylist, etc.......

Very true Becky!

 

[jbachen]

I just made up a dollar days flyer for May (again, revised one I saw on here) and made it apply on weeknights only. I, too, have everyone wanting weekends, and my weekends in May are booked with non-PC stuff, so I made this up to try to help with bookings on weeknights... Hope it helps!

 

[cookingwithlove]

Thanks for the great responses. I will work harder on weekday shows. A long time ago I used to wait tables and I hated that I had to work every weekend. I am starting to feel like that now!

 

[CookingwithMary]

Becky D,

I use the same method, and it is really helpful! In my case Monday and Friday evenings don't work.

Also, now use Post It tabs, so they stay in place. Other brands were not as successful. Came unstuck

When I pencil in a date, I place a small sticker on that date plus pencil in last name of Host. Similar for dates I am NOT available. Different sticker design.

It may appear to a casual onlooker that all the stickers are parties or PC related biz. That's good!

 

[challett]

Weekday showsI am a new consultant, but speaking of weekday shows. Before I became a consultant the last two shows that I hosted were on Tues night after I got off work. And trust me I was skeptic about doing them on a Tues. I had always done my shows on Sat. but both shows turned out great both were over 900 dollars so I think that it is also about the host's excitement about her show. I had like 10 people at the first show and about 15 at the second...basically we had a blast with it all day. Hope the info helps.

 

[wadesgirl]

I am a new consultant, but speaking of weekday shows. Before I became a consultant the last two shows that I hosted were on Tues night after I got off work. And trust me I was skeptic about doing them on a Tues. I had always done my shows on Sat. but both shows turned out great both were over 900 dollars so I think that it is also about the host's excitement about her show. I had like 10 people at the first show and about 15 at the second...basically we had a blast with it all day. Hope the info helps.

Good point!!! It is all about the host. And for those guests who cannot make it on a weeknight or a weekend, outside orders never hurt a show.


Becky's text earlier is a great way to not be pushy about your dates.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky D,

I use the same method, and it is really helpful! In my case Monday and Friday evenings don't work.

Also, now use Post It tabs, so they stay in place. Other brands were not as successful. Came unstuck

When I pencil in a date, I place a small sticker on that date plus pencil in last name of Host. Similar for dates I am NOT available. Different sticker design.

It may appear to a casual onlooker that all the stickers are parties or PC related biz. That's good!

This is true for me too! I thought I was saving money buying an off-brand - but my little squares kept floating away when I would open up my date book!

 

[niccibyrd]

I am having this same problem but I have my first weeknight show tonight. Hopefully it will go well.

 

[sburnside]

My most successful shows are on Monday or Friday. I actually like Monday shows because I have the weekend to get things together if I need to. The host can do reminder calls over the weekend and I have a good turnout.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Very true Becky!

Lisa,

I wanted to add that all of this stuff I'm talking about didn't come naturally for me. I spent some time doing shows whenever, hoping and praying they wouldn't cancel last minute, and then, when I got bookings - giving them every date imaginable to choose from. Typical mistakes made when you are just starting your business. There is an eagerness to please, and to do what ever it takes to secure the booking.

Then, about 8 months into my business, I was able to attend an Training Seminar with Christie Northrup (The Lemonade Lady) - and part of what she said really stuck with me - about this being MY BUSINESS, and treating it like a business - taking control of my business. A little light bulb when on inside my head! Of course! It made perfect sense. I left that day with 2 decisions I made about my business:

1. I would mail out the invitations for my hosts - and take control of attendance at my shows - and my shows holding as scheduled.

2. I would take control of my calendar, and schedule shows during MY working times.

Those 2 things turned my business around! That was in June, and in July of that year, I made every incentive offered (there were camping chairs, and a free nights stay for which ever level incentive you earned!) and beat my director in sales....and had a show avg. of over $700!

So - I understand where you are coming from, trying to make people happy and booking whenever they want - but it will take away so much stress, and make your job so much more enjoyable, if you are in control of how things are run, and not your hosts!

 

[beepampered]

I agree with Heather that people tend to want the same time/day party as the one they booked off of. If you can get just a few people to say "yes" to a weekday party, you'll see a dramatic difference on when people book.

Thursdays are the most popular weekday night for me. Then, Mondays are always really good and I recommend them. Wednesdays are church night around here so I've never had anyone want that.

Good luck finding a balance that works. (I agree with the theory that you should determine the date, but I'm of the mindset that I'll book a party whenever I can get it. Fortunately, it doesn't conflict with my life too much/often.)

 

[cincychef]

I need to learn how to be firm! Not rude but firm and I think that is a fine line. I don't even come close to crossing that line but I think I do at the time.. in other words it's all in my head. I can't continue it though, I got into this biz. so that I could work when it was good for me!

I just had to add, I use the bright colored post its also and it works wonders. I also have learned to say, would you like to host a party off of ____'s show? Yes, ok I do parties on Tues, Thurs, and Sat, what works for you? Tues, the next tues I have is June 12th does that work?
This really works, or if I have a date I really want booked, I just say, I just opened May 1st because we have such a great host special I wanted to give everyone a chance to have a party, would that work for you?
Its all about how you word it so you can be in control of your schedule without feeling pushy.

 

[buckeyefan08]

Thanks ladies! This is the advice I needed, I have thought all of this myself but never actually applied it! Now I have written it down as a personal goal... Run my business without letting it run me!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!

 

[wickednoodle]

Tuesdays are good when American Idol is not on! Last year during American Idol people were rushing to leave to go watch it....

Your post got me thinking...

You know how sometimes people have "Oscar" parties, where everyone gets together to watch the Oscars, vote on them, etc.?

If you knew that a particular group of people watched "American Idol" or some similar show, you could have a "PC Idol" show. The presentation could be done at six o'clock or so, everyone could do orders, then stay to watch the show! The PC consultant could make up ballots to vote on their favorite, who they think should get voted off, etc. etc. When they announce the winners the next night, whoever wins a certain category could "win" a free cooking show! It would be a great way to have a second contact with people, and a good way to get attendance up at the show.

Okay, remember this is just an idea that just came to me, so it's really not thought through all the way. Could be fun, though! I remember that back in the day my friends and I used to get together to watch "Melrose Place". It was so fun!

 

[PamperedK]

I have recently taken control of my calendar and because of it - I have 2 openings for June and 4 in July - then I'm booking for August. I also have a number of shows booked for September and October. I don't even open my calendar infront of guests. I write out the next 4 months' worth of open dates on a post-it. Then, when someone wants a date in a certain month, I can easily ask what day of the week works for them and reference my list. If I have a pretty open month, I only write down the first 2 weeks' worth of open dates. I also do shows pretty much every day of the week - except Fridays. For the most part, I like to do shows Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday but I do throw in the odd Monday, Wednesday and Saturday just so I have something available for those who like those days.I have my entire year highlighted in my calendar so I can easily transfer this info to a post-it. I just prefer to have a post-it because it stops people from pointing out other days and saying 'what about that day?' I find that even when I have my dates marked in my calendar, someone always wants a specific day, whether it's highlighted or not.

 

[cookingwithlove]

What great ideas from everyone.

Thank you!

 

[zmom58]

Weeknights are best for me, but then everyone is different. My weekend shows, except Sat. Bridal shows, usually suffer from low attendance, no matter what I do? Everyone is so busy.
Bottom line, do what works best for you.
Deb