Boost Sales with a Stoneware Incentive: Win a Celebrate Cookbook!

[lisacb77]

It dawned on me today that if our incentive is based on pieces of stoneware we sell, it might be good to offer our customers an incentive as well!

I think I am going to offer an entry into a drawing for each piece of stoneware a customer buys. The prize I have to offer is the discontinued Celebrate cookbook...what do y'all think?

I thought about offering the mini oval baker, but some may buy and that might not be an incentive. I guess another thought is the stoneware cookbook, but I already have the other on hand and it was cheaper LOL.

 

[PampMomof3]

I think that the Celebrate cookbook is a good idea b/c now its discontinued. Thanks for sharing the idea!!!

 

[GourmetGirl]

Love that idea!!! Will definately put that into my next show! I wonder if I could work that into my catalog shows too...

 

[soonerchef]

Great idea....I will put that into my newsletter!!

 

[lacychef]

Great idea!

 

[lisacb77]

No problem gals! I plan to email my newsletter list to let them know....maybe tomorrow night as several will just be getting my newsletter when they get back to work tomorrow. That way my hosts & past customers get it.

I also plan to let them know if they are not attending a show, that they can place their order via a fundraiser I'm doing for an ACS committee I sit on. Talk about double whammy! Taking care of 2 emails in 1

 

[vangogirl]

So are you doing 1 drawing at the close of the month or 1 drawing per show?
Just curious how you're doing this....it's a real good idea.

 

[PamperedChefDebi]

Because alot of my customers already have the Celebrate (AND I really pushed for sales of it last month), how about offering the small bar pan since it's also stoneware but not part of the promotion?

 

[lisacb77]

I will do one drawing at month's end. If I have a ton at that time, I'll draw 2 winners as I have 2 extra cookbooks. I'm still pretty new at this so I don't think a lot of my customers have it...but any prize would probably work!

 

[amya]

I'm thinking of offering 10% off of the stones that are not in the guest special. I'm really excited about this promotion. I have already sold 3 stones at my show last Saturday.

 

[AJPratt]

I like that sheet where you have the hosts cross off the stoneware blocks.

 

[sarahmarie]

Use the stoneware cookbook. I think i will try that!

 

[ChefNic]

I'm thinking of offering 10% off of the stones that are not in the guest special. I'm really excited about this promotion. I have already sold 3 stones at my show last Saturday.

But the stones that are not on special will not count for the consultant incentive...

 

[pamperedgirl3]

But the stones that are not on special will not count for the consultant incentive...

The promotional flyer from HO says that Classic Stoneware counts for the promotion, so it's ANY stones that customers buy that will count!!

 

[cmdtrgd]

I like that sheet where you have the hosts cross off the stoneware blocks.

Anne - what sheet?

 

[AJPratt]

Here it is!I've attached it. Someone else posted it on CS. Just be sure to change your info!

 

[jenniferlynne]

I think the Celebrations gift is a good idea. I am jumping on the Christmas gift thing now. Last night I typed up a letter that I am going to send out to some business owners telling them not to wait to by their employees a Christmas gift. With every glazed stone purchase, I will also throw in a free Season's Best. I may also add in that the Employer will receive a free gift too. I don't know what it will be yet. I will include the letter, a catalog and a flyer about the stones.

 

[heat123]

I've attached it. Someone else posted it on CS. Just be sure to change your info!

Thanks Anne that's great! What FREE gift are you offering them?

 

[whiteyteresa]

What kind of businesses will you send this letter to?

 

[jenniferlynne]

Well, my uncle has his own business and about 10 employees. I know a girl that owns a pretty large hair salon. She is actually a co-owner with 6 other girls! I also used to work at a very large company (over 700 employees) and the manager of each department always got their employees Christmas gifts. I emailed my old manager last year, and she said I missed the boat by a week. She had just bought gift certificates for every one. One year when I worked there, we were all given Home Interior and another year Mary Kay. So why not PC? I would be willing to give a little bit of a discount to them since they have to buy so many. Or even throw in a Season's Best or citrus peeler for each order. If my old manager takes me up on it, she will need around 70 or 80 gifts (the company used to pay for them) for the hourly employees and then about 20 or so for the salery (did I spell that right?). I do a lot of business with one of our local newspapers too. The manager always emails me and lets me know of any special events coming up that I might want to have a booth at. I may send her one too.

I haven't sent the letter yet, because I was counting on some feedback and ideas from you all. You all are great. Anything I should change? I meant to add on there about filling the small batter bowl with dry ingredients for a cookie recipe, and then attaching a recipe card with a ribbon around the handle. Anything else?

 

[sarahmarie]

i work in an office with 14 people. we do a gift exchange (informal) every christmas. Do you have any ideas for affordable gifts?

 

[AJPratt]

Thanks Anne that's great! What FREE gift are you offering them?

A piece of stoneware! LOL

 

[jenniferlynne]

i work in an office with 14 people. we do a gift exchange (informal) every christmas. Do you have any ideas for affordable gifts?

Do you exchange with everyone or draw names? The prep bowls are 6 for $19.50. Fill with candy and give each person one of those along with a Season's Best. Or take one of the paring knives ($1.25) and tie it to one of the rubs ($3.75) with a ribbon, or stick it inside of a small stocking. You could add it onto one of your hostess' orders if they don't mind and use their discount. Since you just had a $470 show, the discount would be 20%, and you would still make commission off that!

 

[sarahmarie]

thanks! i exchange with everyone. last year i did snowman poop. this is where you take a mini stocking and put 3 jumbo marshmallows in it and attach a poem that go sorta like this...
Santa looked at his list,
Even checked it twice.
And he has seen that you
have not been very nice.
Since coal's so expensive,
Here's the scoop,
Santa's filling your stocking
with SNOWMANS POOP!

everyone loved it! other people in my office buy little crystal figurines or ornaments. i thought i would give laughter! he he!

 

[jenniferlynne]

I saw something like that once too with reindeer poop (choc covered rasins). I also saw something really cute at a Bazaar one time. It was a new dust pan that someone had put cookies on and wrapped in cellophane. There was a really cute poem that went with it. Something about dropping the cookies on the floor and didn't have time to make more. If I can find it I will post it.

 

[KYCHEF]

I was also thinking of doing a guest promotion. I am in my 4th month so I can get my kit enhancement and I thought of buying the Insulated Tote at 40 % off to use for a drawing. For every piece of stoneware youget your name in for the drawing. What do you all think. I would be spending $23.70 for the prize...is that too much? Opinions please!!

 

[jenniferlynne]

I like it. That goes hand in hand with the stones. Good idea!

 

[ChefinHarmony]

I did a personal offer BEFORE the stoneware incentive came out and I'm pleased with my selection/responses. I'm offering a classic stone for the price of the day. I actually got 3 bookings out of it so far - all after the 15th, so I shouldn't be putting much out of my pocket after I put the stone on the Host part of the order. Plus, I'll be adding stones to my incentive list!

I'm happy to report I have 4 Home shows scheduled and 3 catalog shows going for September - Last week at this time I only had ONE on the book!! They were all cancelling on me which put me into a panic mode! (Thanks for all your support on my other threads by the way) I put out an email plea and offered my own special - a few "tenative" Hosts jumped right on it. And this push is doing wonders for my October - I have 4 set up already! Yeah!! I still have 3 that cancelled and 2 no answers - so if they respond great, if not I found other business!!

Thanks!
Joanne

 

[pampered1224]

I've sold 17 pieces since Monday andYou wanna know how? I really bagged this one and it was so easy and now I have one lady who has 13 more pieces sold coming. And I did it without taking money out of my pocket at all.
Increase the discount to 40% for the New Traditions and 20% for ALL the remaining stoneware. All sales count, whether it be by guest, gift set, host order or host 1/2 price sales, Classics New traditions or whatever so why not take advantage of the host discount on any show you have open.
I have a show that is open and the host is someone I work with full time. I told her already that the show was at $300. Her discount is 20% off. She gets $40 in free stuff and 1/2 pricer and the host special at 60% off. Then she can order UNLIMITED amounts of stoneware at 20% off the already 20% off stoneware so she saves 40%. She can save 20% on all the rest including the new baker!
So why can't I just order EVERYONES stoneware that way and give them the host discount too! Not to mention that all the stoneware orders have come in with other items as well so we may hit over $400 in sales! Not to mention that discounted host items count toward commission!
I asked everyone if they had a problem with not havng a warranty in their name. I keep very good track of who orders what so making sure the warranty is avaiable if they need it will not be a problem.
Is that cheating or really selling?

 

[AJPratt]

John: I'm gonna start calling you "John the Wheeler and Dealer".

 

[jenniferlynne]

Is that cheating or really selling?

I don't see a thing wrong with it as long as you are able to keep track of who got what!

 

[gilliandanielle]

Does the host have a problem with not getting the sales of those stones toward the guest sales? IMHO, as a host I would rather have the guest sales rack up. Yes, it isn't coming out of your pocket, but your host is losing out on FPV. Just another side of the story...

 

[jenniferlynne]

I took it that these were outside orders he got on his own and not orders from the hosts party, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[pampered1224]

ExactlyI would never do that to a host. It was a kick off party and I needed a host so Mary got her name on there as she placed the first order, which I quickly disposed of until later so it is not in the $300.
But I did the work. Of the 9 order she has, I got 6 of those and those total just over $250. So she is getting the benefit of my own personal connections. She is a sweet lady who loves our stuff but can not afford to buy. So I did this purposely and if she gets free stuff out of it, and I am buying her the host bonus she wants as she can not even afford that, all the better. I am hoping we can hit the $400 mark for her as well. Two more pieces of stoneware that she wanted originally, will be hers as well from the half price items. I figure if I loose maybe $60, it is well worth it in her case. So it's almost the entire commission as the show stands now. But with the other orders this "deal" is generating, not a problem.
Oh, the reason behind this: her husband had a heart attack just two months ago. They were just getting by as it was but the medical expenses alone are killing them. She has two jobs, works about 75 hours a week and has no life, no fun and she really wanted a trivet. That's all she ordered. Because it would benefit someone else if she did. It tore my heart out. So, her name went on this show. She wants stuff, can not afford it but does not want a hand out. So...
So Gillian, just the one side that matters to her.

 

[ChefJesssica]

i work in an office with 14 people. we do a gift exchange (informal) every christmas. Do you have any ideas for affordable gifts?

the trivet!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jdavis]

thanks! i exchange with everyone. last year i did snowman poop. this is where you take a mini stocking and put 3 jumbo marshmallows in it and attach a poem that go sorta like this...
Santa looked at his list,
Even checked it twice.
And he has seen that you
have not been very nice.
Since coal's so expensive,
Here's the scoop,
Santa's filling your stocking
with SNOWMANS POOP!

everyone loved it! other people in my office buy little crystal figurines or ornaments. i thought i would give laughter! he he!

Me and the boys did something like this last year for their classes and everyone went gaga. The poem I got was different, but we had a little assembly line going and they loved that we were all in on it. One put in candycanes, one put in so many small marshmallows, one put in large marshmallows, and one put in chocolate chips and I dumped in hot chocolate. Instead of snowman poop, it was snowman soup, it was too cute to pass up.

 

[pampered1224]

The trivet would be idealYou can give a gift to each person and give them the gift of a donation as well. Too cool, I gotta order 6! I know my co-workers will really like that idea.

 

[AJPratt]

John: She should become a consultant! The poor thing! She is in my prayers.

 

[gilliandanielle]

I didn't mean it to come across rudely, I was just wondering. I would totally do the same thing with outside orders! Great idea John!

 

[AJPratt]

I didn't mean it to come across rudely, I was just wondering. I would totally do the same thing with outside orders! Great idea John!

Ummm... yeah. She TOTALLY meant to be rude.

Well, now that I've started that, its time for bedtime. http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/schlafen/sleeping-smiley-009.gif

 

[sarahmarie]

For the stoneware 20% + 20% is not 40% off. Lets say you have a $10 stone. You get 20% off for the guest special. That comes out to $8. now you take another 20% off for the host special. 20% of $8 is $1.60. So 20% and 20% comes out to $6.40 which is 36% off. 40% off would have been $6.00. I hope that makes sense.

 

[jenniferlynne]

I didn't mean it to come across rudely, I was just wondering. QUOTE]

Don't worry, I don't think anyone took it that way!! I certainly didn't!

 

[gilliandanielle]

Ummm... yeah. She TOTALLY meant to be rude.

Well, now that I've started that, its time for bedtime.

You smartie pants! Quit following me around starting crap, LOL!

 

[gilliandanielle]

Don't worry, I don't think anyone took it that way!! I certainly didn't!

I'm glad! I read it back and it didn't sound very nice!

 

[soonerchef]

Ummm... yeah. She TOTALLY meant to be rude.

Well, now that I've started that, its time for bedtime. http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/schlafen/sleeping-smiley-009.gif

Like...whatever...Gillian is always rude, like ya know?

 

[AJPratt]

Like...whatever...Gillian is always rude, like ya know?

Seriously.

You smartie pants! Quit following me around starting crap, LOL!

Hey, its what I'm good at.

 

[jdavis]

Yeah, that's because she isn't gonna let you steal her queen poster title Gill. Didn't you see her picture she posted of her in the spotlight, lol.

 

[pampered1224]

Now stop it all of youYou should all be ashamed of yourselves. Leave Gillian alone. She has a right to express herself here. If not, we are all in the wrong place!
One thing I need to do is also say I am sorry to Gillian.
I though about it and yes, there was a different way to look at it.
So here is what I did. And yes it does come out to eactly 40% via the math I used.
I took the original price, not the discounted price and discounted the additional 20%. So it comes out to a true 40%. You can't advertise it that way if it isn't that way. Your clients would never trust you even if it is just a few pennies.
Now, here it what happened, I got one order from one past host. In fact, it was the host whom this show was booked from. So She has a 10% discount. I decied to go for it, placed the total order, 13 stones and three other items totaling almost $270 in one order under her name.
This means I am at 17 stones sold with a show total over $640!
There was another order that fell through that would have added 10 more stones but she just can not swing it right now. So...
I have 2 more shows to go this month!
There is always more than one way to skin a cat and you gotta do what you gotta do. So, I lost 10% on the deal only. $22.50 lost but I gain $120 plus from the commission and my host has not ordered yet, plus I will get at least $25 PC dollars out of it. Not wasting that one either. There is no real gain in the stoneware if you have been in this as long as I have been. I have ALL the stoneware I need and want so...
But I am going to treat myself to one thing I reallly, reallllllyyy, REALLLLLLYYYYYY want! The Santoku! I made a deal with Mary. She gets the now $115 in freebies, the host bonus and ONE of the half priced items if she wants them. I am getting the knife for $35!
So it is a win, win, really win, situation and right now I am standing at a loss of only $22.50.
Thank you Gillian for making me look at it again. This works out much better than the original plan! SO LEAVE HER ALONE!

 

[jdavis]

Now see what you started Anne, lol.

 

[pampered1224]

Yeah Anne!See what you started!

(As my halo slips to the side and slowly droops off my shoulder!)