Boost Your Bookings: Tips for Direct Sales & Women Business Owners

[wadesgirl]

I have a booth in two weeks for a small group of Direct Sales/Women Business Owners. I really want to focus on bookings. Any good suggestions on how to focus on this?

 

[Chef Bobby]

I would have your calendar up to date and the next few months host's specials. If anyone shows an interest in a product, advise them that as a host they can earn it as one of their half price items.
Good luck!

 

[lockhartkitchen]

A booking tree is a great idea. You pick the dates you want booked, put them on a card and put in a card holder display. I would bring a sign that says free cooking shows. When someone picks one of those dates, they get a free cooking show: free ingredients and plates, napkins, utencils (Dollar Tree great deal for you). Good luck!

 

[peichef]

our cluster just shared a booth at the local home show. we offered a $25 gift certificate to anyone who booked on the spot. Plus we did a draw (draw slip was a modified version of the one from supply order) offering opportunity / bookings / etc.I have booked several shows from the slips. Plus some great recruit leads -- one has already signed.The key to success at a booth is in the FOLLOW-UP. You have to make the calls soon after the show, or people lose interest & excitement.

 

[wadesgirl]

I figured I would try a booking tree and offer the next 5 dates I have open.

I was just trying to think outside the box or come up with something very catching and makes people want to book!

 

[Thinker]

Get the chinese or small boxes and place a picture of an item the person can get if she host a show. People love to open gifts. I did that at a booth and got 3 bookings in a coupe of hours.

 

[Sk8Mom209]

The book to look option Jane mentioned works well for me and so does the Kitchen Show in a Bag. In the bag you have the hostess backet, cups, plates, napkins, silverware (Dollar Tree is good for this) and I also purchase the ingredients for the show.

Everything is in a cute bag and ready for them to take with them.

 

[wadesgirl]

I like the chinese take out box idea. I've seen those around and thought they were cute. Maybe I'll do it like a booking tree, book on this date, get the product free with a $400 show. I also like the kitchen show in a bag, maybe I'll offer it instead.

 

[lockhartkitchen]

I like the chinese take out box idea too! When I do my booths, I buy pretty bags (I did pink last year that matched our dotted towels), put the PC clear sticker on it, and filled the host packet inside. When they booked, I gave them the bag to take with them. As they walked the fair, they were advertising for me! I booked 6 the first day of the fair and all 6 held their shows. It was a great start to fall.

 

[Bren706]

I did a booth a few weeks ago, and have about 5 bookings from it so far. I also gave a way 4 recruit packets, and have done 1 interview from that.

A Free Cooking show was offered for the drawing to get leads. I find you get the serious leads that way. I probably walked away with about 18 names or so. The recruit leads came from just coming straight out and asking them at the booth, "Have you ever thought about doing something like this?". I gave 4 recruit packets away that day. Since then, I have only been able to reach 1 person so far, who I have interviewed. I have a couple more recruit leads from following up on the drawing slips. (some checked yes on the wanting more info on the business opportunity)

This is my 3 or 4th booth sharing it with others, and I have seen them be very conservative when people walk by. I try to make eye contact with people as they are walking by, and then usually have a recipe card and ask them if they would like one, and then ask them if they are familiar with the PC, and take the conversation from there (and direct them to the free cooking show drawing).

 

[wadesgirl]

I went with the Chinese take-out box idea. I found cute pastel ones at Hobby Lobby and decorated them with spring flowery stickers I found at the Dollar Tree. Then I wrote my next four dates on them and put a print out of an item in each. I put the better items the closer I wanted to book - I'll make sure to point this out to them.

Also at Dollar Tree, I found cute wedding favor boxes that are a stand up wedding dress. I bought a pack of 10 for a $1. I took one of them, set up the box and wrote on the front of the dress "Ask about our Bridal Registries and Showers!"

 

[Veevahchef]

three of us did a booth last weekend, and I actually rented a "Prize Wheel" from a casino! We covered the spaces on it with PC items you could win by booking a show that day about half the spaces were products and teh other half were all "Free Show" spaces.
We got about 8 bookings at the show, and TONS of leads for people to call for bookings.
It was really cheap to rent, but i think that the owner of the casino is just a really nice guy, because he quoted me one price and then I said oohhh... I was hoping it wouldn't be so much... and he immediately cut the price by at least 75%!! LOL. He's easy...

BUT... we would spin the wheel even when no-one was booking, just to get peoples attention, and it worked. People would come up and ask what they had to do to get a spin at the wheel, and of course we would go right into the "Are you familiar with TPC" spiel.

 

[StephsKitchen]

our cluster just shared a booth at the local home show. we offered a $25 gift certificate to anyone who booked on the spot. Plus we did a draw (draw slip was a modified version of the one from supply order) offering opportunity / bookings / etc.

I have booked several shows from the slips. Plus some great recruit leads -- one has already signed.

The key to success at a booth is in the FOLLOW-UP. You have to make the calls soon after the show, or people lose interest & excitement.

Would you care to share your drawin slip???

Stephanie

 

[StephsKitchen]

The book to look option Jane mentioned works well for me and so does the Kitchen Show in a Bag. In the bag you have the hostess backet, cups, plates, napkins, silverware (Dollar Tree is good for this) and I also purchase the ingredients for the show.

Everything is in a cute bag and ready for them to take with them.

Do you let them take the items in a bag (plates, forks, napkins) or do you just bring it to the show?

Stephanie

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Hmmmm ... I've seen my local Chipotle offer a wheel like this ... I may have to ask where they got it ... (Then again ... They've had a bit of a bad food scandal, so who knows if the manager is even around ...)

 

[chefsteph07]

three of us did a booth last weekend, and I actually rented a "Prize Wheel" from a casino! We covered the spaces on it with PC items you could win by booking a show that day about half the spaces were products and teh other half were all "Free Show" spaces.
We got about 8 bookings at the show, and TONS of leads for people to call for bookings.
It was really cheap to rent, but i think that the owner of the casino is just a really nice guy, because he quoted me one price and then I said oohhh... I was hoping it wouldn't be so much... and he immediately cut the price by at least 75%!! LOL. He's easy...

BUT... we would spin the wheel even when no-one was booking, just to get peoples attention, and it worked. People would come up and ask what they had to do to get a spin at the wheel, and of course we would go right into the "Are you familiar with TPC" spiel.

I LOVE this idea...do you know where we would be able to rent one? I am doing a big event next weekend (Thurs-Mon) with a clustermate and would love to do this...

 

[cewcooks]

lockhartkitchen do you do the take out boxes, and offer a free cooking show by having people put in drawing slips? Not sure if I should both

 

[linojackie]

at my last couple shows/booths I have done the booking tree thing with a twist. I bought little colored lunch sack type bags, put a picture of a product in them and some candies. Then I attached cards with my next 10 dates on them. They look really cute, but I haven't had anyone bite yet. I think the prize wheel is a great idea and I asked my hubby to help me build one for our booth at the county fair.

 

[Lorna May]

I just did two booth/fairs and the draw prize was an all expense paid show, ideas from here. Of course I called everyone and let them know they were winners out about 50 entries, 10 I will not call because I don't want to do a show for them, 10 declined, 2 have dated a show and the remainder are sitting on the fence still deciding. I really felt good about the connections I made.

 

[StephsKitchen]

I like the idea of the gift sack, and having a PC sticker on there while they walk around and advertise for you! I have a booth coming up, and I think what I will do is put their host packet in it, along with some candies when they book, and tell them that I will bring the plates, etc for their party.. from $ store of course.

Great ideas!

Stephanie

 

[lockhartkitchen]

Last summer we had the lavendar dots towels. I found a lavendar gift bag, put the PC clear sticker on the bag, and had several of the bags on the tables in my display. They fit right in with the color. I loved having others advertise for me. Good luck with your fair Steph!

 

[KarenD]

Do any of you bring food samples to boths?

 

[StephsKitchen]

You have to find out if you can have food or not. Sometimes the health dept does not allow it. So double check. You can have mints if they are already wrapped. Anyhow... just check on that.

Steph

 

[lockhartkitchen]

You have to find out if you can have food or not. Sometimes the health dept does not allow it. So double check. You can have mints if they are already wrapped. Anyhow... just check on that.

Steph

When I do indoor events, I sample cranberry crunch, but nothing at outdoor events. Don't want to worry about anything.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I found the bride figurine at Dollar Tree ... also the gift boxes that will have pictures of $10 items in them for people who book on the spot.

 

[StephsKitchen]

I will be heading to the $$ tree again soon!!! That place is great for alot of things!! I even get some business supllies there!

Stephanie