Can Luck Really Change Your Business?

[chefann]

I've been a little quiet around here the past couple of days, and it's because I've been working a festival. It was Noon to 10pm Thursday, 10 to 10 today and tomorrow, and 10 to 7 on Sunday. I ended up with shifts (a group of us split the cost and the time) all days except Sunday - when I have a show.

The festival is at a local church. And for once is quite close to my house. Most of the festivals/fairs I've worked through PC have been with clustermates, and have been 20 miles or more (one way) from home. This one's 5 miles.

Yesterday, almost as soon as we opened, a woman came rushing over to the booth. "My consultant won't return my calls and I have a show booked. Are you free on Aug. 15?" Sure am! And now you're on my calendar!

Today, I was chit-chatting with the woman in the next booth before the festival opened. She mentioned that she wanted cookware, so I booked her for September. I had her fill out a drawing slip so that I would have her info. She circled "yes" to more info about the opportunity. So I gave her the YLYW brochure. As we chatted some more, she threw up some big red flags. I gave her a little info verbally, then handed her a Come Join Us brochure and a DVD. And told her I'd call her Monday night (just can't do it tomorrow or Sunday with my schedule). She's planning to come to my cluster meeting on Aug. 12, too.

Then another woman asked us about having a table at a court reporter event. It's in August, so my booth-mate (sure, I'm using that as a real word) passed it to me, because she's in the middle of planning her daughter's wedding, which is in August. Unfortunately, that woman didn't give us her info, so I have to wait for a call or email from her.

AND - I got several orders. Probably enough to put together as a catalog show. I almost never get orders at these things, just "Oh, I'll call you."

So now I'm bouncing off the walls.

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

Way to go!! Wish I could run into something like that here! I will have to keep my eye out!
Congrats!
God bless,
Amanda

 

[laurichef]

How very cool!!
I'm bouncing with you!!

 

[rennea]

Great to hear Ann and good luck for the rest of the weekend

 

[Kitchen Diva]

News like this is sooo exciting! It gives you a renewed energy and love for your biz! Way to go, Ann!!!

 

[thebowman]

Good for you!!! Sounds like you are attracting them.

 

[christinaspc]

Awesome job ann !!!! Glad you had wonderful success.

 

[heat123]

Whoohooo, Great Job working your booth Ann!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Fantastic - so happy for you.

Booths can be great leads. The show I just did Thursday was from a bridal shower I got from a booth I did last Aug. Now I won the 10" SS skillet, had a $600 show and got 4 bookings from the show Thursday. It's so cool to track where they lead to!

 

[pampermejolene]

Great job Ann! What kind of festival/booth was it? Sounds like you had a good crowd of people there!

 

[chefann]

It's a church festival, for an Antiochan Orthodox church. So most of the crowd is of middle-eastern descent, but Catholic. As usual with these types of festivals, the food is great (made by parishoners - I had a beef shawarma sandwich yesterday that was out of this world). Although I've been running into a little bit of a cultural wall - there has been less interest in stopping at the booth and filling out info. Of course, that may just be people waiting until the last day to do so (so the group that works on Sunday will hopefully have a banner day).I did notice that the people who stop in are more likely to bargain on the Cash and Carry items than groups at other events I've worked, but those who have placed orders haven't balked at catalog prices. There was one woman who asked about making a product exchange, returning 2 items that she bought a couple of years ago (one was a bread tube, so I knew they hadn't been purchased within the last year).

 

[chefmeg]

what great news!

 

[pampered.chris]

That is GREAT news!! It feels so good to get good responses when working the booths at events!! Congrats!!!!

 

[etteluap70PC]

Awesome Ann.... Love when Events pay off!

 

[stacywhitlow]

Keep reeling them in!

 

[janetupnorth]

Awesome job Ann - booth can be decent. I had one at a craft fair the end of May. I'm doing a show at 2 today that was from that. Hopefully it will be a good one!

 

[Flamingo]

Yea !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lacychef]

Congrats!

 

[chefshawna]

Congrats on all the good luck, may it carry on!!!

 

[ljeffries]

So now I'm bouncing off the walls.

Ann, bouncing off the walls??? But you are usually so subdued........

 

[legacypc46]

thrilled for you ann!!!

 

[pamperedval]

WAHOO!

Way to go!

 

[twinchefs]

Good job Ann!!

 

[chefann]

OK- had a sorta recruiting interview today with ANOTHER woman from the booth next to me. When she signs (not IF) and the woman from yesterday signs, that'll be 2 more on my team for a total of 4 active! And today's gal, Roz, wants to do a fundraiser for a mentoring group she's in. That could easily be an over $1000 first show for her!Plus... several more almost bookings (need to call people after they check calendars). Monday's going to be a busy phone day.

 

[cathyskitchen]

Way to go, Ann, that's awesome! GL with the recruits, too!

 

[pcchefjane]

Glad to hear it, Ann! Gives me an incentive to work some booths around here locally!

 

[DessertDivaFL]

Congratulations! You have inspired me to search out a booth at a local event.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Wahoo Ann! I'm so happy for you.

 

[KellyTheChef]

Yeah Ann! That is SUPER NEWS!!

 

[vwpamperedchef]

That's so exciting, I love when booths actually ARE profitable! I just use it as a way of getting my name out there! Anything else is a bonus for me!

 

[pamperedbecky]

That's great, Ann! Congrats on having so much success!!!

 

[pamperedharriet]

Awesome news Ann!!! I hope all of these pan out for you!!!!!!!

 

[chefann]

This morning, I called one of the other women working the booth, since I wasn't going to be there today (I had a show... more on that below). I told her to talk to whoever was in the timeshare booth today, since I had 2 super-hot recruit leads from that table. She did - and will probably be signing her! So between the 2 of us, we're recruiting 3 people from that organization. My show today was a booking from a June 1 show. And it was clear across town from me. I allowed plenty of time to get there, but decided to take a different route than my usual because there would probably be construction on the cross-town freeway. I hit 3 separate construction zones in my alternate route! Instead of getting to the house 45 minutes before the show, I got there at the show time. Luckily, I had done most of the prep at home. 20 minutes later we started. The ladies loved the interactive format, and had a good time. Sales are at $750 (the host is so excited that she has almost $300 FPV to use!), and there are still a few folks who need to order. Plus, 2 live bookings and a catalog show!

 

[pamperedlinda]

Ann you are too hot to touch right now! Congratulations, I'm so excited for you

 

[chefann]

I'm excited, too! And since we're doing a large group cluster meeting in August (to cover conference announcements), there'll be 2 of the 3 recruits there. Nothing like new, excited recruits to liven up a meeting. I left a message for my Director on Saturday morning, but I really should call her again.

 

[janetupnorth]

Hey, directorship may come for you by the end of the year! Way to go!

 

[chefruthie]

WOW!!! I just read through all of this thread and I am so excited for you! I believe once YOU make up your mind to go for it, YOU will achieve it. Keep it up girl and by the way, NEVER think that you can avoid road construction by an alternate route in MI. I always wonder how they manage to have enough orange barrels to use there . Can't wait to read the next update.

 

[chefann]

Orange barrels are the unofficial state animal. Actually, DH has a theory that they're actually an alien life form that does the actual work, since you almost NEVER see a human working on a highway construction project. The barrels line up, and do the work at night, when nobody's around to see.

 

[chefruthie]

Orange barrels are the unofficial state animal.

Actually, DH has a theory that they're actually an alien life form that does the actual work, since you almost NEVER see a human working on a highway construction project. The barrels line up, and do the work at night, when nobody's around to see.

Too funny and so true! I have never been to another state that has so many out at one time. Your DH might be on to something

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

Way to go Ann!
God bless,
Amanda

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

WAY TO GO!

I had shifts at my county fair this weekend ... last night and tonight. This is the first time my cluster has participated in this and it's pretty much at my urging (they are all from 30 minutes south of me and are always sending me stuff about events an hour away or more.)

I got about a dozen responses between the two days ... I think about 3 checked that they are interested in hosting ... including one GUY who said he needs good cutlery and good cookware ... recruiter suggested having him book in August and have somebody book off him for Sept. so he can get BOTH!

Another wanted to start her catalog show right away ... so she got a packet ... and another USED to order PC all the time ... still a few others grudgingly gave their info in exchange for a catalog.

No CURRENT recruit leads ... but of course, i will bring it up when I follow up. This is going to be fun!

(And then I come home to find an e-mail from somebody wanting off my mailing list ... who wouldn't even give me her name! I had to do a "finder" search to figure out who she was. Somebody I used to sing in chorus with. Kind of disheartening on a slow day ...)

 

[ChefBeckyD]

YEA ANN!

I'm so happy for you - Congratulations on a great Booth!

 

[pamperedpals]

That is so awesome Ann. Keep us posted on your recruits!

 

[JAE]

Glad to hear about your exciting news, Ann. I don't believe it was luck, though....