Combo Party Help: Tips for a Successful PC/PL Party?

[Christ Follower]

I just did a show for my PartyLite lady and the only booking I got was from a girl who wanted to "get it all over with" in one night by having a combo PC/PL party.

I've never done a combo before. I can't imagine the sales would be any good would they? What do I demo? Does anyone that does these have some good suggestions for me? The party is next month and it's at 7 p.m. so we wont have a lot of time each for our spiel.

 

[GourmetGirl]

Ellen, I have no suggestions for you other than Good luck! Let's hope the party goes better than it sounds right now!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I would make sure the host knows that since she's basically doing 2 shows that sales will be lower for both b/c her guests will need to split their money. I've never done one of these before so I can't give any advice. I was supposed to do a combo with Tastefully Simple in June, but the TS fell through so I was by myself!

 

[aPamperedBride]

PamperedGirl3 is right that the host may end up disappointed because the show totals will be affected. As for the demo, you want to do something that will show as many high $$ items as you can as quickly as possible and make them want to have their own shows since your time will be limited. HAs the host indicated that she wants a main dish or is she leaving it totally up to you? If she wants them to have dinner, I would do the Chicken Ceasar Salad from the Power Cooking recipes, but I would cook the chicken in the Grill Pan in front of the guests. (6 min on one side, flip over and add press for 6 more. Buy a portable burner if you don't already have one as the $10 to be able to cook anywhere is worth it). Use Salad & Berry Spinner, Deluxe Cheese Grater or Microplane grater, Salad Chopper or knives, finger guard and cutting boards in making recipe and tell guests how you'll be glad to show them the Food Chopper and Ultimate Mandoline at their own show! Do a simple dessert ahead of time with your stones...either bake cookies or brownies when you arrive so guests can see/taste how everything is better on a stone w/o waiting 20 min for recipe to cook.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Arrange with the other consultant to let her do her demo first but ask if you can just quickly introduce yourself so they don't wonder who that other consultant is.

Make the garlic bites or the cinnamon bites to be done as the guests arrive. Introduce yourself first and pass around the snack. Tell them you'll tell them how easy they are to make when it's your turn. Then turn it over to the other consultant. When she's done do your demo.

You want them to remember you and your products.

 

[KellyTheChef]

I totally agree with Beth! Her idea of how to start rapport with them by letting them taste the bites before the show even starts....then introducing yourself quickly before the other lady goes- priceless! If I am EVER roped into doing a combo show again, that is exactly what I will do!


That being said, I will NOT do another of these shows...I did one for my SIL (only cuz it was her that requested it) and even SHE said she will never do another combo show. It hurt her sales quite a bit, although she did sell more PC than TS....

Many of her guests mentioned that they were "overwhelmed" by the amount of products that they were shown. (Even though we both did shortened demos.) I will use that wordage to talk someone OUT of doing a combo show. It's just too much, and most people have a set amount of $$ that they can spend- so it just gets split between the two companies!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I agree with Kelly's comments - people only have so much to spend "tonight".

Another thing I have done with this kind of show is talk with the other consultant ahead of time and agree that you will both do shortened versions of your demos (say 30 minutes each) so people aren't feelling like it's unending.

 

[Lorna May]

As well as what has already been suggested here is mine!
Do a mock table setting with the simple additions and ask the PL consultant to bring items that compliment your setting! Show how both products can work together. Go in with high expectations and show your enthusiasm for your product, who knows your biggest customer may be the PL consultant.

 

[Christ Follower]

PamperedGirl3 is right that the host may end up disappointed because the show totals will be affected. As for the demo, you want to do something that will show as many high $$ items as you can as quickly as possible and make them want to have their own shows since your time will be limited. HAs the host indicated that she wants a main dish or is she leaving it totally up to you? If she wants them to have dinner, I would do the Chicken Ceasar Salad from the Power Cooking recipes, but I would cook the chicken in the Grill Pan in front of the guests. (6 min on one side, flip over and add press for 6 more. Buy a portable burner if you don't already have one as the $10 to be able to cook anywhere is worth it). Use Salad & Berry Spinner, Deluxe Cheese Grater or Microplane grater, Salad Chopper or knives, finger guard and cutting boards in making recipe and tell guests how you'll be glad to show them the Food Chopper and Ultimate Mandoline at their own show! Do a simple dessert ahead of time with your stones...either bake cookies or brownies when you arrive so guests can see/taste how everything is better on a stone w/o waiting 20 min for recipe to cook.

She wants to do something Chocolate. Whatever it is has to be mostly done so I can demo just a few things.

 

[Christ Follower]

Arrange with the other consultant to let her do her demo first but ask if you can just quickly introduce yourself so they don't wonder who that other consultant is.

Make the garlic bites or the cinnamon bites to be done as the guests arrive. Introduce yourself first and pass around the snack. Tell them you'll tell them how easy they are to make when it's your turn. Then turn it over to the other consultant. When she's done do your demo.

You want them to remember you and your products.

I love this idea! I will definately do this but also need some sort of almost done chocolate dessert. Any ideas???

 

[Christ Follower]

I totally agree with Beth! Her idea of how to start rapport with them by letting them taste the bites before the show even starts....then introducing yourself quickly before the other lady goes- priceless! If I am EVER roped into doing a combo show again, that is exactly what I will do!


That being said, I will NOT do another of these shows...I did one for my SIL (only cuz it was her that requested it) and even SHE said she will never do another combo show. It hurt her sales quite a bit, although she did sell more PC than TS....

Many of her guests mentioned that they were "overwhelmed" by the amount of products that they were shown. (Even though we both did shortened demos.) I will use that wordage to talk someone OUT of doing a combo show. It's just too much, and most people have a set amount of $$ that they can spend- so it just gets split between the two companies!

The other consultant will be doing her show first and SAID that it will be shorter since most of the people that will probably be there have been to a PL party. I'm not thrilled about doing this show, but if it came down to choosing, the host would do the PL over mine b/c they've known eachother since the 2nd grade.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I love this idea! I will definately do this but also need some sort of almost done chocolate dessert. Any ideas???

How about the cool and creamy chocolate fondue with cinnamon chips. You can have it all prepared and then give word pictures of how you made everything and after putting the chocolate in a SA serving bowl shave some more chocolate over it.

 

[Christ Follower]

I've never done it before. My only hesitation is that I'd have to pre-make a lot of stuff b/c I want to do the cinnamon bites and she lives kinda far away. There's a whole time issue as far as how early I can get there b/c it's on a week night.

 

[Christ Follower]

I was thinking of pre making a brownie in a bar pan and doing something with that.....

 

[chefheidi2003]

I was thinking of pre making a brownie in a bar pan and doing something with that.....

Why don't you do a Microwave Chocolate Lava Cake. It is not time consuming at all. I think that that would be the route that I would go if I wanted something quick and chocolate.

 

[Christ Follower]

Why don't you do a Microwave Chocolate Lava Cake. It is not time consuming at all. I think that that would be the route that I would go if I wanted something quick and chocolate.

Hmmmmm.......

That might work. I've never done one before. Do you make it in the fluted stone?

 

[kearstin]

As well as what has already been suggested here is mine!
Do a mock table setting with the simple additions and ask the PL consultant to bring items that compliment your setting! Show how both products can work together. Go in with high expectations and show your enthusiasm for your product, who knows your biggest customer may be the PL consultant.

That's a great idea!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Or how about a brownie pizza. You could make the brownie at home and then do the toppings at your demo.

BTW: You don't want to do the bites ahead of time. They only take a minute to put together, pop in the oven while setting up and then have them out of the oven as it's time for intros.

 

[BethCooks4U]

As well as what has already been suggested here is mine!
Do a mock table setting with the simple additions and ask the PL consultant to bring items that compliment your setting! Show how both products can work together. Go in with high expectations and show your enthusiasm for your product, who knows your biggest customer may be the PL consultant.

It WOULD be very pretty to set up a display with both companies products intermingled! I really like that!

 

[chefheidi2003]

Hmmmmm.......

That might work. I've never done one before. Do you make it in the fluted stone?

I know some people do I have never done that I always make mine in the rice cooker.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I know some people do I have never done that I always make mine in the rice cooker.

The fluted stone makes a prettier cake but there again you need to give it some cooling time if you want to frost it or the frosting will soak right in.

 

[Christ Follower]

I like the brownie pizza idea......

What are some of your favorites? I like the smores pizza but it's too hard to cut and not make a HUGE mess.

 

[Christ Follower]

BTW, I have the fluted pan but not the rice cooker.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I like the brownie pizza idea......

What are some of your favorites? I like the smores pizza but it's too hard to cut and not make a HUGE mess.

I just put the topping on (I think it's cream cheese and sugar and lemon? - my cookbooks are all packed for my fair ) and then arrange fruit on top. You can cut the brownie before you top it and that makes it much easier/neater!

Ohhh.... another great recipe is the cookie in the 10" skillet. Use a chocolate chip cookie refrigerated roll and then put more chips and a cut up candy bar on top and bake! YUM!

 

[Christ Follower]

I found a recipe here for Peanut Butter Brownie Bash or something like that. Any one try this? It seems like it would work pretty good.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Haven't tried that but how about the Teramisu Brownie Squares. Again, make the brownie ahead but then put it together at the show. Everyone loves it!

You can do a variation by baking the brownie in the large bar pan and then layering the brownies, pudding mixture and cool whip in the trifle bowl and then garnishing with shaved chocolate and nuts and chocolate covered coffee beans. (If you do this you need extra cool whip.)

 

[Christ Follower]

Haven't tried that but how about the Teramisu Brownie Squares. Again, make the brownie ahead but then put it together at the show. Everyone loves it!

You can do a variation by baking the brownie in the large bar pan and then layering the brownies, pudding mixture and cool whip in the trifle bowl and then garnishing with shaved chocolate and nuts and chocolate covered coffee beans. (If you do this you need extra cool whip.)

That sounds good too! I think I'll let the host choose between those two. But I still want to do the sprinkles thing! That would be perfect to have as guests are coming in. Just like the whole "cookie smell" thing when you're trying to sell a house. I'll get 'em all buutered up before the PL lady does her thing. I wish I had ideas for setting a table to compliment her stuff. They have a new catalog. I should get that before the show so I can come up with something.

 

[Christ Follower]

I just realized that we will have conflicting "smells" going on at the show! Maybe she can burn some cinnamon candles or something....

 

[BethCooks4U]

That sounds good too! I think I'll let the host choose between those two. But I still want to do the sprinkles thing! That would be perfect to have as guests are coming in. Just like the whole "cookie smell" thing when you're trying to sell a house. I'll get 'em all buutered up before the PL lady does her thing. I wish I had ideas for setting a table to compliment her stuff. They have a new catalog. I should get that before the show so I can come up with something.

If you have the new placemats, napkins and rings and the new round dots plate, small square (cran accent is best but white would work) and small dot bowl - use those as your place settings for 2. Or use a large square, small sqare and small square bowl if you don't have the new things. And then have other pieces on the table as though they were serving pieces and then let her put the candles on that she thinks would enhance the table. It should look really pretty and festive!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I just realized that we will have conflicting "smells" going on at the show! Maybe she can burn some cinnamon candles or something....

Don't worry about that! She knows food is served at shows (even the ones she does alone) and besides she wouldn't want to overwhelm with the scents - that would lose her sales...