Confused Host Wants 10 More Catalogs!!

[pamperedpnina]

My hostess just called me, she asked for more catalogs. I told her as a rule I only give out 2 but if she needed 1 more I could drop it by, she said no I'll pay for the catalogs, I need 10! She said she is hoping to get a lot of catalog orders!!! I really feel bad taking money from her especially b/c she is paying for the grocery's for the show?! But on the other hand I am just starting out and dont have the money to just give away that many catalogs!

She said she's sending me a check period!

 

[wadesgirl]

If she wants to pay for it, then just send her the catalogs. But make sure your name is on all of them. You'll never know where they'll end up. Catalogs are great advertising.

 

[BarefootCook]

What do you do at the shows with Catalogs? Do they look at them and give them back at the show?

 

[pamperedpnina]

Yep thats how my Director told me to do it, I have some of last seasons books that I'll start brining to shows if ppl. feel the need to bring one home! OR mini catalogs!

 

[ChefPaulaB]

I always let people take the catties home from a show if they want it. I figure that way they'll have my info. I still have all of my PC catties from all the shows I went to. I love looking back at them and they have recipes and great ideas for other things (just by looking at the pictures). I'm sure that some people throw them away, but you never know. I wouldn't give out 10 for outside orders though.

 

[pcsharon1]

Catalogs are one of the cheapest forms of advertisement you have. I never, never ask for catalogs back. I make it very clear during the show and during check out that the catalogs are theirs to keep. Most people who honestly know they are never going to look at it again just leave it laying for me to pick up. I do tell hostesses that I would like back any catalogs they didn't hand out and any paperwork from their hostess packet that they don't want to keep. I usually have four catalogs in the hostess packets - three with the guest special attached for the host to collect orders from and one with the host special attached that I tell her is just for her.

At this point, if she wants to pay you for the catalogs go ahead and take her check, hold it and if you get at least half of them back at the show - give her the check back. That's the way I would handle it - to each his own though. That's what's great about this business!

 

[colegrovet]

I have a hostess in FLA, that is doing a caty for me, I sent her 3 catalogs and 2 weeks ago she asked me for 4 more.. I shipped them to her ASAP! She did a caty 3 months ago, $1,100... I think she wants to beat that this time...

 

[JAE]

I would be leary about giving out 10 catalogs, too, and I understand why you don't want to give them out. If she actually brings in enough outside orders to cover your costs, give her the money back. It won't take much to cover the cost.

I don't ask for catalogs back. I like giving out nice, new ones that aren't all wrinkly. If you buy 100 catalogs, they cost 45 cents each or something like that. Totally worth giving them away. Save money by not doing a lot of flyers. Don't buy them or make copies. For the most part, people don't want them or read them. Everything you need is in the catalog.

 

[PamperedK]

I never ask for catalogs back. I've had a number of people call me to order saying that they found my catalog somewhere. These are the best and cheapest form of advertising for you!!

 

[gaddischef]

I agree -- if she wants 10 send her 10! You never know what your return will be on them!

 

[lauradahl]

Give her the 10...let her know that you "recycle" them and use them over and over so you will use any that she has left and/or gets back from the guests.

 

[pcchefjane]

I had a lady back in February do a Cooking Show for me. She asked for 15 catalogs because she had "a bunch of people in different places wanting to look at them". Well not only did she not even qualify with her show (I managed to get enough orders to qualify it from outside orders of my own), I never got the catalogs back. We found the catalogs and all the extras order forms in a classroom at our Church where she had left them and forgot where she had them. I'd love to give people catalogs to keep but I know myself when I have a catalog handed to me, I take it to be polite, but most of time will never use it! (not ours of course)

 

[mscharf]

If she already sent the money, that is fine. If she ends up doing a great show, give her a little extra "treat" (how much she sent for the catalogs) for free, for all of her hard work. This will show your appreciation and those catalogs are still out there with your info on them.