Cooking Show Chaos: A Story of Last-Minute Changes

[Sheila]

As arranged, I arrived at 6PM for a 6:30 PM show. The host was no where near ready. She was still cleaning the house, had the kids running through the living room and her hubby piled up on the couch watching TV. She did get her hubby off the couch to help her finish cleaning and put several baskets of laundry upstairs. I gathered & moved all the children's toys from the center of the floor to the edge of the room.

She had told me the day before that she was expecting 10-12 guests. I spoke to her 5 hours before the show & she said the RSVP list had dropped and would be about 7-10 people. When I arrived she said several more had bailed on her at the last minute.

6:30 comes and no guests have arrived. It was also at that time, that the host put her hubby to work in the kitchen so she could go shower.

At 6:35, the first guest arrived ... who happens to be next week's host.

At 6:45, the host announced that she had another guest who would be there at 7. The kids are still running through the house & trying to play with all the PC tools. So while trying to keep an eye on my stuff, I did get some one-on-one time with next week's host to plan the menu.

7:00 arrives and two more guests show up saying that another one is right behind them.

7:05 we finally have a 4th guest & start the show. The guests announce that their two 2nd grade girls want to "help" with the interactive cooking show, which of course brought the host's rambunctious boys out of their room to help too.

It took 1 hour and 20 min's to do what should have taken 30 min's. The guests sat on the couch & visited while I entertained the kids. They didn't seem to be interested in the presentation or trying out any of the tools. They were perfectly content in letting me babysit while they visited.

Three of the four ordered. Total sales between the three guests: $85.50 :grumpy:

I'm crossing my fingers that she's able to collect some outside orders to at least make a show. I'd hate to think that I did all that work and got paid less than $20 to babysit.

Thank goodness I had a total of 9 shows this month. I've closed 2, have 6 open & one more this weekend. The fact that I've already taken $2399.57 in commissionable sales and I'm not "done" yet for the month is the ONLY thing that's keeping me sane after this last cooking show!!

 

[tlag1986]

That SUCKS!!!!!!!

Good that the rest of the month is looking up.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Sorry Sheila! I had one of those last year. Almost the same thing. Although my host wasn't even home yet. I walked in and there were grocery bags all over the floor and table in the kitchen. There were about 3 loads of laundry on the couch. Her husband and kids were working on straightening everything up. It would've taken them the whole afternoon, but we only had 30 minutes! She walks through the door when the party was scheduled to start. She then began to yell at her family to get it all together (they did a great job though). After that she got on the phone trying to get people to come to the party. She then leaves to jump in the shower!! Before I got there she said she was expecting 10 people. I think we ended with 3. Only 1 ordered and she tried to re-book with me!! Needless to say, I lost her phone number.

Congratulations on your sales so far!! You are almost to the $3k level in the SAT!! Just keep on trucking girl!

 

[ChefPaulaB]

I had something like that last week. Host claimed she always has HUGE shows, we had 3 people, she still hasn't received enough orders to make a show. Felt like a huge waste of my time, but at least I didn't have to babysit! Sorry about your show!

 

[Sheila]

Thanks ladies! Luckily, I'm smart enough to know that this is not a "normal" show and to brush it off & look forward to the next one.

But I guess the horror stories are always fun to look back on and laugh at, huh?

 

[floccies]

Oh WOW!!!

I always try to put the postive in my head when stuff like that happens --- Got to host coach in person, more sales than if you had sat home . . .

Try to encourage the host to order using the host discount to make it to the $150 -- I do not believe in giving host benefits if the show is less than $150.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Oh WOW!!!

I always try to put the postive in my head when stuff like that happens --- Got to host coach in person, more sales than if you had sat home . . .

Try to encourage the host to order using the host discount to make it to the $150 -- I do not believe in giving host benefits if the show is less than $150.

The host can't use the host discount as part of the guest show sales...and there is no way to give host benefits if the show is less than $150....

I'm not sure what you meant by that?

 

[Sheila]

Oh, she won't get any host benefits if she doesn't come up with more orders. I figure next week's host will probably just wait & order her stuff with her show. The other two buying guests will have the option of canceling their order or having it added to another show that I have open (like my Mystery Host Show!).

 

[Sheila]

Becky, I assumed that she meant the consultant trying to come up with more orders for the host so that her show would qualify.

 

[koima]

I had my first two shows this weekend. My first was a huge success, almost $800 - an acquaintance from Weight Watchers. The hostess was excited about the show, reminded everyone to come, did all the stuff on the checklist for a successful show that I sent her, and her show reflected it.

My second show was a complete flop, just $50 (from my MIL) - my mom's show!! She didn't do any of the hostess stuff. She didn't even open the packet I sent her. She has a huge warm market - she's a nurse, so lots of nurse friends, and is part of a Bible study group that meets weekly and frequently does direct sales parties. She was late getting me an incomplete guest list (no e-mail or phone numbers), and I sent out postcard invites. She got no RSVPs and said it would be a hassle to call to remind people. While I was driving (90 miles!) to her house, she called and said she didn't think anyone was coming, but she'd hand out catalogs at work if I wanted. Anyone else and I would have cancelled before leaving the house. The only order was from a guest I brought (MIL!) Oh, well, we had a nice visit.

I'm rescheduling my mom for January. Hopefully it will go better then - I'll push for a COMPLETE guest list in advance so I can do the E-vites and reminder calls!

 

[chefann]

The host can't use the host discount as part of the guest show sales...and there is no way to give host benefits if the show is less than $150....

I'm not sure what you meant by that?

I've done it on occasion, too, so I think I know what she means. Put a guest order on the show that's in the host's name and put some of the items they want on that order - just enough to get them to $150. The rest of what they want goes on their host order, with the appropriate discount, etc. Sort of like when a host booked off herself to get 2 host specials.

 

[pampered.chris]

Yeah, I have completed a hostess's orders for her before. Just did it the other day for a co-worker. She did an open house w/ 5 other companies and had $85 or so in orders, so when I got an order for $122 (from a phone call the day after her party), I added it to her order and let her get a stone at 60% off. (I don't need anymore stones)

 

[Sheila]

I've only tried to help one host like that, and it was a friend. She was pregnant & everyone on her guest list had JUST bought her a baby shower gift the week before. She was only at $129 in guest sales, so I added some outside orders to let her get a few benefits. She really wanted the cookware! Well, when it came right down to it, her hubby told her not to order the cookware this close to Christmas (apparently he already had something planned). So I ordered it instead and let her have the other host benefits that she did want. Worked out well for both of us. But I have to admit, I probably would not have done it for someone I didn't really know.

 

[Hathery]

I had my first two shows this weekend. My first was a huge success, almost $800 - an acquaintance from Weight Watchers. The hostess was excited about the show, reminded everyone to come, did all the stuff on the checklist for a successful show that I sent her, and her show reflected it.

My second show was a complete flop, just $50 (from my MIL) - my mom's show!! She didn't do any of the hostess stuff. She didn't even open the packet I sent her. She has a huge warm market - she's a nurse, so lots of nurse friends, and is part of a Bible study group that meets weekly and frequently does direct sales parties. She was late getting me an incomplete guest list (no e-mail or phone numbers), and I sent out postcard invites. She got no RSVPs and said it would be a hassle to call to remind people. While I was driving (90 miles!) to her house, she called and said she didn't think anyone was coming, but she'd hand out catalogs at work if I wanted. Anyone else and I would have cancelled before leaving the house. The only order was from a guest I brought (MIL!) Oh, well, we had a nice visit.

I'm rescheduling my mom for January. Hopefully it will go better then - I'll push for a COMPLETE guest list in advance so I can do the E-vites and reminder calls!

I get really frustrated too when this happens. The person has tons of options for outside orders, but no matter how much you encourage it you can't *make* someone do it. It's just a shame...they lose out on so many awesome perks if they'd just put forth a little effort.