Cooking Show Timeline: From Hostess' Home to Packed and Ready to Go

[labook]

Hi everyone!
How long does your typical cooking show run? From the time you arrive at Hostess' home to the time your product is packed and you are ready to travel home?

 

[soonerchef]

About 3 1/2 hours for me on average. This morning though it was 4 1/2 hours, very chatty guests.

I see that this is your first post, welcome to chefsuccess, you will find some great ideas and very helpful ladies (and a few guys too)!

 

[its_me_susan]

Hi everyone!
How long does your typical cooking show run? From the time you arrive at Hostess' home to the time your product is packed and you are ready to travel home?

I'm thinking 3-4 hours too....

 

[Paige Dixon]

I seem to always pay my sitter consistantly for 4 hours, that includes drive time both ways. I bring an empty plastic bin to put all my dirty dishes in and I bring them home to put in the dishwasher, so I don't spend any time washing dishes at the host's house. I never seem to start the show exactly on time, I try to keep the demo to about 45 minutes, I like to play a quick game, and I always leave the host's house cleaner than when I arrived, she should have nothing to do but go to bed when I leave.

My director is very consistant about arriving at a show at 6:00,starting at 6:30 and she is almost always back home by 9:00, definately always home before 9:30. She also does the dishes at the host's home. She really has it streamlined. I should watch a show to see how she does it. One tip though, she always starts right on time, even if nobody is there but the host and herself!

 

[onepamperedmom68]

About 3 1/2 hours for meMy shows typically last about 3.5 hours. It depends on my recipe and if I have chatty guests (or ones that are drinking).
My problem is that I do my demo and try to get cleaned up/packed while guests taste and look at their catalogs but it seems like they are all ready to order right when I am done and then I end up leaving my mess to take orders. Each party is different, depending on the number of guests, etc. I always try to focus on my guests and NOT my clean up but I do not like leaving a mess sitting out. Ha!
I too bring my dishes home to wash. It is just easier that way. I have had several hosts INSIST that THEY wash my dishes and I politely try to tell them that it is no problem for me to bring the dirty dishes home because I always have my trusty dishwasher ready and waiting for me!
Another thing that bugs me...I always feel like I cross sell too much. I am one who wants to provide as much info as I can on as many products as I can. If I am using the measure all cup, I talk about that and then all the other measuring tools. Am I the only one who does this? Please tell me I am not. I don't want to bore the guests but I want to be as informative as I can. That is what I struggle with. My sales are good, bookings bad. Any suggestions?
Sorry for rambling on and on!
Love this group! Thank you to everyone for being so wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lisa

 

[Kelley Sells]

Lol...forever?....My 1st show was 4 hours long....LOL....my 2nd was 3 hours long....my director has it down pat too, she does 20 min. on the intro, 30 min on the demo and another 20 min on closing then takes orders.
I will definatley have to go to another show, the 1st one of hers I was a customer....LOL....

I tried it, it is soooo hard to keep on time......

There is another Consultant on here that wrote she gets to the hosts early, cooks up the recipe already and basically does a 15 min. schtick and then tells everyone to shop....don't know if you read it already, but it seemed pretty interesting. She had time to mingle with each guest. And her totals seem to be GREAT...hmmm.....I think it all depends on the crowd. I USE to be a singer for many years and learned to "work the crowd" "size up the audience" to find out what I thought would and wouldn't work....every audience is different.....some are down to business, some are there to party, some are dragged there.....and it really is a "Cooking Show", but it is a reason for the folks to get together for a "party" too....
So, I think I'm just gonna sing my way through the intro, demo and closing and that way I won't get interupted.....LOL.....

I practice in my own kitchen, to the dog, and he howls and distracts me, which is GREAT....LOL...practise practise practise.....

AND I noticed that the more stuff you have the longer you take......put some stuff out for display, and keep the stuff your using to demo and the big sellers right there with you and talk about them....don't be afraid to use the catalog either, I found THAT to be an awesome tool, and if you happen to have some of the product pass it around as your showing them the catalog pages....

Remember to that the guests experiences with what THEY already have will help sell to another guest, get them to intro themselves, talk about THEIR favorite item or what they own....and go from there....

One thing our other director does is Love it/Have It or Love it/Gotta Have it...
She instructs them at the beginning that when she is talkiing about a product and they have it and love it, yell it....or if they love it and gotta have it...yell it....this helps to promote bookings as well....if it is a money thing, bring up the booking benefits.....

Well, I'm just a fountain of info huh? Now if I could just get my bookings up....I'd be okay.....LOL.....today, I'm out there, trying to get some bookings to finish off my month for my skillet....LOVE IT/GOTTA HAVE IT.....

 

[BethCooks4U]

I arrive at 6:30, start at 7:00 and leave for home at 9:00. The demo is about 45 minutes and then they eat while I take orders. Before I leave I go over benefits earned with the host, remind her of the closing day & time, and coach to the next levels.

 

[Kelley Sells]

Hi BethSee, you have it down pat.....is there a particular list of recipes you offer the host, and therefore what items do you truly demo and other items you go over. I'm trying to get it to 3 recipes that feature certain products and then after i"m done with that go over additional top sellers and then cut it off there.....it's hard when there are soooo many wonderful items to show. THEN there are so many great recipes.....

I think when we all first start off, we buy stuff that truly we don't need....LOL...I have alot of stuff now, but am focusing on the top sellers and weeding out anything that I don't need to lug around. It took me 6 trips my 1st true show....

Thank you for the guidance it is much appreciated.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I like variety at my shows so offer a lot of choices. I choose recipes that take 25-30 minutes to bake at most and give the host a list of choices. When we are deciding on the recipe I ask if she has picked one out or if she has something else in mind. If they have no idea I ask "appetizer or dessert?" "favorite ingredients - chocolate? chicken?..." If they choose a recipe that won't work for a show I suggest something similar that will work. If the recipe takes longer to prepare I start with the prep and go back to intros, etc. after it is put together.

If they choose a simple recipe I usually offer a dip or easy dessert to go with it. I have a couple shows coming up where we are doing the Chicken Rissoto recipe and a bread dipping along with it.

As far as the products. All recipes can show stoneware or cookware or simple additions or a combination of them. While the recipe cooks we talk about the lines of products we aren't showing. I try to always bring the products to prepare, cook and serve their recipe so they see the whole line.

 

[Paige Dixon]

I cross sell alot as well, and I think they really enjoy the wealth of info they receive at my shows. However, I talk very fast and I really try to talk extensively about the higher priced items (not only selling the products, but this also sells bookings). I try not to waste much if any time on the cheaper items, they always seem to find them on their own. However, if a guest is raving about the Quikcut paring knife, I'll quickly point out that it is so wonderful, you all need at least one in the kitchen, one in the camper, one on the boat, one in the glove compartment, one in your desk. Then you're hopefully turning a $1.25 sale into a $6-7 sale. This could add up if there are ten guests!