Dealing with my first party cancellation: Lessons learned and moving forward

[JackieB999]

Yup... I had my first cancelation! I met the host at a vendor show and she wanted to book the party for her teenage daughter that loves to bake. I was all ready... it would have been my first show with total strangers. I had my games and all my stuff ready. I kept in contact with her, but not "too much".

Then 3 days before the party the call came. She's having anxiety about her house being clean enough! She didn't want to reschedule. I told her not to worry about the house being spic-n-span that people are there to socialize with eachother and have a good time. Nope. Oh well... on to the next one, although I am disappointed and it makes me nervous that my other 2 shows with cancel too.

:cry:

 

[lockhartkitchen]

Keep your spirits up. Keep in touch with your other hosts of shows coming up. You will find cancellations once in awhile. Get her to do a catalog show.

 

[raebates]

It happens to us all occasionally. As we say here, bless and release.

 

[colegrovet]

ask her if she has a friend who would like to co-host and have the party at her friends house. if not then do as Rae says.. bless and release..

 

[scottcooks]

Some folks will offer their home as well. Far stretch: You could come by and offer to help her cleanup and discuss resetting her date.Our house is in similar disarray since we adopted 2 b/g siblings, had a full home office, then we needed 2 separate bedrooms, so office items are scattered around house.
Got DD into her bedroom fully, now collecting and sorting, getting back to making me and my business a priority.When you said "not too much" - there probably isn't too much prior contact. Clearly, she didn't do what basic host coaching would suggest to her (invite, etc.!) She didn't invite well, because knowing 20 people were coming over would have motivated her to pickup the clutter...Good luck - experience is the best teacher, in my opinion!

 

[esavvymom]

Some folks will offer their home as well. Far stretch: You could come by and offer to help her cleanup and discuss resetting her date.

Our house is in similar disarray since we adopted 2 b/g siblings, had a full home office, then we needed 2 separate bedrooms, so office items are scattered around house.
Got DD into her bedroom fully, now collecting and sorting, getting back to making me and my business a priority.

When you said "not too much" - there probably isn't too much prior contact. Clearly, she didn't do what basic host coaching would suggest to her (invite, etc.!) She didn't invite well, because knowing 20 people were coming over would have motivated her to pickup the clutter...

Good luck - experience is the best teacher, in my opinion!

That was my thought too. In my experience, the cancellations were about the lack of invitations going out and she either DIDN'T send them at all, or didn't hear back from anyone....so rather than be embarrassed and say she didn't do the 1 job she needed to- the invitations, she gives you another reason. Been there done that...and, you'll get it again most likely (unless YOU are sending the invites). It happens to everyone now and then.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

That was my thought too. In my experience, the cancellations were about the lack of invitations going out and she either DIDN'T send them at all, or didn't hear back from anyone....so rather than be embarrassed and say she didn't do the 1 job she needed to- the invitations, she gives you another reason. Been there done that...and, you'll get it again most likely (unless YOU are sending the invites). It happens to everyone now and then.

Ditto. It's why I send the invites, and encourage my hosts to send out a FB invite too - and friend me so I can see the list.

 

[lesliec]

That was my thought too. In my experience, the cancellations were about the lack of invitations going out and she either DIDN'T send them at all, or didn't hear back from anyone....so rather than be embarrassed and say she didn't do the 1 job she needed to- the invitations, she gives you another reason. Been there done that...and, you'll get it again most likely (unless YOU are sending the invites). It happens to everyone now and then.

Funny, That's the reason I don't send invites. Scheduled a show right after DE, sent out Mini-Catalog's to 70ish guests, hostess cancelled and could never get ahold of her.
I was out about $35 plus the cost of the mini's. Won't be doing that again.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Funny, That's the reason I don't send invites. Scheduled a show right after DE, sent out Mini-Catalog's to 70ish guests, hostess cancelled and could never get ahold of her.
I was out about $35 plus the cost of the mini's. Won't be doing that again.

That's extremely rare. In almost 8 years of doing this, I've only had two cancellations after I sent the invites. Before I started doing that, I had last minute cancellations about 50% of the time.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I agree with Becky I've been doing it for close to 10 years now and have had maybe 5 cancellations

 

[JackieB999]

Thanks for all the advice and support everyone... but I am the type of person to release it. I don't want to chase her or bug her right now. Maybe I'll wait a few months and contact her again... but I don't like chasing people and maybe that's a skill I SHOULD acquire. But when I cancel something myself, it's because I just don't want to do it at all. Better yet, I don't agree to it in the FIRST place. That's what ticks me off the most is that they approached my vendor table and said "Hi, we want to have a party".

Question tho... when I'm at a vendor market (I have a handful booked) do you think it would be ok if I collected the $15 food fee up front from strangers? At least that way they feel like they have an investment to go through with it. If they cancel, at least I have a cancellation fee! LOL. But seriously... would you try that? After all, I'm giving them about a $3 host packet.

 

[Careyann]

I'm surprised at how many consultants are buying the ingredients for their parties. I never do, the only extra's I bring is a block of cream cheese and crackers for my sauces, maybe carrots for the ginger wasabi and if we do a molton lava cake, I will bring the cake mix and frosting. The host gets $15 extra in free for providing those ingredients, so I let them.
Just my 2cents....

 

[BethCooks4U]

I'm surprised at how many consultants are buying the ingredients for their parties. I never do, the only extra's I bring is a block of cream cheese and crackers for my sauces, maybe carrots for the ginger wasabi and if we do a molton lava cake, I will bring the cake mix and frosting. The host gets $15 extra in free for providing those ingredients, so I let them.
Just my 2cents....

Hellooo... I have the host provide the cream cheese and crackers for my sauces. Unless I am offering a free cooking show I only bring the pantry ingredients for recipes that I'm doing - sauces, spices, rubs, sprinkles... Or if the recipe calls for something that is $$ and we only need a little I will bring mine from home. Oh, and garlic cloves - I try to always ask if they use them and if they don't I bring mine.

We decide on the recipe together so the host knows what she's getting into.

 

[JackieB999]

I'm surprised at how many consultants are buying the ingredients for their parties. I never do, the only extra's I bring is a block of cream cheese and crackers for my sauces, maybe carrots for the ginger wasabi and if we do a molton lava cake, I will bring the cake mix and frosting. The host gets $15 extra in free for providing those ingredients, so I let them.
Just my 2cents....

Interesting. I was finding it easier to just buy and bring them myself. Have you ever had it happen where the host did not get the ingredients, forgot something, or an item like sour cream was old from their fridge? That's what worries me. If I buy it, I know what I have.

 

[JackieB999]

Question tho... when I'm at a vendor market (I have a handful booked) do you think it would be ok if I collected the $15 food fee up front from strangers? At least that way they feel like they have an investment to go through with it.

Would any of you do this?

 

[lesliec]

Interesting. I was finding it easier to just buy and bring them myself. Have you ever had it happen where the host did not get the ingredients, forgot something, or an item like sour cream was old from their fridge? That's what worries me. If I buy it, I know what I have.

In this case I improvise. That's also why I get there 45 min early. If needed send hubby, or call a guest who is coming...
I am currently doing "Free Shows" from a booth that I did, but I talk about it when I give them the host packet so there are no surprises. If money is an issue we do something cheap like the Cheeseburger salad.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Interesting. I was finding it easier to just buy and bring them myself. Have you ever had it happen where the host did not get the ingredients, forgot something, or an item like sour cream was old from their fridge? That's what worries me. If I buy it, I know what I have.

That's totally your choice. If the host forgets something there's usually someone who's on their way that can pick it up or we figure out an alternate to make the recipe work. It always works out.

It costs me enough to do a show. I do not buy ingredients unless I NEED a show for something I'm working toward. Cost: I often drive well over an hour one way (mileage is deductable but still, I mail many of my packets (about $5 each + contents), I encourage everyone to keep the catalogs (about 50c each), I give 2 different door prizes (often a Seasons Best but still), I send invitations for some hosts, the cost of losing an occasional host after sending/giving the host packet out, the cost of the spices/sauces/pantry items that I provide, etc.

 

[BlueMoon]

...Our house is in similar disarray since we adopted 2 b/g siblings, had a full home office, then we needed 2 separate bedrooms, so office items are scattered around house. ...!

sorry, don't mean to hijack, but hey, Scott, congratulations!!!!! hooray for you and your newly expanded family! Best wishes to all of you!

Marghi

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Would any of you do this?

I wouldn't give a stranger $15 to do a show. How would I know that she would follow through, and not just keep my money? That would keep me from booking - if I felt I had to pay to do it!

 

[raebates]

I'm with Becky on this. They don't know you enough to trust you.

As for the food, I have provided the food for the vast majority of my shows for a few years now. I tend to make the same recipe for all of my shows for a month or two, so I buy in bulk. I figure it costs me about $5-7 per show. It works for me. I might have some control issues. LOL

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I'm with Becky on this. They don't know you enough to trust you.

As for the food, I have provided the food for the vast majority of my shows for a few years now. I tend to make the same recipe for all of my shows for a month or two, so I buy in bulk. I figure it costs me about $5-7 per show. It works for me. I might have some control issues. LOL

Ahhh, yes - we all have little things we do to feed the control monster inside us!

 

[raebates]

Yeah, the third time I had to try to defrost whipped topping before a demo I decided that bringing things myself worked better for me.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Yeah, the third time I had to try to defrost whipped topping before a demo I decided that bringing things myself worked better for me.

It's why, although I don't bring all of the ingredients - I do bring some.Like cilantro. I heard one too many times "I just got parsley, is that okay - it's just like cilantro, isn't it?"and "I already had this garlic in a jar - we can use that, right?"BUT! I have a great tip for defrosting cool whip! Take your ice cream scoop and stick it down in the middle of the tub...and in about 5 minutes, your cool whip will be defrosted and ready to go!

 

[debbie mc]

BUT! I have a great tip for defrosting cool whip! Take your ice cream scoop and stick it down in the middle of the tub...and in about 5 minutes, your cool whip will be defrosted and ready to go!

:love: this tip! Thanks ChefBecky!!

 

[raebates]

Ooooh, good to know, Becky. I'll be sharing that idea with my customers.

 

[ShellBeach]

Cool tip on the ice cream scoop - thank you!