Dealing with Rejection in Direct Sales: My Experience at a Home and Garden Show

[pampchefrhondab]

This was a first for me. I met this women at a Home and Garden Show. She wanted to have a catalog show, have a regular show later w/her sister and thought about selling! She was very excited and I sent her a packet. This was back in April. I called about 2 weeks after she got the packet and left a msg. w/her daughter (older). I never heard from her.

I'm pumped after going to conf. and thought I would call her to see if she still wanted to do a regular show since she didn't seem to have luck w/her catalog show. I also wanted to tell her about the upcoming specials. Her son answered and asked who was calling. I just said my first name. She answered and I said, "Hi, this is Rhonda with the Pampered Chef." "I sent you a packet a while back." "I'm hoping you received it." She said, "Yes, I did." I tried to continue talking and she hung up on me !

I so wanted to call her back and call her a nasty name!! How rude some people can be!

I'm not going to let her get me down, but I thought maybe my story would make some of you think you had a better PC day !

 

[trps]

I would call her back ans say we must have been disconnected. I was starting to say.......

 

[JAE]

It would have been hard, but I think I would call back right away and ask her if she meant to do that. What if she didn't do it on purpose, but she doesn't have caller ID or your phone number handy? If I accidentally hung up on someone, I don't have caller ID and I probably wouldn't be able to find a phone number either. Plus, I would easily get distracted and forget that I was looking for the phone number. It's possible she made a mistake. Thn again, maybe she is having a bad day.

 

[smspamperedchef]

Call back. Maybe it was a mistake but if she doesn't answer the phone or she's "suddenly" unavailable that will be your answer. Good luck and let us know what happens!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I thought of that, but didn't want more humilation! I heard the son say to her, "She has called you before." So I know they had caller I.D. She also said she received my packet. She would have my phone number from my catalogs.

 

[rennea]

I thought of that, but didn't want more humilation! I heard the son say to her, "She has called you before." So I know they had caller I.D. She also said she received my packet. She would have my phone number from my catalogs.

Agh, I think I would just bless and release Can't stand rude people.

 

[tabnat80]

I had a lady do something similar to me a few years ago. She siked me up saying she had at least 40 ladies coming. We were going to do it in the fellowship hall of her church. I went to the post office and mailed her 8 cataloges and all the paperwork for outside orders. I kept in contact with her for weeks leading up to this. She even attended a friend of mine's show and mentioned so much about how she had almost every product and wanted more. I called her to get directions the week before and to touch base as I had been all the months and weeks and days leading up to it. She didn't return my call. The day before the show, I finally got her husbands work # from our mutual friend and he says she's at the BEACH and won't be back for another week! I about hit the floor. This lady was a compulsive liar and had me going for 2-3 months about this huge show that never existed. Needless to say, she kinda creeped me out so I never got my books back and never have spoken to her since.

 

[rennea]

I had a lady do something similar to me a few years ago. She siked me up saying she had at least 40 ladies coming. We were going to do it in the fellowship hall of her church. I went to the post office and mailed her 8 cataloges and all the paperwork for outside orders. I kept in contact with her for weeks leading up to this. She even attended a friend of mine's show and mentioned so much about how she had almost every product and wanted more. I called her to get directions the week before and to touch base as I had been all the months and weeks and days leading up to it. She didn't return my call. The day before the show, I finally got her husbands work # from our mutual friend and he says she's at the BEACH and won't be back for another week! I about hit the floor. This lady was a compulsive liar and had me going for 2-3 months about this huge show that never existed. Needless to say, she kinda creeped me out so I never got my books back and never have spoken to her since.

Oh my gosh!!! I can't believe some people, mental or what!

 

[chefjwr]

I'm getting scared. <a href=http://www.thesmilies.com><img src=http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/scared0010.gif border=0></a>

 

[chefjwr]

That was supposed to be a scared Smiley. GRRR

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I had a lady do something similar to me a few years ago. She siked me up saying she had at least 40 ladies coming. We were going to do it in the fellowship hall of her church. I went to the post office and mailed her 8 cataloges and all the paperwork for outside orders. I kept in contact with her for weeks leading up to this. She even attended a friend of mine's show and mentioned so much about how she had almost every product and wanted more. I called her to get directions the week before and to touch base as I had been all the months and weeks and days leading up to it. She didn't return my call. The day before the show, I finally got her husbands work # from our mutual friend and he says she's at the BEACH and won't be back for another week! I about hit the floor. This lady was a compulsive liar and had me going for 2-3 months about this huge show that never existed. Needless to say, she kinda creeped me out so I never got my books back and never have spoken to her since.

Wow, that's worse then my situation. Thanks for making me feel better!

Yeah, I decided when she hung up on me I really didn't care to do business w/her even if she would have answered had I called back.

I did start to worry maybe she collected orders and then pocketed the money (Although I haven't gotten any calls from people not getting their orders). Has anyone had that happen before?

 

[rennea]

I did start to worry maybe she collected orders and then pocketed the money (Although I haven't gotten any calls from people not getting their orders). Has anyone had that happen before?

Yes I have heard of this happening before. Infact I think that I have a "host" from a catty show who has collected money and now I can't get her on the phonehttp://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/sad0147.gif

 

[mbkraese]

Pressing *68 on your phone blocks anyone's caller ID (learned that at regional) hee hee
Though it will say "blocked call" on their phone they might not answer it!
I've tried that but I also feel my Cell phone seems to work better for me and I get more answer the phone when using my Cell for some reason.
Then I can deducted part of my cell phone bill from my taxes because I am using it for my business!

 

[Jules711]

I honestly have thought someone hung up on me before (same thing...trying to confirm a show) and then THEY called me back within a couple of minutes completely embarrassed. She did want to do a show. It does happen, but it sounds like maybe she didn't want to. I wish people had the common courtesy to just TELL us!I'm not at all pushy and don't stalk. I just follow up with permission or reason. I had someone that booked a show and I had a hard time reaching her. Finally "almost" got her one day. Her husband answered and she just was getting home so I called back. He tells me she doesn't want to do a show anymore. Hello, let HER tell me that!

 

[Chef_2_Four]

I have been disconnected and hung up on. You can tell when someone hangs up on you! I had a lady tell me at a show she wanted to have a show. So before I closed the show I wanted to get a date set. She answered the phone and I said hi this april with the pampere chef and CLICK she slammed the phone down!! I was so mad I almost cried!! She could have just said I'm not interested. Oh well, I will see her at least 2 more times probably both of her sisters booked a show! Then I will kill her with kindness!

 

[Jules711]

Ick! Mine sounded like a gentle hang-up. I can't remember what happened anymore. If a child was "helping" or if she just grabbed her phone wrong or what. But it infuriates me that people forget two things about us. We are REAL people and this IS a business for us. I'd rather get a NO than an untruthful maybe. I'm not offended when people say no, but I am offended if they say maybe and then act like I'm stalking them. Luckily, doesn't happen often.Yesterday, I was given a booking lead from a friend. Called her and she's SUPER excited!! So nice and I'm excited to work with her. Always nice to do a show for someone I've never met. Hope it leads to lots of bookings and maybe even a recruit!

 

[angmillar]

I had a booking lead from a consultant that just PCSed (moved). I called her to set up a date in August, and she answered the first time I called. But, she was really busy at the time, so we agreed that I call her the next afternoon.

So, I called the next afternoon... no answer, so I left a message.

I didn't hear from her, so I called again a couple of days later and didn't leave a message.

Then, I called again, since I was really trying to get an August date for her. (I can only do three shows here in August, and I had another gal wanting to book. But, since I was given her contact info first, I was going to give her first choice of dates.) I explained this on the message, and she still didn't call back.

But, I knew she was home during the last message. Her next door neighbor is another customer of mine who told me so!!

How I wish people would just tell us "No" if they didn't want to host!!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

It's so nice to know I'm not the only one with this problem. I guess I have to look at the positive side - that I actually have people I can call!

I have thought about blocking the caller ID as well, but I don't think customers would appreciate it. I have also used my cell phone in the past to reach them if they don't respond to my regular calls. This does get them to answer sometimes.

Now I'm thinking about getting Vonage as an extra phone line for my business. I don't think my caller ID will show up w/them, but I'm not sure. It's one thing I'm going to check in to.

 

[chefann]

If you have VOIP (Voice over IP, which is what Vonage is), you will show up on caller ID.