Did I Totally Bomb My Second Show?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

This thread centers around participants sharing their experiences and feelings regarding challenging cooking shows as Pampered Chef consultants. Many express their frustrations and learning moments from shows that did not go as planned, highlighting the commonality of such experiences within the community.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, describes feeling overwhelmed and forgetting key points during their second show, expressing disappointment in their performance.
  • Another participant shares that they found it helpful to let customers talk about their favorite Pampered Chef items to ease pressure during shows.
  • Several users mention that even when they feel they performed poorly, guests often do not notice the flaws, and shows can still yield positive results.
  • One participant recounts a humorous mishap during their first show, where a cooking disaster turned into a memorable experience, leading to positive feedback from guests.
  • Another participant notes that they have had shows where they felt unprepared, yet still received good sales, suggesting that outcomes can be unpredictable.
  • Several users express that it is common to have bad shows and that these experiences contribute to growth and learning over time.
  • One participant shares their experience of bringing children to a show and finding it distracting, emphasizing the importance of preparation and understanding the audience's preferences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that experiencing difficult shows is a common occurrence and that these moments can provide valuable lessons. However, individual experiences and feelings about specific products and situations vary widely.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal anecdotes from their experiences as consultants, reflecting on the challenges faced during cooking shows and the emotional responses to those challenges.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants within the Pampered Chef community who are navigating the ups and downs of hosting cooking shows may find these shared experiences relatable and encouraging.

D
DandyG03
Messages
52
I totally and complete froze, everything I've been training myself to do went totally out the window. Anything that could go wrong did ugh! I'm in such a love hate relationshipy kind of place with the Ult. Mandoline- grrrr. I was SO clumsy with it today, it was sad. The kicker is I've practiced on it this past week several times, maybe it was just a case of nerves? No one from the group of woman would participate. Which is their choice but geee throw me a bone.:grumpy: My SIL has a weird kitchen set up but it still worked. I think I'm just bummed in myself, I know there will be other shows etc and not to be so hard on myself. I guess I'm just in awe of how badly I froze and forgot things I needed to say about the products and the recruiting/booking lines and my check out was not done how I was taught grrr. Well I can't take it back now and I can only practice and change what I would do differently next time. Sorry to be so negative, getting all of this said and out in the open clears my head and just makes me feel better. SO thank you for letting me vent, I know we all have our not so shinning moments so here's a *hug* to anyone else having a day/week like I had today.

It can only get better right? Please someone tell me it gets easier/better?!
BTW sorry if this isn't the right forum for this.
 
Congratulations! You just did your worst show, now that you have that done..........
Maybe you've heard this before, but a secret another consultant told me early on, was to let your customers do all the talking. Have each one introduce themselves and tell what their favorite PC item is. You will learn so much from them, plus it takes the pressure off you until you get more comfortable. You'll be OK!!!!
 
This will be one of those "recruiting pitch" type things you reflect back on and tell guests that anyone can do this. Hang in there. Sometimes even when you think you forget everything and that you suck at this, nobody really noticed your flaws at all. My last show was awkward the way things were set up and at times I felt NOBODY was listening to me and then afterwards I was scolding myself in the car for forgetting some of the things I was going to do or say. The show was $820 and the host raved about me telling me that Pampered Chef was lucky to have people like me representing them. Not bad for a show I thought I sucked at.
 
Don't worry about it. We all have bad shows and we learn from them and move on. I know how you feel about the Madoline I hate mine. I don't use it I would rather find another product in the catalog that is about the same price and love it 10 times more and use it in all of my shows. So don't worry about it. Just think you lived through this show and someday you will laugh when you have like 50 shows or more under your belt and think gosh I can't believe I had so many issues back then at my shows.

So awesome job !!!!!
 
you know, my 1st show was the same and my 2nd was only marginally better. friend convinced me to bring my 2 1/2 yr old and 5 week old. NEVER AGAIN will i bring my kids, i don't care who asks me to or promises no one will care! sure i knew most everyone there, but still, how embarrassing! every time one of them needed me, i had to rely on someone else to handle it. never EVER again! but hey we all learn from our mistakes right? don't know if that helps, but it happens to us all.
 
We have all been there! Heck, 5 years later I STILL have shows where I feel like I forget 100 things...or it's like pulling teeth to relate to the guests! Thankfully, those shows get fewer and further in between as you get practice!

You have the right attitude, though. Just look at what you did, what you want to change for next time, and move on! That's the best way to deal with shows like that!!
 
It will be okay and I have hugs coming your way.

After 4 years I still have shows that totally go wrong and I too forget many things I wanted to say. I have found a lot of times it's the people at the show more then it is you.

Just remember the words, "I'm a Pampered Chef not a Perfect Chef:)!"

If you got sales it should be considered a good show. I had a show last winter w/very few sales and then the host ended up cancelling on me - after the show!!
 
We all have those shows!! Don't worry about it! I hate the Madoline - I don't even demo or bring it - I love the Forged Cutlery and that is what I slice with !!!

We all could get together and write a novel of bad shows - just move on and you will laugh about it very soon! It will get better!

Try typing up a Run of Show - step by step what you want to do . Also check with your hosts before doing an interactive show, I find most guests want to sit back and relax, not participate - so find out what kind of crowd it will be.
 
Well, join the club Dawn!!! I've been doing PC now for over 4 1/2 years, and even all of my years of cooking I have NEVER, NEVER done what I did at my first show on Saturday!!! I made the cherry cheese coffeecake, and as I was taking it out of the oven, had it in my hand and was ready to put it onto the woven round tray.....I flipped the entire stone and it landed on the oven rack!!! Filling and crust was all over the rack, the oven door....it was SUCH a mess!! The host came in there and together we scooped everything up and put it back onto the stone (and she had just cleaned her oven) and people still ate it and said it was good.
Here's the kicker: as I was putting the top pieces of the crescent rolls on top, for the spoke-look, I never do a very good job at this, and I told everyone "it may not look very pretty, but it'll taste great!" And they all kept telling me this AGAIN as they scooped up pieces of the flopped mess.....it doesn't look good, but it sure tastes great!!

Everyone had a great attitude and my show was over $700!!! So, chin up, and onto the next one for all of us!!
 
Don't worry it happens to everyone and sometimes my shows like this have the best results! I will hear down the road, " you were the best consultant at____ show" and I'll think no I wasn't! Also about the Mandoline, until you get comfortable with it maybe let a customer demo it. I started out letting whoever wanted to buy it or already had the old one or just someone really excited and that worked better than me getting nervous.
 
It will happen occassionally NO MATTER how many years you have been doing it!

Could you write down notes to help you in the future?

You could use those DID YOU KNOW cards to fill the silence

OR

Play a ticket game where you ask the guests to share by playing the GOT IT, LOVE IT game
 
I have done that several times myself. There was the time I blew up butter in someone's microwave, the time the Chocolate Pecan Lattice Tart dripped into the oven, the time I forgot my whole box of paperwork, the time I had 5 catalogs for 20+ people, or the time the host took over my show because I was basically a space-case. The only thing that gets me is I begin to wonder how many bookings I miss out on because people think "I definitely don't want to do a show with HER!"

Did you get any bookings?
 
linojackie said:
I have done that several times myself. There was the time I blew up butter in someone's microwave, the time the Chocolate Pecan Lattice Tart dripped into the oven, the time I forgot my whole box of paperwork, the time I had 5 catalogs for 20+ people, or the time the host took over my show because I was basically a space-case. The only thing that gets me is I begin to wonder how many bookings I miss out on because people think "I definitely don't want to do a show with HER!"

Did you get any bookings?
Click to expand...

Jackie, that's really funny!

Nothing tops my show 2 winters ago when I gave my host the recipe I wanted her to pick up the ingredients for, and for SOME reason, when it came to the day of the show, I had something else in mind...well, I brought ALL the wrong tools...I brought a stone piece and I was supposed to be making something in the cookware, we ended up having to use her electric skillet to cook the recipe, it was AWFUL. Talk about a deer in headlights, when I got her her house and saw different ingredients laid out on her counter, I just wanted to turn around and walk right out! No lie! That host must have thought I was a TOTAL dumb*ss, but I have never done that again, when I book the hosts recipe I will always write down the demo in my calendar next to their name!
 
chefsteph07 said:
Jackie, that's really funny!

Nothing tops my show 2 winters ago when I gave my host the recipe I wanted her to pick up the ingredients for, and for SOME reason, when it came to the day of the show, I had something else in mind...well, I brought ALL the wrong tools...I brought a stone piece and I was supposed to be making something in the cookware, we ended up having to use her electric skillet to cook the recipe, it was AWFUL. Talk about a deer in headlights, when I got her her house and saw different ingredients laid out on her counter, I just wanted to turn around and walk right out! No lie! That host must have thought I was a TOTAL dumb*ss, but I have never done that again, when I book the hosts recipe I will always write down the demo in my calendar next to their name!
Click to expand...

And to add onto this, I think she Blessed and Released ME! LOL
 
Dawn, when I did my first and second shows I read right from cue cards. I told everyone that I was brand new and please excuse me that I was reading from the cards. I know it doesn't seem as personable but they do understand! When is your next show?
 
oh and I also dislike the mandolin. I never used it at a show for the same fear that happened to you.
 
Yay! That is out of the way! The same thing happened to me, I did 2 awesome shows, and then the third I just bombed. Not sure what happened. Anyhow, just pick up from it and move on. It is all we can do! I do not demo the mandoline anymore. It is a clumsy tool- I can use it fine at home, but get me in front of people and it all goes to crap. There are so many other things we can use in it's place.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #18
paigev71 said:
This will be one of those "recruiting pitch" type things you reflect back on and tell guests that anyone can do this..
Click to expand...

Yes that is exactly what I thought too, now I have one of those "cool" omg stories to share lol.


We all have those shows!! Don't worry about it! I hate the Mandoline - I don't even demo or bring it - I love the Forged Cutlery and that is what I slice with !!!
Click to expand...

Yup till I master the UM to my liking I will just used the FC to demo slicing with. Plus I use my FC daily so that is easy to be personable about for me anyways.

I watched one of my Directors(Shelley K.) do her show with the "whats your favorite PC item" and the "who's the happiest girl here tonight" to pass out her tickets for those who get interactive in the cooking part. Since my first grand opening demo was so lengthy my first director(who signed me, also named Shelly) kinda told me that would add some more length onto my intros so maybe to not to do it with the bigger crowds. I know she only suggested it out of her experiences. I will try a lot of things different with my next show which is actually on Friday. We will be making the Carbonara pizza, which to my knowledge only involves the grating of the cheese on the mandoline. So I might pregrate it before the demo and just have it set up as tool garnish on her coffee table.

No I didn't get ANY bookings off this show but I did get a "please let me know when my DCB goes on sale". There's a line I say at the end of my teleprompter book. "if you liked what you saw here tonight and just can bare for the fun to end then we need to party together at your very own show etc" all I kept thinking was they must think "is this lady nuts, I don't want her doing a show for me etc". I kinda giggled while I said that line to the crowd b/c like I said I could only imagine what they were thinking.:o I did put my I'm new, this is my 2nd cooking show, it's the pampered chef not the perfect chef, I'm sure even Rachel Ray has a blooper reels too etc.

I have three possible bookings I have to call tomorrow tho. I'm thinking about doing a lot of stuff differently. I'm revamping my teleprompter to be more me then just a hand me down from everyone before me. So it keeps me on track better. Oh and I am going to practice live shows for my hubby and kids Wednesday & Thursday to keep everything fresh in my mind.

Thank you all for sharing your stories with me, I know I'm not alone and that is comforting to know. SO thank you and thank goodness for this board, I just love it here and all the support, stories and laughs make these moments so much easier to move on from.:)
 
After I bombed my first few shows I started going through and practicing my entire show while walked. I have been walking 2 miles a day and if you saw me you would think I'm nuts. I just talk away the entire time. I go through all kinds of scenarios and change it up daily as well.
 
Dawn - don't be too hard on yourself sweetie. :)

You could run a demo at home (by yourself or with a small group of friends) and TIME YOURSELF to see what you want to do - either add time to a portion of your Show or shorten it.

*hugs*
 
DandyG03 said:
Yes that is exactly what I thought too, now I have one of those "cool" omg stories to share lol.




Yup till I master the UM to my liking I will just used the FC to demo slicing with. Plus I use my FC daily so that is easy to be personable about for me anyways.

I watched one of my Directors(Shelley K.) do her show with the "whats your favorite PC item" and the "who's the happiest girl here tonight" to pass out her tickets for those who get interactive in the cooking part. Since my first grand opening demo was so lengthy my first director(who signed me, also named Shelly) kinda told me that would add some more length onto my intros so maybe to not to do it with the bigger crowds. I know she only suggested it out of her experiences. I will try a lot of things different with my next show which is actually on Friday. We will be making the Carbonara pizza, which to my knowledge only involves the grating of the cheese on the mandoline. So I might pregrate it before the demo and just have it set up as tool garnish on her coffee table.

No I didn't get ANY bookings off this show but I did get a "please let me know when my DCB goes on sale". There's a line I say at the end of my teleprompter book. "if you liked what you saw here tonight and just can bare for the fun to end then we need to party together at your very own show etc" all I kept thinking was they must think "is this lady nuts, I don't want her doing a show for me etc". I kinda giggled while I said that line to the crowd b/c like I said I could only imagine what they were thinking.:o I did put my I'm new, this is my 2nd cooking show, it's the pampered chef not the perfect chef, I'm sure even Rachel Ray has a blooper reels too etc.

I have three possible bookings I have to call tomorrow tho. I'm thinking about doing a lot of stuff differently. I'm revamping my teleprompter to be more me then just a hand me down from everyone before me. So it keeps me on track better. Oh and I am going to practice live shows for my hubby and kids Wednesday & Thursday to keep everything fresh in my mind.

Thank you all for sharing your stories with me, I know I'm not alone and that is comforting to know. SO thank you and thank goodness for this board, I just love it here and all the support, stories and laughs make these moments so much easier to move on from.:)
Click to expand...

Oh and you know what helps also? Keep doing the same recipe for a while. It'll get you more comfortable with those products and your schpiel. It's okay Dawn! You'll get to be a pro in no time!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #22
Thanks Sundey, yeah I've done the 3 cheese garden pizza several times as practice and this past week I've praticed the SCP to demo at my sisters. So I'll stick between those two for this month. Also I'm revamping my telaprompter to fit mystyle and I know from what I'm changing it will totally help me out durring my shows. I'll update after fridays show.:)
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some signs that my second show didn't go well?

Some signs that your second show may not have gone well include low attendance, minimal engagement from guests, few orders placed, or negative feedback about the products or presentation. If you felt rushed or unprepared, that can also contribute to a less successful show.

How can I assess the success of my second show?

To assess the success of your show, review the number of guests who attended, the total sales made, and any feedback you received. Consider reaching out to attendees for their thoughts on the show and the products. This will give you a clearer picture of what worked and what didn’t.

What should I do if I feel like I bombed my second show?

If you feel like you bombed your second show, take a moment to reflect on what went wrong and what you can improve. Reach out to your upline or mentor for advice and support. Use this experience as a learning opportunity to refine your skills for future shows.

How can I improve my performance for future shows?

To improve your performance for future shows, practice your presentation skills, engage with your audience more effectively, and prepare thoroughly. Consider hosting smaller gatherings to build confidence and gather feedback. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the products and their benefits to better communicate with potential customers.

Is it common to have a less successful show in direct sales?

Yes, it is common to have less successful shows in direct sales, especially when you are just starting out. Each show is a learning experience, and many consultants face challenges along the way. The key is to learn from each experience and continue to refine your approach.

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