Discouraged and Disappointed: My February Bookings Weren't Meant To Be

[klsnyder]

I worked so hard to have February booked heavy for double points. Both of mu shows for this weekend have cancelled.......I am very discouraged. What is going on????

 

[Teresa Lynn]

in our area it is the flu
600 students absent from a school this week

 

[BethCooks4U]

I have noticed that since last summer there are a lot more cancellations in shows. Hosts are harder to connect with and don't bother even returning calls to let me know they aren't doing the show. I'm not doing anything different. I just think I have been in a group that's that way.

That being said, I had a fabulous November and December and I have been working on prospecting for the next few months. I had the worse month ever in January (I had 10, yes 10, cooking shows scheduled to begin with) but that will not happen again! I am prospecting big time to have a strong spring with excited hosts.

When in a slump look for some extra training and find the positives to grab on to. Act like you are successful and you will be - it does take work but it's worth it!

 

[MicheleC]

I've had more cancellations this month as well. The thing I really work on is getting a replacement date right there so I have them in the future. I do send out postcard invites for my hostesses so this means I generally know well in advance if they are going to cancel (I never get their guest list). That allows me time to find a replacement show. I've offered a free show when someone books to fill a spot for me and actually just had a $700 show that was put together in 5 days because I had an opening so it can work.

Sometimes these things just happen!

 

[klsnyder]

One of the shows that cancelled was very strange to me. I always send out the invites for the hostess. So, I had already sent them out, and she said she only had 2 people say that they were coming, so she did not want to do the show. She will try to get outside orders instead.....I am just freaked out. I never have had 2 shows back to back cancel.

 

[DebbieJ]

Yeah, I've had a weird Jan and Feb with cancellations as well. The key is to OVERBOOK. I had two cancel and one postpone in February, but I still have 7 cooking shows to do since I overbooked to begin with.

My goal is to book 10-12 shows per month so I know I'll hold about 8 of them.

 

[Cookingfool]

uuuugggggghh!I have a friend who will book a show, only invite about 10 people, and have to reschedule because nobody will show up. The first scheduled show, I drove 50 miles to drop off the hostess packet while she was at work. She didnt send out the invitations until the week of the show. The second time I told her I would do the invitations for her. She didnt get the addresses until just over a week before the show. This time: She just started her own pet care business so she thought that if she did it as a business kick-off party people would come... wrong. I've done host coaching by the book. I've read multiple books on direct sales, been in it for about a year, and believe me, I've done my work. This time around was perfection for host coaching. I am so aggrevated!!!

She's called me twice tonight wanting to reschedule (my allabi... she knows that I work nights). UUUGH what should I do?

 

[Cookingfool]

AaaannnndThe fricken show is in TWOOOO days.

 

[CAmomCookin4U]

The fricken show is in TWOOOO days.

Tell her to ask the two people who said yes to bring 3 friends (adults) and they'll get a Free GIFT. At least the two yes's won't be mad you cancelled and thats what they will think that it was you instead of the house. Future send the invites and ask for a list of 30+ Good luck HTH Laurel

 

[Cookingfool]

She doesnt even have any "yes's" that she knows of... but it couldnt hurt. I'll give her until tomorrow afternoon to find out. Im sure that I could have figured this all out if she would stop calling me and let me get a game plan together (I've just been through this so many times with her... and never with anyone else). I have to call her on my way home from work tonight or she'll drive me nuts.

Thanks!!!!

I love this website. Other DS companies dont have an ounce of support from other consultants.

 

[kcjodih]

Or you could tell her you're trying something new and you want her to call ALL her guests and have them bring their ugliest spoon/spatula/towel and the winner will get a new one from you! We gals LOVE competition and they may jump at the chance! It's worked for me and then I bought them a new spatula (skinny) on the host's order or I already had one from a previous host's order.

Or just a thought....maybe everyone else gets frustrated with her like you do and that's why they're not coming....or maybe they're like her and that's why they haven't committed. Don't mean to be rude, just a thought I had while typing