Do You Mail Your Host's Invites?

[DizziePixie]

Hi Ladies,

Please give me your opinion on mailing hosts' invites for them. I am considering doing this but want to know the ins and outs.

If I DO mail them, how does she get them to you? Do you provide a SASE?

Does it seem to take up alot of your time...which I can't afford to spend much more time these days! The cost of postage itself doesn't seem to be too bad.

Do you offer an incentive for timeliness and number of addresses sent?

Thanks a bunch!!
Rhonda

 

[VeronicaW]

I Do!I do include a SASE in my Host Packet.
The Host fills out her guest info, such as: name; phone; address; e-mail.
The Host returns the list to me in the SASE, WITH stamps, if stamps are sent with the list, I tell them I will charge them onto their show total.

I send about 5-10 additional invites back to the host, for hand-outs, PLUS I also send the guest list back, for future get-togethers!

And again I put their Host Password for my website and really encourage them to use it!

I hope this helps!

 

[tashayoung]

I include a SASE or they can email me. I provide the stamps and mail them out.

 

[cmdtrgd]

I have a guest list in word that I print out and give to hosts that book at shows. I also email it to them and have had people email it back to me. I don't give a sase because I don't see any reason to. I offer $10 PC when they have 40 or more guests. Someone on here has started requiring the guest list a month before the show otherwise the date is up for grabs. I will start to do that as soon as I am booking further out.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I only do it as a courtesy if they invite the 40 (I tell them PC provides us packs of 40 because they know that is the # required for a good show)
I have them email me the list or drop it off to em.
Regardless of how many they invite I print the labels.
Host name
date
address
RSVP #

 

[Tara1021]

I have an excel document that I email to them. I then take the excel document and do a mail merge in word for the labels. SAVES TIME! I can't post it here b/c it's in excel, but email me and I'll send it to you!

[email protected]

 

[amya]

I have been doing this for some time now. I have a form I made up in Word that has room for 35 names and addresses. I tell them to fill it out and get it back to me by xxxxx date and I will send out their invites. Most people can't think of 35 names, but because there are spaces for 35, they feel required to list as many as possible. Very rarely do I get less than 15-20 names to send invites to. I would say it only takes 30-45 minutes to address and stamp the invites. I make one page flyers for each show and fold them in half and staple them together, then I address the outside and stamp it with a regular
.39 stamp.

I have been including the invitation form in host packets, but I am going to start giving it to the host when she books at a show. I will give her the invite form and the "40 Guests in 40 Minutes." I think taking this home from her friend's show will help her to think up names that night while she is still excited about the show.

 

[ChefLisa]

I do not send out the invitations. I tried the idea for a little while, but I really did not like paying the postage. Also, for me, it did not improve my attendance. Good host coaching is really the key to that!

However, I did want to make hosting a show easier. The one thing that always frustrated me about hosting a show was writing out the invitations. Therefore, I make up labels for my hosts. It has all of the information about the show and even includes my information. So I give them invitations in their host packs and then mail the labels to them. They put them on the invitations.

Lisa

 

[pamperedlinda]

I started mailing invites in October for a 3 month trial and I can honestly say that my show attendance and sales have gone up. I've had four $1,000 shows in this time period, prior to this I only had one $1000 show in a year. My hosts are happy that they don't have to address and send the invites so I think they tend to invite more people. I plan to continue sending the invites. My increased commission from the incresed sales more than covers my postage expenses.

 

[priscilla]

I have started sending the postcards out as well as making reminder calls. I use the Excel/Word mail merge to print address labels, I print the info on the postcard with my printer, and do not charge the host for postage.

I have seen a difference since doing this, and each host has remarked how nice and easy it was to do the show because of this.

My last three shows that I did this had higher attendance, higher sales, and higher bookings. Partly from this, partly from Belinda Ellsworth stuff . Until I have 20 shows a month , I will continue to do this.

Robin

 

[DizziePixie]

Thanks, Ladies! If any of you don't mind either emailing me or posting your Word Guest List, I would certainly appreciate it! [email protected]

 

[pamperedalf]

Here is my blank guest lists!!I do everything via email. I have only had 3 hosts that wanted to do it by hand, so I gave them a self addressed envelope. I pay for the postage because it's not a big deal for me. I have noticed a increase in sales & attendance, my show average has jumped almost $300 per show! I do this for convience for my hosts. It also has added an extra $60 roughly in my pocket for $10 in postage.

Now far as time, I do these when I am watching TV or on my lunch while I am teaching. I print a generic label w/ a whisk and all the show info to put over the alloted space. This saves a huge amount of time. I also put a small return label on so I can let the host know we have a bad address.

I reward my host w/ a gift for names on their guest list. They also get 2 gifts if it is back by a certain date. The gifts are scrapers, paring knifes, citrus peelers, twixits. Lots of little things.

So total out of my pocket is $12-$14, not bad to increase my show average.
Now my AD told me @ Leadership that she is not deperate enough for shows to mail out the invites for her hosts, and that the hosts are receiving all this free product they need to work for it.

IMO This is your own biz do what works best for you. But you need to try it for 3-4 months to see any difference. What you today will show up in your biz in 90 days. HTH

 

[fruit76loop]

Love It!!I have mailed my host invitations out for over a year now and will not go back!! This way I know the invitations get sent out in a timely manner, I also know that if I don't have the guest list 14 days prior that I need to fill that date with a new show! I have had less cancellations and my show average and attendance have increased!

I am one of the few in my area that mail host invitations AND buy groceries. I have many hosts that say they will never do a show with anyone else because I offer these services.

I have the host send me a $20 check to cover food and postage. I usually do 2 recipes and with postage I usually only pay a couple dollars, if any out of my pocket!

I have attached my guest list and the host letter I have with it. This is all I give out at my shows when they book, this way they are not bombarded with the catalogs, order forms and guest list all at the same time. Once I get their guest list then I mail them a packet with the attached host letter, catalogs, opp info and order forms.

 

[Jennyb]

I just started mailing out the invites for the hostess but have had a difficult time getting the list in a timely fashion. There are some good ideas here that I"m going to start doing. Thanks!

As for saving time addressing the envelopes, don't forget that we can purchase in supplies the 3 part address labels. The hostess fills out the list (including phone number so you can make the calls) and then keeps one copy and sends the other back. I just started using these (as suggested by my director) and have included a SASE for them to return the 2 copies back to me. One of the copies is then put on the invitation so I don't have use more of my labels or ink to print address. I do print the "show information" on labels and cover up the PC website with my website information.

I'm going to give this a 3 month trial to see how it goes. January wasn't too hot for me but I only sent out invites for 1 of my shows so I'm focusing on February now to get it going better! Gotta get those double points...I want that cruise!!!!!

 

[Karen Weber]

sending invitesI've been sending out the invites for 4 years. It's been great! No cancellations, higher party attendance, higher party average, happy hosts! Two years ago, I started using the phone #'s my host provided and I make their reminder calls a week before the show. This has helped with show attendance plus the host & I have a better idea of how many guests are coming to show. I would estimate that I spend 30 minutes with the invites and 15-20 minutes on the reminder calls. I try to call mid-afternoon and find that for the most part I am just leaving messages on machines. It is nice to talk to someone occasionally and when I do, I often ask if they would like to see any particular product at the show. Here's an example of what I say " Hi Susie, this is ______with Pampered Chef. And as a favor to (host) I'm giving everyone on her guest list a reminder call that her cooking show is coming up on (Saturday at 2:00) if you have not already called to let her know whether you will or will not be able, please give her a call by Thursday. Thanks, and we both hope to see you on Saturday.

Hope this helps.

 

[lacychef]

I do & love it I've been sending mine out for about a year & a half & won't go back either; for all the reasons already mentioned. I don't mind paying since it's a tax write off. My increased comission makes it worth it! This has increased guest attendance, show sales, and my comission! Plus happier hosts since they're getting more for free I don't currently offer an incentive for 40 guests; I"ve been thinking about that though...

 

[jrstephens]

I do not pay for them.

 

[MandyK]

I started mailing invites in October for a 3 month trial and I can honestly say that my show attendance and sales have gone up. I've had four $1,000 shows in this time period, prior to this I only had one $1000 show in a year. My hosts are happy that they don't have to address and send the invites so I think they tend to invite more people. I plan to continue sending the invites. My increased commission from the incresed sales more than covers my postage expenses.

Me too! I've sent invites for the last 4 shows -- 2 of them were $1000+ shows. The others? They DID NOT give me 40 names!

All it takes is one more person to come to a show to cover the cost of my postage!

 

[DizziePixie]

I do everything via email. I have only had 3 hosts that wanted to do it by hand, so I gave them a self addressed envelope. I pay for the postage because it's not a big deal for me. I have noticed a increase in sales & attendance, my show average has jumped almost $300 per show! I do this for convience for my hosts. It also has added an extra $60 roughly in my pocket for $10 in postage.

Now far as time, I do these when I am watching TV or on my lunch while I am teaching. I print a generic label w/ a whisk and all the show info to put over the alloted space. This saves a huge amount of time. I also put a small return label on so I can let the host know we have a bad address.

I reward my host w/ a gift for names on their guest list. They also get 2 gifts if it is back by a certain date. The gifts are scrapers, paring knifes, citrus peelers, twixits. Lots of little things.

So total out of my pocket is $12-$14, not bad to increase my show average.
Now my AD told me @ Leadership that she is not deperate enough for shows to mail out the invites for her hosts, and that the hosts are receiving all this free product they need to work for it.

IMO This is your own biz do what works best for you. But you need to try it for 3-4 months to see any difference. What you today will show up in your biz in 90 days. HTH

THANKS, Amanda!!

 

[pamperedalf]

No problem!!