Driving 53 Miles for a Show?

[Pamperedcheffkg]

What do you all think of driving 53 miles to a show in a neighboring state. I got the contact through a friend of mine and she wants to have a show in January. Should I give her a minimum number of attendees for me to drive there? Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Kristen]

I drove about 90 miles one way for a show a couple weeks ago. It turned out to be an $800 show with a potential recruit and two bookings. It was totally worth it to me!

 

[KHocutt]

You never know

In October I traveled 80 miles for a show, which wasnt really high in sales, but I did get a booking from it, which means I will be making the same trip, actually tomorrow night. Hopefully this one will be higher in sales and worth the trip. I guess it's just the chance you take with any show. I'm just thankful that the first host was willing to hold a show for me since it was my in my 2nd month. If nothing else, you meet a new group of people and may get someone interested in the opportunity!

 

[MSmith]

I traveled almost 100 miles (one way) to Muldrow, OK for a show. Normally, I wouldn't have done it, but I really liked the host and her friends. The show was a little over $400, but I don't think it's the last that I hear from them and that was my goal. Developing the inner PC junkie is the way to go!

 

[luvs2sellit]

I drive quit regularly to the town I moved from. It is about 70 miles. The shows are always big there so I more than make up the gas $$

 

[cookerup]

I Will Drive...

up to two hours, that's how far some of my children live and I will do shows for them, and then I have gone back the same distance to do a show for a friend of theirs. I have a couple coming up after the first of the year that are 85 miles away. In winter, I just pray for good weather.

Ruth Mescher
Independent Kitchen Consultant
The Pampered Chef
Manning, Iowa

 

[Pampered Zoe]

My last show was 141.7 miles each way and included a ferry! Fortunately the sales were pretty good and I got 5 bookings!

 

[Swirl]

I'm getting ready to drive well over 100 miles one way in a few weeks to do a show. But it's for a family member and hopefully it will pay off with some bookings and maybe I can find that one person who would love to do what we do. So I say go and enjoy it!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Not a happy ending!

At the time I did this I lived in Northern Phoenix, AZ and drove to Tucson, AZ for a party (roughly 2-1/2 hours one way). The lady assured me she would have over 30 people there. She said I have a huge family and at least one of them will do the business. Well we did the host coaching and I kept asking her, "Are all of your family members coming to the party? Do you still have a head count of 30?" "Oh yea yea" she would say.

Then the week before the party I asked her. The number dropped to 17 for sure, but she'll get outside orders from the others. Three days before the party I asked her. We were down to 10. The day before I called to verify directions and the number was down to maybe 5.

I did not recoup the gas money. One of her cousins(?) was interested in the business she said, but not until the following year. She never signed. There were no bookings and she DID NOT get any outside orders. The show closed at $357.30. I will not go that far AGAIN!!

However; with that said, I would go 53 miles. In a city the size of the one I live in that just across town. Good luck! Try to get a recruit in that area if the drive is too much of a burden.

 

[pamperedbecky]

Wow, that's terrible Chef Kearns! Not a happy ending at all. I usually drive pretty much all over for a show. I like driving and sometimes it's my only peace and quiet in the car. I did a show probably about 50-60 miles away and it was a $1000 show, plus the host became a recruit! So I was quite happy with that.

Even shows 15 miles from me may take as long to get there as a show 40 miles away and it all depends on traffic. That's the joy of the Chicago area!

 

[Lisa S]

I fly to California every six months (I live in Wisconsin!) My first show there was $2000. I had two in October that were $1800 each. I picked up two catalog shows from one of the October shows that totalled $1700 in sales and I am going back in February for 3 kitchen shows and 1 bridal shower.

Sometimes taking a trip is definitely worth it... especially if you create a strong relationship with the people at the party. I will continue to go out to California as long as they are willing to host.

I do make sure to do multiple bookings. If I am leaving my family for a time, I try to make it worth the trip. That is why I have 4 bookings in February in 3 days. It will be a lot of work, but it will also take care of my month for me as well.

 

[Pamperedcheffkg]

Thank you !

I appreciate all of your comments and help! I am going to do it, I just don't want to end up 'upside down'. There are some consultants in my cluster who will not leave PA unless there is a minimum of 15 people definite in attendance. I am finishing my second month and don't really know if I can turn down a show just for that! Thanks again!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Wow, Lisa, that's just awesome! I wish I could somehow swing that because my husband would be pushing me out the door if I had something set up like that that had the history of such a huge shows. Way to go! How did you initially get all those bookings? How cool!

 

[Lisa S]

Becky,

The first show was for my mother-in-law which initially started out as a joke. I didn't think she would host. She was not that supportive when I first started the business but is now hooked! The rest of the shows have blossomed from that first show. She now solicits bookings for me!

Since she is a relative, I had no problem telling her that she had to have 20 people there to make it worth the airfare. I love it because that is true "mommy time" for me! I leave town and the kiddos and the husband stay home and have some "quality time".

At least I know I have a customer base if I ever move to S. California!

 

[DZmom]

Never want to do it again!! At least not with this Host!

I recently did a show on the 19th and drove 85 miles one way. I only had 3 orders plus an outside order. My commissionable sales was only $135 and guest sales was $165. One of the guests was the past host and she only ordered the special. This person was coached and coached and she assured me that we were going to have more than 20 people in attendance and the others were ordering. Come to find out she only called 5 people to remind them and then was upset with only having 6 people in attendance. The extra person came with the past host. One of the other guests also brought a guest, BUT she was 14 and looked 22! So, no order there and I was out a SBCB!

 

[Chef Michelle D]

Lisa, what does your husband do with your kids during the day while he is at work. That is great that you get to go to CA for shows, while you are there do you stay with your mother in-law? Do you have to rent a car or do you use hers.

I would drive about 1 hour away for a show maybe 2 in the better weather. I don't like driving in the snow so I would not want to be far from home in bad weather.

 

[Lisa S]

I agree with the snow comment! I keep close to home in the winter if I am driving... no further than an hour... and i still have to consider that.

When traveling I keep my costs at a minimum. I have a family member stay with the 3 kids while my husband is at work (or he takes time off). In California, I stay with my inlaws and borrow one of their cars if possible. Remember, everything is a write off if it is for business, so you still gain in the end.

If the shows ever started "not producing" - I would no longer travel that far. But honestly, I think my hosts work twice as hard because they know I am making a special trip.

 

[DebbieJ]

Lisa,

When you fly to SoCal, do you bring your own kit or borrow stuff from people there? By now your MIL can probably supply your needs, right?

 

[Lisa S]

I bring everything in my tool turnabout... which obviously has to be checked. I can guarantee you I say a few prayers about luggage being lost!

I then look at my recipe to see what else I need that is big and bulky... and then I ask my hosts (or mil) if they have those items). In October, I still had to take the large round stone, the striped rect. platter and 2 SA medium squares. I put all 4 of those in the stoneware bag and took that on board with me as carry-on.

You have to plan very carefully and consider what will break easily. The first show I did, my mother-in-law had nothing! I checked the chillzanne server, the cooling rack, and a hundred other things (at least it seemed like that many).

Whatever you do, take inventory! I carry a sheet with me that has 4 columns... packed in WI, received in CA, packed in CA, received in WI. That way if anything ever does "disappear", I have documentation for a claim with the airlines. I hope I never have to deal with that.

HTH

 

[pchefmomof2]

I drive 2 1/2 hours (one way) several times a year to a neighboring state. When I first started my business (4 yrs ago) my sister helped get started by hosting a show for me. I generated 4 bookings from her show and they just keep building up. I now have 2 consultants on my TEAM from that area and the bookings keep coming too! I try to make a weekend out of it when I go, doing 2 shows that weekend. I generally have about 6-7 shows a year in that area. Not all the shows are BIG ones. My hosts know that I am coming from a long distance so they do their best to make it worth my while!!! I have had several $1000 shows because they wanted to make it worth it for me they said! I do have a FREE place to stay so that makes it nice too!

Good luck to you!

 

[Sk8Mom209]

Have Show to go - will travel

At this point, my fartherest show has been 2 hours one way from home. I have done 2 shows for this host (former sister-in-law) and both shows have been in the $800 range, with guests of 5 at first show, and 3 at the 2nd.

Most of my shows are at least an hour from my house and most are above-average.

My feeling is, you never know which show is going to be the "out of the park" show. I alway do my host coaching and the farther away the host, the more coaching I try to do. I also add incentives for my hosts and try to up the anti if I have to travel farther.

I figure that my business is a traveling business and I will go where the business is.