Fall Fest Vs. Christmas Open House

[pampered2007]

Ok, so I have decided that this year instead of having a Christmas Open House, I would rather host a Fall Fest. The past 2 years of having the Christmas Open House has not turned out well due to the cold and bad weather. It's still been fun to offer different gift ideas and a cookie exchange, but so much time was devoted only to have a lack of attendance. My thought is that since I will hosting the show in October, I can hopefully book my calendar for the November sell-a-thon and the weather will be nicer and not as cold as it will be in December. I would still like to offer some gift ideas for those that are doing some early Christmas Shopping along with door prize drawings. And of course food sampling!!!

Before I set a date and start planning, I would love to hear everyone else's ideas and suggestions. Has anyone else ever done something like this and had it be successful? Thank you!!!

 

[niccibyrd]

I do a fall fest every year. It seems to be pretty successful. Doing that this weekend and then probably going to do a Christmas party as well.

 

[pampered2007]

I do a fall fest every year. It seems to be pretty successful.

Doing that this weekend and then probably going to do a Christmas party as well.

That's great! Would you mind sharing any details on what you do at your Fall Fest? I think the whole idea sounds like fun!!!

 

[frozenchef]

That is actually a great point, because we've noticed up here in Alaska that people do their shopping earlier each year and by December not only is the weather bad (and then no one shows) but the sales aren't as good because people have already done their shopping. October has always been my best month in sales - we're talking $5,000 - $6,000 compared to $1,000 - $2,000 in "normal" months.

 

[Tropicalburstqt2]

I'm like this idea, but I may do it in early November & do the Chipotle Chili... my new FAVORITE recipe!!! I want those sell-a-thon items!!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

Can someone please explain to me how to do a fall fest? I am just starting over with my PC business so this is something I have never heard of before!

 

[pampered2007]

Can someone please explain to me how to do a fall fest? I am just starting over with my PC business so this is something I have never heard of before!

What I am going to is invite everyone I know from family and friends to past hosts and customers to an open house that I will be hosting. The open house will be a "Fall Fest" theme. I will have recipe sampling to go along with that theme like the Quick Pumpkin Spice Cake or the Pumpkin Pie a la Easy with maybe coffee and cider. A few of my other ideas are pumpkin decorating and/or cookie decorating for kids and maybe face painting. I will also do door prize drawings and have a display of Christmas gift ideas. And of course I will have the new products on display with catalogs and order forms. I may offer some sort of incentive to those that book in November. I still may do a Christmas open house, but I think it would only be for my past hosts.

If anyone else has any ideas or suggestions...please share! I know I'd love to hear them! Thanks!

 

[pampered2007]

That is actually a great point, because we've noticed up here in Alaska that people do their shopping earlier each year and by December not only is the weather bad (and then no one shows) but the sales aren't as good because people have already done their shopping. October has always been my best month in sales - we're talking $5,000 - $6,000 compared to $1,000 - $2,000 in "normal" months.

What do you do in particular to increase your sales? Anything??? That is wonderful!

 

[JackieB999]

I think a fall fest is a great idea... however I'm leary of "open houses". They leave too much room for people not to come. I like solid invites better. I would invite them all with a regualr RSVP! You're going to be doing a lot of work to set it up!

 

[pampered2007]

I think a fall fest is a great idea... however I'm leary of "open houses". They leave too much room for people not to come. I like solid invites better. I would invite them all with a regualr RSVP! You're going to be doing a lot of work to set it up!

I think I may have 2 different times that guests can come. Like maybe 1-4 in the afternoon and then 6-8 in evening. I will send out personal invites as well as e-vites. When I call to follow up, I can ask them at that time which time they plan on attending so I know how much food to have prepared. They can come to both if they'd like I also try to call the open house something other than an open house. Like Fall Fest, or Spring Preview, Holiday Shopping Extravaganza, etc. Hopefully I'll have better luck this year!!!

 

[AJPratt]

Can someone please explain to me how to do a fall fest? I am just starting over with my PC business so this is something I have never heard of before!

Welcome Back, MommyHugz!!!!

 

[frozenchef]

What do you do in particular to increase your sales? Anything??? That is wonderful!

Here in Alaska, we get an annual check from the oil pipeline called the Permanent Fund Dividend in early October that really jumpstarts our Christmas shopping season early. But you also find that people want to do their direct sales parties earlier than November, because that's when all of the office parties start up.
Plus, a lot of people book September shows and then reschedule in to October - same thing happens with January - I book it very full and then February is an awesome month (my second highest in sales). September/October and January/February also usually have the best host specials.
It's kind of a good thing I'm having my baby in October - while I'm constantly trying to convince people to do their cooking shows in November or switch to a catalog show, I'm doing way more shows than I should the first half of October and hate turning people away. But it is a nice problem to have

 

[DawnofHope74]

What is the Pumkin Pie A La Easy? Is that on here somewhere?

 

[pampered2007]

What is the Pumkin Pie A La Easy? Is that on here somewhere?

Here is the recipe! You can find this one and many others in the files. Just type in "pumpkin". Warning though... you will become very hungry! LOL! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie a la Easy

1-1/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. quick or old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
2/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
4 eggs
2 cans (15 oz. each) solid pack pumpkin
2 cans (14 oz. each) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
OR use 3 ½ t. of Pampered Chef Pantry Cinnamon Plus—YUM!
1 t. salt
Thawed frozen whipped topping (optional)
Pecan halves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In CLASSIC BATTER BOWL, combine flour, oats and brown sugar. Chop pecans using FOOD CHOPPER. Add to Batter Bowl. Melt butter in MICRO-COOKER on HIGH 1 minute or until melted. Add to dry ingredients; mix well. Press mixture onto bottom of STONEWARE BAR PAN. Bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs in Batter Bowl using STAINLESS STEEL WHISK. Add pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, spices and salt; whisk until smooth. Pour over crust. Bake 30-35 minutes or until filling is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool at room temperature. Cut into squares; serve using MINI SERVING SPATULA. Garnish each serving with whipped topping using EASY ACCENT DECORATOR, pecan halves and additional ground cinnamon (or Cinnamon Plus), if desired. Refrigerate any leftover pie squares.

Yield: 24 servings

 

[JackieB999]

One question... when you type t. in your recipe... is that teaspoon and not tablespoon?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

One question... when you type t. in your recipe... is that teaspoon and not tablespoon?

Usually, a lower case "t." signifies a teaspoon, and an uppercase "T." signifies tablespoon.

 

[JackieB999]

Usually, a lower case "t." signifies a teaspoon, and an uppercase "T." signifies tablespoon.

Thanks... just checking because not everybody knows that!

 

[JackieB999]

Usually, a lower case "t." signifies a teaspoon, and an uppercase "T." signifies tablespoon.

Thanks... just checking because not everybody knows that or follows that!

 

[pampered2007]

Thanks... just checking because not everybody knows that or follows that!

Sorry for the confusion... I just just copied and pasted the recipe and didn't notice the lowercase t. I'm glad you asked!

 

[emiscookin]

What I am going to is invite everyone I know from family and friends to past hosts and customers to an open house that I will be hosting. The open house will be a "Fall Fest" theme. I will have recipe sampling to go along with that theme like the Quick Pumpkin Spice Cake or the Pumpkin Pie a la Easy with maybe coffee and cider.[COLOR]

Oooo! Could you share that recipe?

 

[emiscookin]

What I am going to is invite everyone I know from family and friends to past hosts and customers to an open house that I will be hosting. The open house will be a "Fall Fest" theme. I will have recipe sampling to go along with that theme like the Quick Pumpkin Spice Cake or the Pumpkin Pie a la Easy with maybe coffee and cider.!

Could you share that recipe too?

 

[pampered2007]

Could you share that recipe too?

The Quick Pumpkin Spice Cake is in the All The Best cookbook

Cake:
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) solid pack pumpkin
1 package (18.25 ounces) spice cake mix

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 teaspoons milk
1 orange
12 pecan halves (optional)

1) For cake, brush stoneware fluted pan with vegetable oil using pastry brush. In classic batter bowl, combine eggs and pumpkin; whisk until smooth.
Add cake mix; whisk until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly.

2) Microwave cake on HIGH 14 minutes or until cake tester inserted near center comes out clean. (cake will be slightly moist on top near center) Let stand in microwave 10 minutes. If necessary, loosen cake from sides of pan; invert onto serving plate. Cool at least 30 minutes.

3) For glaze, in small batter bowl, combine powdered sugar and 3-4 teaspoons milk to make a thick glaze. Zest orange using lemon zester/scorer. Spead glaze over top of cake. Arrange pecan halves evenly over top of cake, if desired. sprinkle with orange zest. Let stand until glaze is set before slicing.

YUMMY!!!!!

 

[Candice]

I'm like this idea, but I may do it in early November & do the Chipotle Chili... my new FAVORITE recipe!!! I want those sell-a-thon items!!

Where is the recipe for the Chipotle Chili? This sounds so good!!!ETA: Found it, didn't realize it was the cornbread recipe.

 

[niccibyrd]

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond.

I do my open house at the end of September/beginning of October. I invite my friends who also sell things and have them set up in my house. Everyone gives one item for a door prize and we draw about every 30 minutes. I set out the newest products and some of our Pantry items. It's come and go.

This year was pretty successful, I sold about $500.

Feriale Yan does a Christmas open house. (she's my director) She does FABULOUS food and donates a portion of her commission to charity. As the guests walk in they write down their favorite charity and she draws for which one gets the donation. Each person gets a seasons best and some sort of baked good as a gift when they leave and she draws for host benefits. Says it is very successful.

 

[JessBarszcz]

can you post the chipotle chili recipe??

 

[pcnm2010]

This sounds like a great idea, but not sure with all the other activities in town. Don't want to step on someone else.

 

[KellieM's Kitchen]

This is a great idea niccibyrd, thanks for sharing!

 

[ShellBeach]

I am doing a fall fest early October. I want to earn that bag! The August & September bags didn't appeal to me due to their shapes, but I would get a lot of use out of that duffel.

I agree with the Christmas show idea - if it's too close to Christmas, my own schedule is nuts and so is everyone else's. Much better turn-out in eraly October.

 

[jenniferldennis]

What is November sell a thon?

 

[ShellBeach]

Well, this thread got started last year. There was a 2010 sell-a-thon going on last November where if you submitted 2 shows, your got something and the more you sold, the more you got. I forget the details....