Feeling Down? Tips for Booking More Shows

[cmackey]

Thanks for the advice! I really try to be upbeat but people around here are just not very upbeat people! Hopefully I will get a few bookings! Will let you all know what happens. Keep your fingers crossed!!! Even if no bookings, hopefully enough in sales to keep me active!

Cheryl Mackey
Cooking Pampered Style in Louisiana

Cooking doesn't have to be a chore, it has to be FUN!

 

[pchefinski]

Cheryl,
Check out that city's chamber of commerce for fairs and expo type events. Step outside the box and twist a little.. "TWIST = The Way I See Things" ..... I know where you are, because I"ve struggled since day one as well, and I'm starting back up again. I've always thought that I was a talkative, outgoing and friendly kind of person, but I feel out of sorts about talking about my business. I let my insecurities about myself make my business more of a struggle. The truth is, I have to fake it til I make it sometimes. And eventually, once I've faked it enough, it comes more naturally! lol Also, if it's a big city, there are tons of daycares (do you have kids?), schools, and organizations. Fall is right around the corner and fundraising "season" comes with it. Send out fundraising information to the schools, daycares, organizations in the city and FOLLOW-UP with them. (THAT is the key!) Even if you don't get a single fundraiser out of it, you may get some show leads.. or some people who want to make a little money to pay for Christmas this year! You just NEVER KNOW! I know that some people can make this business out to be a breeze by how they talk, but it's work for everyone in some way. I'm not asking for it not to be work.. lol. I'm asking to, for once in my life, love my work enough to want to go back the next day. Don't give in. Remember why you joined, set small goals for yourself, and push yourself a little bit further each time. Good luck, and if you need a shoulder to lean on (or to hold you up), I'm a few clicks away You're not alone!!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

Here it is.... I've done 2 shows already this month and I have one "maybe" from one of them to do a show... it seems that everytime I get a yes--it turns into a "I'm really busy", or they don't return my call--and they never seems to want to commit that evening of the show because they have to check their calendar. I offer pick a date pick a product, talk up the host program--I'm in my ss3 and had a horrible june, I'm having a good july but no shows yet for Aug. I'm thinking maybe I'm just not good at this......it really is hard to see all my other cluster members having all these bookings and me struggling to get a few! I call, I ask, I leave boxes!! Ahhhh! I'm just really having a hard time with this! I needed to vent, but please, any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I am my fourth month of selling Pampered Chef, I was able to attend Wave 3 of confernce this year the attachment that I have with this message you will find very usefull with ur business!!!

Let me know if you need anything anything else I have tones of notes from confernce!!!

 

[palmervictoria7]

Getting out there idea!Hey,
I was having trouble with bookings after I moved to OK from UT to get married. So I called my director and asked for ideas. She said that another director in our group had a great one. Here it is...
Have some recipe cards from past celebrations. (The one I used was the ice cream one.)

When you are in a store there are two ways you can talk to people who work there. First find someone to help you find something and talk to this person some. (The other is the check out line, I try to pick a slow one so I have more time) When they have helped you, you say to them, Hey do you like ___________ ?(I say ice cream, but I also have the Thai Stirfry salad cards too) and then wait for their response. I then get out my recipe which has my contact info on it and give it to them. While they are looking at it, I then tell them, hey I am having a drawing this week, would you like to enter? They then say yes or no, but it is almost always yes. I ask them to fill it out completely.(This is the prize drawing slip) While they are filling it out I ask them if they have ever hear of PC before and tell them a little about what is going on, like specials ect. This takes some guts, but once you get started, it is not hard at all.
When they are done, I tell them, "Thank you, have a great day!"

When I get out to the car, I jot down some notes on the PDS about what they told me so I can remember it when I am calling.

I wait for a few days, usually the end of the week and I call them.
For the ones who mark maybe (I haven't had a yes yet) I say, "Congratulations, you've won. Let me tell you a bit about it. The prize is valued at $30, doesn't that sound great? It is a totally free party. I bring the recipe ingredients, send out all the invitations and make the reminder calls for you. All you have to do is have a place to have the party and give me a guest list with phone numbers, doesn't that sound easy? Are week nights or weekends better for you?
I just started this last week, and I have 5 shows booked for August and September!
For the ones who mark no, I call and offer them a free cookbook (SB) and arrange a time to bring it by to them. I have only made one of these deliveries so far and although she wasn't interested in booking (I asked again), she is interested in ordering. I am calling her tonight to see if she is ready to order.
I did get one of the maybes who wasn't interested at this time and I asked her if she would like me to call her again in a few months to see if it was a better time, and she said yes.
Good luck to you!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I hope my notes helped for those of you that have read them.. I found them so helpful for my business. Before I attended conference I was really shy about calling people and approaching them becasue I was afraid to be told no, now I am prepared for what I can do with my business.!!!!!

 

[gchef]

Victoria -
I love that! The grocery is one place I'm at quite often! I will definitely give that a go.Did you ask the nos about a show when you called them, or wait until you saw her in person?

 

[mommyhugz1978]

Victoria, That idea from the gorcery store is a really good idea!!! Do you get alot of reponse from it?

 

[cmackey]

Well, the festival was a total flop. I don't just mean for me either. I was out there for 5 hours in 102 degree heat and only maybe 10 people came to the thing! I'm not lying! 10 people! There were only about a dozen vendors. I did have someone tell me that they wanted to buy the Generation II cookware and would call me next week and also host a show when her house is done, which should be in about 2 weeks. So not a total loss, but when you miss your 10 month old almost stand unassisted for the first time it really doesn't add up. Maybe the lady will hold a show and maybe that will lead to something else, but at this point I don't believe it until I am actually at the house doing the show!

Cheryl Mackey
Independent Consultant in Louisiana

Cooking doesn't have to be hard, it has to be FUN!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

Well, the festival was a total flop. I don't just mean for me either. I was out there for 5 hours in 102 degree heat and only maybe 10 people came to the thing! I'm not lying! 10 people! There were only about a dozen vendors. I did have someone tell me that they wanted to buy the Generation II cookware and would call me next week and also host a show when her house is done, which should be in about 2 weeks. So not a total loss, but when you miss your 10 month old almost stand unassisted for the first time it really doesn't add up. Maybe the lady will hold a show and maybe that will lead to something else, but at this point I don't believe it until I am actually at the house doing the show!

Cheryl Mackey
Independent Consultant in Louisiana

Cooking doesn't have to be hard, it has to be FUN!

OHOOOO the heat majorly sucks doesnt it???

 

[ihavethetools]

I know, don't count your chickens before they're hatched. But Cheryl...you are right....even the one person can turn things around for you.
Of course you don't stop there.

All of us might want to buy the book "Endless Referrals" by Bob Burg. And I need to read it again.

Here is an idea that I read a long time ago, and I just may give it a try. It comes from a book by a really cool man who sadly died a few years ago of cancer. His name, John Kalench, from his book "Being the Best You Can be in MLM."
(Now I really don't know if PC is considered MLM....but his books are GREAT! and he was a GREAT teacher! My husband and I got to meet and talk with him a few times before he passed away).

Doris' Doorknobs....(interesting name...LOL)
This lady would go in to a hardware store and ask to see the door knobs. Then she'd pick one out that she really liked. In her case elegant crystal. She took it with her everywhere. While at a restaurant or coffee shop, she'd take it out and lay it on the table. Sure to get someone's attention, and the waitress would ask what the door knob is for. She would flash them a big smile, and with a twinkle in her eyes say, "I'm so happy you asked me that. This door knob is to remind me to tell you that the door of opportunity is wide open for you with (company here).

He points out very cleverly that Doris understands that most people are not having fun in their jobs, and she also knows that people cannot resist a person who is having fun. She knows that the toughest thing about talking to strangers is working up the courage to speak to them. So she sets it up so that they speak to her first.

I don't think we have any trouble getting attention with Pampered Chef. So many people just love it, period. This company has a GREAT reputation.

I'm thinking we could do this with one of our interesting products, to cause someone to ask why we have it there.
And add your little talk to it.

Maybe the Crinkle Cutter, or balloon whisk.
Or one could just use the great idea of the door knob to capture someone's attention and cause them to speak first.

Kris

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I know, don't count your chickens before they're hatched. But Cheryl...you are right....even the one person can turn things around for you.
Of course you don't stop there.

All of us might want to buy the book "Endless Referrals" by Bob Burg. And I need to read it again.

Here is an idea that I read a long time ago, and I just may give it a try. It comes from a book by a really cool man who sadly died a few years ago of cancer. His name, John Kalench, from his book "Being the Best You Can be in MLM."
(Now I really don't know if PC is considered MLM....but his books are GREAT! and he was a GREAT teacher! My husband and I got to meet and talk with him a few times before he passed away).





Doris' Doorknobs....(interesting name...LOL)
This lady would go in to a hardware store and ask to see the door knobs. Then she'd pick one out that she really liked. In her case elegant crystal. She took it with her everywhere. While at a restaurant or coffee shop, she'd take it out and lay it on the table. Sure to get someone's attention, and the waitress would ask what the door knob is for. She would flash them a big smile, and with a twinkle in her eyes say, "I'm so happy you asked me that. This door knob is to remind me to tell you that the door of opportunity is wide open for you with (company here).

He points out very cleverly that Doris understands that most people are not having fun in their jobs, and she also knows that people cannot resist a person who is having fun. She knows that the toughest thing about talking to strangers is working up the courage to speak to them. So she sets it up so that they speak to her first.

I don't think we have any trouble getting attention with Pampered Chef. So many people just love it, period. This company has a GREAT reputation.

I'm thinking we could do this with one of our interesting products, to cause someone to ask why we have it there.
And add your little talk to it.

Maybe the Crinkle Cutter, or balloon whisk.
Or one could just use the great idea of the door knob to capture someone's attention and cause them to speak first.

Kris

So very ture, it's something that we should consider doing from time to time

 

[pckimboyers]

I can't believe we got so many responses and great ideas from this thread! It's so good to know that I'm not alone....I've gotten better--but still struggling a bit. Thanks for the attachments--I'll really put the knowledge to work!! You all are right--don't give up! I won't do that! Maybe with the new products coming out I'll have more luck! I'm doing a sneak preview show soon so I'm hoping that will generate some shows! THANK YOU ALL for all the support!

 

[cmackey]

Well, I haven't been able to get in touch with the lady who wanted to order the cookware and host a show, but I got in touch with another lady from the festival who ended up penciling in for Sept. 16!!!! I reaaaaaaally hope this one sticks because she lives in the City 45 miles from here which is where I'm trying to get to!!!!!! She is going to talk to some women from work to see what time on Sat. would work best for them. I'm going to send her a few new catalogs and some outside order forms. Anything to help make this show stick would be soooooooooooooooooo greatly appreciated. I was jumping like a nut around the house!

Cheryl Mackey