Feeling Motivated & Blessed After My February Pampered Chef Success!

[Melissa78]

All I have to say is...WOW...what a month February was. What I wouldn't give for great host specials again (my peeps don't even bat an eye at bamboo or serving pieces) and have such a fab recruiting incentive.

I've been with PC since June 1 and have had very good sales results but a flop (zero) in the area of recruiting. I never ever brag nor usually even mention anything b/c its not my style and I'm repulsed by braggers but for once I have to toot my own horn, so my apologies for patting myself on the back. :balloon: With a ton of hard work and luck on my side, I went over $10k in commissionable sales for the month of February AND had 4 recruits sign with a few more still toying with the idea. :thumbup:

I'm still in awe. Boy do I look forward to that check on the 8th. A big WAHOO! Ok I'm done now :yuck: ...I'll go back to being a wallflower.

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

What a month indeed! WAHOO!!! Congrats on the 10K, and congrats on your new team!! I love it and am doing a happy dance! You're not bragging, you're allowing us to celebrate with you! What a FAB feb indeed!!! Kudos chica!!!

 

[chefheidi2003]

WOW..great job..and don't forget Feb was double incentive points..wow..you are well on your way..way to go..keep up the Great work.

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

That is awesome!!! If I don't make it, enjoy Maui for me!!

 

[laurichef]

That is AMAZING!!!!! Keep it up and you will be at the Gold level for Maui and Director before you know it!
Whoo hoo!!

 

[Melissa78]

What a month indeed! WAHOO!!! Congrats on the 10K, and congrats on your new team!! I love it and am doing a happy dance! You're not bragging, you're allowing us to celebrate with you! What a FAB feb indeed!!! Kudos chica!!!

Thanks chica! I am so not a bragger and hate the thoughts of even mentioning an accomplishment but I'm ready to burst at the seams. I just had to. Your kind words made me less paranoid. Thanks

Thanks to all of you as well. I'm very appreciative of your support. :balloon:

 

[chefmoseley]

GREAT JOB!!! Ok so what did you do? How many shows? Any tips?

 

[Melissa78]

9 bookings - 7 were cooking, 2 catalog. I want to have the same schedule each month but I must say with working FT, I'm beat! Lots of work was put into them - mostly after. I had 2 cancellations too due to snow so I can only wonder what it would have looked like with those.

I wish I knew what I could tell you for tips. I don't feel I do anything great - I just rely on luck and I wing it. I talk A LOT (hence my email and web addresses are chattychef & /chatty1). I think my shows turn into a comedy club show at times. I make fun of myself a lot but I also sell the igloo to the eskimo. For sales: I really focus on what I love about it, how its different from one bought elsewhere, and then I ask if anyone has it, what they use it for and why they like it. The guests do the work for me. I ALWAYS cook in the DCB - only shows I dont is those without a MW and those without, if I live close, I'll bring it cooked from mine. I stopped carrying tons of stuff with me - I take my TTA (packed to the gills), DCB & whatever I need for the recipe. I take most of whats in the new consultant kit and try to focus on those products. I stopped taking the batter bowl due to weight and switched to SS - which helps bookings. I use the Ult Mandolin ALWAYS - I cannot believe I read on here that people don't like it or use it. THat's a $60 order to me and I usually sell at least one at every show. I do offer the DCB bundle for $99 as well.

In February I did start my shows off differently too - I ask everyone to tell me their name, what their fav PC product is & what they would do if they had an extra $500/month. Then when they tell me the product, I chime in with a "why?" so they sell it more. I do skip that on some so that we don't take all night. How this works: they sell the products for me and recruiting - if they need to save for college tuition i tell them I'm paying for my masters degree loans thanks to PC, some say vacation, I tell them I plan on going to Maui on PC's tab, they need a car, so do i! They want to go shopping with $500 I tell them "what date and time? I'll be there." makes them laugh and then I tell them that I get to shop without charging it. etc. (You get the idea). Then I thank them all for doing my job and making it so much easier for me to stand before them and chop vegetables and make X dollars. Paid to party, who doesn't love that job?"

My November (when it was a SAT month) fell apart. I had 13 bookings and ended up with 4. I was crushed. My Director challenged me and I set out to never have another November. I have still had bumps in my road and have gone wrong but I have jumped on the Host Coaching Band Wagon and if nothing else, I have parties & little cancellations. Then I bribe hosts (I mean dangle carrots) to the host for attendance and orders. If they have 40+ invites to me, I bring the groceries (EVERY February host jumped on this), i offer them a free product if they have: 5 orders before the party (going with 5-15-5), 2 friends willing to have a party (before I arrive they have the commitment) and then a 3rd product if they have someone who joins the biz. If they beat my highest party, they get a bigger prize (my former high show was 1400, now I have a host that just broke $2000). I know how hard I work for those dang carrots, so I dangle them for the hosts. I send out all invites as well.

I have lots of plans to use the new FABULOUS catalog for added sales and ways to sell the new products without lugging them with me. I vow now to cart everything again! I will be taking the grill tray, new grill tools (along with some old) & a bamboo bowl set that Penney Parks spoke about for upcoming wedding showers. We'll see how long that lasts though - If I didn't hate carrying everything before, carrying it in the snowy winter of the Northeast makes me hate it more. LESS IS MORE = My PC motto.

Sorry to be wordy. Hope that answers your questions. If not, let me know.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Wow, congratulations!!! That is awesome!!

 

[leslieprichett]

9 bookings - 7 were cooking, 2 catalog. I want to have the same schedule each month but I must say with working FT, I'm beat! Lots of work was put into them - mostly after. I had 2 cancellations too due to snow so I can only wonder what it would have looked like with those.

I wish I knew what I could tell you for tips. I don't feel I do anything great - I just rely on luck and I wing it. I talk A LOT (hence my email and web addresses are chattychef & /chatty1). I think my shows turn into a comedy club show at times. I make fun of myself a lot but I also sell the igloo to the eskimo. For sales: I really focus on what I love about it, how its different from one bought elsewhere, and then I ask if anyone has it, what they use it for and why they like it. The guests do the work for me. I ALWAYS cook in the DCB - only shows I dont is those without a MW and those without, if I live close, I'll bring it cooked from mine. I stopped carrying tons of stuff with me - I take my TTA (packed to the gills), DCB & whatever I need for the recipe. I take most of whats in the new consultant kit and try to focus on those products. I stopped taking the batter bowl due to weight and switched to SS - which helps bookings. I use the Ult Mandolin ALWAYS - I cannot believe I read on here that people don't like it or use it. THat's a $60 order to me and I usually sell at least one at every show. I do offer the DCB bundle for $99 as well.

In February I did start my shows off differently too - I ask everyone to tell me their name, what their fav PC product is & what they would do if they had an extra $500/month. Then when they tell me the product, I chime in with a "why?" so they sell it more. I do skip that on some so that we don't take all night. How this works: they sell the products for me and recruiting - if they need to save for college tuition i tell them I'm paying for my masters degree loans thanks to PC, some say vacation, I tell them I plan on going to Maui on PC's tab, they need a car, so do i! They want to go shopping with $500 I tell them "what date and time? I'll be there." makes them laugh and then I tell them that I get to shop without charging it. etc. (You get the idea). Then I thank them all for doing my job and making it so much easier for me to stand before them and chop vegetables and make X dollars. Paid to party, who doesn't love that job?"
My November (when it was a SAT month) fell apart. I had 13 bookings and ended up with 4. I was crushed. My Director challenged me and I set out to never have another November. I have still had bumps in my road and have gone wrong but I have jumped on the Host Coaching Band Wagon and if nothing else, I have parties & little cancellations. Then I bribe hosts (I mean dangle carrots) to the host for attendance and orders. If they have 40+ invites to me, I bring the groceries (EVERY February host jumped on this), i offer them a free product if they have: 5 orders before the party (going with 5-15-5), 2 friends willing to have a party (before I arrive they have the commitment) and then a 3rd product if they have someone who joins the biz. If they beat my highest party, they get a bigger prize (my former high show was 1400, now I have a host that just broke $2000). I know how hard I work for those dang carrots, so I dangle them for the hosts. I send out all invites as well.

I have lots of plans to use the new FABULOUS catalog for added sales and ways to sell the new products without lugging them with me. I vow now to cart everything again! I will be taking the grill tray, new grill tools (along with some old) & a bamboo bowl set that Penney Parks spoke about for upcoming wedding showers. We'll see how long that lasts though - If I didn't hate carrying everything before, carrying it in the snowy winter of the Northeast makes me hate it more. LESS IS MORE = My PC motto.

Sorry to be wordy. Hope that answers your questions. If not, let me know.

That is such a great show opening! I am so going to have to "borrow" that if you don't mind.

And congratulations on the wonderful month!

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

I think that we all post the exciting news when we do well here because other fellow consultants get just how great our accomplishments are. We can tell our hubbies or a friend, but it's not the same.

Love the idea of dangling the carrots for the hosts, and great idea with the intro with guests! Appreciate you sharing your insights! I saw you're attending Director Express! Can't wait to walk that stage with you! =)

 

[Krista Burson]

What do you give them for a free product?

 

[Chef Kearns]

You worked it, girl!! Congratulations!

 

[grins88]

Wow...you did awesome! And I agree with the others....sharing your accomplishments just lets us celebrate with you. Also, if you had not shared, we would not have the opportunity to learn what worked for you. I am definitely taking away some great ideas from your success story. As I was reading, I was thinking..."Wow, she needs to be doing a training call. She has some really great ideas!" Be excited and proud of your accomplishments...that will motivate you to accomplish even more!

 

[kristina16marie]

wow, such great ideas! i'm also interested in the free products you offer for each level & for beating your best show.

 

[meganmcg]

I'm interested in what free products you offer as well.

 

[pamperedpals]

WOW! What a great month. Way to go.

 

[Melissa78]

So for all the questions about what I offer to the hosts:
5 outside orders before the party = PC Reusable shopping bag (and then I tell all of the guests that 'Suzie' gets the bag as she is going to get so much for free tonite that she is going to be able to fill this bag and more! Then she can "go green" when she goes to the grocery store to get all of those great ingredients for the yummy recipes she is going to make with all of her new fantastic PC items.

2 friends interested in booking a party before I arrive = mini whipper as my thank you for helping me to whip up more business.

When a host beats my best show I rewarded the first host with a QS Pitcher, this time around I dangled the carrot of an extra $25.00 in free product value. I thought anyone who worked hard enough to beat $1400 deserved $25 more. Now I am happy to report, I had a show hit $1948 so they will have to work exceptionally hard to take out that one and the host that beats 1948 will surely get $25.00 from me and probably the biggest bear hug of their life. (maybe even dinner out on me b/c I will want to celebrate)

You don't have to tell them ahead of time what you are giving. Its more the fact that you dangle the mystery out there that they can get "free product". The mini whippers are on the supply orders with the bags. No need to break the bank.

Remember how hard we work for the 'carrots' that PC dangles for us...we have many hosts that will work that hard for them as well. I also found that you do need to spend money to make money at times. I'm very frugal so I do things in moderation BUT...for the money I spent on groceries in February for all the hosts who sent me 40+ to invite, the postage, the few free items, the host 'thank you' item, (1) guest giveaway - I now see the results.

As Bette Midler sang in Beaches "You've got to give a little...take a little" Give up some of your comfort zone, take a little risk and try something new. It just might work! And if its a flop - back to the drawing board to try something new.

Just don't hold me to such results every month. haha!

 

[Patty Davis]

That is fabulous!! SO glad you shared! I had the exact same show schedule and did half of your sales!! So, don't feel bad about letting us know what an awesome month we had!! We need to hear it is possible!!

 

[kristina16marie]

thank you so much for the info! okay another question: do you have a flyer that explains what they need to do to get the free stuff or do you just tell them on the phone during host coaching calls? what do you say to them exactly?

 

[kristina16marie]

oh yes, and what do you give them if someone they refer joins the biz?

 

[Melissa78]

You all are just too kind. Patty your picture is adorable!

I don't take credit for what I do, I 'borrow' (as someone said above) from everyone here and there. This site is a HUGE resource for me - I am also blessed with a wonderful Director - a super Cluster of support & ideas and I'm a sponge for knowledge. I encourage everyone to soak up every thing you can whether it be audio trainings from PC or really expand outside of PC trainings and get insight on direct sales ideas from other speakers/trainers/consultants. I had a friend who sold Home Signatures - she had great ideas. I go to other parties such as At Home, Tastefully Simple etc. Go and observe other shows of your directors/consultants/clustermates. Find out what they do really well and also what you don't think they do well. Then make sure you don't make the same mistakes. I was in retail for 11yrs...whether you work for WM, Target, Kohls etc...its all the same just a diff name on the bldg. Same with Direct Sales.

When I have a month where I flop (which if I don't get March filled up, I'll be crying the blues) I'll be sure to reread this thead. If I can help one of you -thats great. If I can help more. Superb! If I can pick myself back up when I fall, life is good.

 

[Melissa78]

Well - I haven't actually had someone refer someone to the business (as of yet) BUT I do let them know I reward them for it. I had planned on giving them an easy opener & all purpose spreader for "helping me to spread the news about how easy it is to open their own business" (again both avail on supply order). If someone signs right at the party (that's when lightning bolts come shooting down on me - haha), I would prob reward the host with a cookbook of their choice - the business opportunity is very appetizing, sweet & we offer all the best there is to offer in opportunities. (yeah Im so corny, I know!)

 

[kristina16marie]

Oh my gosh I love it! So do you have the items with you or do you add them onto the host's orders? And you're not corny - you're AWESOME!!!

 

[Melissa78]

thank you so much for the info! okay another question: do you have a flyer that explains what they need to do to get the free stuff or do you just tell them on the phone during host coaching calls? what do you say to them exactly?

Sorry chica - I missed this question (other page -duh on my part!). Anywho...
I don't have an actual "flyer" per se. I do it a few ways.
#1 - as soon as I give them their host packet at the show (my goal for 2010) I tell them "Suzie - here is the first 'carrot' i am going to dangle for you. Your first and only real assignment is to get me your invite list. Our goal is to invite 40 or more to your show because as we know, not everyone can make it. Statistics show that only 1/2 to 1/3 can make it so we want to get close to the goal of 15. Why 15? The recipe for success is as simple as 3 ingredients. 5 outside orders before your party, 15 in attendance & 5 orders afterwards. That whips up great results for you that are sure to make you smile! BUT...here's the 'carrot'....if you send me your invite list, not only will I send out all of your invites for you, postage included, I will provide the groceries for the recipe. What's that mean for you? It means this costs you nothing, you have no work to do other than show up and have a great time while you make out your list of what you want with all the free product we are going to work towards. So as a quick recap: I need you to go home and check out your social network sites, Xmas card list, everyone you work with, are related-to, have attended their parties etc. Here's a paper to help you brainstorm - its 50 invites in 5minutes. I really would like to have your list by X date - does that work for you? (then write it on their host packet). Do you use email? If yes, GREAT! LOVE YOU! Just email me and I'll get working on those ASAP. Snail mail? No problem either! In this host packet is an envelope for you, already addressed to me, to send me your list of invites. Once I get that, I know your date is confirmed and we can move onto the next rounds of 'carrots'. Does this work for you?

I do it this way because the mystery creates enthusiasm and then if they don't get me invites, then I have no need to go into other 'carrots' because the party prob won't happen (at least on that date).

I do also always remind them of the 'carrots' in my emails to the host...I start with them in the 1st email and each one after just finishes with "Just a friendly reminder....I love to give away free product...how much do you love to receive free product? Here you go! (and then list the carrots).

I also am working on a post card with these on it as jsut another way to host coach and for those hosts who don't use email (gosh they do still exist! )

Hope that helps. (again - i'm wordy...sorry!)

 

[Melissa78]

Oh my gosh I love it! So do you have the items with you or do you add them onto the host's orders? And you're not corny - you're AWESOME!!!

Ha! This depends on my ability to be prepared and remember to reorder my supplies. It also depends on the month - February I tacked it onto their order - double points baby! Other times I may just give them the items at the party b/c I had them from supply order. Do what works best for you and your budget. If i have local hosts, I always offer to have their party shipped to my house, I sort it and then they can pick it up all ready to go. They love this but I also have selfish reasons. If they got the 30% discount - I often order off of the host order. Its still commissionable sales, counts as points and really is a better deal once I get my commission. I just did that on a February show. I ordered all of my Pantry needs, the bamboo spoons (March Host Special) & a few 'wish list items'.

Really - work within your budget and what works for you! Be creative and then share your ideas because my word is not gospel by any means.

 

[kristina16marie]

thanks again for all the great info! i have host's orders shipped to my house too & for the same reasons! i'm loving all these ideas and am finally at a place in my business where i can start to offer these types of "carrots" - i'm also testing out "carrots" for the guests with the "what would you do for a dollar" outside order thing. we'll know in the next month or so if they're working!

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

Can I just say, I love you? So much good info! Want to fly down to TX and be my next meeting's guest speaker? I'll take you around and we'll play tourists....nice and sunny down here.

 

[Melissa78]

Laurie be careful what you ask for I flew to Dallas Tx one year for Easter just to visit a friend and to get away to warm temps. I just dug out of 12+" of snow...I was in Dallas in March/April and we went to the Botanical Gardens and the zoo! In short sleeves! I flew home into a Noreaster Blizzard. Lovely!

You all ask the questions - I simply answer. I'm glad I can be of help - I often feel like I don't do things right or that I'm fumbling. Once I'm consistent, then I'll know I've mastered the art.

 

[Melissa78]

Kristina - let me know what you think of the dollar incentive. I thought about it but I don't have room to add it on my mini cat label that I use and I don't do inserts (I'm too cheap and/or lazy...whichever). Then I think as a guest...would I be motivated by a dollar? I'm interested in seeing everyones results. Make me a believer and I'll jump in and try