Frustrated With Those "Potential Bookings"

[heat123]

I swear the phone is NOT my FRIEND! I have the bad case of the phone phobia to begin with. So making calls is hard in the first place but I swear every time I go to call (usually in the evening between 5:30-7pm ) I get no answers from mosts, if not all these people! And I hate calling after those hours becuase I feel like a total solicitor and won't do it. I have tried 3 times for a handful of those "maybe" bookings and am just frustrated I can't talk to them in person to see if infact they want to book a show or no. I am going to give up on them if they aren't home the next time! And leaving messages does no good since they wont' call back!

How many attempted calls do you make before giving up?

I guess since I'm not in a booking rutt I dont' feel like pursuing them as much as I woud if I had this problem right now. Anyways just had to vent!

 

[DebbieJ]

Heather, I have had good luck catching people on Sunday nights.

I make calls until 9 p.m. or later if people have given me permission.

Do you have daytime phone numbers? Those always work, too.

At some point you do just have to give up and leave a message saying " Hi Jane, this is Heather with PC. I'm beginning to feel like the Pampered Pest. You had expressed interest in having a party and I'd love to work with you. If you could please give me a call back and let me know either way if you are still interested....I will be out tomorrow morning, so if you could call my home and leave me a message, I'd appreciate it."

If you tell them when you will not be home and ask them to leave a message, then they don't have to talk to you and will be more apt to call you.

Then I stop calling. At some point you just have to move on.

Some will, some won't, who's next!

 

[pamperedbecky]

I think Deb's advice is good. Eventually you don't want to be wasting your time on ones who just WON'T get back to you and are impossible to reach. Focus your energy on someone where it may turn into a quicker booking. ALTHOUGH, I have felt on the verge of becoming a Pampered Pest with several people (and I leave that same exact message! ) but then the person may actually call back and be interested. I was following up with someone for over a year and she eventually booked. So, it's hard to say which to give up on and which not to.

Try the idea about saying you won't be home in the morning or whatever and see if they may call back! I like that idea.

 

[chefjeanine]

Maybe this will help? I don't start calling until 7:00. I don't want to call during dinner.

Part of your message should say "I'll keep trying until I get in touch with you". You always want to keep the ball in your court. So yes, invite them to call you back but in no way suggest that you won't call again if you don't hear from them.

I've found that once I sit down and start making calls they get a little bit easier as the evening progresses.

Good luck!

 

[cat]

How about Saturday mornings?Hi Heather,

I like to do calls Saturday mornings, between 9-11AM. I seem to be able to catch most people then and I don't feel like I'm interrupting their dinner or bedtime routine with the kids. I guess otherwise, I do make calls between 9 and 9:30PM in the evenings, if I know they have children. (Then again, most of the calls I make are still to people I know or friends of friends so I don't feel that I'm calling TOO late!)

And as Becky said, I also kept following up with a person for almost one year and then finally got a booking - it was close to a $900 show! AS long as the person tells me it's ok to call (OR DOESN'T tell me NOT to call!) I keep trying! I also have people who have put me off for more than a year, but they tell me maybe in the future, so I still check in every so often!

Good luck!

 

[stacieka]

I dont answer my own phone during dinner so maybe that is what is happening with you. I would call around 7 pm if I were you or try their day time number.

 

[gilliandanielle]

I am stuck in this message game, but with a potential recruit. I gave her the packet and told her to discuss it with her DH and I would call the next day to see if either had any questions. I called the next day and left a message. A week went by and no call back. I left another message, no call back. Another week went by and I left the third message. She is also an aquaintence so she wouldn't be scared to just call back and say she wasn't interested. I am just scared that she is on the edge of saying yes and needs a nudge that she won't let me give her!! Should I call again or just drop it?

Gillian Wright
#417481
Wasilla, Alaska

 

[pchefinski]

I wouldn't drop it. If she's an acquaintance, I'd leave another message saying you hope everything is okay and that whenever she gets a chance give you a buzz or email. Life happens and things get pushed around because of it. She may have needed to go out of town, or maybe she's working a lot of overtime or has family to visit. Maybe she's sick or is involved with something very time consuming right now. You never know. But I'd keep in touch with her (or her machine! hehe) letting her know you're not pressuring her, but you wanted to just keep contact; and if she needs anything, to give you a call. I called a potential recruit 6 times over the course of 3 months before I got ahold of her. Turns out she was extremely busy with school and some family things but she told me to give her a call in August when she turns 18 and can legally sign. Another friend has been nursing her husband and son through being sick, among other things, and hasn't had a chance to read through the material I sent her on the opportunity -- but she said she wants to, so that's plenty good enough for me right now!

 

[reesefamily5]

I have had a few times where I couldn't get ahold of someone but I still kept calling. In each message I left I said who I was, why I was calling, and if they weren't interested it was perfectly alright to let me know that too, just give me a call and let me know. Otherwise I will try again to get ahold of you in a few days. my number is XXX-XXXX.

Two of my hosts that I left a TON of messages for said they where glad I didn't give up on them. They just didn't have the time to get back to me and when they did have time they forgot. So sometimes it pays off and when you give them the out and tell them it's okay to say they don't want a show then you don't have to feel pushy about calling again.

 

[beepampered]

e-mailEmail may be an easier way to keep in touch with someone (especially a potential recruit). After you've called a few times, send a brief e-mail with the new host special or signing bonus. Call in about a month and tell them you'll call back in a few months (although this may give them an easy out). BEE

 

[manicmommy71]

I have a doosyI have a few potential hosts that told me they would contact me...and we all know how often that happens...what should i do? send a postcard?

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Contacting potential hostsI usually try to get to know my guests at each show. I let them know that I will be contacting them to ask how their products are working and if they expressed an interest in hosting a show, that I will call with details about that.
I ask them to write on the back of their door prize slip what time and day during the week or Sat. would be good for me to call.
I have never had someone tell me not to call them.
I get a good time and day to call and write them down in my planner. I sit down and make my calls while babies are napping, or while I am out running errands. It usually works out fine!
Sometimes I'll get a person who says that they are in and out at all times that it's hard to reach them.
I usually ask for not more than 5 minutes of their time and if I can call them while they are on the way to pick up kids from school, on their way to the grocery store, or while they are done with dinner and putting kids to sleep. That usually gets people to give me cell phone numbers or evening calls.
This way I can call to check on products, ask them to host a show, or get referrals.
About calling or sending a postcard, I would send a postcard! That is a great idea. Also you could just send a letter with host information, like a generic letter with host specials coming up, host benefits, and guest specials. Send them a list of dates you have open on your calendar.
Debbie