Get Creative: Ideas for Promoting April Shows

[babywings76]

I have an empty April. I was tossing around ideas on what I could do to encourage some bookings. I was thinking that since I can order the DCB at half price (from the samples list), that maybe I could offer that as an incentive. Maybe something like entering all my April shows in to a raffle and then one person could win it? It's kind of a lot of money though, so I'm wondering how profitable my shows need to be to recover my cost. Or should I buy some of the other new products and raffle them off.

I could say that they get one entry for e-mailing or calling me to book the show. Cooking shows get 2 entries, catalog shows get 1, then an entry for reaching $300, and another per each $100 they go up in sales. So if someone e-mails me and sets a date for a cooking show, then closes at $500 they would have 6 entries. Does that make sense? Is it too much for people to keep track of and be excited about?

What other ideas do you all have for some promotion I could do?

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

I've found the best incentive is to say you will bring the ingredients to the show. Of course you choose the recipe so you can control the cost of the ingredients.

 

[raebates]

You'll want to be careful, Amanda. I offer small incentives for completing certain tasks via Host Tic-Tac-Toe or Catalog Host Bingo. I also offer a big incentive for anyone who has a show with guest sales over $1,500. These are specific to reaching certain sales levels. I've heard several reminders lately that the more bookings incentives you offer the more people can view you as either begging or as offering something of little intrinsic value. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying that you might want to consider making sure they have to reach a specific level of sales before they're entered.

 

[babywings76]

I understand what you mean, Rae, and thank you for putting that out there. That's why I have never done things like this before. I just wonder if people think they can win something amazing free, it might be the icing on the cake and they'll decide to go for it. But I totally agree with you and am worried about doing something like this.I tried a Black Friday sale and it was a bust. My outlet update e-mails are always a bust. So I do worry that e-mail isn't the best way with my particular customers. But calling them hasn't been working either. So I'm stumped and discouraged. My show on Sat. was a flop half of the people who were supposed to come didn't. And not a single person booked. The plus side is that the host is seriously contemplating the business. I'm looking into doing a fair booth or something so I can get some new leads, but in the meantime... I really want April to go well. So I'm trying to think of something I could do that might be different than what I've been trying.

 

[stefani2]

You'll want to be careful, Amanda. I offer small incentives for completing certain tasks via Host Tic-Tac-Toe or Catalog Host Bingo. I also offer a big incentive for anyone who has a show with guest sales over $1,500. These are specific to reaching certain sales levels. I've heard several reminders lately that the more bookings incentives you offer the more people can view you as either begging or as offering something of little intrinsic value.

I'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying that you might want to consider making sure they have to reach a specific level of sales before they're entered.

Can you share these Rae?

 

[raebates]

I found them here. You should be able to do a search to find the originals. Here are my versions. My Tic Tac Toe is in Publisher, so I've included it as a PDF for those who don't have Publisher.

 

[Chefstover2]

I'm putting in my two cents before I get on the phone. I had a show Saturday and an emptier April than I'd like (especially for the first part of the month). I LOVE my bar pan, so I brought it with me and talked about it during my "spiel" time at great length (why it's great, stoneware 101, etc.). Then I said that it's a $20 stone and who would like an opportunity to get it for $7? A bunch of hands shot up. How about $4? Even more eyebrows raised.

I told them I had some dates early in the month I'd like to fill and that I'm offering the bar pan (a brand new one, that is) to a host who books one of my early dates for the "price of the day" as long as they have at least a $500 show. I got an instant booking for April 7th! They're sisters-in-law, with exactly the same name (including middle initial)!

Anyway, I'm off to try to book the rest of my April solid and perhaps get a recruit lead or two...TTFN.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

I found them here. You should be able to do a search to find the originals. Here are my versions. My Tic Tac Toe is in Publisher, so I've included it as a PDF for those who don't have Publisher.

Rae, Do you really give this away (add it to the hosts order?)???

When your guest sales are over $1,500*—that reward becomes a 5-Piece Executive
Cookware Set (a $225 value)​

 

[raebates]

Yes. (I know you didn't think I'd offer something that I wasn't willing to follow through with.)I've only had one person earn it. I use their discount. It's an idea I got from someone with an $800+ show average. The discount is 30% (making it $199.50), plus I'm making my commission of at least 25% on that item subtracting at least another $49.88 for a total of 149.63). I will make at least $375 on the guest sales. I know that's a big chunk of my commission, but it's worth it to me. Like I said, I've only had to give away 1, but that host will never book a show with another consultant as long as I'm doing PC. I'm not against offering big incentives. I just think they need to be tied to big efforts on the host's part.I just realized, though, that I need to change the value since the price went up.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

Yes. (I know you didn't think I'd offer something that I wasn't willing to follow through with.)

I've only had one person earn it. I use their discount. It's an idea I got from someone with an $800+ show average. The discount is 30% (making it $199.50), plus I'm making my commission of at least 25% on that item subtracting at least another $49.88 for a total of 149.63). I will make at least $375 on the guest sales. I know that's a big chunk of my commission, but it's worth it to me. Like I said, I've only had to give away 1, but that host will never book a show with another consultant as long as I'm doing PC.

I'm not against offering big incentives. I just think they need to be tied to big efforts on the host's part.

I just realized, though, that I need to change the value since the price went up.

Thanks for clarifying that. I belived that you gave it away if earned, I was just wondering how many you have given away. I love the idea of a great big incentive, I'll have to consider what I'm comforable with.

Thanks!!!

 

[ttchic]

I just used the dcb as an incentive for a... 20 bookings in 48 hour booking blitz I did. I told the people I called, there name would be put in a drawing for the dcb (I made a big deal about the price and the fact that they could be the first on the block to own a white one, since they just came out) and the most names that would be in the drawing would be 20. I made about 25-30 phone calls and got 11 cooking shows from mid-march to 1 in June. To me the investment was worth it. I was tired of feeling desperate for bookings. I average 6-8 parties a month and was booked for March and all but 1 day for April. It makes me feel good for guest to see a full calender or to tell people I can't fit you in until... $3.25 a show is what it cost me. I just hit my 6th month and am close to $13,300 in sales..Not braggin, just so excited and greatful. God IS Good!!

 

[teresah551393]

I tried the deep covered baker as incentive too. It didn't work for me, I used all old leads. After the booth I had a couple of weeks ago I have fresh leads. Maybe I should try it again. I love the idea of the large item incentive being offered for a $1000 or $1500 show. I don't usually have shows over about $500 and that is unusual for it to be that high. I have had them over that, just not often. I am really trying to build up business so I guess I need to revamp things! What would you all use as a BIG incentive for the $1000 or $1500 level if you don't want to use the 5pc. exec. set? Just wondering? The five pc set is great though!

Raebates, if you have only given away one set, did you still have high sales from hosts trying to earn it?