Getting a Business Helper: Pros & Cons

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Discussion Overview

This thread explores the experiences and opinions of participants regarding the use of a business helper tote, particularly in relation to its effectiveness in promoting their Pampered Chef business and its functionality as a personal bag.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, expresses interest in getting a business helper tote and asks for others' experiences.
  • Another participant shares their positive experience, stating they give the tote as a welcome gift to new recruits and emphasize the importance of using it.
  • Several users mention using the tote as both a purse and a business bag, noting that it has helped them receive orders in various situations.
  • One participant describes using the tote at a livestock show, where they received multiple inquiries and orders.
  • Another participant shares that they have used the tote for everyday purposes, but have not received inquiries about it yet.
  • Some participants express mixed feelings about the tote's appearance, with one noting they find it unattractive but are willing to try it.
  • Several users discuss the practicality of the tote for carrying personal items, including diapers and snacks, while also keeping catalogs accessible.
  • One participant mentions that they have transitioned to using a Coach purse but recognize the business potential of the tote.
  • Some participants inquire about where to purchase the tote and clarify that it is available through supply orders rather than other retailers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ regarding the tote's effectiveness and appearance, with some participants expressing satisfaction and others showing reluctance or mixed feelings. No clear consensus emerges on its overall utility.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences and opinions about the tote's use in both business and everyday contexts, highlighting its versatility and potential for generating business opportunities.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants considering the business helper tote for personal use or as a promotional tool may find the shared experiences informative.

nikki70563
Gold Member
Messages
327
I'm thinking about getting one - does anyone have one and if so do you like it or not and does it help to get business?
 
Love it! I give it to all of my new recruits as a "Welcome" gift and to help them promote their business. I highly recommend it, but you have to USE it! :)
 
  • Thread starter
  • #3
how do you use it as a purse or a bag??
 
I use mine as a purse...and I get orders...I got an order one time waiting for a table at a restaurant...best part is she ordered some seasonings...so I call her occasionally and she reorders.
 
I've used it as both. It def. works!
 
I just ordered a catalog tote on today's supply order.

Also I got the Merrill jacket with the PC logo. We'll see how it goes.
 
I like mine, I take it to every show, has extra catalogs, calendar, host packets and money bag in it.
 
wadesgirl said:
I like mine, I take it to every show, has extra catalogs, calendar, host packets and money bag in it.
I'm thinking of getting another one. I use it like wadesgirl but I also use it as a purse. It would be nice not to have to change it back and forth all the time.
 
buckeyefan08 said:
I'm thinking of getting another one. I use it like wadesgirl but I also use it as a purse. It would be nice not to have to change it back and forth all the time.

That might be a good idea. I use my catalog tote as a "purse" when out and about, and use a bigger one that we got at conference one year for my shows. It would be a huge pain to keep switching back and forth.

Although, now that I got my nice Coach purse with my $250 gift card, it's so hard to not carry that! I guess I can use that as a selling tool, though - "Hey, nice purse" "Thanks, I got it free through Pampered Chef!" :D
 
cathyskitchen said:
Although, now that I got my nice Coach purse with my $250 gift card, it's so hard to not carry that! I guess I can use that as a selling tool, though - "Hey, nice purse" "Thanks, I got it free through Pampered Chef!" :D

That is so true!!! People always comment on my purses. I only wish I could say they were free (and real for that matter!!LOL) People take note of designer bags!
 
Yeah, I am not excited about carrying around that butt-ugly catalog tote, but I'm going to try it.

For a month.
 
Hey, I just posted on another thread, I just got the tote, and used it as a purse at a live stock show this weekend. (I didn't want to take my nice Coach bag because of you know....poop) I had several people ask me about it. I passed out several catalouges. I picked up several orders for a hostess who is having a show, and a couple of people want to do shows. I also had it at work and a student nurse was there and she wants to do a show after she finishes school this summer.
 
I use mine as a purse/carry-all bag!! My oldest son plays traveling basketball & baseball, so that is a great opportunity to make contacts outside of my immediate area. Someone always notices the PC catalog & sometimes I forget I even have it with me:yuck: !! A lady stopped me this weekend as I was chasing down child #2, and said is that the new spring catalog. I am sure she thought I was nuts because I looked at her with blank stare as it took me a minute to realize what she was talking about. :blushing:
 
pamperedtara said:
My oldest son plays traveling basketball & baseball, so that is a great opportunity to make contacts outside of my immediate area.

So does my son...I'm hoping the tote will spark some good conversations! :)
 
When I used to carry mine it brought me TONS of business. Then DH bought me a Coach purse for our anniversary last summer so I started carrying that instead...:( I love my Coach but my Catalog Tote was much more lucrative! Now I use it to bring water & snacks to my sons' baseball games...hopefully it'll start working again (yesterday was opening day for their baseball season)
 
I've had mine for a few months and use it as an every day purse. No one has ever asked me about it to be honest. But, I figure for $15, it's a good purse (good size, seems well made so far, etc) and maybe someone will ask me some day!
 
I've had mine for a few weeks and have already given out a catalog, no order yet.. but you never know :) It works pretty good for a diaper type bag.. I put a ziploc bag inside and put in sippy cups/snacks, etc. I have a full size catalog on the outside pocket and a few minis behind it so I can give them out..I also cut out the Help Whip Cancer design from the last CN and put it in the bottom corner.. and i have the ribbon pin on the strap too.
 
I recently gave out a catalog using mine. Figured that alone made it worth the $15, because it was a stranger I'd never seen before.

I use it as a purse and my only complaint is that it can be hard to get to stuff using it. I have most of my makeup in one case inside the tote, have my wallet, checkbook and calculator in it. Most of the time I put my debit card in my pocket just because it's easier that way. I also put my pens and stuff in the zipper pocket.
 
Just ordered mine...hope it helps.
 
I have the HWC tote and the Pampered Chef tote. I am probably sounding snobby ( but I am not a snob, I swear)... I love,love love my louis vuitton bag, BUT I use started using my tote as a diaper bag since my kids don't require as much stuff when we go out now. I really like both totes, but I guess I am kind of a purse snob, sorry :( Please don't hold it against me, I am really nice :)
 
I use my Coach bag on a daily basis and I am one of those people that brings an extra bag to work everyday and that is/was my catalog tote until a girl at work turned my boss into HR for promoting her Avon biz at work and now I can't solicite PC anymore and can't carry that bag.
I do have another PC bag that looks like the show-to-go and you can barely see the logo, so I am using that now for my basics, calendar, order forms and catalogs for those that I may need to "sneak" a book too at work.
 
I feel silly asking but where can I find this tote? I looked on Merrill and I don't see it.. I won a $25 gift card to them and want to spend it wisely.
 
The catalog tote is on Supply Order, not from Merrill. Merrill has several other totes, though.
 
chefann said:
The catalog tote is on Supply Order, not from Merrill. Merrill has several other totes, though.


Well thats why I couldn't find it :balloon:
Thanks~ I will get it when I get my first batch of PC$s
 
I got my 2 totes from Merrill and not from PC supply order. I didn't see where there was a tote on the supply order. I have 2 totes so I don't need another one right now.
 
I have been using mine for about two weeks...some days it works better than others, but I'm learning that whatever business I get from it is just icing on the cake. You never know when it will start up a good conversation! I have toddlers, too, so I love that it's got plenty of room in it for me to put a few diapers and my small wipes container. I can also fit my camera, wallet, checkbook, pens, etc., with plenty of room to spare. And I keep two or three catalogs plus order forms on the front panel.
 
merego said:
I got my 2 totes from Merrill and not from PC supply order. I didn't see where there was a tote on the supply order. I have 2 totes so I don't need another one right now.


I just found the catalog tote bag on the order supply list item number 9612... thanks for trying to help :)
 
does it show a picture?
 
Where can I go to see a picture of what some stuff looks like when we do an non commission order? Am I making sense?
 
There aren't a lot of pics of the supply items. The online form has pics of the Show to Go system, but not other things.
 

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