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Getting People to Book Now, Not Later After Confirming W/ Friends

In summary, the person is interested in hosting a party, but they are unsure of when they will have the time to do it. They are looking for a date that is likely to work for everyone involved.
babywings76
Gold Member
7,288
"Yes, I'd like to host a party. My May is kind of crazy. I'm thinking sometime after then. Maybe later this summer. Let me ask around w/ my friends and see if they'd be interested in coming." I've had this said to me twice the past 2 days. Both from people who approached me about hosting and are really excited to have a party.

AARGH! I KNOW Tammy Stanley has comebacks to this. But the conversations always flowed in a way that it felt awkward to say them. I feel as though I'd come off like I'm making a desperate plea and talking them into something, so I back off.

So I am supposed to be sending one of those 2 girls an e-mail today giving her more info. I'd like to put some sort of blurb in my email that will get her thinking about not worrying about consulting w/ all her friends first.

By the way...She was someone I bumped into at Walmart (in the bathroom, no less!) She saw my tote and asked me about it. She filled out a drawing slip and gave me her info. She works at the photo place there. We were cracking up about how it's such a bizarre place to have met and be conducting business. :yuck: :eek: :D But she's interested in hosting and possibly the business, too.
 
Sometimes it's hard to get them to commit to a date. Try this:

Why don't we set a tentative date. That way when you call your friends to see if they'd be interested in attending the show you'll be saving a phone call by sharing the date at the same time. If you find the date isn't good for most of your friends or no one is interested in attending then we can reschedule or cxl.

You could also say, my show dates are almost full so let's go a head and put a tentative date down so you get the best date/time for you.
 
You could offer up a date that is in the next week or two you still have available to the interested person and say this:

I realize you have a busy schedule and many of your friends as well most likely. Why don't we use pencil for one of these two dates you ARE available for, you contact those you would like to invite and see if they are available. If they are we will have a show, if not we can schedule you a date that you find that most of your invites can make a bit later.

What we learned at the Spring Launch was, if you book in close and people want to come and are available they will. If you don't ask the answer will always be 'no'.
 
I tell people like that something along the lines of the following:I understand. I just want to make sure you understand two things. First, if we don't have a date penciled in, [current host] won't get credit for your party and won't get the benefit. Second, my calendar fills up quickly. I can't really guarantee that I'll be available on the date you and your friends choose. Why don't we do this; let's pick a date that will be likely to work for you. In the next 24 hours check with the 3 friends who you consider must-have guests. I'll call on [day after tomorrow] to make sure that it's a good date for you. Does that make sense?Most of the time it works. Sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't I consider that person a probably-not host. I check back with them, but figure a booked date from that person is a bonus.
 
raebates said:
I tell people like that something along the lines of the following:

I understand. I just want to make sure you understand two things. First, if we don't have a date penciled in, [current host] won't get credit for your party and won't get the benefit. Second, my calendar fills up quickly. I can't really guarantee that I'll be available on the date you and your friends choose. Why don't we do this; let's pick a date that will be likely to work for you. In the next 24 hours check with the 3 friends who you consider must-have guests. I'll call on [day after tomorrow] to make sure that it's a good date for you. Does that make sense?

Most of the time it works. Sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't I consider that person a probably-not host. I check back with them, but figure a booked date from that person is a bonus.

This is what I do also.
 
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  • #6
I love that wording, thanks. :) But, what if it's someone not connected to a show? There's no sense of urgency on their part. It's a separate contact and they know for a fact that they can't do a show the next month and are open to something after then. I'm just afraid that these girls will go talk to 3 people and if they don't seem interested in coming to a party, then they'll decide "no one is interested". Would that same wording apply to this kind of situation, just I need to tweak it a little? If I'm communicating w/ them through e-mail (it's their preferred method), what would be best to say?
 
If its not from a show, there's still a sense of urgency in saying your calendar may fill up and you want to make sure they get the best date for them!
 
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  • #8
How about this: Take a peek at your calendar and work schedule and let me know when might be a good time for you to host a party. My calendar gets filled up pretty quickly, so let's try to set a date soon so we can be sure to get the best date that works for you.
 
That's good, Amanda. What I do is simply leave the part about the host benefit out.
 
  • #10
Keep her eyes on the prize. Most often when a host says they need to check with friends, they are worried that no one will show. Step in and assuage that concern - "that's my job! I will help you develop a terrific guest list, and I will even take care of the invitations for you - at no cost to you!"
 
  • #11
funny, we just talked about this at our cluster meeting:) Here's some things we shared:
The problem we all agreed on was when you meet people on the spot or even at a show, lots and lots of them do not have their calendar in front of them and are very hesitant to book without looking at it. So to overcome that, at a show send them home with a host packet (and I carry host planning guides behind my catalog in my tote for on the spot opportunities) and arrange a time the next day to pick a date/time for their show.
When you call them...1) be sitting in front of your computer and 2) have your calendar open and be sure they have theirs in front of them too.

Once the date is thrown out there, use wording like this, "ok, first things first. Do you have any school age children?" If answer is yes, then ask them what school they go to and YOU look up that school's website and check the school calendar. So for example if there's a Band Recital (or something like that) you can say, "Ok Mary, I see there's a Band Recital that day at 6:00pm, will that interfere with making this a really successful show for you? (you are telling her a couple of things with this, first that it's important that you pick a day will really work for her so your show sticks and second that your working with her to make it a successful show). When you ask about the group of people she's going to invite, ask about their interests too because you can then overcome any potential roadblocks to postponing shows before they even come up. (like band recitals, bible studies, book clubs, etc.)
I think by setting or confirming the date the next day takes some pressure off both of you to just get it in the calendar. Lots of time those hasty decisions end up in postponed or cancelled shows. You want the date to stick on your calendar.
Just my opinions...good luck, I like this thread, it's good info to share:)
 
  • #12
Everyone had such fantastic comments and I am very similiar- I am simply bold and upfront with the potential host when they ask if I can contact them at a later point this is what I say:
"Nope. (the look on their face is priceless!) Please don't think I am trying to be snotty, it's just that I am not that organized or on the ball enough to remember to call you in a few months (usually laugh a bit here). My calendar is so busy that if we don't set up a tentative date, I promise you I will forget to call you and that would be a disservice to you. You are just lucky to have actually found the one home party lady who is honest enough to tell you she will forget to call rather than dropping the ball and never contacting you again :)
What I recommend is, if you really are thinking you would like a party,is to pick a tentative date from what I still have available and I will call you a month before-hand to see if that date still works for both of us. Your name with a date in my calendar will be my cue to call you-that is the only way I will remember to call you. So how about we pick that tentative date?"
If they are up for it, I give them my "only TWO available dates" for that particular month and let them choose which they would prefer. If they still don't commit, I bless and release and count it as a bonus if they actually call me back. I look at it as, if they can't even pick a tentative date they will probably flake on a party. You will find when you treat your business professionally people will treat your business the same.
I have also found that by saying what I do, people treat me with much more respect and will tell me about other experiences where a home party person never called to book a show and how they appreciate my honesty. :)
 
  • #13
letmepamperu13 said:
Everyone had such fantastic comments and I am very similiar- I am simply bold and upfront with the potential host when they ask if I can contact them at a later point this is what I say:
"Nope. (the look on their face is priceless!) Please don't think I am trying to be snotty, it's just that I am not that organized or on the ball enough to remember to call you in a few months (usually laugh a bit here). My calendar is so busy that if we don't set up a tentative date, I promise you I will forget to call you and that would be a disservice to you. You are just lucky to have actually found the one home party lady who is honest enough to tell you she will forget to call rather than dropping the ball and never contacting you again :)
What I recommend is, if you really are thinking you would like a party,is to pick a tentative date from what I still have available and I will call you a month before-hand to see if that date still works for both of us. Your name with a date in my calendar will be my cue to call you-that is the only way I will remember to call you. So how about we pick that tentative date?"
If they are up for it, I give them my "only TWO available dates" for that particular month and let them choose which they would prefer. If they still don't commit, I bless and release and count it as a bonus if they actually call me back. I look at it as, if they can't even pick a tentative date they will probably flake on a party. You will find when you treat your business professionally people will treat your business the same.
I have also found that by saying what I do, people treat me with much more respect and will tell me about other experiences where a home party person never called to book a show and how they appreciate my honesty. :)

I. LOVE. THIS. !!!!!:love:
 
  • #14
thanks Becky! I've been using this for the past 5-6 months and the first time I did it I was quivering since I didn't know what kind of reaction I would get but when she booked and THANKED me for being honest, I felt like a million bucks! :) Now it is just a policy to the point where I have past guests/hosts at my shows speak up when they hear someone say "can you just call me?" they pipe up and say "she isn't on the ball enough to do call backs! pick your date now or you won't get one!" (all in good jest) Love that I have them so well trained LOL
 
  • #15
letmepamperu13 said:
thanks Becky! I've been using this for the past 5-6 months and the first time I did it I was quivering since I didn't know what kind of reaction I would get but when she booked and THANKED me for being honest, I felt like a million bucks! :) Now it is just a policy to the point where I have past guests/hosts at my shows speak up when they hear someone say "can you just call me?" they pipe up and say "she isn't on the ball enough to do call backs! pick your date now or you won't get one!" (all in good jest) Love that I have them so well trained LOL

I laughed when I read it! You know how you sometimes read something and think "wow - that sounds just like something I would say!"?....and now I'm wondering why I haven't said it before! LOVE IT, and am going to use it! I absolutely HATE making "those" calls later!
 
  • #16
It was actually "those calls later" that prompted me to do this. I was like,"hmmm, if I just have a "book at the show policy" that will save me soooo much time! I now have my time freed up for my team, host coaching, customer care and ME! Plus, I no longer worry about who I forgot to call. Go for it Becky~ great minds think alike!!
I wonder if I could use the same approach for recruiting.... lol!
 
  • #17
raebates said:
I tell people like that something along the lines of the following:

I understand. I just want to make sure you understand two things. First, if we don't have a date penciled in, [current host] won't get credit for your party and won't get the benefit. Second, my calendar fills up quickly. I can't really guarantee that I'll be available on the date you and your friends choose. Why don't we do this; let's pick a date that will be likely to work for you. In the next 24 hours check with the 3 friends who you consider must-have guests. I'll call on [day after tomorrow] to make sure that it's a good date for you. Does that make sense?

Most of the time it works. Sometimes it doesn't. When it doesn't I consider that person a probably-not host. I check back with them, but figure a booked date from that person is a bonus.

That's what I was trying to figure out how to say. I sometimes say something like

"experience has taught me that if you ask your friends if they are interested, they will most likely say no. But if you tell your friends that you are having a show on --date-- they will most likely say yes." Because that's human nature.
 
  • #18
This thread is super helpful! I have SOOOO many of these people! They all wanna check with their friends and then when I finally remember to call them back (like 2-3 weeks before the date they were asking about) they tell me it won't work. Seems like THEY never call me back to tell me if how their friends responded and I always forget. I just may use the "nope, sorry, book now or forever hold your peace" approach because it is the truth that I will forget to call back. I'm SUUUUUPPPPPEEEEERRRRRR bad at calling for any reason. I've been in the business for a little over a year and not once have I completed 3 coaching calls for a hostess.
 
  • #19
Amen mrshamel!!!
 
  • #20
letmepamperu13 said:
"Nope. (the look on their face is priceless!) Please don't think I am trying to be snotty, it's just that I am not that organized or on the ball enough to remember to call you in a few months (usually laugh a bit here). :)

Amazing! I LOVE it!
 
  • #21
I am so loving this thread...great information. I am going to do this and see what happens!
 

1. How can I convince people to book a party now instead of waiting?

One effective way to encourage people to book a party now is by offering limited-time incentives or discounts. This creates a sense of urgency and makes them more likely to commit to a date. You can also emphasize the benefits of hosting a party, such as earning free products and having a fun time with friends.

2. What should I say to friends who want to wait and see if others will book a party first?

You can remind them that the party is all about having a good time with friends and trying out new products. Waiting for others to book can lead to missed opportunities and may result in a less exciting party. Encourage them to be the first to host and set the trend for their friends.

3. How can I make sure that people who confirm a party with me actually follow through?

One strategy is to send a personalized reminder a few days before the party, highlighting the details and benefits of attending. You can also offer a special gift or prize for guests who attend the party. This will incentivize them to follow through with their commitment.

4. What if someone wants to book a party, but doesn't have a specific date in mind?

In this case, you can suggest a few potential dates and let them choose the one that works best for them. You can also offer to keep them updated on upcoming party dates and let them know when there are openings available. This way, they can still book a party without feeling pressured to commit to a specific date right away.

5. How can I handle potential conflicts when booking parties with multiple friends?

If there are conflicts with scheduling a party with multiple friends, you can offer to host a separate party for each group or suggest a compromise, such as hosting the party on a different day or time. It's important to be flexible and accommodating to ensure a successful and stress-free party experience for everyone involved.

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