Handling Unruly Crowds at Cooking Shows: Tips & Tricks

[caremmel]

Every cooking show I have done thus far, with people I do not personally know is CHAOS.

I can garner attention when I hollar out that I have anouncements or if I grab the host and make her get attention of her guests, but while demonstrating everyone starts up their own conversations. :grumpy:

Also, I have never done the complete full service checkout because of interuptions or ladies walking up and handing me their orders and go back to talking to her friend/sister whatever. ( And yes I do my checkouts in another room away from the main event)

The cooking shows for training are soooo perfect with not a peep out of the guests.

Any suggestions on how to handle my unruly crowds?

 

[imalearba4]

Are you involving them in your demonstration?- I followed the training video pretty closely in having all my guest gather around the table and helping with the recipe- if they dont pay attention they get called on I have only had one bad experience with a crowd and it was because I arrived at the place and there was no cook top- so we had to make it in her apt which delayed. No orders that night and I learned to check with the hostess about accomodations!

 

[colegrovet]

when I have unruly guests, I pick one of 3 options and decide which to use depending on the crowd.

1. I stop talking and hover over the person being unruly.
when they ask me if things are ok. I respond that I'm just waiting for them to finish.
that I didn't want to be rude and talk over them..

2. I ask the person/s chatting a question about a product.

3. I look at the hostess and ask her to control them.

 

[raebates]

My approach is a little different. I just keep going. Sometimes I'll drop my voice a bit to see if anyone tunes in, but other than that i just ignore the chaos. After all, if they're having a good time they think of my party as fun. As for the checkout, if someone comes up to hand me their order I say, "I'll be glad to put it in the stack and give you a yell when it's ready," and go back to talking to the person I'm working with. It works well for me.

 

[deanna_g]

Ditto what Rae said. I don't want my customers to feel like they are being lectured. I want them to have fun. If they feel embarrassed or scolded, chances are, they are NOT going to book a party with me. And ultimately, my goal is to book 3-4 shows per host. Not going to happen if people are annoyed with me. I know if I were at a direct sales show and was talking to my neighbor and got called out or scolded for being rude, I'd probably 1) not buy anything and 2) DEFINITELY not book a party with the consultant.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Practice and your own comfort level with your demo & your show will help with this. Make sure your demo moves quickly - do most of your prep work before the show, so that your demo is no longer than 45 minutes...30 minutes is better.I play a "game" (from one of the demo dvd's) where I pass a product (for me, it's usually a spice or a rub) and tell them at the beginning that I have a special word that I say a LOT during my shows, and so every time I say the word, you have to pass the product to the person next to you. Whoever is holding the spice product at the end of the demo gets to keep it. (the word I usually use is "incredible")
This helps with the listening factor. But I also agree with Rae and Deanna - let people have fun. This isn't school, and we aren't the PC police. If they are having fun, they'll want to do it again. I actually had a party with a large group of very rowdy women who didn't listen to a whole lot I was saying - and I got 3 bookings. After the party, the host thanked me, and told me that the last party they'd all had, the consultant had gotten really "snippy" about them listening, and had actually "shusshed" them during her demo. She said that just made them all angry, and they totally tuned her out then, and ordered very little - and no one booked! She said everyone had a great time because I just laughed and went with the flow.

 

[cookingwithdawn]

I often lose the crowd as well but just go with the flow. I actually had a person book because I didn't make everyone sit down and listen. I have also had the crowd of people who don't know each other well and just blankly stare. I work better with the rowdy crowd. I just find the checkout hard because I have people who just want to socialize and want me to just give them a total. I wish PC would do "real" demos not the staged ones. A real one where people are interrupting and when I forget a step in the recipe. I have asked if anyone has any of their demos on youTube but I was told we are not allowed to post them. It would be neat if PC asked us to video demos and submit them and they could use them for training.

 

[chefsteph07]

I definitely have learned not to look like a "teacher" and they are my unruly kids! Most of the time, I keep talking and hope that people half listen to what I'm saying.

Alot of times I will ask questions about a product, "who has this?" what else can be done w/ this?", that type of thing, so if there IS talking, it's minimal, or ONCE IN A WHILE, I will say "I don't care if you are talking over me as long as you are talking about PC!" (in a very joking way!)

Keep in mind that your guests are there for their hosts and to have fun, chances are, once the show is over they they will say it was the best one they ever attended because they were able to HAVE FUN and not feel like they were being lectured.

 

[chefsteph07]

I often lose the crowd as well but just go with the flow. I actually had a person book because I didn't make everyone sit down and listen. I have also had the crowd of people who don't know each other well and just blankly stare. I work better with the rowdy crowd. I just find the checkout hard because I have people who just want to socialize and want me to just give them a total. I wish PC would do "real" demos not the staged ones. A real one where people are interrupting and when I forget a step in the recipe. I have asked if anyone has any of their demos on youTube but I was told we are not allowed to post them. It would be neat if PC asked us to video demos and submit them and they could use them for training.

I agree w/ working better w/ a rowdy crowd! I HATE when there is total silence and you can hear birds chirping! I feel very self conscience!!!

 

[scottcooks]

They're having fun - go with it! That being said, lousiest shows I've had have been when (1) I have done bad host coaching, or (2) seating has not been conducive to people focusing on my demo. Interactive does keep them going!

 

[caremmel]

I just feel as if they don't pay attention at all. YES I want folks to have fun, and see friends/family, but I never make anyone sit. I want them to interact but it just seems silly to explain the benefits of a product when the only person paying attention is the one person you managed to wrangle (I really do mean wrangle) out of the crowd to help with the demo.

I have always choosen a recipe that is quick with the max amount of products involved. I guess I just have the notion from all the training provided that everyone wants to hear what I have to say, and that is just not the way it works.

Now with the checkout, it is as if they don't want to sit down with me to go over their order. And because of said rowdiness I never have a chance to explain that is what/how I need to do the checkout. I guess I could do like they did at a "ladies party" once. She took us to a room and closed the door one at a time, for privacy reasons. lol

I have fun, and my guests at parties are having fun, but I just feel as if they are not hearing all the good news so to speak.

 

[chefsteph07]

I just feel as if they don't pay attention at all. YES I want folks to have fun, and see friends/family, but I never make anyone sit. I want them to interact but it just seems silly to explain the benefits of a product when the only person paying attention is the one person you managed to wrangle (I really do mean wrangle) out of the crowd to help with the demo.

I have always choosen a recipe that is quick with the max amount of products involved. I guess I just have the notion from all the training provided that everyone wants to hear what I have to say, and that is just not the way it works.

Now with the checkout, it is as if they don't want to sit down with me to go over their order. And because of said rowdiness I never have a chance to explain that is what/how I need to do the checkout. I guess I could do like they did at a "ladies party" once. She took us to a room and closed the door one at a time, for privacy reasons. lol

I have fun, and my guests at parties are having fun, but I just feel as if they are not hearing all the good news so to speak.

This is where you can do all your MAC (morning after calls)..if you feel it was out of control, call them the night after the party, tell them how great it was that they were at the party, etc ask them if they got everything they wanted (they NEVER get everything they wanted!) and then follow up by reiterating all the specials and things during that time, that way you have them there on the phone and it can simply be a 5 min conversation. If they are not interested in anything, that's ok, verify their email address so you can put them on your newsletter and move on. You CAN make this work! You can also follow up 10 days after that w/ your out of the box calls. (make sure your guests got their products "out of the box" and have played w/ them, etc, see if they have any questions about anything...) Either way, you are providing great customer service and maybe you won't feel so helpless.

 

[mountainmama74]

My approach is a little different. I just keep going. Sometimes I'll drop my voice a bit to see if anyone tunes in, but other than that i just ignore the chaos. After all, if they're having a good time they think of my party as fun.

As for the checkout, if someone comes up to hand me their order I say, "I'll be glad to put it in the stack and give you a yell when it's ready," and go back to talking to the person I'm working with. It works well for me.

I agree with this! For the checkout, I also make sure I set expectations before we begin that process. I'll say, "I'm going to be spending a little time with each of you while you place your order, so I'll call you up one by one!" or something like that. This way, they know not to interrupt while I'm working with a guest!

 

[sherylscooking]

I place a copy of the recipe were making in one of the catalogs and tell them that i am giving away my first gift tonight, so look and see who has the recipe and to keep it all they need to do is to read the recipe for me while I cook it. The guests are usually good about listening to someone else read the steps, and I always give out some cooking tips throughout the demo to keep their attention. Make it fun and interesting and one you won't lose their attention, and you will get bookings.....