Help! Planning My Fall & Christmas Open Houses

[pampered2007]

Here's my dilemma....

I have not had a lot of attendance at my past Fall or Spring open houses/kick off events. So therefore I have decided that in place of that I would host an open house at Christmas time. If I choose to do both and host a Fall kick off and a Christmas Open House then it will only be a short time before I invite everyone again. I am anxious to show off the new products and recipes and increase my sales and bookings for the Fall but I love to do the Christmas get together too. But I feel that I really should only do one or the other, and not both. Maybe go ahead and invite everyone including current and past hosts to the Fall kickoff and then have the Christmas show for just my hosts and my most supportive customers. Or just do one show and leave it at that. I am just not sure what I want to do. Any suggestions or ideas??? Thanks!

 

[babywings76]

Maybe you could do a Fall Kick-off/Customer Appreciation event, and then closer to Christmas do a Cookie Exchange Winter Party. Now that we have a new cookie press and cookie sheet and nesting dry measuring cups, there could be a fun recipe you could demo and give out. Then the parties have 2 different themes to them and you won't feel like you're doing the same thing twice.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Amanda has the right idea. Don't hold an Open House - Do something that intrigues people and makes them want to come. Offer a New Recipe Tasting party, and invite everyone over to taste several of the new demo recipes and see new products, and rate them for you....or offer a Power Cooking Clinic, or a Sack Lunch Makeover Party (offering ideas for fun lunches to pack for themselves or their kids). I have found when I do this kind of thing, I get a much better attendance than if I just have an Open House.

 

[Karo]

I'd be tempted in incentivise your first crowd to return near Christmas. Give attendees who purchase at your first show an invite to your second 'Holiday Cookie Whatever'... tell them as a thank you for attending this show that you will show them how easy holiday cookies can be. If they come and make a purchase at the second show (promo gift shopping) as well, give them a discount - 5-10% off, $2 shipping, extra Mystery Host drawing tickets, whatever you can afford to give them. And make a big public deal of their attendance and smart savings shopping!

 

[Grandmarita]

Thanks for getting my mind sparked about doing my own parties, rather than haul all my
stuff to someone elses house. How about inviting it as a Series, with something new each month. I'm crazy about the new Loaded Potato Soup Recipe, so would offer
that in late Aug. or early Sept.; because of the Stoneware incentives. October and forward are up for grabs on whatever theme you want to suggest to get the bookings you need. I'd send the invite via our e-vite system if anyone knows how to delete the prepared first two paragraphs. They are so confusing when you want to customize your own letter. Tech support has tried to help me twice to no avail, in the last 4 weeks.

I like all the ideas you have received so far. Thanks for the thread.

 

[beepampered]

Perhaps do a show in early October as a new product and buy gifts for the holiday. I find people really only want to get invited once (at least my customers) but also love to buy Christmas gifts when it's time. Good luck.