Host Doesn't Want to Buy Ingredients

[cmdtrgd]

I had a host who either didn't read the hosting letter I gave her and/or I didn't tell her to buy the ingredients until the day before the show. Now, when I go over the hosting benefits (I just run down the 9 parts of our host benefits in the show planner) I say "For opening your house to me and providing the ingredients for the demo, you get $15 in free product." It usually helps to address it at the beginning so they know what they are getting into. If the host can't afford it, I will offer to pay for the ingredients, but I will let her know I'm picking the recipe.

 

[Evelynt]

Offer to buy the ingredients and asked to be reimbursed the day of her show. Remind her that PC is reimbursing HER $15 as a thank you for hosting a cooking show.
I have been a consultant for 8 years and the host has always been expected to provide ingredients unless other arrangements are made with the consultant.
Don't let her bully you, but you can also say that if she has a $600 show you'll take care of the food.

 

[pcheflena]

Good Idea!

I buy the ingredients for the recipes and make them up to the point of the last few steps. I do two recipes for a large show; one for a small show.

I don't ask for reimbursement for the ingredients as hosts provide paper goods, drinks and other snacks. I see this as part of my business expenses.

Perhaps PC should change its policy, then, and give us a $15 crdeit instead of the host. I would feel uncomfortable asking a host for money for ingredients I purchased.

I feel the same way about asking a host for the money. Great suggestion on having PC change its policy and give us a $15 credit - I'm going to mention it to my director and see what her feedback is.

 

[Ann F]

I'd probably have to quit PC if we had to buy the ingredients! I don't feel like I have the time. It's all I can do to get my act together and pack my case the night before the show. Most of my shows are out of town, so I have to leave as soon as possible after I get off work.

Besides that, I have a thing about going to the grocery store. I'd rather be kicked! Now that my husband's retired, he has graciously consented to going to the store for us--thank goodness!

 

[Veevahchef]

Do you still give them the $15?Hi guys!

I ALWAYS remind them that the hospitaliy bonus is basically to make up for her buying the groceries. It is actually in my booking "Commercial" at shows.
I say "And for doing nothing more than buying ingredients for 1 recipe and inviting everyone you know over to try it and see our great tools in action, the P.C gives you $20 to spend as a Thankyou! Before you've even gotten any sales yet!"
Im in Canada, its $20 here, I know its $15 for U.S. right?

 

[rayday]

Hi guys!

I ALWAYS remind them that the hospitaliy bonus is basically to make up for her buying the groceries. It is actually in my booking "Commercial" at shows.
I say "And for doing nothing more than buying ingredients for 1 recipe and inviting everyone you know over to try it and see our great tools in action, the P.C gives you $20 to spend as a Thankyou! Before you've even gotten any sales yet!"
Im in Canada, its $20 here, I know its $15 for U.S. right?

That is a good idea, I would just worry that I may have a host that doesn't reach the $150 minimum show and then I would have to pay her the $15 that she expected. Have you ever run into this problem?

 

[cmdtrgd]

No, because in order for it to qualify as a show it has to get to $150. That information is in the catalog, show planner, and you can tell them that.

 

[rayday]

No, because in order for it to qualify as a show it has to get to $150. That information is in the catalog, show planner, and you can tell them that.

I do realize that it's in the catalog. The part that concerned me about the little commercial was the "Before you've even gotten any sales yet". Some hosts may take advantage of that thinking that even if they didn't get the sales they would still be getting the $15. I just didn't want anyone to get burnt by that.

 

[cmdtrgd]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean about "before you've gotten any sales". The nice thing about the catalog is that it shows a $150 show = $15 free product. It is PC saying that, not me, which makes it more of a business transaction and not "I don't want to help you" type of feeling. I make sure that my hosts know that they have to have at least $150 in sales. If I need to reach a sales goal, or I just want higher sales, I try to find out what they want out of the show. Then I can coach them to the higher sales and tell them I'll give them x if they reach $y in sales. I just try to be up front about it as much as possible. I look at it from their perspective, not mine. If they think I am doing this so they can get a whole bunch of stuff for free and at a discount, they are usually more inclined to get the sales. It doesn't always work.

 

[cj bj]

Re-doesnt want to buy ingredientsYou could offer to bring them and give her the bill-this will save her the time picking them up and make you look good. if she won't buy or pay then could you deduct some credits and use them yourself?

 

[jasonmva]

I personally do not not minding purchasing the ingredients. I keep all of my receipts and enter them in PP as expenses. I do tell my hosts though that they need to get the plates, cups, etc and if they want anything else like chips or dip or something to snack on during the show, they have to supply those. I think that is fair.

 

[rknga5]

I pay for all of my ingredents that I bring to make the food, but I also say that since I am bringing the ingredents, then I would like to have an advance sales of this amount (usually 75-100) so they do a little work in advance, and I also know that they deffinatly will be having a party because they already have orders! It is also easier to bring your own stuff, because that way you know it is right and it is not for instance butter instead of margerine sort of thing. Anyways, that is how I do it, but that is what works for me. I practically live at walmart anyways with 3 boys!

 

[AJPratt]

I personally do not not minding purchasing the ingredients. I keep all of my receipts and enter them in PP as expenses. I do tell my hosts though that they need to get the plates, cups, etc and if they want anything else like chips or dip or something to snack on during the show, they have to supply those. I think that is fair.

That's what I've started to do this year, and it has worKed out great! I always worried about what they would buy.

 

[jrstephens]

i have not had a problem yet but have been only doing it for a few months. my host have commented on how little they have had to spend and expected more. i always try to give the options of recipes that cost little. i have purchased the dessert ingredients and had them pay me back at the show in case i need to make it ahead of time.

i usually make two thing at my shows.

 

[rknga5]

I ususally make to things, and sometimes something ahead of time also, in case it is a later show on a work night because some people want to get going after the show, and they may stick around and play with things if the show was shorter. Also, if I make one thing, then I will set up stuff with food that they can play with, and that way, they may decide it is something that they would like. That helps create more sales then demoing two recipes. A lot of times they think that it looks easy, but it is really hard to use. I sold a lot of cookie presses and also apple peelers this way!

 

[gilliandanielle]

I always purchase the ingredients and then have the host add the $15 flat fee for ingredients (It always costs me more) when they have decided what they want and are writing me a big check anyway. I don't do enough shows to purchase a lot of food in advance so this way they still pay for the groceries, but it doesn't sting as badly than if they bought the groceries themselves and had to write me a check!

 

[mminikus]

Around November I started buying all the ingredients. All the hosts said they were so busy around the holiday and didn't want to go to alot of work to do a show.So, I decided then that I would just purchase the ingredients and we would settle up when we closed the party.That worked great. After the holiday I decided to keep buying the ingredients and started telling the hosts that if we get a booking from the show, the ingredients would be my treat to them. Well, it has paid off for me. I have booked a show at every show since then, except wouldn't you know it, yesterday was the first time I didn't. But, it has really paid off for me.

 

[AJPratt]

I may say that about the bookings. I'm buying the ingredients anyway, but to have the host get a booking for me would be great.

 

[cmackey]

One of my first shows in October of 2004 I was making the Turkey Cranberry Wreath. The host left an hour before her show to buy the ingredients! Talk about seriouly nerve-wracked! When she came back, she had orange flavored cranberries instead of regular ones! She said she liked those better than the regular. That was one wierd tasting Turkey Cranberry Wreath! I buy the ingredients as an incentive to booking a show. I also mail their invitation list. It is all business expenses. I will do whatever I can to make it easier for them. People are already hesitant about doing a show, anything I can do to get a booking that will stick is better than not doing shows.

Cheryl Mackey
Independant Consultant in Mansfield, LA

 

[Ginger428]

One of my first shows in October of 2004 I was making the Turkey Cranberry Wreath. The host left an hour before her show to buy the ingredients! Talk about seriouly nerve-wracked! When she came back, she had orange flavored cranberries instead of regular ones! She said she liked those better than the regular. That was one wierd tasting Turkey Cranberry Wreath! I buy the ingredients as an incentive to booking a show. I also mail their invitation list. It is all business expenses. I will do whatever I can to make it easier for them. People are already hesitant about doing a show, anything I can do to get a booking that will stick is better than not doing shows.

Cheryl Mackey
Independant Consultant in Mansfield, LA

I do the same thing, this way I KNOW i'm getting what I want, also I can be flexible about my choices to make ...so far not a single host has said she cares what I make!

 

[gilliandanielle]

I like to go to the store and get the groceries, then have the host reimburse me later so I know I have the right ingredients, can start ahead of the show, and don't have to pay for the ingredients.

 

[AJPratt]

Let me tell you the LAST time I let a host buy ingredients. I was making the spinach artichoke ring. She FORGOT the spinach and bought these HUGE crescent rolls. And the artichokes were marinated in the greek flavored oil. ALL of my tools in my entire kit were slick. I couldn't keep things on the cutting board. It was an awful, not to mention stinky, mess. It came out great and I don't think people really noticed, but it bothered me.

 

[Paige Dixon]

I have also been wanting to buy the ingredients for hosts. I tried promoting it as a shopping service for them, explaining that PC reimburses them $15 in products for the ingredients. I've told them that I'd be happy to pick up the ingredients (I do the same recipe all month, shop in bulk), but I had alot of trouble getting the $15 from the host. A couple of them gave me the $15 credit from PC, but this doesn't go very far at full price!

I've thought it would be easier to just buy the ingredients, but I've added up expenses, and it's not good. I pay $30-$35 per show for babysitting, there would be $10-$15 for recipe ingredients, prizes, catalogs, host packets with postage to send it to her...I'd say we're up to $50 at least. Then, everyone suggests I send out invites and pay the postage. Then there's the postage to send the receipts/thank you afterwards. It seems like my babysitter would end up making more than me!

 

[GourmetGirl]

I really like that idea of supplying the ingredients if they get xx amount in outside orders before the show. I may try that and see how it goes! For those of you that do that, what happens if they don't get the amount in outside orders, do you have them reimburse you???

 

[janel kelly]

The only time I buy ingredients for the host is if I'm offering a free show. I have never had any trouble getting wrong ingredients. This is probably because I go over the list of ingredients with them and tell them exactly what I need. Then I also e-mail them a list of ingredients and explain them again in the e-mail. I suppose I would switch to buying the ingredients for my hosts if I ever had a problem but have honestly not had any issues with my hosts getting the wrong ingredients.

 

[cmackey]

Just a question to clarify - why would you mail the receipts to the customers? Wouldn't you give them their receipt at the party? I always call and thank them again after the host delivers their products. That way have more money for the bank account!

 

[Paige Dixon]

I mail receipts to them because I always expect them to collect more orders after the show. I found that it was sometimes hard for them to find the first pile of receipts that I had left for them at the end of the show and then have a second pile of receipts mailed to them for the outside orders. It's just simple to have one pile mailed to them with everything. I have to mail the thank you note anyhow, so I include the receipts. This also gives me an opportunity to staple a thank you slip to each receipt. Here's what mine says:

Thank you for your order! Your purchase is enabling me to be the sole provider for my three young children. Also, thanks to you, Connie had a great show! She is receiving over $180 in products for less than $40! I would love to come to your home to cook for you and your friends. Please feel free to call me anytime.
-name, phone number, website address
COLD STONE ICE CREAM SHOWS! Host a show in August and treat your friends to delicious ice cream treats prepared on our chilled stoneware! Your host benefits will be similar to Connie's. Available dates are going fast!