Hostess Cancellation: Ensuring a Successful Home Party - Tips and Guidelines

[dannyzmom]

I mai lout the postcard invitations as a courtesy for my hostesses. It is also a way for me (or so I thought) to guarantee that a show would indeed really happen and not get cancelled. I have the hostess give me her guestlist 3-4 weeks prior and I mail out the invites 2-3 weeks prior.

I pay for the postage.

I include a letter in my initial letter to the hostess explaining that this is my job, my family relies on me and my income...so if they need to cancel to please give ma ample notice...and if they need to cancel at the last minute to please see if a friend could host the show in her place so that I do not end up unemployed for the night.

Well, it's Monday. Saturday's hostess JUST emailed me (didn't even have the courtesy to call) and cancelled saying "I just haven't been able to put any time or effort into this show and none of my friends can make it that day...I would like to reschedule if possible."

I am ticked!
Maybe SHE didn't out the time and effort in...but *I* did...as well as the postage!!! Am I out of line to ask her to refund me the postage I spent? If not, how would I word it?

Do I reschedule her and how then do I make sure she doesn't cancel on em again?

 

[soonerchef]

I would ask her for the postage. I had only one person do this to me and I just left it be, I called several times to reschedule and she never called me back. If I had it to do over again, I would have just called and asked for the $$ that I was out and not called her again. I know that's probably not the answer you were looking for...hopefully someone else will have some wise advice.

 

[dannyzmom]

How do I word it when I call her to ask for the postage so as not to offend her and miss out on the possible reschedule?

 

[soonerchef]

I think I would be very honest with her and play on her guilt by saying something like "I was so upset when I read your e-mail that you had to cancel, I was looking forward to a great time out with the girls and was hoping to get you all of the free products that you wanted. Times are really tight right now and I can't afford to throw away money. Is there anyway that you can pay for the stamps so that I have the money to pay for the postage for your new invitations?"

HTH...

 

[gilliandanielle]

I like what Andrea said! I agree that she should reimburse you for the postage. Also, maybe she could just pay for the new set of postage and her guilt will make her send them???

 

[dannyzmom]

Well...she just called (and as I answer I am scrambling to open this website and find the exact wording Andrea offered me for getting the postage reimbursed - LOL). She was REALLY nice and quite apologetic and said "of course" about reimbursing...we selected a mid-August date and talked about gustlist/flyers/etc...I truly feel she is committed to hosting a good show. She said she didn;t want me to waste mt time coming over for a $200 show when she knows she can pull together a much better one (ooooh - I am liking her!!) Soooo....hopefuly our August date will stick

Thanks for the feedback you guys - I love this site!

 

[soonerchef]

Fantastic, sounds like it will work out in the end...

 

[dannyzmom]

I sure hope so - thanks for the super advice, Andrea!

 

[PaulaReb]

I'm glad it worked out.

 

[Paige Dixon]

I always ask for my host packets back when a show cancels, and they always agree, but I hardly ever actually get them back.

Since you have the guest list, you could call the guests to see if they needed anything now, turning it into a small catalog show, then booking the cooking show for August off of it, so then she can get the host special and the booking benefit in August, and you'll get sales now and then.