Hostility About Giving Out Guest List?

[dwyerkim]

I recently switched over to mailing my own invites--so recently that I haven't yet actually mailed any. I've got three hosts out there wiht guest lists to get back to me. One of them called and asked if it would be alright to send me half the names, and the other half she would distribute to people at work for whom she doesn't have addresses. Which is fine, I do think she is going to give them out. She also did not want to give me people's phone numbers, so we talked about that and I stressed the need for someone to do reminder calls and she agreed that she and her daughter would. Overall a pleasant phone call and I think it will be a good show.

I called another host that I hadn't heard from--asked if she had gotten the guest list and how it's going. Same thing only with a hostile tone--said she hadn't done it yet, when I asked nicely when she thought she'd be able to return it to me, she said well that might be a problem b/c I don't have addresses and was going to give them out at work and in person. I was taken back by her pretty short tone so I just agreed to mail her the invites--which makes me angry at myself b/c my last show was a total bomb b/c of a hostess that didn't invite hardly anyone.

So for those of you who do your own mailing, do you get this kind of an attitude from people and if so how do you handle it? DO you stand your ground or give them the invites or what? Thanks for your advice!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Almost all of my hosts love the fact that I mail out their invites for them - however I do occasionally have one who will want to handle the invites themselves - I don't argue with them - I let them do what they want to do. I do include about 7-8 invitations in my host packet to hand out to people they don't have an address for, or people they think to invite after they have sent the address list. I just had a host who needed 20 invitations to hand out to people at work - sometimes it's just easiest to hand them out to people you are going to see than it is to try come up with an address list.

As to her hostility - maybe she was just having a busy day and feeling overwhelmed by her "to-do" list?

 

[amy07]

I'll admit that in the past (and prior to being a consultant) when I hosted parties I often hesitated to give addresses and phone numbers. I always wanted to do my own invitations. Of course now as a consultant I see the benefits of the consultant doing it. It doesn't excuse her attitude, but maybe she just doesn't want her friends/guests getting angry with her if/when you contact them outside of "her" show.

 

[ivykeep]

I have found that some of my hosts don't want to share their guests information, and I can understand that -- honestly, she has no idea how you are going to use the guest list (YOU know that you are just going to mail the invites, but she doesn't know that you aren't going to bombard her family and friends with phone calls and mailings. I get so much junk mail these days it's absurd). At a show the guests present are voluntarily giving you their own information -- that's a bit different from the host going through her address book and providing contact information to a sales person.

I always OFFER to mail the invites, but make sure they know that they are also welcome to make the invitations themselves. I live in an area of the country (Baltimore/DC) where a lot of people take their privacy VERY seriously and are very protective of their addresses (especially since you can look up exactly where someone lives with the address), phone numbers and email.

Quite a few of my hosts will absolutely not enter their guest list in Pampered Partner. I chatted with a host about this and she explained to me that if her guest comes to the party and provides their contact information that's one thing, but by listing the invitees (who may not be interested in PC) on a webpage -- even a private one -- it was a breach of trust of provate information.

I've had guests at shows who have declined to provide their contact information at the show (stating that the host has their information and everything is being shipped to the host). I have no problem with that -- it's my job to provide as much customer service as the customer wants and if they only want a product then that's what they will get.

I make the offer, but don't push it if they have any resistance.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I do reassure my hosts that I won't become the "PC Stalker" with their guest list - I know how I feel when I get unsolicited phone calls from DS consultants.... even as a consultant it irks me! And I also don't make the reminder calls - I let the host do that, with lots of encouragement from me! So I don't need phone #'s. I only contact those people who actually place an order at the show or as an outside order.

 

[DebbieSAChef]

FavorI try to make it seem like a favor I am doing. Something that I am doing to make it easier for them. I really stress this and also try to explain how attendance is the key to a successful show.

Some people may find us to be intrusive, when we ask for addresses or phone numbers to their friends and family because they are afraid we will call them day and night asking them to host shows or buy products. It is very important to let our hosts know that our purpose of collecting this info is to mail out the invites only, and to give a reminder call. Nothing more unless at the show they check a box giving permission to be contacted further.

If a host insists that they will do the mailing out of the invites, I would not push it further, but I would just call to remind her about reminder calls and getting all her RSVP's together a few days before the show.

Debbie

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I always mention in the beginning, I mail their invitations & return their list for them to use as an RSVP checklist

 

[Jules711]

I agree. I sent out invites for my hosts as well and am sure to let them know that they only thing I do with the addresses is put them on the invites. PLUS if they choose to host a show again, they won't have to even give me a list (just update it)!! As for emails on my PWS, I don't use them either unless they order. Same for phone numbers. They are a only for reminder calls that I tend to do when I'll get an answering machine (just as they do at salons). I've heard people say just like the dentist but that's not as fun ;-) Don't push though. Let them know that if they are uncomfortable giving you the information that you do not use it outside their show unless the person provides it with their order. Otherwise, give them the invites and just follow up to see "how many" they sent and how many they handed out.It is for their benefit, as well as ours. Tell them it's a service that you provide and most hosts (what do they know), enjoy and appreciate it, especially when they have better shows!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I made up a guest list that only has names & addresses. I don't do the reminder calls, so I don't need the phone numbers anyway. Plus that way I don't have the host wondering why I need them. I always push the guest list as a service I do for them. I've had a few who asked me to mail them some extras for work people or those they didn't have addresses for, but it doesn't bother me. I just mail them a few in an envelope when I mail the rest of them out.

I can understand about the phone thing & being wary. I've met a few consultants with other companies who CONSTANTLY call the guests from my shows or me, enough to the point that the husbands know who these people are. I don't like that & it's actually made me more wary of even doing my CCC because I don't want people to see me as that way.

 

[Tara1021]

i've never had an issue. I don't ask for phone numbers or emails, just addresses. My hostesses love the idea that they don't have to do the invites.

 

[dwyerkim]

Thanks for all the feedback. Maybe I just need to do a better job of prepping people. These two were actually ones who booked before I switched over to doing it myself, so I didn't get a chance to talk with them aobut it personally, which I'm sure is making a difference.