Hosting a Couples Show: Ideas & Inspiration Needed!

[ljeffries]

Hey all.

I have a couples (mostly) show coming up in a few weeks and could certainly use some ideas/inspiration.
I did a search in the files, and most of them involve games of some sort. I know that the host does not want a competition, but a cooking show.
This is a young (well, 30's-late 40's) group. Very active. Wealthy (which as we all know does not mean they will spend $$ on PC). Yada, yada, yada...
Any ideas on recipes/themes for these folks?
As of late, I have been doing the artichoke cups, the mocha skillet cake, brie, and the crab rangoon dip.
My thoughts right now would be to do a bites and bevs show with appetizers and drinks.

Any thoughts would certainly be appreciated!!

 

[jrstephens]

I have done one before and I treated it almost like a normall show except for a little bit. I did the colossal salad inside with the women while the men used the grilling tools and grilled meat outside.

My main advice it to STRESS to the host that each couple is ONLY ONE ORDER! So, having 14 people there only means 7 orders not 14 orders. I could get my host to get that and it was a total flop with only 6 orders and she had to take up outside orders to even get it to qualify. My host was so excited 12 people was coming but she never thought about that was only 6 orders. I kept telling her to invite more but it did not work.

Hope yours is a huge success!!! And the rich really spend!!

 

[ljeffries]

Thanks for your help, Jennifer. I was thinking the same thing about the number of buying units. But, I think contact-wise this will be a good show, whether the sales are that good or not.
Again, I appreciate your help.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I had a very strange show last night......I sent out invites for a Bites and Bevs Show, but when I got there, the host had 2 DCB's in the oven (hers and her daughters) with chicken in them, 2 pumpkin pies on the counter, and a pasta salad & cooked veggies. She had a huge dining room table all set with table settings. And she says "well, with all the guys coming, I thought we should have more food!"

All that to say that it was a Couples Party, but she had never informed me of that fact. Soooo, I just made my mini pesto pizzas and my Cran/Rasp. Fizz., and did my regular demo.....pointing out and handing the guys the fillet knife (they were all neighbors, living on a lake, and all the guys fish). I talked about stoneware, cookware, and SA....the guys asked alot of questions about the stoneware especially.....and one guy turned in the order for he and his wife - ordering the UM, the DCB, the 9x13 baker, and the mix n masher!.........I just did a regular show. I had the Tangy Pepper Brie ready when they got there, so they were eating and happy while I demoed the pizzas, and then they ate dinner, and looked at catalogs, placed orders and ate pie.....it ended up being a successful show sales wise - but no bookings

 

[ljeffries]

But, you have customers for life, probably!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

But, you have customers for life, probably!

Honestly, I was amazed at how attentive the guys were,, yet at the same time, cutting up and joking and having a good time......it was a fun show - now I wish I could have more shows with guys in attendance - they were so much fun!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Oh - and the guys all really liked the brie, pesto pizzas, and cran/rasp. fizz!

 

[ljeffries]

Guys do really get into the shows. Plus, I think when it is a couples show that the ladies will spend more with the spouse there than with the spouse at home!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Also - the guys wanted to know why stoneware was better for baking....and were impressed with the executive cookware - I just did the ice demo with them.....and they loved the UM! Wanted to see all of the attachments and how they worked.

 

[ljeffries]

At my show last Saturday night, one of the husbands bought the 12" stainless skillet - he does most of the cooking! I think that being of the male persuasion myself helps sell to them, too, because they are not as 'uncomfortable' with the whole cooking thing.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

At my show last Saturday night, one of the husbands bought the 12" stainless skillet - he does most of the cooking! I think that being of the male persuasion myself helps sell to them, too, because they are not as 'uncomfortable' with the whole cooking thing.

And then, the women all like to see a man cooking for them......you've got both sides covered Lamar! :thumbup:

 

[ljeffries]

I try to always keep all sides covered!
And, you are right, women really get into men cooking for them - why is that?

 

[smilesarepriceless]

Well, my show last night...ended up being a couple show, and i didn't even know it was coming. I was the one who sent out all the invites...But apparently many were co-workers ( men) and the wives were the ones being officially invited..and the men came ..


So, it was a 'strange feeling'.. The host told me as I was there in prep before the show that men were coming...They had a spread as if it was a wedding reception..( TONS OF FOOD).....But since i do a no demo show, i just did it like normal, and as they ate ( and drank their beer), I answered questions of obnixious drunk ( or tipsy) men, asking about 'well, if there a guarantee on the grill equipment if i'm drunk and leave it on the grill for hours'!

I totally didn't like this first experience show w/ couples..This topped by the fact that they were playing a huge game of pictionary as i was leaving and i kind of felt like i was invading their party..Just a wierd feeling.

That said, the show total was 802....(pre-shipping and tax)...so i got the host for 3 minutes, told her the good news, and i'm getting her order and closing the show sun night..

 

[ljeffries]

$802 is great!! Obnoxious men or not!!

 

[legacypc46]

I find if I treat the male guests seriously, they buy seriously...not to imply that women don't like to be taken seriously...but guys just love their tools (don't go there KG!).

I focus on the forged cutlery collection and comment on PC adding a boning knife...tells me the company views this as a serious set of knives for serious home cooks (sorry to use that word so much). I also show the carving set.

I do the ice cubes in the 12" executive skillet and talk about how great the 12 pc "host set" is....but you need the 12" skillet also since 'two inches really do make a difference'. (Now that I have my 12" SS skillet, I may bring that too..despite the weight.)

As for the other tools, I continuosly comment on how awesome the pampered chef design team is: everything is both functional and practical. The guests don't neccessarily buy a lot of knives or cookware, but they end up recognizing just how excellent overall our products are and so feel good about investing in them. They then book for the cookware and knives.

I like to do chocolate themes with couples....I'm currently doing the truffle brownie cups (a do-ahead) and a chocolate-cappucinno mousse trifle. I also give the host the recipe for Chocolate Martinis.

I think couples shows are a great potential market for us. Seems more and more people want to 'bump up' their home kitchen experience. (The Food Network is our friend!). Just my thoughts Lamar; hope they help.

 

[chefann]

I haven't had an official couples show, but I've had a couple where there were men there. I noticed that the men tend to second-guess themselves less when placing the order. Women tend to say, "I really want that, but Jimmy needs new school shoes, so I'll wait." whereas men say, "That will make it easier to get dinner on the table? I'm there!" If the men at your show end up doing the same thing, then it will be in your best interest to truly focus on higher-priced items - $30 and up.