How Can I Improve My Party Booking Success Rate?

[danielsdundee]

I just made about 20-30 calls and no one wants to book a party. I'm needing to get the bookings otherwise I'm afraid my husband will question my business. I talked to about 1/2 and they just want to be on a preferred customer email list because they are all to busy right now. I realize school starting and trying to calm down from Summer, but what they don't understand is the party can get booked for Oct or Nov. Does anyone have any ideas on how to spark people's interest?? I even gave them the Host specials for the upcoming months...HELP!!!! :cry:

 

[kaceyleigh2]

Offer some type of incentive to people who books shows between certain dates. Do a drawing for a free product or shopping spree/gift certificate! I did this at the beginning of the summer and got my schedule booked for the whole summer!

 

[chefkristin]

What are you using as wording to them? I never made one single call until I got home from conference.

I said, Hi this is Kristin with the Pampered Chef. I met you at so and so's show.
I have sort of fallen out of the loop as far as PC goes and I am just trying to reconnect with my past customers. We have so many exciting things going on I just didn't want you to miss out...etc..... I got a few bookings from doing this!

 

[KellyTheChef]

Make sure that you SOUND EXCITED on the phone! Since Feb. when I saw Julie Weiss speak, I have changed my demo/show quite a bit. Now, when I talk to them on the phone I say...I have changed my shows and they are SO FUN! Can I tell you about some of the specials going on in the next months? I don't want you and your friends to miss out! Then...just be silent and see what they say. SMILE when you are on the phone, it shows in your voice. My DH laughs and makes fun of me (thankfully, AFTER I get off the phone...) and honestly I think I DO sound kindof goofy, but if I am excited, it gets them excited too!

 

[sfdavis918]

I just made about 20-30 calls and no one wants to book a party. I'm needing to get the bookings otherwise I'm afraid my husband will question my business. I talked to about 1/2 and they just want to be on a preferred customer email list because they are all to busy right now. I realize school starting and trying to calm down from Summer, but what they don't understand is the party can get booked for Oct or Nov. Does anyone have any ideas on how to spark people's interest?? I even gave them the Host specials for the upcoming months...HELP!!!! :cry:

You have to tell them that they can book for Oct or Nov! They won't know it unless you explain it to them.

 

[Carissidy]

By explaining to them that it didnt have to be this month and got 2 more! But incentives are always good, people love to win things!

 

[Koolotus]

Touched on what I did tonight. I have slumped a bit and need to fix it and I made some calls and when I heard the hesitation about booking a show I just told them. Oh, I am so not talking about september! I am all booked up through late october and early november and just wanted to ssee if you wanted one of the last dates I have left.
Is it entirely true? Yep, I am booked up just not with shows...more with life. I am booked up and those are my last dates. They are all the last dates!
Wicked but if you sound real busy they book!
***As an aside for those of you who have done pc for awhile. Isn't it weird how your idea for sucess changes. I made about 6 calls toniught. Left 3 messages and booked 3 shows. That used to take me a week and I was over the moon thrilled. Now I am just annoyed I didn't have time to book more.
Weird. But very cool how your business evolves ...hope for the newbies!!!***

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I find that when I say that I am booked.... and only have a few dates left people jump becasue they really want a show!! But you have to sound excited about your biz... if they hear that your excited they want to do business with you!

 

[Chef Bobby]

Contact a few people in person. It's more personal.

 

[crystalscookingnow]

Contact a few people in person. It's more personal.

I have been doing this more, too! Tuesday, I took some catalogs to my daughter's tumbling class so that I could label them for my host packets.

The other mom there asked if she could see a book b/c her boys broke one of her bakers. I told her that the dcb was on special in october if she had a show. She wants to book for october! This is a mom whose older boy is in my older dd class, we've been to preschool with them for 2 years. Now, her younger son is in my younger daughter's class & we're finally connecting.

I think with school back in, we have more opportunities for this personal contact. Sure, we are more busy, but we're also out & about running into more people. At least I am.

 

[stacywhitlow]

I have been doing this more, too! Tuesday, I took some catalogs to my daughter's tumbling class so that I could label them for my host packets.

The other mom there asked if she could see a book b/c her boys broke one of her bakers. I told her that the dcb was on special in october if she had a show. She wants to book for october! This is a mom whose older boy is in my older dd class, we've been to preschool with them for 2 years. Now, her younger son is in my younger daughter's class & we're finally connecting.

I think with school back in, we have more opportunities for this personal contact. Sure, we are more busy, but we're also out & about running into more people. At least I am.

I am planning on doing this. My daughter is starting dance & kindermusik next week. Hopefully more leads.

 

[danielsdundee]

My daughter's first day of Sr Preschool is tomorrow-good idea. Also, I have hung my business cards in local places, they are all gone, but no calls yet. I tell myself, time will come.....I find people are still busy calming down with Summer stuff and kids back in school. I have about 5 leads for bookings, I just wanted more.

 

[beepampered]

You've gotten great advice on how to get more bookings. I would just add that you should say as you close. "I know your busy with xxx now, I'll plan on calling you after the holidays, schools out, schools in or whatever is their objection." Unless they say no, I file them to call later. Sometimes it takes a year but eventually they book.

You are sometimes planting oak trees even though you need a quick growing flower. Good luck....

 

[aPamperedBride]

When all else fails, HOST YOUR OWN SHOW! This is what I've always done if I was afraid of going inactive and needed to stir up interest. The most important things are to get people there and get them to book. So first see if they'll have their own, but if they are too busy, see if they have time on X date to come see what's new at your house. Offer incentives both to get them there and to book.

You can do a Mystery Host show, where lucky guests get the benefits for that party (everyone there gets tickets for coming, bringing friends, ordering, booking, and for signing up as a PC Consultant). So when they say they are too busy, you can tell them you'll do all the work because you will be giving away the host benefits to one (or two) lucky guests who come to your house on X date. Another way to do it is to have it be a Fundraiser for a worthy cause and tell them that in addtion to a % of sales, the organization gets $5 for each booking ($3 from PC and add $2 yourself. It is worth it in getting the fence-sitters to book.) Stress the host specials and the other host benefits so that they realize how much they will be rewarded for working with you.

I have even been greedy before and kept the benefits to myself to replace old product and earn new ones for FREE, but had the Fluted Pan as a Grand Prize for one lucky guest. I used part of the FREE product credit to give everyone else a Season's Best as a consolation prize.

 

[pkd09]

I find that many people at past shows say they will host a show and then back out when you call to confirm or follow up. I NEVER discard their information. Last night I got on the phone and followed up with some of these "MIA possibility hosts" and actually got 1 catalog show and 1 booking ... and they were "possible hosts" from almost a year ago. Things change in people lives ... timing is everything. Call any "past possibilities" that never booked and offer an incentive (Free cooking show works a lot for me). Until they tell me to stop calling ... I stay in touch every few months.

Good Luck