How Can You Increase Sales with Just a Few Key Products?

[mom2leelee]

For every show I have ever done I do a stoneware recipe. I sell a piece or more every show. I have my 8" saute pan now and I am going to start doing a demo in it. Other than those two what products to you showcase that increase your sales? As you can tell from my other posts I am stuck at a low show average and I am wondering if I am making a mistake by spending so much time on the stoneware?

 

[nikked]

gadgets, gadgets, gadgetsWhile I do definitely show the larger items, what gets me excited are the great gadgets and tools that we have, so that is what I tend to focus on. I notice that the shows I show more gadgets at are much higher in sales than those that focus more on the stoneware or cookware.

I have found that unless a customer is particularly looking for a high dollar item (at my show yesterday, someone bought the Executive Grill Pan full price without blinking...YIPPEE! ), they really want to get a lot of smaller things that they will use OFTEN.

This time of year, especially, when guests are coming to shows looking for holiday gifts, is a great time to showcase these items.

I know there are many who would disagree with what I just said...I am just speaking from my experience.

HTH

 

[mom2leelee]

Nicole, I also had a guest purchase the same pan at a show yesterday! It was the first piece of cookware I've sold to someone other than a hostess!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Nicole & Katie, I also just had someone buy the grill pan at full price at my show on Saturday! Were you demoing panini?? That's what I was making. Then she booked a show for Dec 1! Spent $150 at this show & she's having her own in a month--wonder what she'll get then?

 

[heat123]

I load up with everything I can carry in my crate and talk about them plus stoneware, (usually I ask who has stoneware and why they love it) it gets the guests talking about it selling it to eachother essentially. And cookware and now our new cutlery.

 

[Jennie4PC]

I just had a guest buy 2 pices of the cookware and another one who will probably buy some cookware also at the same show

 

[mom2leelee]

I have an idea. I might take a recipe with me already made. I will take as many of the tools as I can fit in my crate w/ me to the show. WHen a guest walks in pass out a tool to her. Then do the catalog walk though someone else was talking about and when we reach a page if a guest has a product on that page she gets to come up and help me demo that product. Truthfully what do ya'll think of that idea?

 

[heat123]

Sounds kind of interesting! I needed to do something a little different at this next show wed. because they have all been to a show before. I was thinkin about pre making the recipe also then mix things up a bit so they don't have to sit through the same spiel as my last show! Your idea might just work!

Except what is the catalog walk through exactly? Just go over it page by page?

 

[mom2leelee]

I know there is a consultant on here who does that. She says she walks though the catalog page by page and play the 'have it, love it' game.

 

[nikked]

I have an idea. I might take a recipe with me already made. I will take as many of the tools as I can fit in my crate w/ me to the show. WHen a guest walks in pass out a tool to her. Then do the catalog walk though someone else was talking about and when we reach a page if a guest has a product on that page she gets to come up and help me demo that product. Truthfully what do ya'll think of that idea?

Interesting idea. The only thing I would maybe change would be to hand out slips of paper with the tool on it instead of the tool itself, because of sanitary reasons.

However, if you were just "demoing" the product and not making food to eat, my above point would be mute!

 

[mom2leelee]

Yeah I think if I brought an already made recipe I would just try to bring a few food items to simply demo the recipe. Perhaps make a stoneware recipe and some pullaparts before hand and just bring a few veggies and other things to demo the products on. Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[janel kelly]

I push the knives, cookware, stoneware, and normally whatever I'm using in the demo. So basically its different all the time. The food chopper is also a good tool to push. I do spend more time talking about the cookware than most other products.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Yeah I think if I brought an already made recipe I would just try to bring a few food items to simply demo the recipe. Perhaps make a stoneware recipe and some pullaparts before hand and just bring a few veggies and other things to demo the products on. Thanks for your suggestions!

I think this is a good idea. This may be really good around the holidays because your shows could be shorter & everyone would get to see all the products. I may try something like this when I am pregnant because I don't want to tote a bunch of stuff with me!

 

[Mindascookin]

Like Nicole, I promote a lot of the gadgets because I know people will use them and enjoy them. The first PC show that I went to was a Cookie Press demo. It looked wonderful! I bought it and HATED it!!!!!!!! It soured me on PC for a couple of years. Once I started buying things that I would and could use I was hooked. Also I feel my community's economy is not the best and I feel it would turn some people off to focus on some of the higher end items. I know this is probably not how a lot of people feel, in fact my director told me not to mention anything under $10.

I sold two Round Up From the Heart trivets this past week at a show by showing them off. I was proud of that too!

 

[DebbieJ]

I spend my time on higher priced collections--cookware, stoneware, cutlery.

I figure people can find the little things on their own.

 

[raebates]

I'm the consultant (or at least one of them) that does the walk through the catalog. I mention at my shows that I love the big stuff, but it's the little gadgetty things that amaze me. (Gadgetty may not be an actual word, but I use it often.

My theory is that people get hooked on PC because of some little miracle they've purchased. I can't tell you the number of people who have told me that they went to a show years ago and purchased a scraper (or egg slicer, or micro-cooker, or whatever) just to be nice. It worked wonderfully, and it's lasted all these years--just like new. (Or, it's finally beginning to fall apart because they've used it nearly every day for 15 years, and they want to replace it.) It's the piece that convinced them of the quality of our products.

Don't get me wrong. People at my shows hear all about the benefits of the cookware, stoneware, and such (often in rave reviews from other guests). I just think that the quality of our smaller gadets says a lot about our company. Once someone is a customer, it takes very little for me to convince them of the benefits of the higher-end stuff.

I also have had many conversations with people who said they preferred my show to another they had been to because the other consultant seemed to only talk about "the expensive stuff." I think that (at least in my area) too much emphasis on the higher-dollar items can be a turn-off to those who don't already know and love our products.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Rae,
thanks for your perspective! You gave me alot to think about - and what you said is very true! My first purchase was the adjustable spoons and the measure-all cup - because they looked like they would make cooking simpler!

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Great gadgets!!I always mention my best sellers:
Garlic Press, Easy Read Measuring Cups, Kitchen Shears, Can opener, Measure All cup, scoops, scrapers.

And then of course I talk about some items that have been changed or added:
Ultimate Mandolin, Forged Cutlery, Chef tools, NEw Cookware

Then when I talk about higher priced items (cookware sets, ultimate mandolin, forged cutlery, new cookware pieces) I always emphasize the half price combos in the back or getting them for FREE by hosting a show.

Those who have the money don't have a problem handing me an order for almost $200 or $300 and insist they don't want to do a show but only help out their friend who is hosting the show. I love those guests. But also I try to cater to those like me who wanted everything in the catalog but hubby said they could only spend X amount of money that evening.

I talk about becoming a consultant, having a cooking show or having a catalog show to let those ladies know they can get what they want and afford it!!
I do stick with the top sellers because they have proven themselves through the years. They continue to be the products my customers rave about and they do want to hear about products that will offer the same quality and everyday use through the years!!

Debbie