How Do I Avoid Feeling Like a Pampered Chef Stalker??

[ladybug]

Ladies,
I have a situation and need advice. I have brought it to my director, but I am would like to get more suggestions.

I have a host that booked a show at the end of March for May (she said she wanted closer to Mom's Day). So we booked for the 7th. She was very enthusiastic, placed a good sized order, and told me she had a lot of people to invite. I gave the Host Packet right at the show let her know I would call her 3 days after the show to touch base. I wasn't planning on speaking with her again until about 3 weeks before her show since it was such a far away date. I called day 3, and she wasn't home, so I left a message. Long story short, I finally got in touch with her like 2 weeks after the show. She said she was still interested and wanted to push the date up to April b/c alot of people were going to be spending that weekend with their moms and wouldn't be able to attend. She told me she'd call me in 2-3 days to let me know if she wanted the 23rd or 30th of April, b/c her family from out of state were coming and she wanted to book the show around their arrival. We agreed if she didn't call, I would call her.

This was on the 3rd of April. I haven't heard from her since. I had to book shows for the 23rd and 30th b/c this is my SS month and need to qualify and want the free stuff. I am 7 months pregnant, so until I give birth, my show # will only decrease. This is the month I need to qualify. I have called and left several messages, still sounding chipper, but feeling like a stalker. I hate the way the whole thing is making me feel. Should I just take a hint? My director says to keep calling, but I feel like a jerk when I do. Now when I have my show on the 23rd, what if someone wants the 7th of May (her show date), should I give it up? I don't know what to make of the whole thing. She still has not picked up her PC items from my host (her friend), so I don't know if she is just busy~yet my host has spoken to her since the show.

Sorry so long, but I am frustrated and feel like I am cold calling her to host when SHE was the one who expressed interest and even seemed interested during our phone call. I don't know what happened.

Any advice would be extremely helpful, I open to everything, even criticism on my part! I really don't know what to do, and how to approach the situation going forward.

 

[BethCooks4U]

the host who doesn't return callsSounds to me like she already told you she isn't going to do May 7th. If someone else wants it - tell them you'll get back to them in 1 day. Call her and tell her that you need to know by ___(a time) because someone else wants the date and if you don't hear back from her then give the date to the new person. If she comes back to you saying it was her date tell her that she told you she wanted to move it so you thought it would be okay. I also would keep calling her and tell her that you would love to do her show but she needs to communicate with you and get her new date on the calendar. She lost the April dates of choice because she didn't get back to you. She might still give you a great show but she just as likely will just disappear. I would say something to her like "I know you're very busy and I hope everything is okay and nothing bad has happened in your life. Please call me back because I need to know your plans so I can manage my calendar."

You are not stalking - she gave you permission to call by saying twice that she wanted to do the party with you.

 

[PamperedGinger]

You are definitely not a stalker. It is hard when people don't call back, but she did give you permission when she said she wanted to have a show on one of those 2 April dates.

I would call her back and let her know that you are sorry you haven't been able to get in touch with her, but unfortunately those 2 dates are booking up. In fact...your calender is filling up quickly and you ONLY HAVE 2 DATES LEFT (even if you don't). Leave the 2 dates and have her pick then. Tell her you can pencil her in and she can change it later. I might even pick dates that you might work, but wouldn't usually fill up. That way if she cancels, you didn't lose a real show date.

Good luck!

 

[ladybug]

UpdateIsn't life ironic? No sooner than I post this message, I was in Walmart tonight and my host for that show called my cell phone! Apparently, she called my house, and since I have been talking about it so much, my husband connected her to my cell so I wouldn't miss the call ! Ha!

So, she said she was busy and needs to change the date from May 7th to a little later. I was gracious, nice and we even chatted for about 40 min! Needless to say, I am still leery about the whole thing, it was sooo hard to get her! Will she do this to me again in trying to book a date... probably... will I keep calling...DEFINITELY!!!

Who said sales was easy????

 

[janel kelly]

Who knows, maybe she will have a really awesome show for you. I've kind of had a similiar thing happen to me. A friend signed up to do a show for me right after I became a consultant. Then she cancelled in my first super started month and rescheduled for this month. Her show was supposed to be last Saturday but 3 days before her show she rescheduled for this Friday. Then she called me last night and said she was just going to have to cancel altogether. I was dissappointed because I really want to be a super starter this month. I still think I can do it if my shows at the end of the month will close the day of their show She said she would still like to do a show but maybe sometime this summer. I'm a little leery of going through it again but I just think maybe she will have a really awesome show when she does have one. Just like you said,"who said sales was easy"(although pampered chef really does sell itself.)

 

[ladybug]

The motivation!The motivation/hope that her show will be the ONE is what will keep me calling...I think of missing out on the success of the show, the bookings (oh goodness, the bookings) and you just can't stop trying! It's like one show means a world of possibilities! PC is too cute !!

Hanging in there!

 

[Yvonne]

I think this must happen to us all at some time! My husband's oldest friend said she would help me start my business and promised a December show. That didn't happen but we re-planned for March. She had to cancel that one because she got called away on business unexpectedly. I rang her to re-schedule for April but she said it was too short notice for her and she would check her work schedule and get back to me. When she didn't ring me I got my husband to ring and it turns out she had had a car accident and been off-work. I am hanging in there that it will go ahead EVENTUALLY!!

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

Who knows, maybe she will have a really awesome show for you. I've kind of had a similiar thing happen to me. A friend signed up to do a show for me right after I became a consultant. Then she cancelled in my first super started month and rescheduled for this month. Her show was supposed to be last Saturday but 3 days before her show she rescheduled for this Friday. Then she called me last night and said she was just going to have to cancel altogether. I was dissappointed because I really want to be a super starter this month. I still think I can do it if my shows at the end of the month will close the day of their show She said she would still like to do a show but maybe sometime this summer. I'm a little leery of going through it again but I just think maybe she will have a really awesome show when she does have one. Just like you said,"who said sales was easy"(although pampered chef really does sell itself.)

I will be in ss3 next month and so far i havent earned any of the bonuses. I have alot of people saying i want to do a show but.....well last month I had 3 shows booked all of them friends. My best friend decided 2 days before her show that she needed to cancel. I was heartbroken and furious becuase it was at the end of the month and left me no time to fill in her spot. Well I am having her show tomorrow and she said she has 7 people guaranteed to come and alot of outside orders. So the best i can say is dont stop trying. I stayed on her because I wanted to hurry and qualify and didnt think she would push her show but she is the one that is surprising met he most. She said she is goiong to buy hte slice and grate and several people want stones. This might be my best show yet!!! will let you know how it goes
Monica Sweet
Kitchen Consultant
Houston Mississippi
[email protected]

 

[janel kelly]

I now include in my host packets a letter that mentions that if they need to cancel to let me know at least 2-3 weeks in advance. Our hosts need to know that PC is our job and they inconvenience us when they cancel without giving us enough time to replace their show date.

 

[PhyllisRamp]

Never hang your hat on anyone's promise

The motivation/hope that her show will be the ONE is what will keep me calling...I think of missing out on the success of the show, the bookings (oh goodness, the bookings) and you just can't stop trying! It's like one show means a world of possibilities!

A word of caution -- after 4 1/2 years of doing this (and those of you who have been doing this longer can back me up), you should always remember that it's your business and therefore only really a priority to you. Someone may really want to do a show and be quite sincere about it. But when her other priorities start moving to the front burner, your show date with her will be the first to go.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't follow up with a potential host. What I am saying is that when you book a date, it must be with the understanding that she is now a partner in business with you. I always say it like that, too. "I'm really excited that we'll be working together. I know that you are going to be so happy with all the benefits of hosting. I'm putting your host packet in the mail today and I'll give you a call next week to go over it. Would Thursday evening be OK or is Saturday morning better?"

If she sets a phone appt with me and doesn't take my call, I leave a message that we need to talk in the next 2-3 days to go over the host packet. If I still don't hear from her, the next message is that I need to confirm her show date with her because if she needs to re-schedule, then at this point I'll have enough time to re-book the date.

Phyllis Rampulla
Independent Sales Director
[email protected]
www.pamperedchef.biz/phyllisramp