How Do You Boost Your Sales in November?

[dwyerkim]

food to offer, marketing angle to employ, way to ensure bookings off of shows... whatever you've got, please share!


I'm sure we all want to cash in on the sell-a-thon, so I'm wondering what everyone's great strategies are for increasing November sales? I have two shows booked, but one is Nov. 30 ( I will push her to close it by Dec 5 but you never know...) and one catalog show. I"m leaning away from pushing the catalog shows, I have a LOT of them going right now and I fear I am blowing money on sending out materials to people who are not following through. I have 5 Oct shows, though 2 hosts have not been returning my calls so I fear they have flaked. Early October is still pretty open for me, just 1 show in the first half (but a big show thank goodness, they invited 76 people). So what to do to ensure a good November? I know if I book early October I will have a better shot at getting Nov shows. I am also doing a vendor fair type event at the end of October that will generate leads (but may not give me enough time to get those shows booked for Nov.) and I am doing my own shopping event at my house in mid-November. Other ideas?

 

[cmdtrgd]

1. Get the guest list BEFORE you give out the Host Kit
2. If you don't have the guest list by 4 weeks before the show, rebook that date with someone else - let the original host know about this when you book and before you rebook
3. bring TONS of SA pieces and let the guests play Adult Legos
4. try to get a Mega Show going on a Saturday
5. Send out Customer Connection emails on the SA special
6. I originally chose the Chocolate Bliss theme to make, but I might change that to a "Hide the Turkey" show with a chocolate microwave something.
7. offer Bonus Dates at the beginning of the month - double hospitality bonus or something along those lines
8. host my own Gifts to Go showHTH!

 

[chefann]

My SD offers theme shows and recipes for December that she doesn't offer any other time of year. She's usually booked every night for the first 2 weeks of December because people want that show. I'm going to do that with November - offer an "Entertaining with Ease" show featuring Simple Additions. And I'm going to really push November as a great time to get together with friends to shop BEFORE the big holiday rush hits.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

My SD offers theme shows and recipes for December that she doesn't offer any other time of year. She's usually booked every night for the first 2 weeks of December because people want that show. I'm going to do that with November - offer an "Entertaining with Ease" show featuring Simple Additions. And I'm going to really push November as a great time to get together with friends to shop BEFORE the big holiday rush hits.

What Theme show and recipes is it that she offers to book every night?

 

[Christ Follower]

What is "hide the turkey?"

 

[ChefBeckyD]

What is "hide the turkey?"

Yeah, that too?

Full of questions!

 

[chefann]

What Theme show and recipes is it that she offers to book every night?

She does simple entertaining. Usually the cheese truffles, a Southern Comfort Cake (OMG! To die for! I'll try to remember to find the recipe), and an adult beverage. The beverage she was pushing last year is:
2 cups lemon/citrus vodka
1 quart (4 cups) cranberry juice
1 (750 ml) bottle champagne or sparkling wine

Combine in family size QSP. Serve cold. (Careful - it's stronger than it tastes.)

 

[chefann]

Hide the Turkey is a show with tips on using Thanksgiving and Christmas leftovers. Specifically, turkey.

Any recipe that calls for pre-cooked chicken can be modified to use turkey. Some that I've suggested in the past are the Lemon/Chicken Popover Puff (Fall 2001 SBRC), Greek Lemon Rice Soup, Clubhouse Chicken Squares, etc.

 

[dwyerkim]

The turkey/cranberry ring/wreath/etc from all the best would be great for this too... and since lots of people don't have turkey hanging around before Thanksgiving, you could demo it with canned chicken meat and tell them how great it will taste with their Thanksgiving leftovers.

 

[dwyerkim]

1. Get the guest list BEFORE you give out the Host Kit
2. If you don't have the guest list by 4 weeks before the show, rebook that date with someone else - let the original host know about this when you book and before you rebook
3. bring TONS of SA pieces and let the guests play Adult Legos
4. try to get a Mega Show going on a Saturday
5. Send out Customer Connection emails on the SA special
6. I originally chose the Chocolate Bliss theme to make, but I might change that to a "Hide the Turkey" show with a chocolate microwave something.
7. offer Bonus Dates at the beginning of the month - double hospitality bonus or something along those lines
8. host my own Gifts to Go show

HTH!

thanks for the ideas. I do ask for the guest list and send out the invites, but I have not been toeing the line on "must have list to me by..." and I've gotten burned a few times. So I need to do that. My hospitality director gives new hosts the blank guest list, and tells them she'll need it back in a week (no matter how far out the show is), makes arrangements to pick up the list and drop off host kit in person. If the host does not have the list ready (she calls the night before), she tells them in the nicest way possible "no problem, once you have your list to me we'll take another look at the calendar and lock in a date for you." IE no holding dates for people who are not ready to be serious. Planning to start this idea NOW with my round of phone calls tonight!

 

[cmdtrgd]

thanks for the ideas. I do ask for the guest list and send out the invites, but I have not been toeing the line on "must have list to me by..." and I've gotten burned a few times. So I need to do that. My hospitality director gives new hosts the blank guest list, and tells them she'll need it back in a week (no matter how far out the show is), makes arrangements to pick up the list and drop off host kit in person. If the host does not have the list ready (she calls the night before), she tells them in the nicest way possible "no problem, once you have your list to me we'll take another look at the calendar and lock in a date for you." IE no holding dates for people who are not ready to be serious. Planning to start this idea NOW with my round of phone calls tonight!

Ooooh...I like that phrase!

 

[cmdtrgd]

Does she ever get people who put it together overnight and get it to her to keep the date?

 

[dwyerkim]

Does she ever get people who put it together overnight and get it to her to keep the date?

I don't know... good question. I think if she calls the night before and they are not ready to meet the next day (frankly that gives them a reminder that they have 12 hours to get it together), she kind of coaches them through the whole goal setting process--how many names have you already put on your list, what do you need to do to get the other names/addresses compiled, will you be able to do that by next Tuesday? etc. But no, I think the idea is once you've missed the 1 week target date, you are no longer "penciled in" on her calendar and that date is open game for others to take. I really like this too, b/c even if you have a show far off--like December--how easy is it for the host to commit and then forget about it, leaving her scrambling last minute to put that list together? This way she is making up her guest list while it is fresh, she is excited, etc. The other phrasing I've heard that I like is "probably the hardest thing I'm going to ask you to do to make this party successful is to get together your guest list--not really all that hard but it may take a little time and thought to get those names together--so let me help you do that right now and get it out of the way. After that, I'll take over and you can sit back and enjoy your own party."

 

[cmdtrgd]

I don't know... good question. I think if she calls the night before and they are not ready to meet the next day (frankly that gives them a reminder that they have 12 hours to get it together), she kind of coaches them through the whole goal setting process--how many names have you already put on your list, what do you need to do to get the other names/addresses compiled, will you be able to do that by next Tuesday? etc. But no, I think the idea is once you've missed the 1 week target date, you are no longer "penciled in" on her calendar and that date is open game for others to take. I really like this too, b/c even if you have a show far off--like December--how easy is it for the host to commit and then forget about it, leaving her scrambling last minute to put that list together? This way she is making up her guest list while it is fresh, she is excited, etc. The other phrasing I've heard that I like is "probably the hardest thing I'm going to ask you to do to make this party successful is to get together your guest list--not really all that hard but it may take a little time and thought to get those names together--so let me help you do that right now and get it out of the way. After that, I'll take over and you can sit back and enjoy your own party."

I like that one too!!!

 

[pamperedpals]

"no problem, once you have your list to me we'll take another look at the calendar and lock in a date for you."

"probably the hardest thing I'm going to ask you to do to make this party successful is to get together your guest list--not really all that hard but it may take a little time and thought to get those names together--so let me help you do that right now and get it out of the way. After that, I'll take over and you can sit back and enjoy your own party."

Abosulelty love the wording. I'm going to use them in my calls tonight.

 

[friday]

I love these ideas! My big November plan is to schedule as many shows as I can into October, then do the best October I have ever done so that I can schedule lots of cooking shows and catalogue shows into November and get not only sell a thon but a nice big December cheque to blow 100% on Christmas for my family.

 

[dwyerkim]

I love these ideas! My big November plan is to schedule as many shows as I can into October, then do the best October I have ever done so that I can schedule lots of cooking shows and catalogue shows into November and get not only sell a thon but a nice big December cheque to blow 100% on Christmas for my family.

The problem that I've been having is most of my hosts are booking two months out... so a wonderful October doesn't necessarily set me up for anything in NOvember. I'm going to be making calls tonight, with my first goal to fill early October but then anything else will go into November.

 

[friday]

The problem that I've been having is most of my hosts are booking two months out... so a wonderful October doesn't necessarily set me up for anything in NOvember. I'm going to be making calls tonight, with my first goal to fill early October but then anything else will go into November.

I can see why you would want to be working on it now. I generally book 2-4 weeks out. I do have some who want further out, but for me- October books into November. (and darn I hope all my hosts cooperate!!)

 

[chefjeanine]

I think I will purchase some of the holiday mini-catalogs and try to get several of them out ASAP to people who I think would be interested in a Holiday Entertaining show.

This is NOT my area of expertise (or remote comfort), but the mini-catalog is REALLY well done.

Hmmm. Maybe we should steal the idea of using the mini-catalogs for our November invites (to boost sales at those shows) or for October (to boost bookings of November shows). Could put a note in the October invites that in November you'll be presenting Holiday Entertaining shows and wouldn't they love to book a party.

 

[cmdtrgd]

when can we purchase the holiday minis?

 

[sfdavis918]

when can we purchase the holiday minis?

I believe it's Oct 1.

 

[lockhartkitchen]

Oct.1 we can purchase the mini-catalogs. I'm going to use the idea of entertaining. I'm going to offer my hosts easy appetizers.