How Do You Do This??!?!? Ugh!!!

[pcchris]

I have a fantastic customer (and friend) who buys PC stuff all of the time, but has no interest in hosting a show...ever! Well, I've given her the whole spiel about how instead of spending SO much money (which I don't mind), she should host a show and enjoy her turn to receive free, discounted stuff (blah blah blah!). She always said no thanks, I'll be supportive of everyone who is having a show...not interested. Any tricks of the trade that I'm missing? Any ideas as to what I can say to help her change her mind, or should I just let it go? What do you think?

 

[chefpayne]

Let it go. When she is ready if she ever is she'll let you know. If you keep giving her the spill she may get tried of it. Tell her that you would love to do a show for her and if she ever wants to to let you know.

 

[raebates]

I'm with Erin. I have a couple of customers like that, myself. I'm just glad they come to me when they want to place those great big orders.

 

[melissakc]

I agree....be happy to keep her as a good customer. Before I became a consultant DH would groan if I had a party.....to me it wasn't worth the frustration to do it much....But now

 

[MicheleC]

Some people have more money than time or they don't like to have people over to their house or maybe they feel uncomfortable asking people to come to their home and then getting the benefits from their purchases. Good hosts are great to have but so are good customers!

 

[Bexs50]

I agree to back off a little. I have a friend who was not supportive of PC when I started. She wasn't exactly UNsupportive but she would kind of laugh, and say "oh, that must be PC" (in a sarcastic tone) when I would use any of my PC stuff and when I ever mentioned her having a show she always put it off. I decided to let it go and back off and now that she has used a few of my things she is now considering signing!! She has been asking questions about it and I have been answering them without being pushy. She may sign, she may not but I am taking it slow as to not scare her off.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Don't worry about it, just keep her on your list of Happy Customers. Some people just aren't going to host a party no matter what. Ask her if she has any friends that she can introduce you to.

I too have a friend who told me when I started PC...."Linda, please never ever ask me to host a party....I will always come to any party I'm invited to and I will always purchase products form you....however, I will never ever have a party" I have never asked her and she has always purchased when one of our friends has a party. We are both happy with this arrangement.

 

[dannyzmom]

Let it go.
You have to respect her feelings ro you run the risk of losing her as a customer.

 

[DebbieJ]

I tell people like that that we need to have good customers too and I thank them for their loyal business.

 

[crystalscookingnow]

Take your tag line to heart. "Keep on keepin' on". Keep her up to date on guest specials & do good by her for customer service. You'll have a customer for life & she won't think of you as 'That Pushy PC Consultant'.

 

[DizziePixie]

Linda is right. Ask her since she likes going to parties, does she know anyone in her circle of friends who likes to entertain or cook, or who might enjoy getting things free. After all, you love having her at your shows, and would love for more of her friends to have shows!

Have you offered her to do a catalogue show perhaps?

 

[janetupnorth]

Let her choose what she wants to do...if she has the stuff and likes it she will be a good customer...

Each of us has our "seasons of life"... I have been a PC customer for 11-12 years...have only hosted about 3-4 home shows over the years and about 2 catalog shows. I knew "all about" the host rewards, but at times when I was single, I had the income to buy, not the time to spend hosting and was happy with that...later after marriage and kids, I didn't have the income but loved the stuff and hosted to get free stuff and now after about 12 years I'm a brand new customer!

Give her the service she deserves and someday things might change. I admit I watched consultants for many years and when I made the decision to be one, I was picky who I chose to sign under and it was based on how they were as a person throughout the years I've known them and how they ran their business and treated their customers.

 

[Rebeccascabinet]

I buy from other DS and have no desire to ever host a party. Some people are just like that. I am perfectly happy buying from other DS and never hosting a party. Of course before I became a PC consultant, I only had PC parties cause they had the best hostess benefits - hmmm wonder if that had something to do with me signing?

 

[heat123]

I have a customer like that, spent $500 in two shows!!!! But doesn't have the time nor desire to host her own show! I say that's ok, as long as she keeps comin back to me!!

 

[scottcooks]

You can turn a big order of hers into a show, and tell her you saved her $35 on her $200 order. But if she truly doesn't care, just include her as a customer individual order - better for you!

 

[SillyChef]

Don't worry about it, just keep her on your list of Happy Customers. Some people just aren't going to host a party no matter what. Ask her if she has any friends that she can introduce you to.

I too have a friend who told me when I started PC...."Linda, please never ever ask me to host a party....I will always come to any party I'm invited to and I will always purchase products form you....however, I will never ever have a party" I have never asked her and she has always purchased when one of our friends has a party. We are both happy with this arrangement.

My best friend and I are exactly like that. She doesn't like to host anything, and I don't pester her. She supports me in any other way and I am completely happy with that...

 

[pcchris]

HOLY CRAP! This friend of mine just called me and this is what she said:
"I know so many people that want to place an order......maybe I should have a show so I can get some free stuff" . !!!!!!!! OMG - I almost fell out of my chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I'm wicked excited...she had to go, so I'm going to call her back in a few hours to set up a date...I'm SO excited that I want to dance around! SO odd that I just was whining about her on this post...now she calls me and wants to have an actual show! I'm very happy that she called me, because her next door neighbor is a PC consultant, AND in my cluster! Glad this customer is my friend! (She also thinks her neighbor is a "whack job")...so that helps!
Just thought I'd share my good news! Gonna go dance now....

 

[raebates]

Woooooo Hooooooooo!!!!!!! I'm dancin' for ya, too!

 

[janetupnorth]

Excellent - every part of life is a season, she just entered a new one!

 

[pamperedharriet]

See Chris--without pestering her you got her to book! What an awesome surprise though!

I have a few customers that just like to buy don't want to host or pass a catalog around and are just happy that they can order anytime they want or ask me when my next show is so they can order on it.

I take them anyway I get it and love when they come back to me to order. Once in awhile they say a friend of mine wants to order to is that OK--of course!

They know that they can have a show and when they are ready they will. In the meantime no pressure and I take care of those who love our product and would probably not buy as much as they do if they were pressured into having a show or going to a show when they prefer not to.

 

[pcchris]

I'm SO excited! We picked the day...not til March, but that's okay. She is targeting for $1,000 show! There are lots of things that she wants to get for free. So naturally, we had our first host coaching call before she even has her information in front of her. Wow!!! I'm really excited!!!! She said, "you know, I sure do know a lot of people...is there a way we can send emails to let people know of my show on your website?" Oh HECK YES! I set her up in my PWS while we were talking on the phone. She's psyched, as am I! I would love it if she has a HUGE SHOW!!!!!! (Good for me and her!!!) I'm PSYCHED!!!!! can you tell??? still dancin'........

 

[GourmetGirl]

That is awesome! Way to go! I understand where you were coming from... I almost didn't sign, as my best friend said I'd be so good at it, but she wouldn't host a show, long story short, I still signed and 4 months later, she had a 700+ show and she still is my best customer! You are going to rock that show! Congrats!

 

[pcchris]

thanks! the other things about this host (that sounds GOOD!) is that she is a very determined woman...when she decides she wants something done, you best get out of her way!!! Ya know what I mean?? I'm still dancing...but in my chair now, because I've been dancing all afternoon!!!!

I won't even go into how long it took me to sign...it was many years...but I'm sure glad that I did...I love having my own business!!!! Especially when I get pleasant surprises like this one deciding she wants a show!!!!!
WAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[soccermama]

Glad your friend called you to host a show!!!

I have a good friend who has said no to hosting many times.... I never pestered her, just let her know about specials, etc..... then I told her about my theme show over the summer. I was doing Kids in the Kitchen shows! She booked!!!! It wasn't a huge turnout show, but it was a nice-sized show in the end and I really appreciated her helping me through my August! (I had only 2 shows... both for friends and the 2 of them made up my $1250 for mid-season product earning..... lol .... maybe there was a catalog show in that month, too.... but I didn't do much over the summer...)

Now that she's hosted her ONE show, she reminds me now and then that she will NEVER host another one. Not because she didn't enjoy it, just because it's not her style .... no big deal! She comes along to friends' shows, supports me in my business by keeping me accountable to my goals, and is just a great friend.

 

[raebates]

As I read this thread, I keep thinking about something Doris wrote in her book. She didn't want to start a direct sales company because they pressured people into hosting shows. She was adamant until her husband reminded her that this was her company and she didn't have to do that.

I believe that a low/no pressure approach works well. I've hosted shows for other DS companies because I felt roped into it at a party. To be honest, I never put the effort into those shows that I did my PC parties because I did them out of a sense of obligation.

End of lecture.

 

[DebbieJ]

Wow, this is great! See, you presented the opportunity to her, let her think about it, and she came around! Nicely done!