How Far Do You Travel for a Show?

[heat123]

I got a booking and this is my first longer distance=1 hour away show.
ummm how do you all handle your longer distance shows and try to encourage or (require-demand) a certain amount of guests to make it worth your while (especially with the price of gas these days and I have a big SUV???!)

TIA!

 

[DebbieJ]

That's a hard one. I traveled 1.5 hours for a show last month and now I'm totally regretting it. Sales are $112 and the girl will not collect more orders and call me back to close it. She was a recruit lead and now I'm not so sure. I left her a message on Friday that if I didn't hear from her by Monday I was adding the orders to another show and she would be forfeiting any host benefits.

Not what you wanted to hear, right?!?

I have two more long distance shows booked from a fair I did so we'll see if I have better results. I did the fair to help out an inactive team member (used my director reimbursement and split the cost with her) and b/c the fair was in my sister's town so it was a good excuse to visit. Otherwise I wouldn't have done it.

 

[katie0128]

I have had the opposite results...

I did a show for my SIL about 2 hours away. Did $300 or so from 5 guests (was my VERY FIRST show ever, so I'm sure it could have been more, but didn't know much then), had one booking. Did that show (MUCH higher), had another booking. Did the third show and now have someone who is probably going to sign as soon as she gets back from vacation. Plus, the host for the 2nd show is a Longenberger consultant and she and I are going to do a fundraiser this summer for their church's youth group (same church as my SIL attends - her DH is the youth minister)!!! Considering I started PC last June, I'm really pleased with the way this has turned out... especially when you realize the town my SIL lives is VERY small and my SIL was fairly new at the time.

I didn't ask any of these hosts for a certain number of guests/orders. And now that I'm better at host coaching, I think if I could do them again, the attendance at all of the shows would much higher and so would the sales.

 

[pamperedbecky]

I definitely don't mind driving to shows. I LOVE the alone/quiet time in the car since that rarely happens with the kids. And in and around Chicago, even if a host lives "close" it could still be an hour away with traffic. I have a show in August that's my farthest (other than when I've done them in FL and CA on vacations), but I make sure I do those shows on the weekends. I've done far away shows with 5 people and if I'm traveling REALLY far (over an hour and a half), I probably would host coach the heck out of that person. If it's looking like just 2-3 people coming and she has NO outside orders, I may see how she feels about turning it into a catalog show. But, I like smaller shows too and recruits and bookings could very likely come out of that. AND she'd make a good recruit lead because any bookings out of the show, SHE can have. That may appeal to her.

 

[nicki25]

I definitely don't mind driving to shows. I LOVE the alone/quiet time in the car since that rarely happens with the kids. And in and around Chicago, even if a host lives "close" it could still be an hour away with traffic. I have a show in August that's my farthest (other than when I've done them in FL and CA on vacations), but I make sure I do those shows on the weekends. I've done far away shows with 5 people and if I'm traveling REALLY far (over an hour and a half), I probably would host coach the heck out of that person. If it's looking like just 2-3 people coming and she has NO outside orders, I may see how she feels about turning it into a catalog show. But, I like smaller shows too and recruits and bookings could very likely come out of that. AND she'd make a good recruit lead because any bookings out of the show, SHE can have. That may appeal to her.

I also love the quiet without the kids. I do a lot of shows at least an hour away. My family lives and hour and 20 minutes away from me. When I first started selling PC that is where I did all my shows because that is where I knew people. Over the years I have had small (not worth going) shows and I have also had big shows. I think the big has outweighed the small. For that matter I have done a show about 5-10 minutes from me and it has been worse than my furthest one that I have had. I love the fact that I have business in 2 totally different areas. It has totally helped my business.

 

[MomToEli]

I think if you are concerned with the cost of the trip and the time, etc, you either take the risk upon yourself that it will be a good turnout and then a responsive crowd or you hand it off to another consultant.

I traveled 2 hours for one of my first 30 day shows. I don't plan on traveling that far often. But I would not consider telling a host that I would if she did a/b/c.

When I do go that far again, I'm thinking I'll be available for Saturday shows late morning or early afternoon. The one I did was a weeknight and it was 1130 pm by the time I got home.

 

[reba515]

Driving an hour or more I don't mind 1 or 2 in a month but I wouldn't want to do it all the time.
I try to look at it like : "there are people who commute 1 hour+ every day, each way. who am I to complain about 1 or 2 times a month"
of course this is my way of justifying (sp?)

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I just drove an hour away for my show today. I started with this group in January & wasn't sure about wanting to travel that far (especially b/c in IN, you never know what the weather may bring). But since that show, I've had about 7 shows from that one & the original host is thinking of joining. They are also one of my favorite groups. So just because it may be a little far doesn't mean it may not pay off in one way or another. Besides, maybe you'll get a recruit & she can do shows in that area in the future!

 

[ChefJeniLobdell]

I did a show about an hour away last year. Starting from just that one show I have gotten a cooking show, catalog show, two fundraisers, a booking for another cooking show, catalog show and fundraising show. I met a great bunch of ladies and hope to keep serving this group for many, many years to come. You never know until you take the chance.

 

[Grandmarita]

This past October, I drove 100 miles which took two hours, to do a show for
a woman who had purchased $100 in products, over the phone, when my new neighbor had a show for me. So, the round trip was 200 miles. The show was well attended, and she had outside orders. It was well worth my while.
Guests total was $746, and the hostess received $140 FREE, and purchased $461. She had considered becoming a consultant but a family member's health issue was her first priority, at that time. This is a reminder to get back in touch with her.
If bookings come easily for you, you can afford to be selective. For me, it was a big blessing, and I'd do it again, if she wanted me to.

 

[heat123]

wow it sounds like alot of you travel some ways and it's not unusual for you all! I guess I've been kinda lucky-spoiled that my farthest show has only been 30-40 min away! I guess 1 hour isn't too bad! And just know to host coach really, really well get good attendence! Thanks!

 

[mrssyvo]

I have had shows 1 1/2 hours away, but only 20 miles. As Becky mentioned earlier, in the Chicago area, it is not the miles that is important here, but where the show is, and when it is. If it is a Friday night show, I sometimes have to leave early afternoon, just to make sure I get there on time.

 

[raebates]

I live in a rural area. I travel 45 to 90 minutes for shows on a fairly regular basis. It's given me a great customer base, though.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

I have done a lot of shows out of state. I live in NJ but my husband works on Staten Island, NY. So a lot of his co workers have hosted. The recent thing is that the people that have been booking of off the hostess, have been having dud parties, like 2-4 people in attendance. So, for me, any show more then an hour away, I am going to be putting a minimum number of orders for a show. This way the hostess is held accountable, whether or not she/he collects some orders prior, or gets them in attendance. I will also throw in FREE gifts to the guests (ie citrus peelers) to all guests if 15 or more show up.

Just a little incentive to encourage good attendance for long distance shows.