How Much Do You Sell at Your Average Show?

[dancedivine]

I'm just curious to know how well you guys are doing. My biggest show was $800 - and I consider that really big! My "average" tends to be more in the $200-$300 range, which - quite frankly - doesn't really seem worth the trouble.

So, how are you guys doing?

 

[pampered.chris]

Do you send out the invitations? I have since I first started and my home show average is around $600 or more.

I find that when you mail the invites you know what to expect and have a rough idea of the amount of people that will be there. host coaching also helps.

I give my hostesses a free gift for a guest list w/in 5 days and another free gift when they invite 40 or more. Since I started doing this my show sales have been MUCH better. Just for this January and February my home show average is $950. Very worth the cost of a couple of free spices.

I hope this helps!!

 

[LeanneB.]

My largest one was $600. I struggle to get most of them above the $150 mark sometimes. I try really hard and I think my presentation is good, but there seems to be guests that come and then sneak out without even talking to me. Lately, I have had a few $300-400. Does anyone have some sale boosting ideas? I agree that it sucks to devote the time to a $40 commission check per show.... :cry:

 

[dancedivine]

My largest one was $600. I struggle to get most of them above the $150 mark sometimes. I try really hard and I think my presentation is good, but there seems to be guests that come and then sneak out without even talking to me. Lately, I have had a few $300-400. Does anyone have some sale boosting ideas? I agree that it sucks to devote the time to a $40 commission check per show.... :cry:

Yeah, it's a good thing those new consultant incentives are so lucrative! Otherwise, it really wouldn't be worth my time.

 

[gaddischef]

There are all sorts of trainings available about getting show averages higher or talk to your director. Make sure you are talking about and/or showing larger priced items as well, showing the value of those products. Encouraging - no, expecting those outside orders for people unable to come to the show -- I've had shows go up hundreds because of outside orders. Please don't talk about it -- do something about it -- be proactive.

 

[Beth1170]

I agree that sending out the invitations yourself can really help. My sales and attendance went up when I started sending out the invites for my hosts in November. In January I started including the mini's and both outside sales and show sales improved. My average show was about $300 and now it's $500. I truly believe that host coaching is key. If you haven't listened to any training then it is worth it to invest some time with the online training center. Remember that even with lower show sales you are generally still making $20+ an hour, so unless you make more than that at another job it is worth the time and effort. Keep working your business and success will come!

 

[pcsharon1]

Okay, just so I could be sure I went back and did a show average on all my in home cooking shows (no catalog shows or fundraisers) since May 1 last year. I have only had 19 in those 10 months - so about 2 a month. (that's so sad, makes me want to get on the phone - only sad because it's not meeting my personal goals, if my goal was 1-2 shows a month I'd be feeling great) Anyway, my show average for those shows is $541.32. I know, very specific but that's how I am. There were shows in there that range from $224.90 all the way up to $1,022.35. What I noticed is that the shows that were $200-$400 were all connected. Which basically means that if you have a hostess who doesn't do everything she should have done, maybe because you didn't coach her to or simply because she decided not to, then the hostesses that book off of her are more likely to follow her lead.

If this is the case with your shows you have two options and you can use them both, not just one:

1. For the shows that are booked off of a cooking show you have done that is lower than the show average you would like to have, you will have to take a very strong approach to coaching. I have actually told hostesses something like, "I was so happy to get to work with Suzy on her show, she is so much fun. But Suzy has a lot going on right now and wasn't able to give her show the attention it needed to get her the most products. She still got many things she wanted but hopefully in the future she will be able to get the rest of it at a time that is more suitable for her. (It's not going to be a lie because who isn't busy and, if we as the consultant aren't doing our jobs coaching, the show is going to be the first thing to get pushed to a back burner) Here is what you need to do a little differently....." And then host coach like a mad women. Not so much that she's sick of you but enough that she has no doubt what is expected of her and she will get the results you both want and then the shows that book off of her will already be set up as to what you expect of them.

2. Get some bookings from somewhere besides your shows and hostess coach them to the higher levels. Be it booths at fairs or community days or simply asking everyone you see find 2-3 people to get you rolling with an entirely different line of customers.

I also agree about sending the invites. Reduces cancellations and makes me more comfortable walking into the house that, yes, there were enough people invited. And I always address invites to "Jenny Friend and Guests" and highlight the bring a friend line.

Hope that helps.

 

[pamperedlinda]

It's funny that you posted this. Just the other day I was comparing my show averages.

My career average is $652.91
2005: 612.27
2006: 547.47
2007: 739.53 (this is the year that I started sending the invites for my hosts )
2008: 688.11
2009: 619.12

 

[dancedivine]

Wow! You ladies are really doing a great job!!!

 

[mrssyvo]

Attached are 2 things I am including in my new consultant training. I hope they will help you as well.

 

[raebates]

My average for 2008 was about $580. I'm happy with it. Though, I wouldn't be upset if doubled in 2009.

 

[niclowther]

My average show for 2009 so far is $378.20.

 

[KrisGio]

With three shows under my belt I have an average of around $400. I want more so I am going to step up my game. :O)

 

[janetgia]

For those of you mentioning that you send the invitations - do you send printed invites at your own expense, or just do the email invites?

Thanks -
Janet

 

[wadesgirl]

For those of you mentioning that you send the invitations - do you send printed invites at your own expense, or just do the email invites?

Thanks -
Janet

I use PC postcard invites and print all the host information on them plus a little extra info above the address area. I send these for my hosts, I do not charge for them. I do know some people who either charge the host or ask for reimbursement if the show is under a certain amount or if the host doesn't give them 40 names.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

For those of you mentioning that you send the invitations - do you send printed invites at your own expense, or just do the email invites?

Thanks -
Janet

People do it many different ways.

I send the postcard invitations (I've been doing that since 6 months into my business because I got tired of last minute cancellations that I KNEW were because the invites hadn't gone out!) and I also send a mini catalog with it - I put the postcard and the mini in an envelope.

I write it off as a business expense, and my attendance and sales are much better for doing it! (plus it got rid of those pesky last minute cancellations!)

 

[tlag1986]

I send the mini catalog with the show time and place. That seems to help some as well.

 

[Crystal Patton]

For those of you mentioning that you send the invitations - do you send printed invites at your own expense, or just do the email invites?

Thanks -
Janet

I send the mini with a full page invite in an envelope. I attached the invite.

 

[beepampered]

I'm too disorganized to send out the host invites. Also, personally, I like to hand out invites to neighbors and co-workers so I don't prefer the mail. I pre-print invitations on colored paper (two per page) and give them with the host packet. It has all the information so that don't have to write it on those postcards. If you do use the postcards, you might want to consider printed the info on there for them. Honestly, would you hand write 40 invitations like that? I wouldn't.

Host coaching is the key to a good show average so listen to some of the online training for that.

 

[stefani2]

these are my tips:

ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE BIG 4 - stoneware, cookware, Forged, and SA at EVERY show. The smaller/cheaper products sell themselves, so you don't need to mention them as much.

MENTION THE BASICS - EVERYONE needs things like a cutting board, good chopping and paring knife, all-purpose bowl, spoons/spatula, etc.

TELL PEOPLE WHY THEY NEED THE PRODUCT - ex: Good cookware is going to make your life easier - you are going to prepare a meal faster, have evenly cooked food, and cleanup will be a breeze.

HOST COACH - Tell your Hosts 'we want ABOUT 12 orders for your show'

ENCOURAGE OUTSIDE ORDERS - Ask your Host to get a catalogue to the people who replied 'No' or 'Maybe' to attending

USE YOUR WEBSITE


I know these tips work. I got in a rut at the beginning of this year and stopped doing the tips I mentioned above - and my show average dropped to just over $600 a show....

 

[nldavis321]

Wow these are all great! I dont know HOW to get the hosts to give me addresses. Most of the people dont have anyone's address! How things have changed nowadays!!!Any advice for that? I want to start sending out the invites myself, but just dont know how to get started.

 

[PCCHeather0506]

I just tell my guests to get me back their guest list and I'll get invites out for their show! You could even have them email it to you if that's easier for them! I don't usually have a problem getting back the list...occasionally you get the hostess who would rather just hand them out. Then I typically offer to help her make reminder calls! I tell her "If you call them they will come!"

I really believe the trick to the whole thing is "attitude"...act as excited as you can be about the products and your business without being phony! Since I've gotten more and more into my business this year I've realized that the happier I am the more bookings I get and better sales! My show average this year so far is $566.