I Don't Get Paid Til Next Friday...

[LBurke]

How do you respond to this objection/situation. I'm starting to really try to close out within a day or two of the show, then get there and the guests/host say... "I don't get paid til next Friday, can we keep the show open til then?" I don't want hosts (or me) to miss out on sales, but come on? Haven't you and your guests known about the show for several weeks? Any way to politely but firmly put a squash on this during host coaching/to the customer? Is it too harsh to say payment is due at the show/with the order... NO exceptions?

One of these very customers was talking about adding to her order and is now talking about canceling her order altogether cause something came up in the week since the show... canceling her order will drop the show below $150! ARGH!

 

[Jenni]

Oh sorry... that whole situation stinks!
Last Friday night I had a lady who wanted to order $75 worth... She didn't get paid till Wed. Everyone at the show ordered and paid that night. So since I KNEW the host well. I told her that I was willing to take a postdated check from her Mom and close out the show. Which means I paid her $75 up front. I would never have done that for a stranger, nor will I make it a habit.
I would love some suggestions from a seasoned consultant on this subject...

 

[BethCooks4U]

I never close a show without payment in hand. Never.

More times than not lately my hosts have chosen their dates based on when they and their friends have paydays. They either pick the very first few days of the month or the last few or they check the calendar if they are in a group that have mid-month paychecks coming in.

Tell them when setting the show up and in early host coaching that you need to close within 24-48 hours of the show and ask if that is going to be an issue at all. Give them reasons why it should close quickly (think about the first outside orders she gets - will it be a month for those people?).

 

[LBurke]

Thanks! That's good! I hadn't thought about mentioning this while we're setting the show date... Anyone else?

I also never close without payment in hand unless it is family or a VERY close friend. If the host wants to float her friends, that's her worry!

 

[wadesgirl]

Ask her if she has a cc she could put the order on and then make the payment when she gets paid.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Thanks! That's good! I hadn't thought about mentioning this while we're setting the show date... Anyone else?

I also never close without payment in hand unless it is family or a VERY close friend. If the host wants to float her friends, that's her worry!

I especially demand the money is in my hands if it's family. They are the hardest to collect from later.

I also suggest that unless the host lives fairly close to me (1/2 hour or so) that they have last minute outside orders pay with CC or debit or a check made out to the host and she use CC or debit so the show isn't held up waiting for checks in the mail - especially at month end. They are most often very understanding of this.

 

[KellyRedHead]

I had a host cancel her party because she wanted to have it the week they got paid, but didn't want to close it out until the next pay day - two weeks later!! Said everyone already had their money accounted for and needed another 2 weeks to add it to their budgets!
She got very upset with me because I told her we needed to either change her date closer to the pay day or on pay day. She cancelled her show, oh well, my business. I try to bend for the host, but I can't see waiting 2 weeks to send it in especially when other people that she didn't work with pay that night.

I always get payment before the show goes in.

Kelly V.

 

[chefmeg]

you are so right, Kelly...your business, your rules! Good for you!

I am changing the way I handle show money~I previously had checks made to me and would not wait for all payments before closing the show-I would put it on my PC credit card...but that time is over! I am changing to my PC debit card and all money has to be to me before I submit the show...therefore, I will be doing what Beth suggested above...have the host get a check made out to her for orders after the show and then she can put it on her cc!

 

[Nanisu]

This is the hardest thing for me to do--close the show out the night of. I really work at it--getting better, but not there all the time yet.

 

[cewcooks]

I never close a show unless I have $$ from everyone, once a guest ordered $80 and the host covered so I could close the show and the lady never paid her back...And today I sent the host a e mail because the guest ordered and wants the prod asap so I guess I was lucky the host called while she was on vacation.. Always tell the guest that payment is due or the order cannot be completed, always tel the host the show cannot close unless you receive payments.

Good luck

 

[KellyRedHead]

I have a very hard time closes the night or day of the show. I dont let it go more then 3-5 tops.
Everyone is waiting for their product and it makes it look like I am holding things up. They very rarely blame the host, usually the consultant for holding up the show.

Kelly V.

 

[chefann]

Everyone is waiting for their product and it makes it look like I am holding things up. They very rarely blame the host, usually the consultant for holding up the show.

So true! I had a show from the very start of the month that I submitted on the 11th. One of the guests called me last week, wondering where her products "from that show a month ago" were. It hadn't even been 3 weeks since the show date yet! Luckily, I got her answering machine when I called her back. I left her a message that "The items from Tina's show on <show date> were delivered to her on Friday, so you should be hearing from her soon."

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Grrrr! I hate this!A friend of mine, who has supported every venture I've ever done, had a show set for Saturday. She calls me last night to say she is going back to work, she is working the day of the show, and since she's had no RSVPs, wants it to be a catalog show. The day we set up her show, I told her it MUST be closed by the 30th.And tonight ... she asks if it is OK for people to order and pay on the 3rd! Well, considering that my own show went almost nowhere, my other catty host is not doing well, and my other catty host wants to close ON the 30th ... and I only have $550 so far ... it is so freaking obvious that I'm not gonna get to the $1,500 level anyway ... so I may just close her show on the 3rd. It is better for me ... since there is no WAY I can cover their orders!