Ideas for Getting Oct, or November Bookings?

[esavvymom]

I've got two shows this month (my only ones), and 2 in EARLY october...nothing after that until December, as of right now (have CCalls to make!!).

My question to you is what are some things you are doing as far as demos/recipes to try to encourage bookings for October or November?

 

[elizabethfox]

I have a party on thursday and I plan on taking 4 gift bags, each with a different recipe I demo taped to the front. I will fill them with my hostess packet and info as well as a ingredient that is in the recipe on the front of the bag. ( So if you are making the Strawberry Cream Trifle then you would have a box of the pudding mix in the bag).

I give tickets to everyone for coming to the party, and extra ticket for bringing a friend, and then somewhere in the show I am going to talk about the benefits of hosting using the booking's slide and talk about the gift bags. I then will offer 10 extra tickets to the first 4 people to book a party and take a bag. Tickets are used to raffle off a item I am giving away. This time it is a mini baker.

I saw a friend do this at her show recently and she got 4 bookings on the spot. So I figured I would give it a try.

 

[wadesgirl]

Get on the phone and call all your past knife customers. Let them know if they love what they bought before we have a great special coming out.

 

[Shell Northway]

What do you mean raffle off an item???

 

[Pamperedva]

I just had my first show the other day after my most recent move across country. I hadn't done a cooking show since June, although have been able to stay active in the mean time.

I was reading Lyn Conways book "Make Up Optional" and decided to use her idea of the "open Dates" paper. I printed her document on a piece of cardstock, put 7 dates that I was willing to do shows on.

I tried my best through all of my rustyness talk about everything I wanted to talk about. At the end of the show, when I passed out the prize slips, I also put out my "Open Dates" paper to pass around. I had 5 drawing slips, couple of people had to leave and then they came back later. But out of the 5 slips, I had 1 yes and 3 maybes. Before I was even able to speak to the person about the Open Dates - 2 of them chose their dates. The person who put no on her slip, I found out later was interested in co-hosting with one of the maybe's. YAY!

I arranged with the co-hosts and the other non-scheduled person to arrange for their dates today, closing the show tomorrow. Hopefully when I call these 3 people I will be able to add 2 more shows to my calendar.

I did not use the "Booking Slide" in my talks. Hope this helps. VA

 

[ChefRiGuy]

Check out the Party Pumpkin post in this category....

 

[elizabethfox]

What do you mean raffle off an item???

I have "raffle" tickets. And at the end of the show I have the host draw a ticket and whoever has the number listed wins a mini baker.

 

[chefheidi2003]

I am so glad that I decided to check out this section..just this thread alone was worth it..I got great ideas. Thank you. I really want to up my bookings. I am trying to pay for a cruise and add more to my savings with my PC. I have bills to pay with my full time job money.

 

[chefpatrice]

I started talking about my "Hide the Turkey" Show with a friend at my daughters softball game and booked two Shows from people who overheard the conversation! One is this Saturday and the other is in early November. I plan to talk it up at this Saturdays Show in the hopes of filling my October dates.

 

[honeyzeke]

chefpatrice,
What is "hide the turkey" ? You certainly have my curiosity picked!
Honeyzeke

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I have 10 shows booked for October for people who want knives. I've done this without giving away any extra product or spending any extra money. If you focus on the products, and create a need for them, then people will want to book to get them!

At all of my shows, I ask how many there have knives in their kitchen that they REALLY LOVE?

(This is especially great if you have someone who has the PC knives, like my last show!)

Most of the audience will groan, and actually say things like "I hate my knives" or "I have the worst knives"....

Then, I make a comment about how people often think they hate to cook because they are using the wrong, or poor tools. I give the illustration of my DH, a builder, who loves to build...but only because he has great tools that work for him, and don't create extra work...and that the same thing holds true with the tools we use in our kitchens every day. If you are using knives that are about as sharp as a butter knife to try do all of your slicing, dicing, chopping, etc...then you are going to be frustrated, and it's going to take you twice as long (at least) to get anything done. But if you are using GREAT knives, then the work is so much easier, and you are in and out of the kitchen in half the time!

Then, I pass around a utility knife, a cutting board, and a tomato, or pepper, or something for everyone to slice.

At my show on Thursday, I got 3 October bookings! I had a past host there who has the Forged Cutlery set, and she let everyone know how wonderful they are. She said that she had what she thought were expensive, high quality knives (she works for a restaurant supply company!) but once she tried the PC Forged Cutlery, she realized how poorly her knives were performing! She booked an October Show herself to get knives for her son's girlfriend/soon to be fiancee'!

 

[chefpatrice]

For my Hide the Turkey Show I use the 12 Cup stoneware pan and make a variation on an old PC recipe (can't remember the name!).

Using the Bakers Roller, roll out a can of biscuits individually until they're about 4-5 inches round. Onto each biscuit I put some turkey meat (or chicken) then using the small stainless scoop, add a scoop of Dressing (cooked) and then a scoop of candied yams. Gather up the edges of the biscuit together, twisting it closed. Turn the biscuit over into the muffin pan and cut an X in the top using the 3 1/2 Paring Knife. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

To serve, cut the biscuit open and top with warmed leftover gravy. Make 24 servings for the guests to sample.

I always had turkey last forever after Thanksgiving. Once I started making these for my family, the turkey disappears by the following Monday at the latest! Started doing it at my Shows in 2007 and it's been a hit!

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

Thanks Chefpatrice.....what a neat recipe! = )