Is Anyone Else Having a Hard Time With Bookings? Last Year I Did

[gratergirl]

Is anyone else having a hard time with bookings? Last year I did great in January, February and March! I've even called all of my past hosts that are expired or getting ready to expire on their 10% cards! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. TIA

 

[jenniferknapp]

Have you called all of your maybes and yes's from drawing slips??

 

[gratergirl]

Yes and it's been about 3 weeks since my last show.....it's depressing!

 

[jenniferknapp]

I just started back in September...so my customer base is pretty small, and I am over the SS shows and their bookings....and it is slow going for me now too, but I do have a couple more maybes to call back and try to book....Good luck!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I had that problem last year. In Jan, I only had 1 catalog show that closed in Feb., one Feb show, one March, etc. This year I had 7 shows in Jan & I already have 4 for Feb (possibly 5-waiting on date from host). I noticed that most of the Jan shows were booked in Oct or Nov.

Do you do a newsletter? Maybe you could offer an incentive? I'm going to be on vacation next week into the week after, so my first show I could get bookings at is Feb. 17. My first March show is Mar 17, but I want 3 for the 1-15 for the HWC stuff, so I'm going to offer a free new tomato knife to anyone who books off my newsletter for March 1, 3 or 5 AND closes by the 13th (to give me time to get the checks & send the show in). I also have 3 people I need to call for March shows & will probably offer them the same thing if I don't get bites off my newsletter.

 

[gratergirl]

Good idea, thanks! I will offer an incentive.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I have all the bookings I can handle now & I think it is a combo of 3 things I do.
I send the invites (I KNOW they have to initially have to write or email the addresses but, they see that as nothing compared to actually preparing the invites) All my invites get a sticker, (bring a friend get a gift, my label with my info & a label with their show info) so they actually are doing as much work that they would do if I just gave them the stack of invites.

I also do the blank index card sprinked thru the demo I ask them to write down: (DO NOT TELL THEM WHY YOU ARE ASKING)
1. list 5 friends who are not partying with us tonight
2. 5 people not written above who have a kitchen
3 favorite beverage ordered at a restaraunt
4 will they order an appetizer, salad, main dish or dessert
5 which product or collection would they really like to own but can not make the purchase this evening?
6 least busy day of the wek for them?
Before I pass out the PDS I tell them they have the first 10 people on their guest list, we know what we are eating & drinking, what they will earn for FREE, and what day of the wek we'll date their party. (I tell them at the beginning I only work Tues. & Thurs & a few weekends) so sometimes they have to readjust their date to MY calendar.
When I pass out DPS I tell them it will tell me what they want from PC

Save $$ w/PC? they'll host a show
Make $$/ I'll offer you a info packet whn you check out
SPEND $/ write the products you want to purchase when they are on sale.
I have coinsistently done all 3 of these for at least 5-6 years & I am now booking my May!!
Teresa

 

[jenniferknapp]

I also do the blank index card sprinked thru the demo I ask them to write down: (DO NOT TELL THEM WHY YOU ARE ASKING)
1. list 5 friends who are not partying with us tonight
2. 5 people not written above who have a kitchen
3 favorite beverage ordered at a restaraunt
4 will they order an appetizer, salad, main dish or dessert
5 which product or collection would they really like to own but can not make the purchase this evening?
6 least busy day of the wek for them?
Before I pass out the PDS I tell them they have the first 10 people on their guest list, we know what we are eating & drinking, what they will earn for FREE, and what day of the wek we'll date their party. (I tell them at the beginning I only work Tues. & Thurs & a few weekends) so sometimes they have to readjust their date to MY calendar.
When I pass out DPS I tell them it will tell me what they want from PC

Save $$ w/PC? they'll host a show
Make $$/ I'll offer you a info packet whn you check out
SPEND $/ write the products you want to purchase when they are on sale.
I have coinsistently done all 3 of these for at least 5-6 years & I am now booking my May!!
Teresa

This seems like a great idea! Do you do this with repeat customers as well? Have you heard any negative feedback about it? Thanks!

 

[tlmcunning]

I also do the blank index card sprinked thru the demo I ask them to write down: (DO NOT TELL THEM WHY YOU ARE ASKING)
1. list 5 friends who are not partying with us tonight
2. 5 people not written above who have a kitchen
3 favorite beverage ordered at a restaraunt
4 will they order an appetizer, salad, main dish or dessert
5 which product or collection would they really like to own but can not make the purchase this evening?
6 least busy day of the wek for them?
Before I pass out the PDS I tell them they have the first 10 people on their guest list, we know what we are eating & drinking, what they will earn for FREE, and what day of the wek we'll date their party. (I tell them at the beginning I only work Tues. & Thurs & a few weekends) so sometimes they have to readjust their date to MY calendar.
When I pass out DPS I tell them it will tell me what they want from PC

Save $$ w/PC? they'll host a show
Make $$/ I'll offer you a info packet whn you check out
SPEND $/ write the products you want to purchase when they are on sale.
Teresa

I love this idea thank you so much for sharing. I am going to start doing this at my shows.

Tracy

 

[gratergirl]

Yes, thanks a lot! I will definitely use that idea at my shows! You're brilliant!

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I have a lot of repeats and no one ever has complained (or not played along)

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I alos mention early on in the show I take my dishes home dirty. So they don't get in the mindset that I'll be at their home all night if they host a show.
Teresa

 

[gratergirl]

Yes, I take the dishes home and announce that too. I tell them that all that they do is invite the guest....I do the rest! Even my own dishes at MY house!

 

[gilliandanielle]

I love this idea, thanks for sharing!