Is It a Good Idea to Show the New Catalog?

[andiphant]

For those of you with experience, this is what I'm wondering... I am doing a cooking show next Saturday and debating whether to show the new catalog (and at what point). My concern is that they will see something in the new catalog that is better than something they were planning on ordering and they will not order that day but instead hold off until September. BUT what if they forget, change their mind, or we lose contact, etc. Then I have lost a sale. Does this happen or am I just being paranoid? Obviously showing the new catalog has its good points such as boosting sales and bookings for the fall months. Guess I am just wondering if it will reduce my Aug sales???

Also is their an ideal time for showing it? At the end maybe? Would you take enough for people to take home or just one as a special preview?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[PamG]

If your August calendar isn't what you want it to be... you should not be pushing Sept. Take a flyer with the retiring/restyling info. on it and show
that. These are my director's words.

I did show my host the mini-catalog then put it in the car so I wasn't tempted to show others. I told the truth I don't have new catalogs yet.

 

[tashareneephillips]

If you already have your August booked, I don't think that it will hurt. I am doing a show this wknd, and a few of the ladies want to book Sept. shows, because I have shown the new book. Also, my host this weekend has already put an order on hold for the host special!!(thank you booking reward!!)

It has done me good to do a little preview!! If you decide to I hope that it works as well for you!

Good Luck.

 

[beepampered]

I have been showing a list of discontinued items and mentioning that we have new and improved items coming out. I've focused more on what will be leaving (summer colors especially) than what we'll be getting; however, I think it's incentive for people to book a Fall show knowing there is something new around the corner....

 

[BethCooks4U]

I tell them at my shows what will be discontinued and what will have a slight increase in price on September 1. At check out I give everyone a mini catalog and STATE that it is a preview of what's new in September. I use the mini catalog as a booking tool.

People want what they can't have and at a lesser price so by telling them what is going away (just to make room for new) they want it and by telling them about the price increase they want it cheaper so it does not hurt sales to share.

I don't give the mini catalog until the end because I don't want them to be disappointed that they can't buy those things today but I do want them to want them and book.

 

[cmdtrgd]

If there is something in our new products that would be perfect for them I say "There is something coming in September that would be perfect for x, but I'm not going to tell you. You have to come to my open house or book a September show. Which one works for you?"

 

[nicolespcshows]

I focus on the discontinued items in Aug, but will take 1 catalog and let them look after they have placed their orders. I can see how this could hurt sales so I decided to wait until the orders were done.

 

[leannvv]

Does someone have a cheat sheet of price increase items and discontinued stuff?

 

[Teri.from.MN]

I have a little different philososophy on this... if I see that my customers are ordering something that is being replaced/restyled, I will show them the new version and invite them to choose which they like best. If they like the new version, then they will be grateful that I gave them the opportunity to make that choice. Even if they don't want to book a show, they will be happy to hear from me on a customer care call later when I offer the new version.

I fear that if someone buys a cutting board, then sees the restyled version and likes it better, they may feel a little bitter that I didn't tell them about it. I have a friend that ordered the old 3-tier stand in February. The consultant (not me - I hadn't started yet) did not tell her there would be a new style. My friend was pretty upset with that consultant because she likes the new style much better and wishes she would have known it was coming out the very next month.

Short-term loss (sale) vs. long-term gain (happy customer!!)

 

[gilliandanielle]

Does someone have a cheat sheet of price increase items and discontinued stuff?

Here are the sheets that I have been using! I have a blurb about my fall sneak peek on the discontinued one, so take that off if you need the sheet!

 

[cmdtrgd]

I have a little different philososophy on this... if I see that my customers are ordering something that is being replaced/restyled, I will show them the new version and invite them to choose which they like best. If they like the new version, then they will be grateful that I gave them the opportunity to make that choice. Even if they don't want to book a show, they will be happy to hear from me on a customer care call later when I offer the new version.

I fear that if someone buys a cutting board, then sees the restyled version and likes it better, they may feel a little bitter that I didn't tell them about it. I have a friend that ordered the old 3-tier stand in February. The consultant (not me - I hadn't started yet) did not tell her there would be a new style. My friend was pretty upset with that consultant because she likes the new style much better and wishes she would have known it was coming out the very next month.

Short-term loss (sale) vs. long-term gain (happy customer!!)

She can return the stand and get the new one...I believe there is a bit of a price difference. We have a one year guarantee on everything we sell...even if they don't like it.

When I said, in the above post, that I wouldn't tell them what the new item is that would benefit them, it was a NEW item, not a restyled item. I have told people that something they want is being restyled and now that I have some of the new products, they can come over to my house to see which one they like best. Or, they can purchase the one now, try out the new one in their show in September and see which works best for them.

 

[its_me_susan]

She can return the stand and get the new one...I believe there is a bit of a price difference. We have a one year guarantee on everything we sell...even if they don't like it.

When I said, in the above post, that I wouldn't tell them what the new item is that would benefit them, it was a NEW item, not a restyled item. I have told people that something they want is being restyled and now that I have some of the new products, they can come over to my house to see which one they like best. Or, they can purchase the one now, try out the new one in their show in September and see which works best for them.

Just make sure it's ok with your hosts - - you will be potentially taking away host benefits from her if you show the new stuff now. Maybe lead them to a different purchase... then tell them they may want to peek at the mini catalog to see if they like the new better - but get that alternative purchase some how and turn the interest in the new products into a booking? You'll give them the mini catalog on their way out - they can change their mind on their own too after the fact.

 

[gilliandanielle]

I keep my lips sealed until my open house. I don't have any cooking shows until then so it won't be hard. If someone did want to buy a USG right now I would probably advise them to wait until my open house. At my open house in Aug. they will still be able to order the USG if they don't like the mandoline, or wait til Sept to get the mandoline. It does somewhat undercut your host, but they want their firends to be happy with their purchase too.

 

[jasonmva]

I have been letting people know that there are some new and improved things coming out, like the knives, but haven't been pushing for those sales yet. However, I did send an email out to everyone I knew with the discontinued items attached in a flyer and let them know that I will be taking orders for those and any other products in the current catalog until the end of this month.