Is It Too Late for My Fall Open House?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The thread centers around the timing and planning of open houses for Pampered Chef consultants, with participants sharing their experiences and thoughts on scheduling and execution.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant is considering hosting an open house next Saturday but is unsure if it's too late in the month.
  • Another participant shares their experience of quickly organizing an open house for the upcoming Sunday, emphasizing that attendees mainly want to see the products.
  • Several participants express that it is not too late for an open house, with one noting that it isn't officially fall yet.
  • One participant mentions having their open house on August 30th and suggests that later in September might be better due to the busy back-to-school period.
  • Another participant reports having 10 RSVPs for their open house scheduled for the 13th and highlights their promotional efforts through a newsletter.
  • One participant discusses their upcoming open house this Saturday, noting a significant number of outside orders and expressing excitement about the event.
  • Another participant is seeking advice on the best day of the week for open houses, considering factors like college football and personal preferences.
  • One participant shares their recent open house experience, detailing the number of guests, sales, and bookings, while expressing a desire for more bookings.
  • Another participant reflects on their own open house turnout and mentions the impact of college football on attendance.
  • One participant suggests that if there are concerns about timing, advertising the event simply as an open house could alleviate those worries.
  • Several participants discuss their successful open houses, sharing details about attendance, sales, and promotional strategies used.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the timing of open houses, with some participants believing it is too late in September while others feel it is still an appropriate time. No clear consensus emerges on the best day of the week for hosting these events.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences and outcomes from their open houses, reflecting a variety of approaches and results without implying any standardized practices.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants looking for insights on scheduling and planning open houses may find the shared experiences and viewpoints beneficial.

babywings76
babywings76
Gold Member
Messages
7,266
I was thinking of doing my open house next Saturday. Do you think I have time to pull it off successfully? I can switch it to the last Sat. in Sept., but am thinking maybe that's too late.
 
I'm doing mine this Sunday...put it together pretty quickly, but I'm not going to panic much because most people just want the chance to see the products and that's my primary focus. :) I don't think the end of the month is too late...
 
heck no! it's not even officially fall yet!!!
 
i had my open house Aug 30th.. I think next year I'll have it later in September.. with school starting I think I choose a very busy time.. go for it, I think your timing is great!
 
Mine is scheduled for the 13th.......form 3-7. I already have about 10 RSVP's and I sent out the invite today! Oh nad I mentioned it in my newsletter.........
 
Mine is this Saturday from 1-4, I have about 20 that RSVP they are coming. I have over $500 in outside orders from people who couldn't make it and the rest were too rude to RSVP ( big big BIG pet peeve of mine)
I am happy with what I have and am looking forward to Saturday, hopefully all that said Yes will show ( another pet peeve, people who say yes, then don't show and don't call to tell you)
Good luck with yours!! Good luck everyone who is having one!! :)
 
What do you all think is the best day of the week for open houses? I don't want to do Saturday - because we are big college football fans, and I know a lot of people that we would invite are too. I don't generally like to do things on a Sunday - but do you think that would be a good day? Maybe late afternoon like from 3-5 or something? What about a Monday? I've had these in the past - but I always feel like I could have done it on a better day. Right now I'm considering either Sunday the 21st of September, or Monday the 22nd. I don't want to do it too late for fear that I wouldn't get shows for early October. What do you think? Thanks!
 
I had my open house today. I invited about 200 guests. I had 17 guests at the open house and 7 outside orders. My sales are at $762 right now. I'm expecting about 3 more orders. I did get one booking and may be getting two more. Hoping it would get my business in gear for the fall. I am happy with the sales, but I would have loved a few more bookings.

Lisa
 
LisaMeehan said:
I had my open house today. I invited about 200 guests. I had 17 guests at the open house and 7 outside orders. My sales are at $762 right now. I'm expecting about 3 more orders. I did get one booking and may be getting two more. Hoping it would get my business in gear for the fall. I am happy with the sales, but I would have loved a few more bookings.

Lisa
Click to expand...
Not bad! Good work.

I'm having my own show on November 13. I'm not calling it a "fall" anything and I'm not having an open house. It's going to be a regular show. I'm planning to do a mystery host show, too, and the night of my show will be the night for the hosts to have their orders to me. Then I'll let everyone know who will win what.
 
hmolah said:
What do you all think is the best day of the week for open houses? I don't want to do Saturday - because we are big college football fans, and I know a lot of people that we would invite are too. I don't generally like to do things on a Sunday - but do you think that would be a good day? Maybe late afternoon like from 3-5 or something? What about a Monday? I've had these in the past - but I always feel like I could have done it on a better day. Right now I'm considering either Sunday the 21st of September, or Monday the 22nd. I don't want to do it too late for fear that I wouldn't get shows for early October. What do you think? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I actually called about half a dozen people who I knew would be honest, and gave them a choice between Saturday, Sunday or a weekday. Five out of six preferred NOT to do it on a weekday because between work, school, etc. they said they'd forget to come or wouldn't be able to work it out in their schedule. Four out of six said they'd prefer a Sunday over a Saturday, one said they'd prefer a Saturday over a Sunday, and one said either would work just fine. I held an open house in January on a Sunday from 1 to 5, so that anyone who goes to a church service, etc. would have time to attend that and then have lunch with family, whatever they usually do on Sundays, then still be able to stop in.

Bottom line is to do what works for you...this was just based on my personal experience (and my very small survey of customers...not a "reliable" method across the board but it worked for me!
 
LisaMeehan said:
I had my open house today. I invited about 200 guests. I had 17 guests at the open house and 7 outside orders. My sales are at $762 right now. I'm expecting about 3 more orders. I did get one booking and may be getting two more. Hoping it would get my business in gear for the fall. I am happy with the sales, but I would have loved a few more bookings.

Lisa
Click to expand...
wow Lisa 17 out of 200 people is great.. I had mine today also but forgot that college football started today.
Out of 50, 2 RSVP and 9 maybes, well only 2 showed up. 1 on time and the other at 5 (which was fine, I knew she would be late)

I did manage to get 2 bookings and a possible fundraiser. (show ended up just under 300.00)
 
merego said:
Mine is this Saturday from 1-4, I have about 20 that RSVP they are coming. I have over $500 in outside orders from people who couldn't make it and the rest were too rude to RSVP ( big big BIG pet peeve of mine)
I am happy with what I have and am looking forward to Saturday, hopefully all that said Yes will show ( another pet peeve, people who say yes, then don't show and don't call to tell you)
Good luck with yours!! Good luck everyone who is having one!! :)
Click to expand...

Great turnout Meridth. Do you happen to have a copy of the invitation / announcement you used? I am new at this and can use all of the help I can get. I have never had an open house (and finally realize I am affraid of failing). Any suggestions?
 
I don't think it is too late AT ALL! If you are worried about a Fall/Winter Kick-off being too late into September - then just advertise it as an Open House!

I am STILL trying to nail down a date to do mine my kickoff open house :(
 
christiepchef said:
Great turnout Meridth. Do you happen to have a copy of the invitation / announcement you used? I am new at this and can use all of the help I can get. I have never had an open house (and finally realize I am affraid of failing). Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I will send you the one I used. :)
I had 22 people show up and have over $1600 in sales right now. I am soo excited :):sing::sing:
 
  • Thread starter
  • #15
I decided to do my open house the last Saturday of Sept.

Meredith, can you post it here? I'd love to see it. Congrats on such a successful open house! :)
 
Good Luck Amanda.

Do you have a planned outline for what you are going to do????
 
merego said:
I will send you the one I used. :)
I had 22 people show up and have over $1600 in sales right now. I am soo excited :):sing::sing:
Click to expand...

Yes, I did get it off the files section here and modified. I tried to attacth earlier and it "failed" :( I will try again
 
let's try this again. You can modify however it will work for you.
I also sent how to order online if you could not make the show, that brought in TONS of outside orders for me.
What I ended up doing was drawing 1 person for the host credit
4 for the 1/2 off items and 1 for 60% off and 1 for the 30% off.
My party was over $1600 so the mystery host got over $300 in free stuff.

My free gift was a new Seasons Best
I also did a drawing every 30 minutes and gave away prizes ( stuff I got in the surprise boxes at conference and a few newer items) People loved that!!

Let me know if you have any questions. I got most of my ideas from Laverne AKA: pampereddor

 

Attachments

How did you send the mystery host online ordering. By e-mail?
 
I have always just emailed most of them - and hand delivered a few (kept them in my purse/vehicle).

I personally didn't like setting up the Mystery Host online cuz it was too confusing. Some people placed an individual order instead of typing in Mystery Host as the Host Name.
 
I sent via e-mail and handed them out with my invites to my neighbor and mailed them too.
I, luckily had no confusion with my ordering and everyone typed in mystery host and it worked fine. If people could just follow directions, right Jenna?? :)
 
erinyourpclady said:
Mine is scheduled for the 13th.......form 3-7. I already have about 10 RSVP's and I sent out the invite today! Oh nad I mentioned it in my newsletter.........
Click to expand...

I am curious to know how your open house when this weekend.
 
I did a Fall Open House last night and it was fantastic I had almost $800 in sales...still waiting on a few outside orders.
Go for it!!:)
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it too late to plan my Fall Open House?

No, it's not too late! While many consultants start planning their Fall Open House events earlier in the season, you can still host a successful event. Even if it's later in the fall, you can attract guests by promoting seasonal recipes and holiday gift ideas.

What are some last-minute tips for hosting a Fall Open House?

Focus on quick and easy recipes that showcase your products. Use social media and email to invite guests, and consider offering incentives like discounts or giveaways to encourage attendance. Make sure to create an inviting atmosphere with seasonal decorations.

How can I promote my Fall Open House on short notice?

Utilize social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to create event pages and share posts. Send out a quick email blast to your customer list, and consider reaching out to friends and family for word-of-mouth promotion. Flyers in local community centers or coffee shops can also help spread the word.

What if I don't have enough time to prepare for a large event?

If time is limited, consider hosting a smaller, more intimate gathering. You can invite a select group of loyal customers or friends to create a cozy atmosphere. This allows for more personal interaction and can still lead to sales and bookings.

Can I still offer promotions or discounts during a late Fall Open House?

Absolutely! Offering promotions or discounts can be a great way to entice guests to attend and make purchases. Consider seasonal discounts or bundle deals on popular items to encourage sales during your event.

You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar Pampered Chef Threads

Customer Care? When Is Too Late?
  • kcmckay
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
4
Views
1K
Wildfire
Fall Fest Vs. Christmas Open House
  • pampered2007
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
2
Replies
31
Views
6K
Pamperedpartygirl
Fall Open House Failure: The Disappointing Reality of an Empty Event
  • CABean03
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
2
Replies
33
Views
5K
NooraK
Planning an Open House: Tips & Ideas for a Fun Event!
  • JennyJennJen
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
6
Views
3K
ChefHeidiD
Should I Cancel My Fall Open House (Again) Due to Hurricane Threat?
  • gingertannery
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
14
Views
2K
gingertannery
Southern Living at Home: Combining Parties for a Successful Fall Open House
  • JennLizFran
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
6
Views
2K
pamperedlinda
Pampered Chef Open House: Quick and Easy Demo on Busy Street | 2-4PM Schedule
  • Symara
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
4
Views
1K
Symara
Open House Tonight, Should I Do the Ticket Game for Bookings?
  • thehaleykitchen
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
7
Views
2K
Shell Northway
Fall Product Launch: Tips and Ideas for a Successful Open House
  • PChefPEI
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
11
Views
2K
PChefPEI
How Often Is Too Often for Open Houses?
  • chefbritt
    • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
12
Views
2K
ChefBeckyD
Back
Top