• Join Chef Success Today! Get support for your Pampered Chef business today! Increase your sales right now! Download 1000s of files and images, view thousands of Pampered Chef support threads! Totally Free!

Struggling with Parties and Sales? Any Advice?

In summary, to improve sales at parties, present products in a fun and engaging way, offer incentives, and follow up with guests. If guests are rude or uninterested, remain professional and redirect the conversation. Have a backup plan for unexpected challenges and stay positive. If no sales are made, focus on building relationships and follow up with potential customers. Success with Pampered Chef takes time and effort, and it's important to learn from experiences and seek support from others.
gusto1100
4
Hi everyone! My name is Becca and I just signed up the end of January. Last week was my first party and it was HORRIBLE! The guests were 1 hour late, the power went out 10 minutes into my demo - just as I was putting the pizza in the oven. Out of 25 guests there were only 7 real potential buyers. Some of the guests were rude, stating that they don't eat "fake" food (I made the turtle skillet cake). When the power finally came back on - an hour later, thsmoke alarms went off sending the dog into a barking frenzy! Last nigt was my second party which I thought went well - I got 1 booking but 0 sales - they said they would take the catalogs home and call me. I am starting to think I should do my 4 parties and be done with it, but I really do love this and am addicted to the products. Any advice?
 
Don't quit!Oh we all have horror stories when it comes to SHOWS GONE BAD, it should be a PC show for consultants!! It happens and sometimes it can be discouraging and frustrating, but we must remember why we started our business to begin with.
I know for me I home school and this extra income helps with curriculum, field trips, occasional eating out, and gifts for my hubby. I love the products too and earning them FREE or discounted is a reward in itself. It's also my oasis from home where I get to go have fun, cook, and sell my products at shows away from my hubby and four kids a few times a month. It's great.
If you really know why you are doing this, even if it is just for FREE stuff, then don't quit! Stay strong and keep your chin up. It does get better and the shows that end up being very successful will help you forget about the bad ones.
Good luck! And remember you always have us to listen to your questions, comments or complains. We're like a PC family!!
Debbie
 
It can be tough sometimes........but just hang in there. With any Company you will have your ups and downs. I have sold Avon and Mary Kay, but Pampered Chef has by far been the easiest to get sales and bookings. I have my good shows and my bad. When I first started out, all my shows were averaging around $500, so when I had my first one that wasn't even $150, I was in shock. I had a show Sunday night that didn't go at all as I had expected. The hostess had won a "free show" (I provided food and drinks) and she was very excited. She invited over 40 people and had 18 confirmed coming and over $100 in outside orders. I just knew this was going to be my first $1000 show. I wanted everything to be special, so I made 4 recipes!! I made two up ahead of time and demo'd two. Well, only 9 people showed up, and three of them didn't even order! Her show barely made it to $300. I was so bummed. I could only get one person to even order $50 to get the free cutting board. It was a huge let down. Then my cousin had a show Tuesday night. Her last show was a disaster (only her Mother came) so I didn't expect this one to be much better. She ended up with 6 guests (3 I had never met before), over $300 in sales, 1 booking and 1 "maybe" booking. Plus, she is still waiting on two outside orders, so it could even end up being a $400 show! You just never know what will happen, but just keep your chin up and always try to do your best every time. Even if someone doesn't order that night, they remember you down the road sometime when they do want something!
 
keep at it!Dont' give up! Give it at least 6 months is the golden rule I told myself with any home business! I tried Avon and hated it for 6 months but at least I tried!
PC has been an amazing experience for me! I thought I would be horrible at it but went for it anyways! Well almost 4 months later I am loving it! Even with bad shows (rude or un attentive guests or low sales) you just keep pluggin away and you will have great shows along the way and some disappointing ones too! I just had one last weekend! I had to postpone a Bunco show from Jan and was expecting 16 girls to order. Well only 10 showed up and only 2 ordered! :( But hopefully with outside orders it will at least qualify! Ya win some and ya lose some I guess!

Keep your chin up and it will get better and easier as we become seasoned! ;)
 
Bunco party?How would you do this kind of show? I'm looking at adding theme shows but haven't heard of this one.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #6
thanks for your encouragement.Thanks to you all for your encouragement. I have 2 shows booked for this weekend and can only believe that things will get better. It's nice to see how supportive everyone is.
Thanks again,
Becca
 
bunco show
MicheleC said:
How would you do this kind of show? I'm looking at adding theme shows but haven't heard of this one.

It's not really an exclusive "show" for PC. It's in conjunction with a group who play bunco on a regular basis. I have several freinds (I myself included) who belong to a bunco group who play once a month. This one was for my cousins group and she wanted to have it at her bunco party that month. Since it's their game night to play I didn't have time to do a demo. I simply made the recipes before hand and they ate while I went over the specials and all that PC has to offer.
It's really to bad I had to cancel from the month before because apparently there were 16 girls there expecting me when usually the group has 12 per game. And the month I did it only 10 showed and most were subs so they did not know I was coming: therefore hardly no sales! :(

On a positive note, I got 1 recruiting and 1 booking lead! :)

Good luck if you do one! Do a search for "bunco" and you will find more info about the actual game itself.
 
No, it's not always this bad...First, congrats on your first show...you will never have another first show again and the first is always the hardest. There will be some shows that are really rough, usually your first shows, but it does get easier and it does get better I promise. I think that I did $1250 in sales for my first 6 shows, they were horrible. After those first 6 it got much better and I ended up hitting $15k in career sales and getting Future Director within my first 9 months. Then, I moved my business and my sales slipped but I am getting back up there again. Have faith and confidence in yourself, stay consistent by host coaching well and taking care of the customers, and it will get much better.
 
No! Dont give up! Use your first 3 months to get the hang of it. We all have nightmare shows. Last week I had an apartment warming party for my husband cousin. She is getting her first apartment and needs everything!! I mean everything. There wasnt a kitchen sink because the pipes hadnt been put in yet! :eek: The bathroom worked Thank God! The stove was there but not hooked up and no fridge yet. We did the California roll wrap so it didnt have to be baked, but still. Add all ofd these togethor the lightswere flickering because power was going on and off for the past 24 =36 hours in our area. When I left she had over $350 in sales we were supposed to close yesterday, but she is STILL getting orders I havent even added all the orders up yet. I cant wait. Good luck to you.
 
  • #10
Oh! I forgot to add I also had 2 bookings!!
 
  • #11
Becca, I definitely feel your pain! I just had my first show tonight and what a bummer. It was supposed to be awesome, my host (my neighbor) and I busted our tails passing out invites and calling people and I host coached like no other and had prizes, the whole sha-bang. Of course, it decided to sleet and snow and rain all at once and so the only people there tonight were myself, my host and my recruiter. I understood because of the weather, but no one RSVPed either. I also had my aunt cancel the show she was supposed to do for me tomorrow night last minute so that added to my frustration. I easily could have said forget it! However, (the eternal optimist that I am) I choose to look at the bright side...my first show was comfortable, among friends, my recruiter was there to "guide" me and help me get through it smoothly and we had fun talking and eating all the food I made! I have a huge boost of enthusiasm and confidence now. I can't wait for my next show and I think my aunt will eventually re-schedule so things aren't all bad. In your case, I would say that its something you can look back on and (hopefully) laugh about. What a story! Also you are definitely doing something right if you have 25 guests at your first show! Don't let hurtful words get to you. Some people are just plain mean. I would just say something like (in a sickeningly sweet way), "You know these products are wonderful for making 'real' food too!" I've learned to always reply in the positive because it always makes you feel better and usually makes people like that, feel a little like crawling under the table. I hope things go well for you and you stick with it!!

~Kristen
 
Last edited:
  • #12
I know this doesn't really help your situation, but I just have to ask, what in the world did they mean by "fake food???" It was chocolate for goodness sake! What were they talking about?
 
  • #13
I think by fake they probably meant "un-healthy". My mom was into all that whole some cooking when we were growing up but I'm with you, chocolate comes from a cocoa bean, its grown like lots of other foods...hello, it tastes good too...what was their deal? Like I said Becca, brush it off, if they have a conscience at all they will be sweating it a lot more that you right now for being mean!

~Kristen
 
  • #14
Hang In ThereDon't quit. I just started my sencond month with PC. My first month went pretty good but now May has not been very good. I only have 1 show this month. My Aunt was going to have a catalog show but canceled at the last month and told me she hurt her leg and she hasn't been able to sell anything. That was a bummer, but she did say she would have one some other time. I hosted my first show so I was excited and sent out about 30-40 invitations. I only had three people show up and they hadn't seen each other in awhile so they did a lot of talking. My second show was at my sister's and I spilt powdered sugar all over the table and some on her floor but she had an $800.00 show so that was good. My next show is with a friend and so I hope it goes better. Just hang in there and it will get better and as for people beng sarcastic don't listen to them. I am only 5"0 tall and my name is April so I get a lot of short jokes and a lot of what month is it jokes. You learn to just deal with the negative things people have to say and be positive yourself.
 

1. How can I improve my sales at parties?

First, make sure you are presenting the products in a fun and engaging way. Encourage guests to try the products and share their thoughts. Additionally, offer incentives such as discounts or free products for guests who book a party or make a purchase. Finally, follow up with guests after the party to remind them of any special offers and thank them for attending.

2. What should I do if guests are rude or uninterested in the products?

Remain professional and positive. Don't take their comments personally and try to redirect the conversation to focus on the benefits and features of the products. If a guest is particularly rude, it's okay to politely ask them to refrain from negative comments or to move on to the next guest.

3. How can I handle unexpected challenges like power outages during a party?

Always have a backup plan in case of unexpected challenges. For example, have alternative recipes that don't require electricity or bring battery-powered appliances. If possible, try to keep guests entertained or engaged during the downtime. And don't forget to stay calm and maintain a positive attitude.

4. What should I do if I don't make any sales at a party?

Don't get discouraged. Remember that the ultimate goal of a party is to book future parties and gain potential customers. Focus on building relationships with guests and collecting their contact information. Follow up with them after the party to offer special deals and remind them of the products they were interested in.

5. Should I continue with Pampered Chef if my first few parties haven't been successful?

It's up to you to decide if Pampered Chef is the right fit for you. However, keep in mind that success takes time and effort. Don't give up after a few unsuccessful parties. Instead, learn from your experiences and continue to improve your skills and strategies. Also, don't be afraid to reach out to your upline or other consultants for advice and support.

Similar Pampered Chef Threads

  • jenboswood
  • Pampered Chef Support Group
Replies
19
Views
1K
jenboswood
  • Dotty
  • Pampered Chef Support Group
Replies
6
Views
984
RMDave
  • Jillb
  • Pampered Chef Support Group
Replies
5
Views
1K
doughmama
  • rchamelin
  • Pampered Chef Support Group
Replies
5
Views
1K
rchamelin
  • Careyann
  • Pampered Chef Support Group
Replies
1
Views
1K
Jolie_Paradoxe
  • MaryannNic
  • Pampered Chef Sales
Replies
2
Views
2K
Admin Greg
  • pcsharon1
  • Pampered Chef Support Group
Replies
11
Views
1K
pamperedbecky
  • saisei
  • Pampered Chef Support Group
Replies
7
Views
1K
saisei
  • chef tso
  • General Chat
Replies
9
Views
1K
sandilou
  • cheflorraine
  • Pampered Chef Bookings
Replies
15
Views
2K
Ginger428
Back
Top