Just Moved/ New Neighborhood... Show?

[breannat]

Okay, this will be lengthy, sorry... So I have recently moved about an hour and a half from where I was living/building my business, so my drives are LONG to get to shows, and I want to start building a customer base near my new home. My neighborhood is brand new, not completely built, and at the maximum about 40 homes are sold/lived in.

My host a few weeks back has a similar situation in her new home, and she invited these people to her show, I was surprised that she had 4 of her new neighbors show up that she had never met before.

Well if my host can do it surely I can right? So I was thinking, I could fill out invitations just as I would for a normal show, but maybe put a little note that says, "I know we haven't met, but we live in the same neighborhood." maybe something like "I'd love to get the chance to meet my new neighbors, please let me know if you can make it". Would that be effective?

Here I guess are my concerns (sorry, I have so many)

1. If I offend someone by marketing in this manner, I don't want them at my doorstep! So maybe the invite can say for address: "RSVP to get address", is that too cold?!

2. Is a recipe demo too formal to meet the new neighbors? Would it be better to do an open house?

3. Are they going to like me less, when they find out I'm the neighbor that wants to meet them, but also want to be their Pampered Chef consultant?

4. Should I keep it just in my development, or branch out a little, maybe the coffee stand girls, or my new bank tellers?

5. I don't know a soul up here to invite that would be a definite attendee, would you come if your new neighbor that you hadn't met invited you to a direct sales party?

If you have ever done this, I would love to hear about your experience. Or if you just plain have input, I would love to know, I want to do it in early February so that I can get some more on my books for later in February because I'm dying to earn the Kitchenaid stand mixer!

Thanks so much for helping!


Breanna

 

[pcchefjane]

I would definitely be upfront with what you are doing. Use the downloadable invitations and write on the "address spot" on the front of your envelope: 'To my New Neighbor'! That way they will know what you are up to. I would also enclose a mini catalog in it. To me, if someone just invited me to an "Open House", I may not plan on coming until just before it ended if at all. Be up front and see how it works. I just listened to Nancy Jo Ryan and she and her team are having great success with the mini-catalogs as invites...doubling their outside orders!

 

[Bluiydangl]

ok I had JUST started PC and moved to a new state, where I knew oh two people that were wives of my husband's co-workers. I had an Open house- I did a demo- but I needed the practice because it was my first show.

I would suggest an open house- but make it clear on the invite you want to meet them and invite them for a fun night learning new recipes, over being their PC consultant. (win friends now to invite their friends and then you will make customers later) maybe offer a "free gift" for bringing a friend. (I usually offer a rub for free) I know it isn't being aggressive, but I wouldn't want to put anyone off, espeically if not many people in the neighborhood know each other- it would be a good meet all of your neighbors event. Then your next event it isn't so much about relationship building- but customer service/ sales. ?? hope it helped!

 

[mscharf]

I agree I would approach it more as a "come meet me/I would like to meet you" Build the relationships, that is so important. Use all PC stuff and make PC recipes, and make it known how much you love pC and how much you would love to be their consultant. Ask for referrals as well, this will help you branch out.

 

[lovetweety]

Ya, I really wish this thread would have happened a week earlier. I am new to my area and really wanted to meet more people in the neighborhood. I decided to do a "PC Shopping Spree". I thought it sounded better than an Open House. I bought the catalog bags from Merrill. I put a mini catalog and flyer in it and put it on every single door. I had 3 people show up out of 100. And they were the 3 neighbors I already knew. I probably would do the bags, mini catalog and flyer the same if I had this to do over again. But I think I would have made the flyer different. Like some people already said, I would have worded it more as "I really want to meet you". Another thing I would have done differently is I might have knocked on the doors and personally handed them the bags. Personal contact means a lot especially if they don't know me. Shoot for all they know I was some stocker who dreamt up this ploy to get them into my house.

Best of luck whatever you decide to do

 

[princessmeshelle]

a few years back before i started PC someone moved to the neighborhood and tried to pull off a meet and greet/ DS party... i didn't go. i didn't know them! i would go the meet-n-greet route. pull out as much PC as possible and try to serve PC recipes. that way, if no one notices the products you will be bound to get compliments on the food! either way, you have a casual way to let people know what you sell, how much you love the products and recipes. oh, and by the way if you ever need anything i would love to help you get it for free. you know like the others said, build a relation ship with neighbors first then turn it in to a business relationship. unless you find that neighborhood who already loves PC!

1. If I offend someone by marketing in this manner, I don't want them at my doorstep! So maybe the invite can say for address: "RSVP to get address", is that too cold?!

i wouldn't worry about it. somehow, i don't see that happening.

2. Is a recipe demo too formal to meet the new neighbors? Would it be better to do an open house?

if you make it a meet-n-greet, yes. but if you were to save one recipe to make "at the last minute" that might not be bad.

3. Are they going to like me less, when they find out I'm the neighbor that wants to meet them, but also want to be their Pampered Chef consultant?

that depends on the person in question, and how you approach it. if you do a show a sales pitch is expected. if it is a meet-n-greet, where you are focusing on meeting people, you might be better do better if you don't push it.

4. Should I keep it just in my development, or branch out a little, maybe the coffee stand girls, or my new bank tellers?

by all means get out there! pamper businesses, leave old catalogs, talk to everyone! i wouldn't want to drive 2 hr round trip for every show! so get out there and make new contacts in your area. you could try to find up coming booths. during the summer look for a farmers market. there are lots of ways to expend your possibilities.

5. I don't know a soul up here to invite that would be a definite attendee, would you come if your new neighbor that you hadn't met invited you to a direct sales party?

no. when you invite people, knock on their door and talk to them! in fact, i forget the name of the CD, but on one of them (from NC i think)one of the speakers told a story about a guy who re-tars driveways. every year they got fliers on their door suggesting they get it done, and hey their drive way needed it, and every year the flier got lost and forgotten about. then one year, a guy took the time to knock on their door and give them the flier personally and spoke to them about it. they didn't say yes right way, but eventually decided to have their driveway, guess who they called? the guy who spoke to them. she said the next week after getting their drive done she was outside and noticed how many driveways were re-tarred. a good majority. she said that was a good reminder to her on how to work the business. so no, i wouldn't come to a party just because i had an invite. but, i would come if i had met them, even briefly, and decided they seemed like someone i wanted to get to know.

i know it was long... sorry... these are just my opinions, i could be wrong.best of luck to you :chef:

 

[beepampered]

I heard on a CD a while back about what someone did when she moved to a new area. She made mini-loaves and wrapped them pretty with a note. She explained that she was new to the area and was really wanting to meet new people and would this person be willing to invite their friends over for a fun night out. She offered a generous incentive and got several bookings.

She walked through the street and knocked on doors on the weekend. Then, she introduced herself and had a gift to give so it made the talking a bit easier. She met her neighbors and got bookings so a double win.

This method would be very labor intensive but more effective than just an invite. If you wanted to just do an invite, I honestly think it would be sincere to have your neighbors over for a meet and greet and then tell them you sell Pampered Chef and ask if they want to know more. I would be more likely to help someone I knew rather than just a new neighbor. Good luck. I think it's great when people think outside the box.....

 

[breannat]

You are all so great! Thanks for the many ideas... I am hoping to do this in the next few weeks, so maybe next time I'll have insight to pass on to all of you!

 

[maassl]

I am thankful for this post. I am going to be moving in a couple of months and think that I am going to try this! breannat - give us an update after you have done it and let us know how it went.

 

[breannat]

I'll be sure to! I'm thinking maybe the 22nd... Thanks!

 

[nonopc]

Wow! I was looking for the exact same thing! I just moved as well and it is also a new development! I know only 3 of the neighbors right now and everyone is moving in so quickly I can't keep up! I will definitely have to set something up for April! I think introducing P.C. with the HWC would be the perfect way to start a relationship with neighbors, show you care as well as wanting to get some contacts!
Any ideas for that one? I know you all will have some! Keep me posted!

 

[Ann F]

I moved 4 1/2 hours away from my home of 24 years in October. Just moved into my new home about 6 weeks ago. I had some invitations printed and mailed them to the ladies at church, the people I work with, my previous landlady, the welcome wagon lady who had invited me to her jewelry party, and my immediate neighbors. Close to 50 mailed out. I'm doing the Mystery Host format that I did back home each year for my past hosts. This time my goal is to create some future hosts! If I can figure out how, I'll download my invitation. I thought it was cute.

 

[Yakmama]

I had a show shortly after I moved to my new neighborhood and I invited all of my neighbors. I was very strait forward about it. I knocked on their doors, introduced myself, and told them about how I was selling Pampered Chef and would love if they could come. I gave them my address and phone number. I had four neighbors come (out of about 10 that I invited), so I was pretty happy. I also invited every single person in my new congregation at church and had about 12 of them show up (even though they didn't know me).