Kit vs. Mini Kit: Advice Needed for Pampered Chef Consultant Signing Up

[robochick84]

I would like to hear your opinions on the kit vs. the mini kit. I am going to be signing soon as a consultant with PC. I have nearly all the products from the kit. Should I take advantage of the current mini kit offer and then build my kit up with the items that I need most? Or should I purchase the full kit that comes with the carrying case and then I do not need to be worrying about forgetting any of the pieces that are commonly used from my own personal supply?

Thanks,

Ashley

 

[wadesgirl]

I prefer the whole kit beause you have have duplicates that you can already have packed up ready to go. Plus you get more paperwork. It's well worth the deal!

 

[PCGirl77]

I am getting ready to sign up myself and I had the same dilemma. I have many PC items already, but not everything in the regular kit. My idea is to order the kit and if I already have an item, use the new one as a raffle prize.

Ex: I already have a bar pan. I am going to use the new one I get in the kit as a raffle prize. Give away tickets for coming to the party, bringing a friend, placing an order, and hosting a show. Then draw a ticket to give away the prize.

Like I said, I do have a several things in the kit, so I should be able to do several raffles. I’m hoping this will boost my sales.

 

[robochick84]

That's a great idea.

I was thinking that something like the bar pan that I use 3 times a week or so and the batter bowl which is always occupied I may want to keep. Things that I may not use or things that I don't use as much I may not need duplicates of such as the DCB?

What about your tool spinner? Do you all have one in your kit and one in your kitchen, or just you just pick up the one in your kitchen before you head out the door?

Thanks!

 

[Ginger428]

Also the mini kit does not come with anything to carry your products in. Less paperwork (alot less) Also you don't even get the monthly planner!!

 

[NooraK]

My new consultant has a kitchen full of PC and got the full kit so that she can always be ready to go, and doesn't have to raid her kitchen before each show.

 

[chefann]

The mini kit does come with 2 of the reusable shopping bags, but they're not as nice for going to a show as the kit bag.If you can swing the money for the full kit, I recommend that. It has examples of every major collection in the catalog, so that customers can at least see things in real life.

 

[wadesgirl]

I'm telling you having duplicates is not a bad thing. I sometimes have more than 2 of a certain product. I keep my kit packed at all times in the back of my car! No repacking my kit for every show!

 

[babywings76]

When I first signed I was disappointed that I'd end up w/ so many duplicates...now I'm so glad I have them! They really are the basic well-used and loved products, I use them all the time. It's nice to have duplicates so I can have them to take to shows, plus I use the duplicates all the time for my own personal use! I love having 2 bar pans. I make 2 pizzas to feed my family, spread out a lb. of bacon on the 2 of them (they don't have to overlap, cook better, and they aren't swimming in deep grease), etc. I love having 2 large BB's and 2 whisks, etc...(I cook and bake a lot--and hate having to wash things right away to be able to use them for another recipe.) Originally, I thought I'd sell or give away my extras as prizes, but then I got greedy and just kept them for myself!

 

[janetupnorth]

I vote full kit too for you guys. You'll definitely find you want more and the kit is the best priced item in the whole catalog!!!! You'll never get a deal like that again.

 

[outwhit420]

Full kit ALL the way! I have to say that when I started as a consultant, I hated packing up my kitchen to bring to the show, because I use ALL of my products...MOST of the time.

It became a chore to go through and find the ones that I really wanted to bring to a show.

I started to purchase duplicates of things when I would host my own shows JUST so that I can keep my kitchen in order, and also have my show READY TO GO. No more last minute packing. It's great!!!

If you really don't want to keep the duplicates, then go ahead and raffle them off...but since some of them are on the high end....you may want to say that you have a special raffle for guests who order $75 or more in products...that's when the raffles can REALLY boost your show sales...or you can be daring...and make it $100 in products. I would hide the special product under a towel or something to make it more enticing, and don't unveil it until the very end...and if no one places the minimum....then you show them what they lost out on and bring it to the next party!!!

 

[eflage]

I agree, go with the full kit. I had a lot of PC products already and many were duplicates, but it is so nice to not have to raid my kitchen when I get ready for a show.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I've signed 5 consultants since the Mini Kit came out, and only one has chosen the Mini Kit - and that's because she is a former consultant who really did already have everything in the kit, and doubles on some.

I have another potential recruit who is a former consultant who is toying with the mini kit option....


But for most, the Regular Kit is definitely the way to go. It's a much better value - especially if you use the Kit Credit to get it.

My goal, after I became a consultant, was to eventually have doubles on all of my kit products, so that I don't have to raid my kitchen for every show. Really, until I had doubles, what usually happened was that my kit stayed packed, and I used my old, yucky, Non-PC tools in my own kitchen!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I too have only had one consultant use the mini-kit option and she has been disappointed that she doesn't have some of the key products and got less paperwork. Get the regular kit if you can swing it. You will not be sorry!

This person did not have the funds to get the mini kit let alone the full kit so it was the best she could do and used PC$ to get her chopper, etc.

I love that the option is there for people like her and for former consultants. I hope they make it permanent even though not that many people are choosing it.

 

[pamperedpals]

I agree with the full kit. Both of my new consultant's that just signed opted for the full-kit, even though they really only had the funds for the mini. :-} One used her kit credit $40 to buy down the kit, the other, her DH told just get it, because then you will have everything (yeah right)!

 

[Sheila]

I vote the regular kit too.

 

[AJPratt]

Regular kit!!

 

[pampchefsarah]

Well, I think your question has been answered regarding the full vs mini-kit! I just want to put out a warning regarding raffling your duplicates (besides the fact you discover you wish you'd kept them).

This sounds like a great idea now, because it's no extra money out of pocket. But, 6 months from now, when you're host coaching for a show booked off one of your original hosts, and that host mentions how excited she is to see what the 'surprise' is for the raffle, you're going to have to spend money to buy something to raffle off! Just remember, what you do at your shows your future hosts will expect to happen at their shows, too! Unless you follow Outwhit420's advice about only making the raffle available to anyone spending at least $100 (and keeping the value of the product to less than $20 after your discount), you may want to use raffle prizes only at fairs, or just keep the duplicates for yourself.

 

[janetupnorth]

Also, I want to note you guys are describing a drawing. Don't use the word raffle loosely. You need to have a license in most states to conduct a raffle where people buy tickets for the prize.

 

[toenail1103]

I got the Mini-Kit because I already had almost everything, but now I wished I wouldve got the full kit. Because i find myself needing something in the full kit and not having it.

 

[robochick84]

Thanks everyone for all the responses.

I have decided to go with the full kit for a variety of reasons, including the value, the kit bag itself, and the extra paperwork.

If I find that something is still in the box after a while I will add it to my 'prize bag' for hosts, guests, drawings, and booths!

 

[purrbal]

I'm sure many have stated this already but you'll find that having the multiples will benefit you for your house vs kit, it gets old packing up for each show from stuff you use, it is well worth it to have stuff for kitchen and kit.

 

[HeatherB]

Ex: I already have a bar pan. I am going to use the new one I get in the kit as a raffle prize. Give away tickets for coming to the party, bringing a friend, placing an order, and hosting a show. Then draw a ticket to give away the prize.

Like I said, I do have a several things in the kit, so I should be able to do several raffles. I’m hoping this will boost my sales.[/QUOTE]

Raffle Idea for those high priced items: Any one who books a show in Nov or Dec goes into the raffle.

 

[beckyjsmith]

I think your question has already been answered well. As a returning consultant, when I got my full kit the 2nd time around, I used some of those duplicates as gifts for my first 6 hosts. I stated that they were for those first 6 so it was first come, first serve. That way, no one expected a big gift on down the road.
I also love the mini kit for returning consultants, but not for new consultants. Monday night I had a former consultant order the mini kit AT THE SHOW. She had started to spend that amount anyway, and then realized since she had decided to go ahead and re-sign, she might as well log on to my website and order it. That was cool.

 

[Grandmarita]

I vote for the full KIT too. I'm a tight wad, and definitely would not be giving away any
of the KIT duplicates. You can give them as gifts to your family, the holidays are coming up, or perhaps save one for the first hostess who holds a $1,000 party. Like other have stated, guests who see your generosity will expect it to be on-going, and then be very disappointed if you back off. I booked a Creative Memories party off my friend's party, because the consultant was giving away the store. I definitely expected the same at my party but she fell short. So, I speak from experience. I had wondered at the time, how she could keep up that pace. Well, she could not. She ended up just doing Workshops in her home, several times a month.