Last Minute Party Planning: Is Hosting on the 26th Worth the Effort?

[pampered1224]

Any ideas if a last minute party on the 26th will be worth the effort? I finally got Pat to agree to let people int he house who are not related to us! The problem, I really need a February party and thought maybe I would ask neighbors in. But with it being a mere 6 days off, would it work? I plan to go door to door and simply asking.

 

[ChefNelson]

Go for it! I'm doing one on the 25th that I only confirmed this past Saturday! ...You know what they say about booking in close. Get on the phone, e-mail everyone you can think of, spread the word like crazy! ...And have fun! Come up with a great theme/gimmick that'll get people excited to come spend sometime with you this weekend.I'm doing a Stoneware Workshop this Saturday and going to focus on what makes stoneware awesome.Good luck with your party!

 

[pampered1224]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Chicken in the DCB then using that to make BBQ Chicken Pizza in the Large Bar Pan using the Simple Slicer for the onion and maybe the Rotary Grater for the cheese, the BBQ Rub BBQ Sauce Recipe from the 30 minute chicken recipes and a few other things. Also thinking on maybe the Rocky Road Brownie! I also have the Mini Loaf Pan and was thinking of doing Mini Strombolis. I love Italian!

 

[carlajanes]

sounds great john!!!!!! good luck...i know it will be a super show!

 

[ShellBeach]

Hey, the worst they can say is no!
Lately though, I have been running into lots of people who have PC products they love, and they want to see what's new.
So it just might work! Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I will not lecture you on making too many recipes, I will not lecture you on making too many recipes, I will not...LOL

 

[BethCooks4U]

John, a last minute party isn't any different that any other except there's less time to get the invitations mailed. You said neighbors so hand deliver. It sounds like you already know the menu so you are set! Have fun!

 

[ChefNelson]

Yup - sounds like you're ready to do this! And don't forget to throw in a healthy measure or excitement for the new catalog and ask who will be the next person to host the fun get-together to see it!

 

[Becca_in_MD]

Go for it!

 

[pampered1224]

This was a DUH! moment. You are all so great and I should have made this realization sooner but I do not have a party on that day until I make it happen! So I have nothing to loose if no one shows. But I think some will. So that in itself makes it worth it. My goal is at least $300 in sales. So... I may not get people here but i might get some outside orders to help hit that too. My invite - the entire catalog as I have enough to give away. Talk about a hook! I have my invite and will be setting out this afternoon. I have about 30 homes to stop at. I may even wait until after dinner so I have personal contact. Oh and I am doing it as a Mystery Host - with the possibility of a DCB at $34, I am hoping that helps!

 

[pamperedlinda]

I say you should go for it!

 

[scottcooks]

Hand the mini catalogs as an invitation - whets their appetite. Tell them to bring a friend and you'll "give them 20% off any unglazed stones". Give away recipe cards as a 'freebie' gift for all guests and anyone who brings a guest. Call get confirmed RSVP's Be excited and rock it!

 

[Ginger428]

Go for it!!!
You can do it!!! :d

 

[ChefAna]

This was a DUH! moment. You are all so great and I should have made this realization sooner but I do not have a party on that day until I make it happen! So I have nothing to loose if no one shows. But I think some will. So that in itself makes it worth it. My goal is at least $300 in sales. So... I may not get people here but i might get some outside orders to help hit that too. My invite - the entire catalog as I have enough to give away. Talk about a hook! I have my invite and will be setting out this afternoon. I have about 30 homes to stop at. I may even wait until after dinner so I have personal contact. Oh and I am doing it as a Mystery Host - with the possibility of a DCB at $34, I am hoping that helps!

Could you please let me know what your invite says and if you are going to invite neighbours that you haven't met yet? Thanks!

 

[pampered1224]

YOU ARE INVITED TO MY HOME FOR A PAMPERED CHEF PARTY TO RE-LAUNCH MY BUSINESS!

LOOK ON PAGE 27. SEE THE DEEP COVERED BAKERS? THE A AND Bs? $85 price tag?
This is our “Magic Pot”. This is an awesome product and I will show you why!
Then I will be selling TWO, one of each color, for only $34 to two of you!

JOIN ME ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH
AT 2:00 P.M. AT
534 N. 40TH STREET
for food, fun, friends and friends to be!
Take some time, I only talk for about 20 minutes, then visit with neighbors and cook and EAT! 2 hours tops!

Come see what this baker can do! 3 pound chicken in 30 or so minutes, turned into several meals in a few more minutes! And even a rich, decadent dessert in mere minutes!
Then earn chances to win one of those Deep Covered Bakers at 60% off!
Bring a friend, ask questions, give advice, get a chance or two!

I REALLY HOPE TO SEE YOU ON SUNDAY!

Call or e-mail me please by Saturday a.m. so I know how much food I need! I don’t want to send you home hungry!

THANK YOU! Your neighbor, John Watschke
(414)303-5335
E-Mail: [email protected]

So I made contact with 14 people tonight and all said they would let me know for sure by Saturday. I do have 6 yeses at this point though. I have until Sunday at 2 though to find out for sure who is coming even with the RSVP, you know people do not pay attention to that at times. I have a few more going out tomorrow too as I do not know exactly who lives where and I did not want to run into someone I really didn't know at night. Yes, COWARD! But a safe one! Plus I did not want to scare any of the older neighbors either as I went out at about 7:30. Hey, maybe I can get up the courage to go neighborhood stumping? (I mean other neighborhoods!)

 

[wcsis]

I have to say I smiled after reading this post from you when I saw this in your signature line:

"You may never know what results come from your actions... But if you do nothing there will be no result." Mahatma Gandhi

Sometimes we have to remember to acknowledge the things we already tell our own selves day to day.

I hope the 26th show is a huge success for you!

 

[pampered1224]

My biggest problem with doing anything is the fact that I let other people constantly tell me I can't. "Don't let others rent space in your head" - Gary Cox or Coxe - is a wonderful book. If I were to charge rent - I would be a millionaire! I have been taught all my life that 1) You can not to do that, meaning you're to dumb or 2) You will fail at it just because that is what you do.
So... I decided not to listen!

 

[wcsis]

My biggest problem with doing anything is the fact that I let other people constantly tell me I can't. "Don't let others rent space in your head" - Gary Cox or Coxe - is a wonderful book. If I were to charge rent - I would be a millionaire! I have been taught all my life that 1) You can not to do that, meaning you're to dumb or 2) You will fail at it just because that is what you do.
So... I decided not to listen!

Good job on the not listening!!!!!!!!!

I am jumping on the last ditch band wagon with you! I am doing a Mystery Host catalog show which will end on the 28th. All because YOU inspired me to just do it!

Keep me posted on how your 26th show turns out!

 

[pampered1224]

Well 4 people showed up. One couple and two other neighbors. The couple spent $187. I also gave them one of the $34 DCBs. I have one outside order and several more from people who could not make it. So I have $250 in commissionable sales thus far!

 

[wadesgirl]

Well 4 people showed up. One couple and two other neighbors. The couple spent $187. I also gave them one of the $34 DCBs. I have one outside order and several more from people who could not make it. So I have $250 in commissionable sales thus far!

Better than nothing (which is what you would have got out of today!)!!

 

[ChefNelson]

Good for you! My Saturday show had $245 in commissionable sales (with possibly 2 more orders to come), AND $114 in orders for new products to be submitted March 1. Works for me!

 

[pampered1224]

Cool! I too am very happy that it turned out the way it did. I do know that I do NOT have a new host but I definitely have a new customer!!! The couple, Barb and Paul, who spent $187 - well Paul does most of the cooking and he sure loved the some of the new BBQ products! I may decide to do a neighborhood party once every few months. I will say though that as a host, it was a bear getting my house in order! Then to get the food and set up! YIKES! This just means I gotta keep my house cleaner than I usually do. None of this last minute cleaning again for me! Way tooooo hard! Oh I went simplistic. I did three large chicken breasts int he DCB in the microwave flavored with Greek Rub. After it was done I sliced it and had everyone taste apiece so they knew it was done and still moist. We added that to Romain Lettuce with Simple Slicer sliced onion and cucumbers. The add grape tomatoes and feta cheese. A simple vinaigrette of oil, vinegar and Greek Rub. I took a couple of containers of hummus, spread them on the Medium Bamboo platter with Moroccan rub and a touch of olive oil. The the Microwave Rocky Road Brownies! OMG!

 

[pampered1224]

$333.18 thus far and one more order to get this afternoon! I am loving this. Like I said, maybe with better planning, I can do this every so often! Not to mention needing to make sure i keep my house clean! Gives me a much better motivation to concqure all those cob webs on a weekly basis instead of once in a blue moon! I have one of those homes where we have boiler heat and radiators tend to create cob webs. The problem, my wall color. The cobwebs sort of blend in so it is hard to see them so by the time they are noticeable, they are in abundance! Oh well, it would be worth it! I can not complain about $333!

 

[ShellBeach]

Woo hoo! Glad to hear how it turned out!

... Gives me a much better motivation to concqure all those cob webs on a weekly basis instead of once in a blue moon!

LOL, I have not had people over for ages because my kid's got an ugly project spread out in the dining room and spilling into the living room...can't wait until it is finished in a few weeks and I can start having people over again! You're right, it's motivation to keep the house clean! Whether it's for PC or just lounging around in a clean house :balloon:

 

[pchockeymom]

LOL, I have not had people over for ages because my kid's got an ugly project spread out in the dining room and spilling into the living room...can't wait until it is finished in a few weeks and I can start having people over again! You're right, it's motivation to keep the house clean! Whether it's for PC or just lounging around in a clean house :balloon:

Life's too short to worry about a clean house. After all, dust is a country accent!

A friend has a sign on her door that reads:

If you came to see us, you're welcome any time.
If you came to see our house, give us two weeks notice.

 

[Sk8Mom209]

Way to go John.

I had a booth at a 3 day festival last weekend (I do the festival every year) and did pretty good with bookings and recruiting leads, but the biggest surpise this year was the orders I took in the booth. In the 3 days I had $300 worth of orders from the booth and $125 online order and my brand new recruit took 2 orders totaling $350! I have never so many sales at any festival ever!

There is something to be said for the phrase "Just Do It!"

 

[pampered1224]

But now I am POd big time. Why do people not understand that when I say I need to close the show by mid-night on the 29th, I get the "Well, I don't get paid until Friday. I can give you the money then!" My mom of all people! She knows I do not have a job and neither does Pat so I can't pay for her or anyone else's orders to meet this deadline! And two very good friends who know the deadlines are the deadlines! I will NOT be able to close the show TODAY!!!! I am just UGHGHGHGHGHGH!!!! Dang, dang, dang, dang. And I am being so nice here! $125.35 for three orders!!! GEEZ people!

 

[Jennie4PC]

But now I am POd big time. Why do people not understand that when I say I need to close the show by mid-night on the 29th, I get the "Well, I don't get paid until Friday. I can give you the money then!" My mom of all people! She knows I do not have a job and neither does Pat so I can't pay for her or anyone else's orders to meet this deadline! And two very good friends who know the deadlines are the deadlines! I will NOT be able to close the show TODAY!!!! I am just UGHGHGHGHGHGH!!!! Dang, dang, dang, dang. And I am being so nice here! $125.35 for three orders!!! GEEZ people!

I know how you feel. I told my hostess I need to close yesterday and I still havent heard from her. And yes I have tried calling her.

 

[ChefNelson]

I know all too well how that feels. If they're going to pay you cash you could still submit the order and just make sure you get that check in hand on Friday (of course, that's a gamble ... if it was just one order, maybe). Do you have at least $150 in orders paid? Submit that as a show now to at least get what you can for this month and then submit the others on Friday. If they have Feb. specials submit them as Feb, otherwise get to work on rustling up one more order to bring that total to $150 and submit it for March! And, look for a silver lining. I had this happen to me last year in February (I missed earning all of the HWC products because of it), but in the end a few more orders came in before I was able to submit the show and I guess I benefited more from that in the long run.

 

[pampered1224]

Oh if it were that easy. I do NOT use my debit card. I use Pat's credit card which is attached to HIS checking account where I deposit everything. Reason: Without direct deposits every month, I can not open a checking account at any of the banks around here. I do not have a job and no other income except PC. And if I do not have a commission check coming every 4 weeks, I get charged to have a bank account! In order for me to use his credit/bank card, the money has to be there before I submit the party. Well, sweetheart that he is, he covered the amount as it is all coming from friends we both trust to make those payments and my mom. He borrowed from Peter to pay Paul and I have my parties! Yes, I had enough sales to split it into two pieces! $393.38 in guest sales and $379.38 in commissionable sales. Plus two people were very happy! One got a DCB for $34 and the other only wanted a Stoneware Loaf Pan for 60% off. And they both get 10% off for a year. Then I gave a way the $10 in freebies to another guest. Oh and all three booked parties. I have a feeling though that not one of them will actually do it but hey, it is worth a shot! Good example of the commission checks not coming in every 4 weeks - I had a 1400 + party in January. The host got so much to spend that it literally took her two weeks to give me the list. It was not submitted until February 13! This meant that my check on January 8th to the check for February - which comes on March 8 due to another problem, is more than 4 weeks apart. My old bank would have charged me $30 for the month.

 

[ChefNelson]

Well, that is no fun. I do understand your problem though. So glad Pat was able to help you make it work. Now ... Best wishes for a phenomenal March in which you're not trying to close a show before midnight on the last day!

 

[wcsis]

I know how you feel. I told my hostess I need to close yesterday and I still havent heard from her. And yes I have tried calling her.

I have a friend that started doing a catalog show the 1st of Feb. She had collected one order as of the 15th. I called her every weekend to check in with her, see if she needed help sending emails from website etc, etc, etc. I don't think she even looked at the website, the one order sitting on it is one I put in for her niece.

I had several shows scheduled this month but all but 2 canceled, one of which is my friends catalog show. Last couple days she is just not being responsive to my calls or text messages. I told her that I needed to close on Feb 29 by 8pm.

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!!!!!!

So needless to say I only got one show submitted for the month :cry: On the plus side the show was held on the 26th and closed early the 29th. It was $423 in product sales and the host extremely happy with all the products she got! I also have 4 potential shows from it!

Things could be worse, I could have been inactive for Feb....so that is my silver lining.