Leaving the Show Before Customers

[melaniepc]

I am having a show for my friend tomorrow night and I mentioned that I wanted to park on the street so I dont get blocked in and she about had a heart attack. She was saying she thought I would be the last to leave and dont I stay until at least 9? ( her party starts at 7) and I was like, well no.. I dont think so. at my second show the girls were taking FOREVER, eating and chatting and I didnt get out of there until after 9:30 so there has to be a way to politely get out of there earlier or do we have to stay later?

 

[DebbieJ]

I always have that in mind when I park. Although my job is fun and "a party" it doesn't mean I stay all night. This is usually not something I discuss with my hostess. When I'm all packed up I just say "well I'll let you girls enjoy the rest of your evening...I'm all set...thanks again..." You get the idea. That said, I'm usually never out before 9:30 at a 7 p.m. show anyway. I don't think you need to talk times with her--just go with the flow.

 

[melaniepc]

well this is a friend of mine, that is why we are talking about times. see, I dont normally do shows during the week.. as I have to get a sitter and they want to be home around 9:30 so I always try to get home as soon as possible.. but she wanted a thursday show so I did it. most people seem to want friday nights. I have every friday booked in sept. for those nights I dont worry so much about the time

 

[thecougchef]

well this is a friend of mine, that is why we are talking about times. see, I dont normally do shows during the week.. as I have to get a sitter and they want to be home around 9:30 so I always try to get home as soon as possible.. but she wanted a thursday show so I did it. most people seem to want friday nights. I have every friday booked in sept. for those nights I dont worry so much about the time

congratulations :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[melaniepc]

thank you!!

 

[DebbieJ]

Well, if it's your friend then it's not out of the ordinary for her to expect you to stay and chat with her and anyone else who might be there. If you are worried about getting home to relieve the sitter, just tell her. Be honest.And in the future, control your calendar. Don't book days you don't want to.

 

[jrstephens]

I leave most all of my shows before all the guest are gone. I do not mention it up front either. I always try to park where I will be able to get out. I TRY to start my shows at 6 and i am usually leaving between 800 and 830 at the latest. I prefer to be gone by 8.

 

[melaniepc]

like I said... I am not going to do any days but friday, sat and sunday from now on. This was a show I booked a month back when I was trying to get things rolling. it wasnt really that big of a deal, I just was asking for suggestions on how to get things rolling when you have a party that they arent looking at books , ordering etc.

I do have control of my calendar, my whole sept is booked the way I want it .

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Be sure when you do the host coaching that you are specific about when you are going to arrive, start your intro, demo, game, food, orders, and then you leave by XXX time. That way they will all know and shouldn't have a problem with it. The way I see it, the party is not about us, it's about the hosts getting together with their friends, family, neighbors and co-workers for an evening of fellowship and good food.
After the demo is done and the orders are taken there is no need to stay. WE do have a life! ha ha ha
Although when it's a good friend I usually stay because I personally know them and the guests.

Debbie

 

[JAE]

When you start out your show, you can say something about how you want to show the guests how a recipe can be prepared and served in no time and that you'll be done and gone by 9:00 pm. I wouldn't think your friend's friends will want to be there very late on a week night. That's not abnormal. Just explain to your friend what you explained to us, that your babysitter needs to get home.

 

[kspry]

Good point - tell the guests, as well as your hostess friend, that the sitter needs to get home on a school night.

 

[kam]

I would love to be able to control things better and get out at a decent time!!

Tonight my show started late (6:15) but I was done by 7:30! Yea! It is a work night so I thought for sure I would be home by 8:30.

Well, as the guests were deciding their orders and eating, I was starting to clean up. Then one guest was ready so I totalled up the order. Another guest was thinking about hosting, so we discussed that for a few minutes.

Then another whole crew arrived!! I couldn't get orders from anyone since new guests arrived and there was so much going on. I also couldn't continue cleaning up as everyone was in the kitchen and it was impossible to clean up with everyone in there!

Then, my host wanted to close her show tonight, so as I was trying to do that with her, another guest kept talking to her!

Not a problem, I want everyone to have a good time - but I would have loved to get out of there before 9:30!!!

 

[buckeyefan08]

This is a problem for me too!
I want to try to get home at a decent hour but the guests are all hanging out talking. I usually clean up and when I'm done I will tell everyone that I'm ready when they are. It doesn't usually work. It seems like if I can get one person to finish their order they start to follow suit. I'm just glad to hear the all of you park where you can get out. I always wondered what the "rule" for this was. I don't want to be rude.

 

[tabnat80]

Jennifer, can you tell me just how exactly you are able to do this? I start at 6 and never get out before 9:30. I would love to be done by 8. Also, do you take a lot of items to your shows? I am trying to cut back but still seems to bring the whole kitchen

I leave most all of my shows before all the guest are gone. I do not mention it up front either. I always try to park where I will be able to get out. I TRY to start my shows at 6 and i am usually leaving between 800 and 830 at the latest. I prefer to be gone by 8.

 

[PamperedK]

Here's what I say during my close. "If you would like to place an order or if you have questions about hosting a show or the business opportunity, I will be here for another 30 minutes to help you out. I'm just going to take a few minutes to tidy up in the kitchen so if you need me, just shout."

Something of that effect so they know they only have 30 minutes to do their ordering. I've never had a show where people were too busy talking to order. If I did, I would just walk into the room and start asking people if they need help finding anything in the book, do you have questions about anything, are you ready to order now? etc... It's your business - take control!

 

[melaniepc]

I love all the suggestions. you girls have helped me out with wording. exactly what I needed. Thanks so much. last night went awesome .. I didnt have to say anything and they all moved along and ordered pretty quickly. Everyone was out by 8:45 and I was out a few minutes later ( I had started packing up while the last girl was doing her order)

thanks everyone

 

[Kitchen2u]

LOL ~ I'm like....I guess I love partying with my hosts/guests...I'm there all night! Not really, but I do stay after I pack up...I love chatting with them! That's probably why I have LOTS of new friends via PC. I do hear, "you're not like other consultants...they're usually do the demo, take the orders and they're out of here!" I have LOTS of repeat hosts because I've made a relationship with them...I get invited to weddings, showers, birthdays, kids BDs ~ I just LOVE partying! LOL

 

[pampered.chris]

There are only a few occassions that I out of there before the guests leave.
Most 90% of my shows are weeknights. I work full-time as well but the weekend is our family time. My BF's day job is actually and evening job so we don't see each other at all Monday through Thursday (he works 4 10hour day/nights) and so the weekend is our time. I can say since I have stopped doing weekend shows, I have seen a BIG difference in leaving when the guests do or right after them, but still at a decent hour. On weeknights everyone usually wants to get home and if I have to leave before they all do, no one is upset. But if it is a good friend, I would probably stay to hang out with them. I agree with Ginny, if you stay and make friends you will see great rewards in your life, new friends, bookings, etc.
I don't expect to be out of there with in 2 hours though. I always try to book the shows to start at 5:30 to 6:30 at the latest so that everyone can leave at a decent hour.

 

[melaniepc]

well unfortunately, my husband travels all week so I dont have a hubby at home to be with the kids. That is why I decided to take this opportunity because i can set my own schedule and I have to say, friday nights have been a huge hit.. I had 14 at the last show I did and the two that booked wanted friday night. its working for me but I can see where working during the week works better for others. but thats what this business is all about. making it work the way you want it to and it seems to be

 

[Pam Duncan]

I have to agree with Ginny. I do try to get out when the show is over and the last guest has checked out and I get cleaned up, but I want to have a relationship with my hosts where they will become repeat customers. I had a show in February of this year and the show started at 5:30p.m. My hubby was calling me at 11pm to see if I was okay. I ended up leaving around 11:30.m. I usually don't like staying out that long (I had to also get gas and where can you find it after 11p.m.?) But I got 4 bookings in my calendar from that show and she said that she will book again in 1 year with me. I like making relationships/friendships with my hosts. DebbieSAChef said it the best, "it's not about us, but about our hosts and her getting together with her friends".

 

[BethCooks4U]

I am often the last one out too. Some hosts are concerned about how late it will go so I tell them that for parties that start at 7 I am almost always on my way home by 9 or 9:30 at the latest and that more often than not I am the last to leave. Most are quite relieved by that. They don't want it to go really late - in fact I have had more and more hosts book to start at 6:30 and even a few at 6 so that the night will end earlier.

Weekend evening parties tend to go later because people expect it to be a night out while during the week they're stopping by and need to get to bed for work the next day or have other weekday obligations.