Letting 'Em Talk: How I Learned to Handle a Chatty Crowd as a New Consultant

[LibrarianChef]

I'm still very new, as a matter of fact, today was my 90th day as a consultant. So tonight was very eye-opening for me. I learned a valuable lesson that will help me tremendously in my future shows. Sorry for the LONG post, but I'm just very curious if others have had similar experiences.

I did a show this evening that was extremely frustrating, initially. There were about 10 gals there, but they were all pretty much best of friends. I had the hardest time getting started. It felt like I was having to yell over the group. So I finally just lowered my voice and started right into my demo--explaining which products I was using and smiling and making eye contact with those few who were listening.

We did two very quick recipes (a pizza and then the cream cheese brownies) all in maybe 45 minutes. Once the host popped the brownies in the oven suddenly all eyes were on me as if I had just shown up. This is when I thanked them for their patience with me as a new consultant and told them that I often forget to share why I became a consultant. I showcased how I enjoy getting "with the girls" and hearing the laughter, finding out who's newly pregnant (we had 3 new pregnant moms tonight), and getting to eat a delicious meal all at the same time. They suddenly were so into my talk (the demo was done) and were smiling and nodding.

After my consultant talk I went right into my host spiel sharing what benefits tonight's host would receive just for hosting a party and I passed around my laminated cardstock cards showcasing the September and October specials. Talk immediately started up again--deafening talk about the upcoming host specials. That's when I knew I had been blessed with my 5 minutes of "quality" talk and they could handle the rest.

Once they started eating the pizza everything became dead silent. Someone made a crack about the silence and I said, "Yeah, I guess I should have waited until everyone had their mouths full before I started talking." They all laughed hysterically and started talking about a previous PC party one or two of them hosted. They said the PC consultant got all snooty (they said p*ssy) with them and would stop what she was doing and just stand there, hands on hips, until they would stop talking (they said her demo for one simple recipe took 2 hours). They seemed very pleased to find a new PC kid in town.

Then things took a swift turn and they began talking about my demo--thanking me for letting them just talk and just doing my thing while they did theirs. They already all love PC and getting out of the house (away from the kids and hubby) was their time to catch up. I think I have at least 3 parties booked from this one and possibly a 4th and 5th. We'll just see. They were frantically talking and trying to plan their parties around one another's plans. It was so cute! :love:

All this to say, I've decided that if I get in a situation like this again where I have my outline and simply can't get a word in without being rude, I'm going to just let 'em talk. It's not my job to teach manners or force them into compliance. They're obviously here to shop AND have fun.

 

[Addie4TLC]

Loved reading this post! Good for you!! I tend to do the same and not get frustrated, because the second you do they will read a lot into that. All of a sudden you're a party pooper and a wet blanket. I try to maintain their attention by asking those that have PC products to talk about them, they will not interrupt their friends. Sometimes they sell it better than can ever hope to without sounding pushy for the sale.

 

[ginamkiely]

Great ideas!! I have my second show coming up next week and I'll definitely keep this in mind! Thanks!

 

[Chef Endora]

Good advice. You handled it very well & it worked out nicely for you.
Congratulations!

 

[DebbieJ]

Awesome! I'm definitely going more and more casual with my shows too and people have more fun! One of my shows last month had four or five guests, I played it very casual, and got three bookings!

 

[chefkristin]

I think my demos have been getting shorter and shorter. LOL!! Especially if its a repeat group that has seen me before. I ask everyone if they have been to a show before and if anyone says no I ask them to get with me after so I can aswer any questions they might have. But mostly I talk about what we are making and tell about me and ask about them. I ask if there is anything that anyone wants me to focus on. Then I tell them about the key points, hosting a show and the business. I think in total my last demo was literally about an hour. They seem to like it better if they don't have to sit forever. I sort of get an idea before I actually start what kind of group they are. My show are NEVER the same.

That is awesome! Keep up the great work!!!!

 

[letscook04]

Sounds like you did a great job!:thumbup: You did the right thing, just keep talking. They are out to have fun!

 

[chefann]

I've heard from several sources (Belinda Ellsworth and other DS speakers) that the #1 reason people book shows is for fun. That usually includes socializing. By letting them socialize, you validated that you were there to meet their needs, and they recognized that. Maybe not consciously, but they obviously had a better opinion of you by the end of the evening than their prior consultant.

Good job!

 

[amy07]

what a fantastic lesson to learn early on!! Congratulations to you for handling it so well, AND for all those bookings. I bet they will all be repeat hosts as well!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

All this to say, I've decided that if I get in a situation like this again where I have my outline and simply can't get a word in without being rude, I'm going to just let 'em talk. It's not my job to teach manners or force them into compliance. They're obviously here to shop AND have fun.

SO TRUE!!! I cringe when I hear people talk about the tactics they use to make people be quiet during a show! I let 'em talk too! I have found that if I am showing them a new technique or teaching them a new trick - they will be quiet. Also, if I have taken some time to chat with them before the show begins, they seem to listen better too - it sorta validates me in their eyes as someone with something to say!

From your post, it sounds like that even when they were talking up a storm, they were talking PC - that's a GOOD thing! When guests are talking about their favorite products - that always increases sales!

 

[cookalison]

I, too, am in agreement with just letting them talk When I first moved to IA last March, my SIL had a party, which was my first one in my new town. There were over 20 people there, she was serving margaritas, and it was NOISY! I could tell some people were looking at me waiting for me to get mad, but I just kept talking and demonstrating and laughing along with them. It ended up being a $1400 show and I got 11 bookings!! This gave me a tremendous jumpstart in a new community! In fact, 2 of my shows this month are still bookings from that first show! Let them do what women do best... TALK and SHOP!! This job is so fun...

 

[tabnat80]

Imagine each of those 10 moms bringing 2 kids apiece. That's what one of my last shows was. Total chaos. The host, a church friend of mine, put me standing infront of the television and never minded to turn it down. So, not only did I have to compete with the gabby moms, squeeling children, but also Elmo blasting his lungs "lalalala lalalala elmo's world". I was so frazzled when I got home. I should have brought my own little boy. He would have fit in just fine. It would have been a blast had I been the one hanging out at the party, but as the consultant, it made me very nervous. I did however get an almost $500 show. So it was worth it.

 

[DebbieJ]

Imagine each of those 10 moms bringing 2 kids apiece. That's what one of my last shows was. Total chaos. The host, a church friend of mine, put me standing infront of the television and never minded to turn it down. So, not only did I have to compete with the gabby moms, squeeling children, but also Elmo blasting his lungs "lalalala lalalala elmo's world". I was so frazzled when I got home. I should have brought my own little boy. He would have fit in just fine. It would have been a blast had I been the one hanging out at the party, but as the consultant, it made me very nervous. I did however get an almost $500 show. So it was worth it.

In those situations, I ask the host to turn the tv off.

 

[katie0128]

Imagine each of those 10 moms bringing 2 kids apiece. That's what one of my last shows was. Total chaos. The host, a church friend of mine, put me standing infront of the television and never minded to turn it down. So, not only did I have to compete with the gabby moms, squeeling children, but also Elmo blasting his lungs "lalalala lalalala elmo's world". I was so frazzled when I got home. I should have brought my own little boy. He would have fit in just fine. It would have been a blast had I been the one hanging out at the party, but as the consultant, it made me very nervous. I did however get an almost $500 show. So it was worth it.

That is pretty much the same as my last show... although I wasn't in front of the t.v., it was on in the next room (loud enough that I felt like I was standing in front of it). I did notice that the "veteran PC-ers" were the ones making the most noise, but those that weren't as familiar with PC were paying attention. So I started talking just to them and ended up with three bookins and two possible recruits from it. Not bad, espeically considering the host was a lead from a Thirty-One Gifts consultant I met at a vendor fair... now guess I should send that other consultant a small "thank you" gift... especially if I get a new recruit out of the whole deal!

 

[LibrarianChef]

SO TRUE!!! I cringe when I hear people talk about the tactics they use to make people be quiet during a show!

Yeah, I was a little embarrassed for the other consultant when they started talking about their past experience. The consultant was an older woman doing this after retirement, if I understand correctly. And they were all just laughing behind her back. As much as I love getting their business, I still feel badly that she was being made fun of and STILL is to this day.

Also, if I have taken some time to chat with them before the show begins, they seem to listen better too - it sorta validates me in their eyes as someone with something to say!

True, true! :love:

From your post, it sounds like that even when they were talking up a storm, they were talking PC - that's a GOOD thing! When guests are talking about their favorite products - that always increases sales!

Well, in the beginning the talk definitely wasn't about PC. Probably the first 45 minutes of the show was catching up with one another. In our town everyone vacations over the summer and it's hard to all get together. But with college about to start back up and the new school year starting, all families have just arrived back in town so this was very much a social party.

Once I passed out the September/October specials pages (printed on cardstock and laminated with hard lamination) THEN began the talk of what all they wanted. They all have wish lists. Some were saying that they already had lined up what they would get at each other's parties, etc.

Imagine each of those 10 moms bringing 2 kids apiece. That's what one of my last shows was. Total chaos. The host, a church friend of mine, put me standing infront of the television and never minded to turn it down. So, not only did I have to compete with the gabby moms, squeeling children, but also Elmo blasting his lungs "lalalala lalalala elmo's world". I was so frazzled when I got home. I should have brought my own little boy. He would have fit in just fine. It would have been a blast had I been the one hanging out at the party, but as the consultant, it made me very nervous. I did however get an almost $500 show. So it was worth it.

First, is it scary that I was singing "lalalala lalalala elmo's world" as I read that in your post? :balloon:

But a $500 show would definitely be worth it. Unfortunately this show didn't do extraordinary. I think it's sitting at $215 with one more day of showing catalogs. But at least there are several other shows coming from it. I just hate it when my hosts don't get a lot of free stuff. I love it when someone throws a show together in a couple days and get over $700 in orders. It's so neat seeing them frantically pick out all of their freebies. KWIM?!