Maximizing Bookings: Tips for Increasing Show Bookings Effortlessly

[chefmoseley]

I need some tips please I am doing well getting bookings from fairs, CCC, and just general everyday interactions. I want to get better at getting bookings from my shows so that I don't have to 'work as hard' to have a 'full' calendar. I have had 3 shows for Sept and 2 for August with no future bookings. I get a lot of 'keep me on your list and I'll think about hosting in the future'.

Thanks

 

[vogee13]

bumping... I too could use some tips!

 

[mrssyvo]

I have been using Belinda Elsworth's booking talk, actually, it is a 3-parter, used throughout the show, and I have been getting pretty good results. You need to memorize it though, and make it sound like you, but it is great- It makes them realize they would be crazy not to take advantage of the hostess benefits. It is more what it will do for them, not you !!! I have attached her notes here- I hope they help. I have found that with a good booking talk, and a full calendar, it is easier to keep it full- If you are desperate for bookings, it comes across in your booking talk, and it defeats the purpose. So, if you do not have a full calendar, fake it.

 

[raebates]

These suggestions aren't necessarily new ideas, but . . . Make sure your shows are fun. (I'm not assuming yours aren't. It's just that this is one of the most important factors.)Have your host sell it for you. I actually stop in the middle of my show to ask the host why she decided to host a show. Here are some standard answers:

• I wanted to get stuff free [or cheap]
• I wanted the [host special]
• I wanted to show off my new house [or kitchen, or deck, . . .]

(BTW, make sure she tells everyone how easy you made it for her. I think that's part of why I have a good track record with bookings at shows.)Ask everyone. Seriously. I tell everyone that I will ask every single one of them because, "I'm afraid if I leave someone out they'll think I don't like them or think they' won't make a good host."

 

[Hathery]

I have been using Belinda Elsworth's booking talk, actually, it is a 3-parter, used throughout the show, and I have been getting pretty good results. You need to memorize it though, and make it sound like you, but it is great- It makes them realize they would be crazy not to take advantage of the hostess benefits. It is more what it will do for them, not you !!! I have attached her notes here- I hope they help. I have found that with a good booking talk, and a full calendar, it is easier to keep it full- If you are desperate for bookings, it comes across in your booking talk, and it defeats the purpose. So, if you do not have a full calendar, fake it.

Thanks for sharing that!!

 

[mrssyvo]

you are very welcome. I have Belinda's training cd's, and try to do things her way, I figure, it is her business to train us to be successful, and it worked for her, it should work for me!!!!

 

[wadesgirl]

My biggest tips:
ASK EVERYONE! You never know who will book so ask them all at the check out.
During checkout, ask them "Did you hear the upcoming host specials?" Sometimes you don't know what all they heard and this may help get their attention.
Take control of your calendar. I use sticky notes on my available days. I start off with the first two weeks of the next three months. Then as the month progresses or fills up, I open up dates later on in the month. This way you can ask them "What day works best for you" and you can easily see which days you have open.

 

[cookingwith_tara]

I started using the little coupons that I staple to my catalogs. They say "Yes" I would like to get a few friends together and earn lots of rewards!" There's a place on the coupon for them to fill out their information. I tell them if at anytime during the show they decide they want to host AND the hold up the ticket to tell me BEFORE I ask them then they will get a special treat at tonight's party. I have envelopes that say 'pick me, pick me' all over it and on the inside is another coupon for either free shipping or 10% off tonight's order. I don't tell them what's in them as it is a surprise but they get to pick which ever one the want. IT WORKS!

You can get the "YES!" coupons at Welcome to A Fresh Perspective Click on TELE COURSES at the bottom and then click on each individual course name. At the bottom of the page you'll see how much the course actually costs and then at the very bottom you'll see a downloadable workbook. It's free to download and there's LOTS of good information and tools you could use.

Also, I have some extra product laying around that I put in gift bags I got from the dollar store. I have these cute little chef's hat that I printed from my computer with the next dates I have available (I choose dates that are close because I'm giving away nice products) If they choose one of the dates on the bag they get to have the gift inside. I had a show 2 Fridays ago where I used the bags and got a booking for the following Thursday! It worked! I wanted one more show to close out September I used an extra set of Pinch Bowls as the gift. A really nice item for booking an express show. Her show was at $550 when I left and she still had 5 more orders to collect. I would say, definitely worth it!

 

[babywings76]

wow, definitely some great ideas. I love the coupons on the catalog thing. I'll have to try that! Thanks!

 

[melatc]

Awesome idea with the "YES" slips...I'm going to use them tonight & I'll let you know how it goes!!! THANK YOU!

 

[paigev71]

I started using the little coupons that I staple to my catalogs. They say "Yes" I would like to get a few friends together and earn lots of rewards!" There's a place on the coupon for them to fill out their information. I tell them if at anytime during the show they decide they want to host AND the hold up the ticket to tell me BEFORE I ask them then they will get a special treat at tonight's party. I have envelopes that say 'pick me, pick me' all over it and on the inside is another coupon for either free shipping or 10% off tonight's order. I don't tell them what's in them as it is a surprise but they get to pick which ever one the want. IT WORKS!

You can get the "YES!" coupons at Welcome to A Fresh Perspective Click on TELE COURSES at the bottom and then click on each individual course name. At the bottom of the page you'll see how much the course actually costs and then at the very bottom you'll see a downloadable workbook. It's free to download and there's LOTS of good information and tools you could use.

Also, I have some extra product laying around that I put in gift bags I got from the dollar store. I have these cute little chef's hat that I printed from my computer with the next dates I have available (I choose dates that are close because I'm giving away nice products) If they choose one of the dates on the bag they get to have the gift inside. I had a show 2 Fridays ago where I used the bags and got a booking for the following Thursday! It worked! I wanted one more show to close out September I used an extra set of Pinch Bowls as the gift. A really nice item for booking an express show. Her show was at $550 when I left and she still had 5 more orders to collect. I would say, definitely worth it!

Thanks Tara. That is great. I got some CD's off supply order and just finished downloading all of the 2008 workshops off the Online Training Center on CC. These workbooks will be great to help me think about what I listened to in the car. I love FREE stuff!

 

[chefmeg]

I am finding that when I ask people to write on the back of the door prize slip the items they would like to purchase when they go on sale, there is always at least one that has something on there coming up soon! Ex: she writes Stoneware, November is the perfect month for that! Had one of these last night as well as one who wants the Trifle Bowl...woohoo~December!

 

[chefmoseley]

did they both book for you? I find that when I have done that I get the response of 'well I'm not really wanting to host a show, can you just tell me when they are the guest special or retired?'

 

[babywings76]

Awesome idea with the "YES" slips...I'm going to use them tonight & I'll let you know how it goes!!! THANK YOU!

I was reading this thread again and was thinking about using the Yes slips. melatc, did you end up using these at your show? How did it go?ETA: Oh, also, I'm having a hard time viewing the booking coupons that are in the files. It's odd, my computer downloaded them, shows them in the small icon, but when I click to open the file, it doesn't appear. Does anyone have them saved as a pdf that maybe would work for me?

 

[pampchefsarah]

Hey Amanda! Thanks for bumping this. I missed it the first time around, but I think I'm going to attach those Yes slips to my mini cattys and use them at my Craft Fair this weekend!

 

[ChefPaulaB]

Thanks Tara. That is great. I got some CD's off supply order and just finished downloading all of the 2008 workshops off the Online Training Center on CC. These workbooks will be great to help me think about what I listened to in the car. I love FREE stuff!

This may be a stupid question, but.... what CD's did you order off of supply order and what exactly are you talking about when you say you just finished downloading all of ht e2008 workshops off the online training... I know it should probably be obvious to me... :blushing:

 

[babywings76]

This may be a stupid question, but.... what CD's did you order off of supply order and what exactly are you talking about when you say you just finished downloading all of ht e2008 workshops off the online training... I know it should probably be obvious to me... :blushing:

I think she's referring to post #8 about a website that has courses that cost $, but you can download the workbooks free.

 

[ChefPaulaB]

Actually, I think that I found it, on the CC under online training you can save the recordings from the National Conference workshops to an MP3 or to your computer... I'm hoping (since I live in the dark ages and don't have an MP3 that after I save it onto my computer that I can then save it onto a CD so that I can listen in my car when I'm driving).... Thanks for the idea!

 

[ChefPaulaB]

hmmm, that didn't work, can't find it on my computer....... Nevermind, it worked! This is cool! I couldn't make it to National Conference, so now I'll get to at least hear some of what I missed!

 

[babywings76]

Oh that's great! I'll go check that out, thanks!

 

[paigev71]

Actually, I think that I found it, on the CC under online training you can save the recordings from the National Conference workshops to an MP3 or to your computer... I'm hoping (since I live in the dark ages and don't have an MP3 that after I save it onto my computer that I can then save it onto a CD so that I can listen in my car when I'm driving).... Thanks for the idea!

So sorry I never saw this until now. I think I saw where you got the downloads to work but yes under Online Training on CC, if you right click on them you can save them as an MP3. I have to say though, I have only saved one of them to a disk. I need to get with it and save the others since I downloaded so many. On Supply order, I got a few....booking, host coaching, booths, website. Whatever seemed like something I wanted to listen to. I got one or two each time I did a supply order. It is worth $2 to maybe learn something new.

 

[paigev71]

I think she's referring to post #8 about a website that has courses that cost $, but you can download the workbooks free.

Nope I am too cheap to pay for that kind of course.

 

[cookingwith_tara]

Yes, the courses are waaay expensive but you can download the workbooks for free. They go hand in hand with the course but I found that just by reading through some of the workbooks there are some great ideas AND training in them alone. That's where I got the idea for the 'Yes' slips and the flyer that says 'My Available Dates'. I could never afford a $60 course but I can always use some FREE info! And those 'Yes' slips have really worked for me. I encourage anyone to try it out. I print them on bright paper and staple to my catalogs. I tell them at the beginning if they tell me 'YES" they want to 'get a few friends together for a show' BEFORE I ask them then they will get a prize. The key is to get them to use the 'YES" coupon BEFORE you ask them. The prizes I give them are in envelopes that say 'pick me, pick me' all over them. They get to choose an envelope and inside it may say "free shipping', 'free SB', $5 off $30 or more, free islice, free easy opener, simple things like that.