Maximizing Bookings: Tips from Experienced Consultants

[CAPCnewbie]

I have a question for you seasoned consultants. First, please dont berate me for what I've been doing wrong, but please offer your advice on what I can do RIGHT!!

I had a good show in July and received 4 bookings from it. One was for Sept, two for Oct and one for November. We went away in August so I didnt book any for then. And because I was happy for bookings, I allowed the guests to choose their dates rather then set dates for them with what i had available in the coming weeks. I've had my show in Sept but one of my Oct shows has now been rescheduled for November and I just found out tonight, the other one has been cancelled.
So I do have 5 shows scheduled for November but my Oct is bust now. I realize I made a mistake by booking later months when my calendar wasnt full for the current month to begin with so what can you suggest I do from now on when booking shows?

How far out do you book your shows? I'm worried that if I tell someone I have dates available within the next 30 days, and they arent ready to have the show, then I might lose their booking. Any helpful suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[MLinAZ]

I don't know if what I have to contribute is really what you are looking for because I think I'm one of the "oddballs" but here it is...

I do book several months out. Right now I have shows booked into early December. For one thing I only do 4-5 shows a month and I have been averaging 3 bookings a show. By allowing some guests to book a show in say November rather than October (let's say this is September when I'm booking), it doesn't leave all my closer dates booked up for my shows held later in September. Does that make sense? Plus, honestly, it helps my "past host" a bit because they can spread out their spending at their friends' shows, pick other specials, etc. I find that my hosts whose friends all book within a month or 2 feel overwhelmed and by the last shows they are done spending. And I HATE to see them pass up on the monthly host specials knowing how great the deals are!

I usually ask if they want to book a show and then if they say yes I ask something like "Was there a host special that particularly caught your eye?" (in Sept I did have the host specials through December)

Now, if your sayOctober isn't where you want it to be, then I would try to talk up the host special for the month you are wanting to book. I added on 2 catty shows at my shows on Sept 19th and 20th for September because they wanted in on the 60% stoneware and I didn't have any availability for cooking shows the rest of September.

You can be more limiting on your calendar too though if you want to keep your future shows from getting booked too far out. I use a weekly calendar (same one I use for my full-time job and personal life) and I mark the dates I've set aside for shows as well as possible times. Then I put a thin sticky on those pages with the first letter of the month. Guests and I both can see quickly if I have just 2 weeks with available dates in November and 1 in October or whatever. And since I've told them during my show that I love the flexibility and that I typically set aside 2 weekends a month for PC and the rest as family time, I've already established that I won't have a ton of dates to choose from.

I think the biggest part is just to decide for yourself what and when you are willing to work and don't waiver. Be confident when presenting dates to your hosts. If they can sense that you are nervous about losing out on the show and are willing to "bargain" on a later date, they will push you for a later date.

But to fill your October now, I'd start calling. Tell them about the great deal on cutlery, talk about the weather cooling down and being ready for some new fall recipe ideas...whatever you can think of to make them excited for an October date and run with it! I read/heard a great line about "When do you want your free product?" Basically people don't like to wait for the benefits so if you put it to them that way then of course they are going to gravitate towards hosting sooner. They are excited at the show, at the time they book, but that excitement disappears QUICKLY when real life hits them on the way home from the show or at work the next day or whatever.

What were the reasons for the 2 October shows cancelling/rescheduling? That's something else to look at. Find out what made them lose interest, feel uneasy, etc. and work on that.

Good luck getting that calendar filled - you can do it!!

 

[CAPCnewbie]

Thankyou so much for your reply Michelle. It was very helpful. I do like to see my past host benefit from upcoming specials which is why i thought that the shows that were spread out were a good idea. As for the 2 shows re-scheduling and cancelling, the one that has re-scheduled, we just basically picked a date off the top of our heads so she could "check her schedule". And I shoudl have followed up promptly right after the show so we could have gotten a definite date. The other one, I've been trying for weeks to get ahold of and after leaving a voice mail last night saying I was confirming her show for the 25th, she emailed to say that she is now too busy as it gets closer to Christmas and that hosting a show really isnt her thing. Yes, thats how she put it. I know one of my mistakes was also not handing out my host packets when I booked the shows. I knew that September would bring new products and new catalogs so I figured I'd give them their host packets when I had them put together in September. So from now on, I give host packets at my show, no matter how far out the show may seem and then i keep in constant touch with my hosts!!

 

[beepampered]

It's your business and if you're fine with a slow month, don't sweat it. You might just as well be posting about how you gave out host packets and they cancelled and you lost all those catalogs. People are flaky and change their minds so don't take it too personally. I think there is an art to talk a potential host back into her show. There is a reason that people cancel and if you can find it and address it, then you'll do better keeping the booking.Reason 1: Fear that no one will come. Help her think of groups of people to invite. Tell her you want everyone to have fun but that you will not pressure people to buy. Reassure her that she knows more people than she thinks.Reason 2: Too much work for the amount of time she has. Tell her you will do everything but invite her friends. Make it sound easy. Make a joke about how this is the only way your house ever gets clean is to have a deadline. Show her the rewards (not products) of having a show - seeing friends, having fun, clean house, learning recipe, break from the kids, etc.If she doesn't want to do it now, how about a catalog show or, better yet, a show after Christmas. Often, the timing is off and January is very hard to book later so do it now.Pat yourself on the back for having a full November and focus on keeping those bookings strong. Earn those Sell-a-Thon items!

 

[AmyDare]

I heard a great idea last night at the cluster meeting I attend:
Have "old" invitations at the party--either in the lap boards or just in a stack--and let the guests know that from time to time you do a Taste Testing party. If they would be interested in attending, have them address one of the invites to themselves and give it to you. When you have 12 invites, set a date, invite them, and host a show! Your guests are built in, and you get to pick the date!
Amy

 

[Rosechef]

I'm in a similar boat. I had four shows booked for this month and three cancelled within the last few days. The other one has been rescheduled twice and things don't look positive with that one either. My whole October is bust and I'm desperately trying to get bookings.