Maximizing Catalog Walk Throughs: Tips from a Lia Sophia Party

[nikked]

I've seen and heard a lot about catalog walk throughs, but hadn't seen a concept that really jumped out at me. That is, until...

I was at a Lia Sophia (jewelry) party on Tuesday (in combo with my own Swiss Colony party). The Lia Sophia did the neatest thing.

She gave us a few minutes to go through the catalog and circle the items that we liked the best or wanted the most. We had to circle EXACTLY 10, which proved to be quite the challenge because we were a chatty bunch!

Anyways, after we had our ten items circled, she went through the catalog and on almost each page, highlighted the company's best seller. Talked about it, passed it around if she had it, etc.

The one who had circled the most top sellers won a prize (we had three way tie...YIKES for her!)

It was a very effective way to get us to REALLY look at the catalog.

As a TPC consultant, I would:

• Do 20 items instead of 10...our catalog is way bigger than theirs.
• Highlight my favorite items/top sellers, not the Company's.

Just wanted to share this. I'm going to incorporate this into my December shows and see how it goes!!!

 

[thechefofnorthbend]

I love this idea...what a way to get the gabby gabbers to clam up and pay attention to the show!! LOL

I am going to start doing something like this?

Did the consultant mention the fact that there was a prize being give out, or was it the element of surprise????

 

[nikked]

It was definitely more of a "surprise" type thing. The point being for us to pick what we liked best, not what we thought were best sellers.

HTH!

 

[mareramseyer]

Game Sheet!I LOVE this idea. I was planning on doing my first catalog walk-through show tomorrow night and when I read this thread, I finally knew how I wanted to do it. I "created" a game called "My Favorite 25 Items Under $25 Game." I put my directions at the top and I'll use the kitchen timer to keep track of the time. I can't wait to try this out! Thanks for sharing how you saw it done at that jewerly party.

 

[raebates]

Great idea, but I like to reuse my catalogs. This sounds like it would make them one-time use only. Am I missing something?

 

[myinnerchef]

Rae, you could always have them circle the items on their receipt instead of the catalog. That way you can make note of their wish list to contact them about future sales for any product they don't purchase at your show.

 

[KimmyDarling]

I always pass out highlighters, for them to use on their receipts to note the things on their wish list.

 

[lisacb77]

They could mark on the wish list, or use the game sheet above. I like to reuse mine too!

 

[Home4Yahweh]

How do you reuse your catalogs? I thought the guests always took their catalogs home with them?

Stacy

 

[lisacb77]

Not all of them do, believe it or not. I only lose about 2-4 per show.

 

[jdavis]

I thought this was kinda neat, it was forwarded from the director's loop to me by my director, so I'm not sure who made this up, but it is just another way to get them to check out the catty.

A consultant on my team shared this idea. She has the food ready when guests arrive and uses the catalog for the guests to go on a "treasure hunt." She names something pictured in our catalog - not a product, but something else in the photographs, 3 red apples, for example. They have to find them in the catalog, then she talks about the products on that page. She gives the first person to find the right page number a slip of paper to go in a drawing at the end. I'm going to try it - sounds like a good idea to me. She said her guests really enjoy it. Here are some of the things - "treasures" -- she uses.uncooked pasta -- p.20 cookware
3 red apples -- p.5 Woven Selections
asparagus -- p.12 Forged Cutlery and cutting boards
grapes - p.6 Simple Additions
cinnamon roll - p. 35 Stoneware
yellow tomatoes -- p.33 4-piece colander & bowl set, easy read cups
brown eggs -- p.26 and 31 scraper collection, stainless steel mixing bowls
red onion -- p.19 shears, pizza cutter, crinkle cutter

 

[cjdrish]

that is a great idea. but let me see if I understand this, she does not demo just used the game????? Sounds kinda cool. Saves on cleanup!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

that is a great idea. but let me see if I understand this, she does not demo just used the game????? Sounds kinda cool. Saves on cleanup!

I like this idea! I don't always feel like getting up & doing a demo. Also great for shows where there won't be a lot of people there who know PC.

 

[micocina]

Can you set me straight? There is no Demo when this game is played?

 

[jdavis]

From the way I read it no demo, just the hunt and talking about the products on the pages, I can't say I'm 100% sure but she does say in the beginning that the food is ready when the guests arrive.

 

[micocina]

I'm wondering if she just does the pull aparts and has them ready when the guests arrive, hmmm.

 

[mom2leelee]

I'm going to do my first catalog walk though Sunday. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. I'm going to kind of do a combanation of a few things I have read on here. I'm going to bring about 10 of my fav products and have guests grab one as they walk in the door. then we are going to walk through the catalog playing the have it, love it game. Every time someone shouts it out I'm going to give them a Hersheys kiss and also when we come to the page that has the item the guest has I'm going to have them come up and help demo it, just something short no big deal. they will also get a kiss for that and whoever has the most at the end wins. We are also going to play Queen of the Shoppers but just because the host requested it. I'll let ya'll know how it works.

 

[mareramseyer]

I played the game I created up tonight. The guest requested more than 10 minutes to browse the catalog. I baked my pumpkin spice microwave cake before coming and I had the chicken holiday ring already made up and just had to bake it in the oven when I got there a 1/2 hour early. The guests loved eating while browsing the catalog. I gave away three gifts. Everyone seemed to like it. I just want to change up my list of 25 because too many things were on the same pages. I brought my favorite tools along and passed them out as I talked abou them. I LOVE not having to come home and clean-up!

 

[PoseyMom]

i think this sounds like a lot of fun for some groups of people. I dunno.... it's a tough call. I layered a batter bowl at a show in November and a few of the guests just LOVED watching how to do it. I think then they realized how easy it was and how quick.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

It's funny - I jumped on the "no demo" bandwagon when there was first alot of discussion about it on here - and I discovered it's not for everyone! I really really missed doing an actual demo - I love that part of my job! And alot of my hosts and guest expressed some disappointment because I wasn't doing a demo. I didn't see a change in show totals or bookings doing things this way - So I'm back to doing a demo. What I have started to do though is do the demo first, and then while it is in the oven, I have everyone introduce themselves and tell me about their favorite PC product.
So it is wonderful that we can all tailor our business to be just what we like and are comfortable with......try different methods and find what works for you - but the same way isn't going to work for everyone!

 

[sillylittlechef]

I agree. I am going to try that scavenger hunt at my next show, but AFTER I do a demo. I really enjoy that part, and it does seem that I sell the items I use in the demo....But you are right. It's great that we can tailor our own way of doing our own business.....gotta love PC!!!!

 

[Chef Kearns]

This game sounds a bit like the Tic-Tac-Toe game. I really like this game. It is a good time filler (if you are doing something repetitive). The list I use is the host's wish list. The people fill in the 9 blanks with the products that they want the most and then I read off the host's wish list and people win prizes for # of lines and a black out. It is fun, I think.

 

[raebates]

It's funny - I jumped on the "no demo" bandwagon when there was first alot of discussion about it on here - and I discovered it's not for everyone! I really really missed doing an actual demo - I love that part of my job! And alot of my hosts and guest expressed some disappointment because I wasn't doing a demo. I didn't see a change in show totals or bookings doing things this way - So I'm back to doing a demo. What I have started to do though is do the demo first, and then while it is in the oven, I have everyone introduce themselves and tell me about their favorite PC product.
So it is wonderful that we can all tailor our business to be just what we like and are comfortable with......try different methods and find what works for you - but the same way isn't going to work for everyone!

I agree. I love the Walk Through the Catalog because it suits me, my hosts, and my customers. My business is just that--my business. Just as each of us has different tastes and styles in every other area of our lives, we all have our own PC style. Vive la difference!

 

[nikked]

UpdateWell, I did my first walk through (as I first posted) last night, and I think it went very well! It was a LARGE crowd (more than 15), and very crowded! I had 4 guests who had never been to a show, but had at least heard of TPC before.

I asked the guests to mark 20 items that they wanted or wanted more information about. That's all I said. Then, when the time was up, I went through, and talked about MY favorite things. For some items I said (something to the effect of) "We're going to talk a lot more about this product later, but for now, let me just say (something I really like about the product)." For most of the items, however, I talked about each one.

A lot of people chimed in with why they really liked the product. It seemed to go very well.

I left last night with just shy of $700 in orders, and I know the host will hit at least $800 with the remaining outside orders, so I am very happy with the results.

Thanks for letting me share!

 

[cmdtrgd]

Nicole - did you do a demo or was the walk-through the whole show?

 

[nikked]

Format

Nicole - did you do a demo or was the walk-through the whole show?

Because this was a "Baked Potato & Soup" show that doesn't have any "dead time" in it, I did the walk through at the beginning, right after introductions. If I was doing a show with a baked recipe that had some dead time, I would do the walk through then.

I enjoy doing the demo, because I really love "teaching" new things to my guests, so I have never done the no cook format before. However, going into my last trimester, it is looking more and more appealing to me! I'm thinking that after the first of the year, I may do that, but have not decided yet.

HTH!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Nicole it sounds like the show worked really well for you!

If you did this as part of a demo & did it during dead time (baking), when would you ask them to look through for 20 items? At the beginning before you start? How much time does it take to do the walk through?

I have a show on Friday night with people who have been to many shows before (host had a show in May with another consultant) & I'm making the chocolate pecan lattice tart, which has 30 min baking at the end. I wanted something to fill this area up & I don't really play games.

 

[nikked]

Nicole it sounds like the show worked really well for you!

If you did this as part of a demo & did it during dead time (baking), when would you ask them to look through for 20 items? At the beginning before you start? How much time does it take to do the walk through?

I have a show on Friday night with people who have been to many shows before (host had a show in May with another consultant) & I'm making the chocolate pecan lattice tart, which has 30 min baking at the end. I wanted something to fill this area up & I don't really play games.

I would probably have them mark the catalog at the beginning still, during introductions. I set the timer for 10 minutes, and talked some during this time (who I am, what TPC is, etc.) If I was going to do my walk through during baking time, I would tell them when the timer goes off that they're just going to have to wait to find out WHY they marked their catalog all up. I'd make a little joke about it, and then during the demo would build suspense as much as possible (OOOhhhh, can't wait to tell you what's next!, etc.)

HTH!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Great, thanks! So did you have them actually write in the catalog, or did you have them use the wsh list part of the order form?

 

[nikked]

Great, thanks! So did you have them actually write in the catalog, or did you have them use the wsh list part of the order form?

I let everyone take home a catalog, so I have them write in it. Plus, I know for me, it's easier to look at the pictures and choose what I want, than it is to look at the order form, or to look at the catalog and then mark it on the order form. Just my preference though.