Director Maximizing Results: Exploring Different Strategies for Successful Cooking Shows

[finley1991]

Why is it when someone has a problem we can look at it and instantly think of possible solutions, but when we have a problem, we can't think of anything? Is it just because when we are outside of it, it's easier to see things? Just wanted to run something by you all and get your thoughts... I had a call with a consultant this morning. In 2010, she did 17 cooking shows, 10 of which were her own. No problem as I know we are always allowed to do shows of our own. I suggested that she work on getting shows with others because that is where our future business will come from... kind of like the snowball effect. Today on the call she told me that she honestly cannot get anyone to have a show with her. She insists that she's using the calling scripts that PC has provided but no one will have a show and if she does get one booked, she has over 50% cancellations rate... more like 60%. She insists that she's following PC's 3 step HC method.She came up with this idea and this is where I wanted feedback... she's doing cooking classes in her home and she's charging for people to attend. She's presenting it as it's a regular cooking show where she is expecting people to purchase from her, book shows, become a consultant, etc.I questioned the charging for people to attend part because that's not how we do things... attending cooking shows are free. She said that she never read anywhere that she *couldn't* charge people to attend a show and she needs the money.I know it's her business and she can run it the way she wants... but I just wondered your thoughts on this. Has anyone run into this before? And no, the $$$ is not being donated in a fund-raiser type way... she's charging and keeping the $$ because that's the only way she can earn some...

 

[Sheila]

Oh, you poor thing! I think I would tell her that IF anyone comes, they are probably going to be frustrated that she's trying to sell them more stuff. And, she'd be giving the false impression to any potential recruits that her way of doing shows is the regular way.

I'd start by pretending that YOU are the host & have her host coach you over the next 2-3 weeks. Then provide constructive criticism, suggestions, ideas.

Has she attended one of your shows recently? If not, maybe she needs a refresher.

Have you attended one of her shows lately? If you are close enough geographically to do that, you might see some areas where you could train & help her improve her methods.

Is she doing the full service checkout? If not she should be. And even if she is, if she's looking at the person with a "so are you going to host or what?" attitude, she may not realize that what she's feeling is being conveyed to them.

Does she do the "sit down & watch me" demos? Have her convert & try something new. Semi-interactive or fully interactive.

Is she using the booking/recruiting slide? If not, have her start.

She shouldn't be getting that many cancellations. She's either NOT host coaching appropriately, host coaching too much (as in being a pest) or she pestered them to the point that they booked a show out of duress. She has to understand that she's offering them a stick of gum. They either want it or they don't. If they don't like gum, fine! She can offer it to the next person. If she asks enough people, SOMEONE will want it!

Is she doing booths to get outside her circle?

Does she have an overly aggressive personality?

Hmmm ... 3AM that's all I can think of right now. LOL

 

[finley1991]

Oh, you poor thing! THANK YOU!!!

I think I would tell her that IF anyone comes, they are probably going to be frustrated that she's trying to sell them more stuff. And, she'd be giving the false impression to any potential recruits that her way of doing shows is the regular way. She doesn't see it that way.

I'd start by pretending that YOU are the host & have her host coach you over the next 2-3 weeks. Then provide constructive criticism, suggestions, ideas.
Has she attended one of your shows recently? She won't do it and won't share with me what she is saying. She doesn't want me attending a show with her. She insists she's using the PC scripts word-for-word.

Have you attended one of her shows lately? If you are close enough geographically to do that, you might see some areas where you could train & help her improve her methods. She's been to my shows and says she does the same things.

Is she doing the full service checkout? If not she should be. She insists she is.

Does she do the "sit down & watch me" demos? Have her convert & try something new. Semi-interactive or fully interactive. She says she's tried both.

Is she using the booking/recruiting slide? If not, have her start. Yes.

She shouldn't be getting that many cancellations. She's either NOT host coaching appropriately, host coaching too much (as in being a pest) or she pestered them to the point that they booked a show out of duress. BINGO!

Is she doing booths to get outside her circle? Yes... she loves to talk PC but doesn't really get the leads. The ones that she does get, she says shedoesn't have time to follow-up with.

Does she have an overly aggressive personality? Saying she's overly aggressive is putting it mildly.

Hmmm ... 3AM that's all I can think of right now. LOL

So you can see why I am so frustrated. I know I should just step back and let the cards fall where they may if she's not going to follow the plan for PC. She just thinks that all she has to do is recruit and she won't have to work because all of her recruits will be working. I'm guessing she got that idea from another DS company/pyramid. Ironically, well, not really, of the 17 she's recruited in 4 years, 4 have qualified. Oh, and she's also insisting she's earning the Med. Cruise.

Okay... I've answered my own question... I guess I just needed to vent more than anything because I've been sitting here scratching my head as to how to coach her.

The answer: Bless and Release....

 

[Sheila]

Have her call me! Having basically the exact same info come from someone else might be what she needs. Since I'm not in her upline, I wouldn't be a threat.

 

[finley1991]

Have her call me! Having basically the exact same info come from someone else might be what she needs. Since I'm not in her upline, I wouldn't be a threat.

Thanks Sheila! One of the problems is that she doesn't think she has a problem. She basically thinks she's already solved it. She'll earn $$ by recruiting and charging for shows. That's why I was :bugeye:

I'll let you know though... thanks for your responses!!!!

 

[Sheila]

I've actually showed my downline my paychecks. It was a big motivator for them to recruit. But since she'll need the sales for TL & above, at some point she will need to start selling the product to others & not just herself.

 

[BethCooks4U]

To the point of charging for her shows, it depends on what she's doing. I have done cooking classes and have charged $25 for the class but the participants then get a $25 gift certificate from me for purchase of PC products (almost everyone has spent well over that). Another way it can be done is to have a package of products at the class that they preorder and pay for as the class fee. I think it would also be fine to charge, say $5 each, to cover cost of the food but otherwise I am sure that HO would say we can't be charging for our "classes".

 

[finley1991]

Thanks Beth... no, no GC, no product package, no FR donation. Since she's not earning commission because she's not doing shows, this is her way to earn some $$.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Thanks Beth... no, no GC, no product package, no FR donation. Since she's not earning commission because she's not doing shows, this is her way to earn some $$.

So they aren't ordering anything at the class either? How is she staying active? Ordering for herself?

Is she demoing our products or just teaching them about cooking?

 

[finley1991]

So they aren't ordering anything at the class either? How is she staying active? Ordering for herself? Is she demoing our products or just teaching them about cooking?

Some order, some don't. But usually not. She stays active by ordering herself and then unloading the products at the tables she does.She is doing a full cooking show demo using the format we use... I guess that's where my conflict is... she's charging for a cooking show.But it's her business... and as independent business owners, we can do what we want...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

If she can't get anyone to book a show, what makes her think people will pay her money to come to a show she's doing? That just doesn't make any sense. She sounds a bit delusional, IMO!

 

[baychef]

I have two words in response to her "doing everything that PC says to do" and having no luck....BULL $HIT!!!

I can feel your pain, Colleen. Everyone here gave great answers but her defiance on insisting she is doing everything the way she is taught and still not getting results is just not believable. PC has been in business 30 + years with a zillion successful consultants; PC perfecting their training over these 30 + years and she is the ONLY and the FIRST person that it does not work with? B$!!!

Other than following her every step of the way, not sure how you will know for sure what she is doing and how she needs to change it.

Unless she changed completely...I would say her chances of earning the Med. Cruise are about as good as all of us winning the mega lottery on the same day!

 

[Nanisu]

Well, there are some consultants that do something like this and call it a cooking class--basically they do a show every month with a rotating group of people, all the people agree to purchase at least $25 worth of products so that she at least has a show, and they all rotate who is the host--I guess it would work the same way?

As for her being unteachable, there is nothing you can do about that. I have a couple of my team who are like that--no matter what I suggest they have either done it or don't think it will work....ok....well, what they are doing is not working, so why not try it my way, KWIM? If they are not teachable, they are not teachable. Sorry, that's my input....when they want help they will ask for it I guess...

 

[cmdtrgd]

Have you tried asking "If you knew what to do, what would it be?"

 

[finley1991]

Have you tried asking "If you knew what to do, what would it be?"

She does know what she's doing. That's part of the problem!

 

[Sheila]

She does know what she's doing. That's part of the problem!

Because you've said she's so stubborn and already knows it all ... I'd just flat out tell her "You don't know, what you don't know ... and obviously you are lacking something or you wouldn't be having these issues. Now, do you want to try & fix the problem or are you happy struggling?" Then hush & wait for her response.