Maximizing Show Sales: What to Do When Guests Don't Buy - Tips & Tricks

[NooraK]

I had a show today. :thumbup:

Show sales are currently $45. :thumbdown: (yes, that's fourty-five dollars)

The guests were the Host's MIL, SIL and BIL (who is not yet 18), and two gentlemen, who were father and son, but I'm not sure how they were related to the Host.

The demo went great (DCB Fajitas :sing, even with a 19-month-old underfoot, and everyone enjoyed the recipes and liked the products. When it came time to order, they were all saying they were broke.

I feel so bad for the host. She was very excited, and had told me she had 8 confirmed yeses yesterday. None of her coworkers showed up.

I don't know what else I could have done to host coach her for better attendance. I don't know if there should have been something I should have seen coming to know there weren't going to be 8 people there.

What can I do to avoid this in the future?

 

[Liquid Sky]

Sometimes shows like that happen. Now, if it becomes a trend (low show attendance, low sales...etc) then it's time to be concerned. Some of my shows for the past month have been "off" as well. I am not doing anything different from before. I think it is what it is.

Do you mail the invites?

 

[Sheila]

Have her follow up with everyone who was supposed to attend and with everyone who was interested in placing an order! It's not a lost cause yet.

 

[raebates]

I've had shows like that turn around and have decent sales totals. Like Sheila said, remind her to talk to everyone who said they'd be there as well as anyone she didn't hear from.

 

[lesliec]

Last night I cancelled one for today that I felt was going to turn out like this. Under more probing she admitted that her confirmed guests didn't have any money and she told them they didn't have to buy, just come.
Not to sound snooty, but I just think that there are some groups that don't see the value. They think they can go to Wal-Mart and get the same thing. In my experience, they aren't necessarily poor, just make poor money decisions.

 

[scottcooks]

It comes down to host coaching. Did you do the 3-call coaching? When she hears how important guest list is, she can make an impact on it.

 

[magentablue]

My show for Sunday was with a coworker who historically had $1000+ shows. I host coached her, and she's been a super successful host in the past. Monday I spoke with her and she had 12 guests coming. Hurray! By Thursday, she said she was down to four, and one was in bed sick, so she didn't know if she'd be able to come. Host said "it is just not worth cleaning my house for 3 people" and is now having a catalog show.I really don't blame myself. I captured her business by getting at least a catalog show out of it. I don't blame my host, as I know she did her part with invitations, and she had good initial responses. I think that everyone is just realizing this is crunch time for Thanksgiving, so they're less likely to spend their time (or money) with us. Not all shows will turn out this way, but sometimes there are more factors than we can control. I think the healthy thing to do is to:1. Briefly review what you and your host did. If you made mistakes, learn from them but do not dwell on them.
2. Make the best of what you've got.
3. Look forward to the future and be positive that even though this particular show did not work out the way you would like, there are other shows that will work out better than expected.

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

I agree, there are just some shows like that. Definitely ask the host to follow up with those who confirmed. Have her still work OO from work and friends. Also ask the host to ask her friends to pick up 2 orders. I have had $200 shows become $500-$600 shows just from OO after the show. The hosts are usually more motivated after seeing the demo and will then want those sales. Good Luck Noora!

 

[babywings76]

My last show went like that too, Noora. I host coached her the way we are supposed to, emphasized the importance of mixing the crowed, inviting everyone she knows (gave her the 50 guests in 5 minutes), utilizing my website to also send e-vites, posting on FB, reminding people that I'm going to teach them a great quick and easy dinner, it'll be fun to get together, etc. We talked multiple times and checked in also through e-mail. She loves PC, used to have shows often, it's been a while, etc. The only people who ended up coming were family and one friend from church. Only 3 people ordered, and she got 3 very small outside orders. Everyone said they were broke or they already had everything. It was terrible and very frustrating (I even started a thread on it ) I think sometimes we just get crowds like this. I can't beat myself up over it. I don't think I failed in my host coaching. The same things I said to this host, I've said to others and ended up with $1000 shows. Some hosts are more motivated than others. This one was, she really wanted free products--but her personality is more laid back and she had a lot of stress going on in her life, so I think that made a difference in the way she spoke to people. Your show might end up getting better with outside orders, so don't give up yet. Make sure she goes over her guest list again. Maybe there's more people that she can contact, even though the cooking show is over, she can still reach out to people and tell them that she's doing a show. Best of luck! And just know that some shows are like this, but not all of them, so here's hoping for an amazing next one!

 

[Sheila]

Yes, we've all had low shows. I've only done one that didn't make a show and it was because the host told everyone to put down their clipboards & have fun, that we weren't closing for 3 days & they could order later!!! I almost fell out on the floor. She was shocked when they didn't all follow through & order. She only had 2 orders & they were not enough to make a show. I asked each one if they wanted me to still input them as individual orders or if they were just ordering to help the host & they both wanted the products. So I still got a little commission for being away from my family for the night ... but I've made sure that I never let another host do that!

As for the comment about hosts who encourage friends to come & have fun, but don't worry about ordering ... part of my host coaching is telling the hosts to NOT say that!!! YES, you want them to come & have fun, but the whole point of hosting is to earn lots of stuff for free and at a discount! In order to do that, they NEED their friends to place orders.

 

[Malinda Klein]

I agree, i think we have all had small shows (or where only one or two people show). Generally my show average is very good, and I work with my hosts to make sure they have a successful show (cause if they are happy, they will host again). I've had low shows too, but even when they say they only have two or three coming, i try to encourage them to have their party (or if it's because of an event that's pulling their guests apart) to reschedule. I've had one show where only two guests showed up. I didn't let that slow me down and although I was disappointed there weren't more guests, i didn't let the host/guest know. We still had the show and all had a good time. I ended up signing one of the guests as a consultant and the other one booked a show! Was the show sales a success? No, but i considered the show a success.

 

[NooraK]

Thanks.

I was very frustrated last night. I mainly feel bad for her because all these people who said they'd be there bailed on her. She is following up with those who didn't come, as well as her coworkers, so hopefully we can make it a better show.

On the bright side, even after results like this, she wants to sign as a consultant. She said she just has to wait until her paycheck on the 30th. And her hubby was there for the show, asking more questions than she was, so I don't have to worry about him talking her out of it.

 

[cheflorraine]

On the bright side, even after results like this, she wants to sign as a consultant. She said she just has to wait until her paycheck on the 30th. And her hubby was there for the show, asking more questions than she was, so I don't have to worry about him talking her out of it.

Wow - that's wonderful! I guess, as was mentioned on some other thread, there are different ways of defining 'success'. We can't always measure success by number of guests, amount of sales, number of bookings, etc...

 

[NooraK]

Yes, I try to go for Rae's definition of success: if everyone had a great time, then it was a success. In that measure, I suppose it was a success, but on the other hand I can't help to think that it isn't worth leaving my family for $9. Yes, if and when she does sign up, it will mean more money in the long run, but it's hard to focus on that when you're tired

Let's just hope all goes well, and she does sign!

 

[cookingwithlove]

My show last night was just like yours NooraK. Except I only had the Ex-husband and his sister. She did have a few outside orders that came in before the party. With her EX-husband and EX-SIL, it barely made a party.

I did my normal host coaching with her. I sent her evites and she made phone calls. She went around to her neighbors and invited them. She thought she was going to have 6 to 8 people and only had 2.

Sometimes it just happens, nobody shows up. It is very depressing for us and the host. Sometimes I can tell when it is going to happen, but I never cancel unless she wants to cancel. I have signed a couple of really great consultants from those unattended shows. I use the opportunity to really talk about the business and what a great company we work.

Don't get down, it happens to all of us!

 

[Barry Carlton]

I started in the mid '90's and stopped with my disillusionment with the knives and pans. Now due the economy and the truly vast improvement in the cookware and cutlery I am on board again. I have had 2 shows, one an open house which I saturated the area and my friends with invites only to have 1 couple show (with 2 others arriving an hour late, and one late outside order).
The second show was booked off my open house. They have been in 'home show' type sales in the past (several other major names) so they knew how to coach guests. Still I coached them, only to have 2 couples show up (this is evidently what the Hosts were comfortable with.....telling me after the fact) To her credit, she had 3 outside orders and 1 pending probable order. This show total is currently over 300 and has the potential to be 350+
My show was just over 300.When I was doing this 15 yrs ago, I only had 1 show not qualify. I felt soooo very bad for her. As has been said, this does happen....don't lose sleep over it......unless it becomes a regular occurrence. What is admirable is that you are analyzing what is happening with the intention of taking corrective steps.I think you are doing a wonderful job!!!!

 

[winklermom]

I'm having a tough time this month, too. It seems that my hosts are having a difficult time getting people to commit to attending and then having them make a purchase. I did a party last night that had good attendance but not a lot of purchases. A catalog host today told me that she had only been able to get two orders. Everyone seems to really be holding onto their money or at least not buying from us. I really had high hopes for November because of everything I had been told and the fact that it's a SAT month but I'm not really sure at this point. I still five more shows booked but have already had one host email me that she had yet to be able to get one person to commit. I emailed her back with a list of people she may not have already thought about and asked if she had done the "Fifty in Five Minutes" that I included in her host kit.

I guess time will tell...