Maximizing Your Catalog Show: Tips from a Direct Sales Pro

[abrahamlaur]

okay I had a show last night, my first NO DEMO ... i used rae's outline (which was great), there were 15-20 guests. I dont know if its just that these girls were really chatty, drinking wine and gabbing the WHOLE time, plus i wasnt feeling well (felt alittle nauseous). I literally had to SCREAM over them to talk about what was in the catalog. It seemed like it took me FOREVER to get thru the catalog, I tried talking about the most expensive things, the host specials coming up etc. but i was there for 2.5 hours, i think the whole "demo" part took like 1.5 hours. Anways, Yeah, we had a really good time, got 683 dollars there and am expecting more to come in this weekend. but I only got 1 booking for a catalog show. I dont know what is wrong, I talked about bookings, gave incentives to book shows with me and no one was interested! what did i do wrong?

 

[pckrissy]

Don't feel bad. You may have done nothing wrong, it may have just been the group. I would definately follow up maybe before you close the show to see if anyone may be interested in booking but may not have been in that frame of mind at the show. I have done shows where I am shouting over them, I do want them to have a good time though, so if they are chatty and spending I don't mind as much! I know how you feel though, it may have just been the new demo you did plus a difficult group. They may have been the same if you did your old demo...so my opinion is you rocked last night and your group had a good time, don't give up on those bookings just yet. Ask your host if she knows if anyone may be interested, it benefits her also. Good luck!

 

[abrahamlaur]

thanks krissy!

 

[pckrissy]

Do you ever go watch someone in your cluster's show? Or vice versa? I used to be terrified if I knew another "seasoned" consultant was coming to watch my show...I am gone to see a few of theirs and I love to actually SEE how their show is done, somethings may be the same as me, some different and some things I never would have thought of. I went to watch my Director who has been in the biz for 14 years and she asked me (1yr) what she could do different! I was like..hello...you are such the pro!! What can you learn from me..but that's not always true....Anyway I found it help me to tweak my show to see what my fellow consultants are doing. I know we swap tips on here but I am a visual person..seeing it done really helps me.
I TRUELY believe you were great last night...don't beat yourself up!!

 

[abrahamlaur]

Sorry thats all I wrote before. I was on the phone with my mom. Anyways, Thank you so much for what said Krissy! I really hope that I did do a good job. Everyone said that they had fun etc. I will definatetly try to call everyone before I close to the show just to let them know that I am closing it and if they wanted anything else, if they wanted to book a show to get the great host specials and to help out the host of this show. I just wish I can generate some more bookings from it, I only have 1 cooking show right now for June, so I would really like to get more. Thanks again for your idea and your encouragement!

 

[pckrissy]

Anytime

 

[AJPratt]

$683 in sales and a booking? You did a great job! And, I have had those parties where they get drunk and act like idiots.

Hey, at least you didn't get mooned like on Cheffer did!

 

[pckrissy]

Laurie, I just remembered something...I read it somewhere or heard it on a call and it is so true, sometimes you can't look at a show by the sales..you have to think of all the new contacts you made, you never know when or where one of them will take you. I had a show in September with another direct sales girl..I was thinking this is great! She has a big team, knows alot of people, this show will be big, etc. Well she had 5 people there and sales at the end of the night were like 150!! I was so disappointed but I did get a booking from it, a wedding registry and the host felt so bad she had all her Hosts buy PC before her show closed so it wasn't a bad total at the end...but I met 5 great ladies that night and they are in contact me with still and one of them did an Open House with me, etc...So anyway I am going on and on, sometimes you get rewards from a show that aren't instant...do I make any sense??!!!

 

[abrahamlaur]

yes totally Krissy, thanks again. Hopefully I can figure out a way to make a lasting impression onthese ladies ... how to do the whole customer service thing with them ya know? I suck at that

Ann, I'm SOOO glad I didnt get mooned! It was fun though, I think i just wasnt happy at the end of the night becuase i felt like crap and i really wanted to get alot of bookings for the summer

 

[AJPratt]

Ann, I'm SOOO glad I didnt get mooned! It was fun though, I think i just wasnt happy at the end of the night becuase i felt like crap and i really wanted to get alot of bookings for the summer

I know exactly how you feel. I know whenever I have a show that isn't going my way, I just tell myself "this is good training experience". LOL

 

[DebbieJ]

My bookings are always down at large shows.

I am also a fan of doing a shorter demo. To me, the whole point of doing a "no demo" show is for it to be shorter.

Definitely do MAC calls and see where it takes you!

 

[pckelly]

I know that when I did my first no demo a couple weeks ago, I took a walk through the catalog and it was about 1 hour and 15 minutes long. These days people are always rushed and I could tell they were getting a little ancy, so......I did a new outline and I am talking about the 4 main catagories: Cookware, Stoneware, Simple Additions, Forged Cutlery and also talking about the batter and prep bowls, Ultimate Mandoline, Can Opener, Cutting Boards, Silicone Scrapers and the Microplane Adjustable Grater. That's it, I think my total talk time will only be about 35 or 40 minutes. I wanted to get it down to 45 minutes or less. I have a show this afternoon and will let you know how it went with this outline.

BTW, I got this outline from the COOKING SHOW LIVE CD from last years (2006) conference with Julie Cicero. Although she actually did demo a recipe, I loved the way she talked about the main groups. I actually typed most of it up word for word except what she demoed, I think she was doing an Italiano show of some kind. She was so funny though and really made some funny comments, I couldn't pass it up!!!

 

[pamperedval]

Ditto Debbie on the bookings being low at bigger shows. It doesn't make much sense - you figure you have more people so you should get more bookings - but it doesn't work that way.

People might feel like they don't need to have one because others will, or it is just such a big group that they get caught up in the party atmosphere and blow off listening to you...

Don't take it personally. It is always good to have high attendance, but I find that once the group is bigger than 15 it is hard to keep control and make sure that they hear what I'm trying to tell them about bookings and everything.

Sounds like you did just fine - I know it is disappointing when you wanted the bookings and you felt sick, but you can still get them on the customer care calls.

I actually managed to get a couple bookings lately from people that couldn't make the show, but wanted their own so they booked. Thank God for them! You never know what will happen. I am closing a show today or tomorrow and there were a few more outside orderers that we are waiting on. I told the host that if she could talk to them and they booked for June or July I would give the current host an additional 10% off any order they place on those shows since it will help me with sell-a-thon. Maybe your host can help get some bookings for you with a small incentive...

Hang in there and feel better! Sorry for such a long answer - sometimes I ramble (and my shows run long too - but that's another story...)

 

[janetupnorth]

We just had "boot camp" training last night with my cluster and it was about bookings. Yvonne Mattson hosted it and one of the stats she mentioned was that lower shows tend to have more bookings, the more people at the show the less bookings.

Part of it is due to the fact that at a small show you can get more personal and get to know people and make contact. Make sure you greet them as they come in the door, make them feel personally important. The more people there, the less you have a chance to do that...

 

[pckrissy]

We just talked about this at our last cluster meeting...bookings with bigger shows. One of our suggestions was to pass around a calender with dates you want booked..sometimes at bigger shows everyone thinks someone else will book and then noone does...so if you pass a calender around people can she that the Host hasn't gotten any bookings yet...we talked about offering a special product and the person booking will get that product for the price of the day of their show...example..they book May 5th they get the product for $5 dollars...sorry if I don't make sense it is hard for me to explain myself in words!!!!Hope you can understand this and hope it helps! I am definately trying it at my next show!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

We just had "boot camp" training last night with my cluster and it was about bookings. Yvonne Mattson hosted it and one of the stats she mentioned was that lower shows tend to have more bookings, the more people at the show the less bookings.

Part of it is due to the fact that at a small show you can get more personal and get to know people and make contact. Make sure you greet them as they come in the door, make them feel personally important. The more people there, the less you have a chance to do that...

That's a great point Janet! I have started greeting guests at the door and introducing myself to them and asking their name, and chit-chatting.....people love to feel welcomed and like you are glad that they are there. I am also trying hard to call people by name during the show - and connecting with them personally - I think I actually do a better show, and that the guests are more attentive, when I have connected with them before the show starts.....we've already begun a conversation, and the show is just a continuation.

 

[Kitchen2u]

Here's what you can do Laurie ~ I've done this with chatty shows:

Make a call to each guest:

"Hi ____ this is Laurie with TPC, I met you at ____ party on ____. Did you have a great time? (listen and reply) The reason I calling you is I totally forgot to ask you if you'd like to have a FUN party of your own ~ (host) will get a great benefit if you book a FUN party of your own ~

If the answer is no, you can ask for a catalog party
If the answer is still no, ask if she knows anyone who might like to have one so (host) will get a booking benefit.

You can have a similiar conversation on recruiting too...

HTH
Ginny

 

[dwyerkim]

I did my first no demo show a week and a half ago--there were 9 people there including the host and they were not talkative at all, a lot of them were PC "virgins" so no one made comments about the items I highlighted. I thought it was very dull and took way too long to get through the catalog. One of the women there is a friend of mine and she told me she thought it was fine (and I don't think she was just trying to be nice, she tends to be pretty blunt). She said she thought people were just listening. The sales were about 570 and the hostess signed as a consultant so I guess it was ok! 3 people were interested in shows (1 definite two maybe) but I am giving those to the hostess for her business. I am doing my 2nd no demo show this afternoon and I'm stealing the above outline to cut down on my talking. I also set up a "chop station" at my last one so people could try the knives, cutting board, food chopper, peelers, etc. Just throw a carrot in your bag and you're set. My recipe is the trifle and I left the garnishing until everyone was there so I could quickly show the decorator and talk about toasting almonds in the stoneware. The show this afternoon will be small--if I'm lucky 6 people--so maybe the bookings will be good? One can only hope!

 

[abrahamlaur]

Thanks for the advice ladies, I would like to get more bookings with MAC calls, if I only knew what they were! LOl Could someone tell me?

Thanks again, hopefully my next no demo will go better in regards to bookings, but I'd love to keep the sales up also! This is going to be my highest show in sales, we are at 665 right now for guest sales, show total is like 765, and my highest show total right now is 712. Hopefully it keeps going.

 

[randis]

also, from a FTOA (future teacher of america) dont ever talk OVER people. For the super chatty people, pick something to talk about and start with the "passing around" with them. It will quickly get their attention back on what they are there for. You can also start talking lower and people who are there to listen will help hush the others because they can't hear you. If you try to compete with them, chances are they will win because there are more of them than you. So try to divert their attention. Maybe even call one of them up to demo a product for you. You will then take the attention off their conversations and sometimes you can make them loose their train of thought to where they will forget to "pick back up" again.

but thats still good for a show that size!!!

Randi

 

[pcchris]

Laurie, MAC calls are Morning After Calls. You call all of the guests the next day, thank them for coming, it was great meeting them...etc. I have had several customers surprised that I called them. Kinda like a Customer Care Call, but way briefer. Hope that helps!

 

[pcchris]

Oh, forgot something...actually a couple things...
Repeat their order...sometimes they might add more (so I'm told), and most times you'll get an answeing machine...leave the message! People really appreciate hearing from you.

 

[raebates]

Some crowds are just like that. Don't beat yourself up. Fiddle with your show a bit until it fits what you want it to be.

As far as the length of the demo is concerned, I offer three different "no demo" shows:

Walk Through the Catalog - you guys are familiar with that one.

Yak N Snack - Similar to the first one, but I only talk about the very newest PC products, answer questions, and give away a couple of prizes. I talk for approximately 20 minutes.

Open House - great for busy groups who are fairly familiar with PC. I bring a prepared recipe. I set up the newest products. I'm there to answer questions and take orders.


Of course, I also offer the traditional cooking show as an option.

 

[catson]

I think you did fine it was just the crowd. Maybe call them all to "go over" their order before submitting it as an excuse to follow up on bookings?