Maximizing Your Guest List: Tips for Mailing Invites to Hosts

[mistym]

I am just wanting too see how many of you mail your invites for the host. I figured instead of totally hijacking another thread I would post out here to get some more information and help. Baychef has already given me a lot of insight and I would like to thank her for that!

I am going to give mailing invites a go, but I am a little unsure of the wording and letters used. I want to sell this too my hosts as a great way to get guests, blah blah, but need some help. Does anyone have a letter made up they would be willing to post?

Thanks guys, and thanks to BayChef for getting me motivated to do this.
m

 

[klsnyder]

I send invites for my hosts. I am unsure of what you are looking for for though.

 

[mistym]

I am looking for documents you put in the host packet to explain why it is best to give me all the contact information and have me mail them.

thanks

 

[klsnyder]

I am looking for documents you put in the host packet to explain why it is best to give me all the contact information and have me mail them.

thanks

Oh, I don't put anything in the packet. I usually don't send the hostess packet to them, until I get the names and addresses via email. I tell them that I send the invites out, so that they do not have to pay for postage!

 

[chefbritt]

I don't go into why it's best and getting more guests and all of that. I try to make it all about the host and making their job easier by mailing them for them, so that they have less work to do. Just tell them you like to do it as a service to your hosts.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I started doing this after I got back from Confernce last year... It was a huge differnce in attendance at my shows.... and it also allows me to have more personal contact with the guest!! I love it!!! I dont' have a flyer but that would be nice if anyone has one to share!!

 

[pamperedlinda]

This is what I useThese are the two forms I give my hosts along with a SASE when they book a show with me. I don't care if they fill in the email address line as I will not email someone without their permission (I just haven't modified the form yet to delete this out). I probably got these forms out here - sorry, I don't remember who gets the credit for them. I love the recipe for $1000 show one and just changed it up a bit to suit me. I tell my hosts that I will mail all the post cards for them, but if they would prefer to do e-vites that I will send them their password to my PWS and they can do that part (I recently did that for one of my hosts not realizing that the e-vite would come from me.....since no-one knew me many of them didn't open it....lesson learned on that one.

 

[baychef]

When I get home, I will try to remember to copy what I send and how I send it, etc.

It is difficult feeling comfortable with it at first. If the person had never hosted a party with me, then they did not know the difference, however, for those that had hosted one with me I did have to explain. I simply told them that I was adding a new service to help my hosts earn more free products...adding the excitement in your voice helps.

I found that it was only me that felt uncomfortable... they all loved it!

 

[lacychef]

I highly recommend sending invites; I've said so in many posts I've been doing it for a year & a half & it's greatly increased my show average, monthly sales, comission....
I do currently send out the host packet right away, since it has several pages to increase big guest list...I also use the mini catalogs as the invites, with a note inside telling of the party.
I say try it for a few months--see what it does for you!

 

[Chef_2_Four]

I have never mailed out the invites for my hostess'. They have always done it, but I am going to start now! It will cost more at first but I bet I will make more down the road!

 

[jenniferknapp]

I do not do it currently, but am also considering doing it for my hosts...I will try it for my first show in May!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I don't go into why it's best and getting more guests and all of that. I try to make it all about the host and making their job easier by mailing them for them, so that they have less work to do. Just tell them you like to do it as a service to your hosts.

That's exactly what I do too. My hosts really seem to enjoy not having to do one extra thing.

 

[crissy11]

sending invitations for hostessI started sending the invitations myself over three years ago. I started in October and in November I had my highest month ever of $11,000. My highest sales before that was $6000. Since then I have earned TPC in sales two years in a row and with two months to spare. My hostess love that they don't have to worry about mailing and I know that my show is going to hold. I probably spend $50-$60 a month in postage and a little bit more on labels. I do labels for the addresses and a 2x4 label with the show info, monthly special and a my website for those unable to attend but want to order.
Now my attendance is not much better than it was before but the hostess is getting more outside orders, which is because they are inviting more people since I am paying for the postage. Used to they would hand out a few to keep from paying postage and that is if they remembered at all.
I still have those occassional hosts who want to pass out the invites and I can almost guarantee if I don't stay on top of them they will cancel their party because they forget.
All I can say is try it for 2-3 months and notice the change.
Crystal

 

[CAmomCookin4U]

I tell my Hosts that me sending the invites out is a
"Service that I Do for them". They always appreciate this and usually get the addresses to me a.s.a.p. HTH

 

[baychef]

Great post, Crystal!

I will be calling my May hosts very shortly to make sure the date and time is still good for them.

Once that is confirmed I send out the first 2 attachments with a self addressed and envelope with postage. I write the host's name in the upper right hand corner and the due date.

When I get the list back, I send the packet I described in a previous post. Then I put the information on the stickers for the 3rd attachment. I may change the wording to fit a theme show or whatever I want.

I also will input the addresses given to me on my PP so I can print labels out for the postcards. It does save time when I go to enter a party too.

Hope this helps!

 

[janetupnorth]

I currently don't do this and have had good success so far. Plus, I really hate writing them out...a lot of time that I'd rather be doing other things. No effect so far...I've had good, enthusiastic hosts though...maybe I'll change my mind down the road, but for now I enjoy not doing it. I like empowering the hosts to take some ownership in their shows and being enthused calling their guests and then showing them it is even easier to be a consultant!

 

[janetupnorth]

Oh, as a note, I sometimes offer an extra bonus when they reach "X" amount in sales. This usually gives the motivation to get people there or get orders...

 

[mistym]

I usually give the host packets right away, so I am thinking of including this in the packet with a SAE instead of sending i ahead of the host packet. I hope this will be as effective.
Is there a reason that you send the guest list first and the Host Packet second?


thanks

 

[PCGINA]

These are the two forms I give my hosts along with a SASE when they book a show with me. I don't care if they fill in the email address line as I will not email someone without their permission (I just haven't modified the form yet to delete this out). I probably got these forms out here - sorry, I don't remember who gets the credit for them. I love the recipe for $1000 show one and just changed it up a bit to suit me. I tell my hosts that I will mail all the post cards for them, but if they would prefer to do e-vites that I will send them their password to my PWS and they can do that part (I recently did that for one of my hosts not realizing that the e-vite would come from me.....since no-one knew me many of them didn't open it....lesson learned on that one.

Tnese are great Linda - thanks for sharing..

 

[GourmetGirl]

For those of you that send the invites, do you send postcards (if so, pc's or do you make your own?) or full size? I love the look of 8 1/2" x 11" invitations on bright paper, but they cost almost double to send! any thoughts/comments/ideas? tia!

 

[Chozengirl]

Personally,
I make my own invites on really cool paper that I picked up at the 99cent store.
My thinking is that they post card is going to get thrown to the side and tossed, where an envelope w/ hand writing, and not typing, will have more of a chance of getting opened.
I make my own verbage up too, depending on the show.

 

[baychef]

I usually give the host packets right away, so I am thinking of including this in the packet with a SAE instead of sending i ahead of the host packet. I hope this will be as effective.
Is there a reason that you send the guest list first and the Host Packet second?


thanks

Misty,
For me I was sending out at least 2 or more a month that postponed or cancelled. At $4.05 an envelope, I decided that I would first, save money...I am spending 78 cents for them to "poop" out on me. Second, it commits them further to their party. 3 to 4 weeks out, I want them concentrating on who they are going to invite. When they get the packet earlier, I have found that they concentrate on the recipe and yes, they do pass out the catalog, but they still are getting their packet almost 3 weeks before their party. Also, as soon as I get their guest list, I put their party on my website, so people can order right away if they want.

I switched to me doing the post cards when I had a host toss me the entire packet of invitations at her party and tell me "I don't do invitations" Her party never closed because her and her mother did not give me any payment for their orders. The host and her boyfriend rinsed my dishes for me...I have a knife that never came home (I didn't want her to plant it in me so I decided to write it off!!) I also wasted an evening in a smoke filled house.

Had I been doing invitations, she wouldn't have wasted my time, because she never would have returned a list. She just didn't want to put effort in. So I spent money on the packet, sending it, wasting a night I could have been making money and then lost a utility knife too. Granted, she was not a usual host, but I have seen my over all show sales increase.

I work full time other than doing PC so I want my time to count with PC. I am also growing my team so time is money. These are what works best for me. But this is the beauty about this business! It is all how we choose to do our business.

 

[mistym]

hmmm...very interesting Ann, thanks for being my Honorary Director...LOL.
I have wasted WAAAAY to many evenings in the past month so a new approach is needed. I am thinking the guest list first, followed up with a host packet may be the way to go for me too...

I am going to work this out this afternoon...wow....what would I do without this site?? It truly is a business saver!

This thread has been a huge AHA moment and one of those...work smarter not harder lessons!

Misty

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I usually give the host packets right away, so I am thinking of including this in the packet with a SAE instead of sending i ahead of the host packet. I hope this will be as effective.
Is there a reason that you send the guest list first and the Host Packet second?


thanks

I do this too--sending the guest list with the packet. I've been doing this for over a year now & I've only had one show I can remember that was cancelled after I handed the host packet. But I knew ahead of time it wasn't happening b/c I never received her guest list! My guests really love it--I started it in March 2006 & I had hosts from Dec & Feb coming to an April show saying that they heard I mailed out the invites & how much they would have liked that! I figure the postage is a tax write-off & my sales & attendance (especially outside orders b/c I put my website on the invites) have gone up since I started.

I use a template that I got on here from the dexyduo when they were on (you can probably find it by going to postcard invites or something like that in files) so I don't have to write anything out. I do the show info once & just retype the guests' addresses. It takes me maybe 10 minutes at the most if the host has 40 invites.

To answer your question, I think those who send the guest list first want to make sure they have the guests' names so they know the show will hold before they send a host packet which costs more money.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

For those of you that send the invites, do you send postcards (if so, pc's or do you make your own?) or full size? I love the look of 8 1/2" x 11" invitations on bright paper, but they cost almost double to send! any thoughts/comments/ideas? tia!

I just use the PC postcards. I would love to do larger ones in envelopes, but I don't want to pay that much in postage, especially with it going up next month!

 

[etteluap70PC]

I Send invites for my hosts... I do Not explain why. I just say it is a service. I also have started only giving them a guest list sheet and a SASE when they book at a show. I was loosing too many host packets that I put alot of time and money into. I felt really good about this decision when I read the Don Funt thread and saw that he does this too. I feel I get more of a comitment from my host this way. I also offer incentives if they fill out all the spaces on the GL sheets and get it to me when I ask for it. Usually either to supply the ingredients or to bring paper plates etc.

 

[raebates]

I don't usually mail the invites for my host. It's something I am willing to do if they want, but I've only had a couple of hosts take me up on this. I rarely have a cancelled or rescheduled show, so that hasn't been an issue for me (knock on wood). For me it's a time issue. I work about 30 hours/week as a temp, and I do some pubilcation design work from my home. With 5-7 shows a month, I can't see coming up with that kind of time right now.

 

[chefjeanine]

I don't give out a Host packet until the guest list has been returned. I used to send postcard invitations but am now just starting to use full size sheets that I create and copy off on bright paper. (I'm using this idea from Julie W. who you've read about in other threads).

Since I've started mailing the invitations, I don't think I've had a cancellation. There is no show until I get a guest list. When the guest list is small I can write special notes on those invitations ("bring 3 friends and get whatever"). This has worked out great for me.

 

[yummybytes]

Best descision I EVER made....Since I started mailing the invites I have had 0 cancelations and my show average and bookings have gone up something insane. I just had 3 shows that were 800, 981, and 1422!! I sent the invites to all and all three hostesses had LARGE (over 40) invite lists. One show had 12 in attendance, 1 had 14 and the other 17. Each of the hostesses had also gathered over $300 in outside orders -- the 1422 show lady had over $700 in outside orders. Insane, eh?

I am going to keep doing this - no questions asked.

I play star search with my Hostess as well. I put stars on two of the invites. This forces her to call her guests with a reminder and if she can find who has both stars she gets a small thank you prize from me. The hosts love this, and when my guests find out how little work -- and $$ - they have to do for their party, they are more inclined to book a show.

 

[hoosierchef]

So, many of you say you wait on a guest list. Do you give your host labels to write out the guest list on? If so, do you use the labels you can order from HO or do you just use plain white address labels?

Just curious. I'm thinking about offering this "service" to future hosts and am trying to get ideas. TIA!

 

[yummybytes]

I ask them when I'm giving them the host kit if they would prefer to write them or email them to me. IF they prefer to type it, I email them a label template (Same size as Avery 5160's in Word). If they prefer to write it, I give them TWO of the Home office sheets and a SASE to send it back to me. I've had others who are tech savvy and have sent spread sheets to me as well and I just import them into Word as a Mail Merge onto the Avery Template.

Hope This Helps!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

So, many of you say you wait on a guest list. Do you give your host labels to write out the guest list on? If so, do you use the labels you can order from HO or do you just use plain white address labels?

Just curious. I'm thinking about offering this "service" to future hosts and am trying to get ideas. TIA!

I have found the labels from HO to be very difficult to use - smaller than the avery labels, and they just look messy........

 

[hoosierchef]

I have found the labels from HO to be very difficult to use - smaller than the avery labels, and they just look messy........

Just wondering. I had never seen them before. I like the idea of the template though. Thanks Jennifer!!

 

[pamperedgirl3]

So, many of you say you wait on a guest list. Do you give your host labels to write out the guest list on? If so, do you use the labels you can order from HO or do you just use plain white address labels?

Just curious. I'm thinking about offering this "service" to future hosts and am trying to get ideas. TIA!

I just give them a sheet of paper that I got on here that has space for the guests' name & address. Then I use a template I found on here that I have saved in Word that I type the host's info & the addresses on to print right onto the invitations. I found when I was using the ones from our paperwork/supply that they were hard to read & I also always had to tape them on to stick. It takes me no more than 10 minutes to get my invitations ready now using the computer template.

 

[pollyscooking]

I've never used the postcard invitations!!!!!???! WHAT?????? True. Most of my hostesses have access to e-mail and they like to be able to personalize the invitation and send it out... We're living in the electronic age.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I've never used the postcard invitations!!!!!???! WHAT?????? True. Most of my hostesses have access to e-mail and they like to be able to personalize the invitation and send it out... We're living in the electronic age.

Wow! must be nice...someone needs to tell my hosts that we are in the electronic age - alot of them don't know it yet! (And I myself am much more apt to remember an invitation if I receive it in my snail mail!)

 

[Brandie]

I love the star search idea! Hot dog! I am going to start doing that!

Thanks!

 

[MGG]

I like the ideas everyone is sharing about sending out invites, but I've found on the last few shows I tried this with I did not receive a guest list. Should I really just cancel their show? I am so nervous about doing that; isn't a small show better than no show? However i have been burned with a few tiny--no way you invited people--type of show.

 

[dwyerkim]

I like the ideas everyone is sharing about sending out invites, but I've found on the last few shows I tried this with I did not receive a guest list. Should I really just cancel their show? I am so nervous about doing that; isn't a small show better than no show? However i have been burned with a few tiny--no way you invited people--type of show.

Did you check in with the host to see what is going on? I wouldn't write it off until you touch base, but my guess is you'll be able to figure out a lot from their response to a "where are you"--said in a nice way of course!--kind of call.

I am in the process of switching over to this. My next two shows that are far enough out to do this are end of May and beginning of June, and I sent both hosts postcards to save the date and encouraged them to start making their guest list now. I intend to pay postage if they give me 40+ names, and I'm going to request $15 up front for their demo ingredients. I feel a little nervous asking for that but I think that is all me--if I just explain "that's how I do it and it saves you addressing invitations, paying postage, and grocery shopping" then I ought to be able to get them on board.

Thanks all for posting the files on this thread... I now have great stuff to work with to put in a guest list letter to send out!

 

[PamperedChefDebi]

I have one question.....Do all the hosts REALLY have their friends' addresses? I mean, I know I don't have my friends' addresses, only e-mails. Because of this, would I offer to e-mail everyone?

 

[chefsrpampered]

I am just wanting too see how many of you mail your invites for the host. I figured instead of totally hijacking another thread I would post out here to get some more information and help. Baychef has already given me a lot of insight and I would like to thank her for that!

I am going to give mailing invites a go, but I am a little unsure of the wording and letters used. I want to sell this too my hosts as a great way to get guests, blah blah, but need some help. Does anyone have a letter made up they would be willing to post?

Thanks guys, and thanks to BayChef for getting me motivated to do this.
m

I don't like to send e-vites, some end up as spam. I sent out 35 e-vites (4 at a time) last week and when I went to the show yesterday, the hostess told me only 2 people actually received them. So from now on I will mail the invitations for my hostesses. It gives them the motivation to tell people about their show and I am sure that they were sent invitations. They also tend to go through their phone book and invite more people than they originally thought of. I know that I am eating the cost of the stamps, but it has been worth it in the past.