My First Show From You-Know-Where

[jeanniec]

I have to tell you guys about a show (and host, I might add) that are the bane of my existence right now!!! I wound up getting the flu in the wee hours of the morning on the day of the show, which was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. last Saturday, something that has never happened to me in my direct sales career of 6+ years. I called the host on her cell phone at 9:30 a.m. to tell her the situation, apologize and cancel/reschedule - I even offered to call my clustermates to find one of them do the show, but she wouldn't agree to it!! I asked her three times whether she had bought the food and she finally said she hadn't, and that she just couldn't cancel with "all these people" she had coming. This host booked off of my neighbor's show the week prior (she booked in really close). I was at a loss and I felt super awful for having to do this to her at this point, especially because she had "all these people" coming. So, in my moment of weakness, I explained to her the business opportunity and said she could use this sitaution to try on the apron. I said I would pay her after I get paid for her efforts since I couldn't do the show and she would be doing it - I am so embarrased and disgusted by my mistake, I can't even type it at regular size. I know, I know - what on God's green earth was I thinking?!?! I chalk it up to the flu and lack of sleep, along with massive guilt of assuming I was putting her in a major bind with "all these people" she had coming. UGH!! Really, I swear I am not that stupid normally. LOL My rear end is raw from all the kicking I've been doing to it since this happened.Anyway, I sent with my neighbor a crate with all the tools to make the recipe, plus a piece of EP CW, cookbooks, catalogs and order forms, along with instructions on what to say to the "all these people". Fast forward to after the show, when my neighbor told me the host only had three people at her house, in addition to my neighbor - and only two were buying anything (the other one was the sister, who is apparently broke). The host used all of my stuff and was supposed to give it to my neighbor to return to me that day - but, she didn't. Then, the host was supposed to drop it off the next day on her way to her sister's house - but, she didn't. Finally, two days later I had to drive - still with remnants of the flu, mind you - almost 40 miles round trip to pick up my stuff, kids screaming and crying in the back the entire time!!!! I kept watching for places I could pull into to use their bathroom - but, thankfully, I made it the whole car ride without having to stop (sorry for the TMI)! LOLAll this, and she didn't have enough in sales to even make a show. So, I encouraged her to collect outside orders because I had to explain to her again three times the host benefits chart, because she didn't understand why she wasn't getting a half-price item with her $138 in sales. LOLThe host was supposed to close the show this week. I talked with her again yesterday and she informed me that she is waiting on a check - and that her show is now over $400 (uuugggghhhh - that's $80 I'm out - whimper, whimper). She then told me she is leaving for vacation on Friday and will be gone for a week. I told her to mail me the orders and what she wants and I will close the show while she is gone. She said she would just give the orders to her sister to get to me. Who knows when I would ever get them! I told her that if she is going to do that, she needs to tell her friends and family that ordered what is going on and that they might not get their orders for several more weeks. I need to call her again today to see what is going on. I have never, ever, EVER had a host like this before! My hosts are always awesome to work with - this is my first dud, I guess! Obviously, now I don't want to give her anything extra whatsoever for my being sick (which I never should have done to begin with). I don't see any possible way to get myself out of this, so I am stuck with a tough lesson learned. What have you guys done if you have ever gotten really sick and couldn't do a show?ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

 

[tlennhoff]

Ugh, I sympathize with you. The idea of it being a "trying on the apron" was a great one although I probably would have offered a small freebie rather than giving my commission.

May this be your one dud throughout your career.

 

[nikkijo]

I'm so sorry your going through this. I recently had a pain in butt host as well. It's my husbands brothers wife (that's right I don't claim her as a realative, DH doesn't want to either) and I still have to see her at Christmas. At least when this is all said and done you never have to see her again

 

[jeanniec]

At least when this is all said and done you never have to see her again

Thanks, Nikki - I'm sorry you had to go through with your non-SIL! =) It would be a little better if it was the case where I won't see this person again, but she is my neighbor's friend, so we see her at all the birthday parties, etc. =P

 

[nikkijo]

I'm sorry u do have to see her again! Are there enough people at the parties so you don't have to talk to her without being rude?

 

[jeanniec]

Ugh, I sympathize with you. The idea of it being a "trying on the apron" was a great one although I probably would have offered a small freebie rather than giving my commission.

May this be your one dud throughout your career.

Thanks, Tasha! I do hope it is the one dud. Next time (and hopefully there won't be one), I will be prepared!

 

[jeanniec]

I'm sorry u do have to see her again! Are there enough people at the parties so you don't have to talk to her without being rude?

Yes, I think so. I will stick around the other neighbors, which is what I normally do, so hopefully it won't seem weird!My upline AD suggested that once she closes her show, which who knows when that will happen at this point, I only send her $25 and wash my hands of it. Sounds good to me. What do you guys think???

 

[Jennie4PC]

thats what I would do I just re read your post and it looks like you didnt say you would give her all your commision but you would pay her for doing the show on her own Good luck

 

[speedychef]

Maybe you can still salvage some of your dough by telling her the $80 will be in free product value? That really is a bummer. So is she signig up? Tell her that she has to sign up to get the commission!

 

[PoseyMom]

I think it's awesome that her show was $400! I can see your frustration in having to retrieve the products when you were still ill, but maybe this is a good time to give her the "you would be a great consultant" spiel!

 

[MGG]

I agree with SpeedyChef, tell her if she signs up you'll pay her cash for the show. Give her kudos on turning a 3 person show into a $400 show. If she doesn't want to sign tell her you'll give her $30 in free products b/c that'll equate to $10 an hour. I don't even think you can pay her to do a show when she's not an official consultant except with free products.

 

[raebates]

I don't see anything at all wrong with giving her a PORTION of your commission, especially since she was at least as much of a headach as your flu.

 

[DebbieSAChef]

What did you say?What exactly did you say to her on the phone. I also think you should only give her a portion of your commission and then of course her host beneifts. Thank her for doing this for you and wash your hands of the whole thing.

I have never gotten sick the day of my show, I was very, very pregnant at one show. I actually had my son the next day. Started having contractions in the morning and in the middle of the bible study at church we headed to the hospital. I delivered 4 hours later.

At the show I sat alot and did a very simple recipe that I could do with my eyes closed (Ham Florentine wreath).

I don't exactly know what I would do but if I knew I was very sick in the morning and my host didn't want to reschedule, because personally I think that's too late of notice to cancel something, I would have a friend help me prepare the food and send it over to the party with step by step instructions for the guests to make that at home. A free SEason's best for everyone or citrus peel for coming and then of course letting your host know that she will get the kitchen show benefits even if you didn't get to make it.

Who can really know what our future holds, car accidents, the flu, very sick child, emergency room visit, etc.....

Most hosts are very understanding. Bad hosts come along and we must just take it in stride. The great hosts make up for the bad ones.

Debbie

 

[jeanniec]

Ladies - thanks for the awesome feedback!! I was so excited to see all the comments from you guys today. =) I called this host yesterday to close her show before she left for vacation for a week - she has been giving me the royal runaround about closing all week and refused to give me the orders she had collected when I drove to her house to pick up my stuff. When I called about closing yesterday (which I told her the day before that I would be doing), she said she would call me back and then never did. Meanwhile, the orders sit.So, I am going to go this route - offer $30 cash (for the $10 per hour - thanks for that suggestion, MGG) or a higher amount of free products on her show as an incentive to make that option more appealing. That's it. Who knows when this show will close at this point!Debbie, when I called to cancel/reschedule the show and she told me no, I did offer to send over the recipe already done, and made by my husband, so she wouldn't have to do anything except collect the orders at her show. She declined and said she didn't want sick germs from my house on the food. Makes no sense, I know, since she used all of the products I packed to make the recipe herself. LOLAnd, like you said, the good hosts do make up for the bad ones...by far! It took me six years in direct sales to get a host like this, so I suppose that's not bad!