My Mystery Host Show: Seeking Advice for Making it a Success

[sarahsellcm]

Hello! I have had one show already and it wasn't that great. It was a $200 show. I am in the middle of my second show which was a Mystery Host and I invited all my neighbors and no one showed up. I am really upset right now and am thinking that maybe this was a bad idea. Does anyone have any advice on how I can make this a better success?

 

[MicheleC]

Sarah, I'm sorry to hear you've had a rough start. Don't give up yet. Have you worked your list of 100 in the Welcome Booklet? That was a great help for me in brainstorming for names. I would consider contacting the neighbors you invited and tell them you're sorry they couldn't make the show but they still have a chance to place an order and be a winner or better yet they could host their own show and guarantee they receive hostess benefits. Maybe it was just a bad date or time for the show. I don't know how many neighbors you invited so keep in mind we ask our hosts to invite 40 people to ensure a successful show.

Try reaching out to family and friends from afar to do online shows to get you to your qualification.

Contact bridal shops, rental stores(many brides rent items for their wedding decor), florist shops and bakeries and ask them if they would be willing to post information on the wedding registry and showers.

You'll find that you'll eventually run into people who are excited to find a consultant and have been wanting to place an order!

Contact fundraisers and ask about contributing a gift certificate (redeemable through you) to their auction or better yet, helping them raise some real cash through a fundraiser.

Start promoting the help whip cancer products. This is a cause that is near and dear to many!
Good luck and most importantly HAVE FUN!

 

[reesefamily5]

When I started PC my first shows where all around $200 shows. But as you do more shows you will relax more and it will show in your sales. Now my average cooking show is $600 to $700. Keep trying it will get better.

When you did your Mystery Host show did you give reminder calls? Remember to host coach yourself just like you would to a host. Those reminder calls make a difference.

 

[AJPratt]

Hi, Sarah... I would like to think that I got all of the rough stuff out of the way early, so I could have fun later. Like my director said, "When the worst you fear happens (someone saying no to a show, or less turnout than you want), think of it as training." No one needs to know you didn't have a turnout. Just ask about orders. I had a host send out over 40 invites, 10 RSVPed, and three showed up. Turns out it was back to school night for her district. Her show wound up being $800 and she became a consultant!

If you are having fun, and putting forth your best effort, the money will come!!

 

[sarahsellcm]

Thank you!Thank you all for your words of encouragement. I really appreciate all your kind words and input. My finance and I just moved to our house not long ago so we don't know ANYONE in our area. I made up 200 flyers and took them all over the area and no one showed up. After some crying your words made me feel better and more confident. If anyone has any other words of encouragement please let me know.

 

[AJPratt]

S M I L E ! ! ! !I have done flyers and mailings but I have to admit the best way I get a show is to ask. Have you gone around and introduced yourself to your neighbors? I know it can be hard, but its a good start. Go with the purpose of meeting people and the PC stuff will just naturally work into the conversation. Hey, you could wind up with some recruits, too. Do you have hospitality to go to meetings? Just look at your area as an untapped market. If you have school nearby, take over fundraiser info. Just tell them that your new to the area. I think most people will want to help.

 

[soonerchef]

I have to agree that without one on one contact that you won't see much of a response from just putting up flyers. Just like I tell my hosts...you will have a much better turn out at the show if you follow up with the invited guests in person or on the phone a couple of days before the show. I wish that we could just put up flyers and people would come running but unfortunately life gets in the way and people forget, I know I have forgot a friends show or two just simply because no one reminded me.

Don't give up and have confidence in yourself that you can do this...because you can.

 

[heat123]

Keep your chin up and keep going! I gave myself 6 months to try this business out (to work out the kinks and hopefully starting making some decent $$) . So far I am in month 5 and it's going well! Hang in there and ask all your freinds and family to host a show! Ya never know the response! I simply wanted 4-6 shows from freinds and family to qualify and I got 13 bookings from them!

As for low show totals. You get low shows and you get high shows and mostly inbetween shows for me at least! It will vary! I did 2 grand openings in my starting month and got two qualifying shows from them. I invited everyone I knew and mostly friends and family came to support me.

good luck!

 

[AJPratt]

Hey, Sarah... do you have a website? It can really help. I've increased traffic to my site by telling guests that the recipe I prepared is on my site and to bookmark it for updates. I wound up with about $450 in orders, related to shows, that I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gotten if I didn't have the site. Also, I've started to send out the invitations and I put a sticker on each one (its a file folder label) that says, If you can't make the show, you can still support Susie by ordering off www.pamperedchef.biz/annepratt. It has really helped my sales.