Navigating My First 'Man Show': Tips & Ideas Needed!

[1PamperedMommy]

Okay, I got my first "man show" booking and I don't know what to do with it! It's for my father-in-law, who I'll be honest is a little reluctant. I'm pitching it as a chance for these guys to buy Mother's Day presents for their wives or mothers, will be held in April (for the Trifle Bowl), and probably thinking of doing BBQ chicken and corn on the cob on the grill. Any ideas for what to do with a bunch of guys would be greatly appreciated. I am a little nervous/excited, and want to make it a GREAT show. All the guys are feeling a little girly for going to a Pampered Chef show, and I want to put them at ease about it. HELP!!

 

[tys1031]

I pitched mine as a Grill Party and a Cooking Lesson for Mother's Day Dinner. The Grill Party is going to be to show off the new grill products (for Father's Day ideas for them to give to their wives) and I am going to do a side dish in the DCB. The Cooking Lesson Party is going to show them how to prepare a nice meal for the mother's in their lives. I had a lot of men at work say they didn't want to do restaurants this year since their budgets are so tight, so that's where I got the idea from......one of my co-workers is hosting the party.

 

[1PamperedMommy]

So how are you managing the time? Are you showing them how to prepare something, then cooking on the grill, then doing ordering? And what are you showing them how to prepare? I don't want to scare them away

 

[SueAdx]

I think that you could break out of the stereo type that guys only like to grill. I have shown them how to make a great meal in the covered baker. The baker is an excellent gift for the Mom in their life. They make the meal, serve it in the baker with a big bow on it. voila ~ they have a gift AND they made dinner at the same time.

 

[tys1031]

So how are you managing the time? Are you showing them how to prepare something, then cooking on the grill, then doing ordering? And what are you showing them how to prepare? I don't want to scare them away

For the grill party, I had men who specifically asked for new ideas for their grilling---not related to Mother's Day. So I was planning on letting them do the cooking, but we would use the Mandoline to cut veggies, the chopper for potato salad ingredients, & the rubs/seasonings for their meat (along with the spritzer). While the items were cooking on the grill, I would talk about the other items that would help them in the kitchen from the catalog. They could order then or once they taste the food. I know men are more visual and hands-on, so I was thinking they'd order once they used the products rather than waiting to taste the food.

For the Mother's Day dinner, I planned on showing them how to prepare a nice meal (probably the tortellini or the tetrazini) in the DCB. I was going to use my salad choppers for a fresh salad and the mandoline and food chopper for the salad ingredients. Once the food was in the microwave, I was planning to talk more about items I would suggest for Mother's Day. I intended to order the trifle bowl so I could show them how to do a nice center piece for their table and use some Simple Additions to set the table. I had planned for this show to be a little longer because I had SPECIFIC requests from them to show them how to do everything from setting the table to cleaning up properly.

Hope that helps!:thumbup:

 

[Mr. Pampered Chef]

I have done an all male show, it was geared toward BBQ'ing as well, went ok, sold alot of flippers and bbq baskets that show...

 

[RMDave]

Most of my shows are Men Only! Guess what, lots of men can out do their women in the kitchen. Many are savy and know exactly what they're doing in the kitchen. My job is to show them how to create more efficiently (and sometimes with an eye toward the budget).

Forget the stereotypes of guys grilling and drinking beer. Think out of the box. You might just be amazed.

 

[SCteam]

A great dessert on the grill is pineapple. After peeling/coring, sprinkle with brown sugar, let it soak in and grill. Serve cut up over vanilla ice cream. I plan to have grilling shows this spring/summer and have everyone try different things on the grill. Think out of the box.

 

[debmiz]

Most of my shows are Men Only! Guess what, lots of men can out do their women in the kitchen. Many are savy and know exactly what they're doing in the kitchen. My job is to show them how to create more efficiently (and sometimes with an eye toward the budget).

Forget the stereotypes of guys grilling and drinking beer. Think out of the box. You might just be amazed.

So true!!! I have 3 brothers and everyone of them are much better cooks than I am. And, I am finding more and more as I meet people at vendor events & craft fairs that it is the men in the family who are doing the cooking. One of my good friends in Pampered Chef tells the guests at all her shows... "When I first met my husband, I found out he could cook so I married him!".

I think you will find that the guys are very interested in all the products we have, not just the BBQ tools.

 

[pampchefsarah]

Speaking of not stereotyping - don't assume women don't like to grill, either!! Lots of them do, and some just need to be taught how easy it is with our tools.

 

[tys1031]

I did one of my "man" shows Sunday and it was a flop. It was supposed to be for single dads so I did the tortellini recipe from the Weekday Dinners collection and a salad to show the salad choppers 7 mandoline. Three of the 20 dads who RSVP'd showed up and not one ordered. They said the DCB & mandoline price was too high....didn't like the choppers. Tried to sell the DCB using the analogy of how much it would cost to take the family out for dinner each night in a week....didn't work. I was trying to stay away from the stereotyping of guys only like grilling.......and guess what they thought they were coming to do????

The host wouldn't provide me with phone numbers so I couldn't talk to any of the guests prior to the show. He said I was "hovering" when I made my first host-coaching call....now, as a sidebar, he approached me with this show idea! Tried not to get offended & still called the second time. I don't think he was paying me too much attention on the call because he asked 3 times what I meant by oustide orders. I don't think he made the reminder calls either. Just hoping my next "man shows" in April (I have 2) go MUCH better! I have to find a way to get out of the circle of my current customer base because I am not having much luck with them. Send good thoughts my way!!

 

[scottcooks]

Grill a pizza! Have a salsa contest... 1 - basic knife/cutting board and bowl; 2 - PC knife/cutting board and bowl; 3 - PC chopper/cutting board and bowl. You'll sell a ton of chopppers!

 

[Mr. Pampered Chef]

When I do a show first thing (well not first thing) I ask how many men have cooking shows compared to women....makes them think, Scottcooks thank you for the files.