Boost Your Business with TPC: Tips from a Successful Bank Manager

[mommyhugz1978]

So I got a totally ramdom call from my bank this afternoon!!! At first I panicked becasue I thought uh oh is something wrong and I don't know?!! WHEW NO It was a rather awesome suprise for me!!! The bank manager at my bank remebered that I sell TPC and choose me to be the business of the month. What that means is I would bring in catty's and and flyer's and stuff and sit out on a table for people to take and look at. My advice that I need is I am not sure what to put out and I don't have mini catalogs right now. So any suggestions would be great!!!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[esavvymom]

My first question would be when is it, and what DO you have for literature. If you have some time, you may be able to get mini'cats from a supply order (they are shipping fast! I placed a supply and catalog order today, and my cat-show shipped already, and the supply order is being filled!) Or maybe someone in your cluster (or from here who is in your area) might have some extra mini's. Have recipe cards with your info stamped/stuck to them. If you don't have recipe cards, you can print a flyer you like. Search for "booth handout" or something like that in the files.You'll get lots of ideas. I don't know about product- but I'd say keep it simple. Also have the upcoming Host Specials for the months you need to book (Jan/Feb?).Good luck!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

They choose me for Febuary!!! Which I thought would be totally perfect since it's stoneware month. But she said no product becasue they don't want to be liable if someone took something etc. Which I totally get but I can have as much info I want to put out!!!!

I have a few things becasue when I signed up in September I got that sheet of paper that lets you order extra paper work supplies. I jsut don't want my little table to be tacky or overwhelming to someone looking at it.

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

Search under booths, you could make up one of those trifold boards to showcase.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I would take a few key products (piece of cookware, DCB, trifle bowl, a bamboo piece...) - things that will catch their eye and start conversations. Also have DPDS (to get contact info - do a drawing!); mini-catalogs; something they can take about the business/booking a show; a business magnet or card.

I'm attaching something I did for a job fair a while back (It's 2 to a page to save on printing. I started with somethng someone else made and tweaked it for my purposes). I tried to make it somewhat generic so that I could use it for other booths too and I'm glad I did - the turnout for the job fair was way less than it was thought to be. I also carry the PC recruiting flyers to give to those who seem more interested. Be careful to not hand too much to people though - it just gets tossed.

Just make sure you get their info and that they leave with something with yours on it.

 

[esavvymom]

I would take a few key products (piece of cookware, DCB, trifle bowl, a bamboo piece...) - things that will catch their eye and start conversations. Also have DPDS (to get contact info - do a drawing!); mini-catalogs; something they can take about the business/booking a show; a business magnet or card.

I'm attaching something I did for a job fair a while back (It's 2 to a page to save on printing. I started with somethng someone else made and tweaked it for my purposes). I tried to make it somewhat generic so that I could use it for other booths too and I'm glad I did - the turnout for the job fair was way less than it was thought to be. I also carry the PC recruiting flyers to give to those who seem more interested. Be careful to not hand too much to people though - it just gets tossed.

Just make sure you get their info and that they leave with something with yours on it.

Great idea- BUT they told her no product. It sounds like you are getting a table to setup and just leave -unmanned? Does that mean it gets to sit there all month if you are the "business of the month"?

I would get plenty of Recipe Cards (ONE Type), and Mini-catalogs. Get some brochure holders from walmart to put them in standing on the table. Depending on whether you do a trifold board or not, you can also get Flyer-stands to put the current monthly specials in. Get a pack of Bridal Shower flyers/brochures, and Fundraiser flyers from PC supply (they are cheap). Get Recruiting Brochures also. Fan them out on your table. Have one flyer for Fundraisers, one for the Monthly host-special for March, one for Bridal Showers - in those Flyer-stands I mentioned (they are actually Clear photo-frames that you just slide the flyer/photo in. I use 8x10" sizes for these) Put those along the back of the table, and fan out the other brochures. Have the mini-catalogs and the Recipe cards either fanned out or in a brochure holder somewhere prominent as well.

You may also want to consider having a basic or lead box of some sort with the Customer Service Slips. Put up a sign that you are doing a free giveaway for a Free Season's Best Cookbook or whatever you want to give away. Maybe do a few things. A couple of Season's Best, Grand Prize might be a Free Cooking Show (You'll bring the ingredients for ONE Recipe). One way I've displayed for this giveaway is to take one of my Reusable Grocery bags - and put an empty box in the bottom to build it up. THen I put tissue paper or you can use that shredded paper, etc as a bottom layer. Add fake food or maybe a box of pasta, etc....simple/cheap stuff and use that as a visual. Trick would be making sure it contains items that won't spoil (I got fake fruit/veggies at the hobby store) or don't put items in it that someone will walk away with. OR Just make one up at home and take a nice PHOTO of it- and put it by the basket - HAHA. Include the ingredients next to your Deep Covered Baker and an open cookbook or something. Be creative in that area.

But you want something that the truly interested may leave their information for you. Because otherwise, it may not result in a lot. You could also have a clipboard with a sheet about signing up for your monthly newsletter/recipe of the month club - if you have one.

HOpe that helps. I was sort of rambling and thinking out loud.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I am just making this a really short reply!! But yes it's going to stay their for a month!!

 

[minirottie]

I have an unopened packet of mini-cats I could send to you FFS.

 

[mountainmama74]

Well that's mostly awesome, I wish my bank would do something like that! How about old catalogs? Do you have any? You could put a "contact me to see a new one" sticker on the front!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I will PM you

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I have only been selling TPC since Septmeber of last year. Really I started 5 year's ago but I left the company for a while and came back but I don't have any old catalogs at all.

 

[esavvymom]

Mini-catalogs are cheap. $3.50 for a pack of 25. About $0.15 a catalog.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Oops. Missed that about the product and that it'sa for a whole month. I'd make a display board then with the booking, recruiting, Fundraising, wedding info on it along with a few key pictures of products (and a blurb about if you just want to purchase) and put a flyer such as I posted earlier for them to take. I'd also do that lead box (DPDS) to try to get some of their info - have something there saying that they if they give you name, phone, email they'll be entered in a drawing.

I'd also have plenty of business cards/magnets for people to take. Mini-catalogs aren't that expensive but they add up and if you get too many you'll have made a Feb investment on something that you won't get much use out of after March 1 (yes I old cattys/mini's at fairs but people really want to see the new so I wouldn't invest too much at that point of the season.

They just need a way to see the catalog so if you are giving them your website and info on how and offering to get them info if they ask those that want it will have it.

It's a great opportunity if you use it right but I wouldn't make a lot of $$ investment.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

It's a great opportunity for me, they pick one business every month to do this!! So I am really excited about doing this. I just want to have a really nice looking table for customer's to see and appeal to them at the same time.

 

[esavvymom]

Set up a table at your house and just play with it. Try out different looks, etc.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

That's what I am going to do, I was just trying to come up with a professional look with paperwork without products, that I would use for events at fairs. I sometimes try and have a paperwork only side of my booths, that is full of info but it doesn't always work out that way.

 

[esavvymom]

Personally, I think the PC documents they have for us are very professional looking, and I really like the newer materials- very colorful. Good luck (take some photos even and post.)

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I have a couple of weeks to play with a few things and get some materials ordered. And I will take some photo's and post them!

 

[Teresa Lynn]

have you ever used vistaprint, they have cheap shipping and sales all the time. as long as you follow PC's guidelines for what you are allowed to print you can get really cheap things In Dec. i ordered 3 times in 1 day (free shipping if you spent $1 I think)
I spent under $15 and ended up with $550 worth of materials

 

[Sheila]

I agree with the trifold board! Get their attention from a distance & draw them into the table. If you get a black one, the white flyers will POP from a distance.

I'd put one of everything on the display, then lay copies on the table for people to take. That way, if all of one stack disappears, others can still see it on the trifold board.

I agree with the host/guest specials, but I'd do BOTH Feb & March. Who knows, someone might call & book in close! I'd also do the "Discover Us" brochures, fundraiser fliers and wedding shower fliers. If you have business cards, lay those out too.

 

[pchockeymom]

Here's what I did at the bazaars I did over the holidays:

I had a raffle for a $25 gift certificate (only redeemable through me. I made up a certificate, (gave them my phone number and email, a deadline-12/30/10, and that it was for $25; mailed it to the winner), leave a prize entry box and the customer care cards for them to fill out, and then called every single person that entered the raffle telling them they'd won my consolation prize of a free show. Since your table will be set up for a month, you could do a drawing every week.

When I did this for the 2 bazaars during the holidays, I booked 10 shows and still have about 10 leads for spring shows. In addition, it has generated 4 new potential recruits(I say potential because they have not signed on the dotted line!) who are using their shows this month to sign up.

My winners did redeem their gift certificates but both bought over $50 in products so it was definitely worth the money.