Not Even Enough to Submit!

[MSmith]

Hi All,

I'm a little upset right now and would like to hear a bright side, another perspective and/or possible solution from someone outside of my situation...

Here is the deal: I did a show last week that had only ONE person there (besides the host and myself). That one guest said "this is so nice to have just us, isn't it?" and also said "I never get to have someone cook for me". Okay, I didn't say this out loud but: #1) Sure it's been fun, but this is also my jobby job! and #2) I am NOT a caterer!! sigh.

Anyway, now I'm hoping that her outside orders will make a difference...but she calls me this morning to say that there's a little problem: 2 of the guests are REMOVING items from their order! ugh.

She is at $87 in sales and I really feel that she did the best that she could and I did the best that I could with Host Coaching, etc. But, I am not looking forward to telling her that this isn't even enough to submit, much less to earn her anything for free! sigh, again.

sigh and ugh. Thanks for listening...
maria

 

[pamperedchefmom]

not enough to submit

Have her get orders from coworkers, family, friends, and neighbors. Tell her that in order for it to count as a show guest orders must total $150 or more. Otherwise, you will have to submit it as an individual show. Offer her a free product if she can come up with the rest of the orders. If she can't come up with any orders still give her something for free for her hard work.

 

[MichelleRoth]

I Understand!

Hi Maria,

I understand.

When I first started out, a girlfriend of mine had a show for me. She invited 32 people. 3 showed up, after all of the last minute cancellations, etc. etc.

The order was not enough to submit either. It sucks!

What I did was talk to my family and friends to see if anyone needed anything, and then just added their orders to hers.

Alternatively, could you add her orders to another show and just give her like $5 off her order or something like that? I have done that in the past with a catalogue show that didn't quite make it. The hostess understood, and was happy that I still offered her the $5 off, even though her show didn't qualify!

Make sure also to let her know that if was not her fault, as she did her best, and not yours either, as you did your best. Sometimes these things just happen! Also, because it is spring/summer, attendance is bound to be lower, no matter what some people do!

Good luck!

Hope this helps!

Michelle

 

[noradawn]

I had a show a few weeks ago that closed at $120. I thought about adding it to another show, but then I wasn't looking forward to being the one who had to get the products from one host to another. What the host ended up doing is adding a couple of things she wanted to a guest order to get to $150. Then she got $15 in free products, plus her discount. I felt bad for her because I felt she had done a lot, but then she gave me back the host packet and nothing in there was used- not the show planner, invites, anything! So then I didn't feel as bad for her as I had.

 

[MSmith]

Thank you very much! Those are great ideas...and I will store them away for another rainy day.

I just got back from closing her show (I knew it was going to be a hairy situation, so I decided to meet with her in person). At the last minute, she was able to pull together a total of $143 in guest sales...I went ahead and purchased a small item to put her to the $150 mark.

At least it's over, eh?

Again, thanks so much...

 

[janel kelly]

Definatley keep things positive for her. I have had a couple people tell me they never want to have a kitchen show again because of a bad experience with another consultant when their show had low sales. If this is still a good experience for her she will want to have another show again in the future. I know I feel bad when that happens not necessarily for myself but for the hostess because I like to see them do well and get alot of benefits. Sometimes you can do everything right and this still happens. Aren't you glad it doesn't happen very often? Good luck!

 

[Chef Laura]

I agree with Janel, keep things positive with your host, I have ahost that has had several shows and the first ones I had to help get to qualifying, thinks to a list I keep of orders for people that call me and say I want this next time you order. It was nice when we only needed 5 orders to make a show. But my point is, because I made it a good experience for her, I can call her or her daughter or grandaughter who have all had numerous shows and have them host a show when I am in a bind and need that show to get the charm or the extra $$ for new products. And if you keep it fun the $$ from the shows will go up and everyone is happy.

Laura

 

[kcjodih]

Michelle

Michelle,

This is off topic but WOW!! Your consultant number is only 31 off of mine. And here I thought they just made these numbers up and gave them out at random....LOL

Jodi H
021674

 

[CHEFINGREEN]

Not enough to submit

Hi there. I had a show in May and only 3 guests showed. The hostess was able to get one nice size outside order and then I added 2 additional outside orders to her show. The show total ended up being about $260. Getting to get people to show up seems to be such a difficult thing to do so I've been tossing this idea around and I'd like to get some input. I've been thinking about telling my hostesses that if they can get at least 5 people to confirm that they will be attending the show, then I'll make the show a catalog show instead. I figure that the 5 people that would have shown up will probably order regardless of whether it's a kitchen or a catalog show. Of course, if the hostess has collected several outside orders prior to her show, then I would go ahead and do a kitchen show even if she had less than 5 people. Anyway, I'm hoping to hear from some consultants that have been in the business for some time because I'm not sure if this is wise to do or not. What do you think?
Thanks for your input,
Chefingreen

 

[MSmith]

So, if you don't have at least 5 people confirmed before you get to the show, then you still go to the host's home but you don't do a demo and just pass out catalogs & talk about PC? Or do you not even go to the home at all? I am intrigued by this concept....

I've been thinking about telling my hostesses that if they can get at least 5 people to confirm that they will be attending the show, then I'll make the show a catalog show instead. I figure that the 5 people that would have shown up will probably order regardless of whether it's a kitchen or a catalog show. Of course, if the hostess has collected several outside orders prior to her show, then I would go ahead and do a kitchen show even if she had less than 5 people. Anyway, I'm hoping to hear from some consultants that have been in the business for some time because I'm not sure if this is wise to do or not. What do you think?
Thanks for your input,
Chefingreen

 

[Chef Becca]

Now I'm no expert by any means, I've only been in this business for 2 1/2 years, but personally, I would be very cautious of the 5 person rule UNLESS you were driving a significant distance away. I say this for a couple of reasons. Even if there are only 4 people there - which we always hope that there's a LOT more - but even if there are only 4, if they were just to order out of the catalog they might only get the things they know they need. At the Kitchen Show they will see tools that they may not have known that they really truly needed until you showed them. Ya know? Our catalog has more than 250 items in it and it's hard enough to see them all sitting at a show, let alone flipping through a catalog quickly. At the show you have the opportunity to really highlight stoneware and cookware and other higher priced items. Sometimes catalog guests see the price and are immediately turned off to it, but at the Kitchen Show when you give all of the features and benefits and THEN mention the price, the price seems not to be as much because of what you get out of it. The oohs and aahs that you get out of explaining and demonstrating products are things that you just can't give catalog customers. In my personal business, my kitchen show order average is around $40 - $50 but the average catalog order seems to be much lower. Plus, at the show you get to make connections with the customers and have the opportunity to build that business relationship for future shows and possible recruit leads. I completely see what you're saying and why you're saying it though - it makes sense.

 

[sweet]

Before I became a consultant I went to a show where there were a lot of people around 20 and I didn't like it what so ever for the reason that the consultant where not able to really talk to the crowd. People where not listening to her and the host sale where pretty low. Probably just above $200 (what we need in canada for a qualify show) and on the other hand I hand a show at home where I only had 4 guests and 1 outside order and my show came up over $300. So you really cannot pre-juge any show with the amount of guest. I would say only specify that they must have 5 guest confirm if you have to drive more that 45 min one way, but even then you wont know for sure if they will show up unless they really show up that night.

 

[MichelleRoth]

Hostess Number

That's too cool that our numbers are so close!!!

lol, I don't think they are randomly generated though, I think they come up in order!

 

[lbarter]

it's a tough call, but always remember that you never know what people will order. I recently had a show with only 4 in attendance. It ended up being $400 in sales after a couple of outside orders, 3 show booking and one new consultant. so sometimes it pays to think positively!

 

[SBinkley]

you never know...

I recently had a show that was about $800 in sales. There weren't many in attendance...maybe 5. But 1 guest ordered nearly $300 in products. Yep, you read that right! I tried to convince this guest to become a consultant, but no luck. She already sells Mary Kay, and says she is devoted to that. Anyway, never pre-judge a show. You never know....

 

[janel kelly]

The thing about turning a kitchen show into a catalogue show is the host doesn't get as much in free products($15 less) which might upset the host. I also find that kitchen show sales are better than catalogue sales. Plus I also get more bookings from kitchen shows. I understand how you feel though. I've been doing PC since February and the attendence at my shows probably averages 5 or 6 no matter how hard I host coach and encourage them to pass out all 40 invites.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Under the old host program the requirements for a show were 5 orders or $150. I had a show that I drove 70 miles one way to and the total was $60 in sales and I think she split someone's order into 2 so it would be 5 orders. I did get one booking from it. (BTW: I love that they changed it to minimum $150 in sales!!)

Off of that miserable show I eventually got:
$400 show, $600 show, $1100 show and several other shows and a recruit lead or two but no one signed from that line yet.

Was it worth it to do the barely minimum show after driving over an hour one way? ABSOLUTELY!!

Average things out down the line - even the small shows can mean big sales in your future. If it doesn't (no bookings or leads), well, that one was a bust but you can still average out your month and you also can use it to evaluate your host coaching. You never know what lead may come later from that show either. I had one show totally cancel and the host never responded to my efforts to reschedule so I let it go and 2 years later the host called and did a $600+ show.

Who knows what your good attitude about a disappointing show might bring you later!

 

[MSmith]

Yes, now that I'm a couple of days away from the situation, it is easier to appreciate the experience! To my hosts & guests, I am very conscientious of having a positive outlook b/c you truly never know what each connection with people will bring...

I also appreciate the opportunity to vent my frustration to people who have experienced similar situations and/or can offer sage advice, especially b/c it helps to not feel so alone in a given situation!

Thank you very much!!!
maria