Open House With Other Ds Companies

[augmommychef]

Has anyone ever held an open house with another DS company? I have an acquaintance who works for a direct sale book company who would like team up with me to do an open house. I don't know how that would work nor do I know the PC policies. Would I do a cooking show or just display the products?Anyone have experience in this, is it a yay or a nay? Any advice appreciated!

 

[PCJenni]

I have done a number of these types of events. I do not do a cooking demo. I display colorful products and cookbooks and have a premade recipe out for tasting. I have found that sales are not high at these. They are better for bookings. The one thing you need to do is make sure that the other vendors invite their contacts. The whole idea is to build your network... not let the others use your network to build theirs!

 

[ChefJWarren]

I have done two of these with several DS companies present. Yes, they are good for bookings, soso for sales. Make sure ALL vendors invite their contacts. I hosted both events and had each vendor bring a small gift ($5) to give away. Customers got "entries" for filling out info/survey cards at show. You can give each item away or a large gift basket - whichever way you feel comfortable. We all did OK, but at least it was free (just the cost of the donated item).

 

[chefann]

I just had a table at one a couple weeks ago. Each vendor brought a small gift for the prize table. Customers got a ticket whenever they made a purchase from any vendor, and there was a drawing each hour. The person who won got to pick which prize they wanted.

 

[wadesgirl]

I've done this before a couple times. I just set up like a booth. We all brought food and displayed in the SA. I have one in a couple weeks that was handed to me from my director.

 

[niktim3]

Oh, this is great!!
I have done htis for 5 years now.. at my home.. and offer the opportunity to other direct sales vendors that i personally know!! It works great, I have the other vendors also invite their guests..and we all do it. Great exposure for all of us, and i make a couple of hot things, as it is at my house. I have each vendor bring something for the food table as to help out!! 3 hours for the event, its plenty, and callit an open house so people dont linger longer!!

 

[Chef Bobby]

Oh, this is great!!
I have done htis for 5 years now.. at my home.. and offer the opportunity to other direct sales vendors that i personally know!! It works great, I have the other vendors also invite their guests..and we all do it. Great exposure for all of us, and i make a couple of hot things, as it is at my house. I have each vendor bring something for the food table as to help out!! 3 hours for the event, its plenty, and callit an open house so people dont linger longer!!

How much room does it take in your house for everyone to set up?

 

[scottcooks]

You decide. The most successful one I do - is at a gal's house that is TINY. 3 br 1 ba - this year she took the door to the garage off the hinges and had 3 vendors out there. She allows each vendor a card table and 1 chair - encourages vendors to stand so guest can sit while they browse. I've had sales 400+ both years we've done it. She does the first Sat. in December.I've done ones around Memorial Day with very limited success. Her community is small and hers is an "event." My community is hubbub suburbia and is somehow mundane.Keys I've found are: Have food at your spot - it sets you apart. Have a ENLARGED LAMINATED Host Specials flyer for the next month you want to book. It costs only about $6 at an education supply store, or about $12 at Kinko's. (Use your FedEx/Kinko's discount card for cheaper still) Worth it if you get 2 bookings that day!!

 

[sburnside]

What food samples do you have? Something wrapped or one of the PC recipes?

 

[Jules711]

I think these can go well...yay for those having success...and they can bomb. It all depends on location (at a home or community center), the other vendors (if they are all new and don't have a customer base, it won't work) and how well it's advertised. If it's in a home (at least around here), people just aren't as likely to come. They have to FIND the house and then feel that they have to buy I suppose. I have great success having an open house with just 3 other vendors at our local coffee shop. It's still free (we have to buy lunch...what a sacrifice...yumm!) and I usually do $200 or so in sales.It's a booth so just do what you would for one of those. Be sure to call your customers and encourage the other vendors to do the same. Having a prize ADVERTISED will help. The idea is to give people a reason to come. Sometimes, the company name will do it, but not always. I just had one where someone showed up that no one knew!! We have 6 total people show up, but then I found out 3 of the 5 vendors were new to their companies!

 

[PChefRenee]

My friend wanted to host a 3-in-1 party. Pampered Chef, Partylite and Premier Jewelry. We would all do a brief demo and then let everyone shop. The host and I along with the other 2 consultants know each other well and we all thought this was a great idea. We thought this way we would have a bigger audience as someone may have come for the jewelry, but then see some great PC products and buy, etc. Needless to say none of us will ever do that again! What we didn't think about was that most people come with a set amount they can/want to spend, say $45 for example. What we found is most guests bought from all of us, but seemed to have split up the $45 between us because each of us only had about $150 in show sales. If it had been only 1 consultant, it probably would have been about a $500 show. The host didn't make out very well either because each show had such a low total, she barely made the minimum for PC and only got $15 FPV and a 15% discount.

 

[pjpamchef]

Previous post is right on! My advice is to go in looking for bookings and if you get any sales that is icing on the cake. With our plan, the host benefits nicely with bookings too! Great place to display a booking tree. I have done several of these over the years, and once I figured out the sales were going to be minimal at most, and focused on getting shows, my attitude was better! The last one I did, I offered free shipping. That brings in a whole lot of little orders that normally wouldn't have happended because it's hard to place and order under $10 and pay $4 shipping. I just combined them all into about 4 different orders, and it was well worth it!