Overcoming a Slump: My First Show Experience

[ChefAggi]

Ok so I'm having a bit of a slump this week. To begin my contract job finished up last Friday. So I'm on the umemployment list again hunting hard all week and throwing out resumes left right and center!!!

I had my first show Saturday night past. We thought there would be more people coming but they didn't show. My best friend hosted my party. Six people turned out including Amy,(best friend). 2 of them were from her place of work, the other three consisted of my Mum, and two people I considered friends, but not too sure about that now... The show itself was great and I was more relaxed than I thought I would be. I made the Mini Ham Puffs that were awesome and I also made the Peachy Cheese Coffee cake. both recipes are in the All the Best cookbook. the peach dessert was sooo delicious!

Well the end of the show came and not one person placed an order that night.. well Mum did (God love her... Mums are always there to make you feel good)! The rest wanted to take their catalogs home and look over it more to see what they wanted to order. Well.. in order to get a qualified show I needed $200. that has been a struggle. Amy managed to get a couple more orders from her Mum,her sister and even her hubby to help us get to the $200 mark. I managed to get a couple other outside orders for her too. The two so-called friends that came well they both said they would order something... One of the girls I knew really only came for the food and she really surprised me two days later to say she would order the suds pump. The next day she changed her mind. She wants to wait til She has her show... one year from now when she gets married (she has always been a miser with her money).. The other girl who I thought I could count on said she would order some things... the other night SHE TOO changed her mind and said she would wait until she has a show in a few months when she gets her new apartment! I thought to myself. HOW SELFISH!!! Amy had her heart set on getting that fancy bowl/platter/wicker platter set for her half price item! Amy and I have been best friends for almost 30 years. I would do ANYTHING for her and she for me. Without those other two orders we have managed to get over the $200 mark. But in order for her to get her platter set she needs to get $300 in guest sales. I have one more order to add tonight from a friend of my Mum who knows Amy very well from our Thursday night quilting. It still won't make the $300. I've decided I reeeeeeeally want Amy to get that platter set.. and if I have too I'll add some stuff to Mum's order to get her to the next level!

I guess in a nut shell I was hoping for better things for my first show. I didn't even get one single booking out of it. I have exhausted my friends and family for bookings. Some say they want to do them, but not for another while..perhaps May or June. I reeeeeally wanted to get those Stainless Steel bowls as my first month incentive, but its looking bleak. I don't know HOW to get more bookings for April!!! I"m DESPERATE.. my first month ends APril 20th.

 

[RachelNguyen]

Oh, Chef Aggi,

Try not to get discouraged! In the beginning, especially, this is all about numbers. Call everyone you know. Have a party yourself and offer the host benefits in a raffle. Invite TONS of people... everyone! Call them to remind them.

The trick is to get the ball rolling and it just takes perserverance. And, even though your first party was a bust financially, you should be thrilled that the recipes were great and you were comfortable. That is wonderful!

So, hang in there...

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

theres only way to describe a first party...they suck for us all!! its hard not to get discouraged. The best advice I can offer is to check out any fairs, have your own party, re-check your list of 100 , maybe leave flyers or business cards???, just thinking off the top of my head. I am inactive right now and I am going to have my own show next month and do a fleamarket/craft fair that i do just about every month. You have to stay positive and focused. just know that the next show you do will be even better than the first and the third will be even better than the second...get my drift....good luck and dont give up!!

 

[kelleyg]

theres only way to describe a first party...they suck for us all!! its hard not to get discouraged. The best advice I can offer is to check out any fairs, have your own party, re-check your list of 100 , maybe leave flyers or business cards???, just thinking off the top of my head. I am inactive right now and I am going to have my own show next month and do a fleamarket/craft fair that i do just about every month. You have to stay positive and focused. just know that the next show you do will be even better than the first and the third will be even better than the second...get my drift....good luck and dont give up!!

Tell me about the flea market, there's one here I'd like to get started going to. I'm waiting for a call back from the manager about table rental prices, etc... Do you have food demos? or product to show, and catalogs?

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

i usually set up 2 tables. one has flyers, host packets, box for drawing, stuff like that. the other i set up some of the products and when i have time i will make a snack of some sort. i always have a handful of potoatos to demo some of the tools with. i love doing it. usually i do a drawing for free kitchen show (depending on how many takers i get usally everyone wins) and sometimes a free product of some sort. any more questions just ask or email me

 

[ChefAggi]

I'm trying hard to keep my head up and confident. I guess the weather here this week hasn't helped my spirits... Typical of Newfoundland March normally comes in like a lion and out like a lamb; only this year seems the lion ate the lamb. We had a nasty weather system blow over us this week that lasted 4 days. Today it is actually sunny. We had another 30cm of snow dumped on us. Come April this snow will start to melt away good and fast. We have fog rolling in from the ocean.. (Yep I have an oceanview here outside my apartment windows) The fog is cool but it does eat away at the snow good. I have my windows open to get some air circulating through my flat. The sounds of the seagulls is very relaxing and soothing to me. I have a few more people I can call this week about bookings. If that doesn't work, I might resort to dropping off some catalogs to a few organizations around my area. I might even check out some fundraising events.
My girlfriend became a partylite consultant the same time I started my Pampered Chef two weeks ago. We said we would do a show for each other to help each other with our business. I have been trying to get in contact with her all week, but I think she must be out of town, she hasn't returned my phone messages or emails all week. I'll try calling again this weekend.

Well I"m off and running again.. I just finished quilting a Queen Size quilt to give to my best friend for her and her hubby's 5th year Wedding Anniversary. I have a ton of excess threads to take off the quilt and then start the binding.

Cheers