Overcoming Booking Frustrations: Tips for Securing Future Shows

[loreedfk]

Does anyone have any tips on what to do when you ask each guest if they would like to book a show and all you end up with is a list of people to call months and months from now?

At last night's show, I ended up with one woman that I need to call early next year! Help me!

 

[ayalaa]

I am going to try this weekend the book to look necklace that my host will wear and be pushing the bookings for me. See, if she gets an item on the necklace taken by a guest to book a show the host will get $5 gift certificate for her show or to use later on. At the end she could end up with a $30 gift certificate if all items on the necklace get taken and the bookings happen.

Just an idea but I too have had trouble. Maybe one definite bookings from shows and then a couple of maybes that I have to follow up on.

I hear from the CDs that having your host do the work helps and is successful.

 

[Loves2cook]

"I am going to try this weekend the book to look necklace that my host will wear and be pushing the bookings for me."

Could you go into a little more detail on that? It sounds like a fantastic idea. This newbie could use all the help she can get. Thanks a lot.

 

[RachelNguyen]

Booking stuff.Here's some advice I got from the top sales person in our cluster: She says if she has a party and doesn't book a show, then next day she gets on the phone and makes calls until she gets a show. She doesn't stop until she replaces that show!

Yesterday I had a very small show. Only 2 guests plus a past host showed up. She had a few dollars in outside orders, so it did wind up being a show, but naturally there were no bookings. I am going to be on the phone this week!

Love,
Rachel

PS: My biggest tip about booking is the assumed close. At my show on Saturday, I was getting a negative response from everyone. Finally, the host's sister in law came and sat down and I said "Amy, when do you want to have your show?" half jokingly. She said, let's do a catalog show in May! That worked GREAT for me because I already had 6 shows booked for May.

Try it! LOL.

Love,
Rachel

 

[ChefJesssica]

My biggest tip about booking is the assumed close. At my show on Saturday, I was getting a negative response from everyone.

Rachel, I am confused. What is an assumed close? Why were you getting a negative response?

 

[RachelNguyen]

Hey Jessica,

I was getting a lot of 'Nos' when I was asking if they wanted to have a party, so that was the negative response. Finally, I decided to just 'assume' that the next person was going to have a show. (In sales, an assumed close is that you start with the assumption that you have already made the sale. So, for example, if you were selling a car, instead of asking if they wanted to buy a car, you would ask if they want a red one or a blue one. It assumes that you have already made the sale. This doesn't always work, of course. It only works if you really have an interested buyer! You would only know that if they have already expressed some interest...)

So, in the case of my show on saturday, after the traditional approach wasn't yielding any success, I decided to try an assumed close with my host's sister in law. She was a HUGE PC fan and I knew there was interest in the products, so I just said to her " So, Amy, when are we booking your show?" She laughed and said she wasn't interested in a party, but would be happy to do a book show.

I also wanted to follow up on my point about making calls if you have a party with no bookings. As I mentioned, yesterday's show was a bust for bookings... so today I decided to make a couple of calls to people. My first call was to a woman to whom I delivered products this week. I called to make sure she got them and that she liked them. I then asked if she'd like to get some friends together for a barbeque party some time this summer. (She ordered the new, large turner) and she said YES! So now I have my show.

 

[DebbieSAChef]

My auction game is a winner!!I have a game I play called the Auction game!!
It has really helped me with bookings!! I line up three bags in front of everyone. They are full of tissue paper so no one see what's in them. Sometimes I actually have stuff in them, sometimes I have pictures that I cut out from old catalogs!!
I offer play money to each guest that I print off my computer. $100 dollar bills! I make a list of things such as.....
If you are wearing red you get $100
If you have hosted a show before you get $200
If you place an order today you get $100
If you place an order of $60 or more you get $200
If you will host a catalog show you get $400
If you will host a kitchen show you get $500
If you sign up to become a PC consultant $700
If you.......

And so on, be as creative as you want. But make it more profitable for those bookings shows, recruiting, or ordering to get more money.

I explain that there are some nice prizes in the bags and we are going to be auctioning them off. So the more money you have the better chance you have of winning!!
I even enclosed a $5 gift card to our local grocery store and a FREE shipping off today's order coupon in one bag!!
Auction off the least expensive bag first!!
Then start off the auction.
"Do I hear $100 for this first bag? We have one bid for $100, do I hear $200? and so on!!!"
It's fun and the ladies really get into it. I had three bookings on Saturday, two bookings on my last show just because of my game.
I also do a host benefit game!! I love games and I am generous with my prizes. I don't break the bank but I have lots of extra PC stuff and nice things that I always take advantage of at flea markets, yard sales, etc..
Debbie

 

[ChefJesssica]

Hey Jessica,

I was getting a lot of 'Nos' when I was asking if they wanted to have a party, so that was the negative response. Finally, I decided to just 'assume' that the next person was going to have a show. (In sales, an assumed close is that you start with the assumption that you have already made the sale. So, for example, if you were selling a car, instead of asking if they wanted to buy a car, you would ask if they want a red one or a blue one. It assumes that you have already made the sale. This doesn't always work, of course. It only works if you really have an interested buyer! You would only know that if they have already expressed some interest...)

So, in the case of my show on saturday, after the traditional approach wasn't yielding any success, I decided to try an assumed close with my host's sister in law. She was a HUGE PC fan and I knew there was interest in the products, so I just said to her " So, Amy, when are we booking your show?" She laughed and said she wasn't interested in a party, but would be happy to do a book show.

I also wanted to follow up on my point about making calls if you have a party with no bookings. As I mentioned, yesterday's show was a bust for bookings... so today I decided to make a couple of calls to people. My first call was to a woman to whom I delivered products this week. I called to make sure she got them and that she liked them. I then asked if she'd like to get some friends together for a barbeque party some time this summer. (She ordered the new, large turner) and she said YES! So now I have my show.

Rachel,
Thanks for the info. I will have to try that out. I haven't been doing too well with bookings lately.

 

[PChefAbey]

Debbie,

Do you do this before you take orders or afterwards? So you just take there word that they will book or have 60 in orders?

I need some hlep I am having horrible times getting bookings and my show totals lately have been pathetic.

Abey

 

[COOKINWITHSHERRI]

GREAT IDEA! Thanks for sharing.

 

[spoiledchef]

I don't have any other suggestions, but I can sooo relate to the "call me next year" type. I had a show back in July, and I got a booking from it. Well, she tells me to call her in October b/c she's remodeling her kitchen. I called her in October only to be told to call back in January b/c it's still not done. I call in January only to be told to call back in April. Well, I called her last night, and I said, "Hi, this is Sherrie with The Pampered Chef. You had told me in January to call you back, and I just wanted to see if we could get a date on my calendar for your cooking show if you're still interested." Well, she is STILL interested, BUT her remodeling is STILL not done. So, I have to call her back in August. So, I can soooo relate to your situation with the call-backs. But -- I will keep calling this lady until she gives me a FLAT NO!!!

 

[DebbieSAChef]

I keep track!!I keep track of what everyone says.
I do this before they finish placing their orders!!
I have a sheet of paper and I have four columns that I print from my PC.
Column one - $60 order
Column two - catalog show
Column three - kitchen show
Column four - recruit
I have them tell me their names and I show them that I am putting them down on my "You said it so you have to do it" list!!!
This keeps them accountable and it helps me remember when I don't know names!!
After they come up with their order I remind them about their promise to book and can usually get a date that same day.
I also compete in a booking blitz with my cluster each month so I ask if I can call them that day to book the show (date/time) so I can get credit for it through my director!!
They don't have a problem with that. If they already know date and time like one lady did (getting her packet to her tomorrow) I just call that Monday to confirm and to host coach if I can't meet them in person!!
Debbie

 

[abrahamlaur]

when do you usually hold games at your shows? i'm a new consultant and dont really know when to do games .. i really like the auction type game but wouldnt even know where to put it in my show .. please help!

 

[jwpamp]

I'm with Rachel! I always say: They can't say "Yes" if you don't ask them!

I only show the Host/Guest Specials for the next 2 months, and always tell my Host that if someone books from her, she can buy the specials in that month as well.

I have just started giving a $5 booking bonus to my hosts, although I think Pampered Chef is very generous already, and I don't know if it will matter much....we'll see!

 

[DCoopPC]

BookingsI Have Tried Numerous Ways To Get Bookings. The Book To Look Has Worked Well. However, At My Last Show After I Showed All The Monthly Specials I Announced That For Anyone Booking A Party, I Would Give Them A Free Seasons Best. A Fall/winter One That Was Discountinued. I Got Four Bookings From A Show That Had 7 People In Attendance. They Felt Like They Were Getting A Product That They Could No Longer Buy, And I Cleaned Out My Stock. The Bootom Line Is People Love To Get Free Things.

Debbi From Pa

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Games are fun!!Laurie,
I have found that games are very necessary at MY shows. In my opinion I have gotten many bookings for shows because of my fun games. I really try to include my guests in my demo and even communicate with them throughout the demo to include their input.
Mostly I incorporate games when food is baking!! I usually do a dessert and a main dish at my shows. I bring the dessert almost completely done so I only garnish at the show. I do one game and the final drawing at the end with the drawing slips.
I have found success at shows because of my games!!
Debbie