Party Swap Dilemma: Should I Trade Hosting Duties for a Jewelry Show?

[Becky0216]

My cousin brought a friend to a show I was a host at in the beginning of the month. That friend just emailed me cause she heard I was now a consultant. She wants to book a show, but there is a catch. She wants me to book a show from her. She sells Premiere Jewelery.
I don't want to turn it down because it would bring me into more people outside of my circle, but I have no interest in Jewelery. On top of that, all the people I would invite will already be attending my cousins party she is hosting for her. I would only have about 5 additional people to invite and don't think any of them would buy either. I don't have many friends..
Do any of you have people want to swap parties? I don't know what to do. I did tell her I wouldn't have anyone to invite really.

Becky

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I only host parties I want to host. I just won't do party swaps. If the only reason she is saying she will host is to get you to have a party for her, I would question how hard she would work as a host.

 

[ljeffries]

I just did a Southern Living at Home party as a 'swap'. If you have folks to invite, there is nothing wrong with doing it. As you said, it will get you outside of your circle - and - it will get her outside of her circle. Sometimes it only takes 1 person to get you into another group!

 

[Gina M]

Personally I'm not a big fan of swapping parties myself. Maybe you can ask her if she'd be willing to host a PC show now and maybe down the line you could return the favor. I always tell people I'm focusing on my own business and prefer not to swap parties. Also if you just hosted your own show prior to becoming a consultant - tell her that you aren't sure it would be well attended because they all recently came to a party. Or just flat out - say I'm not a jewelry person so I'd prefer not to host. Good luck!

 

[finley1991]

I just did a party swap with TS. I was sure that she had her show first though! The PC show was over $600 and her show for me was $300. Not sure what TS's show averages are. She got a lot free from PC... I got $30 free and a free spreader...oh and free shipping. So not bad, but not the greatest. I'm really bad at having parties other than PC... no one comes so I cohosted with my sister and half were her friends.

 

[PamperedDor]

Not a big fan of the swap thing either - I had a MK lady talk me into it in my first 3 months and I did her show first (Big Mistake!!) She then tried to get out of my PC show and I was relentless (which is not like me!!) After 3 date changes to her show - she finally held it - 250 in sales in a house that wasn't fit for rats!!! I couldnt wait to get out of there!!

I agree with Colleen - Hold your PC show first if you chose to do the party -

BTW - I did have a show for my HI lady and it was 1400- but she is also now a friend and I did have 4 shows with her before I signed with PC - so it can go either way I guess...

 

[Becky0216]

thanks for the input. I am just real unsure. I would like to help out, but I do think it would be a waste of her time. It could be a help for me to start out with already going out of my circle. I didn't realise these were so common and a majority were so against it.

 

[janetupnorth]

Don't do it just because she wants you to or that you feel you NEED to. You WILL break out of your circle on your own soon enough!I'm doing a show 70 miles away Thursday that is booked 3 times out from a show in town from another parent at my daughter's school.

 

[Mwalker]

I, like the others, only do swaps with companies Im interested in. Although I think mine ranks up in the "Weirdest Swap Show" category....... PC for Pure Romance (adult novelties). We've ended up doing it twice. Both of us each getting at least 2 bookings from each others shows. lol

 

[wadesgirl]

I don't swap! Too much hassle, hurt feelings over bad parties, not holding parties, etc. Only do parties if you want to. In my opinion, Premier is a waste but I didn't say that too loud, my aunt sells it.

 

[PCJenni]

don't swap unless you are really interested in other person's products and believe in them. Remember you will essentially be endorsing them to your friends and family. Don't swap with Mary Kay ever, they have a different philosophy and think having fewer people at the show is a good thing. Don't swap unless the other consultant runs her business like a business. If she is not as committed to her business as I am I stay away.

 

[PartiesbyJamie]

I had a friend (neighbor) host show for me that was terrific ($1500) - she really worked it!! Then as soon as it was over, she asked me to host a show for her (Silpada) - I felt obligated of course, after her awesome show. I agreed to do it but asked to wait a few months because so many of my friends had been to my shows to help me & I didn't want to over do it with home parties. I ended up inviting people in my cluster, some preschool moms & a few neighbors that I hadn't "tapped" before. The show turned out to be around $600 (not bad) & I drew names & gave away the benefits to 4 guests. I wasn't really interested in the jewelry either.

 

[DebbieJ]

I just proposed a swap to the Lia Sophia gal I know....we'll see if she takes me up on it.

 

[mpkegley]

Do you have a friend that might be interested in doing the show instead of you? Maybe that way, you will both get a new show/contacts. Just a suggestion.

 

[ChefTess]

I did a party swap with a friend who sells Beauty Control. Her show is my highest sales to date, and I am hosting my BC show this Friday.

 

[PamperedDor]

So it works for some and not for others....... Just like life!!

Good luck in whatever decision you make!!!

 

[redsoxgirl]

I swapped parties with a Home Decor place. My show was first and she was eager to have the PC party. My HGP was less than $300 and her PC party was just over $700 and she got everything on her wish list for free (it was in Jan so she lucked out big time!)

I have no porblems with it. No one ever comes to my parties, but I figure for a little inconvenience of hosting a party for someone else, I get all new customers!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I'm not a fan of swapping either but I have done it. My suggestion is to tell her that since your cousin just did a show for her, you would like her to do her PC show first - to give more time between the jewelry shows.

Then match her efforts with yours. If she has a good show do everything you can to have a good one for her, if not then don't worry about it so much.

Because I got burned several times with swaps (more times than not they didn't even get any orders when it was their turn) I now insist that my party is first and I am honest about it with them.

 

[Camoblonde39]

I did a party swap for Premier Jewelry in November. A friend of my daughters was trying to get started and I don't care much for jewelry either but we did it together. I had over $800 in sales and a lot of free jewelry so it was worth it and the jewelry was really nice but when she did her catalog order it was a little over $300. Of course an order is an order and we still make commission but my husband told me I should have her do her order first because she wouldn't try as hard. Overall, I would do it again because I did get a lot of nice things free.

 

[ChefClairissa]

I did a party swap for my friend (passion parties) and I had about 8 people it was a great show for her. When it came to her show, there were 2. It was horrible, when I got to her house, it was a mess and she asked me if I cold vaccum! I did Well last week I had a MK lady call me up and she wanted to do a swap. I am really not into MK so I asked my director and she said that IF I were to do it, then to have her hold the PC party first and that they usually are'nt very good because MK parties are about 3-4 people. I decided against it.

 

[katie0128]

I, like the others, only do swaps with companies Im interested in. Although I think mine ranks up in the "Weirdest Swap Show" category....... PC for Pure Romance (adult novelties). We've ended up doing it twice. Both of us each getting at least 2 bookings from each others shows. lol

I met a PR consultant at the grocery store. We have been trying to plan when to do the swap, but haven't come up with good times yet. We agreed that we wouldn't hold either show until both were set on the calendar.

 

[heat123]

I've done swaps with past hosts who are with other DS companies. 1 with Close to my heart which barely qualified for her at $250 and another with Passion Parties $350, again barely qualifying for her. While their PC parties did better $500-600 each! Just goes to show our average is higher!

Although, a Mary K Rep contacted me first, calling to ask to host a show then turns out she only wanted a show swap out of it..... needless to say neither show panned out as this person really just wanted me to do a show for her and not really have a PC show for me .

 

[elizabethfox]

I did a show for a friend and one of the guests was a Tastefully simple consultant. She asked me if I would ever consider doing a show WITH her. Like demoing her recipes while using PC products. I don't know. She didn't mention swapping. Although I would consider doing one for her if I ever had good luck at shows which I DON'T. Even my PC shows I hold are small. I guess the people I know just aren't that interested in PC.

I have done one other show with another company and that was a Home Interiors/PC show. We ended up both having about the same amount of sales $200, and I assume it was because the guests were trying to help both of us out instead of just one or the other.

So I guess I am not really into the double show thing either.

 

[Kodeysmom]

I am getting ready to have a Dove Chocolate at home party(thanks to the other thread !!
I am hoping to get a party out of her but thats not why i am having a party with her, just a bonus if she books!!!

 

[pampered.chris]

I have alot of friends in DS and we all do parties for each other. It can be nice, and b/c they are friends, they don't feel like it is an obligation. And b/c I like their products I don't feel obligated. But I would only host the party if I was interested in the products. I have told friends of mine that I wasn't interested in the products they sold and didn't want to host and if they really wanted PC products, then they still had the party. But I agree, if you are going to do the Party Swap...have them hold yours first!! Good luck!!

 

[PamperChefCarol]

I don't swap parties. I am in business and do parties, not host them!

That being said, I do do combination shows, which I know some consultants frown on.

 

[gratergirl]

I did this with an Arbonne lady. I did her show first.....she only had 3 people there. It was a flop....needless to say.....I didn't work hard on hers. I'm not into Arbonne and was only looking to get more people as customers but look what happened.....it was a waste of time. I think they just wanted me to cook them dinner! LOL Anyway, if you do it, make sure that you do her show first.