Plan a Successful Mystery Hostess Show: Tips from a Future PC Consultant in PA

[ChefBeth2]

I'm looking forward to becoming a new consultant in June! I'm going to be ordering my kit next month, but I am already beginning to plan for my first show. I would like to do a "Mystery Hostess" show at my house. Can anyone who has ever done one of these give me some pointers? Should I say that the person has to be present at the show to win the drawing or would I attract more outside orders by opening up to anyone who puts in an order, whether they are present at the show or not? Please let me know your thoughts! Thanks!

Beth
Future PC Consultant in PA

 

[pamperedbecky]

You could maybe split the host benefits and do 2 separate drawings. Do one for people who earn an entry drawing by placing an order (you may even say orders of $25 or more get an entry if you want) and let that person earn more. Then maybe any outside orderers can be placed in a different drawing for one half price item or something and the other winner can get the rest. You'd just make them co-hosts. If that makes it too confusing, you could scratch that. I'm probably confusing you!

Mystery host shows are great. Just make sure everyone understands that they can win the host benefits!! It's such a great deal. If you can, do other drawings for prizes or maybe just Season's Best cookbooks. Also you may have more success if you don't call it an Open House, just FYI. Sometimes that doesn't make it as important in some people's minds. Good luck to you!!! That's so exciting that you'll be starting your own business!

 

[DZmom]

The way I do it is to give out tickets. They get tickets for RSVPing, attending, placing an order, bringing a friend or outside order, for each $50 spent before tax & shipping, 2 for booking a catalog show, 3 for a Cooking show, 5 for asking for more information about being a consultant, 10 for signing up to be a consultant. Then I draw out a ticket for 5 small door prizes. Season's Best Cookbook, Mini Spatula, Egg Slicer, Garlic Press and then lastly for the Host Benefits! I NEVER split the benefits. That makes them more appealing. Hope it helps.

So even the people that can't have a slim chance of winning because they get a ticket for placing an order and tickets for each $50 they spend.

 

[DebPC]

I give out chances at the show. All the different ways they can get chances are spelled out in the invte. Sometimes I have a night on followed by a daytime one the next day.

 

[ChefBeth2]

Thanks!Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions! I'm so excited to get started!

Beth in PA

 

[barbchan]

QuestionTo go along with this Mystery Host show idea. I had one a long time ago and my husband was concerned about making the drawing only among people who make a purchase. He said it was illegal and that I should make the drawing open to all who came to the show, no purchase necessary.
What do ya'll think about this?

 

[ChefBeth2]

Hi, Barbara from Tennessee -- I used to live in TN!!

Here is what I plan to do -- I'm going to give a ticket out to anyone who shows up (regardless if they purchase anything or not). Then, they can earn additional tickets (and additional chances to win) as follows:

RSVP to the invitation = 1 ticket
Bring a guest = 1 ticket per guest
Bring the most guests = 3 tickets
Bring an outside order = 1 ticket per order
Order $20 or more = 1 ticket
Book a Pampered Chef Kitchen Show = 5 tickets!
Become a Pampered Chef Consultant = 10 tickets!

So, technically, someone could RSVP, come to the show, bring a guest, bring an outside order and book a PC Kitchen Show without ordering anything and still receive 9 tickets and have a chance of winning even though they didn't buy anything!

Beth in PA

 

[barbchan]

Hey Beth in PA. I never lived in PA....but I did live in NJ for about a year when I was in 7th grade. We were right on the river between NJ and PA...a little town called Frenchtown, kinda close to Trenton.

Where in TN did you live? I'm in middle, near Nashville.

Thanks for the response about how to divey up the tickets. I like that and I think I'll use it. Maybe next month I'll do a mystery host show seeing as how my first show this past Friday night was not too successful. Tornado warnings tend to blow....in more ways than one.

 

[Lisa/ChefBear]

Mystery HostI just finished my first ever Mystery Host, and I did it different, I did not give them tickets for RSVP'ng and attending, as a consultant friend of mine who did this, had the winner be someone who just attended and spent nothing, so I didn't want to take that chance.

What I did was made up a flyer with coupons for my hostesses and a postcard for my highest spenders in the past. Mailed them out, did a MASS email to everyone in my PP emails.

I didn't have best RSVP's and made WAY to much food, I know now to NOT offer or make the huge variety I did. I had a hostess who was helping me at end of show, who's got foster kids, so I was like here Darlene, please take come of this home with you, for you and your kids, she was SO thankful!!

We had a good time and reasonable sales. I little over $800.00 but needs to be split. I also was able to spend some ind. time with everyone which also was nice. (I also know how I'll do it for Aug/Sept or Sept/Oct when I want to do my next one, hopefully!!)

I also offered March and April specials as it was Friday and Sat. and let them pick which order forms to use.

I did hourly ATTENDANCE PRESENT drawings (which I used little orange tickets with their names on. I gave out like I would at a show for door prizes. I had 7 to do over course of the Mystery House/Open House.

I then had a Daily attending door prize worth a little more, and on Friday anyone who had attended even if they didn't order, got their names in on that. Same with Sat. (These were items I had around, as I had most of things when I signed up and then if hostess didn't want special, sometimes I'd order to keep on hand.)

I also had some C&C of discontinued items, which I knocked off 25%, and I don't have much left. Other then I've still got all 3 of my Black SA stands, which I was hoping to get rid of, I think, lol.


Then I did it to Qualify for the Mystery Host Drawing, you had to spend $20.00 or more before S&H to be entered for the Mysetery Host and then I put all the order forms that qualified together and then my dd pulled a name and that person I've called.

Had I been really awake and thinking, I could and probably should have pulled 2 names, but didn't think of that being tired Sat. when I was done, as I could have pulled for a March Winner and an April winner.

This worked well and everything seemed to go fine.
HTH, any ? please feel free to call me.

I did this as my sales had been off a little, and wanted/needed a boost and this gave it to me, and I also got 4 bookings from this!! Woo Hoo!!


Lisa

 

[ChefBeth2]

Barbara

Where in TN did you live? I'm in middle, near Nashville.... seeing as how my first show this past Friday night was not too successful. Tornado warnings tend to blow....in more ways than one.

We lived in Mt. Juliet! I remember the tornados well!

Hope your next show is more successful... maybe you could do a repeat show and offer $5 off coupons for anyone who was supposed to come to your last show and didn't due to weather? Just a thought!

Beth in PA

 

[Lisa/ChefBear]

Mystery Host - it's YOUR businss/show so you set the "rules"It would not be illegal as long as you have it spelled out that you must order X amount to be included in the drawing, which is why I did that. I've had quite of few from my cluster who've had this were it's a person who attends and doesn't order at all that wins the host benefits, and to me that just isn't far to those who do order.

If you want to reward for the RSVP'ng add their names more into a daily door prize or something. BUT tell them they'll get more chances at that prize for doing that.

HTH,

Lisa