Recession-Hurting or Helping Your Business?

[DebPC]

Very interested in feedback as it looks like bad economic times will be with us for awhile.

 

[pckelly]

Helping. People are circling the wagons so to speak and are eating at home instead of going out. They are looking for cheap eats as well as entertaining ideas. In 2001 and 2005 when we saw a bump in the economy, my business grew both times. People tend to trade high priced entertainment (movies, theater, dinner out, etc) for in home dinner parties where everyone brings a dish. This is formerly known as the potluck! Look to the entertaining styles of the 50's if you want to know how people are going to react to the current economy.

 

[Mel5497]

I'm hoping HO addresses this during Leadership. I'm not doing shows right now (family reasons), so I can't offer personal testimony, but I'm watching others have some phenomenal business. I'm also seeing some consultants struggle.

Part of the reason for the struggling is job losses in the economy...but I also think mind-set plays a huge part. Many consultants are hearing objections they've never encountered before and aren't sure what to say or how to say it.

I heard rumor that Sep was one of the most successful months ever for PC (again, that's rumor). If it's true, we need to hear that. It's reassuring and empowering for both us and our guests.

I love DebChefIA's comment about circling the wagons. That's a wonderful visual to share with potential hosts and guests. Instead of focusing on the financial loss many are feeling, it creates a sense of gain...the idea of people actually getting together again in each other's homes.

This is the kind of word choice I hope HO shares...along with info on how the company is actually doing.

just my thoughts

 

[finley1991]

I'm working on a new approach (and when I get it fine-tuned I will share!) of offering Meal Planning Shows. I think the Power Cooking is great, but not everyone is going to do that every week. I'm working on expanding NJR's 29-Minutes to Dinner Meal Planning concept and focusing my January Shows on learning how to plan meals vs power cooking. While my customers enjoy the Power Cooking concept, most are not implementing it. With the Meal Planning, they can get their pantry together and then be able to cook what they want when they want from our 29 Minutes Cookbook.When I get it all together, I'll share it. PS: My October and November were some of my best yet!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Yeah, who would have thought that my 3rd best month EVER was November when things were really in the sh**ter economically everywhere. It tells me that this business IS the one to be in and I think it'll only get better once more word gets out about what we can provide for people.

I think the economy did affect my business a little bit, but I also know that I sat on my butt a little too much over the summer. If I wouldn't have done that, I wouldn't have had to bust my butt so hard these last couple months. But it showed me that business IS out there if we stay on top of things. I'm still amazed I'll be earning the Level 3 trip in this economy, so that shows me it's not going to ruin our business. Not everyone feels that way, I know, but I think the company will provide us more and more about how to work with this failing economy. I would love for a totally crazy and outrageous recruiting incentive to be announced at Leadership. I think SO many people could use the flexibility of this job to keep their families afloat and I hope PC taps into that even more. I do truly hope that this issue is focused on at Leadership. I'd love to hear more about the state of the company as well, but I don't know how much they'll share with us.

I'm excited for 2009!!!

 

[Nanisu]

Well, for the first time in 8 years I have NO shows for December. Can't get em booked to save my life. I did two boutiques this weekend--BUPKIS. No one did anything at either of them, not just me--and one was one I do every year and have consistently done $500+ each year. November was ok==$5100, which is ok for me but not great. And January so far I have 7 shows, so it's ok....but this is the first time I have been discouraged ever.

 

[pamperedbecky]

I've gotten so much feedback from my consultants lately that booths at vendor events, bazaars, etc have been terrible. I'm in agreement. VERY little sales if any and I truly do these now just to get bookings. I always offer a free cooking show raffle and almost always have the winner(s) take me up on it. My last show of November was a winner of a free show from a bridal expo and it was a $620 show with two dated bookings for January, so that sure was worth it.

There were a few very consistent booth opportunities that I've done for several years not even happen this year. I think that was because of the economy. Probably better off that way for now!

Too bad these booths have been terrible. In the past, that's been a nice bulk of my Nov and Dec business but not this year. I've had ONE that had good enough sales to allow me to submit the orders as a show, but that's it.

 

[BethCooks4U]

My team had their best month ever in November. For the first time 3 of them topped $2000 in sales and almost everyone's top shows were their best ever!

 

[Christ Follower]

Well November was my highest month ever ($6062) so I thought things were looking good. This month is a whole other story. I have done 4 shows and a bazaar and my sales are only at $1100. 2 of the shows are not even qualified yet. I have 6-7 so far for January so I am praying that my sales will increase. I am really going after the save money by eating in thing. It seems to be working when the host can actually get people to ATTEND the party.

 

[pamela]

I am finding that my business is better and I think it has to do with the "circling the wagons" theory as well as the company's reputation for being high quality. I am finding that many more people want to host because they have less to spend, but people are spending more at shows to get a good product! I just had my best November in years and I have 13 shows booked for January because of the host special!

I do also feel that recruiting is going to be better at this point~people are looking to make more money but not spend too much time away from home....TADA! That's where we swoop in like Superman and save the day! I have more recruit leads now than I have had in months and months!

 

[melodyprine]

This was passed on to me and it is an awesome read. Hope it helps!


Subject: [6-3networking] "I Refuse to Participate in a Recession? Now More Than Ever!"

The following was written by Dr Ivan Misner - world renowned referral networking guru early last month (November, `08).

I've written a few articles about refusing to participate in a recession and I recently had someone e-mail me saying, "Don't bother telling me . . . tell my customers. They are not as willing to accept a platitude as you feel I am." (Ouch, I guess he didn't like my thoughts on this matter.)

Well sir, I'm afraid we'll just have to agree . . . to disagree. You see, I don't think it's a platitude, I think it's an attitude!

Today's news is full of economic soap operas. In the United States, Congress, the White House and the pundits have all debated about the bailout of yet another pillar of corporate America. European nations and others around the globe are struggling with recessionary pressures. Voices everywhere seem to be spouting economic doom and gloom.

Now, please, lean in close and listen carefully. I'm going to ask you to do something very difficult, yet very important: Ignore all those doom-and-gloom voices.

It's not that I want to deny reality. Nor am I even judging whether all those important voices are right or wrong.

What I am saying is, all those voices are sending you useless information. Not only are they urging you to be afraid . . . very afraid . . . they are completely ignoring the solutions on which you need to focus. Nothing like freezing a good entrepreneur in his or her tracks with old-fashioned fear.

When Franklin Roosevelt wisely said during America's depression that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself . . . he left something out. When you are in business, at any time in any nation, the other thing you have to fear is: inaction. Not very poetic, I know, but it's true.

Let others worry about the macro-economic picture. You have a micro-economy in which you are a vital and central player. Does the government or an economist know the ins and outs of your business better than you? Have you received any calls lately offering to bail you out with taxpayer money if your business slides to the brink of ruin? I'm guessing the answer is "no" to both questions.

You already know this in your gut: No bailout is coming your way . . . unless you do it yourself. No rescue plan is being prepared for your business . . . unless you do it yourself. And no solutions to your problems will be developed . . . unless you do it yourself.

The more you focus on fear, the more afraid you will become. The more you focus on obstacles, the larger they will loom. And the more you focus on today's global economic doom-and-gloom headlines, the less time, energy and faith you'll have to focus on building the prosperous, successful, well-networked business you really want.

If you tell yourself, "I can't succeed in this economic downturn," you'll very likely prove yourself correct. But if, instead, you focus on specific solutions to the particular issues, challenges and opportunities of your business, your niche market, your current and prospective customers . . . you are very likely to enjoy more success than all the naysayers put together would have predicted.

What the bigwigs on Wall Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, the London Financial district or the European Central Bank don't seem to understand is, out here in the real world of entrepreneurial small business, by sticking together and helping one another, we can face down the doom and gloom. We can build our businesses despite the headlines, and we can show others around the world the economic power of persistent, skillful and focused networking.

 

[Mel5497]

Great post!