Recruiting Good, Bookings Bummer

[barbchan]

Ok, here's the delima. I have been blessed with my recruiting. I have one recruit already. This is good. I have two more people who are interested in signing and that is also good. However, I need more bookings and these are hosts who are going to use their free product value towards their kit. And that means any bookings they would have from thier show should go to them to help them get started in their super starter months.

Would it be a bad thing to take just one of the bookings for myself? I've run out of friends who would want to do a show and I certainly don't have any family who could help me out and I really could use the bookings. So, what do ya'll do?

 

[pcjeanie]

Barbara,

I'm in SS3 and don't have any recruits yet myself. However, if I were the recruit I wouldn't appreciate you taking one of my shows which I've booked to help me get started. Just keep getting out there and talking to people and you'll get some bookings. What about getting some catalog shows going? Have you called all your past hosts? What about having an open house yourself (maybe a grilling show)? Get back in contact with all your past customers and see what happens.

Jeanie

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Get on the phone!!I can't stress enough the importance of making calls to past hosts, customers, people who you haven't spoken to in a while. Old friends, new friends, neighbors, etc...
Start calling people on reciepts, door prize slips, etc....
There are so many people who we can contact about having a show, you never know. Sometimes you can call for a booking and they will just place an order but each order can count towards a catalog show for you.
Have an open house in your neighborhood:
Prizes, Food, fun, Fabulous kitchen products for everyone who places an order that evening!!!
Get people excited and you're bound to get some bookings! Good luck!
Debbie

 

[beepampered]

If I was new, I wouldn't be pleased if someone "took" one of my shows. You could talk to the recruit and say, "if you aren't going to sign within the next few weeks, I'd like to do these shows while they are interested." That might motivate them to get moving or they might "give" you a show from someone they don't know real well.

It's sorta like being a mom - you get the crust of the bread and have to be happy because your kids are well fed. Good luck getting more bookings.

 

[pampered1224]

HEY - you are wrong!First and formost, those shows ARE yours. NOT your new consutlants. Unless you said during the show, any bookings we get tonight will be a help to Steve or Susy Consultant in getting his or her business started, then NO they are not his or her shows. They are yours.
It is not company policy to give away shows. It is stricktly up to the recruiter.
However, we usually do as a "step up" so to speak for the new consultant. So if you are going to do one of those shows, you ARE NOT taking something away from that new consultant unless you already gave it away.
However, what I would do if you had more than one booking, is to talk to the newbie and see what you can work out about maybe spliting the shows booked from his or hers if you really need them that badly. You would also need the OK of the host.

 

[Cindycooks]

If you are the consultant doing their show (where they are using the Free Product Value), then the bookings are yours, not theirs, bottom line. You were once in SS#1 and had to work to get your first shows. Your recruits should not just have shows handed to them, they are getting off the easy way then. Now - not to say that if you get many bookings, you couldnt turn one over to them....I did that just last month....but I got 5 bookings out of that show and thought it would be a nice thing to do, plus the booking I gave away was a good friend of the new recruit.

Make sure your host/new recruit does her list of 100. I am sure she has friends/family someplace that would do a show for her. Nothing wrong with some shows being out-of-town catalog shows. I really encourage taht with new recruits trying to get started, when they need 4 shows or the $1250.

Good Luck

 

[soonerchef]

Okay, here is my take...Barbara is talking about hosts who are using their FPV towards their kit. The people at the show are more than likely going to be the people who would be the new consultants first hosts. If it were me, I wouldn't want those shows because I would feel that I had taken her/his initial base away...and I don't think that is fair. The only way that I would take some of those bookings is if a booking was a friend of a guest, one that the host did not know. Now, if a guest at a show was signing to be a consultant then the bookings from that show would not be hers/his they would be mine.

 

[cmdtrgd]

There is a practice to give the bookings from the show where they "convert". If that is what you told your potential recruits, then stand by it! If there are a lot of bookings and you have not told your potential recruit that he/she gets the bookings, then offer to share. When I started up, noone at my tiny show wanted to book until I said I was becoming a consultant. I think it depends on what you say in advance, and how the show goes!

 

[AJPratt]

Barb,

Giving the shows to the new consultant is a courtesy, not a requirement.
And when someone starts with PC, he or she is supposed to have 4-6 shows already. So, if he or she knew they wanted to sign before the show he or she should have the commitments already and if s/he does, I wouldn't hand anything over. You could may offer to split them, unless they really wanted the new consultant.

Also, if you just hand them something they won't learn how to ask.

 

[GourmetGirl]

Barbara,
I, too, am in my SS months (SS2) and am having problems getting more hosts. I have decided to have a Mystery Host Open House at my house over a Friday night/Saturday afternoon. I am putting door bags on all my neighbors doors and emailing out my customer base. I have also offered incentives for bringing a friend and booking shows (extra tickets). I honestly have no idea if this will work or not, but it's worth a shot. I am also going to put signs out on the streets and in my driveway, if it's nice enough I'll have it outdoors, and am hoping people will find their way, as they tend to do for garage sales.

As far as new recruits' shows, I second what Bee said: "You could talk to the recruit and say, "if you aren't going to sign within the next few weeks, I'd like to do these shows while they are interested." That might motivate them to get moving or they might "give" you a show from someone they don't know real well."

I wish you luck and keep us updated! ~Alison

 

[barbchan]

Good sound advice from all of you! Thanks so much. Well, I've just completed calling everyone who has ordered anything from me through the 4 shows I've had so far. Out of about 20 calls, I was only able to actually speak with 4. Those 4 are not interested at all and I made sure I left messages with everyone else. But I will consider the no's part of my 100 no challenge and I must say I do feel much better about myself for having made the calls rather than let them hang over my head as something I needed to do but dreaded doing. And it became easier with each call.

My host who wants to sign up just e-mailed me today to say he's expecting about 12 people at his show and said he needs more catalogs for those who aren't coming. He said with the enthusiasm he's experienced so far, he may have to have a show every couple of months! HHhmmmmm, I think I'd like to keep him as a host and not a consultant....ok, just kidding. But I will be talking with him face to face about the opportunity on Saturday and I will tell him about how it all works and get him to try to have his shows booked before his show and I will take whatever is booked at his show. That way we both win.

Thanks everyone! Ya'll are the best!

 

[AJPratt]

Happy to help. That's the great thing about this site. You can get so many different opinions on any question. Its just the best!

 

[barbchan]

Happy to help. That's the great thing about this site. You can get so many different opinions on any question. Its just the best!

Can I just say......AMEN to that! I keep telling the ladies in my cluster about this site but they never seem to think it's worth their time or the tiny fee to join! One lady asked specifically if it was a positive site because so many of them aren't positive.
Oh, well, thier loss. I for one am tickled pink with all you wonderful, positive people!

 

[chefkristin]

Going through the same thing right now.....Hi

I am going through the process of talking with a potential recruit. My bookings are also lacking. However, I also need to start making calls. I am going to give my host the bookings from her show. But I believe it is all up to you. She is a stay at home mom and makes no money at the current time so I feel I should at least give this to her to start a great business. I truely believe in what goes around, comes around.

Good luck in whatever happens!

 

[AJPratt]

Barbara:

My director calls this the "other site". LOL I love it because if she or someone from my cluster isn't available, I can ask a question and get an answer right away. Someone is always on and ready to help! I've gotten the best ideas here!

 

[Pampered Laura]

I don't have any other advice for you besides just KEEP ASKING...
I, too, give my bookings to new consultants. I just feel weird doing it any other way. I have 7 consultants, am in my 4th month (technically, after re-starting after a few years hiatus) and I'm having the same issue. The way I resolved it is to get on the phone and get more bookings for myself.

 

[chefjenibel]

I haven't posted much on here, but this post just compels me to add my two cents.
I had a similar situation last fall. I had just "returned" to my PC business after having a baby and I was struggling for bookings. It just so happened that at this time, a co-worker at my "day job" decided to join. So, to get her started, I let her basically take over our place of employment. She did shows for our other co-workers and got bookings from some of my past hosts at those shows. Many of them even told their hosts that they would prefer that I do their show, but I encouraged each of them to work with my new recruit. To this day, she is still doing shows for some of my past hosts.
HOWEVER, my business is BOOMING!!!! I have more shows on my calendar now than I think I have since I first started 2 years ago. Not a single hostess on my calendar is someone within my "circle", I met them all through PC. I am booking into August already. I made a renewed committment to my PC life and I always think about what's in it for them! Whether they are a guest, host, or recruit. I felt it was good business practice to be extremely supportive of my recruit even if that meant my business wasn't as good as it could have been at that time. Yes, I "lost" a couple of bookings, but I've gained a wonderful, confident recruit, with shows on her calendar that I am earning commission on (I'm a FD). So, I didn't have to encourage my co-workers to book with her or turn potential hosts down in order to help her get her business started, but I did and now I'm doing fine.
Think back to when you started. Were you given the opportunity to be the consultant at shows that were booked from your "starter show"? I was and I know all of those people booked to specifically help me out. I think any bookings generated from their shows should be given to the new recruit. The stronger start they have, the more beneficial they will be as a part of your team in the future.
So, bottom line, don't feel desperate about bookings, all things come in good time. Be supportive of your new recruit and realize how blessed you are that someone has decided to join your team. You will be glad that you did. There are many documents on here and other boards to help you brainstorm ideas for booking leads. You can also take a tele-class. Sometimes you might hear something on there that you never thought of before.
My best wishes to you! Keep your chin up! It will all work out just fine!

 

[Paige Dixon]

I would always give the new consultant her friends bookings. She'll have a much harder time if you've just done shows for her whole circle! It's hard to stay balanced in this business, and lots of recruiting can lead to a dry spell in bookings, but you have more experience to find the bookings outside of her friends.

What's frusterating to me is when I give her all the bookings and then she never does anything!! I usually hand her the door prize slips so she can start booking shows, so I don't have record of the interest after she craps out.

 

[barbchan]

I spoke with the recruit-in-progress and told him that all bookings from his show would be his but then I looked at him and laughingly begged...."can I have just one of them?" The more I think about it, I really don't want to take the bookings from his friends. He is going to need them and yes, I can go find my own. Been working on it. My oldest son told me out of the blue last night that he was going to try to have a show for me in June so I penciled him in. That will make two kitchen shows and three catalog shows in June.
I really want my recruites to succeed because if they succeed, I succeed. So, my mind is made up. He's getting all the bookings. Ya'll have been a tremendous help to me. Thanks for being here.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Barbara--I think you are making the right decision, if it means anything to you. You are right and remember:
T-together
E-everyone
A-achieves
M-more

 

[AJPratt]

Barbara: That sounds great! I just wanted you to know that the option was YOURS.

I have offered to do a show just so the new/potential consultant can have some shows booked. I don't mind giving them a boost at all.

And remember one of the top reasons people book a show is because they like the Consultant. So, when you do the show, mention that the bookings will go to the host to help get him started.

 

[cmdtrgd]

I did notice that the "using the booking from your show to start your business" line is on the host information/coaching checklist. If you decide not to do that, make sure you don't say it! You don't want to go back on anything you say to a possible recruit or new consultant! Make sure to build that trust and friendship.