Targeting RV and Trailer Parks for Cooking Shows | Tips and Strategies

[LakesideMom]

Hello fellow cheffers!

I've searched the forums and I can't find anything about getting into RV Parks or Trailer Parks. Has anyone targeted parks before?

I live in an area where there are a lot of trailer and RV parks. Some people are seasonal and others are here year round. What's nice is that most have a recreation room that could be used for cooking shows. Several of the senior parks also have an activities coordinator. I really want to explore getting some bookings but I'm not sure how to approach it.

I was thinking of using the approach some have used with realtors. Maybe bake some cookies or make some 2-step fudge and drop by with a catalog and offer a cooking show.

Any ideas??

 

[soonerchef]

I haven't personally done this but I think using that approach is perfect, what could it hurt...

The key to getting more bookings is asking, ask everyone you can think of...I see that you are thinking outside of the box and that is great, just talk to everyone you can about PC!

 

[chef.katie]

This is a great idea. I just had a customer that purchase almost $200.00 in product to fill her RV home. Two weeks later, she place another order for an additonal $75.00! Good luck.

 

[tiffanypc05]

I do RV rallies with my recruiter. I attend the Holiday Ramblers group. I would suggest calling the activity coordinator at each park and asking about rallies. I went for two days. The first day I didn't sell anything and then on the second day we did a demo and had about 30 people show up. Between the both of us we only sold $600 BUT it didn't cost us anything to be there. I will be doing a week long rally in October. The problem is Many of the people wanted us to have stock(mary kay and tupperware were there and they had stuff to sell right then and there). The only problem you are going to run into with the ones who live in the park is that they don't have a home which means they don't have a permanent address which means they can't have anything delivered to them. You would have to have the show sent to your home and seperate it and personally deliver it.

If you have any more questions i may be able to help....

BTW, the mary kay lady that was at the last rally does it fulltime only at the rallies and she sold almost 40,000 last year... I thought WOW, I know what I'll be doing when I get old and retire!!!!

 

[LakesideMom]

Thank you for the info. If I ask about rallies, do you think they'll know what I'm talking about? How does a rally work?

 

[tiffanypc05]

They will know what you are talking about. Ask them if there are any RV rallies coming up. At the last one i was at there was i believe 7 different vendors and we were set up in the activity hall, the guests ate breakfast and lunch in the hall. Both days we watched them play bingo for a while but people come around and look at the products i handed out a mini catalog to everyone who stopped by. We also made the cool and creamy chocolate fondue dip to give as samples....everyone loved it and then we were scheduled an hour on one day to do a demo, so we made the blt dip and did a show. After the show we had a table set up to the side and people come and could sit at the table look at the full catalog and give us there order. The last one i was at was only rv'ers from one state but the next one is from the whole east coast. Rallies are a big thing. You could maybe search RV rallies on yahoo or google and see what pops up for your area. That way you have a little knowledge of what goes on in your area. I'm sure that the rv parks also have a website which may also tell you what's going to be going on. I will try to find the paperwork for the rally in october that i'm doing and see if it has a website for you. I'm sure that the holliday ramblers have a rally out there.

 

[LakesideMom]

Thank you!!!