Share Your Hostess Packet Tips: Get High Sales/Bookings!

[Katiek77]

What do you put in your hostess packets? If you have great hostess packents with good flyers & letters post them here. Let us know if you are able to get high sales/bookings etc.

I currently am making hostess kitchen show packets in binders with about 5 pages that are in sheet protecters. I don't know if what I have in them is most effective. For catalog shows, I make the hostess packet in a 2 pocket folder since I know that for the catalog show they just mail their orders to me. I would love hints, tips and to see flyers you are all using. Thanks!
Katie

 

[JennLizFran]

Do you have any trouble getting the binders back from your hosts? I love this idea, I'm just afraid people will think they can keep it!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I have found that all of the wonderful flyers for host packets are really just a waste of time and money. No one reads them, and they've never increased my show attendance or sales.
I now keep my host packets VERY simple. I purchased the host packet envelopes from Merrill. A little more expensive, but I'm saving money by what I'm NOT putting in them.

I put in there:

2 catalogs
5 OOF (generic - so I don't have to re-do them each month)
10 postcard invites for passing out
Guest List Address Form
50 Guests in 5 Minutes flyer
Show Planner

Then, I can put together a ton of them at one time, and the only time I have to worry about changing them is for the new season.


Once the show is booked and on the calendar, I mail (in a regular business sized envelope) a Thanks for booking letter, and the host and guest specials for the month.

The secret to great shows has nothing to do with what goes in the host packet, or how amazing all of the flyers are in there. It has to do with the host coaching that you do personally with your hosts! You can give a host just a couple of catalogs and some oof's - and as long as you host coach well, that's really all they'll need!

 

[tbsigma94]

Becky,

Quick question, what do you give as your gifts? Love your flyers, btw.

 

[Jen1409]

Becky do you have your generic OOF that you can post?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky,

Quick question, what do you give as your gifts? Love your flyers, btw.

I give stuff from Supply Order. I use the medium bamboo bowl as my gift bowl and keep it stocked...

I love that now we can get old SB for $2.25 for 10! What a bargain, and people ALWAYS love those! I also do QK knives, citrus peelers, stone scrapers, etc...I also buy stuff from the outlet when I can get it cheap - like the veggie peelers, and my first cutter, and recipe card collections...(right now I have the holloween cutters and turkey recipe cards in my collection of gifts)

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky do you have your generic OOF that you can post?

Yes - here it is...but it is specific for Michigan - 6% sales tax on product and shipping, and 0% on pantry items...

 

[Jen1409]

Becky do you mail out the invitations with the guest list?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky do you mail out the invitations with the guest list?

Yep! I've been doing it for 6.5 years. I started 7 years ago in November, and for 6 months I struggled with last minute cancellations and parties w/ only 3-5 people in attendance. I KNEW that most if not all of those cancellations were because people weren't sending out invites, or were only inviting a few people...and I got tired of it. It was either quit, or take control of the situation. I chose to take control, and it completely turned my business around. My show avg. doubled, and my cancellation rate plummeted!

I've been trying to convince my director ever since that she needed to do this. She resisted until this June, when she had 9 shows booked, and 7 cancelled - almost all were last minute cancellations. Her family depends on her PC income, and she decided she had to do something.
She just told me yesterday that she can't believe she waited so long to do it! Her business has also turned around overnight by doing this!

 

[Jen1409]

Thanks Becky, I'll have to start doing it. Obviously you write off the stamps too right?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Thanks Becky, I'll have to start doing it. Obviously you write off the stamps too right?

Yes, I keep track of it all on P3, and just print it out at the end of the year.

 

[cooknjess]

Those are great flyers!! I think I may have to try this too.

 

[Katiek77]

Thanks for all the tips and flyers Becky! To answer the question, do I get hte hostess packet back? Yes, I get it back when I host the show. Even when I didn't put the packet in the binder, I found that most of my hostesses would give me the hostess packet back. I might as well protect the sheets in a binder.

 

[Pedey]

Here's a generic OOF, Jen. I print it on the back of my invitations so those that cannot attend have a form right there in their hands if they'd like to order (Also send a mini with the invite so they can shop).

 

[Raenstorm]

Great tips and fliers/OOF!
Thanks!

 

[danahv]

WOW - I totally love the generic OOF - I really like the ones I was using before, but then you have to remember to change them every month - this is so much better - thanks

 

[danahv]

Becky -
You are mailing out the invitations? How are you getting your guest lists - what exactly are you telling your hosts - I've only had one host that has really done what I asked of them - and I mailed out the mini catalogs with the new holiday labels on the PC website - I'll have to let you know how that one turns out.. But no matter how many times I call them or email them - they are not getting my names and addresses. My last host just told me - well I just sent a text message to everyone ;(
HELP

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky -
You are mailing out the invitations? How are you getting your guest lists - what exactly are you telling your hosts - I've only had one host that has really done what I asked of them - and I mailed out the mini catalogs with the new holiday labels on the PC website - I'll have to let you know how that one turns out.. But no matter how many times I call them or email them - they are not getting my names and addresses. My last host just told me - well I just sent a text message to everyone ;(
HELP

I have found lately that many of my hosts like to just send a Facebook invite. I still want that mini catalog to get to people though, so I like to also send an invitation.

I give out about 90% of my host packets at shows, so when I give it to them, I say that one way that I help them out is by mailing their invites for them, and they can either snail mail or email their list to me. Then (and this is the most important part!) I say that "I have found that the best attended and highest sales shows are the ones where I have also mailed out an invitation to the guests." I tell them that part of my job is creating interest in the show, and that I would like to do this for them, to help them have the very best show possible, and get all of their wish list for free and half-off.

 

[tvanhowling]

Becky, I wanto to thank you for all your post...I cannot tell you how many of your word doc.s I have saved and changed the information on.... I feel that your post will help increase my show totals and bookings that I get at shows... I sit and think of what to say... well I come up blank, and search here and there again is one of your wonderful post... so again I say THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!
Traci

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky, I wanto to thank you for all your post...I cannot tell you how many of your word doc.s I have saved and changed the information on.... I feel that your post will help increase my show totals and bookings that I get at shows... I sit and think of what to say... well I come up blank, and search here and there again is one of your wonderful post... so again I say THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!
Traci

You're welcome - glad they could help!

But in all honesty...most of them are ones I've taken from other people and then tweaked to make my own.

 

[jterre]

I'm new to all this and wanted to say THANKS to everyone for posting!! I've gotten wonderful ideas!!
Thanks again
Jenn

 

[lovescooking]

Thanks for sharing and I like the idea I putting the OOF on the back of the invitation!
I have been sending out the invitations for a year now and it really does make a difference. Not to mention that I feel more in control of my business.

 

[jterre]

What size invites do you use? A full Sheet of paper? Half sheet? Postcard size? I like the idea of posting the oof on the invite but wondered what size invite you use anyone!!
Jenn

 

[cookingwithdot]

I really need to send out the invitations. I offer EVERY time and they just say, oh, I can do it. My director has been wanting me to do this too ... you have motivated me to try harder! Thanks Becky!

 

[amandaali]

Thank you for sharing, can't wait to put this info to work!


Amanda Spangler