Should I Become a Consultant?

[evvy]

So, I joined simply to get a bird's eye view in a way. I've been asked if I would like to become a consultant and honestly I'm really on the fence about it.

The Pros:
1. I love PC products.
2. I know and love to cook and bake and therefore know how most the products are or are supposed to be used.
3. With said knowledge, I could really get into showing or instructing people how to use products or make certain recipes.
4. I could use a way to save up just a bit more money for my wedding next year.

The Cons:
1. I've never been a hugely sociable person to the point I'm socially awkward in most instances.
2. I fear that I'd put money in and never see anything back due to my social ineptitude (even though once people get me talking about something that I love I can ramble a bit) and with how many people in my general area already sell PC.
3. I don't have all that many friends, especially ones that live anywhere near me.

So what I want to know is: if it would be anywhere near a smart decision to be a PC Consultant. What's really holding me back is the fact that I'm not a hugely social person, to begin with. If it wasn't for that, then I feel like I'd definitely make a good consultant just because of my love for baking and cooking. But that is what worries me the most. So feel free to tell me the harsh reality, I'm open to criticism and even encouragement, but I want people's honest opinions.

Pictures of foods that I have made (spoiler they're mostly cheesecakes lol) just for some fun I guess.

 

[esavvymom]

First of all, your food looks amazing!!

I feel you!! I'm not going to lie to you! I started this business back in 2008. Just hung up my apron 2 years ago. And I am an introvert. I do NOT like trying to get the business with strangers, and almost even harder asking friends and family (we've had bad experiences with friends always hitting us up). It was the hardest thing for me. Picking up the phone - nope...never happened. The few times it did, didn't go well (rude people out there!).

So I didn't make a lot of money, and didn't do a ton of shows (partially by CHOICE). When I first started out though, it was going pretty good. I did some vendor fairs and got business that way. I wasn't too bad at one on one conversations with people (they'd see a product, and you just learn to have conversation starter questions or comments. and handing out free recipe cards helped.) Once I got a couple of shows, they started coming in from there. Due to various things, I stopped doing many live shows, and did mostly just catalog shows and the collected orders around the holidays, etc. That kept me active and allowed me my discount to buy for my own kitchen.

BUT, if I were to do this again, I would do the Facebook virtual parties route. My sister-in-law doesn't do regular cooking shows much at all....just Facebook. You still have to make some contacts to get started, but a Facebook party can be less intimidating I think for the host too. And with the current world situation and all the pandemic restrictions and people not wanting to socialize the same anymore, the FB virtual party is even more popular. I hosted my first virtual Facebook show with my sister-in-law just this spring. Since I had a ton of products and know-how, I also would do live stream videos as the host of the show, and she also did several. Between her and I, we did a video each day for the week of my show. It was a fantastic show! and my neighbor hosted after and did the same thing...her's was phenomenal! (Key: lots of people in the group to watch the videos....the more people the host invites, the better). The point is, I didn't have to talk to anyone...I just talked to the video camera (weird at first, but I got used to it).


It can't hurt to TRY it. Choose the kit that you like the best, and if you have a group of Facebook people, see if you can get some of them to host a show. Join the PC Consultant Facebook group (I have no idea what it is, since I'm no longer a consultant and didn't join FB until after I stopped). If you find that after several months, it's not for you, you have some new products to keep.

Good luck!

 

[evvy]

First of all, your food looks amazing!!

I feel you!! I'm not going to lie to you! I started this business back in 2008. Just hung up my apron 2 years ago. And I am an introvert. I do NOT like trying to get the business with strangers, and almost even harder asking friends and family (we've had bad experiences with friends always hitting us up). It was the hardest thing for me. Picking up the phone - nope...never happened. The few times it did, didn't go well (rude people out there!).

So I didn't make a lot of money, and didn't do a ton of shows (partially by CHOICE). When I first started out though, it was going pretty good. I did some vendor fairs and got business that way. I wasn't too bad at one on one conversations with people (they'd see a product, and you just learn to have conversation starter questions or comments. and handing out free recipe cards helped.) Once I got a couple of shows, they started coming in from there. Due to various things, I stopped doing many live shows, and did mostly just catalog shows and the collected orders around the holidays, etc. That kept me active and allowed me my discount to buy for my own kitchen.

BUT, if I were to do this again, I would do the Facebook virtual parties route. My sister-in-law doesn't do regular cooking shows much at all....just Facebook. You still have to make some contacts to get started, but a Facebook party can be less intimidating I think for the host too. And with the current world situation and all the pandemic restrictions and people not wanting to socialize the same anymore, the FB virtual party is even more popular. I hosted my first virtual Facebook show with my sister-in-law just this spring. Since I had a ton of products and know-how, I also would do live stream videos as the host of the show, and she also did several. Between her and I, we did a video each day for the week of my show. It was a fantastic show! and my neighbor hosted after and did the same thing...her's was phenomenal! (Key: lots of people in the group to watch the videos....the more people the host invites, the better). The point is, I didn't have to talk to anyone...I just talked to the video camera (weird at first, but I got used to it).


It can't hurt to TRY it. Choose the kit that you like the best, and if you have a group of Facebook people, see if you can get some of them to host a show. Join the PC Consultant Facebook group (I have no idea what it is, since I'm no longer a consultant and didn't join FB until after I stopped). If you find that after several months, it's not for you, you have some new products to keep.

Good luck!

Thanks! I might just give it a whirl then. I hate calling people, but when it comes down to it I can manage (have to for all the dog rescue things I do [virtual Home Visits, screening, transport coordination, etc.]). I also work in am office type setting and work second shift (although currently 12-8pm est) and I'm both a night owl and an early bird. So I could probably be available a good amount to people as well.

Thanks for the luck and for the compliments on my food lol. I love making food look pretty lol.

 

[Admin Greg]

Welcome to CS!