Should I Donate $100 for 1 Hour of Exposure at a Ladies Fellowship Event?

[lkhartmann]

One of my best host and a potential recruit invited me to a ladies fellowship event Friday night. I have to donate $100 in products and then I arrive at 6pm, the ladies arrive at 7pm for 1 hour of mingling then they go into prayers for 2.5 hours. I am invited into prayers but I feel from a business sense this is a lot to spend for 1 hr of exposure. I don't want to do it but don't want to lose my host and potential recruit. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. If they weren't asking for $100 in free product it wouldn't be so bad.

 

[byrd1956]

how about a $100 "home-made" gift certificate w/an image of what all they could get. Are they telling you that everyone will place an order? Is it a fund-raiser for an event? Could it be 2- $50 gift certificates or 4- $25 certificates and they can be used at a future show with a minimum product orders? Not sure how to handle this as it sounds like it is all giving and yet I find at the end of the year I have over-given w/prizes, etc. I guess we are all to believe that it will come back to us in a positive way.

 

[lkhartmann]

How about $25 off of a $50 purchase?

 

[esavvymom]

You could be honest, and tell her you can't afford to donate $100 of product. Or do you have something else going on that night?

 

[wadesgirl]

Is your time worth $100 for 1 hour? That's the question to ask. Mine is not.

 

[Tracy99]

Are you going to be taking orders there? Do they need the products the night of? You could suggest that you take orders and then provide the product when the orders come in. then you could get a dcb at 60% off and you would only spend $34. Throw in a spatula or sauce and you have $100 in product. Bit I agree I think it is really a lot for them to be asking for. So id counter in someway...

 

[Tracy99]

I also worry that this would set too high of an expectation for a potential recruit. So if you decide to do it, i'd emphasize that it was above and beyond to the recruit.

 

[lkhartmann]

Thank you ladies. I am going to politely decline and let the potential recruit from a business sense it doesn't make good sense.

 

[pchockeymom]

It sounds to me like this gal may be under the impression that you get all the products free all the time, any time. This would then perhaps make her think it's no big deal to donate $100 in products since it's really nothing out of your pocket. I'd clear that up whether you do the event or not. If she's considering the business, you don't want her having a false perception of our "earning products for free". "Earning" being the key word!