Should I reach out to the guests for my struggling host?

[[email protected]]

to hold on to this booking. This is a June booking, I have 7 total and I can't afford to lose any. One for the simple fact of trying to get as many sales as possible for the new free products and two I need to pay off bills and more bills.

Below is the email I got today from my host. Any suggestions?

In any case before I received this from you I sent out a "Save the Date" reminder to 17 people (family & friends) for the party. Out of the 17 I had 4 people respond no because one of them had just hosted a party in April, 3 people on vacation, 3 people working and 2 with limited funds. The rest have yet to say anything. So I am sorry for doing this but I think I want to just cancel it at this time. I will keep it in mind for the next couple of months when I can count on more people coming. The ones that have yet to say anything I am not relying on them to make it, some of them don't even respond back to my emails when I just want to chit-chat with them.



Sorry! I just don't feel comfortable doing it when I can't count on anyone to show.

 

[cmdtrgd]

Nowadays the ONLY people who RSVP are no's because they look at their calendar and know right away if they can make it. Most people who don't have something planned will put the invitation or save the date into a "to do" pile and then forget about it - I know I do. Also, a "Save the Date" does not usually require a response unless it is asked for. So, the best way to gauge how many people can make it is to make phone calls and/or talk with each guest in person. Also, there must be more than 17 people she knows who like to eat. Tell her to have extra invitations that have all the information, but no names on them in her posession. That way, she can "hand-deliver" invitations to people who she sees in her daily life.I would let her know that you have been planning on this to pay your bills and would like her to try these suggestions before cancelling the show. This is a business, so make sure you say it to her in a business like voice. And call her, don't email it to her. That way you know she gets the information from you. Ask her if she has out-of-town people who she knows who would possibly order or book and to send evites to them - a personal website really comes in handy for that.I would suggest that you write out what you want to cover and in what order so you are ready and businesslike when you call her.HTH

 

[bbauman07]

That's a bummer!!!! You maybe even more disappointed if you go to this show and and no one shows up. Do you have any leads you can call to help refill your calendar? CC calls for reorders? Maybe you could hold a party of your own to refill the loss of this show.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Well it sounds like at least 6 of them would be interested in coming to her party, but can't. I would ask her to make it a catalog show. She can just get orders from them. Tell her your working toward a goal this month and offer her an incentive if she turns in at least X amount of orders (you decide how much).

Just be happy she let you know instead of just showing up that night w/nobody there. Then you are out even more money and time!

Let us know how it goes.


Rhonda B.

 

[AlowayFamily]

I think you should go with Kate's advice before you give up on the host. Kate has some very valid points and this show could turn out to be a very good show. If possible, maybe suggest holding the show at your home, if she is having problems cleaning the house and getting it guest ready.

Good luck, and I know it will turn out for the best!

 

[[email protected]]

Thanks!I decided I don't want to throw in the towel on her yet. I offered he some suggestions to still make it a successful show. I will just have to see how far she will take it, if at all. I offered to change the time to a little later, offered a few more suggestions on other people to invite and etc.

My last resort is to offer her a catalog show. We'll see.

 

[soonerchef]

I have something similar...I was following up with my host for my show on this Saturday. She tells me that she is worried about her show because only 2 have RSVP'd, I told her that I normally have my hosts call the guests that have not RSVP'd two days before, so on Thursday. She thought that was a great idea and was going to do that. Well, we start chatting and she starts telling me all of these things...she has no family here, her husband cheated and moved out last week and now they are getting a divorce, she doesn't have very many friends as her everything were her husband, 6 y/o and 21 y/o daughters. She seemed to be so lonely, my heart just about broke for her and now only 2 people RSVP when she needs the friends that she does have now more than ever.

Well, I was thinking about calling the guests that I have the phone numbers for and just telling them that she is having a hard time right now and could really use all of the support she can get and could they please find a way to make the show. What do you think? Is that tacky? I just want to help this poor host and she needs new kitchen stuff now more than when she booked the show since her soon to be ex-DH (dumb husband) took a lot of the kitchen tools!

So, what do you think....me call the guests or let her?

 

[pcjeanie]

Well, I also have a host I'm having problems with, but mine didn't even send out her invitations and won't call me back. Less than a week until her scheduled show date, I called her mother who she booked from to find out she has to change the date due to her work/class schedule. I've left multiple messages on her cell phone and home phone and I've decided to move on to willing hosts and see if she decides to call me back. My efforts have been wasted and I've done all I need to do if she's not willing to make a call.

I'll have to admit I haven't done the CC calls as suggested, so I tried that a couple of nights ago. It's amazing - you can get some bookings this way and people really appreciate it that you called to check on how they like their products. As of right now, without this show I don't have any June bookings, so I'm going to keep making those CC calls. I booked 1 August show this way already. You just have to keep trying and ASK, ASK, ASK everybody.

Jeanie

 

[baumaar]

I would

I have something similar...I was following up with my host for my show on this Saturday. She tells me that she is worried about her show because only 2 have RSVP'd, I told her that I normally have my hosts call the guests that have not RSVP'd two days before, so on Thursday. She thought that was a great idea and was going to do that. Well, we start chatting and she starts telling me all of these things...she has no family here, her husband cheated and moved out last week and now they are getting a divorce, she doesn't have very many friends as her everything were her husband, 6 y/o and 21 y/o daughters. She seemed to be so lonely, my heart just about broke for her and now only 2 people RSVP when she needs the friends that she does have now more than ever.

Well, I was thinking about calling the guests that I have the phone numbers for and just telling them that she is having a hard time right now and could really use all of the support she can get and could they please find a way to make the show. What do you think? Is that tacky? I just want to help this poor host and she needs new kitchen stuff now more than when she booked the show since her soon to be ex-DH (dumb husband) took a lot of the kitchen tools!

So, what do you think....me call the guests or let her?

I would try calling those guests that you have the phone numbers for. That poor woman!! She really needs some good friends right now. Hopefully, she will get the support that she needs with this show. Good luck. P.S. I hope that all of the kitchen stuff he took just falls apart on him!: