Some People Just Don't Get It.....

[pamperedlinda]

I've been trying pretty hard lately to be sure that I do a good job Host Coaching. Usually, I think I do as my average show sales are up to about $700 - 800 per Cooking Show. But do you ever have that host who 'just doesn't get it'?

I recently had two shows that could not be more opposite. They both had about the same number of people in attendance (one had 11 the other 14) So, I'm thinking to myself, wow, this should be good! But, the sales were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum! One show had 11 orders and $273 (Uh, yes, I said $273) in Guest sales....thought I'd die at that one! The MOST BORING group of people I've ever been around. (I thought I was going to have to start checking pulses! And, I was in a good mood! I just couldn't get anyone excited! It was SO WEIRD!!!, felt like I was naked up there - or something! One order was $80 (the past host) and every and I mean EVERY ONE else was @ $15-$25!!!! I've never seen anything like it!.

Then, right after that one, I have a show with 14 people there and the guest sales are $925!!! Which, thankfully, was much better than I had anticipated.

Have you all had any similar experiences? What was your Best and Worst?

 

[rhon228]

I usually like to let the guest come up and try the products. I found audience participation gets them into the whole show.

Sometimes the host just don't get it no matter what but they do expect to receive the same rewards as those who really push the limit (outside orders, sending invitations, using the website, etc..). I really hate it when they want to take the catalogs at the end of a show like that. I figure they won't order much more later so why waste my money.

 

[mistym]

In the chefs lounge I just posted about a show I had today which sofar has about $70.00 in sales. It was my MIL's party and I thought it was gonna be great however only 2 people showed up!!!

My best show was my first show and that was a kilo show so that was really great.

Todays is by far the worst show for sales. My worst show for people was the one where I got mooned....LOL....I had posted regarding this and that thread got a LOT of responses!!

I love this board - everyone is so supportive!

Misty

 

[AJPratt]

Linda: Its going around! I was just talking to my director who had a similar thing. One show--is at $1851 and another to get it to $300, she made a small purchase. Go figure! My last show had 10 people there and it closed at $250. I was socked. It was my lowest ever. Be glad you got that one out of the way for the sell a thon!

 

[dannyzmom]

Glad to hear I am not alone...some groups are just strange.

I had a show a few weeks ago...we mailed about 30 invites...plus passed flyers around. It was ROUGH getting guest-list names from this hostess...and she refused to use the website. Only 4 people showed up by 7:30 (for a 7pm show) but about 5 more trickled in over the next hour for a total of 9 people. It ended up beng a $1000 show at the end of the night, with a handful of outside orders coming in the next day. Then...the next night...my hostess who used the website AND we mailed 35 invites AND she passed flyers AND she collected OO's before the show...20 people came. They were snoozers. And (forgive me) they were cheap. These were wealthy women who have been to my shows before (I call them my fan club) and usually spend $100-$150 each. This night, though...out of the 20 that came, only TWO spent over $60. Thankfully a nice sized OO came in a few days later ($266) but still...it's a weird weird business....and you can never figure out what to expect.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Misty: I LOVED the thread about you getting mooned! It was great reading bout it, but I'm sure I would have just about died had I been in your shoes! Thanks so much for sharing that experience! I sure hope your MIL can get enough orders to get a show for you. I had something like that happen to me this summer. Not fun!

Rhonda: I Love to get my audience involved, these people were just plain BORING!!! If I hadn't been the one to send the invitations out, I would have sworn that they didn't know they were being invited to a party that they were expeced to bring their wallet with them. I kept feeling like they were ordering out of pity! The Host's sister was there and she had never heard of PC before so after I calculated her $15 order I asked if she thought she'd like to be the next person to have a show and start stocking her kitchen with all of our great tools. Her response....."Good God NO! How much do I owe you, I have to leave so I can make it to bingo" .....okay then!

Anne: if we didn't live so far apart I'd swear we had the same guest list!

I'm just glad it's behind me! Thanks for sharing ladies!

 

[AJPratt]

Her response....."Good God NO! How much do I owe you, I have to leave so I can make it to bingo" .....okay then!

I just love those responses. I can't help buy say, "that's ok, my schedule's full. I just didn't want you to miss out." http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/rolleye0019.gif

 

[rhon228]

Hopefully she will contact you after her big win at Bingo and order big!

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

Rhonda R Daniels
Pampered Chef Kitchen Consultant
"Defending our country and your right to purchase pampered chef products!"

Rhonda...LOVE your tag line!! And THANK YOU for doing both

 

[lacychef]

I can join in too.....I closed a show the other day at $340 in sales & my show yesterday is at $870.
The hosts that get me are the ones that want to host "to help ME out" & don't even care how much they get, so they don't care about their sales. I always say not to host to help me, but to help themselves by earning freebies. (I guess they don't get that it helps me more if they work harder to get higher sales! ha!) But really, I always encourage them to get the most for themselves at discounted rates. Some just don't get it!

 

[pamperedlinda]

I can join in too.....I closed a show the other day at $340 in sales & my show yesterday is at $870.
The hosts that get me are the ones that want to host "to help ME out" & don't even care how much they get, so they don't care about their sales. I always say not to host to help me, but to help themselves by earning freebies. (I guess they don't get that it helps me more if they work harder to get higher sales! ha!) But really, I always encourage them to get the most for themselves at discounted rates. Some just don't get it!

This lady was doing something like that. When I asked her what products she had her eye on and was hoping to get with her host rewards she replied that she really didn't want anything. That she wanted to help Kelly (the host she booked off of) out. huh? Kelly used to be a PC consultant and I might add has had several very successful shows with me! So by then I just went along with it as I figured I'd be there all day trying to explain differently to her.

 

[AJPratt]

I can join in too.....I closed a show the other day at $340 in sales & my show yesterday is at $870.
The hosts that get me are the ones that want to host "to help ME out" & don't even care how much they get, so they don't care about their sales. I always say not to host to help me, but to help themselves by earning freebies. (I guess they don't get that it helps me more if they work harder to get higher sales! ha!) But really, I always encourage them to get the most for themselves at discounted rates. Some just don't get it!

OMG! The woman at work (party from hell) made a snotty comment about only doing it to help me out. Before I even thought about it, I turned around and said, "You got $450 in free products for $97. Uh, who helped who?" She got red faced, and said, "You're right. You're right."

 

[chefann]

"You got $450 in free products for $97. Uh, who helped who?" She got red faced, and said, "You're right. You're right."

Fabulous response, Anne!!

If I get the feeling that a host isn't really interested in products for themself, I suggest that they stock up on gifts for upcoming holidays, birthdays, weddings, etc.

 

[AJPratt]

She didn't get into it until she got all the stuff. Of course, by that time it was too late. Unless she has another show

 

[lacychef]

OMG! The woman at work (party from hell) made a snotty comment about only doing it to help me out. Before I even thought about it, I turned around and said, "You got $450 in free products for $97. Uh, who helped who?" She got red faced, and said, "You're right. You're right."

Very good answer Some people you just can't understand!
Kind of like when there's a new catalog & someone is still saying they have everything!

 

[chefann]

Kind of like when there's a new catalog & someone is still saying they have everything!

OMG!! I thought I was the only one who encountered people that clueless. My favorite, though, is when they say, "I've got that and I've had it for a while now." and it's a brand new item. I usually respond with, "Really?" while the little voice inside my head wonders "Where did you get your time machine that you use for shopping?"

 

[AJPratt]

Kind of like when there's a new catalog & someone is still saying they have everything!

I was joking around with one lady and said, "Ok... Its IMPOSSIBLE for you to have everything. This is a new catalog and not even Ihave EVERYTHING, yet."

 

[ChefMommyinOC]

Best and WorstI once host-coached a woman who I thought would be a great host - I ended up having to call my mother to come to the show to be the other guest at the show; the host never sent out the invitations, although she'd assured me that she had. The show took 5 weeks to reach $250 in sales; couldn't get the host to do anything!

I had another host who I didn't host coach (one of my first shows, didn't know what I was doing) had 12 guests and over $1000 in sales.

 

[raebates]

Aren't those "crickets chirpping" shows awful? I tend to be pretty perky, and most of my survey slips come back with comments about how funny and fun I am. Then, every once in a while, out of the blue, I encounter a group of people who have absolutely no response whatsoever. Seriously, it's like I can hear the crickets chirpping when I ask a question. If I didn't hear them all talking before and after the demo, I'd swear none of them spoke English.

The hilarious part? I get home from those shows and read the survey slips, where they tell me how funny, fun, and entertaining I am. I've decided they're rolling on the floor laughing in the inside. It must take every ounce of restraint they have to keep from cracking a smile during my entertaining demo.

The low sales shows can really be a bummer. Thankfully there haven't been many, but I figure that's one of the realities of direct sales. The thing that has helped me deal with those is that I changed my attitude. I consider a successful show one where everyone has a good time, and at least one person learns something. I ask those questions at the end of every show. Of course, I have to watch the "cricket chirppers" for their barely peceptible head nods.

 

[lacychef]

OMG!! I thought I was the only one who encountered people that clueless. My favorite, though, is when they say, "I've got that and I've had it for a while now." and it's a brand new item. I usually respond with, "Really?" while the little voice inside my head wonders "Where did you get your time machine that you use for shopping?"

Nope, I've learned that clueless people are everywhere! Here's a new one to add: my show yesterday, a lady was wanting to see the new beaded napkin ring & tassel ring. Well, I've been forgetting to bring the mid season products this month. Plus I've been trying to cut down on what I bring. Well, she was just so upset that I didn't have these two little items for her to see. I said, 'well, I just can't bring my whole kitchen to my shows!' So now I have to arrange to get these items to my host so she can show them to the lady, otherwise she probably won't order! Geez!

 

[chefann]

Well, she was just so upset that I didn't have these two little items for her to see. I said, 'well, I just can't bring my whole kitchen to my shows!' So now I have to arrange to get these items to my host so she can show them to the lady, otherwise she probably won't order! Geez!

Hate that! Although, the mid-season linens do look so much nicer in person than in the pics. You just can't see the sparkle in the photographs.

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Host coaching is never fool proof!! Host coaching is never fool proof because your bound to run into a fool who just doesn't get it!!
It's sad but true.

No matter how long we spend trying to explain the benefits, sometimes the lights on but nobody's home.

Sometimes you get ladies that are a few french fries short of a happy meal.

I have met some ladies that when they were thinking about what I said, I thought I heard a car engine sound coming from their head, but the car just wouldn't start!!!

Ok seriously, I have met some ladies that just didn't get it. I had to explain like five times about the benefits and how it worked. I eventually get them all to understand most of what I say. If they turn to the back of the catalog, I don't see how it could be any clearer. Yes I hate that comment "Well I hope I am helping you out. I really don't even like doing shows."
When the lady told me that at her show last year I told her that I would not mind keeping her FREE products for myself and everything else she earned. When she eventually realized what she was entitled to get at $700 in sales. She booked another show and said Pampered Chef does have the best hosting benefits of any other home show sales company!! And she quickly called more people for more orders before we closed her show at $800!!
Debbie

 

[pamperedlinda]

Thanks for sharing your stories! I'm glad (and so very sorry for you all too) that I'm not the only one who has dealt with these people. I think my host from last Saturday still doesn't get it. Maybe when I deliver her orders to her she will finally understand! I decided that I better have her show shipped to me after dealing with her as I have a feeling she'd really be lost when UPS showed up at her house!

Ahhhhh....the things we do for our customers! She really is a very sweet lady and I feel kind of bad talking about her this way. Afterall....even a bad show is better than no show at all! Her daughter is doing a catalog show for me right now, I think she understands the Host Program better than her mom did....not too sure though as she's one of those people who doesn't return phone calls in a timely manner.

The rest of my month is turning out really good, so I'm not so bummed about this one any more.

 

[lacychef]

Sometimes you get ladies that are a few french fries short of a happy meal.

Debbie

Debbie: this is great! I am cracking up at that one I have learned over the years to bless & release; you can't please everyone.

And yes Ann, those linens are just gorgeous aren't they? I am definately using them this Xmas. So much prettier in person than just seeing them in the catalog.

 

[pckimboyers]

I have had a few ladies that are like "whatever I get is what I get" tossing their hair around like a valley girl--- Some just don't want to be coached-- I always tell my hosts that if they are going to throw a party they might as well shoot for a 1000.00-- and they agree-- but my past couple of shows they just don't want to get outside orders--then they don't invite---I actually had a girl admit to keeping a whisk that a consultant left at her last show a few years back and great.... she's the one who wants to book-- I'm hoping the hostess wants to sign up so she can do her show! My Nov. is looking a little sorry-- I had 3 and one canceled today and didn't want to do a catalog either...... I tell you it is tough to stay in this when it gets like this. I have always struggled to get and keep bookings! I'm going to keep plugging along... I promised myself I wouldn't quit until I pay off my credit card, today my 4 yr old saw me pouting... and asked why I wasn't saying anything... I said I was sad because my Pampered Chef business wasn't going so well and I was thinking about stopping, his eyes got big and he said no mommy! You can't stop your pampered chef, you can't quit. I said I get frustrated...he said when I get frustrated building my legos I take deep breaths and try again... do it mommy then he made me take 3 deep breaths... needless to say I was crying by the end and I made phone calls tonight to try to reschedule those bookings! Sorry so long.. but my inspiration and advice came from my 4 yr old son!!!

 

[jentapp]

My worst so far had 11 people including the host, but not including all of the kids, but only 2 people there plus the host ordered anything. She had a few outside orders, but one cancelled her order just after I had sent it in. That show managed to make it over the $400 mark somehow, though. (I have had smaller shows, but at least most of the guests at least ordered something small to support the host.)

My best show had 3 people including the host and started out with sales at $27.50 (the 2 guests' orders combined), but the host went out and got enough outside orders to get it over the $600 mark! WOO HOO! GO HOST!

 

[tlennhoff]

I promised myself I wouldn't quit until I pay off my credit card, today my 4 yr old saw me pouting... and asked why I wasn't saying anything... I said I was sad because my Pampered Chef business wasn't going so well and I was thinking about stopping, his eyes got big and he said no mommy! You can't stop your pampered chef, you can't quit. I said I get frustrated...he said when I get frustrated building my legos I take deep breaths and try again... do it mommy then he made me take 3 deep breaths... needless to say I was crying by the end and I made phone calls tonight to try to reschedule those bookings! Sorry so long.. but my inspiration and advice came from my 4 yr old son!!!

That is one great kid you have there. May he continue to be an inspiration and a comfort to you.

 

[jaye]

That's so great that you have the support of your family - even when they are 4...

Awesome!

As far as host coaching goes... one of my friends called me and booked a show... I sent her the packet, called numerous times and went over the entire host benefits - what she could earn, what she will get, what she had to do, etc. - well the day of her comes along...

Everyone who came brought their babies and children. It was like a long lost reunion. People were seeing babies for the very first time... it was crazy. She ended up with over $600 in sales... How???? I have NO IDEA... b/c everyone was so busy playing pass the babies... (I love babies - I have an 8 month old) that NO ONE listened to me at all.

Well, when I was talking to my friend and letting her know about her FREE STUFF, half-priced stuff, etc... she said, "I get stuff for free?????? I had no idea... I was only doing this to help you out."

I was like did you pay ANY attention to me AT ALL during our phone calls??? Apparently she didn't!!! So, you never know... you can say and do all the right things and it may have no effect. We can all just keep on keepin' on and do our best and do what we know we are supposed to do and if they choose not to pay attention or not to care... there is nothing that we can do about that!

 

[pckimboyers]

Yes, my son has always seemed like a "old soul"-- Family does make the difference!