Am I a Bad Party Planner? Doubts and Mistakes Along the Way

[babywings76]

I have got to get better about being more organized when I'm talking with hosts. I need to take notes about what we discuss, because apparently I'm forgetting things. I have a host for next Saturday and I could have sworn we talked about my sending her invites. I was going to send her a host packet meanwhile she was to work on her guest list. I typically include in my host packets 2 guest list forms and a brainstorming list with a SASE for her to mail it back to me. I also include about 10 loose postcard invites for them to pass out to people that they bump into. Well, I've tried calling her to see how she was coming along with her guest list. 3 calls and all were unsuccessful with reaching her. I just called her this morning. She told me she just sent me and e-mail (still haven't gotten it) and that her guest list is all taken care of. She said she called and e-mailed everyone. Then she said that I didn't give her any invitations so that's why she just went ahead and did all that. She said that her cable lines have been shorting out and so sometimes her e-mails don't go through. She said she's been e-mailing people and then calling them and then having to resend her e-mails, etc. I apologized for not including the invites, and told her that I felt terrible because that's typically what I include, I don't know how I could have forgotten! I asked if there was anything else I could do or help with, was she really all done with the invites because I could still help. She said "No, they're all taken care of. I'm making your job REALLY easy!" I had 2 feelings with that...first I felt so bad and told her "I'm so sorry, I really had intended to be the one to do all that and make YOUR job easy." But I also felt a bit hurt. I mean, typically consultant's leave the inviting to the hosts. What I offer is a curtesy (sp?) for my hosts. I don't have to do it! I don't know. I feel terrible that I'm bad at this job. I feel like I just am not thorough enough. Maybe I forgot to tell her that I was going to do the invites? Or maybe I did and she gave up on me because I didn't get in touch with her sooner (even though I tried)? I just can't remember exactly the conversation. And now what do I say at her show when I do the booking slide and say how easy I try to make hosting, how I send out invites, etc!!! How embarrassing!

I think I have a mommy dead-brain thing going on. I feel like my month is crumbling. First I was supposed to have a show on the 17th, that got turned into a catty show. Then my host on Friday flaked on me and I guess she cancelled? (I don't know...we still haven't spoken directly with each other, and her message was confusing) I have one show next Friday--she and this host I spoke of above are both bookings from a party last month and she didn't invite the previous host or this other girl to her show. Not sure if I should ask her about it, who am I to tell them who to invite--or was it an oversight?

See, I'm ridiculous. I'm just full of doubts of myself. I'm just really having a hard time today for some reason. Sorry for all my crazy posts, I just need to vent.

 

[DessertDivaFL]

Sometimes it is good just to get things out. What I try to do is KISS (Keep Things Simple, Stupid). I find the more I think I need to do, the more confusing things become. I am not the most organized person either so, for me, it is best to keep things simple. Maybe if you just keep things basic for a while it will help. Sometimes I need to look back at the DVD I got with my new consultant kit to give me a refresher.

Hope this helps. By the way, I grew up in PA. Where are you?

 

[babywings76]

Lancaster County

 

[DessertDivaFL]

I know where that is. I used to live in Dauphin County. My brother is still up there and lives in Palmyra. I went to high school at Lower Dauphin.

 

[cincychef]

I have done this too, so you are not alone! Try using the host coaching sheet from CC. It will help so much! When I get away from printing them and using them I am right back to the way you sound right now. The best organizational thing I have ever done with PC was to buy a file folder stand and have a file for each host that month. Then I print a copy of the host coaching form and keep it in her file. I take the file to the show and put the orders in it and it is all organized and I know right where I am with each host. I even note what days I left messages everything. It really helped me.

 

[Crystal Patton]

It must be going around, I just got an e-mail from a host and she said the only thing in her Host packet was a few catalogs and order forms. How could I have left out everything else I send?

Is it a full moon or something?