Starting Out and Very Nervous!!

[pamperedcheermom]

Anyone have advice for the first show? Mine is tomorrow night and my recruiter is going with me but I'm still nervous. I also sell Mary Kay (no more parties) and I eventually got used to the parties and didn't have a problem. I guess with Pampered Chef, I'm nervous about leaving out an ingredient or not being able to answer the questions. I know we're all human and everybody makes mistakes but I want to do a good job during my first show. I expect "something" to happen.

Any advice would be appreciated!

**Pamperedcheermom**

 

[janetupnorth]

Anyone have advice for the first show? Mine is tomorrow night and my recruiter is going with me but I'm still nervous. I also sell Mary Kay (no more parties) and I eventually got used to the parties and didn't have a problem. I guess with Pampered Chef, I'm nervous about leaving out an ingredient or not being able to answer the questions. I know we're all human and everybody makes mistakes but I want to do a good job during my first show. I expect "something" to happen.

Any advice would be appreciated!

**Pamperedcheermom**

RELAX and have fun with it! Don't "expect" things to go wrong, expect the best. Don't worry about screwing up...we're not gourmet cooks (well most of us aren't). That's what is great about PC and sells it - anyone can use it.

If you are relaxed and having fun - people will have fun!

 

[Gina M]

My very first show had about 15 people at it - and the only person I knew was the host. Even if you forget to talk about something - don't worry - only you may notice and probably no one else will. Just mention that it's your first show - everyone knows what it's like to have a first day on the job! People are generally very nice at shows and more than willing to help out if you struggle with anything - plus your recruiter will be there to lend a helping hand as well. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Kathytnt]

Just make sure you have all the ingredients you need - Ask to get a participant or multiple pariticpants to read the steps for you - It will help with the demo and calm your nerves some

Until you feel more comfy type to do recipes you have practiced and that are easier

 

[JAE]

Don't forget to ask every person when they come up to pay for the order if they would like to know more about the Pampered Chef business opportunity and if they would like to have their own show. Bookings keep your business going and growing!

 

[lacychef]

If you make a mistake, my favorite saying is....."I'm pampered, not perfect!" Always gets a few giggles, & helps me feel better!
Good luck!

 

[Ericanaysha]

I did my first show at the begining of June. It was not my best but I got it over with and it taught me how to handle certain situations.
I was very nervous and now I don't even fret b4 a show. You will do great!

Keep us posted on how it goes!

 

[jenapc]

I'm an anxious person by nature, and at a party my mother hosted, I was extremely nervous. However, after the party she told me, "Nothing matters because in the end we're all the same. People are as stupid as you; people are as smart as you. We're all the same." This brought some comfort, and now I just think how my guests would feel or be like if they were in position during a show and it comforts me to know none of us are perfect.

Usually people won't notice if you forgot an ingredient as long as it's not key. Use your show check list, and also make an ingredient/recipe check list so you can make sure you pack everything if you're taking ingredients yourself.

 

[raebates]

Nerves are normal. We've all been there. Most of us still get a mild case just before a party.

My best advice is to practice over and over out loud. It plants the words in a different part of your brain. Sounds weird, but it works.

 

[MomToEli]

Your show should be wrapping up any time now ... how'd it go?

 

[KellyTheChef]

I was just wondering the same thing! Hope you have time to post here tonight!!

 

[pamperedcheermom]

I survived my first show! It was at my neighbors house and there were only 5 guests there. Sales weren't great but I'm ok with that! Could have been worse...........could have been $0!!! My recruiter was there and answered questions I was stuck on. For some reason, I was talking about Ultimate Mandolin and the entire name of the product left my brain! I looked at my recruiter and she reminded me what it was. One thing I learned was you can't shred mozzarella cheese on the mandolin unless it's frozen solid. The host had it in the fridge but it was too soft and made more of a mess than anything. I prepared the Three Cheese Garden Pizza and everyone loved it. The chedder cheese and zuchinni did ok on the mandolin but the mozzarella didn't go too well. Anyone have suggestions for the mandolin. It's going to be hard to sell it unless I get the hang of using it. The onions did ok but the whole thing seemed awkward. And I made the pizza for my family on Sunday just for practice. I knew the mandolin was going to give me trouble but everybody laughed when the cheese flew across the table. SO.......it all went well and we had a good time. I made the Peanut Butter Trifle for dessert and I heard it described as "heavenly"!!! I prepared it the night before so all I did was tell how I made it.
Thanks for the support and all the posts! I really like this site and will highly recommend it to my group.
BTW.........I did get one booking from my show last night so it wasn't a total lost!

 

[tlennhoff]

Congrats on your first show. Have you watched the mandoline video on CC? People here have said "practice, practice, practice". I don't have one yet so I can't offer you any other assistance. Congrats on getting the booking. Did you get enough sales for it to qualify as a show?

 

[KellyTheChef]

Congrats on getting your first show down!

I agree with Tasha about the UM. Practice!! Watch the video on CC. Watch how they are holding the food plunger. You do NOT have to "press down" on the plunger and apply pressure the blades will cut through, and then the weight of the food/gravity will moved it down so that you can cut more on the next pass. (Hope that makes sense.) Only at the very end do you need to move your hand so it's on TOP of the plunger and apply slight pressure to get the last of the item cut. As soon as I mastered that, it has worked SMOOTHLY for me since then!

 

[pchefinski]

congrats on doing so well! i think those moments where things go "wrong" are good though - they show the reality of cooking -- and that you're just like them! (Even Wolfgang Puck has probably done things like that in the kitchen) and, as for forgetting things, i use it as an opening to say how PC recipes are so versatile. if it calls for onion and your family hates onion, leave it out. if you want something else, add 'em in. cooking is fun - not stiff and full of restraint.

 

[raebates]

Congratulations! I'm glad things went well. Don't worry about those little moments. We've all had them and survived.

 

[BethCooks4U]

...if it hasn't been said... "We aren't perfect, we're pampered!"


Welcome to our happy family.

 

[Ericanaysha]

YAY for getting through it!

I am not so good at using the mandoline either. I make ketchup instead of sliced maters...hee hee

 

[BethCooks4U]

YAY for getting through it!

I am not so good at using the mandoline either. I make ketchup instead of sliced maters...hee hee

The trick with the mandoline is to use the holder as a holder and not a pusher.

Tomatoes work best if they are firm and the skin is not really thick.

 

[pamperedcheermom]

My show sales weren't enough to qualify as a show. Should I order some things for myself that I need so that it will qualify? Or is it ok to do that?

 

[GourmetGirl]

Just put the things in your DH or mom's name... hopefully you won't be putting in too much out of your pocket (I once had to do this for my aunt... she was $3 away from the $150, but I didn't have the heart to tell her as she did the show even when she didn't want to...)

 

[tlennhoff]

You should also encourage your host to send out email invites to the online show or at least to take a catalog and order forms to the office to try to collect enough orders to make it a show.

How short is it?

 

[pamperedcheermom]

Total sales were only $111.25!! I knew going into it that the sales wouldn't be great but I was at least hoping for the $150. I need to close the show today because we're leaving for vacation on Sat. The host may have one outside order for a girl who couldn't come so I'll check on that today. I wasn't sure if I should use my own name when putting in the orders or use someone else's.

 

[chefann]

Use someone else's. We don't get paid on orders in our own name.
(shhh.... a couple of my bridesmaids, who I haven't spoken to in 13 years, place many, many orders... wink, wink...)