Strategizing to Launch My Business Despite Setbacks

[TheChaoticCook]

I'm having my grand opening show on saturday at my home to launch my business AND help me qualify in 30 days and I just have to whine about how things have been going! I sent out 50 post cards, emails and word of mouth/phone calls. I have 6 people that are coming as of today and two of those people cannot come until after work, an hour and a half after the show "starts". What's worse, is that my freakin family totally bailed on me and not ONE of them are coming. I'm so pissed. I also asked two of them if they'd allow me to host a show for them and their friends and you would have thought I'd asked them each for a kidney! They were totally uncomfortable and grumbling under their breath how busy they were and blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm so angry because I'd totally hold a show for them if they were in my shoes. I'm seriously really angry about this. What a crock.

I'm discouraged, frustrated and trying to stay positive. This is exactly why I had such reservations about becoming an DS consultant. I hate this "must have bookings or the show can't go on" thing. I love these products but sheesh, this stinks.

Thanks for letting me vent. At least you guys understand.

 

[chefann]

{{{hugs}}} Sometimes family is the worst place to get bookings. A couple of my family members have done shows, but not many and the most recent was 3 or 4 years ago. Have you called the people to whom you mailed post cards? Many times, people get invitations and set them aside, then forget to call to RSVP.

 

[DeniseJoiner]

I'm so sorry!

 

[pkd09]

Michelle: We have all felt frustration at some times during our business. I only had one family member help me start my business (and I have a large family). My first open house I also sent out 50+ post cards and had 4 in attendance. It was also the first sunny 75 degree Sunday of the year which did not help at all!!! Go to your List of 100. Look at your church parishioners, neighbors, parents at your kids school, doctor offices (they are great for catalog shows), co-workers, pharmacy. Don't give up ... not everybody qualifies in their first 30 days. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I feel your pain. My family was totally unsupportive and still is. I even tried to do a fundraiser in honor of my mother (donating 100% - no profit to me) and not one person was even willing to order a citrus peeler. Families can be the worse.

Concentrate on friends and their friends. Go out and network. Meet new people. It really is much easier to book strangers than family - and it's much easier to do shows with strangers too. I have been a consultant for 6 years and my hardest show was last summer when my DIL finally did one for me while I was visiting there.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

That should be all the more reason to GO OUT THERE and GET yourself BOOKINGS on your OWN! Be bold! ASK EVERYONE! You can do it!

The minimum of 4 shows or $1250 in sales is a solid foundation to set your business up for success! Without that, you'd probably end up failing within your first 90 days!

Good Luck! Go get'um!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

I'm so sorry for you, but I want to let you know you are not alone. Your story brings back so many bad memories for me. I only had one family member have a show for me - my MIL. It wasn't very successful and I got no bookings. It was actually my very first show.

I had my first open house in November and sent about 40 invitations and passed out flyers in the neighborhood - not even one person showed up. So it sounds like yours will be more successful then mine! I made food, cleaned the house, had mini cookbooks printed up, etc. I waited all day to see if anyone would come. One friend said she was coming and then never called or showed up! My family (husband and 3 kids) felt so bad for me, but at least the food didn't go to waste!

I had to pick myself up and move on. Unfortunately that is the way this business goes. You are going to have dissapointment there is not getting around it, but the good outways the bad. The biggest highlight for me was the next July I went to Nat. Conference and won a shopping spree! Whenever things get tough I keep remembering the good. Like the many times the UPS, now FedEx, driver would drop free products off at my door. Products I would never be able to purchase w/o being a PC consultant.

You can't make people come to your show, but you can ask for orders when they say no. Anyone who didn't RSVP be sure to call. If they say they can't come let them know they can view the entire catalog on-line and call you if they need anything. If they say they already have everything (very common) tell them there are over 40 new products. Or ask them if they have any weddings coming up. They could purchase a wedding or bridal shower present. Let them know you need their help - this is very hard in the beginning. Let them know your goal about qualifying. Tell them you would really appreciate their help by just coming and watching you do a show even if they don't want to purchase anything. Tell them you need to practice and they can help with some feedback for you. This takes some pressure off of them to buy something.

I wish you the best of luck. Make a committment to yourself and it will help you stick with it. When I first signed up I knew it would take me a while to learn how to be successful. I had never sold anything in my life. I'm very part time so I made a 5 year committment to see how it goes. Have I had days I want to give up on that committment - YES!!! But it has helped me not quit and I'll have four years in this August. I now own almost everything in the catalog, have made GREAT friends, have much more confidence to speak before a group of people, and have received wonderful training I can take with me to any job in the future. I have also made a new committment to myself. I'm not going to quit PC until I reach at least $100,000 in sales and earn a trip! This will keep me going again!

You have come to the right place for help. Everyone here will be a huge support for you and will have even better ideas then I have given you.

Take Care,

 

[stacywhitlow]

I agree about family not really helping out. I have been doing PC for 5 years & my mom is the only family member to ever host a show (which was one of my 1st 6 to qualify). I don't even ask them anymore. Just get out there & ask everyone else.

 

[PCMelissa]

Aww, I am so sorry you are frustrated. But honestly, DS or not, I think any business owner has had similar disappointments. Really, 6 people in attendance is not bad. Def call those you have not heard from and try to get outside orders, I bet you will have a great Grand Opening.

I agree with the previous posters... once you get away from family it will be so much easier. Get out there and network! Don't let family get you down, you can prevail without their help. One of my good friends who I thought would be most supportive, was exact opposite. I enjoy sharing with her how well I am doing in the business, even with the fact that a very good friend isn't helping me out!

Good luck, keep us posted, and keep coming back for support!!

 

[buckeyefan08]

I got the same reaction from my family. Then less that a month later both of my SIL's became DS consultants for other companies and they all jumped to help them. I was a little disgusted. Now I don't ask any of them, I made it my goal to prove that I didn't need them to do shows for me to be successful. Needless to say I do twice as much in sales as the two SILs. It may be a petty way to go about it but they don't know that I'm laughing all the way to the bank... LITERALLY!

 

[heather223]

Sometimes with family you can't win. They whine complain and pick you apart. Then if you don't ask them to host, they still whine and complain.

My advice is: ASK EVERYONE (Outside your family of course!) you will be surprised for those that say yes when you don't expect it. :chef:

 

[afeller]

Good luck! I had the same results with family. My mom was the only one that has had a show for me. At least she is encouraging. She did DS when I was little, so she knows what it is like. My MIL flat out said that she would not have a show, ever. Oh well!

Good luck! If I can quailfy in 30 days, trust me you can too!!

 

[wadesgirl]

What ever they say now, don't count them out totally. I have an aunt who swore that she would never do a show for me. She was always a loyal guests so I couldn't complain. Then I sent her and her daughter the new catalog. She ended up calling me saying that she had taken it to work and now they all wanted to order something. What a great suprise on my end! She even called me a brat for sending the catalog to her. Now that she's placing an order on her daughter's show that we booked off hers, I have to remind her that she will get 10% off for the whole next year.

 

[thecougchef]

it sounds to me like you are ahead of the game by NOT starting out with depending on family. so many of us are stuck after exhausting our family resources. embrace the 6 people you have there as potential hosts. be sure to give each of them the full service check out. & let them all know that you are new to this & any help they can give - whether cooking or catalog show - would be appreciated. i did that at my last show & got 2 bookings off of it. it will only snowball from there.

good luck michelle!

 

[TheChaoticCook]

Thanks you guys. It really, really helps knowing that I have a resource here where everyone knows what you're going through. I will put a smile on my face and have fun on saturday.