Success: Closing 3 Shows in 24-48hrs & All Already Shipped!

[dannyzmom]

My last three shows - since they were end-of-June and I was pushing for sell-a-thon - I told the hosts we had to close within 24-48hrs. I told them during host coaching that they'd need to have all Outside Orders in & paid for the day of the show. And I told them they needed to have their wish list rough draft prepared and ready for the ngiht of the show.

All three did.

All three show are already closed and all but one are shipped. I just finished putting together the receipts & TY letter for the last one and now I am DONE with June. How cool is that? I usually allow my hosts to drag their feet...some totally take advantage and have dragged their shows out 2+ weeks.

I think I am going to make a habit of running my biz this way from now on. It is nice to be able to be "done" with a show so quickly...and I am sure the guests will be THRILLED to get their stuff much faster!

 

[chefann]

Isn't that a great feeling? I'm sure once your customers get used to getting their orders quickly that you'll find it easier to enforce your new 48 hour rule. And kudos to HO for being on top of things at month-end!

 

[PChefPEI]

Good work, Carolyn! I've been thinking of doing the same, but my host coaching skills are kinda poor! My problem is, I'm too much of a softy, I think. If the host asks to keep it open, I'll say yes. And, I don't take a laptop to my shows, so it would be more difficult to calculate her total. I like talking to her on the phone to do that, sitting in front of my computer. Something to think about....:balloon:

 

[KellyTheChef]

Carolyn~

I was thinking the SAME THING! I had two June shows (last one was on 21st) so there should have been NO PROBLEM earning my "submit two shows" product.

Well...here I sit and that last show is STILL NOT CLOSED.

I need to grow a backbone and tell them 24-48 is it. Based on past experience, I *KNOW* that if they can't get the order in the first day or two...it just isn't gonna happen. So, now those people are gonna be waiting for WEEKS to get their stuff. So, even though HO is awesome and gets the stuff shipped out quickly, the guests are not even gonna notice since it took so stinkin long to close out the show!

Plus...like you said...then your shows are all wrapped up, reciepts mailed, and I can forget about it for a while!

Thanks for the reminder. This WILL be in my host coaching from now on....

 

[dannyzmom]

I am shocked at what a difference it made just for ME personally! I am not sitting around with my kids wondering if a jhost is gonna call and if I'll have to step away from our game of Monopoly to get her order, ya know? My shows are closed, I can relax with ym family and get ready for NC...my next show is the day after I return from NC. So, I am calling and coaching her every so often...and really just ENJOYING my stress-free family time!

 

[wadesgirl]

I host coach to close within 2-3 days of their show. Sometimes they will still drag their feet but if you tell them that is the standard, they don't know the difference.

 

[KellyTheChef]

I host coach to close within 2-3 days of their show. Sometimes they will still drag their feet but if you tell them that is the standard, they don't know the difference.

Yep...that's how it's gonna be. No wishy washy me. I am just gonna tell the host that "I close the show within 24-48 hours so all of your friends can get their stuff quickly." No discussion...no offers for longer anymore!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I often give my hosts up to a week to close but they rarely have those orders they were sure they'd have. Not any more. From now on, 48 hours.

I gave the end of June hosts no choice. The one on the 29th was coached that we would close that day. I ended up suggesting that we do it the 30th IF AND ONLY IF payments were by debit/credit cards. She got the one more order she needed for her level and honored the time that she said we would talk and settle up.:love:

I got one host to close in 2 days because I told her that if we waited until the 30th it would take WAY longer to get the products and since she needed the show to ship to me it would mean that if it isn't delivered by the 9th she'd have to wait until the 21st for their things! The show is picking today. June 30th shows will be lucky to be delivered within 2 weeks (especially with a holiday in there).

They respected my deadlines and didn't even think about it. They understood my comments that those that wanted to order would do so in that day or two after the show if they left the message that the show was closing by... I told them I was working on an incentive but I also made sure they knew that the later we sent their show in the more time shipping would take.

We need to run our business like a business. Try never to close shows on the last day of the month. Never hold shows to send in all at once. People love getting their things quickly! It also makes them feel better about paying shipping.

 

[susanr613]

Um I was trained to close within a few days of the show, so that's how I've been doing it the whole time. I tell the hosts before, during, and after the show that we will close on a specific date or day of the week, and that they need to round up orders and decide what they want. I also tell guests, so they know when to expect their goodies. I call the host on that day to close - I don't wait for her to call me.

my one exception was a week and that was because her show was so small it didn't hit $150. she is a friend, so i used that week to hit up our network and drum up some sales. the show closed over $200, which was great for the host.

i'm glad that carolyn is happier now closing sooner, and i'm sure whomever else decides t try this will like it too!

 

[krzymomof4]

I think I am going to have to start enforcing the 48 hour rule. My host drag their feet anywhere from 1-3 weeks to get their shows close, which is probably why most of my shows go in at the end of the month.

 

[dannyzmom]

You know, Susan, the funny thing is that I have always been told to close w/in 2-4 days...by HO, at workshops,etc...I just ever listened til now!

 

[KellyTheChef]

You know, Susan, the funny thing is that I have always been told to close w/in 2-4 days...by HO, at workshops,etc...I just ever listened til now!

Isn't it funny how we can be told something OVER AND OVER...and then at some obscure moment it sinks in and we are left standing there with our mouths open and saying "Duh...what took me so long to get it?"