Transforming Your Business: Veteran Cheffers Share Their Success Stories

[amy07]

Ok, so like many of you, June was not a good month for me. I had alot of cancellations, reschedules (possibly), and hosts that went MIA. So, for you veterans out there, will you please share some words of wisdom for us newbies of how YOU turned your biz around from a slump to spectacular?

And please don't spare the details, I need specifics to help get my rear in gear!! I know that there are flyers for ways to get bookings, and leads but I really want to hear a good ole CS cheffer success story! Tell me how you went from zero bookings to whatever your idea of a full calendar is.

 

[DebbieJ]

I am filling out my July and August nicely and it has been all about picking up the phone.

I ask what products that want half price or free and then say if they'll invite me into their home, they can have it!

Being excited and enthusiastic helps too.

 

[amy07]

yeah, Deb i had that 300lb anchor attached to my ear all evening - but I'd still like to hear the "rags to riches" story

 

[pamperedbecky]

Exactly!! It really is that phone, as much as most people hate to hear it. And HANG IN THERE! Summer can be a tougher time. Try not to get discouraged or throw in the towel after a tough month or two. It does happen to all of us.

What really helped my business take off was taking a month and double booking it....doing twice as many shows as usual. I got on the phone and called LOTS of people: friends, past hosts, guests from shows, random contacts I made at booths and fairs, etc. That is TRULY when my business took off. Take a month that has a particular special or significance and pull out all the stops. I think the summer host specials are AWESOME, so that would be a good thing to highlight. Let them know they're not usually this good AND they don't usually include pretty brand new products in the specials. Within the 6-7 months after I bumped my biz up a notch, I had my best month ever (at the time) and earned ALL of the fall/winter products for free as part of the Sell-A-Thon, promoted to director and earned my first trip. I happened to do that during May so having the awesome Help Whip Cancer fundraiser to promote I think helped, but you can really do it with whatever special you want. It's totally true - YOUR excitement will be contagious and that will help you get shows.

Hang in there!! We all go through rough spots, but you're obviously seeking out some ideas and feedback, so you're heading in the right direction.

 

[ChefLisa]

I experienced June cancellations and did not want to see my business fall apart. Therefore I scheduled two of my own shows. The first was tonight and the second is a Saturday brunch this weekend.

I had six people in attendance tonight and the guests sales are just over $200.00. However, I got two July bookings from it. One of the guests was my best friend who just finished her own show. She came for support. Then the two who scheduled shows did not make a purchase since they are now holding shows in July. Now I will see how Saturday goes and hopefully be able to add a few hundred extra in sales and get more bookings.

If your month is not what you want, I really suggest hosting two of your own shows a day or two apart. What I have found is people can usually attend one or the other. If I limited it to one party, I would not have nearly the results.

I did not get to call everyone I wanted to invite so I am even thinking about holding another party in July. Now I will be giving the host benefits to one of the attendees and they do not even know it yet.

Good luck!
Lisa

 

[dannyzmom]

I experienced June cancellations and did not want to see my business fall apart. Therefore I scheduled two of my own shows. The first was tonight and the second is a Saturday brunch this weekend.

I had six people in attendance tonight and the guests sales are just over $200.00. However, I got two July bookings from it. One of the guests was my best friend who just finished her own show. She came for support. Then the two who scheduled shows did not make a purchase since they are now holding shows in July. Now I will see how Saturday goes and hopefully be able to add a few hundred extra in sales and get more bookings.

If your month is not what you want, I really suggest hosting two of your own shows a day or two apart. What I have found is people can usually attend one or the other. If I limited it to one party, I would not have nearly the results.

I did not get to call everyone I wanted to invite so I am even thinking about holding another party in July. Now I will be giving the host benefits to one of the attendees and they do not even know it yet.

Good luck!
Lisa

I just posted a thread asking about hosting our own shows. My Dh has been on my case for YEARS to try it but I have not gotten brave enough yet. Well to heck with brave...now I am desperate - LOL
Gimme all the details - did you mail out invites? Evites? Call people? Did you do a demo or run it like an open house?

 

[ChefLisa]

I did a somewhat traditional show. I had dessert made up ahead of time and talked about products, about hosting and the business opportunity. I had so much fun!

I did not send out invitations or email invitations. I got on the phone for invites. I really like the personal approach and will be host coaching all of my hosts to invite by phone or in person. They can use the cards and emails for reminders instead. This came from the Home Office training and I think it will really increase show attendance.

The only problem I had with making the calls is I am too social. I am not good at just calling to invite, so the calls took longer than I wanted and I did not get to invite everyone I wanted to invite. This got me thinking how that could also be a problem for my hosts. Therefore, I am working on a script for hosts to use when they call that will help them get on the phone and off within 40 minutes for 40 guests. As soon as I finish it, I will share it.

Lisa

 

[amy07]

Exactly!! It really is that phone, as much as most people hate to hear it. And HANG IN THERE! Summer can be a tougher time. Try not to get discouraged or throw in the towel after a tough month or two. It does happen to all of us.

What really helped my business take off was taking a month and double booking it....doing twice as many shows as usual. I got on the phone and called LOTS of people: friends, past hosts, guests from shows, random contacts I made at booths and fairs, etc. That is TRULY when my business took off. Take a month that has a particular special or significance and pull out all the stops. I think the summer host specials are AWESOME, so that would be a good thing to highlight. Let them know they're not usually this good AND they don't usually include pretty brand new products in the specials. Within the 6-7 months after I bumped my biz up a notch, I had my best month ever (at the time) and earned ALL of the fall/winter products for free as part of the Sell-A-Thon, promoted to director and earned my first trip. I happened to do that during May so having the awesome Help Whip Cancer fundraiser to promote I think helped, but you can really do it with whatever special you want. It's totally true - YOUR excitement will be contagious and that will help you get shows.

Hang in there!! We all go through rough spots, but you're obviously seeking out some ideas and feedback, so you're heading in the right direction.

I would double and triple book if I could - unfortunately right now I can't even get one show. I'm having a hard time just getting people on the phone, always just a machine. I've got the flyer for 118 ways to get bookings and have been marking them off as I attempt them. I could understand if I wasn't actively seeking out new business, but I really am working this, and even asking for referrals.
I've spoken to my director and she suggested I try craft fairs. She then went on to tell me that it is a great way to get leads, and that she literally has a 100 DPDS from last year from a fair that she has never followed up with because her show schedule is so busy Uh, hello, can I have maybe 15-20 of those?!?!
Sorry for the rant, just needed to vent.

 

[finley1991]

I totally agree with the double booking! Another thing to try that has worked for me in the past is to do a show block for a week. Let your family know in advance that you are going to do it and that they will be having McDonalds every night for dinner and not to expect you there! Then you schedule a show every night Sunday-Saturday for one week. It's best to do this if you can the first week of a month. Then you will be set for bookings. What happens is that you become so much more relaxed as the shows go on and you get bookings for the rest of the month and there on out. This time of year can be tough yes, but if you look on CC at the # of shows and sales for the top 50 earning the June-July Sell-A-Thon, that proves that there are shows out there to be had!

With that, you mentioned that you spoke with your director about not getting any shows... go over with her WHAT YOU ARE SAYING! If you're making the calls and NOTHING is happening, you might want to change it up a bit. Also, check your tone... if you start out sounding defeated, is someone REALLY going to want to book with you? Sometimes the smallest change can make the biggest difference! I have a consultant on my team that was in a similar situation and we went around and around and finally I asked her to tell me EXACTLY what she was saying when she called. She told me and I was stunned! She was TELLING everyone why it's great to have a show and NEVER ASKING the person if they wanted to have one. It's one thing to inform, it's another to invite! We made the small change by adding in the question, "Would you like to have a show?" and her results changed!

Don't give up! You can do it! Good luck!

 

[DanielleQ]

Amy, are you going to conference? I know that everyone has said that getting to conference is one way to get that spark back and when people come back, they are ON FIRE!!

This will be my first conference, so I can't speak from personal experience yet!

 

[pamperedbecky]

She then went on to tell me that it is a great way to get leads, and that she literally has a 100 DPDS from last year from a fair that she has never followed up with because her show schedule is so busy Uh, hello, can I have maybe 15-20 of those?!?!
Sorry for the rant, just needed to vent.

See if she'd give some to you! Tell her you're trying to practice some of your phone skills with some different ways to say things and you'd really love to try using some brand new leads. I know directors/consultants who have retired have occasionally passed on leads/customers/past hosts to their consultants, especially when asked. She may not even have realized that this is something you'd like. If you're not comfortable being direct about it, maybe ask her kind of jokingly..."Hey if you don't have the time to follow up with some of them, I know I do!" or something like that. It doesn't hurt to ask.