Unbooked August Calendar - Seeking Scheduling Opportunities

[chefpelkey]

I have nothing scheduled for August. Everyone keeps scheduling for September. I won't complain about the business for September but would like a little action in August. Is anyone else having trouble booking August? Thanks!

 

[JAE]

I have nothing for August, but I'm still trying. Just keep making your contacts. At worst, you'll overflow with shows in September to make up for your dry August.

 

[pamperedlinda]

YES! My August calendar is absolutely starving! I have one show (on the 30th ) and one catalog show that I don't have a whole lot of faith in (3rd time she's rescheduled) I did have an idea early this morning though - school starts next week and I'm going to do a Mystery Host show with the teachers at my son's school, hopefully that will go over well. I'm also more diligent about my CCC right now too.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Oh, I'm also going to promote the discontinued items really hard - maybe offer an extra discount on them - I'll wait til mid-month before I do that though.

 

[chefpelkey]

Linda, How will you do the mystery host with teachers? I am a school counselor and feel like my summer has been bare b/c we wait until the summer to do everything and then our personal calendars are so full. So, a lot of my friends and contacts are teachers and have not had time for a show. Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

[chefpelkey]

I'm really feeling better that I'm not the only one with limited August shows. I thought it was because I am a new consultant!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

August is the hardest month of the year for me! Between final vacations, and getting ready for back to school, and around here, the Hudsonville Fair (which is huge for this area!), everyone has it in their heads that August is just too busy for a show. However, my director, who lives just 30 minutes south of me, is completely booked for August, but for July, is really depending on me and my recruits to keep the Cluster "in the black".

Wish I knew what the answer was. I am great at booking shows - except for August!

 

[pamperedlinda]

Linda, How will you do the mystery host with teachers? I am a school counselor and feel like my summer has been bare b/c we wait until the summer to do everything and then our personal calendars are so full. So, a lot of my friends and contacts are teachers and have not had time for a show. Any suggestions are appreciated!

I haven't made the final decision on that. I'm going to do it one of two ways (depends on what the principal wants).

1) I'll do it as a fundraiser for some school project. If I do it this way, I'll give tickets for everyone who orders and draw a name for an extra product I have (maybe the trifle bowl?)

2) If I do it as a regular Mystery Host, I'll give tickets for orders, extra tickets for orders over ?$$, tickets for booking a show, tickets for referrals.....whatever and then draw a winner and that person will get the host benefits.

I'm pretty sure the principal will let me do this. I'm going to call her or stop by the school today.

 

[chefshawna]

I have nothing for August, of course none of my July shows closed in July, so I'll get a check at least!! I am still pushing for August though. I am going to start calling all contacts. We've been so busy with All-Stars baseball that I've barely had time to breath, so I can understand what others are saying with having little to no time! But that is winding up soon, so hopefully all calendars will lighten up for us!

 

[colegrovet]

I have 1 show for Aug. too.. but....

I have in the works 2 Pamper your Business and 1 fund raiser.

 

[PChefPEI]

Only have 2 shows booked so far. I'm hoping that the special we have for the week of the 18th will help me book that week (same special you guys had in July where the host got a call during the show). I am taking a week off completely too, so that limits my open dates, but I've never had a full month anyway!!

 

[chefann]

My Aug is looking a little bare, too. But I have 2 shows from July that didn't close (or I didn't get the checks yet), so at least my commission will be OK for the month. But I really want the points for the bags, and the conference-attendee bonus in that incentive. I'm getting on the phone today, and will probably take a dessert to my OfficeMax and my bank next week when I'm out running errands. I also sent out my newsletter this morning with a list of the retiring items - that's usually good for an order or two. Plus, I put in some info about the Making Strides walk, and that I'm running FRs now through October to raise money for that.

 

[stacywhitlow]

I only have 1 cooking show & 1 catalog show. I sent out 10 letters for a "pamper your biz" show. No calls yet so I'll be doing follow ups with them. I think Aug. is kinda crazy. We go back to school in 3 weeks (2 for teachers). That & last minute appts/vacations etc. not too many shows.

 

[lacychef]

Yes, August is always tough for me too....this year seems worse. I'm not giving up yet though! I'm making calls today while dd's are at dance camp. I did get my first one for the month booked last night, so at least I have 1...

 

[peachey]

See if there are any teachers that want to host a catalog show? I have one host having a show for me since she will be back at school to see her friends and coworkers! Hope to have a second teacher do this the first week of September. I encourage them by saying it is so easy to leave OOF and Catalogs in the teacher's lounge. Just an idea.

 

[cewcooks]

I had a show for sun then the host cancelled and we are going on vacation, so I'm not sure what to do. I was thinking about sending out an e mail for an on-line show for August.

 

[Sabia]

I'm really pushing the August Booking Challenge. This has done the best for me, in fact I had a show two nights ago that booked two shows for that week. I have 4 shows for the August 11-16th week because of the booking challenge. Everyone likes to win something free. Also, I'm holding a Fall Kick-Off show on August 30th giving people the chance to see new products and buy the discontinued (I'm offering a 5% discount on retiring items, which means a 15% discount to my past hosts because they already have 10%). HTH!

 

[chefdiana2007]

I have a show today, plus one more catty show and a cooking show. I also have some July shows that have not closed yet... I want to have several more August shows, but everyone is interested in Sept. I have a principal who wants to a Saturday brunch at her house as a Back to School for the teachers. And I am having a mystery host show with the new fall products on August 23 or 30th. Have to decide the date.

 

[chefann]

I'm still toying with the idea of having a past host appreciation party this month, probably while DH is gone at a car show. But on the up side, I now have 5 on the books for September!

 

[Kitchen2u]

Host a "Out With The Old, In With The New" Open House. I typically do this the last week in August. That way they can order discontinuing AND new fall products. The orders will come in about the same time...they can pick up their orders at one time.

I raffle off lots of extra products I have...or if you don't, raffle off the host benefts. I give them extra tickets for picking up their order (1), placing a order (5), booking a Sept party (10 tickets) and signing up to be a consultant (25)

At season changes only, I'll prep a new recipe....everything else is bought...I like to make it SIMPLE for me. This year I'm going to do the new Bread Bowl Artichoke Dip.

DO FAIRS/BOOTHS! I added 3 August parties that way...so I've got 6 parties this month! Busiest August ever (in almost 8 years).

 

[Kathy's_Kitchen]

I only have two shows booked as well, but am going to be making lots and lots of calls. I do have one MIA catalog host from July that I am trying to reconnect with.

 

[chefpelkey]

Ginny,

Who do you invite for your out with the old in with the new? I am so new to this that I don't have many people to do this for! I held two open houses when I got started and only two people showed up!

 

[Jillybill]

I HAD a bare August calendar except for one show and then I:

1) really talked up the idea of a show to my friend (whose catty show in July got NO orders) and got a cooking show from her
2) decided to pamper my office before I leave at the end of the month, with the new fall catalogs. These ladies bought $400 of stuff from me at my Grand Opening! Even if the result isn't as good, they deserve a treat.
3) talked up the idea of catalog show/business pampering to my nurse SIL because her cooking show was $355...not terrible but my worst show so far since my first two were both around $800. She's doing one in August.

So now I'm at four. I'm really hoping my mother's show will turn out some August bookings, as it is on the 9th, so pretty early in the month.

 

[Kitchen2u]

Ginny,

Who do you invite for your out with the old in with the new?

Everyone you know who eats!

When you are inviting, are you:

1) emailing (not personal, it's easy but it's easy for folks to push the "delete" button too)
2) sending paper invitations (nice trash can filler)
3) dropping off notices at doorsteps (what do you do with these? I have a stack that goes in the recycle can)

You should be:
1) personally inviting EVERYONE you come in contact with
2) calling everyone you know who eats
3) inviting people even if you don't know their name
4) knock on your neighbors door and personally invite them to come

If you have kids:
1) invite all the moms/dads
2) teachers
3) daycare people
and this list goes on . . .

MAKE IT PERSONAL, MAKE IT SIMPLE AND FOLLOW UP . . . and get on that phone! You can do it!!!

 

[Kitchen2u]

I HAD a bare August calendar except for one show and then I:

1) really talked up the idea of a show to my friend (whose catty show in July got NO orders) and got a cooking show from her
2) decided to pamper my office before I leave at the end of the month, with the new fall catalogs. These ladies bought $400 of stuff from me at my Grand Opening! Even if the result isn't as good, they deserve a treat.
3) talked up the idea of catalog show/business pampering to my nurse SIL because her cooking show was $355...not terrible but my worst show so far since my first two were both around $800. She's doing one in August.

So now I'm at four. I'm really hoping my mother's show will turn out some August bookings, as it is on the 9th, so pretty early in the month.

Interpretation:

Jillybill TOOK ACTION! She took CONTROL! Good for YOU!!! [ /SIZE]

 

[Kitchen2u]

I HAD a bare August calendar except for one show and then I:

1) really talked up the idea of a show to my friend (whose catty show in July got NO orders) and got a cooking show from her
2) decided to pamper my office before I leave at the end of the month, with the new fall catalogs. These ladies bought $400 of stuff from me at my Grand Opening! Even if the result isn't as good, they deserve a treat.
3) talked up the idea of catalog show/business pampering to my nurse SIL because her cooking show was $355...not terrible but my worst show so far since my first two were both around $800. She's doing one in August.
So now I'm at four. I'm really hoping my mother's show will turn out some August bookings, as it is on the 9th, so pretty early in the month.

Interpretation:

She took ACTION ~ she turned lemons into lemonade! That's the way to do it! GOOD FOR YOU!

 

[linojackie]

I have 3 cooking and 2 catalog shows for August. My September calendar exists of ZERO cooking shows so far. However, I will be extremely busy in August with all the booths I have and it's already resulted in a recruit lead, a cooking show and a catalog show, so I'm sure Sept will fall into place. I have had to jumpstart my biz quite a few times and booths are the way to go. Didn't get any response to my pampered biz letters, so I'm gonna start calling and speaking to managers starting Monday.

 

[Christ Follower]

Before conference I had 2 shows on the calendar for August. Now I have 7 or 8. I have been on the phone non-stop though really working for those bookings. I usually have a really slow August so hopefully this year will be a tad bit better.

 

[chefpelkey]

Okay, here's my update as of 8:40 pm: 1 cooking show and 1 catalog show. Thanks to all for the kick in the butt. I really needed it! Renee

 

[krzymomof4]

I have everybody skipping Sept. They are either taking August or going straight to Oct.
Go figure!!!

 

[Kitchen2u]

Okay, here's my update as of 8:40 pm: 1 cooking show and 1 catalog show. Thanks to all for the kick in the butt. I really needed it! Renee

YEAH Renee!!!

 

[Kitchen2u]

I have everybody skipping Sept. They are either taking August or going straight to Oct.
Go figure!!!

Usually the biz goes like this..how your biz is now, if what will will be in 3 months. So how was your June?

Another suggestion...do a report on cookware ~ call ALL of your past customers who purchased cookware...BE EXCITED and ask them if they would like to purchase cookware at 60% off?

 

[Marshmallowmom]

Try doing a Mystery Host Show, have it at your house, that way you can make what YOU want and don't have to pack and go for a show! I had an awesome show over $1250 doing one of these! Good luck!

 

[chefpelkey]

Marshmallowmom, Tell me the secret to your amazing Mystery Host Show! I was thinking of doing this for September b/c I'm new and don't have the cookware. Renee

 

[pampered.chris]

I have a bare August too. But I am hosting an Open House and already have over $200 in orders and I haven't even got the invites out yet!!! I have one show, 3 July shows to close in August and a possible show at the end of the month.
I have 6 shows booked for September and one catalog show. I have 4 other people that may book shows in September and then who ever else reads my newletter that wants cookware!!!
I don't understand why this August is so hard to book. The specials are GREAT...but...my May was empty...so I am doing a little bit better 90 days later...I just worry about October/November..But they are usually GREAT months, so I am not too worried.