Want to Maximize Attendance at Your Shows? Use PWS for Invitations!

[AlowayFamily]

I am trying to get my business ramped up again, hopefully going to Director by September (wahoo!). I have booked about 7 shows for June (want that free product!) and I have set all of them up on my website.

I have not had much luck with my hosts using my PWS to send e-vites to their guests. I love the new feature of uploading their address book, and a couple have used it.

Any words of wisdom for getting your hosts to use your PWS to drive attendance and orders at their shows? I think this is a great tool and would be great for my business, if I could get my hosts to use it.

 

[lkprescott]

I've had no luck with getting hosts to use my PWS either. I tell them about it, I send them an email about it and make sure they get it but I'm lucky if they use it to have their guests not attending send in orders, let alone using any of the other features. I'm sending an insert to host packets now to spell it out for them to see if that helps. I only have one show in June booked so we'll see... Hopefully others have had better success and can post their wisdom.

 

[dannyzmom]

I include noth of these flyers in my host packet to make sure they use the PWS

 

[AlowayFamily]

I love the website sheet - I think I will add that to my host packet. Have you seen that help your website use?

I have the PC guestlist form, where the host completes the list and it has the glue on the back to attach to the invitation. I haven't had much luck getting that completed either. If they are going to take the time to write on the guest list, why don't they just write it on the invitation? That's what my thought would be if I got the list. How do you get them to complete the mailing list?

 

[susanr613]

It really depends on your host, although I do also include the What My Website Can Do for You. I also tell my hosts that if they send e-vites, people can place outside orders. I usually have at least a couple orders from the PWS at every show.

One host really took the PWS to heart - when it was time to wrap up the show and place her order, she said "oh, just put everything from my wishlist on my order" Yes, her wishlist was on the PWS and she had calculated her free product to within .50! Of course, I had to manually enter the wishlist, but she did use it

 

[AlowayFamily]

Thanks for the great tips. I guess I just need to be more pesistent with it, and definately talk it up more to my hosts.

I did just close a catty show that the host sent e-vites to over 40 people and everyone placed their order online. It was over $300, so that was easy for both of us!

 

[sklay723]

I always use mine for catalog shows. I just think it saves the host a lot of hassle, and minimizes the number of checks I have to deal with (a major blessing for me!).

For cooking shows, we still use postcard invites, but I always rave about how great the e-vites through the PWS are. I point out that these days, a lot of people communicate by email more than any other method (sad, but true) and that the PWS sends out a reminder two days before the show. I have one for this Sunday, and the host already has 12 people confirmed for attendance, just through the PWS. The really great thing is that she can check to see who has viewed their email and who hasn't.

Here's the email I send out to my hosts once I have their show set up online (obviously, I fill in the pertinent show info!):

Hi (host's name)!

I am looking forward to your Home Cooking Show on Saturday, May 31st at 4 p.m.! I hope you are excited...we'll have lots of fun. As you already know, your qualified Show will help you earn discounts, free product dollars, half-price items, and for the month of May, Help Whip Cancer Month, you will also have your choice of the pink trio bowl (a host exclusive) or the rectangle platter with woven tray at 60% off! Be sure to invite _____________, as she is eligible for the same offer as her Past Host Booking Benefit.

I have set your Show up on my personal web site at (my web site address) --- your host password is _____. Take a look around the host section and let me know if you have any questions. This feature is great, because it will help you send e-vites to any and all guests, keep track of RSVP's, and more. Guests can also choose to order directly through the site if they are unable to attend, which you may find very helpful.

If you need anything at all, do not hesitate to call me at _______. I will be in touch again soon to help you with your recipe selection.

Thanks again, take care, and have a GREAT week!
(my name)
(my web site address)

 

[AlowayFamily]

Do you send that in the PWS host email, or just from your regular email account? I like the email, thanks for sharing!

 

[Sheila]

Do you get a lot of response from the web invites? I've found that many of these are going to spam mailboxes.

I've been encouraging hosts to copy & paste something that I type and send it from their own e-mail.

 

[Chef Bobby]

My Director tells her hosts to tell her guests on the invitation that the recipe for the show is posted on her website. She doesn't offer a copy of it at the show.

 

[stefani2]

I have always just sent ONE email to my Host (through the Guest option) and then let HER forward it on to people. I don't know if that is the easiest or best way, but that is what I do - I would LOVE to hear if there is a better way, though

 

[rinnerboo]

My Director tells her hosts to tell her guests on the invitation that the recipe for the show is posted on her website. She doesn't offer a copy of it at the show.

oh that is so smart! now if only we could get HO to let us put up pages where the host's name has to be entered to view it!

 

[dannyzmom]

I have always just sent ONE email to my Host (through the Guest option) and then let HER forward it on to people. I don't know if that is the easiest or best way, but that is what I do - I would LOVE to hear if there is a better way, though

How can you keep track of RSVPs this way? If everyone is clicking the same YES link than it's only registering one person as attending.