What Can I Do When My Bookings Suddenly Drop?

[britishchef]

I had a host for Feb that rescheduled for March 14th. I met up with her in person and made sure we had a good date, wrote it down on her show planner and everything. Tried to call her several times but got "This number is temporarily disconnected". Finally yesterday I was able to get a cellphone number for her, I called and the first thing she said is "When is my show again?". I told her I wrote down the date on her planner and she said "Oh I didn't think to look... I just figured you'd call and let me know". I spent like half an hour going over this with her!

I am just upset because we really truly need the money right now, and she doesn't seem to realise this is my JOB not just something I do for fun! I don't have any other bookings for this month, I have one possible for next month and one for May. Since I've been gone for so long I'm at the end of the road for who to call for bookings. I've just started 24 bookings in 24 hrs and got 1 booking out of it so far (the May one). I have one person I can ask today. I have a stall at a school fair in May so that might help.

This just sucks.

Amber

 

[Chef_2_Four]

Good luck! I'm kinda in the same boat. I did the 24 in 24 and had someone book a show at the end of the month. I have tried calling her EVERYDAY to do my call #1, make sure she got her stuff, etc. I have left messages but she doesn't return my calls. It is really starting to tick me off!! I have tried calling several different times a day to so i don't know what to do! Anyway, i wish you the best of luck!! i hope you get some shows!

 

[PampMomof3]

I'm sorry Amber. Maybe you should bless and release because is she really someone you want to work with anyway? Make customer care calls and out of the box calls.

 

[raebates]

Amber, I'm sorry. It's sad when people treat us like that. Start from the basics. Do lots of customer care calls. Even if you've already called to check on them and their Food Chopper, you can see if they're still loving it, if they've come up with any unusual uses for it, etc. Connect. I'm confident that soon you'll be so busy you won't know what to do.

 

[Miss Cori]

Good luck. Ill send ya my vibes.
{{{{{LOTS OF SHOWS FOR AMBER}}}}}}

 

[britishchef]

Just last week I called almost every customer I have ever had. (Except a few from the awful host's show) They all sounded pleased to hear from me "no strings attached". Then this week is when I've done 24 shows in 24hrs and I've had to leave a lot of messages. Still, at least I got the one show! I'm beginning to resent doing this. I want to do PC because I love it, and not have to spend every waking hour thinking about how to get more shows. I want to build my business but at a pace that's more natural than this. But I can't stop, I have to push this because I have the only income at the moment. I'm very sad because I never thought I would begin to resent doing this job I love so much.

 

[cmdtrgd]

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Maybe you can see if she has a friend who would like to cohost and take the "pressure" off of her?

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

...and she doesn't seem to realise this is my JOB not just something I do for fun!

Something to try in the future....I had a director friend that included a letter in her host packet that had a part that said that this was her job and if she doesn't work that night, she's unemployed so to please contact her as soon as possible if they needed to change the date.

You can use that same line at the show when giving the packet (since obviously she didn't even look in the packet!), when you make your first call, send a letter to confirm the booking...whenever you want.

I thought it was a great way to let them know that you are serious about your business.

 

[pamperedlinda]

This is the phrase that I have at the bottom of my host letter:

My Pampered Chef business is flexible and fun, and yet it is still my means of earning an income.
If circumstances arise and you find you are not able to have our show on the scheduled date,
PLEASE let me know promptly so that I will have time to open this date to another host.
If a show is canceled, I’m laid-off for that evening.
My family and I appreciate it!​

I got it from my Director. At first I didn't use it as I thought it was a bit 'bold', but when I started to have cancellations I put it back in. I make a point to tell my hosts to read over the host letter and I'll call them in a few days to review everything. Since I put this back on my host letter, my cancellations have gone down. I even had a host tell me that it made having a show more important to her when she realized that even though it was a party for her that it was my job and that she respected it.....she was a $1000 host too! I also open my calendar in front of my hosts who book at a show and write their name and phone number on my calendar in their presence....makes them 'own' the date. I've heard of some consultants who have them write their own name in her calendar.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

If you dont' have this CD yet... get booking from the pro's I was on my way back from a cluster meeting last night... 3 hour drive.... I listened to it for the last part of my drive home...... I have some bright new ideas..... I have placed an Ad in the local newspaper each week... I have gotten 3 bookings out of it.

Just last week I called almost every customer I have ever had. (Except a few from the awful host's show) They all sounded pleased to hear from me "no strings attached". Then this week is when I've done 24 shows in 24hrs and I've had to leave a lot of messages. Still, at least I got the one show!

I'm beginning to resent doing this. I want to do PC because I love it, and not have to spend every waking hour thinking about how to get more shows. I want to build my business but at a pace that's more natural than this. But I can't stop, I have to push this because I have the only income at the moment. I'm very sad because I never thought I would begin to resent doing this job I love so much.

 

[Jennie4PC]

Leah that is good that you are getting bookings from your ad in the newspaper I know a few people on here said they did it and it wasnt worth the money.

 

[heat123]

If you dont' have this CD yet... get booking from the pro's I was on my way back from a cluster meeting last night... 3 hour drive.... I listened to it for the last part of my drive home...... I have some bright new ideas..... I have placed an Ad in the local newspaper each week... I have gotten 3 bookings out of it.

What paper do you advertise in like a Penny saver or local newspaper? Just curious and is it costly?

 

[PCGINA]

This is the phrase that I have at the bottom of my host letter:

My Pampered Chef business is flexible and fun, and yet it is still my means of earning an income.
If circumstances arise and you find you are not able to have our show on the scheduled date,
PLEASE let me know promptly so that I will have time to open this date to another host.
If a show is canceled, I’m laid-off for that evening.
My family and I appreciate it!​

Thanks for sharing this Linda - it is firm - to the point and polite...

 

[ivykeep]

Look for your local community papers -- I put ads in my local monthly paper (it comes out once a month) in the classifieds -- only cost $7.

Another booking suggestion is to go to ALL of your local school (elementary, middle and high schools) and ask about their fundraisers -- at the elementary level it's generally only the PTA that does fundraisers (although the local boy scout and girl scout troops also often go through the school), but on the high school level almost EVERY sports team and club does fundraisers. Get the names of all the contacts and call or send them information letters.

When you give them the fundraiser information and do the show (either cooking or catalog) make sure to mention that the organization gets $3 for each booking that is made at the show and a great way to phrase the percentage that they get and to increase sales is to say that "The choir earns $15 for each $100 order towards their new choir robes"

I know at my old school, in order to pay for the spring band trip, each kid in the band and marching unit (and there were over 100 of us) had to raise at least $200 a year. Get a hundred high school students collecting $50 orders (even if each only gets one order) and you have a $5000 show. The commission is a little lower that a regular show, but if you get bookings from it...

 

[mommyhugz1978]

We have a local nespaper... but their is an insert in it called the Coast weekend.. ( I live on the Oregon Coast) and that is where my ad is in.. It cost me about $60.00 to run the ad.. but I live in a small town so it is differnt.

What paper do you advertise in like a Penny saver or local newspaper? Just curious and is it costly?

 

[mommyhugz1978]

It really supirsed me becasue I forgot completly about the ad until I started getting phone calls from it. LOL

Leah that is good that you are getting bookings from your ad in the newspaper I know a few people on here said they did it and it wasnt worth the money.

 

[caritok]

out of the box calls

I'm sorry Amber. Maybe you should bless and release because is she really someone you want to work with anyway? Make customer care calls and out of the box calls.

What do you say when you do these types of calls? I tried making some calls today (and was mildly successful) but I feel like I'm rambling. I would love to know what you say to people in these calls.

 

[Brandie]

Amber,

Almost everyone has slumps like this, so remember that you're not alone. Take the advice here, and check out the thread called Anyone's Bookings Dead? (or something like that). Someone there posted the 118 ways to get bookings, and it's an awesome list! I always find another route to getting bookings in that list. It won't be long until you get into the upswing again! Good luck!