What Else Can I Do to Get Business?

[Oklabell]

My Director called to touch base with me today and I am now motivated. I live in West Ga and my Director lives 65 miles from me. I was talking to her about it and she told me besides my recuiter (who is only doing PC very part-time) are the only people with in 35 miles that sales PC. My town I live in has about 30,000 people. So she told me I am in a gold-mine. My DD started school today and I have a 17 mo at home with me. So now is the time to get moving. I need advice on what I need to do first. I have had 7 shows mostly family. I have to get on the phone and start calling everyone. I would like to just like everyone else to become a director so we can have meetings close by.

But besides that what can I do just to get the word out that I sell PC. Everytime I mention it I get "great I love PC" but that is it they don't want to have a show. My sister is having a yard sale soon in a nice neighbor hood and I plan to hand out old Catalogs. I have got 100 postcards to mail. I need advice on how to organize and be more productive. I have a full office (just needs cleaning out).
So after typing this novel, what is the #1 thing that has helped you business(Fairs, talking to strangers in the market, sign on cars etc etc.)

If you live in georgia let me know where (just out of curosity)

BTW-I mentioned to her I am on Chefsuccess and she said "you have to be carefull I went on there and they were very negative" WTH don't know where she went but not here

 

[mrssyvo]

I moved a few months ago, and the #1 thing that has helped my business has been Farmer's Market- Do a search, and you can see the threads regarding that. It has gotten me TONS of bookings, not only for cooking shows, but catalog shows, and because I that, I have also been asked to be in 2 different Holiday Vendor Fairs (LARGE ONES) Today, I was asked ot participate in a Christmas Walk that a community near me puts on.

 

[NooraK]

I don't know if I can really say what has helped me the most, as I'm still struggling to build my business as well, but here are a few things that might help:

For meeting people, invest in PC logo wear. It's a great way to start conversations.

When talking to people (this is something I have to practice too), my hospitality director says she always asks 3 questions: Are you familiar with PC? Have you ever been to a show? Have you ever hosted a show? Sometimes you don't have to ask some of the questions because they'll automatically answer them for you.

If friends and family are hosting shows, tell them the best thing they can do, is invite people you don't already know. This will help you break out of your circle of friends and family.

Take the online courses to get words to use. A lot of people who are interested will say no at first, because it's almost an automatic reaction. If you politely ask why they're not interested, you might find it's something simple like they think the demo has to be in the kitchen and their kitchen isn't big enough. Practice with a friend or a family memeber. Who knows, you might talk them into a show again or recruit them!

It's never too late to host a "Grand Opening" and invite your neighbors. I'm doing one in just over a week and I'll be going over to meet and invite the neighbors.

Oh, and although the postcards are beautiful and make it very easy to let people know you've started a business, the best thing is to pick up the phone. Call people and tell them personally. Even if they say "no thanks" to a show or the business, you'll still get to practice your words.

And on that note, I probably should go make some calls. DH will be home soon to take the baby, and I'll get on the phone.

(Oh, and we're in Cherokee County)

 

[Oklabell]

NooraK--What part of Ga are you in?

 

[NooraK]

We're in Woodstock, Cherokee County. If we were on the other side of the road, we'd be in Canton.

 

[baychef]

Welcome to Pampered Chef :chef:and welcome to Chef Success! I think my novel will be longer than yours!!!

My career with The Pampered Chef started over 8 years ago and although I have a full time job other than PC, my team has grown to about 20 and little by little, we are growing each year.

You have a great plan on how to get your business going and that is by talking to everyone you know. Refer to the training material that The Pampered Chef provides for you on word choices. You will find that this will help you develop the best habits.

The 100 post cards are great, but you must follow up with a phone call to each person to invite them to host a party. Either phone or face to face contact will get you more bookings than anything.

Think of people that you know through your children's activities and your spouse's business, etc. Keep in mind, you will hear the word No more than you will Yes...but guess what? The more no's you hear, the closer you will come to a yes! If you get the least bit discouraged, call your director, do online training, read the Kitchen Consultant News...anything that will remind you that discouragement will kill anyone's business. I always tell people that McDonald's did not serve 1 billion hamburgers in their first month of business. In fact, it took many years and work to get to that status. This is a business, just like any other.

The number one thing that has helped me is asking my first hosts to invite people that I did not know. That way, I started meeting people outside of my circle of friends and family. You want to keep reaching outside your circles of people.

As far as meetings, is there a hospitality cluster closer to you? Is there a way that you and your director can occassionally meet half way? Once I was a Future Director, I started having my own meetings with my Director's permission. It helped me grow tremendously. (growing is not always being comfortable, but the rewards are fantastic!)

Even after 8 years, I am still meeting new people all of the time and I am not in a heavily populated area. I live in upstate NY....about 500 miles north west of New York City! Directly north of me is Canada, where we can not sell because of the currency and also, Canada has their own branch of Pampered Chef. (many of which are CS members too!!! WOOT WOOT!!:chef

As far as negativity on CS? Yes, just like their can be with ANY group of people. If you aren't careful, you can spend too much time on here too. BUT there is such an array of ideas and if you can look at other's methods and opinions, SOMETIMES, it can help us think outside the box. There are times when some have became sensative about things that have been typed and sometime people have reacted in very negative ways. Just don't get sucked into it and you just might find (as many of us have) that this is a great resource of ideas, sharing experiences and some of the most caring people you will find.

And this is my condensed version!!!

 

[baychef]

I HIGHLY recommend you read this for a quick guide to CS! It may be long, but it is well worth the time!

http://www.chefsuccess.com/f18/hitc...ss-unofficial-new-users-guide-list-faq-32274/

 

[paigev71]

I live in upstate NY....about 500 miles north west of New York City! Directly north of me is Canada, where we can not sell because of the currency and also, Canada has their own branch of Pampered Chef. (many of which are CS members too!!! WOOT WOOT!!:chefresource of ideas, sharing experiences and some of the most caring people you will find. :

What part of upstate NY are you in? My brother and his family just moved from Oakfield.

 

[floccies]

The inexpensive vendor fairs (less than $50) for one day.

I get about 25 names, 6 Yes's to Host -- one or two will host within a month, the rest I call every couple months. Sometimes it will be a year before they host -- some never. BUT --- if you have a vendor fair 10x year and schedule 1 or 2 from each --along with scheduling from shows, repeat hosts, logo wear, etc -- your calendar will begin to grow.

 

[Chefstover2]

My Director called to touch base with me today and I am now motivated. I live in West Ga and my Director lives 65 miles from me. I was talking to her about it and she told me besides my recuiter (who is only doing PC very part-time) are the only people with in 35 miles that sales PC. My town I live in has about 30,000 people. So she told me I am in a gold-mine. My DD started school today and I have a 17 mo at home with me. So now is the time to get moving. I need advice on what I need to do first. I have had 7 shows mostly family. I have to get on the phone and start calling everyone. I would like to just like everyone else to become a director so we can have meetings close by.

But besides that what can I do just to get the word out that I sell PC. Everytime I mention it I get "great I love PC" but that is it they don't want to have a show. My sister is having a yard sale soon in a nice neighbor hood and I plan to hand out old Catalogs. I have got 100 postcards to mail. I need advice on how to organize and be more productive. I have a full office (just needs cleaning out).
So after typing this novel, what is the #1 thing that has helped you business(Fairs, talking to strangers in the market, sign on cars etc etc.)

If you live in georgia let me know where (just out of curosity)

BTW-I mentioned to her I am on Chefsuccess and she said "you have to be carefull I went on there and they were very negative" WTH don't know where she went but not here

Run, don't walk, to the nearest Mom's group and get to know them (wear your logo wear). I found a couple of them through the mom's I met at story-time at the library (specifically geared to 1-4 years old). I "used" my kids all the time (at soccer practice, ballet lessons, etc...signed 'em up for all kinds of things so I could meet new people! That probably sounds terrible, but I made many new friends that way and got a bunch of business, too)

As far as what to say after you hear "I love Pampered Chef", a couple of things I've found that works great for keeping the conversation going is: 1) So what's your favorite product?; 2) when was the last time you were at a show? Really, anything to keep them talking and feeling more comfortable with you before you jump right in to ask them to host. Perhaps collect the names of the folks that haven't been in a while and invite them to a show at YOUR house, then you have customers and potential hosts (and potential recruits).

Hope you get some ideas here...CS is awesome! Good luck!

 

[baychef]

What part of upstate NY are you in? My brother and his family just moved from Oakfield.

I am in Alexandria Bay...it is 100 miles north of Syracuse. On the map you will see State Rt. 81 and it ends...I live about 5 miles north of where it ends.