What Is Your 'Gift' for Bringing a Guest or Outside Order?

[jennytodd]

I put stickers on my invitations that say"Bring a guest or outside order and get a gift"...what is your gift??? I was giving a twixit clip but some guests seem unappreciative....should I do something more valuable like a citrus peeler??

 

[BethCooks4U]

I take $1 off both of their shipping costs.

 

[pampermejolene]

I give out citrus peelers for door prize drawings and people always seem disappointed. I don't get how people aren't thankful when they just get handed something!

 

[jrstephens]

I do not do one.

 

[pamperedtracy]

I have a basket with me. In it I have a few Season's Best's, twix-it clips, brown stone scrapers, quick cut paring knives, citrus peelers etc.

I ask if anyone brought a guest. If they did, then I let that person and their guest pick something out of the basket.

Seems to work. That way the person who they brought feels good also.

They feel included.

Tracy

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

I've always given their choice of a twixit. I've never had anyone complain (in front of me ). Sometimes at the beginning of a new season I'll give a SBCB from the previous season if I have some left over.

When giving out twixit clips I always talk about how I buy them for shows and end up using them in my kitchen and have to buy more. I hold up the different sizes and tell what they are best used for. It takes just seconds but I guess because I talk about how I love them, no one wants to complain about getting one

 

[dannyzmom]

I give out Season's Bests

 

[Debala715]

Season's Best. I usually order 1 package of them with every supply order. So, they are cheap for me, and guests seem to love them!

 

[twinkie10]

I have on my invites, bring three ADULT guests the host did NOT invite and receive a small bar pan FREE. I use the host's discount on the bar pan when I order it. People really try hard to bring three friends when I tell the host to remind their guests of the bonus I am offering them as a guest. This happens sometimes, but a lot of times the guest can only get two to come!!! But, hey, that's two more than we planned.

 

[dianevill]

I agree, it seemed like people were unappreciative of a free gift when I did a Twixit, Paring Knife or Citrus Peelr. I have to admit that I stopped giving away PC products exclusively. I pick up gifts from the dollar type stores or the Target/Michaels/JoAnn Fabrics cheapie sections. I have a variety in a Woven Selections basket and I let the guests choose. Some of the items include candles, note pads, candy bars, memo pads and body lotions. I also have PC items such as the ones I mentioned above and old Season's Bests. Guests go CRAZY over the basket (and inside I'm laughing because nothing was over $1.00!). I love offering the variety, and it doesn't take away from sales (I can't tell you how many times I gave someone a Quik-Cut Paring Knife and she turned around and crossed it off her order).

 

[jbdowd0798]

Tracy and I have the same basket then! ha ha I have a prize basket that I bring to each show. If someone brings a guest that I've never met or a person who has never been to a show then they get to pick out of the basket. People love the basket and not limited to one thing.

 

[stacywhitlow]

I let the guest (& friend) choose either a Twixit, pan scraper or citrus peeler. I give the SB as the door prize gift.

 

[stacywhitlow]

I agree, it seemed like people were unappreciative of a free gift when I did a Twixit, Paring Knife or Citrus Peelr. I have to admit that I stopped giving away PC products exclusively. I pick up gifts from the dollar type stores or the Target/Michaels/JoAnn Fabrics cheapie sections. I have a variety in a Woven Selections basket and I let the guests choose. Some of the items include candles, note pads, candy bars, memo pads and body lotions. I also have PC items such as the ones I mentioned above and old Season's Bests. Guests go CRAZY over the basket (and inside I'm laughing because nothing was over $1.00!). I love offering the variety, and it doesn't take away from sales (I can't tell you how many times I gave someone a Quik-Cut Paring Knife and she turned around and crossed it off her order).

I like the variety you have. I might try that!

 

[jbachen]

I like the idea of the basket... I am toying with the idea of wrapping the gifts, too. But it sounds like people have more fun choosing their gift... What do you all think?

 

[sklay723]

I don't give gifts for bringing people, but I'm thinking about starting. I DO offer a free SB for retail orders of $50 or more, and I pay their shipping if their retail total is $100 or more.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

I don't give anything. I like Diane''s idea but I dont like the idea of carrying more items!

I use the nice postcards from Merrill (one of the rare times I buy from them) and I write a nice thank you note on there and clip it to their receipt so when the hosts gives them their products they get a personal note from me.

 

[pampermejolene]

ooh, I'm liking the basket idea. I have all my items in cellophane bags (that I got at the dollar store) and tied with a pretty ribbon. But I usually just hold them up and say the first door prize gets this and the second gets this. I also like the bring 3 people and the free shipping. I need to start implementing some of these ideas! But I also need to book shows! Everything I have this month is catalog!

 

[chefann]

I give the person who brings a guest and the guest each a SBRC from a previous season.

 

[PCJenni]

I use the basket with SB, citrus peelers, twixits etc. No one complains whe they pick the prize!

 

[DebbieJ]

I have a basket with citrus peelers, pan scrapers, twixits, and paring knives. They pick out of that. For my drawing later, I do one draw for every five people and they get to choose from my basket. Then I draw one "grand prize winner" and they get the Season's Best.

 

[Kathy Huffstatler]

My host invitations note "Bring 2 guests/order get 10% discount" I will then enter this as a consultant gift on the payment screen. This is a small amount topay for two additional contacts and customers. It is also a good tax deduction. I take the discount off of the guest that brought the guests. Hope this makes sense.

 

[Kitchen2u]

I give Season's Best from past seasons....they can buy the current one

 

[kmschroll2001]

i usually make up a basket of citrus peelers, twixits and other items such as notepads, votive candles, pocket calendars... that I get from the Christmas Tree Shop usually 2/$1.00

 

[merego]

Seasons Best or citrus peeler

 

[KateD]

I also have a basket, for outside orders, friend (brought and bringer) and "PC Virgins" - I have large & medium twixits, a couple quikcuts, citrus peelers, pan scrapers with a recipe card, and mini-twixits clipping closed a "try it!" packet of about a tablespoon of seasoning.

I have two other prizes - one for a game like queen of shoppers and one for door prize drawing - that are certificates for a SBCB OR free shipping for order $60+ OR free ingredients for a party booked that day.

People like to pick, and you get some ribbing over "don't take my knife!" (I only put in one... two for a larger party), or people suggesting what someone should get (those items end up getting added on to orders later, too!). People like the little extras - a recipe with the pan scraper or the seasonings with the mini-twixit (or the twixit with the seasoning!)...

 

[PartiesbyJamie]

in May I'm offering a Free HWC pink ribbon pin when they bring a guest. Plus I'm sending one to my hosts in their packet with a note to thanks for hosting May - HWC month ... say wear it with pride because you are making a difference" - figure people will notice it too and ask...may drive up sales.

 

[chefann]

I tried a basket of stuff last spring, and found that it was too much work to make sure it was filled with an assortment of things. And it added to what I had to carry in. I keep reading the comments about how the guests love choice, and I have started second guessing my program. I don't give a current SBRC because I give one to the host. And if people have the current one, they won't think that getting another at their show is a good deal. So then they don't book. And I tell people that they're getting a collectible SBRC when I hand them one for bringing a friend. Besides, they're small and easy to stash in my paperwork basket. (And whenever I put together a consultant as host show, I use the FPV to get SBRCs, so I have a pile of them.) I use Free Shipping as my door prize.

 

[c00p]

I give a SB - but I tell them to write SB on their order....yes, it does cost me a bit more, but they like the idea of getting something on their order for free. I also do "spend $50 get 1/2 price shipping, spend $75 get free shipping". Again, I enter it in as a consultant expense, so it's a write off AND it's tracked for me!!

 

[chefann]

I give a SB - but I tell them to write SB on their order.

I used to do this as well. It helps the host out, too, since the $1 counts toward her show!

 

[c00p]

I used to do this as well. It helps the host out, too, since the $1 counts toward her show!

Yep, and you make a few pennies on it as well!!!