When Should I Create My .biz Website and Start Ordering Mini Catalogs?

[SusanBP0129]

Hi!

I am brand new....just got my kit last week.... I have my 1st show booked for July 17th and I have a million questions! I need to call my Director, but I have a 3 yr old and a 9 month old, so I am waiting until DH gets home.

Anyway, I am OBSESSING and am hoping to chat with you all!!
When should I plan on doing the .biz website? Not sure if it's worth the $72 or not...

Also, when do I place an order for mini catalogs, etc? SHould I wait or do you find them very useful? How about "door prizes"? Do you all use them and/or find them helpful?

Any tips, advice, etc would be most appreciated!!
Thanks!!
-Susan

 

[pcjeanie]

Susan,

Welcome to PC and Chef Success! You are going to love it! I think the most popular door prize is the mini serving spatulas. Also, the small wooden tongs are good for getting pickles and cherries out of the jar so I think people like them, too. Yes, I give away 2-3 door prizes at each show. As far as the mini catalogs, I have used them some, but never got an order from them. If I were you, I'd wait until you qualify and then get your website and business cards. You don't want to order business cards without your website on them and you can't get a website until you qualify. One other suggestion I have is to order the booster supply pack and when you need order forms, order the write-in ones. The others are just too hard to use and hard to read. Good luck! HTH.

Jeanie Gay

 

[SusanBP0129]

thanks!!Hi!
Thank you for your advice. It really helped!
so, do I order the door prizes now?
I am gung-ho, can you tell??? LOL
thanks again!

 

[jennyl]

Susan,
You will get some Season's Best cookbooks that you can use as door prizes - they come with the Starter Kit.
When I signed up, it was right after I hosted my own show so I actually bought some little things with the discounts from hosting and used those as door prizes.
The Season's Best might work for a couple shows, but you'll probably want to order some small door prizes soon too.
Those are my opinions... I'm sure others will share theirs too
Welcome to PC!

 

[pampered1224]

Welcome Aboard!If you want them for the 17th, by all means do so. Are you all set up in the finacial department with a debit card, sepreate checking account attached to same and Pampered Partner? If not, get that order form and a check in the mail NOW so you have what you want by the 17th. If you have Pampered Partner or PP as it is called out here, order electronically. This will take just a few days to get then.
Good Luck to you!

 

[lacychef]

I also like to use citrus peelers, twixit clips, and nylon pan scrapers as prizes. You can order door prizes on a supply order--you get several in a pack with a discount! (just in case you haven't seen that yet!)
The website is helpful. I have my address listed on everything. I mail out my postcards, and have a label on it with my website, telling the guest if they can't come they can order online. That has helped my hosts in collecting outside orders.
But, first of all--take a deep breath! You will find that you have joined the BEST company!! And, this site is very helpful too. I love my director & cluster, but it's also great to get ideas here too!
Congrats on your new business-best of luck to ya!

 

[gilliandanielle]

I would just play around on this site and open any thread that looks interesting to you. This site is by far the best investment in your business you can make! $5 a year is VERY worth it! I would sign up for a website after you qualify because you don't have online ordering until you're qualified, which is the best part. Don't order the mini catalogs for this season because they only have new products in them. Order mini catalogs with the new paperwork for Fall/ Winter. On the supply order get some Season's Best to give away as door prizes. Get some Spring Summer ones to use now, then order more with the new paperwork. There are a lot of games and ideas if you look in the files. Good luck and welcome to Pampered Chef!!

 

[SusanBP0129]

Thanks!You guys are great!! Thanks for the tips....please keep them coming!!

Can I put up a flyer at the gym or supermarket? Not sure abut the rules on this....

Also, in my kit I received a few products that I already own. Can I re-sell them? Or give them to someone as a gift?

As far as the bank account - I just go to my local bank, set up the account and then apply for the debit card via the website, right?

 

[lacychef]

You guys are great!! Thanks for the tips....please keep them coming!!

Can I put up a flyer at the gym or supermarket? Not sure abut the rules on this....

Also, in my kit I received a few products that I already own. Can I re-sell them? Or give them to someone as a gift?

As far as the bank account - I just go to my local bank, set up the account and then apply for the debit card via the website, right?

The beauty about this is: it's YOUR business! You can put up flyers if you'd like, just make sure to ask the business to make sure it's ok.
As far as extra products-I usually use them as prizes, or give them as gifts! I don't re-sell them since it wouldn't count for comission.
Definately apply for the debit if you're submitting orders thru PP. I like to keep my bank account separate, that way it's easier to keep business expenses separate.
Keep up your excitement; it's contagious & that's how you'll be successful

 

[jasonmva]

I was as excited as you are to hit the ground running. I went ahead and order some cheap business cards through Vista Print and have not gotten a website yet. I have heard the website is a hit or miss depending on your clients.

For door prizes, I ordered a package of the Bamboo tongs and 2 packages of the Quikut paring knives....I love those things!

I agree that the write-in order forms are a lot nicer to deal with. I don't think I even opened the package of ones I got with my kit.

Definately get the debit card, I find it very useful. I also went ahead and opened a seperate account for my PC stuff and then signed up for direct deposit from PC for commission as well.

I will admit that I was a little scared of PP (PamperedPartner) but it is so easy to use. It took me a while during my first show to use it but now that I have been into it, I am getting better. My director told me to just play around in it and make up orders just to get used to the system. Just make sure you do not actually submit those.

Finally, this website is AWESOME! The people on here are very nice and helpful and will answer any question you may have. They have already helped me a lot. You get some great tips and don't forget to browse the files section. There are some really great recipes on there if you don't have some of the PC cookbooks. Plus there are flyers and other ideas in there as well.

Good luck with your business! You are going to love it!

 

[Sk8Mom209]

I think you can get the website as soon as you join, but individual online order is not available until you qualify? But I have been wrong in the past and I am sure I will be wrong again!

PS I love my website. I set up all of my shows and I would say 3/4 of my hosts use the site to the extent of its capacity.

 

[apriljc]

Welcome to PC Susan. This is a great business and a great site for ideas and rolutions to your PC problems. It sounds like you are headed in the right direction so far. The advice that others have given is great advice and they all took the words out of my mouth. Good luck and if you ever have any questions feel free to ask away at this site.

 

[AJPratt]

Definately open a seperate account for PC--just a regular personal checking. Apply for the debit card. Then get the website. You need the debit card for the website. And you don't need to be qualified to have one or to accept orders. Its the best way to have people you know who don't live nearby to support you! Business cards are great, too! As far as door prizes, I jut buy the cheapest ones. Also, its good to have some of the coffee, tea, and/or seasonings. Also do the booster that they offer. Its discounted and will help. Please feel free to email me with any questions if you're too shy to post 'em! My email is [email protected].

Welcome! I hope you enjoy PC as much as I do!

 

[soonerchef]

Welcome aboard Susan...happy to have you here.

As usual everyone has given great advice and my one piece of advice is to never loose your excitement and never stop talking about PC to everyone!! Talk, talk, talk and you will see your business bloom. Good luck and have fun!

 

[AJPratt]

Talk, talk, talk and you will see your business bloom. Good luck and have fun!

That's right. You just never know. And they say not to prejudge anyone, and that is the best advice!

 

[cmackey]

Susan,

Welcome to the business and the site! This site has been a wonderful source of encouragement to me in the last several months as my business has been sluggish. We all hit those times. Keep your chin up in those times.

I made my own business cards with Microsoft Works and the Digital program that came with my Dell computer. It is a lot cheaper and you get exactly what you want on them and you get to use them right away! You get to print however many you want and they are saved on your computer and you don't have to wait to reorder. I print mine on white card stock.

I also made my own decal to put on my car. A bit of advice here, Get the window decals, print your information on them, put the decal on your car or window (if you have tinted windows, you may have to put the decal straight on your car, I had to)AND THEN put CLEAR contact paper on top of it. Otherwise, when it rains it will wash off your decal. Learned the hard way. No orders from the decal yet, but keeping my fingers crossed.

Good Luck!

Cheryl Mackey
Independant Consultant in Mansfield, LA

 

[cmackey]

Just thought I would let you know, I got my first order from my decal today! She saw it yesterday and we spoke in a parking lot, much safer and she ordered the Large Professional Skillet today! It does eventually pay off!

Cheryl Mackey
Cooking Pampered Style in Louisiana

Cooking doesn't have to be a chore, it has to be FUN!

 

[lisacb77]

Yes, you can get the website right away as long as you are set up with the PC debit card. I don't know about individual order, I haven't had anyone try it!

I would highly recommend it, even just to try for 6 mos to make sure. I have one host who is using it a lot!

I do know you can't get registry on there until you qualify.

 

[heat123]

Welcome! YOu're going to love this biz and this support site! I second what everyone else has already said! Good luck and ask all the ??? you need to get started! I know I did! Without this wonderful site I would never had discovered how Amazing TPC is and would not have signed!

 

[ChefinHarmony]

Susan,
Welcome!! I need to chime in about the website - I HIGHLY recommend it!! I averaged about a $30/month order until May - then I got a $1,009 INDIVIDUAL ORDER on my website from someone who passed my catalog on to a friend!!!! The customer just wanted to order and elected not to be contacted, so I can't even Thank her!! Think of all she could have got if she did it as a show! I will always subscribe to the website.

I like the separate Bank Account too - plus it gets me into two different banks. At my PC bank, a teller is now a regular customer.

I'd say, get your name out - spread the word, share your website mostly share the excitement you have about this awesome company! I also highly recommend a Monthly Newsletter. There are free ones posted here and then a few you can subscribe to. I get at least 3-4 responses from my monthly newsletter that I email to every contact once a month. It usually result in some orders and at least one show a month. Love it!

Good Luck - and this site is the BEST!!
Joanne