Why Didn't My Pampered Chef Show Result in More Sales?

[bridgetbakes]

Hi all. I did a Sunday afternoon show that had 15 people in attendance but only FOUR people placed orders and no bookings!

This has never happened to me before! It was also the first time I did a show where NO ONE had heard of Pampered Chef before and were unfamiliar with the tools. I wondered if it was a cultural thing as a large percentage of attendants were Indian or Russian though they all did speak English. Everyone LOVED the food, Everyone laughed and told me how much they LOVED the presentation but 11 people didn't purchase. SO CONFUSED! Anyone have any insights?

I normally do not do shows on Sundays since it is "family day" for us but I had made an exception for my friend. I probably would not have had my little exasperated PC meltdown on the drive home if it weren't for the fact that I gave up a day with my family and worked harder prepping for this show then I have ever done for any other show. I usually only do 1 recipe but did a "bring 1, make 1" thing for this one. I actually had a good cry on the way home (PMS maybe?) which has also never happened with me where PC is concerned. It doesn't help that this has all been my "Flaky Host Month."

Thanks for listening all. For months now on this wonderful forum I have read all your wonderful Cheffer threads containing your PC joys and all your PC disappointments so I know you all understand. Guess I just needed to "vent it" to people who "got it!"

Hope you are all having a better January than I.
God Bless

 

[mandydollie]

Hugs~~~ Keep your chin up cheffer.... No one ever said that every day in this business was going to be easy. But you made contacts with guests who had never heard of PC before and now when they think about the great products that they saw today, your name is the only name they will know. It will all work out.

 

[cmdtrgd]

Try doing Big MAC Calls tomorrow morning/afternoon/whatever, and see if they had any questions. Ask what they would do with an extra $400 a month and go from there on recruiting.

 

[cat]

Hi Bridget,

I know how you feel...sometimes this happens and there's no rhyme or reason to it! I had not 1, not 2, but 3 shows in September and October that were like that! 12-15 people in attendance and one 2-4 people placed orders!! I've also had shows with 4-5 people that were $400-$500 shows, which later turned into $800 shows with outside orders!!!

Here's what I did with those shows from Sept/Oct. I had the host call each guest to check if they'd like to place an order. (Sometimes the guests went home, thought about it and then decided to order something.) Then I encouraged the host to ask everyone who could not attend if they'd like to see the catalog.

Did you have all the guests fill out the survey slips? I'm actually in the process (yes, now, in January, 3-4 months later!) of calling each of the guests from those shows and inviting them to host their own show. So far, I've got 4 maybes that I'm trying to turn to definite yes's. I've only called 1/2 of the guests and will spend time tomorrow night making calls.

All is not lost! Especially if the guests said they had a good time, invite them to book their own show and earn free products!!

Oh and by the way, I had one of those hosts end up signing on to sell PC! So there is hope!!

Good luck and don't give up! There are lots of opportunites out there...

 

[apriljc]

Keep your chin up. Now you have that one shoe out of the way. If everybody liked the food they will like the products and want to host their own show.

 

[dannyzmom]

But you made contacts with guests who had never heard of PC before and now when they think about the great products that they saw today, your name is the only name they will know. It will all work out.

GREAT point Amanda!!

 

[bridgetbakes]

Y'all have such great ideas! I feel better already! Thanks Cheffers!

 

[scottcooks]

Did you do drawing slips?

Something to try...

For the future, do a Personal Checkout with each guest..."one of the services I provide for my hosts and guests" where you

(1) give them a copy of today's recipe - imprinted with your contact and web info, of course;
(2) ask if they had fun [YES] and have they ever thought of having a show for their friends and family, [book 'em or get their permission to call in a month or two]; and
(3) ask if they could use an extra $400 a month - if you gave them some info about the opportunity, would they read it? [be sure to contact them within 24 hours if they take the info!] (No? OK, Would you consider being a talent scout for me, though? For scouting and finding possible candidates, I reward scouts with a $40 PC gift certificate when the candidate becomes a qualified consultant! Anyone you know? ...get names & numbers right there, give a copy of recruiting info anyway)

Since I started doing this, my bookings have gone up 300%. Everyone wants the recipe, and everyone has fun at the show. You get some of the maybes swayed over, and folks really consider the opportunity this way.

Good Luck ; God Bless You!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Sorry to hear that happened, Bridget!! That's SOOO frustrating! It sounds like you were well-prepared for the show and did a good job, so don't be hard on yourself.

The only insight I have to offer (and who knows how true this might be) has to do with the fact that my husband is 100% Indian, so all of my in-laws are as well. I don't mean to generalize, but I can at least tell you what I've observed in my experience. I don't know how "traditional" the guests were at your show, but I know that my mother-in-law (although she's the sweetest woman in the world) has NO interest in my PC business or learning about any of the products we offer. She's VERY set in her ways when it comes to cooking. Luckily she's quite Americanized in many other ways (since two of her three sons married midwestern white girls! ), but she has cooked Indian food for most of her life and doesn't want to learn any shortcuts. I've tried to share the catalog with her and have tried to casually demo at least the FOOD CHOPPER to her (who wouldn't want one of those!! ), but no interest whatsoever. I chalk it up to she has her ways and doesn't want to change. Indian food takes a LLLOOONNNNGGGGG time to cook and I doubt I'll ever really try to learn to cook it because time is one thing I don't have. She is really not interested in shortening up things or making it easier, so maybe that's what some of your guests' thoughts were. Just a guess, but it's a possibility.

So, don't be hard on yourself! I think big MAC calls are a great idea and maybe offer to send them a recipe. See what they like...appetizer, dessert or main dish and see if you can at least connect with them that way. Since the whole entire room were new to PC, they may not really "get it" yet. I don't think I've had an entire room of people unfamiliar with PC. usually there's at least someone there who loves it and gushes about it.

Good luck and just focus on coaching the host to get outside orders.

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

Wow, some great tips and ideas. (I didn't even have a bad show today and I'M ready to put some of these ideas into action!!)

One thing I would add is that I've found that the times that I agree to do a show on a day that I would normally NOT do one is usually the show that flops in some way! If I want to keep Saturdays for family time and agree to do a brunch ("This is the ONLY day my friends can come.") it either cancels the night before or no one shows up or sales are crappy....and I go home mad!

I've gotten to the point where I stand my ground on family days. I make it clear that that is the reason I won't do a show and don't feel guilty. Since making that my "policy" I haven't lost a show

 

[ChefinHarmony]

Lisa,
I agree about "family" days - when I first started, I took whatever I could book whenever the Host wanted it. Then me & Hubby had a long talk (I was totally not considering him & the boys - I wanted to build my business). Now I listen to what the "seasoned" consultants said - First thing I do is "X" out our family days. We (Hubby & I) work on my calendar together before the month comes up. And you know what? My Hosts (when I tell them I can't do a certain day - cubscouts, anniversary, etc) actually respect that and comment how it's my own business and I can work when I want!

So.... about the low show.... one thing I learned in this business is to never assume large crowds = large orders. It's hard at first not to think "oh, everyone will order $30+" from every show. I had shows with 4 people that were $400+ and shows with 10 people that were under $300. One of my first shows had around 12 people there and we could barely hit $150!! The Host was even shocked! Just understand that it's a person's choice to order something or nothing. I try to think of it as me shopping... some days I just go out to "window" shop. How many times do I tell a salesperson when they ask if I need help "no thank you, I'm just looking" and leave their store never buying a thing?!?!

I hope that helps in some way!!
Joanne

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

Lisa,
I agree about "family" days - when I first started, I took whatever I could book whenever the Host wanted it. Then me & Hubby had a long talk (I was totally not considering him & the boys - I wanted to build my business). Now I listen to what the "seasoned" consultants said - First thing I do is "X" out our family days. We (Hubby & I) work on my calendar together before the month comes up. And you know what? My Hosts (when I tell them I can't do a certain day - cubscouts, anniversary, etc) actually respect that and comment how it's my own business and I can work when I want!

When I first started 8 years ago I was told (I think it was even in the Welcome Booklet) that you should take your calendar and mark off family commitments and any personal things first THEN the left over days are the days available to do shows. I was SO impressed that the company actually encouraged us to put our family first.

How many companies have we all worked for that could care less about your personal/family time? If you wanted time off for a family activity or, heaven forbid you have a sick child, you weren't "committed" to the company or serious about your career.

 

[PCGINA]

HANG IN THERE BRIDGETT!!

I did a show with mostly Russian & Ukranian guests (English speaking). Same results the night of the show....

I checked with the host and she said most of the ladies were from her show. She called all of them with in the next several days AND they all had to go home and discuss it with their husbands before purchasing. In this case it was a cultural issue..

So - I would definetely call the host and have her check with each guest to make sure there wasn't something she could add to her show for them.

Great ideas Cat & Scott

 

[PamperedChefDebi]

How interesting.... I don't think I ever would have realized the cultural differences and how much they can impact a show! But yet, it's so obvious! LOL! My in-laws came to visit us in Sep and I showed my FIL several of my products. Some he seemed pretty interested in. He is a chef and does all the cooking BUT he's Jamacian and he still does everything traditionally. And I do think sometimes ethnic food/tradition doesn't mix with PC to those who are "set in their ways." Hmmm... now I'm wondering how in the world I'll sell him on our new recipes and seasoning!!

 

[beepampered]

I have found that low sales=more bookings and higher sales=fewer bookings. This is a vaste generalization but perhaps they all want to get the stuff free?

 

[raebates]

So sorry, Bridget. I know that's frustrating. I've been there, too.

I found myself chuckling at the "maybe it's a cultural thing" comments. My MIL is as mid-western-white-woman as you can get. She refuses to purchase anything PC. She does things exactly the same way she's always done them, and she has no need for anything new; thank you very much. She came to one of my shows when I was simply hosting (invited her every year for 10 years, BTW), and that was just because her 90-year-old mother wanted a ride. Her mom LOVED The Pampered Chef, once I introduced her to it, so I can't blame it on age.

One good thing. Several of her children are big PC fans, so she places a nice-size order every year at Christmas. Of course, being the smart PC Consultant I am, I send each of them a catalog and a wish list in mid-October.

 

[cat]

One good thing. Several of her children are big PC fans, so she places a nice-size order every year at Christmas. Of course, being the smart PC Consultant I am, I send each of them a catalog and a wish list in mid-October.

Great Idea!!! So do you have them send the wishlist back to you or straight to your MIL? Do you also do that with customers? I've thought about doing it, but never tried it.

 

[raebates]

I have them send it directly to Mom. I always give her a catalog (so she can see what she's ordering for the "kids"), and let her know the cut-off date for Christmas orders. A week or so before the deadline I get a list and a check.

I haven't done it for customers unless they've asked. I do let them know through my monthly newsletter that it's a service I offer, though.