Wont Have 2 Shows Before the 15Th

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Discussion Overview

This thread centers around the challenges and experiences of Pampered Chef consultants regarding the requirement to submit two shows by the 15th of the month for the Booking/Recruiting Slide. Participants share their personal experiences with scheduling shows, the impact of timing on bookings, and strategies they use to meet these requirements.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses frustration about the tight deadline for submitting shows and questions if this is a new trend to make earning incentives more difficult.
  • Another participant shares their experience of having shows rescheduled and the disappointment of not being able to earn the booking slide.
  • Several users mention that it is generally harder to book shows at the beginning of the month and suggest that psychological factors may influence booking patterns.
  • One participant identifies that they often do their own shows to meet requirements and have had success with this approach.
  • Another participant notes that the company occasionally implements early submission deadlines to encourage balanced show submissions throughout the month.
  • One participant discusses the importance of host coaching and maintaining a positive attitude to encourage earlier bookings.
  • Several participants mention the challenges posed by holidays and how they affect scheduling shows.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ among participants regarding the difficulty of meeting the early submission requirement. Some express frustration, while others share strategies that have worked for them. No clear consensus emerges on the effectiveness of the current scheduling practices.

Contextual Notes

Participants' experiences vary based on their individual circumstances, including location, timing of shows, and personal approaches to booking and host coaching.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants looking for insights into managing show schedules and strategies for meeting submission deadlines may find this discussion relevant.

P
ponvn591
Messages
35
So i am bummed that we only have to the 15th of August to get 2 shows in for the Booking/Recruiting Slide. Plus, i noticed that it is the same for Sept. and that we have to submit 2 shows before the 15th. Is this a new thing they are doing to make it harder to earn the items for the month? I have parties for this month but my first one isn't until the 15th and the next is the weekend after. :(

I would try to go ask friends, family, or neighbors for outside orders but I have already asked all my family and my best friend hosted a party for me so everyone in our neighborhood came and ordered.

Does anyone else have this problem?Or does someone have a solution?
 
I'm still waiting on the July Consultant's News to arrive here in Japan. So I haven't been seeing the specials as early as everyone else. I'm going to have to start making a point to looking online earlier so I can plan ahead. I had shows booked for the 2nd, 15th, 16th & 29th. Someone placed an outside online order on the 1st for $159. I told that buyer for future reference to contact me directly, that I could have put her order in as a show (it was a gift) and gotten the bride & groom a free cookbook too. She wasn't concerned enough to try & stop the order to re-do it as a catalog show. I was a bit disappointed. My show on the 2nd changed to a catalog show at the last minute & then flopped. She just told me last night that she didn't collect any orders at all. So it's not such a big deal now. But I'd have LOVED to earn the booking slide. I guess I'm going to have to make one myself now.
 
It's typically "harder" to get people to book shows in the beginning of any month, based on averages. PC puts those specials out there to help us get excited enough to try even harder to book shows in the beginning of the month.

It never fails, I'll have a show at the beginning of one month. A guest books a show and wants it towards the END of the next month for their show. I think it's some psychological thing that makes it seem better for us (in our minds) to commit to something later in a month than earlier. That's my guess ;)
 
You can always do your own show too. Send out an email to your contacts, you'll probably get at least $150 in orders.
 
pamperedlinda said:
You can always do your own show too. Send out an email to your contacts, you'll probably get at least $150 in orders.
Click to expand...

Yep, that is what I do if I am trying to qualify for a freebie.
 
They do this every once in a while to get us to submit shows early. Last minute submissions are heck on the guys at Home Office, after all. The good news is we can generally buy those incentives for less than $15.

The booking slide .... sigh. I'd like one, but I can print it off CC and that's what I'll do if need be. Somebody told me you can e-mail. it to one of the office supply stores and get it laminated for like $11.

September is going to be a VERY good month for me, but my biggest show is Sept. 20, a Sunday. From past experience, this is generally my best show of the year, hosted by two women who take the free product and turn it into baskets to raffle off for cancer research. Their last show is my best of all time. However, also from past experience, I'll be lucky if it's "held and submiitted" in September! Their show was $780 the day of the show and $1209 to close ... so who am I to complain?

I'm also doing my own book show but probably won't close it out until the weekend of the 19th because I'm working a fair booth and will probably want to add anything people order onto that show.

The good news is, I'll have AT LEAST enough commission to buy the tote if I want it that bad, and probably to get ink in my printer!
 
I did this and offered 10% off and free shipping......$250 order in an hour!
 
I had two shows scheduled between the 1st and 15th - both rescheduled. I'm going to do my own show and see how that goes. If I can get at least $300 in orders, I'll split them and make two shows. Voila! I'm not giving up because I really wanted that bookings slide.

PC has so many shows that get submitted at the end of the month, I think they're trying to help us have a balanced month since it seems like a lot of hosts book toward the end of the month. Fortunately, I've gotten several hosts now who I'm only giving them a choice of beginning dates and they're going for them. :-)
 
To get shows for the first half of the month, anyone who asks after the middle of the current month to do a catalog show is given the next month's host packet. For example, anyone after Aug. 15 who wants to do a catalog show is given a Sept. host packet and an early Sept. deadline date.

At Conference, the full service checkout workshop had Jan Gilbert from HO who went over booking in close and using a weekly calendar. She said if you show people a monthly calendar they naturally gravitate to the end of the month. If they can't do Aug, you turn the page and they're looking at the end of Sept. If you do a weekly calendar and turn the page, you're still in the same month.

Hope this helps.
Becca
 
I had two catalog shows that were going to close by the 15th, but neither one of them is going to turn out. So bummed, but will have to make my own slide now.
 
I have one catalog show I'm hoping to close on the 14th and another one that I haven't been able to get a hold of to see if we can close on the 14th. I'm hoping so. If not, I'll make my own. It's always nice though, getting the freebies.
 
Even if you have two shows early in the month, it's hard to have them closed by the 15th. So you have a show on the 10th....it's very possible to have it closed by the 15th but I let my hosts work a bit harder for more orders.Also, Labor Day is Sept. 7. Honestly, you can't do a show that weekend nor the Thursday before or the Tuesday after. (This is true for July 4th too) It gives you just a few viable days to do two shows. It's a nice incentive but I wish that would change it to the 20th of the month to be more practical.
 
I'm actually wondering why everyone is so negative about this kind of thing. It's actually not that hard to take control of your calendar and get people to book earlier and host coach them to close within 2-3 days of their show. It's all in how you talk about it, share it and show it on your calendar. I use sticky notes to mark the first one or two weeks of each month, these are my only open days if that's what I want them to book, that's what they will book. It's all in your attitude and the way you run your business. With the new business plan in place it's always good for your upline to know who is qualified and active for the month earlier on in the month so to me that seems like HO is doing a good thing to help out our uplines.
 
I don't know...I normally close my shows 3 days after the show date. I've had several shows around the beginning of the month that I end up submitting before the 15th of the month with no problems. For me, its all in the host coaching. I tell them upfront that we will close their show in 3 days so their customers can hurry and get their products. I have never had a problem with that - I just remind them to collect outside orders BEFORE their show and the two days after so we can close on the 3rd day. This time, though, both hosts had to reschedule in October, which could mean no booking slide for me. :-(Even with Labor Day being the 7th, I have a show on the 6th. I made sure the potential host knew that was a holiday, and she was fine with holding in on that date, as was I. If you don't want to work holiday weekends, that's completely understandable. I, however, don't celebrate traditional holidays so I always book near them without problems. Sometimes I think we make it hard on ourselves by assuming no one will want to hold shows on certain dates without asking. I remember when I was a director, I had consultants who didn't book any shows after the first week of December because of Christmas. Its not that they couldn't book those dates, they just never tried because they figured people would say they were too busy. I set aside 3 days a week I'm willing to work - Wed, Fri, Sun - with a goal of filling two of those dates per week. If for some reason I absolutely can't hold shows during one week on those days, I adjust the days (maybe Mon, Tues, Thur). My only thing is I don't hold shows on Saturdays.Sorry...I'm rambling now. :-)
 
beepampered said:
Even if you have two shows early in the month, it's hard to have them closed by the 15th. So you have a show on the 10th....it's very possible to have it closed by the 15th but I let my hosts work a bit harder for more orders.

Also, Labor Day is Sept. 7. Honestly, you can't do a show that weekend nor the Thursday before or the Tuesday after. (This is true for July 4th too) It gives you just a few viable days to do two shows. It's a nice incentive but I wish that would change it to the 20th of the month to be more practical.
Click to expand...

I have a show on the 6th. I actually took one of the things I learned at conference and switched to a "weekly" calendar, and ever since I've had all my bookings book within a few weeks. They see me start flipping the pages and get nervous and tell me to go back and ask if I have something available on such and such a date. Although I will do three shows in one weekend, I only mark one date on the weekend as "available".
 
I don't mind working a holiday weekend but don't "sell" those dates well. The few dates I've ever booked around a holiday have ended up rescheduling due to low attendance. I agree that I could close shows sooner. I don't think "discussing" these things in a forum is too negative. The company has the right to give incentives whenever/however they like and we have a right to accept these or not.I'm thankful that they offer something; however, it's more motivating when you actually think you'll get it rather than know that you don't have a chance. So, it might motivate a group of people but I think they lose a group too.
 
beepampered said:
I don't mind working a holiday weekend but don't "sell" those dates well. The few dates I've ever booked around a holiday have ended up rescheduling due to low attendance. I agree that I could close shows sooner. I don't think "discussing" these things in a forum is too negative. The company has the right to give incentives whenever/however they like and we have a right to accept these or not.

I'm thankful that they offer something; however, it's more motivating when you actually think you'll get it rather than know that you don't have a chance. So, it might motivate a group of people but I think they lose a group too.
Click to expand...

One big thing is just because there will be low attendance doesn't mean the show cannot go on! I find my best and most fun shows are the one with low attendance.
 
Try an Online Catalog show for the Holiday Weekend. I'm trying to come up with something to do then....I'm considering offering a "Tax-Free" show that I'll pay the sales tax. If they order through my online show, I can easily adjust it in P3 by adjusting the payment amount- adding "consultant gift", etc. People likely wont' be gone ALL weekend...if at all- since folks are doing more "stay-cations", etc. I know we aren't going anywhere but maybe the local pool and a craft fair or something.
 
ponvn591 said:
So i am bummed that we only have to the 15th of August to get 2 shows in for the Booking/Recruiting Slide. Plus, i noticed that it is the same for Sept. and that we have to submit 2 shows before the 15th. Is this a new thing they are doing to make it harder to earn the items for the month? I have parties for this month but my first one isn't until the 15th and the next is the weekend after. :(

Does anyone else have this problem?Or does someone have a solution?
Click to expand...

HO isn't making anything hard for you. With this attitude, you have already set yourself up to fail. It's only hard if you think it's hard.
 
I'm actually wondering why everyone is so negative about this kind of thing. It's actually not that hard to take control of your calendar and get people to book earlier and host coach them to close within 2-3 days of their show.
Click to expand...
It is when your employer controls your calendar, not you, and when you don't want to argue too heavily with hosts who, in the past, submitted $500 EXTRA in sales just because we held her show open for a while!Just explaining how it is for me.I'm NOT negative about it. The way I see it, they are rewarding those people who are able to get things done early, and people who are able to book during a holiday weekend. They generally do these kinds of promotions when there are obstacles, such as a holiday or national conference, that make it difficult for people to submit shows early. The way I see it, if I want a tote that badly, I will buy it. If I want a booking slide, I will pony up $50 for printer ink and have my pages laminated at Office Max. It is no skin off my nose.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #21
Sorry but it is hard right now for me because all the bookings I have are after the 15th and everyone in my neighboorhood and family have order. I know I won't have trouble getting 2 shows for Sept 15 bc i will book shows before that but I cant help that ppl reschedule and others dont have money to buy.
 
ponvn591 said:
Sorry but it is hard right now for me because all the bookings I have are after the 15th and everyone in my neighboorhood and family have order. I know I won't have trouble getting 2 shows for Sept 15 bc i will book shows before that but I cant help that ppl reschedule and others dont have money to buy.
Click to expand...

Don't sweat it.... I was bummed when I didn't earn it in June (or whenever they offered it earlier this year). I want the booking slide because the one I use just doesn't seem to have the "wow" effect. I made a promise to myself when I found out about it that I was going to get it someway. At first I only had one show booked for the 1st. Then on the 2nd a Fundraiser popped into my lap, and she wanted it to close on the 9th. Don't get too bummed about it. I've been in the biz for almost 4 years and was never able to get any of the carrots that the company dangeled until this year. I work for them, but I don't beat myself up if I don't earn it because then I just get frustrated with myself. Don't sweat the small stuff.. If you're happy with your biz the way that you are working it now, then that's all that counts.:D
 
beepampered said:
Even if you have two shows early in the month, it's hard to have them closed by the 15th. So you have a show on the 10th....it's very possible to have it closed by the 15th but I let my hosts work a bit harder for more orders.

Also, Labor Day is Sept. 7. Honestly, you can't do a show that weekend nor the Thursday before or the Tuesday after. (This is true for July 4th too) It gives you just a few viable days to do two shows. It's a nice incentive but I wish that would change it to the 20th of the month to be more practical.
Click to expand...

This is just not true.

July 2nd, I had a show, with about 15 in attendance - $850 in sales, and 2 bookings.

I have shows booked for the 3rd and the 8th of September. (Thursday before, and the Tuesday after Labor Day) I've done shows the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It's really all about your attitude and what you think is possible. I tell people that at any time, there will be people who can come, and people who can't. Those people who aren't going away for a holiday are still in a party mood, and are actually more interested in coming to a party. Plus, they often have family visiting who would love to come with them! (At my July 2nd show, I had a lady from Brownsville TX come - and she was sooo excited about coming! Ordered $70 worth of product and had it direct shipped!)

If you are saying to yourself "no one will want to book" then you probably won't get any bookings. If you are looking at those dates as a GREAT time to have a party, and convey that to the guests at your shows, then you CAN do parties on those dates!
 
ChefBeckyD said:
This is just not true.July 2nd, I had a show, with about 15 in attendance - $850 in sales, and 2 bookings.
Click to expand...
Becky is right. I had a $1000 show the day before Easter. And another $1000 show the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The 2nd host is now one of my team members. What if I had refused to do her show because it was the holiday weekend?
 
Get on the phone and tell each of your customers you have a show going in and you can get them anything they need - you'll pull together easily $200-300 in sales with just a few phone calls. You may even book a show!
 
It was "Tax-Free Weekend" in TN last weekend. I sent out an email Friday that I was offering "Tax-Free Week" because I have an incentive to submit two shows by Saturday! I am also making CCC to EVERYONE on my customer/potential customer list. I have about $160 in orders right now plus 11 All-Purpose Spreaders to order for my KITK on August 29th. I am going to split these into two shows of $150 each if need be to get the slide. I had one scheduled for Friday night but it has canceled...so I will do it! I hate to make phone calls but this is worth it!
 
I'm at a small base in England and have done everything I could to get two shows in by the 15th. Our VBS was Aug 9- 13th... so I turned that into a catalog show and got enough orders.... then I begged my mom to do a catalog show for me... and I think she will barely get in enough. But who cares! I want that Booking Slide!
 
Liquid Sky said:
It's typically "harder" to get people to book shows in the beginning of any month, based on averages. PC puts those specials out there to help us get excited enough to try even harder to book shows in the beginning of the month.

It never fails, I'll have a show at the beginning of one month. A guest books a show and wants it towards the END of the next month for their show. I think it's some psychological thing that makes it seem better for us (in our minds) to commit to something later in a month than earlier. That's my guess ;)
Click to expand...

I heard a tip at our cluster meeting the other night that I think I might try. My ED said when you give your potential host/hostess dates to choose from (never more than 2 at a time) say the closest date last.

For example, "Ok Sally Goodun, I have 2 dates available. Would you prefer the 27th or the 12th?" Since the date earlier in the calendar is the last one you said, they gravitate toward it. She said it works for her everytime.

Not sure if it'll work for me or not, but I'm going to give it a try. If it doesn't work, then nothing changes, no biggie. But, if it does work my calendar will be filling up from the front which is what I want.

Just wanted to share. Good luck to ya'll!
 
Saturday Gourmet said:
I heard a tip at our cluster meeting the other night that I think I might try. My ED said when you give your potential host/hostess dates to choose from (never more than 2 at a time) say the closest date last.
Click to expand...

I heard that tip on a training CD and tried it when I was booking a show over the phone yesterday and darn the luck, she picked the first one. But she had said 'late in the month' and I said "the 23rd or the 16th" so she picked the 23rd. She's also a direct sales rep for another company so maybe she saw through me :) I am going to keep doing it though.
 
It wasn't looking too good for me to get two shows in because one cancelled and two catalog shows haven't come through yet, but I made it! I had enough small individual orders to make a show and another host finally got enough orders to make a show - got both submitted today. I won't have a good commission check on the 22nd, but I really was wanting the booking slide so all is good.
 
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