Yikes! My Power Cooking Clinic....

[ChefBeckyD]

Hey Becky, I just PM'd you.

Just pm'd you back!:balloon:

 

[rennea]

Oh Becky I'm sooo happy it turned out great for you. How exciting to hear about it. First thing on my mined when I woke up this morning

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Becky, that is incredible!

I would LOVE to do something like this, but am not sure I have the chops, the facilities or the contacts to pull this off.

I am thinking that if I had a somewhat public place to do this, like a church, I might draw more people in. Did you do this in your home, or a larger venue?

My kitchen is not small, but it lacks an island and I can't see getting 15 women in there ... and I can't see making it work with less! And my church does not have a kitchen.

What am I saying .... I can't even get 5 people to show up for a show I sponsor.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky, that is incredible!

I would LOVE to do something like this, but am not sure I have the chops, the facilities or the contacts to pull this off.

I am thinking that if I had a somewhat public place to do this, like a church, I might draw more people in. Did you do this in your home, or a larger venue?

My kitchen is not small, but it lacks an island and I can't see getting 15 women in there ... and I can't see making it work with less! And my church does not have a kitchen.

What am I saying .... I can't even get 5 people to show up for a show I sponsor.

Di, my entire house it about 1000 square feet! Very small. Very little counter space, and no island either. I do have a table that has 2 leaves, so I put both of those in, and we all circled around the table, although not everyone fit. I had people standing up against cupboards, and in the doorway....it was tight - so it's a good thing I didn't have to turn on the oven!

I would think if you did it at a church, you could also offer it as a fundraiser for the church - either to earn new tools for the church kitchen, or as a regular cash fundraiser - and then invite all the ladies from the church to participate too!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Oh Becky I'm sooo happy it turned out great for you. How exciting to hear about it. First thing on my mined when I woke up this morning

Rennea - I'm just speechless that I was the first thing on your mind!:blushing:

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Whooo Hooo!

My neighbor just came over to place her order and book her show! $85 order -so now I'm this close to $700, and 3 more orders to come!

AND - she wants to do a Couples Show! Which is great, because her DH is a Grand Rapids City Firefighter, and they want to invite all of the firefighters and their wives! She booked for July, but may switch to August, once her DH gets his summer schedule.

Oh - and they organize and run RESCUE ONE - which is a fire safety program for kids that is hugely successful in this area....

http://www.firesafetyforkids.org/index.html

I'm just pumped because she is someone I never expected to book!

 

[pamperedbecky]

What great results, Becky!! Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!:sing:

 

[rennea]

Just keeps getting better!!!

 

[chefmeg]

What great news, Becky! AND, I can't wait for you to come play on DCS!!

How did you promote this as a "clinic" in order to get the kind of response you did? When I have had open houses or mystery host shows at my home, people just dont come....any advice, as I would love to do one of these in June?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I sent out the Power Cooking invite online to my past hosts and favorite customers, and added this extra personal note to the invites:

We can't control gas prices, and we can't control grocery prices, but we can control how often we eat from drive-throughs, and out of frozen food boxes!

Come to this Power Cooking Clinic, and learn how to make 3 meals in under 30 minutes, and all at less than $2 per serving!

As a bonus, we will be doing a drawing, and 3 lucky winners will go home with one of the meals for their freezer!

This is a fun, interactive show, and everyone will be able to be hands-on with the tools! Plus - I will have all of the new Spring/Summer products on display!

Bring a Friend and receive a great gift!

Book a show, and I have another great gift for you!

Start your own PC business, and get a gift, plus a $25 credit on your starter kit!

Hope you can make it!

and followed up with a Power Cooking invitation that I made at Vistaprint.

If someone could PLEASE tell me how to post a copy of that I would do it, so you could see what it looked like. I would need step by step instructions though.....

 

[chefmeg]

OK-I am inspired! I am going to CostCo tomorrow to get chickens....my Director and I just talked and she recommended the following chicken recipes: chicken & rice, chicken enchilada filling (can use this in a ring or in tortilla cups) and chicken burritos. She bakes 4 chickens in the Roaster and pulls the chicken off the bones and puts them into freezer bags. Then she takes the freezer bags w/ chicken to the show and assembles/prepares the recipes there! I am going to do this on Sunday to see how much work it is and what products I would use, and then I will be on the phone inviting people to my Power Cooking Clinic! Thanks becky for all of the advice and inspriation!!!!!!!!

 

[pamperedlinda]

Chicken recipes please....

 

[chefann]

Becky, to post a pic from VistaPrint, go to the preview of the item you want to share, right-click the image and save it to your computer. Then you can attach it as-is (which will require that people click on it to see it), or you can upload it to a free Photobucket account, and use the links they provide, which will put the actual image in your post.

 

[chefmeg]

I knew you would know the answer to this Ann, but somehow I am still confused! I hope Becky knows what you are talking about!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Okay...see if this works:

I kept trying to resize it, but it wouldn't resize.....

 

[chefmeg]

well, it's there, but too little to read...................unless I am not doing something right!

 

[chefann]

When you preview it on VP, click on the "Large Preview" link, and save that graphic.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Try this again:

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Thanks Ann!:thumbup:

 

[chefmeg]

Love it....I don't know how you did this invite, so please share how I can do this myself!!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Love it....I don't know how you did this invite, so please share how I can do this myself!!!

I'm not creative at all - this is just a template from VistaPrint, with my info - have you ever done anything at VistaPrint? That website makes it sooooo easy to do anything!


Here is the business card I just did:

 

[chefmeg]

Chicken recipes please....

Chicken & Rice

1 1/4 pounds cooked chicken- chopped or torn into shreds.
1 cup instant brown rice
1 can black beans
1 can corn
8 oz fat-free sour cream
2 cups shredded Kraft 2% sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp SW seasoning
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped spinach salad leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rice according to instructions. Spread half of rice loosely across bottom of a medium casserole dish. Mix chicken, beans, corn, onion, half of sour cream, taco seasoning, 1 cup of cheese, and spinach in a large bowl. Pour mixture onto rice and spread evenly. Cover with remaining rice and 1/2 cup cheese. Cook in oven for 25 minutes. Add remaining cheese to top and cook another 5 minutes until cheese melts. Sprinkle with chopped tomato.
Serve with remaining sour cream and salsa for extra flavor.

Chicken Enchilada Filling-in the Celebrate! cookbook-you can make a ring or fill into tortilla cups made from smaller size tortillas

Chicken Burritos
1 pound cooked chicken- chopped or torn into shreds
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 onion
1-2 garlic cloves
1 T SW seasoning
1 lime
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
burrito size flour tortillas

slice peppers and onions and then cut in half
use a tiny amt of oil to saute the veggies
add garlic
add chicken and heat through
add zest and juice of lime
take off heat
add cheese

take mixture and place in the center of the tortilla and fold burrito style. You can get 7-8 per freezer bag!


add

 

[rennea]

I think those look amazing Becky.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Those look great Becky. I get so frusterated with Vista that I usually just leave. It seems to take so long to go through everything and design what I want and then I can never figure out how to get all the free stuff that they advertise in the email (it's different from the regular free stuff on-line). I just haven't had the time to spend navigating around their site. What's the secret? I've ordered biz cards form them a few times and I need to order more, but geeze I am dreading it. I love your stuff, and Ann's, and I think it was also Paulette who posted hers.

 

[lacychef]

Those are great postcards Becky! Were those "free"? I've never played around with their site much, but would like to.
And your show keeps getting better:thumbup:

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Those are great postcards Becky! Were those "free"? I've never played around with their site much, but would like to.
And your show keeps getting better:thumbup:

I only do "free"! LOL - I just got a big order of postcards, business cards, address labels, a stamp, and magnets for about $14 shipping.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Those look great Becky. I get so frusterated with Vista that I usually just leave. It seems to take so long to go through everything and design what I want and then I can never figure out how to get all the free stuff that they advertise in the email (it's different from the regular free stuff on-line). I just haven't had the time to spend navigating around their site. What's the secret? I've ordered biz cards form them a few times and I need to order more, but geeze I am dreading it. I love your stuff, and Ann's, and I think it was also Paulette who posted hers.

The way that I do it is to keep going back to the email with free stuff, and clicking on each one that I want to order. I don't try to order from the website. It will batch them all together into one order for you if you do it that way, even if it looks like you are placing separate orders for each one.

Does that make sense?

 

[pamperedlinda]

When you do it that way does it put everything in your shopping basket and then you do it as one order? Or are you actually making several seperate orders?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

When you do it that way does it put everything in your shopping basket and then you do it as one order? Or are you actually making several seperate orders?

It puts everything into your shopping basket as one order. That's what I was trying to say before....just not very well.

In fact, you can do it with more than one email special - so you could do 2 different postcards at the same time for free.

for Example - you get an email on Wed. with 12 Free Specials, and you get another one on Friday with Weekend Free Specials. You can click on both specials and it will put them into your shopping basket, and you can order both specials at the same time for one shipping price!

 

[JAE]

Yay Becky! What a great thread and a great Power Cooking show. You rock!

 

[pamperedlinda]

Thanks Becky. Maybe I'll have a little more patience with them know that I know your secrets!

 

[Chef Kearns]

I unsubscribed from the Vista newsletter because it was so frustrating dealing with their website. Thank you for the tips, Becky!!

 

[chefmeg]

Becky, I have scheduled my Power Cooking Clinic for the 12th~I sent out an email invite 1st and have already had 2 people say YES! I plan to work on the postcard invites on Sunday, mail on Monday and cook my little heart out to prepare myself for doing the actual clinic on Tuesday!
Thanks so much for all of your help and support...can't wait until you come to play over on DCS!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky, I have scheduled my Power Cooking Clinic for the 12th~I sent out an email invite 1st and have already had 2 people say YES! I plan to work on the postcard invites on Sunday, mail on Monday and cook my little heart out to prepare myself for doing the actual clinic on Tuesday!
Thanks so much for all of your help and support...can't wait until you come to play over on Director Chef Success!

YEA Meg! I'm so glad I could help. I did the email invite first, and then followed up with the postcard also.

But, I didn't do any cooking before the show - are you doing it just to practice the recipes???


And I am looking forward to DCS!!!:thumbup:

 

[chefmeg]

YEA Meg! I'm so glad I could help. I did the email invite first, and then followed up with the postcard also.

But, I didn't do any cooking before the show - are you doing it just to practice the recipes???

And I am looking forward to Director Chef Success!!!:thumbup:

yep...I feel like I need to run through it myself before I do it for real!
I had one lady tell me it was a great idea but she couldn't make the clinic...I emailed her back to tell her I would love to come to one at her house! We shall see what kind of response I get back!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Hmmmmmm ..... I am thinking I really need to do this on Friday the 13th!

I don't know that I have time for a Vista order so I am going to do my best to duplicate these efforts in Word documents.

Any ideas on how to make this a huge success? Every time I have an open house I distribute invites door to door, send out a mass e-mail and invite co-workers, and nobody comes or even RSVPs.

 

[chefann]

First, don't call it an open house. And second, make a phone call to everyone to invite them, even if you've already sent a postcard or email.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

First, don't call it an open house. And second, make a phone call to everyone to invite them, even if you've already sent a postcard or email.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

I think one of the reasons my "open houses" have been successful is because I have never had an "Open House".

This was a Power Cooking Clinic, and I've also had Fall Preview Extravaganzas, and Spring Splashes, and Host Appreciation Parties......anything but an open house!

And follow up!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

The phone is clearly where I falter.

I have so many people on my e-mail list and I don't have phone numbers for all of them. Ditto for the neighbors.

So when you look at people I could call ... the answer was NOT MANY.

Of course, by planning this on a Friday night, I'm excluding church people, but that's OK because in coaching my friend to get her invite list up to 40, she invited lots of those, and now a church friend is talking about doing a show.

EX church people might be an option ....

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

OK, here's an update to at least keep this thread where I can refer to it ...

I went around the block today. I knocked on various doors. When somebody answered, I said I was having a neighborhood gathering, wanted to invite them, explained that I lived right around the corner, and asked for their name and phone number.

I have one definite RSVP, one possible, one no, 2 other phone numbers and one DH who said, "Is this the only day you're doing this?" who expressed regret that they're going on vacation. (His wife, who helped a neighbor the other day, was not home.) I explained that I was going to hold it open for 10 days while I was on vacation, and said I would drop off some recipes.

Becky ... did you give door prizes to EVERYONE? I do have some citrus peelers and twixit clips ... do you think I can offer other door prizes from the prize closet if I run out?

 

[chefmeg]

lordy, lordy! I have cooked 2 whole chickens in the roaster today AND cooked chicken tenderloins in the skillet USING THE MIX 'N CHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

amazing!

now I am planning to make and freeze the Power Cooking recipes as well as the chicken recipes I posted above! I can't wait until my clinic next week! Now I just have to wait for those #$%^ postcard invites to show up!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

lordy, lordy! I have cooked 2 whole chickens in the roaster today AND cooked chicken tenderloins in the skillet USING THE MIX 'N CHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

amazing!

now I am planning to make and freeze the Power Cooking recipes as well as the chicken recipes I posted above! I can't wait until my clinic next week! Now I just have to wait for those #$%^ postcard invites to show up!

LOL - with that kind of excitement, you are sure to have a successful Clinic!

Go Meg!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Becky - what were your surprises throughout the day and your great giveaways? I used your wording for my invitations and kinda would like to know what you did.

So far I only have 4 people confirmed, but I'm mailing out invitations this weekend and will begin making calls late next week to hopefully get that number closer to 10 or 15. I hope it won't be that hard since I have over 120 on my evite list.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Becky - what were your surprises throughout the day and your great giveaways? I used your wording for my invitations and kinda would like to know what you did.

So far I only have 4 people confirmed, but I'm mailing out invitations this weekend and will begin making calls late next week to hopefully get that number closer to 10 or 15. I hope it won't be that hard since I have over 120 on my evite list.

I had a bunch of stuff I bought off from the outlet....and a bunch of stuff I've earned or gotten free from hosting my own shows. I had a salad chopper, a couple large serving spatulas, mini serving spatulas, veggie peelers, scissors, a measure-all cup,......etc.....plus, I had a ton of twixits, paring knives, and old SB cookbooks.

I gave away recipe cards also to everyone. I have some I've made on Vista, and then also some from PC...

 

[Chef Kearns]

So, did you just have random drawings throughout? Sorry, but I need specifics. Yours was so successful I want the same kind of results.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

So, did you just have random drawings throughout? Sorry, but I need specifics. Yours was so successful I want the same kind of results.

I did a drawing when everyone got there, and a couple throughout the evening, and then, at the end, I did a drawing for the meals. (I included the starch that went with each demo recipe - so taco shells, hoagie buns, and egg noodles) & one more random drawing. Once their name was drawn, they didn't go back in the "pot" (salad spinner! ) for the rest of the drawings.

I had 3 baskets - one with gifts to choose from if they brought a friend (smaller gifts - paring knives, SB, veggie peelers, etc....), one with gifts if they booked a show (stuff from the outlet - mini spatulas, pkgs of twixits, silicone hot pads, etc...) and one to do drawings from (large serving spatulas, scissors, and other things I had extras of).


Also - my guest list was to all of my past hosts and best customers.....so I had a pretty targeted audience. Amazing - 3 of the bookings were with people who had never had a show before! 1 was a friend that a past host brought, one was my neighbor - an excellent customer of mine, and the 3rd was another mom from my son's preschool, who was invited last minute...and one of the people there that I didn't really know. The 4th booking was a past host who is signing at her show!:thumbup:

 

[merego]

I am not brave enough to try the power cooking clinic yet, maybe this fall.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Thanks for breaking it down for me Becky!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Thanks for breaking it down for me Becky!

You're welcome! Hope it goes well for you, Sandra!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Well...I'm not sure what it was due to, but NO ONE showed for my power cooking clinic. Four people RSVPd (low, but I still prepped for it and was pretty excited). About an hour after it started someone finally showed up. I did not do the "show", but she signed up! So at least that happened!

Sales=BUST!