Cancellations, Bookings, Frustrations..

[braveslady]

Hi everyone,

I've been in the business almost 2 years and have never had a consistent show schedule. I work full-time, but started PC to eventually quit my FT job. I would love to hold 8 shows a month, but never have more than 4. When I started out, I had a very small circle of family/friends, so I didn't get off to a good start. I really want to succeed, but get discouraged easily. Today is an excellent point, which drove me to post this.

Last week, my host for last Friday's show cancelled (had to go on a business trip that was carrying over an extra day - rescheduled for Aug 5th "tentatively"). Then, this Sunday, tonight's host called because her professor rescheduled her final exam for tonight (she already has outside orders.. I want to reschedule, but she doesn't answer phone). The final straw? I got a message today that tomorrow night's host came home to find her fridge had gone out, they have to repair it, she has no money to buy groceries or have people over (I haven't reached her yet to chat about it). Aargh!!

My point in all this is that as I mentioned above, I'm really getting discouraged. How can get consistent when crazy things happen and everyone cancels?! I started getting back on the phone, calling past customers.. so far, no luck. Everyone has an excuse, isn't interested, or told me to call back in a month or 2. Any other ideas to try? Any advice is appreciated!!

 

[janel kelly]

I have heard from other ladies on this board that mailing out a hosts' invitations for them lessens the chances of a show getting cancelled. If a host knows you have already spent the money spending them and 40 people already have invitations then they will try a little harder to keep their show date. I also send out a letter to my hosts that mentions if they need to cancel their show to do it at least 2-3 weeks in advance since PC is my job.

These next few months are a great time to generate more business with all the promotions and incentives and new products coming out. Maybe you can mail out some of the mini catalogues with a flyer mentioning the current host special. There are alot of great ideas on this website about getting more bookings so you've come to the right place. Don't give up!

 

[nichole1231]

I just started pampered chef and I feel like you said it was when you started two years ago! But I've already started putting flyer at the local grocery stores, and I put out an e-mail to all my friends and co-workers that I am doing pampered chef. I'm hope that with doing that, that I will soon get a ton of party's booked. Also I plan on letting all the teachers at my daughter's school know that I'm selling pampered chef. Another thing, if you know someone who sells like tuperware, or candle light, ask if they would like to do a show together with you! I already have plans for Oct. to do a show together with Avon host and candle light host!

Good Luck with your shows!
Nichole

 

[BethCooks4U]

Another thing, if you know someone who sells like tuperware, or candle light, ask if they would like to do a show together with you! I already have plans for Oct. to do a show together with Avon host and candle light host!

Good Luck with your shows!
Nichole

I have done shows along with consultants from other companies and they are okay but I find better results when I trade parties with them (the other consultant does a party for me and then I do a party for them) mostly because people have only so much money to spend today and they will either only buy from one person or just buy a little from each. If you do separate parties they can use different paychecks for each. It's really great to support each others businesses too. I even have referred my favorite party lite, tupperware and creative memories consultants to others and they have done the same for me. That being said, you can get great leads from a combined vendor show/event!

Try to have PC be the first party because they will work harder at making it a success because they know you'll do the same for them. I like to trust everyone and think they'll do good by me but have been burned several times when I did the party for their company first (not my "favorite" consultants ;-). Some have done very small shows or cancelled all together even though I have given them a good show.

 

[bucksrider]

Cancellations aggravatonsI know what you mean. I had 3 shows booked for July, ALL 3 cancelled. One forgot that her sons wedding day was the same day, The other just couldnt get anyone to come, the third he and his wife had been sick and were not yet feeling up to haveing one, at least they have reschudeled for Aug. I have another who said she wanted to book one, never is home to answer her phone and will not return my call. But I have not given up. I post my business cards around town with "BOOK A SHOW GET A FREE GIFT" on the back, have not gotten a response , but at least it is something. I attended the county fair the other night, got some maybes and a lady wanted to do a bridal show, but tnow the wedding is off. What next! My show i had schudeled in Aug also cancelled. GRRRRRRR

 

[DebbieSM]

Summer is badI think July and August are just hard for people to have shows. I have had all of my shows cancel for August except one and she is not returning my calls. I'm going to concentrate more for the Fall, I'm still trying to get bookings for August but it doesn't seem to be working out for me. I'm really excited about the new catalogs and all the great specials for the Fall.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Don't give up on August! When you talk to people suggest a end of summer, before the fall gets in gear, back to school... type theme. Summers can be really great! Remind potential hosts that if they book in August they can get our awesome Stainless Mixing Bowls for 60% off (and their friends get free cookbooks) and then they can get the Fall host specials too just by their friends booking shows or they can get two of the fall specials one month by doing a follow-up show.

For instance: Jane does a show in August (summer's last hurrah) and books a follow-up in September and her friend books one in October.


Jane gets the Stainless mixing bowls at a deep discount and all her friends get a free cookbook. Then she does a follow-up catalog show in September with the new catalog (more products for her friends to choose from). She gets all her stoneware at deep, deep discounts and she also can get the linens for 60% off as past host (or a second piece of stoneware at 60% off) and her friends get their stoneware on a great sale PLUS they get new products too! Then in October at her friend's show Jane can get the Roaster for 60% off and everyone can get the midseason products and a free jar opener and her friend gets the roaster too!

EVERYONE gets so much more if you start in August! Make it about THEM. The new booking benefits HELPS us keep shows this month AND get them next - the host sees another thing they want but keep the one they have too because they can now get BOTH!

 

[PhyllisRamp]

Braveslady - offer to buy the recipe ingredientsIf your host with the broken refrigerator still wants to go ahead vs. making all those calls to cancel, offer to buy the recipe ingredients for her. Keep the receipt - it's a write off for you and engenders good will with your host and her friends.

I arrived at a show once in Manhattan to find the host standing outside her 26 story building - there was a fire on the 25th floor and the elevators were out! Even after the fire dept gave us the all clear, we couldn't ask all the guests to climb 26 flights of stairs and the recipe ingredients were up there! Besides which, the gas company had to turn the gas service off, but the electric was working. So, I ran to the nearest grocery store, bought ingredients for Touchdown Taco Dip (which we could do in the micro) and she convinced her Mom who lived on the 6th floor to let us hold the show there. We helped her clean up and make the place presentable and on went the show! Sometimes you just have to go with it...

My point is don't get discouraged. Be creative, think outside the box. In August, I will generally only book weekdays because most people are taking advantage of the last few weekends of summer to get away. I do no-bake shows so we don't put the oven on and the shows run quicker. For example, I had a 7 o'clock start the other night, was waving goodbye by 10 and we did $800 in sales by the time she closed with me yesterday.

Phyllis Rampulla
Independent Sales Director
www.pamperedchef.biz/phyllisramp

 

[pamperedmom2owen]

I think July and August are just off months. I had 3 Kitchen and one catalog show scheduled for July, about the same as I usually do. But my monthly sales will barely be over $750. One show isn't closing until Friday though. But that's about 1/2 of what I normally do in a month! It's just a rough time of year. Just be sure you ask EVERYONE! And talk about it all the time. I've been selling for almost a year since reactivating and there are still so many people I run into that say, "Oh, I didn't know you sold Pampered Chef!" Just keep working your business and eventually it will work for you!

 

[Sk8Mom209]

Consultant Mailing Invites

I have heard from other ladies on this board that mailing out a hosts' invitations for them lessens the chances of a show getting cancelled. If a host knows you have already spent the money spending them and 40 people already have invitations then they will try a little harder to keep their show date.

I have been mailing invitations for about 2 months now and none of my hosts have cancelled. My director and others in my cluster have found this to be true also.

Don't get discouraged. Try mailing our hosts invitations. This is what I do. As soon as the show date is scheduled, whether it is in 2 weeks or 2 months. I tell the host that I need her guest list with complete addresses within 5 days. The list must contain a minimum of 24 names, but the mores names the better. So far this has worked for me and I have not had any objections. I do not always get the addresses in 3 days, and if I have not received them, I follow-up with a call stating I need the list ASAP. This way, if the show was booked from another show, there is a possibility that the show has not been submitted and the booking can be removed.