Had My First Show and Next Host Is Being Pushy

[rchamelin]

I had my first show friday...yay. So I have a girl who is interested in a show and even joining. She wants to see how her show goes first before deciding to join. Well she booked the show for next month which is great because I plan to have the DCB at that point to demonstrate full chicken meals. She was getting really pushy asking if she can vamp up my invites because she wants them a seprate way(i told her i will give her the post cards that I will let her fill out and vamp up) and let her do the inviting since she said she use to be into marketing. I wasn't going to get into that mess trying to figure out how to do things. So anyways. She said she wants a full meal and a drink and a desurt to demo. Now I did do the mistake my first show and did the pizza and a desurt and that turned out to be more stress than it was worth, my training with my director was 2 days before and she even told me don't do that anymore and I can see why. So I am from not on doing a itty bitty drink and a food. Well I told her I am only doing ONE food demo and ONE itty bitty drink from now on. She kept assisting NO I WANT THIS where she wants a food(not just food, but a meal), 2 different itty drinks for everyone to try, AND a desurt...Being new, I do not have the extra resoruces to buy another pitcher, nor provide 2 itty bitty drinks. I think shows are taiste testing not feed a crowd. I am in this business to sell the cooking products, not the food.
So at the end I had her agree to a chicken meal(ill do in the DCB) and do a fruit tray(ill get one of those to display) with one of the chocolate sauces
As for the drinks, I dont know what to do. They are expensive for the size they are, plus I only have 1 piture that I will be using. What do I do, should I tell her I could only get one or tell her I had a last min show that i had to use one on since i do ONE FOOD and ONE DRINK??

 

[Sheila]

You are still new to this business & don't really have the tools to do the fully interactive shows with multiple recipes. If she wants to provide more on the side, that's her prerogative ... but you don't want or need to set the precedence of catering events. And you won't have the time to do that many demos with the guests there. Any thing that she wants to pre-purchase (like the itty bitty bev's mixes) to make in advance will only enhance her sales, but you started your Pampered Chef business to MAKE money, not to go into debt purchasing things to go all out at your shows. What she's wanting could easily take 3-5 hours for you to demo. That's just not what you need or what the guests are expecting when they come to a show. They have not planned an entire afternoon/evening for her PC show and many won't hang around that long to check out . They'll be leaving before you are done. I recommend that you put your foot down now and tell her that your Director has already informed you that this is supposed to be a SAMPLING of ONE recipe, that you are not in the catering business ... instructing you that you did too much at your first show and you need to cut back & do less like PC recommends. Not only for your sanity, but for the sake of the poor guests who don't want to be there for hours on end. If she persists, it's okay to tell her that you are in this business to make money, not to break even or go in the hole.

 

[ShellBeach]

Well the bad news is, you need to tell her what you told us! You are just starting out and a simple show is what you can do and be comfortable, full stop.


What Sheila said is right, what she is asking would take HOURS to demo and beyond the call of duty. Talk to her frankly about the reality of not having enough product and $$$ to do what she suggested.

The good news is, you wowed her enough to sign up and be so gung-ho! :thumbup:

 

[[email protected]]

IF you could borrow the rice cooker, that would be a great side dish, and a way to sell them!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Tell her that you realized that you did too much at your first party and after talking with your director and other consultants you learned that customers respond best to quicker demos. Offer to give her some recipes that she can make ahead if she wants it to be a full meal and you will demo one quick recipe. As far as the drinks, at the price of the mix I would not be offering anyone the itty bitty bevs unless they pay for it and then only if I happened to have it in the house or they previously bought it. If they order it before their party you'd need advance time (smartpost) and direct shipping if you don't happen to have it onhand. I certainly wouldn't provide two.

 

[esavvymom]

And to add to what the others said, if she really insists, then she can make that stuff on her own before the show to serve. If she does sign up, and she tries to run her shows that way, she will learn!

 

[kam]

I don't have a problem doing 2 recipes...BUT only 1 is a true demo and the 2nd recipe is a minor one.

Skillet Lasagna and Garlic Bites is a fave combo of mine. The Garlic bites would be the second recipe.

Also, a dessert could be a second recipe if I prep most of it before hand. Sometimes just adding Cool Whip with the Easy Accent Decorator and grating chocolate over the top with the Microplane. Something along that idea. Gives me a chance to show more product with very little effort on my part.

I provide my host with the shopping list so they buy the ingredients. So, I don't mind doing an EASY 2nd recipe.

Go ahead and make the chicken in the DCB as you planned. Pick a quick easy dessert that you can make ahead of time at her house and just "finish" as part of the demo.

If you want to do the fruit, have most cut up before the guests arrive. Perhaps let the guests use the tools to finish cutting the rest of the fruit up.

As far as the Itty Bitty Bevs, aren't they 5.25 EACH on supply??? Tell her due to the cost you cannot provide those. If she wants to pay for them, then that would be OK. Don't be afraid to tell her you only have one pitcher. If she wants to buy the mixes, she will need to have a second pitcher for you to use.

Good Luck.

(The sooner you get a recipe choice list together, it will be easier to stand by that list. It prevents the kind of thing you have run into here.)

 

[BethCooks4U]

I don't have a problem doing 2 recipes...BUT only 1 is a true demo and the 2nd recipe is a minor one.

Skillet Lasagna and Garlic Bites is a fave combo of mine. The Garlic bites would be the second recipe.

Also, a dessert could be a second recipe if I prep most of it before hand. Sometimes just adding Cool Whip with the Easy Accent Decorator and grating chocolate over the top with the Microplane. Something along that idea. Gives me a chance to show more product with very little effort on my part.

I provide my host with the shopping list so they buy the ingredients. So, I don't mind doing an EASY 2nd recipe.

Go ahead and make the chicken in the DCB as you planned. Pick a quick easy dessert that you can make ahead of time at her house and just "finish" as part of the demo.

If you want to do the fruit, have most cut up before the guests arrive. Perhaps let the guests use the tools to finish cutting the rest of the fruit up.

As far as the Itty Bitty Bevs, aren't they 5.25 EACH on supply??? Tell her due to the cost you cannot provide those. If she wants to pay for them, then that would be OK. Don't be afraid to tell her you only have one pitcher. If she wants to buy the mixes, she will need to have a second pitcher for you to use.

Good Luck.

(The sooner you get a recipe choice list together, it will be easier to stand by that list. It prevents the kind of thing you have run into here.)

We can only buy so many of the pantry items on a supply order per season (6 months) and there is shipping... Even at $5.25 I won't be providing these at my shows. I have tried both and will honestly tell them my opinion. They taste fine but honestly I prefer my recipe for margaritas. I think the mohito mix is better but not sure I'll buy it. I will be trying some of the pie, etc. recipes that consultants are coming up with and will share those with people who ask about or purchase the mixes but this is one item that I'll leave to the catalog to sell.

 

[pampered1224]

Sounds weird but I am going to contradict everyone out here to a degree. But if that is what she wants, that is what she should get. JUST MAKE SURE SHE PAYS FOR IT ALL!!!! If she wants two Itty Bitty Bevs, fine, place an INDIVIDUAL ORDER so you get credit for it. Do NOT do a Supply Order. No breaks on shipping or tax just a regular Individual order. And get HER credit card to place the order so there is no mistaking that she IS paying for it. Here you simply use your pitcher to make one then when it is gone, you make the other. AND IF USING ALCOHOL - MAKE SURE SHE GOES AND BUYS IT - NOT YOU!!!! That is simply too expensive - PERIOD!
Then pick several meals she can pick from that you already have the equipment for. Need ideas - simply tell us what equipment you have and we should be able to match you up with some good recipes. For a dessert, again, let us know what you have for equipment like the DCB, Large Bar Pan, or Trifle Bowl. Again, we can match up the product with a recipe I am sure. We some great minds out here that can do that almost instantly!
Now here is the big piece of this. Make sure she knows that if you do two recipes, you will need and expect her help putting them together. Or you will split the group into two pieces and each group WILL make a recipe so you can get them done in time.
There are so many one pot wonders in our recipe collection that you just simply dump into a pan and go that it should be very easy to to do what she is looking for. Creamy One Pot Pasta is one of them. You could simply do a one pound pork roast in a DCB in a very short time. I have a twist on that to make it a full pork roast dinner with carrots and potatoes to help that out. We have a cake recipe that is simply dumping things in the DCB as well and takes all of 15 minutes to prepare. And anyone can make this. So there are ways to be stress free but give her what she wants. The problem is that oyu need to know she is paying you for every bit of food served! Explain the $15 extra host bonus that PC put into the rewards program for food and that you usually do NOT exceed that for the host's sake. Maybe then she can see the light.

 

[Brenda.the.chef]

Sounds weird but I am going to contradict everyone out here to a degree. But if that is what she wants, that is what she should get. JUST MAKE SURE SHE PAYS FOR IT ALL!!!! If she wants two Itty Bitty Bevs, fine, place an INDIVIDUAL ORDER so you get credit for it. Do NOT do a Supply Order. No breaks on shipping or tax just a regular Individual order. And get HER credit card to place the order so there is no mistaking that she IS paying for it. Here you simply use your pitcher to make one then when it is gone, you make the other. AND IF USING ALCOHOL - MAKE SURE SHE GOES AND BUYS IT - NOT YOU!!!! That is simply too expensive - PERIOD!
Then pick several meals she can pick from that you already have the equipment for. Need ideas - simply tell us what equipment you have and we should be able to match you up with some good recipes. For a dessert, again, let us know what you have for equipment like the DCB, Large Bar Pan, or Trifle Bowl. Again, we can match up the product with a recipe I am sure. We some great minds out here that can do that almost instantly!
Now here is the big piece of this. Make sure she knows that if you do two recipes, you will need and expect her help putting them together. Or you will split the group into two pieces and each group WILL make a recipe so you can get them done in time.
There are so many one pot wonders in our recipe collection that you just simply dump into a pan and go that it should be very easy to to do what she is looking for. Creamy One Pot Pasta is one of them. You could simply do a one pound pork roast in a DCB in a very short time. I have a twist on that to make it a full pork roast dinner with carrots and potatoes to help that out. We have a cake recipe that is simply dumping things in the DCB as well and takes all of 15 minutes to prepare. And anyone can make this. So there are ways to be stress free but give her what she wants. The problem is that oyu need to know she is paying you for every bit of food served! Explain the $15 extra host bonus that PC put into the rewards program for food and that you usually do NOT exceed that for the host's sake. Maybe then she can see the light.

I agree somewhat with this statement. I will NOT do this for a host that doesn't do any work on her end with getting guests there as well as outside orders. I have a host that plans an entire meal at her shows and I arrive earlier to help put it together. She works her butt off (and is really on the fence about joining my team...) so I go the extra mile for her.

 

[pampered1224]

See my thinking is this. If she sees what to much is, then maybe she will get the idea about what she can do at her parties WHEN SHE SIGNS. Also, if you get her and her guests involved, she can see how it can be fairly stress free on her part as a consultant using the interactive show. In this case, you would be teaching her how to consult as in helping with prep before and during her party, as well as where limits need to be set as in having the host pay for the food they want. Also, this is a good opportunity to work with her in advance of her party as well thus showing her host coaching and what goes into planning a party on the consultant end.

 

[mzpatient]

I know this is late but next time offer to use your wine opener and dripless stopper to demo any wine her guests bring vs using the mojitos.

 

[cookingwithlove]

I am curious to know how it is going with this host.

 

[Nanisu]

Ok, so do something easy like a trifle for the dessert, or spiced apple stir fry over ice cream. Do the dessert demo while they are eating the first recipe. I always do this. A trifle like Black Forest or Lemon Blueberry is literally a 5 minute demo. You could borrow the Trifle Bowl from your director or recruiter. I think if you are trying to build your business its ok to be a little more flexible at the beginning. If she signs none of these people at this show are going to book with you anyway. Let her order the Itty Bitty Bevs and make it ahead of time.