How can I make my catalogue shows successful and generate more business?

[JanetM]

I am new to PC and joined this site to get some helpful information. I posted a similar thread requesting help and did not get much input and so I will try this area.

I find myself doing a lot of catalogue sales and think that this may be a great way to generate business and revenue if done right. I would like to know what others do to generate successful catalogues shows...bookings...referrals and finally customer care. Does anyone send a thank you note.

I would appreciate any input.

Janet

 

[missmindym]

I think if you just search the files you can find great forms and stuff for catalog shows. I've seen several in recent posts. Catalog shows are a great way to drum up extra business, but the emphasis is really on the cooking shows. People are more likely to buy when they've see, touch, feel, and use the products.

I'm doing a $1000 Mystery Host Catalog show right now. I got the idea from this site actually. It's ending next week, so I can't tell you how it's done yet. But I keep in touch with my hosts at least once a week to see if they've run into any trouble, have any questions, and just to see how they are doing in general. My thank you for their participation is a Season's Best Cookbook which I will autograph will my thanks when I send them whatever host benefits they win.

Basically, I think the biggest thing is to do all of the same host coaching you would do with a regular cooking show. Encourage them to ask everyone they know to take a look at the catalog.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I have some letters/flyers that I would give to my catalog hosts, I'll see if I can find them and post them here for you.

I mostly have cooking shows, but when I do have a catalog show- the sales are pretty good- I'd say my catalog shows average $350-$400.00

 

[JanetM]

How do you go about hosting a mystery catalogue show? Sounds good. Thanks for the letters and flyers Kacey.

Janet

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Janet, can you PM me your email address? It'll be easier to email you the attachments to the files I have.

Thanks.

 

[missmindym]

How do you go about hosting a mystery catalogue show? Sounds good. Thanks for the letters and flyers Kacey.

Janet

These are great threads to explain the Mystery Host Catalog show much better than I can:

1000 Mystery Host Show

and here:

Mystery Host 2

 

[Jules711]

Janet-I received your PM, but thought I'd put it here in case more people have more to input. Sorry if it's too long!

I definitely LOVE catalog shows. I do quite a few and it's surprising how many are people that don't do shows, don't have time, whatever. You are missing out if you aren't offering this. I don't have enough time (when people want to do shows) to leave my house enough to have the sales I want.

How to get high sales. Well, this is dependent on the host. Where they work helps a lot b/c that can be a lot of people easy to get to. I've had awesome success with people that work at hospitals. Otherwise, just coach them. Get them excited about the product by talking to them about what they hope to earn. What they would love but "can't get" (they are sometimes surprised how much they actually earn even if you TELL them). If possible, even invite them to your home (or meet them) to see/touch some of the products. My hosts are really excited about the option even if they don't take me up on it. You want them invested in the show too. Get them excited about the upcoming host specials so that they can talk to people about having their own cooking OR catalog show.

As for how I get these? Well, I've been doing this for 4 years now and it does get easier. I mention catalog shows in my newsletters, at shows, at expos, to my friends (who then pass people onto me). Yes, I mention cooking shows too, but people KNOW I can do that. They forget about catalog shows (or that they even exist). I was shocked at the number of people I contacted after an expo that put no on their drawing slip, yet said...oh, I could do that to a catalog show. Cooking shows are definitely a great place to get them too. Again...get your host excited and make sure she knows it's an option.

For customer care, I put in recipe cards with my info on them (so it's like a gift and business card in one and CHEAP). Follow up as I would with a cooking show (before I close, hopefully, so that I know they are aware of the special and host specials, etc).

You asked about a thank you with the package. To the host? It depends. I may include a season's best or something like that. Definitely recipe cards. I give them extra $ to spend for have a $300 or $500 catalog show too. Incentives!

Hope this helps. I should be sleeping!

 

[gothim0802]

I always send out a thank you card to all my host. I just think it is the right thing to do. Also all my host get a seasons best cookbook.

 

[DebbieSAChef]

For me communication has been the key to success with my catalogs. I let all my catalog hosts know that I will be calling about every third day since I have given her the packet and done host coaching.
And I tell her that this is so I can encourage her in her catalog show, find out how close she is to her goal (tally everything up for her), brainstorm with her on maybe who else to ask for orders, and to find out if she might need more catalogs or order forms.
My catalog shows usually run anywhere from 7-14 days. Of course there have been exceptions for longer catalog shows but that was only for my veteran hosts.
I agree that you should host coach the same as if it was a cooking show and really emphasize the wish list so that you both can set up the goals for the catalog show!
I do send out a thank you note and with catalog shows since I am not able to try to get bookings because I won't be doing the checkout with the people ordering, I do ask that all the contact information for each person ordering is filled in so I can do some follow up customer care (leads). And I give her plenty of incentives to get me bookings, in addition to the host booking benefit.
$10 in free products for each booking secured and held
If there is more than one booking, she can wait and use her FPV I am giving her on the last host's show.

Mary secures 3 bookings for me from Sarah, Amy, and Liz. So she chooses to wait until the last show with Liz to cash in her free money instead of $10 free at each show! So after all three have had their shows, Mary gets to use her free $30 at Liz's show, under the host order, seperate from her host booking benefit.
Hope this helps you!

Debbie :chef:

 

[Redsoxmama]

Hi there..I'm very new...and would love some info as well...lol...as much as possible...
Thanks so much,,am SO glad I found this group
Sharon

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I always send out a thank you card to all my host. I just think it is the right thing to do. Also all my host get a seasons best cookbook.

I send out thank-you cards to each guest, too!

 

[JanetM]

Kacey,

I think this is a great idea...sending thank you cards to each guest. What do you use and say?

Janet