How Can I Optimize My Express Cooking Shows for Maximum Sales and Bookings?

[Katiek77]

Hello,
I am a single mom and I am wokring part time towards a Masters degree in education. I was told there are not many jobs in teaching when I graduate so I am trying to step up my business. Yet I need to find a schedule that works for me. I need to set goals and learn how to do express shows that get lots of bookings and sales. It is a challenge but I am going to try.
I have Thursday and Friday nights free to do cooking shows/parties. I would like to have done most of the prep work before the party starts. I can either do this at my home of the hostesses. I am wondering though, if I make the recipe at home, can I charge the hostess for the ingredients or should I just find budget recipes? I have so many questions. I was a new consultant last fall and I acheived the goal of $1,200 in my first 30 days. However, I put PC on hold for a while because I was in school and it was hard to balence everything. Here is what I need help or suggestions with. I welcome suggestions and I will also look at this site for tips. I have a ton of questions, sorry about that. I hope they are not too much. Thanks!
I need help with:
What are some very easy, tasty, inexpensive recipes that showcase higher priced items?

How do you print labels for shows to make sending out invitations easier?

What are the most important things for me to focus on for just a 15 minute presentation?

Do you have any suggestions as to how I can still get high sales and bookings even though my demonstration will be short? Guests will be free to visit and mingle after I am gone though.

I need major help with hostess coaching. I have a real hard time doing it! I have listened to about 3 hostess coaching CD's, taking teleclasses for it and practiced with my daughter and roomate. Yet I still feel uncomfortable doing hostess coaching. I know that this is the best way to get good attendance. bookings and sales so this is where I need the most help.
Thanks.
Katie

 

[wadesgirl]

30 minute chicken is great because you just shove it in the microwave and then while it's cooking, you do your talk. That means if you can get your talk down to 30 minutes your show will only be 30 minutes. I would suggest maybe skipping introductions and just do name tags if you want to know their names. Talk about a few of the main products, do a booking talk, recruiting talk and your done.

I actually print straight onto the post card. I have a template at home that I can send you later, PM me if you want that.

 

[scottcooks]

Hi, Katie! Welcome to CS.

What are some very easy, tasty, inexpensive recipes that showcase higher priced items?

) Anything where you chop a lot (chopper, mandoline) or feature a collection like stoneware, cookware, forged cutlery, Simple Additions. Practice cross-selling. One very very successful consultant didn't cook at his shows(brought a pre-cooked recipe for the host to divvy up at the end), didn't show catalogs (handed them out at the end), he cross-sold and perfected the art of customers selling to one another [Blanche from Biloxi and Penny from Pontiac effect from HSN or QVC] with four awesome questions:
-who has this and loves it?
-really? what else do you use it for?
-is it easy to clean?
-who would it make a great gift for--why would you get one for your sister or girlfriend?

How do you print labels for shows to make sending out invitations easier?
)you can get clear labels, or just practice with basic Avery file folder labels. Yes, you cover up some of the invitation, but speeding up your production of invites (and being more accurate, in my case!) is worth it. Look at the option of sending the invites for your host. Times where my host has taken me up on this, I can guarantee a show of $800+. My deal is, they have to give me 35-40 names with at least 2 means of contact. See attachment.

What are the most important things for me to focus on for just a 15 minute presentation?
)Adding value to your show by having recipes posted on your website, providing 2-3 uses for any product you touch, adding food tips everywhere you can, and be CERTAIN to talk about stoneware (DCB) and cookware if you don't demo them. I often do a freebie appetizer garlic parmesan (or cinna-apple, depending on rest of demo) pull-aparts and sell lots of saute pans.

Do you have any suggestions as to how I can still get high sales and bookings even though my demonstration will be short? Guests will be free to visit and mingle after I am gone though.
)Host coach, host coach, host coach. It's about a mindset. If your host is busy concentrating on food or catering, your sales dive. If she lets you do your job and has lots of people there, sales go up. At the show itself, get someone to demo things like garlic press or silicone scraper or scoop or Easy Accent Decorator.

I need major help with hostess coaching. I have a real hard time doing it! I have listened to about 3 hostess coaching CD's, taking teleclasses for it and practiced with my daughter and roomate. Yet I still feel uncomfortable doing hostess coaching. I know that this is the best way to get good attendance. bookings and sales so this is where I need the most help.
)Me too; the biggest two things that have helped me, are having the download Coaching Checklist from CCorner, and setting my mind right before I begin. Try to do the first coaching at the show, follow up each one with postcards, then the other 2 are much easier. Memorize those CD's. Get to where you know what they are going to say. Even say it along with the CD.
This is not a difficult business, but it is a business. You need to prepare yourself.

Good luck - keep training yourself and keep learning new things. It is how we all "bloom and grow forever" (Thank you Rogers & Hammerstein)

 

[cheflorraine]

Scott,
On your recipe for a 1K show - are these some of your actual shows?
It's a very interesting chart, because for some of those shows, the average order was $40-50. It shows hosts that success really does come from having a lot of orders, not necessarily having individual people spend a lot of money...
Great files - thanks!

 

[Katiek77]

Thank you so much! The information you all gave me is so helpful. Yes I would like some help with making lables for invitations.
Katie

 

[Katiek77]

I have another question. For express show or show that you make the recipe before you arive at the show, who pays for the recipe?

 

[wadesgirl]

I have the host buy the ingredients and I make it before the show.