Is the BRU BabyFest worth my time and effort?

[tada]

OK - the BRU BabyFest is this Saturday. I've been doing it for 5 months - but have been getting fewer results every time. It is so different than doing a fair. At a fair - folks are looking to see you - at BRU - folks come in looking for baby items or to register - then Boom - you are there - most folks avoid my table....

I'm out there smiling, giving recipe cards, asking "How are you familiar with PC" "What do you see that you like" and all the "right" leading questions - standing in front of my table,,,,,, but I'm not getting a payoff for my time and effort.

Someone inspire me for this Saturday.

Tracie

 

[AJPratt]

I wish I could! I just did not have success with the time spent there because people are just trying to get in and out of the store. I wound up with a great catty show out of it though.

And that's all it takes... just one show!

 

[PamperChefCarol]

I too hving been doing the BRU for several months now, and honestly, I had my worst show experience with a lead from BRU. Long sad story, but hey, everyone has a bad experience. I just got mine out of the way!

I tried sampling the apple berry salsa, and all that did was make me eat a ton of it!! This Sat, I am going to try chopping/slicing/cutting veggies and serving with a smattering of dip. At least with a sample they stop.

I am working with the assistant mgr to do a show for her.

I try to stay posiitve about this, you never know who you might meet.

 

[ltkacz]

PamperedChefCarolAre you part of the Kimmel Cluster?

 

[tlennhoff]

I'd recommend pulling out some of the "kid friendly" tools and showcasing those. Tools would include the baker's roller, baker's mat, kid's chef hat and apron, cookie kit, and kids cookbook. Have play dough out for the kids to use to experiment with the tools.

 

[MandyK]

I've only done 2 so far -- the first was a bust (bad location) the second (great location) brought me 3 shows and 3 strong recruit leads.

There are two kinds of people I've noticed thus far -- one that is interested in the opportunity to host or join and those who want to win something. I'll book those who want to book and offer a free show plus $15 increased host benefits at your show to all my "winners." If you offer a GC -- you run the chance of them saying they'll jsut take the GC.

I was thinking of looking at this as a recruiting fair this time around -- posting a sign with "Now Hiring Full & Part Time Positions -- set your own schedule starting $35 an hour."

 

[heat123]

I've done 1 with no results. I thought I had a booking from it but they ended up flaking out. All the others who filled out a raffle for a goodie basket were just checking yes to get a better chance to win I think ~since I called them about winning a runner up free cooking show and they said no thanks. Better luck this next time I hope!

This time I will be doing a raffle for a Party in a Bag and see if I get any real takers! And display the kid friendly products since it's baby health month or whatever it's called.

 

[heat123]

I've done 1 with no results. I thought I had a booking from it but they ended up flaking out. All the others who filled out a raffle for a goodie basket were just checking yes to get a better chance to win I think ~since I called them about winning a runner up free cooking show and they said no thanks. Better luck this next time I hope!

This time I will be doing a raffle for a Party in a Bag and see if I get any real takers! And display the kid friendly products since it's baby health month or whatever it's called.

 

[pamperedval]

I have done a few months with Mrs Syvo and we haven't had much luck. We first tried doing a raffle for the free show and barely anyone filled out a slip - and noone who "won" wanted the show or could do it (just had their baby etc.)

So the next time we had a drawing for a product (the jumbo bbq turner - it was Father's Day) and I couldn't even get my winners to call me back to claim the prize!!

Mrs Syvo got a booking for June (when we were there in June) and that would have been great for sell-a-thon - but the host flaked out on her and no show.

I had a recruit lead and even met her for an interview and she said she definitely was going to sign. Never happened - I tried several times to reach her again and was totally blown off...

Mrs Syvo can't do it this month - so I am going to brave it alone and see how it goes. I really hope that something comes of it because I hate to waste a perfectly good Saturday away from my family for nothing! If it was a guaranteed show at least I'd make some money - but this could be all for nothing...

I think our store is in a bad location though - the only good news is that it was recently renovated so maybe there will be more traffic and some new customers that haven't seen me before.

Good luck to everyone out there - hopefully this time it will be worth the effort!

 

[tada]

I think I'll do like MandyK and treat it as a recruiting fair instead of trying to book. I am SO determined to be a Director by December 30th!

Plus I've got a call back in to my BRU to ask if I can be one of the presenters - and do a quick demo on baby/toddler food. That way I can get a few folks attention at one time - draw for a door prize - perhaps get recruiting leads.

I don't want to waste my Saturday either - I've been getting there at 9:30 and staying till 2 - on my FEET - all that smiling and attempting to chit-chat all that time --- it just wears me OUT. Now if I was getting results, I'd be happy to give my Saturday up.

Tracie

 

[Flamingo]

Check this out for part of your flyer...

 

[vangogirl]

I did BRU in July and it was a bust, my recruit did it in Sept, also a bust. Needless to say, we were not looking forward to going this past saturday, but neither of us had a show, so we did it. I had 4 on the calander bookings with 4 leads, she had 3 on the calander bookings with 7 leads. Here's what we did different this time.
We used to hold a raffle for a GC, so we got a whole lot of uninterested leads. This time it was only a raffle for a free show.
Instead of saying would you like to enter......
We used the "thank you for stopping by my booth" coupon with recipe to hand out and get them close enough to us. Once they were in range, we asked them if they would like to enter to win a free show. If they did that, they obviously were interested so we told them we were having a special today. "If you book with me now, and set a date on my calander now through december, at the close of your show you will get a free cookbook of your choice."
It worked! Now I have 7 bookings in November.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Is everyone still going to win a free show, or just one person since everyone will get a cookbook? I LIKE that idea! I can't do BRU again until Dec & am not scheduled yet, but that might be a good way to get Jan/Feb bookings since I had 1 show last year in those two months!

 

[heat123]

I did BRU in July and it was a bust, my recruit did it in Sept, also a bust. Needless to say, we were not looking forward to going this past saturday, but neither of us had a show, so we did it. I had 4 on the calander bookings with 4 leads, she had 3 on the calander bookings with 7 leads. Here's what we did different this time.
We used to hold a raffle for a GC, so we got a whole lot of uninterested leads. This time it was only a raffle for a free show.
Instead of saying would you like to enter......
We used the "thank you for stopping by my booth" coupon with recipe to hand out and get them close enough to us. Once they were in range, we asked them if they would like to enter to win a free show. If they did that, they obviously were interested so we told them we were having a special today. "If you book with me now, and set a date on my calander now through december, at the close of your show you will get a free cookbook of your choice."
It worked! Now I have 7 bookings in November.

Awesome results, thanks for sharing! I will have to try that next time!

 

[vangogirl]

only the people that schedule right then and there get a cookbook at their shows closing. If they fill out a drawing slip and don't book a show then, when I call them they 'have won a free show!'

 

[sheenalane]

I'm doing one in November, it's an instore show and it's free to have a booth! I don't have anything to lose!

 

[lynnguilm]

I did one back in May and called my leads and one was on my email list for newsletters and specials and she came to an open house and signed up and November is her 1st ss month. You never know who is going to walk in one day.
It gets your name out there for FREE. What could be better!

 

[DebbieJ]

One of my recruits is also a result of my BRU table.

 

[sillylittlechef]

At a BRU table you might want to make a big fuss out of the quick stir pitcher. It mixes baby formula easily. That's my only tip.

 

[pamperedval]

Well, I was about to give up after one hour at the table without a single person talking to me. I felt like I was the plague or something - noone even wanted to say hello!

I was trying to figure out how I could back out of coming next month when I finally had someone stop and say that they were glad I was there! I ended up with 3 solid show leads (one has since booked for November) and a possible recruit (she is interested in starting next Spring).

So needless to say, even though I spent about 2/3 of the time just standing there - it was finally worth it!

I didn't offer any sort of raffle this time - I just had a small sign that said "Now hiring" and another which said that I had an in-store special for today only - the first five people that booked shows and held them before December 15th would get a free show.

I only got info from those that were really interested and they are all solid leads - so I don't have to waste my time calling people who only wanted something for free and weren't that into PC.

So I will see how it goes next month! Maybe someday I'll be able to say I got a recruit from BRU too!

 

[heat123]

Well, I was about to give up after one hour at the table without a single person talking to me. I felt like I was the plague or something - noone even wanted to say hello!

I was trying to figure out how I could back out of coming next month when I finally had someone stop and say that they were glad I was there! I ended up with 3 solid show leads (one has since booked for November) and a possible recruit (she is interested in starting next Spring).

So needless to say, even though I spent about 2/3 of the time just standing there - it was finally worth it!

I didn't offer any sort of raffle this time - I just had a small sign that said "Now hiring" and another which said that I had an in-store special for today only - the first five people that booked shows and held them before December 15th would get a free show.

I only got info from those that were really interested and they are all solid leads - so I don't have to waste my time calling people who only wanted something for free and weren't that into PC.

So I will see how it goes next month! Maybe someday I'll be able to say I got a recruit from BRU too!

I know how you feel.... the first time I did a booth I had about 8 people sign a slip to win a free goodie bag of things. Well, they marked off yes to a show to have a better chance to win because when I called up to let them know of the runner up FREE show prize they said No. So this time (next month) I am going to do a drawing for a FREE cooking show and see if I get any real takers! I am hoping the 2nd time has better results!

But It was free so you can't beat that! Good luck to those next month!

 

[Chef Diane]

I did my first BRU in May, got 13 show leads, I did hourly drawings. Sounds great right! Not, not 1 booking. When I went back in June, I had them register for a free show. I got 1 booking, Yeah. She ignored all my calls and her host packet was returned the day before the show.

I'm not due back until Dec for the Big Holiday Blitz. I'm hoping to do much better then. I'm going to try the free show drawing and cook book this time. Also going to have the kid friendly tools list for on the spot ordering.

We all have good events and bad, just remember to keep moving forward and don't take the bad personally : )

 

[hump5]

How do you do on the spot ordering??I am doing my first BRU in Nov. I was told I can't sell anything there. Can I take orders for things though?? Especially kid friendly stuff.

 

[pamperedgirl3]

You can't take any money there. You could direct people to your website or take their number & call them later. I do BRU for leads mostly. I did just get a call this week from the promotions director for an order--except she wanted the decorator bottles! So I had to tell her I'd call her back. I had one show last month off of a vendor I met there & I have another show this month from someone else I met at BRU. Then one show for January & a couple I still need to call back this weekend to book a date. I handed out countless catalogs & stuff with my name on it, so maybe I'll get more that I don't know about too!

 

[DebbieJ]

I hand out recipe cards to everyone who walks by--that's how I get them to stop and talk to me. And if they don't stop, well at least they have my info in their hands!

You cannot take orders in the store. I have just had people give me their name and phone # and then I call them for their orders later. I got $150 in orders one time!

 

[love2cook05]

SuccessesI've come away from every BRU event disappointed, only for it to turn out as something good. The first one was my most positive experience, in May. I had 2 recruit leads (but they were having babies in 3 weeks so no luck there), and ended up with a cooking show and catalog party. The cooking show backed out, but the catalog party closed in June and it was over $600. Definitely worth my time and money. The second one had hardly any contacts, except that one lady was looking to set up a vendor fair in our area and invited me to be a part of that...the downside was that it wasn't until February...but the upside is that it is in Feb. and she contacted me last month to make sure I could still do it. I'm going again on Saturday--I really appreciated all the ideas, especially the one about telling them if they book right then and there they get a free cookbook.

 

[love2cook05]

I am doing my first BRU in Nov. I was told I can't sell anything there. Can I take orders for things though?? Especially kid friendly stuff.

I think it depends on your location. Mine has no problem with taking orders. They said that money can't change hands, but that credit cards were ok...it just depends on who the manager is and what their policies are. Some say no food. Some allow it.

 

[heat123]

I can't wait for my 2nd one this month! Plus the coordinator invited me to do a seperate cooking class in Dec!! Hopefully I can get some solid leads from both!