New Versions of the Book to Look Games

[stephanieboyd]

I got these from a friend of mine and altered them to fit our businesses! Try these out when you are struggling for bookings. Keep in mind, these are not my experiences they are hers.

Ok, here's the booking game.

It's called pick or pass, but I know it probably has lots of other names too. For Easter Time I'm doing with with plastic eggs. I always have 12 done and then just take some out depending on how many people are at the party. In 6 eggs I put a slip of paper that says "party", on 4 eggs "gift", on 1 egg "free shipping", and on the last egg "big gift" (you can tailor them however you'd like though). For the gifts I have a few inexpensive items. Usually costing me about $2-3 each. For the big gift I don't spend more than $10. But really you could go with Free shipping and do 5 gifts too. Whatever works for your budget. Whatever you do I always try to have a 50/50 spilt of gifts and parties. I take all 12 with me but only use what I need. So if there are 8 guests I take out 2 of each (pretty easy to do if you color-code the eggs, or non-holidays I use Season’s Best Cookbooks with the word written on the inside of the back cover). At the end of my presentation I ask who'd like to have a chance at some prizes. And then I explain the game.

"This game is called pick or pass. In the basket, I have 12 eggs. On 4 of the eggs is the word "gift", if you get one of those you can choose from the gifts I have here (show gifts). On one egg is free shipping and if you get that one you'll get free shipping on your order today, and on another egg is big gift and if you get that one, you'll receive this gift here (show gift). Now on the other 6 eggs is the word party. If you get one of those you'll get to have your own party and not just walk away with one small gift today, but you'll probably get about $100 in FREE PRODUCTS making it really the best gift of all. So, I'm going to ask each of you if you'd like to "pick or pass". If you pick, just hold on to your egg or Season’s Best until we're all done and I'll reveal what I have left first."

Then you proceed to ask each guest. It helps to ask the person most likely to pick first. If you get a bunch of non-pickers the people at the end are scared. Then I do reveal what I have left and go in order of the others. The most important thing is to MAKE IT FUN! If you're too serious about it your guests will not pick. And if by chance no one does pick I usually say, I can't believe I have to take all of these gifts back home. Occasionally it works to get someone to pick at the end, but not always. Once they have "party" I give them my calendar (with specific dates marked that are available...ask me about that another time if you'd like) while everyone is ordering. If they get gift, they choose their gift and I do follow up at the end, with calendar in hand "why don't you take a look at my calendar and see about a date that works for you". Sometimes you can book those gift people too, after all they took a chance at a party to begin with.

I hope that helps you all. It doesn't work 100% but it certainly helps and I've been doing this game since fall, keeping my calendar nearly full each month, and I've only had maybe 3 parties where no one picked. (I've also had about 2 that everyone got "gift" and I still booked at least 1 from those).

 

[stephanieboyd]

Okay, second game......from the same lady!! Again, her experiences not mine!!

Next game...This is a different version of "Let's Make a Deal".

At the end of my presentation I let them know I have a quick game that is pretty painless. All they have to do is ask me a question about my business (has to be about business, not products) and they get a gift. Unbeknownst to them, I have numbered the bottom of the gifts 1-12 (or whatever you'd like to do) and I hand them out in order. Usually you can get everyone at the party to ask a question. I tell them they can ask more than one, but they're only getting one gift. (The ones that ask lots are your best recruit leads). Once we're done with that, I make a little joke about how there is a "catch" to the game, ask if anyone is a gambler, etc. Again, making it fun and funny for the guests to play along. Then I bring out the 12 numbered envelopes (or gift bags with gifts, whatever). I use envelopes so I don't have to carry the gifts with me. There's a slip of paper in them that says "Congratulations you've just booked a party for your host" (6 of them or 1/2 of what you have), 5 that have gifts listed on them from the catalog (valued at $5 or less...I order on their party order for them) and one that says "Congratulations you just won free shipping".

Then I tell them "Now you can keep your gift and thanks for playing OR you can trade in your gift for what's in the envelopes." "If you look at the bottom of your gift you'll see you have a number and I have an envelope with the same number" And I proceed to tell them their odds (50/50 always) and what the gifts are...at least a few examples. I tend to make these bigger gifts than pick or pass (see above) to entice them to trade their "little gift". Generally I have traders. It's EXTEMELY RARE for someone not to take a chance. And again, I book them the same way as the other game above. You can put the gifts into gift bags, but be sure you put the booking slips into gift bags too. I always ask in order #1, #2, etc. and they speak up to who has what. But I usually know because I hand them out in order. The key to this is NOT TO STACK THE DECK. You wouldn't like that either, so I shuffle the papers and put them into the envelopes without looking (for the most part ). This one did great for me in the fall, lately hasn't gotten so many players, but I'm going back to it in May since I've done a lot of pick or pass lately. If you keep them mixed up it keeps your guests on their toes.

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

what great games!! thanks for sharing those. when i get some shows lined up again i will try those. really cute!!

 

[pampered_heathery]

Thank you soooooooooooo much !!! I have a show saturday and was planning to do the book to look thing with easter eggs ! Great timing !

Thanks again !

 

[Wildfire]

Hi there! Thank you for sharing this booking game with us. It sounds like a fun and creative way to get guests interested in booking a party. I love how you have tailored it to fit the holiday season with using plastic eggs for Easter. It's also great that you have alternate options for the gifts, depending on your budget. I will definitely try this at my next party and see how it goes. Thank you for the inspiration!