Recipe Tasting Success: My Recipe Tasting Story

[chefcharity]

I just wanted to share about my recipe tasting I have planned for tomorrow. Last year I had an open house. It was a complete bomb! Only my mom and mother-in-law showed up!
I had it scheduled the Sunday after Thanksgiving, at my house (in the country) and I didn't do anything real exciting.
This year, it is scheduled middle of the month, found a place in town, called it a recipe tasting, sent e-vites, offered tickets (for prize drawings) for rsvp-ing and doing other things and I am giving away prizes at differnt times during the event. So far......30 RSVP's!!!! How cool is that?! I pretty much copied what Marna Ross does for hers. I am very excited and cannot wait to see how it turns out! Keep your fingers crossed for me!!

 

[chefsteph07]

Details please! I may do something like this in JANUARY for the double points if I can pull it off...

Can you list what Marna does for hers?

 

[PChefPEI]

Great idea to do this in January, Steph!

I'd like some details too, please!

Good luck!!!!!

 

[ChefJoyJ]

I'll second (or third) the request for details...

Congrats on such a great response! I'd love to know what you're planning! Let us know how it goes!

 

[heather223]

How great for you!! Details PLEASE!

 

[chefcharity]

I attached a copy of my invitations. I am not exactly for sure on the rules here, so I x'd out phone numbers.

I copied this to an email about 2 - 3 weeks ago and sent it out to everyone in my contact list. I got a lot of responses - yes's and no's. Then when I sent out my outlet update email this week, I attached a copy of the email to it and put a reminder at the top.
The invite is pretty much what Marna does, but she does not have the other vendors there (these are friends of mine I didn't want to leave out) and she does a demo.

I also attached the survey I'll give them to rate the recipes. To find a local place to have the tasting, I just called some apt complexs to see if I could use their clubhouse. Or, if you know someone who lives in a place like that - they could reserve it.

Thanks for the well wishing. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[chefsteph07]

That's awesome! I hope it goes great for you! Please tell us how it goes!

 

[smilesarepriceless]

what kind of a place did you end up getting....did it cost you?

 

[pampermejolene]

Good luck! Sounds like it should pretty successful! Are you doing Thanksgiving/Christmas type recipes or just everything?
What a great idea for guests to try some new recipes and get some Christmas shopping done too!

 

[starrmarie]

This is an Awsome Idea. I think I am going to do a recipe tasting/mystery host show in January. I will say something like "pick up all the christmas gifts you didn't get for Christmas...possibly for FREE!" or something to that effect in the invite. I love the Recipe tasting survey idea, I tweeked it a bit (changed some of the recipes and put it into a table with "1 2 3 4 5" in each box for them to circle.) This is a great idea! Thanks!

 

[koima]

I *LOVE* this idea! I'm totally stealing it for January!!

I am already planning a mystery host catalog show to boost my sales - I think this could put me over the top!

 

[ChefJoyJ]

This is an Awsome Idea. I think I am going to do a recipe tasting/mystery host show in January. I will say something like "pick up all the christmas gifts you didn't get for Christmas...possibly for FREE!" or something to that effect in the invite. I love the Recipe tasting survey idea, I tweeked it a bit (changed some of the recipes and put it into a table with "1 2 3 4 5" in each box for them to circle.) This is a great idea! Thanks!

I love this idea as well!! What a fun way to get in another show, spend time with other people, possibly get some bookings, and get double points!! Love it!

Random question...who is Marna Ross?

 

[gailz2]

Great idea, I'll also use it in January!

 

[pamperedalf]

Thank you so much for posting the invite, you just saved me a ton of time!!! I am doing this in December!!

 

[DebbieJ]

Marna is an Executive Director from MI and one of the most humble people I have ever met. Love her.

 

[chefcharity]

My cousin is the manager of an apartment complex, so I got her clubhouse. It did not cost. This year I would not have spent any money on a place since last year was such a bust. But depending on how this year goes, I might be willing to pay next year if I have to.

I am doing recipes out of the Season's Best. Things they probably have not tried before.

I took a workshop with Marna once and she was wonderful! If you ever see her name as a workshop leader - sign up! She was the lady with blonde hair on the last recruiting booklets that were just recently replaced.

 

[WLMcCoy]

Tell us how it went today! I am excited for you!

 

[ChefJoyJ]

Yes - inquiring minds want to know!!

 

[pamperedharriet]

Good luck and please share the results!

 

[Teresa Lynn]

guess she's busy totalling orders still

 

[byrd1956]

please share !!!

 

[candiejayne]

The suspense is killing us!!!

 

[pamperedharriet]

Hoping the party is so good it'll take her a couple of more hours to finalize the orders!

 

[chefcharity]

You guys are cracking me up!!

First, wow! I am exhausted!! Second, YEAH, people showed up!! It was great. I had a $500 show - which isn't mind blowing but it is good for my town right now. We had about 20 in attendance. Maybe 25. I booked 2 shows for January - Double points month. The recipes were a big success. Had a bit of a snag in my time table when I realized the microwave didn't work. Luckily I know someone that lives in the complex and she let me use hers. Actually, she just cooked it for me and called when it was done! Got to love loyal customers!

They really liked the tickets and the drawings. I gave new fall products since I had double of them. The guests really liked that. Something besides twix it clips and Season's Best. Oh, they were amazed that all the recipes were out of the SB.

I had one of my Kilo club members coming (hosts whos show was over $1000) and I had her a gift and made a big deal about giving it to her. That way they could see the perks of having a good show just keep coming.

I will tell you, I pre-prepped everything I could at home last night. I bagged it all together in my recycable bags by recipe that way I knew if I had everything. Then when I got to the clubhouse all I had to do was assemble and bake. I also took a block of cheese so they could play with the Rotary Grater. I sold a couple of them that way.

I pretty much made back in commission what I put out for ingredients. But it is a great customer appreciation thing. Every year I figure it will just get better and eventually I'll start making money on my tasings!

I had an idea for some people I have been talking to about fundraisers for Girl Scouts and those sort of groups. I think this would go over well. The girls and I can prepare the recipes. Have each girl bring in some ingredients and they invite their people like a show. Then we can demo something and everyone tastes and shops and they make money. Going to throw that out here soon to the leaders. See how that goes.

Well, I think that is it. Thanks for being so interested! I hope I helped some of you with yours!

 

[pamperedharriet]

Congratulations on such a great show considering everything and it being a multi vendor party! I am glad it worked out so well for you!!! Get some rest--you deserve it!

 

[ChefJoyJ]

Glad to hear it turned out so well!!! With such good response, hopefully it will grow each year. Congrats on your 2 bookings!! :thumbup:

 

[candiejayne]

Awesome! I'm happy things turned out! Are you turning it in as consultant as host or what charity are you donating to?

 

[chefcharity]

Since my friends and I were doing this together, I turned it in under one of their names. They were hosts too. I think I now have everything I could possible need from the catalog, so next year I think I will do a charity.

 

[starrmarie]

Glad it turned out well for you!

 

[WLMcCoy]

Congrats!!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

That's great ....

No show I've ever had at my house has ever worked out. I've had some people who live in the area that my church is in and some people who live where I work tell me that my house is too far away from them. Hello? It's a 30 minute drive at max! I drive that far daily! And there is no way that I can have a show that is any closer to either of them!

 

[esavvymom]

love the idea, and thanks for the update!

 

[PChefPEI]

So happy things turned out well for you!!! Congratulations!

 

[pamperedalf]

Mine is 2 weeks from Saturday and I sent an email invite today to all my email contacts, and started stuffing envelopes today. All my vendors are excited, I hope they spread their excitement to their customers too. I am keeping my fingers crossed for huge success!!!I was worried about space but realized I could use the front deck to put tables & chairs for people to sit on. I wish I had one of those outside heaters or I am hoping our warm wave will stay around a few more weeks. You never know in our area.

 

[chefcharity]

Good luck with it Amanda! I had some people standing. I wasn't expecting so many people to be there at once. They didn't care. They just stood and visited and were happy.

 

[pamperedpals]

Congratulations that is awesome!

I'm having my host/preferred customer appreciation party in two weeks. I have so far 7
people coming and that is just from the postcards I sent out telling people to save the date. All of the invite's went out yesterday in the mail. Can't wait to see what this weekend brings.