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Successful Show Hosting Despite Setbacks

In summary, this host had a lot of anxiety about her show, and it showed. She was never really able to get into the show, and no one really interacted with her. She ended up not ordering anything, and I had to leave because I was getting irritated.
Stephanie S
202
Okay, I am sorry but I just have to vent to get this off my chest. One of my friends hosts a show regularly, every 6 months ~ she is a Saint, always has a large group together, and we all have a great time! During her show in February I got 3 show bookings for January. My first was last Friday and was a huge success. The host is thinking about joining part-time after her wedding this summer (she currently works full-time, as do I ~ and I therefore attrach part-timers), she had a great big group together, and she is still collecting outside orders!

My second show was last night. This host was a little gun shy from the start. When I started the host coaching (I do a pretty thorough job, you can see the scripts that I use posted in another thread), she seemed surprised about the fact that she would have to put effort into inviting people. I slowly worked through her anxiety with her and she came around. We chatted quite a few times, and her excitement continued to grow. She got a little nervous once people said that they were not available, and I let her know that was normal, just like with any party, not everyone is free! She started wondering about changing the night. She started worrying about snow (it was + degrees outside). She flipped and flopped, never really answered the phone, etc. etc. etc. I finally got her settled on the original night, with a "snow date" of the following night. I spoke with her on how she should invite people to come earlier than the start time, so we could start on time (I even pre-print labels with the party information so I set the arrival time 30 min in advance of start time). I like to start my shows at 7:00 p.m. in the evening, so I set the arrival time for 6:30 p.m. on the invitations. Well, either this host threw out all of the invitations that I had prepped for her, or her guests were not ones to be on time. 3 ladies arrived around 7 p.m., and the host wanted to wait a bit until others arrived. For a long while I though it was just going to be the 3 ladies, the host and myself (which at that point would have been fine because I would have at least been able to start!) Anyways, 7:00 p.m. came and went, 7:30 p.m. came and went. I tried to encourage the host to allow us to start, and others could join in when they arrived. She pretty much ignored what I was saying, and continued to pour and serve drinks to those who were there.

We finally got started just after 8:00 p.m. Others had arrived, and I had to interrupt to say that we were going to get started. I tried to make it easy for everyone by saying that they could stand and gather around as the demo wouldn't be long. Well, the host wanted to organize everyone, and have everyone sitting down - that took at least another 5 min, then they couldn't see from where they were sitting, so I had to do everything in the air!!!

After the demo, I cleaned up while the guests flipped through the catalogues and wrote their orders down. When I was finished cleaning up, I did the draw and announced that I was ready to help them with their orders. No One Moved....for what seemed to be like forever. Eventually the occasional person came up, and then no one moved.... It was getting later and later, it was past 9:15 and I was ready to go. I eventually started working my way around the room, calculator in hand, and started asking guests if I could help them with their order. I felt as though I was being completely intrusive, interrupting conversations, and pretty much suggesting that everyone order, which I was not...

I finally worked my way through everyone, and then there was one left....one lady who could not make up her mind.....one lady who asked question after question after question about the Rectangular Baker. She was confused because it is pictured in 3 places in the catalogue! I tried to explain that it was all the same size dish, just different styles (vanilla glazed, cranberry glazed, and natural). She hummed, and hawed, and hummed, and hawed. I was getting so anxious to leave and so I suggested that she could let the host know in a couple of days time once she had decided.... Finally she chose!

I packed up my car, after interrupting the host to ask for my jacket, it was 9:45 by this point and I was soooooo ready to go. I went back in to say hi, and let her know where she was $$ wise, and they were all in the middle of a conversation. I tried to hint that I was ready to leave. Coat on, gloves on, hand on the door knob. Nothing! I finally had to interrupt and I just let her know that I would give her a call in a couple of days.
 
Wow sounds like that host just didnt really want the PC part of the party. I'm sorry that happened. I too had a guest do that to me. It was my best friend at the time. She had 7 people confirmed. 4 came in one vehicle the others came when they chose too. we didnt start until 7:45 and the show was supposed to start at 6!! I just told everyone to come play with my "toys" (the tools) before I got started and answered questions. Bad thing about it was once the show was finally finished my friend got mad cuz I was ready to leave....she wanted to talk...it was 10 at night!! did your host's show qualify? or did you get any bookings?
 
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QuailfyWell, the show did qualify $560. in sales with 15 people in attendance. I usually average $1000. in sales with that number of people. The guests all lived in a rich area of town, and were a combination of Stay At Home Mom's and Grandmothers, so at the on-set I thought I was set!

As for bookings, nada! 3 people filled out 'maybe' on their drawslip. During 'check out' time, I indicated that I had noticed that they were interested, etc. And they looked stunned that I had even brought it up! They back peddled right away terrified of any sort of commitment!!! What did they think I was going to do with the info?!?!?!?
 
Sorry to hear about your show! If it makes you feel any better my show on Sunday was just about as successful!!!! The show was even held by a good friend of mine and I host coached her and everything. Although there were 14 people there, I only ended up with $420 in sales - 5 orders!!!!! Can you believe it. Anyway, I guess we all have good shows and bad shows and we may as well forget about the bad ones and move on to the next GREAT one!
 
Stephanie,
I am so sorry that you had to go through all of that. Nothing sucks more than starting late and then feeling like you are the one interrupting!

I hope your next show is better!
 
Your story sounds so familiarStephanie,
So sorry to hear of your frustrating show. I have had several of them. One recent one was a Bridal Show. It is a long story but lets just say that the host wanted me to be a part of the ENTIRE shower. They did not send out the invites or let anyone know that the bride was registered with PC so many people came with gifts they had purchased at Target or where ever. I did my demo etc, took orders from 7 of the 23 people and then had to wait around while the Bride opened her gifts! It was so frustrating! The bride then wanted to purchase something and wrote me a bad check!
It is nice that we can vent on this site to others who understand.
Take Care and thanks for your story!
 
I kind of had a show like that back in October. My host said she expected 10 or more people there. Well, the time came to start and no one had arrived yet. Two people came 15 minutes after we were suppossed to start. I asked the host if we could go ahead and start a half hour after starting time and she said she wanted to wait for other people to get there. About an hour after we were supposed to start we finally started. There were only four people there. One of them ended up having to leave 5 minutes after I started. Only one placed an order before I left and she too forever. I told them I had to get going because my husband and I had somewhere to be by a certain time that night. It still took that lady about 45 minutes to figure out everything she wanted to order. I told my recruiter about the whole thing and she said that from now on I should start my shows on time regardless. So now I tell my hosts when I host coach that I will start on time regardless of how many people are there on time.
 

Related to Successful Show Hosting Despite Setbacks

What are some common setbacks that can occur during a Pampered Chef show?

Some common setbacks can include low attendance, technical difficulties, and a disorganized host.

How can I encourage more guests to attend my Pampered Chef show?

One way to encourage more guests to attend is by offering incentives such as free products or discounts for bringing a friend. You can also utilize social media to promote your show and reach a larger audience.

What should I do if there are technical difficulties during my show?

If you experience technical difficulties, try to troubleshoot the issue and if necessary, have a backup plan in place. This could include using a different device or finding alternative ways to demonstrate products.

How can I keep my show organized and on track?

Start by creating a timeline and sticking to it. Make sure to communicate with your guests and keep them engaged throughout the show. Utilize Pampered Chef's resources and tools to help keep your show organized.

What should I do if I have a difficult guest at my show?

It's important to remain calm and professional in any situation. Try to address any concerns or issues the guest may have and offer solutions. If necessary, seek assistance from your Pampered Chef consultant or customer service.

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