Home Party Plan Network Message Boards

oK , i AM FEELING PRETTY MEAN RIGHT NOW , LOL!!!
I had a Hostess who seemed promising , (sometimes I forget I can't read minds and see into the future!) she booked, rescheduled ,then again , then cancelled!!! That's 3 dates GONE ,never to be used again ,money down the toilet!!! I was able to maintain my professional , understanding voice on the phone , no major excuse from her ,just everyone is cancelling on me and doesn't have the money to order either , THENNNNNN....at my last weekend shows (which were really profitable by the way!) I told both Hostesses from day 1 that I need to close their shows that night , reminded them with each call and e-mail ,did they? NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! This happens too ocassionally , any ideas on closing?
I think nearly EVERY show that is held open has at least 2 women that want to take books home that night to "show their significant other" then place and order ,do they? NEVER!!!
I love what I do ,I am good at it , I do make great money and don't feel like I'm working but these things just make me want to scream! You can't on the phone of course but I sure get colorful after I hang up , there's the times when you know that something really happened and can't be helped but when they don't do their homework after being closely coached , it makes you wonder why they booked in the first place? I assume they meant well then things just fell apart , do any of you find that the closer the booking from the date of the original show , the better chance that that show will hold? My problem seems to happen when bookings are about 4 weeks away or more.ok...I feel better ,for now ,I'm generally a very cheery person but this is my source of income and that is hard for anyone to take seriously , thanks...Lisa Jarva-Spice it Up parties

I understand completely!

To answer some of your questions:

Yes, the closer the booking the better chance of having the show. My party plan rewards hostesses for bookings scheduled off their show. I tell the potentials that they must hold their show within 4 weeks for it to count. This does sometimes get them to not have their show but that just tells me that they were only doing it as a favor and not really serious about it. These shows always flop! I NEVER play cames where a show is a prize. These shows flop as well, even bigger than the ones booked as a favor. I play fun games, and offer decent door prizes and try to get a lot of guest interaction and rely on the wonderful quality of my products to encourage bookings that will work.

I allow one week before I close my shows. In most cases, this is because the hostess would like her guests to have 2 pay periods in which to have money from. I am ok with this. But, I don't let them railroad me. I let them know my deadline date and that I must close her show in x-amount of days in order for her to receive her hostess benefits. It's not true but it encourages her to get her guests to turn in their orders. I also let guests know that if they are not ordering the night of the show that they can call me/email me directly. And. I am always willing to pick up their order form and payment at their home or place of work.

As far as losing catalogs (or what i consider losing one) to non-ordering customers I charge a dollar for each catty. I have to pay for these though mine don't cost me as much as some other reps catties, I don't feel it is a good investment for them to go home with people who are not seriously considering placing an order.

I don't feel bad handing out little white lies when it really is in the best interest of the customer and more important my business. I work hard at what I do and don't want to throw my time, money, business supplies down the toilet. I have never had a hostess complain, they may not like it but they really do understand. If they need more time, I'll give it to them but with the understanding that if I don't hear from them by the date they give me, I will have to close the party and will let them know what they earned.

Good luck and hang in there! I've also found that a good stiff drink after some of these parties helps, too!

I have started something new recently. One of our vendors for Home and Garden Party offers 25 gift certificates with envelopes for $4...and shipping...anyway....in the original packet that I give to the booking customer.....I put a letter in there telling them that if they have their orders and outside orders together and close the night of the party they will get a special gift from me to thank them for closing timely. I have been getting a great response by giving them a $15 gift certficate...and well when you are making a 40% commission...that would mean you pay just over $7 for the gift you have to give them when they redeem it. I don't give it to them until after we have closed out everything and then I tell them that is for the next order they place or party that they attend. I figured you can't go wrong. On the booking and rescheduling....that doesn't happen to me very often. But, if they do reschedule I pretty much get those invitations in the mail right away....sometimes that will make them feel guilty if they do decide to cancel...and then I will say well do you think since its a bad time for an actual party that you could do a book party with the books that I gave you? I try to play it into something else. As I said before...that works sometimes....have a great day!

Crystal

thanks so much , I'll try that at my show tonight when I book , have a great and profitable weekend!!
Lisa Jarva
Spcie It Up
Independent Distributor
815-653-3222
zacaroonie99@msn.com

I am going through this right now with a Hostess who will not return my call or emails and I have to resort to using call block when I call so she will answer the phone! What is it with people these days? Very rude!

Thanks for the replies , it was old but still happens , I had a very bad summer , no shows from lots of pre-summer cancellations , but now Fall is almost here and things are picking up , I started offering incentives for the women to hold their shows , I off my 50% discount on one item in addition to the tons of free and severely discounted merchandise we already offer as a Hostess , that seems to have helped , I will no longer hand out free items before the party holds , it just doesn't pay sometimes , I don't lose a lot of bookings I just like to be busy all the time and have found other venues to hold shows so that opened up a whole new customer base , this business is hit or miss sometimes and I came to terms with that finally , even if you work at it 110% things still happen but I also find that things happen for a reason , thanks again

I Offer a incentive to my hosts to get their parties closed within 72 hours after the party is over which I give them a FREE little product or something. I now get 97% of all of my parties closed within 72 hours.

Shelly