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How to Date Bookings from Your Shows

Now that you have a few bookings in your calendar, it’s time to build a chain. That is, a continuous flow of bookings from your Grand Opening or original show. There are many ways to get bookings for your calendar, but the first and most important thing to remember is, YOU HAVE TO ASK! 

The easiest way to get bookings from your shows is to have your Hostess help you! These are her friends and she knows them better than you!  She knows which guests like to host parties, so make her your partner not just the night of a party but from the time she books.  It’s always a good idea to offer your Hostess a special incentive to have two Pre-show Bookings! Offer her a free item as a bonus! You may pay $5 - $10 for this, but imagine how great you’ll feel when you begin your presentation knowing you already have two bookings lined up. You’ll be so excited and stress-free about getting the bookings that you’ll probably get more!

If she doesn’t have any Pre-show bookings, ask her who is coming tonight who normally likes to book shows. Make sure you get her on your side and remind her she will receive booking credits when guests book from her show. The last thing you want is a Hostess who doesn’t want you to ask her guests for bookings because she doesn’t want them to feel pressured. You can remind her that your job is to make sure everyone at the show knows the benefits of being a Hostess, and that everyone has an opportunity to host a show to earn free products.  At the very beginning of your presentation, make sure you present our hostess benefits program to the guests in attendance by showing them what the Hostess is working on. A great way to find out who likes to have parties is by asking the question, “How many of you have ever had some type of party before?” You’ll be amazed at the number of hands that go up! This shows you who your “Party Queens” are!

I know this sounds silly, but I have observed that very few Designers come right out and ASK anyone to have a party. The reason is simple...they are afraid of being "too pushy."

Let's get real about this. As women, we are always trying to please everyone and it doesn't work. One person at my party could think I was being pushy, while the other nine people thought I was doing a great job! Which do you want to focus on? Are you focusing on the one or the nine?

You need to realize that it's not your job to please everyone. Come right out and personally ask everyone at your party to book a party. Avoid saying silly things like, "If you would like to have a party, please let me know!" Wow, I bet the guests are jumping up and down and can hardly wait to set their date! Try this instead, "I realize you have probably seen a lot here tonight you would like to have. The good news is you can purchase a few of your favorite items and book a party to earn the rest! Our hostess program is fantastic!"

During your presentation of the product you will continue to plant “Booking Seeds.” You might say something like, “This is one of our Hostess Booking Gifts that is exclusive to you when you host a show,” or “The best way to receive this item is to book your show right away and I'll help you to receive this for free! Our Hostesses earn an average of $100 or more in free merchandise when they host a successful show.”  With the items in our line that are higher priced, suggest to her she can earn that item for 50% off when a guest books a show from her.

Your show presentation should be a continuous planting of seeds for bookings. After you’ve shown your items you might ask the group, “How many of you have seen four or more things that you like?” Almost everyone will raise her hand! You continue, “That’s great, the best thing to do is to purchase your favorite one or two items tonight to help your Hostess and book a show to earn the rest!” Before ending your presentation make sure you do a quick review of what a Hostess can earn. This will help plant the seed with guests who may have arrived late and didn’t hear you explain the Hostess benefits program at the beginning of your presentation. This is your final booking seed before you end.

You have to know our hostess program, forward, backward and inside out! You have to know the benefits, 1/2 price items, booking credits, and promotions, and it has to roll off your tongue without hesitation!

Remember, you will get what you ask for! If you want to continually have over $500 parties and three bookings, talk about what a hostess will receive with a $500 party and three bookings. You need to explain the hostess program at least three times during your presentation for it to sink in.

Always explain what a hostess receives at the beginning of your party. During the middle of the presentation use the hostess program and products to illustrate how much she will save by being a hostess, as well as how much she will receive in free credit. Example: "Susie has selected these items this evening which retail at $250. With a $500 party and three bookings, she'll receive these items for only $50, which is a savings of $200! You can save like this when you are a hostess!" When your presentation is finished and before you begin taking orders, go over the hostess program one last time.

Encourage the guests in attendance to make a list of everything they would like to have. You might say, "If money were no object, write down on your wish list everything you like!" It's easy to sell the idea of booking a party to a guest who has $400 worth of items she'd like on her wish list. When she comes to place her order ask, "Would you prefer to purchase this all tonight or would you like to purchase some of your favorite items and book a party to earn the rest?"

You want the guests to want a lot, but you have to be willing to ask for the order and the booking. Would you rather have the guest purchase $400 right now, or would you rather have her purchase $100 now and book a party to earn the rest? Be careful! The way you answer this question will determine your booking results!

To play or not to play a Booking Game! A “Booking Game” is a game of chance you play with your guests. There are several different ways to play, but the reasoning is that you are offering the guests a prize to take a chance at booking a show. This is a great way to begin if you are really new in the business and afraid to “ask someone to book a show.” Remember, the object of the “Booking Game” is to encourage the guest who is hesitant about booking a show to make a “Yes Decision.”

There are two different “Booking Games” that I have worked with over the years and both of them were very successful. The first one is “Pick or Pass.” I loved to use a basket decorated for whichever season we were in. I had a basket for Valentines, Easter, Summer, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In each basket I would have twelve decorated boxes, eggs or pumpkins (whatever you can find at the novelty stores).  Inside each of the boxes was a note that simply said, “Receive a Gift” or “Book a Show and Receive a Gift.” I would then have a coordinating decorated basket with inexpensive wrapped gifts that the guests could select from.

At the beginning of the game I would simply say, “Tonight we are going to play a little game to help Susie get her bookings. Inside the basket that Susie is holding are twelve boxes. The boxes all contain a note. Some of them say, ‘receive a gift,’ some say, ‘book a show and receive a gift.’ Susie will bring the basket around to you and you may pick a box or you may pass. If you pick, remember you need to do what the note in the box says. If it says ‘receive a gift,’ you will receive a gift and you may also book a show if you would like to.  If it says, ‘book a show and receive a gift’ you are the lucky one! You’ll receive a gift, you’ll receive lots of free and ½ price products and me for another few hours! If you are dead set against having a show, please just pass because we are here to have fun!”

The Hostess would then go around to all her guests and ask them to select a box. This usually works best when your Hostess is holding the basket because the guests will not feel YOU are pressuring them.  This game may also be played using two decks of cards. I generally split each deck in half and use the same two suits at one time. Example: use the clubs and diamonds from both decks. Hand out two cards to each guest and then begin calling the cards from the deck you are holding. You explain the game the same way. The only difference is that each guest will have at least two chances to pick a box when her cards are called. I always joke with the first person that says “Pass.” My answer is, “That’s OK, we’re women! We never make up our mind the first time! That’s why I gave you two cards!”

The second “Booking Game” is the “Envelope Game.”

For this game you need at least twelve bright envelopes that are decorated with stickers. Each envelope again has a note inside that either says, “receive a gift” or “book a show and receive a gift.” Pass one envelope to each guest at the beginning of the presentation and ask them to please not open the envelope. You will also need three or four different envelopes that are also decorated. These could be large bright envelopes that will fit a Hostess packet inside them. Have three or four “Mystery Gift Bags” with a discontinued item, chocolate, or a cute trinket from the dollar store. Explain the game this way. “Each of you has an envelope you received when you came in. In each envelope there is a note. Some notes say, ‘receive a gift’ and others say, ‘book a show and receive a gift.’ I’m holding Bonus Envelopes. The envelopes that I am holding all say ‘book a show and receive a gift and select a MYSTERY GIFT BAG,’ which I will bring to you the night of your show, as long as you select a date that is on my OPEN DATE SHEET. When I come to you, you may keep your envelope and do what it says, you may pass it back, OR YOU MAY TRADE UP FOR ONE OF MY BONUS ENVELOPES!”

Both of these games work very well and are easy to teach to the new people that you sponsor in the business.  If you are not playing a “Booking Game” but you are using a drawing slip or questionnaire for the guests, make sure you review it with them to insure that the questions are answered. Also ask for referrals of “party queens,” those who like to have shows.

Offer a bonus if their referral books a show! This will give you a last time to promote bookings to the group.  As each guest is placing her order make sure that you ask “Yes Questions.” “Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” “Did you see a lot of items you liked?” “Wouldn’t you love to be able to earn some of those items free?” As you are asking each “Yes Question,” it’s important to nod your head up and down. Doing this makes it easier for them to agree with you and consent to booking a party! When they answer “Yes” to the last question your reply is, “Great, I'd love to do a show for you! I have Tuesday the 25th or Thursday the 27th, which night is best for you?” It’s very important at this time to ask them a question to secure a booking.

DON’T ASK, “DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A SHOW?” This is a something or nothing question they can and often do answer “No” to. Remember most times she really doesn’t mean “No.” She really wants you to tell her more. Maybe she didn’t understand the Hostess Program and isn’t sure how it would work to her advantage.  Have her select her favorite items, then explain to her how she can earn them by holding a show. Taking a few extra minutes with her could mean an extra booking for you.  After the show is over, when you are helping the Hostess make her selections is the best time to go over her guest list with her. Ask her who could not make it to her show who might be interested in having one of her own. Find out why the person couldn’t make it and call her the next day to offer her a chance to host a show of her own! You might say, “Hi Susie, my name is Karen and I’m a friend of Diane’s. I did her show last night, I understand your son had a ballgame and you couldn’t make it. Diane told me that you are fun and outgoing and love to earn free things, is that true?” She’ll probably answer “Yes!” Continue with, “That’s why I’m calling you. Even though you couldn’t make it last night I wanted to offer you the chance to earn free items for yourself. I have Tuesday the 25th or Thursday the 27th available, which night is best for you?” Notice again, DON’T ASK, “DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A SHOW?”