As a Consultant of a Party Plan having Pizza parties can and is an easy way to hold more then 1 party in the same evening. 2 or 3 parties at the same time with only1 presentation.

Most often this is done at Pizza Places but not limited to just them. Often small restaurants will allow you to do this. For me, our local Carrow’s Rest. lets me take over 1 of their smaller side rooms for meetings and parties.

You have made the arrangements with the restaurant.

You have your Hostesses and done your hostess coaching. Set a closing date usually a few days after the party.

It's Party time!

Be sure to arrive early, let them know your there and start setting up. Ask if there is a certain person/waitress for you to go to, most likely the answer is yes. Get his or her name
Most party plans have party guidelines to go by for in-home parties and most of the evening this applies the same. Set up your display for your party. It is easier to bring less merchandise and try to not bring to many breakables. Something knocked off a coffee table onto carpet usually fairs well but the same item falling off a table at a Pizza Party lands on a hard tile floor.

If your ordering food for the evening work out the order before the party then just let them know an approx. time when you would like the food ready. You will want to give your presentation before they eat if you are passing your products around for them to touch.

Put out your regular catalogs and any flyers or product picture cards you do just like an in-home party on the tables.

Have each Hostess sit at the end of their table near you with their hostess package.

Check and make sure each Hostess has enough catalogs and order forms for their guests unless you plan to hand them out yourself. Having the hostess hold them before the party ensures the guests receive the right hostess form with the correct hostess name on it. If your new to having 2 or more hostesses, 4 or more tables of guests can make it easy to hand out the wrong hostess forms to the guests. Even experienced Consultants find this useful.

As guests arrive if you greet the guests ask who their hostess is and show them to their hostess tables. If the hostess sees and greets them 1^st have the hostess ask them to sit in their section of tables. While this is easier to know which guests go with which hostess if a few sit at other tables due to full tables, just make sure you get the right hostess order forms to them.

If your doing a drawing and had sent out tickets on the flyers be sure to have a basket for their tickets. Pizza Parties like large in home parties require both 1^st and last name or you may have 4 Debbie’s win!

* Before hand you should decide if you will be doing 1 drawing total or 1 per hostess.

When the guests have arrived and seated while waiting for the last few to come in, is a good time to ask for the pizza’s to be started. Most of the time this will give you 20 minutes for your presentation.

After a few parties you will know the approx. time you will want the pizza to be ready.

Your hostess can order the soda or other drinks anytime before the party begins. If the price is cheaper by the pitcher for soda let the hostess know.

Start the party off with introducing yourself 1^st.
Then ask each Hostess to stand up to be introduced to everyone. Besides letting the guests see the different Hostesses they also see it is a multi hostess party and may like the idea and remember it by doing the individual hostess intro. Out of the ordinary fun with the same individual hostess benefits.

If you are doing a multi party with another consultant you both should have time to be the demo person and the other can be the helper.

If you’re the only consultant make sure you walk the whole guest area. While the hostesses are in front of you the guests are usually at long tables facing you. The length of the table can be 4 guests deep so if able walk around the back area of the table 
( this is usually nearer to the center of the rest. ) and show them the merchandise and be as available to them as you are the front guests. At in home parties you usually have everyone the same basics distance on couches and chairs and not at tables or booths.
Make sure everyone can hear you and tell them if they cannot hear you at any time to let you know!

If you are showing merchandise give the item to the Hostess at one end and let it be passed down the table then when it gets to the hostess at table #2 pass it to the 3^rd table until it is at the end. This takes time so start on another product before the 1st one comes back. You can have a basket at the end for the items or be aware of them pilling up on the last table, grab them and put them back in your display.

While they are eating is a good time to play games. Usually a bingo game or another fun game .

As they are eating walk around and say hello to everyone. Remind them if you have a "shop and go basket " they can buy from it that evening. Allot of 1^st time Pizza guests will want to know more about it as potential hostesses. Having Pizza Flyers near by is helpful information they can have after you have walked away from talking to them. Just try not to look like a school teacher during test time as you walk around. Look like the friendly consultant that you are!

As they start to finish eating look around for anyone finishing up their order. This is the time when most guests place their orders. Know the shipping and tax if it is not on the form. Pocket calculators are great for this. * Make sure the correct guest orders get into the right hostess envelope! An easy tip for this is to give each hostess and her guests order forms a color code. Mark the hostess envelope and her guests order forms the same color. Hostess #1 can be blue, Hostess #2 red and so on. This comes in handy the next day when the guest has forgotten to put the hostess name on the form. Sometimes a guest will ask for a new form if they mess up the one they have and the hostess name may not be on it.

Be sure tell everyone when the party closes and merchandise will be delivered. Someone ordering a birthday gift in 2 weeks may not receive it on time if the party takes longer to close and Hostess delays payment.
The guest will be upset with you as the consultant!

If your doing drawing(s) at the end of the evening and you notice guests are leaving as your doing orders stop if possible and do the drawing. Ladies who tell their hubbies they will be home by 9 need to leave but still want to be in the drawing!

Finish the party up, thank everyone and set a time to call each hostess the next day. You can usually give them an approx total that evening but if they are still waiting for outside orders it may take a few days before the party closes.

* Extra tips:

Eating at the party means you cannot answer questions with food in your mouth.

2 guests coming in together may use 1 order form to save on shipping especially if one is ordering a $5 item with $4 shipping. So not all guests will have orders can mean 2 friends put their order together.

Giving each guest a ½ piece of paper with the catalog and order form can be used for games but I also tell them if they are looking through the catalog and see a gift they think mom would like to jot it down, or list items they like. Or even recommend they make a list of people on their gift giving list if it is around the Holidays. Your products also make great birthday gifts!

Remind them the Hostesses are receiving free merchandise ( and any other offers such as ½ price items) at the Pizza Party just like in home and she didn’t even need to clean her house!

Have a special place to put the hostess envelopes. Do not pack them with your merchandise even if running late. A large carry all just for paper work is a consultant necessity at any party. I use a big zippered bag I call a carpet bag for the orders and paper work.

Hostess packets are basically the same for all types of parties, in-home , catalog and Pizza Parties.
A Pizza Party flyer can easily be added to a regular Hostess Packet.

Cheat sheets on the side of your display table can be useful, keeping you on track ensures you do not forget anything important! A large party with lots of guests, 1 guest asking an off topic question(s) can make your mind go blank. The cheat sheets will be helpful to get you back on track! Most consultants even ones who have done it for years will tell you they have stood there and had their mind go blank at 1 time or another. I font my sheets to 14 so I can glance over and not pick them up to read. As I get to the end of a page I will flip to the next page as I reach for another product to show.

If you see a guest writing things down all evening chances are she is a party plan rep for another company or thinking of becoming one. If she is considering becoming one make sure to get her name and number and if possible mark it on her order form. * If she is already a P..P. Rep chances are she is writing down your game to use at her parties. If you see this offer to give her a copy of the game. I have given my copy away at parties knowing I can print more at home the next day. Other party plan reps are not your competition and having a friendly relationship with them can mean Hostess referrals both ways.

Make cards with color pictures of merchandise you do not have with you and place them on your display table and guest tables. This can be done inexpensively and putting them in single scrap books with laminate can make them last the selling season. * Ideas for pages. Under $10 gifts, candles page, if for the holidays a Santa page etc. etc. Most party plans will not have all their candles or other items all together on 1 page and guests can miss an item so putting candles or other products on a special page will be beneficial.

Always wear your name tag! Plus having extra catalogs and business cards on your display table means guests can take without having to ask since most will not ask for your business card but will take one if it is there!

      Here’s to wishing you successful parties in-home and Pizza ones!

When I work it’s a party! When we eat at work it’s a Pizza Party!

Author: Peggy Ross

Original written Sept. 1999 Updated Nov. 2004
Copyright 1999