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i have been buying stamps, etc. from my stampin up demonstrator for about 4 years now....i am currently considering becoming a demonstrator because i have gotten into stamping/scrapbooking that much. i was wondering if anyone could tell me a bit about becoming a demonstrator. do you get good deals? is it worth the investment, are there any things i should worry about, as far as any little "catches"? i am looking at doing this within the next 2 weeks, and would like as much info as you can share! thanks!
Location: In the great northwest! Is there anywhere better?
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You get 20% of your sales. Or for your own order you are getting 20% off the retail cost. For me here in WA it covers my S&H. It works for me.
You do need a (quarterly )min. of $ 350.00 in sales to stay active. (get your discount , get into website. I can't think of anything else off hand.
P.S. any one feel free to correct me if I goofed on anything. :lol:
You only need to have $300.00 in sales every quarter to stay active. You don't have to do workshops if you don't want to. You can just sell to friends and family. You can even give them your discount.
Of course if you are not making money selling you are considered a hobbyist and cannot claim on income tax. At least that is how it is in Michigan.
I hope you sign up. It sounds like you would reap from the benefits.
Good luck in your decision making.
Sheryl
__________________ Sheryl see my gallery Enter my blog
Your demonstrator should be able to give you all this information if you ask. Unless you don't want to sign up under her?
I have been a demonstrator for 5 years and have absolutely enjoyed it. I have 2 kids and a full-time job so I started out doing it just for the discount but it has turned into so much more...
I met my best friend through Stampin' Up!
My family gets tax deductible vactions twice a year because of Stampin' Up!
I earn extra items every 3 months through Great Rewards based on my sales.
I earn extra stamps several times a year such as Sell-a-bration and Spring Into Action from Stampin' Up! for demonstrator sales and recruiting.
I host my own parties and earn hostess benefits and a commission to boot!
I get Stampin' Success Magazine every month from Stampin' Up! with lots of card ideas.
The Stampin' Up! demonstrator website has a pattern library with over 150 patterns I can download to use.
The Stampin' Up! demonstrator website has Stampers Showcase which gives me 3 or more new card ideas every day, including holidays!
There is so much more benefits I could list for being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. I love what I do and am so fortunate to have been introduced to Stampin' Up!
i don't necessarily have a problem talking with my current demonstrator about becoming one, but she is very unclear with me about the benefits. I feel like if I do sign up I should do it under her, since I have been ordering from her all this time...she should get the credit for me becoming a demonstrator if there is such a thing...I just don't feel like all my questions have been answered, and want to hear more from people that do this all the time. I am a stay at home mom with an active 2 year old, and am in a fast growing craft business...I think I would have a lot of fun, and do an excellent job as a demonstrator. The benefits are a definate plus too....I am just not one for jumping into something I dont fully understand...thanks for your input though...i appreciate it!
This is kind of long: I've only been a demo since May of this year. I had the same reservations. If you decide to be a demo, THAT IS GREAT!! The hardest part is taking the first step. One of my concerns was that, since I'm totally new to the whole stamping scene, was, what if I decide I don't want to do it anymore? I was bascially looking to be a "hobby" demo - doing it for the discount. I was worried that if I didn't perform, would someone come knocking at my door telling me I wasn't meeting my sales goals, tellling me I'd failed the contract, etc. etc. If you don't meet the $300 quarterly minimum, you are put on "pending" status and have an opportunity to make it up. If you decide you don't want to do it at all, that's fine - you are done - no one will come knockng at your door. Here I am only 2 months into my very first full quarter, and I've met the first half of the Stampin' Start requirements = make $1,500 in sales and earn 2 free stamp sets! No one I know, other than 2 women at work, knew about Stampin' Up! before I began. I'm trying to hold off bookings until the next quarter! I was sooooo afraid I wasn't going to be able to meet the minimums and I would be buying $300 worth of merchandise every quarter. And Wisconsin has one of the highest amount of demonstrators in the US! The discount is great, and your order can comes directly to your door! You can order just about any time you want. SU! offers GREAT incentives to the demos and, truth be told, it was a whole lot easier than I thought it would be! Jump in - the water is fine - you will have blast and learn a lot, and meet a lot of great people!! Wish you luck - keep us posted!! ~Pam
Location: Take off, eh? - to the great white north
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A word of caution - you do want to sign up under someone who will support you in your business, give you business pointers, hold downline meetings so you can chat with others, help you learn techniques you may not know etc. The person you sign up under does get a small % (from SU!) based on her own sales and your sales for the month. If this person won't help you achieve your greatest potential in this business (NOT HER bottom line) then don't sign up under her. She has had your business for 4 years; that is a lot of compensation already.
First, decide how much money you're willing to spend, either per month or per quarter. If you're just going to buy stuff for yourself, this needs to be about $100/month for you to stay active.
If you're not going to be spending that much, do you have the time or energy to put on a Stamp Camp, workshop or Stamp Club once a month?
If you answer no to both of these, I really wouldn't recommend becoming a demo. You either need to be able to put time or money into it to make it work.
Now, if you answered yes to either, then, heck yes...jump on in!
To answer your questions:
Quote:
do you get good deals?
Well, yes and no. You get all of the catalogs and mini catalogs free and about a month before customers get them. You earn a minimum of 20% on all of your sales, including the things you buy for yourself. You have access to the supply items like extra boxes and incentive stamps.
For the most part, I break even because I end up ordering a little bit on most of the orders that get delivered to me (like my stamp club).
Quote:
is it worth the investment?
The kit is a pretty good deal, if you don't already have the non-replacables in it (like a black ink pad, wheel handle, VersaMark, etc.)
To earn back the cost of the kit, you need to sell $1000.
Quote:
are there any things i should worry about, as far as any little "catches"?
You cannot sell on eBay. You cannot advertise your business on forums or message boards. Those are the biggest ones, I think.
If you go pending (don't make your minimums) you have one month to make it up or you'll become inactive. They don't send the Stampin' Police to your door or anything.
here is the situation with my demo person. When i first started with her, i would host a lot of parties and things when i would order stamps, it was a nice way to get together with friends, etc, and to learn new techniques. about a year of having parties, I had asked her about what it would take to become a demonstrator. (i was 6 months pregnant, was an assistant manager at kmart, and our store was closing, i thought it might be a good thing to do while i stayed home with my son) Anyway, she handed me the info, and said if you want to, just give me the money, and you're done! When I asked her own experience, she was very vague, and so it made me cautious, so i decided to wait until my son was a little older. Now, as he is almost 2 (this sunday) i have decided that this may be the best for me. My demo person has since had her own child, and is no longer willing to do demo parties. If i want to order something, i call her, meet her, and then meet her again to pick up the order. I just don't feel as if there is a relationship there anymore. So, as far as going under someone that would help me out, I just don't think she wants to anymore. However, I have no relationship with anyone else in this business to do it under them. thus, this is why I am coming here to ask questions. I have heard nothing but good things from everyone here about working for su, and i think i might try it. just a little worried about getting the direction i need. maybe that's something i just have to live with.................
Argh...I typed a huge response and it disappeared.
Ok here goes again....
I got hooked on SU through my sister. Then I moved several states away and wanted someone to do camps and stuff with. I went to the SU website and typed in my zip and emailed the demos it listed. One never emailed back. One emailed, but had no events scheduled. One emailed, but had nothing going on for 2 months. The last emailed and had lots of activities. We hit it off and I love it. I would highly recommend testing the waters with other local demos. My sister even said that when I sign up (I will, just not yet) to demo myself, she'll understand if I sign up under the other lady. She understands the importance of having an active/supportive upline. I think that this is your business you are starting and you need to start with someone who is devoted to it themselves and who honestly cares about how you do. If this demo isn't even willing to tell you all about it when you ask, then I would find someone else. The demo I got to camps with here has offered info to me a few times about signing up because she thinks I would be good at it. She doesn't even think I'd sign up under her and she is helpful.
Find someone who wants you to succeed, or it won't be as much fun!
Your concerns are very valid. You know, you can get a ton of support here. Granted, it isn't the same as having a living breathing person right there but....I am lucky to have a great upline. There is a group on here tho called SU Orphans for those who don't have uplines that are supportive, in the picture, itc. That might be something to think about as well.
__________________ Melissa Wadkins (Mel)
Peace begins with a smile.
Member #3785
Well, my experience has been great! I only signed up in June, and I've had three workshops (one at my house). I've already made back what I invested, and then some, and will definitely reach my stampin' start goals (=more free stamps!) I've gotten lots of good free stuff, and I plan to continue to use my profits to support my habit. Of course, that's all I'm really looking for-- a way to pay for all the stuff I want for myself, but I really enjoy all of it-- the workshops, the great ideas, getting together with other people who like to make stuff. I've been a dedicated scrapbooker for years, but I'm really starting to get into cards now, since I've become a demo, and it's just so much fun.
The way I look at it, as long as I don't spend more than I'm making, I can't get in trouble. When I get tired of it (yeah, right) I can just quit. No harm done. Even if I hadn't made back the price of the kit, it's alot of stuff I would have been glad to have anyway. I was a consultant for a popular direct sales makeup company, and I made inventory orders that sat on my credit card for years after I quit. There's no risk of that for me with SU, so I'm just going to enjoy it and see where it takes me.
Good luck with your decision! This site has been a big help to me.
Dawn
Location: I try to live in LaLa Land, but people keep interrupting me!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by donnastamps
Your demonstrator should be able to give you all this information if you ask. Unless you don't want to sign up under her?
I have been a demonstrator for 5 years and have absolutely enjoyed it. I have 2 kids and a full-time job so I started out doing it just for the discount but it has turned into so much more...
I met my best friend through Stampin' Up!
My family gets tax deductible vactions twice a year because of Stampin' Up!
I earn extra items every 3 months through Great Rewards based on my sales.
I earn extra stamps several times a year such as Sell-a-bration and Spring Into Action from Stampin' Up! for demonstrator sales and recruiting.
I host my own parties and earn hostess benefits and a commission to boot!
I get Stampin' Success Magazine every month from Stampin' Up! with lots of card ideas.
The Stampin' Up! demonstrator website has a pattern library with over 150 patterns I can download to use.
The Stampin' Up! demonstrator website has Stampers Showcase which gives me 3 or more new card ideas every day, including holidays!
Whew Donna!!! What a great list! I'd have you sign me up if I wasn't already! :lol:
I absolutely think you should sign up! :lol: But I agree with the others who say be cautious who you sign up under. It can be a little sad when your upline is not the most supportive. :? I have a similar problem with that right now, but she is my MIL which makes things a bit more complicated. But your upline is only a small aspect of your business. Especially when you have found the support from this website!
Here are the things I think you should consider.
becoming a demo means: working around YOUR schedule...when I started I had a 22 mth old and 2 mth old. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do parties or stay active since I was newer to the area and now a stay at home mom. :shock: But my mother and close friends kept my head above water for a bit, and now my business is growing. :lol:
There is no extreme financial risk...your initial start up cost is it. Buy your kit. Sell if you want, let it go inactive. All you have to loose is that great 20% discount as a demo. Your first order is an addition 10% off because it's free shipping. This company has really made it easy for people with all different types of budgets and lifestyles.
you can feel like you again...as a stay at home mom, sometimes its easy to loose your own identity and take on the wife/mom role. This gives you a creative outlet and helps build your confidence. I have met a great deal of new friends and have renewed old friendships all because of SU!
there are a variety of getaway opportunities...whether it's an SU! sponsored event or SCS event, there are always things going on to keep you in the loop. I went to a regional last year and had so much fun. It was just a day thing, but I spent the night in a hotel since it was a bit of a distance from my home. I needed that break and felt renewed when I got back home. This company really stresses the balance between FAMILY and work. Shelly is herself a mother to LOTS of girls and can understand that delicate balance.
I hope you consider this wholeheartedly and then find that there is really nothing to loose. I wouldn't trade this for the world. My goal is to make sure I meet that $300 us goal every three months!!!
thank you everyone for all the sound advice...i'm just waiting on my paycheck in a couple weeks... (i have a parttime job weekends only as a demonstrator for nutro pet foods) and im signing up....i think i will contact my current demo, express my concerns, and if she's not up for training someone new, then locate someone else to help me out...of course i always have scs to help me too, and this has been soooo soo helpful! thanks again, and i look forward to all the fun and excitement that comes with being a su demo!!!
I thought after sending it, maybe others of you would like to see this info also...
Hi.
I wrote a bit on the board, but wanted to just point out after reading a few posts, that you do NOT have to place any certain amount per month. It's just $300 per quarter. So if starting Jan-Mar you have a party on Jan 3rd and sell $250, you are only required to sell an additional $50 before March 31. Also, this amount is based on book price only. Not including taxes and s/h or the demo discount. So if you sell 10 stamp sets at 19.95, you've just sold $199.50 in sales and only have to sell $100.50. I also know that when you sign up, you only have to meet that quarterly goal in the first full quarter. So if your demonstratorship starts Sept 30th, your first full quarter is Oct-Dec. But if you sign up and your demonstratorship starts Oct 3st, your first full quarter is Jan-Mar. This might also be something you consider when signing up...
I've recently decided to become a Demo, too, and this message string has been so helpful. My big concern is this: I just moved to a new area and only know a couple people where I am. I'm sure my friends and family back home will buy from me, but I really want to do workshops and parties and stuff. I'm so excited about being a Demo, and I think I'll do well once I find people to network with, but what are some good ways to get my name out there, find people to hostess, etc.? I don't work outside the home, so it's not like I can meet people at work. Anyone have any great ideas or suggestions? I'd really appreciate it!
If you have kids join the PTA or the local MOMS club. I did both and bosted my sales, met new friends and networked like crazy! I networked through my kids activities too by giving handstamped items for EVERYTHING. I even handstamped participation awards for games at my sons' birthday parties. Get your kids those clear view binders and make them walking advertisements. Have them stamp some paper and slip it in there. They'll be able to change the covers whenever they want and other kids will get excited about it Instead of food at holiday times like Valentines, Spring Break, Halloween or Winter Holiday for kids, make up pencil pouches, bookmarks, ornaments, shrink plastic keychains or pins etc etc for the kids to give out at school. Make sure you put your label or name on it somewhere. Handstamped journals, note pad covers, postit holders, calendars and ornaments make great teachers gifts.
If you don't have kids...I give away handstamped (of course) bookmarks or postit holders to every cashier or checkout person that I encounter and put my labels on the back. Go to the park and stamp on a nice day, people will be curious and ask what you're doing. I've gotten a lot of business just sitting on my porch stamping. Grab the 40 guests worksheet that we give to our hostesses to work up a guest list and use it to find contacts for workshops.
Make phone calls! It's so much easier for people to forget or throw away a flyer or invitation. A lot of people find it hard to say no to a friendly voice on the phone. Especially if you tell them that it's FUN!
Remember, your family can have a book party too! Send them some cards you've made along with the catalog and hostess materials. You can also invite them into a Stamper's 10 or similar club. Just because they're far away doesn't mean you can't excite them with ideas...especially if you send out mailed or electronic newsletters!
Ok I think I've huffed and puffed about it enough...I'm getting myself too excited about my workshops tomorrow! hehe.
You can locate a demonstrator in your area using the demo locator on the SU web site. You can interview different demos if you have concerns about that. However, you can be very successful without a lot of upline support. I was gung ho when I started almost 2 years ago and read everything I could get my hands on. I was on Stampin' Discuss every day and the SU demonstrator web site. I was willing to try lots of differents things and really went after the business. I did all of this without my upline's help. My upline is nice and will answer my questions when I ask them but she wasn't always the best source for information. I called SU support whenever I needed a question answered quickly or went to my fellow demonstrators on Stampin' Discuss(the demonstrator discussion board on the SU demonstrator web site. However, now that I have discovered SCS I come here for quick answers. You will get just about any of your questions answered here quickly whether they are about a technique, advice on how to handle something, or anything else.
Good luck to you. You wont regret your decision to sign up!
Kathleen
__________________ I LOVE being a SU demonstrator! my gallery my blog
Steph - I think having support when you first start out is very important. I signed up in February and love being a demonstrator. My upline is very responsive, honest, and so supportive of me. Not only do I have her support, but the support of her upline as well. We have a very active group and I have learned so much.
I live about 45 minutes from you and work in Topeka, so I would love to get together with you (or anyone else who is thinking about becoming a demo) and share my experience!
Here's a couple of things that I haven't seen mentioned yet:
You cannot sell any current (those items in current SU catalogs) SU items on the internet. Ebay, Yahoo, or your own home page.
You cannot sell your hand made cards in any store. You CAN sell at bazaras and craft fairs, but you must use the official SU Angel Policy stamps on the back of your cards.
You can have a SU Recruitment Booth or a SU craft sales booth at an event, but you can't do both at the same time.
These are some of the things I was not told about before I signed up. Sure wish I had known about it.
Don't let these things discourage you. It sounds like you would really like doing demonstrations. I love going to SU workshops and the stamp club that my upline holds. I just don't have time to demonstrate. I have a demanding full time job.
wow....i can't believe all the helpful information i have gotten from just a simple post...lol...it must be a sign that i found this website when i do...now im kinda hooked....when i leave and come home, i am constantly checking the message boards to see what new things anyone has had to say, what great advice i will take, and so on......Now I am more excited than ever to become a demo! I feel like this would be a great decision for me, and now thanks to all of you, I know more and more helpful information every day that will keep me from getting myself in trouble, or finding myself lost!! i just wanted to say thanks again to everyone for your words and advice...it has been more helpful than you can know!!
Although I'm not a demo, I definitely think you should sign up. If you're worried about finding a good upline, try the su demo locator I was looking for a new demo because mine moved (still a little afraid to be a demo myself, even though I spend enough for two!).
I found a great demo who is excited and holds a stamp club every month and is open to suggestions and likes to try new things - but not before I had e-mailed 3 others in my area.
I think trying to talk to your demo first is a great idea, but if it doesn't work, find one in your area that you click with and go for it!
I have only been a demo for 6 months or so and so far love it - BUT - I agree totally that you should shop around for who to sign up under. I like my stampin up "mother" but she is 400 miles away. If I had it to do again think I would have stayed closer to home in an org that I liked and felt I could work with more. I, too am in overcrowded Wisconsin and basically only sell to family and friends, but would be nice to have more support
great news gals! i talked to my demo and i'm signing up! the funny part is she was actually wanting to talk to me about being a demo more, but didn't want to pressure me...that's why so vague! now i feel bad....but alas, all is well, and I am sure I will end up with a great upline! thanks again to all of you for all helpful info....i think sometimes people just don't think of the helpful things you might need to know in your decision making! i look forward to learning more and more as the newest member of stampin up!!!
su demonstrating
