Establishing a mail order Stampin' Up Demo

[sc magnolia]

I've seen some blogs where SU demos take mail orders.

Do you get many sales via mail?
What do you do to gain customers via mail and internet?

[NWstamper]

A majority of my customers are folks who don't live in my same state as me. A number of them are people I met when I lived in a different area, but many others are folks who found my blog, found my facebook page, or that I met through craft forums or friends of friends.

I do get regular sales from non-local customers and I appreciate those folks choosing to work with me as their demonstrator. I try to make it a great experience for them by staying in touch through email and phone during their order processing and after the fact. I also try to give them high customer service in ways that translate long distance, since I can't have them come over and see a product or try something out. Sometimes I'll mail a card using a stamp set or product they are curious about. I'll post tutorials or videos to help them understand a technique or see how to use a product. But every demo is different for what they do.

I also offer monthly card kits and instructions by mail for folks who aren't close enough to attend my classes. So, you just have to think of different ways to help and engage people who are interested in SU and your knowledge so they feel like they are not just placing an online order but are gaining a personal support person as their demo.

Does that kind of answer your question?

[sc magnolia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWstamper

A majority of my customers are folks who don't live in my same state as me. A number of them are people I met when I lived in a different area, but many others are folks who found my blog, found my facebook page, or that I met through craft forums or friends of friends.

I do get regular sales from non-local customers and I appreciate those folks choosing to work with me as their demonstrator. I try to make it a great experience for them by staying in touch through email and phone during their order processing and after the fact. I also try to give them high customer service in ways that translate long distance, since I can't have them come over and see a product or try something out. Sometimes I'll mail a card using a stamp set or product they are curious about. I'll post tutorials or videos to help them understand a technique or see how to use a product. But every demo is different for what they do.

I also offer monthly card kits and instructions by mail for folks who aren't close enough to attend my classes. So, you just have to think of different ways to help and engage people who are interested in SU and your knowledge so they feel like they are not just placing an online order but are gaining a personal support person as their demo.

Does that kind of answer your question?

Yes, Jennifer! Thank you soooo much I'm considering becoming a demo, but none of my friends are stampers, so I thought through a blog would be the only way I could reach customers. It would be hard to find people in this area as well because there already are 3 demos in town.
Thanks a million!!

[NWstamper]

Glad to help! I know that a lot of demos do the more "traditional" route and are mostly classes and parties; but there are a number of others who do both. I bet you still have some good opportunities in your town even with 3 demos, but there are tons of options in the online space. As long as you are willing to market yourself, it can totally work for you. The fact that you are thinking about it now will probably set you up well to get off and running when you get started. Good luck!

Oh, and don't limit yourself to just thinking about sales too. You can build a team and get recruits online as well. None of my team actually live near me (some were local when they signed up and some were states away) and I know other demo friends that have recruits they've never met in person too! So, you have that potential too.

[Allistamps123]

You may just find opportunities "fall" into place also. Go at it with the blog angle and then you just may never know what will happen after that. I started as a hobby demo because of a great sign-up offer. There were three demos in my small, rural area also.

Now I'm doing classes with one of these demos and opportunities just keep falling into place. You just never know where all this will go!