SU! Upline-disappointed
 

I signed up with SU! as a new demonstrator for the special of $99. The upline I signed up under was offering a special for anyone signing up in her group a free stamp set of you choice. She was really prompt in answering all my e-mails I had about signing up as a demonstrator, but now that I have signed up she won't answer any e-mails, I guess the free stamp set was just to lure me in but wasn't really what she intended to do. It's just very discouraging to sign up and have my first experience be this with my upline. Anyone have a similar experience? How easy is it to change uplines?

Sorry to hear you are having such a tough time reaching your upline.

Perhaps she is having computer problems, or is out of town or ill? Have you tried calling her or checking with others in your group that know her?

Changing uplines is difficult at best. Have you contacted DS? They are so wonderful and always very helpful.

Since I signed up she has sent me a "welcome to the group" card, and I have received all the e-mails she has sent out to her downlines. Seems like her computer is okay if she can do that.

Sorry you're having problems. Before you signed up did you talk about what would happen once you signed up? Such as how quickly to expect a response to e-mails and phone calls, whether she has any "office hours" for her downline to contact her, and whether she provides some sort of a yahoo group or team blog where team members can help each other even when she's not available? Or perhaps maybe someone in her upline offers a team yahoo group or blog that you can sign up for now that you're a demonstrator?

As Michele said, there could be very valid reasons for an upline not to return your calls or e-mails quickly, like an illness, vacation (it is a holiday weekend and the last week of summer, so many people may be away), or family emergency. That's why it's nice when there is a group resource where you can get answers from others if you need them quickly. And that's why you should also sign up for the demo forums here on SCS. And the Stampin' Up! demo website has a whole section of the site called new demonstrator corner just filled with resources that can answer a lot of your questions, as well as lots of other free training resources.

I would encourage you to set up a mutually convenient time when you and your upline can talk (in person or on the phone) so that you she can train you on all the resources available to you if you have questions and she is not available to answer them, as well as to set a reasonable bench line for future communication frequency and speed of response.

Congratulations on joining the SU family and good luck with your new business!

I'm sorry to hear this as well. Since you are communicating by email, I take it that she does not live in your area.
I signed up when my demonstrator moved about an hour and a half away. I felt like it was going to be too far for me to get to many of her classes, so I signed up under her. She has been wonderful! When I first signed up, I got cards from two of her uplines. She took a while, but made me some beautiful things, which were well worth the wait! She let me know what was available as far as upline meetings go, and I have really enjoyed being a part of two of those groups! She makes it to most of the meetings, despite the distance (and gas expense). She encouraged me to go to convention with her, and we had an amazing time! It has been absolutely wonderful!
If you aren't getting these kinds of benefits; in fact, not even an email, you might want to drop; wait six months, and sign up again. In the meantime, you can research who will give you wonderful support. I know it would be an expense, but you can get different items in your kit, and it just might be worth it for you. I would definitely look for someone fairly close by.

My upline dropped out of SU a few years ago. Luckily for me, I found this site. Also, someone a few levels above me invites me to her meetings and helps me out whenever I need it. I too recommend that you sign up for the demo forum. Everyone here is friendly and always glad to help out a fellow demo.
Sorry you have had a bad experience so far!

Thanks for the helpful answers. My upline does live in another state so I am glad I have other resources. I will join the group on here so that will help too.

The Demo forum here is a wonderful resource. My upline lives an hour away, but I'm not always able to make the meetings due to kids schedules. I found a wonderful group of ladies through SCS who are Demos and live closer to me. We get together share ideas and have tons of fun. So even if you are not close to your upline, or the support isn't want you wanted it to be you can still be very successful and get lots of support. I'm sorry to hear that you have been having problems getting in contact with her.

If it's any comfort, the same exact thing happened to me. I find the demo side of SCS to be a great source of information.

If you have her phone number (which you should if you signed up under her) then you should give her a call.

She may be sending mass emails to all her downline, that doesn't mean she is reading her email though. I had a girl I used to buy CM from that had a massive downline and told me once that she had very limited time on her computer, she would send out an email and then told her downline to call her if they had questions because she just didn't spend the time online.

Giving it the benefit of the doubt, give her a call - it is a holiday today, I would call her around 7 pm tomorrow night if she doesn't work from home, otherwise try her at home during the day.

I would definitely email her especially because it sounds as if she hasn't given you the free set that was promised as part of the deal. She definitely should provide you with beginning demo type training.

Hi

Anyway when we send emails it does not mean that the person does get it and/or read it for multiple reasons so the only way to make sure to get in touch with someone is the phone

I'm sorry you are having problems. Keep e-mailing her. Stay on her with questions.

Also, the free stamp set with the $199 starter kit is a promotion through Stampin' Up! Not through her so I do hope that she follows through with her own special!!

I was just going to ask if perhaps there was some confusion about which starter kit got the free stamp set. The $99 starter kit does not include the free stamp set.