Workshop help..??
 

I am looking into signing on as SU demo.. wanted to get some advice on what you do at your workshops? How many attend? Get your orders? what do you put out to work on or do you leave up to individuals to work on what they want to.. kind of an open forum type.. Any and all advice from some seasoned SU demonstrators would be appreciated~ Thanks in advance...:confused:

Most demonstrators do around 3 projects for a workshop - some may be just demos, some may be make and takes. You want to have your project all prepared and hand out one set of cardstock to each person. A free for all is not usually a good idea because it could get costly with your supplies. Although some demos do a stampers night or PMS night where you offer your space for a fee and people can use your stamps (but not cardstock). There are lots of different formats you can use for workshops, classes and clubs. Try a combination of events and see what works for you. We have a forum you can join after you are a demo with lots of great ideas and advise on types of workshops and classes.

Sorry, I am not a demo but I may have some ideas from the customer side. I am a customer and usually host 2 workshops a year. My demo generaly does the same format for her workshops: she preps for as many guests there will be and one more for her to demo as the guests make the card. There are 3 cards for a workshop. She asks me what occasions I want to do.

Usually she will demo a new technique and/or tool, as well as one card using the current In Colours.

She will ask me the level of experience of the guests, if there are any newbies who need a really basic walk through or if all are seasoned and can do more complicated projects. If there is a combination, I will usually assist the new one(s) as I make my card. (I could be the demo... but I don't want to!)

I can seat 8 or 9 and like to have that many. I have my regulars who always come, and if someone can't, they often give me an order. She keeps the workshop open for a couple days to accomodate any late orders.

Thank you all.. I am making out notes as we "type" lol.. Much appreciation for your input and suggestions!

For my workshops and because most often it's the same group of gals I do two make & take cards. They each make along with me and then I meet with them to place their order while the others are having a snack and looking over the catalog.

I also hold classes which I charge a fee for. This fee depends on what I'm offering. Usually around $30 for a dozen cards or so. Sometimes the classes aren't for cards. People often order during those as well.

Another option is a stamp camp and I design these around a specific stamp set that is included in the fee. So for maybe $40 each person gets their own stamp set that I've prepped for them and all prepped supplies and my direction for making projects/cards. I've moved away from having much food wise for these.

I also offer email specials through out the year, card kits if people can't make it to classes.

Really you can make it be whatever works for you and your group of customers. I have some customers that simply email me with a supply list and I email them back a total :-)

My one piece of advice tho is if you feel like you really truly want support in your business develop a relationship with a demo and then sign up under that person. I don't need a lot of support so having my upline farther away is no big deal for me

that is awesome advice.. the upline I would sign up under actually lives across town from me so that will help too.. :) thanks so much.. I love getting all this wonderful advice! thanks so much!!

I attend workshops put on by two different demos. My main demo offers a once a month stamp night and rents the local libarary for $5.00. She brings treats. She has six card centers set up. We go from table to table and everything is cut out and ready to go. She moves from table to table to answer questions. She charges $9.00 for six cards. She does not require a minimum purchase each month. She keeps all the hostess benefits.

The other demo offers workshops also at a different library. She might offer a workshop every other month. She sets up the stations just like the above demo. Requires no minimums either. She also keeps hostess product. She offers 10 cards for $15.00. She has snacks available too. She sometimes does duplicates and offers sets of three. So we do three of the same card. I think we do 18 cards for $30.00.

I also would NEVER advise to put out materials and then let people do what they want!

this is how i run my workshops, too. Usually one to two cards and a little 3-d item.
I do other types of events as well, some that don't require a purchase, but the fee (for the cards, frames,whatever they may be making) pays for my re-stocking of supplies.
The basic workshop format is pretty standard and on the SU website, there is a bunch of training info to help you get started as well.
The demo that you plan to sign up under(i think you said she lives in town with you) would be a great resource as well. Does she do your workshops now, what do you like about them, what would you change.
Good luck and remember, it can't hurt to try!

I have a great demo. We go to her house once a month. We take turns being the hostess. The hostess brings a snack of some kind. My demo makes a small 3 D item and gives it to the hostess. She then demos 3 or 4 cards and gives them to the hostess and then we all make a card. She has no minimum order amount but she has no problems getting orders. I myself spend at least 100.00 a month from her. Sometimes more. There are 8 of us. Sometimes one of us brings someone with us. Anyway she does a bang up job. Her name is Micky Lavinder.

best advice-try and meet your minimums in the 1st month of each quarter. this way you allow extra time to reach the minimum. better than trying in the last month with no time left.
also buy slowly. ask about borrowing currents sets from your upline/others. just have a clear understanding between yourselves.so there are no hard feelings/falling out w/ each other.

I do mine differently. I do two cards, and they make both cards. The hostess either has one or two tables, depending on how many come and how much room she has. If we have two tables I set a card at each table and if not, we do one and then the other. Most of my workshops are with my normal group of girls with a newcomer every now and then so I focus on walking them thru, unless it is something totally new then I will show them. But I tend to do more one on one helping where needed.

I have been doing this for many years and I do things a little differently now than I did in the beginning and it is so easy to get overwhelmed with "ideas" when you are starting, so you just have to do what feels good for you and what works best for your customers.

What I have figured out over the years is that what my customers like most about my workshops is the no pressure approach. I used to do the whole spiel and catalog tour and demo and then a make and take, but I have found that my customers want to get together and stamp with their friends and oh yeah, order some stuff while they are there. So my seasoned customers get a very short intro to the catalogs and an invitation to let me help them individually if they need it when they are ready to order and then we stamp two projects. I get input from the hostess on what she wants to stamp, but I usually have about 6-10 projects planned for any "season" and I choose or she chooses from those. Newer groups get a little more detailed product introduction, but it is still short and sweet and then I turn them loose to stamp two projects. Any more than two projects just takes too long for me. Small groups all share supplies and stamp one project at a time. Large groups (10 or more) get a step by step approach where I pass the supplies around the table Or I demo the projects and we break up into smaller groups.

My workshops are simpler projects and I offer stamp camps for more detailed projects and for hostesses who just want their guests to pay a fee, because they feel they aren't that interested in ordering product. For these groups I use the camp fee to purchase supplies and stamps and the hostess gets to keep the stamps and pads when they are done.

Bottom line, when you sign up, get on the demo forum here at SCS and you will get more business ideas than you will know what to do with. Then just do trial and error till you get a comfortable fit for your business goals and for your customers.