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Location: PennsylKansaFlorida...with two uber-cool Spammies!
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Bad demo or simply overwhelmed demo?
I was first introduced to Stampin' Up! 3 years ago. I have been a SU demo for 2 1/2 years now. I signed up under my best friend who had only been a demo for less than a year at the time. She signed up under someone who has since moved away. My friend stopped demoing (due to very busy lifestyle) only about 3 months into my demonstratorship. SOOO, I'm here, I guess considered an orphan (though I do converse with up upline in email). I never learned much more than the basics of being a demo when I started. I found this site a year after I signed up. I am STILL learning so much, and I learn something new almost everyday.
Here is my point...When I learn something new about our products or a new helpful tip, I try to let my customers know, but frankly, there is just no humanly possible way to let my customers know EVERY tip I have learned on here at every workshop. Otherwise they would never go home! I try to fill them in on the basics, but I certainly don't want to overload them.
I guess my main reason for posting this is to say that there is no required training course for all of us to take when we sign up (though many helpful tipsif you have the time to read them). Some of us have great uplines to guide us, but some of us do not. I spend a LOT of time on here to better my business for my customers and myself, but I am ONLY human. I feel that some posters on this site need to remember that about many SU demos. I can only tell my customers so much at one sitting. If I think of it, I'll say it, but I don't always remember to say everything I should at every workshop. That certainly doesn't mean that I am deliberately trying to keep things from my customers.
Yes, I tend to focus on the positive aspects of Stampin' Up! at my workshops. Who wants to hear negative things about the company whose products they are just learning to use? However, I do TRY to give them the helpful tips (such as the rubbing the rubber on jeans to get the ink to stick tip) while I'm demonstrating.
I was only a hobby demo for the first year and a half (reason I signed up), but then I realized I can actually begin to make a profit in this business...why?...because there are a LOT of people who love Stampin' Up! products! There must be a reason for this. It's not like demos need to brainwash customers into buying the product, and customers aren't stupid, they're not going to shell their money out for stuff they don't want or enjoy using.
Of course Stampin' Up! is not a perfect company. there are going to be a few defects get by or a few things not make it into the box before mailing. I challenge you to find a company, ANY company, that has never had a defective product get through their inspection line or never have things missing or broken upon arrival from the mail. However, the reason Stampin' Up! has SOOOO many loyal customers is because of the way SU handles their occasional problems.
INMHO Stampin' Up! is a great company and I for one am really proud to be a part of it.
Sorry this is SOOOO long.
__________________ Judy the booty spammy My SU site!
I'd rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special...
I think you are a human demo! Hobby demo or not, I think people should enjoy what they do or it's not worth it. So, don't feel bad if you forget things every once in a while.
If you told your customers everything that they needed to know all at once, then they would have no other needs than purchasing from you. The beauty of stamping is the variety of ways to use the art. Enjoy it without pressure. Because no matter what your reason for being a demo (hobby or profit), your line of business is a hobby. Enjoy!
__________________ Ariana
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
-Les Brown
I, too, started as a hobby demo and I still consider myself a hobby demo since I only have about 3 people who purchase from me. I've never done an actual workshop as we're just friends. I think the reason why I haven't done a workshop is due in part to some of the reasons who wrote about. So, don't feel like you have to remember to tell them everything....like someone else said, if you did, then they wouldn't have much reason to come back to you other than to buy more stamps.
I think we're all the best demos we can be. And that's the great thing about SU! I have a full-time job, so I can't always be on top of SU! stuff as much as I might like. But that's OK! I'm able to run my business the way I want to, and that is the biggest reason why I LOVE SU!
Hi Amber, I think the reason for rubbing a stamp on jeans (or a brown grocery bag or with a pink eraser) is to get rid of the "sheen" on new stamps, particularly large area stamps that prevents even inking. (Some even suggest rubbing with veryfine grit sandpaper.) anita
My demo sends out a quarterly e-mail newsletter. Actually it has been a bit more often since SU has been doing more promotions now. She says she keeps a list of new tips & techniques for herself. She shares some subset of them in her letter along with SU specials and any websites she discovered that were good resources. Simple as that. Customers are happy to get info, what ever subset it is.
I've sat though about 20 parties done by the same Demo & gone to at least 15 stamp camps, by the same demo & I learn something new every time!! She says almost the same thing @ all of the parties but I've learned more so it makes more sense or I'm not talking @ different times & hear different parts of the demo!!! :oops: Some of the tricks she told us in the beginning she's had to come back & tell us they don't really work... :?
The customers grow with the Demo!! :shock:
__________________ As we slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way!
I am confused by your post? Are your customers complaining because you are not teaching them enough, or were you just venting because of the negative comments that are sometimes posted on here?
I am not a demo, so I would not have a clue as to how you should run your business. But if your customers are complaining, well I think they are just rude. I have had some bad demos and some good demos over the several years I have been stamping. But I know there are just too many techniques for one person to learn and remember, let alone teach to a room full of other people in a couple of hours. But one demo I had also sent an email newsletter like someone posted previously. Or maybe you could keep a notebook full of the techniuqes you are learning and tell your customers "I will teach 2 new techniques at every show" Something like that. So if they are complaining, well now they won't have anything to complain about anymore.
Good luck!
I went to my first SU! party seven years ago. Got very slowly into stamping. A couple of us got our demo - who was an acquaintance - to start doing workshops, almost monthly.
She started basic. We woud usually do 4 cards, and she would introduce one new technique each time. Dry embossing one time, heat embossing another, etc. etc. and the other cards would reinforce other things we'd learned.
I don't think you need to get every tip into one workshop! Unless you are one of The Incredibles, it's probably impossible! LOL
Keep a positive attitude, take your time, watch people work and give tips - use their mistakes as opportunities. I remember one early party where we were doing a "Monkey See, Monkey Do" - we copied her as she did the cards - and one girl did something totally backwards. After a moment of looking at it, the demo was able to show her how to turn it into a card that was simply different from ours!
Enjoy it, people pick up on that!!!! And good luck!
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
First off, I am not a demo. There's no way you could possibly teach your customers everything in the short amout of time you have at a party. I first got into stamping with a group of ladies at work so it was always the same group at the party with a couple of ladies who were getting "sucked in" to the addiction. Our demo geared most everything towards more experienced stampers. She would always ask the hostess ahead of time what technique or product we were interested in like eyelets, heat embossing, etc. Then she would have something new to WOW us with like Polished Stone.
I think an e-mail list would be a great idea. You could always attach a picture of a new technique as a tease to get them to book a party to find out how it's done.
__________________ The only thing better than a good friend is a good friend with a bag of M&Ms.
Here is an idea. At one of my demo's 10 clubs we learn at least 4 new techniques each time. I am sure that is a challenge for her since several of us have not missed a month in several years. Additionally she gives us one sheet of tips every other month. On the odd months we stop at her computer on the way in and type 1-2 tips and each add to the page. When the evening is nearly over, she simply prints one for each of us.
There is so much to digest. And more keeps pouring in, especially when you spend some time at SCStampers. There is NO WAY that one person can do or know it ALL. The beauty of this forum is being able to pick and choose what interests you and you will probably find posting that can add to your skills.
I have tried to become an expert in different areas. However, I do not have the patience for it; even more, I don't have the NEED for it.
Consider offer a monthly or bimonthly open house for your friends/customers. They won't feel the pressure of "being the hostess". Introduce a new set, technique, color family-whatever is of interest to you and let your guests come along for the ride. It is a waste of effort to try and anticipate what will excite others. Remember KISS-keep it simple sweety.
__________________ Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be!
If your question was: "Am I a bad demo because I've done my best to make it in spite of not having the best support; and I do fabulous things for my customers because I really care about them and my business; and no I don't remember to or even get a chance to tell them everything, etc, etc, etc" then NO! You are an awesome demo and should be proud of yourself.
On the other hand, the sentiment that if you give someone a fish... you know the one. It does work the other way, so simply turn that thought around in your mind that you keep giving them enough that they can do it on their own, but look to you for inspiration. That's the best way, LOL.
Truly, be proud of yourself. Go back and read your own post but see it from another's eyes. You rock, girl!
Another thought if your main concern is that you're not giving your customers enough techniques. Have a "techniques club". At our club (I'm the customer not the demo) we meet once a month. We learn a new technique or 2 each month. There are six of us in the club and we rotate who is "hostess" each month and agree to spend a minimum each month. I've learned tons without having to learn it all at once. It's also great to have something new to look forward to each month!
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Originally Posted by gbbren
I am confused by your post? Are your customers complaining because you are not teaching them enough, or were you just venting because of the negative comments that are sometimes posted on here?
My customers do seem really grateful for all that I show them. I am blessed there. I was probably doing a little more of the latter. I read so many posts of customers blaming the demos for not telling them about certain tips or warning them about how to take care of their product or keeping sales from them so that the demos can reep the rewards, and I guess I just wanted to post on this forum to all that if your demo should SEEM that she is doing any of this, that she really may not be, she just may be a bit overwhelmed by all the info out there. Demos are human! We love what we do and I'm betting all us REALLY love to share the fun!
Thank you all for your responses. I have taken a few of those ideas into consideration. Now, I really need to get off of here....within the next few hours ....to go and stamp!
__________________ Judy the booty spammy My SU site!
I'd rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special...
My demo shares 1 or 2 techniques at each stamp camp, and at our monthly club meetings. That way she is not overwhelmed and neither are we-if she taught us everything she knew at 1 meeting we'd never remember it all. Relax & have fun-if you do that your customers will pick up on that and join in your enthusiasm...on the flip side they'll pickup on your stress, and YOUR CUSTOMERS are the only people you need to be concerned about. People on message boards will always have complaints, but they are not about you specifically.... so don;t stress over it. If your cosomers want to know something I'm sure they will ask if you miss it-I know the ladies in my group do....
Bad demo or simply overwhelmed demo?
