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i have always thought of signing up to be a hobby demo, but don't think i would really want to do the shows etc. i order so much stuff i feel like i should get the discount!!! If i were to sign up with no intention of hosting parties or stamps camps, how much would i have to order to stay active? i don't have a current demo nearby that i feel loyal to, as other than placing my own show orders, have not been to a party or stamp camp. if i don't get any help from her, i might as well buy my own stuff, yes?
any thoughts from you professionals?
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Marni - SCS #14788 and SU Demo
My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate. Thornton Wilder
Hi! The minimum to stay active is $300 a quarter. Not at all hard to meet! Plus, even if you don't want to do shows, someone will probably find out you're a demo and want to order at some point! HTH. Feel free to PM me if you have other questions!
I have been a hobby demo now for over a year. I do not do any shows or camps of any kind. I have a small group of girlfriends that comes over at least once a month for us all to stamp together. Sometimes they place orders and sometimes they don't. The SU! minimum is only $300 per quarter - that's only $100 per month! Easily done - and not entirely by myself (but mostly! :lol: :oops: ). I have found it very easy to meet the minimum and this way I get all the benefits - from the discount to the hostess benefits! Good luck with your decision! I hope I've helped you in some way.
I think when I sign up I might try the stamp camps and maybe a show a quarter. Will make it easier on my pocketbook, cause just thinking about $100/month on 1 income isn't to nice. I think stamp camps would be fun, might just do them at our church hall. I see in the paper we got on Tuesday there is someone that sells SU that is having a 10/10 and a 20/20 class coming up... I might just join in and see what she does
I've been a demo for a little over a year now. My mother stamps a lot (!) and between the two of us we have met my minimums. I have finally, however, put together a Stampers 10 Club that meets tomorrow for the first time. This group will be meeting my minimums if it works out okay. I have done more open houses than workshops and those have helped with my sales.
If you have a group of friends that stamp...you may want to consider starting a "stamp club" ...i.e...10 people who agree to purchase $15 worth of stuff each month for 10 mons. and they take turns being the "hostess"...I had a great response to this idea...everyone loved getting a chance to be hostess without having to have a party, etc.... this gives you $150 party each month (usually ends up being 200-400 actually!) which satisfies the quarterly quota and gives you a little inccome to "reinvest" in your stuff :lol:
I wish EVERY home based business could sound this simple! I am just getting out of being a CM consultant (was one for two years), love the products, but as for trying to be a 'hobby' consultant, it just doesn't work. Our minimum in Canada is $750 in a quarter, and that has to be in ONE of the months of that quarter, and it is NOT cumulative.
If they ever change that though (by lowering the minimum or making it cumulative over the 3 months), I may consider trying it again, because I just love the products that much! And the company is very supportive. But for now, I'm not enjoying doing classes and shows anymore, and my 8 or so loyal customers just can't spend enough for me to be able to order that minimum!
And I'm not knocking CM or any other CM consultants out there, I just find it hard from my perspective. Many on our team are very successful at being CM consultants, just not me! ha ha ha!!!
I think SU! has the right idea though! The easier it is, the more demos you'll have no?
Other than the easy $300 per quarter quota, you get a monthly magazine. You ALSO get a chance to order mini catalog sets a month before they are available. You ALSO get access to their demonstrator site, which has lots of samples (although not as many as SCS!). So, hey, if you're spending almost that much anyway, I say GO FOR IT!! :lol:
Definitely buy your own stuff--at a discount!! When I proposed the demo idea to my husband he said, "so you have to spend $1200 a year...that's less than you spend right now on scrapbooking stuff...do it and limit yourself to $1200 a year." I sent my papers in the next day!! The best part is that my business has taken off and I get free merchandise that I don't count towards my $1200 mandate from my husband !!
Go for it and have fun!!
Lisa
I have been a demo for 5 years and seen lots of changes in the company. You won't find it difficult to maintain the $300 minimum quarterly sales if you're purchasing that much now. I just wanted to do SU for the discount for my own purchases too, but found it was so much fun to have people I knew come over and stamp with me. Now I'm doing stamp classes in my home and limit the space to no more than 10. We make so many different things and cards too and have so much fun doing it. I invite my few steady customers and some friends and family and we have a blast. After we're done stamping and sharing our ideas, we eat a really fattening desert (since I love to bake) and have a little pop or juice to go with it and chat for a while. It's a really nice way to spend an afternoon or evening without hubbys or kids and the clean-up. The joy of being a demo for me is that I choose how I want to run my business. That way I can always make it fun for me and my friends.
__________________ LeAne SCS#2819 & Grandma to Lindsey! [email protected]
thanks to all of you for your words and advice. i may give it a whirl after the holidays are over... what is the best time to sign up to make quotas easily - i know sellabration is always good - what are your other best months? when the new catalog comes out?
i love the stampers 10 idea - wish i knew 10 stampers around here. we are military and move a lot. our last place i had a whole group of friends to stamp with, but so far no luck here... must keep looking i guess.
again - thanks for all the advice ladies... happy stampin
__________________
Marni - SCS #14788 and SU Demo
My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate. Thornton Wilder
If this helps any, my catalog club is 6 people that spend 25....its easier to get 6 people to commit to 25 for me than 10 people....and they get together once a month and still usually spend more than the 25 they have to
I've been a hobby demo for 5 years! And the only time I had any trouble at all with the $300 per quarter was when I was off my part-time job for 4 months because of knee surgery. Yes, I admit it...I work part time just to support my habit! There have actually been quarters when people made me do workshops and I didn't even have to dip into my job money for the minimum. (That doesn't mean I didn't go ahead and BUY my $300 worth.) Oh, and something else that the others left out--I received my five year pin with a diamond in it! What other company do you know that gives you a diamond for buying their product for five years? Go ahead and take the plunge! If you can't make the minimum, you really haven't lost anything. And I think you'll find that just the fun of being a demo will make it worth every penny. But don't let me talk you into anything... :P
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Patra
So very blessed and so very thankful.
God is good.
what happens if i don't make my minimum? if i understand i go on warning status or something, but then what. if i eventually don't make it, do i need to return things, or am i just "fired"!!! thanks again for the help...
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Marni - SCS #14788 and SU Demo
My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate. Thornton Wilder
Theres nothing to return, basically what happens if you dont make your minimum is you go into pending status, and you have that first month of the new quarter to make up the difference from the last quarter, plus 100$ for the new quarter, but that hundred dollars goes to the current minimum. Everything you have from your time as a demo is yours to keep
I would go for it. It's not that hard to make the quarterly minimum. And if you buy a lot why not get the discount. Help yourself. If for some reason you dont make the quarterly $300 requirement, the following month you have to make up the difference, plus $100. If you still dont then you are "dropped".... You keep everything that has been sent to you, you bought it as part of you kit. And the kit and add on is such a good deal now. You get to pick your stamps and color group... when I signed up I was given specific sets and Bold Brights paper...... Hope that helps. And who knows, once you get into it and your friends find out you may be the best demo in your area ;o). Christmas is coming and stamps make great gifts. Good luck and keep us posted.
Blessings
Kristy
wish i knew 10 stampers around here. we are military and move a lot.
I'm a military spouse too! I signed up when we just moved here. My first event was running a booth at the Officers' Spouses' Club Super Sign Up. I went as a demo, not a crafter. I had a door prize giveaway. I got my entire customer base from there! I met a lot of great ladies who love to stamp. A couple of ladies signed up for workshops. 10 of them came to my open house and I had a $550 party. I started a Stampers' 10 Club comprised entirely of military spouses. Last week I just had my first stamp camp. My point of telling you all of this is that you can build a customer base in the military.
If some chance you don't make your minium..you go onto pending status for one month. You have that next month to make up what you are short plus $100. So to break it down. If I only sold $150 in the months July, August, & September; on October 1st then I would go into pending status. Come October 29 (last business day of the month) then I would have to sell/buy $250 to become active again. If you can not make it then you do not return anything (because you have bought it) and you can resign up. If you resign within the first 6 months, you have to resign under the same person you where just with. If you wait until the 7th month then you can sign up under anyone. Now with you in the military I do know that if you get shipped overseas then you no longer have to worry about quarterly minimums. (I learned that from someone that I know that is in England now.) So, I hope this helps. You will find that on SU website there is another forum, not as nice as splitcoaster but nicer than some out there. Almost every demo that I know is very nice and wonderful to work with. Hope you decide to take the plung because you will never regret it.
Our minimum in Canada is $750 in a quarter, and that has to be in ONE of the months of that quarter, and it is NOT cumulative. ...And the company is very supportive.
I don't know much about CM consultant-ship , however, it sounds to me like the differences are to discourage hobbyists... Not sure about the business strategy, but I guess that forces individuals to be consumers, generating higher revenue for the remaining consultants.
I love CM products, and am brand-loyal for my scrapbooks so PLEASE don't take this as a flame.
I just became a demonstrator in August of this year and I am having a great time! I started out by hosting an open house (in my home) and I just invited everyone I could think of - friends, family, co-workers, people I work out with at the gym, neighbors. I ended up with about 23 guests! Since then, I have had 2 more parties and both of those went well. Stampin UP also has a special where if you sell $1200 within your first 3 months you get to pick 2 stamps sets - for FREE! Well, I earned those 2 sets in addition to earning my 20% instant income!
I figure even if I don't have a lot of parties each month, it still gives me the opportunity to buy my stamps and supplies at a discount. I even attended a regional conference in my area and got a stamp set as part of the conference. It was really a fun day - got to watch demonstrations, got some great suggestions and motivation from experienced demonstrators, and got to spend hours stamping! So far, it has been a great and very worthwhile experience!
Also remember that when we say you need to order $300 every quarter, after your discount that only comes out to $240... not as daunting! If you're just purchasing the minimum yourself, it doesn't matter if it's considered "income" or just a "discount".
Our minimum in Canada is $750 in a quarter, and that has to be in ONE of the months of that quarter, and it is NOT cumulative. ...And the company is very supportive.
I don't know much about CM consultant-ship , however, it sounds to me like the differences are to discourage hobbyists... Not sure about the business strategy, but I guess that forces individuals to be consumers, generating higher revenue for the remaining consultants.
I love CM products, and am brand-loyal for my scrapbooks so PLEASE don't take this as a flame.
just a curious marketing approach
I am a CM consultant right now (will not longer be after Nov) and it does kinda seem to discourae hobbyist. I started b/c I wanted to get my product at a discount but I did not want to have classes or shows. i have been a CMC for a year now and it has never really been hard for me to get orders but $500 retail (US$) in one month is hard if you do not have out side orders, if the made it over a 3 month period it would be a lot easier. There is talk of them doing this soon. I think it would also be easier for a hobbyist in CM when they first started scrapbooking then after they have been doing it for awhile b/c you already ahve the big ticket items. The only other thing that I can see that helps is that you can keep inventory with CM unlike SU and you also get free shipping if your order is $800 retail if not then shipping is only $15 no matter what the retail amount is below $800.
Actally it can be even better than $240 for $300 in product! If you bunch your purchases up into one month, you get a volume discount for the month - 4% on anything over $250. This brings your price down to $228 for $300 in product. (Plus the hostess benefits and any specials that SU! offers) That's just hard to beat!
Some wonderful SCS friends have informed me that CM has made their ordering cumulative! Apparently not to happen until Feb. or March '05. Whadday know?? (My Upline has yet to inform me about this!!) Now if they could just lower the minimum!!
such great info ladies... love the extra 4% discount thing - i always place my orders all at once to reap the better hostess benefits instead of a little here and there... who doesn't love a freebie. how long does it take to get your stuff once you sign up?
__________________
Marni - SCS #14788 and SU Demo
My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate. Thornton Wilder
Some wonderful SCS friends have informed me that CM has made their ordering cumulative! Apparently not to happen until Feb. or March '05. Whadday know?? (My Upline has yet to inform me about this!!) Now if they could just lower the minimum!!
Yes I have heard that this is suppose to start also, I think in Feb, but everything I havce heard says that the minimum will now be $600 instead of $500, so you would be able to stretch it over 3 months but you would have to spend more and get hit with shipping multiple times, not sure that it is really going to help anything
Selling other stuff isn't a problem so long as it isn't stamping/scrapping related. I actually got STARTED stamping because I do Tupperware and I wanted to know where to get those cool "Bring a friend" and "Thanks for being such a great hostess" stamps.
I use a lot of stamped stuff in my Tupperware business (bag toppers on host gifts, thank-you cards, holiday cards, stamped envelopes with "SPECIAL OFFER", etc.) and find that I have a lot of questions/discussions with my regular Tupperware customers about stamping.
Oh yeah... and all the SU stuff I use (either for my SU business or my Tupperware business), I get to write off on my taxes. :P
Keep in mind that the quarter you sign up in for SU! is considered a "freebie" and you don't have to meet your quota. It isn't until your first FULL THREE MONTHS quarter, then you have to meet your quota. It's almost like an opportunity to get the ball rolling. So if you signed up in January, that quarter doesn't "count". This is directly from SU! Demonstrators Manual:
"When a demonstrator joins Stampin' Up!, her initial minimum sales requirement must be met during the first full quarter after she signs up. She does not have a minimum to meet in the partial quarter in which she signs up. For example, if she signs up on February 15 (during the first quarter of the calendar year), her first full quarter is April�June and her $300 minimum must be received by Stampin� Up! by the last business day of June. Her sales between when she signs up and the first day of April would not count toward her first quarterly minimum."
So, you actually have approximately 6 or so months to meet that first minimum sales, which is nice, but you don't want to meet that minimum until your first full quarter. So, have an "I'm an SU! demo party" right at the beginning of your first full three month quarter. During your "practice" time, talk it up, enter orders that you get, but don't have a big shin-dig until you have to meet your quarter. You also get the 30% off your very first hostess order, which can be used if you do a "coming out" party, and/or for yourself. It's a one time deal, so use it wisely!! You also have a limited time to use it. You don't want to use it to buy 1 pack of card stock. Well, maybe someone does, but at 30% off, I would be buying like crazy!! It's a great tool as a new demo to buy stuff and stock up on stuff for your open house, or wait until after your open house and place your open house orders and your own order for 30% off. I don't know about anyone else, but when I got my starter kit, I immediately used up all card stock as quickly as I could cut it!!!
AND....as I ramble on....there is Stampin' Start where you can earn ANY 2 stamp sets in the current catalog for achieving $1500 in sales within a certain time frame, AND 2 more free stamp sets if you get a new recruit within a certain amount of time. I didn't get the new recruit part, but I got the $1500 in sales, which I NEVER thought I would get!!
As for selling other products, SU! is very particular about that, even with their own products. If you do a craft fair, you are either selling cards and stamped items, or you are a demo, showing stamping items and trying to get bookings, but you can't do both. I'm not sure about selling products in conjunction with other home based products.
You should sign up. There is no obligation once you buy your starter kit. But I would bet you, once you do, you will not regret it. I've been a demo since May of this year, and I'm itching to have more parties!! Best of luck to you!! Keep us posted. ~Pam
im in Stafford, Virginia! where do you live? it's so funny when you see someone that lives in your area online! i have been a demo since april. and i signed up with the same attitude as you. i was spending that amount of money, so i figured i might as well get the discount! i have only had two stamp camps and i charge $10.00 a person when i have my camps which covers my supplies/snacks. and almost always someone orders. they just can't help themselves! i also have a good friend who orders from me alot. i love it and you might see over time, your hobby will turn into a full business.
question to su demos
