Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
Starting to think seriously about becoming a Demo, need help
I am really starting to think seriously about becoming a demo some day. I have questions and hope you guys can help answer.
How do you get started?
When do you have to buy your starter kit, in refernect to getting started and sending in paperwork?
I think I would be more of a hobby demo, not concerned about making much money, mostly concerned about meeting the quota. So exactly what is a hobby demo?
I am so worried about getting a customer base to meet the quarterly, how hard is it to meet the quarterly?
If you don't miss the quarterly what happens?
How hard and time consuming is it?
I am sure I have more
I told DH how I was considering this he was supportive but then went to I don't have time for this right now. I am a SAHM mom of a 1 year old and a 4 year old. My children are my biggest commitment. I want to be very involved with the school, will the two things conflict?
Benefits of me doing this would be a discount on my habit. Sharing my passion for SU! Maybe a little money in my pocket. Tax right offs for our taxes. Oh important questions how do tax right offs balance out with claiming the income? My DH would rather have me make no money than have to claim a small amount the caused us to pay in taxe, we are use to getting $6,000 back a year, how do the taxes work with this kind of business?
I don't really have any family or friend interested in this sort of thing, how should I find people for my customer base?
I was talking to my younger sister about this today, she thinks it would be great and then she said if I was near her, Kentucky, she says I would make a fortune there are a lot of ladies interested in this sort of thing and she hasn't ran into any SU!. Has anyone every had out of state customers? And bee successful with it? Becaus if I did this I would try to get customers from anywhere including long distant ones my little sister could set me up with.
Can you take a leave and not have to make the quarterly say if you need to take a break, such as PG or maternity?
Do you have a demo right now? She could answer all of your questions for you.
Basically, you send in your paperwork, including your credit card info to pay for the kit, and SU! will send you pretty much everything you need to get started except customers. You find those by asking everybody you know to host a workshop to help you get started.
"Hobby demo" is an unofficial term used to describe demos who only buy/sell enough to stay active. $300 a quarter isn't hard to sell if you work at it even a little.
If you miss a quarterly minimum, you have one month to make it up. If you still don't have the sales you need, you just stop being a demo. You can always sign up again if you want.
You can't really take a leave from SU! without going inactive. They may give you an exemption from the minimum sales requirement one quarter, but they don' t have to. You really should plan ahead if you can to ensure that you do meet the requirement--offer special classes, special deals, etc. to get the sales you need.
Long distance customers are OK, but not as much fun as customers you can get together with. You should probably look into taking credit cards if you plan to have customers outside your area.
SU! takes as much or as little time as you want. Some demos do very little work, and also have very low sales. If you want to turn it into a successful business, you'll have to put in the time; sometimes you'll have to work pretty hard. With small kids, you'll really need your husband's (or somebody's) support, if only to stay with the kids so you can go out and do occasional workshops.
Your best bet is to talk this over with your demo. You really do want to sign up with a demo who will give you the help and support you need, so you might as well start out talking to her now.
Re: Starting to think seriously about becoming a Demo, need
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ksullivan
How do you get started?
you have to sign up under a current demo. depending on you, it may be wise to "interview" several demos and find someone you like and feel will help you get the most out of your experience. different people look for different things so an active and supportive demo may or may not be important to you. if you don't know a demo you can use the "find a demo" on the su website or post here asking if anyone knows of someone in your area. alternatively, you could sign up under someone here--if you don't need/want a lot of hands-on help from your demo, a long-distance upline may be fine. (though i believe you do have to sign up under someone in your own country!)
Quote:
When do you have to buy your starter kit, in refernect to getting started and sending in paperwork?
you pay for the starter kit when you sign the paperwork. once you have a demo number (you can call su for it--you don't have to wait for your starter kit to arrive) you can begin placing orders and browsing their website. if you have the supplies (or an upline who will lend you some) you can start having worshops and taking orders as soon as you get your demo number.
Quote:
I think I would be more of a hobby demo, not concerned about making much money, mostly concerned about meeting the quota. So exactly what is a hobby demo?
as far as su is concerned--there is no such thing as a hobby demo. the distinction is made by demos. typically someone will consider themselves a hobby demo if they don't (or rarely) do workshops. a hobby demo is mainly in it for the discount and isn't concerned about making a profit--but they are still required to meet the same quarterly minimums as other demos.
Quote:
I am so worried about getting a customer base to meet the quarterly, how hard is it to meet the quarterly?
the quarterly is $300 if you are in the states and (i think) $450 if you are in canada. this can be one large order or it can be split up among 100 small orders--as long as you reach the minimum amount in the quarter you are fine. also, this is dollars in retail sales. so once you take your 20% off, it's actually $240 per quarter (or $360 can).
Quote:
If you don't miss the quarterly what happens?
you are considered "pending" and have to make it up. you have one month into the next quarter to make up what you didn't get in the previous quarter plus $100 towards the requirement for the following quarter. so if for the 1st quarter you only sell $200, you are short $100 and have the first month of the 2nd quarter to sell $200 ($100 to make up what you were short in the previous quarter and $100 towards the minimum for the following quarter). if you don't make up your sales, you are dropped as a demo.
Quote:
How hard and time consuming is it?
it really depends on you. some people have no probs making the minimum without any outside orders and that works for them. some people put a lot of time and effort into it because they are doing this as a job. the more you put in, the more you'll get out of it.
Quote:
I am a SAHM mom of a 1 year old and a 4 year old. My children are my biggest commitment. I want to be very involved with the school, will the two things conflict?
i'm not the best person to answer this--i have no children. however, the only thing required of you is your quarterly minimum. if you think you can meet that without any problem, you'll be fine. though i would imagine being involved with your kids' school would mean plenty of contacts for potential customers!
Quote:
Oh important questions how do tax right offs balance out with claiming the income? My DH would rather have me make no money than have to claim a small amount the caused us to pay in taxe, we are use to getting $6,000 back a year, how do the taxes work with this kind of business?
i just signed up, so i've not had to file taxes for su yet. there are a lot of threads on this topic that could help you though. i imagine a lot depends on how much you want to claim (not just your su supplies, but your mileage, a room of your house, postage, office supplies etc.) and on how much you make.
Quote:
I don't really have any family or friend interested in this sort of thing, how should I find people for my customer base?
ask everyone you know! you may be shocked at who is interested. i signed up with every intention of being a hobby demo. i started planning an open house for fun (haven't even had it yet) and have 2 people wanting to book a workshop and have been asked to do a display for an event at the mall. i didn't even have to ask for these things--people saw the catty and some samples and they asked me!
Quote:
Has anyone every had out of state customers? And bee successful with it? Becaus if I did this I would try to get customers from anywhere including long distant ones my little sister could set me up with.
that's pefectly fine! just be sure that when you figure up the taxes on orders that you base it on the location items are shipped to. lots of people have out-of-state customers and recruits.
Quote:
Can you take a leave and not have to make the quarterly say if you need to take a break, such as PG or maternity?
i do believe you can get a one-time waiver from su on one quarter. but i'm pretty sure it is one time only. if you should need to take a break and can't use the waiver (or have already used it) then you will have to sign up again (and purchase another starter kit).
From reading the posts, I think you have gotten all the great advice you can get.
I just think it's great you are asking.
My only advice is to go sooner rather than later - I do regret not having signed up sooner. (I'm one of those unofficial hobby demos.) See, if one of my stamping friends asked me to do a workshop, I would say no thanks, but my upline will probably be happy to. It really is just a love of the art, for me, and I want that discount. I have one good buddy that orders with me regularly.
So weigh everything.
There is really no risk, worse that happens is you go inactive quickly because it just doesn't work for you. (Kids, DH, money, whatever.)
So, you've ended up with the stuff in the starter kit at a huge discount, and anything you did buy, at a nice discount. It's like a win-win situation.
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
I am also planning on becoming a demo, and probably will be one of those unofficial hobby demos, although I've found 3 women at work as potential customers. However, I'm going to wait (and I hate waiting!!) for the new catalogue. I already have a lot of paper and stamps and inks and want to see what new items are in the catalogue when I sign up. That's the only reason I'm waiting. My understanding is that after you sign up, you get a 30% discount off your first order and I'm just waiting to go nuts with what I hope/expect will be a great next catalogue!!
I would also love it if someone could pm me or point me in the right direction on the topic of taxes. Thanks!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
Remember that SU! is often revising the perks for signing up. Last summer it was "free shipping" on your first order. Now it's 30% off. Same difference, really.
Good luck!
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
Starting to think seriously about becoming a Demo, need help
