? for SU! Hostesses and Customers

[Julesiana]

I am a demo (I am temped to say a new demo, but in May it will be a year). I have yet to hold my first workshop. I have done a few stamp camps but no workshops. I like teaching and stamping but, I am quite nervous about asking someone to host one. (I am new in town--upline near old house)

So here are my ?'s:

Hostesses:
What made you want to hold a workshop in your home?
Incentives, product, a favor to a friend, get a demo off your back, ect.?

Customers:
What made you want to go to a SU! workshop?
Support friend, get out of the house, products, ect?

Thanks in advance for your help!

~Juliana

[katydidnt]

I feel your pain, girl! I'm a new demo (since October), too. I'm holding my first workshop next Friday at my house. I'm doing a mystery hostess workshop with chocolate buffet (stamping AND chocolate--it's a good thing! ) I'm going to try and have most of my workshops at my house instead of the hostess's house. I've found that most people don't hold parties 'cause they don't want to have to clean their houses!! I figure if I offer to have the party then that takes away one objection. We'll see how this works out...


Katy

[Birddee]

As a hostess, I did a workshop for your first 3 reasons, as well as the fact that I really enjoy workshops & using SU stamps. Number one reason would be earning the hostess set & bonus money.

As for a customer, again I love attending workshops and learning new techniques. Using a new stamp set usually gets me to buy it, especially if there's a new technique used with it. I have always blamed my friend for getting me started in this addictive hobby, hers was the first workshop I attended. In fact SHE was the one that has gotten me addicted to SCS!! ;)

HTH
Dianne

[mschoener]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julesiana

I am a demo (I am temped to say a new demo, but in May it will be a year). I have yet to hold my first workshop. I have done a few stamp camps but no workshops. I like teaching and stamping but, I am quite nervous about asking someone to host one. (I am new in town--upline near old house)

So here are my ?'s:

Hostesses:
What made you want to hold a workshop in your home? Incentives, product, a favor to a friend, get a demo off your back, ect.?

Customers:
What made you want to go to a SU! workshop?
Support friend, get out of the house, products, ect?

Thanks in advance for your help!

~Juliana

It's more convenient for me to have it at my house. I also attend a stamp camp every month where we either have it at our demo's house or the home of whoever is hostessing that month. If I have to provide food, I'd rather just do it at my house than have to drag food to someone else's home. I just did hostess a party last Saturday which I did because I wanted the Hostess Appreciation set in the Spring Mini and it was the only way I could get it since my turn for camp isn't until July.

[glitterdovefairy]

Reason I hostess a party:
*Demo offers a gift to book
*Demo offers party in her home not mine
*the free set & SU stuff

Reasons I go:
*technique being taught (me and my friends always try to list that on the invite)
*support a friend
*fun demo you like being around
*prize offered for bring a friend or over $50 in spending


BTW: I find that the more food is involved the less time people spend on the ordering and looking at the book and more time they spend with the food, I always get lower sales with buffet or dinnery type parties

[AmandaCalloway]

I had a party because I thought it would be fun to get my girlfriends together and also to meet some new people since I had just moved to the area. I had a small turnout but we had a wonderful time. I had it at my house and I supplied the food. It is the first time I had ever had a party at my house to sell things and I was suprised how much people bought. Nobody had stamped before and really came to have a girls night. I would have one again for sure!

[Julesiana]

Thanks for your insight.

I think part of the reason that I am so nervous is that dh is a pastor and I do not want to put someone in an awkward position.

~Juliana

[DLS881]

I asked my friends if they wanted to help me make cards for the troops. So I had the workshop in order to introduce them to stamping and get the cards done. None of them had ever stamped before. In terms of sales, it wasn't sucessful (as I knew it wouldn't be) but there was one order.


Diane S

[SellsBskts]

I am all about FREE! I liked some of the Hostess Sets, and I wanted stuff for Free or close to it. I had been going to workshops and my demo finally asked don't you want to join our Stampers Club so you can host one month and get hostess benefits...
Well, YEAH!
That is how it all started. Too many dollars and stamps later, I am hooked.
As a consultant from another company. I know how hard it can be to ask. I asked friends and family to help me get it started. It helped the ball get rolling! GOOD LUCK!

[jenny4wheel]

I've hosted mainly for the free product. We had it at my house, but as most of the girls who came are co-workers it would have been easier to have it at work. Some others have done that and had a much larger turn out. However, I did notice that more of the gals lingered just for social talk when we had it at my house. Good luck. Don't be nervous SU! is great and practically sells itself.

[PaperRapt]

I don't hostess parties only because I really don't know a soul, other than my neighbor, who loves to stamp. I've shown a few friends, who wanted to know more because of the hand stamped gifts I had given them. None have taken to it. So, my neighbor and I make our list of products and have catalog parties to share freebies.

We also attend camps whenever offered.

Annette
http://stamponthis.com

[gretchen]

What is the difference between a party and a workshop and if there is a difference how does a workshop work

[mahodgman]

I host because I love the free stuff, I want a catalog (free when you book with my demo) and the major bonus is that I can have the workshop at my demo's house. My house isn't big enough for a big crowd, and I can only fit about 5-6 people around the table at one time.

I buy because I love the products!

[luvtostampstampstamp]

Don't worry...as a customer I'm so excited to see what card we're making and what products we're going to use...the main focus isn't on YOU...just the product!! I haven't been to a workshop yet...just hasn't worked out...but I would go because I want to buy more great SU stuff...not necessarily to support a friend or demo! Good luck...go for it!!!!!!!!!! Maybe you could start with an open house? Can you do that...advertise around town and invite people in? Don't know!

[Melissa Brown67]

Why don't you invite everyone who has ever come to a workshop, have the party at your house, and have a mystery hostess. You could offer a booking gift for anyone who hosts their own party.
I hosted my first party because I'm friends with my demo and she needed a hostess. I hosted my second party for free stuff!!

[Doris]

Your question....."Why did you go to your first workshop?"
I have been a customer for five years, am not a demo....and I went to my first SU party mainly because my girlfriend had it, and her neighbor was a SU demonstrator. I really didn't think I would like to stamp...thought it would be too time consuming, especially with two small children to take care of, and being a SAHM money was tight. But I found that I really enjoyed the creativity of stamping. I think the thing that kept me interested in stamping is having a really nice, fun, outgoing, patient, and creative demonstrator. Linda, is just the best!!! Love, love, love this woman!!! She has been a demo for years, and really knows her stuff. She doesn't pressure you to buy, just loves to share her love of stamping. I think enthusiasm is very important....if you love meeting new people, and are excited about what you do, it will show.
Good Luck with your first workshop...and remember to have fun!!

[Janet Swofford]

Hi Juliana!
It's great to hear from you! How are you guys? OK, I'll quit high-jacking your thread and answer your question.
I host SU! parties for a variety of reasons. Probably, first for the fellowship/ social factor. I love to entertain and my DH is a hermit ( love him dearly, but he's as much an intervert as I am an extrovert). This way, it is socially acceptable for him to disappear and I get to have my friends over! It's a win-win proposition. Second, I love seeing new techniques and new ideas. And, of course, I LOVE the freebies!!!
I attend parties for much the same reasons. I love the social aspects and for a little "ME" time. With 2 teenagers, "me" time is a valuable commodity! I also love to see and try out new techniques and use new sets ( or see them demonstrated). I especially love the hands on type classes where I get to make my own cards,etc. and play with the toys myself. But, I'm a SU! addict and I think I need to find a 12 step program! HTH.
Good luck with your new workshops. You'll be great! You have such a sweet, bubbly personality. Just let your love for the craft shine through and everyone else will be excited too! I'll keep you in my prayers! Give my love to
Reed and the kids!
Love and prayers,
Janet

[AZShann]

I'm not a demo.

I just had a party/workshop in March. I wanted to host because I had been telling my demo I would have one for a while. I looked at it this way...it forced me to clean my house so that was a good thing and I could get some free things. I knew I would be able to get at least to level one so I wasn't worried. I didn't really expect people to purchase from me but everyone that came did. I tried to keep the food to a minimum but I think I went a little overboard. In fact, my demo begged me not to bake much so people would want to stamp instead of spending time to eat.

I got the free set in the mini and also a level 2 set for hostessing it. I received so many free sets. I choose free stamp sets because I wanted them. I thought about things like the pad caddy, however, decided that the stamp sets would probably be more money down the road.

My demo has camps and workshops in her home quite often. I go there a lot.