Thinking of joining the SU family as a demo

[punkie]

I spoke with my demo tonight about becoming a demo myself. Seems like a great opportunity to support my habit and learn so much more along the way.

Only stumbling block is getting my hubby to like the ideas as much as I do. I used to sell PL before we got married and he felt that I was working too many hours (I have a FT job that I love also) so I quit.

The $300 minimum per qtr for active status is awesome. I should be able to show him that I wouldn't be gone nearly like I was with the other home shows, plus I would be saving $$ by getting my discount.

I am worried about the fact that I don't know very many techniques, but hope to learn more soon. How long did you all stamp before becoming demos?

[rlayton]

I had been to 2 workshops before I signed up... had never owned a stamp set although I had used stamps on my students papers at school.
I fell in love and decided it would be a cheaper way to get what I wanted if I signed up. Planned on being a hobby demo, but my first workshop was over $700 and here I am 2 years later. I have my initial investment back and haven't spent a dime of my own money. I do think I have been very lucky as others don't have the same experience always.
I had no trouble learning enough to stay one step ahead of the attendees at my classes and that was before I found SCS. I also found an great group of friends...a bonus I was not expecting.
Go for it, your life will never be the same and I mean that in the best possible way.
Roberta

[Kar]

I told my DH that I would only need to do 1 party a quarter to keep my minimums up... so at 4 a year he was agreeable... we will see what turns up in another year or two but for now he is happy!!

[ny2nh]

I had made Christmas cards the year prior - I had a freind who owned a stamp & stencil store - but that was pretty much it! I went to one workshop at my neighbor's house just to be neighborly and signed up within the month after that!

I can honestly say I only have maybe 1 workshop every month or two - and Imake my minimum. Go for it - the worse thing is it doesn;t work for you and you quit and keep the starter kit.....probably stuff you would buy anyways!

[emilykress]

I have been stamping with SU stuff for 4 years, and I just signed on as a demo. I love it! I had my open house which was a huge success, and I just booked my first workshop!

My hubby is very supportive, and backs me 100%. I think he is just happy that maybe now I can support my own habit.

I don't think you could go wrong becoming a demo - worst case scenario you end up with the starter kit that you get to keep - and quite frankly, wouldn't you have spent that anyway?

Good Luck!

[Candykane]

I just became a demo myself I wish I would've taken the plunge a long time ago. Wow selling PL I can understand that being a fulltime thing since my good friend is a Unit Leader for PL and sales like crazy. PL having a $500 minimum per month is ridiculous, but SU is much more reasonable $300 every 3 months is not bad at all so you should let your hubby know if you did do parties and plus buying stuff for yourself you wouldn't have to work like you did when you sold PL. Tell him you have to sale only like $100 a month, which really isn't too bad. Best Wishes on your decision.

"You know you want too"---Patrick
(Spongebob Squarepants cartoon)

[duffgirl]

I think as far as your husband goes, although I don't know him I work with a lot of husbands of my girls in the business. Generally speaking, men:

Want to have a happy, fulfilled wife, BUT;

They don't want to be married to a stamp nazi who spends every waking moment obsessing over stamps and her stamp business.

They want their wives to have some extra money to play with, BUT;

They don't want a lot of cr*p lying around the house reminding them of how much their wife is spending on her new hobby/business.

Want their wife to have something to work toward, to have goals, BUT;

They don't want to be stuck at home with a cranky 2 year old 5 nights a week while we are out stamping.

They want to hear about our successes and help us with our challenges, BUT;

They don't want to hear us complain,vent, and worry about our businesses. They feel like they have to "rescue" us from our terrible, naughty bad stamp business if we share too many of our frustrations. Make sure your spouse hears all the good things about your business and how happy it makes you!

THey want to hear about how much fun you are having, BUT;

If we want our significant others to respect our business, then they need to see us treating it like a business. It doesn't mean that we need to have a mega corporation, even a very part time business needs to have a plan and some goals, and you need to be working it consistently.

Most men(just like anyone else) will not resent our businesses if they feel that their needs are being met. If they feel underappreciated and neglected, they will resent anything you are doing, whether that is plucking chickens, going to church, or running a stamp camp.

I know this is way beyond what you were asking, punkie! To answer your specific question, I would sit down with your husband and ask for his support in this. Ask him what he feels would be an appropriate amount of time each month that you could spend working your business, and tell him that if he will support you in this, he can look forward to his ideal date night every week (or something like that to make him feel valued).

Good luck to you in your decision!

[taylormadepaint]

I went to two SU parties before I decided to sign up. As my husband works out of town for weeks at a time, it is easy for me to devote as much time as I want or need to my business. I have one DD that is 14 and she likes it when I"m not at home and she is. LOL (imagine that) If your husband is showing any interest at all in your doing this, I think that the discount alone for my purchases is what sold my husband on the whole idea. After every party I speak to him on the phone and he is always asking how I did that night. No matter what, I always tell him that I did well. Even if I didn't do as well as I might have liked. Melony

[Sharon Graham]

Milette, Have you met my husband? Your description is dead on! I'm printing that out and keeping it in front of me.

Punkie, as long as you've got SCS, you'll be able to WOW your customers. Plus, your upline will be able to teach you new techniques. Sometimes it's the simplest things that are the most impressive. As far as the amount of time you devote to it, set some expectations -- # of workshops/month, specific nights of the week that you can book them, etc. Also show him all the opportunities to earn free stamp sets as a demonstrator.

I've heard it said that most people regret the things they didn't do rather than the things they did do. What do you have to lose?

[TurboKel]

also, don't forget how effective a beginner stamper-demo can be at convincing non-stampers to try.

when you have stamped a long time friends/family get accustomed to seeing marvelous works of art and assume it is way to complicated for them to try. they forget the first few projects you made when just starting out!

it gives others a great boost of confidence, or encouragement to try, when you aren't a great and revered expert to be embarassed of their first 'bad' attempts.

[Will_work4stamps]

I have a meeting set up tomorrow with a demo and I am already planning on signing up. I thought I had better tell my DH about this so he is not surprised when the kit comes in the mail. I was terrified (well not actually terrified) to tell him because of fear that he wouldn't support me in this decision. I already own SO many stamp sets and he thinks I couldn't possibly need 1 more set. BUT.... surprising to me he was VERY supportive! :shock: Then I told him about how I would get a discount on the things I would like to purchase he then began talking about what nights I would be able to have parties, stamp camps etc. I'm not sure if he is thinking about the $$ I will save or the fact that I will be getting out of the house and therefore not be after him to do his "honeydo" list. :?
Just talk to him about it.... you may be surprised like I was.

Good luck to you!

Patti

[shannonlspears]

I had never been to a SU workshop..... but I did have a catalog and had joined a stamp club with my demo. And a year later I signed up. I had to do my first workshop and half the ladies there had more experience at a workshop then I did. But it still went well. I figured they didn't know I hadn't been to one myself. My upline said it best..... it doesn't matter how long you have been doing it. It you love it and have fun with it, it will show and your customers will really respond to that. As for not knowing a lot of techniques... well use the resources section. Or grab a technique booklet from your demo. I pretty much demo basic techniques since most workshop guest have never really stamped.

[Jennifer Sue]

I signed up because I really liked making cards and sending them out to everyone I know. When I signed up as a business the expense of the stuff to make those cards and the postage became an "advertising expense". So I did it to save money on what it cost me to make those cards.

The minimum is pretty easy to do with a little bit of effort and I really enjoy teaching others how much fun and how easy successful stamping can be with the FABULOUS quality of stampin' up supplies. :P

[dmnyman]

Punkie - Go for it girl. I had never touched a rubber stamp before May 2003. I became a demonstrator November 2003 and started a once a month stamp class in January. The class meets at my house the third Saturday each month and I have enough people committed to it to make the $150 hostess minimum at $20 per person with more people joining each month. This is HOW I make my $300 minimum per quarter and I never have to leave my house. I do have outside demonstrations as well now that I'm getting more into it, but I started with just the monthly class.

You'll love it! I love it! I'm so glad I signed up. Just going to our monthly/quarterly meetings for our group keeps me going and everyone on SCS is a huge help too. I come here for inspiration all the time when I hit an "artist's" block.

Good luck!

[Faryprincess]

You have nothing to loose so go for it!

So last fall I kept reading all these posts saying you have nothing to loose so I thought A LOT about it. Now I never said one thing about this to my DH. Fast forward to a craft show I went to with DH, we ran into a downline of my now upline. She was explaining what a great deal it was. She sold DH on it and he said you should do this for the discount. I was surprised how much he was behind it. Right now I am just a hobby demo but I like the fact that I can change that at any time to start doing parties if I wish.