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My demo hasn't told me either. I liked knowing ahead of time, from this site, so I could plan (limit :oops: ) my craft spending other places so I can take advantage of the specials. I just had a SU party late in Feb.
I'm a demo, and I really don't know why everyone is fighting over this. As a lot of others have said, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AN APRIL SPECIAL! We should find out tomorrow, but we may not either. Last month, SU! was late in mailing our Stampin' Success Magazines to us. Hopefully they won't be late this month, but it is a possibility.
No one here is hiding anything. We just don't know yet! As a demo, I let my customers know as soon as I know. I'm sure most demos try their best to do the same thing. Some people can't check the website everyday like I can because of their busy schedule, so they may not find out until later. Also, a lot of demos don't receive their actual magazine until late in the month. If they don't have time to check the website, they won't know until they get their Stampin' Success in the mail.
Please be patient. You will find out when it's announced, I'm sure.
There are people in the world who feel superior when they "know something you don't."
So they tease you about it - even when there is NO reason for you not to know.
I'll bet the PR people in SU! love this. Look at us all drooling with anticipation!
Susy, I feel your pain. A demo is a worker and should behave professionally.
This board has educated the consumer about the seller, and I truly believe that in America, that's a good thing. Knowledge is power. The stamper should be able to expect timely deliveries and quality products. Demos who in the past were slow or shoddy, often were put up with because nobody knew better. Now, we know.
Heather - She is no longer my demo, I finally signed up (just hobby, tho).
But - I think I get my SS before the 1st of the month?
See, I thought SU! "required" you to do workshops or parties - I truly feel she should have said something to me a year before I thought to sign up - considering how much I was spending.
Most of the info demos get early is simply so they can prepare for workshops during the special period. We can purchase mini catalog sets ahead of time, so we have samples ready to go on Day One of the special. It's not really like it's supposed to be a mystery.
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
It **isn't** supposed to be a mystery. There *ARE* business reasons why demos know about the specials before the customers do. (SU is a "home-party" business -- it's SUPPOSED to work this way: Demos find out first, and then the demos tell the customers.)
After I post this comment I will be disabling the link to this thread. I found when things get this way I'm better off not reading. I think you all need to go back to page 1 and see her original question. A simple we don't know yet and won't till at least tomorrow would have sufficed. Please think before you post!! It'll save a lot of hurt feelings!!
[quote][quote]I have a new demo and she has performed very well, but I am reluctant to book a party or do anything other than send orders via e-mail (she lives 60 miles away) for fear that she will turn into the "demo from Hell" that I have experienced in the past.
That's my experience; even though it's not pretty, it may serve as a lesson to new demos out there on how not to treat a customer.
Susy[/quote
Susy---just curious---what did your demo do to be considered the demo from hell? :shock:
I will fall out of my chair laughing if there is no announcement of anything tonight.
I won't be laughin' -- I'll be CRYIN'!!!
I want my info, darn it!!! :twisted:
I want to plan, too -- I'm saving up to place a big order in April (want my Spring Mini stuff, and I have to wait so that it'll count toward my minimum ...)
I'm too enthusiastic, I think. (And when I say "enthusiastic," I mean, "psycho-obsessed.")
Gee, I didn't realize anyone had their knickers in a knot over this thread!
kimilou, sorry if you got offended.
I have been more a customer than a demo. I highly recommend becoming a hobby demo at the very least, if you are so anxious that you must know the minute these things are out. Obviously, you have an addiction to stamping problem that needs drastic treatment.
I think it's very funny that customers want to know this information the second it is released, even tho most of their demonstrators will be asleep in their beds at that time. LOL
No, seriously, it's not that big a deal. We all just have nothing better to do tonight than blather on about this.
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
This thread has really shocked me to say the least. I too am a demo. I tell my customers the minute I know of a special. First and foremost because I am sooo excited. If I am honestly that excited about our products and specials they see that, they get excited and start planning right away. Second, in a case like last month...I could never let a customer purchase a set full price knowing full well that she could get it at 50% off if she waits. It's not like I am losing a sale. Most stampin up customers of mine spend monthly regardless. This just leaves her more money this month for pads, markers etc. I hope you are following me.
I am not here to say whether or not a demo should tell customers early or not, really that is all up to them. Also, I do know a demo or two that do not have full time internet access. They actually have to wait until they receive their information in the mail. (BUT, of course I phone them too! LOL)
I am glad to see that so many of you go as nutty as I do waiting with anticipation to be honest! I will be checking Stampin Up at midnight
A little off topic, but I just wanted to remind non-demos that the SU! homepage everyone has access to provides some information about current specials, as well as a way to enter (once a month) a drawing for free product.
I also want to second the suggestions about communicating priorities. . . it's part of being a good consumer, and most professionals really appreciate hearing what they can do to best serve their customers. If I'm not getting information about monthly specials (and these are important to me) I would certainly check off the box on my next order form asking to be put on the demo's mailing list (assuming she has one) and I would probably say something like, "I would really appreciate finding out about each month's promotion, if there is one, as soon as possible after you find out what it is." But then if I didn't choose to order anything, I wouldn't expect this extra attention to continue. . .
It sounds like most of the people posting on this thread are fantastic customers, ordering something every month and having very successful parties ($500! Wow!). I'm wondering if the same personal attention this sort of customer could expect to receive every month also applies to customers who order maybe once a year.
It seems like there is a fine line, too, between getting relevant information in a timely manner and badgering customers. If I got something in the mail everytime SU! sneezed I'd probably feel guilted into buying something (knowing that the cost of mini catalogs, fliers and postage come out of the demo's pocket, and knowing, too, how small the earnings are on sales), and I'm really not one to appreciate being called frequently ("I just wanted to let you know what the special is this month and ask if you wanted to place an order for anything" gets old quickly.)
I don't think any of this is yucky in itself, I just know what my tolerances are--and there is no way anyone providing service can know what those are unless I communicate them (hopefully in a courteous way).
I also think the March special, coming off of Sellabration, may have raised expectations that we'll keep getting these kinds of promotions. . . I kinda doubt it.
__________________ "I like work. . . I can sit and look at it for hours. I love to keep it by me: the idea of getting rid of it nearly breaks my heart." J.K.Jerome
With all these non-demo's here, I'm sure one will find out from their wonderful and reliable, enthusiastic demo what the April specials are. Nobody said that a customer couldn't post it - the demonstrators just don't want other demonstrators giving them grief over it.
Wow! I am not a demo but knowing as soon as I can helps my demo as I pass the word onto to my stamper friends that do not attend her party or any other party, so that when I go to her party those that cannot go have had a chance to look and see what they might want.....this only makes more $$$$ for my demo...if I didn't find out early and so far it's been here that I have found out, then I wouldn't have extra orders for her. I sometimes think of becoming a demo as I live quite a distant from mine but my health doesn't really allow for it...and I think that actually works to my demos benefit...she makes the money on the orders I bring to her. Since I have found out early about the special I have been able to take more orders and this is only growing! Who knows where it will go!!! Gosh, just let go and give the info out once you have it...you will only make more $$$$$$$$
__________________ Wherever I Go...There Go My Stamps!
I'm not sure which way I go on this, but I did have someone point out to me to consider myself a business. The grocery store doesn't tell you on Monday that bread will be on sale Wednesday, for example. So, why should demonstrators tell the specials ahead of time?
Dana,
To answer your question, "what did she do to become the 'demo from hell'?".
She did ALL of the things I mentioned in my comments (sometimes more than once!) -- she would get mini cattys and then not mail them out, she would wait until she would see me (i.e. I would get the Winter Mini the second week of January!!!!).
She would say she was putting my order that night and then would leave a phone message 5 days later asking if I wanted to have my order go in on so-and-so's party the next week.
She would put on a party for a friend, that I would attend, and then 3 weeks would go by with no contact - I would call and ask when the order would be in and discover it had only been entered the day before.
She would arrive 10 minutes before my party was to begin, always with an excuse of why she was late, and then my guests would have to wait for her to get set up....inevitably, she would "forget" some crucial ingredient for the make-and-take so that it couldn't be completed as planned.
I could go on with more actual examples of what a "demo from hell" does to earn the title, but I think you get the drift. I think I need to go take a Tums just to settle my stomach after typing this. :( Why did I put up with this for years?
Susy
Location: Dubois, Wyoming~greatest little town on earth
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tomorrow i am going to my local grocery store and talking with the manager. i am going to DEMAND that he tell me next weeks specials, heck i should also know a few weeks because for some reason (that i haven't named yet) i have to have this information. when i leave the grocery store i will go to the gas station and DEMAND sale/special information too. i guess it won't hurt them at all really, it is not like they have to make plans for specials, work a bit extra to make a nice display space or anything. i do wonder though if i do this than maybe others will and then, hmmm oh gee maybe there won't be any specials after a while, no sales, that would be sad. i guess i will stay home, wait for the grocery store flyer to come and be glad that i get any deals at all.
i had posted this else where on this site, just thought it might work here :?
__________________
We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.
Athena, You reminded me of a time on a scrapping message board I belonged to someone mentioned they somehow got to the back of the Mikes where the offices where and saw they had the ads long before we knew if there was going to be one. This new angered many for some reason and the news spread like wildfire. Shortly thereafter Mikes stopped doing flyers every week and started to say they were cutting back all together. The two may have been totally unrelated, they planned to cut back on adds or the Mike's Co. could have heard about it and figured if people wanted to shop with them that bad they would go ahead and do it without a sale.
Either way I subscribe to the Sunday paper and various other mailing lists to find out information in a timely manner. I like the idea of requesting to find out the info as soon as a demo knows it and to be added to the mailing list. If she gets enough requests she may make a point wake up early on the 15th to do just that for all those that asked.
Mmmm, just a note, I get a grocery store sales flyer on Monday for sales starting on Wednesday - just in time to compare with a competing store's sales which start on Sunday ...
If you're the kind of person who NEEEEDS to be the first person to know something (and I AM -- I'm in the newspaper business, in "real life," haha) ... and if you're wanting to know the specials every month ... SIGN UP!!! BECOME A DEMO!!! Being "in the know" as soon as possible each month is one big reason why I signed up.
It's not why I signed up, but it's definitely a perk!!!
Soooooooo? Is there any news on the demo site? If y'all demos are afraid to tell, you can PM me & I'll tell for ya (without revealing my source, of course!). :lol:
I'm not sure which way I go on this, but I did have someone point out to me to consider myself a business. The grocery store doesn't tell you on Monday that bread will be on sale Wednesday, for example. So, why should demonstrators tell the specials ahead of time?
Angela :-)
Actually I get the weekly grocry store flyers in the mail on Monday for the specials that start Wedsnday for the grocery stores near me.
I work in retail. The store that I managed for 12 years was sold. I can tell you from experience that we knew 6 to 8 months ahead of time what was going to be on sale and the dates that the sale started. I don't know how many times I sold an item and knew it would be on sale in 2 or 3 weeks. That is the way stores do business. By now the retail stores already have ordered there Christmas merchandise or will in the next month. They already now what is going to be on sale. SU is no different. Don't you think that someone out there already knows what sets will be retired and which new ones will be in the catalog. If you have a good demo, which I do then there is nothing to worry about. If you don't have a good demo then maybe you should find one.
SU is no different. Don't you think that someone out there already knows what sets will be retired and which new ones will be in the catalog. If you have a good demo, which I do then there is nothing to worry about. If you don't have a good demo then maybe you should find one.
Don't go thinking that Demos know things months out in advance and because we don't that we are bad demos! :shock: Stampin' Up! may know what they are up to well in advance, but that doesn't mean that they tell demonstrators. Please remember that we are INDEPENDENT from the company. They tell us things when they feel good and ready. The same way that you are customers to your independent demonstrator, demonstrators are customers to Stampin' Up!. They like to thrill and excite us as much as they like to thrill and excite the rest of its customers.
I'm sure someone out there knows when the sets are going to retire. I would verture to guess that the 2005-2006 Idea Book & Catalog is probably finished as well. But just because I haven't seen or heard about April specials or the retirement list doesn't mean that I'm not a good demo! And I don't appreciate the implication otherwise!!
This little witch hunt of "who's keeping the secret" has gotten a bit silly. Don't you all agree?
Boy, oh boy! I hope that all this hunger for information is an indication that April will be a good sales month.
I sincerely apologize for stirring up such a hornet's nest with what I had thought was a harmless, innocent question. I really appreciate this site and all its info and have felt very welcomed here. I, myself, have a wonderful demo.
BTW, i hope Stampin Wrose didn't hurt herself when she fell out of her chair. :lol:
Some of you keep comparing Stampin' Up! to major retail stores. I'm telling you they do not operate the same way. Stampin' Up! is a direct sales, in-home business. SU is trying really hard to preserve this style of doing business. I believe it's what sets us apart from those major retail stores, having a demonstrator conduct workshops and give you the special services that you cannot get for free from a major retail store. Some demonstrators in this thread are just trying to also preserve that special relationship you should be having with your own personal demosntrator. I swear that's the only reason they keep referring you to your personal demostrator. The motive is no more sinister than that.
But just because I haven't seen or heard about April specials or the retirement list doesn't mean that I'm not a good demo! And I don't appreciate the implication otherwise!!
This little witch hunt of "who's keeping the secret" has gotten a bit silly. Don't you all agree?
I haven't seen anyone accuse a demo of being bad for not knowing something. I've seen people complain about demos that didn't tell them about specials until they'd been out (and common knowledge...not just demo-knowledge) for awhile. There have also been complaints that demos should tell as soon as they find out about a special.
I sell Tupperware. We find out about the specials before they actually become available (like if it starts on May 1st, we may know 2 weeks ahead of time). We're encouraged to share that knowledge with our hostesses & their guests, to build enthusiasm & to encourage booking ahead.
My own personal opinion is that it shouldn't matter how your customers find out. If you have a good demo/customer relationship with them, it won't affect who they order from. And they're not all going to find out early, anyway! All of this "stealing my thunder" stuff seems like a power trip to me. There are still going to be people to tell. Everyone is still going to be excited about it, and they're still going to order from you! It's all about trust...if I thought my demo was purposely keeping specials & stuff secret from me (especially if it was just to get the head-trip of telling me herself), I'd feel betrayed & manipulated. I have very little tolerance for high-minded people.
To the snarky posts(thanks, Britta, I love that one): I personally (as a non-demo so back off!) think it is a professional courtesy for the demos to NOT release the info here until it has been released officially. We have rules in this world for a reason (how many of you are the same ones upset about the ebay rule-breakers???) After this thread what demo would want to be the first to blow it? It will get released soon and then everyone will discuss it. Either way, I am not concerned. Once it gets released it's on the SU! website and my demo has had time to prepare to show me some cool stuff she found out about it. Nothing (not even the gallery here) beats holding, creating, and seeing cards in person! I could never replace my demo just for that reason!
To the original poster, I will say as if no one else replied: Yay!!! only a couple more weeks to find out! better start saving now. Of course, it doesn't matter what the special is, my wish list is still a mile long!
My own personal opinion is that it shouldn't matter how your customers find out. If you have a good demo/customer relationship with them, it won't affect who they order from. And they're not all going to find out early, anyway! All of this "stealing my thunder" stuff seems like a power trip to me. There are still going to be people to tell. Everyone is still going to be excited about it, and they're still going to order from you! It's all about trust...if I thought my demo was purposely keeping specials & stuff secret from me (especially if it was just to get the head-trip of telling me herself), I'd feel betrayed & manipulated. I have very little tolerance for high-minded people.
Leslie[/quote]
Very well put, I agree like I said on another post, if people don't find out here they are going to find out otherwise, where there is a will there is a way. It does seem like a power trip. This post is plainly marked that it is about the April Specials, if someone is not interested in knowing then they do not have to open it but the fact that some people on here feel the need to try to keep it from the masses is just a little crazy to me.
I think this started out as a simple question that just has people going crazy, if you are a demo and you don't feel like the info (if there was any) should be out there for everyone then you don't have to tell anyone but this posts has become judgemental of anyone that would tell. Lately it seems like anything that is discussed someone brings up whether it should be on the main board or on the demo only forum, it may not even be demo related, this turns me off and seems (like you mentioned) that people are on a power trip and acting as if they deserve info that non demos don't.
I love my demo, she does share info, I am not going to stray from buying from her but I enjoy the excitement that is created here over wondering what the next special will be or whatever. I think it is the fun group,my husband really could care less if I can get a free pack of buttons with my order but the ladies here understand the excitement.
__________________ My avatar is my adorable niece, she makes me smile, thought she might make you smile too!!
I am just a little annoyed with all the secrecy and codes lately around here. If it is a secret don't tantalize. Either tell or keep quiet.
Just my 2 cents -
Demos - you have a user group/forum available JUST FOR YOU to discuss things like specials, company "issues", etc etc. If you HAVE TO or NEED TO talk about stuff that is company related - whether about upcoming specials that are to be "hush hush" until general public are informed, or whatever - DO IT THERE!!! It is, in my honest opinion, totally rude to use code or to hint at something that those of us who aren't demos are not privy to. This is a public forum and there is a reason why they created a user group specifically for demos. I personally do not like to see discussions on company policies or whatever else that should be kept within company. I know that if my husband were to hear any of his employees complaining or bashing the company they work for in public, to potential customers, they would be reprimanded severely - in the past there have been individuals fired because of comments made about management or other people/policies in public. Consider the general, non-demo, area as your public. We are all potential customers. Do you want to turn future business away for yourself or others because of bad feelings generated by negative comments about your company in a public place? Probably not.
Anyway, sorry I got a little long winded. It just bugs me when I see stuff like this going on. It doesn't do anyone any good.
JocelynM
__________________ JOCELYN Babywearing, breastfeeding, homeschooling, writing momma of 3, step-mom of 4, grandma-to-be of 1. Check out my BLOG!! Crazy Love-Filled Life
I think this topic was posted by a non-demo....as a demo I feel that some people are acting snarky (trying not to take comments personally...since some generalizations have been made)!! I think we need a group hug :P
I'm confused... why is everyone so sure there WILL be an April special. I've been demo for several years, but I don't remember this as a regular thing... of course, I have the world's worst case of CRS!!
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
Does SU ask you not to tell the "public" what the upcoming specials are until the 1st of that month? (Thats just a question out of curiosity LOL)
Now for my unsolicited 2 cents......
For those demo's that think that telling someone, who is not in their customer base, about an upcoming special is taking all the fun away from their regular demo think of it in a different light. It is to SU's benefit for as many people to know about an upcoming special so they can share it with their friends, plan their orders etc because it can bring in more sales.
I have been trying to figure out why everyone is fighting over all of this. I have been a demo for 8 years! YaayyyyJ! Happy Anniversary to me!. Sorry
hijacked my own post. Anyway, Stampin'Up! doesn't and never has had monthly specials. I am afraid if they get wind of all this they will just stop having them all together. They surprise us once in a while and have something wonderful for us. The march special was designed to Thank everyone for being patient during this rough transition to the new facility. They also gave us free shipping and thanked the demo's by giving us a free set. It seems like if they give a little everyone expects it! :shock: We all need to quit fighting and get on the bandwagon and tell Stampin'Up! Thank you for their kindness. Sorry if I cause any feelings, just a thought!
Lesa
