So you’re considering joining the Stampin’ Up! family. Your love of creating beautiful, meaningful things has led you to the right place. We have fabulous products that all coordinate to help make your crafting experience so much easier. I want to invite you to join my Team and get in on the fun! But before you do, I’m sure you have lots of questions. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Over 20 years ago, I signed up to be a Close To Heart Consultant. Honestly, when I signed up, I didn’t do any research or really investigate what I was getting myself into. I just knew I loved the product and wanted to get a discount! Then early in 2023, they announced they were going to close down. They worked closely with Stampin’ Up! to help us find a new home.
After all those years of being a Consultant with Close To My Heart, I was better prepared to ask questions and know what to evaluate when making this decision. So I’m going to try and provide you with the basic information about becoming a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator (all those questions that everyone always asks!) as well as some things you should think about or consider as you make your decision. I want you to be well informed!
THE BASICS
Question: How much does it cost to “join”?
Answer: Joining Stampin’ Up! costs just $99. When you join, you will receive $125 in products of YOUR choosing. You’ll also receive FREE business supplies. Plus, it all ships for FREE.
Question: Is there a sales requirement?
Answer: To remain an active demonstrator you must submit $300 in sales per calendar quarter. You are not required to meet the sales requirements during your first quarter; this is considered a grace period to allow you additional time to get your business up and running. The first quarter you would be required to meet the minimum sales requirements is the next quarter after you sign up.
Question: Can I be a hobbyist? Or do I need to run it as a business?
Answer: Absolutely! You can look at the commission as a discount for products you love. Later if you decide to run it like a business and increase the commission level, you can do that, too. It’s entirely up to you.
Question: What is a calendar quarter?
Answer: Our calendar quarters are a period of three consecutive months, beginning in October. There are four quarters per year, as follows:
Quarter 1: October – December
Quarter 2: January – March
Quarter 3: April – June
Quarter 4: July – September
Question: What is the commission/discount rate?
Answer: As a new demonstrator you will receive an immediate 20% commission/discount. This amount will continue to rise as your sales increase. With the possibility of up to 38%.
Question: Do I need to keep an inventory of product on hand?
Answer: Not at all. We recommend ordering products as you and your customers need them, rather than investing lots of money up front. This means you can begin a home-based business for very little start-up cost! It’s one of the most affordable business models in the world.
Question: Do I have to build a business?
Answer: You have the opportunity to build any size of business you choose, but you don’t have to either. Many demonstrators buy the products at a discount for their personal use. You are welcome to simply enjoy the discount, or choose to earn income by selling to friends and family. It’s completely up to you!
Question: What training is available to new demonstrators?
Answer: Stampin’ Up! offers all the training you will need! The following resources will be at your fingertips:
- Business videos to teach you what you need to know
- Product videos to keep you updated on all the latest products
- Training courses to teach you how to run your business
- Demonstrator Facebook groups for artwork inspiration and community building
Between the Stampin’ Up!’s resources, your Team’s resources, and our incredible community of demonstrators, you will always find the help you need.
Question: Does Stampin’ Up! offer events?
Answer: Absolutely! They host an annual Convention which is full of product reveals, artwork inspiration and business training. They also offer an assortment of leadership meetings, virtual creative events and more. In addition to these incredible events, you also have the opportunity to earn our awesome annual incentive trip for you and a guest—FREE!
Question: How much does it cost to have a website?
Answer: Every demonstrator is given the opportunity to choose a free online ordering site or a more robust website that contains online ordering and much more for a fee. Both options have a professionally designed and maintained e-commerce site that is a terrific benefit of being a demonstrator with Stampin’ Up!. Your friends and customers can place orders through your website 24 hours a day, and their orders will be shipped directly to their home. And the best news is that you earn commission on these orders. It’s that easy!
The cost of the more robust site is $12.95/month. You get the first 2 months FREE to give it a “test run” and see if it’s right for you. Some additional benefits of this site include:
- being listed in the demonstrator locator (when someone is looking for a demonstrator in their area)
- a calendar for you to add your events/classes and allow guests to RSVP
- an art gallery of your creations
Question: Can I accept credit card payments for orders from customers? What fees will I incur?
Answer: On orders placed through your demonstrator e-commerce site, customers can use Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express to pay for their orders. There is no charge for you to accept these payment forms. Additionally, you can accept these same credit cards as payment for orders you enter through our normal Order Entry system. Again, there is absolutely no charge for you to do so!
Question: What other benefits are there?
Answer: One of the most popular benefits is the early access you get to new products.
Another benefit if you join my team is FREE access to my SunnyDay Sessions Creative Community. Here you’ll find hundreds of tutorials–both in video and PDF format.
Question: How do I join and become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator?
Answer: Go to MY WEBSITE to sign up. It’s quick and easy. Click the link and it will take you directly to the application process.
Once you sign up, you will receive an email notification as soon as your application is processed.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Now I realize that this might not be the best analogy to use, but when considering about whether or not to join any company, you should treat it like buying a car. You wouldn’t purchase a car without test driving it first, would you? The same is true for starting your own Stampin’ Up! business. When you sign up to be a demonstrator, you have what is called an “upline.” This should be your “go-to” person. The one who answers your questions, cheers for you during accomplishments, helps you when you need it, etc.–you get the idea, right?
What most people don’t think about, is how much they will rely on this person. You should speak with the person you are considering signing up under. This is definitely a personal decision. Make sure you click with the person. Make sure they understand what your goals are for joining Stampin’ Up! and that they are okay with that–you definitely don’t want someone who will be pushy and nagging you to sell, sell, sell if that is not at all your goal. Maybe you’re just in it to get your products at a discount…and that’s fine. Just make sure your potential upline is okay with it, too.
Another consideration–do you want someone who lives near you as your upline or would someone long-distance work, too? Think about the type of person you are and what your needs might be. If you think you’ll just be doing it for the discount then either should be fine. If you crave in-person social gatherings, then you might want to look locally. Although, some uplines may offer alternatives to in-person meetings that fulfill that social need. Again, check with the person you are considering.
Okay, one last thing to consider (obviously there are many more!)…the experience. Obviously someone with a dozen years of experience has a lot of great knowledge to share. But also consider the types of activities you might wish to do with your business. It’s never a bad idea to align yourself with someone who has experience doing what you’d like to do (i.e. sell at craft shows/Expos; teach at Convention; have a strong online presence; hold a lot of home gatherings; hold mainly classes, etc.)
TESTIMONIALS
Kristina is a great leader. She always answers my questions or helps me learn how to find the answer. She is extremely creative, innovative, and a great teacher. My favorite thing about Kristina is her positive attitude. Her outlook is extremely contagious. She helps you believe that you can be successful. How great to feel like you have someone who is rooting for you!
-Elizabeth, FL
Kristina has been a life-saver! Although she’s my second upline (my first upline moved to the east coast), she’s the person I call when I need help. Whether it’s answering questions on CTMH processes (“how do I…?”), giving creative feedback (“what does this need?”), or any other questions or concerns (“what do I take to convention?”) Kristina has been there to show me the ropes. She is always patient and helpful and never fails to assure me, “that’s not a stupid question”!
-Laura, CA
I would LOVE the opportunity to speak more with you about the possibility of you joining Stampin’ Up! and my team. If you have additional questions on how to become a demonstrator, please feel free to CONTACT ME.
Are you ready to embark on an amazing new adventure? Then it’s time to BECOME A STAMPIN UP DEMONSTRATOR.