Pink Truth offers advice to a Mary Kay director that, apparently, provided more inventory for her recruit than she can handle
In terms of building a case that Mary Kay directors burden their recruits with too much inventory, this would appear to be a good piece of evidence.
Thoughts?
Posts
Yup.
ReplyDeleteMy director did my first order too...She just chose stuff within the dollar limit I specified; didn't ask me about stuff like range of skin tones and lipstick colors most typically seen among the people I spend time with, or age range of said people, or anything like that which could assist in deciding which products/colors to stock. Nope, I just got like "one of everything" which included things like orange lipstick that absolutely nobody wanted, even on super sale, and shades of foundation that none of my friends/acquaintances wear. I could have told her, everyone I hang with is either really pale or really dark with basically no middle ground. "suntan"???
Yeah, I can relate.
I might be one of a kind (I highly doubt it) but this is an example of what I do. My hope is that this will serve as an example to help others.
ReplyDeleteI go over all the different packages... for $3600 all the way down to the $200 - I don't get excited about the $3600 and sound disgusted at the $200 because as long as a consultant gets started, I am happy, she can always order more as she sells (consistant selling = consistant production, fancy that!). I do go over what they get free but I suggest that they do not even consider the top 2 - 3 packages because I think, personally, they are overwhelming. And I say, hey, if you end up selling way more than you expect, we will just order more. MK doesn't restrict you to one order a month, so it isn't a do or die decision. (Now because of s/h fees, it wouldn't be wise but if you wanted to order every day of the month, you could).
Once the new ibc makes her decision, I ask her to make a list of the products she know she absolutely wants on the order. Then we work together to make up the difference. In the area we live in (very rural) and very natural - for the most part, we don't need every shade of foundation or lipstick, and after the time I have been in, I can pretty much tell what sells and what doesn't so if she says, I don't know what else I should get I make suggestions until we get up to the desired amount.
Is it smart to spend this much time doing an order? Some will say, "no" but I believe it is the absolute best way to work with the consultant and worth the time I spend with the new consultant. She also gains confidence in my suggestions and knows I am truly intersted in her succeeding and operating her MK business at the level she desires.
Perhaps because my unit doesn't believe in recruiting every warm body, I guess this allows me enough time to spend on the initial order with each ibc and still leaves the time I need to be a good director to my seasoned consultants and my personal business and still having loads of family time.
And I suggest that initially the ibc purchases more skin care and color than the other lines. Simply because the consultant is going to sell what she demos and at a facial or a class, she is going to be demoing skin care and color. The other lines, such as, fragrances, body care, etc.. will not initially be big sellers. I find these start selling as your start building your clients.
I would also like to point out, we even have consultants that will hold their first couple of appointments prior to putting in their order that way they can make sure they get what they need for their first orders.
Can't say this will work for everyone but it works for me!
I would like to add, the most popular pick seems to be the $600 because of the over $200 in free product and it does give enough of a selection that there will be enough to service the first couple of appointments. (In theory .. if the consultant started like this and sold the $200 free at retail, she would recoup the cost of the starter kit, pay for her website, get her business cards). The only investment would be the actual inventory that when she sold it would earn her, her profit. )
Of course it's smart to spend that much time doing the order! The whole point is to consider your market and obtain the products they are most likely to buy. Stocking randomly, like my director did, is worse than useless. It's also smart for the director in that you're far less likely this way to have an IBC who doesn't know how to target her market or who gets frustrated with things that don't sell and just throws up her hands and says "screw it."
ReplyDeleteSome things just take time to do correctly. It's an investment of time, not a waste of time.
Miranda posted:
ReplyDeleteSome things just take time to do correctly. It's an investment of time, not a waste of time.
Amen to that statement!
And... congrats on the quitting!!