Back to Work Time

Good morning and Happy Monday to all!

Contrary to some of the anti MK sites, many of us enjoy time off from MK - because I always do my open houses the beginning of December, I elect not to do a Black (aka Pink) Friday Sale and actually take Thursday thru Sunday off during the Thanksgiving Holiday. I admit one of my sister in laws requested to pick up a couple of items she needed when she came over to eat...but until Sunday night that was the extent of business I conducted. It was awesome checking my voicemails last night to the tune of several hundred dollars which will be delivered or shipped on Monday. Today, I will wrap up month end and also I am doing a display at a Nursing Home Holiday Craft Fair.

So for all readers, whether you are a consultant or a director, please realize, one does not need to work 24/7 to make Mary Kay work and understanding that knowing when to enjoy some time for yourself will keep you happy with your business and not burnt out and knowing there is a time and a place to discuss or "sell" MK will keep people around you and not running from you. Respect yourself as well as others.

I find it very amusing that there was far LESS activity on the "pro" mk sites than on the "anti" mk sites. lol, I am beginning to understand why there were problems for many of them while they were in MK and why people ran from them. Even out of mk, many of them can't enjoy time off from Mary Kay during the holidays. It is now spent complaining about it as oppossed to marketing it!

Obsession with anything will cause problems. A healthy balance will make a happy consultant!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

I am going to be busy, busy, busy, everyone is coming here for dinner, even our new two week old granddaughter! Going to have a full house! Yum, yum.

And a little trivia, Thanksgiving was Mary Kay's most favorite holiday and also the day she passed.

Make sure to take a few moments and reflect on how much we truly do have to be thankful for!

gobble! gobble!

Won't be here to post tomorrow...going out of town to spend the holiday with Mr. Gothboy's baby bro and SIL. So a little early: Happy Thanksgiving, people!

Awwww yeah turn me loose in that kitchen. *happy dance, cranberries fly everywhere*

They see me cookin
They droolin
They tryin' to catch me roastin birdy!

...yes, that was horrible. Sorry.

XOXO

Miranda

So what does it mean to be positive?

"Positive" becomes a catch word in and out of MK...so let's explore the meaning behind the word. It isn't, or shouldn't be a stupid cliche.

First off: What it is NOT. It is not positive to stick your head in the sand, hide from reality, live in a bubble, or refuse to perform realistic financial management and life assessment. It's not positive to think that you can just wish things, or money, into being. Those things all fall under the heading of "insane." So that's out of the way now.

Positive, above all, means enjoying life. It's also taking a proactive stance in your life, business and personal both. It's being willing and able to learn and experiment and develop your abilities. And sometimes, it's also about knowing when to change course on something. If you've given some pursuit the old college try and discover it is not for you, then positively switch to something that is better in line with your needs and abilities. Many years ago I switched from karate to yoga because I developed arthritis. No good comes from sad sacking around and giving up. If you are positive, then you will find other opportunities for yourself and enjoy them.

Negative, in contrast, is dwelling on things that make you upset, and it generally also involves spreading (or trying to spread) this upset to other people. Why waste today fretting over yesterday? Why let the good things pass you by because you're too busy ranting? Giving up on yourself is negative. If you can't do a particular thing, or can't do it any longer, it's not The End. It's just time to do something else.

Positive doesn't mean you will never feel blue or run into problems or that you have to fake happy when you are having a bad moment. You don't have to regularly fake anything...that's getting back to insane rather than positive. It does mean that you will get over those bad times and go back to enjoying your life.

This session of Ask-A-Goth has been brought to you by black eyeliner, red lipstick, and Ivory 0.5. lol

Advanced Sales

Who'd have thunk (lol) that PT would promote business for Mary Kay. Yep, you read the question correctly. I have never been a director that promotes advanced sales of products that are "being introduced" in the next quarter. The reason I don't is that I believe in focusing on what is currently available and not "borrowing from the future" because when the new Look Books come out, I want to sell what is in that book then not ahead of time. If we are always borrowing from the future, I feel there is going to be a time when it catches up and clashes with the present.

Likewise I feel the same way about production. If a consultant is selling the product, she will need to continually order the product but if she has so much inventory she doesn't know what to do with it, she will not need to order when she sells. Hence, putting directors on the hamster wheel that pt often refers to. Why set yourself up for that either as a selling consultant or a working director?

That was a long winded intro for my thank you to pt for promoting the new products that are being released in December. (lol, yes, we directors are fully aware of what is coming out and our unit members have been informed so that they can watch their inventory levels and now what to move and not stock up on or to stock up on )

I have a few clients and consultants that do on occassion read pt, because of the article on pt about the new products coming out , I have two advance orders with instructions that as soon as the products are available they want them!

It made me think of the saying that "No "publicity" is bad publicity" (as far as celebrities).

I just wanted to give credit where credit is due.

Don't think of me as dishonest? Excuse Me??

Wow, just took a few minutes to sneek a peak at pt, and this just makes me shake my head in disbelief. How does everyone else feel? Would love to see some chatter. As many on pt profess to be so honest and upright and tear down everyone associated with Mary Kay as evil, I was appaulled when I read this comment just now and just had to question her reasoning. Does the saying not go: Two wrongs never make right. The poster implies it is perfectly okay to screw Mary Kay and misuse and abuse a system put into place to assist those in the business. The Product Replacement is available so that all of us consultants can honor the 100% satisfaction guarentee without loosing money..at this point in time, we don't even need to spend money on shipping the used product back to Mary Kay (years ago we did) - we only need to hold the product 30 days and then we can pitch it unless MK askes us to return it to the Company and that is usually because they are looking into a defect or manufacturing problem.
So if people start abusing the system, they are going to destroy it for all the rest of us that use it as it should be used.
What gets me the most is... most people would have the conscious that they would not be proud of unethical, dishonest, or illegal behavior, in her case she seems proud of it. If one can be that proud to boast about this type of behavior - do you think she was any more "honest" while in Mary Kay?

"company sucks
2009-11-15 20:04:36
If MK wants to get money twice, so can consultants that are getting out. Maybe not as fast, but there is a way. I have thought about it and know it works. Please don't think of me as dishonest, I never misled any of my team and never pushed anybody into ordering, that is why I decided to step down as a director. Anyway, when you decide you are going to quit, have your half price sale. Then take your people you have sold to and take orders from them for 50% of what they want also. Take the products you didn't sell and do product replacements for what they want. They will have their product cheap and you will have your money back. Then box up the new product you used as product replacemet and either sell it on ebay or on a garage sale. When I received my letter from corp that said I had 30 days until I was terminated, I did a product replacement everyday ($50 or under) and sold everything on a garage sale. I ordered things my customers needed and then took the original product and sold it really cheap on a garage sale. I know if sounds bad, but they deserved it. My former SD was really ticked, she had a "Mary Kay information booth" not far from me, it was a city wide garage sale. I was selling away and she couldn't! "

Is it Freaky Friday?

Today is Friday the 13th, are you superstitious??


42 Days Until Christmas - You'd better get scooting!!

Another Cute Holiday Idea

The 12 Days of Christmas Wreaths...

Have the products wrapped in gift paper and attached to the wreath. Open one present a day for the 12 days. I also made one of these with empty product containers unwrapped for my front door. It got raves from any visitors, everyone commented how cute and clever it was and it even got me two orders one year, which reminds me, I should make one for this year!

Make the Holiday season fun. I hit the $ Store today to get some items for packaging gift, I found so many cute things, I had a blast! Can't wait to start putting some togehter.

Holiday Gift Ideas

For a little inexpensive gift, I love the "Gas Gloves" with Hand Cream:

Copy the Gas Gloves card below and print on card stock.

"Place these "Gas Gloves" in the glove box of your car. Put these on instead of your "good gloves" when you fill up with gas.
The hand cream will keep your hands soft and smooth all winter long. "

1. Purchase packs of stretchy gloves ( I have even found them 2 for $1)
2. Find pretty inexpensive bracelets/ribbon/pony tail holders, etc.
3. Put one glove on your hand and then put the other glove right on top
of it so they are together -
4. Tuck a Hand Cream inside
5. Put a little Holiday cello goodie bag under gloves ($1 for 25)
6. wrap a bracelet or pretty ribbon around the cuff.
7. Include the Gas Gloves card with each pair (see above)

A twist on this idea but with a different card is to find the cute fuzzy socks/slippers and use the Energizing Foot & Leg Treatment instead of the hand cream. (Tickle Your Tootsie) or (A Treat for you Feet) - you get the idea.

Both inexpensive useful gifts! :) I will do a few "Coffe and Creams" in our next idea sharing post.

Marketing - this time of the year!

Do things change a little in the marketing of our Mary Kay during different times of the year? Imho, the answer is "yes". As we start approaching the Holidays more people will be spending less money on themselves and more on others. If we don't let our clients know *all year long* that we can always put gift baskets together, provide gift certificates, gift wrap, deliver, etc... people don't always see the potential of gifts from us. Also if there are things they would like - they don't think to let others know that "on my wish list & here is the number for my consultant", ensuring they end up with something they want, as oppossed to another thing to dust or (lol) regift. The Holidays season can be a wonderful selling season or a big disappointment but each one of us is in charge of our own destiny.

When dealing in these areas (as any other time) be other's focused, make sound suggestions, don't be obnoxius, and work with your clients with their interests in mind not the all mighty dollar. My plans are to include different and fun holiday gift ideas in the next few posts.

Don't wait until the last minute or you won't be selling much. Don't forget to always offer Holiday party look makeovers, new look for the new year, etc.. the way we are most successful in Mary Kay is "future" marketing. - think about retail stores, ie: have you ever tried buying a bathing suit in August? You are far more likely to find a great selection of winter gloves and scarves.

Have a great day everyone!

Miranda's Makeup Holds up even under club conditions!

Her makeup help up under some tough testing! And it looks like you were having a great time!

New Fragrance Collection Available Today!

New Miniature Fragrance Collection on Sale Today!
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This will make a wonderful addition to the gift line for our Holiday shoppers but I am also going to use them as an incentive for new consultants or season consultants, what a great prize so that they demo the fragrances without the expense of having to pull a full size of each or deal with the little foil packet samplers!

This piece is not only a gift it is a tool to help build sales in our fragrance line!
Woo Hoo really excited about it and it is priced right too. For more information, please visit www.marykayintouch.com

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