Facial boxes and fishbowls

Okay, Ladies! (Gents? You, too!)

Let's talk about facial boxes and fishbowls for getting leads.

Love 'em? Hate 'em? Never used 'em? Used 'em but never got good leads? Got leads but never any sales?

This is your chance to tell about your results (or lack of results).

Talk about where you placed them, how you followed up and anything else you want to share.

Advertising

I had heard over the years about how MK does not allow advertising. To be honest, that is one thing that concerned me about joining MK and doing it for profit instead of just personal use.

This is simply not true.

I am holding in front of me 19 pages of approved ads from the Mary Kay InTouch site. There are ads for skin care, color, gift-giving, bridal, Velocity, prom makeovers, etc., etc., etc. 19 pages!

Does it surprise you to know that NONE of the ads are for recruiting? They are all for finding retail customers. (If someone isn't interested in the products, how can they be a successful consultant?)

There are 3 pages of suggestions on how to USE the ads to your best advantage - frequency, choosing a publication, etc. They also suggest using them for fliers, order stuffers, etc.

While running an ad in a daily newspaper can be expensive, weekly local newspapers can be an inexpensive alternative. There is the added bonus of being in your immediate local area (as opposed to daily papers, which can cover a much larger area).

Running ads for several weeks in a row is the best option. Running an ad just one week will not give the best results. See if you can get a discount for multiple weeks of advertising.

I would love to hear the results of everyone's advertising!

Flexible scheduling

Hubby got a new job and is now working 2nd shift.

If I had a J-O-B, I would be scrambling for child care and trying to figure out if I could even be able to keep working. Actually, I would not even be able to work because I don't WANT to put my kids in day care.

As it is, I am completely stress-free. LOL I get to spend most mornings with Hubby and I can schedule my facials/SCC's around his schedule. I answer emails and do other "busy work" when the kids are in bed and Hubby is at work.

"Mommy Time" is important to me and Hubby, too. I can take my Mommy Time whenever I want - again, not possible if I have a J-O-B.

I love it. If I had a 9-5 job I would never see hubby! As it is, I get to spend lots of time with Hubby and the kiddos and still get to work my MK business.

Expenses and tax write-offs

Disclaimer: The following is for general discussion. If you have specific questions about your tax write-offs or legal issues, please consult your tax preparer or attorney.


One of the things you may hear from the anti-MKers is that the commission checks for Directors are "misleading" because that is what they are paid "before expenses."

Employee checks are "before expenses" as well, aren't they? I mean, the employee has to pay for gas, food, clothing, pantyhose (if female) and a whole lot of other things from that check. However, if someone asks "How much are you paid?" the employee would never say, "$45,000 - but that is before expenses." Of course not.

Anti-MKers say that when figuring your average hourly commission you should take your travel time into account. I don't. I have never been paid for my travel time to and from work. It is just assumed that you have to drive in order to get to work - your commute is your problem.

HOWEVER, you can (generally) write off your mileage as an independent contractor (for business-related travel).

Let's look at some comparisons between employee vs. independent business person. But first, let's look at some qualifications for tax breaks. You must:

1. Operate a legitimate business, not a hobby.
2. Demonstrate that you have an intent to make a profit.
3. Work your business like any other real business (not just on your lunch hour or the golf course)
4. Show regular and consistent activity. (For example, one hour a day, 4-5 days per week. This is why MKers are encouraged to block out "Mary Kay time" each week to consistently work their business.)
5. Be able to demonstrate your expertise in your business category OR your efforts to gain expertise by learning from others.
6. Document your business income, expenses AND ACTIVITY. (Notes in your daily calendar usually are sufficient.)

Write-offs are not automatic, and each person is unique. Be sure to consult with your attorney or tax professional (not your Uncle Bobby John) to discuss your tax situation.

Now let's look at your expenses.

Employee (generally cannot write off these expenses):

1. Gas/wear and tear on car/mileage
2. Car insurance
3. Rent/Mortgage
4. Travel
5. Meals
6. Car payment/Lease

Independent Contractor (can write off these expenses if qualifications are met):

1. Mileage
2. Car insurance
3. A portion of rent/mortgage
4. Travel (if business-related or if business is done during the trip)
5. Meals (again, if business is conducted)
6. A portion of the car payment/lease
7. And more

Businesses write off every single penny they (legally) can so that their tax liability is as low as (legally) possible. Why? So they pay less taxes (legally)! You WANT your taxable income to be as low as possible (legally) so your tax liability is lower!

So if I travel 100 miles round trip for a SCC, I can write off whatever the IRS says I can per mile (let's say 50 cents). So in this example, I have 100 x .50 = $50 in a tax writeoff for mileage!

Did I pay $50 in gas for the trip? No. The IRS mileage takes into account gas, wear and tear on the car, etc.

So can you see how putting miles on your car can quickly reduce your taxable income? And that is just one example. I can't do that just for driving back and forth to work.

Directors do have expenses. IBC's have expenses. The great thing about it is that these expenses are tax deductible!

Employees have expenses, too. They just don't usually get to write them off.

New advertiser - for you movie buffs (or freaks)

I don't normally call attention to the advertising on this site... and it shows! (not a lot of clicks)

I thought I should give this one some attention though because if you like movies - and don't already have a movie rental plan - you should really consider this deal.

If you feel like this site already has too many advertisements, don't click on the link below and the scary, mean ads will stay safely out of site! If you want to see why I think you should sign up for the new advertiser, click below.



I have been so impressed with blockbuster for the last few years because of this program they have right now. I know it is off the normal subject for this site, but sometimes you just have to take a break, order a pizza and a coke, and watch an old classic - or new hit - and just tune out the world for a couple of hours.

Check out Blockbuster's mail program. I love it. You get your movies in the mail (like netflix) but when you are done watching it, you just drive to the nearest Blockbuster and when you hand them your movie THEY GIVE YOU A FREE RENTAL. Right there in the store. You just pick out your next movie and straight exchange it for the one you just got in the mail. AND as soon as they scan the envelope for the exchange, they alert BB online to send you the next movie in your "Q". It usually takes a day or two to get there, so unless you are watching two movies a day - every day - you should be good to go.

They have three options. One, Two, or Three DVD's at a time. You can check out the pricing online. If you use the link on this site, you get 50% off for the first month as well!

If you love movies... give it a try!

Your MK Business This Week (3/1/08 - 3/7/08)

It's a new week!

Share what is going on with your MK biz!

It's a new month!

Can you believe it's March already??

What are some of your goals or plans for your business this month?

Hubby started a new work schedule (2nd shift) that will make doing evening SCC's challenging, but I am going to focus on morning SCC's and for SCC's on his days off. My goal is for 2 per week.

Does anyone else want to share their plans for this month?