You’re tired of your job, feel overloaded or you constantly have the impression of running between work and family? Sometimes, you’re wondering if you’d be better changing job. Or you’re simply considering adding an extra income. Before considering Mary Kay – or any direct sales company – you have to read this series I have built after my own investigation and experience of the company. In order to analyze it as objectively as possible, I’ll keep my comments only for the part where I speak about my own experience.
What is Mary Kay?
Although Mary Kay is well-known in the United States, many people don’t exactly know what the company is about. Mary Kay is a company firstly located in Dallas that now sells beauty and cosmetic products in 35 markets worldwide. Their sales numbers is solely based on what they call their “Independence Sale’s Force”: direct sellers named Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant.
The business was founded in 1963 by Mary Kay Ash who had decided – after a 25 years career as a saleswoman – to make her own way into a male dominated business world that she had been denied from. No one can doubt the hard-working woman she was, the leadership she proved to own and the undying faith that leaded her throughout her life. She set the “Golden Rule” still adopted by Mary Kay’s employees and consultants: “Do on to others as you’d like them to do on to you”. These values and the fact she started up with a $5k bank account gives the impression that anyone can do it.
Mary Kay’s mission is to “Enriching Women’s Lives” with awesome products to make them feel beautiful and the unlimited opportunities to achieve personal and financial independence and success. Real, authentic, trust, confidence, success, flexible hours, unlimited opportunities are words that you’ll hear often from the employees, the Beauty Consultants and Independent National Directors.
The Approach: A Friend’s Favor
Most of the times – was my case – you’ll be approached to join a girl’s party by a friend or a family member. Either the friend/family member has been approached by a beauty consultant or she decided to become one and need a “favor”.
Sentences often used
- “It’ll be fun, you’ll learn how to bring out these amazing eyes of yours”
- “You’ll get to test out new products for free!”
- “All you have to do is show up, have fun and have the chance to win a free product”
- “It could be a good idea to invite your mom as a birthday gift, she’ll be happy to spend time with you”
- “Don’t you deserve a night for yourself?”
- And, one of the most popular “You don’t have to buy anything”
Other times, you’ll get a call from a beauty consultant saying that you’ve been lucky and that your coupon was pulled out from the draw box you filled up in business/public place X. You won a free make up class of an hour with no obligation of buying. “You’re lucky, one person has cancelled for next Wednesday, are you willing to take her place? You can invite 2-3 friends so you all get new tips! What are their names?”
These parties can be in a private conference room in a restaurant or hotel. If your friend or you have been contacted from the coupon in the draw box, the beauty consultant might propose to do it at your or your friend’s house. In that case, the person who holds the party will automatically have a free product, usually worth the amount of 5-10% of the sales made that night.
If the party is in a private room, you’ll be welcome by a small group of beauty consultants, all professionally dressed up (high heels and skirts to name details) and you’ll be directed to one in particular when you say your name.
In both cases, you’ll do have a free make up class in which you’ll have a few tips on the foundation you should use, the type of skin care products suit you, the colors you should wear and some other personalized products for specific needs/problems – all solve with a Mary Kay product designed for it of course!
The Sale’s Pitch
At the end of the class, you’ll be invited to purchase – even if you were told there was no obligation – the products you like the best. If you do so, you’ll help your friend who invited you getting free products and you can even leave with them as your beauty consultant holds many of them in her black and pink suitcase. Once that’s done, you’ll be invited to stay to learn more about the Mary Kay Opportunity. If you prefer leaving, you can, but if you stay, you’ll get the chance to win products simply by asking questions.
Usually Sale’s Pitch looks similar to this
- Quick Summary of Mary Kay History
- Why the director or beauty consultant speaking decided to make a big swift in her life and chose Mary Kay
- What Mary Kay has brought her: confidence, femininity, money, jewels, free trips, friends, etc.
- What is the Mary Kay Opportunity
- Flexible Hours
- Clearly Defined Business Plan: you’re not left by yourself
- Unlimited Opportunities to Achieve Success
- Be your Own Boss
- Make Money by determining your own level of success: hours you want to put
- Questions
Each time you ask a question, your name is put in a draw box by your beauty consultant. There are usually 2-3 products to win or a big prize: little basket including many products. The last step of the “class” is to quickly write down behind your Customer Profile (previously filled up) the names and phone numbers of three women you know and to whom you’d like to give the opportunity of winning a free make up class. The first one to finish wins a product or samples.
A Glance at Recruitment
Of course you’ve understood by now that all of this “Winning” time has been put together to help beauty consultant recruiting. Some will resonate to the director’s story or will be tempted by the Mary Kay Opportunity’s advantages while others will have their eyes dazzling over the word money… In all cases, you might be approached by your beauty consultant to share a coffee and talk more about the opportunity Mary Kay could be for you. She feels you’d be good at it, she thinks you have a nice personality, etc. etc.
To Come!
Stay Tuned for the next posts on The Mary Kay Black and Pink World to know How Mary Kay Operates (a deeper look into organization chart and recruitment), My Own Experience into the Mary Kay World and my Conclusion about this Black and Pink World.
What are your first impressions about Mary Kay?
Image/photo credits: Mary Kay logo via Brand Profiles, Mary Kay Ash, Eye Makeup via Pinterest, Mary Kay Jewels via Pinterest, Mary Kay Parties via MaryKay Website
For anyone interested in Mary Kay, I say forget about it. The products are cheap and horrible. My skin turned into a mess after using it. No one will buy it from you and you will end up embarrassing yourself in front of your family and friends.
How was your buying experience as regards with service? Did you get reimburse? How did you get approached into buying these products? Were you asked to join?
Vero
I’m super interested to read all the comments and the rest of your posts on this subject. I just got started with a direct sales company and am failing rather miserably because I don’t really know many people and besides that I hate feeling like I’m harrassing people. The products are different from all other companies, necessities really, but I’m a terrible promoter. As far as Mary Kay, I had an eyeshadow and eyeliner from them in the past. I don’t wear much makeup and find them more expensive than I really want to pay for the few things I use. Direct sales in general I think is a good idea because you can avoid stores and get personalized service but shipping is high a lot of times and its hard to just buy what you want and be left alone. I would be happy to host parties if I had anyone to invite- everyone in my family hates them.
Hi kv,
Great to read you as well. I will discuss the shipping experience a
little in the next posts. Did you get tips from your “colleagues” to get
into knowing more people? How is your experience so far regarding
training? Why do you think your family hates these parties? Have you read the second post?
Vero
I don’t really have any experience with Mary Kay. But then, I don’t wear makeup.
But I do have some experience with:
CAbi
Stella and Dot
Pampered Chef
Some skincare line
Here’s my opinion: I hate getting invited to these things. I am not a shopper. However:
1. I have purchased a few items from Pampered Chef. I love to cook. I find them to be of very high quality.
2. I don’t really wear jewelry, so the Stella and Dot was a big mismatch.
3. Although I was incredibly skeptical of CAbi (me? fashion?) I found it to be perfect. As a shopper, not a salesperson. I hate shopping. I very much like to try on clothing at my friend’s house. The items I have purchased have been flattering and long lasting. Over a few years I have built a nice wardrobe (which I will wear again when I lose the baby weight). Generally each season there are only about 10 items that I am interested in, 5 that are the right style/color for my body type and my interests, and only about 2-3 that I am tempted to purchase.
Hi mm1970,
I’m curious about how you enjoyed your experience during the parties?
Did you feel forced to buy? Did you have fun? Besides the products,
what did you think of the whole experience as a buyer? Did you have to
get reimbursed? How did it go?
Thank you for taking time to comment!
Vero