The Dozen Deadly Mistakes Sales Directors Make
A national sales director offers more “advice” to sales directors, even though we know that little of it really makes a difference when you’re working in the no-win MLM system.
This little gem comes from a Mary Kay national sales director who has been begging her area to increase her personal income for the last year. (Yes, you read that right.) From her sales director newsletter:
I believe I’ve come up with a TOTAL AREA WHOLESALE number that will take us to DIAMOND CIRCLE (my commissions=$200,000) and INNER CIRCLE ($325,000) Let’s shoot for Diamond Circle this year as a stepping stone WHILE WE BUILD to INNER CIRCLE!!
Then she goes on to detail what her income will be at different area wholesale levels, and what her actual income has been. Have they no shame?
What this listing fails to account for is the fact that the majority of sales directors are working like dogs and still making the equivalent of minimum wage. It is not about the work in MLM. It’s about so many other things… when are they going to acknowledge that??? (Well, never, of course. That would require them to acknowledge that Mary Kay is a pyramid scheme.)
Nonetheless, Mary Kay sales directors should avoid these twelve mistakes:
1. You quit working on attitude – affirmations – dream list. I wanted to visit 50 states before I was 50 – people want to be a part of your dream. Think of the animal the Impala; it can jump 20 feet up and 20 feet out; it won’t jump if it can’t see where it will land.
2. You stay small too long.
3. You cut back on personal activity after becoming a Director.
4. Not working on Leadership skills:¦read John Maxwell books. Your goal is not to make a mini you. Build people up in THEIR strengths. Think servant hood. Pray for wisdom – patience – love – heart stuff. Not for Cadillacs etc.
5. Working with the wrong people. We look at the external factors. She has to bring desire and willingness. We can breathe belief and care into them.
6. Poor time management. Think like a rich person – delegate.
7. Poor money management – in six years her income went up $160,000. Don’t cut the wrong things i.e. Seminar, Career Conference, Retreats! Budget/control your expenses – make more money!
8. Proactive versus Reactive Be the thermostat – not the thermometer.
9. Fuzzy Focus – lack of sustained focus. Three (3) “V” your goals… Visualize – Verbalize – Vitalize. Don’t be jumping from box to box.
10. Don’t Diversify – need to develop your weak areas.
11. Long Pity Parties – regroup – back off – think it through
12. Not thinking enough OR thinking too much!
Similar Posts:
Trackback from your site.
Comments (9)
Marie
| #
Despicable. Also, as I read these posts, I’m continually amazed by all the buzzwords, cutesy catch phrases and company marketing terms (red jacket, diamond circle, court of some sort, etc.). Not to mention coming up with all the new names for products, making up what they’re supposed to do when used — there must be some marketing gurus in corporate thinking up all these different words for “give us your money”, not to mention all the products rotating in, then out, and gimmicks. The product itself must be dirt cheap if all the money coming in can run this corporate machine. All heaped on the backs of the pink slaves who think they’re attaining a dream.
Reply
raisinberry
| #
Wow. That was helpful. Now I know precisely what I need to do to help myself and each unit member into profitability.
Reply
PinkfanbutnoMKfan
| #
haha there was my problem right there… Thinking too much
Reply
Theresa
| #
They don’t want you thinking too much (like I did) because you begin to question their tactics openly and in front of those who are not so intelligent or too far down the pink rabbit hole to ask questions.
Reply
PinkfanbutnoMKfan
| #
Exactly! I usually question everything because that is the way I think, not because I don’t know the answer but because you need all sides and a understanding of whats going on.
Reply
oshunanat
| #
Of course an Impala won’t jump if it can’t see where it might land- a blind landing could mean jumpin straight into a predator or worse! Self-preservation instincts exist for a reason, only MK makes you think it a good idea to ignore them.
Reply
AesSedai
| #
Wow – that might be the most useless thing I have ever seen.
Reply
MLM Radar
| #
My, my, my. This is so overstuffed with negative words: small, quit, cut, won’t, poor, lack, don’t. That’s not the Mary Kay way. We have to be POSTIVE and UPBEAT and ENERGIZED and FOCUSED!!!
So let’s rework these Twelve Mistakes into Twelve Principles that we can ACT ON! Ready?
1. Refresh your dream list. Reality is such an ugly word. Mary Kay is all about living the Dream, embracing the Dream, being the Dream. If you stay in the Dream long enough you might never need to wake up.
2. Grow! Grow! Grow! Buy more inventory today! Who cares if you sell it? Anyone who walks into your storeroom will KNOW that you’re serious about Mary Kay.
3. You worked 25 hours a week staging parties when you were a consultant, and 40 hours a week recruiting when you were in DIQ. Now you get to combine it all, and if you’re really efficient you can do them together, so you’ll only need to work 60 hours a week. That’s not so much. Think of all the time you used to waste sleeping every day!
4. Who has time to read? I’ll do you one better than merely reading John Maxwell books. They make audiobooks for a reason, and the best directors don’t overlook that fact. You’ll get the best of both worlds. Listen to your audiobooks in the car, when going to sleep at night, while eating meals, in the shower. Your next star could be right around the next corner, so make sure you’re always available to interact with new people the rest of the day.
5. Work with the right people. Prioritize to grow your business. Test the waters early and find out how willing they are to make their reality into the Mary Kay dream. Remember, throw your biggest effort into the ones most likely to pay you back with a big commission check.
6. Optimize your time management. If you have clients on the far side of town who only make little orders, give them to your hungriest up-and-coming consultants. They’ll appreciate the boost and you’ll get to cut your time spent on the road delivering. You both win! Learn to multi-task, too! Think how much time you can save if you use two hands to shave both legs at the same time.
7. When it comes to money, remember that Mary Kay events are more than just expenses. They’re investments in your future! Transportation and housing costs money, but Mary Kay stardust is priceless, so make sure you attend every event so that you can keep your stardust chest overflowing!
8. Some people say, be the thermostat. I say, be the hand that controls the thermostat! Refreshing cool breezes are for customers and potential recruits. Your team has to stay on fire!
9. Stay in your box. Know your box. Build your box. Be your box.
10. Integrate. Harmonize. Persist. Conform. Obey. Listen to my voice. Listen only to my voice. You are getting sleeepppyyyy…
11. Mary Kay life is more than just a party. It’s a festival! Frolic! Lead the world in laughter! Learn what Saturnalia means and live it! Be extravagant, and extravagance will come back to you ten-fold.
12. Practice, practice, practice what you need to say. Be ready to give the Mary Kay answers promptly in every situation, always. If you always know what you need to say in every situation, you have more time for listening for the cues which will make the sale.
Yes, ladies, practice these Twelve Principles, and you too will discover that under that pink fog is a pink icing on a delicious pink angel food cake! Non-fattening, of course!
(Sarcasm ends here.)
Reply
onelessSD
| #
MLM Radar for the win! Bravo- what a great piece of…. inspiration! yeah, that’s it! (my sarcasm ends here too!)
Seriously, I loved it though… you hit the nail on the head!
Reply