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Should I Order Mary Kay Inventory?

By on February 21, 2012 in Inventory & Selling

Well what a silly question! If you’ve just joined Mary Kay, of course you should order inventory. In case you didn’t know, your recruiter doesn’t make any money unless you order inventory! You don’t actually need to sell anything. If you order, the recruiter profits, period.

Get ready for the “inventory talk.” Most importantly, you’ll be told that inventory is “optional” and that “it’s completely your decision.” Those things are said so that if you later regret ordering that inventory, the recruiter or director has an “out.” It was your choice, remember? Continue Reading →

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There’s No Such Thing as 50% Profit in Mary Kay

By on February 14, 2012 in Inventory & Selling

Those of us who have been hanging around Pink Truth for a while know that the idea of 50% profit in Mary Kay is a total lie. If a consultant sells all of her product at full retail, with no discounts and no giveaways, she has a 50% gross profit… out of which all other expenses have to be paid.

There’s not 50% profit, no matter how you slice it. And with this bit of sales magic, there’s even less profit to go around: Continue Reading →

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One Reason to Not Trade Mary Kay Products

By on February 10, 2012 in Inventory & Selling

The number one reason to not trade Mary Kay products?

Answer: Mary Kay Inc. makes less money and your director gets a smaller commission check!

Of course the company and the sales directors are going to “discourage” trading Mary Kay products amongst consultants. It is far better for their wallets if you have to place an order to get that one lipstick or eye color that your customer orders and you don’t have. And it’s even better for them if you don’t have your “earned discount privilege” and you have to order $200 wholesale that you don’t need (instead of just the one or two items that you need). Continue Reading →

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Mary Kay Directors: Don’t Place That Big Personal Order to Meet Minimum Production

By on January 30, 2012 in Inventory & Selling

Written by JTA

Well directors, the end of the month is coming again.  For those not in the know, Mary Kay directors do have quotas and must have total unit production of at least  $4,000 per month.  If they miss a month, that is okay but they must make it the following month.  So directors, is it your ‘off’ month?  Meaning, did you miss production last month, so you HAVE to make it this month?  HAVE to hit $4,000 or you will ‘lose’ your directorship?

In the past, that has meant that you pull out all the stops, like do a personal blitz where you warm chatter the free world and facial everyone you can, hoping to recruit one or some and bring them in with big inventory.  Once in a while, that works. Continue Reading →

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Is Mary Kay About Selling Products or Recruiting Distributors?

By on January 27, 2012 in Inventory & Selling, Recruiting

Written by SuzyQ

As sales directors we are continually taught that our job is to bring in new recruits. New recruits mean new inventory purchases and more production means a higher monthly commission check.

For those of you who are laboring under the assumption that we are taught to be concerned with your customer sales and numbers of classes you are having, it simply isn’t true. We are concerned with your customer list in that within that list, potential new unit members can be found. This is why we push you to bring models and guests to the weekly meetings and other events. Continue Reading →

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Mary Kay Skin Care Class: 12 Women, 30 Minutes, $500 Sold (Yeah, right.)

By on January 25, 2012 in Business Basics, Inventory & Selling

Where do I begin with this email to one Mary Kay national area? I believe that she may have had 12 women there. I believe she may have sold $500. But there’s no way it only took 30 minutes! The only way she could do that is to spend about 6 minutes on the class, and two minutes each with the guests.

I don’t mind when Mary Kay NSDs actually do some work and show their consultants how it’s done. I just wish they’d be honest in recounting the work they’ve done so as to set up realistic expectations for the consultants.

Here’s how the nsd describes her class: Continue Reading →

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Who’s Selling Mary Kay Products? Not Kim Sabourin’s Unit!

By on January 9, 2012 in Business Basics, Failure in MLM, Inventory & Selling

Kim Cowdell Sabourin Mary Kay DirectorFrom time to time, I like to take a look at who is actually selling Mary Kay products, and what kind of living they’re making from it. Pink Truthers are often told that it’s easy to sell MK products. The products “fly right off the shelf” or “sell themselves.” We’re told that if we were unable to sell the products and make a decent profit from those sales, it was only because we didn’t work hard enough, didn’t work the right way (the “Mary Kay way”), or we’re just lazy losers.

That’s why it’s so helpful to take a look at large units, see who is selling enough products to make a living (or even close to a living) and then compare ourselves accordingly. Today we’re taking a look at Kim Sabourin’s unit (formerly Kim Cowdell). Continue Reading →

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“Profit Level” Inventory in Mary Kay

By on November 10, 2011 in Inventory & Selling

You’ve heard this Mary Kay lie many times before: $3,600 wholesale on your shelf is considered “profit level” inventory, and until you get to that level, you shouldn’t be taking any profits for yourself out of your “business.”

Realistically speaking, there is very little profit in Mary Kay to begin with. But this “concept” twists the financial aspect even further and uses faulty logic and bad math to convince consultants to place large initial orders.

Here’s how the Mary Kay explanation goes: Continue Reading →

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Balancing the Books: A Commentary by Your Target

By on November 2, 2011 in Inventory & Selling

Written by The Scribbler

I don’t normally do articles covering the selling aspects of Mary Kay, but from time to time, if I see selling guidance that makes me go, “Wowsers, that’s a pretty non-stalky idea!” I think it’s worth a mention to our active IBCs and directors.  Training in Mary Kay sees more pass-around than a kindergarten game of hot potato, so what’s one more source, right?

Today I’ll treat you to three examples of booking techniques I think need to get excommunicated, and three examples I felt were reasonable and even pleasant (meaning they won’t land you in the local police blotter under “Level Three Personal Space Offenders.”)  So without further ado, I present to you the Terrible Three: Continue Reading →

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Mary Kay Product Changes: Botanical Skin Care and More

By on October 10, 2011 in Inventory & Selling, Mary Kay Products
Mary Kay Botanical Effects Skin Care

This is the Mary Kay botanical line sold overseas.

Hold onto your hats, ladies! Mary Kay Cosmetics is making another huge change to its product line. We’ve talked here about frequent product changes (see here, here, here, and here). These changes are not for the benefit of the consultants, nor are they for the benefit of the customers. They are for the benefit of Mary Kay Inc., which makes tons of money each time a product is changed.

Botanical Skin Care Replaces Classic Basic

First up, botanical skin care is in, classic basic skin care line is out. Formulas 1 and 2 of Mary Kay’s Classic Basic Skin Care will go away at the end of 2012. Formula 3 of Classic Basic Skin Care will stay. The company is considering offering Formulas 1 and 2 for sale once a year, starting in 2013. Continue Reading →

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