Pink Truth

How New Directors Got Their Last 3 Customers

By TRACY Posted on 39 Comments on How New Directors Got Their Last 3 Customers

This one is designed to make you feel like you didn’t work hard enough. All you have to do is get more customers. More customers means bigger business for you.

Well, no kidding! The trick is actually finding enough customers to sustain a Mary Kay “business.” And that’s not nearly as easy as some make it sound. There are many reasons why women aren’t interested in Mary Kay: market saturation, recruiting pushes, low-quality products, better available product choices, disapproval of MLM, etc.

So building a customer base can be very challenging. And when you get a good customer, you’re encouraged to recruit her, which is the equivalent of shooting yourself in the foot if you’re trying to develop a retail sales base.

One Mary Kay sales director had this idea for showing women how easy it is to build up customers. She does start off on the right foot, mentioning that a customer base is important. She doesn’t tell you that large customer base will be raided as you recruit your way up the Mary Kay career ladder, but that’s a different article.

Here are different Mary Kay sales directors recounting how they got their last three customers. Well that’s nice, but three doesn’t get you very far.

Successfully moving from consultantship to directorship involves a large, strong and wide customer base. You want to build in multiple geographic locations, all age groups. This prevents postponements in mass numbers due to one unique situation that affects a small % of the population (example little league games or canning tomatoes 🙂 refer to our training.)

Our new directors are sharing with you were they found their 3 newest customers.

  1. My last new customer came from the internet. She called me & I went to her home with samples and catalogs. She wanted everything because she lost her make up bag and wanted some new and exciting products. We’re scheduling a class with her friends.
  2. Then there was the new wife Gayle of my husband’s long time friend Alan. Alan wanted my husband to tell him what I used on my face to make it look so good so his new wife could look better. I suggested a facial. They said she’d never agree. I called her anyway and she bought the roll up plus $90 more plus booked a class.
  3. My husband was telling the girls in his dental office about his newer truck that he got when I sold my car because I got my Mary Kay car. They said they all used Mary Kay because of a consultant that used to work there. Now they can’t find her and she hasn’t contacted them. They want me to be their consultant so I set up a lunch date/facials with them.

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  1. One customer I met at a Business Women’s network meeting. Met on a Tuesday night. That Saturday I had a double facial with her and her daughter the following Thursday she held a class with 3 of her friends. And booked another class with some of her colleagues.
  2. At my current job I am a supervisor and have a hard time soliciting my business, however this summer I got an intern straight out of college who loves make up and saw my color palette and asked me what she had to do to get it. She has already bought from looking at my website and has booked an appointment to do a B&A for the Model of beauty search. I am turning that into a class with some of her friends.
  3. A referral. I sent the model of the beauty search e-card to all my customers and had one who did not want to do it but forwarded it to one of her friends she thought would be interested. That woman called me to schedule her B&A and asked if she could bring 2 friends. That appointment is scheduled for this Wednesday coming.

—–

I live in a new community and I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how I can reach out to my neighbors. The problem is I work fulltime for the builder and they have made it clear that I can not solicit to “homeowners”.

My next door neighbor said she would host a skin care class for me and invite some neighbors. It was Awesome.

  1. My neighbor, Janet, held the class and I met 4 new local women. Another neighbor, Amy, booked a class and Janet and her daughter booked a double facial for the model beauty search.
  2. At Amy’s class I met 3 more neighbors and booked Amy and her sister in law Nadine for a B/A for the model beauty search. Marge has listened to a choices CD, was interviewed and plans on staring her MK business this week. Nadine listened to the choices CD and was interviewed. Two days after the interview she moved back to NYC. I talked to her on Tuesday and put her to the “pink pillow test”. I will follow up tonight and hopefully she will begin her MK business today.
  3. I received a web order last night from a new customer. I am delivering her product on Thursday night and plan to book her for the model beauty search B/A. I planted the seed today over the phone.

**I am currently working with local builders to set up a MK table in their most popular models. My plan is to pamper the men and women with satin hands and offer sun screen and after sun gel. Many Local builders are looking to offer more in the models because the market is so SLOW! Just a thought.

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  1. Nursing home where I spend 2 days a week spending time with my 93 yr old grandmother-in-law. I did a facial and she does want to book a party and earn product for free but she was going on vacation and then kids went back to school so she is planning her class for the first week of September.
  2. Bookstore – Gal by the Name of Danielle – Checked me out when purchasing a book to read just didn’t have a smile on her face and I just started warm chattering with her and booked a facial with her and when she came on Saturday she brought 4 of her friends and family. I did there class this past Saturday at noon and I booked one more class from that and Danielle is very interested in the opportunity and took a packet with her and she is coming to my meeting tonight. Very excited about that.
  3. I am on the PTO at my sons school. You talk about networking man that was the best thing I have ever done!!! I am excited to see where that takes me and my customer base!!! I know with just talking and passing out my LOADED LOOK book that Linda taught me about last week I have got some orders to pick up and deliver this week and I booked 2 classed already for the end of the month. I am sooooo excited about the women at school. and not to mention the moms I am going to meet!!
  4. The school does a community fair about a week after school starts and I got a table for that set up I will share the results after that happens.

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  1. Name from a Fair Booth- We have a fair booth every year in our town… (keep in mind this is a name from last years fair) We had scheduled several appt. throughout last year, but they kept post-poning. We finally got to hold that appt. before seminar, had an interview, she wasn’t ready at that time. Mailed her a post card from seminar, told her wish she could be there, how much I valued her as a customer… She called me on Wed. and told me she was ready to join!
  2. Name from Day Care- (Beth sent out a daycare script and that’s what I have been using for this- thnx Beth) I have been going to daycares to honor working mothers- giving them goody bags and they give me their info. I met Farrah, she’s the director of the day care, she entered her name, booked an appt. for her and her friends and one for me to come back to the daycare after hours with all the employees, she bought a velocity set for her daughter and a foundation for her that day and another worker also booked for her/ friends, she also bought a velocity set for her daughter that day… and will be doing her appt. next week…
  3. Referral from my sister- My sister ran into a girl she went to high school with and they got to talking and my sister told her how I was a Future Cadillac Sales Director w/ Mary Kay (that’s what my family calls me.. how exciting) and she said she lost her consultant and was in dire need of another.. She called me and purchased 2 skin care sets, and booked an appt./interview…
  4. Referral from Website- She’s never tried the products before was just interested, saw us on U-tube. Put in her zip code it referred her to me, booked an appt. for this week. ( I love my website, it’s awesome)

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  1. One of my newest customers I met at a Nurses Day that I went and spent 2 days doing Satin Hands on all the nurses at a hospital for nurses week. I got many great customers but this newest one just did a class for me and is doing another one for me in a few weeks. The class was over $500 and I got 2 bookings.
  2. Another girl I am facialing this Wednesday I met her on Facebook through a mutual friend. I got a Facebook account because of all of the high school friends that had accounts and we stay in touch that way. I have booked numerous classes through Facebook.
  3. Another new customer I got from a facial bag that I did at the coffee house I used to manage. The owner loves me and I always have something Mary Kay in her coffee house. 😉

—–

My newest customers came from one of my consultants who quit MK. I asked her to give me her customers, (some were mine before) and she did! Alicia booked a party then both her daughters booked. When one of them had her party I got 3 bookings. The last one of those three bookings had 18 people there for a PJ party. It was over $600.00 and I had a new consultant with me to help, but also to see how much money she can earn .

—–

  1. my brothers girlfriend. She finally agreed to host a party that she thought no one would come to. She had 8 guests, $370 in sales and 3 bookings. Her Mom is considering joining
  2. I inherited a few customers from my sister,Michelle, when she quit. One has just reordered her Basic, but this week as I delivered it to her work, said that she’d love to come over to my house and let me help her with some color and try the new stuff! Hopefully next week.
  3. My other sister, Jennifer, lives in Nashville and takes up orders at work. A new girl wants to try some foundation. I’m going down this weekend and will meet her for a facial.

The bottom line? Finding 3 customers is easy. Finding enough customers on a consistent basis to build a strong, large, and stable retail customer base is next to impossible in Mary Kay.

39 COMMENTS

  1. I live in a new community and I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how I can reach out to my neighbors. The problem is I work fulltime for the builder and they have made it clear that I can not solicit to “homeowners”.

    My employer got too many complaints about me not doing the job they are paying me for.

    The way she has homeowners in quotes is worrying too. I can’t work out why though.

    12

  2. Then there was the new wife Gayle of my husband’s long time friend Alan. Alan wanted my husband to tell him what I used on my face to make it look so good so his new wife could look better. I suggested a facial. They said she’d never agree. I called her anyway and she bought the roll up plus $90 more plus booked a class.

    Got to wonder what happened to the old wife, death via Satin Hands? But fortunately the new model was easily bullied so it all worked out fine.

    12

      • I would bet just about anything that the husband’s best friend said no such thing. As a matter of fact, I’d bet there was no husband’s best friend and the whole thing is a big, fat, pink lie 🙂

        8

  3. At my current job I am a supervisor and have a hard time soliciting my business, however this summer I got an intern straight out of college who loves make up and saw my color palette and asked me what she had to do to get it. She has already bought from looking at my website and has booked an appointment to do a B&A for the Model of beauty search. I am turning that into a class with some of her friends.

    I managed to grab the newbie before she was warned by our co-workers. I managed to brow-beat her into submission.

    14

  4. I am on the PTO at my sons school. You talk about networking man that was the best thing I have ever done!!! I am excited to see where that takes me and my customer base!!! I know with just talking and passing out my LOADED LOOK book that Linda taught me about last week I have got some orders to pick up and deliver this week and I booked 2 classed already for the end of the month. I am sooooo excited about the women at school. and not to mention the moms I am going to meet!!

    Look, I’m monetarizing something I’m supposed to be doing to help out the children. Wonder just how long Mrs Harper Valley is going to be there before she annoys the wrong person.

    17

    • Mary Kay used the Sunday School roster at her church to find parents to sell encyclopedias to. This woman is following that sterling example.

      4

      • Gah, I visited a church once or twice more than fifteen years ago. I STILL get mailings from the realtor chick that was married to the associate pastor. The only way she could have gotten my information is through the church records, which I had assumed would be confidential. It’s just repulsive behavior and the very last type of person I would ever consider spending money with.

        9

  5. I inherited a few customers from my sister,Michelle, when she quit. One has just reordered her Basic, but this week as I delivered it to her work, said that she’d love to come over to my house and let me help her with some color and try the new stuff! Hopefully next week.

    Wonder why Michelle quit. Could it be she was a lazy looser?

    15

  6. My newest customers came from one of my consultants who quit MK. I asked her to give me her customers, (some were mine before) and she did!

    Another quitter.

    9

    • Before I left MK, I had other consultants lined up for the majority of my customers. I told most of them to go buy products off of eBay and other sites. When I found out that my director had been trying to contact them, I was livid. I told my customers to tell her that she was not to contact them at all and that they already had a consultant to service their MK needs. If she were to persist, they would contact MK and the FCC regarding “Do not call” laws.

      11

  7. Name from Day Care- (Beth sent out a daycare script and that’s what I have been using for this- thnx Beth) I have been going to daycares to honor working mothers- giving them goody bags and they give me their info.

    I wouldn’t feel very honoured if my day-care gave me a cosmetic company goody bag. I’d feel judged. Like being asked into HR to discuss your personal hygiene judged.

    10

    • All I could think of is that consultant must have put a ton of money into samples and packaging for those goody bags, which mostly went straight into the trash.

      14

    • Local dentist looking for new office staff, can’t imagine why he has such a high turn-over.

      9

  10. “Nadine listened to the choices CD and was interviewed. Two days after the interview she moved back to NYC.”

    Oh, the lengths people will go to to escape the nagging MK lady XD

    19

    • But just think of all those women, and men, in NYC who have never heard of MK. they’ll be flocking to you in droves!!

      Just think of the size of your down-line!!!

      You’ll be in a Caddy in no time!!!!

      Don’t worry about a saturated market!!!!!

      13

  11. ” My sister ran into a girl she went to high school with and they got to talking and my sister told her how I was a Future Cadillac Sales Director w/ Mary Kay (that’s what my family calls me.. how exciting)”

    Hmmm…

    Husband: Hey, honey, do you know where my…
    FCSDw/MK: How DARE you! You are to refer to me as Future Cadillac Sales Director w/ Mary Kay! How many times do I have to tell you?

    Child: Mommy, I’m hungry.
    FCSDw/MK: If you call me Mommy again, I’ll throw your snacks in the garbage! You are to call me Future Cadillac Sales Director w/ Mary Kay!

    Former Classmate: Uh, Sharon, why do you call your sister Future Cadillac Sales Director w/ Mary Kay? I thought her name was Susan.
    Sharon: Don’t ever question it. Just… don’t. It’s not worth it.

    Keep that one away from the wire coat hangers.

    14

    • this was my thought. Some NSD wanted to put together a rah rah “training document” and each director had to submit a “scenario”

      7

  13. Even if these were all true, each “new customer” probably represents 10 or more rejections, “wrong numbers”, broken appointments, last-minute cancellations or dead-end referrals. The time & energy required to cultivate each new customer is unrealistic and exhausting.

    18
    1

  14. “I spent 2 days doing Satin Hands on all the nurses at a hospital for nurses week.”

    Then the alarm clock went off.

    20

    • This has to be fake or super old. With the COVID situation hospitals aren’t allowing visitors and even when hospitals began to allow visitors they still had limitations. I work at a hospital (7 years now) and our visitor policy is still restricted. We’ve also been given free gifts from local restaurants and those are delivered and dropped off. The restaurant staff isn’t even allowed to pass them out to us. Random people are simply not able to enter the hospital and roam around due to COVID and violence/safety concerns. This woman sitting in the hospital touching dozens of nurses all day is so unlikely. Nurses are tired and busy and not one I know would think this is fun.

      6

      • I found a basket of samples from a nutritional MLM in the waiting room of the local cancer treatment center, sitting next to the hospital approved snacks.

        I dumped them in the trash. No one needs untested ‘supplements’ when they have cancer and way too many drugs already.

        11

  15. I thought I was up on the MK lingo, but can someone tell me what B&A (or B/A) means? I’ve been “racking my brain” (and Google) trying to suss that one out.

    Thanks in advance,

    Clueless Mansplainer

    2

  16. “I am on the PTO at my sons school. You talk about networking man that was the best thing I have ever done!!! I am excited to see where that takes me and my customer base!!!”

    Yeah, I used my school district staff directory since I was told ‘find a way, make a way.’ I stopped when I got royally chewed out by a woman who was very upset that I called to solicit business from that staff directory. Granted many school district staff directories are online but not their home information. I certainly crossed an ethical boundary and realized then how low I had sunk.

    12

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