An NSD Overcomes Your Objections
Written by The Scribbler
Circular reasoning, faulty logic, and subtle bullying straight from the top of the food chain, friends. Pay special attention to the last line of this NSD’s script – its guidance is designed to help recruiters get you into a mode where you’re more likely to answer in the affirmative. Also of interest in this script is Mary Kay’s ever-present lack of respect for husbands, how forcing a prospect to make a decision for Mary Kay within 24 hours is doing them a favor, and the divine miracle of a bottle of Velocity delivering its own sales pitch in perfect English. Because the product really does sell itself, you know.
“I couldn’t sell anything.”
I am so glad you said that! I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way. But I have found that the product really sells itself. All that I do is teach people how to use it correctly. At your facial, did it look to you like I was teaching and sharing a great product, or did it look like I was “selling”? Wouldn’t you agree that the product really sells itself?
“I want to talk it over with my Husband.”
I certainly can understand that! It means so much to have your husband understand the marketing program, because then you are sure to have his support! Tell me this, if he decides for you that this is something you should do, how would you feel about it? Let’s fill out the paperwork, get your check, and then I will hold it for a day until you have had time to talk to him. I’ll bet with your charm, you usually can persuade him to your way of thinking, right?
“The time isn’t right now. I’ll start in…”
You know, if you wait for the right time to start you will never find every situation in your life perfect. It will really save you money to go ahead and start, even if you can’t really get busy just now. The tax deductions begin when you order your showcase and you can take advantage of those right away. Why don’t you go ahead and order your showcase? Start saving that money and when your situation is freer, you can really soar!
“I don’t have the money.”
That’s one reason we join MK. You know, anyone can find $100 if they really want to. Are you really interested in this opportunity? Is the $100 a real question? Is it the money, or is it fear? (If the money really is it, ask her who does she know that really believes in her and would make her a loan. Or, include the case and the order all in one loan if she can qualify.)
If she still can’t decide, tell her you will give her 24 hours and you will call her for a decision. This is a favor to her, as it helps her make a decision and stops her from agonizing and thinking about if for months!
I have found that if the prospect gives you 2 or more objections and you overcome them, the truth is probably that she is just simply afraid. Learn to say this, “Other than fear, what would hold you back from doing this today?” Always remember to ask questions and then BE QUIET and let her answer. Also, always look her in the eye when talking to her. Give her your full attention. Smile and nod your head at appropriate times, as you are speaking. This puts her in a “yes” mode, too.
“I want to think about it some more.”
I am so sorry. What was it I didn’t make clear to you? What sounds the most exciting to you about what we talked about? You know, if you are like I was, you probably want to think about it because you want to know more. Am I right? Our Success Meetings are fantastic, educational and fun! You will learn so much from them! Also, when you go ahead and order your showcase tonight, I can give you the Career Essentials for you to go ahead and start reading. The Career Essentials are only for those who’ve ordered their showcase. Is there any reason why we couldn’t go ahead and do that today?
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Helpful translation for the huns out there: “I can’t sell anything”, “the time isn’t right”, and “I don’t have the money” are code for “never in a million years but I’m too nice to tell you to take a flying leap.” She needs you to take a hint, not suggest selling her wedding china to scrounge up the hundred bucks.
“I need to ask my husband” and “I need to think it over” actually mean “I’m looking for an excuse to get away from you and also I’m never answering my phone again, ever.” She’s not going to ask her husband, although she will tell him the story of the annoying MK lady and they’ll both roll their eyes and sigh.
Helpfully yours,
Popinki
NSD why do you need me to sign up this month? What will you lose if I wait til next month? What are your minimums for your car production? How many months have you made a copay?
These are actual questions I asked when I started, and I asked to see production and paychecks. While I didn’t understand what I was looking at, she showed me. She must have fed me the right answers to reel me in. Wow I forgot about that.
Classic “feel, felt, found” manipulation in the guise of acknowledging the problem: “I am so glad you said that! I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way. But I have found that the product really sells itself.”
Anyone can find an extra $100.00???? What planet is she on?!
“Ask her who does she know that really believes in her and would make her a loan.”
Oh HELLLLL no. I feel weird about asking someone to lend me $20. $100? No way, not unless it was a dire emergency. And even then, I would feel really uncomfortable about it.
Passive-aggressive bullying.
What was it I didn’t make clear to you?
How much money I can regularly make given that the Income Disclosure shows it isn’t going to be “executive pay for part-time work”?
https://imgur.com/a/mary-kay-canadian-income-disclosure-2024-hPNN90o
Compare this combative dialog with that of purchasing from a retail outlet like Alta or Sephora. This, my prospective MLM recruit, is one of the most compelling turn-offs to this outdated door-to-door sales model used in MLM.
I just returned from two weeks in Africa. I have been to the markets in Africa and China, and I understand they exist in eastern Europe, India and most places in the developing world. But it is exhausting, inefficient and time-consuming to have to negotiate every single little purchase. Many negotiations include some sort of appeal to the needs of the seller…supporting their family etc. We in the West have the luxury of finding the very best prices in retail forums that post the best price up front. Our time is important to us, and we’d rather not spend 10 minutes getting an overpriced item down to its market value price so we can make a purchase. Haggling can be fun when it is occasional, but not when it becomes part of your every day.
I had a local gent help me find some desired items in the market in Africa, and he did me a great service, in terms of getting me the best price. But it took two hours of walking to various shops in the market. It would have been a better use of my time to over-pay at the first stop and head home. But then I’d regret having overpaid for my purchase.
We in the West have been spoiled by the huge interactive, customer-focused retail experience we’ve grown accustomed to. MLM is a throwback to the late 20th century, when time was more abundant than money. Today, most folks find themselves with a greater shortage of time than money, making these ridiculous old retail negotiations an affront to our priorities.
We still find this in some areas of our lives (automobile purchases in the US, for example). But for everyday items, we choose to patronize those retail establishments we trust to give us a fair price without haggling. MLM, with its overpriced product and sales model, is simply outdated and no longer attractive to the masses in the West, for these reasons. This is why it is so difficult to sell these products…it takes too much time, and the value (if any) is impossible to see up front. You need to find folks with the time and willingness to sit through the ridiculous back-and-forth laid out by this NSD, and be prepared to do this for every sale. Just think how much time it takes for each recruit…and how scalable is this really?
The very best thing we in the West can do to rid the world of MLM is to say, “No thank you.” without any further explanation. If we could all agree to this, MLM would wither on the vine in short order. These scripts don’t work if you don’t answer their questions. Just keep responding with, “No thank you.” If they push, simply say, “I am not going to explain why, but I am not interested. Please respect my ‘no’, or I will walk away.”
If the product really sold itself, a whole lot more directors would be taking the alleged 50% for themselves instead of hustling for recruits.
I can see these tactics working on women in the 60’s. Most women in this era stayed at home and the husband was the money maker. The tactic was to empower the 60’s woman. But today’s women are not like the women in the 60’s. Unlike their predecessors, a higher percentage of women work outside the home, some in very high paying leadership jobs and many are single moms. So the newest tactic is to be able to stay home with your children, (like they did in the 60’s) have more time with your husband and family but still contribute monetarily. Funny thing is, the script hasn’t changed at all. Recruiters, directors and NSD’s are still saying the same words and in many instances the manipulation still works. Some will call us negative and unsuccessful for calling out the Mary Kay manipulation, we’re just calling it what it is.
About “You know, if you are like I was, you probably want to think about it because you want to know more. Am I right? Our Success Meetings are fantastic, educational and fun!”
My usual answer, whether to an MLMer or a charity volunteer or whomever, is that I need to go home and check my finances and budget info. Basically, I want to know more and the thing I want to know is *not* something she could even pretend to provide!