It’s Not a Facial and It’s Not Free
Written by L J on May 2, 2008 – 4:45 pm -One thing that irritates me about Mary Kay is that they train their consultants to get new customers by offering prospects a “free facial”.
First of all, a facial is a procedure that is performed by licensed and trained aestheticians. You know: those people who are trained and licensed to take care of skin.
The “facial” that a Mary Kay consultant wants to “give” you is simply a face washing session designed to sell you the products. Period.
And YOU do the washing. She just teaches you how. And I use the word teach lightly as well, since most consultants know very little about the products, in my experience, and are simply sitting there spouting off facts on the cleanser or moisturizer you happen to be applying and assuring you it is better than anything out there.
Second, if you consider wasting at least an hour of your time and being exposed to some pretty strong-arm sales tactics free, then go for it. Me…I’ll just say no and run.
Why this company and its reps are allowed to call their little selling appointments facials is beyond me. It’s very misleading.
Tags: Mary Kay, marykay
Posted in Articles & Commentary |
May 8th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Great point!
May 10th, 2008 at 5:01 am
So true! I was just hit up to go to one of these, but the MK consultant wanted me to go get a “free pedicure” at her area-wide event (i.e. all the big-wigs will be there with their extensive strong-arm recruiting tactics and memorized ways to overcoming to your objections). Of course I knew I was not going to go, but to help this lady see through the fog, just a wee bit, I asked her if this would be the same exact type of pedicure I’d recieve if I walked into a salon. She said “we do the soak but since we aren’t licensed to apply products, we let you do that”. Wait - isn’t that skipping quite a few steps? Has she been in MK so long she’s forgotten what a real pedicure involves? I asked about getting rid of callouses and making the cuticles all neat and tidy, and about the massage, etc. She said they don’t do that, but that this is their most popular “free workshop”. I told her that I can’t waste gas to drive 30 miles to give myself a pedicure in front of strangers when I could do that at home for free, and no thanks. I hope that made at least a tiny light bulb go off in her head: that the selling point, “free pedicures”, is a lie. If she had been instructed to be truthful, she would have said, “free foot-soak, we provide the water.” Yippee.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:28 am
i didnt think mary kay still sold nailpolish - how could they do a pedicure?
May 14th, 2008 at 5:34 am
anyone can nit pick about all the things they think are wrong with any company - what about all the great things that Mary Kay herself did for women in general - why not concentrate on the big picture … and be thankful - i think of al the Mary Kay people i know that have done such wonderful things for women and helped so many restore their self esteem - for every complaint letter i have read on this site - there are more than likely hundreds of other success stories and blessings that would outweigh the negative. Mary Kay was a beautiful spirit and had a heart to help women. in so many of the letters these complaning women state that the products are good and still use them -
RESOUTION - be thankful NOT grumpy…
May 14th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Val, we’re not nit picking. If you’d read the site and spend some time here, you’d realize that.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Wow .. it continues to amaze me that if it bothers an individual - change it. It’s YOUR business. I have never offered a free facial. As I’m aware, my mary kay website also does not say “free facial”, it says “Free Consultation: For the ultimate in customer service, turn to me for personalized skin care, beauty advice and the secrets to successful gift-giving…” All of which are true. When I invite customers and potential customers, I typically offer them $25 in free product as a gift and a free pampering session. If they invite three or more friends who are over 18 and do not currently have a beauty consultant - I double it to $50. I explain to them exactly what we’ll be doing - they’ll have a chance to try many of our products and decide what they want to take home. We also have free prize giveaways, I’ll be offering them a follow up appointment, and they’ll have an opportunity to hear how they can do what I do. I also tell them that we laugh and have fun and they’ll fit right in. Because we do, and I believe they will! (if this sounds redundant .. I mentioned this on another post) That’s basically exactly what I share with them.
I’d also like to point out that there are some good reasons we don’t put product on our customers. First of all, it’s not legal in all states if you’re not licensed. Secondly, I share with all of my customers to expect this, because I believe it’s important that they learn how to do what we’re going to do themselves. I won’t be in the bathroom with them the next morning. I believe that there are many women who don’t use cosmetics because they don’t feel as though they’ve been sufficiently taught how to use them. Teaching is a big part of what I love about what I do.
When you make a decision in your heart to be as truthful and honest as possible - it really changes so much!
May 28th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Quoting from Admn “The “facial” that a Mary Kay consultant wants to “give” you is simply a face washing session designed to sell you the products. Period.”
Quote from Andi, “All of which are true. When I invite customers and potential customers, I typically offer them $25 in free product as a gift and a free pampering session. If they invite three or more friends who are over 18 and do not currently have a beauty consultant - I double it to $50. I explain to them exactly what we’ll be doing - they’ll have a chance to try many of our products and decide what they want to take home. We also have free prize giveaways, …”
It doesn’t sound free to me. You’re giving away $ 12.50 per person, for a facial, but turning it to a Skin Care Class and doubling the give away to $ 25, plus prize giveways?
That’s a min. of $25 in sales for a facial or $50 in sales for a SCC in order for YOU to break even, not counting samples, gifts, products used, brochures, phamplets, choices cd’s passed out, paying for your gas, time, etc.
While your costs can (and usually) are re-couped by customer purchases, they are basically expected to buy. Anytime I am invited to ? whatever type of home party, if I attend, I will purchase something. Otherwise, I just don’t go.
I think today’s society has expanded beyond the “home” party - people are busy and just don’t want to fool with “home” parties. Also, I would be cautious, again due to today’s society, about inviting unknown people into my home.