Mary Kay Selling Tips
Yet another document with various ideas for how to sell Mary Kay. 
Comments
37 Responses to “Mary Kay Selling Tips”Leave Your Comment
We want to hear from youPosts
Recent
- Ky-Blue Realized She Got a Star Pin Simply For Give MK Money
- Becomingfree is Trying to Heal
- Jackie Figured Out That Consultants Are Mary Kay’s Best Customers
- Cheryl Feels Totally Used, Chewed Up, and Spit Out
- Elise Says Even With $3,800 of Inventory on Your Shelves, You Still Don’t Have Everything
- Active Consultant Ashley Sells Mary Kay for Fun & a Little Extra Cash
- Active Mary Kay Consultant Says PinkLighthouse.com Keeps Things in Focus for Her
- Raffle Winner Gets Basket of Expired Mary Kay Products!
Popular
- The Mary Kay Car Program
- Mary Kay vs. Avon
- Inventory Return
- Mary Kay Selling Tips
- Mary Kay's Lawsuit Against Touch of Pink Cosmetics
- True or False: It only costs $100 to join Mary Kay
- True or False: You earn 50% of everything you sell in Mary Kay
- Mary Kay Canada Sues Touch of Pink Cosmetics
- Touch of Pink Cosmetics Files Response to Lawsuit by Mary Kay Inc. (part 1)
- Mary Kay Career Car Program Guidelines
Tags
-
Booking
initial inventory
Lawsuit
Mary Kay
marykay
Mary Kay Ash
Mary Kay car
Mary Kay car program
Mary Kay Consultant
mary kay consultants
Mary Kay Consultant Stories
Mary Kay Director
mary kay inc
Mary Kay lawsuit
Mary Kay Opinions
Mary Kay products
Mary Kay training
mk
MLM
Recruiting
Scripts
Selling
selling mary kay
Touch of Pink Cosmetics
warm chatter
Recent Comments
Ads
Lipstick on 
Ann on 
Brooke on 
Tam on 
This was a great article! All of these tips are so creative and sound almost effortless (and with great return)! I just started a new job and work a 40 hr work week so my business has been on hold lately.
One tip that I got from my sales director is to buy a plastic fishbowl and put a sign on it that asks people to drop their business cards in for a chance to win a free facial. Put these fishbowls at banks or laundromats, and then come by at the end of the month to pick out the lucky winner! I havent actually tried it (a lot of businesses are funny about that) but I heard it works well!
Report this comment
So then at the end of the month you might have ten people to call – most screen their calls and don’t answer – or say they’ll call you back (and don’t) – or set up an appointment for the facial (and cancel 1/2 hour before – or worse just doesn’t show up) – or have the facial, say they like it, but doesn’t order anything – worse yet, want to try 15 shades of lipstick and then just buys a lipstick – ultimately they just want to sell YOU something! You might get one repeat order customer, but they are probably 1 in 100. That takes up way too much time & energy & money out of MY pocket.
Report this comment
One tip that I got from my sales director is to buy a plastic fishbowl and put a sign on it that asks people to drop their business cards in for a chance to win a free facial. Put these fishbowls at banks or laundromats, and then come by at the end of the month to pick out the lucky winner! I havent actually tried it (a lot of businesses are funny about that) but I heard it works well!
Sarah Foster, listen to what Trixie says and save yourself a lot of time and disappointment. I even tried it offering a gift certificate for the place of business with a free MK facial.
People had the audacity to suggest I mail them the gift certificate because they didn’t want the free MK facial..that should tell you haow many people REALLY want a MK facial, free or otherwise. The fishbowl thing never worked for me.
If you haven’t invested in inventory yet, wait until you have some classes and facials and then order what you need. It will save you a great deal of debt and you’ll also find out if you have any repeat customers before you stock a few items for your loyal customers.
By the way, you will find very few customers that are loyal only to you. They don’t feel any obligation to buy exclusively from you, no matter how good your customer service is.
After servicing a “regular” customer for several years, I decidedto quit MK and I offered to give her the name of a consultant that would give her good customer service. I was shocked to hear that she already had a consultant, but was ordering from me and alternating between her regular consultant. I was shocked. because she orignally had called me looking for MK as she had been referred to me by a mutual friend.
Report this comment
“save yourself a lot of time and disappointment”
The thing that I keep remembering is “Activity builds courage…inactivity builds fear” so
even if the activity does not yield the monetary results I expect, it will still build my confidence if I look at the big picture. Now if fishbowl marketing is all I am doing, then I will fail but if it is just one of many activities I am doing, it will just be aanother rung in the ladder of success.
XOXO
Cheryl “the Mompreneur” Coldiron
Report this comment
UGH!
Report this comment
Now if fishbowl marketing is all I am doing, then I will fail but if it is just one of many activities I am doing, it will just be aanother rung in the ladder of success. XOXO - Cheryl “the Mompreneur” Coldiron
That was the most insincere XOXO I’ve ever seen…and after your comments, I would guess you missed the “Go-Give” classes and the “Golden Rule”. You obviously have not read any other parts of this board or you would know we didn’t just sit back and wait for money to fall into our pockets. We worked our business hard and with integrity!
“Coldiron” is a fitting name for you!
Report this comment
Hi Lipstick
I was just trying to help.
Sounds to me like you need to take your own advise. I come here and post one time and you jump all over me…an unprovoked attack.
Looks like you got to use your Mary Kay training after all because in my experience, most mk rep are dog eat dog and are always clawing their way to the top while leaving behind innocent victims like me who were dumb enough to trust them to begin with.
XOXO
cc
Report this comment
Coldiron…is MK not quite as wonderful as it was in March 2009? Sounds like you have totally changed your attitude about MK. How are the rungs on the ladder of success? Could it be that what we said was right, MK is not what they say they are?
What have you been doing for the last year and what changed your mind about MK?
Report this comment
I never said I liked MK.
I was just trying to answer a marketing question .
I was never quite comfortable with being told how to dress ect….I guess I’m just an old hippie at heart but I do love to market products .
I just could not give my heart to MK…even went to a big event but it all seemed hollow to me.
I saw my friends working 80 hours a week and terrified of losing their cars.
I was not willing to sacrifice what MK requires to succeed.
As for what I have been doing over the past year, after I got rid of my inventory, I found a few internet programs to keep me just busy enough but not too busy.
xoxo
cc
Report this comment
You know Ive realized something. I am madder at me than anybody else because I got duped and fell for the bait. I sincerely apologize to all of you for acting like a jerk.
I guess I did learn something at mk after all…..ugh
I guess those that put into mk a whole lot more than I did really really got burned.
Who by the way should get a purple heart for their efforts.
XOXO
cc
Report this comment
Cheryl,
Don’t beat yourself up. This is a great site. From what I’ve seen all the ladies are very welcoming and will understand where you are coming from. I haven’t had a “bad” experience with MK, and even though my experiences are different, they have been very accepting and respectful. I’m sure they will all join me in welcoming you to the forum. You will find a lot of support.
Report this comment
TY lunamom!
Report this comment
Cheryl, I’m truly sorry things did not work out the way you wanted them to, I hope you will visit us in the forum. You will find an incredibly supportive, friendly group of ladies, and we talk about a lot more than MK
Just click on the forum button at the top of the page and register as a member. Looking forward to seeing you inside and getting to know you better!
Report this comment
Hello, me and my fiance just started the business, and we need all the resources we can get to expand our minds and succeed. Mary Kay offers many opportunities that with HARD work will benefit us a lot. My fiance feels a little weird because mary kay is mostly for women so we decided he is going to sell the MKmen and colognes…
Hope all of you do great in your business and those of you that might be discourage pray and find encouragement within yourselves ’cause I know you have what it takes to become whatever you want to become.
Report this comment
Butterfly, this is an anti-Mary Kay site. I hope you will read around and enter the forum for information that may save you form incurring a lot of debt.
Contrary to what they say, all in Mary Kay do not put God 1st, family 2nd and career 3rd. For many recruiters and SD’s they put the focus on money 1st!
Do yourself a big favor and educate yourself on how the system works by reading of others experiences in Mary Kay. Most do not make as much money as a minimum wage job would provide, despite Mary Kay’s claims of making a 6 figure income. For most that simply does not happen. Good luck to you and keep your eyes and ears open.
Report this comment
Hey Butterfly there are two sides to this coin as you can see. I think the biggest thing is self motivation. Any business can be hard. Just make wise decisions. If you really feel like this is the right company for you than go for it! Hey I would say be careful on what you order if you order any sort of inventory. It is very true that many people get “sucked in to inventory” so be wise. If you want my advice, I’d say maybe a couple of sets of the skin care line and maybe a couple visibly fit lotions (something along those lines) I would NOT advise to go over $600 that is way too much and it is very hard to assume what make up people will want and what skin care products you will need(in my opinion) Your customers will all be different and will want different things. Any samples that you order don’t count for your MK Quota, but I’d advise to get some of them …I know you need at least a 200 whole sale order… In time if you both find that this is what you really want to do, you have set up some customers then you can start to stock a little, but just do one thing at a time. And if you keep the right heart, set goals, and work hard, with joy and patience anything is possible. God is GREAT! and does great things. Don’t get ahead of yourself *which is way to easy*, don’t spend to much money! Make some and then replenish and do that over and over and naturally let it grow. If you want other advice from me, just email me @ nickyvirtue@live.com… I’m gonna be real with you and try to be as helpful as I can. I am also doing the business as well… one step at a time is what I say.
Report this comment
Hi ladies,
I’m a married college student thinking of starting to sell Mary Kay. I was wanting to know if any of you would be confortable telling me how much you have to work at it and some ups and downs to the business. Thank you very much!
Report this comment
You have to work it A LOT to make any money! Yes, you would be able to pass out books on campus (provided it is allowed) but you will have to make calls regularly, once or if you can find customers, then you have to be available for classes – I know they quote 2 hours, but that does not include prep time, drive time, set up or breakdown, bringing it back home and putting stuff away. Personally, I’d say about 5 hours if the class is fairly close, then you may or may not make much money. You will be pressured to purchase inventory (of course there is a $200 min YOUR cost to get the 50% discount), supplies, books, gifts, bags, shipping on each order of apx $ 9, etc. – so you’ll need to have $ for the “investment” of your “opportunity”.
If you want to make a regular income, I’d say a part time job would be a better bet, it would provide a steady income and regular hours. If you want a tax deduction, then MK is the way to go.
Join us in the forum – there is a section about MK in there that may help you to decide. Just click “forum” at the top left hand side, and follow the instructions! Hope to see you soon!
Report this comment
lipstick.. you are totally rude..
butterfly.. high five..
i sell mary kay too an its an awesome opportunity..
the rules by the way lipstick, isnt to put God first.. they just let you know an tell you that mk is a business that allows you to do so, unlike most..
so listen.. an keep your ears open : )
Report this comment
I love you too Sabrina, is the go give attitude an option too? I didn’t say anything rude, just speaking the truth, have you read the MK literature they gave you? it says the company was founded on the principals of putting God first, family second and career third. I didn’t make it up.
(((HUGS)))
Report this comment
Butterfly says:
August 10, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Hello, me and my fiance just started the business, and we need all the resources we can get to expand our minds and succeed. Mary Kay offers many opportunities that with HARD work will benefit us a lot. My fiance feels a little weird because mary kay is mostly for women so we decided he is going to sell the MKmen and colognes…
Hope all of you do great in your business and those of you that might be discourage pray and find encouragement within yourselves ’cause I know you have what it takes to become whatever you want to become.
Lipstick says:
August 11, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Butterfly, this is an anti-Mary Kay site. I hope you will read around and enter the forum for information that may save you form incurring a lot of debt.
Contrary to what they say, all in Mary Kay do not put God 1st, family 2nd and career 3rd. For many recruiters and SD’s they put the focus on money 1st!
Do yourself a big favor and educate yourself on how the system works by reading of others experiences in Mary Kay. Most do not make as much money as a minimum wage job would provide, despite Mary Kay’s claims of making a 6 figure income. For most that simply does not happen. Good luck to you and keep your eyes and ears open.
Sabrina says:
September 28, 2009 at 11:09 pm
lipstick.. you are totally rude..
butterfly.. high five..
i sell mary kay too an its an awesome opportunity..
the rules by the way lipstick, isnt to put God first.. they just let you know an tell you that mk is a business that allows you to do so, unlike most..
so listen.. an keep your ears open : )
Ok, is it me?!?! Totally rude how exactly?
Report this comment
To all the “negative nellies”:
Mary Kay IS a business and like all business owners you must WORK! In a “regular” JOB, do YOU get paid for drive time? Neither do we in MK, THAT is why we say we make XX amount of dollars at a SKIN CARE CLASS….not getting dressed time/not drive time/not organizing the office time.
People that are SO negative are the reason MK women (& men) are SO positive. We don’t like listening to people that are SO negative. If you were to go to a bank and ask for a loan to start a business…..but by the way mr. loan officer, if I fail at my business, can I sell you all my inventory back and just walk away? That loan officer is going to LAUGH at you…..yes, having inventory is an option MK offers (and I bought AND PAID OFF my first ENTIRE inventory), HOWEVER, if you SHOULD decide that MK isn’t for you, MK will BUY BACK your inventory!! HOW is that a BAD situation Ms. Lipstick?
The truth is, some people get in to mary kay thinking they won’t have to work as hard….I know of people being downsized in this economy from corporate america; started an MK business and are making MORE than they did in their 80,000 per year job.
There is a marketing plan to follow…you MUST follow it. If you think you’ll be a success doing it YOUR way….you won’t. If you have a negative attitude, you won’t just fail at MK, you will fail at all you do….because THAT is what you’re setting yourself up to do.
Report this comment
Consistant Star…we’ve heard the “negative” baloney so long that your words have no effect.
Yes, if you want to run a successful business, you have to put forth effort. But MK isn’t a real business. It’s basically a home-based franchise at best, a pyramid scheme at worst.
Mary Kay Inc. doesn’t buy back 90% of your inventory because they have a warm fuzzy place in their heart: it’s required by law.
Most people getting into Mary Kay think they’re actually going to make the kind of money that the company and its directors present. They actually think they’re going to be able to work the few hours they’re told and make some decent money. So why shouldn’t they? That’s how the “opportunity” is presented to them. Then when they get in and realize all isn’t as presented it’s somehow their fault. THAT’S what I’m tired of.
And recruiting everyone in sight and getting them to order thousands of dollars of inventory isn’t a marketing plan. It’s how pyramids stay alive!
Report this comment
Ms Consistent Star….at a real job you get paid for organizing your office, putting away inventory, putting price tags on merchandise, making customer service phone calls, the company provides your supplies needed to work your job and most companies if you have a job that requires a business card, the company pays for that too!
You don’t know me, but I worked my MK business for 8.5 years, I wasn’t looking for a free ride, but I did expect to make enough to have some for myself and to make some kind of profit, sorry, you are wrong. BTW MK doesn’t offer the 90% buyback because they care ,they do so because they are required to, but don’t count on your SD , or your recruiter to tell you that you can return your inventory any time for 90% buyback of anything purchased in the last year. they keep that secret to themselves to protect their precious commissions.
Report this comment
Read your Agrement.
The 90% buyback is only for merchandise that is less than a year old.
It is not your business to do with as you please. The company can terminate YOU at any time.
Report this comment
ellenk says:
Read your Agrement.
The 90% buyback is only for merchandise that is less than a year old.
It is not your business to do with as you please. The company can terminate YOU at any time.
ellen, all I can say is trread my post and reread the agreement. It says you may return to the company any product purchased within the past 12 months for 90% buyback.
Most MK recruiters and SD’s will conveniently let you believe and even tell you the buyback option is only for the first year of your MK business. Just another way they deceive those joining MK.
Anyway ellen, you are right nobody owns their own MK business, every avenue of income and how, when and where to promote and sell product is dictated by MK for MK’s interests. You can’t pass your business along to your heirs and you can’t pass along all your hard work, recruits and commissions when you die either.
Take my advice and steer clear of MK and if you are so foolish to join then please enter the forum and read of the pitfalls and experiences of those who tried the business before you.
Report this comment
I wonder HOW Mary Kay could be restructured in order to stay in business and do what they say they are trying to do – empowering women.
Report this comment
Wrong-O! They want you to think that, but actually the 90% buyback is available for products purchased within the past 12 months. If you read here, you’d quickly find that.
Report this comment
I think this is all obviously just a scheme…I see other “active consultants” in here flapping their jaws and trying to state what we (who have been there and done that) have already heard. What are you trying to do, get more comission? Because I for one am not buying into your empty promises . Why don’t you try it on those who DON’T know what you’re all about already? Because I’m not buying it…ANY of it. You only try to promote the ones that you “like” anyway, so go paint your nails or something already. No one gets rich off of your lame schemes. All I got was debt because my supposed “team leader” was going to “be there” for me…yet she never was, and after over $2000 in credit card debt to your precious “business”, I called it quits before your people could do more damage to my credit score. Also, it mainly only targets old ladies, none of the younger generation wants Mary Kay cosmetics…they want MAC, and who could blame them? I got the whole ” you can only get buyback the first year”..song and dance too. You should feel so proud of yourselves for being such accomplished liars. Bravo!
Report this comment
I am currently looking into becoming a Mary Kay Consultant. I’ve been researching it for the past 3 weeks. I’ve met with my soon to be Sales Director and asked many, many questions. I’ve been presented with lots of materials to read that VERY CLEARLY go over the business. IT IS NOT A GET RICH QUICK business. It’s one that takes a lot of work and someone that can provided customers with great customer service that keeps them WANTING to come back to you. They don’t appear to have secrets…everything you have all mentioned is covered in their booklets…like any other business endeaver, it’s always a good idea to know exactly what you will be getting yourself into. It it a real big secret that you’re going to spend time in the car, traveling to your appointments or ordering supplies? How about organizing your office or marking prices on your items? To me, that’s a given, but I guess if you’re in any way surprised by this additional “time committment” than I would be frustrated too. I have chosen to become a consultant, knowing that I don’t want to go into debt, so won’t be purchasing eventory. OF COURSE they tried to talk me into buying inventory, but I’m my own person, making my own descisions and I said NO THANKS. Pretty simple. My advice to anyone looking to become a part of a business would be to PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS, SLOW DOWN, and ASK QUESTIONS.
Report this comment
Jennifer, what you say is true for the most part, but some of the details of the “MK business” aren’t that easy to find. And it isn’t that easy for people to slow down and ask questions and that’s their intention. They get people excited. It’s sales. It’s a process and it works. It’s easy to say the things you’ve said and I’ve heard them all before. But people aren’t rational beings and decisions are made over and over every day due to manipulation of emotions. That’s what advertising does. If everyone were like you and said no to inventory, MK would collapse in less than a year. Inventory is how the company makes money. It makes MK go ’round.
Report this comment
Jennifer,
I agree that the additional work is a given. However, we were specifically told by sales director to “only count time actually spent at the party” when stating our income at sales meetings. Sales of $300 at party, 2 hours = $ 150 hour! RAH RAH Clap Clap!
Actually: Sales of $ 300 at party, 2 hours
Travel of 1/2 hour each way
Prep time for party 1/2 hour (plus unpacking time) 1/2 hour – this is at home
Set up and tear down for party, 1/2 hour
Delivery of product, 1/2 hour
Work up order when it arrives, 1/2 hour
So we are up to about 5 1/2 hours with $ 300 in sales, $ 150 of which goes toward the purchase of product; $ 9 for shipping; apx $ 15 for products used at party and/or gifts; $ 30 for hostess credit; $ 40 in gas (if you get good gas mileage); cost of books/samples placed in orders $ 5
So you are making about $ 9 per hour, with this example. This doesn’t count the time you spent attempting to book the party or any followup.
$ 9 per hour is a lot less than $ 150 per hour.
Report this comment
Excellent break down Tam. You are so right on.
Every MK sales meeting I ever went to featured the famous “top seller of the week” countdown (or really count up to the highest seller). If the top seller sold $600 that week, the director ALWAYS said that the consultant made $300.00. And then the next question was “How many hours did you spend”? and the consultant usually answered somewhere between 2 and 6. In fact I don’t remember anyone ever saying they spent more than six. So the consultant was touted as having made anywhere from $30 to 150 an hour. YAY!! Roars of applause from the crowd!
Report this comment
Ok you ladies make some excellent points, however, they seem to be negative. Now, I’ve been on here a few weeks and love the site because it presents (usually) both pictures, but I have to disagree with you here. What I’m finding that is so cool about MK is that you can put in your 1/2 working up your order, 1/2 driving to drop it off, and whatever hours you put in calling when you are at home or even driving…. ON YOUR OWN TERMS. I pack orders with my 2 1/2 year old running around and playing. I can pause in the middle of that “back-breaking” 1/2 hr and change her diaper or play Dora if she really wants. I can also drive with her to drop off an order and then get ice-cream or do whatever. That to me is the beauty of this business. Yes the classes might take a while, but I can choose to do them on the weekends so my husband can watch the baby and I don’t have to worry about a sitter. So for me that is worth it.
Yes paint a true picture. But also paint it fairly. MK is not no work, it’s simple, but not easy. But it does have some IMO very valuable benefits. I could never do that with a regular job or even a part-time on the side job. So for those considering this business take that into account as well. You may indeed spend more than the hours the way too Pro-Mary Kay’ers say, but IMO they are not as tedious as the Anti-Mary Kay’ers make it out to seem.
Report this comment
Good points, lunamom, but I did all that while working a 50-60 hr /wk full time job. It was much more than I wanted to do and I did not have the luxury of being a stay-at-home Mom. I would have given anything to be able to work a job out of my home and still pay my bills and that is what I was looking for in MK.
When you count your blessings, don’t forget to be extra thankful that you don’t HAVE to work outside the home and maintain your family and home at the same time.
Please do not take my comments as being condescending or negative in any way, they are not meant to be.
Report this comment
Quoting Lunamomo “Yes paint a true picture. But also paint it fairly. MK is not no work, it’s simple, but not easy. But it does have some IMO very valuable benefits. I could never do that with a regular job or even a part-time on the side job. So for those considering this business take that into account as well. You may indeed spend more than the hours the way too Pro-Mary Kay’ers say, but IMO they are not as tedious as the Anti-Mary Kay’ers make it out to seem.”
That is true but it is also true that MK doesn’t guarantee any income whatsoever, no matter how many hours you put in. It is a good “hobby” income but for a guaranteed income, I still believe a part time job, even at minimum wage, would yield a better per hour rate.
Report this comment
To Lipstick and Tam..You make good points and 100% I respect your opinions. (Momma didn’t raise a fool. I would be STUPID if I didn’t listen to those who went before me.) Lipstick, I have been blessed, but don’t think the “luxury” of staying at home has come cheaply. My family goes without extra’s so that my youngest can at least get to the point of speaking very well before she goes to daycare. In all honesty, this isn’t something that I would recommend to someone if they had to depend on it and I get it that that is where the ire comes from (some director misled someone with 99.9 %t guarantees of income and technically that .1% saves her from “false claims”) I’d be angry too. However, what I was looking for in MK is to try to stretch the family budget (sometimes going without extra’s means some bills are paid late.) And, so far that HAS happened. I fortunately came in at a time when I had a little extra money. Now, to all those out there, what MK tries to avoid saying out right is this……THERE IS A RISK, A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF FAILURE. (Just say it, be honest, people like me will still join) HAVING SAID THAT…the flip side is that you may make some money (I personally wouldn’t say decent yet) on your own terms. To many people that is something that you can’t place a value on. This business is different for everybody. For me, if I can get another year of being able to stay home with my daughter then MK will have been worth it to me. Some people want companionship and MK offers that as well. Others want something else…u get the picture.
All that for this parting thought. Ladies, don’t overlook the negatives in this business–stare them right in the eye, but don’t cheapen the positives–I delivered product today 40 miles away, I only made 24 bucks but my kids and I got to see my mom. . .for sure a positive.
Report this comment