Wonder If Mary Kay Inc. Knows About THIS Auction!

In O’Fallon, Illinois, there’s going to be an auction for the Edward A. Fulton Junior High to raise money for the eighth graders to travel to Washington, D.C.

Whoopee, you say. Why do I care?

Well, maybe you don’t, but Mary Kay Inc. might.

The chairwoman of the auction, Kathy Sheppard, is a Mary Kay consultant. And she’s donated about $160.00 worth of products in order to participate.

This is a quarter auction, which means everyone who bids on an item throws a quarter or two in a pot. Here’s an attempt to explain it, from the article that appeared on the Belleville News Daily website ( http://www.bnd.com/news/spiers/story/574607.html ) :

“It’s actually more of a lottery. Your quarter goes in a pot, along with other quarters from other people interested in the same item.

Then an auctioneer picks a number from all the numbers people were assigned for the auction and that number wins — if the person holding the number decided to participate by throwing in his or her quarter.

If not, then another number is chosen.

Clear? Or clear as mud? “

I vote mud.

It seems Ms. Sheppard rounded up every MLM person in the area, from the list of participants:

“The Fulton auction will have more than 60 products with a total value of more than $1,500 from local businesses and from vendors such as Mary Kay, The Pampered Chef, Longaberger Baskets, Dangles Handmade Jewelry, Tastefully Simple, Tupperware, Party Lite, Stampin’ Up and Southern Living at Home. “

So…is Mary Kay Inc. is okay with this auction?  Is it okay because it isn’t on eBay? Or is it okay because the consultant donated the products to a worthy cause?

Does tossing a few quarters in a pot in front of a display of Mary Kay products at an auction enhance the Mary Kay brand?!

Popularity: 2%

If You Sell Mary Kay Products on eBay…Beware!

Just wanted to post this to increase the likelihood that resellers and liquidators will see this. I have posted this on eBay as well.

Mary Kay Inc Files Lawsuits Against Numerous eBay Sellers of Mary Kay Products

Dateline: December 4, 2008

If you sell Mary Kay products on eBay…beware! Mary Kay Inc. may be coming after you.

In the last week, several eBay sellers of Mary Kay products have been served with lawsuits.

You may also be aware of the ongoing lawsuit that Mary Kay Inc. filed against Touch of Pinks Cosmetics, and eBay seller who also runs a separate online store selling Mary Kay products.

The Mary Kay consultants who spend their days policing the listings on eBay and turning Mary Kay sellers in to Mary Kay Inc. are surely gloating and celebrating now. Unfortunately, there’s no evidence that these sellers have done anything wrong. And especially given that Mary Kay Inc. has yet to win any judgment against seller Touch of Pink, these additional lawsuits seems a little premature and aggressive.

If you sell Mary Kay products on eBay, I would urge you to make sure you be careful — whatever that may be, I suppose, at this point. Mary Kay Inc. is out for records from these sellers to see if they are purchasing products from active consultants and directors in the company. They assert that this is interfering in their business.

We will have to wait to see how this all plays out, but either way, it is vitally important to anyone liquidating all those excess Mary Kay products on eBay, and for that matter, other sellers of similar products.

Popularity: 7%

Don’t Confuse Sales Hype For Positive Thinking

If I had a dime for every time someone calls this site negative, I’d have quite a few dimes! 

One of the immediate indoctrinations new Mary Kay consultants are subjected to is the idea of “positive thinking”  They are encouraged to eliminate all “stinkin’ thinkin’” from their life to open the door to success in their Mary Kay “business.”

Now, I am a FIRM believer in the power of a good attitude. I’m especially convinced of the need to be able to “see” the outcome you desire, what many call visualization. If you can’t imagine an certain scenario or outcome, it’s doubtful you can experience it, as you have to be able to even see it as a possibility. So you won’t find me dismissing some of the tools that many who talk about positive thinking.

BUT…the rah rah sales hype of Mary Kay functions is really NOT the same thing as being positive.

It is, however, a good sales practice used by many companies, designed to get members revved up and excited, to overcome the discouragement that often accompanies sales. You see, as humans, we just don’t feel great when we put ourselves out there in the world and receive rejection. As a sales person, you have to keep knocking on doors and calling people, no matter how many “NOs” you receive.

The mistake that many in Mary Kay make is thinking that even speaking of these doubts or challenges is negative.

It’s NOT. It’s smart.

How effective do you think many of our businesses or even the government would be if they only talked about great something is, without acknowledging the obstacles or challenges that exist as well. If they never brought up the so-called negative stuff, how would anybody create strategies or plans? How could you anticipate things and create “Plan B”?

Being positive is not about letting only cute little motivational sayings cross your lips. It’s about being SMART. It’s about seeing the big picture and choosing to continue to move ahead. It’s about embracing your failures instead of coming up with euphemistic phrases to cover up your pain and need for collaboration, as in having a bad week, yet coming to a sales meeting saying that your week was “unbelieveable.”

The Mary Kay brand of “positive thinking” can make one feel truly depressed in a short amount of time. One can’t continue to lie to themselves and continue forging along and it isn’t wise either. What’s needed is a true, honest discussion of the challenges the salesperson faces and talking with others to find ideas. And NOT just sugar-coated ideas that don’t even translate to reality.

The “positive thinking” served up by Mary Kay is dangerous. It’s a kind of brainwashing that works well for the company, getting women to continue buying products they probably won’t be able to sell. It’s clouds the eyes of women to what’s really going on.

Popularity: 1%

Did You Ever Give Mary Kay Products As Xmas Gifts?

I was just thinking about this the other day…

Did you, when you were a consultant, ever give MK products as gifts as Christmas?

This time of year, every Mary Kay consultant is being bombarded by ideas for packaging “gift sets” for the holidays to tempt their customers. And being encouraged to host an Open House, which, for most consultants, are a complete waste of time.

I certainly sold a few things around the holidays, but by no means as much as directors would have me think I should. From listening to them, it would seem everyone gives nothing but MK at Christmas.

And I never gave MK as a gift at Christmas.

Popularity: 2%

A Story From a Male Mary Kay Consultant

Your Name: Thomas

Date Joined MK : June 1995

When Left MK or Still Active?: June 1998

Initial Inventory Purchased: 1200.00

How were you recruited?:
I met an MK consultant at a municipal fair who had a booth there with another consultant. At the time, I was selling Avon products. I expressed interest in MK products and their business plan. About two months later I signed up with MK.

Memorable experience you had in MK:
The great weekly sales unit meetings. I loved them! Very useful information on sales, marketing, and presenting information on the products.

What did you learn from MK?:
I learned alot about sales techniques, product presentation, and building your own self-confidence.

What are you doing now? :
I am a waiter. I have a master’s degree, but jobs in my field are scarce.

Additional Comments:
I have fond memories of my time as an MK Consultant, and I was so impressed with the high caliber of women (and one man) whom I associated with in Mary Kay. I can see both the great things, and the negative things, about the company.

Popularity: 3%

Rachel’s Getting Ready To Do a Facial, But Took Time Out To Tell Us How Wonderful MK Is

Your Name: Rachel

Date Joined MK : 04/28/2008

When Left MK or Still Active?: Still Active

Initial Inventory Purchased: $200.00

How were you recruited?:
Asked to have a facial, loved the products and asked to have an interview and thought it would be right for me.

Memorable experience you had in MK:
First seminar just past July, It was so well put together and it was just a real eye opener about how you can make this business work for you!

What did you learn from MK?:
Being a Mary Kay Consultant is a great way to meet new people and help out women all over.

What are you doing now? :
Getting ready for a Facial.

Additional Comments:
I love my Mary Kay business! If you do it correctly it can give you wonderful things!

Popularity: 4%

True or False: It only costs $100 to join Mary Kay

TRUE and FALSE.

To become a Mary Kay Consultant, you must sign an agreement and pay $100 for your “starter kit.”

However, in order to stay “active,” you must place a $200 wholesale product order with the company every three months.

Now, it makes sense that you can’t just sign up and never place a product order. That would be silly, since the whole point is to sell the product. And it makes sense that in order to be considered a Consultant that you would have to order certain minimums to be able to represent the products.

What doesn’t make sense is the big presentation on “initial inventory packages” that comes after one has signed the agreement, and the sudden push by your Director to start your Mary Kay venture with hundreds, even thousands, of dollars worth of inventory.

The problem is that in my observation and experience, Directors almost always emphasized the $100 starting figure and never mentioned what came after that: a hard push to buy an “initial inventory package.”

Many women know nothing of the impending “Inventory Interview” they will be subjected to once they join MK and many current consultants feel guilty recruiting women with what they feel is only half of the story.

Popularity: 21%

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