Becoming a Mary Kay beauty consultant is easy enough, but learning how to sell Mary Kay products takes a little more time and effort. With enough persistence, you can earn a decent amount of money from this career.
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Part 1 of 3: Becoming a Consultant
Step 1. Find an existing consultant
If you already know a Mary Kay consultant, you can ask her for help. But if you don't know a consultant, you can find one in your area using the Mary Kay website.
- Mary Kay beauty consultants benefit when they hire new people, so most existing consultants will be happy to assist you in the process.
- To find a consultant near you, search here:
- Enter your zip code in the "New to Mary Kay?" box. and click the "Search" button. A list of nearby consultants will appear.
- Choose a consultant from the list and view their profile. You are free to choose from the results until you find a consultant you feel comfortable talking to.
Step 2. Talk to your consultant
If you already know your consultant, seek him out directly using whatever contact method you normally use. However, if you don't know your consultant yet, you can contact them via the Mary Kay website profile.
- From your consultant profile, click on the "Learn how to become a Beauty Consultant" link.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page until you see the words "Let's Start Your Success Story Today." Select the link which will take you to the message page.
- Use the form to message your consultant. Ask him about becoming a consultant. Most consultants will usually provide you with information within a business day or two.
Step 3. Purchase a starter pack
The standard price for the Mary Kay starter pack is $100, plus shipping and taxes, but there are occasional sales and special offers that can work in your favor. In 2014, there was $400 worth of materials in the starter pack.
- You should purchase this starter pack through your Mary Kay beauty consultant.
- Each starter pack contains retail-sized products for demonstration purposes, samples to share with potential customers, brochures and informative DVDs.
Step 4. Study the package
Take the time to go through all the hints and guides available in your starter pack. There are several DVDs and CDs, as well as brochures and pamphlets with helpful sales tips.
Step 5. Attend training meetings
Each Mary Kay consultant is part of the unit as a whole. To help you get started with selling, you should go to a training meeting with the director of this unit.
- Note that you may want to attend a few weekly meetings before getting into the field. These meetings are meant to maintain a positive attitude, friendship and mutual support from the consulting unit while teaching them good business skills. Training is never mandatory at Mary Kay, but is highly recommended for success and confidence in your business. You can also practice online through the enormous visual media resource powered by Mary Kay Inc, at marykayintouch.com. (You have to be a consultant to use it).
- If your director is out of town or otherwise he can't come to you, he should instead be able to direct you to an "adopted" director who can work with you.
Step 6. Get to work
Once you have completed all the steps outlined, you will become a trained and equipped Mary Kay beauty consultant. The next thing you need to do is start selling.
You may be encouraged to build your home inventory as soon as you join. Supplies are NEVER mandatory at Mary Kay, but they are a privilege. It's like a supermarket stocking the shelves before they open, so customers can take home TODAY what they want to buy TODAY, instead of waiting a week for products ordered from the company. Direct selling companies rarely allow their consultants to keep inventory, but Mary Kay offers this privilege. Use your time when making decisions and start smart, by only buying as much time as you have to sell. Ask your recruiter or director for statistics on how much inventory is right for you, based on the number of hours per week or per month you are willing to spend in your business. The more time you spend in your business, the more you will sell, and the more inventory you will want to have. The company offers a free product bonus on your first stock purchase, so make sure you ask your recruiter about it, so you don't regret later missing out on the free product bonus. Mary Kay offers a 1 year 90% repurchase guarantee on initial inventory purchased, but be aware that if you ship inventory back to the company, you cannot become a Mary Kay consultant again. (Note: This is not the same as a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Mary Kay guarantees all of its products, and will replace them free of charge, forever, if a consultant or customer is not satisfied.)
Part 2 of 3: Basic Sales Strategy
Step 1. Provide samples
Your starter pack comes with samples that you can give to others and retail-sized products that can be used for demonstrations. You can also purchase more samples and demonstration products when you need them.
- Samples allow potential customers to try the product before buying it. Showing how great a product is to customers can make them more interested in buying it.
- Be generous, but smart. Giving out free samples at random to people you meet on the sidewalk is a good way to spend the product, but it's not necessarily a good way to get more customers. Whenever possible, engage potential customers in the conversation first. If the person seems interested, give them a sample. If not, thank you for your time, and move on.
Step 2. Have parties and classes
Mary Kay facial care means teaching skin care. At the same time, you will share Mary Kay products (selling), and if you wish, share Mary Kay opportunities (recruiting). Giving a facial for 1 woman is just as easy for 5 women, so invite friends and family to a small party or skincare class, and encourage them to bring acquaintances too. After that, you can ask one or more of them to throw their own party, invite their own friends, and have a party at her house, and you'll offer the hostess a gift to thank her (often a free or discounted product)..)
Step 3. Meet the prospect one by one
You need to follow up with everyone who attends the party, to address specific needs and develop a better relationship with them. You can offer a hostess gift if she wants to invite her friends to a follow-up meeting.
Before each facial or party, call each guest to talk to her about her skin care needs and the best makeup application techniques for her to use based on skin tone, face shape and other unique qualities
Step 4. Manage your digital presence
Through Mary Kay, you can subscribe to have a personal website for your business for as little as $30 the first year and $60 the year after. It is fully managed and operated by Mary Kay, and looks almost exactly like the company's official website at marykay.com. The website is private but will allow your customers to make online purchases directly through you. To maintain Mary Kay's professional image, you cannot create a personal website outside of what Mary Kay offers. However you can advertise on social media if you follow very specific guidelines, to protect the company's image.
- Through the website, you can also offer limited deals, post digital catalogs via social media, and send email newsletters to registered customers.
- The website also gives you access to your customers' personal information (birthdays, order history, etc.). You can use this information to provide personal recommendations and special offers, but selling the information is illegal.
Step 5. Share the catalog
Leave product catalogs with potential customers. You can also ask your local hair salon for permission to put a catalog there. Make sure that every catalog you leave has your contact information so anyone who wants to make a purchase knows how to contact you.
In addition to catalogs, you can take advantage of printed postcards, flyers, brochures and business cards. These should also be purchased from the company or companies they endorse, again this is to protect the professional image of the company
Part 3 of 3: Additional Sales Tricks
Step 1. Meet the neighbors
Once you start selling, spread the word to your neighbors. Talk to neighbors who already know you and introduce yourself to some of the new neighbors.
- When someone moves into your neighborhood, give them a welcome bag with some samples and your Mary Kay business card.
- Similarly, when you move into a new neighborhood, introduce yourself to your new neighbors and give them each a free sample and a business card.
Step 2. Have a Mary Kay Scent:
Mary Kay Ash tells consultants to be "Come-Give, Not Come-Take." Be kind and courteous, and always follow the Golden Rule. Remember to share what you like, and not sell what you want to get rid of. The consultant usually sells what he likes, so use all the Mary Kay products you like, and don't be afraid to try new ones. Be a walking ad for Mary Kay: Have a charming and tasteful general appearance, use Mary Kay skincare, cosmetics and fragrances. Any comments you receive are an opportunity for you to share with them a product you like, and you can offer them a facial, if they're interested.
Step 3. Advertising your business in any way that makes the company look cheap is illegal
Placing a sign on your page, online, or anywhere else that says: "Discount for Mary Kay" is unprofessional. Mary Kay products are mall quality, and Mary Kay's retail prices are already a fraction of the brand's prices in shopping malls, so advertising a discount should be rare.
- Have a birthday promotion. For example, offer a 10% - 30% discount for customers who order during their birth month.
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Consider offering free gift wrapping for gifts purchased during a special occasion, such as Mother's Day or Christmas. To drive higher sales and prevent you from getting too overwhelmed, specify that customers must buy a certain amount to qualify for the offer.
Sell Mary Kay Step 14 - When you are a consultant, you can buy as much as you want for your own personal use, also at a 50% discount. You can also give Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, and so on out of stock by buying from Mary Kay, and it helps you in getting your friends and family to use and enjoy Mary Kay products, and eventually buy from you, if they wish.
Step 4. Turn each party into a Mary Kay party
Stealing attention is an annoying thing to do, but that doesn't mean that you can't take advantage of other social gatherings to quickly spread the word about the product you're selling, simply by sharing in a casual way how much you like a product (take it in your wallet and they can try it)
Step 5. Be creative about the placement of print media
Leave catalogs, brochures and business cards wherever you can. Any public ad space is a good target.
- The community bulletin board is also a place to leave flyers and business cards.
- Leave a catalog at a coffee shop, near an ATM, or in a beauty salon. However, make sure you get permission from the shop owner.
- When you recycle an old Mary Kay catalog, attach a sticker that says, "For the newest catalog, contact me at…"
- Tuck flyers under windshield wipers at local shops and restaurants, but make sure they don't look obnoxious or cheesy.
Step 6. Give a little
A good way to make a great impression is to leave something special for someone who never expected it. Make sure that each product sample you provide is accompanied by your business card so the recipient will know who to contact if he likes what he got and wants more.
- When you leave a tip for a waiter at a restaurant, include a free sample and a business card. Just make sure you leave a real tip, and also - never substitute a real tip for a Mary Kay product.
- Prepare a "spa basket" or "coffee break basket" and donate it to local businesses. This basket should contain samples, catalogs, and business cards, along with snacks or other interesting drinks, such as cupcakes or instant coffee packets.
Step 7. Give gifts for referrals
Tell your current customers that you are willing to give them something more if they refer other customers to you. This will encourage customers to send you more opportunities.
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One way to offer a referral reward is to credit a one-time bonus set to their next order. You can offer a bonus of a set amount, such as $0.50 or $1.00, or you can offer a percentage bonus, such as around 5%.
Sell Mary Kay Step 19
Warning
- Know what you are involved with. There are many advantages to selling Mary Kay. You can set your own hours, work from home, and so on. But the business itself may not be as easy as others say. If you do it casually, expect to get the best casual income. Only by taking business opportunities seriously can you make a serious income.
- Know the target. You can make money just selling Mary Kay products, but if you want to improve yourself in the organization, you will need to hire other consultants. If you want to be a sales director or get a chance to rent a pink Cadillac Mary Kay, you need to recruit an impressive team first.
