Is it hard to sell mary kay products?

Question

So I've been using Mary Kay products for about 2 years now. It has done wonders for my face.

Those who know Mary Kay items, and have purchased/sold these items know it's not exactly the cheapest stuff out there. My consultant advises me to sell stuff on my own, and I'll be able to buy stuff at 50% off. What a great difference it'd make.

Is it difficult to sell Mary Kay items? or do you pretty much have a set of, say 5 customers and stick with selling items to them?

Additonally, is it possible to enroll in selling mary kay items just for the 50% off, and not have to sell to anyone? Or does it have some sort of method so that you HAVE to sell to others?

Im considering selling Mary Kay but would like some insight from those who have sold =]

Gracias

Answer 1

You can join Mary Kay as a consultant and only buy product for yourself if you like at 50% off.

With this type of business, your goal is to take your face story to everyone you know via the home presentation and then  use the referrals you get form them to get more referrals and so on. Eventually you will have a set of customers that will consistently buy product from you.

At the same time you should be bringing in consultants under you. This is where the real money is made. One you build a sizable organization you can spend your time supporting them.

Women buy what they like. Mary Kay products are not way out of the price range. So, if you consistent in sharing your story and building your consultant organizatio you can make some real money.  

The only drawback I see is the whole inventory thing. Keeping inventory and managing it is not a attractive feature.

Answer 2

I've been selling Mary Kay products for over 3 years now and I have had great success with it (it is how I pay for my education). I started off as a "personal use" consultant simply so I could qualify for the discount (I find the minimum per year order reasonable  - actually I use double or triple the minimum in a year). I later moved on to become a "part time" consultant because I found the product so easy to sell (it often sells itself when you find someone who is in the market for quality skin care and/or cosmetics).

The goals you set for yourself will depend on your level of difficulty in selling the product (I find it easy to sell a product I love!). I started off with my friends and family, but quickly found that I would have to move out of my comfort zone by talking to new people in order to find new business if I wanted to achieve higher goals. I am not into high pressure sales and have found that the "apply before you buy" method has worked really well for me. Being able to exchange or refund products that customers are unsatisfied with is also very helpful. At the end of the day, the majority of my repeat business (currently a base of about 30 customers), are very loyal and supply me with enough "unemployment pay" to maintain a small inventory, earn a few extra dollars and pay for my own product.

My best advice to you would be to decide what your goals are and ensure that they are realistic for you (for me working full time and going to school full time does not allow me to do more than one or two facials per month - but I am okay with that). Like any direct sales business, if you are passionate about the product, and willing to put in the effort, you will reap the rewards.

The other best piece of advice I can give you is to consider your choice to purchase inventory carefully. At the time when I started my business, inventory was not an option for me, so I literally built my inventory up from nothing. I currently carry about $1,000 in inventory, which is just enough for me to maintain my customer base, trade with sister consultants when I am not ready to place a full order and supply myself with the products I use on a regular basis. I find that most of my customers are okay with waiting if I need to place an order, as they all know my motivation behind having my own business and like being able to support me when they can.

I have been very careful about how I have managed my business and made decisions that were right for me - despite the encouragement from others to do what has worked for them. I am very comfortable with the income I have earned, enjoy the products immensely and love getting rewarded with prizes, recognition and self esteem for doing something that I love.

In regards to the answer above, you do not necessarily need to have people on your team (I dislike referring to my team members as being "underneath" me because we all work as a team). I currently have 5 members on my team and while I enjoy the commissions I receive because of their participation in Mary Kay, I do not rely on them to support the business I started for myself. Two of the girls I have were regular customers who purchased more than the yearly minimum (it felt dishonest not to tell them they could earn the same discount on product as I did) and the other three approached me about starting their own business. My best friend actually signed up on a whim, and does more business in a month than I do in six. I am very proud of all of the women I work with and would gladly welcome anyone interested on to my team, even though this is not the focus of my business.

Good luck with your decision! I hope this information was helpful to you.