A nervous new consultant

[cullen30]

Hello, I became a consultant about two months ago and I am having my debut party next month (Aug. 22). After reading some of the post listed, I have become discouraged.  I am currently unemployed( but receiving unemployment) with three boys I have to support. I thought selling Mary Kay would be a good opportunity to make some extra money. I am not interested in the cars, buying a lot of inventory or recruiting new consultants. I use the products and I am happy with them. . I don't like being pressured into doing things I don't want to. I made the decision to do this by myself. Obviously, I wish I would have done more research. It's hard to find a job right now, and sometimes you have to find a way support your family. I am going to try this out , and I'll see where it goes. If I don't like it I 'll stop selling it.

[Lipstick]

  cullen 30....just be sure you read the topics around the board and on the main page at www.pinklighthouse.com   Knowledge is power and knowing about the many pitfalls and scripted spiels designed to part you from your hard earned money may save you from going int o debt.  You don't say how much inventory you started with ( i hope not more than $200 - 400 wholesale.  I would not place orders unles syou have the product sold and money in hand.

Don't let your SD tell you that the products sell themselves, they fly off the shelves and certainly don't let anyone talk yo into buying Limited Edition products unless you have a prepaid order for them or will use them yourself.

I wish you luck, and please know there are many women hear to answer any questions you might have.

Be very careful it is easy to go into debt with MK and being unemployed is no time to rack up additional debt.  Your SD won't tell you that you can return product at any time for 90% buyback from the company, but they only will purchase what yo have bought in the past 12 months,

Read around the forum, post on what interests you and ask questions. The ladies here are wonderful, supportive, smart and witty!

[Hunney]

Hi and  Cullen30,

I think it's great that you found this site. I understand how you might feel discouraged reading of other's experiences that were not so great, BUT I think it will really help you a LOT to read all the information here. That way you can make good business decisions and hopefully AVOID many of  the mistakes other women have made (including me!).

Look around, read A LOT and know that this is really a supportive place where you will get answers to any of your questions in a caring environment. My experience has been that the people here really care and want to help others! You can definitely learn a lot here. I wish I had found this site sooner.

 Welcome!
 

[BabyBlues]

Welcome Cullen30...you have found the best place as to the reality of selling MK..I am an active seller (NOT STALKER)   who does this as people need...with no inventory, I order only 2x a month, only after money has cleared... read here as much as possible  it is so helpful  in not falling into the  "pink fog" your signer upper will attempt to wrap around you.   Good luck and for you and your boys sake I hope it is profitable

[Trigger]

Dear Cullen30;

Do be very careful.  The vast majority, and I mean VAST majority, are doing good to make $2/hr. in any MLM.  MLMs are really nothing more than home-based telemarketing scams that pray on women primarily.

You will be at home calling anyone with a pulse as you become ever more desparate to sell something, anything.

The hours you will have to put into MK (despite what your SD tells you covered in kisses and honey) will simply astonish you.

And there, in a nutshell, is the extremely filthy secret.  You will work harder and longer than you ever did in any job.

[cullen30]

 

Thanks for the response. Like a lot of peoples that are new, I wish I would have found this site before i signed up. I think it's great that this website is not all about  mary kay.

[zaid]

Welcome, and I wish you luck.  Just don't go into debt to please anyone.  And the products don't sell themselves.  Stick around you will learn alot of things besides MK from these wonderful ladies!

[Tam]

cullen30    So glad you found us BEFORE debut and I hope, before inventory decision was forced!  DO NOT KEEP INVENTORY!  At least until you have the customer base to support it!  Watch what you offer for "FREE" also and DON'T purchase a lot of extra's (ie, pretty tissue paper, special pens, samples, supplies, prizes, etc!)   KEEP it simple!  But, I would also advise if you are looking to make money, for you to continue your job search in earnest!  With this economy, not many people will pay $ 13 for a lipstick.   You will get some orders and maybe some parties booked from your debut.  Do you have the option of holding classes in your home?  Sometimes that helps, people don't have to cook or clean then and they can just show up.

As someone else mentioned, feel free to check out any topic of interest and post any questions you have.  

[mk_hater]

Welcome Cullen30...you have found the best place as to the reality of selling MK..I am an active seller (NOT STALKER)   who does this as people need...with no inventory, I order only 2x a month, only after money has cleared... read here as much as possible  it is so helpful  in not falling into the  "pink fog" your signer upper will attempt to wrap around you.   Good luck and for you and your boys sake I hope it is profitable

 

Hahaha!!  MK "stalker"?!?!  Aint that the truth!!  I know.. When I first joined, my recruiter and director were instructing me to basically STALK people and really get in their faces.  I DID NOT feel comfortable doing that and felt borderline CREEPY!!  To be honest, I felt like (and still feel) like my recruiter STALKS ME!!  A few months ago, it was the last day of the quarter to place an order and she texted and called me all week to be sure that I was gonna place an order.. I told her I would.. But at the last minute, I just didn't want to b/c I had car insurance comming up and I had JUST PAID OFF MY MK CREDIT CARD!!!!  I was NOT going to fall back into this money pit AGAIN!!  So she tried calling my phone at 1 in the morning.  I didn't answer.  Ever since I met my recruiter (about a year ago) I have felt that she has somewhat "stalked" me.. I mean, she would call and text ALL THE TIME (But it's more obvious to me now what she wants).. She added me on almost EVERY social networking site there is... i.e. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Yahoo profiles, Yahoo messenger... I had felt she really was a good, fun friend... But TRUE friends who really know your story wouldn't push you into spending money if you didn't have it, now would they??  I feel like an idiot.

[BabyBlues]

You have to remember the  are very good at the script and actions they use on newbie IBC...think of how they get people to buy stuff they do not really need...we are no different we really hope for the positive and by the  time you realize it is bullshit it is a bit to late.

I would flatly tell that person to back off I am done with you, lose my number and block her access to your things!

DO NOT FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT!  You realized the truth and got out! 

[Sassy_C]

Cullen30,

Welcome to the board...I wish you well and hope that your party on the 22nd goes well. Debuts can go well...I sold over $1000 at mine....but I also stupidly bought $1800 in inventory....then I listened to my director about replacing what I sold at my debut....and then some....UGH!

Please, please don't go into debt...it will haunt you for years! 

Best of luck!

[upyourcadillac]

 

Don't go into debt. Try a few classes and see what happens if you want and order inventory from the money from your orders and deliver later.

But...I have to say that although the economy may be off right now, what I find is that there ARE jobs out there. Lots more than the media may have you think. Sure, there are businesses folding and others laying off people. But there are others starting up and expanding.

And I've always noticed that people with certain skills always seem to be in demand. Can you clean houses? Do handi work? People who can fix things and clean things and provide certain services seem to always have more work than they can handle.

[BC]

Can you clean houses?

I run a residential cleaning company, and our business has actually picked up with the recession. I think people are spending more and more time working and have less time to spend on their homes. Works for me!

[BabyBlues]

I swear by doing residential pet waste pick up...if you got the stomach and nose for it...there is one company here..I use to utilize...before eldest daughter was in college.. paid them $75 a month for two labs and a pug....possible paid $150 for first clean up...there was a lot of doggie doo...No major overhead they use shopping bags... plastic and my garbage to dispose...It was worth every penny not to have to do that...they came once a week...twice a week was more...

[Trigger]

Dear newbie;

Take the first money you make (at debuts, sales, whatever) and PAY OFF THE CREDIT CARD FIRST.

Do not call your sales director.  She will tell you you will be successful if you follow her every directive.  So not true. She can kiss your a**.  You have to sleep with your husband, not with her, so buck up, and do what's best for your family/finances first.

She is nobody to you.  If you quit ordering today, next week she won't even remember your name.

Love,
Trig