need to RANT!!

[Lizette]

Hi all,
I stumbled upon this site and it is AWESOME!!! I feel like I finally found a place to rant!. I started my business in JUNE and I am an active MK Star consultant. I currently have over $4,000 retail in my inventory. Thus far sales has been very slow. I have found that people are not very interested in purchasing the products and is not too willing to even accept a sample on the streets. I have gotten wrong numbers, out- of- service numbers, and numbers with answering machines where people are screening their calls. I have placed an ad on craigslist offering free facials and did get some positive responses....but no sales. Everybody loves "FREE".

My weekly meetings are wearing on me because we are asked out loud $$$ HOW MUCH  $$$ in sales we did for the week. My number is always the lowest. These meetings are supposed to be training sessions where I had hope that the investment of my time would reveal some strategies to better work my business...instead i feel ridiculed because i didn't meet the quota for the week.....WTF is that?

My director is on my tail now because i have not place a product order for this month.. She sent me an email asking what were my MK goals for this month and said that she would really like to see me pace myself by doing a $600 order each month so that I can  easily finish up my star for next quarter...WTF???

I have decided that this is MY business and I am doing this PINK SHIT MY WAY. I have invested a lot  in inventory and will only reorder when i make enough in sales to do so. I WILL NOT be forced to fatten anyone's commission check especially when i haven't even seen a decent profit.

[upyourcadillac]

People don't like being bugged when they're in public places for other reasons. Period.

I HATED it when someone would approach me when I was in a store and try to talk up their "business." It has happened to me more than once. The most irritating I remember is years ago when I bought something (can't even remember now) at an office supply store and the guy behind me suddenly says "Now that you've got XYZ, you're going to need Internet access to go with it" and shoves his card at me...I just smiled, took his card, and threw it in the trash later.

So you're getting wrong numbers and disconnected numbers because this is how a lot of people handle these situations. They don't want to say no, so they give you info, just not theirs.  Funny, I don't remember anyone in MK ever talking about these types of nos.

The only way to make money in MK is to not carry tons of inventory and take orders. At least that's what most women have found. Carrying thousands of dollars of inventory just helps the company and your recruiter. It's how the "business" works, but it isn't the way you make money.

[BabyBlues]

I agree with Upyourcadillac!

  Lizzette,  read all you can here it will definite help you avoid the costly pitfalls ...I am a somewhat active IBC... I only sell to about 10 people regularly...profits... Me not many... but I am happy when I get what I like at 50 % off and my  friends are happy they do not have to deal with a pushy stranger and if I think a product in a store works better I tell them to try that first...You do not have to go to those meetings or answer to your Director...Do only what  you feel comfortable doing!   Any way best of luck!

[Sassy_C]

 

I don't have much more to add, but welcome and read on....this is a great place to learn everything you were never told by your director about the dark side of MK! 

[Trixie]

I consider MK to be a 'hobby' for me.  I probably have 10 customers as well, but make enough to pay for the products I use (and get for the 50% off).  I don't stalk people, but they figure out that I use/sell MK, and if they are interested they ask me.  I tried to do the 'all out' plan - a lot of make work for no profit.  When the directors say 'it's all about the numbers' (how many people you have to talk to to get someone interested), they are right - it pertains to consultants too - how many people try it, to get one that is 'successful'.  Way too much work, for whatever you will ever get from it - honestly!!!

[Tam]

Lizette,

When I first started I was star cons for 3 qtrs then realized that is NOT what I wanted to do but what SD and recruiter wanted me to do.  I IMMEDIATELY reviewed MY goals, sold down what I could, traded some for items I could personally use, and attempted to get rid of inventory - offering a percentage off to my regular customers.

This is YOUR money that is tied up!  YOU get to make the decisions! Best of luck!

[Trixie]

I was a star consultant every quarter - probably for 6 or 7 times.  The prizes used to be much better though.  Although I'm not recommending this, I really do love my Panasonic cordless speaker phone & my Conair 5X lighted mirror! 

[Trigger]

But, Trixie, you could have gotten that speaker phone for a lot less than $1800.  And therein lies the ugly truth.  Confession:  the one and only time I was a 'star,' I did it for the stuuuupid pajamas!!!  OMC!  I still can't believe the foolishness of that act.  Who the hell would pay $1800 plus tax and shipping for pjs?   Arghhh

As soon as I woke from my pink coma, I worked like a dog to sell everything to recoup my lost money and then got out!  The hell with the prizes.

We think that as adults we would never fall for such foolhardiness, but many of us do.

[Tam]

I started googling like products and saw how little the prizes cost!  It was much easier to set a goal and just go buy in the size/color/style you want!  I would reward for loosing weight, exercising regularly, keeping house clean, whatever.   LOL - I have to bribe myself!   

[HavingFunSellingMKAndAvon]

Hi Lizette,

I don't like going up to strangers either, it turns my stomach. Business people regularly hand out business cards and network. It may be easier for you to go to networking events where EVERYONE is handing out business cards and talking about their business. My director told me about a website called meetup.com, and while I don't personally use that site, I am giving that as an idea. There are networking sites out there where you can sign up and find a social interest group or business interest group, and go to meetings--lots of these groups are free, some have a fee, so its up to you. But at least you are surrounded by other business people who understand that in order to sell, you need to meet people to tell them about your product and what you have to offer.

I hope this helps!

[Trigger]

Hi, Lizette;

Cute name.  Might I ask what state you are from? 

Everyone who has responded to your post so far has been ever so kind.  Me?  Well, I'm from the other side of the tracks.  I will tell you the same thing but maybe with just a trifle more edge!

Read this site extensively and often.  It will help you keep your sanity and make you realize you are not alone in your experiences and feelings about the whole MK thing.

I am simply amazed that this site (and others like it) keep getting posts like yours.  It tells me that the MLM hamster wheel is alive and still churning out it's MLM rape victims.  You, my dear, have been had.  You are not stupid.  You are not naive.  You are simply a woman who trusted.  How sad that there's always some MLM stalker ready to abuse that trust.

*slap*  *slap*  (that's me slapping MLM hucksters!)


P.S.  I'm in Arizona.  They call us 'Zonies.'