ARE MARY KAYBOTS CON-SULTANTS?
July 3, 2008 by Sean Kelly
Filed under Business
(Best Franchise Opportunities) Related: Are “Pink Truthers” Just Lazy Whiners?
Is Mary Kay Cosmetics a “Cult of Greed”?, Does Pink Stink or is Mary Kay O.K.?
Multi-level Marketing schemes (or as they call them, direct sales organizations) are set up for inherent insincerity (at best) and outright dishonesty (at worst). And though the KayBots beg to differ, Mary Kay cosmetics is no exception.
On my post Are “Pink Truthers” Just Lazy Whiners?, Mary Kay “Consultant” Lisa wrote: I love the positive attitude that Mary Kay Ash had and I wish more people were like that nowadays. She is truly an inspiration, especially for women.
I appreciate Lisa’s sentiment, as I am also a lover of fiction. However, those nasty Pink Truthers contend that Mary Kay Ash was a master saleswoman who “inspired” women with the goal of recruiting an army of “con-sultants” and moving lots and lots of product (and making MK lots and lots of money). Period.
I don’t know if that’s the case. I don’t know if Mary Kay Ash was a con-woman or not.
LIES KAYBOTS TELL
But I do get the sense that Mary Kay – like most if not all direct sales organizations – is structured to “inspire” people to be insincere. It is based on a number of very inspiring lies. Here are a few obvious ones:
LIE #1: We are Consultants.
First off, stop calling yourself consultants. You’re not consultants; you’re salespeople. Every time you call yourself a consultant, you’re lying.
I’m a consultant. Clients come to me with a goal they want to achieve or a challenge they need to overcome. I assess the situation, the problem, the resources available and create a strategy and a plan. I choose from the entire array of methods and tactics possible. I have no hidden agenda, no product to sell… I get paid for my advice and consultation. I get paid to consult.
You don’t. You have a product line to sell, and a business opportunity to promote. The solution to every problem is going to be a Mary Kay product, no matter what. You get paid when someone buys that product. Consultative selling does not make you a consultant. They may be the greatest in the world, but admit it: you hawk cosmetics. You do not get paid for your advice. You’re salesmen.
LIE #2: With Mary Kay, “any woman can become just as successful as she wants to be.”
That’s BS and you know it. The success fairy will not sprinkle prosperity dust on you because you tap your ruby slippers three times and believe with all your might. Some women aren’t good at it. Some are shy. Some ARE lazy. Some DO expect things to be handed to them. Some Don’t have that special something that allows people to use friendships as sales opportunities. As Mary said, MK isn’t for everyone. Even if they wish upon a star.
However, MK would break down if you all didn’t say everyone can succeed… and if you didn’t disregard or demonize those who don’t.
LIE #3: Mary Kay cares about empowering every woman.
Mary Kay cares about empowering women who create revenue for the company. Period. They recruit every woman they possibly can with the “Believe and succeed” fairy tale. In the process, the wheat gets separated from the chaff, and the chaff blows away. The Kaybots dismiss them as whiners and losers who killed their success fairies because they didn’t believe.
So, no, it’s not Mary Kay’s responsibility to screen their “consultants.” In fact, I’m glad they don’t. It would be a lot harder to see what the company is all about if they stopped producing highly vocal detractors at the current rate.
I envisioned a company in which any woman could become just as successful as she wanted to be. The doors would be wide open to opportunity for women who were willing to pay the price and had the courage to dream.
Mary Kay Ash
WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH MARY KAY? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
__________________________
Unhappy Franchisee: Franchising rumors, rants, controversies, issues, complaints & insider information you’re not supposed to know.
Unbiased franchise information, franchise interviews and detailed, searchable information on 400 franchise and business opportunities.
.
Franchisees, customers & experts vote for their favorite new franchises at Top New Franchise: Who’s hot. Who’s not.
Well – as a “salesperson” for MK for the last few years, I can see why so many people have been jaded. Women do expect things to be easy and handed down to them. Unfortunately, you have to put in the time, effort, and money to get ahead in this game.
I honestly believe that this business is NOT for every woman, which is why I don’t focus on recruiting. I believe it is only going to be profitable for those who are willing to work.
Mary Kay Cosmetics has been around long enough that we aren’t “con-ing” people anymore. If someone WANTS to host an MK Party, they definitely know that we are selling cosmetics and that we will talk about the opportunity. If someones WANTS to have a facial with a MK consultant, its because they KNOW that we are selling make up and skin care and perhaps they’d like to buy some.
No one is ever FORCED into Mary Kay. No one is ever made to believe that holding a skin care class or facial is going to solve all of their problems.
People know what Mary Kay is, and if they want it, good for me. If they don’t, who cares. I personally love the skin care line and it works, FOR ME. Maybe for noone else.
And as for being a CONSULTANT, not a SALESPERSON, yes, we are consultants. Our tried & true customers trust us to consult them on the latest cosmetic trends. They trust us to teach their daughters how to wear natural looks and not overly done. They trust us to help out on wedding days to have the bridal parties on the same page. We do CONSULT. We are TRAINED to consult on skin care needs, glamour looks, latest trends, etc. Just because we don’t charge for our advice – like you – doesn’t mean we don’t consult.
Yes – we are saleswomen. Yes – we try to share the opportunity. But honey, let me tell you, in all my years with MK, I have NEVER done something or sold something that someone didn’t want. I make a point of telling everyone that there is a 100% guarantee and if you don’t like it, even in the slightest bit, you get your money back.
You’re right, this isn’t for everyone. But it’s for me and I love it.
Bre Garcia:
If everyone at Mary Kay – corporate included – had your attitude and candor there wouldn’t be an army of unhappy women complaining about the Mary Kay opportunity. It would be better for the MK brand if they’d drop the “any woman can succeed” approach and adopt the “It’s not for everyone” approach. Raise the bar. Be a little more selective before taking money and accepting those who match the profile of those who fail.
You’ve got a good attitude toward being a salesperson. There’s nothing wrong and a lot right with being a good salesperson. I think it’s the inexperienced and ineffective who have to resort to the more dishonest or misleading tactics.
I’m still doing my homework on MLM and am not sure it is inherently a scam (in theory) as some contend. But it seems that in practice it often is… the reason being is that those who succeed have a certain skill set and personality type, yet those who are often recruited do not have those skills or personalities… just money and time, which they won’t have for long…