Q1: You have been with Mary Kay for 6 years. During this period, the company’s business size under you grew by 255% while total number of active sellers grew 335%. What did you do to get these remarkable results?”
Women from all walks of life enjoy selling Mary Kay products because of the rewarding opportunity and flexibility offered by our home-based business model. Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants are entrepreneurs representing every woman – she’s your best friend, the driven stay-at-home mom or the multitasking corporate professional.
While all Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants can make more money by selling products to their customers, there are some Independent Beauty Consultants who decide to maximize the earning potential of having a Mary Kay business by taking leadership roles within the independent sales force. These leaders, known as Independent Sales Directors and Independent National Sales Directors, can earn additional income through commissions.
Whether it’s a part-time business or a primary source of income, each Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant has the freedom to manage her Mary Kay business in the way that suits her lifestyle best.
Q2: How do you view the dominance of many global retail brands offering a variety of beauty and skin care products of good quality? Why should anyone still consider buying from direct selling, specifically Mary Kay?
Mary Kay is a strong and reputable direct selling company successfully operating in more than 35 countries with more than 3 million Independent Beauty Consultants worldwide. We have been in business for 51 years in the U.S and 14 years in the Philippines.
Mary Kay is focused on its mission of enriching women’s lives, motivating and educating its global independent sales force and developing and promoting its high quality skin care and color cosmetics.
The Mary Kay direct selling opportunity is unique in its focus on enriching the lives of women around the world by creating unlimited opportunity for personal and financial success.
Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants around the world help women of all ages discover their individual beauty with remarkable products, custom recommendations and personal service. Consumers who use Mary Kay’s products are among the most loyal in the world because Mary Kay products are safe, effective and deliver beautiful benefits customers want.
Q3: What is your take on why some people join direct selling companies but quit early with no (or only one or two) sales? On the other hand, what common denominator do you see among the more successful ones?
Each individual’s reasons for joining a direct selling company is unique to themselves. Some may just want to earn some additional income for a particular purpose. Some may just want to experience the business to determine if it’s the right fit for them.
Successful Independent Beauty Consultants have determination and drive to succeed. They set long-term goals and business plans. They value what Mary Kay stands for and love the innovative Mary Kay products that make women look beautiful on the outside and feel beautiful on the inside.
Q4: Why do you think there are independent direct sellers who started strong but lost momentum and left? What do you do to prevent this from happening?
Mary Kay is like any other business. One must work consistently and effectively to be successful. Whether it is a part-time business or a primary source of income, each Independent Beauty Consultant has the freedom to manage her Mary Kay business in the way that suits her lifestyle best.
Q5: Mary Kay is internationally known for the pink cadillac. Aside from this, what are some of the most successful sales force incentives you have initiated and what was it supposed to attain as result?
In the Philippines, Mary Kay has awarded 191 pink cars (Honda City, Toyota Altis and Mitsubishi Pajeros) to top-performing Independent Sales Directors and Independent National Sales Directors since 2001.
In addition to vehicles, top Independent Beauty Consultants and Independent Sales Directors have opportunities to earn travel incentives to different parts of the world. The independent sales force from the Philippines have earned incentive trips to Alaska, Australia, Caribbean, France, Germany, Hawaii, Mediterranean, South Africa, and Switzerland. This year, 107 Independent Beauty Consultants and Independent Sales Directors earned incentive travel to China, while another 350 earned trips to Hong Kong. While the incentive trips allow the independent sales force to relax and enjoy their successes, education and training are extremely important for the continued success of the independent sales force. As part of the trips, the independent sales force is also provided with additional education, training and resources to help them further develop and grow their independent businesses.
Q6: For new direct selling companies, can you share what practices worked and what doesn’t work in direct sales?
Each Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant purchases her products from the Company at wholesale and then sells directly to her customers at retail price. Mary Kay’s direct selling opportunity is unique in its focus on enriching the lives of women around the world by creating unlimited opportunity for personal and financial success. It has stood the test of time in more than 35 countries around the world – with a 51-year history in the U.S. and a 14-year history in the Philippines.
Q7: One of the practices of Mary Kay is the ‘retirement’ of your sales directors, the highest rank independent distributors of Mary Kay can attain, upon reaching a particular age. Why is this so? How do you ensure that the talent they have gained through the years won’t go to waste?
In the US and in some other markets, Mary Kay recognizes the valuable contributions made by the select group of independent contractors who have attained the coveted title of “Independent National Sales Director” and established a program which offers the Independent National Sales Directors the ability to discontinue their Mary Kay business in exchange for the goodwill and rights associated with her Mary Kay business.
Even upon discontinuing their Mary Kay business, the Mary Kay Independent National Sales Director Emeriti have opportunities to continue sharing their wisdom and experience with the Mary Kay independent sales organization through various special events and activities.
Q8: You can’t be in different places at the same time. How do you know plans are being executed well specially in provincial areas?
To help educate and develop the Independent Beauty Consultants throughout the Philippines, we have company employees who are based in provincial areas and work closely with the independent sales force. The Company holds regular independent sales force events and activities where each Independent Beauty Consultant can learn about new Company products and promotions, as well as take away valuable tools to help grow their business.
