Getting to the Top in MLM (Part 2) - Examining the Recruiting Process in Mary Kay

As a former Mary Kay Sales Director, I revealed in Part 1 of this article what "hot" buttons Mary Kay recruiters look for in potential team members and how many become lured into Mary Kay and other MLMs with high expectations of great success. In order for Mary Kay beauty consultants to advance in Mary Kay, they must build a downline, also known as a "team" or "unit".

In Part 1, I went through the recruiting procedure, the practice interview scripts, and how a beauty consultant conducts a recruiting interview. In this article I will discuss how beauty consultants are taught to overcome recruiting objections. Once the interview is completed, the beauty consultant will ask the prospect some leading questions such as these:

"Of all the things you've heard so far about Mary Kay, what appeals to you the most?"
"What if anything would hold you back from starting your Mary Kay business today?"

The beauty consultant is then trained to listen because 99% of the time there will be objections given by the prospect. Sales directors will teach their downline that women will usually give three objections regarding starting their own Mary Kay business. Beauty consultants are taught to overcome at least three objections. Why three? Because the third objection is usually the real reason why the prospect has reservations about signing up. If by the end of the third objection the answer is still "no" or "not now", the beauty consultant will end the interview and give the prospect some recruiting literature and/or a Mary Kay marketing CD. The marketing CDs are created by National Sales Directors, or NSDs, who represent less than 1% of the entire Mary Kay sales force. The CDs are usually the personal "I-stories" of the prestigious few who talk about overcoming all obstacles to succeed and make claims of great earnings potential of the Mary Kay opportunity.

Beauty consultants will be trained heavily on how to overcome recruiting objections. The beauty consultant will be instructed to practice the objections and responses I am going to outline so that she is in control of the recruiting interview. Beauty consultants are also taught to use the "feel, felt, found" method when overcoming objections. This method is used to show the prospect that she is not alone in her objections, but there is always a solution. The beauty consultant will use the "feel, felt, found" method as follows:

"I know how you feel, I felt that way too. But what I found is...."

Here are some of the most common recruiting objections with the responses suggested to overcome them.

Prospect: "I can't sell."
Recruiter: "I know how you feel. In fact I think most of the consultants in Mary Kay felt that way when they began. What you will find is that the product sells itself. If I were willing to teach you all I know so you felt confident presenting the product, would you be willing to learn? I find that women who are good with people and love the product do better than those who have sales experience. If you knew you could teach, is Mary Kay something you would like to try?"

Prospect: "I don't have the time."
Recruiter: "I know how you feel. I'm very busy, too. What we usually find is that the busier people get things done. Do you think you could find the time to hold even one appointment a week knowing you would earn an average of $80? You could try Mary Kay on a very part-time basis. Sometimes it even helps to look at your schedule on a weekly plan sheet. If we could find how to arrange your schedule so that Mary Kay could work out for you, would you have the desire to try it?"

Prospect: "I don't have the money."
Recruiter: "A lot of us had that same situation when we joined Mary Kay. Could you come up with $100 for the showcase?"

If yes - "The $100 plus tax & shipping is the only requirement to begin your business. From there we can help you with alternatives for inventory. Is there any reason why we couldn't go ahead and fill out your application and send in for your showcase?"

If no - "Do you have access to a Master Card or Visa? Do you have a relative that might help you get started? How do you feel about taking out a loan for your business? If you had the $100, is Mary Kay something you would like to try?"

Prospect: "I'm not the beauty consultant type."
Recruiter: "I think most of us felt that way, but found that there is really not one type of person who is successful in Mary Kay. It really takes all kinds. You just have to like the product and people and the rest seems to take care of itself. Do you like the product? Could you tell someone else you like it? Great! Then you're really the consultant type! Is Mary Kay something you think you would like to try?"

After reading some of these responses, I'm sure you will agree that there is a pressuring slant, or push for urgency, in each response. Even so, usually 99% will say "no" at the time of the interview. Most women need more information and time to make a decision like this.

The recruiting statistics are one out of five women interviewed will join Mary Kay. It is said by sales directors and NSDs in Mary Kay (but not backed up by the company) that the higher you advance the better your recruiting odds. A beauty consultant who is driving a Mary Kay career car's odds increase to one out of four. A sales director's odds are said to be one out of three.

Beauty consultants are taught how to "layer" women to get them to join their team. "Layering" is accomplished by first getting the product in front of the prospect, next is the marketing interview, Mary Kay literature, marketing CDs, videos, and inviting the prospects to Mary Kay functions to be "models" where the marketing plan is always shared by the sales director.

The problem with the information that is shared to potential prospects is that it is very one-sided. Claims of high earnings are made, yet there is no mention of the high percentage of profit that goes to pay expenses. Directors are taught to flash around their big monthly commission checks when in reality, their "big" check does not reflect what they typically make on a monthly basis. Beware that much of this information shared by the Mary Kay sales force is exaggerated greatly.