| Overview | | | | recruits thereafter. But the additional condition to get |
| Mary Kay has been in business since 1963. They sell | | | | the $50 dollar team building bonus is that the new |
| make up, fragrances, various skin care products, and | | | | recruit must make a minimum order of at least $600. |
| body care products. | | | | So if you're in this position you are going to do |
| Well, I want to get to the point and answer your | | | | everything in your power to make sure your new |
| questions of whether or not the Mary Kay business | | | | recruit makes at least a $600 order. You have to ask |
| opportunity is a right fit for your home based | | | | yourself "Is it going to be worth my time to try to |
| business. I'm going to give as much information as | | | | convince someone to make an initial purchase of |
| possible so that you can make an educated business | | | | $600 so that I can get that $50 bonus?" Is this |
| decision for yourself. I'll be talking about the initial | | | | something you don't mind doing? I'm just providing |
| expenses to get started, the compensation plan, and | | | | you the facts and asking questions to help you |
| the training you receive if you decide to become a | | | | decide if this is the right business opportunity for you. |
| Mary Kay consultant. | | | | Once you have 5 recruits under your belt, you will be |
| Starting Costs & Training | | | | promoted to Team Leader. So instead of making 4% |
| The initial fee to get started with Mary Kay as an | | | | off any team members order as noted at the Senior |
| independent beauty consultant is $100. You get a | | | | Consultant level, you will now be able to make |
| starter package for paying the $100 fee. The starter | | | | between 9% to 13% off any orders in your |
| package contains around $200 worth of May Kay | | | | downline. You only qualify for the 13% if you make a |
| Products. These products can be sold, but most of | | | | personal order of at least $600. |
| the time they are used as product samples for | | | | Now the next level you can get to is called a Future |
| customers to use at home shows. | | | | Director. You achieve this level when you have 8 |
| Mary Kay offers a pre built web site that is optional. | | | | people in your downline that you personally recruited |
| It's actually less expensive than most other | | | | yourself. When becoming a Future Director you can |
| businesses that I've reviewed. The first year costs | | | | apply to get to the Director level. You actually have |
| only $25. And every year after that will be $50 a | | | | to make it known to Mary Kay that you're applying |
| year. | | | | to this level. Once you notify them of your goals, |
| Now of course you buy an inventory of products. | | | | you will then have 4 months to have 30 active |
| You and your sponsor can decide how much you will | | | | people on your team. You as a team leader only |
| buy. Keep in mind that the starting costs will increase | | | | have to personally sponsor 8 active members. But |
| based on how much Mary Kay products you want to | | | | your team can take care of the remaining 22 if you |
| initially purchase to sell to customers. | | | | want. It's totally up to you how you're going to |
| It's known that in order to remain an active Mary | | | | accomplish this goal of Director status. Also, another |
| Kay Beauty consultant you have to order a minimum | | | | condition to qualify for Director level is that your |
| of $200 worth of products every three months. This | | | | team must earn at least $16,000 worth of wholesale |
| is roughly $67 dollars per month ($200 divided by 3 | | | | orders. |
| months). | | | | Your reward for becoming a Director is that you'll get |
| Also, they offer something called Silver Wings | | | | 9% to 13% commissions off orders of any of your |
| Scholars which is a free online back office for Mary | | | | 30 or more representatives below you that helped |
| Kay consultants. There are videos and other training | | | | you achieve Director level status. |
| documentation to help people succeed in the Mary | | | | Now another important fact to consider is that you |
| Kay business opportunity. | | | | can be demoted no matter what level you're at in |
| Time Investments | | | | the Mary Kay business. For example if you're at |
| Home shows are held at a customer's house. The | | | | Team Leader status with 5 recruits under you and |
| customer can invite their friend's to attend these | | | | any one of those recruits decides to stop ordering |
| shows. The majority of customers are attained | | | | products, then you'll get demoted to the previous |
| through word of mouth. Some people use social | | | | level, which is Star Recruiter. So you can see it is |
| networking sites such as MySpace or FaceBook to | | | | very important to get to know your teammates and |
| connect with people in their local area. | | | | continually provide effective training so that they can |
| Once a week, a Mary Kay consultant must attend | | | | consistently perform well for themselves and for you. |
| their director's house for training. Consultants can | | | | Conclusion |
| invite guests to come and learn about the product or | | | | Mary Kay offers quality products to their clientele |
| even join the opportunity. Mary Kay stresses the | | | | backed by a legitimate business opportunity. They |
| fact that they don't pressure anyone to join their | | | | are filled with very personable distributors that are |
| opportunity or buy their products which is definitely a | | | | willing to give you answers in a no pressure |
| great thing to know. I can attest to that as I actually | | | | environment. If you're the type of person that truly |
| talked to a May Kay consultant who did not pressure | | | | loves the product then promoting it will be easy. |
| me at all to make any commitments until I was | | | | However, one of the drawbacks that the Mary Kay |
| ready. | | | | business opportunity has is their old way of |
| As you can see they offer a real support system | | | | marketing. They give home shows and get customer |
| giving people the opportunity to connect with each | | | | leads through mostly word of mouth. So you are |
| other. If you're a person that needs that personal | | | | limited geographically to the number of people you |
| connection in order to be motivated to learn and | | | | can sell your products to because it's known that the |
| perform better, then Mary Kay is a good opportunity | | | | majority of their sales are through word of mouth. |
| for you to join. | | | | Now it's known that some of their consultants have |
| The Mary Kay Compensation Plan | | | | pre-built web sites. But they aren't being taught how |
| As a Mary Kay beauty consultant, you receive a | | | | to leverage the internet and use effective marketing |
| 50% discount on their products. For example, if you | | | | techniques to bring people to their web site to |
| as a beauty consultant purchased an item for the | | | | purchase items. |
| wholesale price of $25, you can then go and sell it for | | | | It's known that their training does not emphasize |
| $50. And of course this profit is what you keep for | | | | new effective marketing concepts such as using |
| yourself. | | | | advertising campaigns with pay per click, writing |
| There are different levels of Mary Kay consultants. | | | | articles, doing videos, and implementing a funded |
| When you first start out, you are classified as an | | | | proposal. There is no way to create an automated |
| Independent Beauty Consultant. | | | | marketing machine so that you can have a system |
| You can get to the next level called Senior | | | | on auto pilot. Instead Mary Kay consultants have to |
| Consultant when you recruit 1 person onto your | | | | drive to peoples houses to give presentations to sell |
| team. So now you'll be able to earn a 4% commission | | | | products and possibly recruit new representatives. |
| on your newly acquired recruit's wholesale orders. So | | | | Some may see this as a great thing because they |
| for example if someone in your downline orders $300 | | | | get to connect with people by driving to different |
| worth of Mary Kay products at the wholesale price | | | | areas to put on home shows. Others will think that |
| then you will earn a commission of $12 ($300 | | | | this method of marketing defeats the purpose of |
| multiplied by 4%). | | | | working at the comfort of their own home. It's really |
| The next level is called Star Recruiter. In order to be | | | | up to you to decide if this type of business model |
| promoted to this level you have to sponsor 3 new | | | | fits your style. My job is to provide you with the |
| team members. In addition to being able to make all | | | | facts so that you can make an informed decision |
| the commissions at the lower levels, you will now | | | | determining whether or not this Mary Kay |
| qualify to earn a $50 dollar team building bonus. You | | | | opportunity is the right fit for your home based |
| qualify for this on your 4th recruit and on any future | | | | business. |