Yes! There is a difference! Being persistent means being determined, unrelenting, and enduring through the tough times. Being pushy? Well, as we all know, means stepping beyond acceptable boundaries. So, how do we know where to draw the line? Is there a clearly defined way of knowing when we are going too far?
Unfortunately, there is no clear answer on this one. We cannot always know when we are pushing that fine line. Very few people, especially women, will come right out and tell you that you are driving them bonkers! We have to learn to interpret, and accept the subtle signs that our customer/potential customer simply is not interested. Is she avoiding eye contact with you when you cross paths at the grocery store? Has she not returned your calls? Does she turn and run the other direction if she sees you walking down the street? (Okay, maybe that last one isn’t so subtle, but I think you get my point.)
I think the bigger question here is what is it that we are doing to make them feel like this? What do we need to do to avoid this altogether? My personal opinion; make a conscious effort to make every encounter with every person we meet as pleasant for them as possible. Mary Kay said “Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying ‘Make me feel important.’” Notice, that sign does not say “Make me want to buy something.”
When I see people that I know, especially if they know that I am an IBC, I make sure that the conversation does not begin with MK. If the conversation graduates to that subject, it’s great. If it doesn’t, so what! I’ve just had a nice conversation with a friend. My sister told me when I started that she was not interested in anything MK. I respected that, and didn’t mention it at all to her. However, when she comes by my house, she always looks at the random things that may be lying around. She has purchased two things from me in the last week, and is thinking about a third. The cashier at the gas station had told me that she didn’t have time for a makeover. No big deal. Tonight, as soon as I walked in the door, she asked me how much the eye shadow was, because she had tried the original sample I had given her, and she loved it. I told her how much it was, and that she could get one for free if she would be a model for my portfolio. She’s coming over next week. Imagine that….I have two customers who were not intially interested, and without another word about it from me, they are now wanting more. Was I pushy? Of course not! Was I persistent? Yes, but not about MK. I was persistent in the context of being personable and respecting limits.
You are off to a great start! This is a great article and makes an important point!
Great article and I LOVE THE GRAPHIC!!!
You make excellent points! FABOO!
Turning pink: Great topic! I think some women just do not know when they are being too pushy, and others do not know how to close a sale for fear of being too pushy. So those are the two extremes. To avoid being pushy, make sure you are offering something. If the person turns you down, say something like, “Ok,I understand, I was just offering”. Or ask if it is ok if you ask them again. When I ask this question, such as “Ok, I get that this week is busy for you, but is it ok if I invite you to my next spa party?” At this point, they will either say sure or make a face meaning they are TOTALLY uninterested in MK. If they make “the face”, and say “ummmm”, I just say, “If you are not interested I will understand, but I thought you would like the satin hand treatment” or whatever you thought they would like. After that, they usually give you an honest answer. Positive or negative, honest feedback is always helpful.
It amazes me the number of women in MK who have never done sales before and they are able to move this product because they believe in it. Im of the thought that if you believe in what you are doing the sales will come and you dont have to be pushy.