This May Shock Some Of Ya’ll March 21, 2007

(There I go again, showing my southern roots!)

After the past week, I have made a HUGE decision. Everything seems to be snowballing for me, and that is definitely a good thing! There are moments when it is a bit overwhelming, because as I have said before, I am really the type that is most comfortable taking the slow and steady route. This is all just so fun and exciting that I just can’t help but embrace the spirit of it all.

I have mentioned in passing that my director has decided to have a guest event on Friday. Since I don’t have another job,  I have been helping her with it A LOT! I absolutely love party planning, so this has been tons of fun for me, especially since it’s one of two big events I am planning for the week. (I know, it’s a lot for one person to take on, but I think just the fact that I have so much to do has given me more motivation than anything else could have.) Anyway, my director and I were discussing some of the details on Monday afternoon, when she made a suggestion that floored me. She said I needed to push to be a director. My immediate response was, “But I don’t even have 1 recruit yet.” She said she really just wanted me to think about it, because she felt like I would be a good leader. Well, not to sound full of myself or anything, but I’ve always enjoyed being in leadership positions and felt that I did well in them. I was captain of my high school softball team, editor of the yearbook, and SGA VP. I was also an assistant manager at one of the restaurants I worked at and the only certified trainer at another restaurant. I do have a love of helping other people to reach their own goals. I decided to think about it some more, and told her I would let her know before Friday.

Well, to sum up this long story….. after easily adding 7 more people to my guest list for Friday night (I now have a total of 10) in only 2 hours, I realized that this is something I could actually do. I have decided to set my sights on directorship! Wow! I told my director last night, and obviously she is excited. A part of me can’t believe that I have committed to something this big, but I really think I can do this.

For those of you who might be concerned about my unending excitement, I want to assure you that I will be doing this the right way. I am not a high pressure person. I would never push anyone to do anything they don’t want to do, or that is not good for them personally. I want team members who would truly get something from this. I want to help them be all the things they have dreamed they could be. I know this sounds cheesy, but it really is how I feel. I want to make sure that everyone I recruit, and even all of the people I simply share this with, come away with a positive view of the company and of me. I am determined not to ruin anyone’s perception of MK or me.

So, does anyone out there have any great words of wisdom? My director is great, and is also pretty low on the pressure scale, but it always helps to have some other input. Let me know what you all think!

Is there a difference between being pushy and being persistent? March 13, 2007

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.

Quote of the week 2-18-07 February 18, 2007

“Selling should be a friendly act. Something we do to help people. Something we do with people and for people, not to them.” – Jim Cathcart

I found this quote in the book “Get More Referrals Now!” by Bill Cates. (This is a wonderful book, I read it in less than one day!) When I read this line, I was amazed. It really put this business in a more positive light for me, especially since I know that I cannot, and would not want to, be a “pushy” salesperson. I have gotten into this business to help people. That is what I truly believe I can do. What would it take to get more people to believe that we are in this to help people, not simply to sell “to” them?