Mary Kay and Your Friends And Family

Working With Family and Friends

There areas many different schools of thought on working your Mary Kay with family and friends as there are consultants. Many consultants would rather keep family and business separate while others dive right in sharing their business with everyone they know and love.

Sharing Mary Kay with family and friends is a great way to grow your business, bit it can present some unique challenges. Here are some tips for sharing your Mary Kay business with family and friends without damaging your relationship.

• Like the famous Billy Joel song, “Tell her about it!” Get the word out about your business. Include friends and family in your business start-up mailings or debut invitations. An announcement about your new business in the mail or by e-mail can often act as a way of breaking the ice for conversations about your business. Even if a certain loved one is not interested, she may be able to give you a referral if she knows you’re in business.
• When it comes to face-to-face time with family and friends, take your time when introducing Mary Kay. Let your love of the product come up naturally in conversation, instead of forcing the topic.
• When family & friends do express interest, be sure to give them the same professional treatment you would to any other customer (i.e. don’t bag your mom’s order in a grocery sack if you usually give customers a Mary Kay bag for their products). It is important to provide all of your customers with outstanding customer service to prevent them feeling as if you take their business for granted.
• Play together! When a sister or cousin or best friend wants to try some of your fabulous Mary Kay products, this is a great excuse to just have fun together.
• Remember to “close” your friend or family member when you’re done “playing” with the products. A simple way to ask for the sale without putting on the pressure would be to say, “What have you tried today that you would like to take home?” If there is something she wants to take home then she’ll let you know. And if not, then you may consider gauging her future interest by offering to help her put together a wish list.
• Take “no” for an answer. Whether it’s a “no” to a facial or a “no” to the Mary Kay business opportunity, it can be hard when someone you love doesn’t seem to be interested in something you love. People and relationships should always come first.