Dealing with Disruptive MK Consultants: Tips for Handling Pushy Sales Tactics

[dannyzmom]

So I am looking for some advice...some good "words" to use to back this lady off.

I did a demo for a MK lady and her guests...it was close to a $1000 show - -and there were 3 bookings. At her demo as I was playing a recruiting-type of game, every time someone asked something about the PC biz opportunity, she would speak up with how much BETTER the MK business is. It was REALLY rude. But, it was HER house - and I was the PC lady...what could I say?

Well the 1st booking was 2 weeks ago -- and of course she attended. And pulled the same cr*p. I got one new recruit at that show...my new recruit told me a few days later that AFTER she had expressed serious interest in the PC biz and set a date to meet with me to discuss it further, the MK lady cornered her in the kitchen and tried to talk her OUT of PC and into MK!!!

The 2nd booking was this week and thankfully the MK lady was unable to attend.

The 3rd booknig is tonight and the MK is planning to be there. I need some GENTLE yet FIRM words to shut her the heck up when she starts her pushiness again...help???

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Corner herI think you should take her aside or corner her in the kitchen and tell her that you respect her MK business and you hope she would respect your business as well.
Tell her that your recruit told you that she tried to get her to switch from PC to Mk and that you would never do that. Tell her that while you are discussing PC recruiting, you would appreciate it if she didn't try to compare it to MK.
But if she does, it is no longer her house and you should really try to find out all you can about MK in order to be ready. She may not cooperate and you need to be ready:

MK will not allow you to submit individual orders so they push you to stock inventory. That means you have to stock up on hundreds or thousands of dollars of items you have to guess your guests will purchase.
This also means you get stuck with discontinued stuff. PC does not require that and keep all discontinued items.

Minimum order of $400 retail.

Yes MK hosts make 50% of the profit. Buy an item for $5 and sell it for $10. BUT they don't tell you that you pay for your hosts benefits, you also pay for all shipping. If a guest pays with a credit card they give you an 800 number to call but there is a fee that they will deduct and then they will cut you a check for that amount.
PC does it all for us. And they even give us an easy software.

To become a director you have to have a crazy amount of recruits like 15-20 or something. Not five like us.

Our host incentives are much better. WE earn hundreds of free products each year. They earn about $150 worth of something for one year and that's if they have huge sales!!

All this info courtesy of Jenniferlynne a former MK consultant who posted all this info on another thread. I totally use this info to confront MK consultants at my show. They have to agree and PC comes out on top.

Good luck and keep us posted!!
Debbie

 

[Koolotus]

I would talk to her before you start the show and just say that you know she will have great questions because she is in the biz and knows alot of things others don't.
Tell her you are looking forward to the questions but to please not use game time for comparisons.
Anytime I do a show with a party lady and they bring up their business that is what I say.
"You can't compare the two because it is like comparing apples and oranges, the details don't really matter because to be sucessful you must love the product and love what you do."
Then, cause I am sweet I always ask them about their business and congratulate them on being so sucessful. I then ask them if I could call them and if they would be willing to share some of their great ideas!
Flattery shuts up even the most obnoxious pig!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Flattery shuts up even the most obnoxious pig!

So THAT'S why everyone is so nice to me here!

 

[dannyzmom]

I don't know if I can take her aside beforehand -- she is SUCH a strong personality and has this loud screechy voice, I fear she would make a scene

I need words I can use to shut her up mid-show when she starts up. Words to deflect her nasty barbs at our company.

 

[cookingwithlove]

What a frustrating situation! I do not think that "cornering" her before the show will do any good and it may in fact make her more hostile. I think it would be wise to introduce her as the MK woman when you start doing your recruiting talk. Let everyone know that MK would be happy to answer any questions that they may have about her business. But in the meantime this is why PC is so great. Make sure you say some positive things about MK and make sure you say something like how much your respect anybody who wants to have their own business and work from home. Make it very open. You could say that some people are great with makeup and they are MK reps, some are great with decorating and they are Southern Home reps, but if you like what I do then you will make a great PC rep. If MK starts competing with you, try to make it light. You could say, "that is very interesting, I did not know that", but since this is a PC party let's focus on Pampered Chef.

Try to keep it light and try not to let her get to you, you will look like the better person in the end. If there is anybody interested in joining you they will. I think they are very different companies and attract different types of people.

Good luck!

 

[jentapp]

I don't know if I can take her aside beforehand -- she is SUCH a strong personality and has this loud screechy voice, I fear she would make a scene

I need words I can use to shut her up mid-show when she starts up. Words to deflect her nasty barbs at our company.

I find it interesting that she's attending not one, but THREE PC parties! If PC is so "awful," why is she coming to THREE of them? I'd find it even more fascinating if she actually makes any PC purchases! LOL

Perhaps none of these friends are signing up under HER because of her loud screechy voice and overly "strong" personality (another word comes to mind, but I won't use it...LOL). I've found that people who act like that do it for a reason. Just something to think about.

People prefer to be around happy, friendly people. Maintain yourself and you'll be fine. It sounds like you've done fine so far since none of the other people who are inviting her have cancelled their shows with you.

 

[dannyzmom]

Perhaps none of these friends are signing up under HER because of her loud screechy voice and overly "strong" personality (another word comes to mind, but I won't use it...LOL). I've found that people who act like that do it for a reason. Just something to think about.

Tonight's hostess basically said just that to me!! She said this MK lady has been trying to recruit her (tonight's hostess) for years!! And she finds it annoying and obnoxious! LOL

 

[Koolotus]

So THAT'S why everyone is so nice to me here!

LMAO!
You said it, not me!

I would definet;y put her on the spot and make it known that she is of course available to answer questions after the show, but for now we will focus on the PC oppourtunity, since that is where we are and that is what I know best.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

I realize that this is too late for your show tonight but maybe it can help someone else I'd enlist the help of your host. Explain the situation and ask her to ask her friend to stay quiet. (Ok, ok...so you can hope!!)

I did a show that a consultant from Weekenders attended. She was very nice through out the show but I caught her trying to recruit a girl that was interested in having a show with me and was interested in the opportunity. I thought that was so rude and bold.

Found out after she left that the HOST was also a consultant with Weekenders and she was SO ticked off the lady was handing out catalogs!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I had a nice chat today with a dear friend of mine who is a Director with MK. She is very close to a pink Cadillac, so she is not a run-of-the-mill type. (I've done PC shows for her, and many of her downlines and customers have been in attendance. I made a joke about not doing much successful recruiting in THIS crowd, which gets a tittering, if not a big laugh, and I still talked about the opportunity. Why? Not everyone wants to be a MK Consultant and not everyone wants to be a TPC consultant.)We decided that the best course of action is to have a sit-down with the MK Consultant and state clearly, "Skating a recruit is not only bad manners, it is unethical. I wouldn't try to skate one of your recruits, why are you doing that to me?" and discuss it with her. I'd also ask her to keep the MK sales out of your presentation and you'll keep TPC out of hers when you attend one of her classes.On another subject, my MK Director friend and I agree that if your recruit can be swayed with words to jump to MK, she's not a good recruit anyway. If someone can jump that easilly, I hate to say it, but she's a kitnapper and you're not missing anything.If your MK Consultant doesn't change her behavior, don't do any more shows for her.

 

[dannyzmom]

Well, it turns out the MK lady (who, btw, is a Director, too - just a lousy one - LOL) showed up late. Drank several glasses of wine, left the room 3x to take calls on her cell, behaved somewhat properly (even raved about a few PC items) and didn't act up ONE bit.

All that worrying for nothing.

Oh, and she left early.

 

[KimmyDarling]

I'm glad to hear it went well!

 

[jentapp]

Did she at least place an order?

Seriously, though, I'm glad that she behaved for the most part for you and that she left early. Maybe your host had a word with her before the show.

 

[kcjodih]

Now the question is....did she order anything?

 

[dannyzmom]

Now the question is....did she order anything?

Nope, but she said she'd be going online to place an order. She is usually good for a $60+ order so hopefully she'll put one in. She did just under $100 at eachof the other two shows that were booked off of hers.