Window Shopping and Striking Up Conversations: A Guide

[Kathytnt]

Just go to the store window shopping wearing your logo wear hoping to strike up conversations?? Not like I have the extra free time but I feel like I am stuff in the house all the time in the office or housecleaning. I am just concerned about spending $$ when I find something great rather than just looking around. KWIM LOL!

 

[chefkristin]

I have a PC t-shirt on today and don't have anything schedule PC wise so yes I guess I do!!! You never know when or where you will get noticed! I am off to the mall in a few to buy some new pillows and sheets for my son. Wish me luck!!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I ALWAYS wear something with the logo on it when I go out! I have gotten numerous leads and bookings doing this.

 

[jrstephens]

I went to Walmart last night and they had this BIG display of steamer bags for sale. I thought about taking a few catalogs back and putting them in the display. It would be cheaper to buy our micro cookers than to keep buying those bags!!!!

 

[chefkristin]

I have thought about "accidentally" dropping some catalogs where they keep the magazines. THing anyone would notice? LOL!!

 

[jrstephens]

I have thought about "accidentally" dropping some catalogs where they keep the magazines. THing anyone would notice? LOL!!

I did leave some olds ones with the Poem about calling if you see anything you like on the benches they have in the front of the store one time. No calls from them though. I need to do that again!

 

[chefkristin]

I did leave some olds ones with the Poem about calling if you see anything you like on the benches they have in the front of the store one time. No calls from them though. I need to do that again!

I just ordered some catalog stickers from Nancy's

 

[chefann]

Be aware that if an employee sees you put catalogs out, they can have you charged with littering. And you can be banned from the store if they have a no solicitation policy (as most do). If they see your catalogs out they will throw them away.

 

[Kathytnt]

Jennifer - I sw those steamer bags and thought the exact same thing - I think it is the trend of the steamers in the freezer section but you usually have to steam the whole bag of veggies. Buying a micro-cooker would save money I think the Salad Spinners are a bit pricey but they will save money in the long run if you are using bagged lettuce.

 

[jrstephens]

There is a Mary Kay rep here that "hangs out" in the make up department and will walk up to people when they start picking out make up. She has done it to me twice a while back!! She comments on how good my make up looks and ask me what I use and then tells me she would love to sale my MK. Ok lady, if my makeup looks so good, why would I want to change!! HAHA!!!

I have changes recently b/c my cousin is selling MK now and this lady is her Director. She is wack-o!

 

[chefkristin]

There is a Mary Kay rep here that "hangs out" in the make up department and will walk up to people when they start picking out make up. She has done it to me twice a while back!! She comments on how good my make up looks and ask me what I use and then tells me she would love to sale my MK. Ok lady, if my makeup looks so good, why would I want to change!! HAHA!!!

I have changes recently b/c my cousin is selling MK now and this lady is her Director. She is wack-o!

I find that most (not all) MK reps are very PUSHY!!! I do love their products though. I wish they were more laid back.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I find that most (not all) MK reps are very PUSHY!!! I do love their products though. I wish they were more laid back.

I had a friend who had an MK show - and I just wanted to place an order for a few things. The Rep would not sell to me w/o coming to my home first.........I couldn't just place an order! I thought that was very pushy!

 

[chefkristin]

I had a friend who had an MK show - and I just wanted to place an order for a few things. The Rep would not sell to me w/o coming to my home first.........I couldn't just place an order! I thought that was very pushy!

That makes me not want to buy things. I think that is why I don't have any new recruits lately-LOL!

 

[finley1991]

A fellow consultant put her catalogs in the grocery store on those racks when you leave... she got some really nasty phone calls from a handful of people. I just some people "buy" that space for their stuff and she just put her catalogs there and it got ugly. They threatened to fine her but I don't think they ever did.

Just be sure to ask. I asked if I could leave on out at my salon and they said no because everyone would want to and they didn't want a lot of catalogs in with their magazines.

 

[chefann]

Just be sure to ask. I asked if I could leave on out at my salon and they said no because everyone would want to and they didn't want a lot of catalogs in with their magazines.

Last year I left an Empowering Women magazine at my salon in the stack of magazines. I haven't heard anything from it, but it was worth a shot.

 

[PAMPEREDCHEFBELL]

I wouldn't waste your time and money. I used to do Herbalife and tried this. NOTHING came from it.

And Yes, you will get harrassing calls from the store which in turn gets you down. So it actually works to your disadvantage in the end.

 

[reba515]

There is a Mary Kay rep here that "hangs out" in the make up department and will walk up to people when they start picking out make up. She has done it to me twice a while back!! She comments on how good my make up looks and ask me what I use and then tells me she would love to sale my MK. Ok lady, if my makeup looks so good, why would I want to change!! HAHA!!!

I have changes recently b/c my cousin is selling MK now and this lady is her Director. She is wack-o!

There is one here too !!! lol she caught me once !
chef Kristin, watch out for her in Hudson Wal-Mart!

 

[chefann]

There is a Mary Kay rep here that "hangs out" in the make up department and will walk up to people when they start picking out make up.

<giggle> If she stopped me, and I was in a cranky mood, I'd report her to management for solicitation.

 

[bethsbiz]

Like some others, I rarely am out when I don't wear some type of PC logo clothing. If I'm leaving from my day job to go somewhere, I put my PC name tag on (I have the one from Merrill). I have gotten many orders and a few bookings from folks who realize I'm a consultant.

I used to leave catalogs at places I visited for appointments....often without asking, quite honestly, and had exactly ZERO calls from those (over a period of 2 years before I figured out that that idea wasn't really working for me).

Now, if I do put catalogs at a business it is with their permission (and often at their request if they were seeking a door prize or something!) and then I place the catalogs in a standing holder so they are more likely to catch attention. (This is a plastic holder you can get at any office supply store for $5-10.00.)

My latest (and off to a great start!!) recruit called and signed up because of a display I left at a ladies fitness place. That business had called asking for a prize for there grand re-opening. I was able to leave catalogs and an info holder on the biz opportunity for over THREE WEEKS...that was my "thank you" for giving a $20.00 door prize!!! Yippee!!! I signed my gal and also got 3 outside order (so far).

 

[abrahamlaur]

I used to work at walmart and we were told if we saw "advertizing" for anything that would be in competition with them, to throw it away ... like business cards/catalogs etc in the bathroom, breakroom or on the shelves.

One time in the check out I saw a PC Catalog and I was so made that someone left it there (becuase it was theirs and not mine LOL), but when I looked at the bac kto find out who it was, it didnt have a name or anything on it, so I just put it back .. I should have written my stuff on it LOL

 

[chunkysalsa]

There is a Mary Kay rep here that "hangs out" in the make up department and will walk up to people when they start picking out make up. She has done it to me twice a while back!! She comments on how good my make up looks and ask me what I use and then tells me she would love to sale my MK. Ok lady, if my makeup looks so good, why would I want to change!! HAHA!!!

I have changes recently b/c my cousin is selling MK now and this lady is her Director. She is wack-o!

You should just tell her that if she has a show for you, you'll either buy something off of her or hold a show for her. I did that and got into a banking circle (she works at a bank) for two different banks that way and got my first two $1000 shows, a possible recruit (still working on her) and 6 show. I know it doesn't always work that way... but I'll take it!

 

[threecobles]

I went to yard sales this past weekend and bought something for say 25 or 50 cents and when I went to pay I handed them a catalog and brought up pampered chef and surprisingly booked 2 catalog shows! I was shocked. You might try something like that and you can write off your mileage and what you buy!

 

[katie0128]

<giggle> If she stopped me, and I was in a cranky mood, I'd report her to management for solicitation.

Then make sure people knew she was kicked out of the store for soliciation and forget to mention that she was only soliciting make-up!

 

[ivykeep]

I brought my daughter to the pediatrician on Thursday for suspicion of chicken pox and had my catalog tote bag over my shoulder and the nurses were all over it. I have to go back and drop off some flyers for my phone sale

 

[katie0128]

I brought my daughter to the pediatrician on Thursday for suspicion of chicken pox and had my catalog tote bag over my shoulder and the nurses were all over it. I have to go back and drop off some flyers for my phone sale

Oh, yuck!!! The chicken pox, I mean! What was the diagnosis? So the next time you need another booking or two, are your kids going to be "sick" and need a visit to the Peds?

 

[TwinGirlsMom]

There is a Mary Kay rep here that "hangs out" in the make up department and will walk up to people when they start picking out make up...She is wack-o!

O my gosh...this SAME lady lives in my town I swear!
Only she stakes out at Target for her prey...she came up to me and almost immediately & wanted my contact information. Extremely pushy. What's funny is that I've seen her there several times since then and we also both had booths at the same fair...I do everything I can to avoid her!

 

[katie0128]

I just must be SUPER lucky then... not only have I never been accosted by a MK lady, but the girlfriend I have that does MK rarely talks about it unless it actually comes up in conversation or she is directly asked! (btw... she does REALLY well)

 

[ivykeep]

Oh, yuck!!! The chicken pox, I mean! What was the diagnosis? So the next time you need another booking or two, are your kids going to be "sick" and need a visit to the Peds?

I only have one so far And at her age, we are in pretty regularly for check-ups. Plus they are friendly so I can always just do a drop off on the specials now that I know they all LOVE PC.

We *think* it's an allergic reaction -- my 16 month old woke up Thursday morning covered in spots. They got larger and redder as she became more active so I took her in to the pediatricians. He was suspicious that it could be early stage chicken pox (before the blisters formed) but wrote it up as allergic dermititis/possible varicella. Friday I was on pins and needles trying to figure out whether or not she was contagious -- the red blotches lessened but they each got a little pimple in them. Now the blotches are gone but the pimples remain, but they haven't really blistered the way chicken pox would. Both my mom and mother in law stopped by today and both agree that it probably isn't CP. The pediatrician said it was just too early to tell when we were there, but he has sent too many kids home saying it was just a rash and then getting a call that it was chicken pox to discount the possiblity.

She's been very cranky and irritable since thursday. We did rule out insect bites since the spots continued to appear throughout Thursday morning, including in the doctor's office.

 

[ivykeep]

I just must be SUPER lucky then... not only have I never been accosted by a MK lady, but the girlfriend I have that does MK rarely talks about it unless it actually comes up in conversation or she is directly asked! (btw... she does REALLY well)

that's probably WHY she does really well -- she isn't overly pushy about it (which definitely turns people off if they are always worried you'll be giving them a sales pitch).

I have a friend who did Mary Kay and I think she said it took her 3 years to get out of the hole she got into trying to stock the right product mix -- and having things be discontinued while she still had inventory. She'd be a great PC consultant, but after Mary Kay her husband is adamently opposed (won't even consider the idea) of her doing any direct sales.

 

[katie0128]

that's probably WHY she does really well -- she isn't overly pushy about it (which definitely turns people off if they are always worried you'll be giving them a sales pitch).

I have a friend who did Mary Kay and I think she said it took her 3 years to get out of the hole she got into trying to stock the right product mix -- and having things be discontinued while she still had inventory. She'd be a great PC consultant, but after Mary Kay her husband is adamently opposed (won't even consider the idea) of her doing any direct sales.

That is exactly why my two most favorite words with PC are NO INVENTORY!!!

 

[ivykeep]

yup, I completely agree. The concept of putting stuff on a credit card to get you started is just scary. Yes, it MIGHT work out -- or you could end up carrying a heavy CC balance while you sell off the inventory over time.

 

[katie0128]

yup, I completely agree. The concept of putting stuff on a credit card to get you started is just scary. Yes, it MIGHT work out -- or you could end up carrying a heavy CC balance while you sell off the inventory over time.

If you are lucky enough to actually SELL all your inventory!

BTW... when is your DS's birthday? I have a 16 mo DS who was born April 7, 2006!

 

[ivykeep]

Yeah, I think my friend STILL has MK stuff many years after she quit.

Abby's birthday is March 24, 2006 (she's my avatar at about 11 months old)

 

[jenniferp417]

I just ordered the red and black bag from Merrill. Probably by the time it gets here, I'll have forgotten about it.

I'm going to start carrying that as my purse if it looks as good in real life as it does in pictures. I'm *hoping* that'll get me business in the library, walking around town, etc. I also ordered the window sticker. I haven't told my husband yet about the sticker - hope he doesn't pitch a fit. It's *my* car but it does have his name on the title.