What I Learned While Facialing 100 Women
By Regina Lockwood
Gosh...I can't believe it's over. My portfolio of 100 women is complete and ready to travel to Leadership, where my sister directors can verify that I did, indeed, conduct makeovers on 100 women in 91 days! (Not that they didn't believe me, but it's nice to show off your finished project!) My National, Cindy Williams, asked me to recount what I learned while facialing all these women, AND retailing $14,600 in just three short months,and I'm warning you, I learned a ton. So, here we go....
1) Fear of Embarrassment is a Very Good Thing: I first announced that I would complete my portfolio project during a training session on Sept. 16th. I was encouraging my unit to use the portfolio idea as a booking tool and, without any advance planning or serious thought, I was suddenly moved to announce that I would practice what I preached: I told the group that I would do 100 faces before December 31st. Immediately after the words fell out of my mouth, I felt panic. I had one, maybe two bookings on the books. I had a lot of unit members at the meeting who would remember this announcement. I had adoptees in attendance who would tell their directors about my goal and I would be sooo embarrassed to fail. YIKES! Really, what an inflated sense of self-importance, but none-the-less, I felt scared! See, in my six previous years in MK, I had only set goals that I knew that I could reach. Now I fully understand why I've been told that your goal must make you want to throw-up or it's not big enough. Fear makes you get to work with a reckless abandon and determination that I have never felt before. The fear makes you find a way to get it done.
2) I Found Thousands of Dollars in My Customer Base: One of the first places that I began to look for bookings was in my current customer base. (You should not facial onlyexisting customers because you want new recruit prospects too, but they're a good place to start.) At first I felt awkward that these women were already customers, how much more could I ask them to buy? But, when they came for their appointments, which heavily emphasized color, I found that I had been leaving THOUSANDS of dollars on the table. My first appointments always stressed Skincare, and frankly, I was not very good at getting back with these women for check-up facials. So, they didn't have much color training or hadn't seen many of our new color products; eye primer, color collections, new looks from the Look book and on and on. They were thrilled to learn how to apply make-up, happy to get a refresher course, totally aware that I'd be asking them to buy something and they spent more than I ever would have guessed. What a lesson about the value of seasonal programming, check-up facials and introducing new colors. I'll never be shy about asking existing customers for appointments again.
3) People Want to Be Models:Naturally, my booking script changed when I began the portfolio project. I began calling new leads and existing customers and saying, "I'm doing a Model Portfolio project for Mary Kay that requires me to facial 100 women by December 31st. Would you be willing to have a complimentary makeover and let me take a before and after picture?" I remember when I called the first warm chatter lead and she said, "Sure! I about dropped the phone. I said, "Really? You'll do it?" Not exactly the confident approach. But honestly, that's all I said, and I discovered that people are very excited to be a model for you and flattered by the invitation.
Of course, you can offer them an incentive to book, or an incentive to bring along another face, but I really didn't offer much. I just stressed that I was in a contest and I HAD to do these faces. I'd turn a facial into a class by simply asking if they could bring another face or two along. Many, many of them did bring friends/mothers/daughters and I have now held more classes in my home than in any previous quarter. Usually, I'm successful at holding facials in my home but I would typically travel to the hostess' house to hold a class. Not this time. Like I said, I'd just tell them to bring some extra faces and they would!!
4) People Want to Help You Reach a Goal: As I moved along in the "faces" count, I noticed several things. In the beginning people were sympathetic that I "had" to do so many faces and they were willing to help me get started. In the middle, they became afraid for me that I wasn't going to make it, so they were willing to lend their face. Towards the end, I just needed "a few more" and they were willing to help me finish. By enrolling both my customers and my prospects in this big project, that had a FIRM DEADLINE, I became completely convinced that women are innately helpful. And they'll help you just like they helped me.
Honestly, women would call to cancel and re-book themselves. "Regina, I can't make it today but I know you need me by the 31st, so how's next Thursday?" Previously, that call would have been "Sorry I can't make it today. Call me after the first of the year." Don't you agree? My deadline seemed to inspire a higher level of commitment to hold the booking.
5) Tell Your Daughter- And the Dog Catcher: Right off the bat I knew that achieving this goal meant telling everyoneabout it. I mean tell your husband, your kids, your unit or team and everyone whose opinion you respect. AND, tell everyone with whom you come in contact. The more you say you're doing 100 faces by December 31st or March 31st, the more you believe you're actually going to do it. And again, the fear of embarrassment and fear of letting these people down will propel you to do more than you can imagine.
Also, I immediately began including a "faces" count in every email I sent; 4 Faces Done/96 To Go for My Portfolio,etc., etc. Dozens and dozens of people have told me that watching this steady countdown was inspiring to them as they worked their own businesses. Their encouragement was also vital to me during days and days when the count stayed the same. And, I like to think my unit can say that I definitely lead by example. They watched me every face of the way.
6)A Booking A Day Keeps the Blues Away:In the beginning I used to think only of making bookings over the phone. That works, but during these three months I learned that it's also easy and fun to make bookings when you're out and about doing your day. Oh, I would always get leads when I was out, but I never really scheduled the appointment. During this portfolio project I'd run into friends/acquaintances/service providers etc., who'd asked how I was doing. I'd tell them I was keeping really busy with this 100 faces portfolio project and then ask if they wanted to be one of my 100 faces. I have never done so much on-the-spot booking or found it so easy to book. To be truthful, I've always felt booking was one of my weaknesses, but not anymore. I'm a booking machine and somedays, I was honestly praying for cancellations instead of praying for things to hold! I couldn't help myself; I just kept on scheduling people. And, on those depressing days when EVERYTHING canceled, I would find great consolation in knowing that at least I had booked to replace the face!
7) Don't Make Deals with the Devil: Many of you have probably heard about a concept called the "middle miles." It has to do with the excitement that comes when you first start working on a big goal, and the renewed motivation that comes when you can see the end of the goal, but the really dangerous part of the journey is the middle miles. That's when the end seems so far away. You're so tired and nobody is cheering you on. Well, I'm here to tell you, if you do 100 faces there will be some long, hard middle miles. It's important to know this in advance so you can resist what I call "deals with the devil." I started thinking, "Maybe it will be okay if I only do 75 faces. That's still good." Or, "Maybe I can do 100 faces by January 31st, instead of December 31st." Watch out! Don't change the goal. Magic things will happen at the end and people will sense your victory and start cheering for you. Keep going even when it's hard and it will be worth it. Just Look...
Results...
I learned that it doesn't take as long as I thought to facial 100 women and it doesn't have to be all-consuming. I gave myself until December 31st but finished on December 17th. Plenty of time was left to enjoy my family and Christmas. During the 91 days I had time to take my kids back and forth from the orthodontist, work in my son's classroom, participate in Halloween parties, host Thanksgiving for 17 people, you name it. I was not solely focused on Mary Kay. I led and lead a balanced life.
I sold exactly $14,622from Sept. 16th through December 17th. (I'm over $15,000 right now because I've actually done 104 faces!! I overbooked to make sure I got enough women.)
I recruited 8 womenduring these 91 days, including 6 in the month of November and earned my 17th Gold Medal. (I feel that I have many more prospects to follow-up with, I just haven't had time to get back to all of them!)
I finished the quarter as a Pearl Star Consultant with 9,900 star points. I'm choosing multiple prizes!
My unit is excitedto begin work on their own portfolio. Not many participated as I was working on this project, but after seeing the results they're setting their own "faces" goal. They're striving for 30, 75, 100. It doesn't matter about the number as long as it's a stretch and a new beginning for them.
