Melancholy Myst… humor me…. yes yes… a bit of a complaint or whine today…. anybody got any cheese?
So… when I first debuted as a Director I LOVED meetings, I could not wait to hold meetings! I could not wait to recognize others and provide training! A few years later… I notice that meeting size is down and meetings just don’t seem to be so “in demand” anymore. Meeting size has always fluctuated… based on holidays, school starting, school getting out, summer vacation.. etc etc
Now, of course, the first thing most of us do is look at ourselves, what changed in me? What changed in my format? What could I do better? And although anyone could find things they could do better…
at the same time, I am not the only Director with down meeting numbers.
As a Director, something that has always made me crazy is that consultants “say” they will commit to a meeting, a time, a day, a location and yet “something” always comes up. It seems that the meetings are taken for granted. If you don’t charge…. then they are “FREE” and “FREE” implies that they are not important (you know… like the chair on the side of the road with the little cardboard sign with the “FREE” scratched in with a sharpie… could be the exact same chair in the window for $873… but the *perceived* value is different… no?) If you do charge for meetings it is a reason not to attend… $5 - $10 – $15 a month is too much….
Bottom-line… in my opinion… commitment. Period.
Consultants may not realize what it takes to put on a weekly meeting. You may not realize how disappointing it is to have low numbers or even an empty room. Or maybe you do… it really is no different from a class cancelling. You still pack up, box up, prepare, unpack, set-up, make copies, plan training, plan recognition, plan music…. etc etc etc. Basically you make a time investment for the meeting and to a certain degree an emotional investment, you WANT people to do well and you want to provide the training and recognition to help your team reach the success they desire… I guess the question is… do they want it? Hmmmm….
So… is the meeting dead?
November 28, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Weird, our Director was talking about this exact same thing last night! She really mentioned that the energy level seems to be lower than in times past. She said that even if there are fewer consultants, the energy level is key. We agreed that meeting is what makes us different from other companies and is one the huge perks of MK.
November 28, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Always being “on” and the cheerleader for everyone else is a tough row to hoe. Good for you for keeping on trying!! I used to attend meetings faithfully for over 10 years, but nowadays I’d just rather stay home and read a good book. Nothing against any Director, just my head isn’t there these days; too much trouble to get suited up in my MK duds and get out the door. Sorry. It’s not you, honey. I just blame it on everything being dark by 4:30 … by 7:30 it feels like midnight–ha! I can find dozens of EXCUSES … and the crazy thing is that I have a fantastic time when I do go!!
November 28, 2007 at 6:06 pm
I think the meetings are important, however with that said. It is hard for me to attend I would be happy to pay a monthly fee for the meeting. I have twin daughters that are in JR High and we have sports and then we have this and we have that. My hubby and their daddy works in Iraq so he can not pick them up from their sporting events.
I know that it is important to the Director and I sure that it hurts their feelings when people don’t show up I think peoples lives are so busy that they tend to put things that are not required on the back burner.
With this posting I will however do my best to attend meetings. Oh one thing my director holds the meetings in her home and she let’s me bring the girls with me. They sit in another room and do homework or watch TV. If she didn’t allow me to do that I would not be able to go because the meetings that I go to are about 20 miles from where we live. Don’t like to leave the girls. Thanks for the post.
Well, thanks again.
November 28, 2007 at 6:08 pm
Dunno Myst, I moved about 4 years ago, so naturally had to give up a Training Center in a key location. I travel for meetings once a month to 3 locations. I have seen attendance really drop since the move,even though I am/was going once a month and had/have adoptee SD’s avaiable for them the other times.
I have tried conference calls,(as some only do this in leiu of meetings)some say they want to do the calls and then forget, Hard for me to understand. and of course a website for them. I am of the old school where it just aint right without Monday or Tuesday Night Live!
I agree that commitment is what it is truly about and meetings do set us apart and I firmly believe if they commit to attending faithfully for at least one year, they will be trained and better prepared to run their business.Strange but now when they don’t pay for meetings, attendance is lower than when they helped with 10-12 dollars a month with the center.
So money is not the factor in this case.
Years ago, at either leadership or Seminar one of the teachers said (don’t know how they got this figure) that average attendance at meetings were about 5. I would always share this info with my offspring to encourage her. Now I need some encouragement. lol!
Energy as mentioned from Netzilla is important! A little craziness never hurts anybody either. It is getting hard to be excited about going when someone’s dog is sick..lol!
I remember Arlene Lenarz N.S.D.Emeritus saying that when she was a director, there were times when she could have danced naked and they wouldnt have been excited..I smile when I think of that. Also have heard out of town consultants appreciate you more, that the locals do indeed take you for granted.
At the same time, the blogging consultants probably are the faithful ones. Go figure..
Could it be that the busiest really do get the most done? lol! thanks for this post. I was able to vent on it anyway..
November 28, 2007 at 6:20 pm
I love going to the NEW meetings with Melinda. She is professional, and expects us to look like the professional women we are. No, she does not NAG like some do, and I appreciate that. I have one skirt, and she told me that could be my uniform. I said great! She held a class for all of us on booking, and skin care class when you get there. She was great. It was so comfortable to her and seemed to me, it was like she was born into this company. She told me it was 18 years of doing this business. She was smooth, and confident. Then she handed us papers that she would hand out to the people at a skin care class. Her meeting was fabulous. It was upbeat, and we had 2 raffles. If we made a sale this week, she had us all stand up, if we had 100.00 sales continue to stand, 200.00 in sales continue, and we had the clappers and we cheered everyone on. I was shocked that everyone was pleased that each and everyone of us had done something the week prior, and we were all recognized for it. That made it fun !!!
November 28, 2007 at 6:53 pm
My thoughts on meetings:
They are not dead, but if yours becomes dead…perhaps ask some of the consultants who don’t come for honest answers. Perhaps you can send out a feedback form with questions such as “When you attended meeting was it fun? …worth your time? …beneficial to your business? …easy to invite guests? Did you learn anything new? Did it excite you for the week ahead? If you do not attend, why not?
You could mail this out and have it be annonymous if they like so you will get honest answers.
I have been straight up with my adopted that I liked our old format. In that time, we had more people and guests at meeting. However, I did dislike one of the directors who talked the talk but did not walk the walk. This made me tune out all her training.
Our old format was to have “events” that varied each week. This made it sooo easy to layer a guest to end up booking them or get a new team member. One week was “eye cream social”, the next “holiday glamour”, etc. Now we do the “Dash out the door” class for guests each and every week. This makes it very hard to layer, because you can’t very well invite the same person to come to the same thing. Yes, there is always MKU or something, but that takes additional time away from SCCs.
Also, my director really works on getting people to meeting by making it sound fun and like you will really benefit from going. My adopted does not do this. My director has great meeting attendance, my adopted does not. I’m not comparing them, I am just stating that perhaps my director’s method of “enticing” the consultants to come to meeting works.
She will send out and e-mail about 3 days prior to the meeting and again on meeting night. She always uses fun graphics and has different “event” type things for the guests. For instance, last week they had a “trunk show contest” where the guests could come to an open house at the training center and vote on which consultant decorated their MK holiday trunk (of their car) the best! Now that sounds like 1) you’d get sales from the open house 2) you’d learn how to do a trunk show 3)fun! A huge part of why people sign up for MK is the fun! So I think meeting has to be both educational and fun. If it is redundant, the consultants are going to think they have been there, done that and they are not going to commit to coming each and every week. If they are anything like me and that is one of their only nights to book on, they will start to think they should have double booked that night and not come to meeting.
So my director’s e-mails…they always say something like:
“This Monday come to the training center to:
-Learn how to make your eyes look great
-How to teach your client’s to make their eyes look great
-See our new holiday products first hand
Don’t miss out on all the fun!” She also lots of times includes pics from past meetings and cute graphics.
Right now they are doing a color series based on the Color Insider that teaches color techniques…and she markets it like you can come learn for yourself or to pass on your knowledge to your clients. I think that makes a big difference.
And she seems to keep it interesting. One meeting they even had a hairdresser come and tell the consultants what haircuts would best suit their face shape when they were talking about image. Guests could also come, and of course guests do get makeovers as well.
One last thing: I always dislike that it is soo hard to close a guest at a meeting. At the end, the director’s are busily talking to one or two guests, so the others have to be closed by the consultants, which is fine, except there is ZERO time left to try to take their product order or book them for an interview or class. Everyone runs, rushes, bolts, and the guests get antsy to leave as well. This made me stop bringing guests as well, because while it is great that they enjoyed a makeover, if I didn’t get to close them, what was the point?
So, sorry this was soooo long, but in closing, I love meetings when they are fun and fresh. I hate them when they are tired and uneducational. Meetings are suppossed to motivate…make you want to redevote time to your business for the next week. Big events and conferences do a great job of this…I think meeting needs almost that kind of feel, even if it is smaller. If you make it seem fun and like the consultant will learn, they will attend. And if they don’t, they probably just don’t want to be reminded that they are not working. Sometimes recognition can backfire that way! I know I hate that time when I haven’t done anything to be recognized for.
Anyway, even though I am backing off a bit on my goals, I would still go to meeting if they were fun or if I thought I could benefit…but as it stands, I don’t think it is worth my time to go each week. I will still go about once a month.
November 28, 2007 at 6:56 pm
I’ll ‘fess up. I haven’t been going to meetings as regularly as I used to. I never missed in the beginning. My director gives us a pin enhancer prize for attending 13 meetings/events in a row. I did it at least twice. Lately, life has been crazy. Hubby doesn’t like the time I spend away from the house. I go as regularly as I can. This year was bad. I told my director what was happening and she was 100% supportive. It was during that time that I found the blogs and decided to start my own. I love MK Rules’ chat. When I couldn’t go to meeting, that was like a mini meeting for me. Now I go pretty regularly. Hubby said he doesn’t want to keep me away from something I enjoy.
Our meetings are combined with our senior unit and it is high energy! We also stand if we had sales. We cheer for anyone with good news to share. I love these meetings. I was a guest at one of these meetings and the energy level and positive feedback and the support the women had for each other is what sealed my decision to sign up. I knew I was signing beforehand, but that meeting really assured me that I was making a good decision!
November 28, 2007 at 6:59 pm
P.S. No one recruited me. I had decided I didn’t want to dance anymore, but I also knew that I wanted to find something else I enjoyed and could identify with. Mary Kay just kind of slipped into the picture and I thought, hmmm…this seems like something worth pursuing. It’s like a hobby, but with potential to be so much more–kind of like dance was for me. So, I decided to ask my friend, a consultant about it. She told me to come to her meeting and see what it’s like. I knew before I got there I was signing up.
November 28, 2007 at 8:07 pm
I dont care what anyone says about “hype” it sells!!! Women like to come to these meetings because when they see a successful director (car driving) or a big one Gloria Mayfield Banks, or a director who is not known but has charisma OR is a good teacher they will come. It works with us in the know as well, if we feel like we are missing out on something we will want to be there. I think people are busier now more than ever and especially women working two jobs or women who have families. Commitment is the key when I hear people saying things like nobody wants to do MK look at some who have come in and become top directors in a year or two they had the commitment! I was tops when I sold lab equipment and if I had put in the energy in MK like I did my lab equipment job I would be making 10,000 a month right now. I have come to the conclusion that directors who are bringing in 7,000 a month or more consistently are working this at least 35 hours a week. Once you
get into the groove its like anything else except there is a variable in your paycheck it wont remain the same. There are many avenues of income classes and facials, and recruiting checks. I think the reason so many women who are team leaders and stay in the VIBE and like it is if you get a qualified recruit and you get those 50.00 checks and the 4,9, or 13 percent check and it really adds up along with classes and facials. I can see how a woman can work 15 hours a week and maintain the car its well worth the 375.00 or the VIBE because the car shows a symbol of success and free advertising. Its true those who show up “go up”
If you go to any sales meetings in corporate america the “top producers” are always there learning more the deadbeats dont go. This is nothing new with MK its true for any direct sales business. The producers want the recognition and the slow ones need the energy.
November 28, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Bottom line, now more than ever, people have a lot of options to fill their days, evenings, nights, mornings, and any other portion of their waking or sleeping moments. They will do what is the highest priority to them.
Some people respond to guilt. “You ought to be here”
Some people respond to excitement. “I love getting excited at…”
Some people respond to mystery. “I never want to miss what happens at meeting”
Some respond to a certain personality. Mary Kay Ash (from what I have heard) attracted people to herself naturally. People just want to be around certain kinds of people.
I have given some thought to what you ask here myself, because when my wife becomes a director, I want to be able to help her put on the best meetings ever.
All that to say,
Emphasize your strengths.
Offer what your consultants need… not what they want.
Be consistent.
Mix things up.
(I know those last two seem contrary, but both are important. People need to know what to expect… High energy, food and solid advice… but that is not the same thing as getting into a rut)
When you lead strong week after week, the energy you invest will inevitably wane. You need to make sure that you have a source (God, friends/family, other consultants/directors, your director/nsd) that will remind you why you do what you do and rejuvenate your energy.
I would encourage you not to blame your consultants for not coming. You know it is important for them to come. They will forget that little tidbit! If they don’t perceive value, they won’t come. If this is the problem, you are either not offering them enough value or they are not seeing the value that you are offering them.
Make sure that the meeting you are offering is indeed valuable. (ask around if you are not certain) Think of ways to demonstrate how valuable meetings are for a consultant. Finally, make sure that you don’t lower yourself to manipulating people into coming! Guilt and anything phony will not sustain your meetings for very long!
I hope this has not come across as presumptuous (since I am not a director). I am only passing on observations that I have had with trying to get people to attend meetings that are not mandatory!
I love that you guys are so open about your struggles! It makes helping each other easy!
November 29, 2007 at 4:38 am
Angie said: I agree that commitment is what it is truly about and meetings do set us apart and I firmly believe if they commit to attending faithfully for at least one year, they will be trained and better prepared to run their business.
Absolutely!! What a great statement! The consultant’s meeting has to be looked at through her eyes as essential enough to prioritize her schedule and to place emphasis on that’s where she is going to be every Mon (or Tues, etc.) Night Live. She knows exactly where her director is going to be on that same night each and every week. I know she views that is her director’s job, but really it is her job too if she looks at this as a business that will grow with training/participation/action and not just talk. The consultant has to get her family on board with her priority as well, making no mistake about where she will be come meeting night. In fact, she needs to hear this from her director (the entire family priority thing) in order to incorporate it. I am a firm believer in a fee based meeting as well. The training is free, but the overhead cost must be a shared expense by consultants along with their directors. Snacks, drinks, electricity in one’s home, outside meeting room expense runs money. There should be no complaining from working consultants if they are bringing guests to meetings. Their profit from subsequent sales will offset their meeting dues. It’s not just a time management thing to bring guests, potential profit is lost when chairs are empty.
Now I don’t necessarily agree that every guest needs to be closed on meeting night. They don’t. However, what I do like to see is the director who meets with all guests together in a separate area after the meeting and ask on a scale of 1 to 10…
Those who need to leave or demonstrate low interest take recruit info home, and those with avid interest stay with questions/signing agreement. Red Jackets can help round out the after meeting needs while the director is doing this for them. By the way, kudos to kmh for 10 years faithful meeting attendance. A big shout going out to you!
Myst, interest and committment levels are just going to vary. The one thing that holds true for most consultants is if something new was learned each time they attend. No way to second guess that one. The consultant has to determine that herself. Besides, she could stand to hear repeat information as it will finally click somewhere along the way. Excuses are a way of life with people in general. Some warranted, most not. You (and every other director) must have heard some real winners.
The meeting is not dead. It is necessary contrary to some who may think it is not. I think what pinknight was trying to say is be consistent at mixing things up. I have to agree that directors need to do that. Variety is a calling card, and I have no doubt but what you invest your time in presenting with variety already. I would be your best attendee because I always want to learn it all. I’m also big on receiving product training at every meeting, and I enjoy when Red Jackets accept that challenge to share in teaching product info. Having done that myself in the past created was a great experience. Can you tell that I like to see shared responsibilities that will help to grow into positions? I do.
You are probably doing everything to the best of your ability. It’s your consultants who need to step up. Why not take one half of your next meeting to pow wow with the women in attendance and get some up front and personal responses to what makes/breaks the meeting for them, interest, dynamics that drives them to attend or stay away. Nothing like the source itself, right? Feedback is key, but committment is essential to “getting it” in this business. The internet will never be able to replace the fact that consultants need to plug into their own unit and area if at all possible. Training and new faces is where it’s at to remain viable in MK.
November 29, 2007 at 7:41 am
WOW! You guys, I love the feedback and perspectives!!!
It is interesting, I have tried most all the advice here. I have solicited feedback with the idea of what people help build they support. People get excited about the building process and then don’t show…. they don’t show because of soccer… they don’t show because of the husband (which I really hope for most is a convenient excuse and not reality… I feel bad for husbands when I hear them get the blame).
I do the emails…
The training is, in my opinion, the BEST. I say that because I was someone who had the WORST meeting ever when I was a consultant, every week was the SAME THING. So I rotate topics and train on everything from advanced glamour techniques to the basics of booking, closing, DISC, money management, etc etc etc.
I never, ever, ever, guilt. Personally I think that it is a useless emotion that will lead down a negative path.
So… when I ask for feedback, people LOVE the meeting… how can you go from a meeting of 15 people with an adoptee who is like “OMG – I am never gonna miss a meeting – this was so much fun!!!” Your team saying, “I am so glad I came!!” To an a meeting with one person the next week??
When I think about it, the one person next week… well… is the only one serious about working her business and the only one being accountable.
So pinknight says not to blame the consultants for not coming, well… I will and I do. It is their business and their responsibility. Heck, if my meeting doesn’t work for them, I encourage people to go to adoptive meetings. Just get to a meeting!! LOL But they have to personally decide to get up, get cute and get out the door. I have had consultants miss meetings because of ER or Desperate Housewives!!! HUH? Those people on TV are not real… :/
Now although my unit size is around 90 – we are spread over quite a few areas and states. If you take the rule of 1/3′rds that would mean that there are maybe 30 working (interesting because that is about how many people have ordered this month). So that does contribute to attendance obviously. Was it Angie who said she found the average attendance was 5? If that is the case, I should feel pretty good about attendance most nights… LOL
Angie – I did conference calls too. I don’t understand how people forget that either. But again it comes back to accountability and committment. Did they write it in their date book? Do they ever open their datebook?
This business is really easy. The discipline is the challenge. It is frustrating to see so many talented people who will work so hard for so little and yet not discipline themselves to make money with Mary Kay. I just don’t get it.
Yeah, still venting… LOL
Hopefully after I get this out of my system I will be ready to rock again!
kmhchimo – thanks for acknowledging that it is an effort to get UP and be WAY UP for meeting every week. It has been years and it really does take effort. I suppose for some it comes naturally.
I do have to work at it a little.
Regarding closing at meetings, I do believe that guests should be closed. Both on sales and recruiting. This is a challenge with a big group though, which is why the consultants really have to be trained to do most of that themselves and get assistance from the Director. It is soooo easy for one person to take over a conversation!! I would recommend telling your Director before the meeting that you are super excited about the guest and want her to meet them and help you close. It is probably just the squeaky wheel thing, someone was in her space first.
PinkBiz sez: “The consultant’s meeting has to be looked at through her eyes as essential enough to prioritize her schedule and to place emphasis on that’s where she is going to be every Mon (or Tues, etc.) Night Live.”
*sigh* It just kills me… I have a red jacket who told one of her team members not to worry about coming to our meeting because it was a drive for her – so we would find her an adoptee meeting. So I say… “Umm.. Miss Red Jacket, why don’t we at least see if she thinks the drive is too much and give her the opprotunity to give our meeting a chance first… wouldn’t you rather build a relationship with her and have her trained by us???” So long story short, this gal when doing career talkd TALKS about how AWESOME the meetings are…
ahhhhh….. so… what am I on to here??? New people are loving it the seasoned people are tired of me. Now I say me because, and I bet Angie will vouch for me here… after awhile, your people tune you out. You could say something… training or advice or MK’ism till you are BLUE in the face and they ignore it… in one ear and out the other. Then one day you will get a call or at a meeting this same person will repeat back to you what you have been saying only “Director So&So said it!” – I really don’t care who says it… but it is an interesting side note on this whole thread…
One thing I have not done, and not been good at is “theme meetings” – so I will kick that around a little… maybe for the new year.
You guys rock and keep it rolling. Good stuffs!!
November 29, 2007 at 8:39 am
pynkmyst,
1. What then motivated you as a consultant given that your meetings were the worst?
2. Even with this thought now on meetings currently, isn’t their a shift always taking place as a result of new/old members, unit size, attendees, etc? I mean regardless of the content of the meeting, variables will have an affect on the attendance numbers?
3. Your feedback above is great myst. There is a whole different perspective from the director’s seat, and I find that fascinating since I can’t view things from a director’s point of view.
November 29, 2007 at 8:47 am
Good questions!
1. What motivated me was money. I needed to replace my income. I also went and found a meeting, it was 2 hours from me so I did not go every week, but I went 2x a month.
2. Although that is true, it seems different right now. I have been through this for a couple years and never had such a time getting people to come. They get excited, they say they are coming and then just don’t show. Like I said when I started, it would be one thing if it was just me, but other directors are saying the same thing… maybe it is gas prices? Economy in general? The fact that milk is $3.50 a gallon or whatever… I just don’t know.
3. Thanks! It is different from this seat. I really don’t think consultants realize the work in putting a “good meeting” on. This whole thread has given me some new ideas and re-energized some old ones. But I won’t change anything until next year. No point in December.
November 29, 2007 at 9:47 am
You are exactly correct myst. We don’t even remotely realize what it takes, both energy and time, to put on a well-organized, beneficial meeting. Did you as a consultant? Perhaps, but not really, maybe? Until we walk in your steps, we will not have full comprehension. So I can only speculate all I would need to do to ‘pull’ off any type of meeting, lest an energizing unit meeting for that matter. It’s easy to sit back and judge…until you’re the one being judged.
I love that everytime I have comments, a director can share even better comments, thoughts, etc. Learning and experience speaks for itself really. Thanks for so much vision.
Since money was your motivating factor, you were a self driven individual. Most women want it all, just not the work or the committment (as we see) that comes along with the rewards of such. They would rather state complaints and give their excuses, while reasoning within why that should ‘fly’ with their director and everyone in their circle.
Comment here on the Red Jacket. She should have spoken with you first or directed her team member to you. I second your input on chance to develop a relationship and receive training with recruiter/director first.
November 29, 2007 at 9:48 am
Hi Myst!
My director used to say that people come to meetings for different reasons. Some appear for the fellowship, some for the training, some for the rah-rahs, etc.
When it came down to only a few people, she told us that sometimes she needed that time for more powerful training and she would change her prepared training. It’s impromptu but these are the stuff that she would want us to know anyway so she didn’t mind. That’s a good indication of consultants wanting to move up. Sometimes she would just entertain questions. I liked that because it was informal and yet very informative.
With regards to just not appearing because something came up, she would usually call the next day just to say – “I wanted to know if you’re okay. I know you planned on going and this is what we discussed….”. She would do that only if you initially said yes.
I think it’s the weather and the holidays. Those reasons got me thinking twice about going or not.
November 29, 2007 at 9:53 am
I wonder if consultants are saying “yes I’ll be there” to the director because they think it’s what she wants to hear even if they know that maybe they won’t be there. I know that all the Director wants is honesty.
I don’t know what the answer is. I’ve been in MK for over 7 years and went to event offered. We bought a house and moved last February and I stopped going to meeting. I missed it the whole time I wasn’t going! I now go every other week. I think that consistancy is the key. If you can only make it to one a month, DO IT!! but continue to stay in touch with your director thru email, hotline, phone, etc if you can’t make it weekly.
November 29, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Myst says the one who came the next week was the only one serious about her business.
With all due respect
, I disagree. My meeting night is one of two evenings that I have to book on. For a while, I would book on that night just because I cared more about my business than being trained to do my business.
One more thought, keep people’s goals in mind. If someone tells the director they want to be very part time (one party a week or so), it is highly unlikely you’ll get them to also commit to a meeting once a week. That doubles the time they want to spend on their business!
I do love meetings when they are more about training…but at times at my adopted’s meeting, it is reading fliers off of unitnet, etc. To me, this is not training…I can do that at home. I like more interactive training, role playing, real life answers…like show me how you do an individual close, etc. I think consultants would get more out of that because you can tell them how to win a car all day long, but if they still don’t know how to close a SCC, nothing is gonna happen…
I think as long as meetings are optional, you cannot expect people to require themselves to attend.
November 29, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Oh MK Rules… reading fliers off unitnet would… well… suck.
With regard to my comment about the one who came the following week, I DO KNOW that she is the only one working. The only one booking, the only one turning in her WAS, the only one…
I understand what you are saying about you. But knowing the players from my own meeting, the only one who came the next week was the only one serious about her business. Or perhaps, more to your point above, the only one who did anything and would receive recogntion because she was the only one working.
You really do hit on something with recognition btw – I had someone tell me that they hated my meetings because they left feeling bad because they did not get recognized. Now… I recognize bookings, retail sales (starting with who opened their store), career talks & recruiting. So… if you do not book anything, do not sell even $1 worth of anything, do not do a career talk, do not hold an appointment and do not recruit anyone… why is my meeting bad because you (the consultant – no YOU MKRules) did not do ANYthing for 7 days?
Pulling hair out and still looking for cheese….
November 29, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Gouda for you! Don’t be bleu.
If only one person showed up, I would grab her hand and the both of you hit the Mall and do some Power Booking in your March for Success! To heck with the meeting plan. Just help HER to get what she wants/needs. You can be sure she will tell all her ’sisters’ what they missed. wink wink And at the same time you will be growing your OWN business, so she can see your very powerful “walk the walk” and it will reinforce her respect for you. Of course if you HATE warm chatting, then maybe you could get her to call a couple of potential recruits, and ask them if they would be willing to meet you at the closest coffee shop, so she can do a Practise Interview with her Director observing to give her tips after the interview. Anything that helps you both. My Director (now an NSD and doesn’t hold meetings anymore–boo hoo) has told us of times where she came to present a dynamite meeting and not one person showed up! But instead of going home very sad, she went out and spent those two hours booking new appointments for herself, and got home at a much earlier hour than usual: win-win!
So open a nice bottle of red whine to go with your imported cheeses and enjoy. HEY! maybe that’s what some meetings may need, a good shot of French wine to make people smile. ha! Pink hugs, kmh
November 29, 2007 at 8:31 pm
My adopted used to do things that did let EVERYONE get recognition. I think this was good because it made you at least glad to come to meeting and get remotivated. She would recognize those who came on time, were in MK professional dress, had at least sold $100, did at least one interview, OR booked or held at least one booking. Now we only do recognition for sales, bookings, and interviews/recruits. I don’t know if that makes a difference in the attendance, but it might. Perhaps meeting is making some people own up to the fact that they are not doing anything, and people don’t like that. Similar to why some people stay away from church. People don’t like to see the truth at times…including myself.
Personally, our meetings seem to be geared toward new consultants or recruiting guests. While they don’t have to be closed that night, I would at least like time to get them booked, take their order, or set up an interview. As it is now, it is like “Ok, fill out your ‘Have you ever pondered pink sheet’ and let’s do a drawing from it” (after Dacia’s 5 min marketing) and then we break.
Anyway, I’m just trying to be honest here…if people join MK for fun and the meeting is not fun, they are not going to come. If they join for extra money, and the meeting does not lead to extra money, they are not going to come. And I can’t say I blame them…
I think if you recruit a D, let her help in the meeting in some way. Let her lead. If you recruit an I, let her plan a fun ice breaker. If you recruit a C, ask her to bring some print outs that you need or something organizational. And if you recruit an S, perhaps ask her to bake some snacks for meeting. This might make each personality type feel important at meeting, even if they are not receiving recognition.
We also used to do team activities, like MK Olympics, where you got points for bookings, selling, interviews, etc and the team with the most points at the end of the quarter got a prize. This really helped the excitement at the meeting and made me go to help my team…the points only counted if you reported them at meeting and put the on your WAS.
Just some ideas for you…
November 29, 2007 at 8:33 pm
P.S. Perhaps the person who left feeling bad about not doing anything was blue because in recruiting we are told “we praise you to success” and you don’t have to do anything. I dunno, most likely she was just upset at herself…
November 29, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Great comments gang! Excellent feedback,
Myst,I am vouching for you in comment above! In fact, I got so tickled I was ROFL. Yes, it is true.
I believe the day we stop learning is the day we start dying. I know Myst agrees here. In other words, I love your comments gang as I know Myst does. It really helps to get the heartbeat or pulse if you will of how consultants are thinking. Not that we arent consultants, we are, but perhaps coming from a different place.
With that said, here’s the deal! Ta La! with the exception of themed meetings for Myst. We have done all that has been suggested a long time ago and still do.
IMHO,and past experiences, (my people are spread out too Myst)and this is hard, it is tough! But we gotta play to the one as if she is 5 sitting there as I know you and I do try to do. With 2 as if 10. Hard, you betcha!
I now drive nearly 2 hours for what was once my local,but and this is the biggie, If we do not provide a booking,selling, recruiting evening that is fun, (yes we have to entertain somewhat) chock full of recognition looking for something to recognize,:) such as Everybody that opened your datebook,:) please stand up, (This has always been a struggle, recognizing everyone for something and at the same time not lowering the bar.)
yada yada,full of training,(we must)or the meetings will die in time, and we cannot let that happen so we will eat our cheese and drink our wine, in my case, I will have a Margarita! (after the meeting of course):)!
Sometimes we just experience a drought so to speak, in attendance, at least that’s what I’m hoping it is and personally we can pray for rain.LOL!
From time to time, I try to provide a little mystery where they don’t know what to expect. Buns on their chairs, Tape underneath their chairs with something special just like at C.C. had a poster on my back saying ‘book me’ Sometimes too, have changed the whole agenda from a perceived need. I have carried balloons for them to pop with a small prize for them when they achieved little bitsy stuff like above, and had them blowing all over the parking lot, can you see the picture now, my fat arse running trying to catch my prize balloons? Ah! it is indeed a picture!
Im ready for my cheese with (o.k. I’ll take the wine!) or whine!
Hugs to you all
November 29, 2007 at 10:45 pm
myst,
Let me try to re-word that…
I said that I encourage you not to blame your consultants.
I did not mean they are not the ones to blame. Just that placing blame on them is not going to be very productive in the attempt of getting them to come. (esp. if you intend not to go down the road of guilting them into coming which I recognize you have said you wont do)
I only mean to say that you can’t control them. I think they can and should take responsibility for their own destiny in their career. However, since you (as the leader) have taken a position of responsibility for them, you should not place blame on them. Sometimes it is your responsibility to remind them of what is important to them.
Gosh why can’t I say this the way it is in my head…
mk4me (on my site) said everything boils down to personal responsibility.
Your consultants have a personal responsibility to do what will be best for them and their business. They can’t blame anyone else if they fail. Not you, not their customers, not the market… etc.
You have brought people onto your team with the promise of leading them. (I assume?) It therefore has become your responsibility to do everything in your power to help them succeed. Yes?
If you throw your hands in the air and say it is their fault that they don’t want what I am offering, you are taking the same line of thought that too many others take when looking for a scapegoat to blame when things go wrong.
Are they to blame for not investing in their business? That is between them and their business. Can YOU blame them for not investing in their business? You CAN, but I suggest that you should not. If their success is important to you, you should do everything you can to find ways to motivate them and help them.
I am not sure after all of that, that I said quite what I was thinking, but I think I got close towards the end.
Again, I am really not trying to be cold, I just want to help!
You are a wonderful resource to many people (on this site alone). Anyone not pursuing you for the wisdom you have to offer IS a FOOL. Keep up the good work and be encouraged that you ARE helping people!
November 29, 2007 at 11:56 pm
pinknight sez “If you throw your hands in the air and say it is their fault that they don’t want what I am offering, you are taking the same line of thought that too many others take when looking for a scapegoat to blame when things go wrong.”
Hey.. you can lead a horse to water… but you can not make it drink.
If you do all that you can to offer all the things we talk about here and no one takes advantage of it, the fault lies with the consultant. Period. If I fail, whose fault is it? MINE alone.
Perhaps what you are trying to say is that I don’t say, “Hey Consultant… IT’S YOUR FAULT” – well.. of course I would never do that. However their success or failure is not my responsibility, it is theirs. Period.
You can not say on the one hand that it is the Directors responsibility and in the same breath say, but you don’t control them. I see that as part of the issue.
People are used to being told what to do when they work for someone else. People will work in jobs they hate, with people they hate for pay they hate. They will show up at the hours they hate through a commute that they hate when they work for someone else. What is terribly terribly sad is that they will NOT do that for themselves. And when they don’t, sadly, the pattern is to blame everyone else.
So yes, I have taken the responsibility of leader. However no one works for me. So the only way I can lead is by:
a) example in working MY BUSINESS as the BEST consultant in the unit (this does not guarantee anyone will follow)
b) creating a motivating environment (this does not mean that I would ever be able to meet the motivation needs of 90 different personalities)
c) providing rock solid business training (this does not mean that all – part – or any for that matter – will take advantage of it)
If I showed up to a meeting hoping to get recognized because I could fog mirror that week and feeling jealous because someone else worked their business to a greater level than I did based on their goals then perhaps this would not be the business for me.
Not placing the blame appropriately only ENABLES which does no one any good.
Accepting responsibility for the actions of others is not healthy.
I think Angie nailed it… it is a phase thing. (Seems a phase thing many directors are feeling and kmchimo admits to as well…
Directors are taught to spend time with the people who earn it. I always thought that everyone should be treated equally from the start which is how I have set up my business. Every year, I go to Seminar and am taught, don’t worry about those falling off, don’t worry about those who don’t come to meetings, that don’t call in, call back or participate. Work with the people who call you… work with the people who turn in their WAS… work with the people who communicate and more important work toward their goals. (Now we are also taught to believe in everyone… no matter how many times they tell us that they are going to acheive a goal that they set… belief costs nothing – I agree.)
So if you take out ALL the emotion and look at it from a purely business perspective (oooh just felt the goosebumps I caused, but humor me here) if you just work with the people who clearly indicate they want to work – you are making a solid “business” decision. However the conundrum is that this is a people business and you care about the individuals. It is hard to just disconnect like that.
I have an amazing unit, a selling unit, a recruiting unit, a positive unit. I just don’t have a meeting unit… at least not right now.
But I caution you not to put the success or failure of your business on your Director. After all the preaching we did to Blessed about being accountable – the buck, the success or the failure all stops with the individual consultant. The responsibility (or fault if you like) stops with the individual consultant. The everyday choices they make in their business will be the reason for their success or failure in this business. Not their Director. I am proof that the Director does not make or break the consultant. Many of us are.
November 30, 2007 at 4:27 am
But what you offer IS important. Never doubt that. There will always be people who truly appreciate you, even if they don’t show it by showing up for meetings. Personally, I attend enough meetings EVERY WEEK in my day job that the very word makes me shudder. Here they are called “Success Events” and we are always told if you’ve had a great week the meeting needs you; if you haven’t, you need the meeting. I am not the brightest light on the block (more like a tri-light, sometimes dim, usually medium, and often 150 watts!) … oh, and sometimes turned to OFF! smile So if I only ever go when it is time to get a $1000+ Sales Week ring, that is not very nice. By the same token, with thousands of ribbons and dozens of rings, do I really need any more ‘recognition’? Like Pynkmyst, my recognition is my bank account. And if I don’t open my store this week, do I need to sit in the back row and pretend to all the new Consultants? Awkward position to be in. If I just say out loud, I didn’t work this week, but I came to enjoy the comraderie of my MK buddies, the Director would prefer I stayed home. smile
When my Director was working towards NSD ALL she cared about was recruiting and off-springing Directors. Retreats were suddenly limited to JUST Red Jackets and people wanting to move to Directorship. This is where her head is these days, so I think that is why so many people who have been with her for years just stopped coming to events and meetings. Sad But it is HER business decision, and with having to cross the country many times for speaking engagements and “guest events” and other NSD debuts, etc. she needs to grow her own personal business, which is growing Directors. Now (when I go) I attend nice meetings with a new Director who wants to grow to Cadillac, so her emphasis (and rewards) are more geared to my needs, for the moment. She knows (and accepts) that I will never bring guests, but appreciates what I do do to support her. My Mom always taught me, as a “volunteer” leader, that getting people involved made them feel needed. She would as one person to bring coffee, another tea, another sugar, another milk, a couple of others cookies, etc. Her meetings were VERY fast-paced, everyone had a great time, and there was always time at the end to socialize. With the current emphasis on MK being a BUSINESS MEETING, with professional dress (from the days when women rarely got dressed up in the 50’s) for many currently employed consultants (and Directors) this is just another meeting like our day jobs. Sometimes I think maybe I should bring some upbeat music and pink boas to my daytime meetings–ha!
Whatever a Director does, she will never please all of the people all of the time! Even Holiday meetings are often not well attended, as at this time of year most people already have half a dozen to go to.
Just keep doing what you’re doing, and the next third coming in will truly appreciate it. Happy Holidays, kmh
November 30, 2007 at 6:48 am
Oh kmh – you rock. Yes… the third generation!
Thanks for your honesty too.
November 30, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Gosh, so many of you have replied in great detail I dont know if there is anthing left to say, but I really love going to my meetings, however have not been going for a couple of months. The reason they have moved from the center to the directors home, which isnt that much furthur but not as convienient as before and I dont feel comfortable taking a guest there. The center was real professional guests could come on their own and it was all set out. Anyways so ever since the meetings have moved I have not been regular. I do miss them, I also have babysitting issues. Our meeting size is small but we were like a family and now the regualrs have stopped also.
So the dynamics have changed. Our meeting have always been great training sessions, but there comes a point when you really have heard all the basics and if the group isnt moving you kind of get stuck. We are told to bring guests and only one consultant brings them, and adopted at that. We had a recruiting Pizza and possibilities I was the only one who got my friend to come and other director/consultants had guests with them, our director was naturally peeved at her unit.
Last week I got a call asking if I was coming and that was the first time she ever called to ask, so I felt bad becuase I think noone came.
My adopted director has been wonderful to me, but I can understand she need her immediate team to step up more than me, but she has given me wonderful oppurtunities, sometimes more than my own who is on the oppsite end of the states.
After the new years I will try to become regular again and I hope she finds a better location.
I am grateful for my adopted Director because I have heard off absolutely horrid directors. My meeting have kept me foucused and I always come fired up, and when you go and everyone has worked the business you are determined to go back with some results.
I dont think I would have lasted in the business if i hadnt found a meeting, because the lady who recruited me is not working her business.
The meetings are a strong suit of the business, and should be continued, should they be cut back to biweekly certain times in the year, maybe. During the summer we did alternate confernce calls/meetings. Didnt care for the conference calls not the same.
Ok will stop now otherwise noone is going to read this post.
I also agree with MK rules, that I too find it hard to close a guest at the meeting but they are good places to take guests. It is more exciting for them when they have other consultants oohing and aahing over their makeovers.
November 30, 2007 at 8:41 pm
I dont know what it says at the top of the post”your reply is awaitng moderation” is it too long?
December 1, 2007 at 12:09 am
Myst,
I don’t blame my director(s) or meeting for my success. I was just trying to unravel why I dislike attending my meeting at times… I hope you didn’t take me to mean it is your fault! I did not mean that at all…