Gary's Blog

Video Blog: Rock On! Happy Halloween!

 

Is $10 Too Much To Pay for Younger Skin?

The key to youthful skin is to maintain a rapid rate of cellular renewal.  The process of cellular renewal occurs naturally in our youth.  As new cells are lost from the surface of the skin, new skin cells are added at a cellular level.  As we age, the process of natural exfoliation begins to decline and the need for external exfoliation becomes necessary to maintain a healthy rate of skin cell renewal.  The BC Spa Resurface products are your key to maintaining spa quality results at an affordable price.

 

Young, healthy skin cells have a turnover rate of 28 days on average.  As we age, our skin cell turnover rate begins to slow down.  This leads to a thicker epidermis and a build up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin (kind of like a traffic jam… except instead of cars building up, skin cells build up).  This can give skin a dull, lackluster appearance.

 

Exfoliation is key to preventing this.  There are two types of exfoliation… chemical and mechanical.  Chemical exfoliation uses chemicals (like Alpha and Poly Hydroxy Acids and enzymes) to eat away at the glue that hold the dead skin cells together.  By doing this, it allows for the dead skin cells to be removed.

 

Mechanical exfoliation uses abrasive materials (synthetic or natural – like polyethylene beads, jojoba, sugar, salt, aluminum oxide crystals, etc.) to physically remove the top layers of dead skin cells. 

 

Both methods not only exfoliate the skin, they also increase skin’s cell turnover rate (which is a characteristic of younger skin).  By sloughing off the top layers, skin cells at the base of the epidermis begin to produce new, healthy cells.  These new cells reach the surface faster, so skin looks brighter and more radiant and the appearance of skin discolorations (i.e. sun spots, hyperpigmentation) is reduced.

 

Chemical and mechanical exfoliation have been shown to encourage the natural production of collagen and elastin, which are components of young, healthy skin.  This can improve skin firmness and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

 

You already know that your daily BC Spa Facial regimen contains both chemical exfoliants (AHAs and/or PHAs) found in your tonics, and our BC Spa Facial Polish contains gentle physical exfoliants, but as we age, there becomes a need to add additional treatment products to increase the skin’s renewal.  That’s where the BC Spa Resurface products come in.  BC Spa Resurface Resurfacing Peel and Daily Resurfacing Serum provide you will added chemical exfoliation to loosen the “glue” that hold dead skin cells to the skin, while BC Spa Resurface Microdermabrasion will physically shave those loosened cells from the surface, revealing new, younger and more radian skin.

 

Last month, you had the opportunity to purchase the BC Spa Resurface Microdermabrasion at a ridiculously low price as it was our featured Product of the Month.  The patented, laser cut crystals (the same used in clincal Microdermabrasion treatments used at Med Spas or a Dermatologist's office) "shave" the surface layers of the skin to reveal newer skin and increase the rate that the skin renews itself.  You could pay more ($100 per treatment) by getting this done by a professional, OR you can get professional results at home, at a fraction of the price.

 

This month, “Gary’s Pick” of the month is our BC Spa Resurface Daily Resurfacing Serum.  Sales of this product have literally BLOWN UP this month.  Not only do you get the benefits of gentle fruit acids, but you also get a blend of fruit enzymes to help further dissolve the dead skin.  One of the added benefits of this product is that it makes an INCREDIBLE makeup primer and oil absorber.  You have to look hard and long to find a better product for maintaining the skin’s radiance and youthful glow. 

 

It’s not too late to order this product for October.  We are currently offering this product at 50% off the retail price.  That means that the already low price of $40 has been slashed in half to $20…and that’s before your Consultant level discount.  So…if you already receive the 50% discount ordering level as a VIP and above, you only pay $10.  That’s right, $10.  Even if you don't receive the 50% Consultant level discount as a VIP and above or for an order below $150, the most you would pay is $15, with your minumum 25% Consultant level discount. Stock up now before this offer ends on October 31st.  When products are offered with this kind of special pricing, use them to:

·      Offer as a “gift with purchase” when someone purchases an entire set of the BC Spa Facial or the Instant Facelift.

·      Use them as a reward when your Hostess Books and Holds a Spa with you.

·      Use them as part of your Hostess rewards for Spa Sales

·      OR...put $30 in your pocket for every one of these that you sell at retail.

Make sure that you pick up one for yourself and one to use as a “tester” as well so you can share the benefits of this product with your clients.

 

I hope you have a great remainder of the month and a safe, but SPOOKY Halloween.  Be sure to check back on Tuesday, where I will share with you the new products for November as well as a fun new concept to create “Gift Giving” Spas or Open House events.

 

Ciao!

Create Your Own Holiday Sparkle

After posting my blog on Friday, I decided to practice what I preach and create my own Holiday Gift Flier that I plan on sharing this Holiday Season.  Using the tools that are available to me on Beautinet, I created a flier that will not only help me SELL, but also help me share the opportunity to create a debt free Holiday for anyone that is looking for a way to make some additional money and see the potential rewards of being a BeautiControl Consultant.

 

 

The front of the flier features each of the gift sets that are available in the Holiday Sparkle Collection at the retail price that they would pay.  In addition, I included an image of the Holiday Sparkle Case, with the price of $125.  This creates the opportunity for your clients to inquire about how they can get all these gift sets for the incredible price of only $125.  This is a door opener that allows you to turn the flier over, and show them how they can become a BeautiControl Consultant and create a debt free Holiday buy using it to:

• Sell the contents and earn a profit
• Hold a Holiday Open House by using the gift sets as "testers" to take orders
• Display the gift sets at your church, schools or local businesses and take orders for Holiday delivery

You can create a flier and customize it to fit your needs by using the PDFs that are available on Forms on File.

The product set fliers are available in Forms on File>Sell>Holiday Open House Display Cards.  You can use these not only to create a customized set sheet, but also to print out and display with each of the sets during your Open House:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Holiday Sparkle flier is available in Forms on File>Recruiting>Holiday Sparkle Case.

The choices are unlimited for you to customize and create your own success this Holiday Season.  As I have stated in previous blogs, I NEVER discount individual products when I sell...NEVER.  You can, however create special incentives to help drive sales volume.  For instance, you can list the retail prices, but let your clients know that they can receive a 10% discount on every purchase of $100 - $149, a 15% discount on every purchase of $150 - $199, or a 20% discount for every purchase over $200.  Another option would be to use your existing inventory and offer as a GWP (gift with purchase) for sales of $50 and over.  Remember...this is YOUR business, so you can choose how you incent your set sales, but I would strongly encourage you never to discount unless you are increasing your sales volume, getting a booking, client referral or rewarding your Hostess for Spa sales.

And don't forget, while we have amazing products that everyone on your shopping list is sure to love, the greatest gift that we have to offer is the gift of BeautiControl.  I received one of the most sincere and heart-warming emails this past weekend that touched my heart and re-enforced all the reasons that I so dearly love this company.  The email came from new Consultant, Melissa Sylvis:

Dear Gary,

   I have been a Beauti Control consultant for less then a month now and I have already seen opportunities spring up to use the gift of Beauti Control to bless and build up women with poor self value, excessive stress and ones experiencing just plain hard days.

   I see so much how what we do helps women reflect outwardly how they want to feel about themselves inwardly.  I know, maybe a little skin care and makeup doesn't seem like it would "change the world" but I see limitless potential as I am already getting to combine our products with a gentle touch, an encouraging voice and just TIME spent focusing on someone else who needs a little TLC.

   I am sure that you are bombarded with emails wanting something from you, and answers to questions from Beauti Control but that it is not why I am writing.  I want to encourage you that we ARE making a difference, not just in our own lives to fulfill our own dreams BUT to help reach out to women who need someone to show them the beauty designed in them that they did not see was there.

   This week I received an opportunity to go to Russia at the end of this year and spend time with teenage girls and young women who were raised on the street and are now getting a new chance and a new start.  These girls have practically nothing of their own and besides just spending time with them and giving them as much love as I can squeeze into my time there - I plan on taking as many Beauti Control products with me as I can so that I can teach them how to do their makeup and take care of their skin and show them how I see them - as beautiful, valuable and special!

   I am SO honored and so glad to take Beauti Control with me on this new adventure!  Keep up the GREAT work - don't stop doing what you're doing...we ARE making a difference!

- Melissa Sylvis

Thank you, Melissa.  There are no words to describe to you how deeply your email touched my heart. In your short time with BeautiControl, you have already captured the essence and the value of what we have the power to offer.  Both your passion and your COMPASSION are evident in your words.  It is an incredible feeling to know that we have the power to change our own lives by helping to change the lives of others. Know that we are behind you every step of the way, and wish you the best as you pursue this business not only with your head, but with your heart.

I am sharing Melissa's email with all of you in hopes that her words will inspire others just as you she has touched my heart and inspired me.

I hope you all have a great week!  Ciao.

 

Thinking Outside of the Box!

Hey everyone.  Happy Friday.  In case you didn’t notice, we have extended this month’s opportunity to earn more profits by extending the opportunity to save 20% on the retail price of the products in our Treatment and Repair Sale.  We know that we were on the road for the first few weeks of October during Super Saturday events, teaching the fundamental selling skills that will help you maximize you sales during the Holidays.  Open Houses and other sales events will help you make more money this Holiday than you ever thought possible.

 I wanted to start this blog with two quotes that I think are very relevant to set up our selling season:

A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them NOW. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.

-           Robert Browning

 If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain.

-           Proverb

 Surveys say that 40% of Holiday sales will happen in October, 40% in November and the remainder the first 2 weeks of December.  Now is the time for you to make your plan and take action to ensure that you have a piece of the pie when it comes to consumer spending this Holiday.  The Holiday Sparkle Case is your answer:

• Use it as a “tester” collection, invite all your friends over and take orders.  You can wrap them up and deliver them in time for the Holidays.
•  Sell the contents in sets and have enough money to make it a debt free Holiday, or to put money back into your business as an investment.
• Encourage new Consultants to join with this case to show them how they can make immediate money.  Nothing builds confidence in a new Consultant like immediate sales success.

 There is not a SINGLE WAY to ensure sales success.  You are different than anyone else and your clients are as well.  You need to find what works for you.  Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and step outside of the box!  Here are some examples of ways that some of our top-selling Directors utilize creative tools to maximize their Holiday Sales. 

Here are two tools that were created by Executive Director, Anne Cannon.  Anne doesn’t wait for  people to come to her, she creates sales events and stays in front of her clients on a regular basis.  The first idea is a postcard for a “Phone Sale” and the 2^nd is a flier for a Holiday Sale.  Notice how Anne doesn’t discount products unless they reach a particular order size.  The more her clients purchase, the more they save.  These types of offers help build productivity and help her move more volume.

The second example is a client flier that Anne passes out at the end of each Spa.  There are so  many things that are right about the way that Anne has structured these offers.  Not only does she build her order size, reward past Hostesses, but also encourage future bookings.

The next example is from Director Maureen Bradley.  Maureen uses the power of "set selling" to move inventory, create urgency and move through inventory.  By using the Sugar and Spice Instant Manicure and Extreme Hand Creme, she has limited her offer to the client to create focus to intentionally move through Holiday Specific inventory.  Like Anne, she rewards her clients with an offer that allows them to save more, the more they buy. 

Here is another great idea that was shared with me today from EVIP, Tommie Galvan:

Traveling Open House~shared by Tommie Galvan

 How to schedule

• Call your former hostesses and ask them if they would like the opportunity to shop at 50% off
• Tell them to invite 10 friends over just to do some Christmas shopping (no waiting in lines! Fast in and out!)
• If her guests’ orders add to $500+, she gets to shop at 50% off (with 10 friends each having a purchase of $50, she’s already at her $500 for the discount!)

What to bring

• Take your sparkle case products, and some other sets that are scented – such as the Sugar set and full Margarita set – might be a good idea
• Neckwraps for the guests

When guests arrive

• Put a neckwrap on them and have them do the instant manicure (you could have both herbal serenity and holiday manicures out)
• Have everyone sit down and pass out an order form – this is their “wish list”
• Pass the products/sets around so the ladies can see, feel, and smell them. As they are passing have them write down what they want and how many they want on their wish list

If they make a purchase…

• Set a couple dates/times for them to come pick up their products at your house. Make sure you have them prepacked/wrapped and looking pretty for the holidays!!

These are some great ideas.  Thank you so much for sharing your ideas.  I would love to hear other ideas.  I know that you all love to share your ideas and help your sister Consultants suceed.  If you have great ideas, great set sheets or some unique themes for Holiday selling, be sure to post them here in the "comments" section, post on my facebook page or email them to me at gary.jones@beauticontrol.com.

I hope you all have an amazing weekend!  See you back here on Monday.

 

Dare To Succeed!

Hey everyone.  This is going to be a big week as we draw closer to Thursday's mid-month close.  We have had a great time hitting the road for Super Saturdays and laying the groundwork for growth and selling success this Holiday.  In case you didn't get to ready my blog titled, "October is WIIFM Month", you can read it now by CLICKING HERE. There are so many reasons to contact your clients and set yourself up NOW for the next 3 months of sales success.

When I was in Des Moines this past weekend, I did a Question & Answer session for the group.  One of the questions that I was asked was, "What advice would I give to New Consultants?"  This came very natural for me, and I realized that the advice that I would give to a New Consultant would apply to all Consultants, regardless of how long you have been in the business.  The key to being successful in this business is by giving yourself permission to be successful.  You have to dare to succeed!  These are my top 5 tips for making this business work for you:

#1:  Understand the Value of What You Have

I am passionate about this one, so pardon me as I drag my soap-box across the floor and get on it.  Do you fully realize the value of our products, the value of the opportunity that we can offer, the value of the profit potential that you have, the value of the services that you can offer your clients, the value that our Spa provides?  Seriously, do you?  If you can answer no to any of those questions, then my suggestion is to do some research and get better aquainted with everything that you have that other companies simply DO NOT OFFER!

You can't touch the quality, efficacy and potency of our products anywhere else in the Direct Sales industry.  AT FULL PRICE, our products are a fraction of the price that they would be sold at a department store or dermatologist's office.  So why didn't I mention Walmart or the drug store?  Because you can't find products of this potency that offer these types of results in a mid-market retail channel.  That is what I love so much about Direct Sales.  We don't have to pay advertising costs, spokesperson fees, realestate expense, etc.  Instead, we can take all of that money and put it into the quality and performance of the products.  Products comparable to ours at retail would easily cost 3 times what ours cost AT FULL PRICE...but wait, you don't pay full price.  Your Consultant Career Level discount offers you the opportunity to save on every purchase that you make.  This is HUGE!  It amazes me that we still have to rely on special "sales" and "offers" to stimulate purchasing activity.  Did you realize that we are one of the only cosmetic companies (the only other I know is Avon) that discounts their products?  This means that you have even more profit potential when you sell your products. 

With the unparalleled 50% discount that you earn for being a V.I.P. and above, you have more opportunity to make more money when you sell.  Are you using that to encourage new prospects to join BeautiControl?  If more people knew that you had an opportunity to make more profits when they join at BeautiControl than any other company, I think you would probably have more people join your team.  All too often I hear, "You can join and get your products at a discount"...meaning, become a wholesale "member".  To borrow a phrase from Sr. National Executive Director, Maria Khrehl, we spend so much time sharing the opportunity to join and get a "membership" that we don't tell our prospective New Consultants about the rewards of "OWNERSHIP".  Instead of telling a New Consultant how much she can "SAVE", we need to be sharing how much they can "MAKE".  If I have a potential new Consultant who is only looking to "Save", I make her a Hostess and teach her how to get her products for free.

#2:  Don't Give Yourself Away

You are in business to make money.  You don't have to discount your products to get people to buy them!  Don't believe me?  As I stated above, we are one of the only cosmetic companies that discount products...and when we do, we are not doing it to SAVE you money, but to help you MAKE more profits when you sell.  People don't expect to be handed a discount when they buy cosmetics or skin care products.  They may have incentives for ordering multiples or when they have a certain size order, but they are never offered a "sale" on cosmetics, so why would they expect anything other than that when they buy from you?  It is my firm belief that we are sometimes hesitant to offer the products at full price, because we have never really experienced them at full price.  Just because our products are "inexpensive" does not mean that they are "cheap".  Have you ever thought about the impression that you give your clients when you allow them to pay less than retail?  Have you ever thought about the impression that you give your prospective new Consultants when you only offer her the opportunity to join to get the products at a discount?  You are telling them that the products or the opportunity is not worth full price.  We think we are doing our clients a favor when we pass along the discount, but we are not doing ourselves any favors by allowing them not to appreciate the value of our products compared to comparable products on the market.

 #3:  Expect to Succeed

Do you expect to be successful?  That is a tough question to answer, but I can tell you that most people who are not successful in this business didn't expect to be.  Someone asked me a few months ago how I had Spa sales that were consistently above $500.  Because I expect to.  I value my time and I expect others to value my time as well.  I take myself and my business very seriously and I expect others to do the same.  I expect others to see the benefits and the value of our products and will go out of my way to ensure that they have an unparalled customer experience.  People become confident because I am confident. I call it the BeautiControl Swagger....that confident, almost arrogant strut that you get from knowing that you are part of something really great and lucky is the person that get's to share it with you.  When I am looking for people to either hold a Spa, become a client or join as a New Consultant, I don't spend my time looking out for the person who needs BeautiControl.  I would rather spend my time finding people that BeautiControl needs.  When I say that, I mean that I want to find clients that are so passionate about high quality skin care products and appreciate the value of the products and the value of the services that we can offer them.  I want to find sellers who see the potential to make money and build clients.  I want to find recruiters who are so proud of their company and their products that they want to share it with the world. 

Are you reaching your goals?  If not, can you honestly say that you have set them?  Only when you define success will you know when you succeed.  how many Spas are you going to have in a month?  What is your average Spa sales average going to be?  How many re-orders are you going to get this month?  Setting goals, and giving yourself very specific and measurable targets will help ensure that you succeed.  No one ever got "there", if they didn't know where they were going.

#4:  Service Sells

I have a salesperson at Saks Fifth Avenue...Antonio.  Antonio is someone that I am extremely loyal to and I will not spend money with anyone else if Antonio can, in any way, find what I am looking for.  Here is what Antonio knows about me: 

• I don’t like to shop
• I don’t have much time
• I like styles that are edgy and unconventional
• I have 2 major conferences a year
• I work in the beauty/fashion industry
• I am an intense cool color season and very particular about my clothing colors

I have worked with Antonio for many years and will purchase anything he puts in front of me.  Why?  Antonio is proactive and asks for the sale.  He calls me well before Celebration or Leadership and schedules a time for me to come in and see what he has gathered up for me.  He knows my personal style better than I do and gathers items from across the country to put together wardrobe collections for me that are hip and unpredictable and in just the right colors.  He called me last month and told me that he had just charged a pair of boots on my credit card and was having them shipped because he found them at a great price and knew that I would want them.  I LOVE THAT.  I love the service that Antonio is providing and that, to me, defines his value.  I pay more so I can get the service that Antonio offers. 

Are you asking for the sale?  The thing that makes you so valuable as a salesperson (yes, I said it, we sell) is the service that you offer.  You offer the service of relaxation with your Spa.  You offer the service of personalization when you create customized prescriptions for a client's skin care regimen or color cosmetics.  You offer the service of consultation when you build that relationship with your clients.  You offer the service of convenience when you call and tell your clients about new products or incentives that encourage them to re-order.  YOU ARE NOT BOTHERING PEOPLE WHEN YOU CALL AND ASK FOR A SALE.  In fact, you are providing a service to them.  In a recent survey of our former clients, I was shocked to hear that over 80% of previous clients were no longer clients because their Consultant never called them back.  When you think of yourself as a service and you believe with all your heart in the products and services that you provide, you will be amazed at the difference it will make in your business.

#5:  Find Your Happy Place

I have been in charge of product development for 20 years and I can tell you that even though I have been responsible for every product that has come out in that time, there are some that I am more passionate about than others.  In fact, there are some that I don't and would never, show in a Spa or present to my clients.  Does that make them bad?  No...it just means that they are not what I am passionate about.  The beauty of owning your own business is that you get to do it YOUR way.  This is your business.  You have the option to show what you want and sell what you want.  My greatest advice is this...do what makes you happy and what allows you to have fun.  If it isn't fun, don't do it!  SIMPLE!  LIfe is too short.  If it isn't fun, what do you need to do to make it fun?  If your Spa isn't fun, then what are you going to do to make it fun?  If you aren't having success doing it one way, then try another way and see if it helps. Far too often, I see us get hung up on what isn't working for us that we forget about what is working.  I got a great email just today from Sr. Executive Director Nedra Kanavel.  This is what she said:

"I fell into a funk about 3 years ago, and was tired of doing spas, tired of doing a meeting every week...I was just plain TIRED. 

The ONLY thing that jolted me out of my own funk was to become NEW again. To act and feel like a new consultant and director. As soon as I found the joy in my business again, I have been booking, spa'ing, recruiting and selling like crazy. And I am not doing ANYTHING different than what I have done for years. I'm doing the same techniques, using the same verbiage, and doing the same spa. What has changed is ME, what's inside, what is in my heart. 

I want to jump up and down and say  - the answer is EASY! It's SPA! I know because I have been in that valley and the only thing that got me out of it was letting go of the past and moving forward with Spa."

Nedra is right.  We have the choice to find our own happiness and reach for the solution rather than drown in the problem.  The only thing that stands between me and happiness is ME! 

I am guilty of saying, "I am not a salesperson".  Well, but I am.  By sharing my passion for what I do, what I offer and the products that we sell, I am "Selling".  I hope I have helped "sell" you on all the reasons that you have to be successful in this business.  WE have an amazing opportunity and we are entering the largest selling season of the year.  I expect us to have an amazing 4th Quarter.  I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that we have everything in place to drive your sales to a new level.  Now, we just need to make it happen.  Set goals for your Holiday Selling and map out how you are going to reach them.  If you don't have selling situations on the calendar, they aren't going to happen.  Keep your calendars full, make sure that you have inventory on hand and remember that you are offering very busy men and women the exclusive opportunity to shop with you for the Holidays, saving them time, saving them money and helping them to customize the perfect gift for everyone on their shopping list.  Your service as a Consultant is in high demand, so make sure that everyone knows that you are open for business!

Have a great week and be sure to check back on Friday.