Thought: "The sale will be made by the person who is determined,
persistent, committed and confident about what he or she is trying to sell."
- Mary Kay Ash
Balancing a Mary Kay career and another line of work is a
challenge that faces many Consultants and Directors. Whether or not you're
planning to make Mary Kay your full-time career, time management is essential.
US S.Dir. Mary Eileen Jones complied the following time management guidelines
to help Consultants make their Mary Kay career dreams come true while working
somewhere else.
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1. ESTABLISH PRIORITIES
We never seem to have enough time. But, the real problem is not a shortage
of time but how we use it. Your challenge when mastering two careers is
deciding what are the most important things to do. When you respond to
immediate items that are not necessarily important, you have a time management
problem. First, focus on your objectives and priorities. Then, begin doing
first things first. Spend one week writing down every activity you do and
categorise each into one of these four categories:
a. Important and must be done right away
b. Important but can be delegated to someone else
c. Important but doesn't require immediate attention
d. Isn't important and doesn't need immediate attention
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Focus on the important tasks and let go of trivial pursuits. Develop
a strong sense of purpose, define your short-term and long-term goals and
focus on the activities that will help you achieve your purpose. Tough
choices must be made, but in the end, you'll find you have all you need
to become as successful as you want to be!
2. PLAN YOUR TIME
We all know planning is important, but we don't take the time to do
it! Unless you plan, you can't manage your time. Use your Weekly
Plan Sheet faithfully every week and you can quickly develop a habit of
planning. Once your Weekly Plan Sheet is completed, you can start on your
daily "to do" lists. This is the next logical step in balancing two careers.
Keep your lists in your datebook, and make separate lists for your Mary
Kay career and personal activities. Remember, writing things down relieves
the stress of trying to remember everything!
3. ORGANISING YOUR BUSINESS
A. Paperwork is here to stay, but you can reduce the volumes that come
across your desk.
1. Handle each piece of paper only once. Look at each piece and deal
with it immediately.
2. Keep a notebook by the phone for all messages. Avoid writing messages
on scraps of paper that accumulate everywhere!
3. Keep separate file folders on booking, coaching, overcoming objections
and all other areas of your business.
4. Return notes on the original memo, adding your answer or comments.
5. Periodically purge your files, eliminating old or outdated material.
B. Give everything a place so you don't spend unnecessary time hunting
for what you need.
C. Keep your desk organised. You'll be more willing to work behind an
uncluttered desk.
OTHER TIPS AND HINTS
A. Get up earlier. An extra 20 or 30 uninterrupted minutes in the morning
can be invaluable in organising your day.
B. Always be in a controlled rush when you answer the phone, giving
a subtle message that you must keep the call short.
MARY KAY BUSINESS TIME SAVERS
A. Delegate when you can. Your focus should be booking, selling and
recruiting. Find help from family members for labelling products, addressing
envelopes, etc. To help you decide what to delegate, assign a rating to
each task:
1. Only you can do it
2. If you have time you'd prefer to do it, but someone else can handle
it
3. Should be delegated
B. Listen to motivational and business tapes in your car (0n the way
to work, chauffeuring the kids, etc.)
C. Carry your Applause magazine, Consultants Guide or other business
reading material wherever you go. Read them while waiting for the doctor,
hair appointments, etc.
D. Try to schedule a two-hour time frame each week without interruption
to call customers. Or, make a series of three phone calls at a time. A
good time to make calls is immediately when you get home from work - before
dinner, homework, baths and bed. This is probably a convenient time for
the women you are calling, too.
E. Carry your datebook and a few blank skin care profiles with you at
all times. When you meet a new customer, ask her to fill out a profile
and set a time for her class or facial. This will eliminate a phone call
for pre-profiling.
F. Keep a year-at-glance calendar in your office. Write in important
dates such as family events, promotion deadlines, special events, vacations,
school holidays and doctor appointments.
G. Prepare and keep in your car at least 10 hostess packets and 10 recruiting
packets to hand out, so you don't have to spend time mailing them later.
H. Try to hold skin care classes right after work-before you go home
and get caught up in the hectic routine.
I. Review your Weekly Accomplishment Sheet. Did you reach your weekly
goals? Did you make the best use of your time? What do you need to do to
improve?
PART-TIME STRATEGIES
A. Shorten facial time. Have customers leave their eye makeup on so
you can do facials during the lunch hour. Or, do only basic skin care and
save colour cosmetic makeovers for another time.
B. Open houses are a great way to see many customers at once.
C. Become a master booker from your classes. Why spend so much time
trying to find new customers elsewhere, when you could have two or more
bookings from every class?
D. Keep supplies, sales tickets, skin care profiles, beauty books, etc.,
in your car.
E. Select one or two Saturdays per month when you can hold multiple
classes. It may be easier and more efficient for you to hold them in your
home.
F. DON'T be tempted to save time by skipping unit meetings! They are
essential for your growth and success! This is not the area to skimp on
time!
Thought: "We have to run after the goal of our choice persistently
—and with enthusiasm — and let nothing stand in our way.
- Many Kay Ash
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