A Scavenger I Am Not
- August 13th, 2008
- View Comments (14)
There is an exercise out there in network marketing called The Scavenger Hunt. It is supposed to be helpful for people like me to come out of our shells and go talk to strangers about our businesses. Last night when I arrived at my weekly meeting, my director informed us that we were going to split into team and do this exercise until 8:00 p.m. while she worked with our guests. 
On paper, this sounds like a great idea. For those who are not familiar with it, here is the rundown. Basically, you have a list of people to find. In this case, it’s women because I’m in the cosmetic business. There are items like, “Woman with dark hair;” “Woman with a baby stroller;” “Woman wearing glasses.” You get the idea, right? If not, the sheet looks something like this:
MARY KAY SCAVENGER HUNT
CATEGORY NAME PHONE
Woman with a baby stroller
Woman expecting a baby
Woman wearing red shoes
Woman wearing big earrings
Woman wearing black clothing
Woman with red hair
Woman in a department store
Woman in the grocery store
Woman who works as a clerk
Woman with freckles
Woman wearing a suit
Woman wearing jeans
Woman wearing black
Woman with long fingernails
Woman wearing high heels
Woman wearing glasses
Woman of color
Woman wearing a uniform
Woman wearing a dress
Woman with a dog
Woman who is a neighbor
Woman in your office
Woman from church
Woman who is a grandmother
Woman who is a relative
Woman who is a waitress
Woman who is very pale
Woman wearing yellow
Woman at the post office
Woman with blonde hair
Woman with dark hair
Woman with a child
Woman who has short hair
Woman with long hair
Woman wearing tennis shoes
Woman with curly hair
Woman wearing blue
Woman getting married soon
I think it was created in Excel or on a table in Word. This isn’t quite the look. I digress. For some, this may be the cure for shyness*. Guess what. It’s not for me. It was too “Mary Kay Commando” for me! I did pick up two leads by default. I was in a team of three. The other two consultants (one in particular) were far more bold than I am. Kudos to them. They are fearless enough to approach strangers. I prefer to talk to people I know. People I interact with somewhat regularly. Familiar faces at the bank or drug store are more my speed. Calling my current customers and asking for some referrals to help me with goals works for me, too. Walking around town with a clipboard and surveys; not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I carry surveys, but they are in my purse and I use them if it’s comfortable.
My team of three beat the other team of 4. We finished with 15 leads total. The other team had one. Perhaps they feel more like I do when it comes to “warm chatter.” I honestly don’t think there is anything warm about it when it involves a perfect stranger. That is cold calling. So, what should we shy folk do? I’m so glad you asked! I have some answers!
To be continued… 
*If this approach works for you; by all means go with it! It’s not my cup of tea. As we were driving to the different locations I felt weird. Hoakie or something. I felt like we may have well had a camera following us around for a reality show. (Hmm….maybe that’s an idea!) But seriously, if you like the scavenger hunt and it works for you, do what works! 
Stumble It!
Tags: Finding Leads, Networking, Scavenger Hunt, Warm Chatter
Darla
beepink
Shades of Pink
Stumble It!
Just a thought, wouldn’t it better to just carry it around with you. You can peek at it while your out and if you see someone on the list then approach them. Give yourself a time frame. This way you do a little push out of the comfort zone but not a huge jump into the deep end.
The clipboard and 3 extra excited women would be a turn off to me! I think that if you approach someone sincerely it works better. I do also think that the comfort zone isn’t the best place to be. Nothing changes there. IMO.
I’m with you! I couldn’t do that either. I think the main reason is because I would really not like someone coming up to me like that.
Hey shades!
I got a lot of catching up to do on your blog. Mine too for that matter. Promise I will get er done..I have missed you.Hope everything is great for you.
If everyone follows up with the leads they did not have prior…it’s a plus. I do understand the hesitancy and the way you might feel. Personally, I prefer building a rapport when out and about and then handing my card over if she seems to respond to our chitchat and I like her. I say something like, would it offend you if I gave you my card? I really enjoyed talking with you and would love to see you again if you are game with that. She usually looks at it and says, oh Mary Kay, and it is pretty easy from there on in..can find out if she has tried it, has a consultant and such and such. Then I will say (if she is responsive and seems interested) I would love to have you in my portfolio..how about I give you a call tonight or tomorrow to set up a time convenient for both of us. This way, I also have a new friend. Works out all the way around most of the time.
I have sent my unit out on these scavenger hunts years ago..some came back excited, for some, I know it was not their cup of tea. Some can be MK commando and that is not good. Hurts all of us.
I stopped doing it shortly after it began..lol! and started working more one on one with them on the approach I use and emphasize to select those that are responsive to your smile or conversation about whatever we happened to be doing. Why in the world would I want to put someone in my portfolio that was hateful or could not smile back or grunted? LOL!
Shades this is not my cup of tea either. I am not comfortable doing that unless someone see my pin and asks and then I will tell them. I don’t even tell people that sit in my chair at my shop. If they ask then yes if they don’t then no i don’t. Well have a GREAT DAY
Thanks everyone for your feedback!
I like more subtle approaches. The scavenger hunt feels desperate to me.
Where I need to step up is in a situation like I had on Tuesday. I was leaving work and a woman was walking near me on the way to the garage. She struck up a conversation with me. I’m sure she saw my MK bag! Why couldn’t I muster up the courage to offer her my card? That’s stepping out of the comfort zone and that is what I want to work on. Not attacking people the way I felt we were with the scavenger hunt. 
Angie, welcome back! I’ve missed you!
Jennifer, coming out of my comfort zone would be more like offering my card to someone I’m talking to that I just met. I don’t like approaching someone for the express purpose of selling them. I wouldn’t like it and I’m sure they wouldn’t either.
Bren, do you have your MK cards displayed at your shop? Or Look Books? I think you could do that and possibly get more customers.
Shades, you and I are so alike. I have no trouble talking to people, heck I butt into conversations in the grocery store line all the time. For some reason I just can’t hand out a business card.
Last week I played around on Unitnet and found some great ideas on Tanya King-Lee’s page. I printed up “The Busy Woman’s Survival Guide” and put it in a little bag filled with the candy.I added a $10 off coupon with my name and number on it. I had about forty of them. I put some in a basket and sent it to work with my husband. His job has really strict rules about solicitation.Ok, I haven’t gotten any calls yet, but I’m pretty darned popular with dh’s co-workers now! LOL!
I’ve also handed them out at my doctor’s office, my son’s doctor’s office, my son’s psyciatrist’s office, the pharmacist, and the ladies at the local fabric store. They love them and think I’m brillant, but I haven’t gotten any calls yet.
You wouldn’t believe the courage it takes me to hand these out. I can’t understand why I’m such a whimp about it. This is great practice for when I actually can say, “Hey, I’m an IBC with MK and would love to give you my card!”
So much for making Star this quarter. Hmmm…. One and a half months to go, maybe I’ll finally get some courage and still be able to make Star consultant. Or MAYBE some of these candy bags will pay off.
Kim
Pink Lady, I LOVE your idea! I’m going to find that site now!
Let’s be stars this quarter!
As far as star goes: DO NOT GIVE UP YET!! The quarter doesn’t end until September 15! There is exactly one month left! August isn’t over yet either. I’m still about $2800 from my $3000 goal, but I’m figuring it out!
I understand that Shades. I don’t think you should go out specifically for sales. That’s what I meant approach someone sincerely. Just talk to women you meet. Hand them your card. Like the lady in the garage. She was obviously nice and you were already chatting.
I keep laughing when I read MK commando! It’s pretty funny. I would probably run from that lady. LOL.
You do what’s best for you. You’re doing great. What I meant by keeping the hunt with you is, keeping on you as a reminder to talk to women. That’s all. ; ) \
Shades…No my cards are not in my shop. Wasn’t sure that I could do that and I have a look book sent to the shop for ladies to look at and I usually have a few in my car so I will run out and get them for people. I do not have any product in the shop except for eye makeup remover and I use that to take off the eye shadow for waxing. Have a Good Night
I thought I was the only person who loved to talk but was afraid of scavenger hunts…hmmm I see m not alone! Well Shades just so you know I have some orders coming in next week AND I have a 350.00 commission check coming in the mail from the job that laid me off! So all is well in this camp. I think that handing out the card and talking is better but believe it or not there are some women who are great at this aggressive approach and they make the numbers and money.
Bren, you cant totally put your cards in your shop! You just can’t display or sell product in there. You can have your cards available and visible and get new leads. Think of your shop as a permanent booth/table!
I know what you mean, Colleen. I know I need to get a bit bolder, but I’m not ready for Mary Kay Commando mode!
Jennifer, I would run from MK Commando, too!
I would have to agree with everything you all said. I have made up some goody bags and I am going to hand them out everywhere I go and see what my results are.
Good luck, mkheart! I think I’m going to give that a try, too.
[…] is a sort of continuation of my earlier post on the Scavenger Hunt. In that post I mentioned it was not for me. It was too “Mary Kay Commando” for my […]