Case
of perfumes and
year on purchases other 1
are spent each through elite department
of dollars are sold, stores.
Billions
Most cosmetics felt that the
in America. Avon Products department
cosmetics sales company, generally not. close to
cosmetics were
However, one and their locations by the
impersonal successful by visiting
stores were highly
company became WOmen
areas and hence the outside the major cities and sellingthe
residential in the areas
homes, specially successful company with
at their basis. Another i
them on a more personal Kay Cosmetics Inc.
cosmetics to sales techniques is Mary
different
similar but slightly approach wawas to market
company in 1963. Her
her
Mary Kay Ash started to consumers at previously
skin care products directly
the cosmetics, specially where one of thecompany
representot
somebody's house,
arranged parties at
would informally meet with up to five potenti.
known as "beauty consultants" of the product and tal
pitch on the usefulness
mers, give them a sales
that within 20 vea
orders for the product.
The idea became so successful
of 200,000 people, mostly
women, working
the company hád a sales force
under 4,000 regional sales directors.
per year and top
Full time employees of the company earn over $25,000
vacations and other material rewards
such as
sales people are rewarded with
diamond rings, mink coats and even automobiles.
Mary Kay Ash herself
of success pin" where
introduced the concept of awarding a pin, called "ladder
a diamond is put on each "rung" of the pin for meeting successive sales goals.
The number of diamonds on the pin would show the degree of the sales success.
as a symbol of success and every one attempts to have
This pin is envied as
many diamonds on the pin as possible.
Each regional sales director holds regular meetings with the beauty
consultants on Monday nights discussing different selling ideas and promoting
social interaction with each other. The meeting is structured to
build and
maintain motivation, teach new sales skills and reward performance. The frs
hour is usually devoted to an orientation for new prospective
beauty consultants
The meetings are informal in nature and the
director praises the Sale
accomplishmentsof various consultants who are
at the meeting. The grou
applauds and congratulates those who
did well in sales.
In the same meeting, new goals are set
for all consultants individuall
the basis of feedback and
suggestions of these consultants. is
unable to meet her goal, If a consultant
there is no negative
Instead, other feedback or repercussions
experienced consultants
give suggestions as
consultant can reach her to how the individual
to
goal.
Questions
Discussion
as to what steps the company is taking to reinforce positive behaviour
Explain
1.E sales success,
patterns for achieving
làthe same techniquesof positive reinforcement be used in other marketing
2.
, oriented organizations?
Give reasons.
Does the monetary or material reward always act as a reinforcer? If not,
other types of rewards can be used to reinforce positive behaviour?
what
