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  • A Brand That Delights

    by: Posted

    Our guest blogger today is Yvette Franco, Vice-President of U.S. Marketing for Mary Kay, Inc. Yvette joined the Company in 1993, and currently oversees all aspects of U.S. product, advertising, PR, consumer and online marketing.

    Here in The Mary Kay Building and throughout the country -- where Mary Kay independent sales force members are working with their customers every day – we do a lot of talking about how great Mary Kay® products are. But it’s not just talk. All of us have tried the products and fallen in love with them. What really excites us, however, is when consumers become brand lovers and brand ambassadors, recommending the Mary Kay brand to others and rewarding us with their continued loyalty.

    Once again, we have the numbers to prove that all of this talk has some hard evidence behind it. Independent research firm Brand Keys just published the official results of its 2011 Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, which examines customers’ relationships with 528 brands across 79 categories. I’m thrilled to announce that Mary Kay ranks #1 in customer loyalty both in the Cosmetics and Facial Moisturizer categories!

    And there’s more: Mary Kay ranks #6 overall in “Brands That Delight”, a list of the top performers across all categories that are “knocking the ball out of the park when it comes to customer engagement and loyalty,” as referenced by a Feb. 7 article published by online news service Marketing Daily. Just look at the kind of company Mary Kay is keeping:

    1. Netflix
    2. Apple
    3. Walgreens
    4. Discover
    5. Hyundai
    6. Mary Kay
    7. McDonald’s
    8. J. Crew
    9. Samsung
    10. Nikon

    All of these brands, Marketing Daily writer Karlene Lukovitz says, “have one critical thing in common: They ‘delight’ customers with authentic innovation and an overall brand experience that delivers on consumers’ key expectations within their product categories.”Why is customer loyalty a big deal, anyway? According to Brand Keys, loyal customers:

      • Purchase your products and services again and again over time;
      • Increase the volume of their purchases;
      • Buy beyond traditional purchases, across available product lines;
      • Refer your company's products and services to others;
      • Become immune to the pull of the competition; and
      • Give your company the benefit of the doubt.

    If we needed more proof that Mary Kay customers are loyal, just look at this e-mail we recently received from Jamie, customer of Mary Kay Independent Sales Director Shari Kirschner:

    “I want to share with you my excitement about Mary Kay’s new primer with matte foundation [TimeWise® Matte-WearTM Liquid Foundation] that my Mary Kay Beauty Consultant shared with me this week! I’ve always had problem skin. I have a medical condition that through the years has created significant scarring, pocks and craters across my cheeks and around my mouth. To make it worse, during childhood I received a second-degree sunburn which created brown splotches around my nose and T-zone. This has left permanent definitive damage. I have tried every cover-up, foundation and skin system and have considered costly laser peels from my dermatologist to help.

    “Last week, after running out of one of my latest failed purchases, I called Shari (my Mary Kay goddess) and told her I needed some new foundation. Like a beauty godmother, she was there in a flash, talking about the new primer and matte foundations she’d just received in stock. I couldn’t believe how even my skin looked. The next morning when I applied the two-part system to clean skin, I was even more amazed! The true test was that afternoon, driving on my lunch hour and seeing that my skin was not oily and that my makeup was still even and looked fresh. Seeing truly is believing! I’m so thankful to have finally found a product to help me feel good about my skin.”

    Personalized service and trust are at the heart of every customer relationship. So while Mary Kay® products are pretty fabulous, it’s the “Mary Kay Way” – that Golden Rule Service -- that generates genuine customer loyalty. To all loyal Mary Kay consumers, thank you for recognizing us in such a meaningful way. And to the Mary Kay independent sales force, thank you for the lives you touch every day and congratulations on this outstanding achievement.

  • Give the Gift of Time

    by: Posted

    Today’s guest blogger is David Holl, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mary Kay Inc.  David joined Mary Kay in 1993, and in 1996, he became Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.  In October 2001, he was named President and Chief Operating Officer.  In April 2006, David was promoted to Chief Executive Officer.   

    As many of you, our faithful readers know, Mary Kay Inc. was founded upon and continues to live by the guiding principle of the Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  And what better way can we live this philosophy than through giving to others?  Mary Kay Ash was a great believer in giving of herself and her time.

    In fact, she said:  “I have found that it’s the happiest kind of life that you could ever have believed if you’ll just go out to give instead of getting.  Being able to do things for others fills you with a warmth that you can’t get any other way.”

    Mary Kay Ash had a servant’s heart, and that’s why I know she would be thrilled to hear how we plan to continue her legacy of giving.

    From Feb. 8 - March 8, 2011, we can show our giving spirit by participating in the first Mary Kay Global Month of Service.  In celebration of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day on March 8, Mary Kay independent sales force members and employees are uniting in their goal to volunteer 1 million hours of community service around the world. 

    Thousands of “Mary Kay family members” will join together during this month in more than 35 countries to change lives and local communities.  International Women’s Day is a global celebration honoring women and their accomplishments and contributions to society. 

    This month of giving reminds me of a day that is still very special to me – even almost 40 years later.  My father took me along with my friend and his dad to help re-roof an elderly neighbor’s garage.  At the time I thought it was great I could climb on a roof without getting in trouble, although later in life I realized that event represented so much more.  My dad was showing me I should help others and give back.
     
    What’s a time you can remember where you helped someone?  Maybe it was your family member, friend or co-worker.  Or even someone you don’t know at all.  Perhaps it was a big undertaking, or just a simple gesture – even a random act of kindness.

    Picture the person you helped.  Who was that?  How did you help?  What difference did that make for this person?  And how did that make you feel?

    Mary Kay Ash always said one person can make a difference in this world, and by participating in the Mary Kay Global Month of Service, I know you can.

    How you choose to volunteer your day of service is up to you.  You can even inspire your family, friends, customers and fellow colleagues to join you too.  You can:
    • Volunteer with a charity of your choice – a group you already support, or a new one works too.
    • Participate by making a difference in your daily life by doing such things as: 
    • Volunteering for a child’s school or sports organization.
    • Making dinner for a new mother or elderly neighbor.
    • Running errands for someone in need.

    What speaks to your heart?  Who will you help in your community?  And who will you bring with you?

    Whatever community service you choose, just make sure it counts by reporting your participation with one click of a button at marykay.com/service by March 8.

    It’s a great way to share with everyone the heart of this company, which of course, began with the heart of Mary Kay Ash. 

    Please join us in what we hope will be our greatest act of Mary Kay kindness yet.  Can’t wait to hear your plans and stories of helping fellow neighbors during this special month.

    My wish for you is that you feel the warmth and joy of giving when you make a difference in your community during our Global Month of Service!  Mary Kay Ash would have been so proud.