Before experiencing Beautycounter first hand (first through a friend before falling in love with the products and becoming a consultant), I didn’t really know how that whole process worked — much less what the advantages to that system would be. I’d bought some Mary Kay products here and there through the years and was part of a Pampered Chef party once, but I never had a go-to consultant for either of those.
In fact, not only did I have limited experience buying direct sales products through consultants, I had a very negative image about the whole model. (I chatted about that with my friend Suzy in this podcast episode, in fact, if you’d like to dig more into that. We both were pretty anti-direct sales and now I’m a Beautycounter consultant and she’s a ZYIA Active rep. Funny how things can change!)
But since discovering Beautycounter, my whole attitude toward direct sales has changed. I saw firsthand how amazing it can be when you find a consultant or rep you love — and who’s looking out for you. I now happily support others who are affiliated with direct sales brands I love (and there are many), and it’s a delightfully personal experience. (CAVEAT: Who you choose as your consultant IS IMPORTANT. You want to be sure to connect with someone who’s working hard to give you excellent customer service and a wonderful experience with the brand again and again. If not, don’t be afraid to switch to someone else to make sure you’re getting the best experience possible.)
So…why shop through a consultant? Here are a few reasons you might want to consider it if you haven’t already given it a try!:
- It’s personal in a way that other shopping experiences aren’t. The consultant relationship is just that — a relationship. Many of my customers have become friends (friends I wouldn’t have met were it not for Beautycounter), which is an amazing perk! A good consultant will take the time to get to know you and your preferences. She’ll get a feel for the channels you like most as far as communication and use those to reach out. She’ll be able to recommend products just for YOU — not based on an algorithm or past purchase data, but conversations you’ve had. I love being able to shoot my ZYIA friend Suzy a message to ask her advice on finding a sports bra, for example. She KNOWS me. She knows what size to recommend. She knows I’ll be using it for barre versus running and can recommend a style selection accordingly. And she’ll follow up afterward to make sure it arrived safely and that I love it. As much as I love lululemon, that is NOT the experience I get from shopping with them!
- It can be a big time saver. These days, we’re all pretty savvy when it comes to shopping. We can sift through reviews to find the perfect pair of jeans for our body type, we know how to dig up a coupon code, and we often discover new brands and products thanks to friends and Instagram ads, right? But what if you had someone looking out for you who could give you a heads up when a product you love is on sale or back in stock? What if you received a personalized email or text or Instagram message when a sale was going on, to make sure you knew about it in case you wanted to take advantage of it? What if someone made sure you knew when new products launched, and then walked you through how to use them and who they’re best for? That’s what a good consultant will do, making your life INFINITELY easier.
- Your consultant is in your corner. We’re here for those freak out moments or slightly embarrassing questions you have, and we’ll help you solve for them. Instead of Googling “what do to to treat back acne,” send me a message and I’ll recommend products to try! Struggling with postpartum skin issues? We’ll problem solve together and work to trouble shoot the issue. I get the privilege of helping women feel great in their skin, and I take my role very seriously. I love nothing more than being able to help someone work through an issue versus her struggling through it on her own.
- It’s next-level customer service. Again, who your consultant is matters, but when you’re working with a great consultant you’ll enjoy stellar customer service. If you shop through me, you’ll get an email after every order you place with a tip or note about at least one of the products in your order, because I want to make sure you know how to use everything in order to have the best experience possible. I’m always available to answer questions you have, to help you color match with makeup, or to help you with a return if needed. I often send out samples so customers can experience a product first hand before placing an order. Being able to take good care of my customers is one of my favorite things about this job!
- You won’t be left wondering how to use a product you’ve just purchased. This piggy backs off of the previous point, but I wanted to call it out separately, too. Skincare and makeup can be intimidating, and so I work hard to make sure my customers feel confident using products. Whether you follow along with my Instagram stories, are part of my Beautycounter Facebook group, or just keep up with me via email, my hope is that you get a good sense of how and why to use certain products so you get the most out of each one you purchase — and so you know which ones aren’t the best fit for you.
- You’ll have the opportunity to be part of a bigger community. If you’re a Beautycounter customer, it’s likely you share interests and values with other Beautycounter customers, and I love creating spaces for us all to rally around topics we’re all interested in. Whether it’s an in-person event (one day we’ll get back to those!) or a virtual interaction, it’s so much fun to see my customers connect with one another.
- It’s a way to learn about things you care about. It’s true! For Beautycounter specifically, as consultants we get access to SO much education — both product related and other health/wellness information — and I love getting to share that info with my customers. By working with a consultant, you’ll have access to all the awesome information SHE’S getting, making your life healthier and easier.
- You’re supporting an individual versus solely a company. Yes, when you make a Beautycounter purchase you’re supporting Beautycounter. But you’re also supporting ME and my little family. When I buy Stella & Dot, I’m supporting my friend Krista. When I purchase Scout & Cellar clean-crafted wine, I’m supporting my friend Heather. It’s the best feeling — especially when you find a consultant who works hard to make your experience wonderful — to know you’re giving back to them with every purchase. That’s such a big deal! (And I’m so incredibly grateful to my customers for that support.)
Interested in giving Beautycounter a try to see what this whole consultant relationship is all about? Start here by taking my brief skincare survey to help me get to know your skin type, concerns, budget and more, and we’ll go from there! 🙂
Note: Other direct sales brands I love include ZYIA Active, Stella & Dot, Scout & Cellar, Noonday Collection, Usborne Books, doTERRA, and cabi,
I’d love to hear from you on this post. Have you shopped a direct sales brand through a consultant before? If so, what was your experience like? If you haven’t, what’s prevented you from doing so?
