Originally published in Successful Meetings magazine May 2007
In the beginning, she ran the company, coordinated meetings and events in the company's warehouse, and prepared all of the food and beverage herself. How's that for a full plate? While Mary Kay Ash's eponymous company has since moved to larger spaces, and the more than 200,000 event meals are now professionally prepared, that do-it-yourself, anything-is-possible spirit perseveres at the Mary Kay Inc. annual Seminar, held in July at the Dallas Convention Center.
Go Big or Go Home
One of Mary Kay's mantras was "praise people to success," and although she died in 2001, Seminar 2006, like all the others, focused heavily on recognition. During the three-day event, which is produced five times for each of the different sections of Mary Kay personnel—Diamond, Pearl, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire—27,000 independent salesforce members received some kind of recognition for excellent performance, out of 42,000 attendees, and cash and gift awards totaled $5 million.
Early on, incentives for attendees included furs, trips, and jewelry—"things that women might not lavish on themselves," explains Carol Adams, program planning project manager, for Addison, TX-based Mary Kay. The company no longer offers furs and is now a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) pledge member, but continues to reward employees with trips, jewelry, and, most famously, cars.
The event has moments that sound like sorority meetings or religious experiences, but the effect is an inspired sales force. Rarely do attendees gush with such enthusiasm over conventions or describe them as "life changing," as Barbara Sunden does. "We are seated by our accomplishments [at general sessions]. I remember at one of the early Seminars, being up in the nosebleed section of the Dallas Convention Center and listening to Mary Kay speak. She spoke so much on the value of the person. I couldn't even see the stage, but I leaned forward and thought, 'It's really up to me to take what she's saying and make a difference in my own life.' The next year was the year I broke out and made things happen," says Sunden, who started as a beauty consultant in 1972 and is now an independent executive national sales director in Old Tappan, NJ.
Of Mary Kay Ash, Sunden says, "She not only created a successful meeting, but an environment for people to believe in themselves. It's more than just a company and a business meeting; it's a community of people with a purpose."
From the Horse's Mouth
Part of Mary Kay Inc.'s strategy for Seminar events is to limit speakers to successful members of its own organization. "Hearing from top salesforce members goes miles [toward] inspiring them to reach for sales goals. They want to learn from those who have gone before them," Adams explains. Sunden finds value in "listening to someone speak about their career journey and tell their story. I would be more willing to follow someone who has been there, as opposed to an outside person who may be hit or miss. These are people who are out in the field and are accomplishing."
Accomplishments are showcased not only with badges, but with different attire, based on the attendee's level within Mary Kay as well as special meal setups for high achievers. The annual event is designed to "constantly recognize the career path," Sunden says.
And although Mary Kay does have male employees—currently less than one percent of the 1.6-million-member sales force is male—the Seminar program is designed to unabashedly celebrate the power of women in business.
Thus all the pink. "When Mary Kay comes in, they totally transform the whole building. There is a lot of cement here, and they cover every nook and cranny of the convention center, primarily with pink pipe and drape," says Lori Chance, senior event coordinator at the Dallas Convention Center.
"When you walk from the real world into the 'Mary Kay pink world' you might be skeptical at first," acknowledges Sunden, but she says that Seminar maintains an overall professional atmosphere by heavily emphasizing education based on the attendee's level within the organization, incorporating training methods, a trade show component, and goal setting for the coming year. But community and friendship are celebrated, particularly because of Mary Kay's corporate structure. "Being a home-based business, fellowship is really important, because you work in your little corner of the world, and Seminar gives you a chance to spend time with others," explains Sunden.
While collegial, nothing about the annual event is accidental. "Our overall formula for Seminar is to try to keep them moving as much as we can so they're not looking at their watches," says Adams. More serious sessions are broken up with performances by Friends of Time, a group that began by performing as an opening act for Mary Kay events in the early 1970s and ultimately took over all entertainment.
How'd They Do That?
The Dallas Convention Center, where Seminar has been held since 1974, benefits from its relationship with Mary Kay in increased exposure. "There are a lot of planner site visits during Mary Kay, because everyone knows what a fantastic job they do, even though most groups don't have the budget that Mary Kay does," says Norma Reed, event services manager with the Dallas Convention Center. Chance adds that "I've had a lot of different clients say, 'Well, how does Mary Kay do it?' 'Who does their staging?' They want to ride on Mary Kay's coattails."
The amalgamation of companies behind Seminar includes general contractors, florists, entertainers, production companies, and any number of other vendors. Centerpieces are arranged on site, a stage built, an exhibit hall is turned into a kitchen, and the center is redecorated top to bottom, but spirits remain high despite the enormous undertaking. "It's always a fun and exciting event when it comes in and out," says Reed.
"What most impresses me is what Mary Kay does for its people. It really make them feel so special. It is absolutely the best in the motivation area," says Reed. And motivation and appreciation extend to those who work on Seminar as well. "Everyone puts in a lot of hours for this, and Mary Kay is really good about putting on appreciation lunches and things like that for the people who worked on it," says Chance. "They are there to give you a high-five and a pat on the back."
Sidebar:
Dallas Looks Pretty in Pink
9 Quick Facts about Mary Kay Inc.’s 2006 Seminar
$100 Million: Estimated amount that Seminar contributes to the Dallas economy
50,000: Number of hotel rooms booked by attendees and guests
149: Number of limousines used
300+: Number of buses used
14 days: Length of time needed for setup at the Dallas Convention Center
3 days: Length of time needed for teardown
4,046: Number of husbands who attended
700: Gallons of coffee brewed daily
400: Food service personnel working daily
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