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•Nine Greatest Selling Innovations  17

1970s there were literally millions of distributors, not only in North America but
also in Australia, the UK and Hong Kong.

     In 1980 the company turnover broke the billion-dollar barrier and more plant
was added to keep up with demand. Another new product direction followed with
the introduction of the Amway Water Treatment System, distributed in the same
way as before.

     This is what happens if you would like to become an Amway Water Treatment
distributor. You approach, or more likely are approached by, an existing Amway
distributor who becomes your ‘sponsor’.

     The selling is done by the sponsor talking about the success they are enjoying.
The sponsor also shows the potential distributor a video which, amongst other things,
includes a series of endorsements from as eminent people as will agree to do it. At
one point in the UK, the video included an MP’s wife with the politician himself in
the background. At some point the prospective distributor will be provided with the
Amway Business Kit, which contains basic Amway products and literature for use
in making sales.

     The prospect is then invited to produce his or her first prospect list. The spon-
sor then goes through the list and probably keeps a copy in case you drop out. The
sponsor also helps you to sort your people into good, medium and poor prospects
by discussing their income level, lifestyle and so on.

     You then place an order for the products you wish to buy and for some stock.
You are required to pay for your products immediately but have time to pay for the
stock as you, it is to be hoped, sell them. You make money out of your sales to
customers and so does your sponsor and his in turn.

     Don’t forget, this is person-to-person selling and, despite appearances, not pyra-
mid selling. You are supposed to be building a business.

     In 1997 Amway had a record year with retail sales of $7 billion. The number of
employees worldwide reached 14,000.
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