I had the opportunity to listen in to bits of an Amway recruitment pitch at Panera today. I was in a jam and needed long term net access while on the road, and Panera turned out to be the best option. So, I’m sitting there and 3 people came to the table next to me. One looked at my laptop and made a comment about how he’d not seen one like it before – I have a pink case for my white macbook.
“Did you make design it yourself?” I was asked. “No, it’s just a pink cover on it. The woman I bought it from had it on there and I’ve not taken it off.”. “Oh, that must have cost a lot!” “No, I got it used from Craigslist.” “Do you mind if I ask how much you paid?” he asked. “$700 last October. I’m all about saving money!” He replied in a stilted, rehearsed-but-not-yet-smooth “I’m in a business that helps people save money.” I politely nodded and said “Sounds good. Nice to have met you.” I turned to continue my work and he tried to make some comment about me looking like I must be able to afford the iPhone too, to go with my mac. “Nope, I don’t have an iPhone,” I replied, and left it at that.
About 5 minutes later another man came up to join the original three, and after some pleasantries (it was obvious none of them knew this man as a friend, just as an early acquaintance, if that) they all sat down. I immediately started hearing about “no stock levels” and “great opportunity”. I knew it was an Amway pitch, even though I’ve not heard one in 20 years (wow – that long ago?!) The man was told about how great prices were on things you’d be buying anyway, and becuase you’re in business for yourself, things like the miles you drive and other expenses were tax deductible.
About 15 minutes in to this one of the guys got a phone call from “Dan” (I think it was Dan). “Hey Dan – nice to hear from you! I’m talking with someone right now …. yeah, OK”. And with that the first man handed the phone to the prospect. “Dan” continues to ask the guy rather personal questions about his love life, career, goals, etc. The prospect had a long term girlfriend, but apparently split up right around the time marriage came up, and he felt it was a lucky escape. He was a general contractor, working part time when he could get hired. Didn’t have long term goals, but did consider himself the kind of guy who was open to make extra money, etc…
Dan hangs up, and then the first guy starts talking about the stuff Dan must have told him about – how rich Dan is, his ‘lifestyle’ and the toys he can afford because of the ‘business’. I though to myself “If Dan is so rich, why does he spend his time talking to strangers who are sitting at a Panera?” But what do I know?
Truthfully, I know I missed some bits of the conversation, and some of the Amway pitch may have changed slightly from 20 years ago, but I don’t think much has. Showing slides on a laptop is certainly different than it was in the 80s, but the main points are all still there.
I couldn’t tell if the prospect was being polite or not. I have to say, for all the pressure they were putting on him, I was a bit surprised they didn’t offer to buy him dinner. They were at a Panera, it was dinner time, and that would have seemed to be both a polite and possibly sneaky thing to do (polite because he’s giving up his time and sneaky because it might further guilt him in to considering things more).
I was doing my own work, fixing some emergency stuff, but was drawn to watching ‘the plan’ be presented yet again, and found it oddly fascinating that this still goes on. There was some comment made about how this was a better way of shopping than going to Target. I just can’t believe people really believe this stuff, but did notice that all the pitchers were *young* – none could have been over 23-24 max, and were probably much younger. Having said that, I’ve known older people in Amway too, so perhaps age doesn’t have as much to do with it as I think.
so i wonder, if you ever did ur homework on the “plan” and gave it a pragmatic thought? I have kept away from the “Amway” guy for about 6 yrs since i first came across it. But eventually i did want to clearly see what this really is about? Are all these ppeople fools to be continuing for so long? Or is there really some value that such an organization has been able to grow 15% in this economy through 2008?
All I just joined Amway 2 months ago. I think i am a fairly mathematical and logical guy. I do not believe anything blindly without clearly understanding what it is.
So I would sincerely request you to open ur mind up, take a complete look at the plan and analyse it with your intellect. I am sure you will see what this is about and how powerful a concept this is. Can you give 1-2hrs of undivided attention to something that can potentially transform your life and let you do what you love to do? I thought I could and gave it a shot finally without coming in without preconceived notions. Go to who ever you know. Lets not form opinions without know what it really is and involves we are all intelligent beings. right?
thanks,
vidy
I’m not quite sure why I’m replying, but I’ll bite anyway (slow afternoon).
Reactions in no particular order:
Go read “merchants of deception”.
“grow 15% in this economy” – by what measure? Revenue? Share price (oh wait, they’re not traded in the US, are they?) Market share (of what market?) How do you measure and define 15% growth?
Yes, I do consider most people who persist in Amway fools unless they are actually making solid *profits*. What are your profits so far in Amway? And how much time did you have to put in to make those profits, either on a monthly or hourly basis?
If you stopped “working” tomorrow – let’s just say for 2 weeks – how much income would you have during those two weeks? I mean *stopped* as in you went away to a desert island with no email/phone.
“I have kept away from the “Amway” guy for about 6 yrs since i first came across it.” Why did you keep away?
English may not be your native language, and perhaps you’re doing Amway in a non-English speaking country. If so, I’ll cut you some slack. If not, and you are trying to sell to English-speaking people, I would suggest you work on your grammar and spelling some. The impression you’re giving is that Amway attracts people who can’t write well, or that people who can’t write well end up joining Amway-type groups.
“I do not believe anything blindly without clearly understanding what it is.” OK – so you’ve seen “the plan”. What is it? It shouldn’t take two hours for you to describe it to me.
There are some fundamental problems with network marketing schemes in general. One of the primary ones involves market oversaturation. There’s always a point at which a particular market will get saturated. Businesses will look at that point, measure for it, adjust sales, pricing, marketing accordingly over time. Network marketing schemes have none of those safeguards. You’ll be trying to sell the same products everyone else in Amway is, and your target market is “everyone”. However, realistically, the real money – what you’re likely been sold on – is in making money off the ‘downline’. So, instead of selling soaps and detergents, you’ll be trying to sell ‘the plan’ (or ‘the dream’ or whatever you want to call it).
While there’s nothing fundamentally wrong about mail order, it doesn’t work very well. The regional shopping stores will remain a fixture in most people’s lives for centuries to come, for numerous reasons. Shipping costs will continue to rise, making shipping smaller amounts of products to customers more expensive. The “buy local” movement is taking off in various places. People like to “window shop” and impulse buy and try on things, and comparison shop against multiple competing items. None of those things are accomodated by the ‘buy from a catalog’ model which most network marketing schemes base their model on.
Additionally, most of the Amway product pricing is *way* out of line with what consumers pay for the same stuff at regular stores (target, walmart, kmart, etc). There are *extra* layers of middle men all making a cut off the same (residual income in a downline’s ‘leg’) which match or exceed the markups which ‘middle men’ take in traditional retailing situations.
“Lets not form opinions without know what it really is and involves we are all intelligent beings.”
I think you *have* been forming opinions without knowing what it really is. If this is really a “business”, then you owe it to yourself to assess the pros (which you’ve been sold on) and the ‘cons’. You need to weigh all the factors, and do independent research. ANY sane successful person in business for themselves will tell you this. Alas, you’re not really owning a ‘business’. You’re just paying for the privilege of buying overpriced staples which line the pockets of your upline while they act like they are your ‘friend’.
Best of luck in your venture, because you will definitely need it.