Using Social Media for

Your Amway Business

Guidelines for Amway
Independent Business Owners

2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction

03

Defining Social Media

03

A Commitment

03

Abide by the Rules

04

Amways Social Media Guiding Principles

05

Product Talk

Product Claims

07

Using Social Media to Sell Product

08

Opportunity Talk

Opportunity Claims

09

Tips for Day-to-day Online Interactions

Managing Negative Comments

10

Using Testimonials

10

Personal versus Private

11

How You Can Help Protect Yourself and Others Online

11

Connecting with Amway Online

Please Do

12

Please Dont

12

Guiding Principles in Action

Meet Stacy

13

Meet Javier

14

Meet Eun Suk

15

Keep Learning!

15

03

Introduction
People like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. That has always been the case, and we believe that social
media is so exciting for the direct selling industry and for you because of its power to help others get to know, like, and
trust Amway and its Independent Business Owners (IBOs).
Social media can benefit you and your business in a number of ways, including:

Reconnecting with friends, colleagues, and customers.

Making existing relationships stronger.

Allowing you to provide timely product information and customer interaction and support.

Generating referrals.*

Increasing product sales.*

Inspiring people to learn more about the business opportunity.*

Improving your connections to the IBOs on your team.

This document was created to help you make the most out of your social networking efforts, and to help you abide by
Amways IBO Rules of Conduct while doing so. This document does not change or replace the IBO Rules of Conduct, and
you should always follow the Rules. You should also pay attention to your local laws and the terms and conditions of the
social media networks you are using.

Defining Social Media

Social media is a collection of online tools, including blogs, message boards, forums, podcasts, video and photo sharing
sites, microblogs, communities, and more. Through these tools, people connect by sharing updates on their lives their
common interests, opinions, expert advice, experiences, and perspectives. Depending on where you live, relevant examples
may include Facebook, Orkut, Vkontakte, Cyworld, Mixi, YouTube, Twitter, and many more!

A Commitment
Amway is committed to using social media to increase brand awareness, favorability, purchase intent, and loyalty, and to
driving customers and prospective IBOs to Amway. We ask you to make a commitment also to use social media in a way
that is relevant, responsible, and honest. These Guidelines should help you.

*See page 11 for tips on adjusting your platform privacy settings.

04

Abide by the Rules

The Rules of Conduct are designed to help you represent your business, and Amway, in the best possible light. Be sure
you are aware of, and adhere to, the Rules of Conduct in order to get the most benefit from your online marketing efforts.
Adhering to the following will help assure youre in compliance with the Rules.

Brand images and logos Using Amways logos and product images in your social media presence is not
allowed without authorization from the Corporation (Rule 9.1.).

Naming your page Amway will not allow the use of its trademarks or trade names as profile names or page
names. Use your own name, as people are more likely to remember your name than one youve created (Rule 9.1.).

Soliciting for customers or IBOs Soliciting is allowed only in a closed environment (i.e., only your friends
or followers can see your posts) and is not permitted in open/public forums (Rules 4.3.2., 8.3.11., and 9.8.).

Privacy settings Many social media sites allow you to manage your privacy settings to control who can
see your photos, profile, your updates, and who can follow you. Amway recommends that you manage your
privacy settings so only your friends, family, and colleagues can view your updates. When participating in
open forums where privacy settings are not available or utilized, following the Rules of Conduct/Commercial
Principles will help protect Amways reputation and yours.

Business and product claims Business and product claims must be accurate and substantiated. It is recommended that only business and product claims authored by the Corporation be utilized (Rule 4.4.).

Videos Any videos produced by people or entities other than Amway must be reviewed and authorized by
Amway prior to being used for your AMWAY business in a social media environment (Rule 7.).

Avoid crosslining There may be instances in your social media experiences when you run into an IBO from
a different Line of Sponsorship (LOS) or different training organization. If this occurs, we recommend that
you check with your upline for assistance. Dont use social media to argue, engage in a long discussion, or
message other IBOs directly regarding your LOS or a different training organization. Although you may be
part of a different LOS or LOA (Line of Affiliation), you both want to achieve success through your AMWAY
business. You just may be taking different paths to get there (Rules 4.15. and 4.2.).

05

Amways Social Media Guiding Principles

In order to succeed with social media, you need to understand some unwritten rules that help to guide successful online
interactions. Here are some principles that have helped many businesspeople find success with social media marketing.
In fact, Amway abides by these same principles in its corporate social media efforts:

Always review and abide by the Terms & Conditions of the social media website you are using. Also, the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has published its Guidelines Concerning the Use of Endorsements and
Testimonials in Advertising. The Guidelines address the use of social media when promoting products
and services. Specifically, when using social media, you may be required to disclose that you are being
paid or given free merchandise by a company or if you otherwise have a financial interest in the sale of any
product or service that you are commenting favorably about. The Guidelines state that both the company
and the blogger may be held liable for failing to disclose a material connection or for making misleading or
unsubstantiated claims about a product or service.

Be transparent, authentic, and honest Be truthful and accurate at all times. What is said online generally
stays there and can spread quickly and widely through links or copying. Misleading others or making false
claims jeopardizes your and Amways reputation. If you plan to talk about your business, be open about
the fact that it is an AMWAY business. So that your audience understands your relationship with Amway,
and in some cases to ensure Amway is in compliance with legal requirements, you must disclose that you
are an Amway Independent Business Owner when discussing the business. You can do this in your profile
information, or if you prefer, only in comments that mention Amway.

Keep it simple Dont set up too many sites and profiles. You wont be able to maintain them all well and still
work your business. Consider having only one or two active networking accounts.

Be relevant and credible If you want to become a trusted source of information on a topic to help build
your business, combine your personal comments and stories with meaningful advice, tips, or articles that
others would care about. And always tell your story in an interesting and truthful manner. Studies show that
readers are turned off by hype and rhetoric, so be sure to offer simple, sound, and accurate advice that helps
you establish your credibility and earn your readers trust.

Find a good mix People dont appreciate being bombarded with join my business and buy from me
posts, nor do they like an overabundance of messages describing the intimate details of your personal life.
Maintain a balance between business and personal in your messaging efforts.

Avoid spam Not only is it in poor taste to provide a link to your Personal Retail Website on a public
discussion board, forum, or other public places on the web, but it could put you at odds with the Rules of
Conduct regarding soliciting and advertising. It could also be a violation of the website terms and conditions.
People dont appreciate others using public forums for self-promotion.

Social media doesnt replace the real you Dont forget to meet people in real life too! Dont let social
media replace face-to-face relationship building. Using the web to talk to prospects and customers is smart
business, but personal meetings and phone calls live, one-on-one interactions are invaluable.

06

Amways Social Media Guiding Principles (Continued)

Keep it positive People like to do business with positive people. Share good news and make an effort to
bring a smile to people every day. If youre having a bad day, share it with someone in person, rather than
online where it can last a long time and bring other people down. Always be sure to avoid arguments and
other negative conversations. Youre more likely to achieve positive results from your social media efforts
when you keep it positive.

Be strategic Be strategic about the people you connect with online. Dont just follow or connect with
everyone who asks for it. Check them out first. Their business pursuits or personal style may not be a good fit
for the rest of your network to see.

Be a good listener This is no different than participating in the traditional sales process, in which you listen
to what others are saying before you can attempt to meet their needs. Listening is a vital component of your
social media efforts and should guide your actions.

Be respectful Always remember that others online are free to speak the truth as they have experienced it.
The best way to change a persons perception is through actions, not words. Show them that Amway IBOs
are their friends, neighbors, and community members by acting as such.

07

Product Talk
Product Claims
There are so many great things that can be said about AMWAY products! So stick with the facts that you CAN say, rather
than going beyond the rules, which can compromise both your business and Amway as a company. Remember, product
claims must be accurate and substantiated. It is recommended that only product information authorized by Amway be utilized.
For example, you shouldnt say:

Sharon Smith Use Amways Nutrilite Daily to overcome some

lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart problems, high blood
pressure, and more!
28 minutes ago via web

This post makes claims that arent appropriate for dietary supplements. Therefore, this statement can get you and
Amway into a lot of legal trouble.
Instead, you can say something like:

Sharon Smith I feel better than I ever have! Im exercising,

taking Nutrilite Daily, and eating right. I know my best days
are out in front of me!!
32 minutes ago via web

08

Using Social Media to Sell Product

There are so many fabulous AMWAY products, and one of the things that social media can do for you is help you find
new customers. However, its important to offer AMWAY products in the right way. You should never offer products as a
general status update. Instead, offer specific products in context to help achieve the most success, and to avoid alienating
your online prospects.
You should also keep in mind that any prospecting for customers must be done in a closed environment to assure
compliance with Amways advertising rules.
If one of your contacts on a social media site asks how to buy a product, send him a direct message with your contact
information or find out how the contact prefers to be contacted, so you can follow up effectively.
In this example, someone asks about a product you recommend:
Sharon Smith I had a great run this morning.
42 minutes ago via web

Sam Jones I see ur still running. Doing my first marathon.

Chicago.
44 minutes ago via web Like

Sharon Smith Good luck.

45 minutes ago via web Like

Sam Jones Have any tips?

48 minutes ago via web Like

Sharon Smith Stay hydrated. Dont overtrain. Start eating

more carbs and proteins. Take a multivitamin.
52 minutes ago via web Like

Sam Jones Which one do u take?

48 minutes ago via web Like

Sharon Smith Double X. From Nutrilite, a brand I represent.

52 minutes ago via web Like

Sam Jones How can I get it?

48 minutes ago via web Like

Correct response 1: Open Environment

Send the reader a direct message, viewable only by him, so you can retail in a one-on-one environment.

Correct response 2: Closed Environment

Say, Id love to give you more information on this. Whats the best way for me to contact you with the details?
An IBO can also send a link to their Personal Retail Website, provide their phone number, email address, etc.

09

Opportunity Talk
Opportunity Claims
Now lets look at opportunity claims. Its best to present the opportunity one-on-one with people, but when you share your
Amway experiences online, you are likely to receive questions from interested individuals.
Dont make posts such as: Need extra money? You can earn $5,000 week or more with Amway. Let me show you a
system that works!

STOP: Posts that make any earnings claims or representations

(new car, boat) are not acceptable in a social media environment.

In addition to being an earnings claim, which is not allowed, it can also turn off your social media contacts because the post is
a hard sell. A hard sell is not welcome on social networks and can violate terms and conditions for some networks, whereas a
more meaningful response that discusses a genuine personal experience may peak someones interest in the business.
Sharon Smith Just got back from a trip in San Diego. Love my
Amway business!
18 minutes ago via web

Sam Jones My parents used to sell Amway products.

Sounds like you are doing great. Ive thought about joining.
How do I find out more?
22 minutes ago via web Like

.
Sharon Smith Sam, Id love to help you. Ill contact you directly.
45 minutes ago via web Like

The AMWAY opportunity can make a difference in peoples lives! Of course youre excited about sharing it. But when you
share online, its important to do so the right way, to avoid alienating your contacts. Here are some tips to keep in mind
when prospecting online:

When others inquire about your business, dont hard-sell the opportunity. Your conversations online should
mimic your conversations offline.

Its important to remember that this is social media, and people will not appreciate being bombarded with
join the business posts as your status updates. Wait for the proper context to achieve the most success
and approach all opportunity offers individually.

If someone asks for details about the AMWAY sales plan and everyone can see the context in which you
make your comment, you can respond if you are in a closed environment.

If you choose to solicit the business opportunity, this must be done in a closed environment meaning the
only ones who can see your posts are your friends or followers.

10

Tips for Day-to-day Online Interactions

Managing Negative Comments
If you dont have something nice to say, dont say anything at all. Dont you wish everyone subscribed to this philosophy?
Unfortunately, negative comments can happen when you use social media, and the way you respond can make all the
difference when it comes to how people view your business and the AMWAY brand. Here are some suggestions for
how to respond:

If you see comments that include erroneous facts, feel free to correct these misconceptions publicly. Make
sure you include reliable sources, references, or links to support your position.

If a comment is an opinion that casts you or the business in a negative light, feel free to post a response that
is civil and businesslike.

If the comment reflects a negative customer experience or is directed at you personally, reach out to the
individual privately with a direct message. If you cant solve specific product or business concerns, contact
Customer Service.

If the comments on your site or profile are irrelevant, crude, or inappropriate, remember that its your page
and you can delete them.

Not every comment needs a response! Sometimes, adding more comments to a negative post boosts that
posts popularity. In that case, youre better off making a new, positive post to offset the negative one. If
youre not sure how to respond, reach out to your upline.

Using Testimonials
Testimonials can be a fabulous way to promote your business. But its important to remain within Amway guidelines when
you use them. Here are some tips to help make testimonials work for you online:

You can use testimonial quotes or videos of your customers (with their permission), but you must make
sure that all information shared is factual and complies with Amway guidelines. Remember that any video
not produced by Amway must be reviewed and authorized by Amway prior to being used in a social media
environment for your business.

All of the rules that apply to you, including those regarding product and business claims, also apply to those
words that are found on your page or in your messages, regardless of whether they were stated by you, a
customer, or a friend.

Inappropriate comments or false, unsubstantiated claims that you find on your own profiles and pages must
be removed.

Your customers must disclose any financial compensation received in exchange for testimonials, even if it was
a simple free sample.

11

Personal versus Private

Sharing your personal life online is a great way to help people learn more about you. The people you connect with may also
be parents, students, or small-business owners in other words, people who can relate to the small details you share
about yourself. Help them relate to you as a person so they are more comfortable doing business with you.
Be professional in social media, but let your personality shine through. Again, people are more likely to do business with
someone they know, like, and trust. Understanding the difference between in-person conversations and those that can be
seen by the public is important, and everyones balance of personal and professional will be different. Over time, your own
standards for what is personal and what is private will emerge. But universally:

Monitor and manage your privacy settings on your social networking sites. Instructions for doing this are
easy to find. Security and privacy precautions such as only allowing friends to see your full profile are smart
and helpful on sites like Facebook and Vkontakte, whose primary purpose is to connect or reconnect with
people youve already met.

On other sites, such as Twitter, public sharing of information opens your profile and your expertise to the
world. Following the Amway Rules of Conduct related to public solicitation will help protect your reputation,
and Amways. You may include your Personal Retail Website address in your profile, but if you share Amwayrelated information, remember to use the Direct Message function if those posts lead to further inquiries about
the sale of products or the business opportunity.

Realize that others also have a definition of what is personal versus private. Think about how much people
really need to know about you. Dont share the details of your kids schedules or when your house will be
empty for a full week. Be smart.

Again, be relevant. Things that are highly personal are not usually relevant to all of your contacts, and neither
are topics that are all business. Try not to lean too far one way or the other.

How You Can Help Protect Yourself and Others Online

It is now easier than ever for others to use the AMWAY brand to make a profit, scam customers and prospects, and
tarnish the Amway name. That is why Amway and the IBOAI have partnered to help protect our brand from online brand
impersonators and predators. Here are some tips on how you can help:

Follow solicitation and trademark rules so that our brand has consistent presences online.

Follow corporate social media pages. Amway and the IBOAI have created social media pages to provide
IBOs with detractor- and spam-free sites to strengthen credibility and provide a shareable story. Our Amway
U.S. YouTube channel, for instance, provides IBOs with searchable, shareable videos that are free of
impersonators or predators using brand key words to target fellow IBOs, prospects, or customers.

12

Connecting with Amway Online

Across the web, thousands of conversations are happening about Amway every day. People are talking about us, and they
expect us to have a presence and be listening and engaging with them. We are!
There are blogs and social networking sites that are managed by Amway North America and the IBOAI, such as:
Blogs:

Microblogging:

Facebook:

Video Sharing:

Opportunityzone.com
AchieveMagazine.com
Twitter.com/amwayus
Twitter.com/nutrilitehealth
Twitter.com/artistrybeauty
Twitter.com/achievemagazine
Twitter.com/iboai

Twitter.com/amwaycanada

Facebook.com/amwayus
Facebook.com/nutriliteus
Facebook.com/artistryus
Facebook.com/iboai

Facebook.com/amwaycanada
Facebook.com/nutrilitecanada
Facebook.com/artistrycanada
Facebook.com/nutrilitecanadiansoccer

Youtube.com/amwayus

There are also ways to connect online in nearly every Amway market around the world. For example, Amway Taiwan has its
R&J Caf Community; Amway Korea has its Amway Story blog and community; Amway Europe has an active beautycycle
presence on Facebook; and Amway Australia has several Twitter feeds, based on their best-selling product lines. These
are just a few examples! Ask your upline or Amway Customer Service contact to point you in the right direction.
When it comes to interacting with these sites:

Please Do
Comment on blog and social networking posts, and share your perspective.
Share the posts, videos, and photos that Amway posts with your teams, customers, and prospects.
Ask and answer questions posted there.

Please Dont
Use them for self-promotion. These pages are a resource for everyone, but its not appropriate
to provide your personal contact information.
Use them as a substitute for Customer Service or your upline when you have a question or
complaint on shipping, product quality, or policies.
We want you to ask us questions if we can help, but use good judgment. Any complaints you leave will be there for
everyones friends, customers, and prospects to see.
We hope you find these sites to be a valuable credibility-building tool for your business and that they provide shareable
product information and company news.

13

Guiding Principles in Action

Youve learned a lot about using social media for your business! Now lets take a look at the profiles of each of these
fictitious Amway IBOs, to see how they put these guiding principles to work.

Meet Stacy

Stacy is an Amway IBO who has never used social networking tools before. Since shes new to social
networking tools like Facebook, Stacy has decided to join a social network and use it socially first, so
she gets used to where things are and how people talk to one another. Shes learning the rules and
etiquette of her social network, and can identify the types of posts that she enjoys, along with what
annoys her. For example, Stacy got tired of seeing games and quiz results go by from her friends,
which made her realize that this is something shell want to avoid when connecting with her prospects
and customers online.

SUCCESS

TIP

Use social networks to make social connections first, before using them
for business.

SUCCESS

Avoid posting the results of your games and quizzes all the time, should you use
these on your social networks. Theyre fun to take, but you should choose not to
share the results.

TIP

Once Stacy feels comfortable with her social network, she begins interacting with people. She takes a little time each day
to answer questions and respond to comments that they post. Shes also reading other peoples blogs and posts, along
with Amway blogs, and commenting on them. She passes along the information she thinks her contacts will enjoy through
her social networks. Her contacts really appreciate the fact that shes connecting with them, and some have even bought
AMWAY products from her, and joined her team, because of the value she consistently provides.

SUCCESS

TIP

Building relationships is key! Be sure to take some time to connect with people and
respond to their posts. Its also great to share information that your contacts will
value. And when you like information that others have provided, let them know by
leaving a comment. One of the greatest compliments you can give to someone is to
provide feedback and show you are paying attention.

14

Meet Javier

Javier has been an Amway IBO for 10 years. He loves his business and has experienced a lot of
success through building an active downline organization. Ethics in business is extremely important to
Javier. He is proud of Amway and the organization that he has built. He wants to ensure that he and
his team continue to build a reputation of ethics and integrity once they begin using social media. He
reviews Amways guidelines for social media, and shares them with his team, to help guide successful
online interactions.

Javiers Challenge
Some of the members on Javiers team have set up profiles with names like Healthy Living with Nutrilite and Amway
Andy. Theyre using Amway logos as profile pictures, making product claims, and talking about how much money theyve
made online. Here are some examples of posts from his team:

AMWAYandy
Get everything cheaper at wholesale!!!!
Amway.com/andyIBO Go ahead and
REGISTER!!!!!! You wont regret this decision!!!!!!
1:45 PM January 24th via web

Sharon Smith Need extra money? You can earn $5,000 a week
or more with Amway. Let me show you a system that works!
42 minutes ago via web

Javiers Solution
Javier directs his team to Amways Social Media Guidelines, which clearly outline Amways policies with regards to social
media marketing and how IBOs should position themselves. Here are some of the policies he emphasizes:
1. Using brand images and logos Using Amway logos, including NUTRILITE, ARTISTRY, eSpring, or
any other AMWAY product logos in your social media presence is not allowed without prior permission
from the Corporation.
2. Naming your page Amway will not allow the use of its trademarks or trade names as page titles or
profile names. People want to know your real name anyway.
3. Make sure you do not overstate product or opportunity claims. Its never OK to write posts stating
things like cures cancer and best mascara on the planet. Stick to Amway-approved claims and real,
proven stories and testimonials instead of hype, which turns prospects away.

15

Meet Eun Suk

Eun Suk is an Amway IBO who has been using social media tools with his friends for years. He cant
remember a time when he couldnt talk to his friends with his mobile phone in hand!

Eun Suks Challenge

When Eun Suk first joined Amway, he knew that social media could have a big impact on his ability to reach people with his
business. Unfortunately, he didnt understand that theres a difference between what you can do when using social media
with your friends and when youre using it for business. All he did was share information about his business and connect with
everyone, whether they were good fits or not. As a result, he lost several friends who might have been good prospects.

Eun Suks Solution

Fortunately, Eun Suks upline pulled him aside and showed him some best practices in using social media for his business.
Heres what Eun Suk does now when using social media for his business. First and foremost, he strikes a healthy balance
between personal and Amway information on his social networks. He knows that he has to be himself before people are
ever going to want to hear about his business.

SUCCESS
Be yourself first. People need to come to know, like, and trust you
before theyll choose to do business with you. Strike a careful balance
between business and personal posts.

TIP

When Eun Suk does talk about products, he makes sure it relates to his personal situation, such as talking about how
taking a multivitamin helps him live a healthy lifestyle. He also demonstrates his value by imparting verifiable facts and links,
such as, The sun is the most intense from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. So wear protective clothing, and always apply a moisturizing
sunscreen. This post offers simple, sound, and accurate advice and represents Eun Suks business well.
As a result, Eun Suk finds that his friends and other online contacts now come to him for advice when choosing products.
And thats great for business!

Keep Learning!
In this guidebook, youve received a great foundation in the ways that you can use social media effectively for your
AMWAY business. One of the best ways to keep learning about these tools is to use them! Set up your profiles, listen
first, and connect with people.
Amway will work to provide you with future training opportunities and social media resources. We wish you great success!

2011 All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. 50579ENA