SCENE AND PEOPLEBig in businessHe is an expert when it comes to setting up anorganization. And this skill helped AlexanderSell to attract some hundred sales partnerswithin six years. Now, Alexander has establishedhis own training center and built an impressiveoffice block on a lawn in Wetzlar, Germany.He is one of <strong>the</strong> top peopleat <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>. He isa real expert when itcomes to setting up an organization.And he is also a smartsalesman. In <strong>the</strong> first year afterjoining <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>, Alexander,<strong>who</strong> has just recently built hisown <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> office block ona green lawn in Wetzlar, Hesse,with an investment of morethan Euro 1 million, achievingone sales record after ano<strong>the</strong>r.“Which has been quite simple”he says with a bright and convincingsmile. In his opinion,<strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> is a synonym for“easy financing, quality thatspeaks for itself, good support, clever trainings forsales partners, sound marketing plans and so on”.Many recordsAlexander Sell has now been working with <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> International for almost six years. Duringthis period, he has set up an organization withmore than hundred active sales partners. None ofhis partners is a non-active fellow; nobody hasregistered himself/herself just to buy a device atconsultant terms and <strong>the</strong>n never again lift a fingerfor promoting <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>. And you probably alreadyknow it: Alexander has won <strong>the</strong> sales recordwith this ambitious group. In one month of <strong>the</strong> lastyear he and his team sold more devices than all<strong>the</strong> German sales forces of his competitors’ toge<strong>the</strong>r…24,000 square meters real estateWhy did he decide to show his <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> successso conspicuously with his own large training center?“I thought it might be a good idea to investmy money instead of paying taxes to <strong>the</strong> fiscalauthorities”. And he did invest. He found an architect,paid <strong>the</strong> 24,000 square meters large realestate for <strong>the</strong> noble building in cash, and <strong>the</strong> excavatorscame. <strong>The</strong> foundation was laid. An officebuilding that is structured into two levels withmore than 450 square meters, was constructed.<strong>The</strong> building has been completed. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>flags wave in <strong>the</strong> wind in frontof <strong>the</strong> building – a visible signof <strong>the</strong> loyalty and integrity thatAlexander Sell feels with respectto “my <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>”. Moreover,Alexander operates in<strong>the</strong> CIS States and frequentlytravels into <strong>the</strong>se countries. Hesets up structures and drives <strong>the</strong><strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> idea <strong>the</strong>re. And he isgood at it. Particularly, since hespeaks Russian as perfectly ashe speaks German. Moreover,he knows two o<strong>the</strong>r languages.Socialism is one, capitalism <strong>the</strong>o<strong>the</strong>r.52 • <strong>The</strong> sales force magazine 01/2008 www.pro-aqua-gmbh.de www.pro-aqua-gmbh.de <strong>The</strong> sales force magazine 01/2008 • 53
SCENE AND PEOPLEMaximum <strong>Pro</strong>gramQuietly, but not secretlyOlga Lejs and Alexander Schumakow are experts when it comes to team building, which <strong>the</strong>y combinewith own turnover. Now <strong>the</strong>y have realized one of <strong>the</strong>ir dreams: <strong>the</strong>ir own house including office andtraining center. <strong>The</strong> house-warming party has been celebrated recently in Korbach, Germany.Gabi and Willi Merkel are extraordinary. Willi sells up to 53 devices eachmonth while Gabi makes up to four appointments per day for him.12 months a year.<strong>The</strong>ir success story readsas follows: in three subsequentyears, Olga Lejsand Alexander Schumakowand <strong>the</strong>ir sales team have qualifiedas best team of <strong>the</strong> year.In <strong>the</strong> previous year only, Olgaand Alexander sold 823 <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> machines. This reallyis a top performance which iseven more impressive whenexpressed in mere figures.Behind <strong>the</strong>se figures a simpleidea is hidden: Those <strong>who</strong> payattention to recruiting, teambuilding, and <strong>the</strong> training ofnew salespeople in addition togenerating own turnover, willachieve a lot. <strong>The</strong> organizationof Lejs/Schumakow made it.With awesome, highly motivatedteam partners, great commitment,exemplary discipline,and an enormous amount ofperseverance. <strong>The</strong> team sharesa common principle with respectto <strong>the</strong>ir job: leave nothingto chance. Everyone is <strong>the</strong> architectof her or his own fortune.Go <strong>the</strong> extra mile. Don’tstop and rest on your laurels,but continuously try to improve.Who has principles alsohas objectives. One of <strong>the</strong> ob-jectives of Olga and Alexanderwas to set up an exclusive trainingcenter in order to be able toprovide <strong>the</strong> best support to <strong>the</strong>irdown line partners. Because:well-trained, fairly treated andhence satisfied sales partnersmake no potential targets forcompetitors. <strong>The</strong> new trainingcomplex is a stylish and functionalbuilding. Administrativetasks will be centralized <strong>the</strong>re,<strong>the</strong> infrastructure has been improvedsignificantly, and newpartners will be trained andmotivated <strong>the</strong>re each day. Olgaand Alexander have positioned<strong>the</strong>mselves clearly with <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>. Congratulations!Gabi and Willi Merkelare incredible. <strong>The</strong>yare known by industryexperts all over <strong>the</strong> world,although <strong>the</strong>y are operatingquietly – even though <strong>the</strong>irperformance might qualify foran entry in <strong>the</strong> Guinness Bookof World Records. It is almostimpossible to count <strong>the</strong> numberof systems that Gabi and WilliMerkel have sold in <strong>the</strong>ir lifeso far. Only last year Willi sold371 <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong> machines – completelyalone and without anydown line. This is an average of31 devices per month. In somemonths, Willi even managed tosell 53 systems – this is an averageof almost three devices at20 presentation days a monthand up to 675 appointments in2007, for example. Unbelievable.In particular, since not eachpresentation necessarily resultsin selling a product. Like everywherein direct sales, <strong>the</strong> onethirdrule also applies here: ninepresentations will result in anaverage of three sales. What’shis secret? Good question, butit should better be paraphrasedas follows: how does his systemwork? Willi Merkel is an exceptionallygifted salesman, that’sfor sure. His success rate is ex-traordinary: he sells in four outof five cases. Even more important:his wife Gabi is at his side.She totally supports her husbandand makes his appointments– <strong>the</strong> presentations take placeall over Germany. Gabi makesup to four appointments per dayfor him. <strong>The</strong>n, Willi is out onbusiness for <strong>the</strong> <strong>who</strong>le week andsells his products. And for oneyear he has now been selling<strong>the</strong> <strong>Pro</strong>-<strong>Aqua</strong>, of course. Thankyou, Gabi and Willi Merkel!54 • <strong>The</strong> sales force magazine 01/2008 www.pro-aqua-gmbh.de www.pro-aqua-gmbh.de <strong>The</strong> sales force magazine 01/2008 • 55