During my second full year with YTB, the company launched what was known as a Regional Travel Training. The tour hit several of the major markets around the country where vendors and suppliers came to us, instead of requiring us to come to them. At the time, YTB had grown to a size that enabled suppliers to hit strategic cities in conjunction with YTB to offer information, support, and additional training for the field.

I remember sitting in the large audience at the time, taking notes, and thinking that YTB was well on its way to being a major player in the travel industry. It’s not that vendors don’t do this kind of training for other large Host Agencies, they do. But they don’t do it for just any Agency. (Maybe a BDM would, but not the President of the Company.)

The trainings inspired me to research more about the companies that spoke during the day and what they had to offer. I left with new tools and ideas on how to promote my travel business. Because of the training put together, I knew YTB was serious and I needed to get serious. It tools were always there, I just needed to take the time to go do it.

What also impressed me during that day was how excited the suppliers were about being with us. I’ve seen it for years. YTB happens to be a real breath of fresh air for most suppliers because of our passion and excitement. I remember seeing a vendor just last year up at Red Carpet who just raved about our Company. I believe the exact words were “Completely blown away”. It was such a shame to see that sour because Travel Professionals couldn’t accept the partnership. Anyone who actually catches our enthusiasm and passion are soon trashed by this group who’ve never seen or experienced the passion or enthusiasm they see when it comes to travel.

Remember Robert Dickinson? If you don’t, I sure do. (Wrote about it here.) That was another example of someone who saw the vision of YTB and was excited about being on YTB’s Board of Directors only to suddenly “decline” less than 24 hours later.

Regardless of the number of times I’ve seen individuals or companies pressured or harassed to drop YTB there are companies who see the fears and phobias that traditionalists have about MLM’s and support us anyway. (They’re just a little quieter about it publicly to keep from being spit at.)

If you want to know more about how vendors really feel about our company, go watch some of the videos in the Media Center in your back office. (Sorry, you’ll need to log in to see it.)

Or, you can show up at one of this year’s Travel Training Roadshows that kicks off this weekend in Costa Mesa, California.

President and Founder Kim Sorensen will be hitting cities, including here in Atlanta later in March, to offer travel training from some of the industries most respected suppliers in the travel industry. It’s your opportunity to see for yourself why suppliers and vendors appreciate YTB Travel Network, and why we as a company should support them. They’ve all got some great product and the proper tools to help you succeed in the travel industry.

The biggest advantage I’ve found in Regional meetings like this is more face time with the vendors. Funshine is great, but it’s also very crowded. With the country split up into regions there are fewer people, giving you a better opportunity to ask questions, get additional information and develop relationships. Heck, I ran into one of the supplier from the first Regional Training a year or more later and she remembered who I was.

Check your travel portal for cities, dates, vendors and times and make one of these roadshows this spring with YTB. I can tell you from personal experience, it inspires me to this day when I get around other passionate travel agents with a hunger to learn and grow their business.

It’s there for those who want it – and I know plenty who want to build this side of their business.

So go out and get it – starting this weekend.

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We’ve talked about the shopping experience with ZamZuu several times over the last several weeks. It’s become such a simple process to Google a particular product and have a listing of all the suppliers who offer that product show up in a search complete with prices. Find a price you like? Chances are, it’s offered through the ZamZuu shopping portal – and you’ve got yourself an even better deal than Google can offer in the form of cash back.

It’s quick – it’s easy – and you get cash back for doing it. I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like to save money, and that’s exactly what ZamZuu does for the average shopper with a free account.

Tonight, we’re going to offer up something for the business minds out there – people who are smart enough to look at ZamZuu as an income opportunity, not just a shopping opportunity.

Think about it. If you could offer up a free shopping portal to your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors that enables them to save money when they shop online would you tell them? What if they told some friends? What if you could create a customer base of shoppers all shopping through ZamZuu and getting cash back for using your site? Would you be interested?

If you are – you can find out more about it tonight, February 16th, as ZamZuu offers up a live webcast at 8 pm Eastern, 7 pm Central, 6 pm Mountain, 6 pm Pacific to explain this growing trend in e-commerce and how you can benefit as a ZamZuu site owner.

This 30-minute webcast is designed to share the ZamZuu Income Opportunity and what it can offer you as a viable home based business. If you like what you see, you can get started with your own e-commerce website that’s ready to go the second you hit submit to start shopping and show others where to shop to receive cash back when they shop with you.

A home based business not your thing? That’s fine too – but I bet you know someone who would. If you do, and you refer them and ZamZuu will send you $25 just for the referral. Just let us know where to send the check by filling out the free referral form by clicking the “Exciting Referral Opportunity” icon.

Regardless of which way you lean, you owe it to yourself to take a look at this growing trend in e-commerce and how people are cashing in.

There’s no need to register, and if you miss the live webcast, it will rebroadcast at the top of each hour. If you like what you see, and need some more information on how to get started, just drop me a note or pick up the phone and call.

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Last week I told you how I picked up on “issues” the Better Business Bureau was having with their new grading system. It appears that the BBB is getting some very poor grades of their own based on a web site I linked to which laid out a very convincing case that the BBB isn’t what it once was. It’s clear that Better Business Bureau has compromised their ethics and lost the trust of the business community – and now it’s reaching the consumer.

Low and behold, day before yesterday I started to get hit’s from this site and inquiring minds like mine wanted to know what was going on.

As it turns out, the author, who goes by the pen name Jimmie Rivers put a link to my article on his home page as yet another example of someone who’s fed up with the current grading system and believes there needs to be change. He’s also changed the home page considerably with a call to action and a bold statement that “Criticism against BBB mounts as protests go viral”.

He goes on to state his mission of the website:

bbbRoundup was always designed to be a central hub for resources dedicated to taking the “good fight” to the Better Business Bureau, hence the name roundup. The list continues to grow and will be added to as occasion warrants. Additionally, this list of resources will permanently occupy this homepage placement. With the help of our friends in the United States and Canada, here’s some great websites:

Wow! When a site like Ripoff Report has a couple of pages slamming the BBB, there’s definitely a problem. Not that I take anything from Ripoff Report as authentic or insightful. (Are you kidding me?) I just find it comical that the type of individuals who post there, are the exact same ones who would use the something from the BBB as a viable source to improve their stance that something is a scam.

Jimmie admits, and I would agree, that the grass roots effort has taken some time to gain momentum. My guess is that it’s because the BBB does have the perception of being one of the nation’s leading consumer advisory groups in the nation. They’ve been around a long time, (since 1912) and there was a day when people could look to them as a viable source regarding the quality of a business.

That all started to change when William Mitchell, CEO of the BBB chapter took on a charge of an A+ through F grading system four years ago in Los Angeles, California. As it turns out, that’s where most of the attention and criticism of this grading system resides. I know it’s hard to believe, but Disneyland, one of the world’s premier destinations for families all over the world, at one time had an “F” rating. All it took was a grand total of 30 complaints out of millions who visit there each year.

Jimmie is an Emmy nominated, and former CBS affiliate news director in a top 20 market. The reason for the pen name is because Jimmie doesn’t want to be harassed by the BBB, although they’ve attempted to reveal his identity on several occasions. The BBB obviously doesn’t take him very serious or a viable source for information. (Can’t imagine why!) However, enough of his journalist colleagues with real names and faces point to Jimmie and consider him insightful and valid with the information found on the bbbRoundup.

For me, it’s kind of a kick to have someone of Jimmie’s stature think enough about what I wrote to link to it. Kind of like George Dooley this summer during Convention. (Or the call I got from Rob Snyder and the article I wrote about Ignite.) I’m just glad I could do my part in helping to right an obvious wrong here.

But we need more than just a couple of news articles and blogs exposing the ethics of the BBB and how lame this new grading system is. We all need to do our part, and here’s where you can help. Jimmie has a petition that’s been growing slow and steady since he put it up. Sign it. (That is if you too feel the BBB needs to change it’s membership and grading practice.) An Attorney General and a U.S. Representative question new BBB grading system and this is just what they need to gain traction in getting some real change pushed through.

My hat’s off to you Mr. Rivers, who ever you are. Keep up the good fight. There are good people that support your efforts.

I just want to do my part in helping it go viral.

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That life is boring at YTB. ;-P

I apologize for not getting something out sooner – the kids had early release the last two days and we had projects planned. I also have a business to run and don’t have the vast amount of time in my profession that others apparently have. I have however been trying to sort out fact from fiction from various sources I know and trust via phone since the latest episode of “Days of YTB” has hit cyberspace.

Before we get started…I think it’s appropriate for the proper background music due the nature of what’s happened this week. For your listening pleasure, I’ve resurrected an oldie but goody that I’ve used before when there’s so much talk about YTB.

Apparently there was a mass exodus of wackos over the last 36 hours that have put out some pretty outrageous stuff. As usual, those of us who have a firm grasp on the situation are left to clean up the mess. Due to time restraints, I need to warn everyone that I have not read – but merely heard some of the rumors I’m about to squash. Therefore, please understand that some of what I might comment on – may not have ever been written in the vast space we call the internet – nor can I reference just who said it.

The following is a list of what I have heard and what I know to be true.

YTB’s CFO, John Clagg has resigned effective February 2nd. I’ve heard of various scenarios on how this came about. Some reasonable and some outlandish. The reasonable would consist of being burned out. With what the company has gone through since the California Law Suit was filed the day before the 2008 National Convention, and a new CEO who has a keen eye on the companies bottom line – it’s understandable that it would drain anyone.

Another reason I’ve heard is that John saw the writing on the wall – meaning, YTB isn’t going to make it.

Please…

One, the company has secured a $650,000 loan based on the expectant sale of the former home office located at One Country Club Drive. Which is odd – because it’s been widely publicized for years on various boards and blogs that YTB doesn’t have any assets to speak of. (Who knew?)

Two, it was announced on a company call yesterday, and corresponding documentation will be available to the field of some 300 $1000 Quick Start Bonuses will be in mailboxes across the country today. The ZamZuu e-commerce platform announced at the Coach’s Birthday Bash in early January has provided a much needed stimulus package for the field. When the field is making money, the company is making money. The enhanced commission structure enables the average person to attain a bonus, and that builds momentum.

You certainly don’t need to be a CPA to understand that cash flow isn’t the current problem at this point in time. (Still tight, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.)

An interesting observation from some time ago – I remember the exiting CFO being chastised by critics as “unqualified” for the position. It’s rather convenient that the ridicule and lack of qualifications are quickly tossed aside now that John has decided resign. I just love how folks can play both sides of the fence when a new position appears to benefit them. Happens with Directors too. All of the sudden these liars, scammers, and cheaters suddenly turn into Saints simply by leaving the company for another.

It would make any John Kerry supporter proud.

While there is a rumor of massive trading from our Directors due to this news, I’d hardly consider 29,300 shares massive. While John did resign on February 2nd, it was well after the closing bell on Tuesday. (3:00 Central time) I’ve never really understood just why this type of rumor persists with our Directors. I just chalk it up to ignorance and a way for critics to create more drama. Day traders have a ton more fun with this stock than any Director. Due to the timing of our CFO’s resignation and how suddenly (although not surprising) the resignation developed – nobody had any chance to benefit one way or another from this news. Based on the volume, between the verbal resignation and the release of the 8K – the numbers certainly don’t indicate insider knowledge.

Current CEO Robert Van Patten will fill in as interim CFO of the company until a replacement can be acquired. Mr. Van Patten is well equipped to fulfill the roll as CFO for YTB International, and has been in charge of much larger corporations in the past. His leadership is the largest reason why YTB has been able to acquire – all be it small – profits the last two quarters even with revenue down in 2009.

Another rumor floating around is that Ron Head, YTB’s Master Distributor has been terminated. While this may be the case after a thorough investigation – at present any word of termination is premature. Ron has I’m sorry to say been suspended due to possible cross recruiting.

If I’m getting e-mails and calls from every Tom, Dick, and Harry about the next “Big Thing” I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of carrots our Directors are seeing. How much greener the pastures are – how well everyone BUT YTB is doing in this economy – or all those “special positions” reserved for “true leaders” in the industry. I’ve seen and heard some real WHOPPERS in regards to rumors about what’s going on with YTB – including one I’ll mention later – that aren’t created by critics of MLM – but other MLM companies to lure people over to their company.

Attaining a Circle of Champion Director from YTB is a HUGE feather in the cap of any company because – as we all know – YTB created massive amounts of income for those who went to work. So much so, it caught everyone’s attention. Especially in an industry that understands and wants “recruiters”.

A personal note here – and this has nothing to do with Ron or any specific Director who has since left YTB for “greener pastures”. I have yet to hear of see any of YTB’s former Directors leave and actually stay with the next best thing they left YTB for. Several Directors that I know of have been with several different companies since leaving YTB and I can’t think of one (NOT ONE) who is currently better off today than they were the day they left YTB. Nor, with the exception of Corr, who just launched his new venture this week, is currently with the same company they moved on to.

That’s not to say they won’t be able to find another home. For some, I sincerely hope they do. It should be noted however that all of the fanfare up to this point has been nothing more than a passing fancy for every single Director who has left YTB for the next big thing.

Another very curious rumor floating around was that Coach, Scott and Kim were forming another MLM. Honestly, I just can’t wrap my head around this one. Critics, I could understand – they’ve always thought that our Founders would eventually call it quits. Some speculated retirement on some remote island with all our $50 checks in tow – while others speculated another industry entirely to rape and pillage. I’d expect that kind of stupidity from them.

It appears that rumor has also been squashed as Coach has been appointed the newest Master Distributor of…

Wait for it…

YTB.

Sigh…Coach will be recruiting again and honestly, it’s what he does best. I realize that frustrates some, and I know the fears and phobias surrounding the word “recruiter”. People slap that word on me all the time – and truth be told – yes, I do recruit. I recruit for Carnival, Princess, Sandals, Collette, Delta, Air Tran, Holiday Inn, Avis, Sears, Home Depot, Best Buy, and YTB. (Among others, but you get the idea.) We all recruit in some form or fashion and I fail to see what the concern or deal is when it comes to word “recruit”.

I can only hope that at some point in time they come come to grips with their “issues”. But don’t expect me to own that type of stupidity and fear just because it makes someone angry or bitter. The heightened outbursts and emotions I see reflects more about them, then it ever will me.

In closing, for those of you in YTB for reasons only you have a right to decide and place judgment on – don’t lose your focus or the sight of your dreams. Many of you got into YTB to sell travel and/or e-commerce. Others have found a new spark in the e-commerce platform that has triggered bringing people into a very promising opportunity that like travel a couple years ago was attractive to the masses.

If you’re like me, you see all the deposits waiting to turn into cash when these vacations are consumed this summer. Like the company, you need to think long term and tighten up to stay in the game in order to capitalize on the deposits your sitting on. Others saw checks in the form of cash back this week for doing what you already do – shop. More of the same is coming on the 11th when the residuals for being a business owner are sent out not only for your own shopping but all those who shopped on your sites.

By the way you realize they too got cash back checks this week from their own shopping experience with ZamZuu right?

Call them up…ask them if they think this works.

I got to tell you, it’s a much better alternative than searching the internet right now, trying to get a feel from a bunch of cowards who don’t have the guts to put a real name behind what they plaster all over the internet or talk about on the phone.

Because I had another post scheduled for today, it’s been bumped to Monday. I think you’ll like it and it drives home why ZamZuu is right on mark and why big name companies are going to a model just like ours to sell their product or service. You don’t want to miss it!

Hope to see you again on Sunday in your e-mail box with this week’s wrap up and the Just Picture It Now Newsletter.

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I wrote about a new partnership with Grand Incentives on Monday. During my research of this program over the weekend, I ran into another web site that I remember seeing some time ago, but couldn’t seem to find again. During my research, I came across numerous articles over the last year which called up memory of this site but couldn’t quite remember the proper site to review all the information again in one place.

Until I found a link to it from the Grand Incentives website this weekend.

As it turns out, Grand Incentives has also been “black listed” by the Better Business Bureau with an “F” rating and low and behold, they too linked back to the wealth of information found on the BBB Roundup exposing this so called “Consumer Protection” group as a complete farce.

From the looks of it, the BBB is getting some very poor grades of its own.

The problem appears be multifaceted since the BBB changed their system in January of 2009 from a simple “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” rating system to a grading system that’s been exposed by most as unfair, and others as nothing less than corrupt.

So who’s watching the watchdog?

The number of articles over the last year are growing with more and more people who are fed up with the BBB and calling for reform, including BBB Roundup. The grievances have mostly been by local news organizations, but has even caught the attention of Congress and an Attorney General who’s demanding answers from the organization.

And the BBB response? For the most part, the concern is met with arrogance and deflection and appears to hold them under a completely different standard. (Hmmm, sounds like another group of Professionals I know.)

When the world’s most popular search engine (Google) has a “D” rating a year ago with 424 complaints – and today has a “B-” rating with 50 more complaints a year later (479 currently) – maybe we need to start with the truth in order to develop trust?

From everything that I’ve read (and there is plenty to read) there is some very compelling evidence that the BBB favors a “pay to play” type grading system that provide paying members better grades than non-paying members. Membership can range anywhere from $300 to $10,000 annually. If you don’t buy into the system, all bets are off – and there is very little if anything you can do to change a bad grade.

Short of forking over some big bucks.

It needs to be pointed out that not everyone in the BBB agrees with the National mandate handed out last year. Each “chapter” is independently owned and operated. According the Houston Chronicle, the local Better Business Bureau office there believes the new system has “tremendous inequities“.

The BBB, often confused for a government agency, is a non-profit franchise funded organization who primarily relies on membership fees to support itself. It’s widely known that an A+ rating is reserved only for accredited (or dues-paying) companies. Because of it’s reliance on membership dues, the BBB has come under fire for using high-pressure and heavy-handed sales tactics to force Businesses to pay for accreditation, which in return would boost their grades.

Wanna see how much accreditation pulls for you with the BBB? Let’s look at Leonard & Co. I found in this article — a Troy-based brokerage who received a $225,000 fine from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority a year ago for securities violations, including the illegal sale of shares of some stock. But because they happen to be an accredited company with the BBB — you’ll find an A+ rating. Note, that there’s still no mention of the fine, which can be found at Financial Industry Regulatory Authority web site. Leonard & Co. has been a BBB-accredited business since 1998.

The new grading formula rates each business against 16 weighted factors and spits out the corresponding letter grade. According to the Springfield Business Journal an entire industry is automatically given a lower grade than another, because there are industries they consider “scams”. For example, a car title loan businesses raised “concerns”with the BBB and therefore received an “F” rating despite a three-year absence of customer complaints or any history of resolving complaints.

You would think that with all the myths, phobias, and social misgivings about MLM, our industry would automatically receive a lower grade than a traditional business model. One such company is Nu-Skin. In 1997 Nu-Skin was slapped with a $1.5 million fine for deceptive trade practices by the FTC, yet receives an A+ rating from the BBB. More recently, USANA was slapped with a 2007 Class Action suit for operating an illegal pyramid scheme that misled investors. There’s far more that I can elaborate on the USANA saga a couple years ago, including an investigation by the SEC. Yet USANA receives an A- rating from the BBB.

Why would the BBB give two such companies with this type of documentation such high grades? Because they’re corporate offices happen to reside in the MLM capital of the world, Utah. (More than 350 MLM companies make their home there.)

Makes you wonder what type of rating YTB could have if they were under the Utah chapter of the BBB instead of the Illinois chapter huh?

Fact is, the BBB doesn’t have the same type of control or system that a normal franchise does. You can go to McDonald’s here in Atlanta and expect to eat a cheeseburger of the same quality and consistency in St. Louis. Not so much with BBB – as there is plenty of evidence to support that each chapter ranks companies on a completely different scale without any control or oversight from the CBBB in Washington DC. A great place to start is the BBB Roundup website with a list of articles that point to this fact.

Sure, you’re going to find people who will continue to point to the BBB, thinking that each grade given is accurate or relevant. Me, not so much anymore after the pile of news articles and government intervention I’ve seen over the last year it’s clear that the BBB has fallen out of grace with many consumers and businesses.

If you’re as appalled as I am over the weight and pull the BBB appears to have, you can place a vote for the much needed change from the BBB Roundup website. I linked to it Sunday night on my Facebook page and thought it would be relevant for an entire post documenting how far the BBB has fallen from a respectable consumer advocate to a money grabbing atrocity.

That being said, I have no idea if any change is going to be made moving forward. The BBB continues to feel they are above any of the facts that have been laid out over the last year. The pressure is certainly mounting however, based on what I’ve seen on the internet and there are far more people than ever before who have discontinued their trust in the BBB. (I know I have.) There’s far more to it for me than simply not being a “government agency”.

It makes a big difference when an outfit designed as a consumer watchdog – has been called out itself for not being honest with the consumer.

So go place your vote for effective change to BBB and help make is a respectable and authentic consumer watchdog again.

Update: I’ve received word that a certain “someone” is using the BBB as a soapbox to stand on, attempting to out YTB’s partnership with Grand Incentives. While I’m certain that this individual didn’t look into the same issues I have with the BBB, to make an informed, educated decision about its relevance or importance – please understand why I no longer find this “someone” as a credible or relevant source, just as the BBB is no longer relevant or credible.

The author had no idea that this article was scheduled for today, turning his “soap box” into a big ol’ pile of dung. ;-P

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Boy…for a company that critics said would be out of business last year – the Home Office keeps rolling out new upgrades – business models – and marketing tools that appear to be aimed at building business.

I guess the Home Office never got the word that it was supposed to lay down and play dead.

What a shame, huh? ;-P

Once again, Business Owners have yet another new tool to market with in this day and age of digital communication with a new program called Grand Incentives.

Just what is Grand Incentives? It’s the latest in technology that obtains qualified prospects who are looking for a viable internet business which captures the emerging trend in travel and e-commerce. This digital media prospecting tool not only collects prospect information, but helps current business owners qualify and understand key interests and needs through an online survey.

To thank prospects for their time for viewing and filling out their information they receive several incentives as a thank you such as a 3 day, 2 night getaway, companion air, or a gas rebate for their time.

Grand Incentives has partnered with some of the premier vendors in the industry including Carnival, Marriott, Sandals, Delta, and American Express to offer incredible package giveaways. These types of incentives aren’t anything new. Some of the nation’s most respected brands and companies have already employed the Grand Incentives program, including McDonalds, Target, General Motors, and General Mills (for their Green Giant brand).

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that these are some sort of Time Share deals. These may be the same type of packages you receive after you sit through a grueling hard sell to spend thousands on a time share you’ll never use – but there’s no “hard sell” involved from previewing the ZamZuu business opportunity.

Similar to the traditional businesses referenced above, YTB will host live presentations for prospects with Grand Incentives “Traffic Ticket” program. After viewing the ZamZuu business model prospects will have an opportunity to scan their ticket to see what they’ve won. It’s far more interactive than a simple scratch off, and gives the entire group an opportunity to participate and react to the various prizes that are offered at each meeting.

YTB’s first roll out of this new model is tomorrow night, February 2nd, at 8 pm Eastern, 7 pm Central, 6 pm Mountain, 5 pm Pacific. The webcast can be viewed live on the internet at www.zamzuutv.com.

I found a couple of examples of how effective this type of program worked with other business models – and while it’s a little pre-mature to speculate how well it will work for YTB, the following examples are to say the least promising.

• Target used the Traffic Tickets to increase awareness and participation in their ‘Treat Seats’ program. The tickets were handed out in select store locations and guests were asked to complete a credit application for a chance to see what they won. The Traffic Ticket promotion generated three times the number of applicants as their ‘personal greeter’ program.

• Circle-K used the Traffic Ticket system to drive consumers into their stores. The tickets were mailed to households surrounding their locations. As a result sales increased 165% with only a 14% response rate.

• McDonald’s and Chevron used the program for their grand openings. Traffic Tickets were mailed out households in the surrounding area. Before the program, a typical response rate from other methods was 4%. The Traffic Ticket program however increased response rates anywhere from 12% to 16% each time they ran the Traffic Ticket program.

• And lastly, there is Safeway. They used this program to counter attack incoming competition. Traffic Tickets were mailed out to households in the surrounding area and attained a 32% response rate from direct mail. In every store 1000 people per day came up to the deli counters to play the game – and the promotion was credited for 100% market share retention.

Why is the Safeway promotion meaningful? Because, I see this Traffic Ticket system as a way to counter attack all the baloney out there on the web. Seen it for far too long and smart people DO question what they see out there – especially when it’s as emotional and violent as it is. One of the first things I do for those unfortunate enough to run into critics who oppose our model and our people, is forward a memorandum penned by an Honorable District Judge to those willing to take a closer look. This one document not only very eloquently, but lawfully puts all the ranting and raving lunatics in their place – and prospects begin to unravel the spin they see out there on the internet.

What people begin to realize is outspoken critics use the web in a confusing, disjointed, and repetitive manner. What they call “facts” suddenly doesn’t appear to add up when you supply actual documentation to counter it.

What I’m getting at here is that what Grand Incentives, and the Traffic Tickets enable Business Owners to do is provide a meaningful incentive for people to take a look at our Founders, our people, and our business model face to face. The cowards out there that potential prospects only know as some bogus screen name won’t amount to much after documentation and a live person with a real name comes into the picture.

Done properly in conjunction with a settlement that will transform YTB Travel Network into a full-fledged franchise model (instead the bogus pyramid scheme mantra proposed by critics) and documentation supplied by Travel Weekly as the 25th largest seller of travel in the country – the wheels on the bus begin to fall off as critics are exposed as being the ones who are childish and misleading – not the other way around.

If you’re a business owner, you need to invest in a good marketing program to advertise and bring people in. If you don’t, you won’t be in business for very long. Looking at the ROI for Grand Incentives and this Traffic Ticket program, it’s by far the best partnership I’ve seen YTB come up with. Especially when you look at the companies who are already using it to build business and retain customers.

Best of all – for me, it provides just the vehicle I need to get the truth out there about a business model I love and respect and why I think it’s here to stay.

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I’ve mentioned numerous times that I’m a Technology Geek. Honestly, I should be wearing inch thick glasses complete with the little white tape holding the bridge of the nose together. (And just for good measure, a pocket protector would complete my geekiness.) I was introduced to computers when I went back to college in the late 80’s and fell in love with what this box could do. I was fascinated. I remember my first computer, (a screaming 286 processor) and became one of the first to join AOL when it first appeared on the scene to explore this new thing called the World Wide Web.

When broadband came into the picture – I had to have it. Before I knew it, I had two computers in the house, a desktop for the office, and a laptop that’s practically attached to these fingertips. If I’m not on my laptop, I’m on my iPhone with its 3G access receiving and responding to e-mails on the fly – checking stats on the blog – and getting updates on news, weather and traffic.

As great as the iPhone is – it does have its limitations. Have you ever tried to book a cruise on an iPhone? Not only is it slower than molasses – you can’t research all the details you need in order to service the client properly on its tiny screen. Or how ’bout this? Try viewing an online presentation on the iPhone.

Fact is – I need the internet to come with me when out and about more times than not these days. That’s part of having an internet business. You book travel online, you blog online, you shop online, and you recruit online. Broadband is a necessity and no longer a luxury. Some even see it as a right and no longer a privilege.

There are ways to get around the mobile dilemma. You can locate a “hot-spot” that has Wi-Fi. You can subscribe to a service like T-Mobile that provides a paid service or subscription – or – you can pay up to $19.99 per day for a access provided by a hotel or restaurant.

Or – if you’re lucky enough to be in one of the 27 markets that currently offers it – you can scream at 4G speed (anywhere from 6 to 9 meg download speed) using a brand new technology called WiMax with the company that owns the spectrum called CLEAR.

I’ve kept up with CLEAR since last August when the product launched here in Atlanta. The buzz about it started to pop up all over the place. It even caught the attention of one the most popular and esteemed consumer advocates here in the Atlanta market. (Who also has a syndicated show on CNN this year.)

Having super-fast internet service on the go is one thing, but when you can replace your current home internet and phone service with VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) for less than what you’re paying the phone company, THAT got my attention.

What WiMax and CLEAR does is cut the cord for broadband internet and home phone service – just like cell phone technology did for all of us and the home phone. What’s even more promising is WiMax will be able to go everywhere your cell phone does – because uses the same cell phone towers that are already in place for your mobile phone.

Cellular technology rewrote the book on voice. Broadband rewrote the book on internet access. Now I look at WiMAX as the next mega trend to completely change the fixed broadband world.

A large order for sure with an even larger financial bill attached to it when you think of deploying it across an entire country, far too large for any one company to finance on its own. That’s another reason why I fell in love with this technology.

Cooperation.

Not only have the key companies like Motorola, Cisco, Intel, Sprint, Time Warner, and Google been researching and developing new tools and products for this technology, they’ve all invested BILLIONS into deploying this technology across our great nation. Why? Because the infrastructure needs to be there in order to sell the products they’re developing to operate there.

Both the home and USB Modem are built by Motorola. Intel now has chips (like your Wi-Fi chips in your laptop) built into “Netbooks“. Cisco has a new PBX product to launch in the next few weeks as a business application that will run on CLEAR’s spectrum. And Google – they already invested billions in the new Android we’ve seen and 4G gives these phones even more capability at blazing fast speeds.

Just this week Steve Jobs introduced the new iPad from Apple. He gave some really compelling numbers at the beginning of his keynote. For example, a few weeks ago Apple sold it’s 250 millionth iPod. The iPhone, which I own and love now has over 140 thousand applications I can download to my phone, and since inception, there have been over 3 billion downloads to iPhones in only 18 months. No doubt, Apple has it going on right now with $15.6 billion in revenue just last quarter.

Apple has quickly realized that they are a mobile devises company. iPods are mobile, iPhones are mobile, and most of the Macs Apple now sells are laptops making them the largest mobile devised company in the world.

Thus the launch of the iPad this week to capitalize on this growing obsession on mobility.

The numbers and the documentation pointing to WiMax being the next big boom over the next couple of years is staggering. With all these companies and CEO’s not only praising, but investing BILLIONS into this new mobility craze, I started to think about ways I could capitalize on this next big boom.

It’s one of the reasons why I’m so excited about ZamZuu and the future of online travel sales with YTB Travel Network. I love how this technology is going to increase my presence for my other affiliate products that I share with everyone. There’s been an increasing concentration and focus on how I can be a part of all this – its part of my plan and the goals I set up for 2010 that I encouraged everyone to do here at the beginning of the year.

What you focus on expands – and because of my interests in this technology, thinking of ways to capitalize on this mobility, and being grateful for what I already have – God (or the Universe if that’s more comfortable for you) plopped an incredible opportunity right in my lap.

CLEAR has partnered with a Direct Sales organization that enables me to sell this technology as it expands into 50 new markets this current year, and across the country in years to come. As a marketer who knows other marketers and technology buffs like myself – it all became crystal CLEAR that I not only wanted to – but was inspired to be a part of this next technology boom as an Authorized Dealer for CLEAR.

Remember, even the most staunch (and obnoxious) critics think MLM’ers have it going on when it comes to “multiple streams of income“. The CLEAR product is a perfect product to bring into the fold for a person like me who has already developed the presence, trust, and relationships with thousands who follow and trust my intuition and marketing skills.

It benefits my clients who book travel with me – benefits those who shop with me – and benefits those who recruit with me.

I don’t know about you, but I missed the dial-up boom. I didn’t see the Broadband boom as any big deal, nor could I figure out a way to capitalize on the cell phone and smart phone boom.

I aint missing the next big boom in technology – especially when it benefits my current business with ZamZuu and YTB Travel making it easier and faster to shop and travel with my existing business models.

And yes, if you’re interested in becoming a customer or an Authorized Dealer for CLEAR I’d love to speak with you about this phenomenal product and company. It’s rock solid! Just pick up the phone and give me a call! (My number is below.)

PS - If you're involved with YTB, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. As a Website Owner or Website Seller, we'll keep you up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB.

PPS - Subscribe to the Just Picture It Now RSS feed, (including e-mail) for all the latest posts and updates found right here!

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

Do You ZamZuu?