You best stay out of the kitchen.

Being one of the more visible YTB blogs on the internet, I have my share of readership. Most readers are supporters and enjoy my insight and information about our company.

I also have my share of detractors. Some I would safely say detest my existence for one reason or another. If you’re in the public eye, you can’t be everything to everybody and there will always be those who don’t agree with you. What makes my sort of activity and exposure dangerous is when emotions enter into the mix.

Emotions have too many variables. You can’t expect emotions to remain constant over time or from one person to another. Each individual perceives and reacts to each situation differently. Logic and facts however always have a base or a core that remain constant. One of the things we’re finding through our journey together with YTB is that the facts of our business model are able to withstand the misconception, half-truths, and lies that we see from those who use perceptions and opinions as their core defense.

As expected, John Frenaye took exception to my article on Friday and boldly laid claim that I’m the one who “spins”. He added that his blog was more “legitimate” and his was the only viable option where people had to ability to “judge for themselves”.

He’s also a tad upset at what he’s deemed a “personal attack” and eventually, “my lies” will catch up with me.

My – my – my. How easy it is to dish it out.

It’s interesting to me how quickly this group pulls the “personal attack” card when challenged. I’m not sure if they think they’re too pure, or we’re to take pity and look the other way when their blatant misrepresentations about our people, our Founders and our company are created by their hands. I hate to break it to this group – but they leave some enormous “stinkers” out there on the web. Their activities have left some laughing, and others appalled. We DO know right from wrong, ethical from unethical, what is morally right and what’s morally bankrupt.

To illustrate how bold and brazen John has become over the years, we’ll reference one of the most legitimate and honorable sources I know – our court system. What was forwarded to me last week clearly illustrates why our Home Office made the decision to turn down his requested interviews and why others have come to the conclusion that John can’t be trusted to “report” anything concerning YTB in an unbiased or accurate manor.

Case in point: This was written by John last week on his blog:

Of course, back in August of 2009, we reported on the story where Coach had a ramshackle home and was able to convince a church to make the repairs in return for a lease. But Coach reneged on the lease and got his home fixed for free.

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t call his post entitled “Once Upon a Time” an actual “report” but ironically – a “Fairy Tale”. If you strip away John’s “report” and look at the court documents which are linked in the word “TRUTH” it reveals John’s elaborate web of deception – not Coach’s.

Yes – John’s the one deceiving the flock – pouring Kool-Aid if you will. The “truth” shows that Coach and Chris “donated” the parcel in question to the church for a Minister and his family use as a parsonage. More troublesome; the word “lease” never even appears in the actual court documents, although conveniently inserted by John in his – “report”.

True, the home needed electrical upgrades to meet code, and a gas furnace needed to be converted to propane. There was never any lease however, and Coach and Chris never received a penny for their generous donation to the Church and its family. Consequently, the court concluded:

“the parcel here in issue and the house thereon qualified for exemption during all of the 1998-assessment year either because it was in the process of adaptation for exempt use or because it was actually used by the Church as a parsonage for Rev. Casey.”

I know I’m going out on a limb, but you be the judge here. Which do you find more “legitimate”? John’s “Once Upon A Time” fairy tale – or – documentation from “The State of Illinois“?

What’s so astounding to me, is the man doesn’t appear to understand how anyone could possibly question his “reporting” as wrong or even inappropriate. To question anything he says or does is challenged with a very coy rebuttal and continued claims that HE is the most fair and unbiased source concerning YTB in the land. According to John, he’s proven how Coach has a long history of deception and he’s proud that his flock agrees that Coach should be thrown in jail for doing what he did to this church.

And yes, that type of arrogance is frustrating – even for me.

We can’t forget another court ruling regarding YTB’s business model and claims of an elaborate pyramid scheme that wasn’t just dismissed but tossed out as “redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter“. Again we find John and others on the wrong end of an argument calling the absurd complaint “powerful”.

Here’s how the Honorable Judge Murphy described the complaint:

“The First Amended Consolidated Complaint, filed July 15, 2009, is an ungainly monster of 39 pages containing 133 paragraphs (many of which have subparagraphs) that likely does not pass muster under the familiar federal “notice pleading” standard.”

True to form, John “disagrees” with the court’s ruling, and makes no apologies for his position or opinions. John falls right in line with the type of hideous and outrageous accusations Counsel tried to pull in its second go around, after the first complaint was dismissed. Their answer to the problem – a bolder, more brazen attack.

So which do you find more legitimate? John’s statement, or Judge Murphy?

From John’s point of view, it’s YTB that is “crafty” and “sly”. The only reason why YTB is still around is due to changing our model or living on the very edge of the law. Regardless how much change or how close we “appear” to be, it’s still the right side of the law. YTB’s model has never required “payment for the opportunity to recruit others” from day one. You may not agree with that – you may not understand that – and you may never accept that. But because yours is only “opinion” and not “fact” – you do have to continue to deal with YTB.

Finally, John recently found out that the law is the law, and everyone (including him) must abide regardless of opinions or perceptions. The creation of a fake Zam Zuu fan page to mock and poke fun at our company violated ZamZuu’s trademark causing a confusing similarity. His defense – a space between “Zam” and “Zuu”. (And no, I’m not kidding.)

John, you don’t just stink – you absolutely reek of lies, deceit and a perception that the laws of this land simply don’t apply to you. It’s a double standard that I will not turn away from and I will not make any apologies for in calling you out. We all make mistakes (even me) but there comes a time when you have to stop blaming others or being a victim and take personal responsibility for your own actions.

You are in the public eye and there will be those who will disagree and oppose you. There will also be those who will hold you accountable for your actions. If you don’t like it, either toughen up or stop what you’re doing and go back into hiding.

As it stands right now – you have proven to me, our company, and several outsiders who have no beef one way or another with YTB that you should not be trusted due to your attitude and your actions documented above.

For every action, there is a reaction. So if you don’t like my reaction, stop acting the way you are!

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I don’t know how many actually remember reading “The Scarlet Letter“, nor how many have actually read this classic Nathanial Hawthorne novel. It takes place in Boston in the seventeenth century. A woman named Hester was sentenced to wear a large Scarlett Letter on her breast after it was discovered that her child was conceived from having an adulterous affair. She was deemed a sinner, and was publicly displayed as such. As a result, the town would hurl insults to humiliate her for having sinned.

Hester was publicly shamed – socially isolated and alienated for her indiscretion.

Three centuries later, most of us would consider such a public display barbaric – or at the very least uncivilized. I still see plenty of examples, mostly from my kids experience in school with one child’s attempt to shame another in front of their peers. (Remember seeing the “Kick Me” signs on the back of the class nerd?) As adults, we develop a higher sense of self-worth and self confidence in our own abilities that such behavior is no longer necessary.

The act of shaming another person is an attempt to gain power over another. The desire is to alter and shape another’s behavior or belief. It’s a way to communicate who is the outcast and who are the elite. Who is down-and-out and who is one-up. It produces an immense sense of power and control for the person dishing out the insults – using the other as a punching bag – while deflating the self-esteem and self-worth of the person being shamed.

I’ve never bought into shaming another person as a form of control – it’s just not something that I believe is effective or worthwhile. My recovery from alcoholism 20 years ago enabled me to develop a higher standard of self-worth, self-esteem, and self-confidence. My recovery also changed my perspective when dealing with individuals who attempt to shame others.

It was during that time I found they were the ones who are weak and insecure – not the other way around.

Think about it – if your position and confidence resided where you felt secure there wouldn’t be a need to fill any type of void by stepping on someone else to prop yourself up. Likewise, there wouldn’t even be a need to respond because your own experience and beliefs override any outside attempts to change that belief.

You’d already be whole or complete.

Seeing random acts of humiliating and alienating has increased for me over the last few years. In part, because I’m involved in a very emotional industry which provides average people an opportunity to run a home based business. On the one side, these same average individuals see an opportunity to get themselves out from under the bottom of the pyramid known as traditional business. (Starting at the bottom and never finding a way to work their way up the ladder, or pyramid.) On the other side, you find those who have either failed themselves in a short stint with MLM, or have bought into all the myths and stereotypes they find from reading.

A simple observation will quickly form the conclusion that those who have the least experience on either side are by far the ones who are the loudest and most obnoxious. Why? They don’t have enough experience or documentation to fall back on to support their beliefs or convictions.

Look at Coach, Scott, and Kim. All three have been extremely successful in MLM and their experiences extend back to the early 1980’s with A.L. Williams. Attempting to insert any of the myths, rumors, or stereotypes about MLM into their belief system is like trying to tell YOU the sky is purple. The opposition can jump up and down – scream at the top of their lungs – provide example of others who also think the sky is purple but you’re not going to budge. All those years of looking up to the sky and seeing blue simply can’t be overwritten or changed.

Think that example is oversimplified or outrageous? Possibly – for you. But those of us who’ve been a part of this industry and work it the right way know exactly what I mean. It’s something you can’t explain – like how kids will change your life. You have to experience it to realize the importance or relevance.

I was talking with my father last week about all the egg tossing and mudslinging that I see others get so wrapped up in. He told me he sees it all around us, and is thankful that he’s somewhat isolated now with my younger brother on their farm up in Pittsburgh. While my father is now retired, he still writes and teaches to keep himself occupied during the winter months on the farm. He sent out a publication to his subscriber base yesterday (of which I am a part of) and this one paragraph struck a chord with me after our conversation last week.

I know that rancor and incivility has existed before in the history of this nation’s politics. But seldom if ever has it been in the ugly stalemate we now experience. Neither major party will allow the other party to press any part of its agenda. Senators who argue vociferously on the floor of congress no longer later sit down to lunch or dinner with their other-party colleagues. The scene is ugly and disappointing.

Ugly and disappointing is something our entire Country appears to be trapped in right now. Incivility certainly isn’t reserved for critics of YTB or MLM. It’s a trait that’s been learned and developed throughout the years that frankly, like my father, makes me sick to my stomach. How humans can treat other humans in this fashion is deplorable and unconscionable. For someone to demand respect or a voice by using these tactics goes beyond any boundaries I’ve ever known. It’s a big reason why I have the rules that I do on this blog.

I’ve spent years documenting about my experience and what I know to be true about YTB and MLM here on this blog. You don’t have to agree with it or even read it if it bothers you. But it does have boundaries for those who are incapable of being civil or rational. It’s simply not a trait I’ve been willing to tolerate since I started this blog – and I’m certainly not going to change that position now.

For the life of me, I can’t think of a single example of how insults or humiliation changed or resolved anything. All it did was heighten emotions, not logic. You’d think some would get that. But as we’ve seen – even the brightest, most talented, most promising of individuals fall woefully short of reaching any resolution because they’re just too wrapped up in their own egos.

We can only hope (and pray) that someday they might grow up to become confident, respectable adults.

You never know…it could happen.

In the meantime, just put these people aside and focus on the things you can control and find enjoyable. There’s no pleasure or knowledge in reading insults.

If I can do it, so can you, and you’ll never know how much better life can be until you actually let it all go.

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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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I don’t have much time this morning, but wanted to share with you another great experience with ZamZuu.

Over the weekend, my laptop power supply went on the fritz. The power would cut in and out and the cord had to be just right in order to get power to the laptop. Power cords have been a constant problem over the years because it is a mobile device and I take the laptop with me where ever I go.

Kind of like my right arm. ;-P

Have you ever tried to shop around for a power supply? Did it a couple of years ago and ended up getting one of the all-in-one type supplies that cost about $120. Sure I could hook it up to multiple devices, but that’s hard to do when you need it for your laptop all the time. The next time it went on the fritz, I ordered one off the internet from somebody off of e-bay. Worst mistake I ever made. Sure it was cheap – I think something like $20 but that also meant it was cheap manufacturing. The stupid thing was so noisy you could see static on the television set – and that’s with a conditioner attached to the set! (Something used to clean up the power to the television.)

So the last time I needed to replace the power supply, I was a little more careful and bought from a reputable supplier that specialized in power supplies for around $40. Still cheaper than getting it direct from the computer manufacturer, but not so cheap that it wreaks havoc on all your other appliances.

What I didn’t realize at the time was the manufacturer who makes these power supplies also OEM’s them for other retailers, and depending on who you purchase it from, it could save you some money. Once I found the right price from a retailer I knew and trusted – I decided to log into my ZamZuu site to see if the retailer was one of the hundreds offered in my shopping portal. All I had to do was type the name in the search box and up it came.

So get this – not only did I find the cheapest price on the internet, I got it even cheaper because I was smart enough to check out ZamZuu before I decided to buy. And the time it took to log into ZamZuu to check? Less than 60 seconds to find the exact same item, for the exact same price through ZamZuu to get cash back.

As it turns out – the problem wasn’t the power cord, but the power supply connection inside the computer. After a little investigation, it was found that this tiny little item is attached to the mother board of the computer. (Meaning that in order to replace the power supply, you need to replace the main guts of the computer.)

More research showed that a new board for an outdated computer would cost around $400 to buy and repair. I can do a lot with computers – but a motherboard in a laptop isn’t one of them.

So what do we do now?

Do another search on the internet silly to find a new computer with the right features and the right price.

Not only did I find one, I found it locally from one of the big box retailers – who as you might have guessed is available through ZamZuu. (It’s one we have listed as our “Favorites”) Like the desktop that bit the dust before Christmas, this was another customer pickup that had a new laptop in my hands within 20 minutes of ordering a smashing new Dell laptop with most of the bells and whistles I wanted.

So from the comfort of an office chair I not only find the best deal in town, but get it for less because I went through ZamZuu.

I remember the old days of store hoping and think how chaotic and time consuming that process is – only to run into a cheaper price somewhere else a week later because I was too tired to take the time to check.

Well, I do have something that will take some time. Getting all my information on this computer from the weekly backups I make. I should be good as new by this afternoon with everything in its place.

Just wanted to share another reason and a personal experience that continues to cement my belief and faith that YTB is heading in the right direction. Without YTB’s foresight to diversify, it probably would have cost me a lot more time and money because I’m used to doing things a certain way. (Aren’t we all.)

Now that I know how easy and quick this is, you’d be hard pressed to ever get me to go back to doing things the old way.

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Whether you’re a fan of football or not, you were probably one of the estimated 100 million strong who tuned into watch last night’s Super Bowl. Parties pop up all over the world to watch this event.

Some even tune in to watch a football game.

Obviously Saints and Colts fans were watching to cheer for their respective teams. Old rockers like myself wanted to see if “The Who” could still make it through a set without suffering cardiac arrest. (The Super Bowl has come a long way since “Up With People” huh?) But the vast majority of the water cooler talk this morning I would imagine are the Super Bowl commercials that advertisers invested millions per spot to create brand recognition and buzz.

One of those advertisers the last 23 years had been Pepsi. But Pepsi decided to opt out this year not because they couldn’t afford the $12 million it would cost to air two spots during last night’s game. They opted out because they’re betting that “the days of mass-market media as the sole vehicle to reach an audience are officially over”.

Yep, you read that right, and an article forwarded to me last week lays out a whole new strategy for Pepsi that will focus on Social Media instead of Mass Media. For Pepsi, the Social Media platform is a much stronger and longer lasting medium for a yearlong initiative and their “Pepsi Refresh” campaign.

Granted, people still talk about Cindy Crawford’s appearance a couple years ago during the Super Bowl. (My personal favorites happen to be the E-Trade Babies that are absolutely hilarious!) The new Pepsi initiative however, in order for it to work, requires far more than a laugh, brand buzz or Monday morning water cooler talk.

“This is such a fundamental change from anything we’ve done in the past,” says Lauren Hobart, chief marketing officer for Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages. “It’s a big shift. We explored different launch plans, and the Super Bowl just wasn’t the right venue, because we’re really trying to spark a full-year movement from the ground up. The plan is to have much more two-way dialogue with our customers.”

The plan for Pepsi is to create a “charitable initiative that can build goodwill”. Pepsi wants to give away $20 million in grant money to fund projects in six categories: health, arts and culture, food and shelter, the planet, neighborhoods and education. You don’t start an initiative like that by spending $12 million in advertising dollars during the Super Bowl. It defeats the purpose, especially when there’s a better – more powerful medium that enables interaction between the company and the consumer who will guide this money to worthy projects.

Will this goodwill initiative spawn new customers and help Pepsi’s bottom line? It may not be enough for a Coke fan like myself to switch, but I do find Pepsi’s initiative refreshing enough to write about it – which could lead others to switch. (For the record, it does shed a whole new light on Dr. Pepper, which is a Pepsi brand I do drink.) For some it could tap into brand loyalty in a way that Mass Media could never do – especially during an event like the Super Bowl that’s designed for entertainment and not social change. That’s why I think Pepsi hits the mark with their choice to opt out of the Super Bowl this year and move to Social Media instead.

In my opinion, it’s a perfect marriage for goodwill and social change.

Social Media is just that – “social”. We’re social beings and the platforms available such as Twitter and Facebook enable big name companies to interact and promote not only their brand, but their cause. You’d be hard pressed not to find a company in this day and age who doesn’t have either a Facebook fan page or Twitter account, or both. Not to say some still don’t have one, but if you’re looking to build your company both mediums appear to be a top priority because they enable the company to interact with their customers in ways never thought possible before.

Like this story – Re-Tweet it. Something you find interesting or strikes a chord with you – write about it and link to it on your Facebook wall. Both platforms can do far more than announcing to the world you’re getting ready to get ready to go out next Friday night. And the thing is – people and companies are beginning to see the power these social platforms have. They’ve quickly turned into tools that promote meaningful change and perhaps, for companies like Pepsi – a better bottom line.

Aside from talking about all those over the top and extremely entertaining Super Bowl commercials there’s really very little value for me or you after that. Not that I have anything against brand buzz or hype. I buy into it just as much as the next guy – especially if it technology or travel related. But this shift Pepsi is taking this year takes a strike directly at this long standing medium and makes a very bold statement that there is another way – a better way to get your message and brand out to the masses.

I think about the ZamZuu video that’s on our Rep Accounts, and I see those quotes about the internet, Facebook, old ways of doing business, and traditional advertising being dead.

Couple that with what Pepsi is doing?

Do you think both could be dead wrong?

Possibly. But I don’t think the odds are that overwhelming when you have big names like Pepsi jumping from Mass Media to the Social Media bandwagon. You don’t just stop doing things after 23 years without some very close and careful analysis.

It’s certainly a very bold move. But those of us in YTB, know all about being bold don’t we?

Can’t wait to see how both shake out. ;-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.

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.

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I’m guessing I’m showing my age here – but you can’t bring up Princess Cruises without “The Love Boat” Theme running through my head. Truth is, the show was partly responsible for me wanting to work in the travel industry. The show certainly portrayed a very glamorous lifestyle that I wanted to be part of.

Little did I know at the time what the future had in store for me with an opportunity like YTB.

Several years ago YTB came up with this idea of hosting a “Sail-a-thon” on the Internet to promote both key partners and destinations for our customers. The field loves it because it gives many an opportunity to host a party at the house. Partners love it because it costs them nothing. They simply piggy back on the technology and infrastructure YTB has invested in – giving them an opportunity to promote from a single location to thousands. YTB has been hosting these “Sail-A-Thons” for years with several companies and since they keep on popping up every couple of months – everyone involved sees value in the events.

Cruise nights aren’t new however. CLIA (Cruise Line Industry Association) actually came up with the concept five years ago with the “World’s Largest Cruise Night“. Hundreds of Agencies still get together in a collective effort each year in October to promote the joy of cruising to clients.

All YTB did was modernize the concept, making it easier for clients to become informed and educated, while at the same time saving Cruise Lines some serious money by reaching the same number of clients (if not more) from one centralized location over the internet. Most recently, YTB partnered the webcast with Facebook to make it even easier for YTB Agents to send a simple link to friends and clients to enjoy specials and promotions on the worlds most popular social networking site.

Adding Facebook into the equation makes it interactive, an element that was missing with a simple webcast. When YTB tried it for the first time with Carnival back in November, we had no idea the power it possessed and how much fun it could be. Thousands of people posted their favorite cruise pictures and some even won prizes! (Like yours truly. ;-P)

Thursday night, Princess Cruises gets into the act with a new twist called Trivia Night. The hour long broadcast will ask six Trivia Gold questions about Princess and/or Alaska to give viewers a chance to win prizes by answering the questions. In the meantime viewers also become educated on the value of cruising – and more specifically why Princess Cruises is the premier cruise line when it comes to an Alaska destination.

For example, a 7-night Voyage of the Glaciers cruise is followed by 5-nights on land featuring 1 night at McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, 2 nights at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and 2 nights at Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. It’s the only cruise of it’s kind. Princess has invested millions into these lodges and you won’t find these type of amenities from any other cruise line.

This cruisetour offers the ultimate vacation for the entire family, ensuring you see all the best of Alaska by land and by sea. You just can’t get that with any other line. 

As an added incentive to “come aboard”, Cruise customers will see some great prices for all destinations with the following benefits:

• Up to $100 onboard credit per stateroom
• Reduced deposit of just $100 per person
• Coupons worth up to $325 in onboard savings

The entire savings package can be found right here, and you can pull up a direct link to Princess Cruise Lines here to investigate and price out your next Princess Cruise.

The Sail-a-Thon should be a lot fun. From what I saw, Facebook fans enjoyed interacting with each other during the Carnival Sail-a-Thon a few months ago.

Technology – aint it grand?

Hope to see you there and of course some of you will be singing it with me until then…

Love, exciting and new
Come Aboard. We’re expecting you.
Love, life’s sweetest reward.
Let it flow, it floats back to you.

If you’re too young to remember the song that’s okay. Just remember to join us tomorrow night!

Hope to see you then!

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