If you’ve been with YTB for any length of time like I have, you know how slow things can be this time of year. Most people, as they should, are focused on Holiday activities, and the thought of booking a large vacation, or starting a new business is one of the last things on peoples minds. On the other hand, many use Christmas money to book a vacation, or have New Years Resolutions that creates a tidal wave of prospects looking to start a new business or trying some new venture.

YTB is getting into the Holiday Spirit with a Holiday Sales for both Clients and potential Travel Store Owners.

I wrote Monday about the One Day Carnival Sale going on this Thursday with exceptional deals and stocking stuffers, (if you can call a 100,000 ton cruise ship a “stocking stuffer”!) While your free to let your friends and family decide just where they want to go with these Gift Certificates, we also have some great deals on our Group Bookings page with pricing to include port charges, taxes, and pre-paid gratuities. (We have a PDF here you can download and print to help decide.) Purchase of these group packages can be turned into a “stocking stuffer” from Santa for each of the guests. (I’ve done it in years past, just ask me how!)

Next, for those who are looking at starting a Home Based Business in 2009, we have a couple of FIRST TIME incentives to get you going this Holiday Season.

How would you like to see if YTB might be a good fit, but can’t find the cash to see if selling travel would be your thing?

From now until January 10th, you can become an Affiliate of YTB for only $250. You recieve all the great niche sites available such as Golf, Romance, Outdoors, and Flowers, with your first months hosting fee is waived, (a $49.95 value), and the ability to earn 30% commission on all travel sales you produce.

Find out just like I did that selling travel is easy? NO PROBLEM. You can upgrade to 60% for an additional $250 at any time.

YTB can also save you some money if you looking to go all the way and earn (like me) 70% commission on all sales and upgrade from Affiliate to RTA for only $499.90. Save now through January 10th, and YTB will throw in your second and third month hosting fee, (a $99.90 value) and provide complimentary First Class Training to get you started on the right foot. (a $149.00 value)

That’s a savings of $250 just for the Holidays!

Once you complete the First Class Training and pass the required test, you can then upgrade to 70% commission when you book travel either off your Travel Site or directly with suppliers. (You will remain at 60% commission until First Class Training is taken and passed.)

All the details on how to get started with your own state of the art Travel Store can be found here.

Tis the season of “wise buys” and with this economy, (Now “offically” a recession. Who Knew?) people need to look for value as a consumer and as a business owner.

With savings like this, it makes for very “Happy Holidays”!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

Whatever happened to personal responsibility? When did we start blaming everything and everyone else but ourselves for problems? I found a gem the other day, and come to find out that it’s not the lack of service, it’s not all the time we spend on the internet posting our opinions, it’s not because we forgot just who our clients are and what our customers actually want. And it certainly can’t be because our clients are capable of doing what we do for a living on their own through the likes of web sites called Travelocity, Orbitz, and Expedia.

No, it’s none of that. What it all boils down to is none other than Travel Weekly. Who knew?

Interesting that after a years worth of hammering suppliers to choke out the pariah of untrained and uneducated Yahoo’s to little or no avail, (Royal Caribbean, Perilo, and Celtic Tours were the only three that headed the pleas.) we now move to the media outlets and industry publications to what looks like a new desperate attempt, begging if you will, to stop promoting these blasted MLM’ers who are ruining their business.

It’s not the first time suppliers have turned their back on the traditional travel agents, suppliers need the business, especially in this economy. Speculation that it was the suppliers fault stemmed from the ASTA who took a stand against MLM back in 2005 going all the way to the FTC. The blame fell squarely on the backs of suppliers after their attempt fell flat. Today, the largest cruise line in the world has teamed up with the largest Travel MLM in the world to promote gift certificates to increase sales for both the cruise line and the agency in the 4th Quarter.

A battle that I can only guess critics have resigned themselves to finally let go of.

Now that some have moved past the fact that suppliers just aren’t going to listen, the focus now turns to trade publications as they blast away at one of the most prominent and respected industry publications in the industry, Travel Weekly.

What was thought to be a fluke back in 2007 when YTB suddenly appeared on the pages of Travel Weekly’s Power List at #35 was dismissed as being nothing more than recruiting fees by those who needed to forgive Travel Weekly for their grave error. When news broke later in the year concerning Royal Caribbean’s termination of YTB, the company and its founders were suddenly catapulted to the front pages of just about every travel publication on the market. Most by the way praised the RCL move, as it was believed that this would be the first step in the avalanched of suppliers who would now agree that Travel and MLM’s are in fact a bad mix.

Instead of an avalanche of suppliers, what was found was more media coverage for Kim Sorensen who was named one of the 33 most influential in the travel industry and when you compare that to just 3 suppliers who sided with PATH, most everyone can see how lopsided that slap in the face was.

To add insult to injury the media coverage by Travel Weekly didn’t stop in 2007. While many critics speculated that Travel Weekly had “seen the light” and the nightmare of all this free publicity was now over, not only did Travel Weekly yet again document sales of $414.5 million in travel sales for YTB, but informed the masses that this speculation of “fees” were unfounded. No, the editors took the time to inform and educate critics when they stated that they check “numerous times” and $414.5 million are in fact “travel sales” not the “fees” that were being pitched.

Dag gummit!

I guess the final straw for these agents was Kim Sorensen being named to Travel Weekly’s Virtual Leisure Summit this fall. I could also speculate that this one name brought in a good number of participants who would have never given this new virtual summit a second thought if it weren’t for a name like Kim Sorensen being attached to it. Now I don’t know this for a fact, but I have to wonder just how big the smile were on editors faces over the frenzy this one name created all over the internet. If you know anything about marketing and media, they LOVE people and circumstances that go against the norm. That’s what makes it newsworthy. (I just listened to an audio from Joe Vitale, AKA: “Mr. Fire” yesterday that eluded to this very subject.)

If you find something that works, you keep doing it. A big reason why Kim will be participating in the upcoming “Preview 2009” December 18th and 19th. It’s got people talking all over the internet once again, as the article above pitches the show, and the buzz has also prompted Mark Murphy, President and CEO of Performance Media Group a competing publication to mention both YTB and Travel Weekly in its own publication.

What’s unfortunate is that Mark, like most who’ve never been involved in Network Marketing simply perpetuates more myths about the industry. He’s obviously unaware that A.L. Williams is no longer A.L. Williams, but now Primerica. Nor did he realize that this form of sitting across the kitchen table helped A.L. Williams gain the number one spot in Whole Life Insurance for 7 straight years.

Even sadder, and I see this all the time from ignorant (not stupid) people who don’t know any better. This use of the 2007 Income Disclosure Statement is almost always documented to show that all YTB does is recruit people into the business. I’ve yet to see any outsider realize that this document actually contradicts the very myth their trying to promote. Those I speak with who’ve heard this myth suddenly realize that this fear about everyone recruiting is inevitably washed away when they see that only 20% of the company actually recruits a single soul.

I don’t know if the ASTA was actually informed by the FTC about these recruiting fees back in 2005, based on how their pitch fell flat. I suspect the facts will come to light for everyone once again via California that it doesn’t cost anyone a dime to recruit new members into YTB. Some of our critics already know this as they may be counted in the 2008 Income Disclosure Statement as making squat. But that’s yet another story for another post for 2009.

In the meantime, well enjoy the press and the talk about YTB as it continues to make headlines and front page news for going against the norm and creating its own entity in the travel industry.

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

I’ve known this site was being developed for a couple of weeks now, and have been checking its status on a regular basis.

I’m pleased to inform you that YTB has a new site up entitled “The Facts About YTB”. (www.thefactsaboutytb.com)

This site is designed to document and correct many of the slanderous and misleading claims that have been spread all over the internet by our critics and our competitors. I’m pleased to see the many links to third party sources, (much like I do here) to document who YTB is and what YTB does as fact not the fiction you see in various forums and message boards.

YTB is very proud of and stands by its business model. “The Facts About YTB” not only answers the claims, but does raise additional questions aimed directly at some of our competitors and critics that should bring into question their own business structure and tactics.

This site is also designed to be updated on a regular basis to keep current with issues as they arise.

As YTB continues to move forward as it gains larger and larger market share in the Travel Industry, we will continue to have some sort of opposition that may attempt to mislead you. Much the same way it has in the past. Look to this site as the “official word” on where YTB stands, and how YTB responds to the claims lodged against them.

Enjoy!

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

I’ve enjoyed the last couple of days watching the critics swarm around the virtual water coolers on the internet just licking their chops for the third quarter numbers to come out. I checked one of my favorite places and laughed at how anxious they were. It reminded me of a bunch of addicts waiting for some dealer to show up so they could get their fix. It’s been more than 19 years since my last drink or drug, but I still remember waiting with anxious anticipation for THAT car being the guy with my next score.

Imagine their surprise when the dealer ends up being an undercover Cop to bust them.

On what charge you say? Being F.O.S. (Think about it.)

The speculation of course was that YTB has been bleeding money, and Management doesn’t know how to manage the money they have. When news broke earlier in the week over the pending sale of the old Home Office building it was because YTB was in a cash crunch. It had nothing to do with the fact we have a gorgeous new 130,000 square-foot complex to move into. No, we needed the money because our critics were absolutely sure that there would be yet another huge loss for YTB.

Why? Because recruiting is down, and the focus of course (actually “phobia” is a much better choice of words) has always been about the recruiting. Their theory is that if you can cut the recruiting off at the knees you cut the life blood of the pariah that consumes and controls your life.

How I would have loved to see the looks on the faces when critics opened the YTB 10-Q and saw a profit for Q3 of $287,999.

Surprise!

So what went wrong? How could the critics have been so far off base? (Again)

Simple. They don’t have the first clue how a Network Marketing business actually operates and stays solvent. (I’ll even go as far as stating ANY business for that matter.) This quarterly provides proof that it’s not about “recruiting” and the Kool-aid they’ve been drinking is spiked with nothing but rumors, lies and myths.

None of these characters have any actually experience in Network Marketing, and the knowledge they acquire to form their beliefs and opinions isn’t even “book learning” for the most part. Many of the beliefs are formed from the very massage boards and blogs they participate in. The blind leading the blind so to speak, so it’s not at all surprising that everyone ended up looking like dolts.

I don’t know, nor do I care if they’ll ever grasp that the money made in selling travel agencies goes directly out to the field. Every penny of the $449.95 from the sale of a travel agency is tied to the representatives who sold it. If you like that idea, you can join the ranks of YourTravelBiz.com for free by the way. And “free” negates the California complaint according to the letter of the law. But that’s yet another surprise we have for our critics.

The number critics were looking for certainly showed up with a mere 114,614 active RTA’s at the end of the quarter, a decrease of 13% from the previous quarter. Sales of travel agencies were cut more than half, down from 38k in Q3 of 2007 to 15k the current quarter.

So how in the world could YTB show anything other than massive bleeding and negative numbers?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the numbers.

• Online travel store sales increased $1,205,560 or 10.8%
• Monthly renewal fees increased $576,579 or 3.3%
• Travel commissions and services increased $2,478,103 or 44.8%
• Training programs and marketing materials revenue decreased ($1,843,333) or 40.8%
• Other income increased in the third quarter by $590,203 or 52.7%

Net revenues totaled $42,876,354 and $39,869,242 in the third quarter of 2008 and 2007, respectively, a slight increase of 7.5%.

Expenses also increased considerably year over year with the following breakdown.

• Depreciation and amortization increased of 123.0% or $374,274.
• Marketing and selling expenses increased by $825,865 or 152.0%
• General and administrative expenses increased 50.7% or $6,242,058.

So let’s me see if we have this right? We had a decrease in RTA’s, increased expenditures, but increased revenue for a quarterly profit of $288K?

Yep. The numbers don’t lie, that’s exactly what happened and our critics are busy scratching their heads wondering what happened.

What’s so much fun to watch is that after Q2 reports came out, and predictions of up to $6 million in losses bit them in the gluteus maximus, we were told to wait until Q3. Excuses started to emerge just like they are now. The spin and claims now are that none of the additional slander and junk they’ve been spinning has had time to take full effect. The California suit had just been announced, and ambulance chasers decided to get into the action as well to spread fear about the end of YTB mid quarter. Now that those allegations have come up lame these very same people who simply ignored the egg on their face last quarter are looking once again into the unknown. Believe it or not, we’re all supposed to wait until the Annual Report for them to show us they’re right and we’re wrong. How fun it is watching them weasel their way out of yet another speculative blunder.

For the record, I don’t know why they do it. It’s almost as if they like looking like clowns. I think a more accurate description would be that their entire existence revolves around proving their superior knowledge and understanding about any subject of conversation. It could be taxes, travel, ethics, stocks, laws, compliance, you name it. If it’s being discussed around the virtual water coolers on the internet, they always appear to be the guy or gal who’s “in the know”.

And a simple word of caution when it comes to correcting any of them. Don’t. You’ll be called every name in the book, as they attempt to shame you into submission among the other participants. Looking at this intelligently or rationally will have you scorned until you either give up or conform to their way of thinking. My best advice is to just smile and nod in a positive manor and when you turn your back you can then roll your eyes, or smirk and chuckle to yourself how insecure and desperate they are.

So we’ll just have to wait, AGAIN, for the promise of our critics showing us that this model just doesn’t work. It’s flawed because all the money is made recruiting people. When the recruiting dries up like it has, we’re promised that the house of cards we’ve built will come crashing down.

Do you really want to worry about such nonsense and spin? Or would you rather look at the fact that YTB turned a profit under the combined adversity of mud slinging and economic conditions?

The choice is yours.

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

At the end of yesterday’s post I asked the following question.

What do the following companies have in common?

• Carlson Wagonlit Travel
• Choice Hotels
• CruiseOne, Inc.
• Discovery Map International
• Hotel Indigo
• Microtel Inn
• Passport Health Communications
• Thetravelacademy
• Uniglobe Travel International
• Your Travel Biz

They’re not all host agencies, but they are all travel related in some form or fashion. No big deal, until you go pick up a copy of the November issue of Inc. Magazine and take a gander at the middle of page 138. There you will find “Candee’s Picks” for Leading Travel Franchise Opportunities.

“Ask Candee” is a column written by Candee Wilde specifically written about the franchise business and you can find some of her former columns on the internet where she has featured other franchise opportunities.

Q.  In these rocky financial times, is it wise to purchase a franchise in the travel industry?

A. There are few barriers to entry, in terms of cost or past experience, and even when people are tightening their belts, they continue to take vacations.

Travel is a solid industry, and the cruise business in particular just continues to grow. An investment in travel can be lucrative and, not to be underestimated, fun.

It’s important to note here that the actual article is written around CruiseOne, Inc. and the opportunity it has to offer. I could note here what some of the similarities and differences are for you here concerning CruiseOne and Your Travel Biz, however, I’ll let you pick up a copy on your own to decide for yourself.

What I would like to highlight and find interesting to say the least is that Candee noted Your Travel Biz with these other companies. To be listed among and associated with names on this list is a nice feather in the cap, especially when you consider the credibility of a magazine like Inc.. In addition, you can’t consider this listing one of those “paid endorsements” that YTB is accused of all too often. Nope, this one was even a surprise to Home Office.

Speaking of accusations, I have to wonder how critics will take this listing now that it’s been made public. I can just hear the ranting now.

Don’t they know what’s going on in California?

Have they not looked at the Financial Statements?

Have they not seen the stock price?

They’re not a “franchise”.

What does “Inc. Magazine” know about travel?

About all I can say about the excuses that are bound to come up, is this.

Not everyone has to agree with the negative perceptions and obsession about Network Marketing the way the critics do. Inc. Magazine is written for the entrepreneur, the business owner, the capitalist in this country. What a couple of broke critics who do nothing but post all day long on message boards, forums, and blogs with the intent to malign and slander a company they have never been associated with, nor never will have any involvement in, isn’t something the editors of Inc. are all that concerned with.

Furthermore, if in fact Candee was not fully aware of all the trappings some critics are concerned with, they might not doing a very good job in getting the word out. (Remember our Underground Shopper yesterday?) While I agree that Your Travel Biz is something critics seem to be up to their eyeballs in, very few people take it to the emotional extremes they do.

I can (and will) contend that the excuses brought up to minimize this association with other Leading Franchise Opportunities are just that, excuses. I’ve written about Pre-Paid Legal before, and it’s 31 lawsuits totaling $745 million back in 2002. I’ve also written about USANA and Herbalife in more recent issues and while our critics simply ignore how these companies not only overcame the obstacles set before them, they’re all thriving today.

While some would like to point out that profits from Your Travel Biz are not common place with the company, digging into the financials does show substantial purchases in land, support systems, technology, training, expansion into International markets, and a very large home office where they will reside when my kids have kids.

I have serious doubts that a publication like Inc. Magazine would even consider reading comments on some of the boards and forums out there to collect data for its publication. Although entertaining, smart business people don’t associate, nor do they care about this type of information. There’s no substance, it lacks verification, and it reeks of spinning.

It’s good to see a publication like Inc., and a writer like Candee picking Your Travel Biz as a leading opportunity.

Hummmmm, wonder what they know that the critics don’t?

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

I wanted to share something that I’m personally very proud of about this company. In actually perspective, my roll in this was actually very little. It does show just what kind of people I work with and work for. To realize that I’m still in the infant stage of this company and see what is happening…the vendor awards from Carnival, Holland America, Apple Vacations, and the “Success from Home” publication, and now a new company goal for the entire year that was reached a few weeks ago.

YTB reached its Dec 31, 2006 goal of 52,269 Referring Travel Agents (RTA’S) on Oct 19, 2006.

There was celebration at the home office after the announcement was made during a record setting crowd attended Red Carpet Day Orientation where 350 visitors touring the home office witnessed the excitement of the moment as the bonus presentation was kept secret from the 129 employees until the announcement was made on Thursday. Previously, YTB home office employees were given a bonus equal to $50 for every month they have been employed by YTB not to exceed $1500.

In January 2006, when YTB had only 21,000 RTA’s, YTB founders Coach, Scott, and Kim spoke with all the employees in a group setting telling them that YTB’s 2006 goal for RTA’s by December 31, 2006 was 52,269. The whole room went silent right after the announcement was made because the employees did the math and it seemed ridiculous to them that if it took 5 years of hard work really getting with it after becoming a company to reach 21,000 RTA’s, to reach a number 2 ½ times that size in one year was not possible.

However, CEO Scott Tomer told the group that when, not if, we reach our goal each employee would receive a Christmas bonus of 3 times the amount of last year’s bonus. The employees quickly did the math.

All of the sudden the fever caught on. Signs posted on Clocks and everywhere were made with the number 52,269, even in the restrooms. It became a part of the home office culture to focus on that goal. They were saying, “What can I do today to help YTB get there?” Excitement and commitment reigned. Every employee, new and old, knew of the goal and the potential for each of them. Everyone tracked the number every day; everyone. They knew what kind of money was at stake. Instead of receiving a $600 Christmas bonus for being an employee for one year, 3 x $600 = $1800. An employee who maxed out at the $1500 bonus would get a $4500 bonus.

So when the meeting took place at the home office to announce that YTB had reached its 2006 goal of 52,269 something very surprising happened.

The top 3 RTA’s of YTB who are either at the level 4 or 5 director position were in attendance at the presentation. Each of these directors stepped up to the plate and said they wanted to contribute an amount equal to one more bonus for each of the employees, making it 4 times their regular Christmas bonus. YTB founders, Coach, Scott, and Kim agreed and all of a sudden there lots of tears and kisses, expressions of gratitude.

Over $300,000 was given out that afternoon. Throughout the afternoon people were talking, telling stories, emails and smiles among all of the 129 employees at YTB home office in Edwardsville, IL about the generosity of the leaders and sales people of YTB. All employees’ lifestyles were improved that day. Some will use their Christmas Bonus to pay off bills, fix a car, a down payment on a new house, and some of the money will go for college expenses, parents to be comforted, weddings to be planned, vacation dreams to come true. You would have to have been there to see the tears on Coach’s face. He was experiencing the joy of giving. YTB employees experienced the hearts of all who made this bonus possible by their extreme generosity.

That bonus turned 129 employees into loyal marketers, supporters, and defenders of YTB to the death. They know that YTB is the best of the best places of anywhere in the world to work.

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With

I found this in my “in box” this morning from a woman who came to a company presentation Monday night. I have asked her permission to publish her e-mail in order to alert the public.

“I am so excited! I have a trip that I have to go to in June. I already called the resort in Mexico and could get a great agent rate! I also checked Spirit airlines and see we can get a flat rate for a little over a hundred dollars. Have you used the Spirit airlines discount before? Ok I’m going back to bed. It’s 4am and I can’t stop looking at the site, thinking and dreaming YTB, thinking of some different marketing ideas, dreaming of luxury vacations, going on my first cruise—-
Oh well you get the picture.
Good night-I mean Good morning!
Dominique”

Unfortunately, I DO know what she means. It’s a syndrome that both Scientists and Physicians don’t really know that much about called “YTBitis”.

Key symptoms Include:

• Daydreaming about Exotic Destinations
• Sleepless Nights Surfing for “Deals”
• Racing Mind of “Who to Talk To!”
• Talking to pure strangers, people they don’t even know
• Spending more time with family
• Excessive traveling and vacationing, up to several times per year
• Decreased tax burden
  

The worst symptom of all…most whom are infected with YTBitis experience increased bank accounts of Tens, sometime Hundreds of Thousand of Dollars.

Currently there have only been 52,000 cases found here in the US, but YTBitis has shown to be gaining momentum with up to 200 to 300 new cases found per day. Current statistics show that YTBitis is rapidly taking over the entire country and it is feared, soon the WORLD starting in January of 2007! Experts have worked diligently to trace this growing outbreak back to just three man…J. Lloyd Tomer also know as Coach, his son Scott Tomer, and J. Kim Sorensen. All three have been linked back to a Travel Company known as YourTravelBiz.com, or YTB for short. While based just outside of St. Louis, Missouri, these three Gentlemen continue to travel across the country, spreading YTBitis which has only shown to increase the momentum!

The good news is that individuals can learn to live with this over time. Some cases have actually been quoted as saying, “I’ll let you in on a little secret. This is sooo easy, fun too!” Nevertheless, there will soon be a National Publication out in Bookstores and New Stands in January of 2007 concerning this syndrome from the editors of “Success From Home”. A growing number of cases have also been found to already have this publication in hand; in order to alert the public of this growing trend. Support groups have been organized all over the country, even full day trainings in most major cities which continue to grow in order to learn how to cope with these indicators.

Yet, no one really knows if a cure will ever be found.

While “YTBitis” will have most suspected infections with bags under their eyes due to sleepless nights, obviously the worst part about this ailment, the rest is very “manageable”. Experts all agree this is certainly not life threatening, some occurrences have actually been considered to be “life enhancing”.

If you feel you need to learn more about YTBitis and how it could affect you or your family, please contact your nearest YTB Representative to get the full story on this sweeping epidemic.

Thank you.

Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

Learn How To Become A Travel Agent

Book Your Travel & Vacations With