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

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