------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Online Travel Business Blog: January 2008

Thursday, January 31, 2008

YTB CANADA LAUNCH INFORMATION HERE

The Canadian roll out is upon us! Need to know how YOU can get onboard with YTB Canada, contact me: reginaosei@gmail.com
Click here to Enjoy the BEST that YTB has to offer YOU!

Read the latest info from YTB about the expansion below:

Canada Launch Enrollment and Activation
As you know, we are quickly approaching our launch date into Canada on February 8, 2008. This much anticipated event is exciting for YTB and all our friends who are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to join our ranks. Our new and/or returning friends will be welcomed with open arms on our launch date! The details of sign-up and re-activation are mentioned in this e-mail. Rest assured that we have a top-notch International Team, including in-house and Canadian legal counsel, working on the many details of conducting business in Canada and expanding our opportunity to anyone there that would be interested in joining our YTB family.

In celebration of our expansion into Canada, we will hold two kick off meetings to support the Company's international expansion initiatives.

"YTB International is thrilled to be welcomed into Canada," said YTB Founder Lloyd "Coach" Tomer. "Being able to conduct business in Canada provides a valuable opportunity for YTB Reps and Referring Travel Affiliates (RTAs). We couldn't be happier to add Canada to the YTB international family, and we look forward to expanding our global business even farther."

Kick off meetings will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, February 9, 2008 at 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre and in Toronto, Ontario, on Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Pearson Convention Center. YTB is accepting event reservations by e-mail at kickoffcanada@ytb.com. Please take a moment to let us know that you are going to be at one or both events.

Speaking at the events will be Coach Tomer, CEO Scott Tomer, as well as President and Chief Operating Officer Andy Cauthen and Derek Avera, Vice President of International Business Development for YourTravelBiz.com.

We are excited to expand into Canada and it is very important that we are compliant with Canadian regulations. We have been working diligently to meet or exceed the requirements of each province and in keeping with this, have not authorized any business to be conducted in Canada prior to our launch date.

Provinces and Territories: YTB will launch in all provinces and territories on February 8, 2008 with the exception of Quebec. Because of the potential consequences of operating in Quebec relating to the travel industry and travel sales, YTB will not launch in that province initially. YTB will strictly enforce that there can be no Rep or RTA enrollment or activity, or sale of travel in Quebec. YTB will continue to pursue a legal course to meet the travel sales requirements of the Quebec regulatory authorities.

The official launch date is February 8, 2008 and we will begin to do business in Canada that day. Any YTB recruitment activity conducted prior to February 8, 2008 was not authorized by YTB. In fairness to new RTAs and Reps, as well as current U.S. RTAs and Reps, February 8 will be the first day we will accept sign-ups for YTB business in Canada. If prior arrangements have been made with YTB prospects, or if we have RTAs and Reps who have signed up with YTB using incorrect information, they will have the opportunity to make changes to their registration including details such as address, phone number, S.I.N.,etc. by e-mailing ytbcanada@ytb.com. Upon receipt of their updated information and acceptance of the Canadian Terms & Conditions and Policies & Procedures their account will be reactivated on February 8th.

Attached to this transmission you will find a Frequently Asked Questions document with specific details concerning the differences between conducting business in Canada and the United States. Please read this information carefully and share it with your friends and family who plan to join the YTB family.

Thank you for your work in spreading the good news about the company we have built - and continue to build - together. Know that there are more great things to come. We share and appreciate your enthusiasm as we expand our business into Canada and beyond!

Derek Avera
Vice President of International Business Development
YourTravelBiz.com

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

YTB CANADA LAUNCH MEETINGS

YTB IS OPENING IN CANADA!

SAVE THE DATE: February 8, 2008

Be a part of HISTORY in the making! Join us for the YTB Kickoff in Canada!

YTB Canada Meetings

Vancouver, British Columbia
Saturday, February 9, 2008
2:00 - 4:00 pm PST
Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre, Suite 200
999 Canada Place
Vancouver, BC V6C 3C1
Phone: 604-689-8232

Toronto, Ontario
Saturday, February 16, 2008
2:00 - 4:00 pm EST
Pearson Convention Center
2638 Steeles Avenue
East Brampton Ontario L6T 4L7
Phone: 905-494-0444
(Approximately 10 min. from the airport)

YTB Founders, Coach Lloyd Tomer and Scott Tomer (CEO) will be the featured speakers at each Kick-Off Canada event, along with Andy Cauthen, Chief Operating Officer, YTBI, Derek Avera, VP of International Business Development, YourTravelBiz.com.

Each event will be outstanding, with door prizes being given away at both meetings!

In anticipation of this expansion, we seeking leaders in Canda who can assist us to expand our business in Canada. Time is short and we need leaders now to prepare for the pending LAUNCH DAY! Referring Travel Affiliates (RTAs) and Reps who reside in Canada will be able to sell travel through YTB websites (RTA) and market online travel agencies (Rep) to people in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Canada. If you are ready to go straight to the TOP, contact us! New YTB Canada RTAs will be able to take advantage of the same training opportunities available to U.S. based RTAs. Plus, we will personally mentor our team-members to succeed in their individual YTB businesses.

For more information contact reginaosei@gmail.com for more information about how you can get on the front end of the exciting venture!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Five Steps to Setting SMART Goals

IMAGINE that you and a friend are planning to take a trip. To select the destination, you arbitrarily decide to drive to Nova Scotia, British Columbia. Neither of you have ever been there. You don’t know anyone there. You don’t even have a map. Although you don’t have directions or any idea how far away it is nor how long it will take to get there, the two of you pack your bags, gas up your car and head out driving to Nova Scotia. In fact, your plan is to “play it by ear” all the way. How likely do you think it is that you’ll arrive at your destination? Not very likely, I assure you. Yet, that is how many of us handle our business. People who join network marketing companies are especially prone to do this. We know nothing about it, we don’t plan our direction, we have no sell planned marketing strategy, we don’t set our goals, we don’t study to learn our craft well, still we just hope that somehow by getting out there and doing “something” we’ll somehow strike it rich. Folks it just isn’t going to happen!
In order to make it in Network Marketing or any real business endeavor, we must follow proven systems (and there are many workable systems out there – old school -traditional prospecting- and new school -Internet, Web 2.0, attraction marketing etc.) that work. This means setting our goals, write out our plans and following (or revising as needed) them. We also need to stay on the cutting edge of our MLM (multi-level marketing) education by reading some of the best books on the market. In another post, I will provide a list of some of these books.

To help you in your quest to succeed in your YTB or any other business venture that you are pursuing, this article is all about GOAL SETTING. If you want more information about YTB or how you can succeed using the YTB business model, contact me via email at reginaosei@gmail.com or phone at 901-299-1220.

GOAL SETTING is a critical step in attaining any level of success. When you identify your goals, especially those that are connected to your dreams, you will begin to discover new ways to accomplish them. The mind is a wonderful thing. As you open your mind to new possibilities, you’ll start seeing things differently. Maybe something you hadn’t considered before will occur to you. Or perhaps opportunities that you might have overlooked before, you will now find ways to take advantage of.

When you set your goals, you are actually plotting out your road map to success. You are taking your dream, perhaps, of becoming a leader in your business and earning a six-figure income, and giving it the legs it needs become your reality.
If you will follow the steps outlined below in planning your business or personal goals, you will be well on your way to achieving your dreams. Use this outline as your ROADMAP to SUCCESS! Happy traveling!!!

1. First make sure that your goals are SMART. Smart goals are goals that are:

a. Specific - You need to detail exactly what you want to accomplish. Don’t be general, be detailed and exact. Think about it and make sure that your goals are what you really WANT to accomplish. It’s also helpful to know WHY you want to accomplish the goals that you set and HOW you plan to go about it. This kind of detail will not only help you stay focused but it will also help ensure that you are faithful and diligent even when it gets hard. As you detail what you plan to do, use action words such as: direct, plan, increase, build, develop, etc. Your goals should be crystal clear. Suppose you are planning to lose weight. Instead of making “to lose weight” your goal, make your goal specific: “to lose 10 pounds” or “to walk 5 miles a day”. Your goals should be so specific and clear that you can visualize them… seeing yourself accomplishing them and enjoying the results of achieving them.

b. Measurable - There is an old saying that goes like this “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” In other words, how will you know that you have reached your goal if you have not established a perimeter of measurement? If you want to become an Old Testament Bible scholar, you won’t set a goal to just read the Bible more, because that can’t be measured. You might, however, want to set as one goal to read one chapter in the book of Genesis weekly, and to write a synopsis.

c. Achievable & Action-Oriented - Make sure that your goal is challenging enough to keep you interested, but easy enough to not discourage you. A goal should cause you to stretch, but it should not be out of reach. You need to SUCCEED in accomplishing your goals because your successes help keep you motivated to continue.

Now is the time to add the meat to the bones of your goals. These are your action steps: The things you will do daily, weekly and monthly to ensure that you reach your goals. As you think about the actions you intend to take, be sure to follow one of the principle found in "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey, and "Begin with the End in Mind". In other words, your actions should have an order to them and they should lead to a well planned result. For example, if I know that my goal is to bake a cake on Friday, one day earlier in the week, I may need to ensure that I go to the grocery story to purchase all the ingredients. By taking the appropriate action steps in a timely manner, I will better ensure that I meet my goals.

d. Realistic - Set reasonable and practical goals for who you are and where you are in your life right now. This does not mean that you don’t have high expectations, because you should. Shoot for the stars! But it does mean that you have realistic expectations. Perfection, for example, is not realistic. Another example of an unrealistic goal is, for example, if you have just joined a network marketing business like YTB, and your goal is to start making $10,000 a week immediately while only devoting 2 hours a week to the business. For 99.9% of the people, this goal is unrealistic. When setting realistic goals, you might also want to limit or avoid using terms like “always”, “every” and “all” etc. because these words may not allow you any margin for error. Remember, to err is human.

e. Time-Bound – Don’t leave your goal open ended when it comes to time. Set timeframes in which to accomplish each goal. So if you plan to lose 50 pounds, you need to determine a date by when this is to be accomplished. One way to ensure that you achieve this goal might be to plan to lose 2 pounds a week over the next six months, for example.

2. Write your goals down.

When you write your goals down, you are more inclined to see them, reflect on them and remember them. Your goals should inspire you. Write them and put them in different places where you will see them and review them daily: on the bathroom mirror, on the dashboard in your car, on the refrigerator, on the desk or on a computer where you work. Writing your goals is a crucial part of your success. Make your goals a part of your every day start and every day routine. When you see your goals, you will be more committed to doing the specific activities that you have also written down, to accomplish them. Remember, your written goals are your road map to ensure that you reach your destination. Plus, you are giving your conscious and your subconscious mind a set of instructions – an outline -- to follow.

3. Write your goals in the positive and visualize your completed goals.

Always write what you want, not what you do not want. Give yourself a goal to look forward to and to visualize. When you visualize your completed goals by “seeing” the end results, you start the mental process of creating whatever is necessary to reach them. In other words, your mind begins to ingeniously fuel you with the ideas you need to ensure that you reach your goal. If when you accomplish your goals you will be a slender sized 10, start to visualize yourself at that size: see what you look like, how you dress, what you eat, where you go and what you do. As you do this, your mind will begin to shift your actions and give you the ingenuity, the power and the discipline to do the work. What if accomplishing your goals meant that you could purchase a new $350,000 house? Visualize everything about that house and see yourself living in it: what it looks like, the neighborhood it is in, how it is furnished, etc. As you see yourself in your new environment, you will also be more motivated to do what it takes to get there.

4. Let your words confirm your goals.

When you speak, your words should affirm and not contradict your goals. Support your goals by what you think and especially by what you say. For example, if your goal is to improve your health by eating 5 fresh fruits and 10 fresh vegetables a day, when you talk about your health, you should speak positively. For example, even if you are on the heavy side, instead of talking about how fat you are, begin to talk about how healthy you are getting because of the healthy lifestyle changes you have begun making. Talk about how by changing your diet and increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, you are getting healthier. This self-talk will help you to take your goals more seriously and to stay on track with accomplishing them.

5. Align your decisions with your goals.

Every time you make a decision during the day, ask if it is in line with your goals, Ask, "Does it take me closer to, or further away from my goal?" If the answer is "closer to," then you've made the right decision. If the answer is "further away from," you need to re-think that decision. In fact, you need to abandon it.

Now let me make it personal. I believe that with God all things are possible, and without God, it doesn't even matter. So all of my goals are made prayerfully, seeking God's assistance and blessing. I believe that trusting God is KEY to succeeding in life, PERIOD. So all that I have stated above is with the unspoken understanding that God is a part of this process. This being said, I believe that if you follow this process everyday you will be on your way to achieving unlimited success in your life as your make and reach your goals.

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Regina Osei is a successful mentor and coach who teaches her YTB Team members and other business owners how to succeed in business and how to market their businesses using diverse strategies and approaches both online and offline. If you are interested in starting your own online travel business and want the benefit of a mentor who is committed to your success, join our team today at http://regina.vacationmedia.net. If you have questions, e-mail me at: reginaosei@gmail.com or call 901-221-1630(1)

Friday, January 25, 2008

WHAT'S NEW AT YTB TRAVEL & CRUISE AND THE YTB TRAVEL NETWORK!

2 FLY FREE PROGRAM

This program allows people to pay a $300 annual fee and to fly free to exotic locations around the world, with the only requirement being to stay at some of the most beautiful resorts available! What a Deal! What's a plus? YTB RTAs receive 100% of the commission.

We have only 2 Questions to ask:
Do you like to Travel?
Would you like to fly free?

Enuf said!

ADDITION TO RTA ADVANTAGE

YTB RTAs will soon be receiving a 50% discount on all UPS overnight letters, which currently cost $16 (meaning it will cost $8 for YTB RTAs to send overnighters.)

Also, Sprint or Nextel customers who are also YTB RTAs should BE SURE to register to receive 10% off your monthly bill - it just takes 2 minutes in your back office! '

NEW ASSOCIATION PROGRAM

A New Name! A New Look! A New CD!! A New Placement in Your Internet Store!! That's right...."Passport to Giving" rolls out March 1, 2008! It will come with a $300 commission and a 60% of the commission being paid to the non-profit organization that signs up!

RTA TITLE CHANGE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

In INTERNATIONAL ARENAS ONLY, YTB RTAs and REPs will now be called "REFERRING TRAVEL AFFILIATES" rather than "Referring Travel Agents". For anyone you contact outside the USA, you must use this new "title". As we continue to grow internationally this will be our professional title. We simply need to "re-train" ourselves on the usage of this new title.

"YTB OUTDOORS" PROGRAM - HUNTING AND FISHING

On the YTB booking engines you will soon see a new icon for YTB Outdoors! These new products and catalog of items are comparable to Bass Pro Shops, a real plus for the avid outdoor sportsperson. Look under "Extras" on the YTB Booking Engine.

STANDARD PRESENTATIONS

YTB will standardize the presentations for everyone and all CRTA (trainings) will be standardized.

YTB COMPANY OF THE MONTH

YTB has been given "Special Reprints" of the "NETWORK MARKETING BUSINESS JOURNAL" as we were chosen as "THE COMPANY OF THE MONTH" in the February 2008 issue! Yea YTB!!!! Check your local bookstores for copies of the journal. If it is not there now, it will be soon. There is an awesome article about YTB....make sure you pick up a copy today!

SUCCESS MAGAZINE

Are we talking about the "Success Magazine from Home" that is a part of the YTB $6,000 Guarantee Program? NO! We are talking the original "Success Magazine", which focuses on being successful in business and shares motivational and inspirational messages from the top leaders in the business industry. Guess what? It is coming back into circulation! Guess what again!!!! YTB will be the first company to offer it to our RTAs for only $29.95 for 12 issues . The magazine, which will contain a monthly CD update from Coach and/or Scott on what's happening and/or happened with YTB during the past month, will be a great tool to help YTB RTAs and REPS motivated and educated: learning from the top business guru's who have made millions in their respective business endeavors.

CARS

13 acres of real estate near the YTB office will have all the cars on it. Of course this program is still a "pilot program". FYI, YTB is enhancing the program to provide a variety of automobiles to meet everyone's budget and dreams!

Stay tuned to this blog for more info on the awesome HAPPENINGS at YTB!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

5 Surefire Ways You Can Determine THE RIGHT Home-Based Business Opportunity For You!

Everybody is looking for ways to make money… additional sources of income that can be earned from home. The options abound. Everywhere you look, somebody is pushing a new product or business opportunity. But how do you know which opportunity is the right one for you? What do you use as your criteria for evaluating the best products and business opportunities to get involved in? This article will help you to:

Discover exactly what to look for in a business opportunity
Learn how to test the viability of the business you are researching
Determine the Right business for you

Tip: One thing you always want to do is to look for paradigm shifts. Look at what people are excited about… what’s moving the masses…

TIMING – you have to get involved with an expanding marketplace. – you want to find huge emerging markets and then figure out a way that you can get in front of the growing demand. Figure out where everybody else is going and get there before they do. Also, think about the “timing” today because timing is also about when you get into a company. Many people who have been very successful in business opportunities know nothing about marketing, but because they got in at the right time, they were able to make a lot of money. While you CAN make money even after there are millions of people in the business, it’s easier if you can get in very early or at the time that momentum is building.

PRODUCT – a lot of people find and fall in love with a product before they figure out if it is a good fit for the marketplace…if the marketplace will bear it. Remember, when it comes to marketing a product, it’s not about what you want to sell but it is about what other people what to buy. You have to look at a product – not through your own eyes but through the eyes of the consumer. It’s going to be a lot easier for you to promote a product AFTER you have found out what people desire and then to match up those desires with products out in the marketplace. Choose your product based on what people are PASSIONATE about and what they are willing to spend their money on. Also, the product should be backed by people who are stable and trustworthy. It should also be a product that is properly funded because you don’t want to invest in it, only to have the company go belly up in just a few years. They not only need a product that sounds good, but one that the owners have the money to roll out and promote the “right” way.

MARKETING PLAN - Many Networking companies have you to start by contacting your warm market by making a list, etc. While you will definitely want to turn your friends and family on to a great business opportunity, if that’s your ONLY strategy, you may soon find yourself in the NFL club (No Friends Left). Plus, if you think about it, that’s not a really a complete marketing plan. You need a complete marketing PLAN, a turnkey system that has specific steps that you can just follow and move forward. This is a critical point of failure for most people. Find a business that will allow you to follow a strategically laid out success blueprint … a step-by-step plan that will give you the ultimate head-start in your business so you won’t have to figure everything out yourself.

SUPPORT – You don’t want to get into a company where you either get too much info (analysis paralysis) or too little information. Look for a leader and/or support team that will provide you with laser beam direction that will: 1. Get you in, 2. Get you involved, and 3. Get you started making money, fairly quickly.

LEVERAGE – Technically you shouldn’t get involved in anything that doesn’t enable you to create leverage. Leverage is: Positioning yourself to profit beyond your own limits. What are those limits? Basically, there are three primary limiting factors: Time, Money and Knowledge. Find ways to leverage these three limiting factors, and I guarantee you, you’ve also found the KEY to getting rich. Here’s what you’ve got to know: You don’t get rich by yourself. You get rich by tapping into the resources (information, money and time) of other people. In other words, find people who have specialized knowledge, find ways to plug other people in so that other people’s money can work for you and find ways to duplicate yourself so that it’s not just your time that’s building your wealth. If you look at some of the wealthiest people in the world like Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, etc. You’ll realize that these folks are leveraging their names and their resources and making billions of dollars well beyond their own efforts. As you learn how to harness the power of thousands of other people, you will also be able to build wealth beyond your wildest dreams.

See you at the TOP!