Archive for November, 2009

As a network marketer myself I’m familiar with the trial and error process leading to success. In an attempt to help as many as possible I’ve compiled the ten best free ways that have worked for me to drive steady amounts of traffic to my business site. It’s not an exact science because all markets differ but I’ve noticed that these methods seem to be similar across the board as they can be modified to taste.

 

It should be no secret that video is proving to be the most effective form of advertisement today. Whether its video on the TV, computer, billboards or even cell phones and mp3 players there’s just something about video that captivates us as humans more than all the other forms of content out there. Perhaps it’s preferred because it appeals to more human senses than any other form of advertisement. In videos our eyes can see life, our ears can hear emotion and all of this interaction gets fed directly to the brain. There’s got to be a reason people are shelling out thousands of dollars for HDTV and surround sound setups and millions of dollars for Super Bowl commercials. Maybe it’s also because humans would rather watch a video that GIVES information as opposed to reading an entry in order to GET information. Whatever the reason is, video is a trend that should be capitalized on because there’s even the chance that a video can go “viral.” This isn’t a bad thing, this is when one person sees a video and then tells someone, who tells someone and so on until you have 1 single video that’s been seen millions of times around the world. We have yet to see a precise formula that would produce a viral video but if you’re lucky enough to ever publish one it could be the pinnacle of your career.

 

In addition, blogging is also a great way to increase traffic to your site for a number of reasons. First, blogs should be updated often. This works to your advantage because it allows you to keep things fresh which means you can stay up to date for recruiting purposes and still be able to provide for your preexisting traffic. Also, continuously updated, or active, content aids in your SEO efforts which will lead to even more traffic in the long run. The purpose of a blog should not be to sell. A blog should be an extension of yourself as a means to communicate to others with similar interests and provide as many tools as possible. You want people to come to your blog repeatedly for the up to date information that you provide. You don’t want just one hit from each visitor because you turned your blog into a pitch page.

 

Next, web 2.0 sites have really been earning a reputation for themselves lately. 2.0 sites are basically sites that allow you to share and network within your niche. Similar to myspace and youtube, 2.0 sites allow you to interact with other content and groups of people that are relative to your purpose. They also allow you advertise in many other forms including video. Examples of these sites would be squidoo.com and linkedin.com just to name a couple.

 

Since the written word, articles have always been a great way to get the message out too. With articles you have people typing specific key words in an attempt to find specific content that they would like to read. For example the key words that you used today brought you to the article you’re reading now and we can tell that this was the desired result because you’ve chosen to read all the way to this point. Once an article is published, it can be submitted to many sites but it doesn’t stop there. Just like a video, an article can become viral as well and can even be featured on other sites, not just talked about. You want to make your articles sincere, as unbiased as possible and your goal should be to help and provide for others with your work.

 

Ads are of a course another great way to drive targeted traffic to your site. An advertisement can be paid for or free and still result just as favorably. Your ads must be catchy, consistent and to the point fast. An ad is not really supposed to explain a product. It’s just supposed to spark the interest in order to drive traffic to a desired site where you can then explain your product. You’ll want to do lots of trial and error with ads because different themes will work for different markets. You can try humorous, colorful or even subliminal messages but whatever you do, be sure to keep it ethical and relative. You don’t want to advertise “Free Laptops” just to drive traffic to a timeshare website.

 

The next method of driving traffic would be setting up links. This is not an overnight thing but it will increase your chances of success exponentially. Think of the internet as a funnel. In a funnel, everything gets directed from a large area down a narrow path to a desired destination. We can apply this same concept to the internet. If all you have is a webpage, that’s a great start but this means that the only way people can get to your site is if they actually go to their computer and type in your specific url. The chances of that happening are far less than if you have multiple links or gateways leading to your site from other places. The great thing about setting up links is that they’re free, you can have an unlimited amount which helps with SEO and they can also be applied to all of the above methods. Setting up links should be an ongoing pursuit with an endless goal.

 

Offering free tools is also an excellent way to drive traffic to your site. By offering free tools you allow people to sample your work without commitment and also you leave an impression as a genuine helper. It’s a very sincere way to get your name out there and develop a trustworthy reputation. Examples of tools would be a list of free advertising websites, software, or an e-book. As mentioned earlier, the goal is to get repeat visitors so be sure to offer helpful tools and be sure to keep fresh offers out as well. Your tools can also become viral especially with the right marketing and a few testimonials so make sure that you brand all of your tools. Also keep in mind that when you’re offering a free tool, sometimes asking for an email address is just the same as asking for payment. If an email is necessary than by all means ask but if it’s a free download just brand it and let it go. They’ll be back for more.

 

Banner exchanging is another very powerful way to increase the amount of visitors your site gets. This only works well if you’re exchanging banners with people in your niche market. This is a favor-for-a-favor way to create additional links to your site because you’ll be putting links on your page to someone else’s site in exchange for somebody doing the same for you. This should only be done when someone else in your industry is providing something that you don’t and you should always check out the other party’s reputation first before you dive into a relationship with them. If your website only sells camping equipment, you may want to consider creating a partnership with someone who sells fishing equipment. By agreeing to trade banners and pointing people in the right direction, both parties will benefit each other so the relationship can grow into something a lot more lucrative and your perceived as a helper once again, all for free. Plus, the company that you’re promoting may even be willing to pay you a commission on your referrals.

 

The next method I present can prove to be overwhelming and its word of mouth/joint ventures. This happens casually during just about any conversation all over the world. This is a great way to generate leads and traffic because people trust their friends and people want to help their friends. Sometimes a consumer will feel so strongly about a product that they’ll go out and buy one for themselves and everyone else close to them because they want to share the greatness of that product. Word of mouth travels so fast and its validity is almost second to none because we are all real people who engage in real conversation. We’re not just paid actors who endorse products that we’ve never used before in our life. Word of mouth usually comes with experience and should not be your primary form of generating leads if you’re a beginner.

 

Finally, universalizing your theme is a great idea. In other words, make it have worldwide appeal instead of just local appeal. Doing this can be as easy as displaying an alternate language option, or converting specs into other units of measurement because inches and gallons only exist in certain areas of the world. Others use centimeters and liters, as well as a different currency, so don’t do yourself the disadvantage of limiting your target market. As a personal note to those of us who live in the U.S., according to Wikipedia the United States population is estimated to be 3rd largest at 304,437,000 while the population for the People’s Republic of China is estimated to be 1,324,592,000. That’s a huge difference of 1,020,155,000 possible leads in just one other region of the world! India alone is the 2nd most populated region with almost one billion more people than the United States as well and don’t forget the other continents. These are huge numbers and can work to your advantage immensely.

 

Hopefully this article was beneficial in at least one or more aspects of your online business venture. Internet marketing can be frustrating at times however its always good to fall back on what’s been working well in the past. Originality can be great but remember we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

 

Until next time,

 

Liam Kalish

 

Powerful5.com (& .ws) - Online Income Made Easy

 

I was recently on the BBB’s website looking up different companies when I noticed that the BBB has linked The Owners’ Advocate with Professional Timeshare Services, LLC.

I wrote an article a few weeks ago stating that I had credible information that linked TOA and Professional Timeshare Services, LLC. Someone from Professional Timeshare Services emailed me and stated that I was incorrect and that I need to remove the article. Well, I think the BBB’s article supports my findings. Here is a snapshot of what the BBB states on their website.

Business Contact and Profile for The Owners’ Advocate

Name: The Owners’ Advocate

Phone: (866) 644-7776

Address: 7984 Coley Davis Rd, Ste B
Nashville, TN 37221

Website: www.theownersadvocate.com www.professionaltimeshareservices.com

Original Business Start Date: January 2006

Principal: Mr. David Humphrey, President/Founder

Customer Contact: Mr. Scott Davidson, President – (866) 644-7776

Or customercare@theownersadvocate.com

Type of Business: Timeshare Marketers, Legal Document Services

BBB Accreditation: The Owners’ Advocate is not a BBB Accredited business.

Additional DBA Names: Professional Timeshare Services, LLC
T.O.A., LLC

You can click here for the rest of the information from the BBB.

Post from: Timeshare Blog

TOA and Professional Timeshare Services

Owning a timeshare is a pretty common thing today. And sometimes one feels the need to sell it off. With the ever-increasing demand for timeshares, selling one is not much of a problem. In fact, it can be sold like any other real estate one owns.

If you can find a customer directly, nothing like it. But if you need the services of a middleman, and a company approaches you, you must be inquisitive! Be careful not to agree to anything on the telephone, no matter how good and convincing it may sound. You should contact the Better Business Bureau or any such other agency in the state where the company is located and find out if any complaint has been lodged against them.

Get all assurances and promises in writing. Deal only with licensed real estate agents. Don’t hesitate to ask to see their license and even to confirm with the Real Estate Commission.

Ask the agent if he can provide references of customers for whom he has closed deals. Then go right ahead and call some of them to be sure.

Ask them for the time frame they have in mind for selling off your timeshare. Ask them how they propose to find a customer, viz. whether by advertising in newspapers or some other means. Tell them you’d like to be constantly updated on the progress made by them in the matter.

Then get clear with them as to their fees. There should be no hidden charges. Nor should there be any ambiguity in this matter. As far as possible, go for an agent who charges his commission after the deal is closed. If you have to pay him in advance, take a proper receipt. Ask them about their refund policies in case the deal does not go through for some reason.

Once you have decided to sell, sell at the best available price. Don’t wait to recoup your cost price, especially if you have held the timeshare for less than 4-5 years. If the timeshare is in a location that is not very popular, the prices may actually have gone down. If you are not sure about the value to be expected, take the services of a licensed appraiser in the place where the timeshare is located.

Go through the terms of the contract very carefully. Consult a lawyer if necessary. The contract must contain explicitly clauses regarding whether it prohibits you from trying to sell or hire the timeshare while the contract is on.

When buying a timeshare that is for resale, the same care must be taken. Make sure to deal with a reputed broker. Ensure that all taxes payable on the property have been duly paid. Check out the affiliation, as this is likely to affect its resale price should you need to resell it. If the reseller is still repaying the loan taken for the timeshare, work out how and by whom future liabilities are to be paid.

If you have the slightest of doubts, just stop further negotiations and start looking for another timeshare or another agent!

Your sales page is where you sell the premium resale rights package that you created. You could post on free classified sites, stick up your blog address on a sign in the back of your car, write a free report and sell it on eBay for a cent with full resale rights etc. Though you are justified to sell a resale rights package for a price higher than the value of the products, if you ask an outrageous amount you’ll have difficulty making sales. The resale rights owner is in the clear because if his customers aren’t trying to sell the product then he doesn’t have to deal with complaints. Sell your resale rights e-book or software at cooking parties.

Resale rights do not work on eBay because as soon as you sell an e-Book with these rights someone even dumber than you will undercut your price. You can then sell resale rights to it and generate instant backend cash. E-books without resale rights usually sell for a lot more than e-books with resale rights. The best approach is to sell your resale rights products to a maximum of 50 people, though a lower number would always prove better.

Even if you don’t have anything to sell now, you may well do in the future, either one that you have developed yourself or something that you have the resale rights to. This means that besides providing your hosting needs, they provide your own products to sell with free resale rights or their own proven product by becoming an affiliate, they teach you how to market them online or how to create your own unique products to sell, they get you updated on the latest marketing tactics in the forum, for more details visit to www.guide-to-plr.com they give you tools to market, monitor your ads and everything else needed. Joe found a re-brand software site that will sell him resale rights with adjustments.

Please visit E-book website and browse the vast selection of e-books available to help. You succeed in Resale Rights or Online Auction sites today. If you don’t have a product of your own, for more details visit to www.leverage-on-resale-rights.com you can use a product you have resale rights to. Selling your resale rights product when it is at the end of its market life would be tough.

If you don’t have a product to sell, go out there and search for products with master resale rights. But many internet marketers know they cannot force anyone to sell their resale rights product, for a set minimum amount. Try to sell “resale rights” e-Books. One reasonably well- known information marketer recently made a massive mistake by selling an e-Book with resale rights. Look for your resell rights in the package or the e-book. 

When it comes to timeshares, during the holidays you can always count on the “over the top” sales presentations to really kick in. If you are about to embark on a discounted vacation with the stipulation that you have to attend a 90 minute timeshare presentation, you really need to be prepared. I have written other articles on the topic of being prepared for a timeshare presentation, so I will not be covering that in this article. What I will be covering is the difference between the two.

Here is a list of the top 5 differences between the holiday season and the normal sales period.

1. The Atmosphere – Every holiday season, timeshare sales centers make the atmosphere very festive. You know, Christmas music in the background, a big beautiful Christmas tree with shiny ornaments, hot apple cider, and delicious Christmas cookies. Sounds great so far, doesn’t it? They more than likely have promised you some great free gifts and a great travel deal. This atmosphere is vital to set the psychological stage so the very cheery sales rep can do their job. The sales rep’s job is to get you, the tour, to lower your guard. What you need to remember is that the sales rep is more than likely behind in their sales numbers for the year due to the economy and they have had plenty of time to prepare for this very important part of the sales year. Here is a great statistic for you. More timeshares are sold during thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years than all of the year combined. You think the resort and that sales staff is counting on you? You bet!
2. the Staff – During this time of year, every sales rep, manager, and closing agent/notary is working overtime. they are more than likely not taking any days off and are prepared for the long haul. They get to take their vacations during January, February, and March. The slow period for timeshare sales. During the holiday period, you can count on every stop being pulled out and more than one sales rep and manager coming to your table to seal the deal. They will tell you whatever you want to hear and they expect that some of their sales will kick. The game here is to make as many sales as possible and win with pure volume. They will be dressed in their finest suits and designer shoes.
3. The Resort – Every resort will go above and beyond to ensure that they make you feel that the customer service that you will be encountering will be the norm for anytime you use the resort. The fact of the matter is every resort is fully staffed from maintenance and house keeping to their sales departments. This is not the norm during the rest of the year. One of the biggest complaints that we get is that the resort an owner buys at does not work like they were shown or told. Reservations are not as easy to get, exchanges do not work as explained, and all of the sudden their are fees that they were never told about.
4. The Sales Presentation – During the holidays, you can expect the ultimate dog and pony show. You will be met at the front desk cheerfully, and then your sales rep will come and greet you with a warm welcome asking you if you would like some refreshments. When it is time to make a decision to buy, you will be promised everything under the sun to get the deal done. The one part that you need to be prepared for is the quick close. If you purchase, be prepared for a long front end and a very quick back end. The back end is where you do the paperwork, and sign your documents. Please, read everything and ask every question you can think of. I will be writing an article of questions to ask very soon. The managers and the closing agent will try their hardest to get you out the door as quick as possible. They do not like questions and really get disturbed when you read every document. You are signing a deed, so you need to now what you are signing.
5. Exiting the Resort – After you have been hurried to sign all your documents, a good resort will make you feel like a celebrity by popping the cork on some champagne, and announcing to everyone that you are their newest owner. I remember when I purchased a Saturn many years ago, they did the same thing when we drove off with our new car. They all stood by cheering, taking pictures and patting us on the backs. Months later I found the lease option that I did was not exactly what I thought it was. One of the most important things to remember is to find out what your cancellation period is in the state that you are purchasing in. Ensure that you ask, and make them show you in writing on the cancellation procedure. This is VITAL! That way, if you want to cancel, you have the time and knowledge to do so and you will not need our services.

I hope that everyone reading this Has a wonderful Christmas season and remember not to take the Christ out of Christmas.

Post from: Timeshare Blog

Timeshares and the Holidays

Contract staffing companies abound and so do their levels of experience and the positions they offer. Often times, larger companies may have offices that specialize in specific areas such as engineering or technical communications. If you are a Localization Specialist looking to find a contracting position you should begin by finding offices that will specialize and have positions in what you’d like to do.

Contract staffing opportunities will allow you the opportunity to grow your portfolio in ways you never thought possible. From the various types of projects offered to the diverse companies that offer the positions, it is an excellent way to gain experience.

The misconception regarding contract-staffing agencies is that you will have no benefits, you won’t feel like a real employee and you will basically be abandoned at the customer site. This is not the case. In today’s market, staffing companies must be competitive with the types of benefits they offer their contractors in order to find and keep the best talent. Benefits may range from medical/dental insurance to 401(k), vacation time, referral bonuses, for more details visit to www.positive-idea.com bus passes and employee purchase programs. And, you will feel like you are part of the company because you will constantly have someone reaching out to you and keeping you informed.

You’ll have access to many opportunities, contacts and companies you would never have considered. By working with a recruiter at a staffing agency you will constantly be in the know on market trends, for more details visit to www.change-ur-mind.com the companies that are always hiring, the skills that are in demand and the ways to best utilize your skills and update your resume.

Contract staffing may also be a supplement that localization freelancers require. If you are looking to increase your base of contacts or perhaps you are looking to gain some experience at a local company that is hard to get into. When beginning a freelance career networking is key. Without contacts and without getting your name in the market it is impossible to find clients. Working with an agency may be the boost you need to develop some extra skills and also market yourself out to people you may meet while on the job.

Plus, when your work with an agency they do all the hard work. Your paycheck will arrive regularly, your benefits will be set up through them, and you won’t have to worry about a 1099 usually. There are many people that find contracting to be a great way of life. Hopping from client to client, project to project and area to area they are growing their base of knowledge significantly.

If you think to run a good business opportunity on the Internet, why not start writing an e-book. E-book publishers undoubtedly pay the writers handsomely. You may write an e-book to publish it worldwide, and earn more money than what your current job pays.
You have this big and important question ‘what to write in e-book’. Now, it is possible to write an e-book just by following these five simple tips. These basic tips for writing a good e-book will make good money for you.
Tips for Writing an E-book:

1.To Start: This is the first step towards writing an e-book. If you do not like writing at all, and still want to write or publish an e-book, then try to find people who had already written good e-books. Such persons will offer a resale agreement or license. Otherwise, such writers may ask for a small fee for complete resale rights. Try looking for e-books that you find interesting. Generally, e-books that make huge money are those which advice people on how to save and how to gain pleasures.

2.Have an Idea: Try to search the Internet for articles related to your idea for writing an e-book. For instance, if you are writing an e-book that saves money on taxes, you need to search the Internet to find out what articles written on that topic. You cannot use the same article name for your e-book as that will be illegal. However, you may take reference of these tips and write it in your own words.

3.Writing Ability: A research says that around 70% of people have a story or idea with them and always dream of releasing it in the form of an e-book. Generally, most e-books are of 50 pages. Therefore, it is not necessary to write a long e-book. All you need to do is to note down your ideas in points or tips. This makes it easier for you to elaborate the main ideas. The most important tip, for more information visit to www.sales-letters-creator.com always writes with a good spirit, as this improves the quality of your idea.

4.Stay with the Trend: Try finding out from the Internet about the latest bestseller e-book trends. This will help you to update your idea and help in incorporating new ideas in your e-book accordingly. Even if your e-book does not contain an idea that attracts an audience, do not get disappointed. There are people who may want to know more about your ideas and if you can deliver those ideas with quality, for more information visit to www.sales-letter-secret.com they may buy your e-book.

5.Explain your Idea: Your e-book needs to explain your ideas to others. If your e-book can explain or provide helpful tips to people, your e-book may become an instant hit and make a lot of money.
Always remember that an e-book is not a novel. Try to concise the content in an e-book as much as possible. With these five tips, you may now be able to write a moneymaking e-book.

When it comes to vacationing in the gorgeously beautiful waters of the Baja peninsula, you will find that you have a lot of choice of places to rest your weary head. Cabo San Lucas lodging is a popular concept thanks to the millions of people annually that flock to this simply amazing location where dreams come true. Thanks to the many avenues of advertising these days, finding that private cottage or scrumptious hotel is easier than ever, and thanks to these same avenues of chattering, finding out which is best is just as easy.

One of the problems with many types of Cabo San Lucas lodging is that, once upon a time, you were never sure of the quality of the property. Thanks to the internet, you will find that getting updated information on that once awesome resort is easy and quick. This means if you received photos of that villa from 40-years ago, you will know that today that villa is not all it was cracked up to be. Staying updated on information will insure you get what you expect, and you will not get those unexpected surprises that could ruin your holiday or vacation.

First, there is nothing like visiting the Baja peninsula. Whether you enjoy extreme sports or quiet evenings in a room with a loved one, there is something for everyone. Baja is gorgeously surrounding by pristine waters and sands making this a premier destination for vacationers and travelers around the world. More and more families are traveling to Baja because of its family environment where anything is possible, and finding Cabo San Lucas lodging is just one-step to insure the satisfaction of the whole family.

Where do you get the rentals you need for the weekend or the whole month? Generally, you will find the properties in the same locations, but you can find a variety of publications specializing in one type of property. For instance, if you are looking for a permanent timeshare, you will find that those may have a publication that is solely geared at timeshares in the Baja peninsula or other parts of Mexico. What you need is easily obtainable thanks to the expansion of media sources and the solid infrastructure of Mexico itself.

Probably one of the most popular types of places to get the properties you are looking for is none other than the internet. The internet is a hotbed of information these days – some of it reliable and some of it not so reliable. It is up to you to find the reliable source of information you need to further your own needs. There are websites specializing in every type of Cabo San Lucas lodging, and there are websites specializing in one type of property. Find the one that suits you best!

Of course, printed media such as a newspaper or rental publication will also serve you well in your search for the best property for your needs. Just be sure you are dealing with reliable sources to insure your vacation is a dream come true rather than a nightmare. Yes, dreams can come true in Mexico.

Everyone from Timeshare Relief wishes you and your families a very happy Thanksgiving! Our offices will be closed for the holiday. Please enjoy the time that you can spend with family and friends. Get ready for turkey sandwiches for the next week too…

Timeshare Relief met with Donald and Debbie Ogden in California. They had 3 properties that they parted with. The overall savings that they’ll achieve are the monthly maintenance fees of $109/month, which is $1308 a year. Donald stated that the fees would continuously increase presumably over the years. So, they decided to work with Timeshare [...]