Just Picture It Now

Travel Weekly has set up a specific forum on their web site designed for those of us associated with Travel MLM's. Yet, it's been inundated and overrun by our "Travel Professionals" who do nothing but complain, spread rumor, and flat out threaten those of us associated with the industry of our choice. I am unwilling by the way to allow my Blog turn into such a disgraceful display of slander and ridicule. If you can't be professional and civil, your comments simply won't be posted here.

I found out this afternoon that because I choose to edit and select specific comments on my own Blog, it's not only comical, but quite paranoid on my part. A question was posed as to why I would even bother tipping our Tripso forum members that I know they are talking about and pointing to my Blog. The truth of the matter is two fold. Number one, I want our Petitioning Agents to know that while they think they can hide behind a closed forum we (or at least I) realize that there is considerable attention directed at this Blog as noted from vast number of clicks linking to me from this forum, and two; it's called a "referral link" which actually boost my rankings in search engines if I reciprocate the link back to you. Those that know anything about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Internet Marketing would realize how each click back to me, strengthens my voice here on the World Wide Web. It's truly nothing more that me taking advantage of the attention directed at my Blog, and frankly, I'm enjoying it.

You may be asking why I don't respond to what's being said directly on these forums. (Those open for everyone to view and respond too at least.) With the vast number of forums out there talking about YTB and Travel MLM's right now, it would take up far too much of my time trying to keep up with all that is being said. Besides, it's obvious that many people have not only been reading my Blog, but posting links on these various forums back to me. Therefore, I now have one place to post and have the undivided attention of various forums who are all talking about our industry and the issues surrounding it.

Cool huh?

While I don't have the time to go over how to read our financial statements at this point in time, I do want to comment on two common myths and misrepresentations about our how our financials are read. The first is this notion that we take the total number of Travel Sales, and then divide it equally between all existing RTA's. How this formula is even practical is beyond me. Last I knew, we live in a Capitalist Society, not a Socialist Society. I do understand that our children are being taught that we must divide the Christmas presents equally, or come Easter, that the baskets will be collected and all the eggs found will be divided up equally between our children. However, we are not children. To insinuate that I or anyone else in YTB is doomed to make a mere $47 per quarter in Travel Commissions is absolutely preposterous. Anyone wishing to remain "average" like this, certainly isn't interested in being a part of YTB, I can assure you.

The second notion that I get a kick out of is all the fingers pointing to how much more money is made in people who are actually joining our business and not actually selling travel. We all should realize at this point that Travel commissions are not paid until after the travel has been consumed. It takes time to learn, sell and then eventually get paid on Travel with YTB or any other company for that matter. I shudder at the thought of my first years travel commissions with YTB. Now that I'm in my third year, I have both Travel Commissions and Networking Commissions being paid on a regular basis.

By recruiting just one person a month into your business, not only does that cover an RTA's web site fee, but it effectively doubles the size of our business. I know that many think this pyramid will eventually collapse because we'll run out of people to sell too.

The Fuller Brush Company MLM was founded in the 1950's, Mary Kay in 1960's, and Amway in the early 1970’s. Other long standing companies who still rely on the MLM business model are Avon, Tupperware, Nu-skin, Herbalife, NSA, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Primerica Financial Services, Shaklee Corporation and EcoQuest. To my knowledge, none of these companies are less than 20 years old and still going strong using Multi-Level Marketing. (All companies are listed on the DSA web site.) Each of these companies have created massive wealth for those who built via the MLM model, and while the recruiting numbers have certainly slowed for each of these companies, not only are they still growing, none of these companies have collapsed.

One of the biggest reasons why Coca-Cola and Pespi battle back and forth as the two largest soft drink companies in history is because they have the most distribution channels. We are not concerned with how many Cokes each machine sells, our focus is having the most distribution channels available. That's how they have and we will become #1. Each distribution channel, and each RTA doing their part, full time, part time or spare time, YTB will sell the most travel.

Simple.

Lastly, before I sign off, I want to address the issue of the IATA Accreditation that has everyone up in arms. Even though I've been labeled as some type of "muckity muck in YTB" I will tell you that I don't, (nor does anyone else outside of the 4 Companies or IATA) know the full story about the IATA Accreditation at this point. The issue seems to revolve around "improper lending, subcontracting or hiring to a third party of an IATA numeric code by agencies."

Based on this information, this is my guess, and I remind you it's only a guess at this point. With all the new RTA's associated with our business there are those who try to circumvent our own company policy by calling a vendor directly. (YTB has had a policy in place for years that FAM's need to be run through the Home Office and the Reduced Rate Department.) When calling the supplier, they mention they are with XYZ Travel Agency and would like a inquire about an industry FAM. When asked for the IATA number of XYZ Travel Agency, they are instead given the IATA number of YTB Travel Network.

All this will pan out soon enough. YTB has several options available and it's certainly not anything that will stop us from selling or getting paid on travel. I would suspect there are many changes coming in the days and weeks ahead. Most people don't like change. However, at this point, I not only believe change is inevitable but needed on both sides.

I'm reminded of a tip jar I saw in a Sandwich Shop some time ago. Here is what it said...

"Don't like change? Leave it here!"

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

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