To Recruit or Not Recruit - That Is The Question...
I received a comment on Tuesday from someone who was looking into YTB. While doing their due diligence and research on the internet they came up with an interesting question. 
There is a ton of information out there concerning our company. Unfortunately, depending on who you find, you’re going to get differing opinions concerning just what YTB is, and what YTB does. It use to be that the problem was with our own rank and file, but there seems to be a new player in the mix, and it appears that this new player can’t keep their story straight.
Here’s our problem found in the comments section of Tuesday’s post:
“I’ve been doing some research on the internet and there seems to be a difference of opinion that I hope you can straighten out.
I’ve seen numbers from the Annual Report that the majority of the money made in YTB comes from recruiting.
I’ve also seen numbers from another report that claim that nobody makes any money recruiting.
I was assured that I did NOT have to recruit anyone into this business as our interest lie in selling all-inclusive vacations to family and friends.
Which is right?”
Anon,
I think I have a very special understanding of where you’re coming from. When I first joined YTB in January of 2005 all I wanted to do was sell cruises. While I was aware of the recruiting aspect of YTB, I avoided recruiting like the plague. I was always told by others that MLM was not a “respectable” way to make a living. Many people have a real phobia about recruiting based on what they hear from others who think they know what recruiting is.
So, I can appreciate your concern about being forced to recruit in MLM. It wasn’t until I actually got involved with MLM that I found out that this notion about “recruit recruit recruit” was nothing more than another one of many myths surrounding the industry. I actually commented on my first year anniversary about what I first thought about the recruiting aspect of YourTravelBiz.com.
“…I didn’t see the whole picture, now that I look back. Oh sure, there was a business and money to be made, but that kind of luck and opportunities go to other people, not someone like me.”
I continued a littler further down the post.
“…I heard about the money that could be made and the bonuses, I heard about the tax benefits, I heard about the leadership, but I listened to the "sell a cruise and get paid" part more than anything else.”
Like you, what caught my eye was YTB Travel Network not the recruiting aspect of the business. If selling cruises was a good enough reason for me, then certainly selling all-inclusive packages should be a good enough reason for you. Besides, both products offer the most lucrative commissions available in our industry.
Now on to which is right. Either all the money is made from recruiting or nobodies making money recruiting.
I happen to love this. I’ve been bombarded with comments here and elsewhere that our critics have YTB all figured out claiming “numbers don’t lie” but depending on which numbers our critics are using, both set of numbers seem to pitch different vantage points and tell a different story. It’s clear to me that while critics yammer on about how much they know, many are only confusing smart people like you who are truly looking at this company in an objective way.
If you look at both sets of numbers you will find that while there is a considerable amount of money generated from recruiting people into our business. These huge numbers are generated from a very small percentage of people who actually recruit. All this fuss about all this recruiting everyone is doing is being generated by only 20% of the people in our company. That’s not even close to the “majority” but somehow, they claim that all any of us do. “Recruit - Recruit - Recruit”! Both the company numbers and my own experience with my team can confirm that recruiting is not the focus of the most of our members.
So you happen to be in very good company.
The only reason it appears to be such a big issue is because of the fears and phobias surrounding “recruiting”. Because they fear it so much, it’s all they really talk about. But FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real based on what the numbers actually tell us.
YTB has two separate business entities and I receive two 1099’s from the Home Office. One from YourTravelBiz.com for recruiting, and one from YTB Travel Network for selling travel. You are free to work one, the other, or like myself both.
I also see and hear that while nobody is making any of this money recruiting, we are also loosing money to boot. Somehow we need to recruit in order to get our investment back.
You are not paying a dime for joining YTB to recruit anyone. The Rep position in our company is a FREE position. It’s on all our Marketing Materials and on all company approved web sites to Market the YTB opportunity.
“The YTB companies offer two unique and powerful opportunities, that of referring travel agent or "RTA" and that of independent marketing representative or "REP". The travel agent opportunity has an initial fee under $500 and a monthly license fee of $49.95. There is no fee or travel agency purchase required to be a REP. You may choose to participate in one or both opportunities.”
Not one dime of your “one time” investment or monthly fee is tied to recruiting. Your investment in the company is tied to the Travel side, and because no one invests into YTB to simply participate in the recruiting aspect, no one looses anything for not being able recruit. Kind of hard for people at the bottom of this so called pyramid to loose anything if no ones investing in it in the first place, and that’s why we’ve been untouched by any Government entity, State or Federal, for our entire existence.
Everyone is on the same level playing field with their investment into YTB Travel Network and that money tracks your Travel commissions, sends out weekly Steals and Deals to clients, and provides the proper documentation for the trips that you book for your clients.
I will further confirm for you that none of your “clients” need to know a single thing about the recruiting aspect of our company if you choose not too. My business cards only have the YTB Travel Network logo on them and the only web site on the business cards are for BandBVactions.com. If you look at this web site you will not find any mention of recruiting or joining anything. It’s a travel web site just like any other and its purpose is to sell travel, nothing more.
Don’t be surprised however if a client asks you “how did you get started”? If they ask, feel free to tell them, and while it may shock you, like it did me the first time it happened, they will want to join your team. They see how passionate you are, and they also see how much fun you are having doing what you do. It’s not recruiting when they WANT to be a part of what you are doing.
Lastly, I would like to close with this. This is YOUR business. Please don’t get caught up in what others want you to make it. This includes your Sponsor and Power Team Leader, and especially any critics who want to tell you that you’re going about this all wrong. Critics have never been involved with MLM in most cases, and I’ve learned from experience what they actually know. (I even wrote a book about it, which you can download for free!)
I’ve been told far too many times that I need to join a Host Agency to gain respect or to become successful. I’m not walking in anyone else’s shoes but my own, and unless I choose to let anyone else decide for me what makes me happy, successful or respectable, it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. I’ve had some of the best success of my entire life with this company, and I also have far better friendships than ever before.
That being said, I can’t tell you that the answer to that question can be found in YTB for you. All I can tell you is that it is for me. I love this company, I love the leadership, and while I don’t like the critics, I’m glad to see you’ve caught on to the spin a lot quicker than I did. I count on people just like you who are smart enough to ask someone who can set the record straight.
When and if you do join YTB, please be sure to come back and sign up for our free newsletter and 7 Day Quick Start Guide. It is a very valuable resource to help you get off on the right foot and I do focus on a lot of Travel related topics and issues.
I sincerely hope I’ve been able to help you weed through all the garbage out there. I know there’s a ton of it, and most of it as you can see is pure bunk. Any negativity is purely based on fear and lack of understanding about just who YTB is and what YTB does. Stick with listening to those of us who at least have the experience and documentation to back up what they say.
Warm Regards,
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Learn How To Become A Travel Agent
Book Your Travel & Vacations With
Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635
There is a ton of information out there concerning our company. Unfortunately, depending on who you find, you’re going to get differing opinions concerning just what YTB is, and what YTB does. It use to be that the problem was with our own rank and file, but there seems to be a new player in the mix, and it appears that this new player can’t keep their story straight.
Here’s our problem found in the comments section of Tuesday’s post:
“I’ve been doing some research on the internet and there seems to be a difference of opinion that I hope you can straighten out.
I’ve seen numbers from the Annual Report that the majority of the money made in YTB comes from recruiting.
I’ve also seen numbers from another report that claim that nobody makes any money recruiting.
I was assured that I did NOT have to recruit anyone into this business as our interest lie in selling all-inclusive vacations to family and friends.
Which is right?”
Anon,
I think I have a very special understanding of where you’re coming from. When I first joined YTB in January of 2005 all I wanted to do was sell cruises. While I was aware of the recruiting aspect of YTB, I avoided recruiting like the plague. I was always told by others that MLM was not a “respectable” way to make a living. Many people have a real phobia about recruiting based on what they hear from others who think they know what recruiting is.
So, I can appreciate your concern about being forced to recruit in MLM. It wasn’t until I actually got involved with MLM that I found out that this notion about “recruit recruit recruit” was nothing more than another one of many myths surrounding the industry. I actually commented on my first year anniversary about what I first thought about the recruiting aspect of YourTravelBiz.com.
“…I didn’t see the whole picture, now that I look back. Oh sure, there was a business and money to be made, but that kind of luck and opportunities go to other people, not someone like me.”
I continued a littler further down the post.
“…I heard about the money that could be made and the bonuses, I heard about the tax benefits, I heard about the leadership, but I listened to the "sell a cruise and get paid" part more than anything else.”
Like you, what caught my eye was YTB Travel Network not the recruiting aspect of the business. If selling cruises was a good enough reason for me, then certainly selling all-inclusive packages should be a good enough reason for you. Besides, both products offer the most lucrative commissions available in our industry.
Now on to which is right. Either all the money is made from recruiting or nobodies making money recruiting.
I happen to love this. I’ve been bombarded with comments here and elsewhere that our critics have YTB all figured out claiming “numbers don’t lie” but depending on which numbers our critics are using, both set of numbers seem to pitch different vantage points and tell a different story. It’s clear to me that while critics yammer on about how much they know, many are only confusing smart people like you who are truly looking at this company in an objective way.
If you look at both sets of numbers you will find that while there is a considerable amount of money generated from recruiting people into our business. These huge numbers are generated from a very small percentage of people who actually recruit. All this fuss about all this recruiting everyone is doing is being generated by only 20% of the people in our company. That’s not even close to the “majority” but somehow, they claim that all any of us do. “Recruit - Recruit - Recruit”! Both the company numbers and my own experience with my team can confirm that recruiting is not the focus of the most of our members.
So you happen to be in very good company.
The only reason it appears to be such a big issue is because of the fears and phobias surrounding “recruiting”. Because they fear it so much, it’s all they really talk about. But FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real based on what the numbers actually tell us.
YTB has two separate business entities and I receive two 1099’s from the Home Office. One from YourTravelBiz.com for recruiting, and one from YTB Travel Network for selling travel. You are free to work one, the other, or like myself both.
I also see and hear that while nobody is making any of this money recruiting, we are also loosing money to boot. Somehow we need to recruit in order to get our investment back.
You are not paying a dime for joining YTB to recruit anyone. The Rep position in our company is a FREE position. It’s on all our Marketing Materials and on all company approved web sites to Market the YTB opportunity.
“The YTB companies offer two unique and powerful opportunities, that of referring travel agent or "RTA" and that of independent marketing representative or "REP". The travel agent opportunity has an initial fee under $500 and a monthly license fee of $49.95. There is no fee or travel agency purchase required to be a REP. You may choose to participate in one or both opportunities.”
Not one dime of your “one time” investment or monthly fee is tied to recruiting. Your investment in the company is tied to the Travel side, and because no one invests into YTB to simply participate in the recruiting aspect, no one looses anything for not being able recruit. Kind of hard for people at the bottom of this so called pyramid to loose anything if no ones investing in it in the first place, and that’s why we’ve been untouched by any Government entity, State or Federal, for our entire existence.
Everyone is on the same level playing field with their investment into YTB Travel Network and that money tracks your Travel commissions, sends out weekly Steals and Deals to clients, and provides the proper documentation for the trips that you book for your clients.
I will further confirm for you that none of your “clients” need to know a single thing about the recruiting aspect of our company if you choose not too. My business cards only have the YTB Travel Network logo on them and the only web site on the business cards are for BandBVactions.com. If you look at this web site you will not find any mention of recruiting or joining anything. It’s a travel web site just like any other and its purpose is to sell travel, nothing more.
Don’t be surprised however if a client asks you “how did you get started”? If they ask, feel free to tell them, and while it may shock you, like it did me the first time it happened, they will want to join your team. They see how passionate you are, and they also see how much fun you are having doing what you do. It’s not recruiting when they WANT to be a part of what you are doing.
Lastly, I would like to close with this. This is YOUR business. Please don’t get caught up in what others want you to make it. This includes your Sponsor and Power Team Leader, and especially any critics who want to tell you that you’re going about this all wrong. Critics have never been involved with MLM in most cases, and I’ve learned from experience what they actually know. (I even wrote a book about it, which you can download for free!)
I’ve been told far too many times that I need to join a Host Agency to gain respect or to become successful. I’m not walking in anyone else’s shoes but my own, and unless I choose to let anyone else decide for me what makes me happy, successful or respectable, it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. I’ve had some of the best success of my entire life with this company, and I also have far better friendships than ever before.
That being said, I can’t tell you that the answer to that question can be found in YTB for you. All I can tell you is that it is for me. I love this company, I love the leadership, and while I don’t like the critics, I’m glad to see you’ve caught on to the spin a lot quicker than I did. I count on people just like you who are smart enough to ask someone who can set the record straight.
When and if you do join YTB, please be sure to come back and sign up for our free newsletter and 7 Day Quick Start Guide. It is a very valuable resource to help you get off on the right foot and I do focus on a lot of Travel related topics and issues.
I sincerely hope I’ve been able to help you weed through all the garbage out there. I know there’s a ton of it, and most of it as you can see is pure bunk. Any negativity is purely based on fear and lack of understanding about just who YTB is and what YTB does. Stick with listening to those of us who at least have the experience and documentation to back up what they say.
Warm Regards,
Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812
Learn How To Become A Travel Agent
Book Your Travel & Vacations With
Travel Reservations: 1.800.243.4450
RTA #24635
Labels: Annual Report, Critics, MLM Myths, Recruiting, YTB Travel Network
Doug:
do you know anything about this?
http://aboutytb.blogspot.com/2008/04/ytb-travel-merges-with-american.html
How could this slip under JF's radar?
David
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 24, 2008
WOW! Thank You, but you really didn’t have to go to all this trouble. Your site was recommended to me by my sponsor and she was right, about the only place to get the right information about YTB is right here. I signed up Tuesday night and my sponsor and I are working on putting together a group to one of my favorite places on earth, Moon Palace.
Like you I have been telling people for years that all-inclusive vacations are the best and it’s about time I start getting paid for recommending it!
My sponsor is happy, and now I’m happy to be a part of YTB. I have A LOT to learn, and there is a ton of information to go over, but I hope to be as successful as you are selling Travel. I’ll keep what you said in mind about telling someone about the MLM part but I think I want to stick with travel right now.
I looked at a lot of options and some options were less expensive like TraVerus. But after hearing what happened to your team I decided to go with YTB. Besides, every site I’ve seen from people who are in YTB seem to be really happy with the company. While the critics do intimidate me a little, I just can’t see myself working in that environment. (YUCK!)
I did sign up for you’re newsletter yesterday and am already working of finding a domain name that works.
I really appreciate your honesty, and your time. (Even if I already joined.) I look forward to meeting you, and maybe you can join us down at Moon Palace for the week!
Thanks Again!
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 24, 2008
David;
We’ve had a relationship with ADI for years. Ronda and I attended a seminar during Funshine two years ago and they are one of the best companies for student trips I’ve ever seen.
I sent you a private e-mail with the link to our partnership with them.
Anon:
You are very welcome and congratulations on your decision to join YTB. I count on smart people like you who can weed through all the junk out there and see this company for what it really is.
It sounds to me like you have the same passions I do about the cruise industry, and because of that passion, I firmly believe you will do very well with YTB. You are in good “company” when it comes to people with passion and a desire to better either themselves; their financial picture, or both.
If there is anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My personal e-mail can be found on my Newsletter and my phone number can obviously be found here.
For the rest of the Anonymous posters today, Insiders, Real Pros and Critics who are now trying to justify your position.
You are free to post you’re phobias, insecurities, limited beliefs and lies about YTB elsewhere. I honestly don’t know why there is such a huge problem for all of you about the recruiting aspect of our company. Your problems and fears are strictly your own. It appears that none of you have “fallen” for YTB, so why it even matters and controls your emotions in this way is honestly dysfunctional at best. (And I’m being as compassionate as I possibly can when I tell you that.)
I work both sides and this business, I’m proud of the travel I have sold and I’m proud to have built the team I have. Yes, I recruit and if that bothers you…there’s very little if anything I can do about fixing that for you.
You are free to live in the form of myths, fears and phobias surrounding the dirty word called “recruiting”. You are also free to allow it to consume as much of your valuable time as you wish. It makes little differences to me.
However...
MY mind and THIS blog is not a garbage can and you need to toss this trash of yours somewhere else.
If you don’t, I will. (And have)
Now shooo.
Posted by
TravelPro |
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Damn Doug...
Do you think they'll get the message that your not putting up with thier myths and lies anymore?
Anonymous...
Congrats on joining YTB! I too am very glad you were able to see through the negativity and get to the truth about our company.
Like Doug, I love this company and the people I've met. It's a ton of fun and everyone I know loves to take vacations.
Welcome to YTB!
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 24, 2008
One of the reasons I love coming here is because it's free of all the negativity and garbage you find from these critics. I'm glad to see someone is finally standing up to them and telling them that they don't belong here. It's a waste of time reading any of that junk anyway.
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Anonymous
Welcome to YTB! I this past fall when all this mess started to happen. I was so afraid I made a mistake. Like you I just focused on travel and have never recruited anyone. Nobody outside the industry really knows YTB so it's never even been an issue when booking any trips. I'm glad I stuck it out, I just landed a 10 cabin cruise for late summer and if I quit I would have missed out. It's my first big sale and I'm very excited to get it. All I had to do was open my mouth and tell them I was a Referring Travel Agent.
Posted by
Anonymous |
Thursday, April 24, 2008
One of the things I think I admire most about you Doug is that you’ve never been afraid tell it like it is. I think your first post to John debunking him was an absolute classic. Here’s this self proclaimed leader and big shot and you cut him down to size with one post. Have you ever Googled John Frenaye? You don’t find very many current articles by him any more, (wonder why) and after reading some of his old articles, he loves to complain about anything and everything. Airlines, other Agents, Suppliers, it doesn’t matter. He just likes to complain, and the rest of the gang just follows.
I think he bit off more than he could chew when he ran into the likes of you, and I love the way you’ve taken control, not allowed them to change your beliefs and told them point blank to get lost. (Sorry “shoo”)
Keep up the good work and I think we all need to take a stand and not put up with this negativity any longer.
Posted by
Anonymous |
Friday, April 25, 2008
Afraid? Afraid of what?
That every supplier will eventually follow Royal Caribbean’s lead and cut us off? That we actually need IATA in order to sell and get paid on travel? How ‘bout never getting off the Pink Sheets, or the stock crashing to nothing? Even better, bankruptcy from the years and years of loosing millions? What about the Florida AG who opened the “investigation” that would finally lead to shutting us down?
That’s what I’ve been told to be afraid of, Anon.
Any of it happen?
Then WHY should I be afraid?
The way I see it…they’re the ones who are afraid, and because none of the examples above ended up putting an end to YTB, all they can do is yell a little louder.
While they’ll never admit it or voice it, they don’t have too. (Talk is cheap.) All you have to do is look at their actions. How they swarm around and post day after day on message boards and blogs talking about little ol’ YTB. It controls and consumes them with worry, anger, and fear.
Although I did get caught up in the limiting beliefs, and rhetoric of Critics and Naysayers, a real turning point for me was when I made a conscious decision to let it go. Yes, it took a little time and effort breaking away, but things solidified for me around our 6 Month Checkup at the beginning of the month. That’s when things really started to settle for me and I was able to confirm with actual facts and documentation in our Annual Report that what I had been writing about and belief that YTB was strong enough to withstand the lies and negativity.
I see it all over the company too. We’ve come out of the hocus pocus trance that Critics had us under. I talk to a lot of people, downline, upline, and crossline in this company, and they’re all feeling better than ever. It’s a complete shift in stature and mentality.
While we read and hear about our Critics who claim they’re on to us and know the truth, we just kind of sit back, smile and think to ourselves…
“Sure do! ;-P”
PS - I never took the time to Google John, and at this point don't know if I really care too. It does however sound just like him and his bunch. If you read my One Year Anniversary post two years ago, I talked about how nasty they all were back then.
Posted by
TravelPro |
Friday, April 25, 2008
Doug –
Can you help educate the TTA’s over on John’s blog about ADI?
Posted by
Anonymous |
Friday, April 25, 2008
Anon:
They seem to be hashing it out among themselves just fine. They are staying true to form with their own spin on things, and it’s occupying a considerable amount of their time and effort.
Since it looks as if things have not changed, I don’t know what I could do to help any of them.
The partnership with ADI has been on going for years. The Owner also happens to be an RTA. And while I could be mistaken, I “believe” YTB is the only Agency they work with. (I’m not going to bother checking if that is accurate or not.) I will say this…John’s a fine one to be pointing fingers about misinformation. LOL!
Let it go, and go sell some travel or talk to someone about starting their own home based business. That’s what’s going to make a difference for you. Not proving who is right or wrong over there.
PS – Eddie and Karla, and possibly Martha who is now posting anonymously.
You’re missing out posting over here, you should go back to John’s blog where someone actually gives a hoot what you guys have to say.
Since you didn’t get the memo above, I’m no longer posting comments from the Traditionalists who want to dump trash here.
Now shoo!
Posted by
TravelPro |
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Owner is also an RTA? John said he called ADI, yet he didn't mention anything about that? Makes you wonder if he actually called, or do you think he knows but just doesn't want anyone else to know?
Posted by
Anonymous |
Friday, April 25, 2008
Please leave the worry and wonder up the the TTA's. (They're very good at it.)
You should have more important things to work on rather than trying to defend a very good program that we've been associated with for years.
Posted by
TravelPro |
Friday, April 25, 2008
I would take Doug's advice and just ignore all that dribble. Trust me, Doug knows what he's talking about. I'm glad I've taken his advice.
http://gailtravel.blogspot.com/
Posted by
Unknown |
Friday, April 25, 2008