Network Markteting Business Help

I just started a travel agency business which is a network marketing business also. www.aftabtravels.com

There are 2 ways to I can grow my business but I need help. One way is by booking travel and the other is through referring people to become agents also.

My major concern is referring people. Does anyone know how I can get people to sign up? I see myself failing already. Everyone I ask, they all say no...

Get people to ... sign up?

You're a travel agency. This is a specialized service. People spend thousands of dollars and their paltry 5-10 vacation days they get when they seek out travel agents. Usually, this comes through word of mouth. For example there is a lady in our office that is very well traveled. She loves her travel agent. Has her on speed dial I think.

You have ... a website. With a third party booking engine.

I honestly don't know how to make that business model work. You're not a discount clearance house like hotels.com or priceline, etc.

After looking at it this seems to be ... a Pyramid Scheme or I guess they call it MLM ... either way it's impractical to expect these sort of "work at home opportunities" to every actually be profitable for anyone but, in this case, those ytb folks.

Well yes it is a pyramid scheme, but it really works. The person that referred me is actually getting checks...

Couple people I know want to sign up, but they don't have the money...

I think affiliate program may work for you and that can expand your reach to targeted viewers.

What is that and how do I do it?

What is: Affiliate Marketing

What is a targeted viewer?

Which tact are you going for? Do you wish to sell travel services or do you wish to act as a referral broker for other people to enter into this same scheme (thereby of course creating your own "competition").

Likely, you aren't going after the traveler. There is nothing enticing about this service to really lure customers. There's no custom service. You don't seem to have used a travel agent yourself or done much traveling yourself and you're not an expert on travel certainly. You don't know the best hotels in Reggio Calabria under $n you're just selling pre-packaged "deals" that most people are probably going to immediately dismiss because there's no value added or assurance or ... really travel consulting taking place here which is the de facto role of a travel agent.

So your targeted audience is: yourself. What you are trying to do is get more people to do the same thing you are doing. The problem is, I believe, most people would take one look at this as I did, come to the same conclusions as I did.

Your marketing strategy now is: what made you see this as an attractive offer where I saw the complete opposite. I think that's what you need to focus on.

"Receive checks" ... I put some of my music on a website once and I got several checks. $0.29, $0.42 even $1.83 I think. It didn't begin to offset the thousands of dollars in equipment or my time, but thankfully I don't write music for $1.83 checks. I just do it because I enjoy it.

Did you ask "how much are those checks?"

My main goal is to get people to do what I did. What is the best way to get people to sign up.

Con them, I guess. Flat out lie. Offer honey, but give them something equally appealing to flies (does it matter)? That's what the point is. No sense denying that anymore. Nothing travel related about this.

Oh ...

The cost of becoming an RTA is a one time fee of $449.95 and $49.95 per month for covering the cost of managing the travel booking engine.

Holy ... you got robbed!

So your question is: how can I get more people to cough up $500 and commit to an additional $600/year commitment.

Look: you don't. You have to be (sorry) a fool to fall for this.

BBB page for YTB International handily linked on that page are links to articles: BBB Investigation on Work at Home schemes, More, more .... Caveat Emptor!

But this company is not a fraud. The people that referred me actually got their checks in the mail.

I didn't say it was illegal (we're working on that). It's plainly a scam though.

Walks like a duck, talks like a duck .... awww cute puppy! No.

Again how much were those checks? How much profit did your "friends" make after their investment? This should have been your first question.

Your question: how can I get others to pony up $500 for this scam?

My answer: please stop trying! Cut your losses now. Stop paying that $50/mo extra and just get out! Run ....

Sure they are, because there are 5 suckers born every minute (adjusted for inflation) just like you who'll fall for this crap. Those are the people (read: idiots) you need to seek out.

---John Holmes...