Page about Christa's Country Corner - the Famous Pineola NC Corner Store & Deli

Well, I know that we took our trip to Banner Elk, NC last May, and that it's a little late to be writing about the trip now. :) Honestly, I don't know where the time goes! I think some of it has to do that we're getting ready to sell our beloved and beautiful Randolph, NH home, and that has had us a bit preoccupied...

Anyway, better late than never! One part of our visit that truly stood out in our minds was our afternoon at Christa's Country Corner & Deli, on Route 181 in Pineola, NC (located at Mile Marker 312 off the Blue Ridge Parkway).

Christa's is a classic country store that is truly so much more than your typical tourist stop. You can see the pride that goes into everything Christa and her crew does. The store is so popular, and it doesn't take a visitor long to realize why.

We were greeted and treated so graciously (not only by Christa Poore, the owner, but also by able crew member Janine Hughes). The ambiance is perfect for a mountain gathering place. Warmly decorated, and full to the brim with unique gift and food items (as well as the more standard tourist items), the real draw for us was the FOOD! Oh wow... Southern Hospitality AND great food all in one place. Heavenly.

Rather than recount everything here in this blog, we invite you to read all about our afternoon visit here at our Fine Resort Vacation site. I think you'll soon know why we needed to write all about it. :) And, if you find yourself in Pineola, NC, we whole-heartedly recommend a visit to Christa's Country Corner!

Review of our Trip to Banner Elk, North Carolina!

At long last, I have compiled a bunch of information (and a review) of our trip to Banner Elk, North Carolina. We had stayed at the Blue Ridge Village resort (one of the thousands of resorts available to GRN members through your membership), and had a great time.

I've posted the information at my Fine Resort Vacation website. What I have done is developed a page called "Vacation Review," and will be adding sub pages pertaining to various vacation reviews - such as the Banner Elk vacation. There will also be a sub page for Caribbean Vacations since we enjoy St. Maarten so much!

Don't forget to check out the short YouTube video I posted about the Banner Elk trip! It's on the Banner Elk, North Carolina review page at Fine Resort Vacation.

In a nutshell, here's the review: Banner Elk is wonderful! It's scenic, the people are friendly (which seems to be the norm in the South!), and if you even remotely enjoy the outdoors, it's a dream come true! A visit would be well worth your time.

Enjoy the review! :)

Interview w/ 5th Grade Class from Woodland Elementary School in Perrysburg, OH

Ok... This was the coolest thing! Folks from Woodland Elementary School in Perrysburg, Ohio found my Fine Resort Vacation site online, and contacted me about a project they are doing that incorporates several fields of study - science, math, social studies, etc.

Mr. Jason Hubbard's 5th grade class has formed an "intergalactic tourist board" to design a planet that will entice Darth Vadar to visit, relax, and shake off his evil ways.

So, they asked if I would participate in a question and answer session to help them understand what types of activities and ammenities might be good at such a resort. And since I market Global Resorts Network memberships which include access to thousands of different resorts (and since I visit them myself), I was able to add some insight based on my own experiences.

What we did was set up a video conference using Skype, and I have to say it was awesome! What a blast! The kids had great questions, and it was the most fun I've had in at least a week! :)

We also talked about the things I have seen based on my experiences in Antarctica and New Zealand. We discussed how New Zealand might be a good country to study since it is such a beautiful destination.

Anyway, I'll update this blog if I learn anything else about how the project turned out.

I'm very grateful to Woodland Elementary School for inviting me to participate, and quite humbled, as well. It was an honor to help.

New YouTube Video - Our Trip to Blue Ridge Village Resort in Banner Elk NC

Ok... This is a little late, I know! Last May, John & I took a quick vacation to Banner Elk, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains - or the North Carolina High Country. What an absolutely gorgeous area!

As many of you know, I have been attempting to learn how to film and post things on YouTube, and one of the reasons I've been so late with this particular entry is ... um... well, good old fashioned procrastination due to fear since I am still on the YouTube learning curve!

But, I finally bit the bullet and "just did it." Yes, I followed my own advice! :)

At any rate, here is the YouTube video which is only 3 1/2 minutes long, showing a little about our trip, which included a terrific visit to Christa's Country Corner and Deli where we stuffed ourselves silly on smoked chicken, along with a view of the Blue Ridge Village resort where we stayed (and which is one of the thousands of resorts available through the Global Resorts Network membership we like so much), and a quick look at the Banner Elk Winery. Alas... we ran out of battery power during our visit to the winery, so there is only a screen shot.

I will be getting a larger article out there about the trip and some of the amazing activities that are available out in the Banner Elk area. Stayed tuned to my Fine Resort Vacation site for more!

Inspired by Appalachian Trail (AT) Thru-Hikers

I just got back from "town" - which is what we call Gorham, NH - the closest place we can do any shopping up here in rural Randolph, NH. Whenever I see a backpacker this time of year, I can fairly accurately determine if he or she is hiking on the Appalachian Trail - or "the A.T."

You really cannot miss a thru-hiker (which is the term used for an A.T. hiker whose intent it is to hike either from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine or vice versa). The majority of thru-hikers go from south to north, beginning in early spring so that they can reasonably expect to complete the 2,000+ mile trail before the snows fly in the fall.

Of course, there are also a number of "flip floppers" who hike from north to south. When my husband and his buddy decided to do a stretch of trail some years ago, they started at Katahdin.

Anyway, there are several things that scream "thru-hiker" when you see one. By the time these hardy souls arrive in Gorham, NH (a point close to the trail in the northern White Mountains of New Hampshire) they are usually very lean, a bit shaggy looking, have voracious appetities, and are a bit - ummm... shall we say "ripe" - after all, it's tough to wash your clothes very well on the trail.

They also typically go by "trail names." For example, one of our very good friends hikes for approximately 6 weeks every spring on the A.T., and calls himself "slo-go'en'" since he is never in a hurry. I love hearing the trail names. Of course, there's always gonna be the "Katahdin Kid" or "Blister," but I cannot help but enjoy wondering where "whykickamoocow" or "crazylegscrim" got those particular monikers.

All part of being on the trail.

Thru-hikers sometimes have a little bemused look to their faces by the time they hit Gorham as they deal with the sudden rush of population, diversions, and noise (which is actually quite tame in my view - but then again, I'm originally from suburban New Jersey - so who's to say?).

Although I have never attempted nor accomplished a long backpacking trip , I always appreciate the intense effort it takes someone to complete this type of endeavor (my longest hike was about 5 grueling days on the Long Trail in Vermont years ago when I was fit and sassy).

So, it is with respect and great regularity that whenever I see an obvious thru-hiker in town, I stop and give them a lift somewhere. To the store (the closest grocery store is a few miles out of Gorham), to their hostel or hotel, or occasionally to a restaurant where we ply the hiker with food or ice cream...

This summer, I have had the usual pleasure of meeting a few hikers - one whose trail name escapes me at the moment. I'm sure he's long since finished the trail and is hopefully relaxing safely at home and reminiscing about how simple and basic life in the woods can be.

While I was giving this particular hiker a ride into town, he told me of another thru-hiker who had fallen into some bad luck this summer. This unfortunate hiker had made it rather far north when - during some time of high water (which was most of the summer it seems), he evidently fell into a river and lost all his gear.

Pack, clothes, cooking gear, food, sleeping gear - gone. All of it.

Imagine for just a moment the feeling this guy must have had (after, of course, being thankful that he didn't drown and was able to escape his pack while in the water). This can be a difficult situation for one who is more than 20 miles from civilization. Again, he is extremely lucky to be alive - but, being cold and wet out in the middle of nowhere with nowhere to go at the moment could not have been anything but miserable.

But, true to the spirit of the participants in this culture - and it IS a culture all its own - somehow the guy was temporarily outfitted during this emergency in order to make it out of the woods safely. And once he reached civilization, I am told that he was taking a couple of weeks off while his family and friends re-outfitted him.

The thru-hiker who told me about this indicated that even after that scary experience, the guy would be finishing the trail. Of course, this came in from one of the hikers, so since it's 3rd hand, who can be sure of the whole story? I'm guessing that on one of the A.T. websites - maybe http://www.trailjournals.com/ or other hiker resource, we could probably find reference to this incident.

But, then, came today when I gave "The Phoenix" (his trail name) a ride from Wal-Mart (the closest store with food on the shelves in any quantity) back to where he was staying in town. He told me of his own experience on the trail thus far - and told it with such nonchalance, I could scarcely believe it.

Turns out that while this young and lanky lad was in a shelter down in Maryland or thereabouts, he got bitten by a raccoon. He had to leave the trail and endure rabies treatments for a while. He told me this story in the same casual tone of voice as though he had just told me he found the aisle in the store where they kept the bottled water. "Hey guys, found the water. It's over in aisle 10." "Hey guys, I just got bitten by a raccoon and need to think about getting back to civilization pretty soon so I can get shots to be sure I don't die."

Anyway, once he felt better, he headed north to Katahdin and was now hiking south to finish the trail where he had to leave it when he had his unfortunate encounter with the raccoon.

Absolutely amazing! How can ya NOT be inspired when hearing these types of stories?

Actually, I really do give these folks a lift and some trail magic just because it's fun to do so - but, hearing their stories is priceless.

As for me - although I still am not inclined to go without a shower for as long as these hardcore thru-hikers can - I AM inclined to get out from behind this keyboard tomorrow and go just a little bit further up the trail for my daily exercise.

Ok, signing off for today - and for those of you who enjoy a little bit more cushy vacations at comfy resort condos, I invite you to check out our wonderful vacation travel memberships here at Fine Resort Vacation, where we are changing the way we take vacations (and can leave for dayhikes from the comfort of our lodgings)!

Review of Two Cool Affiliate Marketing Systems for Global Resorts Network

Most people who see my blog know that I have a bunch of home based business irons in the fire - gotta remain diversified! But, focus and consistency is key.

My favorite affiliate program - and I really believe one of the best affiliate programs out there is Global Resorts Network (GRN). And I'm not just saying that because I'm a member and affiliate. Considering the payout (approx 30% commission) on membership sales versus the payout on other sales that I make on line (approx 10%)it's a great return. Of course, I also love to travel, so that helps! :)

Anyway, I have been experimenting with a number of different marketing systems to promote GRN. My latest is my very own site (which is still VERY much under construction - so if you visit, please be kind!) at Fine Resort Vacation. I've got a lot of work to do on it yet, but at least it's getting there.

I also use a GRN approved system that helps market the stand-alone luxury travel membership as well as the business opportunity. Those two related sites are Fine Resort Vacations (notice the similarity to my newest site), and Presenting GRN. My favorite part about this particular system is the numerous landing pages, along with the retail-only aspect. This is great! After all, some people just are NOT interested in a home based business - but they want to travel. So this is a really great option. It's also extremely affordable - only $30/month.

Then, I use a different internet marketing strategy and system that is really geared for the high energy type of entrepreneur who wants to build a business using article marketing, etc. It is an interesting system that has taught me a LOT about internet marketing. These guys are young and very energetic, and they call it the GRN Team Builder. That system is the one that intially introduced me to blogging!

What I like about that system (besides the marketing techniques that they've taught me), is that I also have the option to have their experts call my surveyed leads. I'm just not that comfortable on the phone, so it's nice to have the option to let someone help me.

Also, when I use the GRN Team Builder site - when the visitors opt in, they receive a nice little Free eBook called, "It's Only Easy If You Know The Truth...Exposing the Lies, Myths and Hype to Help You Finally Succeed Online."

Another thing I really like about this system is that it teaches us about personal "branding," and there are several landing pages where we can write our own text (which I have done here), or put video in (which I haven't done yet! But I will!). What I also like about this system is the price - it's very affordable, and only costs about $30/month to maintain.

But again, consistency is really key - working numerous systems takes quite a lot of effort. Of course, with my very own site, the new Fine Resort Vacation site, I'll promote only the retail product, the luxury vacation travel membership. But, the fun thing about that site is that ultimately, I have control over what is said in it. AND...Yes! I'm adding a blog there too! :)

It's a very interesting experiment! Please feel free to visit my sites! And if you have had any experience with these or other GRN systems, you can comment on them here!

Timeshare: Deal or No Deal?

"Let's face it. Travel is big business. Huge business. Even in "this economy." Consider that international visitors to the United States spent more than $122.7 billion on travel and tourism-related activities in 2007 - that's just people coming to United States alone! (Source: Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI) March 11, 2008)

I've also seen estimates attributed to the Travel Industry Association that the travel and tourism industry itself generates more than $1+ trillion in economic activity.

These are significant figures. And a lot of people want a piece of that pie. Who can blame them? Traveling is fun, and it's a fun industry to work in if you enjoy traveling yourself."

And so I began this article earlier this year for the EzineArticles.com site (If you are interested, you can find this article there in its original state, along with my other articles.) With slight variations and some additional content, I share it with you here because the content is relevant to what I keep hearing about "this economy."

The idea to rework and republish this piece came to me as we winter here in Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina. Down the road a space are numerous and lovely timeshare resorts inviting "walk ins" to tour their facilities. When we arrived here in Cherry Grove, I called the North Myrtle Beach Visitor Information Center with a specific question. Once the person answered my question, she tried to sign me up for a 120 minute "tour" and presentation of one of the timeshare resorts.

I tried to explain to her that I was not interested, and indeed market exclusive luxury vacation memberships, but she didn't give up. I was finally able to end the call, but the conversation stuck with me.

I've never cared for the timeshare sales tactics - I do not like feeling pressured. My husband and I purchased a timeshare ourselves years ago and have never been all that satisfied. We decided to sell it, but have been unable thus far to sell our timeshare week for even a fraction of what it cost us initially - not to mention how expensive it is to keep it up and running. We are truly caught between a rock and a hard place with this thing.

Never again.

Once we found the vacation membership we ultimately joined (and now market), it was the classic "no brainer." The differences between the concept of timeshare and our vacation memberships are staggering, which you will clearly see as you continue to read.

As an aside, it occurred to us as we were discussing "this economy" is that people are still vacationing - and if they aren't, they want to. They just don't want to pay through the nose. And they don't want to stay in some crummy and cramped hotel room, either. They want to be able to prepare some of their meals at their room instead of going out three times a day. Of course, the timeshare resorts are the perfect setup for vacations because they are typically roomy, have fully equipped kitchens, and are in lovely areas.

But, there are problems with purchasing a timeshare. And if you are seriously considering purchasing one, I only ask that you read on to see the truth in the numbers first. If what you read makes sense to you, then I invite you to go to our website to see how you can stay at these very same resorts without being shackeled to them or going into debt for the ability to vacation there.

I don't know if you have ever vacationed at a timeshare resort, or if you have purchased a timeshare in the past. If you have vacationed at a timeshare, then you already know what happens when you arrive: You are invited to a presentation about the property, and you are usually offered a gift certificate to a local restaurant or show in exchange for your time (typically 90 minutes - maybe more).

The resort isn't doing this to help you become acquainted with the area. They want you to purchase a timeshare at that specific location. After all - the resort is beautiful, and since you're having a wonderful vacation, why not purchase a week you can enjoy every year for years and years to come?

Whoa! Before you whip out your credit card or sign any financing papers in the magic of the moment, take a deep breath.... No... make that five or six deep breaths. Ask yourself these questions:

1) Do you really want to be locked into a contract where - after you pay thousands of dollars for the initial purchase - you'll be paying annual maintenance fees (which never seem to go down)? (According to Timeshares.com the industry average is $16,000 for a purchase. And, WorldMarkTheClub.com, says that the 2006 industry average for maintenance fees was $512 for a one-bedroom, and $614 for a two-bedroom unit.) My husband's and my annual fees are currently at $500 - just to keep the darned thing active.

2) In the event you'd like to exchange your week for a week at a completely different resort, do you want to pay annual membership dues to an exchange company and then pay for the exchange itself (cough up another couple hundred dollars a year). In our case, in order to trade for a week somewhere else, we have to belong to Interval International, and keeping that membership costs us about $80 per year. Then, to make the exchange itself, it costs us another $130 or more depending on where we're going. So, annually - if we want to use our timeshare at all, we are up over $700. And that's just for the right to go somewhere for one week!

3) Also, if you want to exchange your week for a week at another resort - even if you're willing to pay all those fees - are you prepared to be disappointed if you are told that the location you want to visit is not available (such as Hawaii, the Islands, etc... You might have to try Branson, MO - there are usually weeks available there ...)? In our case, we have never gotten the exact trade we have wanted. Ever. We have had our timeshare for at least 12 years, and while we certainly can travel with it, we have never gotten what we requested. We are extremely fortunate that we work our own schedules, and are very flexible, because otherwise we would be at the mercy of where a timeshare was available for a week possibly determined by our employer. For example, when I worked for a school system, I was limited to school vacations for our own travel. Hmmm. Think anyone else in the world has limitations? Again... we can almost always go to Branson, MO.

4) Are you absolutely sure that you only want to come back to this particular resort year after year? When we purchased our timeshare, we were in northern NH, and the liklihood of our actually staying at the property (only an hour from our own beautiful mountain home) was nil. For a few years, and when my husband's daughter was a little girl, we would occasionally drive over to the resort to use the swimming pools, but that's it.

Ok, if you answered yes to those questions, then by all means, buy a timeshare. And, in all fairness, we have met people who are extremely happy with timeshare ownership.

If, however, you are thinking twice, and taking another eight to ten deep breaths - you might be asking yourself, "Well, if not timeshare, how else can I vacation at these gorgeous resorts? Is there another way?"

The answer is "yes." And this is where I introduce to you the luxury vacation memberships that we now market through Global Resorts Network (GRN). GRN has the exclusive worldwide rights to market a private vacation club membership that has twenty-two years experience in outstanding customer satisfaction.

Since these memberships are now marketed via the internet, this trend is catching on very quickly. And why not?

You won't have to sit through a sales presentation, and the process is extremely simple. What you see is what you get.

When you visit my website, you can explore the membership at your leisure without someone pushing you to make a buying decision on the spot.
As you go through the website, you will see that a lifetime (Platinum) membership is only $2,995.00 and that there are no blackout dates for travel.

Hmm.

Then, if you need more information, you can either email or call me (or request a call from me) with your questions. Here are some of the questions you may have:

1. "Is there an annual maintenance fee to use this membership?" (The answer is, "No.")
2. "How much do I REALLY have to pay for a week at one of these resorts?" (The answer is, "Anywhere from $298 - $798, but not higher.")
3. "Yeah, sounds great, but what are the odds that I'll really get to use a resort in Hawaii or the Florida coast?" (The answer is, "Once you put in your request for a location and range of dates, customer service will be bending over backwards to find you your location - that's what they do. And because of the club's tremendous buying power, the odds are very, very good that they will find you a beautiful resort.") Note: I know this because I have experienced their customer service myself. It is second to none.
4. "If I purchase a membership, who will the travel club membership be with?" (The answer is, "Once you make your purchase through my GRN site - http://www.fineresortvacation.com/, you will become a member of Gold Crown Resort, our travel partner. Gold Crown Resort has more than 22 years of experience in outstanding customer service.")

So, let's recap the differences here:

• Timeshare ownership can cost an average of $16,000. Our vacation membership has one low cost to join - $2,995 for a lifetime membership.
  Timeshare ownership dues/fees range from $300 - $1,000. Vacation membership does not have annual dues or maintenance fees. You never pay for a vacation unless you actually take one, and then, your cost is only $298 to $799 for the week. And you can take as many vacations per year as you wish; you are not limited to one week.
• Timeshare ownership default on yearly dues could jeopardize ownership. Vacation membership means you join once, you're a member for life, with no extra fees.
• Timeshare ownership exchanges are difficult and costly. Vacation membership means no more exchanging, and members choose from more than 5,000 luxury resort properties worldwide.
• Timeshare ownership has maximum depreciation on the investment worth approximately 10 cents on the dollar. Vacation membership has retained its full value for the last 21 years (there is a $75 transfer fee).
• Timeshare ownership means that the owners may pay additional fees for property remodeling and renovations. Vacation membership means that the members do not share in remodeling or renovation costs.

It is ultimately up to you to do your due diligence and determine what really will work best for you. There are times when a timeshare purchase might initially seem to be the best way to go - as an example, perhaps if that resort is near family and you will always use that particular resort.

But again, compare apples to apples: Would it really be cost effective to do this? If you could purchase a vacation membership for $2,995 instead, and then simply book your subsequent vacations at one particular resort - I believe you would be better served through our membership. You would also not be locked in to one particular week.

After all is said and done, the best suggestion is that you do the math and carefully consider all your options and preferences before you purchase either a timeshare or a vacation club membership. After all, travel and vacation is supposed to make you feel good - not stressed!

Poor Economy? Who Says So? And Why Do You Listen?

I was just on the phone with one of my business partners. We got into a great conversation about how awesome our Global Resorts Network (GRN) business is, and how our product (the luxury vacation memberships) is truly changing the way the world looks at travel.

One of us (I don't remember who) mentioned something about how some folks really believe that "the economy is poor." We both kind of chuckled - we are both into practicing the principles expounded in what is commonly referred to these days as "The Law of Attraction," and my business partner said something to the effect that he sees this as a time of fantastic opportunity - and I fully agree!

Whenever I think of the Law of Attraction in terms of society and what the media report, I always go back to "you bring about what you think about," and if people are stuck on listening to reports that boo-hoo our economy, and if these same people complain to others about their finances, and then everyone at the party starts boo-hooing the perceived woes of the economy, well... Guess what?

So, as we were chuckling over the perception of "poor economy" he went on to say that:
1) People want to SAVE MONEY - which means they don't want to WASTE it! And our product SAVES people money on things that they really love to do - and they can do it totally without guilt! Kind of like eating chocolate, now that we know it's good for us. :) Besides, there are PLENTY of people who have the money to go on vacation. Ever been to the beach in summer? Ever visited New England during Leaf-Peeping time?

2) People are looking for ways to earn a few extra dollars. And we so happen to have an exceptionally sound, exciting, and even prestigious way to do so (if you're into the prestige of selling high end stuff)!

None of these ideas has "worry about the economy" attached. Instead, we are attaching "think about the opportunities" to our business and strategies to grow it.

By the way, it helps to stop watching so much TV. :)

Decisions...Decisions...How to Decide?

In my last entry, we discussed finding legitimate home based businesses.

I also mentioned my own preference for marketing online versus home meetings - again, just my personal peference. There IS another reason for this preference, apart from my aversion to rejection. :) This other reason is that the internet gives us a far wider customer and prospect base than say, a community of 200 people might give us. Note: This is NOT to be used as an excuse to not join an opportunity. I personally know people who have made a LOT of money in Network Marketing (MLM) who started in their own little towns. So, don't use "I don't know a lot of people" as an excuse. I've used it myself. No more. Be done with excuses! Remember the old saying: "You can make excuses or progress, but you cannot make both."

That's not to say you should join an opportunity just because you feel you might be the only one missing the boat if you DON'T join - Your opportunity MUST resonate with you - of course, this is my opinion. My reasoning is this: If you do not just love the product, how excited do you think you will be when it comes time to share it? Hmmm.

Ok... Back to the subject at hand.

While you are searching for the right opportunity, here is another thing to consider:
DEMAND: What is the demand? What are people searching for on line? Example: A lot of people are looking for ways to recruit others to their opportunity. This is a biggie. There are ways to capitalize on this need. I don't know about you, but I have a strong dislike for prospecting. I say that prospecting stinks, and if I need to prospect (and who doesn't), then I need some help. You can become an affiliate of a few different prospecting and marketing programs, and advertise these to earn some cash. I personally use a few of these.

DETERMINE THE MARKET: But, how can you determine the market? How do you know whether people are looking for a particular item or not? If you sign up for an account at www.WordButler.com, you can use their reverse keyword search tool for about $20 per month or so. You can also get these tools if you sign up for Yahoo Sponsored Search or Google Ad Words.

There are other places to get reverse keword search tools, too. I am a Stores OnLine customer, and have a few websites hosted by them - and one of their tools for merchants is a Reverse Search Lookup - where we put in a keyword and we get a report on how many people are searching the internet for that particular term. Pretty valuable stuff! Search the internet for "keyword research tools" and you'll find something that can help you.

COMPETITION: Then, of course, you need competition. If no one else is selling the thing that you're interested in, chances are good it's not a strong enough product to sink your teeth into.

BACK TO WHAT INTERESTS YOU: I do think it's important to stay within your range of interests. For example, I mentioned that I don't particularly care for jewelry - but one of my friends does, and is a representative for a jewelry company that markets via home parties - and she's earning a nice chunk of cash doing so. She's not earning it from me - but evidently a lot of people like jewelry out there!

In my case, my husband and I really enjoy travel. So, that's why we market for Global Resorts Network (GRN). We love it! And some of the reasons we love it so much is because:
1) GRN's travel partner has more than 22 years experience in customer satisfaction;
2) We get paid fairly ($500 - $1,000 per sale before our expenses);
3) We had experience with some of the resorts even before we joined and they are top-notch; and
4) We can market the memberships without EVER having to tell someone that there is a business opportunity attached to it. Talk about a true stand-alone product. We have a retail-only site - where there is NO mention whatsoever of a business opportunity. Let's face it, not everyone who travels or loves to vacation is necessarily interested in going into the business end of things. It would be like trying to sell a car to someone who doesn't have or want a driver's license.

And YOU may not be interested in travel at all... So let's move on.

STAND ALONE PRODUCT: So... that's another thing you might want to consider - marketing a product that does not require that you build a sales organization. In our case, we welcome both aspects, as mentioned above. If you have a strong interest in natural health products, study the business model and see if you can market the product without the need to market the opportunity. Same goes with any area of interest to you.

Well, that's about all I have today on this topic! I'll write more as I become inspired.