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)!

Avoiding Travel Scams - Read & Heed!

I just saw this great article at the travel section of MSN regarding avoiding travel scams. Since I market really nice fine resort vacation memberships, this topic is of great interest to me, and I'm passing it along to all of you with the hopes that you will avoid these when travelling.

The more we know about stuff like this, the more pleasant our vacations and travel in general will be! Here is the article => The World's Worst Travel Scams

And, in the meantime, I just booked my own flights to St. Martin! We're not going until November, but we thought it was time to start looking at what's out there.

I'm pleased to say that through our own Global Resorts Network membership (the membership is actually with Gold Crown Resort), we got a FAR better deal from Boston to St. Martin than we found on Expedia. For the 2 of us, travelling non-stop on Jet Blue to and from, it cost a total of $1,207.10 (This price includes the taxes, which were over $100 each. Aren't taxes amazing?).

So, I am very glad to report that the travel membership has terrific value well beyond the actual resort stays. Please check us out! Fine Resort Vacation - Truly a vacationer's dream come true!

WONDERFUL A Capella Video - "Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa," and How can I Use this to promote my new Fine Resort Vacation site? Hmmm.

Preface to why I am using this awesome video:
Those of you who have read any of my old blogs know that I enjoy internet marketing - actually, what I enjoy most is the copywriting - I love writing, and always have. You probably already know that I market wonderful vacation memberships through my www.FineResortVacation.com website.

And, besides writing, I have an absolute passion for singing - and have an especially deep love for harmony and harmonizing - which is possibly why peace and harmony are keystones of my life in general.

So, that said, I got to thinking today about a very cool YouTube video one of my dear friends sent me, called "Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa" which is an absolutely astonishing a capella rendition of the old song "Africa," originally sung by Toto. I'm adding it here to my blog post so you can enjoy it too. It is far too incredible for me to attempt to describe this performance. Just watch it for yourself! (To see the video: Scroll down to the bottom of this post - and you'll need to let it run for about 15 seconds before you'll hear any sound - the first sounds are very soft.)

Anyway, after watching this unbelievable performance (and wishing I could be part of their troupe), I began thinking about how I could use stuff like this video in bringing people to my website. I thought about how I might use the "Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa" example because the travel memberships that I sell have gorgeous vacation properties in Africa as well (e.g. Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa).

I just looked at a few of the resorts - and they are wonderful. As I reviewed the information about where some of them are located, I was thrilled - and enlightened. I had not known that such incredible beauty exists. While I am aware that there are many African nations struggling with challenges and difficulties, I am now aware that there is great beauty and joy there as well.

Ahh.. Alas... For one in the USA whose pockets are of humble depths, it will likely be a while before we can afford to fly to some of these amazing places. Sigh.

Nontheless, there are plenty of people in the world for whom a holiday at one of these beautiful condo resort properties is far closer to home and easy to get to.

So, I thought again about inviting this beautiful "Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa" video into my website and blog as a way of inviting anyone who might be as taken by the beauty of Africa and its potential for a holiday to see what that vast continent has to offer.

Enjoy!

Next Adventure: Banner Elk, North Carolina

The last week and a half was filled to overflowing with activity as we prepared to end our 5-month stay in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was with mixed emotions that we closed the door behind us for the last time on Friday morning, 5/1/09, car packed to the brim, to begin our trip back to northern New Hampshire.

We made some wonderful friends in South Carolina, enjoyed true southern hospitality, and expanded our interests and knowledge in ways we never could have anticipated. What an adventure! And we plan on returning next winter.

Instead of racing home, however, we decided that it was time for a little vacation. I know a lot of people think of our winter in SC as more of a vacation, it really wasn't. One of the advantages of working online for yourself is that you can pretty much live wherever you want (within reason!).

Anyway, since we market luxury resort vacation memberships, we took advantage of one of the resorts, and booked a week here in Banner Elk, NC at the Blue Ridge Village resort. You can check out the resort here at the resort registry at my Fine Resort Vacation website.

In the one day since we've arrived, we realized that I'll have a lot to write about! This area is just magnificent! Even though we live in the mountains of northern New Hampshire, these mountains are different, and the communities offer different activities which we are going to be exploring this week.

Stay tuned for more! For now, it's time get ready to go hear some bluegrass... :)

Our NEW SITE! It's Up & Running! Welcome To Fine Resort Vacation!

We did it! We have FINALLY gotten our new Fine Resort Vacation site up and running - and it's looking pretty good! It's pretty exciting to see the progress. So, if you visit us at the site you'll see our smiling faces on the home page - the same picture we are using here at this blog.

We wanted to use the same picture since it was taken on vacation at one of our favorite Caribbean luxury vacation destinations - St. Martin (where, by the way, we'll be heading back to this coming November for a few weeks).

We figured we should use a vacation photo since we are marketing luxury vacation travel memberships at the site. Makes sense, doesn't it? :)

Anyway, we also posted a page if you want to learn a foreign language - John & I have begun using the Pimsleur approach, and lo & behold, the method works! We are retaining what we have learned in our initial lesson, so it's quite impressive. Check it out here.

We also have posted a foreign currency converter, links to the US State Department and other links for up to date information on international travel, and a blog for the site itself (of course!). :)

We've also added a page so that potential members (or anyone who is interested) can view our newsletter where there are some amazing deals. For example, if you wanted to travel to Maui next week, there is a $298 special - which is amazing! $298 for the WEEK! This page gives potential members a glimpse at what the membership portal looks like.

We've also given a dollar-for-dollar comparison of what our timeshare ownership has cost us against how economical our Global Resorts Network luxury vacation membership costs. You can see that at our "About Us" page.

We've added an exhaustive FAQs page that addresses a lot of the questions people have about our luxury vacation travel memberships.

Throughout the site, we have illustrated the pages with lots of photos from the resorts themselves.

We'll post more information as it comes in. For now, I just wanted to share the good news about the new site! Please stop by and visit us - and if you are interested or have questions, don't hesitate to contact us - all our contact info is at the "Contact Us" page.

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!

Affiliate Marketing Resources and Self-Improvement Books

Good morning from beautiful and sunny (if just a tad chilly) Cherry Grove Beach!

I just wanted to pass along a few websites today that might be helpful to those of you in the business of reaching for the stars using internet or affiliate marketing. A couple of these might be of interest to you if you are studying the principles of the Law of Attraction and Attraction Marketing.

Self Improvement Books

For some really good, no-fluff, no nonsense self improvement books, I just love my friend Tony Michalski's Kallisti Publishing site. He is a walking-talking example of the Law of Attraction at work, and I've learned a lot from him. This is absolutely worth checking out - and there is way too much for me to list here! Click Here to visit. (And yes, I AM going to earn a commission if you buy anything. But don't worry - there's good free stuff there too!)

Attraction Marketing

If you are interested specifically in attraction marketing, branding, etc., and you are in a business where recruiting or sales prospecting is imporant, this is a high energy group of people! Start by having a look at Mike Dillard's Free Video here.

High End Product Affiliate Programs

If you are looking for nice, high end product affiliate programs, and working from home in the travel industry is appealing to you, I just love Global Resorts Network (GRN). I love them for several reasons:

• They have a "big ticket" item, which means handsome commissions,


• The service is completely stand-alone - that is, you are not required to recruit others to sell the luxury vacation travel membership that we market (Click here for my website that is devoted ONLY to prospective travel customers), and


• The customer service we get from our travel partner is second to none.


• Plus, the fact that our travel partner has more than 20 years of experience shows great credibility and financial stability.

There are more than a few ways to market Global Resorts Network. If you are interested in GRN as a business opportunity, it's one of the finest. The internet marketing strategies I've been learning with Mike Dillard and his excellent and highly energetic team over at the Black Belt Recruiting are very impressive. Learn from them, and then apply what you learn.

What an outstanding bunch of people! These guys keep me young.

If you have other systems or resources to share, please feel free to comment! Have a great day!

Affiliate Marketing System? What About It?

Since most people who know me know that I work 100% from home now, they often ask me how I do it. I have been getting a lot of those questions this winter, since John and I left the north country (northern NH) for the warmer climate of coastal South Carolina.

Except that it snowed here on the beach yesterday. And it's in the 20's tonight. Brrr! Old Man Winter wasn't letting us go without a fight! :)

Anyway, I guess the reason people ask us this question is because we don't fit the typical "snow bird" profile - which means we are not retired (yet!).

We assure people that we most certainly DO work! And we work hard. Well. "Work Hard" is a relative term. My back aches, but only because I'm hunkered down over the computer keyboard for work.

As you know, if you've been reading this blog, we work our online business opportunities. A couple of our internet marketing strategies are centered around products which are physically drop-shipped from our supplier, and yet another is an affiliate marketing system.

I know that some readers might ask what I truly believe the best affiliate marketing program is - and that is a difficult question to answer. Everyone is different, which means that different people will prefer different products. I've addressed this topic in other blog entries, wherein I advise people who are interested in business opportunities online to carefully review their likes/dislikes, how much time they have to devote, etc.

Also, when asked, I will typically tell folks that I prefer to represent a company that has a solid, stand-alone product. You've probably seen that in my writings, as well.

And an affiliate marketing opportunity may very well be different from an affiliate marketing system. At least in my eye.

Because the affiliate marketing opportunity you choose to represent may not necessarily have a marketing system to help you learn the ropes of online internet marketing.

So what to do?

Well, you've undoubtedly heard me tell my readers to do some due diligence and soul searching before joining up with anything. Because, I don't care how good the internet or affiliate marketing system is - if you are not going to put in the time to 1) LEARN the system, and then 2) WORK the system - and by work the system, I mean on a CONSISTENT basis, then you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Because nothing works unless YOU do.

So. That said, there are a few affiliate marketing systems out there that have good information, good educational products, and the type of training that - once you wrap your head around it - you can implement, and begin to see results in the following ways: 1) More visitors (aka "traffic") to your site, which leads to 2) more sales at your site, which leads to 3) more commissions in your bank account.

I like Mike Dillard's style - talk about "no nonsense." You can check it out and get some free information and see if this affiliate marketing system resonates with you.

Of course, it's no secret that I'm extremely fond of Global Resorts Network as an excellent affiliate marketing opportunity, since John & I love to travel and have been very impressed by the exclusive luxury travel club that we market (which really is a standalone product). For people who want to travel AND earn some money marketing a luxury vacation travel product, the GRN commission structure is impressive. For us, it's both an entrepreneur's dream come true as well as a vacationer's dream come true (Hey! That's our motto!)

As far as the affiliate marketing systems that we work, we've learned a great deal through the sites we've already mentioned - which you can visit at your leisure. They are certainly not the only affiliate marketing resources out there, but they're certainly a good starting point. The direct links are:
Presenting GRN (this gets right to the point of the opportunity)
Black Belt Recruiting (this is Mike Dillard's approach)
Truth To Wealth Online (this is a great GRN Team Building System - plus you can get a nice free eBook about dispelling the myths of working online)

But ultimately, it is up to you to discover what it is you enjoy doing, decide if you have the time to devote to learning an affiliate marketing system - and then, once you choose your particular affiliate marketing opportunity that "grabs you" - STICK WITH IT!

Working from Home in the Travel Industry

When I was a kid, one of my fantasies included working in a travel agency. At the time, my only experience in travel was going down to "The Shore," as we called it growing up in New Jersey. I pictured working in a sunny office, helping eager families choose their motel or bungalow for their summer week or two in Ocean Beach or Wildwood.

My experiences in travel have broadened somewhat since childhood, but my interest in marketing vacations hasn't changed. Just the methods have. Perhaps you’ve noticed that some of the travel agencies in your town have closed their doors. Up in the northern White Mountains of NH where we have a home, we’ve seen two travel agencies leave town.

Considering how easy it is to find good travel deals on line, this turn of events is not surprising!
Nowadays, we book almost every trip we take online with the vacation travel club we belong to.

We did feel a little bad when we saw the writing on the wall, and noticed the “For Sale” sign in front of our former travel agent’s building. We had always enjoyed working with her, and seeing what exciting trip she would come up with for us.

For several years, as the internet changed from something I vaguely heard about in the news to my primary tool for my livlihood, I heard the whispering – “travel agents will be doomed by the internet!” or “travel agents will all be going out of business.”

Of course, that’s utter nonsense, since there are plenty of areas where the population still supports a local travel agency - and there are plenty of people who still want someone else to prepare their travel arrangements.

Just not in our rural area.

But, why the doom and gloom? If you love travel (whether or not you have experience as a travel agent), then why not hop on the “Working at Home Online” train?

There are plenty of opportunities working from home in the travel industry these days. Spending less than 5 minutes in an online search will prove that to you!

You’ve seen the advertisements touting the benefits of working from home on line – but you need to focus. For example, if you like NASCAR, but there are no NASCAR related jobs in your neighborhood, then find products in that niche and begin selling them online!

If you like travel, then focus on a travel product. Don’t let the lack of travel agencies deter you. There are PLENTY of opportunities for working from home in the travel industry – and yes, they are now online. You can easily find any number of travel related MLMs and affiliate programs (for all you NASCAR lovers, I don’t know if there are any affiliate programs for you!)

Before you jump headlong into the “internet working from home” pool, but after you’ve weighed the advantages of working from home – along with the benefits of working from home (and there are many! But that’s a different story.), please check the credentials of whichever program floats your boat (pun intended, if working from home in the travel industry is what you want!).

Make sure that your program – whether it’s an MLM or affiliate program has a solid, stand-alone product. One you can confidently offer to the person who just wants to go on vacation without worrying about whether or not you’re going to try recruiting him or her to join your business, or take a timeshare tour.

For example – and I refuse to name companies here – I know people who regularly ask me to join their travel businesses in true MLM fashion. They know I love travel – and typically, they know that I’ve had a lot of experience in MLM. For me, I have noticed that personally contacting people I know in an attempt to interest them in my “working from home opportunity” dilutes my relationship with them. I don't want them avoiding me when they see me at the supermarket.

Hey, that’s just me. You may have different feelings and levels of success with that.

And that’s fine.

BUT… If the friend happens to have an opportunity and can use customers as well as a sales force, I’m all in! I have a very dear friend who is a member of a travel MLM, and if her price on something beats mine, I’m in. For one of my last vacations, I booked a car through her site and got a 2 week rental for less than $200. No joke.

I just want to be sure that whatever working from home opportunity I choose has a stand alone product.

Because I enjoy travel so much, I want to be able to offer someone who loves to travel an opportunity to do JUST THAT. Travel.

Stand alone product. And, so that is what I market. You can buy it, or not buy it. You can join as an affiliate – or not.

Hey, if the customer is interested in learning how to earn commissions marketing the luxury vacation membership him or herself, I’m all over it. But, it remains their choice – and not until they bring it up.

Because, there are so many people out there who really just want to travel – and they want a good deal. Which we have.

One of the best analogies I ever heard in relation to this is “Don’t try to sell a steak to a vegetarian.” It’s true. Remember: Not everyone wants a work at a home business opportunity. So, why try to sell them that?

But, they might enjoy travel, and might be seeking a way to enjoy luxury vacation travel for a lot less than they’ve been paying.

So, keep these things in mind when you are looking for ways you can be working from home in the travel industry – or working from home on line in general. Once you have decided on what you are going to market online, you'll need to put a system in place - an internet marketing system and plan of work to market successfully. But that's a chapter all its own.

Start with an opportunity offering a high quality, stand alone product. It’s critical.

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!

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.