Traffic Exchanges

If you know anything about internet marketing and getting traffic to your site, you know that Pay-Per-Click can be expensive. And, if you don't know what you are doing, you can find yourself in debt and going out of business quickly. There are a lot of ways to market your business online. However, the use of traffic exchanges is the one most affordable.

Traffic exchanges work by giving the advertiser credits. These credits are used to advertise your website to users within the exchange. Most of the websites will allow you to purchase thousands of hits for almost nothing, so you can focus your time on marketing your business using other methods.

Make sure you use traffic exchanges in your marketing plan. If you do, you will increase traffic to your website, which translates into more sales for you!

One more thing, with traffic exchanges, the more popular the traffic exchange sites become, the higher your pege rank becomes in search engines like Google and MSN!

Here are the traffic exchanges I like the most:

Hits2u and Traffic Swarm

Both sites allow free surfing for credits and the opportunity to purchase credits.

Well, that's all for now folks. I hope and pray your holiday this season is full of joy and the freedom that comes along with having your own business.

What To Say...

Hey everyone, here is a list of phrases that can give you assistance when prospecting. I got this list from Tim Sales, a well-known, extremely successful network marketer:

x - Avoid these phrases. + - Instead use these.


x - I recently became involved.
+ - I'm working on a project.

x - I'd like to get you involved.
+ - I'm looking for the right person.

x - Are you looking for a business opportunity?
+ - Do you keep your eyes open for expansion/diversification?

x - I think you would love this.
+ - It may or may not be for you.

x - You would be good at this.
+ - This might be lucrative for us.

x - New business opportunity.
+ - Business idea or project.

x - Are you interested?
+ - You might want to see this.

x - I want you to...
+ - You might want to...
+ - You might benefit from...

x - I want...
+ - I thought you might want to know...

x - You should...
+ - Is there any reason you would want...

x - You need...
+ - I don't suppose you'd...

x - What if I told you...
+ - What if you knew...

x - Come to a meeting.
+ - Meet some other members of the team.

I thought you might find these phrases helpful. For more information about Tim Sales, go to www.brilliantexchange.com

Business Tax Savings

You're in Business for Yourself...Not by Yourself

As a referring travel agent (RTA) we're entitled to tax breaks. This is a very powerful part of this business.

"There are two systems of taxation in our country: One for the informed and one for the uninformed."

When you own a business, all of your expenses can become tax deductible. Having a business enables you to keep more of your money! Please note, all tax matters should be reviewed by a tax professional. If you do not have one, get referrals from people you trust and hire a tax advisor.

Tax Deductions

As a travel agent, you may take tax deductions for your business, vehicle, telephone, entertainment, and travel.Here is a list of business deductions you may take:

1. Business Assets

2. Direct Business Expenses

3. Indirect Business Expenses

4. Exclusive Business Use
When deciding whether or not to take a tax deduction for a particular purchase is exclusive or not, ask yourself the following question: Is this purchase ordinary, necessary, and reasonable? For example, is it reasonable and necessary for an attorney to go on a cruise? The answer is no. How about a travel agent?

For vehicle deductions, make sure you keep a log of your mileage. Your mileage log should include the following: date, where, purpose, and odometer reading. Keep records of all expenses, for example oil change receipts.

What about telephone deductions? Well, the base service is not deductible. However, add-on services may be, but check with a tax professional. Long distance for business is definitely deductible. Also, cell phones are deductible if the phone is being used primarily for business.

Entertainment Deductions

Unlike other deductibles, this is a 50% deduction. Does it meet 4 IRS requirements:

1. Is there a future gain or benefit?
2. Topics for future gain must be discussed.
3. Is the money spent necessary for business?
4. Was money spent to gain access to a particular person?

Also, when taking an entertainment deduction, is there a clear business setting? Meaning, does the person know it's for future business gain not a meaningful personal relationship. Associated entertainment would also fall under this category. Associated entertainment precedes/follows the active conduct of business, for example, breakfast followed by golf, or attending a baseball game followed by a business meal.

Travel Deductions

Travel deductions are unique to travel professionals. Check your expenses against the IRS using the following 3 part test:

• Are the expenses usual and customary in your industry.
• Is the intent to obtain a direct business benefit?
• Are the expenses helpful to developing your business?

Sound like a business you know?

The 51%/49% rule gives a 100% deduction if more than 1/2 of the day is spent on business and the primary purpose of business is explained. Let's compare: 3 people go on a 1 week cruise including air. The cost of the cruise is $4,400, plus the income taxes - $2,933. The total cost is $7,333. An RTA purchases the same cruise including air at the travel agent price of $1,400. The typical tax deduction for this trip is $560. So, the actual cost is $840.

Which would you rather pay? The tourist cost of $7,333., or the RTA price of $840.?

Final note: have fun with your travel business! If you are not yet a travel agent, join YTB and make your future travel deductible! Keep a travel tax notebook and record where you went and why! Save your receipts! Do a site inspection! Record your children's perspective!

Are You Marketing Your Business?

I have discovered that many people no longer want to work their travel business, so they quit. Many of you have stopped working your business also.

Have you forgotten WHY you decided to get into the travel business?

The great thing about YTB is the commissions paid whenever someone books on our site. We earn up to 60% of the travel commissions paid.

Sometimes it's frustrating to try and talk to your friends and family members about your business, especially when they don't even try to have an open mind. It's also hard to sell this business when you are new, because you haven't made any money yet.
However, here are some tips to help you get your business "off the ground" and boost business!

-Book travel on your site on a regular basis

-Help a friend find a vacation

-Put your travel website on postcards and mail them

-Have a Grand Opening or Travel Party

-Pass out business cards to everyone

-Use your travel credentials to experience discounts and other specials, just for being an RTA

When all of this is done, you will notice the following things:

1. You'll save money on your travel. This is a great, because it's like putting money in your pocket. For example, this past summer, Domonic and I went to Florida and decided to go a theme park. We were able to save $70.00, because we received free admission because of our Travel Agent status!

2. You will start to earn commissions. This is priority, because prospects like to know whether or not you are making any money.

3. You'll save money on your taxes.

4. If your friends and family members see that your site is real and your making money off of them every time they travel, they may be more receptive to the idea of networking and becoming travel agents. Remember, if they want more information, they'll ask you for it. This is how you market your business indirectly.

MARKET YOUR BUSINESS!

If you have a travel business, you should book travel on your own site. There are so many perks given to those who own travel businesses! It's best to have your own stories and examples to give your prospects, this is more important to them than the testimonial of the top money-earner of a company. The testimony of a top money-earner is good when you want to show your prospects what happens when you grow a large organization, but personal stories are more convincing.
You should also teach your downline to do the same thing. By repeating this process over and over again, you will grow your organization with business partners who are loyal. Tell your downline how important it is to work their business and take advantage of the perks! They also should have their own stories to tell. Your downline will be reaching out to their friends and family and indirectly marketing their business.

See you at the top!
Thamani L. Draft
Success Coach

http://www.drafttravel.com/
http://www.travelwithdom.com/

Incentives

Hello all! Just wanted to tell you how great being a travel agent with YTB is! My husband and I are discovering incentives we've never even thought of! Check it out:

From Nov. 2007 - Dec. 31st, '07, we are able to stay at any Hyatt Regency Hotel on Friday or Saturday FOR FREE, just to check out how great the service is. If we decide to stay more than one night, the cost of the hotel is just $59.00 per night. Guys, this is for ANY HYATT!

Travel Professionals Promotion


For a limited time, YTB is waiving the sign up fee for travel professionals! The cost is normally $449.95. Once approved, you'll become a Referring Travel Agent (RTA) and will pay only the $49.95 monthly website fee. You'll immediately receive two websites, one for marketing, the other for booking travel. So, if you are currently working in the travel industry, or routinely book travel, you may be able to take advantage of this special offer.

This offer is good through December 2, 2007 and won't be repeated. The following professions may qualify:

Travel Agent
Pilot
Flight Attendant
Airline Ticketing Agent
Concierge
Travel Sports Program
Sports Teams
Corporate Travel Department
Event Planner
Wedding Planner
Hotel Owner
Tour Guide
Anyone who books or promotes travel in their business!

To sign up, all you have to do is:
#1 View a presentation or two to learn more about the YTB Business Opportunity.
#2 Sign up as a rep, for free! &
#3 We will help you submit your credentials and waiver form within 10 days.

You will be activated as an RTA if you are approved. At this point, you will receive your marketing website and booking engine. You will also receive unlimited customer support!

FAM Trips!
Being a Referring Travel Agent also gives you the opportunity to take expensive trips for cheap! Currently, we're able to fly to Italy for $99.00. The only requirement is that we take our trip before March 18, 2008. Works for me!

______________________________________________________
I don't know about you, but the idea of receiving discounts from various places because I'm a travel agent is very appealing. What's sad is the fact that the first few months, my husband and I didn't even work our business and never thought of presenting our card when vacationing, going out to dinner, e.t.c.... It wasn't until we ran into another YTB Agent, while vacationing in Florida, that we realized what we really had!! We were in line at a theme park waiting to pay so that we could get in. There was a YTB family in front of us. They showed their credentials to the person behind the counter and were able to get in FREE! We thought that was powerful! Now we show our cards everywhere we go!