WHERE DOES IT HURT MOST, DOC?...

Times are not what they once were in the healthcare field. Doctors and hospitals are being pinched and squeezed–financially and otherwise. In the long run, patients will undoubtedly suffer from many of the changes that are taking place.

Allow me to say up front that our U.S. medical system has serious problems. Costs have escalated to the point of being absurd. Such costs are unaffordable to many, and this situation cannot be acceptable to any responsible citizen. Too often however, doctors are mistakenly blamed for costs that are beyond their control. Most doctors work longer hours and earn far less today than they did a few years ago. So why are medical costs so high? And how do they affect a doctor’s ability to practice effectively? Let’s consider just a couple of areas.

Everyone wants improvements in a doctor’s ability to diagnose illnesses and administer effective treatments. Doctors and patients alike want to take advantage of the latest technological advances. But such advances are often outlandishly expensive. Consider the research and development costs of a new and unique electron microscope, Computerized Tomography scanner (CAT scan machine,) or Magnetic Response Imaging device (MRI.) These devices often sell for millions of dollars each. Proving that a device meets government specs and safety requirements often takes many years, and also adds to the costs. Once approved, manufacturing setups and specifications must be very exacting and expensive.

Here’s a thought: after such devices become available, does every hospital or diagnostic clinic in every town need one? Could they possibly be shared? Maybe one for every third hospital or every other town? Or made available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week?

Let’s consider the ramifications of this (slightly preposterous) cost-saving idea. Would patients tolerate long waits for test results—a likely consequence of such sharing? Or scheduling a non-emergency test appointment at 2:00 or 3:00 AM? Might medical-malpractice attorneys use delayed diagnoses as grounds for suing doctors or hospitals? And might our uninformed lay juries award unrealistically large damages to victims of such delayed diagnoses?

It’s also very expensive for hospitals to meet all the government requirements for OSHA standards—Occupational Safety and Health Administration—a division of the U.S. Department of Labor. Administrative costs often skyrocket to oversee and police such requirements. Unlike a hotel, hospitals must operate and be fully staffed with professional healthcare workers 24/7. Someone may need an emergency X-ray, or blood test, or surgery. Supplies costs have escalated, but also salaries have risen dramatically for nurses, technicians, nurses’ aides, food prep staff, cleaning staff, etc.

A constant tug-of-war exists between medical-insurance companies vs. hospitals and healthcare providers. Remember, insurance companies are in the business of making money for their stockholders. That’s it. Their primary objective is NOT that of providing healthcare for subscribers. They would much prefer subscribers to simply mail in their premiums each month and never submit a claim. You’ll notice this if you ever apply for such insurance—read the fine print about what is excluded from your policy. To oversimplify somewhat, if you’ve ever been sick, are beyond a certain age, or have any bad habits, they don’t want you.

All right, these are a few considerations to explain why many doctors plan to retire early or abandon the practice of medicine altogether. Many are baby-boomers today. In my experience, most doctors really enjoy helping people. They initially go into medicine and spend so many years studying and working long hours because they care about their fellow human beings. But today’s constant fighting with insurance companies in order just to pay their rent, outlandish medical-liability insurance premiums, employees’ salaries, etc, etc has taken the joy out of practicing for many doctors. Doctors today worry that that every other patient has a med-mal lawyer on “speed-dial” on their phone, in case the doctor doesn’t deliver an instant and satisfactory cure for whatever ails that patient. With government-sponsored healthcare looming on the horizon, a doctor’s lot is certain to become much worse. Can you imagine being in a serious accident and knowing that your local post-office staff is now running your hospital’s emergency room? Would you like congress to determine how much your local hospital spends for its supplies and equipment? Awarding the contract for your new heart valve to some family member, political cronies, or the “lowest bidder?”

Malpractice awards in our country have become ludicrous. Some are justified. Many are not. But the cost of defending “nuisance” suits—totally unfounded claims by disgruntled patients and unscrupulous lawyers, burdens doctors and healthcare facilities enormously. Patients must ultimately pay this cost. Malpractice reform and limits on awards would provide enormous savings in medical costs; however, lobbyists for Trial Lawyers groups will fight this to the bitter end. This group, incidentally, makes huge annual contributions to select political campaigns in Washington.

So, Doctors—where does it hurt most? And is your pain getting better or worse? The old joke was that “It only hurts when I laugh. Doc.” Some politicians are unquestionably pleased with themselves today. I doubt that you’ll find many doctors laughing. I also doubt that you’ll find many patients laughing in the future about the state of our healthcare system. It’s very sad to watch. Ours was once the premier healthcare system in the world. No more.

Click HERE to learn how Doctors can free themselves from the problems that take the joy out of practicing medicine. You’ll also meet our business partner, Jeff.

MEDICAL DOCTOR JOBS...

Why are medical doctor jobs  so important today?

Medical doctors and other health-care workers today are finding it difficult or impossible to retire. Many are also having a tough time obtaining suitable medical doctor jobs in order to continue working.

Thousands of doctors planned carefully for years and lived a moderate lifestyle only to discover that their investments and savings have virtually disappeared. These losses occurred due to circumstances completely beyond their control. Who isn’t tired of hearing about the sub-prime mortgage crisis, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle, bank failures, corporate downsizing, government bail-outs, and on and on? The United States—along with most other countries in the world today—is suffering a major recession. Doctors have been affected just like nearly everyone else. Some also followed the advice of lousy investment advisers, or even unethical and dishonest ones, such as Bernie Madoff.

Adding to their particular dilemma, medical doctors have seen third-party payments diminish significantly in recent years, both from government and private insurers. Many now work harder and longer hours than ever, but their net incomes continue to dwindle dramatically.

Physicians who retired from practice more than three years ago are in a particularly bad situation. Most states require that in order to renew a license to practice, a physician must have been in active practice during two of the past 3 or 4 years. Medical groups and hospitals often follow the same standard. The result is that older physicians in dire financial straits are finding no medical doctor jobs available to them. In past years, retired physicians often supplemented their incomes by working part-time with V.A. hospitals and government clinics. Today, younger physicians have already grabbed up most of those “secure” medical doctor jobs.

I know of retired physicians who currently work as warehouse night-security guards, hospital orderlies, hotel desk clerks, medical transcribers, and even as cart handlers at Wal-Mart. What a waste of such intelligent, highly skilled, professional minds.

So what are they to do? If medical doctor jobs aren’t available, what other work is available to physicians in this situation? Work that utilizes their good minds and skills, and also enables them to earn a substantial income? Work that also allows a person to retain or regain his or her dignity? Does such a work opportunity exist? The short answer is a definite yes. Excellent options exist for any physician who’s willing to consider non medical doctor jobs and search them out. An ideal fit for many is Internet marketing.

What skills are required to become a highly successful Internet marketer?
1.    Self discipline
2.    Intelligence and ability to study and learn new skills (computer, internet)
3.    Independent spirit, self motivated
4.    Patience and willingness to invest time and effort in order to master a new profession (This typically requires a few weeks, rather than years)
5.    Willingness to invest a percentage of income as needed to grow a business
6.    Coach-ability—i.e. ability and willingness to follow instructions and learn from an expert
7.    Ability to monitor and adjust to changing market conditions
8.    The self confidence and “mindset” necessary to achieve success

Do these qualities not fit every successful doctor you’ve ever known?  And please note that I never mentioned the word, “selling.” I have personally never liked “selling” because I’m not good at it. So I don’t do it. In fact, our company motto is, “You don’t need to sell when you know how to market!” There’s a huge difference. Selling is for amateurs. Marketing requires professionals. I am not referring here to Multilevel Marketing–that business model is dead and needs to be buried.

My personal story is that I’m a retired physician and surgeon who found himself in the exact financial situation described above. Thanks to Internet marketing, combined with those same skills that enabled me to become a physician, my family and I are again living the life of our dreams. I have maintained my dignity. I won’t dwell on the freedoms I now enjoy, such as freedom from stifling government OSHA regulations, soaring malpractice-insurance premiums, employee staffing issues, huge expenses, never having time for my family, boring committee meetings, AAAHC inspections, 3:00 a.m. phone calls for non-emergency prescription renewals, insurance-company refusals to pay, etc. You already know about these. Today I own my own work-from-home business with low overhead and no employees. I commute in flip flops from the bedroom to my home office. I set my own hours. I make lots of money.

Quite frankly, Internet marketing is less stressful, more enjoyable, and yes—even more lucrative than practicing medicine today.  Many of our team members earn more each month than most doctors still in practice. I was a very good physician and surgeon. I was totally dedicated to helping my patients, and I enjoyed my profession. Today, my wife and I equally enjoy our new profession of Internet Marketing. With more than 1.6 billion people connected to the Internet today, it’s already the largest marketplace in the world, and growing daily. It’s very exciting to be a part of something this new and fascinating.

And did I mention the money? There’s no recession  at my house because there is NO recession on the Internet.

For more information about the exciting world of Internet Marketing,  or possibly to join our team, simply put your name and e-mail address into the little box below.  I’ll get back to you shortly.

Click HERE for more information about the magic and reliability of Internet Marketing. You’ll also meet our business partner, Jeff.

JOBS FOR DOCTORS...

When I write of jobs for doctors, who do I mean? Being a doctor simply means that you have a doctorate degree in some field. So, doctors never actually stop being doctors, but what do they do when they no longer practice? I mean, what other jobs for doctors are there? By doctors, I’m referring here to my friends in all of the health-care specialties: doctors of medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, chiropractic medicine, naturopathy, podiatry, pharmacy, and more. Training for the medical specialties focuses on biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, etc. These are known as the medical sciences. When somebody retires or discontinues practice for any reason, what other jobs for doctors are available with this sort of training? And what jobs are “ex-doctors” qualified to do?

A few alternatives exist. One of the more common jobs for doctors is to work for a pharmaceutical company. Some are hired by health-care insurance companies.  Others teach. A few make careers out of being expert witnesses in professional liability lawsuits.

Being at or near retirement age makes it especially difficult to even find medical jobs for doctors. Besides those who are approaching retirement age, others are being forced out of retirement because of money lost in real estate or stock market investments. Relocating to a different state becomes nearly impossible. Before most states will award or renew a license to practice, they require that a doctor must have engaged in active practice for at least two of the past 3 or 4 years. Thus, doctors who retired more than three years earlier find it especially tough to renew a license. I know of ex-doctors who currently work as warehouse night watchmen, hotel desk clerks, hospital orderlies,  and even cart handlers at Wal-Mart. Doesn’t this seem like a huge waste of brains and professional talent? Not to mention their dignity and self respect?

Due to the recession, many non-medical jobs for doctors have simply vanished, just as thousands of other jobs have been lost through business failures and corporate downsizing. So what do they do? Most doctors dislike selling because they’re not very good at it. Few have had management training or experience. Almost none have skills in the trades. How can they support themselves and their families?

There is a solution to this problem, and most doctors are ideally suited to excel at it. With more than 1.6 billion people connected to the Internet today, Internet marketing has become one of the most lucrative and exciting businesses the world has ever known. The following are traits needed to succeed in this new profession.

1. Self motivated, with an independent spirit
2. Self discipline
3. Intelligence and ability to study and learn new skills (computer, internet)
4. Patience and willingness to invest time and effort in order to master a new profession (This typically requires a few weeks, rather than years)
5. Willingness to invest, as needed, a percentage of income in order to grow the business
6. “Coach-ability”—i.e. willingness to follow instructions and learn from an expert mentor
7. Ability to monitor and adjust to changing market conditions
8. The “mindset” and self confidence necessary to achieve success in any profession.

Are these not qualities possessed by most of the doctors you know? Please note that the word, “selling” does not appear in the list above. I have personally never liked “selling” because I’m not good at it. So I don’t do it. In fact, our Internet marketing company’s motto is, “You don’t need to sell when you know how to market!” There’s a huge difference. Amateurs sell. Professionals market. And I am not referring to Multilevel Marketing–that business model is dead and ready to be buried.

My personal story is that I’m a surgeon who retired early and then found himself in the exact financial predicament described above. There were no jobs for doctors in my situation. Thanks to Internet marketing, combined with the same skills that enabled me to become a physician, my family and I are again living the life of our dreams. I have maintained my dignity. I won’t overstate the freedoms I now enjoy such as freedom from stifling government OSHA regulations, freedom from soaring malpractice-insurance premiums, employee staffing issues, huge expenses, boring committee meetings, never having time for my family, AAAHC inspections, 3:00 a.m. phone calls for non-emergency prescription refills, insurance-company refusals to pay, etc. You already know about these.

Quite frankly, Internet marketing is less stressful, more enjoyable, and yes—more lucrative than practicing a health-care profession today.  Many of our team members earn more each month than most doctors still in practice. On our team we have pharmacists, chiropractors, dentists, nurses, and more. We work well together and we all enjoy our new profession. And we get to work at home with all its attendant benefits.

I was a very good physician and surgeon, totally dedicated to helping my patients. Today, my wife and I equally enjoy our new profession of Internet Marketing. With more than 1.6 billion people already connected to the Internet, it’s the largest marketplace in the world, and growing daily. It’s exciting to be a part of something this new and fascinating. And did I mention the money? There’s NO recession at my home because there is NO recession on the Internet.

For more information about Internet marketing, or about joining our team, simply put your name and e-mail address into the little box below.  I’ll get back to you shortly.

Click HERE for more information about the magic of Internet Marketing. You’ll also meet our business partner, Jeff.

INCOME FOR RETIREMENT...

Can you imagine how many baby boomers are scared to death that they won’t have enough income for retirement?  There are also large numbers of seniors who can’t afford to fully retire, though they are past the technical baby-boomer age group.

The United States Census Bureau defines a baby boomer as anyone born between 1946 and 1965, in the birth boom following the Second World War. This large group has certainly been responsible for many cultural trends. For instance, their members obtained higher levels of education than any previous group. At one time they were also said to share an “assumption of lifelong prosperity and entitlement,” having grown up in the 1950s. Well, no more.

We know that 76 million American babies were born between 1946 and 1960. Wikipedia speaks of the “age-wave theory.” This theory predicted an economic slowdown between 2007 and 2009 as large numbers of baby boomers would begin retiring. While there may have been many additional factors, this slowdown occurred right on schedule. We also witnessed the Fannie Mae debacle, bank and auto- manufacturer failures, crashing home values and foreclosures, and unprecedented numbers of bankruptcies among small businesses and huge international corporations. With all the business failures, plus downsizing among those corporations that survived, people of all age groups have found jobs difficult to obtain. So, what happened to the “assumption of lifelong prosperity and entitlement?” For many, our recession has pretty much flushed this dream down the proverbial toilet.

Since we were blessed with considerable financial success, my wife and I retired early. Ten years later, we became victims of the recession and falling real-estate market in Florida. We lost nearly everything we had. We were even in danger of losing our home. For us, however, this ordeal turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Our dire financial situation forced us to discover the world of Internet marketing (online marketing,) and it turned our lives around.

We learned that there are approximately 1.6 billion people connected to the Internet today, in more than 100 English speaking countries. Many of these people search daily for a solution to some personal problem or frustrating situation. If you offer a product or service that provides a solution for enough people, you can make an enormous amount of money. The Internet has changed the way the world does business, and it’s here to stay. We quickly saw that those people who understand internet marketing are making obscene amounts of money, and are making it very fast.

Once we learned what online marketing could do, we saw it as an ideal way to produce our income for retirement. But we’d had no experience with internet marketing. We didn’t fully understand how it worked or exactly what to do. We only recognized that it represented a huge opportunity, so we investigated possible ways to educate ourselves and to become involved.

After much research, we were fortunate enough to discover a company with a business model and marketing system that gave us the exact education and training we needed. Professional online-marketing coaches and mentors guided us through the process—step-by-step. Some of them were young and computer-savvy, and a few were baby boomers like us. Learning this new skill set took work—many hours of coaching–but we found the process simple to learn and easy to put into action. The system made all the difference. A few weeks after we began, we had found our way to earn the income for retirement that we needed—and more. We could market online with the best of them. It’s hard to describe the relief that we felt.

In addition to earning a very good income again, the freedom gained from online marketing is priceless. We work from home, or the beach, or poolside, or wherever and whenever we decide to travel. Our office consists of our computers. I use a desktop computer at home and a laptop when away from home. We do business 24/7, from anyplace in the world where we have an Internet connection. We set our own hours. We determine how much we want to earn. Nobody tells us what to do or when to do it. We never have to worry again about a recession or being downsized. You see, there is no recession on the Internet. We work about 20 hours per week to earn an income that many corporate CEOs would be proud to claim–multiple six-figures per year.

My wife—Deb—loves ballroom dancing. She prefers to work in the evening and do fun things during the day, such as dancing lessons or competitions. Her private instructor comes to our home during the day. These are a few of the perks of our new profession. We now have the income for retirement that we need, but are thrilled not to be forced to retire. We have something meaningful to do each day, and we can do this business for as long as we choose. It truly is the most non-discriminatory business we have ever seen. Nobody online cares about your sex, race, religious affiliation, weight, height, or anything else. Even your age is no longer a factor in how much or how long you can work. Or how much somebody else thinks you’re worth.

Would you like your own secure income for retirement? If so, simply enter your name and e-mail address into the little box below and we’ll send you more information. I’ll also make you a small wager. Do you recall the potato-chip ad where they bet that you couldn’t eat just one? I’ll bet a lunch at Applebee’s that once you understand online marketing, you’ll never again want to completely retire. I mean…you’ll have plenty of income for retirement, but why retire when you’re making so much money and also having a blast doing it?

Name and e-mail address into the little box below. Bless you.

Click HERE for information about the Magic of Internet Marketing. You’ll also meet our business partner, Jeff.

WHAT IS A “BUSINESS IN A BOX?”...

The “Business In a Box” is the most complete Internet Marketing training and education system ever devised. This system can teach anyone how to market anything on the Internet, regardless of their prior marketing experience. Not only does the system help you become a successful Internet Marketer, you can turn right around and market the BIB itself. And you receive a very healthy commission at the time of each sale–not months or years later, as with most MLM companies. CCPro is not MLM. CCPro is a direct sales, education, and marketing company using the GPT business model. And what is GPT? It means, Get Paid Today!

Think of the CarbonCopyPRO BIB, or “Business In a Box”–as your personal, professional, online marketing system. (It’s also known as the CCPro BlackBox.) Pretty much everything you’ll ever need to become a successful online marketer is included with your CCPro BIB and membership.

Included with the BIB is your first month’s CarbonCopyPRO membership. These two components allow you to “carbon copy” the top income earners in the industry by mimicking EXACTLY what they are doing to earn fortunes online.

The BIB retails for $395. It’s designed to get your own personal online marketing business off the ground as quickly as possible. It does so by performing most of the “heavy lifting” for you. It also helps shorten or eliminate many of the typical learning curves that most new marketers struggle with.

The BIB doesn’t just walk you through setting up and marketing your online marketing system. It contains so much more…For instance,

The BIB includes:

1) A Professional Marketing Manual

• Setup Guide
• Learning the basics of marketing online.
• Step-by-step Marketing Guide.
• Exhaustive glossary of FAQs and terms.
• Creating your own personal plan of action.
• How to set up and run your system.
• Integrating a product line.
• Maximizing your income potential.

2) A Professional Mindset Manual

Co-founder and CEO Jay Kubassek takes you on a personal journey to help re-wire the mental programming that financially limits most people. Based on his own personal success, these proven techniques helped Jay earn millions of dollars as an Internet entrepreneur. You can learn how to master your own millionaire mindset and mission while also increasing your value to society, as Jay has done.

3) INSIDEOUT II DVD

A copy of this brand new DVD is now included in each BIB. Very inspirational and informative.

4) Video: Master Marketing Events

An inside look at the CarbonCopyPRO Master Marketing Events with the brand new 30-minute video shot at the recent MME in Las Vegas.

5) CCPro Online Back Office. This includes:

a) 24/7/365 access to professional online training and education in Internet marketing

b) Video tutorials with step-by-step instructions for implementing recommended marketing techniques. These include free-marketing techniques, such as Social-Media 2.0 (FaceBook, Twitter, You Tube, Squidoo,) personal branding, and paid advertising methods.

c) Archived audio taining calls with top-earning professional Internet marketers. Detailed personal instruction on how you can apply their most successful marketing methods

d) Written tutorials on subjects such as E-mail invitations, article marketing, banner advertising, blogging, forum marketing, free classifieds, and much, much more

e) More than 25 website “landing” pages and “thank-you” pages that can easily be personalized for you and your business (no additional charge for any of these services)

f) Live Training Calls by top Internet Marketing Experts–More than one dozen to choose from each week. Join one or all (no additional charge)

g) Live support daily for expert guidance as needed

h) A professional call center to “close” your BIB sales for you (You never have to pick up the phone if you don’t want to.)

After completing an application and being accepted for training and membership, the BIB retails for $395. This price includes the first month’s tuition (membership.) Afterward, a monthly tuition fee of $150 is payable for ongoing CCPro training and business services. This monthly fee may be canceled without penalty at any time.

As a BIB member of CCPro, you are also entitled to market the BIB to others. For each BIB that you sell @ $395, the commission earned is $150. For as long as you remain active, you will also receive $60 commission from each personal customer’s subsequent monthly $150 tuition charge.

I hope this information helps explain a small portion of what CCPro provides for its members. The BIB is truly remarkable. Not only does it provide the education and training that new marketers so desperately need, it has become a top at-home business and a product itself. Many new entrepreneurs who work from home earn significant monthly incomes simply by marketing the BIB. They often make money at home by using “Free” marketing techniques learned from the BIB itself. Now that qualifies as a true win-win situation in anybody’s book.

For more information about the BIB and CCPro application process, click HERE.

SMITHDEAL MARKETING’S HAITI RELIEF FUND...

NOTE: This relief contribution will be in effect for the entire month of February, 2010.

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TREASURE ISLAND, FL, January 28, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — When tragedy strikes, so often the average person feels like there’s not much they can do…like their small contribution couldn’t possibly make a difference. A father/son team of Internet entrepreneurs has decided that’s just not good enough!

“I was speaking with my father during a weekly business conference-call when the subject of the “Haiti tragedy” came up in our discussion. Our hearts went out to those suffering, but we felt there wasn’t much we could do,” said David Smithdeal – President and CEO of The Smithdeal Marketing Group.

“We are just a couple of independent Internet entrepreneurs…what difference could we possibly make in the face of such overwhelming tragedy?”

Later in the day Smithdeal’s father, a retired physician turned Internet marketer himself, was going through his email when he noticed a message from Apple’s “iTunes”, advertising a benefit concert being held to raise money to help victims.

“It dawned on me,” said Dr. Charles Smithdeal of DrSmithdeal.com “that these musicians have come together, offering what they are able to offer…their music. It made me realize that we all have something we can give…we just need to find it.” The senior Smithdeal called his son back and the two of them put their heads together and came up with a plan.

“A large part of our business is consulting with new home-based business start-ups,” said David Smithdeal. “We have an application process because not everyone qualifies to work with us. Along with the application information, applicants are required to submit a $49.00 application fee – $20 of which represents compensation for our time in processing the application. The rest of the fee covers our out-of-pocket expenses & hard costs that we have to recoup.”

Dr. Smithdeal suggested that they donate the $20 from every application (that normally pays for their time in processing the applications) to the Haiti Relief fund.

“This is effectively the same as us donating our time, which is something we CAN do,” the senior Smithdeal said. “We may not be able to take off to Haiti and donate our time there right now, but we can donate our time here.”

The father/son team hope that this will serve as an inspiration to others that no matter where you are, or what you do…there is always a way to make a difference.

“You just have to look for it,” David Smithdeal said. “If we have a good week and process 500 applications, that will be $10,000 which can be used to help bring medical aid, housing or food to those who are in crisis right now.”

Dr. Smithdeal added, “This may not seem like much in the face of a tragedy that will wind up costing billions, but imagine if everyone chipped in just a little…gave of themselves in whatever way they could. Then the numbers get significant in a hurry!”

For more information, visit: http://www.Smithdeal.com or http://www.DrSmithdeal.com

Further information on the “Hope For Haiti Now” benefit concert can be found on Apple’s iTunes website at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hope-for-haiti-now

http://TopHomeBusinessSMG.com Smithdeal Marketing Group (SMG) and http://Your250KLifestyle.net  –Just Copy Success–design Internet Marketing strategies for home businesses. We are Certified Marketing Consultants who specialize in Top Home Business Start-ups. For further information, contact us at: (423) 391-7046 or (727) 512-5131. E-mail: Sdeal7@gmail.com

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Click HERE to return to Home Page

INTERNET MARKETING GROWS WHILE TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT FAILS...

There is NO recession on the Internet. The income of successful Internet Marketers continues to grow monthly, while traditional means of employment continue to falter. The following is an article from the Associated Press:

Unemployment Up in 43 States in December

AP Upated January 22, 2010

WASHINGTON — Unemployment rates rose in 43 states last month, the government said Friday, painting a bleak picture of the job market and illustrating nationwide data released two weeks ago.

The rise in joblessness was a sharp change from November, when 36 states said their unemployment rates fell. Four states — South Carolina, Delaware, Florida and North Carolina — reported record-high jobless rates in December.

New Jersey’s rate, meanwhile, rose to a 33-year high of 10.1 percent while New York’s reached a 26-year high of 9 percent.

Analysts said the report showed the economy is recovering at too weak a pace to generate consistent job creation.

“A lot of states that had started to add jobs (in November) gave up those gains in December,” said Sophia Koropeckyj, managing director at Moody’s Economy.com.

Texas and Georgia lost more jobs in December than they had gained the previous month, she noted, while Arizona and South Carolina lost nearly as many as they had gained.

That is consistent with nationwide trends. Employers shed a net total of 85,00 jobs in December, the government said earlier this month, after notching a small gain of 4,000 jobs in November.

In another nationwide trend, long-suffering states like California and Michigan saw their jobless rates stabilize even as they continued to bleed jobs. That’s because thousands of frustrated workers gave up hunting for work and dropped out of the labor force, which means they aren’t included in the unemployment rate.

California lost 38,800 jobs, the most of any state. But its unemployment rate was unchanged at 12.4 percent, the fifth-highest in the nation. That’s because 107,000 people, or 0.6 percent of the state’s work force, gave up and stopped job-hunting.

Michigan shed 15,700 jobs, but 31,000 people left the labor force. That caused the state’s jobless rate to fall slightly, to 14.6 percent from 14.7 percent. Michigan has the nation’s highest unemployment rate.

Nationally, more than 600,000 people left the labor force in December, according to government data. The large exodus from the labor force indicates that “unemployment is a lot worse than the numbers suggest,” Koropeckyj said.

Still, Michigan has actually gained about 10,000 jobs over the past three months, as automakers and other manufacturers have boosted production to restock inventories depleted over the summer and early fall.

“That’s a positive thing for a state that has been doing so terribly for so long,” said Dave Iaia, an economist at IHS Global Insight.

Texas lost the second-most jobs: 23,900. That sent its jobless rate to 8.3 percent in December from 8 percent. The next-largest job losses were in Ohio, Illinois and Michigan.

The economy grew at a 2.2 percent annual rate in last year’s third quarter, after declining for four straight quarters during the recession. Many economists estimate that growth accelerated to more than 4 percent in the October-December quarter. But that’s still sluggish by the standards of many previous recoveries.

And growth could slow in the first half of this year as temporary factors, such as government stimulus spending and inventory restocking, fade.

Many states saw sharp drops in restaurant, hotel and other leisure employment, a sign that consumers are still holding back on their spending. Nationwide, the United States lost 25,000 leisure and hospitality jobs in December.

Texas shed 6,500 restaurant and hotel positions. Florida lost 5,600, South Carolina 5,200 and North Carolina lost 2,600 — more than any other sector in that state.

MONA-VIE SCAM...

MonaVie claims to be the fastest growing private company in the world. It markets a premium quality nutritional product formulated with the acai berry. Discover inside facts about MonaVie’s business and its distributor’s earnings.

MonaVie opened its doors for business in January, 2005. It has claimed to be the fastest growing private company in the world, and reputedly does business on 5 continents. Company literature states that “ MonaVie develops and markets scientifically formulated, premium quality nutritional products, specifically for person-to-person distribution.” It further states that “Our products feature an exclusive blend of the powerful acai berry, found only in remote regions of the Amazon, and other nutrient-dense fruits, each selected for its specific nutritional properties.”

My intention here is not to express an opinion either for or against this company, its management, or products. Rather, my goal is to provide information to interested readers who may be searching for a reliable home-based business opportunity.

First, let’s consider a few of the advantages when you work from home:

1. Freedom from the demands of a boss telling you what to do
2. Freedom from a long commute
3. Work when you want and where you want
4. Freedom from office politics
5. Determine your own work attire (gym shorts and flip-flops are often okay)
6. Tax advantages that accompany owning your business
7. Earnings based primarily on how hard you choose to work

These advantages would apply to any home business, including MonaVie.

MonaVie literature states: “At MonaVie, our mission is to change and improve lives around the world by introducing unique nutritional products, offering a rewarding business opportunity, and by giving back through our charitable initiatives.” They ask the following: “Is it time that you want, or more time? Health, or better health? An income, or a bigger income? Freedom, or greater freedom? Whatever your goals are, MonaVie can help you achieve them.”

Regarding the business opportunity, an article by Tony Dokoupil from the August 11, 2008 Newsweek Magazine states in regard to distributor earnings: “… according to MonaVie’s 2007 income disclosure statement, a federally required printout of their distributor earnings.  More than 90 percent were considered “wholesale customers,” whose earnings are mostly discounts on sales to themselves. Fewer than 1 percent qualified for commissions and of those, only 10 percent made more than $100 a week. And the dropout rate, while not disclosed by MonaVie, is around 70 percent according to a top recruiter.”  Dropout estimates from other reports approach  90% within the first 90 days.

Let’s look at income figures reported by MonaVie for its “active distributors.”

The heading of the official company report reads:  “The Income Disclosure Statement is a reflection of MonaVie’s rewarding opportunity.”

Analyzing this statement, 97% of active MonaVie distributors receive an average income before taxes and expenses ranging from $23 per week to $172 per week. This report clearly excludes customers or distributors who have not met sales requirements within any of the preceding 8 weeks to be considered “active.”

Let’s look at the business opportunity from the standpoint of an individual sales representative. The initial cost to join is approximately $40. Costs to be considered “active” approximate $200 per month It appears that the majority of people who actively work their business barely break even or make a small profit. Nonetheless, many of them remain enthusiastic fans of the products.

Is the MonaVie business model a pyramid scheme, or a legitimate form of marketing? The 97% figure referenced above represents many thousands of distributors who generate the majority of revenue for the company. These 97% earn very small incomes when compared to the top two or three percent. For instance in the top category—Royal Black Diamond Executive—7 people each earn between $1.5 million and $3 million per year. Such a disparity in earnings is not uncommon in this business model.

The business model of multilevel marketing–also known as network marketing—was reasonably effective for many years. One attraction is the small investment to get started. Critics feel that the current marketplace is oversaturated with multilevel marketers. Thousands of companies exist, selling lotions, potions, magic juices, weight-loss formulas, food supplements, and more. People who have been recruited in the past resist invitations to attend sales presentations thinly disguised as “opportunity” meetings. This is true whether the presentations take place in someone’s home or a rented meeting room. Many believe that the MLM business model has become stale and worn.

Most people do not enjoy selling. Unfortunately, this is exactly what’s required to be successful in MonaVie or any form of multilevel marketing. Attempting to recruit and sell your “warm” market–family members or loyal friends–can permanently damage these valued relationships. Many find it emotionally exhausting that they must continually motivate others; however, this requirement is absolutely essential if your business is to flourish. The hope is that new representatives will repeat the process and sell their friends, family, and others on both the products and the business opportunity.

This observation is not unique to MonaVie, but applies to all home businesses that utilize the MLM business model. Your income in MLM depends not only upon your personal efforts, but to an even greater degree upon how effectively you motivate others to work who are in your downline. Thus, it’s your responsibility to 1) teach them about the products and the business, 2) teach them how to sell, and then 3) keep them motivated on a daily basis. Estimates are that from 70% to 90% of all distributors quit within their first year in multilevel marketing.

In recent years, many home business entrepreneurs have found greater success by marketing their products or services on the Internet. This business model provides significantly more control of one’s income and work requirements. Some refer to the money they earn as internet marketing magic. Your own efforts determine your success to a much greater degree in internet marketing than with MLM.

Click HERE for more information about the MonaVie Scam

HERBALIFE SCAM OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY?...

People often ask if Herbalife is a scam or a legitimate business opportunity. Rather than expressing concern for the products, most prospective entrepreneurs want to know whether the Herbalife business model is legitimate or a pyramid scheme. This is a reasonable question for anyone who’s searching for a reliable home-based business.   My objective here is not to express an opinion for or against Herbalife’s products or corporate policies. Rather, my intent is to present data obtained from official company reports that may help you make an informed decision.

Let’s take a look at the company itself. Founded in 1980 by Mr. Mark Hughes, Herbalife is a multilevel marketing company (MLM) that offers products for nutrition, weight-management and personal-care. A 2008 corporate annual report claims 1.9 million distributors in 72 countries, with annual sales of 3.8 billion dollars. Of the 1.9 million distributors, the report estimates that 505,000 were “sales leaders.” This is their term for distributors who 1) actively market the products and 2) recruit other salespeople into their “down-lines,” or sales teams.  Sales leaders are paid a commission on 1) personal sales of products and on 2) sales made by others who have been directly or indirectly “recruited” into their down-line teams. Sales leaders may also receive bonuses and other commissions on overall corporate sales volume.

Approximately 80% of Herbalife’s 2008 net sales occurred outside of the United States. With the exception of China, the worldwide sales system—multilevel marketing (MLM)–is similar to that used in the United States. China published regulations in 2005 prohibiting “pyramid promotional schemes.” Quoting from the 2008 Herbalife annual report, “These regulations require us to use a business model different from that which we offer in other markets. In China we have company operated retail stores that sell through employed sales-management personnel to customers and preferred customers.” Some non-employee sales representatives are also permitted in select provinces to sell “away from fixed retail locations.”

Herbalife’s 2008 report claims that they are “A world-class company with visionary leadership to support your business.” The report also states: “Herbalife’s mission for good nutrition, a healthy, active lifestyle and financial well-being helps millions of people reach their ideal weight, look and feel healthier, and earn what they’re worth.”  Please remember this quote.

The following statement of earnings is taken from their 2008 Annual Report.

“Herbalife Ltd. Statement of Average Gross Compensation
of U.S. Supervisors in 2008
Herbalife offers its Distributors an opportunity to achieve a lifetime of better health through its scientifically advanced weight-management and nutrition products. While many of our Distributors join the Herbalife family simply to enjoy our life-changing products, others want to share their results and take advantage of the many income benefits our business opportunity provides. With Herbalife, you can work part-time and earn a supplemental income or focus solely on your Herbalife Distributorship and increase your financial potential. It’s completely up to the individual how much he or she wants to achieve! A Distributor earns profits by buying Herbalife products at wholesale and reselling them at retail. If the Distributor wants to increase his or her involvement in the business and enjoy the possibility of higher levels of income, he or she may sponsor others into the business and develop an organization.
Over 25% of Distributors reach the rank of Supervisor and above (“Leader”), qualifying them for additional compensation which is paid by Herbalife based upon the sales production of those they have sponsored directly and indirectly. The annual gross compensation paid by Herbalife to all Leaders during 2008 averaged $2,200. Over 42% of Supervisors are “Active” (defined as those who generated at least 2,500 points of volume in 2008 after becoming Supervisor). The gross annual  compensation paid by Herbalife to  Active  Leaders during 2008 averaged $5,245.

ACTIVE LEADERS
Earning  % of Total;  % of Active Leaders;  Average  Leaders’  Earnings (USD)
President’s Team  0.2%  0.5%  $ 475,789
Millionaire Team  0.7%  1.6%  $ 80,983
GET  2.2%  5.1%  $ 17,785
World Team  2.7%  6.4%  $ 4,479
Supervisor  36.4%  86.4%  $ 440
Total  42.2%  100.0%  $ 5,245″

The same 2008 annual report states:  “We are listed on the prestigious New York Stock Exchange, are members of Direct Selling Associations around the world, and have brand visibility through sports sponsorships.”

A highly significant section of the same report states: “Holders of our common shares may face difficulties in protecting their interests because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law.  Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, and by the Companies Law (2007 Revision) and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Island law are not as clearly established as under statutes or judicial precedent in existence in jurisdictions in the United States. Therefore, shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions by our management or board of directors than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States, due to the comparatively less developed nature of Cayman Islands law in this area.”

To summarize, Herbalife is a Cayman Island Corporation with 1.9 million distributors, of whom 505,000 are “sales leaders.” The average annual income during 2008 for all Herbalife sales leaders was $2,200. Among their active sales leaders,  86.4% earned $440 for the year. 6.4% earned less than $5,000, and 5.1% earned an annual wage of $17,785.  This means that 97.9% of their active sales leaders earned significantly less than $18,000 for the entire year.

Do you recall the Herbalife mission statement from above? It stated: “Herbalife’s mission for good nutrition, a healthy, active lifestyle and financial well-being helps millions of people reach their ideal weight, look and feel healthier, and earn what they’re worth.”

If there is a Herbalife scam, it is that Herbalife management  considers that 97.9% of active sales leaders are “worth” significantly less than $18,000 per year when they choose Herbalife as their home business.

The business model that Herbalife uses appears to be legal in many countries, including the U.S.; however the income distribution is  heavily weighted in favor of the top 0.5% of active sales leaders. Hundreds of thousands of workers at the broad base of the structure do most of the work and produce the income to support a few at a very narrow top. Does this model/structure suggest a pyramid to you?  Should we ask the  Chinese?

Investing precious time and money in a home business is an extremely important decision.  What you choose to do can have a huge impact on you and upon your family’s future.  Please consider wisely before starting  any new business.

After taking a personal look at several of the top multilevel marketing  and other home-based businesses,  Internet marketing offered the best  fit for me. The earnings potential appeared  much greater, and the rate of growth far faster.  This business model allows me to leverage the power of the Internet. More than 1.6 billion prospective customers are already connected to the Internet, and this number is growing daily.

Whether you conclude that Herbalife is a scam, pyramid scheme, or legitimate business opportunity, I encourage you to give serious consideration to Internet marketing before making a final decision.

Click HERE for more information about the Herbalife Scam.

INTERNET MARKETING MAGIC–1.6 Billion Customers Ready To Buy...

Internet marketing is the largest store in the world today. It’s not Wal-Mart or Sears or Costco. Customers don’t even have to leave their homes in order to buy your goods via internet marketing. The magic of Internet marketing is that your customer base becomes much of the civilized world.

Just imagine having a single location for your business where 1.6 billion (with a “b”) potential customers pass by your store every day. That’s how many people are currently connected to the Internet in more than 100 English-speaking countries. Many of them are searching for products or services that will help solve some problem and improve a personal situation or condition.

Each time you sit in front of your computer connected to the Internet, you literally sit about three feet from the world marketplace. This business model is unique in the history of the world, and the market grows daily. Thousands of potential buyers exist for any legitimate product or service you offer at a fair price. Yes, there are many competitors for this business. But many of those competitors are still using outdated marketing methods that don’t work very well.

Hello, Mr. or Ms Entrepreneur–do you sense an opportunity here? Internet marketing magic means money in your bank account.  IM Magic = money.

I once  conducted an in-depth search of top home based businesses. The business models I looked at included multi-level marketing, affiliate marketing, direct sales, medical billing, envelope stuffing, phone surveys and sales, and Internet marketing (IM.) Some Internet businesses are less than ingenious. However, I quickly discovered that the entrepreneur who 1) truly understands Internet marketing and 2) has an efficient marketing system in place, can earn a great deal of money very fast.  Notice that I did not mention the products offered. While any good product or service must legitimately solve a problem for the buyer, the marketing system appears far more important in determining one’s success.

The majority of early Internet marketing entrepreneurs were quite young—in their 20s or early 30s. However, an efficient Internet marketing system today removes much of the guesswork from Internet marketing, regardless of a person’s age or experience. A good system significantly flattens out and shortens the learning curve. The result is that people of all ages with little or no prior marketing experience can now compete quite successfully in this huge marketplace.

Bottom line, my investigation showed that the majority of people of any age who apply the magic of a good Internet marketing  system are: 1) making more money than ever before, 2) setting their own work schedules, 3) spending more quality time with friends and family, 4) eliminating the hassles of commuting, 5) reducing their levels of stress, and 5) enjoying life the way it was meant to be.

Even during the current recession (or depression,) Internet marketing’s magic has continued to expand more than other business models. It appears that this method of doing business is not only here to stay, but growing every day.

Click HERE for an  inside look at the magic of  internet marketing.  Discover in minutes what  most others take years to figure out.  And welcome to the 21st Century.