Domain names can be a great tool for you business. I have quite a few domain names and use them for various purposes. So why would someone need a domain name anyway?
To direct people to YOUR website
Many people in network marketing or direct sales have a corporate website, but usually the url is something like www. Mycompany.com/12345 Well, what happens if a potential customer or business partner mistypes the number or just leaves off the numbers all together? You could be wasting your marketing efforts.
To Send People to Specific Pages of Your Website
Domain names are great for directing people to specific pages or sections of your website. You may want to keep your customer pages and business opportunity pages separate. With a domain name you can forward your prospects to the section you want them to see. This is also great for people who may be promoting more than one product or service too.
Domain names can also be handy for directing people to different landing pages on your website. When you are marketing in different places - ezines, forums, online ads, etc. you want to know which advertisements are bringing in the best results, so you can create different landing pages to track where your prospects are coming from. Domain names can be useful if you aren't using banners or linked graphics.
Ability to Change where the Domain Name Takes your Prospects
This allows you to have control of your marketing and be an independent marketer. What if you are promoting a health and nutritional product you really love and then the company changes the product or makes other changes within the company that aren't in alignment with what you want to promote? If all your marketing is directing people to a corporate site your could be directing people to that company for quite a while and losing business. If on the other hand you had a domain name, you could simple search for a new product/service and change the forwarding on the domain name to the new product or service.
The other advantage this has is that you can reserve a domain name you like and direct it to your corporate site and if you build a personal website you can then use that domain name for your personal site. Having your own personal website allows you to promote yourself and I recommend people set up a simple personal website if they are serious and in this for the long haul.
So How Do You Choose a Domain Name?
Generally you want a domain name that is easy to say and remember. You probably want to spell it out when leaving your domain name on a voice mail, but it makes it easier if it is not too long or difficult to has too unusual a spelling. Often using your names is good for at least one domain name so you are branding yourself and help prospects recognize your name.
I have had several occasions when downline members have asked me for help in choosing a domain name because every one they try is “taken”. Some good ways to find a domain that isn't already in use is to play around with reversing words and using an online thesaurus to try similar words. So if bestbooks is taken, try greatbooks or kidsgreatbooks. I usually try to avoid vowels or the same consonant in two words being next to each other because the domain name becomes less readable. So
theemporium or funnyyoyos may not be the best choice.
Where to Get a Domain name?
You can get domain names at a lot of places, but I like having all my domain names at one place since it is easier to keep track of them. I have had my domain names with GoDaddy for about 4 years or so and have been happy with the easy of forwarding, checking my account, etc. GoDaddy also have some nice features like having emails with the same domain name. I haven't used this service since I have my own website with email addresses , but it does create a professional image when your domain name and email address match.
Domain names are useful tools and can be a great beginning for people who are serious about becoming Independent Marketers.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Friday, July 6, 2007
Rumors?
Another update on the Leaders Club nonsense. It just seems to get more unbelievable. An email went out on June 25th, 2007, to my Leaders Club subscribers. Apparently it went out to the subscribers of all the leaders who were suddenly blocked from their sites and prevented from effectively servicing their subscribers on June 15th without notice.
Now what is interesting about this email is that is with a title like, "There are rumors, rumors, rumors..." you would think there would be an attempt to clarify and give insight into what was going on. Not so. One of my subscribers, who forwarded the email to me, said that if it wasn't for the fact that I had sent an email explaining what I knew about the situation, this other email "from the Desk of Andre Vatke" would have completely confused her and made her wonder what on earth was going on.
The problem is the email really never says much of anything and much of what is does state conflicts with the supposed violations and what actually occurred.
First of all it states,
"There are a number of rumors going around about your upline. It’s my understanding that you may have received an e-mail indicating a number of nasty things about Leaders Club including among other items that one of your upline may have been terminated."
First of all, to my knowledge, no one sent any nasty emails. I certainly didn't, in fact, I had many, many positive reply emails thanking me for my professionalism and letting them know what was going on - that I would not be able to service them, since I did not have access to my site.
Secondly, we were all told if we did not satisfy their office by June 29th they would terminate our relationship. Now perhaps I am not reading this right, but would that not indicate they were planning on terminating people? We never said we were terminated, just that it looked like that would happen.
"As in any situation, there are always two sides to a story and I would like to lay a few of them to rest.
The first is that as of today, there have only been three marketers with Leaders Club terminated in 13 years. As with any termination, Leaders Club would only do so with reasonable cause and after consulting our attorneys.
In the current case, the marketers in question are involved in our Certified Marketing Consultant Training Program and are under a separate contract that includes a non-compete and non-disclosure clause. This goes beyond the normal Leaders Club membership terms. Based on the evidence we have, it appears these folks are in breech of this contract."
Now when Jeff Zalewski, the former National Director of Training in Leaders Club, was terminated May 30th he had never signed a CMC agreement, because he developed the program! Also, one of the people involved with this incident was terminated on the spot without notice and he was never in the CMC, so was not bound by any Certified Marketing Consultant agreement. The only thing he did was promote Ann Sieg's Renegade Marketer ebook and defend her when a couple individuals were making up, or distorting things, and hurling insults in her direction. Yet at the end of this email it states:
"And of course as a regular Leaders Club member, you may promote anything you like to your personally enrolled members!"
In addition, in the letter we received with the supposed violations, it stated that we were in violation of the CMC and the regular members agreement.
Another interesting thing about this email is the statement,
"In the event that someone in your upline is terminated, the organization would roll-up to the next qualified person. At no point would Leaders Club move you to another organization."
Now when our subscribers view their upline they see me, then Glenn Burks, then Curt Johnson and then they used to see Jeff Zalewski, but now Team Leaders Club shows up above Curt Johnson since they terminated Jeff. So when the WorksTeam leaders are gone where do you suppose our subscribers will go?
Also, when our subscribers view their upline the email address they are given is molly@leadersclub.com This email address has shown up as our contact email in emails our subscribers have received. Now most of my subscribers will just email me at the address they have in their address book, but what about new people who may join Leaders Club while I am blocked and don't have access to my downline report?
People could be thinking they are emailing me but really emailing Leaders Club.
So much for this email clarifying!
I think that has been the frustrating part of all this. Statements are being made in the supposed violations that just are not true, yet any attempts to explain that goes on deaf ears and the responses back keep stating the same false alligations.
But one thing I have learned after being in network marketing for over 6 years is to build multiple income streams. Never put "all your eggs in one basket" We have a great group of leaders and everyone will move on to better things. In fact quite a number of us are looking forward to putting this all behind us and will be meeting in Salt Lake City for the SendOutCards convention.
My hope is that the posts regarding Leaders Club have served as a "wake-up call" to other marketers out there. I have seen it before - companies made poor decisions that affect distributors lives.
To be a truly Independent Marketer you need to develop multiple income streams. Develop strong marketing skills, choose companies, affiliate programs, products, services, etc. that fit together well for your purpose and goals. Promote yourself first, and "fire" the companies that don't serve you well.
Now what is interesting about this email is that is with a title like, "There are rumors, rumors, rumors..." you would think there would be an attempt to clarify and give insight into what was going on. Not so. One of my subscribers, who forwarded the email to me, said that if it wasn't for the fact that I had sent an email explaining what I knew about the situation, this other email "from the Desk of Andre Vatke" would have completely confused her and made her wonder what on earth was going on.
The problem is the email really never says much of anything and much of what is does state conflicts with the supposed violations and what actually occurred.
First of all it states,
"There are a number of rumors going around about your upline. It’s my understanding that you may have received an e-mail indicating a number of nasty things about Leaders Club including among other items that one of your upline may have been terminated."
First of all, to my knowledge, no one sent any nasty emails. I certainly didn't, in fact, I had many, many positive reply emails thanking me for my professionalism and letting them know what was going on - that I would not be able to service them, since I did not have access to my site.
Secondly, we were all told if we did not satisfy their office by June 29th they would terminate our relationship. Now perhaps I am not reading this right, but would that not indicate they were planning on terminating people? We never said we were terminated, just that it looked like that would happen.
"As in any situation, there are always two sides to a story and I would like to lay a few of them to rest.
The first is that as of today, there have only been three marketers with Leaders Club terminated in 13 years. As with any termination, Leaders Club would only do so with reasonable cause and after consulting our attorneys.
In the current case, the marketers in question are involved in our Certified Marketing Consultant Training Program and are under a separate contract that includes a non-compete and non-disclosure clause. This goes beyond the normal Leaders Club membership terms. Based on the evidence we have, it appears these folks are in breech of this contract."
Now when Jeff Zalewski, the former National Director of Training in Leaders Club, was terminated May 30th he had never signed a CMC agreement, because he developed the program! Also, one of the people involved with this incident was terminated on the spot without notice and he was never in the CMC, so was not bound by any Certified Marketing Consultant agreement. The only thing he did was promote Ann Sieg's Renegade Marketer ebook and defend her when a couple individuals were making up, or distorting things, and hurling insults in her direction. Yet at the end of this email it states:
"And of course as a regular Leaders Club member, you may promote anything you like to your personally enrolled members!"
In addition, in the letter we received with the supposed violations, it stated that we were in violation of the CMC and the regular members agreement.
Another interesting thing about this email is the statement,
"In the event that someone in your upline is terminated, the organization would roll-up to the next qualified person. At no point would Leaders Club move you to another organization."
Now when our subscribers view their upline they see me, then Glenn Burks, then Curt Johnson and then they used to see Jeff Zalewski, but now Team Leaders Club shows up above Curt Johnson since they terminated Jeff. So when the WorksTeam leaders are gone where do you suppose our subscribers will go?
Also, when our subscribers view their upline the email address they are given is molly@leadersclub.com This email address has shown up as our contact email in emails our subscribers have received. Now most of my subscribers will just email me at the address they have in their address book, but what about new people who may join Leaders Club while I am blocked and don't have access to my downline report?
People could be thinking they are emailing me but really emailing Leaders Club.
So much for this email clarifying!
I think that has been the frustrating part of all this. Statements are being made in the supposed violations that just are not true, yet any attempts to explain that goes on deaf ears and the responses back keep stating the same false alligations.
But one thing I have learned after being in network marketing for over 6 years is to build multiple income streams. Never put "all your eggs in one basket" We have a great group of leaders and everyone will move on to better things. In fact quite a number of us are looking forward to putting this all behind us and will be meeting in Salt Lake City for the SendOutCards convention.
My hope is that the posts regarding Leaders Club have served as a "wake-up call" to other marketers out there. I have seen it before - companies made poor decisions that affect distributors lives.
To be a truly Independent Marketer you need to develop multiple income streams. Develop strong marketing skills, choose companies, affiliate programs, products, services, etc. that fit together well for your purpose and goals. Promote yourself first, and "fire" the companies that don't serve you well.
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