Global Resorts Network: Is Travel the Answer to Your Home Business Search?

The Company and Products

Global Resorts Network is a travel business that has existed since 1986, selling discount luxury travel. The product is a membership that has been sold, up until recently, only to customers who attended a personal sales presentation. This membership enables the clients to book week-long vacations at time-shares and resorts around the world at discount rates, ranging from $298 to $798 per week. The Gold membership is $1495 (for three years) and the Platinum is $2995 (lifetime); the only other difference being that the Gold members pay a slightly higher price per week stay.

The Program and Compensation

There are currently three approved marketing systems that you can get involved with to run your online business for Global Resorts Network. The first two are standard marketing systems used to promote your website and the third is a Reverse Funnel System that is a funded proposal system. This means basically that the prospect must pay a fee to get any information about the business in order to weed out non-serious buyers. This was revolutionary when it debuted, but has now been copied by others in the direct sales home business industry. After joining at the Gold or Platinum level you then need to pay a $100 Global Resorts Network site fee and $29.95 to $300 per month, depending on which marketing system you choose. Advertising costs are not included, so this will add to your monthly cost. Global Resorts Network uses a perpetual one-up compensation plan, which means that your first sale is passed up to your sponsor to activate your first level. After that you receive a commission on each sale and your sponsor also receives a commission for that sale, and so on.

Analysis

This company seems to provide a good quality product that has a 20-year track record of providing discount luxury travel. However, by shifting their sales to network marketing they have dramatically increased their memberships, decreasing the available inventory. And as ever-increasing numbers of clients utilize their member benefits, the quality of the product diminishes since there is a relatively finite number of resorts. Secondly, the travel industry is highly competitive and there are many internet companies that offer competitive travel deals that can be customized for specific needs, e.g. — shorter weekend stays or different booking days. Additionally, this type of business is very hard to market in a down economy, as people tend to cut back on things like luxury travel when money is tight. Lastly the training, coaching, and other company help appears to be minimal. So if you enjoy travel and want to make some affiliate money from the opportunity as well, than this business might be for you. If you want a better marketing system, more personal coaching and help with your business, and a product that is less dependent upon a healthy economy, then continue your investigation.

**Keith Hartung strives to be a servant of God, a committed husband, and a loving dad.  He is also an internet marketer and home business coach, working with people around the world to create financial success in their lives by leveraging the power of the Internet. To see how Keith is making money online enter your information in the form on the right.

Carbon Copy Pro: Can Selling Money Management Knowledge Increase Your Net Worth?

Carbon Copy Pro is an online marketing system developed to market the Wealth Masters International home based business opportunity. It is a funded proposal system patterned after other successful programs on the internet.

The Company and Products

Developed by Jay Kubassek, a rags-to-riches entrepreneur and online marketer, this company offers a replicated website that advertises a business opportunity, but then charges $49 (that is the “funded” part) for prospects to find out information about the business. Once a prospect pays the $49 they receive a DVD — an interview with Kubassek that gives an overview of the company — and 30 days access to their website. During this one-month period the company calls the prospect to sign them up for the Business in a Box ($400), which is a set of 3 DVDs and two marketing manuals that teach personal development and online marketing techniques. To keep the membership active you will need to pay a $150 subscription fee at the end of the 30 days (and every month thereafter) for access to the back office where their other training is located. Once you have your BiB, then the company wants you to purchase the products that Wealth Masters International sells: DVDs, courses, and seminars on personal development, tax strategies, asset protection, and other investing topics. These are M1 ($1,995 for another set of DVDs), M2 ($8,995 for a wealth conference), and M3 ($12,995 for a special wealth group); but are generally sold as packages. The Platinum Package includes M1 and M2 and is $8995, and the Platinum Plus includes M1, M2, and M3 and is $19,995.

The Program and Compensation

When you are set up and paid you have a replicated website and the ability to earn commissions off of the sales your website makes. All Carbon Copy Pro asks you to do is advertise your website and drive as much traffic there as possible to start the cycle over again. They have a call center that then takes your applicants and attempts to sell them these same products. The company advertises that you will never have to speak to a prospect to make a sale. The compensation plan is multi-tiered so that the commissions you earn depend upon the level that you joined. For example, you can’t make a commission on a M2 or M3 sale if you joined at only an M1.

Analysis

Carbon Copy Pro offers a respectable product and people are making money with it. The positives for the opportunity are that you get an automated business that you don’t have to create, and it takes the fear of selling out of the equation since you never have to have contact with any prospect. However, I see several flaws in the system. The first and most obvious is the cost. The average person looking for an online opportunity will not have the $3000 to $20,000-plus to get involved and market this opportunity. Secondly, while the products can definitely help the online marketer learn more of the trade, they are standard financial advice and personal development tools that are available other places on the web for much less — and would not stand alone outside of the business opportunity. Also, while taking the personal touch out can be helpful to some, I think that you will always need some follow-up to build your business. Lastly, by getting the “carbon copy” website, you have now thrown yourself into a sea of thousands of identical sites on the internet, all selling the same thing. There is no personal branding at all, except for branding Jay Kubassek. To market anything online I believe that you need to stand out, and personal branding is an essential part of this. If you are looking for an opportunity with a more desirable product, branding that will set you apart, and a lower entry cost I suggest that you continue your search.

**Keith Hartung strives to be a servant of God, a committed husband, and a loving dad.  He is also an internet marketer and home business coach, working with people around the world to create financial success in their lives by leveraging the power of the Internet. To see how Keith is making money online enter your information in the form on the right.