API Travel Group

YTB International Contemplates Implementation of Franchises

2008-07-26T20:16:00.000-04:00

Company Considers Adopting Franchise Operating System in 2009WOOD RIVER, Ill., July 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YTB International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: YTBLA) ('YTB' or the 'Company'), a provider of Internet-based travel booking services for travel agencies and home-based independent representatives in the United States, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Canada, today announced that the Company is contemplating the replacement of its referring travel agent ('RTA') business model with the implementation of a franchise operating system, potentially in 2009. The Company expects that a franchising model, if adopted, would facilitate the Company's expansion into additional markets by providing more comprehensive training and a new proprietary e-commerce platform.

Details regarding price, product offerings and the conversion plan are all under consideration, but the Company anticipates that its existing RTA base would be treated favorably under its forthcoming proposal. Scott Tomer, Chief Executive Officer of YTB International, Inc. commented, 'We have retained iFranchise of Chicago to consult in the planning and development of the franchise model and are excited about the potential impact on YTB's business.' If a franchising model is adopted, its distribution is expected to be managed by the current marketing arm of the Company, YourTravelBiz.com, also known as YTB.com

The iFranchise Group brings decades of experience to franchise development and implementation efforts. Their consultants have worked with over 30 Fortune 2000 companies and with 98 of the world's top 200 franchisors as rated by Franchise Times magazine. iFranchise has worked with clients such as Blockbuster Video, Ace Hardware, and McDonald's.

YTB International Continues to Climb Travel Weekly's Power List

2008-07-15T21:22:00.001-04:00

YTB International Continues to Climb Travel Weekly's Power ListMonday June 30, 8:00 am ET

Company has highest year-over-year percentage sales increase of all companies on list

WOOD RIVER, Ill., June 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YTB International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: YTBLA - News; "YTB" or the "Company"), a provider of Internet-based travel booking services for travel agencies and home-based independent representatives in the United States, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Canada, today announced that the Company has been named as one of the country's leading travel agencies in Travel Weekly's 2008 Power List. In this year's Travel Weekly Power List, YTB was ranked 26th among all travel agencies, and advanced nine places over the previous year's ranking. YTB had the highest year-over-year percentage increase in travel booked of all companies on the list, with an 83.3 percent improvement over the previous year's results.

The Travel Weekly Power List represents an effort to rank the nation's top travel companies. The Travel Weekly Power List is based on total dollar volume of annual and ARC (Airlines Reporting Corporation) travel bookings for 2007. The ranking also considered information on travel-related subsidiaries and corporate structure. Other leading online leisure travel agencies named in this year's Power List include Travelocity, Orbitz, Priceline and Expedia.

"Our move up Travel Weekly's annual ranking of leading travel agencies speaks directly to the hard work that has been put in by the entire YTB family," commented J. Kim Sorensen, CEO of YTB Travel Network. "We have worked diligently to increase our volume of travel by ensuring that our RTAs have the tools needed to compete head to head with other industry giants, and our year-over-year improvement in the rankings is a testimony to this effort."

About YTB International

Recognized as the 26th largest seller of travel in the U.S. in 2007 by Travel Weekly, YTB International, Inc. provides Internet-based travel booking services for home-based independent representatives in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Canada, Bermuda, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Company operates through three subsidiaries: YourTravelBiz.com, Inc., YTB Travel Network, Inc., and REZconnect Technologies, Inc. YourTravelBiz.com focuses on marketing online travel websites through a nationwide network of independent business people, known as 'Reps.' YTB Travel Network establishes and maintains travel vendor relationships, processes travel transactions of online travel agents and affiliates, collects travel commissions and pays sales commissions. Each RTA directs consumers to the YTB Internet-based travel website. The REZconnect Technologies division operates as a travel vendor relationship management company and offers franchises of brick and mortar travel agencies. For more information, visit http://www.ytbi.com/investor.

Are Network Marketing Expectations Too High?

2008-04-18T20:12:00.001-04:00

The expectations of many that start a business in the network marketing field are most of the time higher than expectations of a normal business. This is probably because some companies bring people into the MLM (multi-level marketing) industry promising huge monthly profits and financial freedom starting immediately. Unfortunately when this turns out to not be the case, the individual quits and blames the industry.

Anyone who has done a network marketing business knows that you will work and work hard to get to your dreams. This is not a get rich quick industry that so many make it out to be. If you put the effort into your business, you will reap the benefits and attain your goals.

There will be a learning curve when starting a new business. This is the case for any business whether it’s a brick and mortar business, home business, or network marketing business. Advertising a new business will have to be done to attract customers and the product will have to be put out on the market for consumer or clients to use. It will be a time consuming process. The unfortunate problem with the expectations within the network marketing industry is that people will quit before they finish the learning curve.

Some of the attrition rate in the MLM industry can be attributed to start up costs for home based businesses. Starting a home based business usually does not require a large amount of start up money. In comparison, a traditional business would require a substantial amount of money. Therefore, people are more willing to stick it out through the rough times with a traditional business. Would a traditional business owner give up on his business in three or four months if things were not going as planned? I seriously doubt it.

A network marketing business opportunity offers the same tool it takes to become wealthy as the traditional business does. That tool is leverage. Earning off the production of others is what makes a traditional business owner wealthy. It is also that same concept that makes a network marketing business flourish.

Treat your network marketing business as a serious business and give yourself the needed time to learn the industry in order to make your business successful. Don’t hold your expectations any higher than you would for a traditional brick and mortar business. Your only other alternative is to go back to status quo.

By Stephen Ipock

Great YTB Video

2008-04-12T11:07:00.002-04:00

This video was created by Andy Lakey. He is one of the Leaders in YTB and happens to be teaching a class that Amanda and I will be attending when we are at the YTB convention in August. This video shows the kind of growth YTB is experiencing and why everyone in YTB is so excited. The growth of YTB is a reason that some people out there like to post negative statements. I guess it is their only recourse when so much business is going to the Internet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch8tDMDi7j0

God Bless,
Steve

YTB International

2008-04-05T12:54:00.003-04:00

YTB International: Wall Street’s Next Online Travel Darling?

By: John Gilliam
John Gilliam holds a BBA from Millsaps College and a JD from the Cumberland School of Law. He is the manager of Point Clear Strategic Holdings in Point Clear, Alabama. Point Clear Strategic Holdings is a value oriented activist investment group seeking opportunities in small cap technology companies.

Priceline (Nasdaq: PCLN) is the online travel industry’s best company, as judged by the valuation currently accorded its publicly traded shares. .. -->more-->Though Expedia (Nasdaq: EXPE) has a higher total market capitalization, Priceline shares trade at a multiple of trailing twelve months earnings that is nearly 50% higher than the same earnings multiple of Expedia. (PCLN ttm p/e = 36, EXPE ttm p/e = 23).
Thus, it would not be a stretch to say that PCLN is the darling of Wall Street when it comes to the online travel space and it is easy to see why. PCLN management has steered this company from bleeding red ink and the necessity of a reverse split five years ago to its place today as an international powerhouse in online travel. Shareholders who bought into PCLN when it first started making the turn towards profitability (about 5 years ago this month) have enjoyed 5 year gains of as much as 2000% (for those who purchased near the $6 lows in 2003).
Investors seeking gains of that kind in the online travel space will likely be disappointed if they invest in one of the big publicly traded players, including PCLN. Though PCLN management appears to be executing magnificently, the company’s stock price ($128 as of this writing) already reflects this near flawless execution. Its hard to imagine that investor’s could see the stock double over the next year or so, much less increase by a factor of three or four times. It is this realization that made us do a little digging to see if there are any companies out there that have PCLN type potential, but have yet to be recognized by the investment community as such. This brings us to the stock we believe investors should consider - a company called YTB International (YTBLA.PK) (hereinafter "YTB").
YTB International is a rapidly growing company in the online travel space. While both PCLN and YTBLA operate in the online travel space, their core business models are so different that it makes most comparisons of their respective businesses less than meaningful - it would be like comparing apples with oranges. However, we see much commonality between the two companies from an investment standpoint - with PCLN as a model of the kind of stock price appreciation that could be achieved by a company in this space under the right circumstances. Simply put, we see potential for investors in YTB stock to earn the kind of return long term PCLN investors have enjoyed.
YTBLA is currently traded on the pink sheets and we have never recommended a stock that trades on the Pink Sheets before. However, YTBLA is current on all listing requirements, expects to be listed on the OTCBB within the next few weeks and we fully expect that the company will be listed on a national exchange before the end of this year. We have also never recommended a company with a multi level marketing model, though We have reviewed many of them over the years and can appreciate the wealth and value created by billion dollar companies like Avon (NYSE: AVN), Tupperware (NYSE: TUP), Herbalife (NYSE: HLF) and PrePaid Legal Services (NYSE: PPD). Despite these two factors, we are still recommending YTBLA because we believe they are poised to be a significant player in the online travel space and we further believe that investors in the stock at today’s prices could see Priceline type gains over the next few years and possibly sooner.
As mentioned previously, YTBLA’s business model is very different from PCLN and EXPE, each of whom operates a website that is designed to be a portal through which consumers book travel online. PCLN and EXPE spend millions of dollars in advertising each quarter to attract consumers to their websites in hopes that they will book travel thereby earning the company commissions or merchant revenues. YTB spends very little on advertising, relying instead on a network of "referral travel agents" (hereinafter "RTAs") to book travel through their own private labeled YTB website. These referral travel agents pay YTB a start up fee (around $499), then a monthly fee ($49) to host their online booking engines. The referral travel agents then earn a commission on each booking, a small percentage of which is retained by YTB. Thus, YTB earns revenue each time a new RTA signs up, then earns monthly hosting fees and commissions from each RTA.
Thus, even though both companies operate in the online travel space, the business models and revenue generation engines are quite different. The more important recognition here, we believe, is that from an investor’s standpoint, YTB is a company that is in a very similar position to where PCLN found themselves five years ago. At that time, PCLN had a flagging stock price and many questions surrounding its business model, despite the fact that it was making obvious strides in its quest to turn the corner to profitability.
This is similar to the storyline we are see today for YTB, where the company has dealt with several bumps in the road, most of which were related to either its ability to manage very high volume growth in a very short time or attempts by competitors to try and slow the company’s march forward.
It appears that these bumps in the road have been unable to stop or even slow YTB’s momentum. The company’s most recent annual report shows staggering gains in bookings, commissions earned, revenue and steady gains in the number of RTA’s who have signed up to participate. The company grew gross travel bookings more than 187% in 2007 over 2006 and saw the base of active RTA’s more than double. The company reported its third profitable quarter in a row, its first full year profit and it appears to have reached a point in its growth cycle where it has achieved the critical mass necessary to grow revenues significantly without a commensurate increase in expenses. We saw evidence in the recent 10K filing that indicated general and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenue fell to only 26.1% in 2007 from 36.5% of revenue in 2006.
Another way we expect the company to grow margins is by earning higher percentage commissions. A very good indicator of this trend was reported in the recent 10K filing. The company reported an 84% gain in gross total bookings, which led to a 178% gain in gross total commissions received. As the company establishes itself as a high volume source of bookings for travel suppliers, the suppliers are willing to pay higher commissions and overrides. This accrues to the benefit of YTB as well as its RTA’s.
We see an opportunity for the company to further expand margins by building or buying its own wholesale business. By becoming the "merchant of record" for travel transactions, particularly lodging, YTB can expand on the traditional 10% commissions to instead earn effective rates in the 20 - 35% range. We note that it was a similar move into wholesale lodging reservations by Priceline in 2003 that allowed them to make the jump to profitability and that their acquisition of one of Europe’s largest lodging wholesalers that has been the catalyst for Priceline’s dramatic growth the last three years.
We believe further expansion of the company’s margins are possible as the company leverages the value of its network of 130,000+ active websites. The company’s cost to roll out additional product offerings through their RTA website channel is next to zero as is their risk. As such, we expect to see several new products offered through the RTA network in 2008, each of which could have a material impact on YTB’s financials.
In summary, we believe that YTB’s status as a pink sheets listed company that lacks Wall Street coverage or even main street attention has allowed the recent surge in its business to go unnoticed. The earnings acceleration and margin expansion simply have not been reflected in the stock price - as the stock has fallen more than 70% since the 2007 Q2 report of their first profitable quarter. With the stock currently hovering around the $1.65 per share range - we feel that the stock has the potential for exponential returns as investors become more aware of the YTB story and the company continues its domestic and international expansion. We believe the company is on the verge of a margin breakout that could propel the company to several periods of high double digit year over year earnings growth and that investors will ultimately accord YTB the kind of earnings multiple usually associated with such growth. As such, investors at today’s prices could be buying into the proverbial "ten bagger" or even better, enjoy returns like 2003 investors in the PCLN story, who earned 20x their money in less than five years. If YTB can sustain growth at the half the rate it grew in 2007, YTB investors at today’s prices could do even better than that.

Is Network Marketing a Scam?

2008-03-28T18:17:00.001-04:00

Is network marketing a scam? I am asked that question almost everyday. Most of the time it is linked back to the common pyramid scheme objection. This comment is often related to the companies that promise huge incomes with little effort. Success in anything you do will not be accomplished unless you work hard to achieve it. I heard someone say in a recent conference call that the main word in network is work. If you are looking for a get rich quick scheme, then this is not the industry for you.

One of the issues that comes up with new distributors is that they feel as though they are not making the large incomes that are made in the Multi Level Marketing (MLM) industry fast enough. When they don’t get these results, they blame the industry and quit. What they were not told was that you will have to learn the network marketing industry to be successful in it.

We started API Travel Group and have made it a point to train new recruits. A good network marketing company will have a system in place that can be easily duplicated. These systems keep each new representative from having to reinvent the wheel.

One of my favorite parts of the network marketing industry is the personal growth aspect that comes with being a successful person. If I were to quit my business today and walk away it would have been a success based on how I have grown on a personal level. API Travel Group and YTB Travel Network has helped our family because of the motivated, passionate, and truly helpful people we have met in this company. That is true for the most of the MLM industry.

So, is network marketing a scam? No. It is a growing industry that has great people within it. People that are willing to help others and people that have a drive to succeed. That is why we at API Travel Group want to teach others a system that cuts down on the learning time for our business partners and motivates them to become successful.

By Stephen Ipock

Qualifying Your Network Marketing Prospects

2008-03-22T17:59:00.001-04:00

There are some simple questions you can use to help you qualify your network marketing prospect. Qualifying them should be essential before you even discuss your MLM business opportunity. One of the mistakes many new network marketers make when prospecting is trying to find ways to bring up their business opportunity to a stranger. Prospects pick up on this and feel as though it is a pitch and typically tune out what you are saying.

Trust needs to be established for you to be successful in marketing your business to strangers. To gain this trust you need to be genuinely concerned about the person. Show interest in them, learn about them, and listen to their likes and dislikes. Casually have the conversation and don’t make it seem like an interview.

How are you going to start a conversation that will find out if a person qualifies for your opportunity? You can do this by asking a few simple questions.
What do you do for a living?
What does that entail? (if they are vague in their answer)
How long have you been in this profession?
What did you do before?

When your prospect is answering these questions listen for statements like “it’s a job”, “it pays the bills”, or anything about unhappiness in their career, needing more time, or not meeting their ambitions. Some careers that may be good prospects are past disappointed network marketers, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, teachers, and any other industry that is struggling in this economic downfall.

The answers to these questions will determine if they have a need or qualify for your business. You may even decide that they are not the person you would like to be a partner with. If this is the case don’t mention your business. If they do qualify, tell them you may be able to help them with what ever their qualifying statement was. They will typically ask you how and that would be when you introduce them to your opportunity.

Remember that you are not in the convincing business and you should sort through your prospects to see if they have a need. Finding that need will qualify them for your business and reduce a lot of the rejection you get from leading with your business. These simple questions will make it easier for you to qualify your prospect and to learn more about them.

By Stephen Ipock of API Travel Group

I Don't Have Time

2008-03-13T11:10:00.004-04:00

I can not tell you how many times I have heard "I Don't Have Time" to start my own home business. We don't have time either but we do it. We do it because we want something better for our children and we want to create a solution for us to the economic downfall.

What most people don't realize is that you make a little time for your business now so that you will get more time for yourself later. That is the beauty of having your own home business. I also like that I can choose when to put time into the business. This is great because I do not have to answer to anyone but myself...and Amanda.....but thats another story:)

This gives me the ability to spend that quality time with my family. Amanda and I have had a great time helping others start their business through API Travel Group, and enjoy teaching them to do the same for others. Those that choose to put the time into a home business now will be rewarded later with more time with their families and get the instant gratification of helping others. Choose to start a new path now and you will be glad you did.

Steve Ipock with API Travel Group

Positive Influences Are Keys to your Success

2008-03-08T10:11:00.000-05:00

Positive influences from those around you will be key ingredients to your success. Surrounding yourself with positive attitudes will carry over into your personal life, work, and anything you commit yourself to. If you remain positive you will see yourself change and you will begin to notice a change in others around you.

Try and steer clear of negativity. Negativity has a way drawing people to it. Negativity sells. Why do you think the news uses negative headlines? They use them because it gets your attention and makes you tune into there station. That is also why there are so many negative websites about any topic. Most of these sites will get plenty of hits which pay the site owner if he has advertisements on his site.

If you have a dream or goal and you want to accomplish that goal, do not listen to anyone who tells you that it is not attainable. Once you set your mind to do something, it can be attained. Surrounding yourself with positive people is absolutely crucial to the success and happiness you will have in business and in life.

I leave you with this quote.
Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.

Francesca Reigler

Stephen Ipock of API Travel Group

Why Should you Promote Your Business?

2008-03-06T16:39:00.000-05:00

It is your responsibility to promote your business. It is especially important if your business has something to offer to others that can help them financially or personally. My wife and I promote API Travel Group because it has a lot to offer others.

People are looking for ways to help there current situation. They may be looking for extra income. They may be looking for a way to save money on a product. They may be trying to find a way to save money on their tax return. You should feel as thought it is your obligation to bring up your business if you here someone talking about how they are unhappy with something in their life and your opportunity can help them. In most cases they will be happy you did.

Do not pursue them if that person says it is something they feel will not benefit them. Each individual will make a decision if your opportunity is for them or not. If you get a no from somebody….Celebrate…That person has been more helpful to you because they gave you a concrete answer. Some people will lead you on because they don’t want to hurt your feelings which means you have to follow up. Remember, you are trying to help them not pester them.

By Stephen Ipock of API Travel Group
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Mark Yarnells First Year in Network Marketing

2008-03-02T17:20:00.000-05:00

I believe that Your First Year in Network Marketing by Mark Yarnell is a must read for anyone who is starting a network marketing or MLM business. This book goes into detail of what to expect and what problems you may have when getting into the MLM industry. To many people try to make this industry out to be a get rich quick scheme. Mark Yarnell tells why that hurts the industry as a whole and how you will only get out of your business what you put in.

You will learn how to Deal with rejection, Recruit and train, Avoid over managing your down line, Stay enthusiastic, and how to avoid unrealistic expectations.

He also talks about not pre qualifying anyone when you talk to them about your opportunity. Some of the most successful people in the MLM industry were regular people struggling pay check to pay check before they got started.

This book made me realize that you will have to work your business to be successful and it will be a 2 to 4 year venture to see the real dividends of your work. Never giving up and working hard were a few points I got from this book.

I enjoyed reading about the industry as a whole and realize that this industry will change your life. Even those who did quit got the privilege of meeting lots of people that they would not have met if they were not doing Network Marketing.

Read this book and you will be glad you did.

Will Your Tax Return Become an Asset

2008-02-28T21:53:00.000-05:00

Millions of people will receive their tax returns soon. If they haven’t already received them, they are thinking about how they will spend the money once they do. Some people dream of a new plasma TV. Others might dream of taking a great vacation. You have two choices; you can turn your tax return into an asset or a liability.

As stated in Robert Kiyosaki’s book Rich Dad Poor Dad, “If you want to be rich, simply spend your life buying assets. If you want to be poor or middle class, spend your life buying liabilities.” His definition of an asset is something that puts money in your pocket. A liability, according to Kiyosaki, is something that takes money out of you pocket.

Here are two scenarios. One person turns his into an asset and another spends his tax return:

Larry receives a $1000 tax return. Larry likes to vacation so he uses $500 of his return to purchases his own travel business through API Travel Group. During the year, he receives commission on travel booked through his site, learns valuable information about the travel industry and enjoys discounts on his trips. Meanwhile, he receives tax benefits from having a home based business. Larry’s return the following year is $4000 and he has earned additional income during the year from his travel commission. In this scenario, Larry is turning his tax return into an asset.

Barry receives a $1000 tax return. He also likes to travel so he uses $500 to go on a vacation and $500 on a new TV. When Barry receives his tax return the following year, his income and his deductions haven’t really changed. Therefore, Barry receives another check for $1000. Barry’s vacation and his plasma TV have not earned any additional income. He has turned his tax return into a liability.

With your tax return on its way, now is the time to decide if you want to create an asset or a liability.

by Amanda Ipock, API Travel Group

Solution For All Home Business Owners Building On A Budget

2008-02-25T13:19:00.000-05:00

All home business owners can now learn the best ways to build any home business nearly free, using these latest internet marketing techniques.

It’s ruthless. Today, succeeding in the “work at home” arena is harder than ever with the painful advertising costs and “expensive” cut throat competition. Spending a small fortune to keep their businesses afloat, most home business owners find themselves throwing in the towel before they even begin.

But with the new “Building On A Budget” platform, large pocketbooks may no longer be needed to grow a lucrative home business.

Now aspiring and success driven entrepreneurs who have little or no money to advertise, can learn the most potent ways to build any home business using the latest online marketing strategies, in many cases without spending a dime.

Anyone truly wanting to “build on a budget” can request their free case studies at: http://advertisingonline4less.com/

“Building On A Budget” looks to be a dependable solution for all of today’s home business owners looking for maximum exposure without giving up their paycheck. For more info, visit http://advertisingonline4less.com

Network Marketing Is Difficult

2008-02-22T23:34:00.000-05:00

I think the reason so many people find network marketing so difficult is they think it is a get rich quick job and don't realize that you get out what you put in. Unfortunately the industry gets a bad wrap when these individuals quit and say it is a scam. They should not blame an industry for their own shortcomings.

I am so excited that I am part of the Network Marketing Industry and enjoy it very much. What I have learned so far is that there are plenty of ways to market your business and get prospects. The internet has plenty of avenues to use for marketing. Each individual has to find that niche ,if you will, and things will fall into place. I read on a MLM forum that you have more success fishing if you have ten poles in the water instead of one. That is the way I have chosen to promote my business.

One useful tip I found was to continually educate yourself in the industry. Lets face it, information is endless with the internet at your fingertips. I read that tip from Magnetic Sponsoring and have put it to use.

I will talk about different tools I have used for API Travel Biz in future posts.