New Posts, Blog Reminder and NEW Conference Rooms

QUICK NOTE – Don’t forget to check out the links on the right. Where you see the word ‘Listen’, you can access and audio presentation. Check back often as I am uploading new files daily!

What a couple of weeks!  Work, work work.  Fun, fun, FUN!  It is true that a home-based business is a lot of work.  We do tend to work a lot of hours, at least at times.  BUT, the good part is that we CHOOSE those hours.  And another good part is that we choose WHAT WE DO, so it doesn’t really seem like work.  I know that I am enjoying what I am doing.

There is lots going on lately and it has made the month of January fly by.  My last post discussed the new BlogFather portal.  This viral tool can really help to spread the word if you have a home-based business you want to get ranked high in the search engines, or you simply have some news you want to get out.  The posts are automatically put on a site with at least 50,000 other accounts and together, all of the content will be great for SEO.

New this week are NEW VERECONFERENCE ROOMS.  And what a room it is.. complete with white board and lots of customization plus all of the security and features of the past rooms.  A great product that has been improved and will be ready to go February 1, 2007.

Right in time with Bill Gates and Microsoft’s release of Vista, and talk of the internet technology coming over the next five years, these rooms will rank right up there with an essential TOOL to have.  Whether it be for PERSONAL or HOME-BASED BUSINESS, EDUCATION, ENTERTAINMENT or CORPORATE use, these internet conference rooms are for everyone.

It is the way of the future.  Business owners monitoring employees inside of a web conference room so that he doesn’t have to travel to the location every day, and maybe the employee doesn’t have to either.  Online education options are increasing and a web conference room to bring students and instructor together in a superion techological atmosphere can be very beneficial.  For corporate use, these web rooms are very professional with full chat capability, LIVE speaking from all parties, all kinds of controls to customize and regulate the rooms.

There is even current planning for LIVE streaming video presentations like concerts and other live events that can reach people all over the world at the same time.  Power point presentations can be uploaded for view inside of the room at the touch of a button – no more converting files.  Web pages can be ’pushed’ inside the room to make presentations to clients very effective. This technology is in its infancy!

For personal use, folks with family and friends all over the world can meet inside a web room to ‘hang out’, chat, share pictures, view websites together, etc.  Even clubs, groups, sports teams.. you name it!

Interested folks can even try out a room for FREE.  Yes FREE.  A three person room can be obtained in minutes and you an get one every day if you want.  Upgrade options are also available starting at a very reasonable $11.95 per month for a 3-seat room that you can customize in a variety of ways.

Contact me anytime for details of how to try out a Free Room.

Vicki Announces BlogFather Blog

I have posted before how I use the Veretekk Internet Marketing System in my marketing efforts online.  You start with your very own Free Silver System and can use all the tools and services there free forever if you want.  Full benefit of each portal will require upgrading to Gold, but still, at $41.95 per month, it is a steal.  There are services that many online marketers pay separately for, and which can add up to hundreds of dollars per month.  Plus these tools are more advanced.

I decided to market as a Shaklee Distributor since this company is going global.  New ‘family’ owners decided two years ago to take these ‘best kept secret’ products around the world.

Under previous ownership, while we were operating in five countries, these were all separate businesses and you were required to live in the location you represented.

Now that is changing and as Shaklee Distributors, we can build global businesses.  Fifty countries in the next 10 years is the goal!  While we will meet and work with people from different countries in person, the bulk of communication and business will probably be done online.

With ordering now completely accessible online, there is great opportunity if we Shaklee Distributors learn the business of working on the internet.  There are wonderful people out there to meet and share the benefits of a 50 year old company’s products.  They change your life.

Now we have yet another tool with Veretekk to get the word out.  New this month are Blogs through a portal called BlogFather.  They come complete with RSS feeds and a very powerful blog system.  Plus Tom and Mike have made this very easy to use and set up trainings that will teach basic set up and advanced marketing techniques.  You may want to check out this new SEO opportunity at BlogFather.

I have named my BlogFather blog VZerbeeGlobalShakleeDistributor and it is listed under the Business section of this Blog Portal.

ENERGY Boost!

energy. Energy. ENERGY! Don’t we all want more of it in our bodies every day? We live a fast-paced lifestyle with many demands of our time and our bodies. More Energy is a welcome thing.

Everyday fatigue is a common complaint. Just listen to conversations around you. I suspect you will hear it multiple times throughout the day. It also ranked among the top five health problems reported by all adults in 1998. Since then, it would be a pretty safe bet that this might have increased.

Exercise is important for all of us. Even 30 minutes of ’something’ each day, including a walk, makes a difference. Food choices are another influence of energy. There is lots and lots of information that can be found through a multitude of sources about diet and food and what choices are optimal for our bodies and our energy levels.

Sometimes there is a need for additional energy sources. A natural alternative is not only a healthy choice for your body but a safe one as well. A good quality natural product can help fight everyday fatigue, revitalize and replenish vital energy, and be a rich dietary source of antioxidant phytonutrients.

Those who might benefit from such a product are people who are searching for a natural supplement to help keep up with the hectic pace of daily life, people who want to avoid stimulants, women who are experiencing loss of energy during transition to menopause, and anyone who wants the benefit of more energy from a safe, high quality product.

Is there scientific evidence for the effectives of the ingredients in a natural, safe energy alternative? One ingredient, cordyceps, which has extensive testing behind it showed very effective at warding off everyday fatigue, and studies indicated more efficient use of oxygen by the cells of the body. Another ingredient in the product is ginseng, which is used in traditional Asian medicine as a tonic to revitalize and replenish vital energy. Studies of the third ingredient, green tea, have shown improved health of the mouth, pancreas, colon, skin, lung, prostate, bladder, and digestive tract.

Why choose this brand? The product is Unique, Safe, Healthy, Effective and based on solid science. It is formulated as all products of this brand, as a balanced, clinically studied, and bio-available (it will get absorbed so you will get the benefits and results) product.

What if more energy is as simple as taking 3 easy-to-swallow capsules of safe, healthy ingredients each morning with some water and you feel the benefit all day long? I invite you to click on Energy below and see for yourself.

Energy

To buy Organic OR Not to buy Organic?

There was an article today in the Personal Journal section of the Wall Street Journal.  The subject was buying Organic foods.  Specifically, the content was about when buying organic makes sense and when it doesn’t.

Food buying in general has become a tough task.  This is especially true when you are trying to eat healthy.

We hear and read a lot in the news about eating healthy.  When we get to the store, it is very confusing.  Reading labels and choosing products when there is so much available.  What is really good?  What makes sense economically?  How can I do the best for my family?

There are pricey organic versions of many foods today.  Some are willing to pay the fat prices because they think they are doing a good thing for themselves and/or their family.  What the article boiled down to is not really news.  The thing is that we have to do our homework, just like in anything else.  It isn’t easy, but in the end if you want results, it is worth it.

There does seem to be some foods that are worth paying the extra price that is usually associated with the organic label, and then there are times when that option isn’t worth the extra funds required.  One example is with fruit.  The author’s research provided information that suggests apples, peaches, bell peppers, strawberries, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, potatoes and carrots may have higher levels of pesticides in conventional versions, and so organic might just make sense with these products.  In contrast, broccoli, bananas, frozen sweet peas, frozen corn, asparagus, avacados, and onions seem to have levels of pesticides that are low even in conventional versions, and so buying organic might not be a smart buy if these products are in fact more pricey.

It might be worth your effort to pick up a copy of the Wall Street Journal to read this two-page article yourself.  If you are wanting to make these kinds of decisions, it is important to gather research material.  I will make a copy if you find yourself reading this article at some point in the future when it may not be possible to access it.  You might search online for it, or contact me and I can make you a copy.

There are always great food supplement choices with products from Shaklee Distributors.  These products are Real Food and always formulated as close to the way you would find them in nature as possible. 

Taiwan Opportunity Announcements

Last evening there was a corporate tele-conference about the newest global Shaklee Distributor opportunity.

Taiwan pre-launch activities are in full swing and Shaklee Distributors are eager to take their global internet businesses all over the world.  This is the first step.  As a Global Ambassador, they will be able to do business in existing global markets as well. The is the beginning of 50 countries in the next 10 years.

What we need to do:

Tell the people of Taiwan why you love Shaklee Distributor products.

Tell them about the vision of this great company and our awesome leader.

Give examples of our commitment to excellence, 100+ clinical studies (on our own products, not borrowed studies).

Emphasize the Opportunity and how it is superior to any company in the industry.

Let them know how successful Shaklee Distributor products have been in our own market.  Not only are we 50 years old, but we have used those years to become the #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the USA.  Our sales are twice the size in our home market than most of our competitors.

Taiwan is an enormous international opportunity.  Apart from the standard compensation plan, there are bonus pools and other incentives.  Details can be accesses on the company website (link above) and in future posts.  Hold on for quite a ride ahead!

To give a recap of the phone call this evening on the Taiwan launch, I have listed some key points discussed.

The people of Taiwan are very familiar with network marketing.  They know the value of nutritional competition.  The region represents the highest per capita consumption of nutritional products of any area in the world.  50% of those products are sold through direct sales.

What they are interested to learn about is Shaklee Distributor products.  Can they trust the company?  Are we for real?  Are the products superior?  How does the business opportunty stack up?

Also discussed were the compensation opportunities available for Taiwan and key steps on how to successfully sponsor there. There is a special subsidy Taiwan Bonus Pool and a Taiwan Grand Opening incentive trip. The key dates to Taiwan’s main pre-launch activities as well as the Taiwan product strategy is all information that can be accessed online now. How does this sound for a global internet business?

Wall Street Journal recognizes Climate Leader

Here is a message from Cindy Latham, our Shaklee Distributor’s Sr. VP of Marketing.  The email shared how the steady drumbeat of well-deserved publicity for Shaklee’s forward looking policies and philosophy is getting louder by the day.  Here is what Cindy Latham wrote.  I received the email on 12-29-06.

Shaklee is referenced in an editorial today in the Wall Street Journal regarding our environmental efforts.  The article is by Dan Esty, a professor of Environmental Law and Policy at Yale University, who is co-author of the book Green to Gold, and Director of the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale.  I’m not sure if the article listed below is the final one that ran, but if people can pick up the Wall Street Journal today they will be able to see the full editorial and have for their clippings.

This is a great way to start the New Year for everyone.  

All the best, 

Cindy

By Daniel C. Esty

<p Ford’s announcement last month of a major financial restructuring, on top of earlier news of third-quarter losses of $5.8 billion as well as plans to lay off one-third of its 47,000 salaried workforce and shutter 16 facilities, shocked many people. The company’s disintegration should not, however, come as a surprise. Ford’s blue-and-white logo once embodied ’s industrial might. It now stands as a symbol of short-sighted management.

In particular, Ford executives misjudged the strategic importance of a cluster of energy and environment issues. The company continued to bank on gas-guzzling SUVs and light trucks even as fuel prices shot up, tailpipe emissions loomed larger as an issue, and consumer tastes shifted toward more fuel-efficient cars. Meanwhile, Toyota ’s brisk trade in green vehicles like the hybrid Prius and a “cool” and eco-friendly reputation leave it enjoying record profits and poised to overtake GM as the world’s largest auto maker.

Ford isn’t the only company to have been blindsided by the “Green Wave” washing over the business world. But it is ironic that just-departed CEO Bill ord, who was known for his environmental interests, never succeeded in getting his leadership team to understand the need to make the environment a core element of the company’s business strategy.

Today, no company can afford to ignore the challenges posed by pollution control, natural resource management and energy consumption. Business leaders in manufacturing and services, big companies and small, must prepare for a world of tighter supplies of fossil fuels (and resulting high prices), greenhouse gas emissions controls, limited water and rising resource costs. Businesses also face demands from an array of new environment-oriented stakeholders including bankers, market analysts, customers, employees and communities, in addition to the traditional pressures from regulators, environmental groups and other NGOs.

While every business must manage the risks and costs of environmental protection, some are also finding an upside to going green. With its “ecomagination” thrust, GE has positioned itself to respond to society’s environmental problems. CEO Jeff Immelt envisions billion-dollar businesses selling wind turbines, more efficient jet engines and drinking-water purification systems. From Ikea to Coca-Cola, companies are finding ways to differentiate their products, create new lines of business, win customer loyalty and enhance their brand value by taking up their customers’ environmental interests and values.

Even Wal-Mart has emerged as a major player in the world of corporate sustainability. CEO Lee Scott has promised to cut his company’s energy use by 30%, reduce waste by 25%, and become the world’s leading seller of organic products.

So what went wrong in

Detroit ? And what are the lessons for the business community more generally? Three main points can be drawn from Ford’s collapse, which has a number of causes, including skyrocketing health-care costs and burdensome retiree benefits, but a fundamental link to mishandled environmental strategy.

First, the Green Wave is real. Companies need to learn how to manage environmental challenges or they will be taken under. It is not enough to sponsor beach clean-ups and contribute a few dollars to the local environmental group. Corporate leaders need to look at their operations through a green lens and fold environmental thinking into their core business strategy.

Second, to target their environmental efforts, companies need to map their ecological “footprint.” Ford had eco-initiatives, but they failed to address the company’s real vulnerabilities. In fact, Ford’s redesigned River Rouge manufacturing facility had state-of-the-art environmental features including a grass roof and natural ventilation. And the company contributed millions of dollars to rainforest protection. But Ford’s problem wasn’t pollution at its factories, and it certainly wasn’t deforestation of the jungle. No, Ford’s strategic focus needed to be on its vehicles. The market shift toward more eco-friendly and efficient cars caught Ford flat-footed with a product line heavy on fuel-chugging and pollution-spewing behemoths like the Expedition and Navigator.

Every business needs to understand its environmental exposure. If you’re Coca-Cola, you need to face up to water issues­as CEO Neville Isdell is doing. If you’re an auto maker, fuel efficiency and tailpipe emissions have to be at the heart of your strategy.

Third, there is money to be made solving society’s environmental problems. If GE’s multi-billion dollar bet on ecomagination is not a sufficient signal of this reality,

Toyota ’s success surely is. Dozens of other companies are finding opportunities to turn green to gold. Shaklee, for example, has built a thriving business selling nutritional supplements and eco-safe cleaning supplies with a focus on living in harmony with nature. To back up its green image, the company has promised to offset all its carbon emissions and to plant a million trees in Africa .

The bottom line is clear: Environmental factors have emerged front and center in business. Ford is paying a high price for
missing this development. No company can afford to ignore this object lesson.

Mr. Esty is the Hillhouse professor at Yale and the author, with Andrew Winston, of “Green to Gold” (Yale University Press, 2006).

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