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ibizniz
Member
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
Posts: 270
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2009 17:58
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Oh please
Coastal members sell travel memberships.
This is the kind of false information that can put people at risk..
What is a Seller of Travel?
A Seller of Travel is any resident or nonresident person, firm, corporation, or business entity who offers for sale, directly or indirectly, at wholesale or retail, prearranged travel or tourist-related services for individuals or groups, through vacation or tour packages, or through vacation certificates in exchange for a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration. The term includes any business entity offering membership in a travel club or travel service for an advance fee or payment, even if no travel contracts or certificates or vacation or tour packages are sold by the business entity.
...
If you or the company you are representing, are not registered licensed and bonded, you should not be in the business of selling travel.
It is the law Adam
cheers
Maria
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coolgoose
Member
Joined: 5 Apr 2009
Posts: 14
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2009 16:51
Reply
GREAT POST!!!
I agree totally...that was great...!
CoolGoose~~
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closerjim
Member
Joined: 26 Feb 2008
Posts: 59
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2009 23:03
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Just my 2 cents ... but that definition, Maria, is based on Florida's
law. Coastal therefore, no longer ships packages from the Florida
fulfillment center until they either resolve to contest that law or
not.
Every single State is free to and does write their own definition of
what "travel" and "seller of travel" means. They don't all have the
same wording.
But, for $75 ... what's the issue with getting the license to resell the
packages if that's what your state requires?
There is no "law" that says someone must be CLIAA certified or
bonded as a TRAVEL AGENT if they don't actually BOOK travel.
Even though I'm no longer involved in Coastal and don't own the
call center any longer, this style of "terrorist marketing" trying to
scare people into looking at a deal, to me is taking the lowest of
the low roads.
If your deal it better ... say why. Don't just attempt to scare people
into inaction.
So, back on a positive note ... 8 years with Coastal, I was contacted
twice by my State to ask about our "travel" activity which we had
NONE since we don't book travel ... and that was the end of it.
Best to you all....
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ibizniz
Member
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
Posts: 270
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# Posted: 23 Apr 2009 00:04
Reply
Hello Jim
if you mean pointing out the law is a scare tactic that is honestly a shameful statement.
Nearly every state has a reseller of travel law and every Canadian province...not just Florida.
Talking about FL Jim....
it requires a little more than a $75 registration fee as you stated...
"IMPORTANT: Sellers of Travel that offer vacation certificates MUST submit a completed registration form, a $300 non-refundable registration fee, $100 non-refundable document submission fee, $50,000 Surety Bond, Irrevocable Bank Letter of Credit, or Certificate of Deposit, and the vacation certificate documents required by ss.559.9295 and 559.932, Florida Statutes. "
"The term includes any business entity offering membership in a travel club or travel service for an advance fee or payment, even if [b]no travel contracts or certificates or vacation or tour packages are sold [/b]by the business entity. "
This is just FL (Anyone doing business in or traveling to, even if you are not the one doing the booking)...
I suppose you just hope that anyone purchasing a coastal membership does not travel to the states and Canada that have these laws...is that the thought process here?
This thread is about Coastal, not about what I am currently doing.
My statements are not meant for people to take inaction but to educate prospective members to what they are really getting into...to protect them, as they have been informed by many coastal directors that they are not reselling travel when they are, and not to worry, when they should be.
It is honestly black and white no matter how anyone tries to use ambiguous verbage, seller, not reseller, travel, not travel...it is what it is and I stand by my post....
Jim I am shocked you would state I am involved with "terrorist marketing". I knew I would get ridiculed (AGAIN) for telling the truth. It does not really hurt anymore, you can see from previous posts I have been attacked for stating it as it is...
Anyone doing a little research would know I am telling the truth.
Jim if you are no longer with the coastal closers, why do you have a link to them in your sig line?
cheers
maria
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closerjim
Member
Joined: 26 Feb 2008
Posts: 59
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# Posted: 23 Apr 2009 02:22
Reply
Hi Maria,
I don't have a link to coastal any longer. My sig file link is just to my
personal website now. The old posts I just checked are catching up
to the change in my profile.
Blogs and forums are hard to "work" --- but that's what most people
are doing here, including you. And each has their own tactics.
But it would be refreshing to see posts that tell it all as it really is,
not just a narrow sliver of a view that is meant to "get a reaction"
from people.
Marketing is marketing though. To each their own.
Now, to answer "what are you doing posting here if you're not
in coastal now?"
Withdrawals I suppose. I don't have anything to sell, market,
present or market about. We have other businesses but we
don't market them any longer, and there's nothing about trading
Forex that I market. That's just my "day job" activity now and is
the only thing that we do for income.
So, since I just basically finished the "hand off" of my company
today, and dropped in here to see what was going on and saw
your post, which I've seen before and not just from you but from
the PD1 people who all jumped ship from Coastal, it just hit me
"wrong" again.
Ok ... so in some states, someone may spend $500 and post that
$50,000 surety bond ... if they want to be "letter perfect" in doing
business. Why not tell people that in one post?
And, why not tell them what a $50,000 surety bond will cost? It's
not that much money. I was required to be bonded for $2 MILLION
just to sell mutual funds and variable annuities when I had my
financial services agency.
Do the members of GRN or YTB or P1D have to get licensed, bonded
and follow all those rules you're talking about?
That would be helpful info here.
Simple straight talk for a change would be very refreshing.
For the rest of you ... there's a lot of money to be made if you
follow a few simple tactics and guiding principles.
1. You should make it your #1 mission to IMPRESS SOMEONE every
day you get up and are alive. That someone should be YOU.
2. SALES is what pays the bills. Not websites, blogs, posts, emails
or other things you can occupy your time with. SALES pays the bills.
3. Sales come from having CONVERSATIONS with POTENTIAL BUYERS.
4. Sales become INCOME when someone pays you.
Hey ... it may not be the most popular news ... but folks, if you can't
get your mind around those 4 things, you need to keep your job.
Everything .. EVERYTHING must SUPPORT those 4 things or they
are not going to contribute to your success. OR your income.
If you use those 4 things as the measuring stick of your activity, tools,
money spent (including any licensing and bonds you feel you need
to be getting) ... you won't go wrong.
Ok .. back to my movie!
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ibizniz
Member
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
Posts: 270
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# Posted: 23 Apr 2009 08:18
Reply
Hello Jim
great post.
To answer your question briefly, YTB, WorldVentures and P1D all have a CST#
certificate to sell travel, license.
If in doubt, scroll down to the bottom of a travel website page and the CST# will be posted there.
When someone joins these companies, they are not personally taking the money from the sale, the company is, which in turn pays the associate. An associate is working under the umbrella of the company. They are protected with this business model.
From what I can tell (please someone tell me if I am wrong) Morvacations and GRN do not possess a CST#. These companies from what I can tell, allow the associate to accept the money from the sale and are then paid from the profits (the way that coastal also works).
I am not a travel law expert, and I would have no idea how much it would cost to get registered and bonded in all the states and provinces that require it, which is why I am happy to be working with a company who has performed all the necessary steps for their members.
One thing I must disagree with you about, sales do not just come from conversations, they do come from websites, blogs, forums, twitter and such. Personally I gravitate towards people who share knowledge and information and give it freely, without the motivation of getting paid. People will buy from a person they like and trust.
Hope this helps
Cheers
maria
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ateamfuntimer
Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 696
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# Posted: 23 Apr 2009 12:43
Reply
Wow this has turned into a happening place again. I'm glad that it has. I want to first say that I tentatively get into back and forth with people any longer as ive learned it really serves no purpose. But as this thread is about new prospects looking at Coastal I think this warrants the discussion.
Much has been stated about whether it is legal to sell Coastal Vacations. I say that it is but as im not a lawyer I suggest anyone looking at the business do the intelligent thing you should do in any business and do your research. Whether that means surfing the internet or getting legal advice you should do what makes you feel comfortable.
Coastal Vacations is a viable and lucrative business opportunity that warrants the serious internet marketer or home based business entrepreneur to take a good look. We market an amazing travel package that will save you $1000's and the $1000 - $9705 profits are great as well. As a new prospect you will hear and read in many place that Coastal is this or it is that. You have to make up your own mind.
What I saw was a great product that is easy to sell where I could make enough on one sale to make a living. One a Premier sale (you can get the details on any of our member's website) you make $3200. If you make one of these sales a month that is almost $40,000 a year. All this for a $1295 investment that include now getting your travel for discounted prices. The first major trip I took with my package was to Orlando. Yeah I went to see Mickey. We stayed in a 5 bedroom luxury home with 4 baths and a screened in pool for $735 for a week. The going rate if you didn't have the Coastal Package would be closer to $3600. That's almost a $3000 savings on one trip. Let's do the math. I paid almost $1300 to get my package and about $700 on that trip. That's a total of about $2000. The trip would have cost me $3600 so I saved about $1600. Well guess what next year id probably want to go back. That's what people do when they find a nice vacation place. So in scenario one with no Coastal Package if I paid $3600 each year my cost would be over $7000. In the second scenario with my Coastal Package I paid a total of about $2000 the first year and about $700 the second year for a grand total of about $2700. That's a savings of over $4000. What could you do with that type of money?
So for me I think that getting started in Coastal is a great idea. With all the various groups and training available a new person can get started and making money right away. There is a wealth of talent on this forum (no matter what opportunity or view that they might have) so I suggest that interested prospects contact me or another director that post here to go over your questions. It might be the best decision they ever make.
I do want to point out that I am glad that everyone has their opinion of this business opportunity no matter what side they fall on. I just will repeat that in my opinion Coastal Vacations is a great option. I wish you all well.
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closerjim
Member
Joined: 26 Feb 2008
Posts: 59
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# Posted: 23 Apr 2009 15:14
Reply
Just for clarification ...
I can count on 1 hand with fingers left, the number of people who in
the 8 years we worked with Coastal INCLUDING the last 4 operating
our Call Center ... send us money and did NOT ever have a conversation
with us or anyone else on the team or on Staff.
Blogs, forums, tweeting, facebooking, etc ... are all valid ways to make
that relationship happen. And, I actually count email or tweets or
other NON-VERBAL methods of communicating as "converstations" if
the prospective buyer is deaf, mute, or otherwise WANTS to avoid
talking to someone, but eventually enters into BUYING MODE and
is now pinning down the SELLER on exactly what they are buying.
That said, I come back to my 4 things as central to anyone's success
in sales and business.
You must impress yourself (hey let's face it .. you KNOW if you are
really working at your business or not, right?)
You KNOW it is SALES that pay the bills .. not redoing the site again,
or posting one more time to tell someone to get a life, or all the other
"filler type activities" we can to do look busy. Activity doesn't mean
effective. It means BUSY.
And it's common sense that sales come from conversations ... again,
granting that the conversation may not be verbal. I've earned well
over $300,000 from coastal from sales that I never had a verbal
conversation with the people ... but we did "converse" through
other mediums of communication due to time zone differences,
physical limitations, etc.
The point on that is ... sooner or later you have to get a person from
"gettin' to know you" to COMMITTING to you, your product, your
story, your benefits, your offer. It's called selling.
And finally .. SALES BECOME INCOME WHEN THEY PAY.
Ever chased a chronic buyer? Always buying, never PAYING?
It's easy to confuse it when someone doesn't have enough "what
ever you want to call it" to just say "No." or "I'm broke." or "I really
DON'T like (you, the deal, the product)" and go away!
YOU have to make that call at some point. That point is typically
when you suddenly realize this particular person LIKES being chased!
Then again, as mentioned ... all other activities must logically be a
support to those 4 things. If not ... you are either consciously or
unconsciously AVOIDING one of them.
Ok ... time to watch a friend get 3 very large trees cut down and
not squash his house with one of them in the process!
Success to all!
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