SUBMITTED: Thursday, September 30, 2004
POSTED: Thursday, September 30, 2004
Karen,
I applaud you for not giving up. SO many people get hooked up with bad directors and end up quitting out of frustration. Kudos to you for not letting this guy affect your business permanently! :-)
To everyone else reading this, I want to say - SUPPORT IS EVERYTHING!!! Choosing the right director when youa re getting into Coastal is essential to your success and momentum.
Here are a few points I want to make about searching for the right director with Coastal Vacations:
1) Just because someone has a snazzy webpage.... that's no reason to assume they are truly successful with Coastal, or that they can teach you how to be. Websites can be created and slapped up onto the web virtually overnight, and pictures mean nothing.
I've known people (in MLMs, especially) to test-drive a Mercedes, go into a nice neighborhood, park in front of the biggest house they can find, get out and take their picture in front of it.... just to make it look like it's theirs. In my opinion, if someone has to "flaunt" their wealth to get your attnetion, they are usually jerks anyway.
2) ASK FOR REFERRALS!!!! Before you choose a director, make sure they are willing to give you some proof. Not copies of checks (people can fake those)... you need phone numbers of 3-5 people they have trained so you can call and ask about their integrity, their teaching style, and generally how easy they are to work with. **THIS IS SOOOOO IMPORTANT!!!**** You learn success by following a good teacher. If they really are a good director, there will be happy people that are willing to talk to you. The feedback will be good. If they won't offer to allow you to talk to their directors..... RUN.
3) Do ***NOT*** be suckered by "deal-makers". Anyone who has to make you a deal to get your business is obviously desperate. If they were making all the money they claim to be making, would they be so desperate as to need to bend the rules to get your money? Certainly not.
If they themselves do not follow the marketing plan, how can you expect them to teach YOU how to follow the marketing plan? They can't. I've been with Coastal for over 5 years, and I've seen it over and over again.... it's so sad. If you come across a director selling the packages for less than $1295, offering to "cut out" your training sales, or worse yet, just selling you the director's release.... ***RUN*** . Those are the surest sign of a bad director.
4) Don't fall for the "extras". Yes... it's nice if they offer a lot of nice tools to help you succeed, but NOT IF THEY CHARGE FOR THEM. That is a pet peeve of mine. I have been training people for years, and I don't charge people for access to my extras. If the director you are investigating was really making all the money they say they are making selling packages, would they really need to sell cds? or websites? NO. They would be generous and kind because rthey are already making great money and want to help others so the same.
I got started over 5 years ago with a director who was so busy that he really didn't have much time to train me. He made a few calls with me, and that was it. I didn't even own a computer, and I had to rely on the training I could get from listening to the training and conference calls. I learned everything I needed to know from plugging into the system.
If the director you are looking into steers you AWAY from the official company conference calls or seminars.... put your wallet back in your pants. You do not want to work with someone who is afraid for you to talk to anyone else in Coastal... what are they hiding? Al does a great job on the nightly conference calls, and he has for years. SO why would they want to pul you away? Not for any reason of merit.
BOTTOM LINE - Coastal Vacations is a great opportunity. It has allowed me and my husband to be home with our 3 kids for over 5 years. The money is really great. BUT..... don't let your enthusiasm for Coastal cloud your judgement in choosing a director. The choice could zseriously affect your success. TAKE YOUR TIME. Talk to as many directors as you can. Find one you are comfortable working with. Someone with real integrity. It's worth the extra effort. Don't join up with just anyone... your financial future is in the balance, and this could make the difference between making thousands weekly and making zip.
Hope this helped. If even just ONE person reads this and it keeps them from jumping in with the one of the scammers on theinternet, then my time in writing this was worth it. I truly believe that Coastal is the best home business opportunity out there, and I wish you all the success you deserve in your new business.
WAHM to 3 great kids
Coastal Director since 1999