No More Fun With Bob and Jayne... Now It's Just EPX and Me!

I'm sort of blog-hopping here.  Since May I have tried to talk honestly about belonging to Advanced Marketing Concepts (AMC), which was so UNadvanced that the experience was trying at best and ridiculous at worst.  I honestly don't think the whole thing was a scam, but I never made any money.

In fact, I decided in early July to join EPXOne80 after I heard they were starting a new business model of allowing distributors to purchase customers on auto-ship.  The wording since then has changed to pre-paying for guaranteed marketing of customers on auto-ship, since you can't buy people... but the concept remains the same.  Pay $45, wait a little while, and PRESTO there is a customer in your downline.  It's a great concept and it can make a lot of people a LOT of money (more about that later) so I jumped in.

I knew I had done a good thing when I got an email about a week later (maybe less) saying AMC was closing up shop and becoming a big old branch of EPX. What a surprise! No really, I was quite surprised.

So my blog, "Fun With Bob and Jayne" has run its course.  Because I had already joined EPX without Bob and Jayne Guzzetti I won't be in that big old AMC branch.  I am on the Bottom Line Team (BLT) which just happens to be the same team the Guzzetti's joined with their bazillion members, but it was just coincidence and we won't be very closely related on this Team Tree.  So Goodbye, Jayne.  Goodbye, Bob.  I bet you're really nice people and some day we may even meet in person.

What many many people have recognized in EPX is that this company is poised to EXPLODE.  I know only a few of the details but here's what I've got:

1. You can pre-pay for marketing of a customer for your downline.  (Trivita did this several years ago and there are many people who made a FORTUNE with that model... and many of them are in EPX now!)

2. A brand new, very skilled and experienced senior management team has just taken control with the original founder still very much active and alive in the company management.  It is a good sign when a founder can recognize that he needs management help with the growth he is experiencing and/or envisioning. A true TEAM PLAYER.

3. The company has been purchased by a publicly held company.  Great!  Big money.  But nobody knows who it is yet, and if they know they're not saying.  Word should be out any day now.

4. EPX has many different programs - EPXBody, EPXOne80, EPXTrader... and if you are involved with any of it you can get paid commissions from any other part of it.  That's right, you don't have to be involved with fitness at all to get commissions if your downline joins EPXBody and starts buying supplements.  Most (maybe all?) other companies will require that you be enrolled in a particular program before getting paid from that program.

5. EPX guarantees your income!  That's right.  If you follow their program for six months and aren't making $1000/month after six months, they will give you your money back.  That's some commitment.

6. With the EPXBody 90 Day Challenge, you get PAID PER POUND you lose.  I'm all in!  After two weeks I have lost nearly 15 pounds.  My goal is 30.  More updates on this to come!

So goodbye Georgia folks... hello Utah folks!

Here's the new blog on EPXOne80

I need patience and I need it NOW!

Things have been fast and furious around the world of EPX.  Or rather, the phone calls have been fast and furious.  The weekly team call has focused on how great the new executive team is, how we will be eligible to buy stock in the publicly held company that has bought EPX, and WOW we are in the right place at the right time! 

But there is just not… any information yet.  Who is this magic big company?  I don’t know.  But we’ll find out soon.

Also… where are those auto-ship customers I paid for?  They aren’t in my back office yet.  Word has it through phone calls and some emails that they are starting to show up in peoples’ downlines; that has yet to be the case with me (and I just checked before writing this).  It is frustrating, but this is new; it hasn’t been done before; the website is being completely redone.  IT WILL BE GOOD.  And I believe that NOW is the time to be in EPX!  Once those “purchased” customers start filling up the matrices, people will start making a lot of money. 

I can’t wait!!

 

In the meantime, I tried building my own landing page… check it out:
www.adventureandwealth.com

And I have lost nearly 15 pounds in two weeks on the EPXBody 90 day challenge.

More about that soon.

The Wacky World of EPX and How AMC Fits In

Another Team Call last night with Shelly and Sandy …  Two guest speakers:  Larry Oxenham of Lazy Wealth and AMC fame, and a guy named Kareem that I’m sorry to say I couldn’t hear too well.  I did get that he lost 40 lbs with the EPX90 challenge, and had just competed in his first body building competition over the weekend.  That’s quite lovely but I’m 52 and am never, EVER competing in a body building competition, so I really cared more about what Larry had to say.

There are two major things I gleaned from the call:  First, EPX has been acquired by a publicly held, giant company.  No one can say what that company is yet, although I did do some sleuthing (couldn’t find a thing).  That should be around the end of this month when the news goes public.  It sounds like we, as distributors, will be eligible to earn stock in the big magic company!   I like stock.  (Especially stock that pays dividends.)  The Second thing is that the team that has been brought together is apparently a dream team of leaders without the big egos.  No Ken Lays or Bernie Madoffs here.  Larry is convinced they could lead any sort of company anywhere in the world and that the lineup includes people who will be able to initiate a global rollout with no glitches, manage explosive growth, and continue to strive for improvement in products and marketing.  The names of the new management team were being thrown around so fast I couldn’t google them fast enough.  The new head (CEO?), Zann Horlacher, is somebody we have “met” before on the Team Call.  Other names I could wrap my head around included Bert Green (try googling Bert Green… yes, there are a thousand).  The other names were all first names said very quickly.  Why?  I don’t think Shellee and Larry were dropping names in the traditional sense… I think maybe we’re not supposed to know quite who they are yet until that big acquisition by the big giant magic company is revealed.  At least, that’s what I hope.  If not, they sure do talk fast and I am having trouble keeping up.

So the bottom line is that BIG growth is about to happen: new website, new ownership and management, and those “in the know” are very very excited about it.  Yes, there are a few growing pains at the moment since the newly acquired auto-ship customers are being added manually to distributor’s downlines.  (I am still waiting for mine, but I only check about 5 times a day now instead of 20.)

How does AMC fit in to all of this?  Except for being its own branch or leg or whatever, and being under the very able and good guy Larry Oxenham, I’m not sure.  Bob and Jayne were at the same meeting that the Larry and Shellee attended but Jayne hasn’t had much to say via email.  (Mostly just, “Please be patient.  Hang on!”) 

I am being patient (for me, anyway).  I am hanging on!  This is going to be quite a ride!  If you are fond of rollercoasters, or if you’ve ever wondered if you will EVER have that magic “timing” thing, THIS IS IT.  I don’t think it will get much clearer than that.

Misadventures and Challenges

Okay, so it has been since July 9^th – 37 days – since I paid $45 each for two customers on auto-ship to be marketed into the VIPDeals program and placed in my matrix.  So far, NOTHING.  I have heard from one of my downliners that he’s getting antsy.  I emailed Stan, my upline man and asked him:  “What have you heard?  What do you know?”  And he didn’t know anything, hadn’t heard anything, still waiting for his customers to show up, etc.  So the newbie marketer in me starts to scream, “Have I been swindled?!”  And I’m sure the answer is NO.  I just need to wait awhile longer.  Estimates of when things will happen are just WAGs when something new is being tried… and this is indeed new!  The call center/s, the software, the integration of things unimaginable have to be worked out.  I am confident that they WILL be worked out, but would like to be MUCH sooner than later.

 

One reason I am not frothing at the mouth is that I know this week was the Team Leader’s meeting in Las Vegas.  This is an excerpt of an email from Larry Oxenham who is/was  an upliner of my in AMC but not with my current EPX position.  However, if AMC ever (?!) gets the membership transfer over to EPX, I will be on the same team twice and have different upliners, to include the illustrious Larry O.  Here is what he has to say:

I traveled to Las Vegas to meet the new management team for EPX and, while we can't release all the great information, there are some parts that were so special they are meaningful to all of us.

First, the reason there is a new management team is the program founder, Dan, recognized his strength is getting a program off the ground and building teams (he has 24 years' experience) but not managing the growth. So he reached out to several very experienced people, they spent months reviewing EPX (and more than 70 other companies worldwide in the question for an acquisition), and chose EPX because they believed the model made sense.

They then assembled their team of genuine heavyweights - one sold his company for more than $500 million, another is the former head of a known, long running network company, another a former senior exec with FedEx, another a Wall Street Financial expert, another sold a chain of restaurants, and, well, you get the picture; they are NOT picking up a bunch of mlm recruiters with no management experience. The team also includes experts in various countries to facilitate international growth.

However, several of the management team are very experienced and known mlm veterans who have built huge success in the US and overseas. One for example, was responsible for $595 million of his company's $695 million production.

In other words, this is a management team with strength, experience and an inside feel. Equally importantly, they have involved a public company to provide deep pockets and have as clear a mission statement as any company I have ever seen. And they have already filled important posts including IT, customer service management, national and international marketing.

BUT THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR HEADS SCREWED ON STRAIGHT!

What do I mean by this? There are no egos fighting to be first in line, or let you know how smart they are. Each, through introduction, talked a little about his/her road to success and how they firmly believe providing complete service to customers and distributors is the key to success.

The new president, Zan, has a wealth of experience but a belief in service, integrity and delivering on promises made.

We had lunch and dinner together and attended a show together and, if you did not know beforehand, you would not have been able to tell who had the most money or the top position.

Prior to the event they told us we would see the Vegas version of Jersey Boys so I asked if I could bring my 13 year old (incredibly good looking and smart) granddaughter, Ava - huge Jersey Boys fan - and they said yes.

They not only invited her but included her in our meals and even one of the meetings (Which was a little like a Masters Degree in marketing so a little over her head). By the time the two days ended she knew everyone, had been included in conversations and discussions, and was so much a part of the group she got hugs from everyone. She was even invited to the next meeting ...

The point? A quality endeavor has to begin with quality people. I have seen mlm's implode because the ego of the Founder wasn't capable of recognizing the need for professional help as you grow. This team appears to have every element - intellect, experience, education, motivation and direction - needed to excel.

There are now three legs to EPX - The public company, the marketing entity and EPX - with each filling a special need.

If you were to design a potentially successful entity you would want deep pockets, deep experience, education, motivation and a thorough understanding of what the mission is.

Details will be released in coming weeks - public companies have strict rules about what can and cannot be said and when - but I can tell you now the changes you will see will make so much sense you will be very pleased, the accessibility and assistance from the management team will be very visible and a couple of very unique advantages mean some members are going to get very wealthy from a benefit outside recruiting.

I have never been a traditional mlm marketer - meetings, etc. - mainly because there was never anything to believe in. EPX has individual products that, by themselves, have been and are 100 million dollar products with more being developed by a Nobel Prize winning doctor; EPX has a management team unsurpassed; EPX has an opportunity, especially with the customer acquisition model (this will be expanded), that means all of us have a great opportunity ahead.

One final note: when asked the real secret to long term success, the man who built the $595 million team, said, "Followup". He said members who want to succeed will followup with customers they purchase to offer them the opportunity. It's that simple and a good lesson we have been 'preaching' for a long time.

There is much more to come but all those of you who enrolled should look forward to a very good future with EPX.

 

And there you have it. I am looking forward to a very good future with EPX!  Next time I will talk about the EPX 90day fitness challenge, which I started today.  Let’s just say, the start isn’t so pretty.

 

Jayne is Still Excited and SO AM I.

Update today from Jayne Guzzetti. Here is part of it (I deleted the duplicated and uninteresting stuff):

First of all, and always foremost, we will not take any of you into a business that doesn't have it together.    Appears not to... or whatever.  We don't take chances!  So that has been the first hold-up.  EPX has come up with a whole new program.  Yes, absolutely FANTASTIC!  Out of this world!!!!!!!  But we wanted to make sure they had everything in place and that we felt totally comfortable about everything.  We do!!!!!!!  Just needed some time to be sure and we are!!!!!!!

Taking a 3-wide pay plan and trying to put it into a 4-wide pay plan has  been a huge challenge in itself. 

Then, AMC's pay plan and EPX's pay plan are completely different.  I liken it to taking the rules of Bridge and trying to make them work in a game of Chess.  Both pay plans have completely different ways to "win," as in "earn the most money!"  So if I had taken AMC's pay plan and just thrown it in to EPX's, it wouldn't have been right for YOU!

We're almost finished with the set-up, and expect everything will go to EPX tomorrow or Wednesday. 

Added to all of that, we had a slew of other business and personal matters hit us at the same time.  To say we are totally stressed is an understatement.

We're so sorry for the delay but all will be great starting next week!  With the team we have in place and all the members who have already purchased 10, 20, 50, 100, and even over 200 member/customers, we're sure to explode!!!!!!!

I'll have marketing ideas for you next week, update you on member/customer purchases, and much more!  

Thank you for hanging in there!  We're so excited and totally committed to YOU and EPX!!!!!!!

Jayne Guzzetti

My take on this: It must be nearly impossible to make the 3x3 matrix fit into a 4x10 matrix.  The "slew of other business and personal matters" are worrying and my heart and knidest thoughts go out to Bob and Jayne. And the best news: marketing ideas next week (my money is on postcards!), and they are very excited about EPX.

I am convinced that now is the right time and EPX180 is the right place. If you're not there with me, hurry on up!

www.epx180.com/marthacluett

More exciting news

EPX has brought in a new executive team to help steer the company in this time of major growth. Two guys whose names I don't remember... But I am sure I'll be hearing them again.  No word from Jayne this week.  I know she is getting ready for the EPX Leaders meeting in Las Vegas this coming week. 

The big news is that the customers we have acquired (no longer using the term "buying" since you can't BUY a person) started showing up in our matrices yesterday. I must have logged in twenty times! Mine aren't there yet but they will be in a few days.

This is SO MUCH MORE FUN than mailing out letters!  If you haven't joined EPX180 yet but are thinking about it, now is the time!

Have a great weekend.

Reinvestment Plan: Here's the Math

Here is some more from Shelly Ferree's last email for our EPX Team.  She has obviously done a little math with the customer acquisition program and it makes some sense.  Here's her plan:

Here is A Reinvestment Plan- check out what we all could do working together

Here is A Plan Of Action I Am Using To Build My EPX ONE80

1- I Am Going To Save All Of My fast start bonuses- my matrix pay matching bonuses
I am reinvesting it to put back into my paid customers- I don’t care if it is only 1 or 2 or 10
Until I Am Hitting $1000 a month

2- Then I Am Going To Reinvest $450 Every Single Month to buy 10 new customers- Just Remember when you buy new customers You Will Get $65 back in fast start bonuses and 50 cent bonuses- also remember you will earn matching bonuses for the long term
You Will Still Pocket $565 A Month profit
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When I Get to $1500 A Month Residual I Am Going To Buy 15 New Customers - That Will Be $675 To Reinvest Back In My Business- Now Remember You Will Get $97.50 back in fast start bonuses - You Will Pocket $922.50 In Profit- that is extra monthly income
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When I Get to $2000 A Month Residual- I am Going To Buy 20 New Customers A Month- That Will Be $900 To Reinvest Back into my Business- Now Remember You Will Get $130 Back In Fast Start Bonuses That Will Be $1230 In Profit
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When I Get to $2500 A Month Residual- I Am Going To Buy 25 New Customers A Month- That Will Be $1125 To Reinvest Back Into My Business- Now Remember You Will get $162.50 Back In Fast Start Bonuses That Will Be $1537.50 In Profit
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When I get $3000 A Month Residual Income- I am going To Buy 40 New Customers- That Will be $1800 To Reinvest Back Into My Business- Now Remember You Will Get $260 Back In Fast Start Bonuses That Will Be $1460 In Profit- It May Be Less Profit then at $2500 But Remember all of the 20% matching Bonuses you are building and will get off 40 new customers down the road
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When I Get to $3500 A Month Residual Income- I am going to buy 40 New customers- that will be $1800 to Reinvest Back In The Business- Now Remember You Will get $260 Back in fast start bonuses that will be $1960 profit a month
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When I Get To $4000 A Month Residual Income- I am going to buy 50 New Customers- That Will Be $2250 To Reinvest Back In my Business-Now You Will Get $325 Back In Fast Start Bonuses that will be $2075 profit a month
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When I get to $4500 A Month Residual Income- I am going to buy 50 new customers- That Will Be $2250 to reinvest back in my business- You Will Get $325 in fast start bonuses that will be $2575 profit a month
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When I get to $5 grand a month residual income- I am going to buy 50 new customers- that will be $2250 to reinvest back into my business- You Will Get $325 in fast start bonuses that will be $3075 a month

Then After That You Will Be buying 50 new customers every single month- If Your Team members follow the same game plan- you will be making close to $100 000 to $500 000 a month
I know it is hard to fathom but you will receive 20% matching bonuses on every single one of the customers matrix plus if they get active you earn 10% matching Bonuses 1%-2% global pools 2% infinity matches

If You Follow This Reinvestment Program- You Can just buy customers and don’t even have to worry about recruiting people and I guarantee when you start earning $1000 checks just show this to friends and family they will be joining you

EPX ONE80 Is about Working Smart Not Hard

 

 More soon on how to achieve Step One, I'm sure.  (I hope because if not, then I have to do the math and that could be... NOT pretty.)  Have a fun and fabulous weekend!

 

 

 

It's been awhile! I have been in Texas helping my in-laws prepare to move into a small apartment in a retirement community... what a job! We brought home a lot of furniture and books.  A LOT of books.

In the meantime Jayne Guzzetti has been scrambling trying to figure out how to make a 3x3 matrix fit into a 4x4 matrix.  Hence, my application for the AMC position with EPX is still in Roswell, Georgia.  However, since I already have a position in EPX180 I already have some interesting things to report.

First of all, this is a great team.  AMC will be joining this same team so I feel doubly good about that.  There are weekly calls and emails and plenty of communication so nobody has to feel like, "Okay, NOW what do I do?"  I have heard that the customers we have already bought will be placed with us in the next few days.  That should be exciting... but I am easily excitable.

Here is some interesting material put together by Shelly Ferree, Team Leader Extraordinaire:

WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT:

1.         Company owner with integrity, experience, & heart! Dan Putnam began his career in network marketing over 20 years ago. After some early struggles, his desire, persistence, and in-depth study of principles of success, he became a self-made millionaire by his mid-20s. He went on to help build 6 other companies and grew several membership networks of over 100,00 people, earning millio ns of dollars. However, he experienced some practices he felt needed to be improved upon which finally drove him to create his own company. He knows what we are up against and committed himself to building the highest retention and best duplication model in the industry in which ANYONE can succeed.


2.         Affordable!!! Only 39.95 EVER! With S&H this rounds out to $45.or 24.95 if you are on the 180 product! No matter how far you advance in the compensation plan you never need to buy more than 1 bottle of product! Though most of our members buy nutrition & the 180!

3.         GUARA NTEED minimum check when you have 4 personals ordering, regardless if your team hasn't grown yet enough to actually earn it! This brings your monthly cost to zero! In most companies you need 8-10 to break even. This is one of the great features that makes for high retention.

4.         No sales required. You can build this just using 1 product and showing others to do just that. We’re basically a network of consumers. If you use nutritional supplements, you’re already spending the money elsewhere.

5.         High quality, all natural nutritional and weight loss product line positioned in 5 different billion dollar markets which are – heart health, weight loss, daily multi-vitamin, immune support, and energy drinks. Even after a preliminary perusal of the product line, it’s easy to see that these are MUST HAVE items.

6.         EPX has a “virtual” product called EPX180. This is a suite of business building tools that are applicable not only to EPX members, but any other business and costs 24.95 This is perfectly suited for international markets. Also, for the U.S. and Canada, this includes Taxbot which enables business owners to track tax-deductible expenses in minutes per day which can save people from $1,500 to $10,000+ a year.  Do the math!

7.         Money back guara ntee on the products. NO RISK.

8.         $1,000.00 a month income guarantee based on sponsoring 5 within your first month and maintaining at least 2 active distributors for 6 months!

9.         Several marketing systems with contact manager, capture pages & training all at no extra cost. Other companies charge at least $20/month for these tools.

10.         For those who are sales oriented, EPX has a retail plan to offer stores, gyms, salons...plus it pays out in the matrix.

11.      If you do get customers, you earn 30% MONTHLY commission on their orders that still pays in the matrix!

12.         Weekly pay!

13.         20% personal matching checks and 4 generations of 10% matching bonuses, and five different rank advancement GLOBAL bonus pools so there’s no end to your earning potential.

14.         THE ONLY COMPANY that offers a 90 Day Challenge that actually pays people to lose weight!

15.         Unbelievable team support & training on every possible way to build your business.

16.         Several low cost sponsoring programs directed at targeted leads which are obtained online to help everyone get their 4 members. This is great for anyone who would rather not approach friends and family.

17.         Simple comp plan which comes down to this – pick 1 product, teach 4 to do the same, then you get your order for f ree, when this repeats down 5 levels, your will earn a minimum of $10,000 in monthly residual income.

18.         THE POWER OF ONE. If you sponsor just ONE PERSON PER MONTH and each of your members also do the same, in your 13th month your income would be over $200,000!

How could you pass on this?!! To see how to join, go to the "More about EPX and How to Buy Members" page above.  Or just click here... This is going to be so much fun!

Complete Upheaval

I have received many, many emails from Jayne Guzzetti saying, "Just do it! It's a $24.95 decision. Join now!"  And apparently we are in droves, because Bob and Jayne aren't taking phone calls or responding to emails at the moment. It sounds like a herculean task moving tens of thousands of members to a new company. But they will be moving us, and how exciting it will be! The opportunity to buy customers who are already on autoship just does not happen any old day.  This is such a gamechanger!  Make that a LIFE changer!  Since starting to learn about EPX I have found out that we can sign up with EPX180 (the two phone apps), or EPXBody which is nutritional products.  I haven't tried the nutritional products yet but have heard glowing reviews and will order some as soon as the AMC/EPX dust settles.  EPXBody also has the Body Challenge where the company PAYS YOU to lose weight - up to $10/pound. Can you believe it?! If you lose 50 pounds the company PAYS YOU $500. 

Some of the information I am receiving from my upline says that the customers that have been purchased should start showing up in our back office at the end of this week or early next week.  I am so excited to see where all of this goes! If you are considering joining you should do so now. As Jayne says, "It's a $24.95 decision!" As my sponsor Stan says, "It's a no-brainer!"

New era, New company, New page!

Check out the new page that explains more about EPX180 and more importantly how to join!  Then you can buy your downline members for only $45 each; these are customers who are already on autoship.  EASY!  This customer acquisition program is going to change our world!  Kind of like bringing home a new puppy.  http://tinyurl.com/oh3ja7q

Retirement Sucks For 7.7 MILLION Of Us.

 

The latest edition of Harper’s Magazine came in the mail yesterday.  The cover story is about the end of retirement (as we have known it) and how there is an entire population of people over 65 who live entirely in their RVs and travel around the country doing seasonal work.  One of the nicknames for these silver-haired gypsies is “Okies of the Great Recession.”  There are currently an estimated 7.7 million Americans 65 and over who are still in the work force.

The article was very powerful and certainly affected me.  I have been too busy raising kids to really try to envision my retirement years, but I know that due to the crash of 2008 life in my household is still not the same and what retirement savings we had no longer exists.  It seems as if our house will NEVER be paid off.  Yet, we have a home and we are not 65, or even close to it.  There is still a little time to come up with a plan.  A retirement plan.  I am hopeful that as we get closer to retirement age, the plan that is in place will include AMC.  It has certainly served some of my Upliners well in their retirement, I know that.

 

 

 

Upline Mantra

If you believe that advertising is the lifeblood of any business, then it makes sense that any AMC member believes in extra mailings.  Why?  Because that’s your advertising.  That two-page letter is how you generate interest in your product, your company, your business.  So the more you mail, the more interest you generate.  The more interest, the more sign-ups and commission for YOU.  That’s simple math.

But at what cost, these extra mailings?  Right now I am slowly sending out some extra letters to some leads I bought last month.  I have no idea if they will work; it’s too soon to tell.  But I went over budget to get the leads, and I have to cut back on stamp purchases in order to get back within my $100/month budget (which includes my monthly membership).  So I am cutting down on advertising a little bit, but there are still letters going out with my monthly membership.

OH YEAH I nearly forgot… I went to my upline!  Two gracious Upliners are pitching in a total of $45 towards a $55 extra mailing, so an extra 100 pieces of advertising will be sent out to interested prospects this month.  This is what Advanced Marketing Concepts calls the “Upline System” and it is the only concept the company has that is advanced but it is BRILLIANT.  If my business grows, my Upliners’ businesses grow too; why NOT ask them to pitch in a little bit for more advertising?  It’s a team effort!

The Upline System is the root of one of the mantras that come in the AMC emails :

GO TO YOUR UPLINE!

GO TO YOUR UPLINE!

GO TO YOUR UPLINE!

Computer Troubles?

Look at this!  Communication is happening at the AMC World Headquarters in Roswell, GA.  Apparently I am not the only person unable to get through to Jayne or Bob or Arlee or any staff members.  I am grateful that as of yet I am not retired and waiting for my check to come in the mail.  My heart goes out to those who are depending on their AMC check.  I am hopeful things will get better soon, and certain they will get better.  It’s still a good time to hop on over to their website (see below) to download the informational booklet, “It’s Your Turn!”  But you might hold off on calling the AMC office with questions for a few more days.

 

 

Dear AMC Members,

 

As many of you know, we had to update our existing computer software, however it has not been working the way it's suppose to for over 2 months now.  Consequently, we have a software team here now working diligently to get the problems resolved.  But we're running out of time and patience, as I'm sure all of you are.  No kidding.

 

Because they are here and in our seats, no one can work, so we gave our staff the week off.  And in the meantime, Bob and I are working on contingency plans. 

 

Everything, including our phones are tied in to this software so we are unable to get emails and phone messages.  Please don't continue to leave messages and send emails until you hear from me.  This will be within the next week.  Promise.

 

We will not be drafting anyone nor will we process any of your monies until this is fixed.  If it cannot be fixed, we hope to have a back-up plan to help all of you.  Please, please, please be patient.  We've been there for you, so please be there for us!  Please.  This is one of those things that happen.  And be assured, we do not want you hurt.

 

Also, be assured that after 25 years full-time, this situation is not the first for us.  Oh, do we have a ton of misery we could share.  So we are already in the "back-up plan" mode. 

 

Your understanding and support is deeply appreciated.  I will update you on Friday or Monday. 

 

Thank you,

 

Jayne Guzzetti

www.amc-usa.com/info and enter ID #223271

Groovy. Smiley face!

I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend and celebrating the birthday of The Declaration of Independence.  What a great holiday!

Old-fashioned marketing is sometimes the best because it is so old it’s new again – like vintage leather jackets or kitchen appliances.  They are so old, they’re groovy.  (And the people who like these vintage items probably use the word, “groovy” but in an ironic way that only the truly hip can appreciate.)  Postage stamps are groovy.  Mail that the postal carrier brings you is groovy.  Envelopes are groovy.

But I have to admit I got a little antsy this weekend with nothing to do for my AMC business.  So I ended up on one website then another and then found what sounded like such a great business concept I had to jump in.  Yes, the internet marketers got me!  The company is epx180 and they have a tax app (Taxbot) that is mobile based and will help my husband and me SO MUCH at tax time.  There is also a savings program (Savvi) that sounds like Groupon or AmazonLocal.  Anyway it’s only $24.95/month and of course there is MLM involved but I just like the sound of the products.  So for this one time only I am going to give you a DIFFERENT website to check out.  Who knows - maybe it will end up with a blog of its own.    http://www.180.bz/marthacluett

This does not mean I am breaking up with Advanced Marketing Concepts.  I am not even upset with AMC!  In fact, here is their website:  http://www.amc-usa.com/info  and enter ID# 223271.  This is not for quick riches; it’s for the long term.  (Like the word, “groovy.”  Or the smiley face. J  )

Happy Holiday!

Nothing much for today, but I did finish mailing the 2 page letters from my June labels.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and a safe and happy holiday!


I have been trying for half an hour to upload a picture of fireworks here but it's not working... imagine some beautiful colorful fireworks.  Enjoy!


www.amc-usa/info
ID# 223271

Back to Bonuses

I got myself dizzy last week talking about bonuses, and didn't even cover all of them.  Here then is the last one.  Ladies and gentlemen: The Infinity Bonus!

Commissions are earned on members more than just three levels deep.  If you are qualified, you can earn commissions on members as many levels deep as you can count, and then some!  "Qualified" includes these things: being a $99/ month member and personally enrolling a certain number of people.  For instance, if you have 3 personally enrolled members you qualify for 5%; with 6 personally enrolled members you qualify for 10%; and with 9 personally enrolled members you qualify for 15% of the members' monthly membership fee.

The plan seems straightforward enough but there are some twists and turns in the deal that would have you sharing commissions some of the time.  Personally I have a hard time understanding how anybody could have their 3x3 matrix filled up and have ONLY 3 personally enrolled members.  Either someone above them must be advertising out the wazoo or they have never ever done anything extra.  I don't know, but I'll keep you posted when I get there.

Other news: I received my labels FINALLY and have sent out over half my letters for June.  Arlee must have felt sorry for me because she sent me 100 instead of 50. Okay by me!

www.amc-usa.com/info
ID# 223271

Here is a picture of a cat.  Too many words makes a blog very dull.

Expenses and Encouragement from June

Wow, did I ever go over budget in June... (Grimace face).  Besides my one-time expense of an address stamp and rarely occuring expenses like envelopes, I spent $44.50 on forever stamps and $55.00 on some extra leads to do my own extra mailings.  I am doing them ten at a time, more or less, a few days a week.  Add to that my monthly fee of $49 and the WHOPPING $10 for my extra mailing through AMC (thank you THANK YOU Upliners Larry O, Heather B, and to AMC for pitching in!) and I spent just over $180 in June.  Yes.  $80 over budget!  That's 80 PERCENT over budget.

So for July I will only do extra mailings I can afford the stamps for... And since I already went to my upline for a second mailing, and have ONCE AGAIN received pledges for all but $10, I will go ahead and do that one.  If I didn't I would be throwing away $45! So I'll do the July mailing but I won't do one for August.

Of course income is still $0... have to be patient but that will change.  That will be a very exciting blog day, with a lot of exclamation marks! (And maybe a picture of a puppy.)

As for encouragement, see the first paragraph.  I have two Upliners who are willing to hand over cash so I can do more advertising!! How cool is that?! And not just those two people, but the company as well!  I am thrilled about that.  Obviously Larry and Heather get it, and the other two (the ones who haven't even responded to my requests or reminders) - well, they don't at the moment.  I really don't mind hearing "no," but just do not like being ignored.

And as someone that dislikes being ignored, it goes without saying that I love your comments! Feel free to add your thoughtful comments and questions.  Thank you, everyone!

www.amc-usa.com/info

ID#223271

About Getting Hacked

I mentioned last week that AMC's computer system was hacked a few weeks ago and that while it has been and still is an inconvenience, there hasn't been any financial loss that I know of.  Here's what my Upliner Larry O. had to say in an email:

This was a trying month for AMC as the hackers who have 'terrorized' every major industry in America this year found their way into AMC's system and created several weeks of havoc. AMC has a full team of computer experts on site, and has had them on site, for several weeks, and has the problem under control. But, for the first time in 25 years monthly checks were delayed, reports were slow to get out and the phones were so overwhelmed calls were not returned.

But please remember this: THE PROBLEMS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH AMC AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH CROOKS (Most likely in China).

The good news is AMC ramped up their effort, addressed it immediately and is nearly 100% again. So, if you had a specific issue that did not get addressed, AMC is not 'avoiding' you; they are just busy.

It is during times like these you really appreciate dealing with an entrepreneurial company that acts personally and immediately. Big companies can't do so as witnessed by the problems Target had when this happened to them earlier this year. Government can't do it as witnessed by the health care website, VA issues etc.

But it's full steam ahead which means AMC  continues doing most of the work for you so you can concentrate on the very little - helping your downline and following up with leads - you have to do.

When challenges arise, as they do in all good businesses, the test is how the company deals with them. It is no surprise that AMC, with the utmost integrity and the dedication of Bob and Jayne Guzzetti rose to the challenge.

The future for all of us in AMC looks very, very good. AMC is probably the only true 'non-online' company out there today. Certainly, it is the longest running!


So, while the month was a little crazy in the offices of Advanced Marketing Concepts, the average member didn't feel as much disturbance as I did, since I am new and was trying to ask a million questions (although checks were late and that is VERY RARE from my understanding).  Things are getting smoothed out, and should get back to "normal" soon.


Oh and one other thing.  I literally sat up in bed in the middle of the night and thought, "I bet my mailing address is incorrect in their computer!"  So I sent an email over the weekend asking to confirm my address.  This morning came the reply - yup, the zip code was incorrect!  (This is where I slap my forehead with my palm.)  I am so glad we got that figured out.  I am confident that now, whatever "normal" is for others in AMC will be mine as well.

Bonuses are Beautiful.

Besides regular commissions each month, AMC pays bonuses for certain things.  There are several types of bonuses and that keeps things interesting.  There is the Fast Start Bonus (aka the FSB); the Double Fast Start Bonus; the Advancement Fast Start Bonus, 2Up FSB, Enroller Bonus, and the Infinity Bonus!

Uhhh… okay.  That’s a lot of different bonuses to figure out, but here’s my best attempt.

 

Fast Start Bonus:  Paid the first month a member enrolls under you.  This is either $25 for a $49/mo member, or $50 for a $99/mo member.  This is a one-time bonus.

 

Double Fast Start Bonus:  Paid the second month the member is enrolled.  (Exactly as above, but it has a different name.)

 

Advancement Fast Start Bonus:  If a $49/month member upgrades to become a $99/month member you get a bonus of $50.  

 

But get this:  The above bonuses are paid on the 1st, 3rd and 5thmembers, AND all subsequent members who enroll under you.  First member?  Yes.  Second member?  No.  Third?  Yes.  Fourth?  No.  Fifth?  Yup.  Sixth?  Yes, and seventh, seventeenth, and seventieth. Yes.  Just not the second and the fourth members.

 

Why not the second and the fourth members?  This is the 2Up FSB, the part that makes my head hurt trying to grasp:  The second and the fourth members’ FSBs (and Double FSBs, and Advancement FSBs) go up to the person who enrolled YOU.  Mind you, the member doesn’t get spirited away and neither do the commissions that come from that person; just those one-time bonuses.  So for all your members enrolled under you, their second and fourth members will come attached with all these FSBs that roll up to YOU. And not just for one level, or two or even three: through infinity. Yeah. My head hurts now.

The Enroller Bonus is simple enough - for each of your members that you personally enrolled, you get a bonus of $10 or $20 each month depending on whether they are a $49 or a $99 member, except for the months when those other bonuses above are being paid.  This is for all your members through infinite levels. 

My head hurts from all this math and because the cat is sitting right next to my head and stirring up my allergies.  I will tackle the infinity bonus in a future episode of "Fun! With Bob and Jayne."

BTW: All this information is as I understand it from the promotional material*; if any readers see an error and want to set me straight please do.  I certainly don't want to misinform.

Have a great weekend!

*The booklet, "It's Your Turn!" available at www.amc-usa.inc/info, ID #223271

Today I did... Nothing!

That's right, I didn't think about AMC, Inc. I didn't do any work for my Advanced Marketing Concepts business. I didn't have to! Any questions that any of my prospects had were answered by Bob and Jayne Guzzetti and their staff in their home office in Roswell, GA. Any membership payments were processed by them too.

I enjoyed the nice New Mexico summer day. What did you do?

www.amc-usa.com/info

ID #223271

Check Out the New Pages

Two new pages!  Check out the links near the top of the page; in addition to "Home" there is now "How to Get the Booklet, 'IT'S YOUR TURN!' " and another page, "Testimonials."  Pretty self-explanatory.  As always, feel free to comment on any page of this blog.  I like comments!


Things are much better in the wild, wild world of Advanced Marketing Concepts, Inc.  Emails were received, replied to, not received, re-sent, etc.  So according to Arlee of the Roswell, GA office, another set of labels for June have been put in the mail as of today and all my other communications were received and all should be in order.  OKAY.  Back on track.


Now all I have to do is walk my dog and figure out what's for dinner.


www.amc-usa.com/info
ID# 223271

PLEASE ANSWER ME!

Subject: PLEASE ANSWER ME!

Will you please tell me when my labels for June were mailed?  I still haven't received anything, despite Arlee's assurances on June 12 that they would be here "any day now."

Also, I have never had an email response confirming that you have cancelled my vitamin order placed somewhere around May 22, and that you all know that I would like you to start doing my mailings in July. 

I know you got new software and new personnel and hacked but this is ridiculous.  I would like some customer service, and I am a customer.

Thank you.

Martha C

AMC MEMBER #223271

I just sent the above email to Advanced Marketing Concepts in Roswell, GA.  I completely understand why so many people have decided that this is a scam and that Bob and Jayne Guzzetti are nothing more than con artists. HOWEVER, I do believe that this is a legitimate business; just poorly run.  I am hoping that, like Jayne says in her emails to members, that the reason they are slow to answer emails and phone messages is that they are so busy talking to prospective members.

WHATEVER.  I am really getting tired of this total lack of concern for their current customers.  Has Jayne Guzzetti forgotten that I am giving her $49.00 per month?  I would like to see my products!  Or at least a message confirming that said product exists, or has been shipped, or ANYTHING.  And silly me, I just offered to hand over $70.00 per month so she could do my mailings for me.  Now how am I going to know that those mailings actually went out?  I am not so sure I want to take her word for it at this point.  (Hmmm… what about that extra order of 100 pieces I just requested last week?)

You’ll notice the message above mentions that the computer system of AMC, Inc. has been hacked.  I am one of the people whose information was compromised (although nobody suffered any loss; I think it was somebody just trying to show how vulnerable their system was).  I immediately canceled the credit card associated with the account and it was just a hassle.  Still is, actually. 

I went through my sent email list and determined that after I ordered those damned vitamins I requested updates by email on June 4, June 9, June 19, and today.  I also requested it verbally on June 11, the day the computer security breach was discovered.  I emailed general questions on June 4, June 13, June 19, and have never gotten ANY REPLY WHATSOEVER.  I did send in an inquiry through their web page “contact us” form on May 15^th and received a reply back on May 16^th.  That’s it though.  Until my information was stolen and I let AMC know, I didn’t even qualify as chopped liver.  Now that I am on the email list, I possibly qualify.

No wonder people get pissed off.

(I wonder if their customer service would be any better if I let them know that I am blogging about this experience?  Well, in my honest opinion if they were worth their salt they would know to google their business name occasionally and they would KNOW there is a blog about them.)