We're in the process of finalizing plans for a couple of specialization kits for IBOs interested in focusing on Nutrilite or Artistry. The kits are designed to help any IBO get started selling Nutrilite or Artistry products, including information on products, brands, and how-to-sell.  These are part of the pathway of support for IBOs for our key product brands.

We've got ideas on what we think should be in the bag or box, but want to know what you want and need.  Should it be portable and something you'd show to help sell the customer?  Do you want to carry everything with you or only the stuff important to the customer?  Do you like physical or virtual sales aids — are you a flip chart or laptop kind of gal?  Do you prefer full size or sample size products?   Do you like tools that help jog your memory, like vest cards?   Would you like a DVD for use with a customer that helps you tell the story about how the product will help the customer?  Or do you prefer to tell the story yourself, in your own words, after you've listened to what the customer needs?  Or do you need something that leads you into a conversation with your customer about what they need and how we may be able to help?

A couple of months ago someone came by my house with a very simple binder with a flip chart and a few product samples — and got the sale.   I was impressed by the effectiveness of the sales tool — and its simplicity — as well as the effectiveness of the salesperson, who asked good questions and made good suggestions based on what he learned about me and my family.

XS is one of those products that requires little explanation and is a great conversation starter.  I've seen IBOs at my gym drinking XS, striking up conversations and actually seen the seeds of sales being sown as someone tries the product for the first time.  And now we have taste tests that prove that XS beat the market leader (you know, the one in the silver and blue can with the red lettering).  Not to mention 10 times the number of flavors (including the wickedly delicious Black Cherry Cola.)   But Time Defiance and Double X require a bit more explanation. 

So tell us what you would put in the box or bag to help you sell!        

Last Friday, a few of us were working late trying to get some communications out.  But we weren't alone.

The Simply Nutrilite team was working as their launch is now days away.  Folks working on the Quixtar University launch were here as well.  Even the Artistry Essentials team was crunching to meet a deadline, even though that line doesn't launch until November.  All told, there were at least a dozen folks here, on one of the final summer Friday nights, working on communications to support IBOs.  

We've been working hard all summer to get a number of new products, programs, and services ready to launch in September.  And you'll start seeing the fruits of our labors beginning next week.

I'll be previewing some of the programs here and of course, getting your reactions.  But in the meantime, soak up all the sunshine you can and enjoy the final days of summer before it's back to school and back to business for everyone.

As Robin told you last week, we've launched an aggregator page which helps you find everything there is to read about the Quixtar and Team situation.

You'll find links to blog posts and other information both within and outside the Opportunity Zone. So bookmark this page if you're tracking this issue or looking for information.  

Over the past few days there have been various rumors posted here and at Ada-tudes and Real Quixtar Blog about the impact of the Quixtar IBO terminations on the Independent Business Owners Association International (IBOAI). 

Now, the IBOAI is speaking out about this and other topics at its own blog — IBOAI Blog.

They'll share news and views and for those of you speculating about what their perspective is, you can go to the blog and check it out for yourselves.

Today you'll see a post by Todd Krause over at Ada-tudes addressing the differences between stacking and depth-building and the questions people have posted about a Team customized SA4400.  Robin Luymes talks over at Real Quixtar Blog about positioning of the business and the new Quixtar Business Opportunity Brochure, which is designed to tell prospects what they need to know about the opportunity and the company that backs it.

We'll continue to post at different blogs over the coming weeks about the issues cited in the lawsuit filed August 9 to answer the questions you've been posting here and e-mailing to us at Quixtar.

Continue to send us your questions because we want you to have the facts about these issues and how they affect IBO buisnesses.

The Independent Business Owners Association International (IBOAI) has just posted the joint statement issued Friday by IBOAI, Quixtar, and the North American Founders Council. 

There are posts over at Ada-tudes and Alticor Media Blog regarding announcements this week about actions taken against the founders of the Team training organization.  Here's a news release issued last night.  I won't repeat what's elsewhere, as I'd rather you go see for yourself what's happening.

But I do want you to know one thing.  Ours is an organization that believes strongly in the power of people to change.  Our rules process is designed to diagnose issues, create solutions and resolve problems.  As our rules folks will tell you, many times people don't realize they've broken a rule and need only to know the facts and be given a course of action to get on the right track and build successful businesses in full compliance of our rules.  But when people are unwilling to do what's right, comply with the rules and operate in an open, honest, and transparent manner, we take steps to protect the business for all IBOs.  Because this business — and the businesses of hundreds of thousands of IBOs — is too important to risk.

We very quietly launched another blog in the Opportunity Zone this week — Gregory Gronbacher's "Rocktucky Chef."  For some reason I'm having a problem getting this link to stick, so here's the URL….http://rocktuckychef.opportunityzone.com/default.aspx

Gregory's a transplanted New Yorker who resides in the same town I do — Rockford – which he fondly calls "Rocktucky" for its Midwestern small-town feel.  In terms of food, Rockford didn't have much to offer until recently — it was best known for the Corner Bar and the "Hot Dog Hall of Fame."  (The dogs are really good and the beer on tap is really cold.)    But there are newer upscale restaurants that actually bring people from Grand Rapids to town, like Reds on the River and a new Grill with some sort of number that's upstairs from the Marinades Bistro and its wood-fired pizza.  (That's another change…we have "bistros" instead of "restaurants.") lAnd a Farmer's Market that is now rivalling the big one in Grand Rapids. 

Gregory's a food enthusiast and willing to try anything.  And, he's one of the most courageous hosts I've ever encountered.  Gregory had only been in the department a few months when he had the guts to invite the entire department over to his condo for a party.  We're talking an invitation list of well over 60 people!  And many came, and Gregory handled the crowds with a well organized and executed party and his usual humor and good cheer.

He also, with a few colleagues in Marketing, hosted an Artistry Time Defiance No Tox party so we could get a sense of how difficult it was to host a party using the tools and guides in the kit.  You can guess who handled the food and drink!

Check out his blog and get a few ideas on how to select and prepare food that will bring you joy — and a little entertainment along the way!

You've just stepped into the elevator.  You nod a greeting to the other person in the car and he asks where you're headed.  He says he's headed to his doctor/lawyer/accountant and gripes about the high cost of health care/legal advice/staying solvent. 

You have an opportunity to talk about the business…..and about 60 seconds before he gets off at his floor.

What do you say?  What's your elevator speech?

How do you describe this business in a way that intrigues him enough to share his phone number or e-mail address to learn more?

I had to take my dear dog to the vet yesterday to see if we can keep her around a bit longer.

Chelsea came into our lives early in 1995, after the first of many miscarriages we’d suffer.  She was a way of filling part of the space in our lives we hoped a child would one day consume.  But she was much more than a substitute.  She quickly became a quirky and important part of our little family.

Chelsea is a black and white English springer spaniel.  She was the runt of a litter bred by an Amway employee.  We brought her home and put her in a kennel in our family room.  After several nights of her non-stop crying, we moved her into a bed in our room.  It wasn’t long before she was curled up at our feet every night.  We tried kenneling her during the day, but after she ate the tarp protecting the bottom of the kennel, we decided to trust her.  She didn’t let us down.

Chelsea has boundless energy and good cheer, and a relentless capacity to fetch.  When she was younger, we could literally spend hours throwing a ball off our deck, watch her chase, retrace her steps and then bring it back.  Chelsea didn’t have an off switch..when we came in the house, we’d have to put the ball away or she would just keep bringing it to us.  We’d put in on top of the refrigerator, and she’d sit and stare at it, willing it to fall.  She has a crooked little smile that she gives you when you walk in the door, whether you’ve been gone for days or just to the mailbox.

At nearly 13, she’s deaf and blind in one eye, relying mostly on her still keen sense of smell.  Because she can’t hear, she’ll lay blocking our bedroom door in the morning so she knows I’m up — and that she’ll be fed.  But recently her behavior has changed.  She’s became destructive, chewing clothing or whatever she can find on the floor or clawing at our door frames.  When we come home each evening she’s in a panic, barking furiously and jumping on us.  She falls while going up the stairs.  She still races around like a puppy but is just as likely to plow into something — doors, cars, whatever might be in the way.  She is often hurting herself as much as she was her surroundings.

So we went to the vet expecting the worst but came out with some hope.  It appears Chelsea suffers from an anxiety disorder and canine cognitive dysfunction — doggie dementia.  If she’s strong enough to take medication for either malady, we’re going to give that a try. She has a few options, so a few chances she’ll be able to live happily a while longer. And that was good news, as we’re not ready to say goodbye, even though we know her time with us is limited.

Our children don’t know life without her – she was there first.  Although we’ve been preparing them that even if this works, she’s an old dog and may not make it much longer.  They were as relieved as we were that we aren’t going to have to say goodbye just yet.

Last night I bought her a new chew toy on the way home.  She brought it to me to throw and challenged me to play tug of war. Which I gladly did.  Because I don’t know how many games of fetch or tug of war we have left to play.