Q: How Do I Prepare for the Big Announcements?

Q:  On the webcast the other night they mentioned some big announcements and how we should be working on getting our contacts in order.  What do you suggest we do to get ready for Convention?

A:  Bookwise is many things.  One element of Bookwise that has not been as strong as the rest of Bookwise has been the Preferred Customer Program.  Rick and Bob have been hinting for some time that they wanted to work on this.  It is anticipated that after convention this part of Bookwise will be every bit as strong as the rest, and perhaps even the backbone of the company.  So– how can you prepare?

1.  First of all– you will want to be able to get everyone you know enrolled as your Preferred Customer as soon as you have the details of how the new program will work.  Therefore, get your current contact list in order.  Have all of your email addresses in order so that you can get notice out with the stroke of a key.

2.  Expand your contact list!  Okay— so how do you do this? 

Off-line:  Gather business cards and contact information from new people you meet, people you know but don’t have email addresses for, etc.

On-line:  Meet new people!  Join some mailing lists.  Join some new on-line communities.

3.  In collaboration with the AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network we will want to contact schools and invite them to utilize the new program to direct funding back in to schools.  They will want to either:

a.  Encourage their families and patrons to purchase books from YOUR website with a percentage going back to the school, or

b.  Sign up to have their own bookstore that their families and patrons can purchase books from with the full Associate profit going back to the school.

Q & A

If you have questions, I have answers.  Please post your questions in this blog.  If necessary I will start a separate thread for the question, or I will answer it right in the blog itself.  I hope to be able to utilize this blog to keep everyone posted on what is happening and answer questions in such a way that everyone can get the answers they are looking for.

Ask away . . .

Q: I watched the video at Bookwise, but am still a little confused as to what one does as a Bookwise member.

A:  Bookwise can be whatever a person wants it to be.  Yes– it is a business and I am making money at it.  So what do I do when I’m at work?  For me personally, I do whatever it is I have on the schedule that day (build AmericaTakingAction.com, attend commuity meetings for my volunteer work, plan and carry out the Youth Writer’s Festival, read a good book, network on-line) and in the course of my day inevitably there are people who fit the BW profile and either ask me about it themselves, or are given the opportunity to ask me about it.

Some Bookwise Associates have tables at booths or host parties in their homes while others just pass out bookmarks; some spend hours planning their next move while others hardly plan at all and just let Bookwise happen in the course of their day.  Many of the BW Associates on my team have other businesses they are promoting, so they just put a link in their signature file, they participate in the calls and training, and in the course of their comings and goings they meet many people who are a good fit with BW.

You can literally do as much or as little you want.  You can make it a full-time business or you can make it hobby that is more focused on having fun and enjoying the personal benefits.  Either way— your Bookwise business will grow over time as you allow Bookwise to bless you and you become a better person because of Bookwise.  Others will see it and want to be a part!

Yes— There are so many aspects of Bookwise that it truly can be something different to everyone.  Here are the main things that Bookwise is:

1.  A Book Club that pays you to read–  As a Bookwise Associate you have access to the hottest of the hot, best-selling books (3 free each month, the rest at a 40-50% discount).  As a BW Associate you could choose to focus on it only as a Book Club– read, enjoying the books and invite others to join your bookclub and enjoy the benefits that make sense to them (for which you are paid $35 each time someone joins AND you build residual income over time as your book club grows, and as members of your team order books). 

2.  A source for personal growth and development.  As a BW Associate you have access to mentoring and training opportunities with some of the best of the best minds available.  Did you know some people are paying thousands of dollars per month to be mentored by people who have been trained by Master Mentors?  As a BW Associate you get almost dailiy mentoring FROM the Master Mentors themselves!  You may choose to focus only on this aspect of Bookwise– spend 3-4 hours per week participating on the calls and mentoring opportunities.  I guarantee you that as you do this your life will be changed and you will find yourself naturally telling others about the things you are learning, the ways it is impacting your life, etc.  Your Bookwise organization will grow as others see the change in you and are attracted to what you are doing.  Your routine may not change at all except that you will be participating in the mentoring opportunities while you do the dishes or go through mail or do the shopping.   These calls have become some my most productive hours of the week in more ways than one!

3.  Wealth Building.  Ever considered paying someone to teach you how to invest, or make more money, or just plain get a handle on your finances?  Every considered enrolling in a class or a seminar or hiring a broker?  Why not learn from the best of the best?  You could view BW as your wealthbuilding training and do absolutely nothing different.  Of course– you will end up telling a few friends who will want to learn along with you– so your Bookwise business will grow.

4.  Want help publishing a book?  Some people may look at Bookwise as merely a tool for helping them to get that book they’ve been wanting to publish for years off of the shelf and moving towards publication.  There are certainly plenty of resources and tools available, and direct access to other individuals who have DONE what you want to do.  Again– many people pay money to go learn from people who have learned from those who have done it.  As a BW Associate you have direct access to learn directly from those who have done it, themselves!!  As you get into Bookwise, Bookwise will get into you and you will end up enrolling people into Bookwise, and your Bookwise business will grow.

5.  Tax Help for Small Business.  You may view your BW membership as nothing more than a tool for getting the most out of your taxes.  Through the Taxwise training you will learn how to structure your time and your resources for optimal savings come tax time– and you will KNOW what you are doing, thus will feel confident claiming all of the deductions that are legally yours.  This piece of BW alone can save you 4-5 times your annual investment.

6.  There is more, but time is running out.  I may add more later.  For now suffice it to say that THE MAIN KEY to being a Bookwise Associate is to BE BOOKWISE!!  Participate in the trainings!  If you do that one thing for one month you will have the answer to the question– the answer that is tailored to you and as snug a fit as your favorite jeans or your well-worn in shoes.  You will BE BOOKWISE– and however that looks for you, it will be perfect and it will be a blessing in every aspect of your life! 

What is a National Site Manager?

A National Site Manager on the AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network (ATA) is the individual that oversees and maintains tthe national sites on the ATA Network.

These individuals have some type of expertise in the area that they oversee.  For example, the National Site Manager for the soon to be released Safety Network is a Police Officer; the National Site Manager for the soon to be released Singles Resource Center is a Recovery Coach for single women.

What Are the Benefits of Being a National Site Manager?

1.  Prime Internet Real Estate = Increased Income.  As the Site Manager for one of the National Sites you will have a piece of prime real estate that will be yours to build and develop utilizing the techniques and strategies taught by financial genius Robert Allen in his book Multiple Streams of Internet Income.  You will learn to create an environment for ATA visitors that will be valuable and beneficial to them.  In doing so, you will be able to create streams of income from the site that will provide ongoing residual income.

Keep in mind that these National Sites are just that— NATIONAL.  As a National Site Manager you have the entire nation as your audience. 

What Are the Requirements to Become a National Site Manager?

There are only two main requirements to be a National Site Manager:

1.  Update and maintain the National Site you are responsible for.  This could include a variety of activities including locating appropriate links for the site, finding appropriate affiliate programs for the site, maintaining a blog, or other techniques you will learn from Robert Allen and his book.

2.  Assist with promotion of the AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network, especially your national site.  This will include the following:

•  Put your ATA National Site in your signature line, as appropriate
•  Post to 10 on-line networks, mailing lists, or similar resources each month.
•  Promote your ATA National Site in other appropriate ways.

3.  Enroll in Bookwise as an Associate.  This requirement is based on the need to have access to coaching/mentoring from Richard Paul Evans and Robert Allen.  Becoming a Bookwise Associate will be the key behind success in your current business, in building a Bookwise business that will generate an additional source of residual income, and in creating a wealth flowing environment with your real estate.  The books, the training, and the mentoring/coaching will arm you with everything you need to move your business to new levels.

You can learn more about Bookwise at the following websites:

http://mybookwise.com/makeapositivedifference

http://winninginthemargins.com   (passkey: freedom)

http://americatakingaction.com/bookwise

How long will it take to see results?

As with any business, it will take some time to build the structure.  PTA/PTO leaders, parents, students and schools all across the country are already becoming aware of the the National Education Network and we have parents from every state already enrolled in the program.  Obviously, the sooner we get the site in order and get the word out to schools and parents across the country, the sooner your site will begin to produce results. 

We anticipate a great deal of exposure to come through the PIPP (Parent Involvement Perks Program) during the holiday season.  Ideally your National site would be in place by then so that you could reap the benefits.

 ATA  leaders will provide training and support to help you get started

OVERVIEW: Parent Involvement Perks Program

WHAT is the Parent Involvement Perks Program (PIPP) of the AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network (ATA)?This is a program where a variety of family oriented businesses provide ‘perks’ to parents who make involvement pledges.

WHY was the program designed?The program was designed with the intent to help boost parent involvement in schools, and particularly PTA/PTO membership and active involvement. By offering discounts on a variety of family oriented products and services to parents who make the effort to get involved, we help to increase the likelihood that parents will join their local parent organization and/or follow-through on the pledge that they make to get involved in their schools.

WHO is the program available to? and WHO can benefit from it?The program is available to all PTA/PTO leaders and parents in America. It can be used by PTA/PTO leaders to boost PTA membership.It is also available to business owners with an online presence to gain exposure in their local area or even in other areas across the nation.

WHERE can I find the details?You can view the perks available to your state by going to http://www.americatakingaction.com and following the link through to your state page. Toward the top of the page you will find a link to get to the PIPP offerings for your state. You can also go directly to the site for your page by typing in http://www.americatakingaction.com/states/**/**perks.htm (replace the ** with your state code).

HOW do I use the program to benefit my school?

PTA/PTO Leaders:

You can utilize the site to increase membership by including the link in your membership promotional materials, in your school newsletter, and in on-line communications. Be sure to link the site into your website. This tool can be used to encourage membership throughout the year. If you would like to have the tool be even more effective, you can register your school and provide a list of members who have qualified to receive the discounts. Otherwise, the program is available to parents based on their willingness to make a pledge of involvement. Those pledges will then be followed up with random emails from the PIPP Director

Parents: Be sure to notify your school and parent organization leaders so that they can utilize the program. As parents, be sure to register and make your involvement pledge. Then take advantage of the various ‘perks’ available to you.

Business Leaders: If you are willing to offer a ‘perk’ to parents who get involved in their students’ school you will want to review the other articles in his group to see which level of participation best fits your business.

What does the FREE LISTING include?

What is the FREE LISTING? 

The free listing on the AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network Parent Involvement Perks pages includes having your name listed as the local contact for your business.  The link itself will go to your email address so that you can be contacted in the event one of the parents is interested in hosting a home party or needs a local representative.

The main link on the site must go to the website of a PIPP Director and the orders for the parent perks will be taken and serviced by the PIPP Director.  You are welcome to become a PIPP Director.  You can find additional information in the article titled ‘What is a PIPP DIRECTOR?’

What is expected of me as a recipient of a free listing?

The free listing is free and there are no obligations on your part.  However, we do encourage you to notify your local PTA/PTO leaders and others in your area that would  benefit from the program.  We also encourage you to make it a goal to notify one PTA/PTO leader each month.

The Exception

There is one exception to the main link going to the site of a PIPP Director:  If your company does not yet have a qualified PIPP Director, but you are willing to provide a perk to the parents  and 5% of all profits generated for overall maintenance of the network and are willing to oversee the PIPP program, you will have the main link until there is a qualified PIPP Director from your company.

As mentioned before– You are welcome to become the PIPP Director for your company and/or state.  Check out the article titled, ‘What is a PIPP DIRECTOR?” to learn more about this option. 

Questions and Answers

What is the value of the free listing?

Comparable listings would cost a minimum of several hundred dollars per year, depending on the area and the activity of the combined efforts of the business owners listed on your state page.  Because of the nature of the PIPP program, schools all across the country, and all across your state, are or will be sending this link into the homes of their students in newsletters, email communication, flyers and more.  Literally thousands of families in your state are going to the state PIPP page to see what values are available to them.

As they are looking over the products available to them they will be exposed to your business and will be provided your information as the local representative to contact if they are interested in doing home parties, etc.  Your name will be sent directly into the homes of hundreds of families in your area that may never be exposed to you and your business otherwise.

Why should I notify PTA/PTO leaders about the site when the main link goes to someone else’s website?  Isn’t that counterproductive?  Why not just contact them about my business?

You are free to contact your local schools about your business, and, in fact, we encourage you to do so!  However, there are several advantages to promoting the PIPP page with your free listing on it.

First– no matter how well you know the PTA/PTO leaders and how much they like you, they will not be able to list you and your business in all of the communications they send home unless you are contributing to the school and parent organization in some way.  While you could offert to supply the discount to the school directly, and some schools may work with you on it, they are much more likely to promote something like the PIPP program that provides a variety of benefits from a variety of businesses rather than an individual business.  Also, coupled with such programs as the Youth Writer’s Festival, the PIPP program is a perfect way to get through doors that may otherwise be closed.

Secondly– while you may be successful in getting your child’s local school to work with you, by plugging your business into the PIPP program, you can leverage your efforts with the efforts of other business owners with the free listings and the PIPP Directors to maximize your efforts.  If each of you contact just one PTA/PTO leader per month, you will have your links go into 8-10 new schools each month!

Third– even though you may not be the ‘main link’ and have the PIPP orders coming through you, those are all orders and exposure you would not have had otherwise.  Anyone that you know or meet, including the PTA/PTO leaders you contact, will obviously associate YOU with your business.   You will not be losing any business you would have had by not having (and promoting) the PIPP pages.  However, you will be gaining a good deal of exposure you would not have had otherwise.

Isn’t it better to just be the PIPP Director?

Obviously there is more benefit to being the PIPP Director, and in my opinion the value far outweighs the added requirements.  However, that is a decision that each business owner will need to make for themselves.  There are some added requirements and responsibilities.  Read the article ‘What is a PIPP DIRECTOR?’ to determine what will be best for you and your business.

What Is a PIPP Director?

The PIPP Director is the Director for the Parent Involvement Perks Program representing a specific business on each state page of the AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network (ATA)  (http://www.americatakingaction.com/states/tx/txperks.htm.  You can change the state abbreviation to your state abbreviation to get to your state’s page.)

What is the BENEFIT of being a PIPP Director?

There are three main benefits:

1.  Added Income from your current businesses. 

Here is a possible scenario:

There are 8 schools in a district with 200 PTA/PTO families each, making a total of 1,600 families.  If 5% of those families (80) placed a $10 order from your business each month that would be a total orders of $800, a minimum of 10% of the profit being yours to keep.  That is $80 per month from that one district.  Now times that by 2 since you have your current business and your new Bookwise business, and you are at $160 per district.  Then consider that working together with the other PIPP Directors you will have 10-15 districts participating, making your profit $1,600-$2,400 per month.

2.  An ongoing source of fresh leads for your existing business.  Each month as orders are being placed from your business through the PIPP program you are also obtaining contact information of people who have shown an interest in your product.  You then have an opportunity to follow-up with a ‘thank you’  and explore their interest and needs.  The PIPP program will provide you with new fresh leads on a consistent basis.

3.  Turning your existing business into a source of residual income that will continue to flow even after you are no longer actively promoting it.  Most of us are involved in businesses that are dependent on our active participation and promotion of our products and services.  If we don’t actively follow-up with old customers, network to find new customers, plan home parties and find sales, our income drops drastically.  However, by linking your business into the PIPP program you plug into a source of ongoing orders.  After you have built the structure, the orders will continue to come in without requiring your daily, consistent promotion.  You will even be able, if desired, to take long-term breaks by simply having a VA fill the orders, etc.

What are the REQUIREMENTS of being a PIPP Director?

There are also three main requirements to be a PIPP Director:

1.  Oversee and facilitate the running of the PIPP program for all direct links you have on the ATA Network, including providing a discount or ‘perk’ to parent participants (usually a discount or free item with order).  When PIPP participants place orders you need to fill the orders, providing the discount, and follow-up with a ‘Thank You.’

2.  Assist with promotion of the AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network PIPP Program, especially your state page.  This will include the following:

•  Put your ATA State Site in your signature line, as appropriate. 
•  Contact 1 PTA/PTO Leader in your area each week. 
•  Post to 5 on-line networks, mailing lists, or similar resources each week. 
•  Promote your ATA PIPP State page in other appropriate ways.

How long will it take to see results?

As with any business, it will take some time to build the structure.  PTA/PTO leaders and schools all across the country are already becoming aware of the program and we have parents from every state already enrolled in the program.  However, the sooner you notify PTA/PTOs in your area, the sooner the orders will begin to come in.  We anticipate a lot of orders during the holiday season if you have the appropriate structure/foundation in place.

ATA/Bookwise leaders will provide training and support to help you get started.

What if it doesn’t work this way and I don’t get orders from the PIPP Program?

Obviously we don’t anticipate this happening.  However, this is one of the few opportunities for marketing your products/services and building a business that carries a 100% guarantee with it.  If, after one year, you do not feel that your life and your business is better because of your participation, you will receive a full refund on your monthly enrollment fee– and you get to keep the books (and the training)!! 

How Do I Become a PIPP Director or National Site Manager?

The process for becoming a PIPP Director or National Site Manager is very simple and only takes 5-10 minutes.  Work directly with the Bookwise Associate that referred you to the program or send an email to Sharilee@AmericaTakingAction.com for specific instructions.

Please provide the following information to Sharilee@AmericaTakingAction.com as soon as you have enrolled:

PIPP Directors:  your name, state, business, business url , and who referred you (if applicable).

National Site Manager:  your name, area of expertise and the National Site you would like to cover and who referred you (if applicable).  Please be sure that the site you are planning to oversee is available and has been approved.

I’m a PIPP Director — Now What?

The AmericaTakingAction.com Parent Involvement Perks Program (PIPP) has incredible potential for helping you to increase the market for your current business, as well as helping you to build your new Bookwise business. 

Your first step is to build the structure and foundation.

1.  Send your contact information to Sharilee@AmericaTakingAction.com.  I will need the following information:

• Your business url, the state you live in, and the ‘perk’ you are willing to offer
• Your new Bookwise url  and your winninginthemargins.com passkey (I will provide you with instructions on how to set these up).

2.  Once I have this information I will link it into the Network.  I will then notify you and you will need to check the links and make sure that they have been done correctly.

3.  Once your site is ready to go you now have a wonderful GIFT to offer to the schools and PTA/PTOs in your area.  Always keep in mind that you are giving a gift!!You will want to notify the schools and PTA/PTO leaders in your immediate area about the PIPP program.  In order to do this:

• You can find email addresses for your local schools on the internet.  Utilize the AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network to locate the school’s website by going to the front page (www.americatakingaction.com) and following the drop-down menu through to your state. 
• You can either send an email to the school with a request to pass it on to the PTA/PTO leaders.  However, it is preferable that you call the school to request direct information, and possibly even call the PTA Leader to introduce yourself directly. 
• I will forward you a sample email that you can tailor to your area and send on to the PTA/PTO leaders and schools in your area

You will want to begin building a positive rapport with PTA/PTO leaders in your area.  You may want to join mailing lists for PTAs in your area, support their activities, and look for ways to help them achieve their goals. 

4.  Your state pages will become stable much more quickly if you work together with the other PIPP Directors (and free listings) and leverage each others work.  You may want to send them an email to introduce yourself, find out from them which schools and school districts they have made contact with, and coordinate your efforts.

5.  At this point you may find that several of the PIPP Directors listed on your state page are not from your state but are filling in areas where we do not yet have a PIPP Director for that area.  It will be to your advantage to invite local representatives from the various businesses to become PIPP Directors.  This is also an excellent way to build your Bookwise business.  You can find local representatives by searching on-line, looking in your phone book, or calling the Corporate offices and asking for a referral in your area.  They will be able to promote their products through the PIPP program.

As you listen to the Presidentwise training calls from August 2007 Bob Allen will teach you how to ‘attract’ customers rather than selling them.  A big part of this is focusing on what the other person needs and helping them to achieve their goals.  What better way to do that than to offer business owners free links on the PIPP state page.  Invite them to view the series of articles available here in the Gather.com group.  They willl be able to view the articles if you send them the following urls:

OVERVIEW: The Parent Involvement Perks Program: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977124357

What Does the FREE LISTING Involve:  http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977124407

What Is a PIPP Director: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977124539

What is a NATIONAL DIRECTOR:  http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977124573

How Do I Become a PIPP Director or National Site Manager: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977124590

I suggest you provide your contacts with all of the links and let them choose which ones they want to check into.  Support them in whatever choice they make and help them get the information in about their businesses so that we can link them in.  I will update links as quickly as I am able to.

6.  As the PTA/PTOs in your area begin to place orders from the site, be sure to

• fill the orders in a timely manner (hopefully orders can be drop-shipped directly from the company)
• Send a ‘THANK YOU for being involved in your child’s school’ after the order is placed
• Maintain their contact information in a separate file in your address book under PIPP Participants

7.  It will be helpful for us to keep an accurate record of orders and sales so that we can track the effectiveness and growth of the program and make improvements as necessary.  By the 5th day of each month please send an email to Sharilee@americatakingaction.com containing the following information:

• # of orders
• $ amount of orders
• Business growth to your businesses (# of recruits, etc.)
• Contact information (so that we can track the schools that are participating)

Best wishes for prosperous results in this new marketing endeavor.  Please ask questions and let me know how I can assist you.

That ATA Blog!!

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New Resources in the Cyberary!

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Public Records Search

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Background Checks

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We have also added maps and geological surveys.

Be sure to let us know if these are helpful.  We appreciate your feedback!

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 Join us for the fun!!