Every single day I am presented with multiple compliance situations and they all need to be answered. Many new Reps with PlanNet Marketing find themselves confused by our rules about social media, compliance, how to post, what to post, in person advertising, Rep-created websites, who can answer their questions and who to ask about earnings. I have realized that so much of that confusion and misunderstanding stems from a single place - the relationship between PlanNet Marketing, InteleTravel and YOU.
If you're reading this blog article, you're most likely a Rep with PlanNet Marketing, you might or might not also be a Travel Agent with InteleTravel. In fact, most Reps probably are also Agents. WHY? Because Reps can see the value of the product they sell, and they choose to be a purchaser of that product themselves. They are a product of the product!
This is where it gets confusing - you might be a Rep and an Agent, but these two at-home businesses are 100% completely SEPARATE and a lot of times you're trying to mush them together. (You are, aren't you?!)
You are a lot of different things - you might be a son or daughter, a sibling, a spouse, a parent, an employee, a boss, a customer, a student or a business owner. The list goes on and on. Somewhere in there, you might also be a PlanNet Rep or an InteleTravel Agent.
Knowing the very real and distinct separation between Rep and Agent, between PlanNet and InteleTravel - that will solve so much of your confusion and fix just about ALL of your business compliance issues. I PROMISE.
SO here we go, the rule of thumb when dealing with matters of business is to first CHOOSE YOUR AUDIENCE. You need to decide which business you represent by choosing who you will address, to whom are you speaking?
Are you speaking to people who want to buy travel bookings from you? You are acting in your capacity as an Agent with InteleTravel and you should follow ALL of their compliance policies and training. ONLY talk about selling travel.
Are you speaking to people who may want to work from home like you do? You are acting in your capacity as a Rep with PlanNet Marketing and you should follow ALL of our compliance policies and training. ONLY talking about building a team, mentorship, working from home, etc.
Ok I know this sounds overly simple, but let's consider this from another perspective.
- If you worked for a legal firm during the day, and a grocery store in the evenings, you wouldn't pull the client list at the lawyer's office to mail grocery coupons - right?
- If you're a waitress and love interacting with people but you also work as a nurse on the weekends, you wouldn't try diagnosing your diner customers' illnesses - would you?
- If you love fitness and healthy eating, and also work as a realtor - would you tell your newest home buyers they need to get into better shape and lose that belly? I sure hope not!
In all of the above situations - the person is wearing multiple hats - they aren't only ONE thing. They're building themselves in more than one industry - with more than one income (sound familiar?) and IF THEY ARE WISE, they will be careful to keep those businesses and incomes completely separate. It is the same for PlanNet Reps and InteleTravel ITAs.
Reps don't ever talk about earning travel commissions, because Reps don't earn travel commissions and they don't know anything about booking travel. Reps have no resources to know about travel bookings or travel commissions
Travel Agents don't ever talk about building a team, because Agents don't build teams. Agents don't have sponsors or uplines, they don't have downlines and they DO NOT train or mentor others.
(PS There is NO SUCH THING as a "Travel Rep." That's made up y'all.)
Before you make that call, or that post, or that video - please consider your audience - who do you want to reach? Who are you representing at that moment? What is your ultimate goal in that piece of communication? Are you a Rep or an Agent?
It really is that simple.
~Amanda Restivo, Vice President, Compliance -- arestivo@plannetmarketing.com