| One of the network marketing opportunities receiving | | | | charged (and will receive) $100 of products from the |
| the most buzz in the last year is ITV Ventures. | | | | company. This threshold is pretty easy to reach after |
| What is unique about it is that, unlike almost every | | | | the first month though, and it doesn't kick in until |
| other network marketing program on the market, | | | | Month 2 anyways. |
| ITV Ventures has created a way for its participants | | | | 3) One must also join the HAP to receive the |
| to get hot leads, both for the business opportunity | | | | infomercial calls - if you don't join the HAP, you are |
| itself, and for the natural products it promotes, | | | | still free to sell products in the traditional network |
| without forcing one to try to sell to or recruit family | | | | marketing manner. It costs another $299 to join the |
| members, business associates or friends. | | | | HAP. This pays for a criminal background check - and |
| It does this in a very interesting manner, which it calls | | | | you receive 200 free "call credits" (see below). |
| the "Home Agent Program" ("HAP"). ITV Ventures | | | | 4) Because booking television time for the infomercial |
| produces and then broadcasts nationally 30-minute | | | | broadcasts is expensive, ITV Ventures recoups this |
| infomercials. Interested viewers can then dial the | | | | money by having HAP members pay for call credits |
| toll-free number appearing on the TV screen - and | | | | ($1.00 per credit). Inbound calls to HAP members |
| the call is immediately forwarded to the home phone | | | | require call credits - the exact number varies by |
| number of an ITV Ventures member (called an | | | | product. For example, each call taken from a caller |
| Independent Business Owner, or "IBO"). The call is | | | | watching the Almighty Cleanse infomercial might take |
| answered by the IBO and they speak to the caller | | | | 15 call credits (which costs $15). HAP participants are |
| prospect and try to close the sale. Generally, it's | | | | asked to see this charge as a business marketing |
| comparatively easy to close the sale, as the caller | | | | cost -which makes sense. It is deductible for tax |
| has just finished watching 30 minutes of a marketing | | | | purposes. |
| pitch about the benefits of the particular product, so | | | | IBOs make money from the commissions earned |
| they have already been presold. | | | | when they sell a product (whether through the HAP |
| If they close the sale, the buyer becomes that IBO's | | | | or otherwise), when they sign up a new IBO to their |
| customer for life. IBOs earn a 35% to 50% | | | | downline ($100) and from residual commissions on the |
| commission on every product sale - and ITV | | | | sales their downline makes. |
| Ventures itself takes care of the shipping, credit card | | | | As regards the HAP, the key it would seem, in order |
| processing, etc. If the caller watched an infomercial | | | | to cover the costs of receiving calls, is to upsell the |
| about the business opportunity itself (as opposed to | | | | callers, so they buy more than just the bare product |
| a product infomercial) and the IBO closes them, the | | | | offered in the infomercial (for example, by getting |
| IBO makes a $100 commission and the caller joins his | | | | the customer to opt for the monthly delivery option, |
| downline, as a new IBO. | | | | where they automatically receive the product every |
| So it all sounds very good. IBOs receive very hot | | | | month, thus multiplying the IBO's commissions), and |
| leads from people they don't know and which they | | | | by building up an ongoing relationship with their |
| can convert into buyers and profit from. | | | | customer (whom they "own" for life), so the |
| So, what's the catch? Well, there are, as would be | | | | customer continues to buy more products through |
| expected, a number of costs involved: | | | | them over time. |
| 1) To become an IBO costs $299 (this is a reduction | | | | Overall, the ITV Ventures business model is definitely |
| of $200 from the previous signup charge of $499). | | | | unique. Before joining though, one should have a |
| 2) There is a monthly fee of $29.95 and a minimum | | | | serious discussion with the IBO who is trying to |
| wholesale volume threshold of $100 per month. If | | | | recruit you. Like any business opportunity, you should |
| you and your customers combined do not sell at | | | | make sure you understand how it all works and the |
| least $100 of products in a month, you will be | | | | costs involved before signing on. |