I hear you on the school thing, I haven't bothered in over a year, I'm not sure why. Maybe I just needed a break after 3 years of full time school. The cycle of paying hundreds of dollars on books, classes, worrying about credits, thinking about what kind of education would be practical financially compared to what I actually enjoy learning etc.....I needed a rest. Just recently I began getting an unusual interest in geology so I'm going to take that one course and see how I like it. I give you tons of credit for doing what your doing because I don't think I'm social enough to recruit, sell, and maintain a network of clients. I'm not socially aggressive, which seems to be the kind of person that really succeeds in this kind of endeavor. Good luck getting situated online, I have a good friend of mine that runs a few popular web sites and they are a ton of work, but very lucrative. I'm always paying attention to how he does things so if I ever start one of my own I get an idea of what is effective and what isn't. I still have a strong side to me that looks at different mlms and gets interested, but somehow none of them are appealing enough to go through with it. As for Jacob, good luck man, online is the way to go, I bet you'll see a huge impact if you push hard enough, and it will overcome the whole low population thing.

Hi, hi! guys!

Things are going super awesome. I love Tastefully Simple, and its hardly felt like any work at all, but it has come at a price, and that is school. I have officially put all my academics on hold because I don't have enough time to maintain my network and attend school at the same time, I tried but my grades steeply declined. My income is slowly growing and there is substantial increase every month. I am pretty much making money circulating across 4 cities and talking and making new friends. I make more money than my fiancee but he doesn't mind at all :-p. I can definitely see where reps can lose themselves in the business and start sounding like "repdroids" Wallace lol, its actually really hard to stop thinking about it because you never go home so to speak. I find when I am in the backyard sipping on a chai tea I am thinking about clients and trying to remember appointments etc, but its still sooooooooo much better than working a normal 9-5.

Jacob, the Internet thing is something I've been getting some help with, and I'm only in the beginning stages but some good friends of mine have promised me it will nearly double my income relatively quickly after initiating it. If things really pick up I could even hire someone to do some small maintenance so I don't have to. The possibilities are endless and I have been enjoying this so much its another reason why school didn't appeal to me much anymore. Where do you live Jacob downs south or out west? I have an aunt that grew up in Goodsprings, Nevada and she said you could go weeks at a time without a single car going down the main road. I can't imagine trying to sell in an environment like that but if I had to, I'd totally take advantage of the Internet. Thank you for the support guys, wishing you both well!!!

Agreed! Nice going Irataages...

Do you by chance live in a big city? I can't tell you how much I wish I had more people to sit down with. I live in a pretty remote area and it seems like every month I'm having to travel further and further just to do any live discussions. I've recently decided to focus solely online because I'm reaching commuting barriers with a vehicle I don't want to abuse, gas prices and time. I love what I do, but Isagenix can sometimes be a hard product to sell to the older folks, especially country older folks. I'm dealing with a few generations that still think colds come from not dressing warm, and cracking your knuckles causes arthritis. Not to mention older folks don't appreciate shakes. I do good in the city but I'm really starting to crack down and develop some Internet skills, because that's where the money is.

Lol, I really appreciate your posts Irataages, you are pretty much always positive, and have made a seriously wise choice, as I remember when you first came and wanted to try taking on an mlm. Now look at you all tricked out and "pimpin" Tastefully Simple style lol :P I'm happy for you that you got off the ground so successfully. I have felt pretty good about Tastefully Simple since I first read about them. There is a very easy to understand comp plan, a decent product line, and a market to appeal to. They are also easy to research, easy to contact, and have a good reputation. About the only complaint I have ever heard is that there are a lot of consultants and they tend to have to compete with each other. I guess ultimately, that is a good thing and not something to complain about. Keep us updated and let us know how you're doing. Its refreshing to hear of the success of real people, and not repdroids.

Hi!

As some of you know I've been super successful since I have become a Tastefully Simple consultant, and I couldn't possibly be happier. I know there are a ton of reps out there that post to try to pull you in, but I'm writing this because when I first started coming to these forums, I really didn't know much about mlm companies, and I had never even heard of Tastefully Simple. As I started reading some of the stuff from Watchdog, Wallace, and many other posters I began to think: "sheesh, I could do that!" So I started looking at different companies, most of them were interesting, but there were plenty of them that I couldn't relate to. One thing I really appreciated and wanted to expand my repertoire was cooking, so I looked at any company that dealt with food, and found Tastefully Simple. I know this is sounding like a testimonial where I tell you how I was "just like you" peeping around, and made the best decision of my life and all that, which may be true, but I'm actually going to focus on how it is being a Tastefully Simple consultant.

To get the obvious out of the way, I love it, and yeah, you should join. Now, before getting involved with any mlm company, there are some basic rules that I would follow if I were to ever do this again starting from scratch. So let it be known that no mlm is a miracle money maker, that isn't realistic. Let me tell you, you have to WORK, but if you're the right kind of person, its sooooo much fun!

The things you need to go over are:

a) The compensation plan. What does it entail? Does it suit my financial structure, can I build efficiently off it?

b) The policies and procedures - Is the product and system attractive to recruits? How much do I need in sales, and can I handle that? Is there a renewal rate?

c) What is my demographic? Is my area of sales completely saturated? Do I know a lot of people I could potentially introduce this to? When I run out of my main source, where will I go next?

These are all important questions no matter what mlm you choose, and they are pretty basic, but for many beginners they are so in love with the idea of it being easy that they completely over look them. With that out of the way, here is what life has been like for me as a Tastefully Simple consultant.

I apologize for giving you all the basics, but for those who were like me not even 6 months ago, I want to explain that Tastefully Simple consultants host Tastefully Simple parties, distribute catalogues, free samples, and recruit new individuals to the company. You get involved by either going to their web site, or by contacting a company consultant who will answer questions and explain the steps involved in the process of selling Tastefully Simple merchandise. Tastefully Simple provides new peeps with their own brand of benefits, along with the starter kit. I don't know how often the kit or the plan is updated, but so far the rules haven't changed for the time I've been with them. I got a choice between the "Just a Taste" business Kit which will supply you for two parties, and the "Business Blast Off" Kit, which will keep you supplied for four. My fiancee was a sweetheart and paid for me to get option 2, which cost him $170.00. The other kit is only $89, and looking back, I barely used half of my package for my first four parties, so I recommend the cheaper option, its more than enough. They both basically include products, samples, documentation, and information. I currently earn up to 30% commission on all of my sales, and that alone has brought us in a ton of money.

Its pretty simple (no pun intended) lol.

Heya Avalon, I just use IE. I used to use firefox but I hate the interface, especially how favorites work etc..I can see how many people might like the catalogue done that way, especially the download ones. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but there is something really special about the way product sites were presented for the past 15 or so years. I guess the best example I can give aside from Walthers was the old Babbages and Electronic's Boutique video game stores. They had beautiful web sites with tons of pages, all broken down into the popular gaming systems at the time, all having their own section. Each game had its own place in the catalogue with full color photos of in-game screen shots, the cover box art, and a description of the game. All those features were of course linked so you could look at any aspect of it in full colorful glory. You couldn't download anything that extensive now, and it couldn't be updated. I think the whole process is perfect as being part of a web site.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the Tastefully Simple Catalogue isn't attractive, just that it seems like a downgrade of what a fully detailed, "tricked out" catalogue should be. I don't want to see future companies de-gress backwards just because its cheaper. People love a good presentation because it shows that a manufacturer really cares about the products it makes, and if you can trust a company's intentions, you are that much closer to buying the product. There is of course the argument that Tastefully Simple products don't evolv as quickly as video game merchandise, so in that case there may not be as much need for such extensive details, but none the less the depth of the traditional online catalogue has had and will continue to have, a much more profound effect on me, especially as dare I have to admit it; a "consumer"...

I have to disagree with you Wallace, I think I like the e catalogue on the Tastefully Simply site, I have no problem navigating it. Do you think maybe there is a compatibility issue with your browser? I have come across that exact catalogue program on a few other sites, I don't know who makes it but I can see where some people may not be used to them. I admit that on the first couple pages some stuff is displayed sideways, which sort of renders putting it there in the first place pointless, but I still like that its separated from the web site, allowing more freedom to browse multiple windows without having to mess with tabs or losing everything incase you have an Internet explorer shut down.

Hi Irataages, I was wondering how you were making out with Tastefully Simple, glad to see you are doing so well with it, though I did have a few questions. Do you have any idea where the products are manufactured? I can't seem to find any information regarding where the factories are, or if they are American, Chinese etc..I think the web site looks great, as do a lot of the products, but I am not a fan of the E-catalogue because it is barely compatible with the products they are displaying. It's as if the photos and descriptions were inserted into the catalogue program and weren't even fit to the correct size, like they were just tossed in. I'd like to see a bit more care taken on that, maybe even if they have one programmed specifically for them.

Most people will simply prefer the web site show all 44 pages of products and skip the E-catalogue altogether because of how bad it is, and you don't want that, you want people to see all the products. A well designed catalogue can make you look through it even if you could care less about the products inside. Here's a good example:

 http://www.walthers.com/

Walthers is a manufacturer of model trains, a subject in which I have not the slightest interest, and yet, I spent about a good half hour of my time impressed with the web site and looking at all the interesting trains and models they produce. They don't use a digital catalogue, they just put the work into the web site to show everything in full screen, non-document glory. Anyway, I realize you have no control over this, and I'm sure the color catalogues are as awesome as you say they are, but the web site catalogue is terrible, and I apologize for using such a strong word, but its such an obscure topic, this was the only place I could really voice my opinion about it since it was the topic of your post. :(

Ok, first thing is first.....

I've found that the key tool in my arsenal of sales tactics is the one thing that takes absolutely no effort at all, and that is the Tastefully Simple Catalogue itself. The Tastefully Simple Catalogue rocks all by itself, but we will get into that a bit later. For now, lets think of it as the final blow in your delivery when trying to recruit. One thing I noticed when I first started doing this, is that you run through friends and family pretty fast, they either join, or politely decline, and there's only a handful that aren't really sure and you know will cave in time. So I began resorting to soliciting perfect strangers, but I did it on forums just like this one, and can't you believe how effective it has actually been. Lots of people are actually more than willing listen to what you offer, especially when you know how to talk to them and not present your offering as though you are really trying to sell them something.

It's like no matter how bad the economy gets, people don't go without specific things, gas, comfort food, and entertainment. So I chose discussion boards, billboards, and even people that I engage in small talk with in the supermarket. Food places are a FABULOUS place to find new members because they all share the same problems, food prices, and the fact that they want to make more money. So basically I tell them what I do, and they can see since I have a positive attitude that I'm not unhappy in any way, not struggling and certainly not working 40 hours a week. When you introduce it that way, they are interested, and without sounding pushy or "infomercialish", they fold as soon as you show them the Tastefully Simple Catalogue.

Tastefully Simple Catalogs are gorgeous, its kind of like watching food network when you're starving lol! They are available online, and in printed color versions. They have really big photos, well written descriptions and lots of small country-ish themes that really set the mood. The catalogues feature mixes and sauces, snacks, drink mixes, condiments, cookbooks and recipe cards showing how to make desserts, dip mixes, spices, jams, beer bread mix like the one I featured, and tons of other treats, its bad ass! if you don't mind me saying so.... :O You can also get paper catalogues through mail order or from Tastefully Simple sales consultants
such as myself.

I'm soooo having a great time with this....I have been able to pay for half our utility bills with ease and that has taken a few hours off my fiance's work schedule, so he is pretty happy as well. The rules of recipe posting really aren't all that bad, I was told simply to vary the recipe in such a way as to give people a taste of what is close to perfection, but let possible recruits get the rest when they join and can get the recipes themselves. I am seriously telling all of you how easy this is, I'm not usually very excited about anything but this has been super easy.........<3

Well that certainly sounds appetizing...

 I'm glad to see you're enjoying your new MLM system Irataages, I haven't heard too many bad things about Tastefully Simple. I can say that according to the BBB, there has only been 7 complaints about Tastefully Simple, and all of them were in regard to delivery issues which have all sense been resolved.

You definitely want to be careful about posting recipes from what I've read. I actually found several discussions regarding people who had posted recipes online and were then threatened with legal actions, and one of them was a Tastefully Simple rep lol.

One thing I must say I respect about this company is that its a proud member of the DSA ( Direct Selling Association), and follows their code of ethics. This is a pretty cool thing because there are some specific standards that set non-members apart from members.

Here's a few examples of what criteria must be met in order to be a member. All associates of any DSA affiliate must:

-Tell you who they are, why they're approaching you and what products they are selling.
-Explain how to return a product or cancel an order.
-Respect your privacy by calling at a time that is convenient for you.
-Promptly end demonstration or presentation at your request.
-Provide accurate and truthful information regarding the price, quality, quantity, performance and availability of their product or service.
-Offer a written receipt in language you can understand.
-Provide his or her name and contact information, as well as the contact information of the company he or she represents.
-Offer a complete description of any warranty or guarantee.

I'm definitely interested. Contact info please.

Hey all,

I have recently joined the ranks of Tastefully Simple and since I see no rules stating that I can't do this, I REALLY wanted to share something delicious! and maybe even try to get some readers to consider joining, I am loving it and find that getting people to try this system out really hasn't been very difficult. If you haven't had the pleasure of trying any Tastefully Simple Recipes you have no idea what you're missing, I promise you they're fabulous.

I joined Tastefully Simple last week and in a short amount of time I have thrown three product parties and almost half of the people that attended the first one were there all the way to the third. The secret? SAMPLES! I had to do some cooking but I managed to make a couple of amazing recipes and I think they were a huge part of why I have managed to get 13 people signed up already.

The food smells amazing and the best part is that you really don't have to be a kitchen princess because everything you need is written very clearly and the directions are basically fool proof. I haven't burned anything, messed up the amounts, or so much as struggled with a single thing. It does get to be a bit tiring and I'm going to slow down on the Tastefully Simple parties but the process of getting people invited, and signed up is really addictive. I was hoping that the products would be cool enough to sort of sell themselves, and they are for the most part. The only people I found to be kind of hard to impress were these girls from across my favorite cafe, they eat some odd things and didn't seem too impressed but I guess you will have those in every crowd.

The last Tastefully Simple Recipe I showcased was their famous Beer bread.

I have to tell you that my mother and I could not make bread to save our lives, we tried and even once bought a bread maker but cleaning it was so hard and it never came out right. I got this recipe right on the first try and the bread came out amazing I'm actually afraid my fiance and I will get fat lol.

Please understand that there are some fairly strict rules that I need to follow when discussing Tastefully Simple Recipes and I felt I should make a few very subtle changes so that I don't break any rules, but the changes are mild and tested so you will get the idea of what it taste like without completely duplicating it. If you want to duplicate it, please join Tastefully Simple you won't regret it.

So, I will call this Gratefully Simple Beer bread. mmmm

You will need a12oz beer, nothing too light, use something dark please. 3 C. self rising flour
1/3 C. sugar , 3 Tbsp. butter, melted. Its that simple.

Then all you need to do is:

a. Preheat your oven to 350 and Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with your choice of cooking spray.

b. Combine the flour, sugar and beer with your hands, don't be afraid to really rub it and squeeze it until it gets all sticky.

c. Slide it into your loaf pan and brush the top with melted butter.

d. Then just let it cook for 50-60 minutes until it becomes golden brown. You will want to let it cool down because it will be very hot.

If you make this and let some of your guests try it, they might do what they did at my last Tastefully Simple party. The girls will be dying to make it, and the guys will be dying to eat it, and that will be a pretty powerful influence with just a little subtle pushing to get them involved. There are a ton of other recipes to and they are all fabulous.

If anyone is interested in Tastefully Simple, please let me know. :)