Interesting Take on Time Out

Time Out! Did you have time out when you were little? You probably sat in the corner as a child where you had time to think about the awful thing you had just done. When you were done with your time out where the world continued to revolve without you, you ran back to play with a renewed determination to do better than you had before - - - in theory anyway.

As a busy Mom, I often need to take a self inflicted 'time out' from Plug In Your Profit to attend to my many duties off-line. I'm always surprised when I return. So many work at home opportunities advertised on the net are scams, fly-by-night schemes to get your money, and some of the opps just plain don't work.

I suggest, if you can manage it, that every marketer should take a 'time out' to have the opportunity to see what happens to all the opportunities they have been promoting. Besides some surprises, you may return better than you were before.....more dedicated, more committed, and with a better perspective.

I returned and found new federal (FTC) rules that have gone into effect, affecting all internet marketers. Though I'm not a lawyer, this is my take on them in a nutshell. (If you have questions, you will need to seek the advice of a competent lawyer.)

1. If I have testimonials on my site, I have to make sure they disclose the fact that their results are not typical in a very obvious way - much like the medical community has to do now.
2. I also need to disclose whether I make money from an affiliate link I am promoting, even though I might try to appear unbiased with an 'honest' review.
3. No trademarks used in affiliate advertising unless express permission has been obtained and I comply with each detail.

These rules also apply to blogs, email marketing, social marketing, etc.

I have mixed thoughts on these rules. I don't like to be regulated by the government, but I have often found myself asking, as I've read 'honest' reviews, whether that person was being paid to promote one over the other. This isn't always bad. If the reviewer honestly prefers one over the other, I want to know that. But if they're just receiving a greater ROI from one over the other, it would help me to know and may affect my decision. We'll see how marketers comply with these new rules.

The other surprise that hits me every time I take a 'time out' is simply looking at the status of the individual opportunities I have promoted on my site. I usually feel pretty good about what I'm promoting when I come back. But I was surprised this time by the disappearance of parent link companies and a few of the companies I really did think were in it for the long haul! The final surprise was how many of the offers still exist and are going strong! I love that part of it! And I wasn't disappointed for the most part.

I spent hours and hours up-dating my site to reflect these changes as honestly as I could. I hope that many people will search my site, find legitimate work at home to supplement or replace their current income, and then that they will be frugal, get out of debt, and prepare to help others in this difficult economic time. I would love to help. That's why I'm here!

I always enjoy my 'time out'! It doesn't feel like punishment like it did as a child. I love spending time with my family and husband, doing the things I love to do. I hope to allow others to spend more time with their families. Set a goal to work and learn as you move forward. I hope you can better your situation in 2010!