The following article comes from the internet savvy MonaVie Online Marketing Team.

Did you know that about 74% of Internet users use search engines like Google to find local products and services?  Google Places and similar local directories are quickly overtaking previous methods of finding businesses like the old Yellow Pages books that you probably have piled up in your garage now.

Many people are even searching for a local MonaVie distributor just like YOU!   In addition to doing a Google search, people use sites like Yahoo! Answers.  Check out some of these actual examples:

One of the simplest ways to be found when people are searching for MonaVie in your local area is to create a Google Places listing.  Places listings are easy to create and best of all, they are free!

Step 1:

Go to Google Places (places.google.com/business) and login with your Google Account.  If you don’t have one, click the “Create an account now” button and set up a free Google Account.

Step 2:

Click the “List your business” button.  Next, Google will ask for your country and phone number to see if they already have a Places listing in their database.

Step 3:

Assuming Google doesn’t have a listing with your phone number already, you’ll now see a page where you can enter your information.  Make sure to fill out all of the required fields.

Basic information includes your country, organization name, street address, city, state, zip, phone, email, website (get a distributor site at MyMonaVie.com!), description and up to 5 categories that describe your business.

Step 4:

After entering your basic information, the next step is to input your service area and location.  As a MonaVie distributor, you’ll likely want to select the “Yes, this business serves customers at their locations” option.  You can then enter a mile radius from your address that you serve or list a variety of cities and zip codes.

Step 5:

Finally, you’ll want to complete the rest of the listing as fully as possible.  Make sure to enter your available hours, payment options and upload 10 photos and 5 YouTube links in the Videos section.

After you have completed your listing, click the “Submit” button.

Step 6:

After submitting your information, Google needs to verify your information.  They may provide you 1 or 2 methods for verifying your profile.

By Phone – Google will call you and give you a pin number that you can enter on the screen.

By postcard – Google will send you a postcard to the address on your listing.  The postcard will have a pin that you will need to enter to activate your listing.

If Google gives you both options, we recommend verifying by phone since so your listing gets approved.  The postcard method can take 2-3 weeks.

Once your listing is verified, you’re all set!  Your listing may show up within a matter of hours on Google and Google Places.

Additional Resources:

http://www.google.com/support/places/bin/topic.py?topic=28059
http://www.google.com/support/places/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=148047
http://www.toprankblog.com/2010/11/5-ways-local-search/

Congratulations to YOU for helping MonaVie reach the 80,000 fans mark on Facebook - could not have done it without ya. Truly.

Here are the giveaways:

A MonaVie RVL bag full of fun swag.

A copy of Sergio Ponce's book We Can Do So Much MORE along with a MORE Project notebook and pen.

The Five Star Opportunity Flip Chart, shown on the MonaVie Mall.

Here's how you enter into the drawing:

1 entry point - Leave me a comment below, on Facebook and/or Tweet or reTweet this post.

3 entry points - Send me (shantes@monavie.com) your 200-word "I am MonaVie" story with a high-resolution photo.

That's a total of 6 entry points possible. Got it?

We'll close the drawing tomorrow, Thursday, August 4 at 12 midnight MST.

Way to go MonaVie friends and family! Our next mile marker is definitely 100,000 fans. Let's do it!

Share it!

Shante

MonaVie Chief Blogger

NOTE: This giveaway is officially close. Winners will be chosen and posted soon.

I am MonaVie. It's a simple declaration, with as many meanings as people who have said it in the weeks since MonaVie's 2011 International !magine Convention, where the phrase was introduced by President of North America Sales Jeff Graham.

So, perhaps you've said it or posted it to your Facebook page, but what does this phrase mean to YOU? We'd love to know.

Here's a great example by the beautiful and ever-so-sassy Doreen Matsumoto:

Since I have been in MonaVie, my life has been blessed; not only in my business, but also with my family and friends. MonaVie has allowed me to enjoy traveling and participating in business with my loved ones. MonaVie has enabled me to bless people’s lives with better health and nutrition, and to contribute generously to The MORE Project.

Remember: don’t leave anybody out; this opportunity is for everyone.

Special thanks to my upline and my down line.

Many blessings on your business.

Now it's your turn. Please send your 200-word "I am MonaVie" story, along with a high resolution photo (include your business partner and/or significant other, family, etc.) to shantes@monavie.com.

You're probably wanting to know what we'll do with said 200-word stories, right? Well, let's just say it will be a great new addition to an already amazing website...now hurry and send me your story and photo!

Share it!

Shante

MonaVie Chief Blogger

In a few short days, these bottles...

...will be finding their well-deserving Diamonds, whilst serving, as their exclusive and hard-earned invite to this year's much anticipated Diamond Destination to Maui, Hawaii.

So, whether you live in the mountains...

Or by a (man-made) stream...

Under a bridge...

Or atop a beam...post?

From this HQ...

To Y-O-U...we want to know how far and wide these meticulously coordinated messages-via-bottles will go.

So, if you're a Diamond (and above) who qualified for some sun, fun and aloha goodness, send me a photo (shantes@monavie.com) of you holding your exclusive grass-skirt-and-Hawaiian-flora-adorned "message in a bottle" so I can give you something too...

You're welcome.

Share it!

Shante

MonaVie Chief Blogger

P.S. Please include your name and where you are from with those photos. Send all to shantes@monavie.com.

We want to kick off the new MonaVie Fast Track Promotion in the right way, so MonaVie wants to make it even sweeter by adding a special MonaVie BlogMV giveaway. Here are the details:

Earning more commissions begins at the stroke of midnight (Mountain Time), Saturday, June 18! So, get on AutoShip if you’re not already, and start earning the First Order Bonus!

MonaVie Fast Track Promotion*

Between June 18 and July 15, 2011:

• When you earn two or more First Order Bonuses (FOBs) during this four-week period, MonaVie will double these FOBs.
• In addition to doubling your bonus earnings, all distributors who earn two or more FOBs during the Fast Track Promotion will be entered into a drawing to win a new iPad 2.

Fast Track BlogMV Giveaway

Be one of the first 10 distributors to earn at least two FOBs between June 18 and July 15, 2011, and you’ll win a MonaVie Swag Bag, which I guarantee, will include an “I Am MonaVie” t-shirt and several other MonaVie branded items for you to wear, use, give away or enjoy!

The 10 winners of the giveaway will be announced here on BlogMV!

So get your business growing with the Fast Track Promotion--the sooner the better!

* Bonuses paid out during the Fast Track Promotion will not affect Executive Check Match. Must be enrolled in AutoShip to be eligible for Fast Track Promotion bonuses and prizes.

As promised, here notes from the !magine "Marketing Your Business and Yourself" breakout hosted by Vice President of Marketing Jed Morley, Director of Online Marketing Alex McArthur and me, your resident chief blogger. For those who attended - thank you! I hope you enjoyed the three days of entertainment, business building tips and MonaVie family and friends. I know I did.

Without further ado, I present a copy of the slides you saw in the breakout and below, links that we hope you find helpful:

Zen Habits

Leo Babauta's FREE ebook "How I Got 100,000 Subscribers in Two Years"

Share it!

Shante

MonaVie Chief Blogger

MonaVie Bronze Executive Ruth Bayang Stoffel is not your typical MonaVie distributor, unless winning an Emmy Award is typical. The Malaysian born, former television producer in Seattle has just written a book for women entitled “Free at 40” that is designed to “empower women to control their own destiny and achieve financial freedom.”

“I wrote the book because I am an introverted person, but I am passionate about people getting smart about their money and their financial future. Writing a book seemed like a non-intrusive way to get that message across.”

Stoffel heard about MonaVie through fellow students in a real estate coaching program, but wasn’t interested in the opportunity until she found out one of the coaches she respected and admired was in the business. At that time, she had no idea how joining MonaVie would influence her life for good.

“MonaVie has made me be a more positive person. I smile more and I'm a more polite driver since a decal is on my car! Best of all, MonaVie reunited me with my daughter who was missing from my life for 12 years. An old college friend, who I reconnected with and was talking to about MonaVie, found my daughter on Facebook.”

And while writing a book is noteworthy, Stoffel is also taking it a step further by donating proceeds to The MORE Project.

“I am so grateful that MonaVie brought my daughter back into my life. I wanted to do something for MonaVie via The MORE Project where it would be a win-win situation for both parties. I'd like to up the ante too. I will give 100 percent of proceeds to The MORE Project for sales on June 10, 2011, to coincide with the MonaVie Imagine International Convention and 30 percent will still go to The MORE Project from now until June 30.”

For those interested in buying the book or ebook can do so at Amazon.com or you can buy a hard copy of the book. You can also follow Ruth on Twitter at or her website, www.freeat40.com.

After the grueling task of reading through more than 300 comments we have finally selected a winner of the MonaVie "I want Jeff Graham's iPad" contest!

And the winner is... Kim Cotter!

Here is her creative entry:

Thank you so much those who commented. I enjoyed reading the stories, poems and songs. Stay tuned to the MonaVie Facebook page, MonaVie Twitter, and BlogMV for more information and giveaways. I have a feeling another iPad (a new one--& maybe more than one!) will pop up in the future!

[caption id="attachment_14674" align="alignleft" width="169" caption="MonaVie Senior VP Jeff Graham wants to give away his iPad to YOU!"][/caption]

MonaVie Senior Vice President Jeff recently got his hands on a new iPad 2 and you know what that means: 1. His original iPad is accumulating dust and... 2. This has the makings of another MonaVie giveaway!

The MonaVie "I want Jeff Graham's iPad" Giveaway Contest

Quite possibly the most peculiar giveaway we've offered, but thanks to Jeff Graham and his generosity, he wanted to provide MonaVie distributors the chance to provide a good home for one of his (previously) cherished possessions. It comes with a handy carrying case and all the cords, but Jeff had to take his awesome apps with him! (Updated) We'll also throw in a handy, dandy thumb drive that contains MonaVie videos and presentations to help grow your business!

To enter, simply post a comment below on BlogMV by end of day Wednesday, May 18 with a creative finish to the sentence, "I want Jeff Graham's iPad because_____." (We're looking for creativity here folks!)

The winner will be announced on Thursday.

So let's see how creative you can get!*

*(within the bounds of common decency of course)

[caption id="attachment_1138" align="alignleft" width="221" caption="Michael Jensen, MonaVie Social Media Promotions Manager"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_14513" align="alignleft" width="226" caption="MORE Meals! "][/caption]

Hey all my friends, tweeps, peeps and MonaVie family members - I’m in Brazil! That’s right, I’m on The MORE Project Expedition, and I’m taking you along with me. I’ll be checking in (virtually, of course) throughout the week with blog posts, photos, videos and Facebook and Twitter updates when I can find a good connection!

Please feel free to join the MonaVie Facebook page and/or visit the MORE Project Expedition to Brazil page to see even MORE proof of where your donations are going and how The MORE Project is providing these children a MORE Meaningful Life!

Check out our first day here meeting the children at The MORE Project--So precious!

Shante

MonaVie Chief Blogger