Loren Ridinger a Guest Blogger for outblush.com

Loren Ridinger, Senior Vice President of Market America and Creative Director of Motives® is now a guest blogger at the popular beauty blog outblush.com. Loren’s first column introduces the brand new Motives Nail Candy and explains how black is the new red when applied properly. Click here to learn how to apply Motives “Little Black Dress” and to read more from Loren’s column.

Hot Halloween Costumes

This year I think I’m going to participate in the fun Halloween Holiday! Normally, I hand out candy and watch all the cute kids with their costumes run around excited all night. Not this time! This year I want to remember how fun Halloween can be and dress up too!
In my search for costumes, I’ve come across some on the portal that I think will be hits this year and I thought I would share them with you.

For Little Boys: G.I Joe Costumes

(From left to right: Snake Eyes, Duke Costume, Storm Shadow)

Transformers Costumes

(From left to right: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee)

For Little Girls:

(From left to right: Belle, Hannah Montana)

For Adult Cosumes, I suggest sticking with the classics such as Vampires for Males and Witches for Females, or even cute pirates couples costumes. Last but least, don't forget those pooches. Check out the cute dog costumes we have as well.

I tried to add the classics in there while still touching on the new hot ones that have come out. What about you, have you decided what you want to be? Tell us what you or your children have chosen, I’m interested in hearing what everyone is picking!

Remember if you don’t see what you like here be sure to check out Market America’s Costume Category for more great costumes!

Internet Marketing Tips – Using Photos

Today’s tip comes courtesy of an email to internetmarketing@marketamerica.com. A reader wrote in and said, “I saw a photo I liked on another website, can I use this for my profile photo on say Twitter or for a Facebook group?

The simple answer to this question is “no, you can’t use this image.” Any image you see online that you didn’t create or take yourself is the property of the original owner. The only time you are allowed to use an image or a photo is when you have permission from the owner to use this image (under their terms obviously). Here are a few examples to help you out.

Example 1 – Someone posted a photo on Facebook that I want to add to my page, can I download the image and re-post it?

Answer: No, if someone else posted the photo, you cannot download it and re-post the photo as your own. One thing you can do though is to use the ‘share’ feature on Facebook to post a link back to the original photo. This way you keep yourself out of trouble!

Example 2 - I attended a specific College, can I use their logo?

Answer: No, just because you graduated from a college or university, you aren’t allowed to use their logo unless they have granted you permission to use it (be sure to check the terms for using the image). Some places let you use the photo, but for non-commercial use, which means you can’t use it to promote a business, etc…

Example 3 – Am I allowed to use product images from my Marketamerica.com website?

Answer: Yes, even though you do not expressly own the rights to the products, Market America has granted you a limited license to use its product images. By product images, this means Market America-branded products. It does not mean products from retail stores or retail store logos. To learn more about how you can use such product images, remember to consult your Career Manual!

If you’ve still got questions about using images, or just have general questions, send an email to internetmarketing@marketamerica.com. Have a great weekend everyone!

Sincerely,
Your Internet Marketing Manager

Market America Featured in Triad Business Journal

More great news this week on Market America. The Triad Business Journal just released their list of the 50 Fastest Growing Companies in the triad-area and Market America landed at #23!

Vitamin D is best as a supplement!

According to the latest update from the Harvard Medical School, vitamin D supplements are the best way to deliver a person’s vitamin D requirements. Foods such as fish or eggs contain vitamin D, but industry leaders strongly urge it’s not enough and while you can also get it through sunlight, it’s much easier to take a supplement which supplies adequate amounts. To read more, please click the link below.

NutraIngredients

Motives® by Loren Ridinger Selected as Official Cosmetics of Funkshion: Fashion Week Miami Beach

Motives by Loren Ridinger has been selected as the official cosmetics of Funkshion Fashion Week 2009 in Miami Beach. Fashion Week will be held October 14-18 featuring some of the world’s top designers.

Motives by Loren Ridinger will create each designer’s look on the over 200 models covering 16 fashion shows throughout the event. In addition, Motives will provide the glamorous looks for many of the top celebrities and designers in attendance throughout the week.

In addition to providing cosmetics for Fashion Week, Loren Ridinger will host the Red Dress Show featuring celebrities and models in dresses donated by top designers to benefit the American Heart Association. Motives will also unveil its new “Going Red” lipstick with 25 percent of all proceeds being donated to the American Heart Association.

Other highlights will include a MUSE by Richie Rich featuring Pamela Anderson, Nicole Miller will display her newest and hottest designs, as well as shows by Luciano Maia, Abi Ferrin, Custo Barcelona and more.

For more information on Funkshion Fashion Week, visit www.funkshion.com. For more information about Motives cosmetics, visit motivescosmetics.com and be sure to check out Loren’s blog myfashioncents.com where readers can learn about the best shopping deals on the Internet, get fashion and beauty advice, and stay updated on all the latest Loren Ridinger and Motives news.

About Marketamerica.com -- an overview

A lot has been happening at Market America since the 2009 International Convention in Greensboro, NC. To catch-up on the latest happenings, we have posted a new article titled 'About MA' for you to download.

Click here to view the latest overview about Market America.

Makeup trends for the fall

Fall is here. It’s time to switch up those makeup colors so here’s some hot trends for the season.

Bold Rich colors are all the rage for the fall with the focus being on the lips and eyes. Pick one to stand out. If you go with dramatic eyes tone down the lips and vice versa.

Smoky eyes are still sending smoke signals with purples being the color of choice for the eyes while berry colors should be used to accent luscious lips.

Use neutrals for the face and cheeks.

Motives® by Loren Ridinger has all the trendy colors for the fall. Be as dramatic or as subtle as you desire by creating the look that fits you.

What recession? Market America refuses to participate!

New Zune HD—Connects a Whole New World of Entertainment

Everyone is excited about Microsoft’s new line of media players—the Zune HD. And so am I. The new Zune HD is selling out like hot cakes everywhere since the official launch last week. I got the 16GB black model after visiting two retail stores (the 32GB platinum was out of stock). With an industrial, angular and slim design, the Zune HD is chic and stylish. The stunning 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen and vivid 16:9 display (480 x 272 resolution) is unmatched by any handheld device I’ve ever had. The portable device features a HD Radio receiver which provides a spectacular sound quality. It is also equipped with a Web browser and Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet and Zune Marketplace.
How the Zune HD compares to Apple’s iPod? So far the Zune has been receiving lots of positive reviews. I consider the Zune HD to be a hybrid that combines features of both the Touch and the Nano and successfully positions itself in between. The Zune HD lacks a speaker and well-developed apps like the iPod Touch, however, with OLED display and high def features, it makes for a better PMP music, video and gaming experience than the Nano. A $14.99 monthly Zune Pass subscription gives users unlimited access to streaming music.
Overall, it is still early to say that the Zune HD truly goes head to head with the iPod Touch. The lack of support for YouTube or any other Flash videos is a definite disadvantage, but we expect better things down the road— 3D gaming, free apps such as Facebook, Twitter and many more.
For the new Zune HD and more accessories, go to the Market America website.

61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

Televisions biggest stars celebrated the 61^st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles last night. The ceremony was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, who did an outstanding job keeping the audience laughing with his mix of sketches and jokes throughout the night, and made this year’s Emmy’s truly worth watching.

The big winners for this year were Grey Gardens, with 6 total awards including best mini-series; 30 Rock, with 5 total awards including outstanding comedy series. AMC’s Mad Men won for best drama series, and CBS’s The Amazing Race won for outstanding reality competition program.

The night was one to celebrate for all of television’s finest shows and actors.

Visit marketamerica.com to find the seasons of all of your favorite television shows.

Baby Safety Month and Car Seats

Did you know that September is Baby Safety Month? Our babies are the most precious little things in life and the last thing we want to do is put them in harm’s way. That is why we need to be proactive and take steps to ensure our little angels are safe when riding in a car.

I wanted to share with you some information I just found out from my fiancé. He is a fireman who recently became a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. He is now able to check and make sure car seats are installed correctly. He checks to make sure all latches are secured tightly, there’s no damage to the seat itself, and it’s facing the right direction.

Not sure where you can get your car seat inspected? Call your local fire department and ask if someone at the station is certified. Most fire departments have a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician on staff that will be happy to help you.

Don’t have a car seat yet? Go to Market America’s Kids & Baby category to find the right seat for you. And remember, it Pays to Shop at MA!

Cellular Laboratories® Featured as a Celebrity Favorite on Posh Glam

Cellular Laboratories was featured on the beauty blog poshglam.com for its super star appeal with celebrities such as Ali Larter using the products. Posh Glam specifically profiled the De-Aging Lifting Facial Firming Masque as Creative Director Loren Ridinger noted “It combines everything a woman needs in one product: effective and advanced ingredients in an easy to use, mess-free, travel-friendly formula.”

Click here to read the article.

Market Australia Gains Major Momentum

A letter from the desk of Rick Williams, President of Market Australia...

As of the end of August 2009, Market Australia is up in growth 54 percent over 2008 and 23.5 percent over 2007. Likewise, sales for this market have increased 6.7 percent despite the current economy. Market Australia had its most successful month for sales in July with $607,000. This has been the largest amount during the past two years.

As President of Market Australia, one of my goals on the strategic plan for 2009 was to increase our UFOs by 400 percent. This goal was realized in August going into our Leadership School. We are training all over Australia, which has resulted in many new Pin Levels. The highlights would be Angie and Kevin Yip jumping from Professional Coordinator to National Supervising Coordinator in just four months, while Jerry and Jane Lee are our new Directors.

We have also increased our Partner Stores by 100 percent. We now have over 500 Partner Stores and I am confident that this will result in more Portal shopping and obviously more IBV for all our Customer Managers.

As most of you know, we have just completed our 2009 Leadership School. It was held in Melbourne and the event was very good. The people were extremely excited about the future Portal enhancements, our new “Paid to Shop” program, Personal Consumption, and everyone is anxiously awaiting the UFO Apprentice program. We thoroughly explained our vision in becoming the economy of the future and reiterated what we possess with our revolutionary UnFranchiseÆ System. We presented in detail the things that differentiate us from other companies, including the advantages of Vertical Marketing vs. Horizontal Marketing. Motives® by Loren Ridinger was also a highlight beginning with our workshop on Friday night.

We held our 2nd Annual Awards Gala and the Local Area of the Year winner was Sydney. We were treated with entertainment by professional dancers from the hit show, “Dancing with the Stars Australia.” One of the celebrity judges, Mark Wilson, is also a Market Australia Customer Manager and arranged for the dancers to perform for us. They were world champion finalists.

Needless to say, he is introducing Motives by Loren Ridinger to his dancers and clients. Many are also interested in building in the Philippines once we launch there next year. Overall it was a great event and we sold 600 tickets to Convention. Once again, this is a 50 percent increase over what we had at this time last year. A sellout would be 700, however we are pushing for 800!

Market Australia continues to progress and move in the right direction. I want to thank all of you for your continued support!

Rick Williams
President
Market Australia

Internet Marketing Tips – Sharing Photos

By now, you’ve probably accumulated hundreds of photos whether at a Market America International Convention, Moving-Up Seminars, vacations and more. You’re probably left scratching your head, as to what you should do with all of the great photos that you took.

Rather than let your photos (and presumably your memory cards) collect dust, why not put them online! There are a number of online photo-sharing sites to help you do this. I personally recommend using Flickr for the following reasons…

• Integrates with other social networking sites like ma Chatterbox and Facebook.
  
• There’s a great light-weight uploader to help you post photos quickly.
  
• It helps drive more traffic to your site!
  

So how do you do this?

1. Visit Flickr and sign-up for an account (using your business name)
   
2. Download the Flickr Uploader
   
3. Drag your photos onto the Flickr Uploader and add in a description and link to your web portal, as well as tags (like who is in the photo, your business name, your portal address, etc…)
   

Once you’ve put all of your photos online with appropriate tags and descriptions, you can organize them by event, year or however you like.

You’re probably wondering why you should include descriptions, tags and website links in your photos. The great thing about including this information is that it will help expose your website to others and drive traffic back to your site!

Here’s an example of Market America’s own Flickr photostream!

Anyone with questions on doing this, send an email to internetmarketing@marketamerica.com and include “Using Flickr” in the subject line.

Sincerely,
Your Internet Marketing Manager

September Birthstone

Looking for a birthday gift for that special someone? There is no better gift than a birthstone jewelry for a truly personalized and thoughtful surprise. Whether it be your own unique birthstone, a sweetheart's ring featuring yours and their birthstones, or a piece of jewelry featuring gemstones that coordinate with your children's birthdates, the gift of personalized jewelry shows a lot of creativity.






For those who were born in the month of September the Sapphire is the traditional birthstone. The September birthstone reflects some of the properties associated with the Sapphire - truth, sincerity and constancy. The cool blue sapphire marks the season's shift from summer to autumn. To those born in the transition month of September, the Sapphire relaxes and clears the mind as well as protects its owner from fraud, envy and ill health.


Gemstones are also connected with wedding anniversaries, The Sapphire represents the Twenty Third anniversary.

Shop at the Jewelry section at MA today to find a wide selection of Sapphire as well as other birthstone jewelry and much more!

Life: From Swayze's Point of View

America has been saddened by the loss of another great pop culture icon. Patrick Swayze, 57, lost his 20 month battle against pancreatic cancer this week. The popular Hollywood actor was best known for his role as Johnny Castle in the 80s cult classic, Dirty Dancing.

His memoir, The Time of My Life,will be released on September 29th. The book was co-written by his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi, and contains excerpts that have been received by NBC News and People Magazine.



In the memoir, Swayze wrote, "I began thinking to myself that I’ve had more lifetimes than any 10 people put together, and it’s been an amazing ride. So this is okay."

What an inspiring spirit! This man obviously had an interesting take on life and death. You can read more from Patrick Swayze's point-of- view in his memoir, The Time of My Life. Pre-order your copy from BarnesandNoble.com.

Top Fall Toys for 2009

Most people have a hard time figuring out what to get their children’s friends for their birthday. You want to make sure you get them something they will love and that will make them smile with excitement when unwrapping it. Besttoysguide.com is making present buying easier this fall with their top 10 list of hot toys for 2009.

1. Mindflex- Flex you mind muscles to move the objects on the game board.

2. Barbie Dolled up Nails Digital Nail Printer- One of the hottest toys this year, this device for fashionistas in training can be used to make stylish custom nail designs.

3. Rubik’s Touch Cube- It puts a new twist on one of the most popular toys of all time. Not only it’s touch sensitive but it also has a number of games that you can play along with the matching colors. (Coming Soon)

4. EyeClops Mini Projector- For mini movie buffs who want their very own projector in their rooms!

5. PSP Go- A step up from the original PSP. It now runs faster and with better graphics.

6. Ultimate Buzz Lightyear Robot- “To infinity and beyond,” I loved this movie! The robot is bound to be a hit with its sounds, facial expressions, and kid friendly remote! (Coming Soon)

7. Star Wars the Force Trainer- This toy is similar to Mindflex except you channel your brainwaves to make the ball go to the top of the container.

8. UCreate Games- This system lets the children create, customize, animate, and play the game they’ve just created. The system uses video game creation software and turns the drawings into a game. (coming soon)

9. Nerf N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS 35- A fun and safe toy for any rambunctious boy.

10. FurReal Friends Zambi the Baby Elephant- Capable of holding fingers in his trunk, make noises, and act like a real baby elephant, Zambi it’s not just another stuffed animal.

All of thses toys can be found at our partner stores such as Toys R Us, eToys, and Target.
Now that you know what toys will be hot this fall, don’t be left out. Shop at Market America Toys & Hobbies Section to find these toys and more!

Wall Street Journal explores the benefits of omega 3s

Did anyone see yesterday's Wall Street Journal? Check out the article "Beyond the Heart, What Else Can Omega 3s Do?" in the Health & Wellness section. The article explains that while omega 3s are commonly known for their role in promoting heart health, they are also being researched for their potential role in the treatment of other conditions including Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and rheumatoid arthritis.

The article goes on to explore the mechanisms by which omega 3s are believed to help maintain heart health including reducing inflammation and triglyceride levels.

To learn more about the roles of omega 3s in promoting health click here to read the online version of this article.

Loren Ridinger Featured on South Florida Style

Loren Ridinger, Senior Vice President of Market America and Creative Director of Motives is featured on the blog South Florida Style, a site dedicated to covering trendsetters and news in the fashion industry.

In this long ranging Q&A, Loren details the successes behind Motives and Cellular Laboratories, the work that has gone into creating the lines and gives a glimpse into her own personal style. Click here to read the interview.

Dirty Dancing Star Loses His Battle with Cancer

Patrick Swayze passed away on September 14, 2009 after a 20 month battle with pancreatic cancer, at the age of 57.

"Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months," said a statement released Monday evening by his publicist, Annett Wolf.

His fans were saddened when his doctor released a statement in March 2008 that confirmed his diagnosis that gave him only a few weeks to live.

The actor was best known for his roles in Dirty Dancing, Road House, and Ghost. He received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his role as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing and also sang one of the songs on the soundtrack, “She’s like the Wind”.

Visit marketamerica.com to find all of the movies that made Patrick Swayze the incredible actor and man that we will remember forever.

Do your part for optimal immune health!

What are you doing to support your immune system? We all want to stay healthy as we gear up for the holiday season and its important to take all the steps we can toward optimal health. Take a minute to assess your habits, good and bad, and maybe you'll find an area that needs a little improvement.

• Are you exercising regularly?
• Are you eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily?
• Do you get 8 hours of sleep each night?
• Are you taking your multivitamins?
• Are you avoiding excess stress?

Keep in mind that Market America offers two great products formulated to help support the immune system. Isotonix® Vitamin C promotes optimal immune function by acting as an antioxidant and reducing the inflammatory response. Immune™ Maximum Defense Formula supports your body's immune defense by supporting the body's normal cellular defenses and helping to maintain general health during times of stress.*

Make your health a priority!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Motives® by Loren Ridinger Custom Blend Foundation Featured on Talkingmakeup.com

Motives by Loren Ridinger Custom Blend Foundation is featured on talkingmakeup.com, a beauty blog with over 100,000 unique visitors per month. Talking Makeup says Motives Custom Blend "sets a new standard in customized cosmetics with a simple process of choosing a base, adjusting with toner, then adding personal touches from an extensive selection of modifiers and enhancers that adjust the foundation texture, coverage and finish to meet any need or personal preference."

Click here to read the full article.

Support Team Market America as We Rally For a Cure!

This November, JR and I will be participating in the Rally for Kids with Cancer Scavenger Cup. This is an important cause for us, and one which is very dear to our hearts. We are taking a stand against childhood cancer, and we need your help!

I have been named Event Chair, and my good friend Eva Longoria Parker has been named Honorary Chair for this event, which will take place in Miami. JR and I have committed to raising thousands of dollars to benefit the kids, and we urge you to support us in this cause. If each Market America Customer Manager joins this effort and donates only $1 each, we will raise almost a quarter million dollars to benefit the children who are struggling with this horrible disease. Let's rally together as team Market America, and make a difference!

Learn more about the Rally for Kids with Cancer Cup and donate here.

Love,
Loren

Internet Marketing Tips - Keeping up with a blog

More and more businesses are moving towards using blogs as a means of communicating the latest happenings. If you’ve made it this far, you’re already aware of what a blog is. This week’s tip is to show you how to read your favorite blogs from one location.

Since we’re all pressed for time, rather than having to visit multiple websites to obtain blog information, you can use something called an RSS reader to have each blogs contents grouped together for you to read. What this means is that when a blog posts new content, you can automatically receive it without having to visit each site individually. Think of it like your cable company sending you the latest shows right to your television set (in this case, right to your own RSS reader).

So how do you do this?

1. Visit Google Reader
   
2. Sign-up for an account
   
3. Visit your favorite blogs and look for ‘RSS’ or ‘Subscribe to…” and copy the link (it will usually have rss in the URL)
   
4. Sign-in to your Google Reader account and click ‘Add subscription’
   
5. Paste your RSS feed
   
6. The next time you visit Google Reader, you’ll see all of your favorite blog posts from multiple sources in one location! If you like the topic and want to read more, simply click the title to go right to the blog to read more!
   

Pretty cool tip, huh?

A few RSS feeds you can use to help get you started: (list items)
maBlog
http://feeds2.feedburner.com/blogspot/vwhc

ma MyWorld
http://feeds2.feedburner.com/blogspot/lqlT

MyFashionCents.com
http://feedproxy.google.com/myfashioncents

If anyone has questions on using RSS Readers to get the latest blog posts…in one place, send an email to internetmarketing@marketamerica.com and include “RSS Readers” in the subject line.

Remeber: Always ask for permission before using those feeds to post content on your personal blog. The content you are getting through the RSS Reader is copyrighted material, and usually cannot be displayed on the Internet without permission.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,
Your Internet Marketing Manager

Market America Ranked 99th by Revenue on Inc. Magazine’s Top 500/5000 List

Market America, which debuted this year on Inc. Magazine’s exclusive top 500/5000 list, an annual ranking of the top US based companies based on four year growth percentage rates, was recognized as the 99th ranked company in terms of total revenue among the 5000 ranked companies, and ranked as the fourth retailer based on 2008 revenue. Market America was ranked 4,422 on Inc’s fastest growing companies list based on growth rates from 2005-2008.

Inc. 5000 is an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs. Inclusion on this list and Market America’s strong standing is further evidence that Market America has created a recession proof business that continues to grow despite the struggling economy.

For a full list of America’s fastest growing companies who join Market America as the top revenue earners, click here.