Events play a pivotal role in connecting your products and services directly to customers. To enhance brand visibility and drive sales, participating in events is key. It is one of the best opportunities to get in front of customers. From summer extravaganzas to home and garden shows, bustling fairs/festivals, concerts, sports, and more, each event is a unique chance for dealers to showcase their offerings. Here's a quick guide on how to leverage events to maximize your sales potential.

Everyone would like to assume crime won’t happen to them, but unfortunately, that’s not the reality. It’s best to take action to safeguard your loved ones, home, and belongings proactively. Vivint gives RS&I Authorized Dealers the opportunity to sell the best smart home security system on the market and make it affordable and convenient to protect the most important things in their customers’ lives.

Are you looking to start a business? Perhaps you’re a skilled salesperson who has dreamed of being your own boss, but you’re not sure where to start. Or maybe you have established some level of success in a “side hustle” and you want to focus your full-time efforts working for yourself. It can be daunting, even though you know you have the right skills and a drive to succeed. There’s obviously a lot to consider, first and foremost what products or services you’re going to sell.

Internet connectivity has come a long way in the last several years. With constantly increasing demand for data and speed, with more users and applications, everyone needs a strong internet connection. Unfortunately, people in rural or remote areas have been traditionally left behind.

With 2024 approaching rapidly, many people take this time of year to evaluate where they've been and mark goals for the future. That same mentality should be applied to any successful business. In today's constantly evolving business landscape, strategic business planning is more critical than ever. Here are a few quick tips on setting yourself up for growth in the new year!

At RS&I, we’ve always positioned ourselves to facilitate Authorized Dealer programs that are valuable and sustainable for our dealers. We focus our efforts on products and sectors that have large growth opportunities and long-term stability. And wireless phones undoubtedly fall into those parameters.

RS&I Authorized Dealers come in all sorts of varieties. Some are well-established businesses with long track records of success with many employees, while others are brand-new entrepreneurs who are just beginning their journey of selling elite tech brands and services to their customers. Regardless of where you might find yourself on your journey, our Area Sales Managers are here to help you get where you want to be. Our sales programs pay the highest commissions, have expert training and sales support, and there are no large upfront investments or franchise fees!

It’s an annual tradition in the world of wireless – like clockwork, every autumn Apple brings their brand-new devices out from behind the curtain creating major buzz in the tech industry. This year’s iPhone 15 brings unprecedented hype and incredible features. The 4th quarter of the year has become known as the “Golden Quarter” because of the amazing sales growth you can capitalize on. Apple fans don’t miss a chance to upgrade to the latest and greatest, and sellers can’t afford to miss out on the opportunity.

RS&I is Fiber HQ, and we enable our Authorized Dealers all across the country to sell the best services in their local market. But some consumers may ask, “Why Fiber, and why should I care?”. Here’s a quick rundown of what Fiber means for your customers, and the incredible selling opportunities available to you.

Starting a business or creating growth in an existing one requires people who can effectively generate sales! After all, a business can’t exist without sales hitting their established goals. As such it is crucial to create a strong sales culture in your business and develop or hire people who can consistently sell. It’s sometimes said that certain people are just born with the “sales gene”. And while it may be true that some individuals have a natural aptitude for selling, you can develop people and sharpen their skill sets to mold them into great salespeople. Here are 3 key skills/traits to seek out and cultivate in your business to help drive success.

It seems like an almost-daily occurrence that we see news stories about organizations both large and small being the target of a cybersecurity attack. In today's digital age, cybersecurity should be a critical concern for businesses of all sizes. Small businesses often become attractive targets for cybercriminals due to their perceived limited resources and often less robust security measures. However, by addressing the unfortunate possibility proactively, you can greatly reduce the risk of your business becoming the next victim of cybercriminals. Below are some basics to help you take action that can help protect you and your livelihood. As a bonus, all of this information should be implemented for personal security too. Use these practices in your own life, and leverage them to assist your customers as their trusted technology expert! Please note that the information below serves only as guidelines – nothing can guarantee complete prevention.

Summer represents a season of opportunity, and for many, it presents a unique chance to grow sales. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an entrepreneur just starting out, harnessing the potential of summer sales can significantly increase your success. Here are some helpful guidelines to follow to maximize summer sales and/or door-to-door (D2D) efforts!

Selling at summer events is one of the very best ways to get face-to-face with massive amounts of potential customers and maximize your sales growth. Whether it’s county/state fairs, home/garden shows, street markets, concerts, rodeos, or even a parking lot/pop-up event, there are so many great opportunities to talk with large numbers of customers as people look to events for summer entertainment. Here are some quick tips to follow to capitalize on these hot spots for selling.

The quality of a sales team is often a major differentiator between a successful business and a not-so-successful one. It’s essential in driving revenue, creating customer relationships, and ensuring long-term growth for a business. However, building a high-caliber sales team requires thoughtful strategic hiring and effective leadership. Here are 5 tips to help you build and grow a successful team of sales all-stars!

Innovative smart home technology continues to see incredible increases in demand, as people are looking for ways to make their homes more comfortable, convenient, efficient, and secure. With projections showing that over half of U.S. consumers are expected to adopt smart home devices by 2025, Vivint is leading the industry to provide customers with a whole-home smart security solution built on cutting-edge technology.

Harnessing the energy of the sun has been around for a very long time, and in recent years residential solar power has become increasingly popular as people become more aware of the cost savings associated with producing their own electricity and the environmental benefits of this renewable energy. Almost everyone has seen a solar panel, but many may not know how it works to provide something so incredible!

Starting a business can be both exciting and challenging. One of the most important decisions you will make when starting a business is choosing the right companies and brands to partner with. As a Master Agent and National Distributor, one of the ways we set our dealers up for maximum success is by allowing them to offer multiple nationally-recognized industry-leading brands, without costs of inventory and/or franchising fees. Representing national brands can be a great option for new business owners as they can offer instantly recognized products that are in high demand. Here are 5 simple tips to help you get started building or expanding a business into new opportunities.

Fiber internet is the best connection available. High-demand internet use is becoming more common, for entertainment, work, education, and more. And with an ever-increasing number of devices connecting to any home network such as computers, TVs, phones, game consoles, security cameras, and smart home devices, your customers need a connection to handle it all.

What do you want to accomplish in 2023 with your business? Have you begun putting anything in place to get you where you want to go? Business growth doesn’t just happen – it takes deliberate effort and work. But Authorized Dealers partnered with RS&I don’t have to do it alone! Our dealers have dedicated Area Sales Managers and Account Executives to assist in driving sales, as well as a complete marketing team at our corporate office to help you execute winning strategies. Here are just a few tactics for you to consider as you set up your plans for the new year.

When partnered with RS&I, our Authorized Retailers benefit from having the support of a world-class sales organization to help grow their business through selling elite products and services from the tech industry’s top brand names. Internet service is one of those, and we’re happy to provide a solution for every customer all across the US.

When it comes to delivering the best possible TV-watching experience, DISH has always led the way. The Hopper 3 was a revolutionary device when it was released and still continues to be. But now it’s gotten even better with the brand-new Hopper Plus from DISH.

Perhaps you’re already one of our valued dealers. Maybe you’re selling DISH and have a decent market carved out for yourself. Or perhaps you’re selling T-Mobile Home Internet with us and making that your sole focus. Or maybe you’re someone with an established business selling other products and wanting to grow. Our most successful dealers are those who sell a wide variety of products and services with us, and you can easily join that elite group to make yourself even more money than you are currently!

At RS&I we are always striving to provide new and profitable sales programs to help our Authorized Retailers grow their business. The Sun has been around forever, but this is the beginning of the revolution, and we want you to be a part of it. We’re excited and pleased to announce that we have entered the Solar Energy market, through a partnership with Freedom Forever Solar. With this partnership, our dealers can sell solar energy in 29 states with more on the horizon! Learn the basics of this exciting new opportunity and get started selling solar today!

We pride ourselves on offering the best Authorized Retailer sales programs for our dealers, and our efforts to bring them opportunities best fit for their customers never end.

Events provide a fantastic opportunity for you to grow your sales, and with the summer event season right around the corner, now is the time to start planning and preparing events you can capitalize on. There are countless different types of events that can help boost your sales, here are just a few ideas.

The importance of a strong online presence for your business cannot be overstated. From driving sales, to generating a strong brand, to building strong customer relationships, the values are endless. Here’s a quick checklist for yourself to gauge where you stand, and improve your presence in some areas.

Many people take this time of the year to reflect and refocus for the new year, and it’s not too late to do it. Perhaps you have personal goals to measure against or things you want to improve about yourself this year. We absolutely encourage those kinds of things for your own well-being, but have you ever thought to apply the same approach to your sales and your business? Here are some suggestions to put your best foot forward in 2022.

Here at RS&I, we’re proud to be the source for our dealers to become 1-stop internet shops for their customers. With a wide variety of fantastic providers, we’ve got a solution no matter what your customers' needs might be.

RS&I Authorized Retailers utilize a wide variety of marketing tools in their business to generate sales traffic. While every market and product comes with differences, one marketing tool that is often overlooked is direct mail marketing.

As the country continues to make progress coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, events are coming back in many locations. And after a year of missing out, people are more eager than ever to attend them. Which gives you a wonderful opportunity to get in front of plenty of new faces and grow your business.

You probably already know that RS&I has a wide variety of internet service sales programs available to our dealers, allowing you to provide viable options to your customers regardless of what their needs or location might be. Through our Direct-to-Consumer sales program with T-Mobile operated by Caliber, you now can also sell T-Mobile Home Internet as an Authorized Agent.

Mobile hotspots are nothing new, but what if you could always ensure you're connected to whichever carrier has the best connection dependent on where you are at any moment, whether it be at home or on the go? GotSpot, which is the newest product offering from RevGen, gives you exactly that as an RS&I Authorized Retailer.

As we discussed in our last post, there are many ways to optimize digital efforts to grow your business. This time we’re talking about SEO and how you can use it to help increase traffic to your website.

An easy to find, online presence is one of the most essential things every business needs to have. There are many steps you can take to build a better online footprint. One of the first things you should do is utilize the Google My Business platform.

It’s no secret that access to the internet has become an integral part of everybody’s daily life. The invaluable applications for work, communication, and entertainment purposes are limitless. At RS&I, we are proud to work with our numerous partners and their national brands to offer Authorized Retailer programs that can provide internet solutions to nearly everybody, regardless of where they live in the US. And you can be the source for such vital services in your local area.

We talk a lot about the details of the myriad of products and services RS&I Authorized Retailers can provide to customers in their local markets. But the core of our capabilities and business practices are what make a retailer partnership with RS&I truly unmatched.

Peace of mind is invaluable, especially when it comes to protecting your home. Vivint Smart Home gives RS&I Authorized Retailers a way to give customers a whole home automation and security solution in one simple, professionally installed package.

You might be well-aware of all of the great sales programs we here at RS&I offer to our dealers for residential uses. But, what you may not know is that there is also massive opportunity to partner with RS&I and provide solutions to businesses of various sizes in your local market.

AirTV Anywhere is the newest device in the AirTV family of products available to RS&I Authorized Retailers. It brings with it a lot of great new features to give you an even better whole home solution to watch all of your OTA local channels at home or on the go.

Sprint has now officially joined forces with T-Mobile, and RS&I authorized retailers are able to be at the center of all the action!

Smart Home equipment and other connected devices throughout the home are intended to make our lives easier and more secure. But, if they’re not setup and managed properly, they can present vulnerabilities in your network and leave you open to attack. The good news is that with a few simple steps, you can easily ensure that your network remains safe and secure. As an RS&I authorized retailer, you can be the expert in calming customers’ concerns and helping them realize they can use these devices without worry.

With many Americans spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an unprecedented demand for products that make home life easier, more comfortable, and more secure. The Google Nest family of products driven by the sales power of DISH and RS&I are here to help you fulfill those needs for customers in your local area!

As an RS&I Authorized Retailer, you have the capability to offer a wide variety of communication solutions to small businesses. With Ooma Office, you can bring your customers a complete office phone system at a fantastic price.

We here at RS&I appreciate all of our wonderful retailers and partners. The work and services you’re providing to customers every day are essential, now more than ever. People need to remain connected, and we are proud to represent products that help people accomplish that with internet connectivity, TV services, and cellular phones.

Staying connected is essential for everybody, and RS&I is proud to provide many different authorized retailer programs to achieve that. The newest product to join the fold is GotW3. People in many locations across the US may not have easy or convenient options for home or travel internet connections, and GotW3 is a great solution for those people. 

Here at RS&I, we pride ourselves on providing the best authorized retailer programs the industry has to offer. DISH has always exemplified that spirit, and with new features and product offerings for all kinds of consumers, now is the time sell DISH with RS&I.

As streaming media services continue to grow in incredible popularity, the “cord-cutter” segment of consumers is one that is a powerful force in the marketplace. However, cord-cutters often find themselves in a position where they may want to watch some live TV programming, but still don’t want to pay for a traditional satellite or cable TV service. What can they do when it’s time to watch the big game and they’re left in the dark? RS&I's authorized dealership programs have the answer with DISH's new AirTV2 and AirTV mini devices.

In today’s world, it is integral to be connected at all times. Whether you’re working, communicating with friends and family members, monitoring your home’s security, controlling smart home devices, or simply viewing entertainment media, a consistent internet connection is important to everyone. We’ve all experienced locations in our homes that have weak WiFi signal or no signal at all. What if you could move throughout your entire home (and even your yard, garage, or shed) and never lose WiFi connection?

The smart home revolution is here, and RS&I has the authorized retailer programs featuring the best products that can put your business at the forefront of it all.

What is the one device that most people can’t leave their home without? It’s their mobile phone! The mobile phone keeps you connected to your world through text messaging, email, push notification, and actual phone calls. According to the PEW Research Center, 95% of the U.S. population has a cell phone and 77% of the U.S. population has a smartphone only. 

Creating a dynamic Internet presence is much more than checking off a list of digital marketing tactics. It's understanding how each of those tactics are related and connected to each other, which is what many professional marketers call a digital ecosystem.

At the center of a digital ecosystem is a company's main landing page. Every other online marketing tactic should branch out from or be redirected to a well-developed website. The main site doesn't need to be loaded with bells and whistles, it just needs to be a central hub where accurate service and contact information is displayed.

RS&I's job is to set authorized retailers up for success as a small business and that includes helping them understand the importance of having a functioning website to support all of their online marketing. Let's take a look at six steps an authorized retailer or any small business owner should consider for their digital marketing plan.

Our sales and marketing teams recently attended a door-to-door conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, where they had the privilege of rubbing shoulders with a lot of small business owners. After many discussions, the ability to help them add one of our authorized retailer programs to their current lineup of services became abundantly clear. RS&I is well positioned to be the opportunity hub for many different types of these small businesses.

Some of the highly interested business owners came from several different industries, such as roofing, automobile paintless dent removal, home automation and security, solar, and even windshield repair.

Whether you find yourself in one of these industries or a different one, now's the time to consider looking at one or more of the many opportunities made available through RS&I. There's a good chance we can help you meet your financial goals.

For those with larger amounts of real estate, getting Wi-Fi access to different areas of a property can be a challenge. Most home networks run on routers that can't get a strong Internet signal dispersed to other buildings or specific locations throughout a property.

One of our partners, Winegard, has developed a new Outdoor Access Point/Extender that brings an excellent solution to this problem. It connects to existing home networks and creates an outdoor network to cover previously unreachable areas.

By providing an increased Wi-Fi range, omni-directional antennas, an extended access point, and easy installation, Winegard's solution will get customers the connectivity wherever it's needed.

Have you ever tried hitting a clay pigeon with a single bullet? It takes some serious skill or a lot of luck, but most likely a lot of both skill and luck.

Trying to generate a sale with only one marketing tactic is a lot like trying to hit a clay pigeon with a single bullet. Chances are pretty high that you won't get that sale.

Just as a clay pigeon is meant to be hit by dozens of pellets from a shotgun shell, a sale is meant to be generated by using a variety of marketing tactics. Keeping this simple analogy in mind will help you take a broader approach to the tactics you use in 2019.

But while we're on the topic, let us help you do some brainstorming for the coming year.

Business owners with multiple TVs in one location have often had the onerous task of managing all those screens with all those remotes and making sure their customers are happy with what they're watching. It can quickly turn into a juggling act based on different customer preferences and requests.

What if every TV could be individually controlled from one central location? What if it was as easy as opening an app on a tablet and tapping a few selections to update all those TVs? No matching remotes with TVs. No finding lost remotes.

That's the beauty of DISH's new remote app—and it's called DISH OnePoint.

It was that time of year again. Last week, we held our annual national sales meeting in beautiful Idaho Falls, Idaho. It's a noteworthy event because it's the only time each year we're able to get our entire sales team from all nine of our locations together with our corporate partners.

Folks fly in from all over the country to be here. We learn a lot and we play a lot—all for the purpose of "sharpening our saws" and building stronger relationships.

The theme this year was "Y'all Tough Enough", which gave us an entertaining western style to each of the individual events over the course of four days. It also reminded us that we have what it takes to help our large network of small businesses succeed.

It's still time to believe in DISH's technology, especially when it comes to high-definition DVR receivers. As customers consider the number of TVs they have in their home to the amount of storage space they need to record their favorite movies and shows, they can put their trust in all of the technology DISH has to offer.

DISH Authorized Retailers, who run their own business selling DISH products and services in their local communities, can also put their trust in knowing their customers are able to experience the next-generation home entertainment that DISH provides.

But how does a customer know which DVR receiver to put into their home? How do they make the decision to pick the receiver that will match their wants and needs? Let us answer these questions as we break down the differences between the four best DVRs from DISH.

The fifth generation of America's #1 high-speed satellite Internet—known as HughesNet Gen5—provides a variety of options to keep businesses running at full speed. With its latest technology, Hughes has the ability to bring businesses faster speeds, more data and built-in WiFi.

Since a HughesNet satellite dish can be installed in just about any location across the continental United States, even remote or rural businesses can benefit from a secure and reliable Internet source. Every employee stays connected to their email, sales transactions, web surfing, and online files as needed.

Business owners can even choose to have satellite Internet as a backup service in case their primary service fails. They can also boost their WiFi to improve the signal strength throughout their location.

With HughesNet Gen5, they've got all their options and you can be the one to get them started when you become an authorized retailer.

When it's time to hit the road, it's time to think of TV watching solutions while you're away from home. Whether you're traveling in an RV, camper trailer, semi-truck, tailgating at the big game or just being an outdoor enthusiast of any kind, DISH has the answers to keep you in touch with your favorite shows and live sports events.

And you don't have to be tied to an Internet connection to stay on top of the latest episode or sports game either.

As TV watchers across the great United States consider how to keep a pulse on their favorite programming while on the go, the answer is simple—stay tuned in with DISH.

NuvoH2O has developed a solution to treat hard water without the use of salt and RS&I has teamed up with them to make it a strong business opportunity for our authorized retailers.

Our retailers are already in homes and businesses providing consumers with great options for TV, Internet, home automation and security, Internet phones, and energy solutions. Why not provide an option to sell an effective and safe water softening system?

We think it's a great idea, especially since only 25% of homeowners are treating their hard water. That means 75% of homeowners who live in hard water areas could be benefiting from this independently proven water treatment system.

Since teaming up with Vivint Smart Home, it's been an excellent sales option for our authorized dealers throughout a majority of the United States. Along with all of the other products and services dealers can sell by partnering with RS&I, providing customers with the leading smart home and automation service from Vivint has been a rewarding experience for everyone involved.

Although, several of our dealers have identified a specific need.

The ability to actually install a Vivint system has been previously reserved for Vivint's technicians only. Until recently, our authorized dealers have only been able to complete the sell and then pass the installation onto the Vivint team. But now, our dealers have both options!

Over-the-air television is making a comeback. Before 2009, it wasn't a highly favored way to watch TV because of its analog signals that were often spotty and blurry. When the laws changed in the United States, the signal went from analog to digital and residents across the nation were able to get clear reception in high definition. 

With all of today's TV-viewing options and their associated costs, over-the-air (OTA) broadcasting provides some relief. It has taken a while to catch on, but more and more viewers are seeing the benefit of getting a good antenna to provide them with free local channels and a high quality image.

Recently, the RS&I team set out to capture an example of a DISH showroom that one of our local authorized retailers set up in their store to help potential customers understand the many benefits and options of getting the DISH service in their homes.

It is a great looking showroom.

The staff was decked out in apparel that represented their own business and the DISH business well. The front desk was equipped with TVs and stools to let customers be at ease as they check out the features of the service and discuss which options will work for their individual needs. 

Most of all, it was well branded, clean and welcoming to any visitors. For anyone looking to become a DISH Authorized Retailer, you'll want to consider what you can do to present the pay-TV service in a professional looking storefront. Get started by reviewing some of the helpful tips laid out in this brief article.

Several important events happened this year for RS&I and we want to take a moment to focus our rear view mirror on the top five biggest stories. Between a new rocket launch, effective marketing tips and new business-to-business opportunities, there is a lot of information to cover.

Each summarized story below has enough highlights to help you achieve a good understanding of the topic and you can dive into any or all of them to get more details as desired.

As you know, marketing plans need to be fluid as you adjust for the unexpected scenarios that regularly arrive at the door step of every small business owner. As soon as you think you know where you're headed, you may have to adapt to new information, delays or even a new strategy.

But having a marketing plan in place is crucial to the overall success of any business these days. A solid plan sets you on solid ground and gives you the direction you need to get the word out about the products and services you offer.

As you refuse to settle for the mediocre, take a look at the tips we'll review below to help you brainstorm some new ideas for your own marketing practices. After all, the new year is upon us and you'll want to make 2018 another big success.

All of the opportunities available to authorized retailers through RS&I aren't just services for residential consumers. There are several, highly-valuable options for commercial applications too. 

Many businesses across America are getting access to better and better technology to help them run more efficiently, especially in the rural communities. Thanks to the Internet and other similar or related services, these businesses can now operate at a faster pace and provide their customers with a better experience than ever before.

With this growing need in today's economy, you can help these businesses succeed by becoming an authorized retailer and helping them get set up with any combination of the services mentioned below.

Last week, we held our 2017 National Sales Meeting in beautiful Idaho Falls, Idaho. It's an annual event where we bring our entire sales team into one location to be trained by our management team and business partners, to boost our social strength and to enjoy some fun events. It gets everyone on the same page and re-energizes us for the coming year.

We thought we would give you a bird's eye view into the meeting to see the effort we put into building a top-notch sales team. It's a great way to help you get to know RS&I. After all, we're extremely focused on helping others become an authorized retailer and incorporating each opportunity we offer into their line of products and services.

The latest and greatest satellite Internet service was just launched by Hughes in March of 2017. In just a matter of months, over 200,000 consumers and businesses across the U.S. have already upgraded their service to plans featuring 25 Mbps. That level of speed is huge for Internet provided by a satellite. In fact, it provides the best available service for rural communities that can't get access to higher speeds and the demand is still sky high in an ever growing rural market.

But that's not where the story ends.

Hughes already has their sights on the next-generation satellite, as announced in their latest press release. It'll be an Ultra High Density Satellite (UHDS) bringing significant increases in service performance and it's set to launch in early 2021, less than four short years away.

HughesNet is already America's #1 choice for satellite Internet and it's only going to get better. Those who establish a business as a HughesNet Authorized Retailer right now have an extremely bright future ahead — you might even call it future proof.

CenturyLink is constantly improving its Fiber Internet network to bring customers a reliable and affordable solution for their everyday Internet needs. Customers have the opportunity to choose from a wide selection of speeds to make sure they get the service they want. They can also get a home phone service that gives families additional options, such as when the younger kids don't have a cell phone and need to talk to their friends or even for a home-based business for mom or dad. Internet plus phone is still a great combination to help households across the country to stay connected to an ever-connected world.

It also makes a great revenue stream for small businesses that want to sell CenturyLink as an authorized retailer. And RS&I, a master distributor and sales agent, has teamed up with CenturyLink to provide such an opportunity for entrepreneurs and business owners.

There are many reasons to become a CenturyLink Authorized Retailer. Let's take a look at seven of the best benefits.

You always hear about thinking outside the box to generate new ideas and efficiencies. But what if you took all of those ideas and put them back into an actual box?

That's exactly what Digital Electronic Supply (DES) has done with their boxes of cable and RS&I is proud to partner with such an innovative company. It provides our authorized retailers who install satellite TV and Internet with an excellent solution for their everyday installation needs.

DES manufactures a wide variety of cable types, including several variations of RG6. The key to their success, according to many technicians, is their convertible box that was engineered with the technician in mind to facilitate an efficient cable feed while protecting the box from potential damage at the same time. The "Reel-In-A-Box" packaging has a number of features that make their packaging truly tech-friendly.

When deciding which marketing tactics to pursue, be sure to consider signs that can be put up in a yard or on the roadside. With a professional look and a simple call-to-action, these signs can be an effective and non-invasive way to build your brand in your local community. 

As you are respectful to your local public and private properties, you'll find yard signs to be a good way to educate others about your products and services. The most important lesson to follow when it comes to yard signs is to be respectful of where you put them in the ground. If you offend property owners or get in trouble with local law enforcement, your reputation may suffer and it could prevent you from getting the return on investment you need.

Do your homework and follow these best practices for placing yard signs to grow your business with this strategic way of advertising.

How long does it take to make a first impression? Whether the result is good or bad, it takes much less time to make a first impression than most people think. 

Some may think they have 30 seconds to knock it out of the park. Others may assume their impression is solidified by the time they greet someone and shake their hand. However, research shows that a first impression is made within one tenth of a second, which is in almost no time at all!

If you're thinking of becoming an authorized retailer or even if you're an existing one, be sure to follow these six tips to help you make a great impression – right from the beginning, every single time. 

DISH has recently launched a whole new marketing campaign geared towards listening to their customers and showing how they plan to solve the greatest TV-viewing issues.

The campaign starts out with an older gentlemen known as The Spokeslistener™. He's a gentle, yet distinguished individual that is highly interested in listening to customer pain points and calmly addresses each one through a series of engaging, clever and funny commercials.

He's also clear to point out that he's not a spokesman, because that's the old way of doing things. Instead, he sets out to be one of the best, trustworthy listeners as he tackles the everyday issues with attempting to view our favorite TV shows.

If you've ever thought about the opportunity to become a HughesNet Authorized Retailer, now is the time!

Why?

As explained in one of our latest blog articles called World's Highest-Capacity Broadband Satellite Launched Successfully, Hughes is getting geared up to provide the best high-speed satellite Internet service ever and it'll cover nearly the entire United States. 

The goal is to have the new satellite service, called HughesNet Gen5, fully functional by April 1, 2017. That's in less than two months! For any households or businesses that have struggled to find great Internet service, especially in rural markets, HughesNet Gen5 is the solution. Millions of customers in the U.S. will be wanting and needing the better internet service to handle all of their daily Internet-surfing and TV-streaming activities.

And that's exactly why now is the time to become a HughesNet Authorized Retailer.

DISH's brand new AirTV was a big hit earlier this month at CES 2017! It shows how DISH is leading the market when it comes to providing every TV viewing option possible to consumers.

In fact, AirTV won a big award at CES. It was recognized as the Best Home Theater Product by Engadget. They spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out the winner, but it was the combination of streaming content and over-the-air broadcast TV that clenched the deal for AirTV. No one else has created a user interface that blends these TV viewing options into one location on your television set. 

What an extraordinary product!

Success! EchoStar XIX launched triumphantly on December 18, 2016, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It will be the world's highest-capacity broadband satellite in orbit, powering the growth of HughesNet - America's number one choice for satellite Internet - to deliver more speed, more data and more advanced features to consumers and small businesses from coast to coast. 

Rural America will be more connected than ever before because of this brand new high-throughput satellite. EchoStar XIX is set to power the next generation of satellite Internet service, called HughesNet® Gen5, for potentially millions of customers.

Many, many consumers have been waiting for a better option to link themselves to the ever-connected Internet world and they are about to get their chance. In early 2017, EchoStar XIX will be fully functional and HughesNet will be providing an even bigger, better, more reliable satellite Internet service than anyone else - as usual.

"Oops. I dropped the ball."

It's a phrase that many small business owners are bound to use from time to time. But it's also a concept they come to embrace — simply because they often consider themselves as risk takers. After all, it takes guts to set out and accomplish a vision that others may not deem as possible or achievable.

In fact, in most cases, small business owners have to be willing to look a little foolish or irrational to everyone watching from the sidelines. Because, try as they might, they are bound to fail. Not once. Not twice. But it's likely they will fail multiple times as they attempt to pursue their dreams. Yes, they'll drop the ball. They'll even trip and stumble sometimes as they attempt to sprint to the goal line.

Yet, even though failure hits the fan, they often come out on top in the end.

So how do they get beyond the whole risk taking thing and lead a small business with passion and success? What are the ingredients to that recipe? And how does it all play out?

Vivint continues to be front and center in many aspects of the smart home arena. They have emerged as the biggest smart home player largely because of everything they do to take care of their customers.

The kind of service they provide allows customers to come away with confidence in using their products for the long run. And Vivint's in-house products are simply the proof of their ability to invent the best user experience possible.

In addition, it's a seriously awesome business opportunity for anyone that wants to help others obtain a smart home through Vivint. With RS&I, you can become a Vivint.SmartHome Authorized Retailer and make it a viable business venture. Below are just three of the many compelling reasons why you can succeed with Vivint.

RS&I is among the nation's leading fulfillment service providers with more than 45 years of highly successful experience meeting distribution, warehousing, delivery and installation needs. We make sure our current network of over 2,500 authorized retailers has every piece of equipment they need to get the job done in a timely manner.

We manage an integrated distribution network of nine strategically located sales and distribution centers serving the western U.S. Having nine different locations means product is always available at the nearest location when one of our retailers needs to place an order.

With the close proximity of our distribution centers, it also saves time and money for our retailers.

Hundreds of business opportunities are available in the market today. You can pick everything from franchises, to investments, to e-commerce, to authorized retailerships and more. But why choose Vivint? What benefits can you expect as a retailer? And why would your customers choose Vivint?

To quickly summarize the answers to these questions, Vivint provides a simple and affordable smart home solution. Everything they do is to make life better for their customers and to even save their customers' lives when disaster strikes. It's a mission they're happy to pursue and it's a whole lot of fun.

When you team up with RS&I and Vivint, you get to go after the same mission. And yes, you can earn a significant amount of income at the same time.

Take a little time to read below and see what you could accomplish as an Authorized Retailer.

Getting off the starting line is the first accomplishment as an authorized retailer. But what you do next will have a big impact on the future of your business.

So the question remains, what should you do next? While there may be an assortment of strategies and ways to grow your business, we've identified four specific ways to create some competition with other small businesses.

Many businesses miss the boat by not following these four guidelines, but if you put them into place on a regular basis, you'll be sure to set yourself apart.

Let's take a look.

It doesn't look tough, because it's skinny. But it's a game changer in the pay-TV industry. DISH is the first to embark on an adventure of offering a new skinny TV bundle without requiring an Internet connection.

That's right. Consumers can now choose a smaller selection of TV channels they actually watch for a better price with DISH's new Flex Pack - and they don't need to stream anything from the Internet!

It was announced on August 4, 2016, and it's sending ripples all throughout the more "muscular" pay-TV packages that have dominated the industry for decades. The whole purpose is to give consumers an opportunity to not pay for what they don't watch. It's that simple.

Have you seen all of the technology released by DISH in 2016? It packs a ton of value for consumers. From the world's most powerful DVR to a portable TV-watching hard drive and a voice-activated remote, every customer will have their needs met.

You may have already heard about the Hopper 3, HopperGO and the newest DISH remote. But, if you haven't already, it's worth researching some of the best features in each of these brand new products. You'll be extra impressed as you skim through the highlights below.

We've all heard of home security. It usually means to install some sort of system to keep strangers from getting into our homes and stealing our stuff. No one wants to have their brand new 65-inch TV ripped off the wall or lose their prized collection of antiques. And that makes perfect sense. But what's the next step beyond home security and how can it enhance our lives?

Most people have heard about home automation and they may even have some level of automated system installed in their home. It's a rapidly growing market and it's important to educate everyone about what a quality home automation system can provide.

We'll highlight some of the most advanced features and benefits of home security and automation in this article and how you can make it a part of your home and even how to make it a business opportunity - if that's what you decide.

The entrepreneurial spirit is still alive and well in the world today. Existing marketers and salesmen want to know how to expand their portfolios. Many moms and dads are looking to stay at home or reduce the number of hours and jobs they work by finding ways to earn extra income. And college graduates aspire to start their own businesses without a boatload of upfront costs.

The questions remain: Where do you start? And how can you get your foot in the door to an excellent sales opportunity?

Well, we feel like we have some excellent answers to these questions.

RS&I has partnered up with five different companies that include sales-only solutions. That means when you team up with one or all of the five programs, you’ll find low start up costs with established brands and plenty of marketing, sales and training support. No equipment or installation costs are required. All you have to do is complete the sale and earn the extra income you need.

As a quick side note, each of these five programs do require an approval from RS&I and each of the respective companies to begin selling. You'll need to meet certain requirements. The good news is, our sales team will be able to walk you through the approval process for each program, which we've already done for thousands of authorized retailers.

Take a few minutes to learn about each of these awesome direct sales opportunities below.

When it's event season, how are you going to make sure you're ready to pull off a successful event?

In-person marketing at state, county and local events is a powerful way to build consumer awareness of your business and generate sales and leads. It also takes concerted effort to pull off a successful event. We have put together the three best practices for event marketing.

It's as easy as: 1. Identify, 2. Execute and 3. Evaluate.

Follow these three steps to make sure your next event gets you the results you need! Take a few minutes to see if you've covered all your bases.

Entrepreneurs are awesome. You could say with a great deal of confidence that entrepreneurs are some of the most passionate and driven individuals in today's business world. And rightly so. There is a ton of opportunity still out there and many small businesses need to be started to create the economic competition of the American dream.

But how do these great entrepreneurs keep their businesses safe – from the very beginning?

It's a great question, because not every small business is set up from the get-go to make sure its business model will be protected from unscrupulous acts – both from inside and outside of the organization.

Not every business needs a physical fence built around it to keep the bad stuff out. However, what types of "virtual fences" need to be built? For example, what kinds of safeguards should be put in place around employees, partners, processes and every other aspect of business?

If you've previously thought about these questions or if you'd like to make sure you've already covered your bases, take a look at the four topics we've listed below. The goal is to help make sure every small business gets a "virtual fence" built, so they can focus on growing sales and profits.

When you team up with RS&I to become a Vivint.SmartHome Authorized Retailer, you get much more than just a business opportunity that you have you build all by yourself. You'll get to work with our phenomenal sales team, receive excellent training to get you on your feet and you'll have a host of pre-approved marketing materials that are ready to use to promote your new business.

That's right. In addition to everything else, you'll have pre-approved marketing materials that you can start using on day one and you don't have to invest the time and energy to develop them yourself. As a master sales agent, RS&I works directly with Vivint to get several pieces of marketing material approved and you get to benefit from our work.

Let's quickly explore the top Vivint marketing materials available.

RS&I is here to make sure you've got everything you need to be successful as an authorized retailer with any of our various programs. This blog series of "What to Expect as You Begin Your Authorized Retailer Journey" is designed to get you the information you need to get started quickly.

If you didn't get a chance to read the first part of this series, you should take a little time to review the helpful instructions and content found in that article. It'll get you going on creating a solid business plan in no time!

This second part of the series focuses on reviewing the business plan you've established and outlining what you need to do next. You'll see the need to begin developing a marketing plan, finishing up any required paperwork and acquiring some of the basics you'll need to begin working.

Let's review your next action items!

Have you been considering a new business opportunity with RS&I, but you're not sure how to begin? By now you've probably seen that we offer a wide variety of authorized retailer options to boost your profitability. You can get set up to sell and/or install DISH, HughesNet, Vivint.SmartHome, CenturyLink, RingCentral and consumer electronics.

And we make the "getting started" process as streamlined as possible.

With nine offices and warehouses in the western U.S., we bring our sales and distribution team to a location as close to you as possible. You won't find a similar or better option within our territory. From the very beginning, our team focuses on helping you get ready to sell and/or install a variety of popular products in today's industry.

Let us explain what you can expect as you get the ball rolling on your next journey.

When you get set up as a DISH Authorized Retailer through RS&I, you'll be granted access to DISH's online marketing tool – called BrandDRIVE. It came out in the middle of 2015 and is now in full swing to provide funding and marketing assistance to every authorized retailer.

Its simple, straightforward interface makes using the site effortless, meaning you can spend less time in front of your computer and more time in front of your customers. Who wouldn't want that for their business?

Essentially every marketing tactic you need to be Co-opable is available through BrandDRIVE. This means as you build your business, you earn Co-op funds to assist you with paying for your marketing campaigns with a one-stop-shop ordering system.

It's up to you how you use it, but as you can see below you'll be amazed with everything BrandDRIVE offers.

Vivint is already set to have an amazing year. Several new innovations were recently announced at CES 2016 and the word is getting out about how advanced Vivint is with home automation and security.

The doorbell camera and indoor camera will provide the sneak peak every homeowner wants as they strive to protect their most valued possessions. And the integration with Amazon's Echo and the Nest will give users an entirely new way to interact with their smart home.

With all of these advancements in technology, there truly has never been a better time to become a Vivint Authorized Retailer through RS&I. We are a master sales agent for Vivint, which means we are able to get you set up with this amazing business opportunity. It's profitable for you and affordable for your customers.

But first, let's take a look at all of this new technology!

Hughes announced some exciting results from a new report recently released by the FCC. HughesNet Satellite Internet has now been ranked No. 1 in delivering advertised speeds!

What does this mean for new and existing HughesNet Authorized Retailers? It means a lot. Let's take a look at a few key talking points.

DISH did it again. At CES 2016, they just announced new technology that's going to take TV viewing to a whole new level. There's never been a better time to be a DISH Authorized Retailer than right now!

So what's the good news? Let's take a look.

Back in June of 2015, we posted an article called “5 Honestly Great Reasons to Be a Vivint Authorized Retailer”. It explains five excellent reasons that should motivate business owners to add Vivint to their portfolio of product offerings. Well, the truth is there are even more amazing reasons to become an Authorized Retailer with Vivint. We could explain another 20 or 30 reasons, but let’s focus in on five more intriguing reasons to show why it’s a beneficial business opportunity.

The reasons to become a DISH Authorized Retailer continue to pile up. Everyday DISH customers are enjoying the technical innovations provided by DISH; advances like the Hopper® and DISH Anywhere™ have changed the way the world enjoys their television programming. That technical innovation continues with the introduction of the 4K Joey – which is coming soon!

Many entrepreneurs get their business plan set in place, but they don’t spend the time to fully develop a marketing plan. The marketing efforts are often overlooked and one plan without the other can often be the cause of not getting started correctly.

But where do you begin as you attempt to make a solid marketing plan? Well, we have outlined the process below and we feel like we have some pretty awesome ideas to put you on the right path. You’ll not only save time, but you’ll know you have a solid plan developed to create the exponential growth you want.

Go through the questions below and do your best to answer each one. You may not have all the answers just yet, but do your best to think through each question and come back to any of them as often as needed. Keep in mind, that even though you may be able to fill out your plan right now, you will want to keep your plan in a fluid state – making changes as needed to get the right results.

And remember to download the marketing plan workbook below to help you write everything down. It’s specifically designed to help authorized retailers or new business owners with their marketing efforts.

Talk about an excellent opportunity. RS&I has teamed up with several partners to create a robust business venture for anyone looking to build their own business. As long as you’re approved, you can quickly diversify your portfolio to be an authorized retailer for DISH, HughesNet, Vivint, CenturyLink and/or RingCentral.

Hitting the bulls-eye with your marketing efforts is a key to success for any authorized retailer. You want to get your name out there, but where do you start and how do you execute your plan?

Vivint continues to take a commanding role in the home automation and security industry. RS&I has teamed up with them as a master sales agent to provide qualified professionals the opportunity to become a Vivint Authorized Retailer.

The economy is due to pick back up at the end of 2015 because of increased consumer spending, construction, home sales and home building – all spurred by more jobs and higher wages.

But there are still few business opportunities that provide a low upfront investment with an established brand, expert training and financial support. The average franchise fee is $20,000 to $30,000 and it’s common to run into different economical requirements that a franchisee has to meet to even qualify.

That’s where being a DISH Authorized Retailer makes a lot of sense.

Running an event and executing a successful event are two very different things. In order to be successful at an event you need to come prepared. There are multiple factors that contribute to success – from appearance of your staff and event space, to how well your sales staff is trained, to how effectively you follow-up with leads at the event.

Events can be a very cost effective way to grow your sales and build your brand. They give you an opportunity to sell face-to-face and to demonstrate your product. Often times the leads you gather at events continue to produce sales even after it is done.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, but these four tips will help you run a successful event as an authorized dealer.

Hughes has over 40 years of experience making them both a pioneer and a leader in the satellite communications industry. If you are thinking about selling satellite Internet, there is not a better solution than HughesNet High-Speed Satellite Internet. Plus, with over 15 million consumers who are either without Internet or still using dial-up there is a HUGE business opportunity.

With the right company and the right opportunity, the question is how to sell the product. We want to share three tips to help you sell HughesNet High-Speed Internet. Check 'em out below.

Vivint is not another dime-a-dozen opportunity. In fact, Vivint is well positioned to take a commanding role in the home automation and security industry. Their products and services are top-notch and they give customers the ability to stay comfortable and save money at the same time.

But, why would you want to be a part of it? Well, there are five honestly great reasons to sell Vivint. Check 'em out.

When you boil everything down, you want to be successful as an authorized dealer. It’s pretty simple to understand the objective, but who do you trust to help you reach your goals?

RS&I has over 45 years of sales and distribution experience. Over those 45 years we’ve learned what it takes for us to be successful as a company, and for an authorized dealer to flourish. You’ve got to have an excellent partnership, strong support and the right business tools – and that’s where we come into the picture. Take a look at these four ways RS&I helps an established network of over 2,500 authorized dealers to build success:

Getting your name and brand into today’s market is crucial to the success of your business. Anyone who has ever been interested in growing their business is constantly trying to find ways to effectively promote their products and services. Makes sense, right?

Well, sometimes you may need help.

RS&I has been supporting authorized retailers with their marketing efforts for over 10 years. In fact, we have our own in-house advertising agency called EZ-Marketing.

Yes, we’ve been around a while. As you learn about the history of RS&I, you'll come to find we are a privately owned, national sales and distribution company with a 45-year track record of success, which speaks for itself. Currently, our primary expertise is in the development and administration of authorized dealership programs.

Founded in the late 1960s, we have grown to include nine full-service sales and distribution centers serving a network of more than 2,500 independent retailers throughout the western United States.

Authorized dealership opportunities in satellite TV, internet, and home automation services are the backbone of our business. They are complemented by opportunities in phone services and commercial and consumer electronics. As a pioneer in these fields, we know how to bring these products and services to market in an efficient and profitable way – which greatly benefits our current network of retailers.

So, how did it all start?

By now you also probably know that picking the right authorized dealership opportunity isn’t easy, and takes work. There are many important questions you need to ask, and a fair amount of research to do.

You may have already asked some of these questions, and done some research, and arrived at RingCentral as another option for you and your business. If not, then please consider reading our blog post “What Should You Look for in Becoming an Authorized Dealer?” It will help guide you through the process of researching and selecting the authorized dealership opportunities best suited for your business.

There are lots of important questions to ask when researching an authorized dealership opportunity. Is the company credible? What’s your earning potential? What’s the required investment? What kind of support can you expect from the company whose product or service you are selling? And, does it fit well with your business model?

When researching any authorized retailer opportunity, there are some important questions to ask. Is the company whose products you want to sell credible? What is the earning potential? Are there costs to enter the business? What kind of service and support can you expect from the company whose product or service you are selling? And, perhaps most importantly, does it fit with your business and your goals?

That's a great question. There are some important things to ask when researching any authorized dealership opportunity. For example, is the company whose products you want to sell credible? What is your earning potential? Is there an upfront investment? What kind of support do you get from the company whose product or service you are selling? And, does it fit with your business model?

Building a successful business doesn’t have to require an investment of tens of thousands of dollars on a franchise, developing a groundbreaking product, or implementing an unproven business model. Although they won’t be easy, the requirements for success in building an Authorized Dealership are time-tested and proven to work. You will need to invest the time to understand the right opportunity, plan for success, and fully commit yourself.

In this article, we will summarize and connect the last three articles in this four part series.

In the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, a runner from Great Britain named Roger Banister didn’t win the gold medal he was favored to win. Even though he had set a new British record, his goal was to be in first place. Feeling like he had let down his family, friends and country, he was bent on restoring their faith in him.

Banister then made a decision. He was going to run the mile in under four minutes, something never before done. He spent the next two years training intensely, pushing himself harder than ever before. Finally, on May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister reached his goal and ran a mile in under four minutes, breaking through a barrier many experts thought impossible.

You’ve probably heard the old proverb, “he who fails to plan, plans to fail.” As seemingly simple as this concept is, it couldn’t be more accurate, especially when it comes to setting up and running a successful Authorized Dealership. If you want to sell a product or service on behalf of another company as an Authorized Dealer, it is critical to have a well-thought-out, written business plan.

In fact most, if not all, companies offering Authorized Dealership opportunities require a written business plan as a part of the approval process. To help you out, here are five fundamentals of writing a good business plan for an Authorized Dealership opportunity.

If you’re here, there’s a good chance that you’re interested in knowing how to become an Authorized Dealer. But, what in the world does that mean and why would you want to become one? Also, how do you know if you’re turning over the right stones to find a legitimate opportunity?

Well, keep reading. The answers to these questions will help you make an informed decision.