SFI Achievers ... Post YOUR SFI Successes Here

[GT]

Hi, chooch:

I think SFI's intentions are good, but their methods over the past year have been upsetting some of their most loyal affiliates.

I know there are many struggling SFI affiliates who have been doing their best to learn the business, generate some sales and sponsor some new affiliates but have not yet had a lot of success. It seems like even though they are working hard behind the scenes, if they don't show any observable results, they get penalized. That may not be how SFI sees it, but that is definitely how some SFI affiliates feel about it.

GT

[Roy J. Keller]

Originally Posted by chooch

Looks like SFI is shaking the tree to weed out all the none active affiliates. I joined SFI last month and made EA in 3 days. Big Whoop. This month I'm having problems earning the points required to stay an EA, without buying my way in. Sure I have 7 affiliates under me...but only one has even signed-in this month. So I'm glad that they have a 500 VP point each month to stay active....hopefully if I get my EA again this month...I'll be assigned some affiliates that are least trying.

Hey Chooch,

This will not keep you at EA but if you have not yet joined the EyeEarn Co-Op for a one time payment of $20 you could do that and it will bring in new affiliates each month that you stay active as well as secure your position so that you are not required to get those pesky 500VP each month. As long as you re-activate each month(which gets you 100VP each month).

Another way to look at it is ask yourself if running your own business at the level of EA is worth $20 to $30 per month to you. Are you worth that much? If you are serious about having your own business and in time taking complete control of your own financial future then the answers should be yes and if so you will find the way to come up with that small amount each month. Maybe just one or two less trips to a pizza joint or fast food place and you got it. Just my opinions no disrespect meant!

Regards,
Roy

P.S. Just a quick look at points: Send a group mail from genealogy each week 120VP
re-active EyeEarn each month............................................. .................. 100VP
click your home page everyday.......................................... .................... 60VP
click your alerts page everyday.......................................... .................... 60VP
click the New TC items page everyday.......................................... ........... 60VP
Total just with these............................................. ............................... 400VP
Now you only need to buy something that gives you 1100VP(can get this at $20 or less) or get more sign-ups and encourage them to make EA or higher that will earn you 10VP when they reach 600VP and another 100VP when they make EA. The possiblities are endless when you think about it.

[ReneeRBO]

Wow! Can't wait for my day in the sun like that! Very impressive.

[ReneeRBO]

Originally Posted by LOTNET7

This month's commissions were a bit higher than previous months. At least it is able to pay itself and leave something to help me advertise and market SFI. The trouble I have is how to motivate the other free affiliates. I do write to them, only a few respond, others do not log into their accounts. I don't know if everyone is experiencing this kind of draw back on 'downline'. There are about 500 plus affiliate... Any ideas please!!

Yeah, it is frustrating when most don't do anything to move ahead. Just need more signups to get those diamonds in the rough! Hope things have turned around for you.

[ReneeRBO]

Originally Posted by LOTNET7

This month's commissions were a bit higher than previous months. At least it is able to pay itself and leave something to help me advertise and market SFI. The trouble I have is how to motivate the other free affiliates. I do write to them, only a few respond, others do not log into their accounts. I don't know if everyone is experiencing this kind of draw back on 'downline'. There are about 500 plus affiliate... Any ideas please!!

It has been hard to motivate them. I guess we need to add, add, add so we can get the diamond in the rough!

[chooch]

I have lost about a dozen affiliates since the big shake up. I have probably half of them reach EA status the first month. Then the second month they disappear, because they have a hard time getting their points. No matter what I do to encourage them. It's like beating your head against a wall. GEEEEZZZZ

[hushy]

Simple. Maintain the EA status by buyin gthe 1500VP points. I do and its reoccuring so I no longer have to sweat it. I then coninue to promot the PIPs system. Eventually with ehough people you will be earing good money.

[Willmarathon]

None of what I have read will make you any money. I know how to make money in
SFIMG and I started the SFIMG Web Success Team about a year ago and the requirements are that you have to do all the training ASAP,then get all the bennies,
spend at least 1500 VersaPoints every month, buy their very healthy products and sell products on TripleClicks. I teach team members where to find products.
I also have a very involved and developing Co-op which is much better than the PIPS Co-op where I spent $1000 last April and still have not seen one sign up. I rank anywhere from 26th to 30th overall and not because I wrote a lot of articles although I have written some. If you join three of my teams I will show you another way to make cash anytime you want to pay for any expenses in PIPS programs if you live in USA or Canada. You could make up to $300 a week. Not a lot of money but you will immediately be in profit compared to joining SFI and then trying to recruit with the old standard article or affiliate site.

[Malcolm Tindle]

Hi,

I am a long time SFI member who has worked hard to recruit and build a strong team. All Gery Carson wants now is to build some sort of eBay with his TripleClicks section and if you are prepared to buy goods from there or get others in your team to buy then forget it.

I now make just enough each month to pay my EA status and if that ever falls below what I need I will quit SFI which will be a sad day as they were the first program to pay me any money on the Internet but some very hard working and talented people have had their earnings decimated with the 'new' SFI.

As others have said it is very difficult now to keep new EA's as getting to that rank is easy but after the first month they realise that it's really difficult to get to 3,000 SVP's if they want to be a BTL or they can pay for 1500 SVP’s to keep their EA status which will cost them at least $19.90 by buying 10 X TC credits at $1.90 each.. Try telling that to GC in the SFI forum and you will get a sharp rebuke from him or one of his moderators which really hacks me off after all the work I have put in.


Mal.

[Roy J. Keller]

Hi Mal,

I hear what your saying about incomes dropping way off and one must be careful with comments at the forum since they do tend to be so sold on their new system and they really do not like hearing about the negative side of things. Now people like Stone and Ewen and others that have built up a huge downline may not have noticed that big of a drop in income but those of us that were just starting to profit really got hit bad and continue to do so.

I know that I lost well over 800 nearly 900 affiliates on the first purge but that did include my co-sponsorships and since they are gone just how good were they anyway. I do like the purge system a lot, but not crazy about this VP system. It gives the lazy I do not want to work for my income affiliate false hopes when they make EA or even Team Leader their first month then they realize they will need to work, sell and possibly buy something and then they never bother to log in again.

I have been there since Oct.2005 even before I joined PIPS in 1/06 but not sure how much longer I will continue to spend more than I earn in commissions. I just think it is much harder to make Team Leader now. Unless you go against the rules and use some form of email blaster or safelist. Which IMHO that's what those people on the top enrollers list are doing every day. I mean come on now 50 to 100 new people a day for days in a row, which is what you see them getting.

Oh, well I guess I'll continue to tread water a little longer and try to find the answers since I have been there so long and I do like the products I buy from there.

Regards,
Roy

[Roy J. Keller]

Originally Posted by Olliep

I was going to try this program BUT once I start searching over the internet I seen where they had a few complaints so I decide not to. But I have heard some go things too!

Hi Olliep,

SFI is a solid, honest and trusted successful business and has been around since the beginning of time but they have from time to time made big changes in the affiliate program and as we all know not all changes will be liked every time. Some say it just takes time to get used to all the changes and to tweak the way you do things but that can be costly in both time and cash some times. I have been with SFI since late 2005 and I do love their products and that part is growing every day. The new point system is where I have my dislikes. Other than that I am ok and feel that I just need to focus more on retail sales than getting new affiliates. The problem with that is that you can make more as a team leader and you can not be that without new affiliates on a regular basis.

Regards,
Roy

[Malcolm Tindle]

Originally Posted by Roy J. Keller

Hi Mal,

I hear what your saying about incomes dropping way off and one must be careful with comments at the forum since they do tend to be so sold on their new system and they really do not like hearing about the negative side of things. Now people like Stone and Ewen and others that have built up a huge downline may not have noticed that big of a drop in income but those of us that were just starting to profit really got hit bad and continue to do so.

I know that I lost well over 800 nearly 900 affiliates on the first purge but that did include my co-sponsorships and since they are gone just how good were they anyway. I do like the purge system a lot, but not crazy about this VP system. It gives the lazy I do not want to work for my income affiliate false hopes when they make EA or even Team Leader their first month then they realize they will need to work, sell and possibly buy something and then they never bother to log in again.

I have been there since Oct.2005 even before I joined PIPS in 1/06 but not sure how much longer I will continue to spend more than I earn in commissions. I just think it is much harder to make Team Leader now. Unless you go against the rules and use some form of email blaster or safelist. Which IMHO that's what those people on the top enrollers list are doing every day. I mean come on now 50 to 100 new people a day for days in a row, which is what you see them getting.

Oh, well I guess I'll continue to tread water a little longer and try to find the answers since I have been there so long and I do like the products I buy from there.

Regards,
Roy

Hi Roy,

I agree with your comments about SFI, I also think they are a solid, established company who can be rightly proud of what they have achieved. With the new VP system a lot of established members, many of which visit this forum have found their income decimated.

It doesn’t really matter that much if you live in the US or not although I suppose it is easier if you are selling products but I have no interest whatsoever in this. I love Internet marketing and team building, that is what I do but in the new SFI system there is no room for people like me anymore.

My only hope is that some of the people I recruit will go on to sell loads of products but if you visit the SFI forum you will find lots of enthusiastic ‘new’ members who have found themselves EA or team leader in a month or less but have yet to realise how difficult it is to stay there.

I still love SFI but dearly wish they would recognise the amount of quality people they are losing and get back to a fairer system.

regards,

Mal.

[zenithincome]

I need to join SFI but am waiting for get a good group that will not let me alone. I wish any body who will ready to guild me through should just let me know here. I would love to join.

[Alan Mater]

Originally Posted by zenithincome

I need to join SFI but am waiting for get a good group that will not let me alone. I wish any body who will ready to guild me through should just let me know here. I would love to join.

I'm looking for some serious people to join me. Most people that join under me are tire-kickers. I can teach you everything I know to recruit people including personalized training. If you're serious let me know.

[megalinktraffic]

for complete newbies SFI is a best deal and pioneers here are the role models..

[Willmarathon]

I just became a Platinum Team Leader in SFIMG and just got my first check for $37.41 from my ECA store, so I am pretty pleased. But I won't give away how I did unless you join my downline. I also have a Power Rank of 26. William Stewart.
I have traded places with Louis Burrows who has 2 accounts,switching from number 26 to 27 and back, and I brought the act that he has 2 accounts up to Gery Carson and he is looking into that but he will not let me post that observation on the SFI Forum. So I mention it here. Ever since I joined you were supposed to have only 1 account but Louis Burrows has a Power Rank of 27 and his company LNB Enterprises has a Power Rank of 42 at the time of this post. It is tough to have done so much work and find out the guy passing you is not playing by the rules. Hopefully, Gery does something but no one figured it out until I brought the matter up. As usual Stone Evans is doing a amazing job being at Power Rank #2.

[Willmarathon]

Please complain that an affiliate is given 5 VersaPoints only when assigning someone with 600 VP in 90 days instead of 5 VP for everyone he reassigns. Many Team Leaders spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars to recruit people and now we will not be given any credit for each member we recruit. The only credit we will be given is for transferring members who are active already. So we are giving the active members away to other active members. Everyone's matrix will not be wide enough to support anyone and the people who recruit thousands will not be rewarded in any way because a couple of people were found cheating. Everyone is punished for a few cheaters. That is a counter productive policy and will lead to declining enrollments.

Complain on the Forum and to SFI support.
Please PM if you did .

Thank you for all who have done so already.

[Willmarathon]

How true. It has gotten worse now. Unfortunately. Please PM me for discussion.

[GT]

Hello, Will:

I'm sorry to hear of your deteriorating experience with SFI. I was enthusiastic about SFI in the beginning - actually, it was the first online program I ever joined and it was through SFI that I met my PIPS sponsor, Jeff Casmer.

However, like you are now, I became disillusioned with all the changes that were made last year and when those changes caused a drop in my monthly SFI income to just a few dollars, I completely lost faith in it.

On the positive side, I have a few PIPS friends who are still marketing SFI and TripleClicks and seem to be doing well with it. One name that comes to mind is David Hurley - hirohurl here in the WF. So, it just goes to show that success is possible, even with the changes to SFI that have irritated some of us.

GT

[goleza]

Originally Posted by Trent Brownrigg

I agree, I love SFI, but I almost always hate the huge changes they make every couple years or so. Don't think I have ever seen a change they made where my monthly commissions actually increased.

Back in 2003 (when I first started) through 2004 my sponsor and several people I knew were making $4000+ per month from SFI. Then in the beginning of 2005 they made a change and it destroyed the income of many of these top earners, and quite a few of them never recovered, and ended up quitting.

I know a LOT of people complained to Gery and tried getting it changed back but it didn't happen.

By then I had started doing pretty well too but the change dropped my earnings to the point where I considered cancelling. I built it back up but in my opinion the pay plan has never been as good as it was back before the 2005 change.

Since then every big change they have implemented has either decreased my monthly earnings or had no effect on them... Never an increase! Even though every time they make a change SFI always talks about how whatever change they made has dramatically increased business and earnings and everything is so much better, but I've never seen the fruits of it.

Don't get me wrong, I do think SFI is a great opportunity and I will always be grateful for them, but they need to figure out how to make a change that actually increases commissions.

I once asked Gery on why he cannot change the PriceBenders auction time, which seems to be favourable to members in America. I had noticed that auctions take place during day time in America.

While he was positive about it and promised to look into it, he also raised some important issue. He said that the SFI members' interest is in winning at a give away price. But for SFI, any item that goes at an incredibly low price (for example whose market value of $200/- goes for only $1.06/-) as it normally happens in the PriceBenders Auction, it's a loss. The auction is more competitive during day time in America. But if he changes the time, fewer members would participate in it, the items would go at a give away bid price and it becomes a loss to SFI. But when the spending patterns of people from other continents improve, probably he will look into it.

The above revelation takes us to some level of understanding that SFI is always making changes to move to another level. While some of those changes affect some members, there are also many others who benefit greatly. SFI is in business to maximise profits and minimise losses. I think that could be another reason why they have to make those changes in addition to growing the business.

[goleza]

Originally Posted by Malcolm Tindle

Hi,

I am a long time SFI member who has worked hard to recruit and build a strong team. All Gery Carson wants now is to build some sort of eBay with his TripleClicks section and if you are prepared to buy goods from there or get others in your team to buy then forget it.

I now make just enough each month to pay my EA status and if that ever falls below what I need I will quit SFI which will be a sad day as they were the first program to pay me any money on the Internet but some very hard working and talented people have had their earnings decimated with the 'new' SFI.

As others have said it is very difficult now to keep new EA's as getting to that rank is easy but after the first month they realise that it's really difficult to get to 3,000 SVP's if they want to be a BTL or they can pay for 1500 SVP’s to keep their EA status which will cost them at least $19.90 by buying 10 X TC credits at $1.90 each.. Try telling that to GC in the SFI forum and you will get a sharp rebuke from him or one of his moderators which really hacks me off after all the work I have put in.


Mal.

You sound like you are discontented in SFI because of the changes that made your commissions to drop drastically. I don't know whether it's ok for you to tell us by which percentage was the loss.

Secondly, which other better programs would you recommend to the members so that they do not put all their eggs in one basket?

I have always picked Stone Evans' words that it's always good to create multiple streams of income and that's why he came up with this Plug-In Profit Site program. If you rely on only one program, you can fall and never to wake up again when changes are made.

Additionally, as we do online business, we need to anticipate such changes. Whether you like it or not, change will happen. But if you anticipate it early enough and plan for it, when it happens you don't break. The Plug-In Profit program is helping us in this aspect. But do members sign up for other programs as well or they just concentrate on one?

[Jeff Casmer]

Hi,

Its important to recognize that Mal's comments are over a year ago. The SFI system has changed since then and its important to keep those comments in context meaning SFI's program evolves over time with changes etc.

Thanks
Jeff Casmer

[Tek Scavenger]

Okay, so how about some current results? I was excited this morning to learn that not only did I make round 6 in E365, but at the top of my class no less and gained 20 CSAs (two of which show some promise). Then I read this thread and it was like a total buzzkill. Was all that effort always going to be worth less than my standing order? I don't want to sound negative, I just want to know if I need to refocus my energies so something more profitable.

Can some current SFI veterans please chime in? What kind of payments are you getting and what level are you at to get them?

[goleza]

Originally Posted by Jeff Casmer

Hi,

Its important to recognize that Mal's comments are over a year ago. The SFI system has changed since then and its important to keep those comments in context meaning SFI's program evolves over time with changes etc.

Thanks
Jeff Casmer

Have you noticed another big change on the SFI Affiliate Center Homepage? I hope members will find it good. I, personally, have liked it so much because I have found it to be userfriendly, easy to navigate and having a better appearance. I have appreciated the nice work done. What do others say?

[goleza]

Originally Posted by Tek Scavenger

Okay, so how about some current results? I was excited this morning to learn that not only did I make round 6 in E365, but at the top of my class no less and gained 20 CSAs (two of which show some promise). Then I read this thread and it was like a total buzzkill. Was all that effort always going to be worth less than my standing order? I don't want to sound negative, I just want to know if I need to refocus my energies so something more profitable.

Can some current SFI veterans please chime in? What kind of payments are you getting and what level are you at to get them?

Tek, do not get scared. SFI business, like any other business, has to be built. One thing you need to know is that you have to commit yourself to work on your business before you begin to realize some good income. Working on your business requires using your time, money, energy and acquiring good knowledge and skills on marketing. For now that's what you will have to do and I think you will benefit a lot from this forum.

[Tek Scavenger]

Scared isn't the word anymore. I got past that at the beginning of the month when I was served my notice. That's a different problem though. Right now I need to know what my best strategy is going to be. With $6 left in my bank account for the month I need something kick@55 that doesn't cost anything.

I have an analytical mind which is why I'm looking for numbers from the different programs, and not so much Stone's numbers, numbers from others 2 or 3 generations under him that can qualify for a reasonable representation of what can be expected. Not just SFI either but others too (though that would belong in another thread). I know he says 7MW is the most profitable program which I have joined this month and am hoping to get a little boost from but right now I am looking primarily at SFI since I am paying the IAHBE membership now and I thought showed the most promise for my personal style. However if people at platinum team leader are still only getting $32/mo, I will need to focus elsewhere.

---

BTW: yes, I do like the new tab based home page. I seems to work well and the VP indicators are clearer.

[Patrician]

Tek Scavenger - I guess you know being in crisis mode is not really the best time to be starting anything (keep going and be ready for the next crisis lol).

Someone in your situation I would always advise to focus on at least a part time job if you have no unemployment insurance benefits or money for basic survival.

... Then you can take your time and build your business logically - from the beginning - strong foundation - and then on.

With that said may I suggest digital and tangible products from free affiliate programs - Clickbank and Amazon?

Of course then you are back in the same school doing the same marketing you are doing now - however the market is larger because it is not just homebiz folks and opportunity seekers in your market - everybody buys STUFF. Amazon is far easier than Clickbank for all of the above reasons. But both being free why not hedge your bets.

You can set up an amazon store with a few clicks, create a blog just focused to the products you have and write reviews. They even have a widget to post other people's reviews to your blog.

I am doing this now for 'side money' as well as writing articles for people - I had done it before and balked at the pennies they pay - however with volume pennies do add up to substantial amounts. Amazon literally has paid billions in commissions to affiliates every year.

I can really empathize with your situation and have been there before - I will pray for you...

[Tek Scavenger]

Yeah, well, it kind of goes with the "burn your ships" lesson, just I wasn't the one with the torch (not that I didn't see it coming though). >P

Thanks for your input. I was already looking at CB and Amazon before joining PIPS. Maybe if I had a few hundred dollars to throw at domains and hosting I could run with that but I obviously have to work within the scope of what I can afford, and right now that's sticking with PIPS, and even that is on a limited scale. I was thinking of possibly using the hosting subdomains option but after looking more into how wordpress functions I realize that would probably be folly (each would need a separate MySql name to not interfere) and trying to rank on scratch html would take far more time than I'm interested in investing right now. SEO with subdomains is like pulling Alligator teeth, while it's awake and hungry; the best I could hope for is as a marketing target for preselling. Urg, I'm going off topic again. I might try something as a test though. Who knows, maybe it will be worth my time.

I guess I also kind of feel like focus is important and I haven't got PIPS firing on all cylinders yet so it's not time to be straying off. Seeing as 7MW is going through its official launch, I may do better to target that for the moment while just keeping SFI alive on the daily tasks. No need to toss more objects into this juggling act, and for testing I think 7MW may be as good of a target as any CB product.

[Patrician]

You don't need a domain or hosting for an amazon store - it is hosted on their servers. you can use blogger.com for the blog -

i mean like if you are really hurting - you can do it for nothing -- any port in a storm,yeah?

when you get some money then upgrade your tools.

i agree about sub-domains and we won't even allow it for PIPS let alone WP.

also agree about focusing on PIPS but you always sound like you are in dire straits so that is why i thought of some free stuff 4 U.

[Tek Scavenger]

any port in a storm, yeah?

You have a good point there.

i agree about sub-domains and we won't even allow it for PIPS let alone WP.

Huh, I was just going through cPanel and saw options to add databases so I was about to try it for a subdomain test. I wont now on your explicit disallow but just as a question, is there an official reference about what we may and may not do with our PIPS hosting accounts?

[Patrician]

No - you misunderstand - you are free to add sub-domains.

I mean if someone sends an application to JOIN PIPS and they try to schlep us off to a sub-domain I will not accept their application.

It is not just disrespect! It is the SEO thing and they are going to be at a detriment to succeed - so no way --- AS WELL as the fact that you can't use 'www.' with a sub-domain and all the 216 newsletters are crawling with www. references - so it would be a daunting task for someone to edit every message and remove www.

p.s. apologize we are way off topic in the 'SFI achievers' thread...

[Tek Scavenger]

Ah, okay, thank you. That makes sense.

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread posts...

---

Anybody have current SFI numbers to post? Approximations are fine, just looking for an idea here. Might even be nice to be able to plot a chart (need lots of input for that).

[Willmarathon]

I cannot post anything that might offend any program that is still in PIPS, so I will PM you.

[aaustin]

GT.. these are great ideas you are telling about, I am really very impressed to visit these links...I hope to get benefits from these information, thanks very informative and helpful to all.

[GT]

Hello, aaustin: You are welcome. I started this topic thread almost three years ago. It's good to see PIPS members still coming here and sharing experiences and ideas.

The SFI program has undergone a number of shifts and changes in that time. It has gained some new believers and lost a few along the way as a result. I know of PIPS members who are doing reasonably well with SFI, and some who are not.

In my opinion, the bottom line is how much you focus on promoting it and also on how you guide, train and support the SFI affiliates who join through you.

PIPS member David Hurley – hirohurl – is one who seems to have developed an effective system for doing this.

GT

[goleza]

Oh yes GT. The fastest way to failure in online business is by pulling out when faced with a temporary defeat. Online business, like any other conventional business, is full of ups and downs. Never give up because when you give up you can never win and winners don't give up. Thanks GT for the useful post.

Originally Posted by GT

Hello, Charles:

I really appreciate Alan's answer.

We can't see around the corner, so it is important to keep doing the things we know we should be doing to build our business, even when it seems like we are making no progress.

Too often, we get frustrated and are tempted to just give up. But you know what they say: you're either moving forward or moving backward - you can never stand still. Sometimes, it is better to keep working, even if it seems like we are getting nowhere, because if we stop working, we will definitely get nowhere!

GT

[GT]

Thanks, Goleza, for the encouragement and support!

GT