Goodbye SFI Marketing Group

August 10, 2009 by John Dilbeck · 2 Comments
Filed under: Network Marketing, Nice Offers, Private Success Team, SFI Marketing Group, Squidoo Lenses 

This has been a difficult decision to make and I’ve been wrestling with it for months, but the time has come to say goodbye to SFI Marketing Group.

I’ve gone back through the posts I made to the SFI category and deleted all my affiliate links, but that’s just a start. I’ve been promoting SFI far and wide for over six years, so I don’t know how long it will take to find and remove all the affiliate links to their sites.

Fortunately, many of them are redirects and top-level domain names, so I’m going to redirect them to this blog post.

If you’ve come here thinking you were going to see a product sold by SFI, I hope you won’t be too confused.

I like many of SFI’s products

As I’ve said before, I really like many of their products and I’ll continue to buy them, but from someone else’s affiliate links in the future.

Not getting the results I expected

After six years of seriously promoting SFI Marketing Group and their products, I expected to see a larger return on my investment of time and effort.

Too many changes

Just last week, SFI introduced a whole new approach to their program and I think I’m just too old and tired to learn another completely new system. What is this? I think this is the third or fourth major change in their affiliate program in the last few years, and I haven’t seen any positive results from it — at least not in terms of income.

Getting off the treadmill

I admit that I have not taken the time to fully study and learn the new VersaPoints system, and I won’t be doing so.

My initial impression, however, is that affiliates may be more active, but much of that activity will be running in place on the treadmill to acquire points every month.

No, thanks.

Trying to Opt Out of SFI

I had a heck of a time finding a link for opting out of being an SFI Marketing Group affiliate. After looking at the pages for my account, the FAQ help file, the complete help index, and other pages, I finally put “opt out” in the search box and found the page for leaving SFI.

I’m sure there used to be a direct link on the menu, but maybe that was overlooked with all the major changes they made this month. I don’t know.

Canceling my standing order

There was a warning on the opt-out page that this would not cancel any standing orders I may have with SFI.

I canceled my standing order a couple of months ago, but I clicked the link just to check and be sure.

I’m a little concerned that it showed my standing order was still active, even though I’m pretty sure that I was not charged for it last month. I’ll double check my records to be sure.

Either way, I canceled my standing order (again).

Then I went back to the opt-out page.

There’s one last step to do. I need to check my email and click the verification link to complete opting out. That should do it.

Goodbye, SFI.

Act on your dream!

JD

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SFI announces opening date for new store

December 13, 2008 by John Dilbeck · 4 Comments
Filed under: Affiliate Marketing, Marketing, Network Marketing, Poll, Private Success Team, SFI Marketing Group 

In this week’s SFI Marketing Group affiliate newsletter, the grand opening date for the much-anticipated SFI store has been announced:

OFFICIAL LAUNCH DATE FOR NEW SFI STORE ANNOUNCED!

An official launch date has now been finalized. The brand new SFI store will be unveiled at 11 AM CST on MONDAY, JANUARY 5TH.

Also launching on January 5th will be an array of major, new SFI system enhancements, including:

* Dramatic simplification for getting started, becoming an EA, and more
* New training program for new affiliates
* Tons of new marketing and business-building aids
* More “internationalization”
* New and improved EyeEarn
* An improved compensation plan with five exciting new bonuses
* More incentives for becoming an EA and maintaining EA status
* More incentives for advancing through all the Team Leader ranks
* A more powerful and lucrative Executive Bonus
* Affiliate Center facelift (new, simpler navigation and menus, etc.)
* MUCH, MUCH MORE!

Stay tuned for further updates and get ready for the new year and “SFI 3.0!”

So, it’s official. We now have just over four weeks to make our plans on what we want to do to promote SFI, the new store, and the other changes we’ll see in 2009.

For the latest information on the store, including FAQs and many screenshots, see:

https://www.sfimg.com/NewStoreUpdates.sfi

(The page, above, is only viewable by SFI affiliates. If you’re interested in what’s coming down the road and you’re not an affiliate, you can join for free and learn more about the features of the new store before it is announced to the public. This new store should help all of us earn more commissions, if it lives up to its potential.)

(Update August 2009: Affiliate links removed, as I no longer promote SFI Marketing Group.)

I’m not going to repeat what I’ve already written about SFI. You can see more of what I’ve said by browsing the SFI Marketing Group category on this blog.

I have mixed feelings about SFI. I believe it is a great company and that they’re trying to help us all earn more in an ever-changing environment. They’ve tested a number of things in the last few years and not all of them worked out as expected. The announcement of this new store and the new system enhancements offer hope for the future, but I’m not going to gush about it. I’ll wait until the store opens and the new site bugs are worked out before making a decision.

I think SFI offers some great training for people new to affiliate and network marketing, and you can get this training for free. That’s one of the best things about the company; they’re working hard to help their members succeed online.

Still, even though I’m earning ongoing commissions from my marketing efforts, it’s not as much as I’ve expected, based on the length of time and the amount of marketing I’ve been doing.

I’ve put SFI on my probation list, as I’ve previously discussed. I’m giving this new program until July 1, 2009, to prove itself. If I see a substantial increase in my commission checks – and if the promise of the store lives up to the expectations – I’ll continue with the company. If not, it will be time to move on.

I respect Gery Carson and all he does at SFI, but it’s time to see more return for my efforts.

In anticipation that the store may become a huge success, I’ve started a Squidoo lens for SFI Marketing Group Store where I’m posting a teaser for now and will add relevant information after the store opens in January. (That lens has been deleted.)

I haven’t decided exactly how I’m going to do it, but I’m planning on promoting the store on multiple sites and I’ll be helping all the affiliates in my downline who are EA and above by using their links in some of the ads.

What do you think? Select any of the choices in the poll, below, that apply to you, or add your own in the Other section, by typing it into the gray box at the bottom, above the Vote button. The answers appear all mixed up because the poll is set to randomize the answers in an attempt to reduce bias. You can select one or more of the answers; please check all that match your opinons.

What do you expect from SFI in the coming six months and what are your plans to promote the company and the new store?

I’m looking forward to your comments.

Act on your dream!

JD

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New SFI Marketing Group Store Update

July 31, 2008 by John Dilbeck · Comments Off
Filed under: Affiliate Marketing, Downline Builders, Malls and Portals, Network Marketing, Private Success Team, SFI Marketing Group 

On July 29, 2008, Lori Robinson, Administrator for the SFI Discussion Board, posted an announcement: New SFI Store Update.

Here’s what Lori had to say:


For our many affiliates anxiously awaiting the unveiling of the new SFI store (and for brand new affiliates who may not have heard about the coming new store), here’s an update of some of the exciting features everyone will be enjoying soon:

• ONE store for everything. The new store will service both SFI affiliates and retail customers alike. Everything from nutritional products to Internet services to SFI promotional materials.

• Thousands (soon tens of thousands) of new products in dozens of new categories, plus closeouts, collectables and hard-to-find items available nowhere else.

• Earn instant SVP on EVERY product in the store…including all SFI promotional materials like X-Cards, postcards, business cards, etc.

• Exclusive, money-saving daily deals (“Deal Of The Day”).

• Special weekly/monthly sales with special discount prices.

• New products added daily.

• You can promote the store as a whole, or any individual product in the store, or any department, or any selection of products of your choosing.

• No longer do high shipping costs need to get in the way of becoming EA or making sales internationally. This is because the new SFI store will be utilizing new partner companies who will be shipping to you directly from outlets around the world. Additionally, through the store’s Private Seller program, you can locate sellers and products located in your same country—even the same city!

• Because of how it’s being built, virtually anything can be added and sold in the store. Goods, services, downloadable software and media, you name it! The sky’s the limit!

• The new SFI store also allows you to sell YOUR stuff. Through the new store’s Private Seller program you can quickly, easily, and cheaply convert stuff you no longer want or need…into stuff you do! List your stuff at the new store, and sell for cash….or for any product in the store. You can even earn EA status each month selling unwanted items around your house! Use the new SFI store as your online garage sale to clean out your closets, attics and garages! List and sell dozens or even hundreds of miscellaneous items easily.

• Hot, new marketing program will allow you to easily generate lifetime retail customers by the hundreds! And earning EA status though retail sales will have never been simpler or easier!

• Standing Orders, on thousands of products, will be available both to affiliates AND retail customers. If you place an order containing any Standing Order-Eligible product, you’ll automatically be alerted how to set up a Standing Order for that item in seconds.

These are just SOME of the amazing features the new SFI store will come with. And there are many, many, many more. Not only that, the new store is also going to usher in some powerful new enhancements to the overall SFI program including substantial simplification, bigger bonuses, and more incentives to become and remain an EA.

Stay tuned for further details!

L. Robison

Needless to say, this announcement continues to pique my interest.

Ever since Gery Carson, President of SFI, announced this new, not-yet-opened ecommerce store, I’ve been waiting with bated breath to see if it lives up to my expectations.

Lately, I haven’t been doing much promotion of SFI products, because I don’t want to get things in place and then have to change everything when the new store opens.

So, instead of advertising for retail sales, I’ve been working on building a larger downline of affiliates so we all can promote more when the ecommerce store opens.

If you like, you can subscribe to a short email series about how you can promote SFI Marketing Group using the Private Success Team downline builder.

(Update August 2009: Affiliate link removed, as I no longer promote SFI Marketing Group.)

Originally, the store was supposed to open in late spring, 2008, but it has been delayed.

When asked about it, Gery Carson responded:


We’ve added many powerful features since originally announced so there is still a substantial amount of design and programming yet to do. Hence, an estimated arrival date is difficult to predict. It is well worth the wait I can assure you however.

When an affiliate asked if the new store will be open by Thanksgiving so we don’t miss the Christmas shopping season, Gery Carson answered:


Everything is progressing very nicely. So long as that continues, it should arrive well before Thanksgiving.

Now, anyone who has ever been involved in the development and implementation of a major ecommerce site knows that schedules can slip as new features are added and new problems surface.

So, I’m not concerned about a delay of a few months. I would much rather the new SFI store be opened when it’s ready, rather than being rushed to market just to meet an arbitrary goal date.

One of the things I find most intriguing about the new store is the increased availability of products and services that international affiliates can market. Shipping costs have made marketing SFI physical products cost prohibitive, and this includes the Veriuni line of health products, nutritional supplements, weight loss products, and all-natural cleaning products.

Many of these products are popular with customers in the United States, so I’m sure this has been frustrating for affiliates who live in other parts of the world.

I’m hoping there will be lots more products that can be marketed around the world as a result of the new store and the partner companies that will be shipping from many more locations than the current one in the United States.

I don’t mind recruiting new affiliates and building my downline, but that doesn’t increase my income nearly as much as promoting lots more products and services that can be bought by anyone at retail. I love making retail sales!

So, while I’m rather impatient and want to see this store, I’ll do my best to wait patiently until Gery announces the grand opening.

Then, if I like what I see, I’ll have a lot to say about the new SFI store as I explore ways to advertise and promote it and the products in it.

I hope you’ll come along for the ride. This might be a very interesting year for SFI.

Act on your dream!

JD

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Private Success Team Update

July 29, 2008 by John Dilbeck · Comments Off
Filed under: Affiliate Marketing, Downline Builders, Private Success Team, SFI Marketing Group, Soaring4Traffic, Traffic Exchanges 

Ray White announced earlier today that he has made major changes to the Private Success Team sign up page, including new graphics and a simpler design.

(Update August 2009: Affiliate link removed, as I no longer promote SFI Marketing Group.)

Starting today, new Private Success Team members will only need to sign up for two programs rather than the three that were previously required.

SFI Marketing Group remains our main affiliate program and Soaring4Traffic is the traffic exchange that will be promoted to meet our traffic needs.

Ray just announced a new email series that will provide all Private Success Team members with a better understanding of what our goals are and the process we take to build everyone’s downline in both programs.

If you wish to start building your list and promote the Private Success Team system, the email series will be available for you to copy and modify. It is highly recommended that you sign up for this email series to better understand the direction we are taking.

You are invited to sign up to my customized version of the Private Success Team message series.

You may sign up here:

(Update August 2009: Affiliate link removed, as I no longer promote SFI Marketing Group.)

This new email series is a total of eight messages spread over a period of about two weeks. Each member will be allowed and encouraged to copy the original messages and to create a customized series for you to promote the Private Success Team.

This is a great way to promote and build your list at the same time.

Ray added that we are in the process of adding more splash pages to our system in the near future.

This new email series will be encouraging new members to join us in the forum for questions, comments, or concerns. We sincerely hope that you will join us so we can work together to help each other build our teams and grow our businesses.

Please drop by the forum at your earliest convenience. If you are not already a member of the forum, come and join us right away.

Ray has been hinting that activity in the forum can be rewarding as he has plans to reward those who participate.

We hope you join us in the Private Success Team and start promoting it right away. Let’s get back to business and work together to build this team.

By the way, don’t forget to login to your Soaring4Traffic members area, click the Downline Builder link in the left column, and be sure to enter your referral username for the Private Success Team.

We will be sending more members to the downline builder, so don’t miss out on getting a referral.

Similarly, the traffic exchange downline builder in Soaring4Traffic will be promoted for our new Private Success Team members to join other traffic exchanges. Make sure you have your referral IDs entered.

I’ve created a brand new lens on Squidoo.com to help promote the Private Success Team and hope you’ll visit and share your opinions and feedback.

Come join our Private Success Team and we look forward to seeing you in the forum.

Act on your dream!

JD

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