Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

I do not live in Africa. I am from Europe and I live in the USA. And I might prefer to live in Brazil! However, I think I have gleaned something useful from other people's answers to this question:

Most of them are wrong!

Many people have answered, "SFI is global, the same advice applies anywhere." But in fact, the world, even the world as seen through the Internet, is large and complicated and every one of the 200 or so countries has unique characteristics.

A better way to ask this question might be "How do I best take advantage/overcome the hurdles, of the country I live in?"

Now the answers become more useful.

First: Make intensive use of a2a. The a2a page each day will recommend possible contacts in your own country. Connect with them, especially the high-ranking ones. Discuss how they overcome barriers and take advantage of the opportunities your country provides.

Second: You need to become expert in the efforts SFI is making to overcome currency barriers. Learn all you can about LocalPay and TCurrency as it applies in your country. If you can possible use a Payoneer card, you should.

Third: Make sure you understand SFI rules about multiple affiliates in the same household. Definitions of "family" and "household" vary from culture to culture. SFI limits in-household recruitment and advises having one family member as the affiliate with others supporting his/her business, perhaps through TripleClicks membership.

Fourth: Look carefully at the ECA program. In some cultures entrepreneurs are greatly respected. Having your own ECA business may enhance your status and perhaps help to recruit SFI affiliates. Make sure you observe, as far as possible, your local patterns of "business-to-business" behavior, but remember, even if it is a 'normal' part of some local cultures, the practice of bribery in any form is always wrong!

Fifth: Be very careful about clear messaging. Make sure that "I will sponsor you" is NOT interpreted as "I will pay your way". On the other hand, make sure you understand how the sense of obligation sometimes operates in other countries your affiliates come from, and make sure you are a good mentor.

Finally: Yes, pay attention to all the universal, non-culture-specific advice about how to succeed in SFI!

And finally finally, if you look at the growth charts each day, you will see that SFI has very successful affiliates in EVERY country, even yours!
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I do not live in Africa. I am from Europe and I live in the USA. And I might prefer to live in Brazil! However, I think I have gleaned something useful from other people's answers to this question:

Most of them are wrong!

Many people have answered, "SFI is global, the same advice applies anywhere." But in fact, the world, even the world as seen through the Internet, is large and complicated and every one of the 200 or so countries has unique characteristics.

A
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

You should set goals so that you have something to measure your success by. If my goal is to score at least 300 VersaPoints per month that's pretty easy to achieve. I need to set more ambitious goals than that. If my goal is to become a Platinum Team Leader that may be even a little too ambitious if I just became an EA. It is possible though. Goals always should at least be possible. Ideally, they are possible, practical AND inspiring.

That is why you can have photos of your goals now. Having a photo of your dream car or dream house might inspire you to make the extra effort to reach your long term goals. You get there through a series of short term goals. If your progress to a goal can be measured it might by called an objective. Objectives used to be very fashionable in management - because they worked.

The key to making the SFI goals program work for you, and one you should be quite prepared to ask your upline for help with, is chaining the short term goals towards a long term goal. I have this ambitious goal, X. How best can I come up with short term goals a, b, c... to get me to X. Sometimes it is a lot easier to see the pattern needed in someone else's goals than your own.

Don't mix up routines, tasks, and goals. I have a routine where I check out my home page first thing every day. My task is to generate at least 10 points. My goal is to acquire at least 300 points per month through this activity. Some months I do not achieve this goal because I wasn't able to perform this task every day.

This whole thing might be part of a larger goal: let no potential VersaPoint go un-generated in any month. I need all the points I can get to reach my even larger goal: get to the Bronze Leader level. Even this is a sub-goal: qualify for matching points. After all, if the over-arching goal is to maximize one's potential SFI income, I have to succeed in the matching points component. (I have to do a lot else besides).

When should I set my goals? Use them as beginnings - the beginning of the year, quarter, month, on your birthday - any suitable "resolution" day. When should I review my goals? At the end of each and every day. What did I do (or not do) today to achieve my SFI goals? What goals should I set for tomorrow (That's the goal I'm going to put in to the SFI home page to get my daily goalsetting point from SFI).

There's a second, essential part to this next-day goal-setting routine. Pull up your calendar and your to-do list. Fill in your tasks (not goals) for the next day. Never go to sleep with the next day an undefined mish-mash of unplanned wishes.

Even if you are not a morning person (and I am most definitely not), beng able to start the next day on the tasks you have planned towards the goals you have planned, really will help you achieve them.
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You should set goals so that you have something to measure your success by. If my goal is to score at least 300 VersaPoints per month that's pretty easy to achieve. I need to set more ambitious goals than that. If my goal is to become a Platinum Team Leader that may be even a little too ambitious if I just became an EA. It is possible though. Goals always should at least be possible. Ideally, they are possible, practical AND inspiring.

That is why you can have photos of your goals
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

If you have your own web page/capture page system to recruit people from your own advertising into SFI, then it would be OK to use an auto-responder as part of that recruiting funnel, although you would have more success using a more personal touch, especially in the final stages of getting someone to take a look at our business.

Once they are recruited, I would recommend you never mail them via an auto-responder, even if you go on vacation. The tools SFI gives you to look at what any one of your affiliates is doing, and to get messages to them, are very strong. Use the TeamMail system consistently, check your genealogy frequently, and you have all the advantages of an auto-responder without the downside.

Never send an anonymous message to someone you know. It's an insult.
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If you have your own web page/capture page system to recruit people from your own advertising into SFI, then it would be OK to use an auto-responder as part of that recruiting funnel, although you would have more success using a more personal touch, especially in the final stages of getting someone to take a look at our business.

Once they are recruited, I would recommend you never mail them via an auto-responder, even if you go on vacation. The tools SFI gives you to look at what any
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

I think the proper answer should be - the ones you choose. Generally, we put more effort into thinking about what we are going to purchase in the way of standing orders or how to help certain of our affiliates than into really planning our marketing.

SFI is a little inconsistent in when and where you can select a group of existing affiliates according to their country, but it is generally possible to send country-focused messages within the organization. But we have to work much harder ot really address country-targeting in our advertising.

In developing country-targeted advertising we must be culturally sensitive and if possible language-competent. It may be worth paying the extra to get advertising copy translated, actually more re-cast than reworked into another tongue.

A plea: do both. Focus on marketing to specific countries, but also do global marketing. And globally make friends, so you have people who can tell you about the next country you will expand your marketing to. A2a gets real important, suddenly.
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I think the proper answer should be - the ones you choose. Generally, we put more effort into thinking about what we are going to purchase in the way of standing orders or how to help certain of our affiliates than into really planning our marketing.

SFI is a little inconsistent in when and where you can select a group of existing affiliates according to their country, but it is generally possible to send country-focused messages within the organization. But we have to work much harder
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

I think there are things about Wave3 that should change, like requiring access to a car (why not a shop window?).

I'm wondering if we could use Wave3 to help with the very demotivating "wasted points" problem. Every month hundreds of PSAs do not make it to EA. We don'd do enough to say, no, your points are NOT wasted, there is more to SFI than getting to EA.

How about having a one or two day window at the end of the month where (some of) the expiring points could be used somehow in the Wave3 program (perhaps a 10-1 conversion to MRP?)

The strategy would be to retain the requirement that to get to EA/Team Leader, people still have to raise status-qualifying points within the month, but not leave those who fall short with the feeling that their efforts are "wasted"
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I think there are things about Wave3 that should change, like requiring access to a car (why not a shop window?).

I'm wondering if we could use Wave3 to help with the very demotivating "wasted points" problem. Every month hundreds of PSAs do not make it to EA. We don'd do enough to say, no, your points are NOT wasted, there is more to SFI than getting to EA.

How about having a one or two day window at the end of the month where (some of) the expiring points could
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

1. Find FIVE family and friends (outside the immediate household) to sign up as affiliates.

2. SELL FIVE tripleClicks products to a different five people from above, each product at 300vp or above (13,000 products qualify)

3. Identify FIVE people within SFI to be your mentoring team. This may or may not include your sponsor and co-sponsor. Go ot a2a and find people in your country, people who have had similar experience, add them as a2a friends and aks for their help.

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Rinse and repeat. If only these were easy things to do. Even if one does them, return in first month might not be high- depends what one sold. But this is a firm financial foundation because a) didn't take ANY investment, b) easy to teach.
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1. Find FIVE family and friends (outside the immediate household) to sign up as affiliates.

2. SELL FIVE tripleClicks products to a different five people from above, each product at 300vp or above (13,000 products qualify)

3. Identify FIVE people within SFI to be your mentoring team. This may or may not include your sponsor and co-sponsor. Go ot a2a and find people in your country, people who have had similar experience, add them as a2a friends and aks for their help.

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Rinse
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

SFI do provide some great materials, but I have a suspicion that the best email recruiting message is the one you write yourself, from the heart, that expresses genuine excitement about the business and offers honest concern to offer the opportunity to others. That would be a message that might help persuade someone to join your team.

Also, something I am very bad at, if you are writing in English to prospects from many different countries, keep it simple in structure and direct in voice. (Not like this message!)
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SFI do provide some great materials, but I have a suspicion that the best email recruiting message is the one you write yourself, from the heart, that expresses genuine excitement about the business and offers honest concern to offer the opportunity to others. That would be a message that might help persuade someone to join your team.

Also, something I am very bad at, if you are writing in English to prospects from many different countries, keep it simple in structure and direct in voice.
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

FIRST. and contrary to conventional SFI advice: Get them to scan and click on EVERYTHING as quickly as possible. The target is that they should get the 500 point FastTrack matching bonus in the first 24 hours. Clicking on all the tasks and tabs for the rest of the month will get them at least close to EA (and maybe to Team Leader if they CAN add a standing order).

SECOND, reinforce that TripleClicks SALES are a large part of SFI. Help them choose ONE product from the TripleClicks stores and start marketing and SELLING it, perhaps in their warm market to begin with.

THIRD, get them to register for the TripleClicks debit card. The timing of this is delicate. You want them to have it in place, so if they make enough money ($20+)from 1) and 2) it will be paid on to the card. But if they are making good progress, it might be better if the 500 points for getting the card hits in the second month. If in doubt, go for it immediately.

FOURTH, get them to find TWO people THEY KNOW to enroll, and make sure they then do EXACTLY the same as they just did themselves.

FIFTH, and this is MOST IMPORTANT, <<NOW>> GET THEM TO GO BACK TO THE START, and work through the SFI system step-by-step and slowly. They will have discovered that TripleClicks is about more than where they would buy their standing order if they could afford it.

SIXTH, prepare to work with them very hard in month 2. They still will only have a little money if any, so they need help marketing TripleClicks, and recruiting. You have to help them recruit while you still need to recruit yourself. That can be very difficult.

They will have discovered a 45% commission from sales is really worth having. Having made some commission (even if they will not have been paid yet) they will be more effective recruiters. Having recruited two people (who are themselves recruiting two people...) they will have discovered the team work that is at the core of SFI. Having got the card, they might avoid some of the local difficulties of billing and payment in some countries.

I'm sort of testing this theory, but I have access to a little money so it isn't an exact test, as I have a standing order* and can buy TCredits. But I did do 1) and 3) - I got Platinum in my first month and I just activated the debit card - and now I'm working on 2) and 4)...

Tony Scott, Platinum Team Leader in first month with 8000 points, 4000 each from purchases and actions. Next month? We'll see.

*Even without the standing order I would have made EA on ACTIONS.
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FIRST. and contrary to conventional SFI advice: Get them to scan and click on EVERYTHING as quickly as possible. The target is that they should get the 500 point FastTrack matching bonus in the first 24 hours. Clicking on all the tasks and tabs for the rest of the month will get them at least close to EA (and maybe to Team Leader if they CAN add a standing order).

SECOND, reinforce that TripleClicks SALES are a large part of SFI. Help them choose ONE product from the TripleClicks stores
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

First of all, ignore all the answers that say "if you don't have a team it isn't worth being BTL". If you get to EA you will be allocated 2 CSA's. You now have a team! If you get to be BTL you will be allocated a share of the "second chance" CSA pool. You have a larger team!! Think of getting to BTL as STARTING YOUR TEAM.

Second of all, ignore all the answers that say "if you don't have a team it isn't worth being BTL". By being BTL you got your team started, even if you don't have PSA's.
Remember, if you don't make EA in any month, you lose all your CSAs. One reason I am a BTL, by adopting strategies that get me to BTL, I create a margin. a buffer, against ever losing my EA status.

Third of all, ignore all the answers that say "if you don't have a team it isn't worth being BTL". As I explained above, if you are BTL you DO have a team. So you should immediately adopt the mind-set of a TEAM LEADER. You help other people to improve their sales and recruitment. That is what imprcves YOUR dales and recruitment.

Now, if your question was, what is the best way to get to BTL, there is no doubt. Recruit other leaders. You get Bronze by teaching them to be Platinum.

If the question was, how do I get to BTL in the months while I am still looking for my leaders, the answer is basically money: 2000 VP from purchases (Ideally a standing order). 1000 points for action: VP from clicking your home page tabs every day (say 300); VP from distributing gift cards (another 300); VP from bidding (up to 500).

I deliberately did not include the points for messaging in the above calculation. You should never, ever, email your downline just to get points. They will see through it. Remember, if you are BTL, you DO have a team. All your messaging should be about leading your team.

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First of all, ignore all the answers that say "if you don't have a team it isn't worth being BTL". If you get to EA you will be allocated 2 CSA's. You now have a team! If you get to be BTL you will be allocated a share of the "second chance" CSA pool. You have a larger team!! Think of getting to BTL as STARTING YOUR TEAM.

Second of all, ignore all the answers that say "if you don't have a team it isn't worth being BTL". By being BTL you got your team started,
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Affiliate since: 11/03/2012, Power Rank: 99999999

In some ways, recruiting people is still sales. So you should change your mindset.

Think SHARING. What is great about SFI and who do I want to share it with. Unlike a lot of programs, SFI is family-sharing friendly. There are so many products in SFI you or your family might be buying anyway. For many of us, it is present-buying season. Look with your family together at SFI and decide what presents you can get for who. (Hey, if I buy these presents for my nieces from UK vendors, I can have them shipped from there, saving postage from the US...).

And you can share the first steps in membership - have someone sit with you while you work through the ToDo list (and help you keep track). SFI is very good for warm list recruitment AND sales. Ask your family, friends, co-workers not to join directly but who they know that it would be good to share this with. Get excited. Share the excitement. Enjoy the recruitment. Get excited...
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In some ways, recruiting people is still sales. So you should change your mindset.

Think SHARING. What is great about SFI and who do I want to share it with. Unlike a lot of programs, SFI is family-sharing friendly. There are so many products in SFI you or your family might be buying anyway. For many of us, it is present-buying season. Look with your family together at SFI and decide what presents you can get for who. (Hey, if I buy these presents for my nieces from UK vendors, I can
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