Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

This is an excellent question. Far too often people get caught up in the excitement of owning their own business that they go out and do quantity advertising... the kind that is designed to recruit as many people possible in the shortest time possible. What do you think happens to them? The excitement soon wears off when they discover that they have a monumental downline of hundreds or even thousands and not a single one is active, or so very few are active that they feel their efforts have been all for naught.

So rather than blanketing the internet with generic ads, I have found the best way is to gear your ads toward specific target groups. For example, if you found a business opp advertising site that was geared toward single parents, are you going to post an ad geared toward married homemakers? Not likely. Target your ads toward specific niche groups and you might not get a great quantity of referrals, but the quality of those who do sign-up will be better.

Hope this helps.
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This is an excellent question. Far too often people get caught up in the excitement of owning their own business that they go out and do quantity advertising... the kind that is designed to recruit as many people possible in the shortest time possible. What do you think happens to them? The excitement soon wears off when they discover that they have a monumental downline of hundreds or even thousands and not a single one is active, or so very few are active that they feel their efforts have been
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Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

Hi Bolajoko,

This excellent question has no single correct answer. There are many tools and resources you can bring to bear when trying to inspire your team members to keep going.

These can include, but certainly are not limited to:

- Communication
It is vitally important to maintain continual, positive communication with your team. This allows them to see and realize that you are real and that you care about their success. You can share different tips or advice based on what you have found to work for you, offer congratulations to team members that are striving toward their goals, etc.

- SFI's Rules of Success
Recommend to your discouraged team member that they review the Rules of Success, especially #12 "Winning starts with beginning", #20 "Persist until you win" and #15 "Don't quit". You could even copy and paste those success lessons into your team mailer, sending one a day, with a one or two day delay between each one.

- Be persistent
While you should not focus all your energy into team members who have either already quit or are showing signs of being on the verge of quitting, it is still important that they know that you are there to help and support them, which, of course, all comes back to communication. Often, we do not know what causes our team members to give up. Most times, it is because they feel overwhelmed by the vast amount of information and training SFI offers. However, there are other reasons as well. Perhaps they have fallen ill or just lost a loved one.

- Be a friend before being a mentor
This again ties back to communication, but do not let all your communication just be about SFI. Do not be afraid to get a little personal and tell your team members about who you are, your background, whether you are married with children, etc. Let them know about your likes and dislikes, your hobbies, your goals and your dreams. By allowing your team members to get to know you as a person, they will naturally come to develop a trust in you and will see you as someone who is genuine and sincere.

I could go on as there are many other ways to inspire team members not to give up, but you also have to keep in mind Rule of Success #19 "Some will, some won't. So what?! Someone's waiting! Next!"

I know this was a little long winded, but I hope it helps.
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Hi Bolajoko,

This excellent question has no single correct answer. There are many tools and resources you can bring to bear when trying to inspire your team members to keep going.

These can include, but certainly are not limited to:

- Communication
It is vitally important to maintain continual, positive communication with your team. This allows them to see and realize that you are real and that you care about their success. You can share different tips or
...more

Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

Hi Robert,

This is a great question.

The first thing to keep in mind is not to be too pushy or direct, or your team may very well think that the only reason you want them to establish a standing order is so you can collect the commissions off their purchases.

Of course, it is also important to point out that you need to be honest with them. Let them know that you do, indeed, earn a commission from their monthly standing order purchases, but that that is not the reason for your wanting them to set up standing orders.

As business owners, it is important for them to know and understand that any successful business requires an investment, whether that be time or money, but often, when first starting out, it is both.

Point out the benefits that come with maintaining their EA status. You could also illustrate that by maintaining their EA status with a monthly standing order, they would be freeing up the time that they would normally spend getting 1500 VersaPoints each month. They could then dedicate that time to building their SFI business.
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Hi Robert,

This is a great question.

The first thing to keep in mind is not to be too pushy or direct, or your team may very well think that the only reason you want them to establish a standing order is so you can collect the commissions off their purchases.

Of course, it is also important to point out that you need to be honest with them. Let them know that you do, indeed, earn a commission from their monthly standing order purchases, but that that is not the reason
...more

Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

Short and simple... no, you don't. But while they are not necessary, they can certainly help.

Both types of sites have their advantages and disadvantages.

Static Website
Pros: relatively easy to setup and maintain
Cons: harder to get listed in the search engines
Primary uses: many use what is known as a static squeeze page. A squeeze page is designed to entice your site visitors into providing you with their contact details, thereby adding them to your mailing list. This list, most times, is loaded into your autoresponder account so that your list members receive timely, regular emails. You also have the option of mailing your list directly. Another use for static sites is to create a series of minisites, each one geared to a different aspect of SFI or focusing on a specific product on TripleClicks.

Blog Site
Pros: easy to get listed in the search engines, so long as you are providing unique, valuable content
Cons: time consuming, unless you hire a freelance blog writer; then your main disadvantage is the added cost
Primary uses: blogs are a great way to open up discussions on topics that are not only of interest to you, but also that you have knowledge to share; by providing useful content that is unique, then your blog can get picked up by the various search engines and you have the potential to build a relatively large base of followers who are interested in the content you are providing; once you have them engaged and have earned their trust, then they are naturally curious to know more about you and what you do
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Short and simple... no, you don't. But while they are not necessary, they can certainly help.

Both types of sites have their advantages and disadvantages.

Static Website
Pros: relatively easy to setup and maintain
Cons: harder to get listed in the search engines
Primary uses: many use what is known as a static squeeze page. A squeeze page is designed to entice your site visitors into providing you with their contact details, thereby adding them to your mailing
...more

Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

I would like to start first by reiterating what others have written before me, inasmuch as it is always best to start with what you know... your home country. You already know your country's language, if it is not English, your country's culture, your country's economics, and so forth.

Beyond the scope of your country, to best determine which countries are the best ones to advertise in, I look at it from two perspectives: 1) The top 10 countries based on sign-ups; 2) The top 10 countries based on activity.

I think most are inclined to only look at the top countries for signups, but what good is it to your to go and get 1000 signups from a particular country is 0 are active? That is why it is also good habit to look at those countries which have the most active affiliates. "Work with the workers".

At time of writing this, here are the stats for both perspectives:
Top countries for signups
1) India
2) United States
3) Serbia
4) Philippines
5) United Kingdom
6) Pakistan
7) South Africa
8) Nigeria
9) Bosnia
10) United Arab Emirates

Top countries for activity
1) India
2) United States
3) Philippines
4) Pakistan
5) Nigeria
6) South Africa
7) Serbia
8) Bangladesh
9) Indonesia
10) Canada

Based on these two lists, India, the United States and the Philippines would be obvious choices as these three are the only ones to show up in the top 5 on both lists.

Hope this helps.
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I would like to start first by reiterating what others have written before me, inasmuch as it is always best to start with what you know... your home country. You already know your country's language, if it is not English, your country's culture, your country's economics, and so forth.

Beyond the scope of your country, to best determine which countries are the best ones to advertise in, I look at it from two perspectives: 1) The top 10 countries based on sign-ups; 2) The top 10 countries
...more

Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

This is a great question.

There are many ways to be able to show your team the true potential of SFI and TripleClicks and to help them understand that potential. But it all starts with regular, valuable and consistent communication with your team.

Because SFI is internet based, then you should work on getting your team engaged through various communication mediums, including but not restricting yourself to SFI's built-in team mailer. Email, while considered by many to be passe, is still a powerful and effective communication platform. It is important to ensure that your team whitelist your email address just as they did with SFI's so that your email communiques with them are not flagged and discarded as spam.

You can also turn to various popular VOIP/IM platforms including Skype, Viber (similar to Skype and popular throughout the Asiatic regions), Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, etc. And let us not forget the many popular social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and so forth.

Once you have them engaged in regualr communication with you, you can choose different topics for discussion with your team to help them understand the kind of business SFI is and what it's potential can be. You can choose to discuss lessons from the LaunchPad series, the Internet Income course, SFI's compensation plan, etc.

Get them engaged in regular communication with you and you will have overcome your biggest obstacle... developing an active team.

Hope this helps.
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This is a great question.

There are many ways to be able to show your team the true potential of SFI and TripleClicks and to help them understand that potential. But it all starts with regular, valuable and consistent communication with your team.

Because SFI is internet based, then you should work on getting your team engaged through various communication mediums, including but not restricting yourself to SFI's built-in team mailer. Email, while considered by many to be passe,
...more

Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

The best way I can think to start in answering this si with a comeback question... why?

SFI has provided a series of business cards called x-cards available to purchase on TripleClicks. When you consider the costs involved with creating your own business cards: time, materials, printing fees, etc., you will find that the cost of purchasing SFI's premade x-cards to relative low in comparison.

With that said, there is a perfectly viable use for having your own business cards. Become an ECA and set up your own TripleClicks store. You could then design a business card focused on the product line that you are selling. You could pass along a TripleClicks gift card along with each business card you hand out, earning valuable versapoints for each gift card. And when people enroll at TripleClicks, then they become your PRM. Then when they purchase, either at your own store or elsewhere, you earn based on their purchases.

Naturally, of course, when designing your own business cards, you have to first get permission from SFI if you plan to use the SFI or TripleClicks logos on your cards. You then have a submit a draft of your finished card to SFI for approval to ensure that it meets their advertising guidelines.

Hope this helps.
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The best way I can think to start in answering this si with a comeback question... why?

SFI has provided a series of business cards called x-cards available to purchase on TripleClicks. When you consider the costs involved with creating your own business cards: time, materials, printing fees, etc., you will find that the cost of purchasing SFI's premade x-cards to relative low in comparison.

With that said, there is a perfectly viable use for having your own business cards.
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Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

Thank you for submitting such a great question.

The answer, quite simply, is both. Allow me to elaborate. When building and developing your business, you never want to exclude anyone. You really can never know who might be your "diamond in the rough", your hidden gold mine.

With that said, I do feel that it is important to focus on targeting strangers first. The reason for this is that, more often than not, your friends and family are typically the ones who, while they might show their support outwardly, inwardly they are really thinking "Show me the money first, then I might join you in your venture." Because of this, they are the hardest to convince of the value, strength and integrity of the SFI business opportunity until they actually see that you are making money with it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if your target friends and family first and then, if they fail, there is the risk that they will take more personally against you than would a stranger. But when your friends and family can actually see that you are succeeding with your business, then a natural curiosity comes over them for them to know your "secret".
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Thank you for submitting such a great question.

The answer, quite simply, is both. Allow me to elaborate. When building and developing your business, you never want to exclude anyone. You really can never know who might be your "diamond in the rough", your hidden gold mine.

With that said, I do feel that it is important to focus on targeting strangers first. The reason for this is that, more often than not, your friends and family are typically the ones who, while
...more

Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

Thank you for your question. I am sure that most of us, if not all of us, are familiar with SFI’s Rule of Success #8, “Leaders are readers”. Think back to when you were in school. What is one of the first things given to you by your teacher? That’s right… a textbook for your class.

Reading is an essential and integral part of running a business, especially in a business such as SFI where you have different levels of achievement. This question gave me a lot to think about as there are so many different books to choose from that it was hard to narrow it down.

Here is a partial list of some of my favorites. The list is not provided in any particular order, except being primarily by author.

To start the list, I highly recommend the book “As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen. As its title implies, we often become that which precludes our thoughts and those thoughts then inspire our actions.

An excellent companion book to this one is “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, a timeless classic that never ceases to inspire one to new heights. Another very good book by Napoleon Hill is “The Law of Success: The Master Wealth-Builder's Complete and Original Lesson Plan for Achieving Your Dreams”.

Well-known for his role with the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series of books, Jack Canfield brings us his book titled “The Success Principles”.

Another author that is very well-known is Stephen R. Covey with his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. Also by Covey is his well-acclaimed sequel to his 7 Habits book titled “The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness”.

From Dale Carnegie comes the inspirational classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and “The Leader in You”.

One of the best known authors and motivators in the realm of sales and marketing is Brian Tracy, from whom we can read “21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires”, “No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline”, “12 Disciplines of Leadership Excellence” and “How the Best Leaders Lead”.

And finally, form Jack Zufelt, a popular author in the field of network marketing come the books “The DNA of Success”, “Learn to Earn” and “How to Use the Conquering Force Within You”.

I know this is quite the list, and were to narrow that list down to just one, single book, while it is a hard choice given the thorough excellence of all these books, I would have to choose Napoleon Hill’s book “Think and Grow Rich”. This book, which causes one to examine one’s beliefs and then apply those beliefs to developing personal success, is a constant source of inspiration and motivation.

I hope you are able to discover your personal keys to success within the pages of these books.

To your success!
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Thank you for your question. I am sure that most of us, if not all of us, are familiar with SFI’s Rule of Success #8, “Leaders are readers”. Think back to when you were in school. What is one of the first things given to you by your teacher? That’s right… a textbook for your class.

Reading is an essential and integral part of running a business, especially in a business such as SFI where you have different levels of achievement. This question gave me a lot to think about as
...more

Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

Hi Ritu,

It all starts with communication. Let your team know about your store and what kinds of products you carry. Engage with them on what kinds of products they would like to see and would feel comfortable promoting.

If you are carrying digital products, you could offer free samples of your products. For example, you could offer them a free chapter from an ebook with a link to your store so they can buy the full ebook.

Get creative. The only difference between promoting to your SFI team and general marketing is that you have already built a rapport with your team.

Hope this helps.
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Hi Ritu,

It all starts with communication. Let your team know about your store and what kinds of products you carry. Engage with them on what kinds of products they would like to see and would feel comfortable promoting.

If you are carrying digital products, you could offer free samples of your products. For example, you could offer them a free chapter from an ebook with a link to your store so they can buy the full ebook.

Get creative. The only difference between
...more