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What kind of rewards have proven to be the most effective for you for getting inactive affiliates active?

331 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 11/9/2012 12:16 pm

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
I recently did a survey of my team, and the biggest challenge they face is money. So, from that I would say a gift certificate would be most effective.

More importantly though, than rewarding your affiliates is to dispel the misconception that you need to be an Executive Affiliate (EA) to have a profitable business. This misconception chases more affiliates away than anything else. A gift certificate will only delay the problem if you don't educate your affiliate on how to build a profitable
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How can I get my downline members to understand SFI and what to do?

170 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 10/24/2012 4:49 pm

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
Don't over complicate it, just give them the MAP:

Minimum Action Plan (MAP)

1. Become and remain an Executive Affiliate (EA)
2. Find 5 to join you
3. Teach them the same

Back in 2005, I called it my "Green Thumb Approach"... but still the same 3 steps.

Here's an excerpt from one of my 2005 training pages for those who try to make SFI into rocket science when it is really only 1st grade science:

-----------------
The green
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How can I earn the VersaPoints I need to maintain the rank of BTL every month?

120 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 1/22/2013 5:04 pm

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
I think the real question here is WHY do you want to be a BTL? Do you just want the title and recognition? If so, there are lots of different ways to shortcut your way to BTL. If however, you are looking to make some SERIOUS money as a BTL... the way to do it is BUILD A TEAM!

If you promote yourself to BTL by building a successful team, there will NEVER be the issue of how do I maintain it.

It's human nature to want to start at the top, but when we do this we never experience
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What is your best tip for winning Pricebenders auctions?

89 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 2/2/2013 1:58 pm

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
Bid to win, but expect to lose. Always remember, there is only ONE winner and an unlimited number of losers.

My best tip is to participate in the auctions... whether it be as an active bidder or a silent observer. This is the ONLY way you will learn what you need to know to WIN consistently. This can consume a lot of your time, so weigh that into the cost of winning.

You're going to read a lot of EXCELLENT strategies... My tip here is DO NOT LOCK-IN to any particular strategy!!!
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What kinds of contests do your affiliates seem to respond best to?

88 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 12/29/2012 1:25 am

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
I think it depends on the response you want.

I started my "EA 4 a year" quarterly contest about 3 years ago to try and encourage a longer term commitment from my team. Too many people quit too soon without giving their business time to develop.

The way the contest works is you earn 1 entry for each month of the quarter you are an EA (up to 3 per quarter). The prize is $30.00 (GC) a month for the next 12 months (if you fail to reach EA remaining months are forfeited).
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What makes SFI better than other Internet-based income opportunities?

83 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 10/16/2012 4:41 pm

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
What makes SFI better than other Internet-based income opportunities?

It's PROVEN track record... I've been an SFI affiliate for 12 years next month, and the fact that SFI is still here is enough to prove to me it's the best.

I place little value on a business with a short-term vision. It takes time to build a business and if you can't trust it to be there in the future, even if it pays off initially, you will never make any serious money.

SFI affiliates are partners
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How do I present the SFI/TC opportunity to a prospect without "overselling" it and turning them off?

71 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 1/4/2013 3:55 pm

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
TripleClick gift cards (http://www.tripleclicks.com/detail.php?item=173941) are perfect to combat this fear. There is ZERO RISK of overselling, because there is no selling... just hand them a card and tell them to check it out!

SFI e-cards are another passive approach which has no cost for those on a tight budget.
X-Cards are another affordable option.

All three of these options are relatively passive and shouldn't give the impression of overselling.

What was the turning point for you in achieving success with SFI?

61 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 10/25/2012 3:58 am

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
I joined SFI in November 2000, because I was looking for a way to earn extra income so I could continue farming. Throughout that winter, I spent my time trying to sell stuff and trying to mimic the marketing gurus. By the spring of 2001, I realized I was no salesman and no marketing guru... but more importantly, I didn't want to be. I was a farmer and farmers don't sell stuff... they GROW stuff!

That was my turning point... It was at that point I realized that SFI wasn't really that
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Now that I have qualified for the level of EA what do I need to do to advance to Team Leader?

60 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 10/1/2012 2:28 pm

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
This may sound obvious, but the next step is to build a team. There is little benefit to being a team leader without a team.

Start with the training found here:
http://www.sfimg.com/Training/SponsoringTraining

Next, utilize as many of the methods found here as you can:
http://www.sfimg.com/Resources/Marketing/StandardSponsoringMethods

Always remember... this is a TEAM business. There is no need to do EVERYTHING alone. Build your team and becoming a team
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How should you advise your downline--who have never run a business before--how to proceed with advertising?

44 votes

Tim Braun, Aff (Wisconsin, US) 10/26/2012 1:36 pm

Affiliate since: 11/27/2000, Power Rank: 112
First consider your PERFECT customer...

You know their likes and dislikes
you know their wants and needs
you know what they're able to spend and what they're willing to spend
you know their favorite color, food, size, hobbies, family and other interests.

That perfect customer is yourself... If you can't sell to yourself, you will NEVER be able to sell consistently to ANYONE else.

BEFORE you worry about selling though, you first want to lay the foundation
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