Affiliate since: 11/29/2011, Power Rank: 101 | Read Gliceria's 402 other Ask SC answers

A lot of answers in favour of promoting to friends and family have been given and I hope it helped you in deciding what to do.

For me,however, I have found it very difficult to promote to friends and family for the following reasons:

. Emotional attachments to family and friends make it hard to approach them about the business. While they may be supportive in whatever you undertake, they want to distance themselves from you once you start mentioning and promoting SFI/TC.

. Friends will start to avoid visiting or talking to you for fear of being "sold to" or "talked to" in joining you.

. I have learned my hard lessons so now I don't even mention what I'm doing. On a very rare occasions that I get invited to by friends and relatives, I find that I have to keep to myself and pretend to enjoy the occasion. This makes me feel isolated and I feel so sad that my own family and friends would not want to share my dreams.

Strangers are said to be friends we haven't met. So, talking to strangers to promote SFI/TC is a better alternative. They're more interesting to talk to if you just try to listen to them instead of being interesting yourself, you'll find them easier to prospect.

This is the reason why I love building SFI business on the internet.
There are many wonderful strangers out there who we are yet to meet and share our dreams with.

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A lot of answers in favour of promoting to friends and family have been given and I hope it helped you in deciding what to do.

For me,however, I have found it very difficult to promote to friends and family for the following reasons:

. Emotional attachments to family and friends make it hard to approach them about the business. While they may be supportive in whatever you undertake, they want to distance themselves from you once you start mentioning and promoting SFI/TC.

.
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Affiliate since: 10/26/2010, Power Rank: 238 | Read Kay's 289 other Ask SC answers

Since from the start of our SFI career we know that we will be promoting it to both our warm and cold markets, the real question is when to promote to each group.

Your larger group by far is those you do not know as yet. This group is endless both online and offline. You can practice and experiment with this group with both your face-to-face presentation and your written, anonymous ads.It is easy with this group to keep expanding your reach into it. But some of them will become part of your warm market as you continue to have contacts with them through follow-ups and friendship making steps.

Your warm market on the other hand is more important to you. You are emotionally attached to each member in some way or another. You have an established relationship. You have a certain level of respect for each other. You want them to get in SFI not because you want them under you, to make you money, but because you know this will be good for them.

Are you ready to promote to this group? Have you lived your life in a way that makes each of your warm market feel respect for you and what you say? Or are you the member of the family that has never made a good decision and whom they all consider you as "Poor Brother or Sister"? Consider this before you promote your new business to them.

Go ahead and let them know that you have found an interesting new business that you are grabbing onto. Then let them watch your enthusiasm and progress. You will know when they and you are ready for the whole promotion.

You must also be prepared in your mind for rejection from this group. They are rejecting the new ideas, not you. They will be watching. Never let them see your moments of discouragement.
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Since from the start of our SFI career we know that we will be promoting it to both our warm and cold markets, the real question is when to promote to each group.

Your larger group by far is those you do not know as yet. This group is endless both online and offline. You can practice and experiment with this group with both your face-to-face presentation and your written, anonymous ads.It is easy with this group to keep expanding your reach into it. But some of them will become part of
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Affiliate since: 08/04/2013, Power Rank: 11 | Read Moira's 74 other Ask SC answers

Hello Gordana,

With the way SFI is set up, there is no urgent need to find prospects among your family and friends. SFI provides beginner, intermediate and advanced methods for you to promote SFI to strangers all over the world. You literally have the world at your fingertips, and the ability to reach hundreds of thousands of people who are looking for exactly the kind of business you are offering.

On the other hand, friends and family are an essential part of your inner circle and as such, should be treated with care. Only approach those who you know for sure are interested in what you have to offer. However, if even the most promising prospects among your family and friends get a glazed look in their eyes each time you talk about SFI, take the hint and change the subject! If you insist on pestering them about joining SFI each time you meet, they may start to avoid you.

Even if you do manage to convince some of them to join, they may do it just to please you or humor you, not because they are convinced that this type of business is the right one for them. Consequently, there is no guarantee that they will take the business seriously, and this may create conflict down the road that could affect your long-term relationship.

I suggest you stick to strangers until you can show your friends and family how well you are doing. Once that happens, they are more likely to flock to your doorstep without any convincing on your part, and then you can pick and choose who among them will be a good candidate to have on your team. You won't have to chase them, they will be chasing you!
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Hello Gordana,

With the way SFI is set up, there is no urgent need to find prospects among your family and friends. SFI provides beginner, intermediate and advanced methods for you to promote SFI to strangers all over the world. You literally have the world at your fingertips, and the ability to reach hundreds of thousands of people who are looking for exactly the kind of business you are offering.

On the other hand, friends and family are an essential part of your inner circle
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Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Raymond's 64 other Ask SC answers

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
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Affiliate since: 07/02/2024, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Williams's 638 other Ask SC answers

Truly it is good to promote SFI to people you know to begin with because they know you. Chances are if they value your relationship with them this greatly improves your odds of getting them to take action. Most of these people do value your connection with them as many of them you have know for years. However, they must also value your offer and see what's in it for them. They will not join just because they like you. But if they like you and perceive how SFI can help them achieve their goals then they will most likely join you.

Yet if they can't see the value, it doesn't mean that they don't like you; it only means they are not interested in SFI because it has no value to them. Don't chase your relatives and friends unless you want them to dread you when they meet you! You stay consistent and patient with SFI yourself and when they see you making good money they may ask you how they can join then.

Notwithstanding, you can promote effectively to people who you will never meet, most likely. This is done through relationship marketing. In a nutshell, build a list of interested people by offering them something for free like a newsletter. Then you follow up with them offering them valuable content. Find out about them and interact with the people on your list as this build liking and trust. Brand yourself as an authority by differentiated yourself from the pack. They will not only follow you but take action on your recommendations.


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Truly it is good to promote SFI to people you know to begin with because they know you. Chances are if they value your relationship with them this greatly improves your odds of getting them to take action. Most of these people do value your connection with them as many of them you have know for years. However, they must also value your offer and see what's in it for them. They will not join just because they like you. But if they like you and perceive how SFI can help them achieve their goals
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Affiliate since: 05/12/2013, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Lika's 4 other Ask SC answers

Hello Gordana,

This is a good question!

According to me, we have to do a diagram like : SFI with links to you (first), friends, family and strangers.

1st of all, what SFI means to you: is it your business? do you have faith? do you have trust? and to you want to build your enterprise and succeed for ever into this program?
If you have a positive answer to these questions, then you can be able to well organize your links from your diagram.

If you have a good sight, you will see that there is no difference between your friends, family members and the strangers you could meet. How? because what is your consideration upon them. You need to promote SFI, then we can say you need to convince people, whatever where they come from: location, status, relationship or friendship.

So, I can say any people can be linked to SFI by invitation for Free, by advertising through social network, from private relationship. The most important in this field is to be convinced that you believe on what you are doing and you want to see the best success of it. For you to like such work and make duplication or promote this great SFI program, you need to keep all people in the same bag. Because, where is it written on his/her front head that he/her is a brother to, or friend to, or stranger to.....

Just keep on trying, it is not easy to say, but this is the truth. Be strong enough in mind to discuss to anybody at home, to your neighbourhood, and to any people you meet on your way : street, supermarket, shops, library, coffee shop, and many others.....

ONLY NEVER FORGET TO HAVE SOME ADS WITH YOU, BUSINESS CARDS, SOME FLAYERS, SOME GIFT CARDS, OR ANY OTHER TOOL FOR ADVERTISING AND PROMOTE SFI.

According to me, everybody is same in this kind of work, there is no difference between our brother/sister, friends, someone I just met.

Everyday keep focused on promoting SFI with strongest words of discovery and encouragement, no matter how people are feeling it and never stop promoting.

Hope this will help and be understood.

Good luck!
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Hello Gordana,

This is a good question!

According to me, we have to do a diagram like : SFI with links to you (first), friends, family and strangers.

1st of all, what SFI means to you: is it your business? do you have faith? do you have trust? and to you want to build your enterprise and succeed for ever into this program?
If you have a positive answer to these questions, then you can be able to well organize your links from your diagram.

If you have
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Affiliate since: 06/09/2014, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Barbie's 13 other Ask SC answers

I don't think it matters if you want to promote SFI to friends, families or strangers. It really depends on the driving power of every individual.

Promoting SFI to anyone is one thing but for anyone to have this drive to persue it is another thing.

If the person has the drive, in this case, to accept SFI as a second income earner and then explore, you will be satisfied of this outcome.


So it does not matter if it is a friend, family or stranger really but if the individual has the power to drive and you who is promoting SFI to that person must also have the willingness to assist for a bottom up satisfaction.

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I don't think it matters if you want to promote SFI to friends, families or strangers. It really depends on the driving power of every individual.

Promoting SFI to anyone is one thing but for anyone to have this drive to persue it is another thing.

If the person has the drive, in this case, to accept SFI as a second income earner and then explore, you will be satisfied of this outcome.


So it does not matter if it is a friend, family or stranger really but
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Affiliate since: 02/16/2014, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Philippus's 100 other Ask SC answers

In my opinion, it’s better to start promoting to strangers at first, since you’re still learning the principles of the business when you start out and you might not have any tangible successes to show.

Promote your business all over the globe with online marketing. It can be done through your own website, ad exchange on other websites, free or paid ads on e-commerce sites, etc. You can also promote your business offline in your own country by placing ads in printed media, posting banners or distributing marketing materials, etc.

While you’re still learning and building your success, you can just post your SFI Gateways in your ads and on your website, so you don’t have to talk to them personally at first. When they click on your SFI Gateway links it takes them directly to SFI home page or TripleClicks and SFI do all the selling for you. Yes, you have to communicate with new affiliates afterwards, but at least SFI can do the initial negotiations for you.

When you are more familiar with the system and have had some successes to show at a later stage, you can do the initial negotiations yourself and even promote to family and friends as you can provide proof that you can be successful withSFI.

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In my opinion, it’s better to start promoting to strangers at first, since you’re still learning the principles of the business when you start out and you might not have any tangible successes to show.

Promote your business all over the globe with online marketing. It can be done through your own website, ad exchange on other websites, free or paid ads on e-commerce sites, etc. You can also promote your business offline in your own country by placing ads in printed media, posting
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Affiliate since: 07/28/2013, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Ingrid 's 138 other Ask SC answers

When we enter a new adventure or purchase we want to share that information with those whom we love and are closest to us. It is the same with SFI. It does not always mean that they will support you.

They will tend to be kind and go along with you until they find a way to opt out. Since they may know one another, your success or lack of it may be up for discussion before you are even aware of it. However, later on, if they realize your success they tend to come right back.

Since this is true for approximately 90% of the time, it will depend on how much patience you have to deal with situations like this. You tend to be defensive or cautious before you approach them.

On the other hand, if you approach strangers, there is no inhibition, hesitancy or excuse to make. You feel free in sharing your zeal and successful experiences with them and in the interim you are able to help an individual and gain a friend. In the final analysis, the decision is yours. It would be prudent to try both and then you decide which is best for you.

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When we enter a new adventure or purchase we want to share that information with those whom we love and are closest to us. It is the same with SFI. It does not always mean that they will support you.

They will tend to be kind and go along with you until they find a way to opt out. Since they may know one another, your success or lack of it may be up for discussion before you are even aware of it. However, later on, if they realize your success they tend to come right back.

Since
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Affiliate since: 07/05/2024, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Nafisa's 286 other Ask SC answers

One of the principles of marketing that I like to follow is never discard any prospect! Each one signifies a value that you can exploit, with time. When I talk of exploit I mean that you should never lose a chance to market SFI to anyone, be it family, friends or strangers. It is very difficult to assume or presume that family and friends (F&F) might be better than strangers. This may hold true for one Affiliate but another might find that they have received better support from strangers rather than F&F.

From experience I have always noticed that the person you least expect to support you will turn around and surprise you. Based on this evaluation, I would say that your friends also started out as strangers; they will support you but you need to establish a strong business relationship and rapport with them. Yet from another perspective you will never be sure whether they will:-

..take you up on joining SFI and work it seriously; or
..join and become a team leader or move past the 1st month in SFI; or
..be active in the 1st two months of joining SFI and then give up; and
..be inactive in the first two months and then start generating VPs.

The above set-up holds true for family and friends (F&F) but you are better assured of positive results from F&F. Here again we can separate F&F because the support from Family may probably be much better than some Friends. It is difficult to generalise.

When I talk of friends, sometimes these are my clients with whom I have been working for a long time and they are always supportive so in my case, not only do I receive tremendous support from family members but also from friends/clients. Again for some of us, you could never rely on family to support you-there is an attitude and a degree of resistance from family members but you might find that friends support you all the way especially when you have a new idea you put across.

With this uncertainty, it is prudent to take up every opportunity that comes in front of you, whether they are family, friends or strangers. You can never tell who will turn out to be the most active out of these 3.

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One of the principles of marketing that I like to follow is never discard any prospect! Each one signifies a value that you can exploit, with time. When I talk of exploit I mean that you should never lose a chance to market SFI to anyone, be it family, friends or strangers. It is very difficult to assume or presume that family and friends (F&F) might be better than strangers. This may hold true for one Affiliate but another might find that they have received better support from strangers rather
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