Affiliate since: 03/16/2012, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Caroline's 111 other Ask SC answers

Most of the answers I have read so far seem to consider the follow-up as working with the new affiliate, or ECA after you have successfully joined them. My interpretation of Doreen's question is that she is asking about follow-up before a prospect joins SFI in whatever capacity. Obviously you will work with all people in your team consistently and help them to grow either as affiliates or ECAs. I am answering the question from the understanding that Doreen is talking about prospects, not team members. Generally people do not join a business after only one contact, so follow-up is necessary before the prospect becomes a member of your team.

Although all contacts with prospects are important, if I were to decide which is more important between initial contact and follow-up, I would say the initial contact is. First impressions are critical, and if you mess up the initial contact, you greatly reduce your chances of having a second go.

Follow-up can only come if there has been a successful initial contact first.

When approaching a new prospect whether as a possible ECA, SFI affiliate or TripleClicks customer, be prepared to answer any questions regarding any aspect of the business. Look professional, have the appropriate materials to leave with your prospect and above all be interested in your prospect, his life and his business.

For a prospect to perceive you and your proposition as interesting, you must come across right from the first as interested. If you try to be interesting yourself as opposed to being interested, you will turn him off right away. Look for commonality between you and the prospect and focus your approach around those areas.

If you do these things you draw the prospect toward you, you show your genuine interest in him or her as a person, you show that you are a professional with knowledge, integrity and warmth of character. You will leave a good first impression and are bound to have an opportunity to follow-up. When you do follow-up, your prospect will look forward to the meeting because you will have established such a strong bond of friendship and trust in your initial contact.

He will feel confident to learn more of what you have to share and trust that you will work with him if he does decide to join you. He will also feel confident that if he doesn't feel that the business is for him, that he will not be offending you personally, and will not feel obligated or pressured to join to keep you happy. Such a prospect would not be a good team member anyway. You can still have open lines of communication and at some point in the future if he reconsiders the idea of an online business, guess who he will come to looking for guidance? You.

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Most of the answers I have read so far seem to consider the follow-up as working with the new affiliate, or ECA after you have successfully joined them. My interpretation of Doreen's question is that she is asking about follow-up before a prospect joins SFI in whatever capacity. Obviously you will work with all people in your team consistently and help them to grow either as affiliates or ECAs. I am answering the question from the understanding that Doreen is talking about prospects, not team
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Affiliate since: 03/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Raymond's 64 other Ask SC answers

Thank you for this well thought out and very important question. Both are very important, though I tend to place a higher degree of importance on following up. In my experience, I have found that many people feel that the initial contact is not only the most important part of any presentation, but also is the hardest.

While I do agree that making that initial contact is an important part of presenting a business opportunity, I do not feel that it is the most important part nor do I feel it to be very difficult either. Of course, it is important to the extent that if you blow your first impression, then you do not need to worry about following up.

Now, with that said, I think it has become rather transparent that I place a much higher degree of importance on following up with your prospects. I have noticed that many of the provided answers thus far have been focusing on affiliates when speaking about following up, but I feel that your question is geared rather to working with prospects before they sign up.

It is very rare anymore that people make decisions on impulse. Whether that decision is about buying a new car, going on a vacation, or finding a way to supplement or replace their current income, people like to have as much information as they can and tend to take their time before reaching that decision.

Let us take buying a new car as an example. You see an ad in your local paper “Used car for sale. Runs great. No rust. $500 or best offer.” After seeing such an ad, are you likely to pick up your phone, call the seller, and buy the car, sight unseen? No, of course not. You are going to want to see the car for yourself, listen to the engine, take it for a test drive, and ask questions to gather other bits of information you feel is important to help you make a decision.

Deciding to go in to business for yourself is a big step for most people. It is even rarer for people to enroll in an online business after just the initial contact. Not only that, but if you try telling your prospect everything about SFI in your initial contact, you are likely going to leave them feeling overwhelmed.

That is why it is important to present enough facts about SFI in that initial contact to capture your prospects interest. Then, though your follow-ups with that prospect you are able to offer additional pieces of information as well as answer any questions that your prospect might have. For some people, it will take between 7 to 10 follow-ups before they make the decision to join your team.

One last thing to consider. When you actively engage your prospects with well-written follow-up letters, when they do make that decision to enroll as a member of your SFI team, they are that much more likely to be a “worker” than a fence sitter. They already did the fence sitting through the follow-up process.

I hope this helps.
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Thank you for this well thought out and very important question. Both are very important, though I tend to place a higher degree of importance on following up. In my experience, I have found that many people feel that the initial contact is not only the most important part of any presentation, but also is the hardest.

While I do agree that making that initial contact is an important part of presenting a business opportunity, I do not feel that it is the most important part nor do I feel
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Affiliate since: 02/12/2013, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Samuel Bareng's 20 other Ask SC answers

Thanks so much for this wonderful question.I believe both stages are important.First of all you took the initiative to introduce someone into a business opportunity,so it is equally wise to guide that person until he or she is confident enough to stand on their own.Your passion and love for assisting your downline will go a long way in building a very strong team.

I also believe that your downlines will be able to transfer your training and love to their own downline and thus conduct this business with more passion and enthusiasm.It is like introducing giving birth to a baby and dumping that child to mend for itself.Not very long,that recruit will lose interest and quit the business.I hope I have tried to answer your question.Have fun and work with your downlines!
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Thanks so much for this wonderful question.I believe both stages are important.First of all you took the initiative to introduce someone into a business opportunity,so it is equally wise to guide that person until he or she is confident enough to stand on their own.Your passion and love for assisting your downline will go a long way in building a very strong team.

I also believe that your downlines will be able to transfer your training and love to their own downline and thus conduct this
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Affiliate since: 12/06/2012, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read bolajoko's 18 other Ask SC answers

Hi Doreen Manson, in answering your question i had to read in-between the lines to get precisely what answer you are looking for in the question you ask.

The word prospect tells me its directed to PSA and not CSA. With CSA you wont need any initial contact because they are being given to us on attaining EA status all you need is follow-ups.

While PSA's you will need both initial contact and follow-ups, now which is more important.

This is my resolve:

Initial contact is much more important then follow-up. WHY?
Without contact there can not be any follow-ups, as it is said already first impression matters.

We can not underestimate the power of follow-ups but when you don't advertise your product who will you render services too.

It is until you make contact before the force of follow up can take place. So one has to put more effort in the initial contact that is to say your presentation or advertisement should be in a way that makes prospect to want to join your business and stay. But after getting them follow them up

I hope that helps
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Hi Doreen Manson, in answering your question i had to read in-between the lines to get precisely what answer you are looking for in the question you ask.

The word prospect tells me its directed to PSA and not CSA. With CSA you wont need any initial contact because they are being given to us on attaining EA status all you need is follow-ups.

While PSA's you will need both initial contact and follow-ups, now which is more important.

This is my resolve:


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Affiliate since: 02/22/2020, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read TJ's 5 other Ask SC answers

This really depends on the prospect.

Some are already looking for an opportunity. The tiniest nudge will ignite their curiosity. For these types of prospects, the follow up is the most important. It needs to show that this is a REAL opportunity with real growth and advancement.

Others will be more skeptical at the idea in general. For them, it I about persuading them to even look. This is especially true for offline prospects. Many people are very cautious and unbelieving of making money online. However, these people will also need good, repeated follow ups to help show them how the system works.

Overall, the best approach is to have good first contacts AND effective follow ups. This will help sponsor more people, as well as helping more sponsored affiliates grow into a powerful downline.
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This really depends on the prospect.

Some are already looking for an opportunity. The tiniest nudge will ignite their curiosity. For these types of prospects, the follow up is the most important. It needs to show that this is a REAL opportunity with real growth and advancement.

Others will be more skeptical at the idea in general. For them, it I about persuading them to even look. This is especially true for offline prospects. Many people are very cautious and unbelieving
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Affiliate since: 08/29/2012, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read HITS Universe's 11 other Ask SC answers

Well Doreen,

I think that the answer is already in the question.

For sure the second part of your question can only be of any value if the first part is not only answered correctly but especially if it is brought in to practice.
Indeed, any sales guru will tell you that no matter the product you are selling , in reality the sale is already "done" during the opening of the sales talk,the famous first 10 seconds of the sales talk.
And that implicates that what is really of the greatest importance (if we translate the above to our kind of business)is most certainly located in the first direct contact that you have with your new affiliates, and that is...your Leadership Page ! There and nowhere else you have Your famous "1st 10 seconds"! There, you need a well presented page with THE picture(not just a picture)and straight to the point text presentation.
We're not going to elaborate here the plan,neither the "How to create a fantastic LP " ,because that is not the question.Let us limited ourselves to refer to the SFI training section .
About the follow up , I refer to the affiliate manager instructions that SFI provides below, on each individual affiliate page of Your affiliates (https://www.sfimg.com/AffiliateSnapshot?sfiid=xxxxxxxx).

Conclusion: Your LP is the most important,nevertheless your question is most certainly NOT an "or/or" but "and/and"-question.A good LP without the proper follow-up , is also doomed to failure.

Hope this answer may be of some help.

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Well Doreen,

I think that the answer is already in the question.

For sure the second part of your question can only be of any value if the first part is not only answered correctly but especially if it is brought in to practice.
Indeed, any sales guru will tell you that no matter the product you are selling , in reality the sale is already "done" during the opening of the sales talk,the famous first 10 seconds of the sales talk.
And that implicates that what
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Affiliate since: 02/04/2013, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Bryan's 47 other Ask SC answers

I believe the followup is crucial to creating active affiliates. When someone first signs up as a new affiliate, they are bombarded with emails. By sending an initial contact email, sometimes this can get lost in the new affiliates inbox.
If the followup is sent out between 2 - 4 days after an affiliate signs up, the odds of them reading the email are higher.
This also gives the new affiliate a chance to learn a little about SFI prior to help being offered by their sponsor. All too often sponsors will email new affiliates straight away letting them know to contact them with any questions. Most new affiliates will not even know what questions to ask for a few days.
If you can remember your first few days with SFI, there's so much information being sent to you it's very easy to forget about an email from a sponsor. But by sending a welcome after they've had some time to digest SFI, I believe it's much more beneficial to the affiliate then.
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I believe the followup is crucial to creating active affiliates. When someone first signs up as a new affiliate, they are bombarded with emails. By sending an initial contact email, sometimes this can get lost in the new affiliates inbox.
If the followup is sent out between 2 - 4 days after an affiliate signs up, the odds of them reading the email are higher.
This also gives the new affiliate a chance to learn a little about SFI prior to help being offered by their sponsor. All too often
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Affiliate since: 08/02/2000, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read David's 16 other Ask SC answers

I'm answering under the presumtion that you are referring to prospective affiliates and not those already signed up.

The initial contact is crucial. First impressions and all that. But the follow up is equally important because it can take 7 to 20 contacts before you can close the deal.

So you want to be sure you have a great opening and be ready to keep going becuase few prospects are going to sign up after just one contact. If your opening is bad though you never get the chance to follow up!.

Final answer. BOTH are equally important.
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I'm answering under the presumtion that you are referring to prospective affiliates and not those already signed up.

The initial contact is crucial. First impressions and all that. But the follow up is equally important because it can take 7 to 20 contacts before you can close the deal.

So you want to be sure you have a great opening and be ready to keep going becuase few prospects are going to sign up after just one contact. If your opening is bad though you never get the chance
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Affiliate since: 03/27/2013, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Stefan's 93 other Ask SC answers

Both are equally important. It is imperative that sponsors send a welcome letter, at the very least, or make some kind of initial contact with a prospect as soon as they sign up.

Why is this initial contact important? Here are my top three reasons:

1. Build rapport - the more comfortable the prospect feels with you the more apt they are to duplicate you. Building trust / rapport is the most vital reason for contact. The more they trust your actions the more they will follow you lead and duplicate you.

2. Add value - initial contact adds tremendous value to your prospects and the more you offer the more value you add. This benefits both you and your prospect. They will duplicate you even more the more they trust you and trust is a by product of value.

3. Provide comfort level - initial contact always provides comfort to your prospect and even more so if you have an open door policy so they feel welcomed.

Once you have had initial contact in some form, you must also, at various durations, follow up with your prospects, as well. Why? Especially, your movers. Your movers will be easier to keep on track, but they also can easily fall off track if they feel they are being left to defend themselves and deserted by their upline. Follow up with your prospects either weekly, monthly or at some custom duration unique toneach one and do so by ranking each one by performance level starting with the big hitters to low ballers.

I.E.

1. Hit your Team Leaders first
2. Hit your EA2 and EA next
3. Hit your active Affiliates
4. Hit your inactive or static affiliates

The purpose of this ranking order is the higher rank affiliates will require less motivation to remain active and moving but are more important to hit first show them their importance . Where as your lower ranking affiliates will likely require much more effort and may not react to your follow ups. All are worth some level of effort. However, do not waste too much time on your non shakers if they are non responsive.

In summary, both your initial and follow up contact is of key importance. Why? Initial contact will lay the ground work for those affiliates that are likely to excel and this will only solidfy the probability that will be your top producers if you show them you are there for them.

Follow up contact is critical to show that you are following their actions and providing critical key suggestions or recommendations based of their actions that will help them reach milestones in their quest for success that they may not otherwise be aware of.

All true successful leaders and/ or sponsors will contact their downline at some degree and follow up with their most responsive affiliates as long as they continue to move as it is a Win/Win for both the sponsor and affiliate downstream and also for your team as a whole.

The worst thing a sponsor can do is ignore your downline all together. They will most likely fall off in the end. Remember, to be successful, duplication is essential. To duplicate success, you must act like you want them to act. Initial and follow up contact has always proven to be of critical and equal importance and should be a task on your to do list daily.

Do this and you success will ultimately reflect it.

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Both are equally important. It is imperative that sponsors send a welcome letter, at the very least, or make some kind of initial contact with a prospect as soon as they sign up.

Why is this initial contact important? Here are my top three reasons:

1. Build rapport - the more comfortable the prospect feels with you the more apt they are to duplicate you. Building trust / rapport is the most vital reason for contact. The more they trust your actions the more they will follow
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Affiliate since: 01/10/2013, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Satish's 28 other Ask SC answers

This is a very good question. The two most important part in making sales or growing your network is

1. Initial Contact with the prospect

As we say first impression is the last impression. So your initial Contact with the prospect should create a good impact on him/her.

2. Follow-Up

For making a good relationship with the prospect, you need to have regular follow ups with him/her, keeping in mind that you don't turnout to be a pest for that other person.

So if you see, both of these are very important in successful marketing. You cannot neglect any one of them. Both are equally important.

Hope this helps..
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This is a very good question. The two most important part in making sales or growing your network is

1. Initial Contact with the prospect

As we say first impression is the last impression. So your initial Contact with the prospect should create a good impact on him/her.

2. Follow-Up

For making a good relationship with the prospect, you need to have regular follow ups with him/her, keeping in mind that you don't turnout to be a pest for that other person.

So
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