Affiliate since: 04/19/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

A good social media page, such as a Facebook page is interesting if it is interactive and informative.
Colleagues will be drawn to your site if they perceive some value in the experience. Regular activities like information sharing and recognition would pique their interest, but contests and incentives that can promote them among their peers would initiate healthy competition that should work to the benefit of the team.
A page is of no value if team members are unaware of its existence so every opportunity should be taken to promote it. Then it should be kept fresh and relevant by frequent updating.
To encourage participation while assuring quality, new team members should be allowed moderated posts while more experienced and proven members could be included as administrators.
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A good social media page, such as a Facebook page is interesting if it is interactive and informative.
Colleagues will be drawn to your site if they perceive some value in the experience. Regular activities like information sharing and recognition would pique their interest, but contests and incentives that can promote them among their peers would initiate healthy competition that should work to the benefit of the team.
A page is of no value if team members are unaware of its existence
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Affiliate since: 04/19/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

A very good question and I am sure it is one each of us has grappled with. For me as a recipient even one inane, insincere, pointless message is one too many. So my rule of thumb is " if I wouldn't want to receive it, I don't send it."
When sending messages one must be considerate of the sender. Of his/her time and needs if known. Thus messages should be concise, relevant and focused. Responses should be en pointe and timely. Group messages should be such that each member of the target group can individually relate to the content both subject matter and language.
Create an environment where your team members know they can contact you whenever necessary.
Bear in mind that an affiliate will be receiving messages from SFI, and possibly from both Sponsor and Co-sponsor along with other personal or business correspondents.
Hope this is helpful.

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A very good question and I am sure it is one each of us has grappled with. For me as a recipient even one inane, insincere, pointless message is one too many. So my rule of thumb is " if I wouldn't want to receive it, I don't send it."
When sending messages one must be considerate of the sender. Of his/her time and needs if known. Thus messages should be concise, relevant and focused. Responses should be en pointe and timely. Group messages should be such that each member of the
...more

Affiliate since: 04/19/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

Very good question Lorrie and one that I have been grappling with myself. I recently set up a co-op for my team and I have been trying to get them to participate.

I have found a few very useful tools:

1. Educate. Tell them about the value that participating in the co-op can bring to them. Both actual value for money invested and comparative value of potential returns to time. Many of us do not have the time nor access to go out and recruit affiliates and the co-op is a great way to pool resources and tackle this.
Be careful to be honest and not make grandiose promises of returns that could result in disappointed affiliates.

2. Demonstrate. Publish the results. Show the team members that the co-op is working and that participants are benefiting. If they are interested in pursuing their business, they will want to be a part of a successful project particularly if it can be accessed at minimal cost.

3. Incorporate. As Team Leader, allocate shares to affiliates as prizes or performance bonuses or whatever reason suits your objectives. They will experience the value of participation and may be encouraged to be more active.

I hope this is helpful
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Very good question Lorrie and one that I have been grappling with myself. I recently set up a co-op for my team and I have been trying to get them to participate.

I have found a few very useful tools:

1. Educate. Tell them about the value that participating in the co-op can bring to them. Both actual value for money invested and comparative value of potential returns to time. Many of us do not have the time nor access to go out and recruit affiliates and the co-op is a great
...more

Affiliate since: 04/19/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

What we get out is a function of what we put in. Therefore in determining what investment is to be made, the affiliate must know what his/her personal goal is in becoming a team member of SFI.

The best investment for a new affiliate is the investment of time. Time is flexible, convenient, available to everyone and does not need to be supported by cash.

The new affiliate should invest time -
In education: Learning about the business, about marketing techniques, about business development and support tools. Tools for these are all readily available in SFI.
In developing their business - Introducing affiliates, e-Commerce Associates (ECAs) and other Personally Sponsored members (TripleClicks PSMs).

But SFI is a business and no business can succeed without cash investments. So the new affiliate should seek advantageous ways of investing cash. Useful initial direct investments include Wave3, S-Builder Co-op, and IAHBE membership.

To progress in the business, all affiliates should be prepared to invest time, money and experience in team building, personal development and where possible, eCommerce development. Effective investment will yield success.
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What we get out is a function of what we put in. Therefore in determining what investment is to be made, the affiliate must know what his/her personal goal is in becoming a team member of SFI.

The best investment for a new affiliate is the investment of time. Time is flexible, convenient, available to everyone and does not need to be supported by cash.

The new affiliate should invest time -
In education: Learning about the business, about marketing techniques, about business
...more

Affiliate since: 04/19/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

VersaPoints (VP) are the blood of SFI. Other than direct sales margins and/or commissions, your VP determine your earnings in SFI. Every action has an associated number of VP and your VP determines your status in SFI. Your minimum target each month is 1500 VP. This makes you an Executive Affiliate (EA) and gives you a share in SFI's earnings for the month.
Your month's VP total determines your designation while your total accumulated VP determines your "Power rank" among all other affiliates in SFI, at your country level and in your class (I.e. the other affiliates who signed up on the same date).
In the first month 1500 VP is easily achievable by doing your Getting Started actions, Launchpad lessons and Daily Actions. I.e. You get "free" VP for learning the system. For the second month and onward you are encouraged to invest in a Standing Order (SO) or choose one of the many other paths available in SFI to gain and accumulate VP. (These options would have been explained in your first month lessons.)


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VersaPoints (VP) are the blood of SFI. Other than direct sales margins and/or commissions, your VP determine your earnings in SFI. Every action has an associated number of VP and your VP determines your status in SFI. Your minimum target each month is 1500 VP. This makes you an Executive Affiliate (EA) and gives you a share in SFI's earnings for the month.
Your month's VP total determines your designation while your total accumulated VP determines your "Power rank" among all other
...more

Affiliate since: 04/19/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

Being fully self-employed with SFI and making a comfortable income is your BEST marketing tool.

Many people are skeptical about affiliate marketing programs, seeing them as scam schemes where all the benefits go to the top and everyone else is exploited. If you can show people by your testimony of success with SFI, that it is a legitimate program with equal chances of success for everyone who is prepared to work for it, then half your work in acquiring prospects is done.

So in answer to your question, you tell them "I am an entrepreneur" and you tell them about SFI and the myriad opportunities there are for participation and success. You tell them of the thousands who join everyday and that those who persevere succeed. You invite them to join and assure them that it is free to do so and easy to leave if they cannot pursue the program. You give them a gift card for TripleClicks and invite them to a Pricebenders auction; you give an invitation to Wave3 or, if they are in business, invite them to become an ECA and have an online presence to expand their business. You show them how they too can reap the benefits of becoming an SFI affiliate. In so doing, you take another step in your own journey with SFI - you DUPLICATE.
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Being fully self-employed with SFI and making a comfortable income is your BEST marketing tool.

Many people are skeptical about affiliate marketing programs, seeing them as scam schemes where all the benefits go to the top and everyone else is exploited. If you can show people by your testimony of success with SFI, that it is a legitimate program with equal chances of success for everyone who is prepared to work for it, then half your work in acquiring prospects is done.

So
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Affiliate since: 04/19/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

The SFI instant messenger can be a very effective tool for building rapport with affiliates particularly those that have not been directly recruited by you or with whom you have no other direct means of contact. It can be used to get to know these affiliates, to answer their questions or share ideas and to provide other guidance and encouragement.
When you receive a response in an instant message setting you are sure that your message has been received and can clarify any misunderstandings or resolve any issues. I have sent tons of emails to my downline and very few members of my team have ever responded. I have no idea if the others have received the messages and what impact if any has been created.
I always invite my affiliates to send me a message if my SFIM status is active and I promise to respond whenever they do. I also try to initiate conversations when I see that they are online. I have learnt however, that to build trust in this as a useful tool, it is a good idea to log out of your page if you are not there. It is frustrating to have a "burning question" go unanswered by someone who has offered to assist but appears to be ignoring you.
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The SFI instant messenger can be a very effective tool for building rapport with affiliates particularly those that have not been directly recruited by you or with whom you have no other direct means of contact. It can be used to get to know these affiliates, to answer their questions or share ideas and to provide other guidance and encouragement.
When you receive a response in an instant message setting you are sure that your message has been received and can clarify any misunderstandings
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Affiliate since: 04/19/2013, Power Rank: 99999999

A popular statement says "If you do not know where you are going any road will take you there". That suggests you can take any route in your quest to "nowhere" because it does not matter.

In SFI and in any venture where you are serious, you must have a goal. The goal can change over time, be replaced or enlarged but it must be present. It should be challenging but achievable and if it is a large goal, it should be capable of being broken down so that progress can be measured.

As has been said many times, SFI is not a get rich overnight scheme. It takes patience and application. If an affiliate has no goal and cannot gauge his/her progress, that person may become frustrated and give up after a while, when in fact they may be within reach of a turning point.

Goals give us focus and direction. Our own goals allow us to move at our own pace rather than just comparing our progress with others. Having SMART (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound) goals chart our route to Success.
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A popular statement says "If you do not know where you are going any road will take you there". That suggests you can take any route in your quest to "nowhere" because it does not matter.

In SFI and in any venture where you are serious, you must have a goal. The goal can change over time, be replaced or enlarged but it must be present. It should be challenging but achievable and if it is a large goal, it should be capable of being broken down so that progress can be
...more