Over 8 years ago, I stumbled on a link somewhere and I checked the opportunity out. Those days, there wasn’t much for me since I was in a country where I couldn’t really promote the products that SFI was based on. I left it at that. Remained a member since it doesn’t take anything to do so and I went about life as usual.
I joined as a Sales development manager with a reputed, International Bank. That lasted 3 years. I then quit and started freelance writing, web consulting, and plenty of other services. I have a good business and it continues to serve me well. An entrepreneur that I am, I am never satiated with my business. I wanted to add many more streams of Income. I wanted to aim for the Holy Grail on the Internet: the ever-elusive promise of residual income.
While at my job and during the course of my business for 7 years, I tried some popular ones such as Amway, Tupperware, and Oriflame. I could never get far with these programs because recruiting people into my down line was just not one of my strengths. I was good with salesmanship, but for some reason or the other, none of these programs worked for me mainly because I wanted a program that’s legitimate and completely offline. None of the above mentioned MLM programs were online, although some of the operations pertaining to each of these programs can be done online today.
It’s not the same as “completely online”, you see?
So, the circle is full. I come back to where I started. I look back at SFI today – an incredibly 8 years later – and it’s going strong. It improved and grew bigger, stronger, and more efficient. Early days, it started with brands like Veriuni and a couple of others and had mostly nutritional supplements, home care products, etc. Today, the range of opportunities with SFI is mind-boggling. Here are five reasons why it still works today:
SFI is an online business opportunity & it has been around forever
All of the above companies I mentioned such as Amway, Tupperware, and Oriflame have been companies that have been around for ages. These human-franchise models have been focusing on real people to run the business. SFI is the only “completely online” MLM opportunity that’s been around for probably the same time frame. It’s been growing and how! Thousands and thousands of people flock to the opportunity everyday. Social proof speaks volumes, doesn’t it?
No pressure & no “must-buy-to-be-anything-worthy tactics”
I know these upgrade pitches all too well. In fact, I hate any program that forces you “into the system”. Eventually, it’d seem like the only people who are buying are those who got into the opportunity in the first place. A business doesn’t feed on its own employees, would it? Amway, for example, just makes awesome products that most Amway customers continue to buy (along with Amway distributors themselves). Ditto for Tupperware and Oriflame. SFI doesn’t force you to buy anything, although SFI affiliates will eventually buy what they need from Tripleclicks.com – SFI’s flagship, International store. If you don’t from there, it’s all right. You can still run a business without buying a thing.
Levels, ranks, and leverage – is “buying in” the only alternative?
Notice how most MLM programs work. The Empower network, for instance, requires you to pay $25 to become a member. You will then have to upgrade to a $100+ package to make any sense of your involvement in that program. Likewise, everyone who you recruit is supposed to do the same thing. What exactly are you buying? Empower network claims that it’s a back-end, use-it-for-anything Marketing system. I am a marketer; I don’t need a marketing system. Not when I have to pay $125 each month. You can have your own marketing system that works better only if you know what to do. You will know what to do when you put in the time and effort to learn.
Don’t say, “Who has the time for it?”. What else do you have time for if it’s not to learn the ropes of your trade?
SFI business opportunity also has ranks. From an affiliate, you become an Executive Affiliate. Then leadership levels roll in such as Team leaders. However, the difference is that no matter which level you are at, you can make money if you knew what to do.
Knowing what to do and Upline support
Amway, Herbal life, and Oriflame – the three MLM programs I had experience with had more overzealousness than the actual act of educating or training (although they call them training sessions). Herbal life is all about jumping in glee, showing the world how pink in health you are, and recruiting people to do the same.
That’s vague. Amway was better that in a way; that’s because I had a great upline support.
In the end, it’s difficult for your upline or mentors to give you all the time, sit with you and brainstorm, teach you methods, etc. Moreover, you meet with a lot of resistance to such programs off line.
SFI is an online business opportunity. People who join under you – as a part of your down line – do it of their own accord (and hence are motivated). When they join, all training is already made available to them. You, as the upline, only have to push them to learn. Motivate them. Help them and guide them. You don’t have to convince them to join and take action because taking action online is easier.
There’s more leverage in SFI opportunity than any other program
Go ahead and check out all other MLM programs. The only form of leverage (which is certainly there in MLM) is when you build your down line. SFI has that and much more.
With the SFI program, you build your downline just as you’d with any program. You can tap into Co-ops which are programs designed to help you get more recruits automatically. When you get to the EA (Executive Affiliate) status, you get 40% of a common pool of commissions from ALL sales on tripleclicks.com. The further you move up in the ranks, the more leverage you get.
You wouldn’t have to buy a thing to get there, if you are clever enough. Or you could invest on IAHBE, have access to resources, tools and knowledge and further your ranks easily. The best part: it’s optional.
How you do it is up to you? What’s more important is to get started.
