John Dilbeck Musings

In December, 2007, SFI Marketing Group introduced MaxMalls.com.

In essence, SFI has joined the affiliate program of many of the top-ranked and most-liked stores on the Internet and has built a simple portal to all of these stores.

In addition to the convenience of starting at MaxMalls.com to go to your favorite stores - or a store you’ve never browsed - you’ll be helping children in impoverished countries around the world.

How?

SFI will donate a portion of every MaxMalls sale to the nonprofit organization, Save The Children.

Their goal is to have thousands of major, name-brand stores in MaxMalls.

Please note that going to any of the stores in MaxMalls is exactly like going to the store directly and you will pay the exact same amount for your purchases, too.

The only real differences for shoppers is that there are many stores conveniently located in one place and you can be happy that a portion of each of your purchases, if you start at MaxMalls.com, will be donated to Save The Children.

Not bad for just a couple of extra clicks when you start shopping.

Act on your dream!

JD

I earn, you earn, WeAllEarn.com. ™

I’ve been working over the last few days to create a new social networking site for SFI Marketing Group affiliates, and I’m announcing its presence to the world today.

If you are an existing SFI affiliate, or would like to learn how to join SFI, I hope you will join us at the SFI Marketing Group affiliates business networking site.

Please restrict your conversations to topics of interest to SFI Marketing Group affiliates. You are welcome to use your SFI affiliate links in the conversations and on your profile pages, but you are not welcome to spam the site with unrelated topics.

Spammers will be banned with no recourse.

You are invited to come and join us at the SFI Marketing Group Affiliates networking site. Of course, it’s free.

Act on your dream!

JD

I earn, you earn, WeAllEarn.com ™.

The EyeEarn co-op is active and already producing new affiliates. So far, I’ve had 9 new sign-ups through EyeEarn.

You can tell they come through EyeEarn by selecting the Key Codes format of your genealogy report. They will have a code of 1100 (which was also the code of the discontinued Eagle Co-Op).

I received my start up kit a couple of days ago and everything in it looks first class.

Now, I need to put the sticker on my car and upload a photo when the photo uploading link goes active today, or soon.

To remain a member of EyeEarn, we’ll need to requalify during the last five days of each month, so I just put a new recurring event in my iCal program to remind me.

I have a feeling EyeEarn will be a great recruiting tool for SFI.

After brainstorming for a bit, I registered WeAllEarn.com and redirect it to my affiliate link for EyeEarn. It will make it easier for advertising both online and offline.

Now, let’s promote EyeEarn and make it very successful.

I earn, you earn, WeAllEarn.com ™.

Act on your dream!

JD

Every month, TuneFlow challenges artists around the world to write and record new, original songs based on one of four new titles we’ve chosen.

You review and rate the songs. The songs with the best average ratings at the end of the month win. It’s “battle of the bands” Internet style!

(Come see my Tuneflow lens on Squidoo. It’s pretty basic now, but I’ll add more over time.)

What is TuneFlow?

TuneFlow’s Mission:

1. To change the rules, to put the ARTIST FIRST.

2. Provide a fun place to discover new music and new artists.

Top 5 Reasons For Artists To Join TuneFlow:

• Get a FREE Website to promote your band and music!
• Sell your music on TuneFlow FREE (with no restrictive contracts)!
• Compete in the FREE TuneFlow Tournament each month and expose your music to hundreds of new fans, get FREE reviews, and receive major recognition!
• Get FREE global airplay for your music on TuneFlow Radio!
• Advertise your live gigs…FREE!

Over 1,600 songs and 600 artists, with more joining every month.

Members:

Rate songs and earn free MP3 downloads.

Browse songs in the following categories:

• Alternative
• Blues
• Country
• Dance/Techno
• Folk
• Hip Hop/Rap
• Humor
• Jazz
• Metal
• Pop
• R&B/Soul
• Rock
• Spiritual
• World

And, when you find songs you like, you can purchase and download them.

New artists and songs are being added all the time; come see what’s new today!

I’ve been promoting Nice Offers coupons for some time, but over the lack week or two I’ve kicked it up another notch or two.

In order to help spread the word about Nice Offers coupons, I’ve created a couple of new blogs for Murphy NC and Western North Carolina. I’ve updated and improved my Syndicate Your Ad blog and I’ll be posting to it regularly, especially about coupons created by merchants I refer to the program.

The Nice Offers system is different from all the other coupon systems I know of and it may be confusing to some people.

This morning, I created a new department for Nice Offers Coupons Marketing Tips on my John Dilbeck And Friends blog.

I’ll be posting opinions, advice, and marketing tips about Nice Offers coupons to that department.

The first advice is simple: create a coupon.

Act on your dream!

JD

I’ve been thinking about this question quite a bit over the last few weeks.

Am I getting all I deserve from SFI?

Let me think out loud about that for a few moments.

Do they send me a commission when I sell something? Yes, and it’s always on time, as expected.

Do they pay me an upline override for anyone in my T-Net? Yes. Again, it’s always on time and exactly as promised.

Do they offer training materials to help me improve my marketing and team leading skills? Yes, they do. I’ve learned a lot about online marketing over the last few years and I’m getting better at it all the time. I still haven’t found the magic system and don’t believe there really is one. But, I’m finding and using tools that make my business grow and I’m getting more commission checks than ever before.

Am I getting better as a team leader? That’s certainly a mixed bag. You see, I’m not a people person. I’m an old bear who likes to travel alone and do what I want. I’m much more suited to being a blacksmith, a programmer, or an affiliate marketer than I am to be part of a network marketing team.

On the other hand, I try to do what I can and I like to think I’m improving over time.

I only contact you sporadically, but I value each contact and look forward to hearing from you and working with you to build a real sales team over time.

I do my best to answer all emails I receive from you - something my sponsor has never done. So, I didn’t have anyone to learn from and I’ve had to figure it out on my own with the help from what I’ve found on the dboard. Eventually, I plan to have a system that works and which will be relatively easy to duplicate, even if you don’t have extensive computer or marketing skills. It’s not ready, but I am slowly making progress.

Will I take you by the hand and lead you each step of the way? No.

Will I help if you ask me a question? I’ll do my best.

So, I’m trying to offer you more than my sponsor ever offered me, and I hope you will build on that trend and offer more to your affiliates than I offer to you. When any of us finds something that works reliably, I hope we can find a way to make it available to everyone in our team. We cannot build a sales team without working as a team.

Does SFI provide me with services and products to market? Yes, they do. I love some of these products, including the Super Orange cleaner, which I use all the time. I enjoy reading the magazines to which I’ve subscribed via our Veriuni affiliate store. I haven’t bought many things through our store, but I’ve been very satisfied with all the ones I have.

Does SFI provide me with a staff to make my business easier to build? Certainly they do. They handle buying, stocking, and keeping track of the inventory. They pay the interest on financing that stock. They have a staff to handle customer service, shipping, returns, refunds, and all the rest of the behind-the-scenes duties that have to be done when selling products and services. They offer help to their affiliates (us) via phone and email and have always been curteous and helpful when I contacted them.

They provide a computer staff to take orders, provide marketing doorways for us, and maintain the dboard forum where we can help other affiliates and be helped by them.

What do they ask from us? Very little. You can remain an affiliate and do nothing, if that is the path you choose. If you want to build your sales business and start earning commissions, then you have to do the marketing that brings in new customers and generates sales. SFI pays rather generously when you do that, especially if you are an EA.

Am I getting all I deserve from SFI? I think I am. I am building a business, and SFI is an important part of that business. It’s not all I do, but it’s important to me.

Are they paying me for doing nothing? Not on your life. I’ve earned every dollar I received from them, and you’ll have to earn every commission check you receive, too. SFI is a marketing organization, and if you’re not marketing, you’re not making any sales. No sales, no commissions.

That goes for every other affiliate and network marketing organization you’ll find on the Internet, too, no matter what they say. SFI won’t try to hype the opportunity and tell you that you’ll succeed by doing nothing. No sales, no commissions; it’s just that simple.

I think it is important to become and remain an EA in the organization. I became an EA the first month it was offered and I remain one now and plan to remain one for years to come. It is part of my commitment to the company and is a concrete demonstration of my intention to do the best I can with this organization.

Is SFI getting all they deserve from me? I hope so. I’m trying.

Is SFI getting all they deserve from you?

Only you can answer that. You know why you joined and what your dreams were. You know what your income goals are and I suspect you have not achieved them yet. Why not? Have you done any marketing today? What about yesterday? How are you going to sell anything if you are not marketing at least a little every day?

If you are regularly marketing, believe this: If you persevere and are consistent with your marketing efforts, they will start paying off for you.

I remember when I started my online marketing business. I was happy to make a sale a month at first. Then it was a sale a week, and then a few per month, and now a few per day. It takes time to get noticed and to let people know you.

Now and then, I entertain thoughts about quitting SFI. I’m not earning as much as I want to with this company, but I have good feelings about it. Gery is always working to make the company better. The staff I’ve dealt with have been efficient and honest. I’ve always been paid what I earned, and I can’t say that for some companies with which I’ve worked.

I think, as Gery states in his AskGery column, that NOC is the future of SFI. I think it still needs improvements, but I’m sponsoring new merchants every month and I’m seeing requests for coupons every week, so I know it’s growing. I love helping people in my local area market their products and I’m working to increase my marketing of NOC in the coming year.

Have you told anyone in your town about NOC?

Working together we can achieve great things. Working separately - or not working at all - will certainly limit our success.

I lost my team leader status for awhile and just regained it in November. I want to thank each of you who is now an EA, and I’ve adjusted my 4102 team leader co-op so that all current EAs are in it. I’ve removed anyone who no longer an EA.

The way you build your sales organization is to sponsor a few EAs and help them do the same. I wish I had a clear-cut way that I could recommend, and one day I’ll find one. If you find one before I do, please share with us.

Are you fully participating in your SFI business? I think there is room for each of us to improve.

Act on your dreams!

JD

http://JohnDilbeckAndFriends.com

http://ResidualIncomeForum.com

PS: I hope you are enjoying the holiday season and I wish you the best in the coming year.

If you own a business, you already know that all businesses need new customers.

Two months ago, a new online service was introduced with the purpose of making it easy for merchants and business owners to offer special offers to attract new customers (or reward existing customers).

Not only is it easy to do, but it costs absolutely nothing to register your business and create your special offers.

You, as a business owner or manager, can decide what kind of offer you want to make. You can offer a percentage discount on the next purchase. Offer a special price or a freebie. Buy one, get one free. Buy one, get another at half price. Buy lunch and get a free beverage. $500 off at closing when you buy a new home. Whatever kind of offer that works for both you and your customers or clients.

You know all about these kinds of offers.

So do your customers and potential customers.

And your competition.

What’s the catch?

There isn’t one.

You can advertise for free and set all the conditions of the offer. All we ask is that you pay a bounty for each coupon that is redeemed by a paying customer. And, to top it off, you decide how much you’re willing to pay for that customer to redeem the coupon. It’s entirely up to you. You advertise free and pay only for results.

How much are you willing to pay to acquire a new customer?

How much are you willing to pay to get new business from your existing customers?

What is the lifetime value of a new customer for your business? How much are you paying to acquire a customer now?

Are you willing to try something new where you control the offer and the amount you’re willing to pay, and to pay only when someone actually purchases from you?

You don’t have to pay for advertising and hope it works.

You don’t have to pay when someone clicks your advertising link.

You pay only when someone actually redeems your coupon and makes a purchase from you. Guaranteed results.

When you create an offer, won’t you think about making your expiration date at least a year from now? That way, more people will get a chance to try your offer, you’ll have less administrative efforts in renewing the offer, our affiliates (thousands of them) will have an easier time promoting your offer, and we’ll all save time and effort in promoting your business.

Of course, if an expiration date a year from now doesn’t suit you or your offer, you’re free to set the offer and the expiration date to exactly what you want. That’s one of the beauties of this new service.

We’re working hard to promote you.

I’m asking you to give us a try.

If it doesn’t result in new business for you, it won’t cost you a penny - just a few minutes of your time.

I’m also asking you to make an offer that is exclusive to our service.

How many people promote your coupon when you advertise in your newspaper?

We are ready to actively promote your offer. Since you’re saving money by not paying for advertising that doesn’t work, we’d like to ask you to make a offer that is better than your usual offer. You’ll benefit and so will your new customers.

I want to promote your business.

If you go to http://ShowYourCoupon.com you can see our service in action.

To register your business and start creating your special offers, go to http://merchant-info.showyourcoupon.com and sign up for free.

I’ll syndicate your coupon at http://SyndicateYourAd.com and to other websites, weblogs, and other venues — all at no extra cost to you.

Give us a try.

You have nothing to lose, and the potential of attracting new paying customers at a cost you set.

Remember, no customers, no sales, no cost.

Register your business for free and make your offer to new prospective customers.

I want your business and I’m willing to work to help you promote your business and make more sales.

Your coupon will be actively promoted at SyndicateYourAd.com and many other sites that are fed from that weblog.

Sign up today.

(This service does not accept offers for business opportunities. We are happy, however, to help you promote your products and services.)

Thank you, and I look forward to promoting your business.

I hope you have a wonderful 2006.

John L. Dilbeck
Dilbeck Marketing
Murphy, NC 28906

You will find tips, advice, training, and answers to your questions about the NOC program at the NOC Forum and UBC Forum on the SFI discussion board.

If you are not an affiliate and would like to participate in the NOC coupon system, I invite you to sign up as a free affiliate.

To learn more about all the details about NOC, visit the NOC Launch Announcement.

Take advantage of Nice Offers, today.

If you are a merchant who would like to offer your own special offers, learn more and register your business at no cost.

First of all, I hope you have a very happy holiday season and I wish for you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2005.

This will be the last time you hear from me before the end of the year unless you write me.

The last day of 2004 is only one week from right now. That means we only have one week left to achieve the goals we set for this year.

Perhaps you have more than achieved what you planned. Congratulations!

On the other hand, perhaps you haven’t been as successful this year as you’d hoped and dreamed. Maybe there isn’t enough time to do what you planned before the year ends.

You know what?

It’s okay.

Look at what you’ve done, what you’ve wanted to do, and what you couldn’t do. Try to put everything in perspective. Then, re-examine what brought you to SFI.

(Not an SFI affiliate? Learn about it here.)

Was it the opportunity to earn more money?

Was it the chance to gain the freedom to do what you want on your own schedule?

What was YOUR reason for becoming an affiliate?

How much progress have you made on getting there?

The end of 2004 is not the end of the world. Just as one season follows another, 2005 will follow 2004. You have a new opportunity to examine your goals, make new plans, and work to achieve what you want.

I was looking through some of the articles in IAHBE this morning and I read “My Biggest Mistake in Network Marketing” by Tom Wood. It is a very interesting article, and if you are an IAHBE member you can read it here:

http://www.iahbe.org/Resources/Reports/ExpertReports/WOODMyBiggestMistake.jsp

(If you’re not a member of the International Association of Home Business Entrepreneurs, you can learn more about it here.)

Like most of us, he saw the opportunity to earn more, be his own boss, gain the freedom to set his own schedule, and do the other things we dream of when we first learn about SFI.

He had some success in the first month, but he sure didn’t get rich — and neither did you or I.

He kept working, but even into the second and third month he could have earned more working for minimum wage than he was earning from his new home business.

But he listened to his upline and knew the big money was years down the road.

In his third month, some of his downline started quitting! How was he to ever build an empire of freedom if everyone quit?

So, his upline told him to go to his “chicken list.”

What’s a chicken list?

It’s the people you are too chicken to call.

“They’re the people that don’t quit. Find people who don’t quit in their life, and you will have a rock-solid business.”

So, he lined up his list and made his worst mistake in network marketing.

First, he chose someone who had no success in business.

Second, he didn’t do a great job of presenting the business to him.

Third, the prospect turned out to be a mean-spirited person who blew up and said he never wanted to hear from him, again.

Fourth, he cared too much about what the prospect said.

Fifth, he spiraled down into misery.

But, eventually, he realized, “I’m in charge of my life. I’m responsible for my destiny.”

If you want to read the rest of the story, it’s available to all IAHBE members.

When I signed up with SFI, I made a decision I was going to make it to the top and I was going to achieve my dreams — no matter how long it takes and no matter how much work I have to do. I feel as strong about that now as I did then.

(I even started a website at AYearFromNow.com with the theme of Act On Your Dream! I haven’t had time to work on it much this year, but it will become my top priority in January and February. I decided earlier this year what my big life’s dream is and I’ve been working hard to put things in place to achieve that dream in the next few years. I’ll be talking more about it on that site as I have time to work on it for the next couple of months.)

I know that I’ll never get to where I want to go without the help of many others from around the world.

I also decided that I’d never get to where I want to go without helping others along the way. I chose for my motto: I succeed by helping you succeed.

I’m not going to quit. Are you?

I believe in you. I believe in your dreams.

Now, if you decide that it’s best to quit SFI, that’s okay. Be true to yourself and do what’s best for you. But, don’t quit on yourself. You can achieve the success you want if you keep working at it every day.

I want you to succeed as much as I want to succeed.

But, I can’t do it for you. You are the master of your destiny and you have to find a path for yourself that will take you where you want to go.

Never give up on yourself. Never give up on your dream. Never let anyone else steal your dream from you.

If you still want to succeed with SFI (or any other business), you’ll find a way to make it happen.

I will help you get there any way I can.

One week from tomorrow, we start a new year. We have a new opportunity to act on our dream and achieve the success and freedom for which we yearn.

Nobody will do it for you. Nobody will do it for me.

As Gery Carson says, “If’s it’s to be, it’s up to me.”

When 2005 rolls around, a brand new compensation plan will be implemented.

I’m ready and I’m aching to work even harder in 2005 than I have in 2004.

I’m MIQ this month and I’ll be in the T-Net when it is formed one week from tomorrow. You may have done the same thing this month. I’m very happy that you did and I want to congratulate you on your foresight. This new comp plan looks like it’s going to work well for all of us.

You may feel that you can’t afford to become MIQ this month. I understand that.

Just a little over two years ago I had to close my metalsmithing business to care for my Mom. I depleted my savings and had no income. So, I turned to online marketing so Mom could continue living at home and I could earn the income I need to live here. I scrimped and saved just to afford the hosting fees for JohnDilbeck.com. I kept at it. I added hundreds and then thousands of pages to the site. It started earning a little money.

Then I added more websites and more weblogs. Now, I’m paying more per month for hosting services than I earned the first year and my profit is growing. Each year, I’m earning several times more than I earned the previous year. But, it’s not easy.

It’s like pushing a boulder off a cliff. At first, it takes all your effort and you barely get any results. It’s easy to despair and quit. But, you keep pushing and slowly, with great difficulty, it moves a fraction of an inch. If you stop now, it will settle back and all that effort will be wasted.

So, you keep pushing, and the more energy and time you put into it, the more the boulder starts to move. Slowly - but surely - you can see it move.

When you first started pushing the boulder, everyone around you thought you were crazy. They laughed at you and told you it would never move. Nobody would help.

But, you kept at it. When it started to move and the people around you could see it for themselves, the laughing subsided. How could someone tell you it was impossible if they could see with their own eyes that you were doing it.

Now, it’s time to keep pushing — even harder than before. As momentum builds, others around you will pay attention. Eventually, gravity will take over and be your friend instead of your tormentor. The boulder moves faster. Now, your friends want to help.

That’s the way it is with a business, too. When the boulder starts moving (income starts coming in), it’s easier to get people to help you. Even if they laughed at you and told you it wasn’t possible, they can still become valuable team members. Don’t hold their lack of foresight and imagination against them.

Welcome them to your team and help them start pushing their own boulders.

We’re in this together. You help me. I help you. We help each other.

As the Team Network comes into being, we’ll be helping each other in a whole new way. It will take some time to see how it all works together. There may be some glitches that will have to be fixed, but I have confidence in the staff at SFI and I know they’ll smooth things out within a few days.

Whether you want to earn an extra $100 per month or you’re willing and able to work full-time to earn thousands of dollars per month, it starts by believing in yourself and taking action.

No action - no income. No sales - no income. No sponsoring new affiliates - no team.

I challenge you.

Make your chicken list. Find people in your neighborhood who are successful in business and know how to sell. Then, tell them about SFI. Show them how they can earn income by promoting the services and products we offer. Show them how they can become a part of your team. If you can’t afford to become MIQ/EA because you just don’t have the money, don’t give up. Sponsor someone with the money, experience, and personality and work together to build your team. With work, it won’t be long before your income will pay for being EA and you’ll take your place in the new T-Net.

It’s not a game. It’s not a scam. You CAN build your home business and start earning that extra income you want.

Go to your chicken list. Tell them.

Even if you only talk to one person on that list, you’re taking a step forward. Soon, it will be two steps, and then you’ll be on your journey.

Promote the products SFI offers and earn the sales commission.

Build your team and work towards that residual income you want a few years from now.

Or, do nothing.

It’s your choice.

You came to SFI with a dream. Don’t let anyone steal that dream from you.

You are the master of your fate. You are the captain of your ship. You are the king of your castle.

You’re next. I want to be here when you make it to the top and earn whatever level of financial freedom you want. Even if you’re half-way around the world, I want to be a small part of helping you succeed.

Are you ready for the challenge?

Take some time and visit the training section at:

https://www.sfimg.com/Training/SpecialReports.sfi

Learn how to build your business and work on it every day. Don’t let that boulder stop moving!

Thank you for being a part of my team this year. Thank you for letting me be a part of your team.

I’m looking forward to working with you in 2005.

Let’s make it the best year, yet.

All the best,

JD

Veriuni has reformulated their Advanced Liquid Nutrition product and it is now available in both the United States and Canada.

Previously, it was not exportable to Canada because it contained Vitamin K, which is restricted there.

With the recent reformulation, the Vitamin K was removed.