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[Terry Warner Company: Magnetic Sponsoring Contribution Level: 2]

Hi everyone,
This is going to sound like a sob story but I really could use some help.

I have been a distributor of SOC cards since 12/2009. Last year I got the idea to send everyone I could think of a card. I sent them to people in my area who were over 80 years old from the newspaper every Sunday. Also to my family and friends. Total cards sent was over 600. Also with several gift baskets and presents. Total was around $1600.

I received a lot of letters of thanks and gratitude but not one sign up. I was told in SOC to send a free card to everyone and the sending of free cards would respond to me in sign ups. I figured some grand-kid, spouse, someone who saw the card, would think they would like to do that. I tried an ad or two in the paper and did several GAW and while I had a lot of interest, still no commitment.

I have other networking ventures that are a lot more expensive and getting sign ups in those have been easier.

So, I am asking. Anyone had trouble with SOC and if so, how did you overcome it. All of my MLM is done online as I live in the middle of the country in a very small town.

Suggestion appreciated.

Terry Warner

[jayne miller Company: The Six Figure Mentors Contribution Level: 2]

Hi Terry,
I can empathize with your quandry
I see it as a little tricky because in a way you have a made a connection with the people you are sending the cards to as you have identified their is a need for a card (ie their birthday), however it may be being construed as an indirect sales approach. For example it was my birthday on saturday and I received an offer from a local Health Spa wrapped up as a birthday card, I didn't really take the time to read it, because it wasn't a genuine card from someone I knew. I feel it may be alot of effort on your part, and maybe something that works better face to face or by hosting events to get your product in front of people?
I have a friend who markets "Phoenix cards" and she makes her connections and sales by word of mouth recommendations, hosting events and attending different fairs where she is given the opportunity to promote her cards etc as far as her selling the Business opportunity is concerned this appears to be very much secondary to her product sales.
I hope this helps a little.
Kind Regards,
Jayne
http://www.buildingyourfutureonline.com/thesfmformula

[Chris Brown Contribution Level: 3]

I see 2 probelms with what you have been told to do #1 your sending cards to the wrong type of people #2 you have the wrong message on the card.

It is not your fault is what you have been told to do.

#1 I would decide who you want your customers to be
#2 Cater a message for those people learn (sales copy)

[Jason Doucette Company: SendOutCards Contribution Level: 1]

Hi Terry,

It's funny, I was thinking about the distributor URL that's on the back of the cards just the other day. I see two problems with your approach (besides the ones Chris mentioned, which I also agree with.)

1) It's too passive. I'm assuming you didn't put any direct calls to action in your cards based on the situations you mentioned, but people need to be told what to do. You don't have to do this with every contact (building relationships is a powerful thing) but your prospects need to be guided in the direction you want them to go and a URL on the back of a card simply isn't enough.

2) There's a lot of competition out there, and I don't just mean direct competitors to SOC. "Doing nothing" would be the main competitor, but even if someone got one of your cards and though it'd be cool to do something like that, you know, someday, in their mind there's some vague idea that there are a lot of websites out there that can do this and when the time is right, sure, they'll probably try Googling for one, ignoring the example that's in their hands right now (again, too passive.)

See if this meshes with your experience: every time I send someone a card, the response is "thanks!" but very rarely "how'd you do that?" - it's up to you to bridge that gap.

I hope that makes sense, good luck!

[Terry Warner Company: Magnetic Sponsoring Contribution Level: 2]

Thanks everyone,

I always figured the people would WANT to send a card. I figured if I liked it, they would too.

Anyways, THANKS for the suggestions. I will weigh my options and make a decision.

Terry Warner