My Third Check from Global Cash Flow Network!

Amazing, but true - I received my third check ever from the Global Cash Flow Network today!

Once again, it was a check for $100.

I have to admit, I do like getting checks. Every $100 counts!

Several of you out there have written to me, mentioning your own experiences, either with the GCFN, or just in a search for a legitimate home business. (Thank you Erica for your thoughtful emails, and also Nancy, John, and Christopher for your comments!)

It is definitely a jungle out there in "home based business" land. I've been taking a "ready, fire, aim" path through this jungle of "opportunities" and paid a lot in the process. (As you probably know, I'm also involved in an MLM company - whose products I love, but which hasn't been producing much money for me yet.)

In addition, I have spent thousands now on numerous "internet marketing" courses over the past year (mostly from Yanik Silver, who I think is awesome...even if I haven't figured out how to turn what he's taught me into cash), looking for a way to make my home-based business dreams come true.

The GCFN and CMPS program are my most recent episode (and, thanks to the training I've been getting from the CMPS program, most well publicized...ironic in some ways, spreading less than stellar publicity about the company that's been teaching me how to spread publicity).

Anyway...

My Latest Thoughts on the "Legitimacy" of the Global Cash Flow Network

I hope this doesn't come across as too picky.
But it seems to me there is a difference between the question of whether GCFN is a "legitimate" business (vs. scam), and whether it is a "good business" that can make money (vs. a rip-off).

At this point, based on my interactions with the company, its "media coaches," and the fact that the 3 checks they've sent me have cleared the bank...I am tentatively willing to say the Global Cash Flow Network is a "legitimate business" and not actually a scam.

But I am NOT saying it isn't a rip-off. Based on the money I've made so far...I'm still in the hole for nearly $5000.

Why do I think Mary Gersten's GCFN is a "legitimate" company?
Well, I am pleased with the "Certified Media Placement Specialist" training I've received. The courses the program hooks me up with are quite informative. I'm learning a lot from the CMPS program, well worth the initial $300 investment (which, by the way, I am supposed to get back once I finish their checklist of activities.)

My main problem has been taking the time to actually review all the courses and put them into practice. As with any business, I know a lot of "hard work" is required to make money with it! (This is why I am so slow to denounce this or any program - because the common factor in all my unprofitable business efforts is me...)

For example, the course by Joel Christopher (Mr. List) is amazing...but I still haven't finished its 12+ hours of audio, or put an eZine or lead-capture thing together for this blog yet based on what I have been taught.

Also, while my interactions with some of the "media coaches" have not always gotten the answers to my questions right away, they are helpful and friendly, and I've generally been getting responses/resolutions to my problems within a few days. (But I tell you, it is helpful if you keep calling them every couple days until it gets resolved!)

For example, I recently complained that my back office didn't have the information about my affiliate account links with eBay, Google, or Amazon - and called the Level II Coach number to get it fixed. The media coach couldn't fix it right then, but she did submit my request to tech support, and within a week, my affiliate info with instructions to access my accounts was posted in my back office.

Also, it seems like Mary Gersten, the Global Cash Flow Network, and the CMPS Program are all closely associated with well-known personalities Joshua Shafran and Dan Kuschell. While I don't know either of them, what little I have learned about them suggests Joshua and Dan are legitimate guys who make money on the internet and offline as well. So, if GCFN is a scam, these guys would have to be scammers too. But I don't see any widespread evidence of that.

(Though not being one of Dan Kuschell's students, I don't know if his "mentoring" program is a good deal or not...but with his apparent high-profile in some media (NBC radio) I haven't seen enough evidence to make me question his legitimacy)

That said, I really am not a fan of their sales tactics. Though from their point of view, the sales tactics did work on me...so I guess they're effective.

Why Am I Still Concerned about GCFN?
I still need to be convinced this think isn't a rip-off. It took nearly 2 months to get my affiliate links set up. Then, with the "guaranteed traffic" program I've paid for - with 4000 visitors so far on EACH of my webpages - I've had fewer than 10 people register on my 24hourwebcash site. That's a terrible response rate!

Also, it's not clear to me who (if anyone) has actually signed up in the program using my product ID or website. I've received $210 now, but the "back office" doesn't show any specific referrals being credited to me.

Now, I admit - I should be working harder to promote the program if I am going to make significant money with it. And I plan to do that (just not on this blog...) I've been mailing postcards, doing free online classified ads, using "guerrilla" techniques leaving little "sizzle" business cards around my town, and doing pay-per-click advertising.

But the CMPS program also recommends:

• Writing online articles
• Doing blogging (this being one such blog, though it's not really promotional in nature!),
• Using social networking sites (like MySpace and now also Squidoo.com), though Squidoo is a bit picky about blatant promotion unless you've got some content to go with it, like I tried to do with my Multichannel Marketing lens.
• And other "affiliate marketing" techniques (including a couple of audio courses by the famous (among internet marketing circles) Tellman Knudsen I just got from the CMPS program.)

Bottom line, I need to keep monitoring this program and my progress with it, before I will draw a final conclusion (and before I really start recommending it to anyone).

This goes back to my last post, where I suspect there's been a SNAFU (situation normal, all f**d up) with the way the system credits sales back to me from the website. In fact, the check I received today actually says "referral replacement check" which leads me to believe they've checked their books and realized I did get a sale from the site, but it never got properly credited to me! Hopefully they'll be fixing my "thank you" link soon so I'll get automatic credit for any more referrals/sales online.

And in all fairness, it is to Mary Gersten's credit that her organization is willing to correct any mistakes like this. That is what helps me believe the GCFN is a "legitimate" company and a "legitimate" business. They aren't blowing me off - they are responding to my calls.

My MLM company is a legitimate company too...and I haven't made much money with that yet either.
In fact, I think the $210 I've made from the GCFN is actually
more than I've made so far with my MLM business! Sad, but true.)

On my GCFN websites, the "thank you" page people see after entering their information on my 24hourwebcash page has a really good sales letter (the same one that brought me into the program via the Jackal's Work At Home Manifesto website). [You can see if you have one by entering a "test case" name and email into your page...or by just going to your GCFN back office and reviewing the Thank You page link...but you may need to bug your Level II Media Coach to get your login info for your back office...I had to call them, they didn't just send it to me.]

I will keep you updated on what I learn.

But the good news is, I've made back $210 so far. Just $4790 left to go to break even. :)