Last week I received a check from GCFN for $951.00! Signed by Mary Gersten!
I actually received a $50 check several weeks before this, but didn't think it was worth mentioning (I just didn't have time to photograph and post it).
If I've done the math properly, this brings my total "earnings" so far from promoting GCFN with web-based advertising and postcards to about $2800. I spent over $5000 total to enter the Certified Media Placement Specialist program, so I haven't broken even yet. I've got to make about $2300 more to break even. (Actually, it's probably more than that if I take account of postage spent on postcards. I'll try to add that up and mention the actual numbers in my next post. I do most of these blog entries without looking up my detailed accounting records).
I've actually been slacking on the postcards. Postage costs 26 cents per postcard. If you mail 500, that's $130. I plan to try it again based on this latest check, but I'm beginning to wonder if web-based marketing is more cost-effective for me.
The sad thing is, right now there's no way for me to know whether it's postcards or something else that is working.
Does Anyone Know What Is Working ?
Although I still have some concerns about the way the GCFN sales process is hype-intensive, I am definitely on board with this as a way to make some money on the side! The CMPS program is a legitimate training opportunity with real income possibilities as far as I can tell! You just have to stick with it, look at it as a training/certification program (not a pure money-making machine) and keep trying different things until something works. A bit hit or miss, but that's honestly all I've been doing so far.
Apparently my advertising is working now that I fixed my problem with domain-masking (see my Feb post about that). I've mostly been using some super-cheap pay-per-click type advertising (using very narrow, focused keywords that gives me a few dozen hits a week), plus Squidoo, this blog, and free advertising on TrafficSwarm and TopSurfer.
But the thing that really bothers me is that I have no way to actually track WHICH advertising is working.
Every advertisement is just a shot in the dark. That's not a 21st century approach to marketing!
Internet Marketing Training
Since I started with the CMPS program, I've been getting internet marketing trainings from Joshua Shafran and others (I get Josh Shafran's "3 comma club newsletter" via CMPS at $47 a month and worth every penny I would say).
The key to massive success as far as I can tell from all the resources I've read about making money online is that you need to be able to track what advertising and marketing channels are working, and which ones aren't. To maximize profits you need to optimize the winners and cut-off the losing advertising that is costing you money but not making any back.
So far, GCFN hasn't provided the features that allow me to do that. I just have to average over all of my advertising costs. Very frustrating.
Judging by the checks that keep rolling in, SOME of my advertising must be working. But I don't know which parts!! If I did know, believe me, I'd be ramping it up!
Checks Delayed 30 Days?
By the way, according to the GCFN back office, the checks are sent out 30 days after the sale. This makes sense, as they need a delay to be sure the order hasn't been canceled or contested by credit card companies. But this means the successes I've been having occurred 30-days prior to the check being sent. So this latest $951 check was earned from sales made prior to Feb 12.
I have hardly a clue about what I did in Jan/Feb that would have brought in all the sales required to make me $951. Between Jan 1 2008 and Feb 14 2008 I collected 9 prospects in my back office. If each sale was several thousand dollars total and I earn 10%, then $951 represents maybe 2-3 sales. I'm not sure if phone-ins are counted in my back office (and some of my advertising points people to call the phone number with my extension, not go to the website) so there may have been others not listed in my "MyWebCashStore" back office.
The point is, without a tracking system, it is really hard to justify putting massive effort into more advertising. I don't know what kind of return to expect. And therefore remain a bit skeptical about this as a business with "full time" earnings potential. (Is anyone from GCFN taking note of this??)
Anyway, I'll keep you posted. Thanks for submitting comments, it's good to know you are reading this and getting something out of it.
I do plan to put together some tips on how to do better with promoting GCFN (and other things, like ClickBank). But I'm still working at a job that completely drains all my mental energy and haven't gotten around to it yet. Sorry...but I'll be working on it, I promise.
6 comments:
I understand your confusion and frustration and you have every right to it.
I joined in September last year and immediately got a $10 check from Mary. I still believe it was a return of some of the more than $900 I paid in for the training.
I have not put money into advertising but time. I have placed ads in many free sites, signature ads, ads on my eBay site, and even purchased value-added features on my free ads.
I am nearing 8,000 hits on my primary site and 900 on my shopping site. I have not made a cent.
Since I joined, they have upgraded the web sites so that you can add other links and an article collection. You can also add other pages, but they come out poorly due to the continued first page adds on the style sheets.
I would like to know their view of the audience these sites are expected to attract so we can target our marketing efforts. It would also be helpful to know their conversion rates (hits to signups) both general and specific to my site.
I still don't have Google ad revenue ownership on my site. I don't know if there is any nor who gets it.
I asked four times for a "thank you" page and still have seen no results.
The counselors are super and very helpful, but they can't do any of the IT or backoffice stuff.
Perhaps making points here will help them fix some of these issues you bring up.
Hang in there. However I would hold up of spending a bunch more advertising money because you don't know where or how to spend it (good money after bad notion).
God bless.
Barry
Barry Anderson, DSc, MBA
GCFN Member
I just signed up with Global Cash Flow Network today and have charged $8590.oo in fees for the whole program including the Dan Kruscher mentoring program. About 2 hours after my Level 1 Consultant sign-up I received a phone call from another "work-from-home" sales rep for "Typing from Home" When I mentioned that I just committed to Global Cash Flow Network the caller dove into a full blown rant about what a ripoff, scam bad deal Global Cash Flow is and that I should immediately cancel. The caller wants to call me tomorrow and assist me in cancelling Global. I'm sick to my stomach thinking about this situation. What are your thoughts? Talk about bad-mouthing the competition -- is there anything out there that's legit? What do you suggest I do? Cancel or work through the program?
Thanks.
Strand Communications
I just signed up for CFN 2 days ago. It helps to know what calls I'll be receiving, and your take on what's worth it or not. (Koala, I tried to leave a comment at your squidoo site, but couldn't read the security word, or get another to generate...which I presume is why no one else has left a comment, either. Perhaps a good thing to know about Squidoo, too?)
I'll be following, and wish you the best...
Diane
I'm a beginner, just 2 weeks into the program. I received the first package materials and had read the Manual. I had talked to and consulted with my first level coach and had consummated a deal with him, as desired. Being a newcomer, I have yet to see what, really, will happen as time goes by. I am confident that GCFN is not a scam.
PANER of Castro Valley, CA
I just signed up maybe a month ago. I'm definitely not going to spend thousands of dollars on the info and training. I also recieved my first $10 check not too long ago. I haven't even spoken with my 1st media coach, but i'm learning how to place media and etc through the tutorials at trainingwithmary.com and through google. I advise everyone to check out ripoffreport.com if you have any questions about GCFN being a scam or any company for that matter. The only reason I joined GCFN is because I Read these reports. Good luck to everyone.
See, I don't get it. This stuff is definitely a scam. I mean the whole point of joining her so called courses was so a person could learn how to be a CMP.
I see nothing much about being a CMP in here, other than the fact people are sending this rip off lady 8 thousand dollars to learn direct online marketing.
Sheesh, go study.. take a few free online courses but don't send some rip off artist 8 grand. If you are so gung ho to spend your bucks, send it to me cause I could sure use it.
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