Busy-matic...Eight years ago
 

I was publishing a paper and ink newsletter dealing with mail-order/network marketing ideas and promotion. I was doing it all. Writing, typesetting, layout, photocopying, folding, addressing, and licking the stamps. I was sending out about 200 newsletters/month.

Then I got the bright idea of selling subscriptions to the newsletter (it was free up until then). I developed a multi-level pay plan based on a $30/six month subscription. (It eventually went to $129/year.) I invested over $1,000 in a 386 computer (this was 1993) and another $1,000 in specialized MLM software to track the levels, calculate commissions, print checks, etc. I was off and running...just me and my computer.

To make a long story short, I was doing most of the dirty work, and getting the short end of the stick. I was paying out a total of 75% of subscription monies in commissions. (There was very little "breakage" money left over...most of the 75% actually went out the door in commission checks.) After printing costs and postage, there was very little left for my labor of love.

Although I did make a little from subscribers who joined some of the mlm programs in my downline at the time, the effort was hardly worth it. Had I known then what I know now, I may have been able to capitalize on back-end products. Hindsight is always 20-20. If I had those same 400+ subscribers paying me $100/year for an ezine (practically no out of pocket cost) I would be a happy camper.

If I had had people to help me write, type, fold, and lick stamps back then, I would have been glad to share the wealth. How many associate programs on the net today are paying out 75%?!

So, yes, Gordon...if there is a way to share the work for an equitable share of the wealth, this could be a good thing.

JDB




Seven Secrets of Self-made Millionaires...free ebook download.

Re: Busy-matic...Eight years ago
 

I would certainly be intersted in hearing more... Sounds like a superb idea :-)

> I was publishing a paper and ink newsletter
> dealing with mail-order/network marketing
> ideas and promotion. I was doing it all.
> Writing, typesetting, layout, photocopying,
> folding, addressing, and licking the stamps.
> I was sending out about 200
> newsletters/month.

> Then I got the bright idea of selling
> subscriptions to the newsletter (it was free
> up until then). I developed a multi-level
> pay plan based on a $30/six month
> subscription. (It eventually went to
> $129/year.) I invested over $1,000 in a 386
> computer (this was 1993) and another $1,000
> in specialized MLM software to track the
> levels, calculate commissions, print checks,
> etc. I was off and running...just me and my
> computer.

> To make a long story short, I was doing most
> of the dirty work, and getting the short end
> of the stick. I was paying out a total of
> 75% of subscription monies in commissions.
> (There was very little "breakage"
> money left over...most of the 75% actually
> went out the door in commission checks.)
> After printing costs and postage, there was
> very little left for my labor of love.

> Although I did make a little from
> subscribers who joined some of the mlm
> programs in my downline at the time, the
> effort was hardly worth it. Had I known then
> what I know now, I may have been able to
> capitalize on back-end products. Hindsight
> is always 20-20. If I had those same 400+
> subscribers paying me $100/year for an ezine
> (practically no out of pocket cost) I would
> be a happy camper.

> If I had had people to help me write, type,
> fold, and lick stamps back then, I would
> have been glad to share the wealth. How many
> associate programs on the net today are
> paying out 75%?!

> So, yes, Gordon...if there is a way to share
> the work for an equitable share of the
> wealth, this could be a good thing.

> JDB




Personal Development 24/7!