We used to log in at Unfranchise.com to manage our business and recently have been rerouted to use our webportal homepage link for access. That's fine with me and its probably gotten the vast majority of distributors to finally visit their own webportal and see what they didn't know they have. The slackers who didn't set up their homepage URL had to create it just to order product, yes--there are people who never did it for typically lame reasons as far as I'm concerned, its unacceptable and a vital part of our business. Some issues were language barriers while others were just laziness or a senior partner/team that are web challenged, while some were just old school direct sales and not keeping up with the evolution of MA.

The update to the Unf.com site is aimed at business information for potential new partners and recruiting. So far they've just shown us the one page with a few links to the distributor Success Profiles site, press releases and an overview video link. I'm really hoping that it will have much more to it for showing the marketing plan & actually signing up new partners. We have a few videos for presenting the business concept and distributor stories plus the new video from our events which should all be able to add up to a ton of info for prospects.

Ya know at this point I'd be happy just to see a request info form for potential partners!! And the new Unf.com had better be linked to our portals with a homepage widget for entrepreneurs to check out. Sometimes I'd get a new customer and they'd really want business info and I'd send out a new customer welcome and never get a reply or answer to a call. It would be nice to know how to approach them right off the bat.

I just heard about a friend of mine that was in YTB and went inactive, without admitting it, then just jumped into a new pre-launch opportunity without even knowing what the product is or what the plan is or what she has approved of when she gave them her credit card info!!! Talk about naive. Because it was a free sign up she did it, online! We're waiting for her to start spamming us any day now. My other mutual friend saw the company info and all they mention is some sort of hyped up health drink and a $50 a autoship. We're thinking total scam!

I can't ever imagine MA doing that and withholding info for new people, we do our best to disclose as much info about the business management and requirements. That's the sponsor's job to inform the prospect and its also the prospect's job to explore on their own. Some people just can't handle the requirements for MA but a real business person or entrepreneur will understand the need for everyone participating and keeping the volume flow of monthly orders, business tools like voicemail or eCommerce and sales report with real customer info.

Over the years, I've heard some of the MLM company reps tell me they have over 500 "customers" in their business when they really mean "distributors" who use the products with autoships. And that is so misleading, I lose faith in their character when I hear that. When a "customer" buys something we do not want their Social Security number, like they typically do. We may autoship our stuff to the field to be "products of the products" but that's for putting into the sales volume for the team & creating self knowledge so we know what we're talking about and then are capable of marketing it to consumers but we don't call our distributors & sales organizations "Customers". Autoship for customers is just an option, which I recently explored for a customer.

Sometimes I'm very tempted to participate in the forums that bash MA as a scam but I know its a waste of time and will only create negative energy in my mind & business. The UnFranchise is just not for everyone but it is a step up from a typical Network Marketing company, IMO, because it is more like a Franchise with higher stricter requirements but with higher payouts. We owned a BP gas station, I know what requirements are for a real business, we're independent now but still have an incredible overhead to deal with while profit margins shrink as the economy worsens. If people want to work from home, this is a great vehicle to evaluate but the prospect must know the ins & outs and see if MA is a fit for their budget, skills, interests and expectations. Simple as that really.

Guess we'll have to wait, a little longer, and see what becomes of www.Unfranchise.com.

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Afterthought 6/30 @ 3:06pm:
Thinking more about the posibility to recruit new partners with Unf.com, I really think we need a "request more info" page that does give the rundown of our business activities and essential tools. It should be capturing their email too for a built in follow up system that goes for 30 days that has business info with video links to our maTV or YouTube clips. Maybe an option to request literature would be good too and let them order the annual Corporate Financial Report or a Success From Home back issue.
Additionally, I'd like to see an updated version of the old brochure we had for the business system. I'd keep those at our shop office for people to grab......but I would like it to label it with a link to a business site and not only the retail webportal. If someone's looking for an internet based business we should have better online access as to how we do business.

(Sorry about all the typos I did my best to correct them, twice!)