By Karl of Beach Bum Communications
It's been almost a month since Beach Bum Communications signed up for the "revolutionary new Web 3.0 technology" offered by Paul Birdsall's Streamline Funnel System (SFS). To recap, Paul claims his system is truly revolutionary because it harvests unbelievable numbers of targeted prospects and points them to a turn-key, totally "hands off" business -- the Streamline Funnel System itself. You are supposed to make money with this system whether you actively promote it or not.
In business parlance, this is known as a funded proposal, because (in theory), you're making money up front -- as the leads are captured -- rather than on the back end. In SFS, you pay for some of the leads the system has gathered, and these are in turn sent to your affiliate link. As people sign up, you get $15 out of the monthly $36.96 fee, and you get 50% of any additional lead packages purchased. The brilliance of the system, assuming it works as advertised, is that it is a kind of money engine: as people come in and make money, they will continue to stay a member and buy more lead packages. It becomes self-perpetuating.
Further, as your frontline grows, you can market other products and services to that list. The whole thing is simply brilliant. Theoretically.
Here's the problem: nothing is happening yet.
We keep getting told "great things" are coming, but it's been weeks now and there's no movement whatsoever that I can see. We've had some growth in our downline, which would normally be a good thing, except that in SFS your downline has little or no value. Mr. Birdsall has indicated it will have play in the future, but -- no offense to him -- this is a nebulous promise at best.
Supposedly, the system was "going live" over a week ago, but I am not sure that this is the case. It certainly isn't with us, because we have been told repeatedly that your link won't go out to the leads for 7-21 days following billing of your first monthly fee ($36.96), and we have yet to be billed.
Mr. Birdsall is doing a daily videolog for members of Streamline Funnel System. In it, he and his associates continue to expound the virtues of SFS and the benefits all members will enjoy (specifically, how profitable the system is). They have explained that the enormous and unexpectedly huge influx of people has completely overwhelmed their systems. There were delays getting into the new offices. Staffing has been a problem, as has many technical issues.
Everyone seems sincere, and it's clear to me from the progress that has been made on the website and in the expansion that has taken place within the company itself (as discussed and shown, to some extent, in the videos) that major efforts are underway to get things working smoothly.
Speaking for myself and my partner, we are not so much concerned about the money per se as the continued delays and excuses. Most SFS members are trying to be patient and understanding. Further, there are many people waiting in the wings, wanting to see what is going to happen before plunking their money down. But the natives are definitely getting restless...
Tempers, too, are beginning to fray. It's perfectly understandable. When people make a financial (and emotional) investment in something, they are inclined to be less than rational. And though a month is not a long period of time, a month of delays and excuses begins to get old, particularly for the hordes of people out there who have already been burned multiple times by innumerable "make money" programs.
If you're listening Paul, it's time to put up or shut up! The continued delays are not helping your credibility (which was not very good to begin with in some circles). Worse yet, it's beginning to tarnish your brand before it's even been "seen" by the public. As a long-time advertising/marketing guy, I can tell you this is not a desirable thing.
On the other hand, if Paul Birdsall's Streamline Funnel System delivers 1/10th of what has been repeatedly promised, it will be nothing less than the revolutionary new business model it is claimed to be. All will be forgiven, and people by the thousands will be beating a path to it's door!