SFI has been notified by the founders of Affiliate Mastery that they have decided to discontinue the AM program, effective December 1, 2009. Therefore, effective immediately, Affiliate Mastery will no longer be accepting new subscribers and the service will not be available at TripleClicks.

Current Affiliate Mastery subscribers will have their membership automatically renewed as usual for October and November, so they will have time to find alternative services. For example, up-and-coming SFI leaders can still get the customized training, assistance, and resources they need to succeed with an IAHBE membership or VeryVIP hosting package. Both of these products are digital and Standing Order eligible, with up to 1,500 VersaPoints attached.

Gain helpful insight into the psychological skills that make a good selling presence in this month's IAHBE book review, Influence: The Psychology Of Persuasion, by Robert B. Cialdini. No matter what kind of business you’re in, or what else you do, selling is always an important part of your responsibilities. The more you know about it, the better your results will be. Click HERE to read the entire book review.

Also, check out this month's featured business software download, a new article about why 2009's economic conditions make this the perfect time for a home business, the week's biggest small business news headlines, and more.

Click HERE to access the IAHBE.

Adding your photo to the Affiliate Center is a great way to ensure your new affiliates are greeted by not just your name but also a friendly face...YOURS! Your picture personalizes SFI for your new affiliates and lets them know that their sponsor is a real person. Consequently, SFI strongly encourages all affiliates to add their photos to their accounts.

But having a stretched or bad photograph of yourself can give a negative impression to your new affiliates. To ensure your picture appears clearly and correctly on the SFI Affiliate Center, we've created this new article explaining exactly how to crop and re-size your photos. Check it out here.

A new page listing all available SFI Gateways is now available HERE. Use this convenient resource to view all your Gateway choices--Sponsoring affiliates and referring customers (TripleClicks home page, individual products, and store departments).

As you may or may not yet be aware, we have a MAJOR new program coming to TripleClicks called E-Commerce Associates (ECA).

We expect the ECA program to bring literally millions of new products and services to TripleClicks. These merchants will be worldwide, meaning you'll be able to patronize businesses from right within your own country, region, or even city. In some cases, you'll be even able to pick up the products from the merchants' local retail outlet, eliminating shipping fees altogether.

The new ECA program is also an immense opportunity in itself, as we will be allowing our affiliates to refer ECAs and earn lifetime royalties on ALL of their sales worldwide generated from TripleClicks.

Some additional details on the ECA program are provided in the following article:

http://gcblog.sfimg.com/index.php?entry ... 602-182101

Of course, the ECA program is just one of many, many exciting programs coming to TripleClicks!

So, start getting ready for ECA! We hope to unveil it in the 4-6 few weeks.

Learn how the best desktop search engines can help you better run your business in this month's IAHBE tool review, "Desktop Search Engines." Unlike searching the Internet for information using Google, Ask.com, and others, desktop search engines search your own computer or your local network to quickly and easily find your own files and the documents they contain. Most also search your e-mails and RSS feeds, browser history, audios, images, and video files. Click HERE to read the entire article.

Also, don't forget about the free book, "Dojo Wisdom," and October's magazine, "Wired," available to IAHBE members each month, in addition to a new article, "When Is It Smart To Invest In A Business Coach?," October's Computer Q&A, and more.

Click HERE to access the IAHBE.

As you know, MaxMalls is a subset of TripleClicks. As an SFI affiliate, you should always shop TripleClicks Direct products first (as they give you the best CV and VP). However, if you can't find what you're looking for, try a MaxMalls Merchant. MaxMalls Merchants are located within the various departments at TripleClicks. There are over 180 top online stores represented including: Best Buy, Sears, iTunes, Office Depot, PetSmart, Target, Travelocity, Wal-Mart, Old Navy, and many, many more.

Each month, provided you are an active EyeEarner or SFI Executive Affiliate, you'll automatically receive one share of the MaxMalls Pool. That is, you'll earn a portion of the commission on every MaxMalls™ purchase made by every SFI Affiliate and every TripleClicks Member worldwide!

Of course, the MaxMalls Pool cannot grow without your support.

So WHY should YOU shop MaxMalls. Here are three big reasons:

A. The more MaxMalls sales there are, the larger the pool amount becomes and the larger your personal share will be.

B. Especially if you were already going to buy a particular product elsewhere, you won't be adding anything to your budget (and you may very well SAVE money) by using MaxMalls. In other words, buying through MaxMalls is smart!

C. The larger the MaxMalls pool and share amount becomes, the more excitement, momentum, and loyalty it creates for the affiliates in your group. You succeed when they succeed, so be sure you're helping yourself by "MaxMalling" every month.

There are three ways to locate MaxMalls Merchants at TripleClicks:

1. Click the "MaxMalls" link located under the list of departments in the left sidebar of the TripleClicks homepage.

2. Within any set of search results, you can "extract" just the MaxMalls listings by choosing "MaxMalls Merchant" as the listing type in the right sidebar.

3. From the Advanced Search page, you can select MaxMalls Merchants (and, if desired, in combination with any other Advanced Search option).

By the way, we're just getting started with MaxMalls. Lots of great new stores, features, and MaxMalls promotion are on the way.

For more details about MaxMalls, please see:

https://www.sfimg.com/Reference/AboutMaxMalls.sfi

P.S. The holidays are coming. Be sure to keep MaxMalls in mind for all your gift buying this year!!

We are just finishing up commission processing for September revenue. As soon as processing is completed, commissions will be posted and, shortly thereafter, Standing Orders for October will be processed, VersaPoints awarded, etc.

Check out these new MaxMalls merchants, just added to the TripleClicks store:

Vermont Teddy Bear--Over 100 bears to choose from. Every Vermont Teddy Bear is delivered with free gourmet chocolate and a personalized gift card in an attractive box. Vermont Teddy Bears are handmade in America and guaranteed for life.

Canadian Hickory Farms--Canada's #1 online food gift retailer. Delicious gift baskets with sausage & cheese, fruit, nuts, sweets, beverages, and salmon.

Microsoft Store--The premier place to purchase Microsoft flagship products including Xbox, Halo, Vista, Office, Zune players, and more. More than 300 Microsoft consumer products for sale.

Toys R Us Canada--Toysrus.ca, the company's Canada division, has the largest selection of children's products with delivery anywhere in Canada.

To access these and all the other 180+ major, name-brand merchants integrated within TripleClicks.com, just click the MaxMalls option at the bottom of the department listings at the store.

All active EyeEarners now automatically receive a share of the MaxMalls Pool. This is in addition to receiving shares of SFI affiliate and TC member signups. To see how we are presenting this to prospective EyeEarners, go to http://www.eyeearn.com/ and then click on "Learn More."

Special note: This free share of MaxMalls Pool applies only to those who are not already an EA (Executive Affiliate). If you are an EA, you are already earning the maximum one share of MaxMalls Pool you can receive.

Speaking of MaxMalls, make sure you are supporting this division of SFI. Here's WHY. Please read this important webpage!

We have just completed some improvements in TC's search engine. You should now find it much better at finding the items you are looking for.

By the way, don't forget the TC Advanced Search (a link to Advanced Search appears right next to the standard search box on the TC homepage). If you haven't tried it out, you're missing out one some great ways to find exactly what you're looking for.

Stefany Sproul of Stuart, FL, has been drawn as our winner of the September 2009 LaunchPad Rewards Cash Drawing*. Stefany won $1,464. Congratulations, Stefany!

Get the full details about the LaunchPad Rewards Cash Drawing and more HERE.

*Drawing eligibility is limited to affiliates joining SFI after 3/31/09.

In this month's IAHBE free book, "Dojo Wisdom," Jennifer Lawler, a martial arts teacher and second-degree black belt, shares 100 life lessons from the martial arts to help anyone find his or her inner warrior. Each lesson begins with a description and explanation, then offers a short exercise to illustrate how to apply the teaching in everyday situations.

Also, IAHBE members can get October's magazine, "Wired," as part of their memberships; check out business QuickTips on "green" office supplies, kiosk solutions w/great potential, and more; and pick up marketing tidbits for better calls to action, PPC ads, and cost-effectiveness.

Click HERE to access the IAHBE.

SFI is pleased to announce that you can now issue gift certificates to your TripleClicks customers and prospective customers!

To issue a gift certificate to an existing customer:

1. Go to your TC Customer List (https://www.sfimg.com/MyAccount/TCCustomerReport.sfi).
2. Click the "Issue gift certificate" link beside the name of the customer you wish to award a gift certificate to.
3. In the popup that appears, enter the amount and the expiration date for the gift certificate you wish to issue to this customer and submit.
4. We immediately send an email to your customer alerting them to the gift certificate you've awarded them and with directions for how to redeem it.

Note that we've also added some special tracking so you can see, at a glance, who you've previously issued gift certificates to.

To issue a gift certificate to a prospective customer:

1. Go to the Gift Certificate Manager (https://www.sfimg.com/Resources/GiftCertificateManager.sfi).
2. Click the "HERE" link under the "TC Customer" column.
3. In the popup that appears, enter the name, email address, and country of the person you wish to issue a gift certificate to. Also enter the gift certificate's amount and the expiration date.  Submit.
4. We immediately send an email to your prospective customer alerting them to the gift certificate you've awarded them and with directions for how to redeem it.

A POWERFUL NEW MARKETING STRATEGY FOR YOU!

The ability to issue gift certificates to customers and prospective customers can be a powerful marketing strategy.  Giving an existing customer a gift certificate is a great way to get them to make their first purchase (or buy again if they haven't made a purchase in a while).  Likewise, giving a prospective customer a gift certificate is a great way to introduce them to TripleClicks, get them on your customer list, and create an immediate sale.

And you can do it very inexpensively, too!  This is because you set an expiration date on every gift certificate you issue.  If the gift certificate is redeemed, you just picked up a new sale or a new customer!  And, of course, in many cases, the customer is going to make a purchase larger, perhaps significantly larger, then the gift certificate amount, hence ensuring you a profit on the transaction or at least breaking even (while acquiring a buying customer!).

If the gift certificate is NOT redeemed, the money goes right back into your account upon expiration and you can issue it to someone else.  In other words, it's a win/win for you!

Marketing Tip: To start generating interest, consider a "Ask me about a free gift certificate" promotion (we'll create some cool T-Shirts if enough affiliates are interested).  When someone inquires about your offer, you simply need to get their first and last name, email address, and country of residence.  You then can go to the Gift Certificate Manager and issue them a gift certificate instantly.  To really impress them, you could do this right in front of them using your iPhone (or other Smartphone with a Web browser), literally entering their name, email, etc. and issuing the gift certificate while they watch!