Global Cash Flow Network - My True Story

It was exactly a month since I quit my job to live my dream as a "home-based business entrepreneur."

But I had just paid my mortage payment and reality was setting in. Ouch! Doubt was rearing up. What was my plan? The MLM company I had joined (wow, that's yet ANOTHER story to tell!!) was not making me enough money to live on.

And then the feeling set in. Deep in my gut. I admit it. I was in one of those moments of frantic desperation, where I was determined to make money somehow. I'd been on Yanik Silver's email list for a while, so I was already primed to think "Maybe Internet Marketing is my way to financial independence..." but I had been reluctant up to then to move in that direction.

At that moment, I resolved I WOULD make money on-line...If only I knew how... Though my wife and I could live off of our savings for a while, things were starting to get a bit uncomfortable. I tried all kinds of things, all within a short period of time. I'm sure some of you out there can relate... Here are a few examples...

1) "Project Payday" (their website is here.)
This was a total disappointment for me. Once I went through their on-line training, I knew it wasn't what I was looking for right then and there. If I had a regular income, Project Payday would be an AWESOME way to get free stuff and also to make a little extra $$ on the side. You really can get free Plasma TVs and other great stuff, though it isn't really FREE. You can check out the site if you want to know how it works. I was quite amazed, actually. But it wasn't what I needed.

2) I tried "The Jackal's" Work At Home Manifesto (WAHM).
The WAHM was interesting, but also a big let down. I've been reading things here and there about Internet Marketing for a while, and though I picked up a few things in the Jackal's website, I didn't think it was worth the full membership price - so I cancelled and got my refund, no problem.

The little secret about the WAHM as far as I could tell, was that it is designed purely as a vehicle to get people to sign up for the Certified Media Placement Specialist Program. The "Jackal" recommended the GCFN/CMPS program so highly, over and over again throughout the whole WAHM!! It certainly convinced me! I applied up for the CMPS program from a link on the Jackal's WAHM site.

On July 3, 2007 - I was officially accepted as a student in the Certified Media Placement Specialist program. It cost me over $300 to get started, though I knew (well, it's more like I still believe) that I get this money back after completing the "coursework" within the following 12-months. This is what they call their "We Pay You Back Offer."

After signing up and being accepted, that Thursday I received by FEDEX a package with a 1" binder filled to the brim with materials. The binder was divided into several sections. There was a 2-page "Fast Start Guide" and a checklist of "14 Things I Can Start Doing Immediately To Promote My Business."

The main part of the binder consisted of:
Section 1 - About Your Business - Welcome
Section 2 - Fast Start To Success
Section 3 - Website Tutorial and F.A.Q.
Section 4 - Inside Secrets to Affiliate Mastery (bonus)
Section 5 - Customer Support Information

There was also an audio CD and transcript entitled "Special Report: Exposed: Discover the Amazing Secrets To Become A Millionaire From Scratch" featuring Dan Kuschell (A-Champion Vision) and Joshua Shafran (Mr. N-POD).

In addition I had to send in a W-9 form back to the company and some other forms in order to get my affiliate links with Amazon.com, Google AdSense, and Ebay set up.

Overall I was quite impressed.

The URLs to my two websites were also provided. The first one, focused on the "24 Hour Web Cash System" was already set up and working, but the affiliate site (MyWebCashStore) would take up to 30 days to get configured.

I sat down that afternoon and night, and read through all the materials. Dan Kuschell's report on "How to Become a Master Affiliate Marketer" was very educational. As I later learned, this was just the first of many "bonus" training self-help courses I would be given access to as part of the program.

On Thursday July 5 I got a call from one of the GCFN Level I coaches. He said it was a courtesy consultation call, and went over several of the features of the program, and all was going fine, until he became very "salesy" on me all of a sudden. But the pitch was convincing, and I definitely agreed that I wanted the "Executive Media Package" in order to get my website configured with an autoresponder (aka "The Magnetic Client Autocontactor"), an audio from Mary Gersten on my website (aka "The VIP Radio Link"), and have Master Reseller Rights so I could earn up to $750 per referral (depending on what tools each referral decides to pay for).

So I signed up for the Executive Media Package for a few hundred bucks more. I figured, if I'm in this to make money, I'd better have all the tools I can get. That's what big businesses do, right? They invest in infrastructure to turn bigger profts. Now that I have a home based business - I figured I had better do the same.

The EMP cost was separate from my CMPS fee...but the good news was it is covered by a 100% Risk Free 1-Year Guarantee. I quote,
If you attempt to advertise 1 different way per month and show us you did, and you haven't made all your money back for your setup fee for the website campaign they will refund what you paid for the Executive Media Package.

And, much to my relief (this would have been a show-stopper for me) they do not charge me monthly hosting or domain fees of any kind...at least not for the first year. But then, if I haven't made enough money after a year, I'll be out and get my money back....or so I believe.

While I was still fairly happy about everything, I was beginning to wonder about this program. First they tell me its a "hands on" education in "Media Placement." Now its a website affiliate turnkey business system, and I just doubled my initial investment to get an autoresponder and audio on my website.

My skeptic-o-meter was beginning to rise.

Upon receiving the initial package, you are repeatedly told in the materials to call an "800" number for a "Free Consultation" with one of GCFN's "Level I Media Coaches" to learn how you can generate "Guaranteed Traffic" to your sites.

On Friday, July 6 I complied and called the Level I Media Coach number. After a little phone tag, I got through to a nice lady on the phone, who explained to me that GCFN offers a 3-month "Guaranteed Traffic Program" which can deliver anywhere from 4,000 to 20,000 targeted visitors to your webpages over a 3-month period. Basically, you can hire them to run a "proven" advertising campaign on the web.

One of the curious things about this Guaranteed Traffic Program (which was also confusingly also called the Ultimate Traffic System in their manual), is the guarantee. They have to meet BOTH of the following criteria before your 3-month run is over:
1) Your websites have to get at least the number of visitors they promised in the 3-month period; and,
2) You have to earn back in revenues what the advertising cost you
If they fail to deliver on either count, they will continue to run the same level of advertising for you for free for another quarter! (actually, they told me for another 2 quarters...but the documentation I got was ambiguous)

As part of the Guaranteed Traffic program you get to learn more of the insider secrets to generating traffic (including - supposedly - the techniques they will use to generate my the targeted visitors), and you get hundreds of pre-printed postcards and mailing labels to send (on your own $0.26 for postage) to generate traffic to your site and/or to call your 800 number. You actually can get a new set of postcards as part of the deal, every month...as long as you put the labels on and you buy the postage.

This "Coach" knew all the right things to say, and I was buying. I was definitely in a good mood that day. And my attitude about "investing in your business" was still strong. So I signed up for 20,000 visitors. This would mean 10,000 to my 24HourWebCash site, and 10,000 to my MyWebCashStore site.

At this point (1-week into the program) my total investment was over $5000. I expected to get the first $300 back for sure, once I completed the 14-point check-list.

But, boy, was my wife mad when I told her about it. L(

The week of July 9, 2007 - I received my black 2" binder of materials that I "paid for" when I signed up for the Ultimate Traffic System.

Of course, what I really paid for is a massive advertising campaign to get targeted traffic to my site and get some return on my investment. So this binder is just a "bonus" which I assume is also part of the CMPS program. But I don't know if you'd get this binder without signing up for the Ultimate Traffic System first.

This binder was packed with what were characterized as "Bonuses."
*******************************************************
Section 1: "Guaranteed Traffic"
-A tutorial and explanation of your "Ultimate Traffic System." It explained the traffic takes a few weeks to get running.

Section 2: Bonus One (Value $297)
"Making Money With Google AdSense and Using RSS Feeds To Build More Traffic By Master Mentor Dan Kuschell."

Section 3: Bonus Two (Value $1495)
"Marketing Mastery: Discover the Secrets To Building Long Term Success With the Latest Up To Date Marketing Strategies" by Dan Kuschell

Section 4: Bonus Three (Value over $1000)
"Qualified Targeted Leads and Mail Program Sample" Indicates you will receive your first set of postcards and labels within 45 days or less.

Section 5: Bonus Four (Value $2297)
"Free One on One Consultation and Seminar Tickets" with Dan Kuschell and A Champion Vision
[This was a teleseminar where Mr. Kuschell talks about his mentoring program, then gives everyone a chance to ask him a question live on the phone.]
*******************************************************

I studied these materials over the following week and a half and began to implement some of them with a Google AdWords campaign and getting some business cards (for free, from VistaPrint).

About two weeks later - on July 26 - I received a check for $10 from GCFN. I'm not sure what someone would have bought to earn me exactly $10, but a check is a check. I am happy to see some money begin to trickle in. I'm going to give it more time to see if I can make my money back!

At the same time that I signed up for my "Guaranteed Traffic Program" I was also told about Dan Kuschell's mentoring. A Champion Vision is Dan's company that offers success coaching programs. Apparently Mr. Kuschell is one of Mary's mentors.

I think it was on July 11 that Mr. Kuschell's representative (sales rep, that is) reached me.

He immediately jumped into a sales pitch. Ugh.

Basically, Dan Kuschell offers "qualified" members of the CMPS program an opportunity to be in his protegé program. My enrollment in the Ultimate Traffic System made me qualified, I think. (read: Sucker with big pockets. Or am I too cynical?)

Dan's program is designed to teach you how to become a master of marketing and achieve your dreams. I was told it only takes a few hours a week to participate, and "best of all" Dan GUARANTEES that you, as a Mary Gersten client under his mentorship, will make at least an extra $25,000 in the next 3-6 months!

He certainly got my attention with that last part. Guaranteed to make an extra $25k??

There are two levels to the protegé program, which are called the "Master" and "PhD" levels. You only have to "put 20% down," he said, and the "rest of the fee" you only pay when you make your "extra" $25k. The prices I site below are the 20% down prices... [By the way, all features below are from my sketchy notes, so I make no guarantee that I got the details right, except how much it costs.]

The PhD program covers marketing, taxes, communications, and mindset during a six-month period and costs you $2700 as a "set up fee." This includes more than 4 DVDs, 400 audios, work-at-home course binders, participation in live "mastermind" seminars with Dan, 6 fax consultations with Dan over 24 weeks, and access to a Member's Only Forum.

The Master's program is similar, but only lasts three months, has fewer bonuses, and costs $1995 "to get started."

Frankly, I was so bedazzled by the slickness of the long sales pitch over the phone, my eyes were ready to roll into the back of my head.

Also, my credit cards were just about maxed out, and my marriage was going to be in jeopardy if I signed up for this thing. Even though it sounded REALLY REALLY good. Honestly, if they guarantee you'll make $25k...in 3-6 months...could I afford not to do this?

For the sake of my marriage, yes, I decided I could afford NOT to do this. So I didn't sign up, and can't tell you any more about it. My wife was relieved.

(But in retrospect, I think I should have gotten a smaller "guaranteed traffic" program and gone with the mentoring with my money instead.)

I couldn't believe it today when I went to my mailbox. I got another check from the Global Cash Flow Network.

Remember, on July 26, I received my first check...for a measly $10.

I was expecting something similar this time. So I took my time opening the envelope.

But when I opened it, I was amazed!

There was a check, with my name on it, for $100!

My skepticism is beginning to turn to optimism. If my "guaranteed traffic" campaign has barely even gotten off the ground, and I've hardly been doing anything myself so far (except a few free classified ads and $1/day on Google AdWords), this is pretty good!

Last week was just my Third Week in the program!

Now, only a few thousand more dollars in earnings, and I'll actually have a profit...

I think I'll be reading through that manual they sent me again and trying a few more of their recommended techniques!

The week of August 2, shortly after receiving that $100 check, I received a delivery from FedEx containing 500 "bonus" postcard pieces and "highly targeted prospect" mailing labels.

Based on the CMPS manuals, everyone who gets any level of the Ultmate Traffic System (and possibly also just with the Executive Media Package - I'm not sure because it's all blending together for me at this point) has the opportunity to receive hundreds of postcards each month - customized with your own Global Cash Flow Network account contact info with your website and special phone extension.

The normal "free postcard bonus" is only 250 postcards and labels per month, but because I signed up for the highest-level of the Guaranteed Traffic Program, they send me 500 postcards per month.

I went to the postoffice and got 500 $0.26 first-class postcard stamps (cost $130) and then dutifully labeled and stamped the 500 postcards. It took about 2 hrs, spread over several different sessions. Postcards are enough - I'm glad I didn't have to deal with stuffing envelopes!

The postcards were apparently designed by a pretty good copywriter, and a GCFN "Level II media coach" told me that they use these very same postcards themselves with direct mailings from the headquarters, and get a pretty good response (which I took to mean a response rate of a few percent, then closing on those up to 20%).

I'm hoping for a 1-2% response to these postcards, which would be 5-10 respondents who will go to the website or call in. If 20% of those sign up, that will mean a few hundred bucks more for me. That should pay for the cost of the stamps at least.

I'll let you know if I get any more checks...

One concern right now is the lack of clear system to know whether the postcards are producing revenue. I'm not aware of any tracking system to identify that a new client has come in via postcards. GCFN has some new system (that I haven't gotten into yet) to track on-line revenue streams, but I don't think it tells you something new if the person signed-up from receiving a post-card.

In order to figure out if this is productive and profitable with the postcards, I'm not doing much in the way of other marketing this week so that I'll know if the postcard mailing has bumped up my earnings with my other marketing efforts remaining at baseline levels.

I'm reorganizing my Lens and creating a Blog to continue telling my story.

You can see the continuation of my story on my GCFN Blog.

I continue to use this Lens as an introduction to my story and keep current a concise overview on my current assessment of this (is it a scam or not?) here on my Lens.