Passive income streams - do they really exist?

[kathiemt]

Originally Posted by eStrategyPro.com

I'm trying to understand this from the customer's point of view.

Does it mean that if I subscribe for US$31 per month, I can send 50 x physical 2-panel cards (i.e. 5 x 2 points) anywhere in the world? They do the printing, stuffing and mailing for me?

If buying cards from the newsagent cost $2 or more, then wouldn't this be much cheaper if I have to send cards regularly?

Yes, it is cheaper sending cards regularly through Send Out Cards. Everyone has birthdays, or knows people getting married, having anniversaries, babies, then there's Easter, Christmas, Valentine's Day and so on. If you have a client database it makes for a nice personal touch sending something in the mail rather than an email message or a message on Facebook. And the cards can be personalised.

I started using the system because I wanted to print cards with my own photos on them (but you don't have to be creative and they do have lots of templates you can play with) and I didn't want to bulk print 100 copies of the one card to send to people. This was a great option. Less than $3 a card printed and posted - once I've submitted it online I do nothing else, they do the rest. And they have gift vouchers and other gift items you can also send. It all works on a points system. I have people sending cards from my website, or have joined to use the system themselves and I earn a commission on each card sent. All in all, very close to fully passive because people do send cards to people anyway.

[kathiemt]

I should add that one of my client contacts is a legal firm that sends birthday cards to their clients every single month. They had admin staff handwriting these cards and spending hours every month buying cards, writing in them, writing on envelopes and taking them to the post office. Now they have their database uploaded to the system, have their handwriting also uploaded and now automate the cards to go out. It takes one staff member less than a couple of hours at most each month to update it and they've saving money and man hours because of it.

[ExecAccess]

Originally Posted by kathiemt

I should add that one of my client contacts is a legal firm that sends birthday cards to their clients every single month. They had admin staff handwriting these cards and spending hours every month buying cards, writing in them, writing on envelopes and taking them to the post office. Now they have their database uploaded to the system, have their handwriting also uploaded and now automate the cards to go out. It takes one staff member less than a couple of hours at most each month to update it and they've saving money and man hours because of it.

Hi Kathie

Finally got chance to watch the Send Out Cards video - what a great concept! Especially for someone (like me) who forgets to post cards until the day!

I guess the thing that puts me off a bit is that it is based in the US. Would people in Australia use it readily? Does it have a "reminder" system so that you can program in your list of birthdays etc and it actually reminds you in good time to process it on line and get it to an overseas destination in time? What is the quality of the cards?

The video is typically American - big dollars etc - how realistic is it to make reasonable income.

Questions, questions!

[kathiemt]

Hi Wendy, people have been using it here in Australia for at least 3 or 4 years. They were printing the cards here last year but went back to printing them in the US because it was more cost effective. There are a lot of people using them here and if you went to any of the meetings (they do have meetings for those who are seriously growing this as a business) you'll find it's all Aussies speaking but yes, the original material comes from the US.

Yes, it has a reminder system and I use it all the time so that I don't forget birthdays and anniversaries. The quality of the cards are excellent, full-sized just as you would get from the newsagents, but at a fraction of the price. And you can personalise them so that their individual too. However, there are thousands of templates to choose from too, if you don't wish to create one from scratch. I really do like this system, everyone benefits, the people you send cards to as they know you were thinking of them, and you do too as they're good value and a good system.

[kathiemt]

I just got the mail out of my letterbox. In it was a postcard with a picture of the world and a beautiful sunrise behind it, with a plane taking off.

On the back was a message to my husband and me from his massage therapist reminding us that she's going off on a holiday in a couple of weeks and to prebook appointments for September now. The card was created via Send Out Cards.

Lots of people are using this system.

[relentless]

passive income online used to be easy, write a bunch of articles and stick up a website and plaster ads all over it to earn commissions do some SEO and there you have it, hands off income.

Unfortunately those kinds of websites are of low quality and provide no value what so ever. Google is constantly removing these low quality sites as they should.

So there is no such thing as passive income online anymore. You are better off focusing on driving more traffic to your business and growing that.

Perhaps get a part time job to make up for your loss of income and then you'll have time to focus on your business.

One thing you can implement immediately for your sites is a email popup with an incentive to buy (like 10% off) you want to start capturing more emails to build your customer base

just PM me if you want some more advice for your shops, I have worked with a few online retailers before

[DavidM]

I'm a big fan of Ramit Sethi. He wrote a good piece on passive online income - and why it's a myth to 99% of people. I also agree.

[gcpets]

Originally Posted by ExecAccess

Kathie, it is the second time I have seen the phrase "send-a-card" recently so I might have to look into that one. I noticed it in a signature block of someone I consider to be pretty savvy. Do you have any experience with it?

Thanks again everyone.

Send Out Cards

There are many savvy business people using this system myself being one:

http://www.socreferral.com/gcpets
or http://www.40waystousecards.com/gcpets

I find it a great addition to my current business and compliments it VERY well.

Yes it is American the videos and an American hosting the webinars however I've attended the webinars... a lot of what is mentioned can easily be applied to here.

[gcpets]

Originally Posted by eStrategyPro.com

I'm trying to understand this from the customer's point of view.

Does it mean that if I subscribe for US$31 per month, I can send 50 x physical 2-panel cards (i.e. 5 x 2 points) anywhere in the world? They do the printing, stuffing and mailing for me?

If buying cards from the newsagent cost $2 or more, then wouldn't this be much cheaper if I have to send cards regularly?

Which one makes the most sense for you ?
A) Send a high quality card for $2.97
B) Send a high quality card for $1.47
C) Send a high quality card for 93 cents

*not including postage

I'd love for someone to find the type of high quality custom made cards that you can make via this system in a newsagent for $3 or less !!

This website helps explain it a bit better: http://www.remembergreetingcards.com/gcpets

The $31 per month is a subscription aka you'll be classed as a Preferred Customer. At this rate you receive 100 points for 31c per point and can buy further points at this discounted rate. Making one 2 panel greeting card costs 3 points.

The points are valid for 12 months. The subscription is non-committal in that you can cancel at anytime and still retain your points (as they keep rolling over until they expire or you use them).


Believe me, when you REALLY see this system (I have yet to see anything else available to us here in Australia) you'll be using it very regularly.

[gcpets]

Originally Posted by ExecAccess

Hi Kathie

Finally got chance to watch the Send Out Cards video - what a great concept! Especially for someone (like me) who forgets to post cards until the day!

I guess the thing that puts me off a bit is that it is based in the US. Would people in Australia use it readily? Does it have a "reminder" system so that you can program in your list of birthdays etc and it actually reminds you in good time to process it on line and get it to an overseas destination in time? What is the quality of the cards?

The video is typically American - big dollars etc - how realistic is it to make reasonable income.

Questions, questions!

Please forgive me if it inappropriate of me to answer this however I'd love to give you my own experiences....

Yes it is USA based. The cards are also sent from the USA so there is a 'delay' of around 5-10 biz days depending on various factors (time of year mainly). They are sent bulk from the USA to Sydney then sent from there. They're working on improving this ATM. The gifts come from Sydney.

Believe me, they tried to have it going here in Australia (have the cards printed, etc from Melbourne) however it was a huge flop. They couldn't maintain the same high quality strict control they have as they do in the USA (unfortunately). Most of the errors with the cards are user error (photos that aren't high quality enough, placed wrong way around, etc).

There are more people than you realise using SOC

Especially since it has a PAYG (pay as you go) option where people can even just use it for one or two cards at a time here and there.

Yes it has a reminder system and so forth ... If someone hasn't already done a free guest account walkthrough with you ... I'd highly suggest it. It's no obligation. It's free. That's it.

In re the reminder system I think it is 2 weeks before the event which gives you a good heads up time-frame. There are even 'belated' birthday cards you can use that are really great in the system if you feel it won't reach the person in time.

If you would like an example card ... I can send you one if you don't want to do the guest account walkthrough.

Yeah... I agree... ignore the big dollars stuff... yet the overall message of Send Out Cards can be summed up in one word - Gratitude.