Here is a quick run-down on what you will find in this bulletin:
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January 9, 2017, 9AM EST
The Zip Code “Land Rush” Begins
Don’t Miss The Opportunity!
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The Starting Time is 9:00AM EST
NOT A MINUTE EARLIER
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Do Some Preparation In Advance
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The One For Three Guarantee
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The Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Is In Full Progress
These topics will be dealt with in more detail throughout this bulletin.
Merry Christimas 2016The modern celebration of Christmas is closely associated with the giving of gifts to family and friends. The traditional celebration of Christmas is about the greatest gift of all. I think this is a good summary of that:
Merry Christmas 2016See if you can figure out the color scheme that I used.
January 9, 2017, 9AM EST
The Zip Code “Land Rush” Begins
Don’t Miss The Opportunity!The next important date for subscribers participating at term4sale.com, is January 9, 2017.
Subscribers who purchase additional zip codes from Term4sale, Inc., over and above the LOCAL zip codes acquired as part of a subscription to the Windows PC software, are invoiced for those zip codes on a calendar year basis. Each year a certain number of zip codes, which were previously purchased by subscribers, become available. Here are some of the typical reasons zip codes come back into the market:
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3. Subscribers quit the business
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4. Subscribers stop subscribing
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5. Subscribers cut back on the zip codes they are buying
The invoices for additional zip codes were sent mid-November. Subscribers have until Friday, January 6, 2017, to pay those renewals. If the renewal is not paid on or before that date, the un-paid zip codes are taken out of the new zip code listings which are then published the morning of January 9, 2017.
Leaving the ability to pay until the first week of January permits subscribers to decide in which tax year they will expense the advertising cost.
If zip codes are not paid by January 6th, the unpaid invoice will be automatically credited from our books, and the zip codes will become available to other subscribers.
The Starting Time is 9:00AM EST
NOT A MINUTE EARLIEREvery year someone complains because someone else beats them to a zip code that they wanted. To keep this fair and equal for all, we have a HARD starting date and time to ensure fairness. No one can complain if someone else beat them to it. I probably shouldn’t say that, because there is always someone who complains. Even so, the rules are the RULES and they are fair and equal for all.
IMPORTANT: Do not call or email zip code purchase instructions before 9:00 AM EST on January 9th. If you do, your email will be ignored. If you call early you will be told to call later.
Because the phone lines will likely be busy that day, and a lot of the early part of that week, it is BEST to do your homework in advance and email your instructions for new purchases or changes.
NOTE: You have two basic options for acquiring new zip codes. You can either ADD zip codes to your current list, or you can trade/exchange zip codes you already have, for zip codes you think are better.
Available zip codes (ANY Zip Code with less than 3 agents listed) will be available on a first come, first serve basis. The new list will be published here on January 9th:
Zip Code AnalyzerAny additional zip code purchased on January 9th, must be paid for immediately. The cost of the zip code will be 11 X the monthly fee ($1.50 for the first 90, $2 for zip codes over 90; standard licenses only). Once your new zip codes are added, the remainder of the month of January is free.
If you are switching zip codes for better zip codes we need will need specific instructions. Tell us what zip code you want to add, and which zip code you are giving up. If you don’t know what zip codes you have, email and ask for a list of those zip codes ASAP.
Do Some Preparation In AdvanceOnce again, you can research zip codes at:
Zip Code AnalyzerIf I was you, I would print a list of zip codes in areas you are interested in, IN ADVANCE of the 9th.
TIP: You can use the column titles to sort the list of zip codes.
Typically, when I am assisting subscribers in finding great zip codes, I will sort by the 4th column: “Zip Code Income (Millions). The number in that column is a result of multiplying column 5 times column 6 (Number of Households times Income Per Household). You will need to click that column heading twice. The first time you click it sorts from smallest number to largest. The second time you click it sorts from largest to smallest.
TIP: In densely populated, urban areas, increase the “Number of Listed Zip Codes” from the default number of 100. This will enlarge the area of the state that you are looking at.
Once you have the list that you want, print that list. I would then highlight the zip codes that you would really like to get. Once again, make sure that list is done in advance of the 9th.
On the morning of the 9th you will want to replicate the list again, doing the same search and sort. Check your old list with the new list to see if zip codes that previously had 3 subscribers Listed, now have 2 or less. If that happens, and it’s one of the zip codes that you want, fire off your email to:
service@compulife.comTIP: Don’t wait too long after finding zip codes you want. You can send multiple emails. Remember, first come first served. I promise you, if you wait too long, some zip codes that you want will be gone by the time you ask for them.
Make sure we have your name and phone number in the email. Once we get to you in time order, we will call you and ask for your credit card information.
IMPORTANT: Compulife keeps no credit card records for subscribers. If we don’t have your credit card number, they can’t be stolen from us. Every purchase by credit card, requires the credit card again.
The One For Three GuaranteeThose who contact us inquiring about term4sale listings generally want to know what they can expect by way of results. I always say the same thing. For every 3 zip code listings you can expect ONE solid email contact through the system. Some subscribers do better than that, but it is a general rule of thumb. Now I say “email” referring to the contacts that come through the term4sale “agent” list where the consumer completes the email form and it is sent on to the 3 listed agents.
NOTE: Virtually all contacts use the contact 3 method. There was a way to contact individual agents, but that has been removed from the new version of Term4Sale which was introduced in October. Only those with ulterior reason for contacting our subscribers seemed to be using it.
In addition to email contacts, your name and phone number are displayed in the listings. If a consumer calls you directly, and we KNOW some do, then we have no record of those contacts and that is icing on your cake. For the new guarantee this does not factor in, simply as we have no way to monitor such activity.
For the first time we are going to GUARANTEE the One for Three result. Here’s how the guarantee works:
If you get to the end of December, and you did not have have at least one email for every 3 zip codes you have, we will reduce the cost for you to renew those zip codes for 2017.
EXAMPLE: You have 14 zip codes, three local and 11 that you purchased. For 14 zip codes we expect: 14/3 = 5 contacts (4.67 rounded up). Let’s assume that you had only 3 email contacts (note: we do not count duplicate or BOGUS contacts) On November 15th, we would have invoiced you $198 (11 X $18) for 2017 renewal. However, you really only got the activity we would have expected for 9 total zip codes, which would have been 3 local zip codes, and 6 additionally purchased zip codes. Therefore, we will credit your invoice DOWN to $108 (6 X $18) and give you the same 14 zip codes for 2017. In other words, you will have 5 of those 11 paid zip codes for free.
If you did better than 1 for 3 (many have) then you owe us money. NO, we’re just kidding. This is a minimum guarantee.
IMPORTANT: There are NO REFUNDS, simply a reduced renewal cost for the SAME zip codes for the following year. You can add zip codes, and pay for those, but if you substitute any of those zip codes then the price of renewal for those will still be $18 for the year.
This guarantee is designed to act as a way to retroactively balance out the cost of zip codes listings that are NOT as attractive or not producing.
Reviewing Zip Codes Pricing For 2017The ability for ALL Windows PC subscribers to buy an additional 90 zip codes is unchanged. However, as previously announced, the renewal price for those 90 zip codes is going from $1.25 per month, to $1.50 per month, payable to the end of the calendar year. This means that those renewing for 2017 will receive an invoice of $18 per zip code for the year (over their local zip codes). We expect some will want to carefully review the zip codes that they currently have, and may want to drop some to control their total cost for 2017. That’s fine.
Remember, you have last year’s email traffic, and the Zip Code Analyzer, which is found here:
www.term4sale.com/zipcodeThe combination of those two things will guide you in that decision making process.
Yes, at some point we will build a system to give you better information about zip code contact performance, but we will introduce a new pricing structure at the same time. So while you’re thinking about some of the work this involves, we think you will eventually look back on the “good old days” when we make those changes (not in the short run).
Once again, when you are invoiced for 2017 renewals, you are NOT required to renew any zip code. If you decide to drop all or some of your zip codes, those zip codes will come back into the pool of available zip codes on January 9th. In fact we expect that will happen, giving subscribers who are hungry for more, better listings a chance to jump in.
IMPORANT: We give subscribers from November 15th to January 6th to pay their zip code renewals. That means you can decide in which year to expense the cost for tax deduction purposes. Yes, term4sale listings are an advertising expense and you can deduct them from your commission income. If you think you may benefit from the one in 3 guarantee wait until late in December to make your claim and pay your invoice.
In addition to being able to buy an additional 3 local zip codes for $12 each (for 12 months), Standard License subscribers can buy an additional 240 zip codes over the first 90 that all Windows PC subscribers can purchase (most Compulife subscribers buy the personal use edition which only allows 3 local zip codes).
For standard license subscribers, the total of 320 zip codes is REDUCED this year from 360 which was the total last year. Those that had 360 last year, will need to find 40 that they can give up. Note, some of that may be resolved automatically as the bumping process may remove you from some of the zip codes that you previously were paid to be listed in.
The price per zip code, for zip codes over 90, will increase to $2 per zip code per month ($24 per year). We expect that to be a pinch for some standard license subscribers, but then that was one of the reasons for ratcheting up the ability to get 6 local zip codes instead of 3.
We deeply appreciate your business, and want to make sure that Compulife remains profitable for you. On the other hand, we need to free up space for other subscribers who want to participate but simply can’t find good zip codes to be listed in. We are doing this in small yearly adjustments, trying to find the right balance.
Here’s a Tip: Personal use subscribers may want to upgrade from personal use to standard license to take advantage of the ability to get those 3 additional local zip codes (for a total of 6). We can do that upgrade for you on November 7th, when you call to maneuver into 3 additional better zip codes in your local area. |
