17/06/09. Interview with the admin of YesICanSurf

BEWARE! THIS PROGRAM HAS STOPPED PAYING! DON’T INVEST!

Hi everybody! One of the few programs currently showing any signs of progress in the much maligned autosurf industry now is YesICanSurf and today I’m pleased to bring you an interview with the admin of that site, Sarah Laughlin. It’s what you might call an autosurf with a twist, as in what may yet prove to be a successful attempt to distance themselves from some of the more recent high profile surfing failures, YesICanSurf is trying to approach the business from a different angle. Rather than the traditional surfing plans this one has more of an HYIP feel to it, offering instead low ROI payments of 1.7% paid daily for a long term surfing plan of 120 days.

You can always refer back to my original review (published here) for further information. I would say it was a mixed review but leaning towards positive. And I would say kudos to Sarah for at least trying something different from the usual approach and for trying to break the cycle of quick scam autosurfs that have come to dominate the industry over the last number of months. And to her credit she has also gone some way towards addressing the issues I raised.

Before we hear from Sarah I’d just like to quickly point out that there is also a cycler program associated with YesICanSurf. I am not covering that side of it on MNO and if you are wondering why, it’s because I joined this one as a surfing program. If the cycler side of things interests you then I suggest you contact the admin directly for more details.

“1. Please introduce yourself to my readers and tell me what is your in YesICanSurf. Are you running the program alone and what experience in autosurf industry do you have?

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share my thoughts re: the autosurf world and YesICanSurf, Paul. My name is Sarah Laughlin and I’m the co admin of both YesICanSurf and YesICanCycler. Phil, my more silent partner, looks after the tech side of things; while my responsibility is customer care. Although I have previously worked on the support team of a couple of surf sites, and have been actively involved in both surfs and cyclers as a member, this is my first program ownership.

2. Just out of curiosity why did you call your program YesICanSurf and your investment plan as the Obama plan? Do you admire Barack Obama’s personality in some way?

Like many people worldwide, I have been impressed by Obama’s positive leadership, and the resounding echo: “Yes we can!” by so many who have been challenged by him to help create a better world. I am not American, and this has nothing to do with political beliefs. Rather, it’s a challenge to members to pull together to breathe confidence into a battered surf industry….. YES WE CAN ! YES “I” CAN !

3. Please tell us more about the investment plans you’re offering to online investors especially about making upgrades and payouts.

At the moment we offer only one plan, a very realistic 1.7% daily rebate for 120 days. This means that members can more than double their investment over that period of time. However when we reach 500+ members we will consider adding another shorter-term plan for members already in the Obama Plan. Our goal is to move slowly and steadily, with longevity always being our main objective.

4. How many sites do I have to surf daily to earn my daily rebate? Will I be somehow penalized if I miss a day of surfing in your program? What would you suggest to those who are going on summer vacations or for any other reason will not be able to surf for 120 days in a row?

Obama members must surf 12 sites daily to earn their daily rebate. As the script is set to pay members as they complete the surf requirement, it may pose a challenge to allow missed days and still receive their rebate, BUT challenges are made to be overcome ! I think that what we can do is allow a “holiday break” of one week (ie. up to 7 days in a row) out of the 120 days for members who notify us ahead of time by email. Another alternative is for members to have a friend surf for them, or even to ask us to do so in the case of illness! There is always a way around a seeming mountain if we work together to overcome the problem.

5. What payment processors do you accept and do you plan to add more processors in the near future? I noticed there is a Bank Transfer option on your site. Is it really available to make an upgrade in YesICanSurf using bank transfers?

We accept AlertPay, LibertyReserve, StrictPay, SolidTrustPay and PerfectMoney. Bank transfers and credit card payments are available via AlertPay, and some members have used those options.

6. Is YesICanSurf purely an advertising program or do you have any additional income sources for your program to make it a long-lasting venture?

We run YesICanSurf as a sister site to yesicancycler, each supporting the other as far as membership growth is concerned. We have a good “batting average” in the forums for both programs, and our cycler testimonials confirm our credibility. We are also in the process of setting up a network of adexchange sites to solidify our income and give our members other good places to advertise.

7. I noticed that there is a possibility of free membership on your site as well? Can you tell us about the advantages of that?

I feel that free membership should be used as a last resort in YesICanSurf, simply because the cost of our adpacks is so low that very few cannot afford the price of one!! The advantages of an Obama membership are great, if only because we are super generous with our credits for upgraded members. They earn 500 credits for each adpack purchased, or 2500 credits for only $10. It’s a great advertising bargain.

Free members are able to earn however. (100 credits on signup and 30 credits for daily surfing. Like Obama members they can also earn 5% ref commissions 3 level down.)

8. Tell us in as much detail as possible about the security features of YesICanSurf. Are you on a dedicated server? What measures have you taken to protect the program from DdoS attacks and malicious hackers? What script are you using?

As we are a longterm program we have an 8 month contract with Hushhosting for full security measures including Ddos protection. The contract is renewable after 8 months. They are providing us with good service and we are confident they’ll continue to do so. Our script is Neversay’s, possibly the most reliable of the AS scripts.

9. What level of customer support do you offer members? How can they contact you if they have any issues with their investments? Do you offer e-mail support? Are you contributing actively on any of the major investment forums?

We feel that our level of customer support is high, simply because our members are #1 as far as we are concerned. I try to answer all support mails within a few hours or even minutes, throughout my day. We offer email support and some Messenger support. While we keep an eye on as many forums as possible, we tend to “jump in” only to answer a question. Otherwise we leave the posting to our members. We also provide our own forum on the cycler, and this will soon be expanded to include surf members.

10. I noticed that you’re affiliated with another site which is a cycler. Can you tell us more about the benefits of joining both programs? How does your cycler work?

I have already mentioned YesICanCycler in answer #6. One advantage of joining both programs and upgrading in YesICanSurf is a free $2 position in YesICanCycler for those who do so. All members need to do is let me know. For the cycler we use an excellent script created by NMS, which seems to be the choice of most cyclers. For more info about the cycler, people can check out our home page at http://www.yesicancycler.com

11. I also noticed that there are more than 300 members which is quite a good result for any low paying autosurf being online for about three weeks. How would you evaluate the level of members support so far? What advertising strategies are you utilizing to attract more members into YesICanSurf?

I feel that member support has been outstanding. Many of our members have joined both programs, and in many ways we are becoming “family”! We have really appreciated their encouraging comments. As far as advertising goes, we utilize a variety of methods, from solo ads, to PTC sites, to other surf sites. But we are strong believers in the power of “word of mouth” in forums, and advertising by satisfied members.

12. Why did you choose a low-ROI plan while there are so many autosurfs promising a high return? Do you think this makes YesICanSurf more sustainable in the long run?

Definitely. We have watched so many autosurfs offering very high returns, which they have been unable to sustain more than a couple of months. Sure people get excited about huge ROIs, and they have worked for many years. But the global economy is different today, and people are far less willing to take risks. We felt that a low ROI coupled with daily payouts and a longer term surf plan, reduces the risk for them considerably.

13. What in your opinion differentiates your program from other similar sites? Why should the members choose your site from so many others?

Because our plan is for longterm survival and stability, we aren’t in a hurry to “explode” our numbers. We prefer to take time to earn the respect of our members and to get to know as many as possible. We are also offering an advertising opportunity that, at $2 an adpack, is truly affordable.

14. What are your plans for the near future and what is the main goal you’re trying to achieve by running YesICanSurf?

As mentioned in several of my answers, our main goal is program longevity. I cannot stress this enough.

15. I find it difficult to remember a time when the reputation of the whole autosurf industry was as low as it is today. How are you dealing with such a negative image and did it somehow affect the growth of YesICanSurf? What would be your investment advice to the members willing to invest in autosurfs but afraid to suffer serious losses?

You are so right, Paul. Public perception of the surf industry as a whole has definately become quite negative, and until admins can prove that we can be trusted again, former surfers will definately be wary of us. It will take time for the wounds to heal, but I really believe that the surf concept is so good, that eventually they’ll be willing to try again. Of course, the “double wammy” is the global financial situation, and this too will take time to turn around. I always advise our members to begin with just one $2 adpack to test the waters, and add more as they feel comfortable or can afford them. As payouts can be requested daily after $1 is accumulated in their accounts, the risk of a serious loss is minimized.”

Thanks a lot to Sarah for taking the time to explain her program to us all. No doubt that it’s not the easiest field to succeed in right now, but her enthusiasm is at least beyond doubt. Hopefully it will be a success. I don’t think anyone would deny it would be welcome. Of course that success lies largely in the hands of you, the surfing public. See what you think.

I’ll be back later with all the latest news and views from around the industry so stay tuned everyone!