LaunchSmart™ Start-Up Guide – Table of Contents

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Welcome
Introduction
Using This Start-Up Guide
Action Steps Overview

Foundational Learning & Support
Strategy
Money
Legal & Regulatory
Marketing, Web & Branding
Compensation Plan
Recruiting & Sales
Field Training & Development
Operations & Distributor Service
Software & Technology
Field Communications
Launch Plan, Timeline & Checklist

Section 1 – Foundational Learning & Support

Direct Selling
Network Marketing and Home Party Plan
Multilevel Marketing (MLM) Compensation
Web Marketing and Affiliate Programs
180 Days or Less to Start-up
Ongoing Learning & Development
Your Network of Trusted Advisors
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 2 – Strategy

Your Purpose, Passion, and Value Proposition
Your Growth and Financial Model
The Business Plan that Will Get Funding
The Product Mix & Pricing Strategies
Marketing Strategies
Selling Strategies
Recruiting Strategies
Initial Recruiting – Your First 1,000 Reps
Local, National, Global Launch
Training and Leadership Development Strategies
Competitors
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 3 – Money

Introduction
Much More than a Money Machine
Money is the Value, Fuel, and Quantification of Your Business
The ServiceQuest Financial Management System
Your Accountant Works for YOU
Components of Your Financial Management System
Overview of the Financial Management Process
How Much Will it Cost to Launch?
How Much Will it Cost to Keep Operating?
Sources of Capital
Merchant Accounts for Processing Credit Cards
Your Accounting System
Your Business Controls
Daily Settlement and Processing Systems
Banking, Payroll, and Tax Reporting
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 4 – Legal & Regulatory

Beware the Legal Pitfalls
Defining Your Legal Entity
Intellectual Property
Sales Tax and Direct Selling
Corporate Checking Accounts
Legal Forms Library
Steps to Selecting and Attorney
What to Do When You Cannot Afford Legal Services
The Legal Fundamentals Checklist
Define Legal Needs
- Start-up Services
  - Entity Selection and Formation
  - Product Packaging & Labeling Review
  - Literature / Copy Review
  - Business Kit Review
  - Intellectual Property Protections
- Legal Filings, Reviews & Registrations
  - General Business, Local, Warehousing, Zoning
  - Importer
  - State Tax ID Number(s)
  - Federal Tax ID Number(s)
  - Non-Prescription Drug Applications
  - Hazardous Product Submittals
  - Surety Bonds
  - Sales Tax & Voluntary Compliance
  - Intellectual Property Filings & Registrations
  - Corporate Registrations
  - Business Opportunity Registrations
  - Anti-Pyramid Registrations
  - Direct Selling Registrations
  - Employment Planning and Compliance
- Independent Representative Forms & Agreements
  - Application & Rep Agreement
  - Autoship Authorization Provision / Form
  - FTC “Cooling Off” Documentation
  - Compensation Plan Review
  - Policies & Procedures
  - Contracts and Lease Requirements
  - Parcel Delivery Services
  - Customs Brokerage Services
  - Equipment & Facility Leases / Purchases
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 5 – Marketing, Web & Branding

Positioning Your Company
Image and Branding Strategies
Primary Products
Pricing Details
Product Margins and Markup Analysis
Web Marketing
Web Addresses and URLs
Websites
Starter Kit
Merchandising and Logo Products
Brochures, Catalogs & Materials
Video and Audio Production
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 6 – Compensation Plan

Compensation Plan Basics
Key Principles and Drivers of Every Successful Compensation Plan
Your Compensation and Incentives Strategy
Introduction to Compensation Plan Design
Compensation Plan Design Discovery and Questionnaire
Calculating Your Plan’s Payout Percentage
Roll-up and Compression Strategies and Pitfalls
Party Plans: Using the Power of a Proven System
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 7 – Recruiting & Sales

Your Initial Recruiting System
Creating a Successful Founder’s Organization
Defining the Sales Cycle
Best Sales Presentation Techniques for Your Product Mix
Building Your Sales Team
The Role of CEO in Sales and Recruiting
Distributor Retention Strategies
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 8 – Field Training & Development

Best Practices in New Distributor Orientation
Business Training Systems
Personal Development
The 13-Week Rule
Leadership Training and Development
Company Culture Training
Amway’s Recent Training Discovery
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 9 – Operations & Distributor Service

Creating an Extraordinary Distributor Experience
Business Processes & Best Practices for Direct Selling
Secrets to Selecting & Developing Extraordinary Staff
The Core Operational Competencies
- Distributor Accounts and Enrollment Processing
- Inventory and Warehouse Management
- Order Entry
- Order Fulfillment
- End-of-Day Settlement
- Interactive Customer Service
- Accounting
- Administration
- Genealogies
- Commission Processing
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 10 – Software & Technology

The Biggest Challenge Faced by All Direct Selling Companies
Software and Technology Requirements Planning
Software and Technology Options
Selecting a Software & Technology Vendor
Software and Technology Strategies
Technology and The Best Distributor Learning System
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 11 – Field Communications

Communications: The Essence of the Distributor Experience
Your Communications Plan
- Calendar
- Content
- Channels
- Constituents (Distributor & Customer Profiles)
Effective Field Advisory Councils
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Section 12 – Launch Plan, Timeline & Checklist

Creating Your Detailed Launch Plan and Checklist
Launch Project Management and Timeline
Keeping it Simple, Launching on Time, Keeping on Budget
Next Steps, Checklists, and Additional Resources

Resources, Workshops, Conferences
Index