FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Typically, Fast Track Co-Managed Program™ clients are companies who have an existing brand or are developing a brand to launch. Some companies have had years in the market while others are new to the industry. Some of our clients have expertise in their particular channel but don't know how to cross into a new channel (i.e. prestige department store to mass market and chain drug). We teach our clients how to take the necessary steps: who to call, who to hire, where to go, which retailer to start with, where to end, how to present to ensure success, when to launch and how to calculate margin requirements to be profitable.
Other Fast Track Co-Managed Program™ clients include companies that specialize in a particular area of business in another area of focus. These clients have an infrastructure in the US and look to us as an expeditious resource for the fundamentals of retail strategy.
EXCELLENT! Our Fast Track Co-Managed Program™ clients are typically concerned because they think that if they could have done it themselves successfully then they would have already done so. This is not true! Our formula for success has been succinctly fine-tuned. We are geared to meaningful, revenue-based results. Our philosophy is, if it isn't increasing the bottom line, it isn't in the critical path.
The Revenue Assessment is critical, as it is our first strategy session (in person) spent reviewing the brand as it is in its current state. How fast you can capitalize on our knowledge and network to generate revenue for your company depends on whether your product is ready for market. Assuming it is ready the day we meet, we can help you right away! As an add on service - Areas of Concentration — we provide our clients access to our database of more than 25,000 boutiques, spas, beauty salons, shoe stores, and accessory stores that we make available to clients to send out branded mailings and email blasts to generate sales. We also have a list of retailers that we work with on a daily basis (agreed on in our first Fast Track Co-Managed™ session) and we rank them according to short-term, medium-term and long-term revenue opportunities. We assist Fast Track clients in making retailer presentations and planning to increase their chance of success.
It generally takes twelve months to execute on the Fast Track Co-Managed Program™ formula and see full implementation. The Fast Track Co-Managed Program™ formula is thorough; there are no shortcuts. Less than twelve months is not enough time to see significant, meaningful results increases.Unfortunately, meaningful increases in revenue and/or national retail chains don't move that quickly.
Yes, we do have companies that sign up to focus on an Area of Concentration™ without being on the Fast Track Co-Managed Program™. These companies typically need short-term, focused assistance on a particular area of business. We have found most companies need the Fast Track Co-Managed Program™ plan in addition to Areas of Concentration™ focus, but there are exceptions.
This depends on your current company structure, objectives for the business growth, goals, timelines and current staffing levels. We will discuss this in our first Revenue Assessment™ meeting. Internal infrastructure and staffing requirements are a key part of our plan. We can supplement your staffing needs by plugging in members of our outsourced team or by assisting you in the hiring and training process.
For our Area of Concentration™ clients, yes, we will. We make retailer calls and appointments on behalf of the client, if a client signs up for this additional service as an Areas of Concentration™. We also attend retailer appointments (as a member of the client's management team) under Areas of Concentration™.
We do travel with our clients on retailer appointments as a supplement to the Fast Track Plan™. This is not a service included in Fast Track Co-Managed Program™, but it is available as an add-on service through the Areas of Concentration™.
We can attend retailer meetings with key members of the client's sales team and work to negotiate a program for the client. If the client does not have a team member dedicated to the sales process, we can help hire one. For the roadmap to work, Fast Track Co-Managed Program™ clients should have a point person who is responsible for driving the sales of the business. Additionally, we have a pool of talented sales professionals, a network of "doer's" out there who are excellent sales professionals. We can recommend these people to you as part of the Fast Track Co-Managed Program™.
The first meeting (the Revenue Roadmap™) is held in the client's office because it is important for us to review the product line, packaging, sales collateral, marketing materials and other supporting retail documentation. We also review COGS, margin and pricing. The Revenue Roadmap™ meeting measures the brand's current market position and is thus important to have take place before a brand begins the Fast Track Co-Managed Program™. The Revenue Roadmap™ has its own fee structure and needs to be completed to maximize the client's success on the Fast Track™ plan. Clients are responsible to pay for travel to in-person meetings. Please review the specifics of this on our price sheet.
An overview of our client list is available on our website. Some of our clients prefer that we not disclose our business relationship, and we honor their request. We have clients that range from startup to established corporations with hundreds (sometimes thousands) of employees. Our company was founded by a small team of industry professionals and our first client was a $1 billion company traded on the NIKEI. Our second client was a $20 million company with ten years in the marketplace but with lagging sales. Our third client was a new company who had no revenue when we began working with them. Each stage of a client's business development is unique, and each stage is manageable. Every client has an opportunity to expand and increase revenue.
