Friday, October 2, 2009

Startup Help .... Business Readiness Report & Workbook On Selecting A Startup Business .... All Free

LaunchX, the company offering the most complete step-by-step startup system on the market, now provides a free Business Readiness Report just for the asking.

The ten-question survey requests basic information about where you are in the startup process, such as how much capital is needed, where the funding will come from, which business issues are the biggest concern, and the like.

Within 24 hours, LaunchX emails a customized 20+ page report that thoroughly reviews your responses and provides advice on specific issues to consider. Obviously, the purpose of the report is to encourage the use of the LaunchX System for planning and launching a business, but the content is not merely an advertisement for the product but actually provides good advice and things to think about.

Currently, the link to this free report is included on every page of the LaunchX website at LaunchX

Also .... LaunchX now offers a free Chapter and Workbook on Selecting the Right Business For You.

Laid out in a similar style to the rest of the LaunchX System, the text provides suggestions for brainstorming business ideas and narrowing down the results to find an idea (or two) that work.

The Workbook pages provide the framework for working through the brainstorming process and evaluating the skills and experience needed to succeed.

Links to the free Selecting the Right Business for You Chapter are currently available on every page of the LaunchX website at LaunchX

Plus .... LaunchX now offers the LaunchX System in 5 separate Units.

Each Unit covers a specific aspect of starting a business and includes the appropriate portion of the LaunchX Handbook and Workbook, as well as critical small business software.

The full LaunchX System, which includes all five Units, sells for $1495, while the individual Units are listed at $349 to $399 each. Although purchasing the separate Units will cost more overall, it is a good option if planning the startup will take several months or for detailed information on only one specific area.

The five Units are:

• Unit 1 – Idea Into Action: The focus here is on developing your business idea into a basic plan for starting up and running a company. In addition, there is a heavy focus on preparing to be a successful entrepreneur with discussions on networking, time management, and organization. Unit 1 also includes the LaunchX Planner, featuring the fully customizable Uncalendar insert, and ACT! contact management software to encourage the development of a customer database during the planning stages. $349

• Unit 2 – Reach Your Market: The marketing Unit works through developing a thorough marketing plan from identifying and detailing the target market(s) to setting an objective-based budget for promoting the business. The Handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the available promotional routes, including well-developed guidelines for working with a dedicated sales staff and encouragement to seek out free and low-cost opportunities. Includes website software with a free year of hosting and the Logo Creator. $399

• Unit 3 – Money Matters: This Unit is all about the numbers – budgets, sales forecasts, pro forma financial statements, and financing the business. The step-by-step format makes the financials very simple and clear, especially helpful for those who are not “numbers people” but also good practice for knowing what every number on the financial statements means. The chapter on financing your startup is comprehensive and emphasizes the capital-raising routes that most entrepreneurs use – bootstrapping, self-funding, family and friend investors – over those that are most often considered but more difficult to secure – bank loans, equity investments. With the tools provided here, any legitimate business idea should be able to find funding. $349

• Unit 4 – Hit the Ground Running: The emphasis in this Unit is to ensure everything is in place for launch – Peachtree Accounting, internal systems and controls, business planning, and the like. The Action section includes a comprehensive checklist of things to be completed prior to opening as well as detailed overviews of internal protections and SOPs that will minimize risk. In addition, there are in-depth discussions of how to review and evaluate both financial statements and marketing efforts, as well as worksheets to track progress and set objectives for improving overall profitability. Includes Peachtree Pro Accounting and OfficeReady document template software. $399

• Unit 5 – Employer’s Manual: This Unit is an absolutely complete guide for any entrepreneur who plans to hire employees. It covers every legal, organizational, and managerial issue related to hiring and working with a staff. There are discussions of different staffing options, such as temporary or independent contractor workers as well as detailed information on every aspect of staffing a business from recruiting through evaluations and termination. Includes Office Policy Manual software for developing a customized Manual for any business. $349

The overall system is very complete, with comprehensive, accurate information on just about every conceivable startup topic as well as easy step-by-step Workbook pages for every topic to work through specific business ideas.

For the first-time entrepreneur, the LaunchX System really does teach you everything you need to know and provide the basic software tools that every business should have. For seasoned entrepreneurs, the individual Units provide very effective coverage of their topics and can be ideal for building knowledge in weaker areas.