To Direct Selling Company Executives - Momentum Factor · To Direct Selling Company Executives: We...

To Direct Selling Company Executives: We would like to thank the clients, direct sellers and app providers who contributed content to this effort, including information about their mobile apps, their decision making process and plans for the future. At Momentum Factor we strive to be a progressive, independent voice for this industry and consistently seek to alert its key players to technology and marketing trends important to their businesses.. Our goal in creating this report is to educate the industry on solutions in mobile technology, the tools and vendors that have become essential for companies to instantly share news, training, and reporting, while at the same time streamlining purchasing and marketing tasks. All of this can help scale direct selling companies far faster than imagined just a decade ago. This report provides direct selling CEO’s, Directors and executives in direct selling companies that are planning their mobile technology launches with information to create a starting point for getting quotes from top vendors. This document was created from responses to our survey, industry contacts, vendors, companies, consultants and our own in-depth research. Special thanks to Tina, Carrie and Paul who helped put together a great document! Yours,

Jonathan Gilliam Founder, Momentum Factor [email protected]

We invite you to connect with us at

www.MomoFactor.com

© 2015 Momentum Factor

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.momof.oster.in.ua/

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP REPORT®

Momentum Factor LLC 4412 Spicewood Springs Rd. Suite 201

Austin, Texas 78759 +1 512.994.GOGO! (4646)

www.MomoFactor.com [email protected]

ABOUT MOMENTUM FACTOR

We are exclusive to the Direct Selling industry. Our mission is to provide best-in-class marketing & management services to the world’s finest direct selling companies and field leaders. Our firm works to maximize performance for clients by increasing revenue, protecting brands, engaging field & customers, and multiplying Momentum. Most of all, our aim is to become high-value, indispensable partners with our clients for the long term. Call us if we can help you.




MOBILE TAKES CENTER STAGE

THE 2015 DIRECT SELLING MOBILE APP REVIEW

By Jonathan Gilliam

and the Momentum Factor Team


MOBILE TAKES CENTER STAGE

If your company is more than a few years old you may have already ventured into a mobile solution development project. With app usage now actually exceeding web usage, the demand for mobile accessibility and instant information gratification is on the rise. 1

Consider this: Tim is in the waiting room at his doctor. His phone buzzes telling him that Kate, who's in his downline, is one sign-up

away from a fabulous cruise. Do you think Joe might hit the “Call Kate” button to encourage her if it’s right there in front of him? Most likely, he will. Mobile allows him to occupy time doing something meaningful and productive that would otherwise be wasted. If a significant number of distributors do the same, it doesn’t take long to realize what just a few actions a day could mean for the bottom line of your company.

Now let’s take a look at this interaction from the perspective of the support staff at the corporate office. You may notice a decrease in phone support after your team has trained the field on using the app to get the information they need. Use analytics to evaluate the usefulness of various features within your app. This scenario is only one small example of how mobile can be used to directly affect a company's volume and growth. Increasingly, there are entire suites of mobile value that could be accessed by your distributors — tools to make their efforts easier and more profitable for everyone.

1 Pew Research Center, US Smartphone Adoption & Usage Survey, March 2012.


http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Smartphone-Update-2012.aspx

CONTENTS

Mobile Takes Center Stage Contents Introduction

Telling the Story Re-Vitalize Retention Communication Channels Training: The New “Mobile University” Selecting Your Developer

SURVEYING THE DIRECT SELLING APP LANDSCAPE Infotrax Systems Leapfactor Pointburst International Direct Selling Technology Corp. FragMob Exigo Red Mat Media Smart Mobile Direct

Buying and Building Start-up Apps For Start Ups Integration Concerns

Conclusion About Momentum Factor

Core Values


INTRODUCTION OUR THESIS: In this report we will cover some important tasks required to develop an effective mobile application that can improve the ability of distributors to manage and grow their businesses with the help of mobile devices. The main required features should satisfy the need of “actionable information”, tools to increase retention, production, revenue, and profit.

Mobile Has Evolved.

In our previous publication, Action-Packed Apps (2012) we looked at ways companies can harness the massive potential of mobile technologies without fundamentally altering a business model that has stood the test of time. In 2015, we see far more adoption of mobile from direct selling and network marketing companies, who are using apps to build better sales tools, increase e-commerce ordering, reduce support and call center costs, and improve usability for the direct sales professional or multi-level marketer.

Direct selling companies wishing to create robust growth in the shortest amount of time are now leveraging their data into custom mobile applications to create optimal experiences for the field. Top technology vendors now provide data that can be calculated with speed to increase user adoption and utility for mobile devices. A new generation of solutions deliver marketing, training, customer service, sales support features directly to targeted distributor and loyal customer segmentations. Companies can use app and mobile technologies to target their messages to geographic, demographic and psychographics of the modern networker.

Additionally, mobile commerce is now ubiquitous, and can be a determining factor for new direct sellers choosing to join a business opportunity. One company tracking mobile commerce recently showed in their 2015 analysis that mobile amounts to 29% 2

of ecommerce transactions in the US; globally mobile ecommerce is tracked at 34%. They also state that by the end of 2015 globally mobile commerce is will be 40% of all transactions.

2 Criteo.com,. (2015). State of Mobile Commerce Q1 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015


http://www.criteo.com/resources/mobile-commerce-q1-2015/?gclid=CLjHifKg0cUCFZGDaQodfJQA7A

You may be wondering what the value of this updated research will provide. The proliferation of mobile technologies offers opportunities and constraints, new dynamics and difficult thresholds. This report will:

1. Demonstrate the necessity of developing mobile technologies 2. Survey the prospects and limitations of apps currently available for direct selling

companies 3. Provide information on providers whose apps are production-ready 4. Analyze the potential benefits in terms of costs, culture, and catalyzing action.

Over the past several months we’ve spent a significant amount of time looking at mobile apps for direct selling companies, as well as mobile statistics and trends. In this time, we’ve tested and reviewed many distributor-focused mobile apps. We've looked for utility, design and effectiveness. We found several viable solutions from providers with deep enough expertise in both direct selling and mobile app development that any direct seller can feel confident their needs can be met, without waiting for technology to catch up.

METHODOLOGY: In May 2015 our research team sent questionnaires about the availability of mobile apps for direct selling companies via direct selling software providers. Some were eliminated due to a lack of working, app availability, or a lack of response. The companies represented herein have an app available today and have capacity to serve the direct selling companies as of this writing. Much of the written content here is revised from our 2012 edition.

Our goal was to provide an independent review of available apps and mobile data delivery services to direct sellers so that company executives may make informed decisions about how to move forward with their own mobile efforts. Companies who were not included or not ready for this edition of the Direct Selling Mobile App Report are invited to contact us about participating in the next edition. Please email: [email protected]


TOP COMPELLING ARGUMENTS FOR DIRECT SELLING MOBILE.

1. Increase Production Through Workflow

If your active distributors were able to easily increase their daily activity through two additional actions — a call, a quick encouraging text — what would that do for your revenue and recruitment? A well-designed mobile app can help distributors take effective action quickly. An app can tell them what to do now, in the moment. Hot leads or chance meetings can be acted on more quickly when there are simple in-app presentations and immediate in-app sign-ups. Additionally, with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) built into apps, chances are that your field will follow up much more effectively than they did before. 2. Increase Retention The holy grail. A good app can prevent new representatives from slipping through the cracks by alerting and reminding busy upline leaders to reach out to them at just the right times. It can also encourage new recruits to stick around longer by giving them simple tools to keep them focused and “in the show”. The new daily method of operation will become enjoyable and consistent because they can now carry their business with them. Most of all, an app can make the often intimidating “sales” process of identifying and contacting prospects as an easy, systemized experience.

3. Improve Onboarding The ability to ramp up new recruits can be streamlined with the smart application of video and training systems to the small screen. This can sharply reduce the learning curve as well. Convenience is the key here — videos, podcasts, and presentations can be sent directly to the user’s screens wherever they are; no need for the users to sit at a desk, find a computer or constantly seek an internet connection.

4. Mobile eCommerce and Indirect Revenue In addition to taking orders through your app, the app could become a major source of revenue.

A few dollars per distributor could mean a lucrative, non-commissionable revenue stream for the company. Companies that prefer not to add another tool for the field to buy may consider adding it to their premium website packages or simply buy it for the field and add it to the tool set.


That said, what is most compelling about apps is the amount of indirect revenue that could result from a more energized, active and efficient field. The revenue from a significant increase in adoption of mobile apps could pay for the initiative many times over. Even if you’d prefer not to sell tools to your field, chances are you will see a nice payoff of your investment fairly quickly in productivity alone. 5. Meet Millennials Where They Are If you are targeting a younger audience your business must be mobile. Younger 3

representatives simply will not join if they cannot manage their businesses on the go. Many will decide to sign up based on the tools available to them. They want to know that there is a framework for success, and a good mobile app is a powerful way to communicate your sophistication as a company as well as demonstrate the support you offer to the field. Communication tools and networking functionality of many apps are particularly well suited for a Millennial audience; constant communication and interaction is what they are all about. They seek instant responses to stay interested, and that interest is retained longer with such features as badges and special promotions resulting from accomplishment of certain actions. Millennials can also become impatient when they see manual or slow processes that could be improved with technology.

6. Leverage the Google and Apple Brands Companies can realize a significant lift in branding just by offering apps through Apple and Google. Mobile is a great way to leverage their billions of marketing dollars for the benefit of your offering. The average consumer inherently trusts the apps that come from these respected brands and some of that goodwill can transfer to your brand by association. Networkers are naturally attracted to companies that are ahead of the curve. Mobile app technologies can communicate innovation, dynamism, and competitive smarts.

7. Create System Dependency Mobile can enhance and simplify field education and make corporate-sponsored training much simpler to duplicate. New distributors will do the business the way they were brought in and trained. Mobile makes these tools available in real time to distributors wherever they happen to be, increasing their buy-in and reliance on company-vetted training and tools and eliminating some of the variations on training inherent in many companies.

3 “25 Actions Your Company Can Take To Connect With Millennials” Gilliam, Jonathan. MomoFactor.com July 15, 2011.


http://www.momof.oster.in.ua/marketing-strategy/25-actions-you-can-take-now-to-appeal-to-gen-y/

8. Deliver Tools to Help Help Them Succeed Mobile is here and now. Most everyone in your field own a smartphone and are clamoring for ways to support their businesses. As a practice direct sellers should always strive to deliver the tools will make their lives easier, more productive and more enjoyable.

TELLING THE STORY Direct selling companies live and die through brand storytelling. Stories engage the end-user with brand values, beliefs, product information, and ideas and provide the vehicle through which value is communicated. Mobile devices can tell their story through recorded and live presentations, video, audio, and web experiences. High-quality media can be streamed or downloaded to a mobile device for offline viewing, yet the content is updated through version checking when it reconnects to the internet.

Of course as new technologies emerge, direct selling companies are looking for ways to integrate them into their companies’ experience. The new generation of entrepreneurs filling the ranks of your company are particularly interested in the greater social value a company offers. Millennials are often interested in a company’s “give-back” programs, ecological awareness and social conscience attributes. Mobile provides myriad ways to highlight and enable social causes: Distributors can utilize app technologies to show storyboards, video demos, or evidence of a company's philanthropic actions, and so on.

RE-VITALIZE RETENTION Mobile app technologies offer much-needed support for the foundation of direct selling. When properly utilized, well-designed apps can assist new enrollees as they grapple with how to make the most of their resources. Overloading them with information and maze-like incentive structures can instill a sense of confusion, or worse yet, fear. Too little information, and information that is out of date or hard to find risks fostering doubt, complacency, or inaction.

Let’s look at some specific ways ways you as a company can increase retention.

Ways mobile can help to increase retention: Training – Getting a new recruit off to the right start is crucial. Making mobile a part of that process can easily open up the delivery channel for well-organized training content


streamed directly to their smartphone. It will also allow you to manage your analytics to see if they are actually using the training that was created.

Communication - Communication from the home office traditionally sent out in an email blast or posted on a website can easily be overlooked or ignored. Open rates of email are in a steady decline as spam rates continuously increase. The corporate app can easily be connected to a company app using an RSS news feed and give distributors important and scheduled information to read before they get out of bed in the morning or turn-in for the night.

Product announcements, promotion details, event postings, and company news can increase connection to the company and create confidence for newly recruited distributors. High touch marketing in the sales side of your business creates a deeper relationship and keeps distributors engaged so that they are less likely to drop out.

Instant Helping Hand – Knowing that an upline is just a click away can make a big difference for newbies. Recruiting can be made easier based on the way the business is presented, thereby increasing retention due to the early success a new recruit will have. Just like the DVD’s of yesteryear, new enrollees can let the app do the talking until they can actually learn and become comfortable with the process.

Due to the high volume of individuals attempting to access your website and your back-office from a mobile device, you will undoubtedly invest time and talent into your tablet or smartphone App. These apps can enable a more comfortable selling and recruiting process for reps. This will lead to more volume, commissions and ultimately retention—they won’t leave the business if they are moving product and more importantly, engaged with the company.

In short, smart apps can improve communication channels, provide instant access to content and information, and directly augment the motivational structures that have stimulated distribution for generations. This keeps the field active and engaged.

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS As most direct selling marketing executives know, it is more challenging than ever to communicate consistently with the field. Email open rates continue to decline at an amazing rate. Inboxes are overloaded and social media is a frenzy of information and distraction, and alerting the field to a time sensitive or even critical events and notices can be a huge challenge.

One exciting solution to this challenge is push notifications. A communication function traditionally accomplished via email and texts, in-app mobile notifications allow for direct communication from the home office. Links to a video message from home office can keep the field connected.


Indeed, cultivating community in the field is critical. Communication is the glue that bonds teams together. Smart app technologies feed communication relays that allow for quick and easy dissemination of information.

A few tips: Consider grouping communications together into a single daily news alert. Save additional communications such as rank advancements, order alerts, and time sensitive notifications as separate alerts. Your organization will also need to test the frequency of push notifications to find out what works best for their organization.

A “tip-of-the-day”, new product information, founder motivational messages, event support, and productivity tools can yield dramatic benefits in terms of coordination, training, and motivation—all of which convert into action.

Messaging a new one-minute video each week from home office can begin the process. These can come from the field as well. Leaders can communicate to their organizations through messaging.

The key to direct selling success is in the creation of environments that maximize distributor action. New media technologies can strike the proper balance between top-down guidance and organic, on-the-ground selling

Field reps are under more time pressure than ever and are seeing ways to increase their ability to multi-task. By cutting through the noise and distractions inherent in multi-level organizations, teams can run more smoothly and efficiently. Fewer hassles and friction for distributors result in aggregate increases in the number of daily actions. All of this will directly impact your bottom line.

TRAINING: THE NEW “MOBILE UNIVERSITY” Unlike the old school days of creating your “university on wheels” with tapes and CDs, mobile apps bring a new vibrant aspect: interactivity. Training can be revolutionized and made more fun, with a higher uptake and level of comprehension. Mobile apps also have the potential to drastically reduce training costs. Integrating and centralizing training resources and information is a relatively undeveloped, and potentially lucrative, area of app development in direct selling.

1. Mobile apps offer a difficult-to-quantify yet powerful psychological advantage to distributors. Most new entrants would prefer to appear as experts on their offering. However, many companies have expansive product lines or complicated compensation plans that make onboarding a real challenge. App technologies can


provide access to entire product lines, giving distributors the ability to display them either overtly or covertly to the customer, since they possess all of the information in the palm of their hand. This can help new reps appear informed and trained rather than fumbling through pamphlets and papers or being tied to a DVD player or computer.

2. Companies still must think about the way new entrants learn. Educational systems should increasingly integrate technology into the learning process. Using an array of tools can target various learning styles. They can also dramatically reduce the time, cost, and headaches of the learning curve. Younger generations are especially accustomed to this kind of learning.

3. A distributor can gain access to selling tips or parts of their sales message right on their phone, without it being apparent to the prospect. Even if he or she doesn’t need to access this information, simply knowing they could can provide a dose of confidence and reduce anxiety.

4. App technologies can streamline training processes. Interactive guides or step-by-step information manuals can be developed to show less experienced distributors how to demonstrate products or appeal to customers and prospects. Apps can enable the communication channels for questions and answers in real time. Each additional bit of available information makes action that much more likely to happen, wherever distributors are.

5. Updated, linked, and offline content. New offline downloaded marketing material can make it easy for anyone to access training even if it’s on a plane, train, or low connectivity area.

Good mobile apps can provide companies and leaders ample opportunities to teach while mindful of distributors’ attachments to maintaining autonomy and self-determination. Simple daily reminders can share valuable guidance from the pros and help new recruits keep focused, reduce confusion, and reinvent the meaning of retention.


SELECTING YOUR DEVELOPER

If you desire the benefits of having an app tailored to your company’s branding, product and functional needs, working with an outside developer to create an app for you may be the best fit for your company.

Here are a few things to consider when selecting a developer:

1. Field adoption is what you’re after. Several back-office system providers are currently in the process of building or have built state-of-the-art app platforms for their services clients as an add-on program. This can be an advantage for their clients and facilitate a smoother implementation. However, our advice is do your research and compare the actual app your provider has developed with those of other firms and compare based on the app itself, rather than convenience or even price. What’s most important is the app’s utility and adoption, not what the home office deems sufficient. Be sure and research and test the functionality and usefulness of the apps with field adoption being the number one goal.

2. Be diligent in your review of firms whose primary expertise is not in

software development. Companies primarily in the business ops or marketing arena may not have a strong grasp of development processes, user behavior or how a mobile app should work. In many cases they will likely outsource the actual coding, providing clients little control or access to the app development process.

3. Utilize firms who possess practical experience in direct

selling/network marketing. A company that primarily develops apps for mainstream consumers or business IT departments will likely not have the necessary insight into distributor needs, lifestyle, or behavior. Again we emphasize how important knowledge of field behavior and usage of technology is amongst the selling field.

4. The developers are competing for you, not the other way around.

There are many avenues and paths for you. Cost to companies to implement mobile appear to be very flexible among providers, with most willing to work out arrangements based on per distributor charges, licensing fees or some combination thereof.


5. Pick a developer with a bit of imagination. In such a highly competitive

and constantly changing environment, the ability to "think outside the box" is important. You want a developer to go beyond simply meeting standard technical requirements. Rather, you want them to visualize beyond the code and be creative for your business and goals. Let the relationship, not just the results, drive your business proceedings.

6. Make sure your final contractual agreement is worded to benefit

your business. Precise language in the agreement should work to your advantage. Choose an appropriate pricing model for your company; some companies may prefer to license the code outright, others may prefer a per-rep model and fit the cost into their web packages. Either way, the pricing model you choose will impact both short-term and long-term costs. You should figure in ongoing development, updates, and bug fixes, along with consultative input and support. Mobile development is a long term project and requires long term commitment to keep it user-friendly and effective.

7. Choose a developer who demonstrates a desire for learning the

human side to your business. If the provider’s staff is made up entirely of programmers, only programmers will love the app.

8. Make sure the developer is able to work with all platforms – iOS or

Android, Windows or Mac – and that the app can easily link up with other email platforms or social media sites. Ask questions about the coding language as phone/tablet operating systems use different programming languages, often requiring multiple experts to recode an app. Be aware of any hidden costs associated with developing the app for each platform. Always budget for overages on development time and for the cost of user testing.

Designing your mobile systems can be like building your dream house. You may have a very specific idea in your head, but run into problems translating it into an architect’s blueprints. Or you may have only a foggy concept of what you want, but would like the developer to enlighten. In either case, striking a balance between developer creativity, efficiency, and competency is key.


SURVEYING THE DIRECT SELLING APP LANDSCAPE The key for your company is finding a developer who can address the particular needs of this industry and understand its success levers and communication dynamics. Fortunately, more and more direct selling software vendors are now providing a mobile solution and/or a responsive back office.

Our recommendation is companies should seek providers who not only understand mobile apps, but also understand direct selling. Not just from a corporate level. The app developer should have field experience as well, allowing the app to be developed through both sets of eyes.

The good news is that there are multiple companies that have already developed apps specifically for the industry, and several more have solutions under development at the time of this writing.

Going Native?

For clarification, there are two basic approaches to app structure: Native apps, which run on the smartphone itself and are typically downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play, and web-based apps in written in HTML5 code (or “responsive”) which run in the smartphone’s browser.

Native apps or hybrid native apps tend to have more functionality and connectivity, and importantly they can connect with information available only on the smartphone. In contrast, HTML5 apps often mirror the distributor back office and are sometimes limited in functionality and value. Most importantly, for a mobile web app to fully work it must be connected through a phone’s wireless connection, which can be a drawback for people on the go and short on bandwidth. On the positive side, web apps can be much less expensive to update and deploy.

HTML5 apps have advanced significantly since our last writing and, due to the “mobile friendliness” of well written responsive code, some even going so far as to be indistinguishable from native.

A few of the app software providers offer a hybrid solution, which capitalizes on the strengths of both. These still require a native app framework, however the intelligent implementation of a hybrid solution can provide the best of both worlds.

The following list is not exhaustive, but provides a good idea of the types of options available to direct sellers. We recommend exploring the options with both your current backoffice provider as well as other mobile-only companies and comparing the solutions across functionality, pricing, utility and especially user adoption parameters.


*The order of the reviews displayed below is based on when our submission was received and whether or not the provider shared client names and pricing.

INFOTRAX SYSTEMS

DESCRIPTION: Address: 1875 S State St Suite 3000 Orem, UT 84097 Phone: (801) 431-4900 Email: [email protected] Contact: Sean Smith Web site: http://www.infotraxsys.com Yr Founded: 1998

Representative Clients:

doTERRA, Vemma, LifeVantage, Unicity, Asea, Nikken, Xango, LegalShield What we learned about InfoTrax:

InfoTrax Systems has developed “Evo Mobile”, an app meant to serve as a distributor tool, with InfoTrax's Evo distributor back office. As we reviewed the demo version of the Evo mobile app we noticed the usability was refined and easy to use. The features are highly customizable, flexible, and actionable data is communicated through well formatted notifications, tables and charts.

Much of the information is similar to that which you would see in the back office with added features that increase mobile notifications and communication between the distributors, their upline/downline, and the company. The solution was developed in-house with 7 full time developers. The base version of the app is standardized with the look and feel matching the company it serves. More customizations can be made to the shopping cart and enrollment. The app can be completely white-labeled and connected to the Apple and Android App Stores.

Q. Does your development and services support multi-lingual and multi-currency mobile initiatives? A. Yes.

Q. Can the app be white-labeled? A. Yes.


http://www.infotraxsys.com/

Q. How much does it cost? A. Evo Mobile is included with the company’s private cloud service and does not have a implementation cost.

As for ongoing fees, pricing for the InfoTrax cloud service is based entirely on volume with a $1,000 dollar minimum. Most clients pay less than 1.5% of monthly volume for the entire platform. The private cloud fees are based on the number of ordering distributors or customers in a given month. Those fees give clients the CRM/Commissioning system, distributor back office, and mobile app. They also offer a premium subscription service that unlocks extra features to the distributors. The premium services are offered in a revenue share.

Q. Tell us about your team and your main product? A. “Evo Mobile is our mobile app solution. Mobile is more than just responsive design. When writing an app you need to consider how to balance distributor needs with company culture in a truly omni-channel experience. Our mobile solution is the only app driven by real, actionable data, taking features and reporting found in the distributors back office and putting it in the palm of their hand.”

Q. What should companies think about before they begin a mobile development project? A.“The first question companies should ask when starting on mobile is “what do I really hope to gain from a mobile platform?” Is it more orders, better training, unified company culture? Once you know the outcome to aim for, the mobile app features will be easy to define. At InfoTrax our focus is a true omni-channel experience. Do the features and functions of our mobile solution line up with the needs of the distributors, culture of the company, and technology trends? By making this our focus. Mobile becomes a part of your company and a help to your field, not an expensive distraction.“

What InfoTrax says about their company: “The InfoTrax System is a true enterprise software. With that in mind, we look for client/partners who are ready to jump into the Direct selling space and grow no matter their size. With InfoTrax Cloud Service, our clients have the option of utilizing all or just parts of our system, and that allows them to be very technical building their own shopping or enrollment and attaching through API's or not technical and outsource their IT needs to InfoTrax.”


Features:

● User Authentication ● Review Company News &

Corporate Announcements ● Customer Enrollment &

Distributor Enrollment ● In App Group Communication. ● Corporate Messaging to Field ● Push Notifications

● Check Qualification Levels ● Access to Marketing Resources ● Video Library: videos, training,

testimonials and how to use. ● Enable Mobile App-based

Presentations/Introductions ● Genealogy Reporting ● Social Media Marketing


LEAPFACTOR

DESCRIPTION: Address: 2000 South Dixie Highway Suite 100B Miami, FL 33133 Phone: (786) 362-6726 Email: [email protected] Contact: Jennifer Anderson Yr Founded: 2009


Avon, Shaklee, Renaware, Tocara, Wine Shop at Home, Essential Body Wear, Lulu Avenue. What we learned about LeapFactor:

Leapfactor's focus is intuitive simplicity for users. Their app is configurable and not custom coded for the most part, making it simpler to launch for a company. This allows the sales force to run their sales activities on the go with just a few taps and no hassles. App intelligence tracks and records every tap and swipe in real time, which creates insightful analytics that managers use to learn about top performers and overall users. The presentation feature within the app is a smooth and engaging way to show products and business opportunity information. The app allows for transaction functionalities works on/offline. It has an integrated and easy to update product catalog along with the simplicity of the POS embedded in the App. Understanding app use is also easy with an analytics feature that records behavior, simplifying the independent consultant's sales execution and improving performance.

Q. Does your development and services support multi-lingual and multi-currency mobile initiatives? A. “Yes. We are a global based company and currently satisfy the needs of customers in multiple countries, language and currency.”

Q. How much does it cost? A. “There is a one-time setup fee associated with Marketing edition of $5K. The Professional edition, where we integrate into your back office, has a one time investment of between $10K-$25K. Ongoing fees start at $995 a month for up to 250 users for the Marketing Edition. Our Professional Edition has an up to model that starts at $1,495 a month for 250 users. It goes down to $0.50 cents per users per month and to $0.99 cents above 25 thousand users.”

Q. Tell us about your team and your main product? A. “The Salesfactor App is the Front End of sales execution and it easily integrates with



the back-end systems. We are back-end agnostic and work with providers such as Exigo, Trinity Soft, ByDesign, Infotrax, etc. As long as the client's provider will open their API for integration, we can integrate.

Leapfactor has adapters for several backend systems. We provide support for the majority of payment providers (including Party Plan, MLM and C&C specific Apps). We offer professional services for content and design as well as a support and help desk.” Q. What should companies think about before they begin a mobile development project? A. Consider resources, uptime, usability and security. “We guarantee 99.95% uptime in our SLA and customer data is kept secure with encryption of information. Mobile is all we do! Our apps are easy to use, which is important for user adoption. Salesfactor's sophistication oversimplifies content, contact and order management while being adaptive to support a wide range of use cases with a single baseline. Salesfactor is scalable. Regardless of whether the company is party plan or mlm, as your partner, it's our mission to help you have what your competition has, a mobile app that is affordable.


Features:


Corporate Announcements ● Genealogy Visualization ● Customer Enrollment ● Distributor Enrollment ● In App Group Communication. ● Corporate Messaging to Field ● Promotions Handling ● Party Plan Scheduling & Tools ● Custom Presentations

● Push Notifications ● Contact Management/CRM ● Built-in Social Media Marketing ● Access to Marketing Resources ● Video Library: videos, training ● testimonials and how to use. ● Enable Mobile App-based

Presentations/Introductions ● Polls and Surveys


POINTBURST

DESCRIPTION: Address: 3131 McKinney Avenue, Suite 550 Dallas, TX 75204 Phone: (469) 556-8443 Email: [email protected] Contact: Mick Twomey Web site: http://www.pointburst.com/directsales/ Yr Founded: 2012


Leonisa, Boisset Wine Living, Gardenuity

What we learned about PointBurst: PointBurst is a mobile social media syndication and publishing tool. A 100% API driven stand-alone app. It can integrate with any backend provider. It is more of a social media and communications platform than a back-office reporting system. The app can be customized to meet the needs of each client and contain a standard set of functionality that can be built and published in less than a month with a fully white-labeled (branded solution for the client) look and feel.

The PointBurst app is the delivery vehicle for a robust cloud-based solution that drives easy communication between the field and corporate while enabling each rep to be effective on social media with less than a minute a day of work. Over 90% of their clients use their white-labeled solution.

Being a socially centric app, PointBurst integrates with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram to create easy use of these platforms to promote products and business opportunity promotions. Their technology works for BOTH business pages and personal profiles because many reps want to leverage their friends and family on social media without having to create a business page and limit their reach. The white label option is another differentiator. PointBurst can create a fully branded iOS and Android app for a client in a matter of weeks.

Questions we asked Pointburst:

Q. Does your development and services support multi-lingual and multi-currency mobile initiatives?



http://www.pointburst.com/directsales/

A. “We develop new languages and countries, as clients need them. Currently operating in English and Spanish.”

Q. How much does it cost? A. $2,000 if not doing white label apps. $4,000-7,000 depending on iOS, Android or both. As for ongoing fees, the range is typically in the $1,000 - 8,000/month range based upon number of reps.

Q. Tell us about your team and your main product? “Our apps are standalone services that provide a slick, powerful and easy user experience. We can integrate using a well documented API. We also can create powerful content for social media or leverage content clients already in-house. Our services enable improved communications and a strong presence on social media is incredibly important today. It impacts revenue on one side and protects brand integrity on the other.”

Q. What is unique about your app and your company? A. “Our company's primary focus is the user experience. An app must be slick, powerful, and most of all, easy. A good portion of our are clients in the entertainment industry and, as a result, we have dedicated significant resources to continuing to refine the user experience at the highest level.”

Q. Is the development of a pointburst app dependent on integration with other data providers? A. No technical effort is required. It's simple to launch PointBurst with no technical integration at all. It can be completely standalone. The app can seamlessly integrate with everything using our 200+ fully documented APIs.

The biggest need companies have for success for us is content. They must to have great content for the reps to share on social media. We have a team who specializes in content for the MLM/Direct Sales industry. If you have a content team in place, we can work with them as well.


Features:


Corporate Announcements ● In App Group Communication., ● Corporate Messaging to Field ● Inbox ● Suggested Posts ● Social Feeds

● Push Notifications ● Built-in Social Media Marketing ● Access to Marketing Resources ● Media Library: videos, training,

testimonials and how to use. ● Polls and Surveys


INTERNATIONAL DIRECT SELLING TECHNOLOGY CORP

DESCRIPTION: Address: 1208 East Kennedy Blvd., Suite 222 Tampa, FL 33602 Phone: (360) 907-2332 Email: [email protected] Contact: Greg Fink Web site: http://www.idstc.com Yr Founded: 2001


Plexus Worldwide, Pink Zebra, Sabika, Tocara, Passion Parties, Agera Energy, Nature's Pearl, Fuller Brush, Omnitrition International, North American Power, Aloe, Vantel Pearls.

What we learned about IDSTC:

In the past 3 years IDSTC have deployed many mobile responsive sites and backoffice applications. They currently work with 3rd party mobile app vendors for companies looking to develop an app on what is called the ES100 and Acuta Platform. All platforms developed for the direct sales industry are focused on areas of the client business that offer better user experiences, with cross device optimization for phones, tablets, and multiple sized screens responsively. They offer fully integrated solutions that are completely connected. We also open up API's for our mobile app partners to integrate with.

IDSTC has recently embarked on an aggressive technology development effort and have made significant investments in new cloud-based responsive technologies over the past year. Since 2001 they have worked on more than 500 client projects and are incorporating their global experiences, clients feedback and working relationships in direct selling into the new platform. They are also benchmarking their development efforts and best practices against the world's largest e-commerce, ERP, CRM and salesforce solutions for direct sellers.

Questions we asked about IDSTC:


Q. Does your development and services support multi-lingual and multi-currency mobile initiatives? A. “Yes, our responsive platform comes with multiple countries, languages and currencies.”

Q. Can the app be white-labeled? A. “We can white label our responsive back office and replicated marketing sites.”

Q. What does it cost? A. “We are a single source provider to direct sales companies. We develop, implement, service and support all our clients in-house. We provide a variety of different service programs, setup fees, project services, on-going managed hosting and subscription fees.

This is dependent on the software required and clients business needs. We support MLM, party plan and global clients and in all cases our core enterprise offering facilitates about 90% of the general business and technology requirements. However, those business models vary in terms of requirements and the scope of work required for implementation at the enterprise level can vary quite a bit. Also, sometimes there can be ongoing software fees. It varies depending on the scope of software, services, hosting and subscription needs.”

Q. Tell us about your team and your main product? A. “We have 12 in-house responsive design developers and our enterprise offering is fully integrated, connecting the corporate enterprise with the sales force back office and replicated marketing sites. We use standardized configuration and administration tools for tailoring to each clients needs. However, we do develop client specific offerings as well. We can white label our responsive back office and replicated marketing sites.”

Q. What should companies think about before they begin a mobile app development project? A. “Using responsive design at the enterprise level provides a cohesive user experience for corporate users, the sales force, customers and omni-channel ecommerce experiences. Our platform conforms to multiple phones, tablets and screens, so a client does not have to build/develop an app for every individual device. Our core competency and understanding of the unique nuisances of the direct sales industry and the support and service that is required to help manage and grow direct sales businesses. A proven track record, strong references and successful projects are all required benchmarks.“


Features:


Corporate Announcements ● Genealogy Visualization ● Customer Enrollment ● Distributor Enrollment ● Corporate Messaging to Field ● Push Notifications ● Party Plan Scheduling & Tools

● Contact Management/CRM ● Built-in Social Media Marketing ● Check Qualification Levels, ● Access to Marketing Resources ● Video Library: videos, training,

testimonials and how to use. ● Polls and Surveys ● Promotions Handling


FRAGMOB LLC

DESCRIPTION: Address: 9665 Granite Ridge Road Suite 400 San Diego, CA 92123 Phone: (858) 309-4004 Email: [email protected] Contact: Ami Ross Web site: http://www.fragmob.com Yr Founded: 2011


ItWorks, Omnilife, Organo Gold, Purium, Silpada, ViSalus.

What we learned about FragMob:

FragMob has developed an app they have named FragDS. 25 full time mobile developers on staff. They specialize in “pluging-in” to other data sources via api, making their technology easy to integrate with. 80% of their features are standard and 20% are customizations.

FragMob says they dig deep to breakdown client comp plans and business models to understand where a distributor, his/her customers and their team are, and what specific actions they must do to make the most of her business, in real-time.

Questions we asked FragMob:

Q. Does your development and services support multi-lingual and multi-currency mobile initiatives? A. “Yes, we have apps that serve 30 countries and 10 languages.”

Q. What does it cost? A. “A small Integration fee and a monthly fee per active user. They only charge for users who find our platform valuable. They say there are no hidden fees and customizations, new languages and business rules are billed hourly with an SOW provided before committing to pay. $10-$40K, depending on the state of current API and their previous experience with them. They charge a subscription fee monthly thereafter.”

Q. Tell us about your team and your main product? A. “FragDS was developed 100% in-house. Mobile and the data around direct selling mobile experiences is what we do. FragMob architects, designs, and develops fast, extensive tools that enable direct selling companies to realize the benefits of a powerful direct selling mobile solution.”



http://www.fragmob.com/

Q. What should companies think about before they begin a mobile app development project? A. “Fragmob will quickly assess your needs and create a strategy customized to your unique business objectives. We will work closely with you to ensure we’re effectively complementing your deep understanding of your customers with our proven ability to build apps that engage them, and move them to action. We will also work with you from day-one to ensure your business requirements are translated into features and tools that drive revenue and streamline your operations.”


Features:


Corporate Announcements ● Genealogy Visualization ● Customer Enrollment ● Distributor Enrollment ● Corporate Messaging to Field ● Push Notifications ● Promotions Handling ● Party Plan Scheduling & Tools ● Self management portal

● Contact Management/CRM ● Built-in Social Media Marketing ● Check Qualification Levels ● Access to Marketing Resources ● Video Library: videos, training ● Testimonials and how to use. ● Enable Mobile App-based

Presentations/Introductions ● Event Ticketing/Marketing ● and deep analytics.


EXIGO

DESCRIPTION: Address: 8130 John W. Carpenter Fwy Dallas, TX 75247 Phone: (469) 300-9999 Email: [email protected] Contact: Ed Jarrin Web site: http://exigo.com Yr Founded: 2000

Clients they have worked with:

Would not disclose.

What we learned about Exigo:

Exigo publicly launched their first app in April of 2015. They refer to it as the “Mobile Backoffice” and utilized their team of in-house developers to create it. The app integrates into Exigo services and does require that the company be a client of Exigo to go into a mobile app development project.

Questions we asked Exigo:

Q. Does your development and services support multi-lingual and multi-currency mobile initiatives? A. “Yes, and clients control app localization through a custom mobile CMS in the Exigo administration tool.”

Q. Can the app be white-labeled? A. “Yes, the app is branded to each client, but a small "powered by exigo" message at the bottom of the login screen. Their goal is universal adoption so clients can be competitive in the marketplace.”

Q. How much does it cost? A. “On average, our clients' total customization costs are about $5,250. There are no ongoing fees through 2015. Customization is billed at an hourly mobile programming rate. Clients can design the interface, and we can develop any new functionality they need.”

Q. Tell us about your team and your main product? A. “The Exigo mobile back office app offers functionalities as needed. Through our


http://exigo.com/

five-phase implementation cycle, we study your existing system, challenges, and goals, and then develop a custom configuration that best suits your needs.’

Q. What should companies think about before they begin a mobile app development project? A. “We want our clients to be relevant in today's competitive direct selling marketplace. Exigo believes that mobile should be part of direct sellers' core business and not a disparate, optional service. Any additional cost passed through to the distributor creates friction and minimal adoption. In order to achieve critical mass and appeal to a new generation of distributors, companies must provide a streamlined, integrated mobile strategy—and it must be frictionless. It must be free to the user. We're the only software and infrastructure provider in the direct selling industry to provide open infrastructure, open access to real-time data, and open source code solutions for common client challenges.”


Features:


Corporate Announcements ● Genealogy Visualization ● Customer Enrollment ● Distributor Enrollment ● Corporate Messaging to Field ● Push Notifications ● Contact Management/CRM ● Check Qualification Levels ● Lead Management

● Access to Marketing Resources ● Video Library: videos, training,

testimonials and how to use. ● Event Ticketing/Marketing Polls

and Surveys ● Promotions Handling ● Party Plan Scheduling & Tools,

Real-Time Rank Advancement ● Real-Time Commission

Calc/Earnings ● E-commerce & Order History ● Autoship Manager


RED MAT MEDIA

DESCRIPTION: Address: 11222 S 2515 W South Jordan, UT 84095 Phone: (801) 604-5344 Email: [email protected] Contact: Gene A. Slater Website: http://redmatmedia.com/ Yr Founded: 1996

Representation Clients:

Monavie, Mynt, Rain International, Sisel

What we learned about Red Mat Media:

“Red Mat Media is a creative, digital media company specializing in content and app creation. They utilize an internal staff of 12 developers to create mobile applications for clients. It is licensed through managed services agreements, revenue split, or straight license.” “As a third party developer they have completed integrations with industry specialist software companies including, Xennsoft, OrbSix, ByDesign, and many others. XennSoft has built a dedicated API for Red Mat Media Clients. Red Mat Media offers clients the ability to deliver content once but update it as often as they like. Additionally, the loyal customers and distributors can utilize important content while not being connected to the internet and yet the same content is updated when a data connection is reconnected.” Questions we asked Red Mat: Q. Does your development and services support multi-lingual and multi-currency mobile initiatives? A. “Yes. their BizApp is currently available in more than 20 languages, and being used in North America, Central and South America, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, China, and Asia.” Q. Can the app be white-labeled? A. Yes.

Q. How much does it cost? A. “Red Mat Media has a tiered subscription options scale based upon number of users


and method of implementation. They manage and update software for iOS and Android with no hourly or additional billing to our clients.”

Q. Tell us about your team and your main product? A. “We offer mobile and tablet app development including multiple features available through our base platform. We also build custom features for clients as well. Every app build can be completely customized to capture the look and feel of our clients brand. Our design team works closely with each client until we have captured their brand and desired user experience.

Users are assigned to a group based upon, country, language, rank, leadership, distributor/consumer status, or other group designation any client desires. This allows targeted messaging and content control. It also gives our clients 2 apps in 1. Our BizApp can be used by retail customers and distributors alike.”

Q. What should companies think about before they begin a mobile app development project? A. “We have multiple implementation options and work to create strong relationships to meet the needs and field culture of our clients. We manage and update software for iOS and Android with no hourly or additional billing to our clients.

We do not function merely as outside vendors, nor will we ever consider ourselves such. We are corporate partners that are fully invested in the success of our Corporate Partner Clients. We have never missed an agreed upon delivery deadline. What ever you are looking for we can do it. Not only will we meet your expectations we will exceed them. We invite anyone to contact our clients and review our ratings in the i-Tunes and Google Play Stores.”


Features:


Corporate Announcements ● Genealogy Visualization ● Customer Enrollment ● Distributor Enrollment ● In App Group Communication. ● Corporate Messaging to Field ● Push Notifications ● Contact Management/CRM ● Built-in Social Media Marketing ● Check Qualification Levels

● Video Library: videos, training, testimonials and how to use.

● Enable Mobile App-based Presentations/Introductions

● Access Customer Service Tickets ● Event Ticketing/Marketing ● Promotions Handling ● Party Plan Scheduling & Tools ● Groups ● Content Management ● Access to Marketing Resources


SMART MOBILE DIRECT

DESCRIPTION: Address: 217 N. Westmonte Dr. Suite 1007

Altamonte Springs, FL, 32714 Phone: (305) 336-9561 Email: [email protected] Contact: Mike Bennett Website: http://www.smartmobiledirect.com Yr Founded: 2001

Clients: Jeunesse Global

What we learned about Smart Mobile Direct: A. “16 in-house developers. They are currently supporting 100,000 Jeunesse Global representatives with their mobile solution. Their business development is focused 100% on the direct selling industry.”

Questions we asked Smart Mobile:

Q. Does your development and services support multi-lingual and multi-currency mobile initiatives? A. “We build apps that are stand alone or integrated. A true communication platform. 50 countries, 18 languages.

Q. Can the app be white-labeled? A. Yes.

Q. How much does it cost? Would not disclose.

Q. Tell us about your team and your main product? A. “Play nice in the sand box and bring collaborative value to the clients. We can integrate with anyone due to our rich API layer”.

Q. What should companies think about before they begin a mobile app development project? A. “We have completed our first implementation with Jeunesse Global and within a year and we are currently supporting 100k users. As a full service communications partner, the platform fits perfectly into our suite of products and services. Top to bottom provider, from audio and video conferencing, text marketing, cloud based PBX, VoIP and call center products and services.”


Features:


Corporate Announcements ● Genealogy Visualization ● Customer Enrollment ● Distributor Enrollment ● In App Group Communication. ● Corporate Messaging to Field,

Push Notifications ● Contact Management/CRM ● Built-in Social Media Marketing

● Access to Marketing Resources, Video Library: videos, training, testimonials and how to use.,

● Enable Mobile App-based Presentation/Introductions

● Access Customer Service Tickets ● Polls and Surveys ● Promotions Handling ● Party Plan Scheduling & Tools ● Check Qualification Levels


BYDESIGN TECHNOLOGIES

DESCRIPTION: Address: 9950 Princess Palm Avenue Suite 107 Tampa, FL 33619 Phone: 813-253-2235 Email: [email protected] Contact: Jerry York Website: http://www.bydesign technologies.com Yr Founded: 2000

Note: ByDesign is a well-known software provider to direct selling companies. Due to unforeseen circumstances they were not able to meet our deadline, however we are including their mobile information from our previous reports.

The company offers two mobile products: Mobilize (a stand-alone marketing app) and and Revolution, the company’s back office app.

From dsa.org: “ByDesign Technologies was one of the first companies to develop and release a 100% web-based Direct Sales Distributor Management platform (Genealogy, Customers, Commissions, Fulfillment). We continually utilize the latest technologies such as Microsoft.NET to stay ahead in the industry and continue to build extremely flexible and easy to use software for both small and large enterprises.”

Mobile App Description

“Revolution is the next generation of communication for the direct sales industry. Revolution delivers a robust desktop-internet based back office that distributors and consultants love, adds smartphone mobile access for productivity on the go.”



BUYING VS. BUILDING The process of developing an app will inevitably be an ongoing and dynamic engagement. Whether you build one with your IT staff or hire an app provider, the question of building versus buying is useful in order to think through potential hurdles along the way.

Buying or building an app is not a “one and done” deal. Either situation will require updates, bug fixes, maintenance, and revisions to suit your company’s growing needs.

In the most basic sense, to choose the proper course of action for your business, the question comes down to deciding what sort of app you envision.

Weigh your particular company’s:

● Current app needs ● Investment resources ● Available internal resources/time availability ● Desired level of complexity or uniqueness in design ● Desired outcomes from the field

START-UP APPS FOR START UPS If your needs are relatively limited and you cannot afford a larger implementation, buying an app through a developer platform may be something to consider.

Under this scenario, online tools are available to create apps without intensive development efforts. You’ll be able to choose the features you want, and since you are essentially working with modified templates, the stability of the app should be fine.

With a template, you could have a basic, no frills web app up and running in about a month. This is really merely a starter option for those who need an app right away and have little cash to invest. Don’t expect a lot of functionality or customization.

It is important to remember that in order for your app to be functional as a back-office, you will need support from your back office systems provider. Most are willing to cooperate with outside providers to build an API and support the implementation, however some do not offer API support to outside developers. Many backoffice providers already have APIs in place for some of the app providers from previous engagements, which can save all parties time and expense.


INTEGRATION CONCERNS Concerns about integration can take a number of forms—integrating old and new data or software, integrating an app with other media or software tools or platforms, or simply transitioning an entire field force into using a new app technology.

All of the companies in this report can handle most tech-based concerns. Several providers make it a marketing point that they can handle your information or media-based integration issues, which is a key component. With the right team and cooperation from your software partners, integration should not be all too difficult.

Another concern is training integration. How will you train your leaders to train your field on the use of your new mobile app? If it is able to be delivered from Google Play and the Apple App Store you will have faster adoption and installation of your app. If the app is adopted specifically for training or onboarding new distributors and direct sales representatives (which should be a goal of your project) then you will ensure the deeper participation of your training and field leadership in your mobile app launch. Upgrading to mobile technologies does not mean wholesale changes in the way the company or field works. The goal should be to carry on the philosophies and core values of the company into the mobile future. Gradual and phased integration of mobile technologies, perhaps starting at the top and working down, can securely achieve mobility in an orderly fashion.

CONCLUSION The direct selling industry relies upon the development of dynamic strategies that connect information and incentives to motivation and action. The bottom-line for increasing production is identifying seemingly small, yet meaningful, ways to increase the number of actions by distributors. Direct sellers know that more actions inevitably translate into more recruiting, retention, and sales.

Your company should seriously consider your 2015 mobile strategy. We are now at the point that not having a mobile application in your distributors' arsenal will be akin operating without a website. Mobile is now a long term marketing and operational necessity. Mobile devices are the main way your customers and distributors are accessing enrollment, mobile commerce, training, and communication with your company.


As Mike Edwards, Director of Digital Marketing at Amway, shared in our first Mobile App Review back in 2012, his company’s reasons for going mobile: “Mobile commerce is the future. Pretty much any consumer trend information you read today is pointing to the power of mobile.” Well said. 4

4412 Spicewood Springs Rd. Suite 201 Austin, Texas 78759

+1 512.994.GOGO! (4646) www.MomoFactor.com

[email protected]

MOMENTUM FACTOR CORE VALUES ▪ We believe that we’re here to make a difference by helping the companies who

help people.

▪ We choose to work with clients where we can make a significant contribution.

▪ We believe in simplicity versus complexity, clarity over obtuseness.

▪ We covet only projects and programs that are truly important and meaningful to our clients and to us.

▪ We believe in collaboration with our clients and partners, driving quality and innovation.

▪ We don’t settle for anything less than honesty, integrity and excellence.

▪ We value family, friendship, community and spirit.

4 “Amway launches commerce app for direct selling” Mobile Commerce Daily, December 3, 2009.


http://www.amway.com/


http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/2009/12/03/amway-launches-commerce-app-for-direct-selling

“Values are more than simple statements like ‘we have integrity’ or ‘we put our clients first.’ Our values represent powerful ideas about who we are as a firm and how we make decisions under uncertainty or duress, and importantly, what we would give up if we had to make a choice.” ~ Jonathan Gilliam

We hope you found this report informative. If I can ever help you or your company please contact me directly at 512.692.6849 or [email protected].

Best regards,

Jonathan Gilliam Momentum Factor LLC


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