More and more franchise companies are turning to online marketing to help grow their brands, and Constant Contact, a leading provider of email marketing solutions, is working hand in hand with over 100 franchisors.....

{This franchise blogger uses Constant Contact himself, and loves it!}

In this tough economy, it is nice to see some companies are actually growing! Like for instance, Constant Contact!

Constant Contact is announcing that they have achieved a 104-percent year-over-year customer billing growth in its franchise program (as measured between September 2007 and September 2008) and now serves more than 100 individual franchise brands. With a combination of rapid growth in the franchise industry and the need for businesses to find affordable marketing solutions, franchise businesses make up a growing portion of Constant Contact’s overall customer base.  The Company has been particularly successful in adding child, senior care, pet and home services industry franchisors.

“In this challenging economic climate, franchise businesses are fast recognizing the benefits of affordable, effective email marketing solutions,” said Kevin O’Brien, director of franchise development for Constant Contact, Inc. “We’re seeing tremendous interest in Constant Contact’s email marketing as well as our online survey solutions. Franchise users understand the value of a two-way dialogue both within the franchise family and with their customers. Our tools allow them to communicate more effectively while supporting their continued growth.”
 
Franchise organizations are drawn to Constant Contact as a means to maintain brand consistency across their franchise locations while providing them with a proven tool to help market directly to their customers. As an additional service, Constant Contact works with franchisors to design custom templates for newsletters, promotions and other types of communications, which they can then share with their franchisees. Franchisors are able to pre-load approved content in a template which ensures a consistent message and helps franchisors get up and running quickly. Individual franchise owners can then easily send out professional, branded email campaigns to local customers that are customized with their specific information, promotions, or local opportunities.

For more information on how Constant Contact's affordable and effective email marketing programs can help you stay top of mind with your client's, customers, and franchisee's, just go here.

More and more franchise companies are turning to online marketing to help grow their brands, and Constant Contact, a leading provider of email marketing solutions, is working hand in hand with over 100 franchisors.....

{This franchise blogger uses Constant Contact himself, and loves it!}

In this tough economy, it is nice to see some companies are actually growing! Like for instance, Constant Contact!

Constant Contact is announcing that they have achieved a 104-percent year-over-year customer billing growth in its franchise program (as measured between September 2007 and September 2008) and now serves more than 100 individual franchise brands. With a combination of rapid growth in the franchise industry and the need for businesses to find affordable marketing solutions, franchise businesses make up a growing portion of Constant Contact’s overall customer base.  The Company has been particularly successful in adding child, senior care, pet and home services industry franchisors.

“In this challenging economic climate, franchise businesses are fast recognizing the benefits of affordable, effective email marketing solutions,” said Kevin O’Brien, director of franchise development for Constant Contact, Inc. “We’re seeing tremendous interest in Constant Contact’s email marketing as well as our online survey solutions. Franchise users understand the value of a two-way dialogue both within the franchise family and with their customers. Our tools allow them to communicate more effectively while supporting their continued growth.”
 
Franchise organizations are drawn to Constant Contact as a means to maintain brand consistency across their franchise locations while providing them with a proven tool to help market directly to their customers. As an additional service, Constant Contact works with franchisors to design custom templates for newsletters, promotions and other types of communications, which they can then share with their franchisees. Franchisors are able to pre-load approved content in a template which ensures a consistent message and helps franchisors get up and running quickly. Individual franchise owners can then easily send out professional, branded email campaigns to local customers that are customized with their specific information, promotions, or local opportunities.

For more information on how Constant Contact's affordable and effective email marketing programs can help you stay top of mind with your client's, customers, and franchisee's, just go here.

As more and more of us become more conscious of all the things we should be doing to preserve our planet, the franchise industry as a whole has been slowly ramping up it's efforts to promote Green living. Here are some recent highlights of some of those companies...

YES Solar Solutions, the 1st Solar panel installation franchise, and the subject of several articles on this blog in the past, recently sold franchise rights to a San Fransisco group, who have an 800 square mile territory in which to open franchises in. The flurry of activity must be overwhelming, and I predict that several more Solar energy related franchise companies will be competing for market share in the next 2 years.

Mr. Handyman, the nations largest employer of handymen, has some pretty smart people in it's executive chairs. Todd Recknagel, who I have spend time with in the past is announcing a new initiative that it's franchisees will embark on, starting in January. {Todd is the president of Mr. Handyman}

"Mr. Handyman, a national home repair and maintenance franchise and the nation's No. 1 employer of handymen, is leveraging its access to thousands of U.S. households to educate homeowners about a renewed tax credit. Taking steps toward going green could save homeowners up to $500 on new installations of certain energy efficient products," according to Recknagel.

Recknagel went on to say that "the tax credit applies to improvements that are installed between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009 and include new energy efficient windows, doors and insulation. While all of these products are designed to be energy efficient - they must be installed correctly, or they can have little to no positive effect on the environment."

Sound like the current Mr. Handyman franchisees may be busy next year.

Pizza Fusion, one of the most talked about Green franchise companies this year, has been opening up franchises around the country at a pretty good clip. With their Toyota Prius delivery vehicles, and their totally organic food ingredients, it is no wonder this franchise concept has received so much positive press. Look!

Green franchising looks like it is here to stay, and 2009 should be a year of growth for this segment of our industry. Stay tuned!

If you subscribe to this blog, you won't miss out on the Green...

Recently, I wrote about Green Franchising over at Work.com. Read.

A Green Franchise Directory

As more and more of us become more conscious of all the things we should be doing to preserve our planet, the franchise industry as a whole has been slowly ramping up it's efforts to promote Green living. Here are some recent highlights of some of those companies...

YES Solar Solutions, the 1st Solar panel installation franchise, and the subject of several articles on this blog in the past, recently sold franchise rights to a San Fransisco group, who have an 800 square mile territory in which to open franchises in. The flurry of activity must be overwhelming, and I predict that several more Solar energy related franchise companies will be competing for market share in the next 2 years.

Mr. Handyman, the nations largest employer of handymen, has some pretty smart people in it's executive chairs. Todd Recknagel, who I have spend time with in the past is announcing a new initiative that it's franchisees will embark on, starting in January. {Todd is the president of Mr. Handyman}

"Mr. Handyman, a national home repair and maintenance franchise and the nation's No. 1 employer of handymen, is leveraging its access to thousands of U.S. households to educate homeowners about a renewed tax credit. Taking steps toward going green could save homeowners up to $500 on new installations of certain energy efficient products," according to Recknagel.

Recknagel went on to say that "the tax credit applies to improvements that are installed between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009 and include new energy efficient windows, doors and insulation. While all of these products are designed to be energy efficient - they must be installed correctly, or they can have little to no positive effect on the environment."

Sound like the current Mr. Handyman franchisees may be busy next year.

Pizza Fusion, one of the most talked about Green franchise companies this year, has been opening up franchises around the country at a pretty good clip. With their Toyota Prius delivery vehicles, and their totally organic food ingredients, it is no wonder this franchise concept has received so much positive press. Look!

Green franchising looks like it is here to stay, and 2009 should be a year of growth for this segment of our industry. Stay tuned!

If you subscribe to this blog, you won't miss out on the Green...

Recently, I wrote about Green Franchising over at Work.com. Read.

A Green Franchise Directory

Getting your franchise concept's message out to the masses should be easy, because of this great thing we have called the internet, right?

So why are you going to read my article now????

Hopefully, you are going to read this short article about online marketing because you, like me, don't have all of the answers.

Marketing your products and services is getting more challenging because of the sheer number of new websites and blogs being created every day, all over the world. 

It used to kind of easy; Call your newspaper advertising rep, place some ads, and wait for the customers to stampede through your doors. Things are a little different now. First of all, if you don't have a website, you will get the most bizarre looks imaginable from prospective clients, and prospective customers. pretty soon, if you don't have some type of blog, the same thing might happen.

Let's assume you have a website. {Even if it because someone told you to get one!}

Let's assume that it could be doing a better job getting customers/clients to call you, or to visit your place of business.

Let's also assume that you don't have the time or inclination to spend too much time analyzing it.

I'll make this easy. Jim Kukral a friend of mine, and someone who has helped me by suggesting cool ways for me to create my stellar online presence, just launched a membership-only website for folks that want to make sure they are getting the best bang for their online spending bucks. 

Jim knows this:

"If you could get the word out better, you'd have more clients. Spending money on advertising isn't always the answer to getting the word out. Sometimes you need to simply think creatively. The Biz Web Coach can help you do this."

Click right below. See if joining Jim's exclusive club makes sense. You don't know what you don't know. Jim knows.

The Biz Web Coach

Getting your franchise concept's message out to the masses should be easy, because of this great thing we have called the internet, right?

So why are you going to read my article now????

Hopefully, you are going to read this short article about online marketing because you, like me, don't have all of the answers.

Marketing your products and services is getting more challenging because of the sheer number of new websites and blogs being created every day, all over the world. 

It used to kind of easy; Call your newspaper advertising rep, place some ads, and wait for the customers to stampede through your doors. Things are a little different now. First of all, if you don't have a website, you will get the most bizarre looks imaginable from prospective clients, and prospective customers. pretty soon, if you don't have some type of blog, the same thing might happen.

Let's assume you have a website. {Even if it because someone told you to get one!}

Let's assume that it could be doing a better job getting customers/clients to call you, or to visit your place of business.

Let's also assume that you don't have the time or inclination to spend too much time analyzing it.

I'll make this easy. Jim Kukral a friend of mine, and someone who has helped me by suggesting cool ways for me to create my stellar online presence, just launched a membership-only website for folks that want to make sure they are getting the best bang for their online spending bucks. 

Jim knows this:

"If you could get the word out better, you'd have more clients. Spending money on advertising isn't always the answer to getting the word out. Sometimes you need to simply think creatively. The Biz Web Coach can help you do this."

Click right below. See if joining Jim's exclusive club makes sense. You don't know what you don't know. Jim knows.

The Biz Web Coach

Have you ever learned how to research franchise opportunities? Properly?

The couple in the picture above did.

Chances are, if the headline of this short article compelled you to read this....

Then, just maybe, you don't have all the answers. Yet. And that is OK.

Now, I am sure that if you are over 30 years old, you have engaged in some type of research activities in the past. Maybe you did some online research before you bought your first new, or even used vehicle. Hopefully, you felt that were were more informed before you made a major purchase like buying a car, or truck.

Investing in one's own franchise business is definitely moving things up a notch. A rather large notch.

When you are looking into investing anywhere from $75K-$500k on up, you are entering the world of serious business, and one in which mistakes are costlier, and can have consequences that can affect your financial future. {If you have a family, a huge mistake, like not researching a franchise opportunity correctly, affects more than just you}

I am not trying to frighten you, but if you have never embarked on anything like the prospect of investing in a business of your own, in which you could potentially lose hundred's of thousands of dollars, then you just don't know the exact feelings you are going to have when you are about to write out a check for $50k or $100k.   

Would you like to minimize those feelings? Do you believe that knowledge is power?

I am not saying that you won't be really nervous when you about to write a check to a franchise company for your up-front franchise fee. You will be.

What I am saying is that if you do your research the right way, and you don't skip any steps, you will be able to sign the franchise agreement, write that check out, and do so knowing that you did all the right things, and that you didn't miss anything.

Check out this eBook.

From a franchise industry insider.

"The Essential Steps To Researching A Franchise Opportunity"

Go into a franchise with confidence.

Have you ever learned how to research franchise opportunities? Properly?

The couple in the picture above did.

Chances are, if the headline of this short article compelled you to read this....

Then, just maybe, you don't have all the answers. Yet. And that is OK.

Now, I am sure that if you are over 30 years old, you have engaged in some type of research activities in the past. Maybe you did some online research before you bought your first new, or even used vehicle. Hopefully, you felt that were were more informed before you made a major purchase like buying a car, or truck.

Investing in one's own franchise business is definitely moving things up a notch. A rather large notch.

When you are looking into investing anywhere from $75K-$500k on up, you are entering the world of serious business, and one in which mistakes are costlier, and can have consequences that can affect your financial future. {If you have a family, a huge mistake, like not researching a franchise opportunity correctly, affects more than just you}

I am not trying to frighten you, but if you have never embarked on anything like the prospect of investing in a business of your own, in which you could potentially lose hundred's of thousands of dollars, then you just don't know the exact feelings you are going to have when you are about to write out a check for $50k or $100k.   

Would you like to minimize those feelings? Do you believe that knowledge is power?

I am not saying that you won't be really nervous when you about to write a check to a franchise company for your up-front franchise fee. You will be.

What I am saying is that if you do your research the right way, and you don't skip any steps, you will be able to sign the franchise agreement, write that check out, and do so knowing that you did all the right things, and that you didn't miss anything.

Check out this eBook.

From a franchise industry insider.

"The Essential Steps To Researching A Franchise Opportunity"

Go into a franchise with confidence.

Being a Veteran himself, certainly helps....

Phoenix restaurant owner Jason Le- Vecke's efforts to fuel company vehicles with used cooking oil and to accept Mexican pesos in his pizza franchises have made headlines.

His national chain of 130 franchise restaurants, including Carl's Jr., Hardee's and Pizza Patron in Arizona, Texas and five other states, has made $$$$millions.

Keep Going.

Being a Veteran himself, certainly helps....

Phoenix restaurant owner Jason Le- Vecke's efforts to fuel company vehicles with used cooking oil and to accept Mexican pesos in his pizza franchises have made headlines.

His national chain of 130 franchise restaurants, including Carl's Jr., Hardee's and Pizza Patron in Arizona, Texas and five other states, has made $$$$millions.

Keep Going.

                                   The Top 5   

                                     
 Thousands of people get into franchise businesses of their own every year. These people do it for a variety of reasons. I have met with hundreds of prospective franchise owners, and have found that there are 5 major reasons that they want to get into a franchise of their own. Here they are:

1.  To Avoid Dysfunctional Bosses  

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to be a model employee, some bosses just can’t be pleased.  I know that you may find this hard to believe, but bosses are human, too. They bring with them all the weird stuff they have had to deal with in their lives, whether it was a bizarre childhood, some ex-boyfriend or girlfriend stalking incidents, late teen glue sniffing, or post adolescent thumb sucking. Not every boss out there has been through therapy, or has a desire to learn about the benefits of one on one counseling.  It is not your problem, so maybe buying a franchise is your way out.

2.  The Desire to Create Equity

Working for someone else can give you a feeling of security. You have a steady paycheck; you usually get health benefits, and sometimes even enjoy being part of a retirement plan.  Those are all great reasons to work for someone else.  That is until you are downsized, outsized, rightsized, leftsized, replaced, or just plain fired.  Working for someone else has enabled you to keep up with your expenses, maybe save a little extra for a rainy day, and contribute some money towards your retirement. But has working for someone else taken your lifestyle to the next level?  If so, that is fantastic. But I suspect it is not, which could be one reason you are looking at other options, like franchise/small business ownership.

While we are on the subject of being an ex-employee, what do you really have to show for all of your hard work? Maybe you have a severance package. Maybe you get to keep your health benefits for a short time, of better yet, you may even get to enjoy the pleasure of paying COBRA insurance premiums, until your next job.  I’ll bet you won’t be sending your boss a thank you letter for that. 

The thing that most people forget about when they are employees is this:
Most employees don’t have an opportunity to build equity. Equity is almost always reserved for the owner.

If you actually did have equity in your last job, you would have been able to sell your job for a profit. Do you know anyone who was able to sell their job? I’ll bet you know some folks who have been able to sell their businesses, though.
That is equity. Invest in a business of your own, grow it, and then sell it for a profit. How does that sound?  Equity.

3.  A Desire for More Freedom

Let’s say that your Junior High School daughter has a championship basketball game in a week.  Your current job requires you to travel 2 out of 4 weeks every single month. You have been pretty ok with that, as you are making pretty good money, and at least you are not always out of town.  The week of your daughter’s big game is you’re in-town week. Perfect.  

Business has been getting a lot tougher lately. There is more and more competition, your sales numbers have been a little below par, and you have a new boss, who you haven’t quite figured out yet. Then there is that really tough client in Boston.  This client is your 3rd largest, and is one of those that expect you to be a phone call away at all times. You were able to help them navigate through some technical issues they were having last month, and all is going well. 

The week of the big game starts of well, and you can’t wait to see your daughter in action, Thursday night. On Tuesday, that client from Boston calls you, and is having a new set of technical issues. You try to get them resolved via phone, and even have your IT Dept. step in. By Wednesday, their problems deepen, and you have no choice but to fly up to Boston to help them through this mess. You inform your daughter that there is a big headache at work, and that you have to fly to Boston to resolve it. She tearfully walks away, and you, almost on the verge of tears yourself, throw your hands into the air, experiencing a combination of sadness, anger, and disbelief.  

This has happened before, but for some reason, this one really stings. You are so sick of not being in control of your schedule. You are working harder than ever, you have a new boss that does not appreciate you, and you are stuck with a company that is starting to lose serious market share. Most importantly though, you have a kid who is really hurting, because her Daddy can’t be there to watch her play in her most important game ever. Maybe it is time for a change.

4.  Desire To Create A Legacy

Some franchise concepts can prove to be an ideal family business. Would you like to guarantee your children a job, when they graduate high school, or college? 

The traditional Monday through Friday, 9-5 job model has been changing for years now. Employer loyalty is almost nonexistent, nowadays.  20-30 year jobs are pretty much history. According to Steven Little, kids that will be graduating college in the next decade will have 7 different careers. That is 7 different careers, not 7 different jobs.  Do you want your kids experiencing that kind of uncertainty? 

If you invest in a business of your own, and it is a business that your family can get involved in, you may be able to secure their future, along with your own. That would feel nice, huh?

Some franchise types that could be good family businesses include, sign companies, retail stores, food service businesses, dry cleaning operations, and pet related franchises.  

Your kids may decide that they do not want to be part of the business. That is ok, too. Just sell your business, and move somewhere you have always wanted to live. Your kids can visit you.

5.  Community Involvement

At first glance, you may be thinking, who the heck would invest in a franchise of their own just to be involved in their local community?  There are actually certain types of people that want to get into a business so that they can “give back”.

I have worked with several folks who have insisted that I find them an opportunity in franchise ownership that makes an impact in the community.  I have found that the folks that want to invest in this type of franchise have already experienced a high level of business success, and have the financial resources necessary to invest in most anything they choose to.

The people that I have been able to find these specific types of opportunities for do insist on a nice ROI. They don’t want to work for free! They just want to make sure that whatever franchise they choose to invest in impacts the community in a positive and powerful way.

Some examples of franchise opportunities that will enable you to “give back” include children’s tutoring centers, home health care businesses, and used clothing stores, to name a few.

Did you think that the number #1 reason that people got into a franchise of their own was to make more money? My experience working one on one with prospective franchise owners tells a different story. What is yours? Please leave your comments....

Other Helpful Articles:

1. Don't Buy Hot Franchises! Here.

2. Getting Out Of a Franchise Agreement. Here.

3. Writing Your Business Plan. It's Easy.

4. Getting A Loan. You Can!

5. Are You Franchise Material. Free Quiz.

                                   The Top 5   

                                     
 Thousands of people get into franchise businesses of their own every year. These people do it for a variety of reasons. I have met with hundreds of prospective franchise owners, and have found that there are 5 major reasons that they want to get into a franchise of their own. Here they are:

1.  To Avoid Dysfunctional Bosses  

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to be a model employee, some bosses just can’t be pleased.  I know that you may find this hard to believe, but bosses are human, too. They bring with them all the weird stuff they have had to deal with in their lives, whether it was a bizarre childhood, some ex-boyfriend or girlfriend stalking incidents, late teen glue sniffing, or post adolescent thumb sucking. Not every boss out there has been through therapy, or has a desire to learn about the benefits of one on one counseling.  It is not your problem, so maybe buying a franchise is your way out.

2.  The Desire to Create Equity

Working for someone else can give you a feeling of security. You have a steady paycheck; you usually get health benefits, and sometimes even enjoy being part of a retirement plan.  Those are all great reasons to work for someone else.  That is until you are downsized, outsized, rightsized, leftsized, replaced, or just plain fired.  Working for someone else has enabled you to keep up with your expenses, maybe save a little extra for a rainy day, and contribute some money towards your retirement. But has working for someone else taken your lifestyle to the next level?  If so, that is fantastic. But I suspect it is not, which could be one reason you are looking at other options, like franchise/small business ownership.

While we are on the subject of being an ex-employee, what do you really have to show for all of your hard work? Maybe you have a severance package. Maybe you get to keep your health benefits for a short time, of better yet, you may even get to enjoy the pleasure of paying COBRA insurance premiums, until your next job.  I’ll bet you won’t be sending your boss a thank you letter for that. 

The thing that most people forget about when they are employees is this:
Most employees don’t have an opportunity to build equity. Equity is almost always reserved for the owner.

If you actually did have equity in your last job, you would have been able to sell your job for a profit. Do you know anyone who was able to sell their job? I’ll bet you know some folks who have been able to sell their businesses, though.
That is equity. Invest in a business of your own, grow it, and then sell it for a profit. How does that sound?  Equity.

3.  A Desire for More Freedom

Let’s say that your Junior High School daughter has a championship basketball game in a week.  Your current job requires you to travel 2 out of 4 weeks every single month. You have been pretty ok with that, as you are making pretty good money, and at least you are not always out of town.  The week of your daughter’s big game is you’re in-town week. Perfect.  

Business has been getting a lot tougher lately. There is more and more competition, your sales numbers have been a little below par, and you have a new boss, who you haven’t quite figured out yet. Then there is that really tough client in Boston.  This client is your 3rd largest, and is one of those that expect you to be a phone call away at all times. You were able to help them navigate through some technical issues they were having last month, and all is going well. 

The week of the big game starts of well, and you can’t wait to see your daughter in action, Thursday night. On Tuesday, that client from Boston calls you, and is having a new set of technical issues. You try to get them resolved via phone, and even have your IT Dept. step in. By Wednesday, their problems deepen, and you have no choice but to fly up to Boston to help them through this mess. You inform your daughter that there is a big headache at work, and that you have to fly to Boston to resolve it. She tearfully walks away, and you, almost on the verge of tears yourself, throw your hands into the air, experiencing a combination of sadness, anger, and disbelief.  

This has happened before, but for some reason, this one really stings. You are so sick of not being in control of your schedule. You are working harder than ever, you have a new boss that does not appreciate you, and you are stuck with a company that is starting to lose serious market share. Most importantly though, you have a kid who is really hurting, because her Daddy can’t be there to watch her play in her most important game ever. Maybe it is time for a change.

4.  Desire To Create A Legacy

Some franchise concepts can prove to be an ideal family business. Would you like to guarantee your children a job, when they graduate high school, or college? 

The traditional Monday through Friday, 9-5 job model has been changing for years now. Employer loyalty is almost nonexistent, nowadays.  20-30 year jobs are pretty much history. According to Steven Little, kids that will be graduating college in the next decade will have 7 different careers. That is 7 different careers, not 7 different jobs.  Do you want your kids experiencing that kind of uncertainty? 

If you invest in a business of your own, and it is a business that your family can get involved in, you may be able to secure their future, along with your own. That would feel nice, huh?

Some franchise types that could be good family businesses include, sign companies, retail stores, food service businesses, dry cleaning operations, and pet related franchises.  

Your kids may decide that they do not want to be part of the business. That is ok, too. Just sell your business, and move somewhere you have always wanted to live. Your kids can visit you.

5.  Community Involvement

At first glance, you may be thinking, who the heck would invest in a franchise of their own just to be involved in their local community?  There are actually certain types of people that want to get into a business so that they can “give back”.

I have worked with several folks who have insisted that I find them an opportunity in franchise ownership that makes an impact in the community.  I have found that the folks that want to invest in this type of franchise have already experienced a high level of business success, and have the financial resources necessary to invest in most anything they choose to.

The people that I have been able to find these specific types of opportunities for do insist on a nice ROI. They don’t want to work for free! They just want to make sure that whatever franchise they choose to invest in impacts the community in a positive and powerful way.

Some examples of franchise opportunities that will enable you to “give back” include children’s tutoring centers, home health care businesses, and used clothing stores, to name a few.

Did you think that the number #1 reason that people got into a franchise of their own was to make more money? My experience working one on one with prospective franchise owners tells a different story. What is yours? Please leave your comments....

Other Helpful Articles:

1. Don't Buy Hot Franchises! Here.

2. Getting Out Of a Franchise Agreement. Here.

3. Writing Your Business Plan. It's Easy.

4. Getting A Loan. You Can!

5. Are You Franchise Material. Free Quiz.

Business ownership options in the world of franchising will be the topic of discussion as I join Jim Blasingame's Small Business Advocate Radio Program this Wednesday. This should prove to be interesting,as our nation's tough economy is affecting the franchise industry as a whole. Here is the line-up:

Wednesday, November 12
Joel Libava
President-Life Changer of Franchise Selection Specialists Inc.
Topic of discussion: Franchise options.
Cliff Ennico
Author of The ebay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book
Topic of discussion: Your business' online presence.
Michael Anderson

Topic of discussion: Building a technology infrastructure

You can listen right here at 7:00AM, Live, or in the show's archives later in the day.

Learn How To Research A Franchise. Here.

Business ownership options in the world of franchising will be the topic of discussion as I join Jim Blasingame's Small Business Advocate Radio Program this Wednesday. This should prove to be interesting,as our nation's tough economy is affecting the franchise industry as a whole. Here is the line-up:

Wednesday, November 12
Joel Libava
President-Life Changer of Franchise Selection Specialists Inc.
Topic of discussion: Franchise options.
Cliff Ennico
Author of The ebay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book
Topic of discussion: Your business' online presence.
Michael Anderson

Topic of discussion: Building a technology infrastructure

You can listen right here at 7:00AM, Live, or in the show's archives later in the day.

Learn How To Research A Franchise. Here.

                                                                                             

Cris over at the top ranked Business-Opportunities.biz site, was kind enough to point out something that many of you may not know that I do.

I do this. This

{Plus, checking out the article will give you a great reason to see the Business-Opportunities website, if you haven't}

                                                                                             

Cris over at the top ranked Business-Opportunities.biz site, was kind enough to point out something that many of you may not know that I do.

I do this. This

{Plus, checking out the article will give you a great reason to see the Business-Opportunities website, if you haven't}

Dane Carlson over at Franchise.Business-Opportunities.biz posted some great questions to ask franchise companies. These questions have an International feel to them, and may be some good additional ones to consider asking:

What is it worth?
· The commercial policy with regard to the market and the competition
· The concept: from the salesman to the management
· The franchisor’s expertise
· The know-how and how it is transmitted
· The constant assistance
· The profitability

Here are more from the article.

Here is a way to find out ALL the questions you must ask...

Dane Carlson over at Franchise.Business-Opportunities.biz posted some great questions to ask franchise companies. These questions have an International feel to them, and may be some good additional ones to consider asking:

What is it worth?
· The commercial policy with regard to the market and the competition
· The concept: from the salesman to the management
· The franchisor’s expertise
· The know-how and how it is transmitted
· The constant assistance
· The profitability

Here are more from the article.

Here is a way to find out ALL the questions you must ask...

Some of the people that have met with me for franchise selection advice have insisted on investing in an opportunity that has a recognizable name. Why is that?....

The discussion that I always make sure I have with prospective franchise owners includes a discussion of brands, and how it relates to their risk level. 

I have found that most of my candidates feel that if they invest in a franchise of their own that has a great brand, like an AAMCO, a Dairy Queen, or even something like Subway, that they are entering the world of franchising in a way that really lowers their risk. That is not necessarily the case.

Just because one invests in an extremely well branded franchise like Subway, does not mean that their investment equals what will amount to guaranteed financial success. What if:

• They have no food service experience
• They have never managed a group of hourly workers
• They did not do their research, correctly
• They didn't have enough capital

Do any of those possible errors in franchise selection negate any positive impact of a recognized brand?

Another thing to think about as it relates to brand, is how does a franchise's brand impact the availability of a great location for a prospective franchise owner?

If you are just starting your franchise selection process, you are probably thinking about where you would like to put your franchise? {If the franchise you are looking at requires a leased space} It is only natural to start thinking about where you would want to put your new business. it helps you visualize things better.

If you are looking into investing in a franchise that has a great brand, be prepared to be very flexible about your location choices. After all, if the franchise concept is branded, the choice locations may already be spoken for.

I have outlined a few things you may want to think about, when choosing a suitable franchise. Yes, the brand is important, and if you happen to have a strong brand, it will help you set yourself apart from the mom and pop operators in your geographic location.

In the future, I will discuss investing in franchise opportunities that may not be well branded. But, maybe it doesn't have to be, for you to be successful....

This month's Poll Question has to do with this article.

You'll find it just to the right. Please vote on this important question...

"Is a franchise concept's brand an important part of your franchise buying decision?"

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Some of the people that have met with me for franchise selection advice have insisted on investing in an opportunity that has a recognizable name. Why is that?....

The discussion that I always make sure I have with prospective franchise owners includes a discussion of brands, and how it relates to their risk level. 

I have found that most of my candidates feel that if they invest in a franchise of their own that has a great brand, like an AAMCO, a Dairy Queen, or even something like Subway, that they are entering the world of franchising in a way that really lowers their risk. That is not necessarily the case.

Just because one invests in an extremely well branded franchise like Subway, does not mean that their investment equals what will amount to guaranteed financial success. What if:

• They have no food service experience
• They have never managed a group of hourly workers
• They did not do their research, correctly
• They didn't have enough capital

Do any of those possible errors in franchise selection negate any positive impact of a recognized brand?

Another thing to think about as it relates to brand, is how does a franchise's brand impact the availability of a great location for a prospective franchise owner?

If you are just starting your franchise selection process, you are probably thinking about where you would like to put your franchise? {If the franchise you are looking at requires a leased space} It is only natural to start thinking about where you would want to put your new business. it helps you visualize things better.

If you are looking into investing in a franchise that has a great brand, be prepared to be very flexible about your location choices. After all, if the franchise concept is branded, the choice locations may already be spoken for.

I have outlined a few things you may want to think about, when choosing a suitable franchise. Yes, the brand is important, and if you happen to have a strong brand, it will help you set yourself apart from the mom and pop operators in your geographic location.

In the future, I will discuss investing in franchise opportunities that may not be well branded. But, maybe it doesn't have to be, for you to be successful....

This month's Poll Question has to do with this article.

You'll find it just to the right. Please vote on this important question...

"Is a franchise concept's brand an important part of your franchise buying decision?"

Don't Buy A Hot Franchise

Some Franchise Humor

Don't Miss The Next Important Franchise Article. Subscribe

Useful Products

I will be LiveBlogging the Presidential Election in conjunction with WKYC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Cleveland. I will be joined by such local luminaries like Michael DeAloia, George Nemeth and others, at the TV Studio.

I feel that it is really important to get involved albeit in a small way, for an election that is sure to affect my favorite industry, the franchise industry, in ways that none of us know yet.

I LiveBlogged for this event earlier this year, and it was most gratifying.

Lots of others will be using Twitter to LiveBlog this time around. Are we all going to make Twitter crash?

What do you think? Will Twitter make it through?

You can follow my coverage at http://twitter.com/franpro

Or here- www.NEObizblog.com {That is my local blog}

I will be LiveBlogging the Presidential Election in conjunction with WKYC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Cleveland. I will be joined by such local luminaries like Michael DeAloia, George Nemeth and others, at the TV Studio.

I feel that it is really important to get involved albeit in a small way, for an election that is sure to affect my favorite industry, the franchise industry, in ways that none of us know yet.

I LiveBlogged for this event earlier this year, and it was most gratifying.

Lots of others will be using Twitter to LiveBlog this time around. Are we all going to make Twitter crash?

What do you think? Will Twitter make it through?

You can follow my coverage at http://twitter.com/franpro

Or here- www.NEObizblog.com {That is my local blog}