The Franchise King Blog

My Franchise Business Advice For The Week Of March 15th, 2010

This week's franchise business advice is for franchisors and franchisees;

PR

Traditional public relations exposure is still needed. PR Newswire may be a great place to submit stories about your franchise, but it's not the end-all. Social media marketing has provided fantastic low-cost ways to get exposure, but it too, isn't the magic bullet, if it's used alone. Social media marketing is what I call, "another spoke in the wheel" of a total marketing package. Getting ink in major publications, and getting exposure on national radio and television shows can make your phone ring, and PR firms know how to get you there.

Early on in my franchise consulting and marketing career, I was the liaison between a franchise brokerage group I was with, and a boutique franchise PR firm. The ladies at Sanderson PR in Chicago including Rhonda Sanderson, and her amazing right hand gal, Courtney Thomas, showed me how to get things done. I've also been able to do some cool things with Christine Perkett, the power behind Perkett PR in Boston, and John Sternal, the president (and a new dad!) over at Sternal PR, in sunny Florida.

Get with a PR firm!

Take a look at this new virtual business card!

Printing Franchise Receives Satisfaction Award

Sir Speedy, a franchise network of printing and marketing services providers, has received a 2010 Franchisee Satisfaction Award from Franchise Business Review. The company ranked number 14 in the Top 50 Large-Class category, which includes franchise systems with 200 or more units. Sir Speedy also received two Honorable Mentions; one in the Business Services category and one in the Best Investment-$200,000 or more category.

“We’re committed to helping our franchisees succeed and this survey clearly demonstrates our commitment to them,” said Richard Lowe, president of Sir Speedy, Inc. “We’ve made this listing for four years in a row now and I’m proud of our support team for helping us accomplish this. It’s an honor to be recognized by our franchisees and I thank them for the success of our brand.”

Sir Speedy is a recognized brand in the franchise printing arena.

Congrats!

Is a printing franchise for you? Search below!

Constant Contact Announces The Recipients Of The Franchise Excellence In Email Awards

It was an honor to be asked by the great folks at Constant Contact to help judge the 1st Annual Franchise Excellence In Email Awards. We received some stellar entries, and the votes have been tallied...

The Franchise Excellence in Email Awards attracted submissions from franchisors and franchisees across the country and spanned multiple industries.

The winning entries were selected in the following three categories: 

Constant Contact To Award The Best Franchise Email Marketing Campaigns

Constant Contact, a leading provider of email marketing tools, just announced it's first ever awards recognizing outstanding email campaigns by franchisors and franchisees.

The Franchise Excellence in Email Awards will recognize outstanding achievements in email marketing in three categories as judged by Constant Contact’s Franchise team and myself. That's right. I'm the Guest Judge...

Mr. Handyman Of Portland-Lake Oswego Can Help You Save Some Green This Winter (With These Free Green Tips)

Jim and Tim O'Neil of Lake Oswego, Oregon

(Full Disclosure; 1. I help Service Brands-which owns Mr. Handyman, find great franchise owners. I receive a finder's fee for the successful placement of them. 2. I matched Jim O'Neil, of Lake Oswego, to Mr. Handyman, and he launched his new business a few months ago.) 

Here are some cost-effective ideas to “winterize” your home all while going green. These small investments in energy conservation can really help your energy costs.

•  Ceiling fans aren’t just for summer. Although using ceiling fans do cut air conditioning costs by 40% in summer, they also work to circulate warm air from the ceiling back down to the floor in the winter.
   
•  Insulate your home from head to toe. For maximum energy efficiency, your home should be properly insulated from the roof down to its foundations. This will keep warm air in and cold air out.
   
•  Install a hot water heater timer if you have an electric water heater which can turn hot water off at night and on again in the morning.

Here's six more...

Maybe I can help you find your dream franchise. Work with me.

Blimpie Subs For Your Catered Holiday Event?

C'mon. Catering by BLIMPIE? Isn't that special?

BLIMPIE, America's Sub Shop, has introduced a fresh catering menu perfect for all types of gatherings. Catering tray options include fresh sliced deli meats and cheeses, an assortment of breads, crispy vegetables, condiments and fresh fruit. Additionally, side salads, dessert trays and beverages are available making BLIMPIE a one stop shop for the holidays. 

“There’s always something new and fresh going on with our BLIMPIE franchise opportunity. Now is a great time to join our franchise family,” said Pat Conlin, BLIMPIE Area Developer. “BLIMPIE restaurants are easy to own and easy to operate—there’s no cooking or frying involved, simply fresh sliced meats & cheeses custom prepared on fresh baked bread for every customer. And, we provide comprehensive pre-opening and on-going training and support that are benchmarks for the industry.”

I never would have thought that BLIMPIE would've been on my holiday catering radar screen. MMMM

Forget The $1 Cheeseburger, Guys; Burger King UK's Breakfast Menu May Excite You Even More!

This is different;

Burger King U.K. is inviting young men to watch and interact with a bikini-clad girl as she takes her daily shower, in a new "glorious mornings" promotion which urges consumers to "seize the day your way."

Seize The Day, Your Way?

I'm not sure if it's because I am 50 years old now, but I don't understand what a breakfast sandwich served in a London Burger King restaurant has to do with a showering co-ed...

Burger King presents, "Singing in The Shower"

This marketing campaign may just be weird enough to sell a breakfast sandwich or two. What do you think?

Dinner And A Movie Franchise?

From the rather energetic women over at Sanderson PR:

Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas made its long-awaited debut yesterday in Winchester, Va. This is the first Alamo location outside the state of Texas and offers a unique twist on "dinner and a movie," combining first-run films and specialty programming on eight big screens with a full-service restaurant.

Read

Franchise Services Inc. Presents Franchisee Awards At It's Annual Convention

Franchise Services Inc. is a franchise management company that owns the Sir Speedy, PIP and Signal Graphics brands. (TeamLogic IT, also)

George Coriaty of Whittier, California received the Sir Speedy Top Volume award and Ganga Prasad of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia received the Sir Speedy International Top Volume Award. The Fulner Family of Indianapolis, Indiana and Nashville, Tennessee received the PIP Top Volume award. Awards were also given to franchisees and salespeople in the following categories: Top 10, Top 25, Volume Increase Percentage, Century Club, Million Dollar Club, Sales Achievement Awards, and Application Innovation Awards.

Here's more about Franchise Services Inc.

Stay tuned. I'm about to announce the Grand Opening of a new franchise owned by a gentleman that was just sick of the corporate shuffle. He bought a Franchise Services Inc. franchise.

EXPRESS Oil Change Is Not Feeling The Recession

Here is a franchise update from.........

From The Daily Franchise News-

The Birmingham, Ala.-based chain of quick lube and repair shops, has seen a lengthy string of same-store sales increases that haven’t stopped with the economy, said Ricky Brooks, the company’s CEO. This year, same-store sales have been getting progressively larger—in July, sales were up 10 percent, Brooks said. The strategy behind Brooks’ franchise is to combine a quick-service oil change shop with one that will do a wide range of auto repairs—effectively using oil changes to capture more lucrative service customers. “Whoever controls the oil change controls the consumer,” he said.

More

7 Franchises In One

The business model of franchising is a great one. The good ones are very innovative. And very smart. Here's a fairly new one out of the foothills of the Appalachians. Innovate. Or be the same.

From Dane Carlson's blog;

"While they do specialize in signs, that is not all. Imprint In Time also does trophies, shirts, hats, coffee mugs, and a variety of promotional items. The printing possibilities for one of their franchises is endless."

                                                         

The 7

1. Signs are a stand alone business

2. Awards and trophies are a stand alone business

3. Screen printing shirts & hats is a stand alone business

4. Embroidering shirts and hats is a stand alone business

5. Reprographics (blueprints) is a stand alone business

6. Printing is a stand alone business

7. Promotional products and personalized gifts is a stand alone business.

Read more about Imprint In Time

A Very Helpful Franchise

From The Daily Franchise News;

Jim Wright is the man to call for help, when it comes to mobility...

The Naples Daily News reported Wright is the owner of Amramp and one of the company's 40 franchisee-owned operations throughout the nation that sells and installs steel access ramps for the disabled on homes and for events like high school graduation ceremonies. Since opening for business in February, Wright has installed $12,000 in ramps and plans to break $50,000 by the end of 2009. He says Most of the sales are rentals installed on the homes of people with work-related injuries. Wright plans to sell $50,000 by year-end. “The demand is there,” Wright said.

Continue

40 Year Milestone Reached By A Hilton Hotel Franchisee

                                                                                                                              

What do you think of when the name "Akron" comes up? For me, it's rubber, a substance best left for the scientific blogging community.

Akron, Ohio is also home to a dynamic Hilton franchisee, by the name of Rennick Andreoli;

{From Paula Schleis, at The Akron Beacon Journal}

"Seated at a dining table on the terrace, Rennick Andreoli thought about his multimillion-dollar investment for a moment and laughed.

He was laughing about the fact that it seems every major renovation he has planned in his hotel's history has coincided with an economic downturn.

In 1969, Andreoli and his late brother, Eric Friden, bought the rights to the Hilton name for a 150-room hotel they built on West Market Street.

Situated across the street from Summit Mall, it was a perfect location."

Read more about Andreoli and The Hilton/Akron-Fairlawn over at Ohio.com

Do you have a question about franchising?

www.AskTheFranchiseKing.com

The Great American Dad; Where Are You?

Great American Cookies has announced that the company has launched its first-ever search for the "Great American Dad." The Great American Dad Contest began Wednesday, May 13 and runs through Friday, July 31. During the contest, participants will be asked to tell the world, in 200 words or less, what makes their dad a "Great American Dad." The contest will be conducted completely online, with submissions accepted through the entry form.

Read the "Great American Dad" contest rules over at Dane Carlson's site.

Guest Blogger; Rhonda Sanderson Discusses Franchise PR And The Internet

                                                                                                                                       

Rhonda Sanderson

Alexis Mattera, is a rather enthusiastic gal from Sanderson PR. We make each other laugh over on Twitter. Alexis responded within seconds to my Tweet asking for guest bloggers, a couple of tweets weeks ago. Her boss, Rhonda Sanderson, owns Sanderson PR, considered to be the best of the best in franchise public relations. She told Rhonda that I was looking for a couple of guest bloggers to write some articles. 

Rhonda and I first met in 2002, and have been friends ever since. Rhonda has taught me a lot about franchising, and public relations, and in this post, discusses the internet, social media, and a chance encounter at a West Hollywood restaurant...

Franchise PR; Rhonda Sanderson On The Recent Domino's Pizza Fiasco

   

Franchise Public Relations Help Needed!

Franchise PR Rock Star Rhonda Sanderson has a great idea or two for the execs over at Domino's Pizza. You see, they had this nasty little problem that my friend Jim Kukral put up on his popular marketing site.
{Please look at the picture on his post, and then come back here. You hear?}

Nasty, for sure.

I commented on his post:

"Jim,
This may hurt the brand, short-term, but the franchisee of that store will be really feeling the pain. As much as the franchisee wants to play Ostrich, a great local PR firm could help with damage control, if contacted...like today. "

Here is what Rhonda suggests. She is the franchise PR guru. I hope for their sake they called her...

Valpak To Re-Franchise Some Major Markets

                                                                                                                                       

Valpak is a huge name in direct mail marketing, especially in the franchise industry. Well, according to the energetic dynamo's over at The Daily Franchise News blog, this is one franchisor that is ready to rock some more!

Read

See what Twitter can do for your blog/site

Here is some more Franchise News!

Alltop.com Franchise links.

Green Pizza Franchise; Pizza Fusion Co- Founder Shares His Vision

One of the better stories being bandied about in the franchise industry has to do with a real GREEN visionary. This franchisor seems to be doing a lot of things right. Imagine getting your hot pizza delivered only by Toyota Prius's....

                                                                                                                                                 

Like this exact one!

Can Pizza Fusion Continue It's Growth?

Vaughan Lazar:

"I have always been tied to the environment, and am a steward.  I surfed all my life and feel connected to the earth that way.  It’s so important to enjoy what you’re doing, so I spent 10 years running a non-green business, and I just burned out.... 

Continue this revealing interview over at the Ecopreneurist Blog 

Solar is here.

Franchise questions? Franchise answers.

Great Clips Franchise Sales Up 35% In 2008

Buy A Franchise Or Your Money Back

                                               

"We are offering this money back guarantee because we want potential franchise owners to know that even with concerns over the economy, we are experiencing tremendous growth and are committed to making SKYShades the premier tension membrane shade company in the industry," said Joe McKenna, executive vice president of SKYShades.

Skyshades is a fairly young franchisor out of Orlando, Florida.

Is their guarantee of $1.5 million in revenue over a three year period, a marketing ploy?

Subway Franchise Owners Rejoicing! Michael Phelps To Be Spokesperson...

                     

        

Olympic record holder Michael Phelps, the only athlete to win 14 Gold Medals, has agreed to partner with Subway Restaurants to help promote their fast food brand.

"Subway restaurants have always given me the options that I am looking for - whether that's healthy sandwiches before a big meet or the tasty meatball sub that I treat myself with," stated Michael Phelps. "I was ready to take my Subway fan-dom to the next level - I really think of Subway as a champion food option."

It doesn't get much stronger than that. Do you think Subway franchisees are happy about this new development? You-betcha!

Read More.

100+ Franchisors Now Using Constant Contact's Online Marketing Solutions

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.....

US Marine Is Helping Veterans

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.

Franchise Marketing!

                                                                                             

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}

Choosing A Franchise; Is The Franchise Concept's Brand Important To You?

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 Daily Franchise News Going Under

                         

The Daily Franchise News has gone underground to get the scoop on a franchise that I of course knew about, but didn't have the courage to report on. Sometimes, the lack of intelligence in some of the inventors of certain franchise concept's astounds me to the point of utter paralysis. In the case, morbid paralysis. I almost did a short post on this franchise a couple of  weeks ago, but as I said, just didn't have the courage.

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and Alexis Mattera, a hilarious gal who writes at The Daily Franchise News, has scooped me for the 1st time ever, so in the Halloween spirit {Get it..spirit...hehehe} I am refraining from putting a hex on her and the entire staff over at Sanderson PR for doing this.

Here is the story. Scary Stuff...

Facebook Now Delivering Pizza's!

                                     

Fellow Franchise blogger Dane Carlson is reporting that Pizza Hut and Facebook have made an interesting marketing alliance, the first of it's kind...

“We are moving fast to put our online customers in charge–any way they want to order from us, we’ll be there for them,” says Bob Kraut, vice president of marketing communications. “Facebook is the next logical step for Pizza Hut. As Facebook’s popularity grows among younger socially connected consumers we have the opportunity to provide a pizza experience they will love–our convenient ordering combined with Facebook’s relevance.”

Pretty good marketing idea, or just full of dough?

Read the story over at Dane Carlson's blog.

Do you really want to risk missing any other franchise articles? Just Subscribe!

Pizza Franchise May Give Its Franchisee's Loans

                                                 

Domino's Pizza, a large public company, and a franchisor, posted a weaker-than-expected quarterly profit due to a sharp drop in U.S. sales, the biggest independent U.S. pizza chain said on Tuesday, and its shares fell as much as 19 percent.

Like other pizza sellers, Domino's has faced weak domestic demand and higher costs for items like wheat and cheese. At the same time, U.S. consumers are more likely to prepare their own meals at home to save money. More...

According to Wall Street Journal, Domino's said it will save its cash and potentially make loans directly to its franchisees, because of the current credit crunch. Read a little.

Do I smell some good PR opportunities, here, or, is that just the pepperoni sizzling...??

Will a Solid Business Plan Help You?

More on franchisee credit problems. Read the story.

West Coast Franchise Expo Coming Soon! Read About The Exhibitors

                              

November 7th is the 1st day of this huge Franchise Show that takes place in LA. This show attracts potential franchise owners who wish to look around and spend some time with those concepts that interest them.

If you are planning to go, one way to hone in on some choices is to check out The Daily Franchise News Blog. Those feisty Chicago gals run a dog-gone good blog, and they have hooked up with MFV Expositions to present a "Meet The Exhibitor" series all this month. Check out The Daily Franchise News Blog frequently for tidbits about some of the Franchise Expo exhibitors. Here is the link to the 1st franchise concept being featured...   

Green Franchise Scores A Post; In The HUFFINGTON Post!

WOW! I know of one franchise concept that is probably not having any trouble finding new franchise owners. I have written about their food franchise several times in the past two years, and their concept is right for the times.

Who are you talking about, Joel? 

Why are you teasing me, Joel

See if you can figure out what concept out of the 3 mentioned I am talking about. On The Huffington Post.

Previous stories about this franchise. Here!

Add some pizzaz to your website or blog. Look!

Finance one.

US News And World Report Discusses Blogging For Business

                                          

Blogging. Blogs. Bloggers. BlogWorld. If you spend anytime online, the word blog is quite familiar. Blogs of course used to called Weblogs. A type of diary, weblogs have turned into pseudo websites. If you have a corporate website, you should probably have a blog. Matthew Bandyk, a reporter for US News And World Report, and the one who runs their Risky Business Blog, just wrote about just how important it is to have a blog now. Read All About It.

Want Some Help Starting A Blog?

Stay Up To Date On Franchise Trends/News. Subscribe To This Blog. {On Upper Right Side Of Page}

Add This To Your Blog. WOW!

Simple And Inexpensive Franchise Marketing Available Here; Exit Now!

                                                                                            

If you are in the business of franchising, another words are a franchisor,or a supplier to the industry, your business is probably being hurt by the current US economic downturn.{To say the least!} What should you be doing?

Young Franchise Concepts; Marketing Surprises Await!

                                              

Just because you have been able to franchise your business, doesn't  mean you know how to attract the right franchise owners. Did you really think that your phones would start ringing with salivating potential franchisees, a month after your official launch? Every new franchisor wishes it was that easy...    

 Read my Allbusiness.com article.

Check out TurnItUpMarketing.com

Franchise Marketing News Page

For those of you interested in the latest Franchise Marketing News, I have added a new page to my Franchise Marketing Site. I will keep you updated on all the new marketing trends, both online, and offline. If it relates to franchising and small business, it will be on that page. Enjoy!

TurnItUpMarketing Franchise Marketing News

Grab the feed, and stay up to date   

Marketing. Blog World Expo Is In Vegas Next Month!

                                             

I made the mistake of missing last year's Blog World Expo. Not this year....

If you are involved in marketing, PR, or media relations, and you are not up to speed on just how powerful and important blogging has become, then I just cannot help you. If you are aware of the power of blogging, and bloggers, then attending this expo could be really beneficial. It is being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the Blog World website has a list of some pretty inexpensive hotels in the area.

Grab the Discount coupon on the lower right hand side of this page, and sign-up! Below are links to the conference schedule,and a huge list of speakers that will be discussing how to better your blogging, and better your relationships with bloggers. See you there?

Blog World Speakers

1st day Conference Schedule

Crazy New Franchise Website Added to AllTop.com

                                              

Guy Kawasaki and his staff over at Alltop.com have just added a rather bizarre franchise website to it's 'humor" section. But first off, why all the buzz about Alltop.com?

THIS Franchisee Loves Helping Others

      

           
         Sanderson PR 

The fine folks at Sanderson PR shared an uplifting story today about a franchisee of Express Employment Professionals, the re-branded name of Express Personnel, out of Oklahoma. This is a great week for Express. I just mentioned some positive stuff about Express's CEO, Bob Funk, on my weekly AllBusiness.com article. He stepped up big time, and wrote a $50k check last December to the American Red Cross after the ice storms in Oklahoma.

In Sanderson's Daily Franchise News Blog, they profile Palbinder Badesha, a California franchise owner of express Employment Professionals, who says “There is no better thrill than helping someone get a job – it really does change their life,.”Badesha opened her Express Employment Professionals office in March 2006 in Corona, California

Read the rest of the article on the Daily Franchise News, here...

Is a staffing business in your future? Is any franchise-type business in your future?

Please go to our company website, and find out if we can help you select a great franchise to own!

Of course you can TakeTheFranchiseQuiz.com

{Not to be confused with a copycat version, in which this franchise brokerage firm requires you to give them pages and pages of personal info before you can take their "test"}

New Franchise Follies Website 2nd Website To Break News Of New Angelina Jolie-Pitt Franchise!

WOW! A "getting kinda popular" new franchise website, recently launched by this blogger, is getting a tremendous amount of traffic today, by being not the 1st, but the 2nd major small business website to break some celebrity news, today.

Franchise Follies has the story on this new Jolie-Pitt future franchise offering. The blogosphere is humming with the news, and a few bloggers are getting creative, by coming up with some new names for these "clinics." I have a feeling that mine will win out, though.

      

  Mine:

 

"A Womb With a View" 

7-Eleven Slurpees Are Free On July 11th!

                                                   

On 7-11 you can have a Slurpee on 7-Eleven. So, on July 11th, go into your nearby 7-Eleven, and slurp up a Free Slurpy*. 

Where is the nearest 7-Eleven located, you may ask?

Look Here!

{I am accepting Slurpee deliveries between the hours of 7 and 11 only, at my office.}

                                          

                                                   
                                                          My Office!

*Are you a lifetime member of the 7-Eleven or Speedway Slurpee Club?

The US Economy VS. The Franchise Industry

                                       

                                                       

The President of The International Franchise Association has some pretty darn positive things to say about how well the franchise industry has weathered the economy, in the past. He talks about those great 2001-2005 Franchise growth charts. Matthew Shay is supposed to say positive things about franchising, no matter what is happening. If I was the President of The IFA, I would probably do the same thing. Or, would I?

Keep reading, please.......