Great Clips Opens New Franchises in Texas

Great Clips Opens Franchised Salon in Live Oak, Texas
March 16, 2009 - Rob Goggins, vice president of franchise development for Great Clips, Inc., announced the Grand Opening of the company’s newest franchised salon in the Gateway Plaza Shopping Center in Bexar County, TX.
“This manager-run salon sits in a high-trafficked shopping center on the corner of Highway 35 and Loop 1604,” said Goggins. “This thriving regional mall in the northeast quadrant of San Antonio is anchored by Target, Home Depot, Kohl’s and Best Buy. The demographics of the area are well-suited for our value-priced, no appointment necessary service.”
For a complete list of salon locations, go to http://www.greatclipsfranchise.com.
“Our franchise owners open to a $55-billion hair-care industry. With more than $700 million in total system-wide sales, Great Clips is the industry leader,” said Goggins. “We’re in a growing market. People get their hair cut every four to five weeks, and our same-store sales have increased consistently for several years.”
About Great Clips:
Great Clips is North America’s largest hair-care brand with more than 2,700 salons conveniently located in high-visibility strip malls in nearly 140 markets. Great Clips consistently ranks among Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500Ò. Entrepreneur also ranks Great Clips as one of their Fastest Growing and one of America’s Top Global Franchises for 2009. For more information, go to http://www.greatclipsfranchise.com. Great Clips, Inc., 7700 France Avenue S., Suite 425, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435. Contact Rob Goggins, vice president of franchise development, office (952) 746-6467.

The Strength of Franchising

Unlike the exciting cliff hanger football game that is a Mecca for mass-marketers,
franchised businesses again dominated in advertising buys in 2009. During
Super Bowl XLIII, companies engaged in franchising outspent all other
combined enterprises by an estimated $14 million dollars.

These numbers are even more dramatic when 23 NBC network promotional spots
and 7.5 NFL spots are added to the mix. Both NBC and the NFL have
franchised affiliates, and if the value of these 30+ ads are factored in the
amount balloons to more than $100 million. In all, 64% (81.5 ads) of some
128 ads that aired during the 4 hour game broadcast came from businesses
engaged in franchising.

According to American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) Chairman
Robert Purvin, who launched the organization?s Advertising Super Bowl survey
22 years ago, ?Super Bowl advertising continues to demonstrate the power of
franchising. How else can small business owners afford to share their
messages with almost 100 million households at one time??

Financial markets have been paying close attention to the willingness of
advertisers to embrace the high ticket cost of advertising on network
television?s grandest stage, with many concerned the Super Bowl advertising
would be yet one more victim of an economic meltdown. If anything,
franchisors have seemed to ratchet up marketing efforts to fight back
against slowing sales.

NBC reportedly charged a record average price of almost $3 million per
30-second spot ($100,000 per second). The higher cost didn't seem to impact
advertiser demand as NBC reported it sold out the available 69 national
network spots. (Each local network affiliate franchise sold about 30 local
spots). The total number of spots played during the game earned NBC an
estimated $270 million dollars.

Yet for a single 30 second spot of $1.5 million, the advertising cost for a
ubiquitous franchise such as McDonald's (who aired two ads this year) breaks
down to under $100 per store when divided among the approximate 15,000 US
restaurants in the chain. ?The collective marketing power among franchised
businesses is formidable,? adds Purvin.

Among companies that market through franchising, those companies that
manufacture products that are distributed through independent dealer
networks (called ?product franchisors? in the trade) easily dominated the ad
buys. A robust 37 ads were placed by companies who sell cars, beverages,
cosmetics and insurance through independent networks.

Business format franchisors -- those businesses that consumers traditionally
associate with franchising ? accounted for 21 commercials (double the number
from 2008), including spots from McDonald's, Taco Bell, Cars.com, and
regional entries (on the West Coast where the survey was conducted) from
Jack-in-the Box. The business format segment was even more active in the
pre and post-game markets.

Budweiser again led all advertisers with 4 minutes of air time (about 8
spots), earning it exclusive rights to broadcast during the game and
shutting out competitors Miller Brewing and Coors (both of which advertised
in the pre-game).

After Anheuser-Busch, only six advertisers ran more than one or two
commercial spots. Pepsi was second to Budweiser, buying several minutes of
ad time among its franchised soft drink brands and its non-franchised
Frito-Lay brands (primarily Doritos). Hyundai ran several spots during the
game as well during the Pre-game show. Honda and Toyota each ran multiple
spots for various brands.

American car manufacturers were missing from the prime time telecast. For
the first time in years, cooperative networks such as the California Cheese
Association, Ace Hardware and the Almond Growers Association all stayed
away.

Between 2:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Eastern time, consumers were ?treated? to
almost 2 hours and fifteen minutes of thirty-second ads (approximately 270),
64% of which were placed by companies engaged in franchising. This was
about the same ratio as 2007 and 2008.

Entertainment related ads, primarily motion picture promos, led the
non-franchised segment with 16 spots. Manufacturers slid to second place
with 13 ads, including electronics, food producers and pharmaceuticals.
Retailers fell off dramatically, with one ad each from Best Buy and Kay
Jewelers, as compared to 9 spots placed in 2008. On the flip side, on-line
retailers showed a dramatic increase, with multiple spots run by
Monster.com, GoDaddy.com and E-Trade, among several others.

During the game approximately 67 different companies advertised. In
addition there were two public service announcements.

This year?s crop of ads were less striking than past years, with no
candidate seemingly destined for the Super Bowl Ad Hall of Fame, although
E-Trade?s infant stock trader was quite clever. Three other memorable ads
were delivered by Budweiser (with a Clydesdale pursuing love and the
American Dream) and an office mate being thrown out of a third story
building for suggesting that his company save money by no longer providing
free Bud Light. Coca-Cola offered a clever ?reincarnation? of the famous
Mean Joe Green encounter with a young fan, with All Pro defensive back, Troy
Polamalu, tackling a Coca-Cola executive to avenge his young fan.

About the AAFD

The American Association of Franchisees and Dealers is the oldest and
largest direct member non-profit trade association representing the
interests of franchisees and independent dealer networks throughout the
United States. The AAFD was formed in 1992 with a mission to define and
promote collaborative franchise cultures that the AAFD describes as Total
Quality Franchising. Stressing market solutions and franchisee empowerment
through independent franchisee associations, the AAFD has grown to represent
more than 50,000 franchised businesses nationwide, with members in all 50
states.

The AAFD's Fair Franchising Standards, Fair Franchising Seal, Trademark
Chapters, and emphasis on marketplace solutions led to the Association's
recognition as a growing force in franchising. The AAFD?s Branded Partner
programs add a new dimension to the value of AAFD membership. The AAFD
provides a broad range of member services designed to help franchisees build
market power, create legislative support of interest to franchisees, provide
legal and financial support, and provide a wide range of general member
benefits.

For more information about the conference or the AAFD, please call toll free
? 610-209-3775 or visit www.AAFD.org.

Franchise Information - Choice Hotels

CHOICE HOTELS is the leading hotel franchisor with more than 60 years' experience in developing brands and services that optimize hotel performance. Our single focus is on enhancing the return on investment for our owners and growing our brands strategically. Brands include COMFORT INN, COMFORT SUITES, QUALITY, SLEEP INN, CLARION, MAINSTAY SUITES, ECONO LODGE, and RODEWAY INN, and our new boutique brand extension, CLARION COLLECTION. Either convert an existing location or build a new one.

Franchisor Background
Year Established: 1940
Franchising Since: 1940

Franchised Units:
5,300

Company-Owned Units:
0

Geographic Distribution:
U.S.:
3,636
75.6%
In 50 States
Canada:
260
5.4%
In 10 Canadian Provinces
International:
914
19%
In 0 Foreign Countries

Total:
4,810
100.0%

North America:States/Provinces with the largest number of operating units:
Density
Units
1. California 251
2. Florida 205
3. Texas 258

Registered in Following Registration States: California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, District Of Columbia

Financial Requirements
Investment:
Minimum Net Worth:
$Varies
Cash Investment:
$20-30% Costs
Total Investment:
$2.3-12.6M
Average Total Investment:
$7450K

Fees:
Initial Franchise Fee:
$25-50K
Average Franchise Fee:
$38K
On-Going Royalty:
2.75-5.1%
Average Royalty:
4%
Advertising Fee:
1.75% Rev.
Average Number of Employees: Varies Full-time, 0 Part-time

Space Needs (in square footage): 31,000-33,000

Preferred Sites: Free-standing Building

Francorp Process

Franchising Checklist
Steps to take to expand your business
Assess the feasibility of Franchising
Gather information
Attend a Franchise Seminar
Read books on franchising
Talk with a Franchise Analyst
Take a Franchisability Quiz
Looking at all of your growth options
Grow internally
Find investors
Franchise
Franchise
Business opportunity
Licensing
Meet with a Franchise Consultant
Tour the Headquarters
Are the systems in which the consulting firm follows in developing your franchise program proven
In-House vs.
Outsourced
How many years has the firm been in business
Review their client list
Call references
What work did the consulting company do for referral
Why did they choose to work with consulting company
Is the work done in house by fulltime employees
Is it clear that the communication between the employees working on your program is free from barriers like:
Not working together
Having to work communicate via phone, instead of face to face
How many times a week do the employees see each other
Working at different locations
Is there a project manager to head up your project
Do you really want to franchise
Meet face to face with consultants at their place of business for advice
Talk with business advisors, close friends, and family
Evaluate your current resources for moving forward with franchising
Financial
People
"The heart" or Drive
Moving forward with franchising
Hiring a consultant and finding the right company
Do they have a proven business system
Go to place of business
Hiring a lawyer
Mistakes to avoid while looking at franchising
Do not make assumptions
Do not meet with a lawyer only
Legal documents do not drive the business
All lawyers claim to be franchise specialists
This is not easy to do if you have never franchised a business before
Developing a franchise company is much different than being a franchisee

How to Franchise - Marketing

What makes franchise marketing effective?
The perpetual question on every franchisor’s mind today is how do I keep generating good quality leads for franchise sales in this economy? When the going gets tough, the franchisor needs to get creative. The great thing about franchise marketing is that it is very targeted and specific. When was the last time you saw a Super Bowl Ad marketing for new franchisees? It’s just not that likely. The reason is simple, the consumer advertising we see every day is expensive because of the reach and coverage. It is worthwhile for a company to advertise for car insurance when almost anyone who sees the TV commercial could be a potential client. That is not the case when advertising for a franchisee, the franchisee is a clearly defined candidate. The demographics have hopefully been defined ahead of time, the areas of interest are predetermined, the capital requirements and all other attributes are clearly defined. Thus, the advertising is much more focused and generally speaking less expensive.
The different avenues that franchisors use for franchise marketing run the gambit. The Internet of course is the most widely used medium, about 74% of all franchise leads today come from the web. Print Media can be effective based on the readership and specificity of a publication. Direct Mailings can work in some instances as well as Email Marketing Campaigns. Tradeshows are the most showy and grand of the marketing mediums for franchise lead generation and can also be a wonderful way to market a franchise. When it comes down to it there are a lot of avenues…but how does a franchisor know where to spend their ad budget? How do they determine where they will get the most “bang for their buck”? There are several keys that my firm has lived by when it comes to franchise marketing, if these key issues are clearly and completely defined and addressed, the franchise marketing process can be a lot of fun and generate great leads. If these key points are ignored or only briefly addressed, the franchise marketing process can drive a franchisor mad!
1. Define your Buyer. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Ready, Fire, Aim!” It sounds funny, that’s because it doesn’t make sense! The first goal of the franchise marketing effort should be to clearly define the buyer. I don’t mean “salesperson with a desire to succed”…..I mean, “Female, ages 28-37, Midwest and Southeastern US, Household income between $75k-100k, work experience with kitchen products, married, preferably with children.” We want specifics, down to every last detail. Once we completely figure out who this franchisee is, then we can more effectively plan our marketing.
2. Establish franchise sales goals. Clearly identify the marketing approach. Start first with how many franchises you plan on selling into the system within the next 6 months and year. Don’t plan much further than that, because beyond that point you will most likely have to redo this plan based on then current circumstances. Once we have the goals set, we then can back out of that equation. Typically we are looking at around 1000 qualified leads for every 50-100 meetings with prospective franchisees. From those meetings the closing percentage is typically around 5%. So if we determine that we would like 5 franchises to open during the first 12 months of rolling out the franchise, we need to plan on generating 1000 leads during those first 12 months. The beauty of franchise marketing is that it is very measureable and much easier to track then consumer marketing…we can actually tell how effective it is!
3. Determine the advertising mediums. Different buyers can be reached via different advertising avenues. In some franchises all of the marketing can be done over the Internet, in others the marketing has to be done through direct mailers to specified candidates….like doctors in the case of a rapid care facility. Outline the pros and cons of each medium and establish the most effective based on the cost. This is where the importance of the defined franchise buyer comes through.
4. Establish the Budget. The average cost per lead on the Internet is around $30, the average cost from a tradeshow can be as much as $200 when factoring in travel, time, booth set up and other costs. So take into account some kind of an average cost based on the advertising venues you have determined will be most effective at reaching the target audience. For those thousand leads you may need $10,000 in advertising dollars for that first year to hit the 5 franchises sold.
5. Create the Collateral materials. A Franchise is a big investment for most franchisees, in fact for many of the buyers it is literally everything they have. The franchise offering should look extremely professional and really has to be buttoned up. This means that the brochure should be top quality, there should be a sales video to present to the buyer what the business entails and helps create excitement in the franchise. Pamphlets and handouts should be put together. All of this built around creating value in the business offering, not the product or service that the business offers. The overall theme should be “Mr. or Mrs. Franchisee, you can make a great living doing this, and have fun while you’re at it.” Franchise buyers fall in love with franchise concepts because they envision themselves running a business doing what the franchisor does. The collateral materials should be the vehicle that sparks that interest in the franchisee’s mind.
6. Put together a comprehensive application form. There should be two forms in the end…one that the franchisee fills out initially to give the franchisor initial information from which the franchisor can make a decision if they want to follow up with the prospect any further. This should be basic information that the franchisor should know up front as soon as possible in the sales process, like how much capital do you have to invest! The second form will go into much more detail and would be sent with the brochure and information packet. This form should go into work history and personal background, so that the franchisor can really get to know who this prospect is and what they are all about.
7. Execution. Franchise marketing is like all advertising and marketing, it isn’t a science, although it is much closer to one than consumer marketing, it still varies a great deal in its effectiveness and results. Some times, just when things are getting to the point where a franchisor is thinking they should throw in the towel and call it quits is when they really should do some MORE advertising! It takes consistency. The franchise buyers can be fickle, lots of time it has nothing to do with the franchise offering or the marketing, but rather with the franchisees life and circumstances. They do come back and look again, we want to be there when that prospect makes the buying decision.
8. Excellent Follow Up. Great franchisors have wonderful salesmanship in the sales process. Leads should be followed up with immediately upon contact. Phone calls are important and there should be high frequency between calls until a contact is made. The franchise sales process isn’t rocket science, it just takes hard work and good planning.

Christopher Conner
Vice President
Francorp, Inc.
www.francorp.com

The Francorp Difference

The Francorp Difference
Our first step is always to determine your franchisability. Francorp differs from other companies that are focused on selling their services. It's important to us that we work only with companies that are franchisable . We want you to be educated about the franchising process, and about how long you should expect the successful franchise offering to take .
Do you own one of those companies? Is your company ready to succeed? We can fast track the process without interfering with your potential to succeed.
And if you don't yet have a company, but do have the necessary funds, Francorp can help you develop a franchisable idea from the ground up.
All Under One Roof
Successful systems create successful franchises, and our unique Proven Method maximizes your chances of success and minimizes costly mistakes. We also offer an array of resources that speak to our leadership in the industry.
In franchising as in so many other fields, there is no substitute for experience. Francorp's professional staff is the largest and most experienced in franchising, and you get the benefit of our collective credentials. It's no accident we're considered the industry leader.
As a result, your services and franchise help are performed "in-house," not delegated to outside contractors who may have no expertise in franchising. We employ a full-time staff of professionals to create franchise structure, franchise documents, marketing strategies and materials, operations manuals, sales training, video presentations, and general consulting.
Information about each client is shared among the professionals involved in order to keep the work product consistent from department to department.
A Comprehensive Franchise Program
It's normal to be nervous about what to expect when you've never done this before. Francorp has developed a step-by-step procedure to support you through the franchising process.
When you first contact Francorp, you won't get a sales pitch. You won't be pressured at all. But by time you leave your first meeting with one of our consultants, you'll walk out with an action plan to either become more franchisable, or to start the franchising process.
Franchise structure - As a first step in creating a franchise program, Francorp consultants prepare a written franchise analysis based upon your business, its competition, and the franchise industry at large.
Franchise agreement - Francorp's in-house attorneys, with input from Francorp's operations, marketing, and strategic consultants, will draft the principal agreement that binds you to your franchisees.
Franchise offering circular - Francorp's legal department will draft an offering circular which will meet both Federal Trade Commission requirements and those of the states in which you intend to sell franchises.
State registration materials - Requirements of the states differ, and Francorp personnel will gather the proper materials and prepare the necessary forms required by each state where you wish to sell franchises.
Operations manual - Everything from company philosophy to advertising, from franchisee reporting to employee recruitment, from inventory acquisition to day-to-day operating procedures is included in your operations manual.
Marketing plan - To aid your franchise sales lead generation, Francorp's marketing department provides the media strategy, media budget, and media schedule. We also develop advertising copy and layouts, and/or direct mail materials, to generate interest among your target franchise prospects.
Franchise brochure - Because the prospect's first impression of your franchise is often created by a brochure, Francorp will design a brochure with special emphasis on exciting graphic design, and will describe in detail the elements of your franchise which make it attractive to prospective franchises.
Franchise sales training - During a two-day seminar, Francorp will instruct your franchise sales staff on all elements of the process, from legal considerations to closing techniques.
Implementation consulting – you'll always have ready access to professional assistance in all of Francorp's specialties during the critical period of franchise development.
Whenever problems or questions arise during this period, you may consult at no charge with any member of our project team.
Plus, you'll also receive a copyrighted 400-page manual covering all topics introduced in the franchise sales seminar in even greater detail.
Francorp's Track Record Of Success
Francorp has the most success stories of any franchise consultant. See our proven track record of client references who've succeeded with Francorp, and how we made a difference in their success. Learn the story behind our success to understand how Francorp came to be the franchising leader, and why it matters to you.
Attend an upcoming event to spend some time with Francorp's consultants. Or, visit our Chicago headquarters to see where it all takes place.
Every company is different, so we give you options for getting the process started. If you think you are franchisable, and that we can make a difference for you, call us to speak directly with one of Francorp's senior consultants. Perhaps you'd prefer to ask a question or inquire about our services online. Contact us and see how Francorp can assist your franchising efforts.
Francorp's difference can also be seen in our pricing structure. We understand the financial concerns of owner-operated companies, and offer you pricing and payment options to fund the future.

Own Your Own Business Seminar - Atlanta

"Own Your Own Business" SEMINAR
________________________________________________

MARKETCORP in 2009, presents the most powerful, educational Business Opportunity seminar nationwide! FREE ADMISSION to the public, with No Cost to attendees. Check below for schedules, cities, dates, location & time nearest you. There are 16 major cities (TBA), beginning in Atlanta, GA USA. Our Mission is to help people "GO TO WORK DOING WHAT THEY LOVE.......Creating more and more jobs". More on this page................OUR SEMINARS ARE RSVP ONLY. Due to the overwhelming popularity and availability, you will need to register well in advance, to reserve a FREE seat for these events. (REGISTER BELOW AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE)MarketCorp and Francorp, the largest Franchise Development Company worldwide, consulting over 10,000 companies, team up to bring you a (2) Hour, 100 Slide Video presentation, highlighting the Advantages and Disadvantages of the three major ways of owning a business: 1. Starting a Business from Scratch. 2. Buying an Existing Business. 3. Buying a Franchise Business. All critical components of running a business are covered, such as advertising, taxes, payroll, licenses, employees, state & local laws, financing, sales, accounting, vendors, market trends, business statistics and much more. This is the most powerful learning tool in the industry! Even people who've been in business for years, learn things they didn't know, from this presentation of material, given by well known experts with years of experience.Buy A Franchise Opportunity in your area and Own Your Own Business!Also, you'll be introduced to several successful Franchise Business Opportunities in the areas of Healthcare, Restaurant, Professional Services, Business Services, Auto Service, Home-Based businesses and more. Take advantage of SPECIAL INCENTIVES AND DISCOUNTS, that are available only during the seminar attendance. These aren't your normal opportunities!Opportunities range from $25k - 2 Million. We require that you have at least 25k in liquid cash and a Net Worth of at least 50k or more, in order to attend the seminar. If you're serious about owning your own successful business, then you'll need cash to get started. Financing may be available for some of the total investment, but in today's business climate, lenders require liquid cash and tangible assets to secure business loans.The caliber of this seminar IS NOT for the occasional tire kicker who doesn't have any money or isn't that serious about owning and running a successful business. Our Franchise Business Opportunities are successful businesses, searching for successful partners who want to grow and expand. These are NOT start-up companies - they have a successful track record.You'll meet Kent Boxberger, President & CEO of MarketCorp, with over 25 years experience in major business expansion, as well as, many other professionals who bring years of experience for your use. Please BE ON TIME, as you won't want to miss this presentation from beginning to end! Doors will close 15 minutes after start time.Don't miss this event! Remember, the seminar event is FREE at No Cost to You, but you MUST RSVP early in advance to get a reserved seat! Otherwise, you will be charged $125 per person, the day of the event, to attend. There are a limited number of seats and when these are filled, unfortunately there are no more reservations available. _________________________________________________ SEMINAR SCHEDULE(16 Cities TBA)

February 25, 2009
Atlanta, GA,
7:00 p.m. Evening, Crowne Plaza
Hotel - Ravinia
4355 Ashford Dunwoody Rd.,
Atlanta, GA 30346
Gardenia Room
888-444-0401

Small Cafes Doing Well Despite Downturn

Cup of competition: small cafes holding their own
By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI
The Associated Press
Friday, February 13, 2009; 3:48 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/13/AR2009021302304_pf.html

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Steam releases in a long psssssssssss. Coffee drips and glasses clink. Coffee lovers in the hotel lobby closely watch baristas prepare their crafts: espressos and cappuccinos that can win them the title of best coffee maker on the East Coast.
While business owners large and small lay off workers, cut costs and freeze expansions in a bid to survive the worst recession in decades, many small cafes are enjoying double-digit profits, opening new shops and spending time and money to boost their images in competitions like this one recently held outside of Pittsburgh.
Economists are baffled by the phenomenon. They say it could be part of a backlash against large corporations _ such as Starbucks _ and a move by consumers to carefully choose where to spend each dollar and opt for what they perceive to be a high-quality cup of coffee made by a well-trained barista.
Starbucks turned a luxury into a necessity and everybody needs their coffee, said Constantine Stavropoulos, owner of Tryst coffee shop in Washington, D.C.
"Now they're saying if I still need it why would I go to Starbucks when I have this alternative," he added. "People are really beginning to re-recognize the neighborhood coffee shop," he added.
Small coffee shop owners are doing everything to maintain their loyal clientele and attract new customers, especially those disillusioned by Starbucks and other chain coffee shops.
Cafe owners are pulling out the stops: They're blogging; diligently selecting roasters; upgrading and changing menus frequently; chatting with customers in an effort to foster relationships; training baristas for months; and ultimately trying to provide a unique atmosphere.
Tryst has a message board on its Web site where people who exchanged smiles or sly glances over a latte can try to reconnect in a 21st-century forum. Stavropoulos calls Tryst calls the sought after "third place," not home and not work, and says it stands "in stark contrast to the suburban culture and coffee chains that proliferate the country."
Starbucks, meanwhile, has reported a 10-percent drop in same-store sales, is closing nearly 1,000 shops and cutting at least 7,000 jobs. The chain's profits in its most recent quarter were down 69 percent.
On the other hand, Stavropoulos said his coffee shop enjoyed a 4 percent increase in sales in 2008, although he did see it slowdown a bit in the last three months of the year. Still, he said, he is plowing ahead with plans to open another cafe later this year.
Ken Zeff, owner of Crazy Mocha, a 9-year-old chain of coffee shops in Pittsburgh, says his comparative sales were up 12 percent year-over-year in 2008 and he is planning to open his 21st shop in the first quarter of this year. He is also looking at three or four other potential sites to launch later in the year.
Kiva Han Coffee, a gourmet roaster that supplies coffee to retailers in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and parts of West Virginia, grew 40 percent in 2008, and about 90 percent of its business comes from small coffee shops, president and owner Ed Wethli said.
All told, Wethli said he helped 30 new cafes open their doors in 2008, supplying them with everything from cups and equipment to the syrup used in the drinks.
"There's a real local initiative with people to buy from people in their community and ... coffee bars represent one area where you can definitely walk with your feet and support somebody local," Wethli said. "All of us feel a little betrayed by the big corporations that have really put us in a tailspin here."
Economists say the trend contradicts expectations in a slow economy. Typically the weakest competitors _ often the smallest business owners _ are weeded out, failing first and fast.
But Esther Gal-Or, a professor in the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business, said it may be small cafes are succeeding because they have the flexibility to adapt to a failing economy.
Jeffrey Inman, a marketing professor at the University of Pittsburgh, said part of the shift away from Starbucks could be "a backlash against some of the corporate greed we've seen."
"If I have a relationship with the baristas and they know who I am and they know what I usually get that drives it too," Inman said. "And the small guys tend to be better at doing that then the big guys. I would call that the 'Cheers' effect, where everybody knows your name."
At the recent Northeast, Mid-Atlantic Region Barista Competition, Luke Shaffer was moved to tears to see some of his regulars at the 21st Street Coffee and Tea drove 30 minutes from Pittsburgh to see him perform.
For cafe owners like Shaffer, the competition was an opportunity to learn as well as a chance to market themselves _ key to businesses that do little to no advertising.
"Customers are kind of callous toward advertising," Shaffer said, noting that even without it he enjoyed monthly sales growth in 2008 of 20 percent to 50 percent. "I would rather focus my resources and my time on just improving our product and word of mouth has brought us a lot of wonderful press."
On his lunch break at the Crazy Mocha in downtown Pittsburgh, Nathan Eber, a 32-year-old ombudsman with Allegheny Health Choices, is reading a book and listening to his iPod while sipping coffee. The earth-tone orange walls, the comfy chair and the relaxing music all play into his decision to buy his coffee every day at this local coffee shop rather than at the Starbucks down the block.
Even when he goes home, he chooses to frequent the local coffee shops in his neighborhood, and has been doing this for quite some time.
"I do work hard for my money," Eber said, "and I choose to put money in businesses where I know it's going to come right back into the community."

Francorp Client Success in 2009

Francorp Client Success in 2009.

Francorp Clients continue with great success through difficult economic times! Recently in the past months Entreprenuer has again released the coveted Franchise 500 list, which is a documented list of the fastest growing 500 franchise systems in the U.S. Each year companies and professionals in the franchise industry wait anxciously to see who has made the list, which industries are growing quickly and how all the top franchise companies are doing currently.

Francorp is acknowledged as the industry leader in franchise development and consulting work in launching and developing new and existing franchise concepts and organizations. Francorp has been in business for over 33 years with almost 20 offices around the world. Clients have included McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Auntie Anne's, Omni Hotels, Jimmy Johns, 800-Flowers and many others. This year on the Franchise 500 list, Francorp has 112 clients with whom the firm has worked with at some point, or continues to work with.

112 of the top 500 fastest growing franchise systems have worked with Francorp Consulting.

Francorp works with companies of all sizes and years in the franchise business. Here are some of Francorp's more recent clients who are experienceing success right now in 2009. These are franchise systems that will in the years to come gain more and more exposure, but for right now are just getting a foothold in the market.

Patrice and Associates, www.PatriceandAssociates.com - 3 franchises sold in 2009 Hot Box Pizza, www.gethotboxpizza.com – first franchise soldPlay Party, www.playparty.net – first franchiseAdvanced Maintenance, www.advancedmaint.com – 7th locationSofi’s Crepes, www.sofiscrepes.com – 3rd location -1st franchise in 2009Al’s Beef and Nancy’s Pizza, www.alsbeef.com - 6 Franchises sold in 2009

For more information on other great franchise concepts and on how to franchise a business, visit Francorp's corporate site, www.francorp.com.

Francorp Client J.D. Byrider

CARMEL, IN - J D Byrider, one of the most successful franchises systems, is expanding, even after its founder and CEO, James F. DeVoe, was lost in a March plane crash. Already this year J.D. Byrider Systems has opened five franchises in Blacksburg, VA; Nashville, TN; Pittsburgh, PA; Salt Lake City, UT; and San Antonio, TX. Still to open are Belleville and Springfield in IL; Clarksburg, WV; Kernersville, NC; Pinellas Park, FL; Fort Worth, TX; Kansas City, MO; and Pittsburgh, PA.
“These new dealerships, opened by existing and new franchisees, are a sure sign that the Byrider business model for selling used cars continues to be healthy and lucrative,” said William E. Ackermann, the corporation’s vice president of franchise operations. “This is the strongest possible endorsement of our product. Our franchise owners are smart enough to know a good thing when they see it—and own it.”
“From an increased focus on customer care, to attracting more franchisees who are socially responsible, the Byrider brand keeps getting better,” said Chris Hadley, co-owner of three stores and a Byrider franchisee since 1995. “That’s why we didn’t hesitate to open a new store in Nashville.” The store opened in February and employs 30 people, selling nearly 50 cars per month. He is also a part owner of stores in Kentucky and Indiana.
“After selling my sightseeing-by-plane business in Hawaii, I spent a year investigating other business opportunities, and landed on J.D. Byrider,” said Blake Johnson, whose brother Drew is also an owner. “It beat out 10 other business models I studied because with Byrider you don’t have to reinvent the wheel—you get assistance every step of the way.”
With dealerships in 28 states and 25 years of experience, J.D. Byrider is the nation’s largest and oldest used-car franchise. Byrider enjoys significantly high levels of customer satisfaction—94 percent, higher than most new car dealers.

Francorp Client - Crepes A-Go-Go Featured

Crepes-a-Go-Go in Dupont Circle
The sweet banana and Nutella crepe. (Lois Raimondo - The Washington Post)

washington_po284:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/03/AR2009020300572.html

» Links to this article Wednesday, February 4, 2009; Page F03
"This one is dangerous," one of our tasters declared after a bite of the cream cheese, salmon, egg and tomato crepe ($7.95). So were the cheddar and apple and, of course, the banana and Nutella crepes. And that was after a 20-minute walk in the icy cold back to the office.
Crepes shouldn't travel this well. And yet the ones from Crepes-a-Go-Go are good no matter where you eat them. The pancakes are crisp and lacy. The fillings are fresh, and all the crepes are made to order; sure beats that same old sandwich.
Mourad Kacimi opened his first Crepes-a-Go-Go, an outlet of a close friend's chain in California, in the Kentlands in Gaithersburg in November 2005. I recently visited his second shop, in Dupont Circle, which opened last April and has more than 70 combinations to choose from.
I like the tangy buckwheat batter for savory pancakes such as in the sauteed spinach ($7) crepe, a beautiful balance of sweet, salty and creamy with its just-wilted greens, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese. The traditional ham and cheese ($4.95), which was generous but not overstuffed, is a classic for a reason; the cheddar cheese and apple ($5.75) should be considered a classic, too. Its cheese is sharp and the apple crunchy; it's a great alternative to usual vegetarian options.
On the sweet side, many will go for that banana and Nutella ($4.95), and you can't really go wrong there. But there's something about the crepes with cream cheese that has my attention. A thin layer of the white stuff balances the sweetness in, for example, the special brown sugar and cinnamon crepe ($5.95). It tasted like the cream cheese cinnamon toast my grandmother made, but better. (Sorry, Grandma!)
If you can, eat your crepe in the cheery cafe with its prerequisite music of French chanteuse Edith Piaf playing softly in the background. If you can't, the toaster oven back at home or the office is your friend. We reheated our crepes at 350 degrees for six to eight minutes. Flip them over halfway through to bring back the nice crispness on both sides.
Crepes-a-Go-Go also touts its house-made gelati and sorbets ($3.75 small, $4.45 medium, $4.95 large). But those aren't quite as authentic. The consistency of the gelati I tried was hard, rather than smooth, at first bite. The flavors have a slightly synthetic taste. Lemon was reminiscent of an Italian ice, the chocolate of chocolate pudding.
Not to worry, though. By skipping frozen desserts, you save room for more crepes.
-- Jane Black

Crepes-a-Go-Go 2122 P St. NW, 202-955-5655; http://www.crepes-a-gogo.com. Hours: Mondays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fridays, 8 a.m. to midnight; Saturdays, 8 a.m. to midnight; Sundays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In Gaithersburg (the Kentlands), 514 Main St., 301-519-9777. Hours: Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fridays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sundays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Seattle's Best Coffee to Franchise

Seattle’s Best Coffee franchise expansion planned
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle)

Seattle’s Best Coffee, a division of Starbucks Corp., said it plans to expand its franchising program.
Seattle’s Best Coffee sells some products that are smoother tasting and not as strong as the Seattle-based coffee giant’s specialty drinks, according to spokesman Alan Hilowitz. Seattle’s Best Coffee calls itself “an accessible entry point to specialty coffee.”
Company officials said they will concentrate on expanding the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand in the West and in Texas from the existing 550 locations today.
Seattle-based Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) bought Seattle Coffee Co. and the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand in 2003 for $72 million from AFC Enterprises Inc.

Francorp Client: Johnny Rockets

Football Star and Entrepreneur, Joe Theismann, Helps the Johnny Rockets Group Prepare for Meteoric Growth


Former NFL Quarterback Lends Motivation and Restaurant Expertise to Up and Coming Brand
LAKE FOREST, Calif., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Football, broadcasting, and restaurant veteran, Joe Theismann, has joined the Board of Directors of fellow American success story, Johnny Rockets. Having been in both the sports entertainment and restaurant industries for more than thirty years, Theismann will contribute his business acumen, enthusiasm and teambuilding expertise to the 22-year-old chain of All-American theme restaurants. He will also lend his voice and likeness to select Johnny Rockets publicity efforts and non-profit campaigns.

According to Chris Ainley, Johnny Rockets Chairman of the Board, "We're thrilled to have Joe on our team to share his knowledge in negotiation, competition, relationship management and operations. He definitely knows about running successful restaurants and we believe he also knows how to recognize a real winner when he sees one."
Theismann, the former Washington Redskins quarterback who led the team to two Super Bowls, had his first official appointment at the October 16 Johnny Rockets Group Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C. He will attend quarterly Board meetings and be available to counsel Executive Team members, as needed. He will also work with franchise owners to help them secure - and inspire them to build - lucrative, competitive businesses.
"My family and I eat there every chance we get," said Theismann, "and, having been in the industry as long as I have, I know that serving delicious food in a fun, friendly, clean atmosphere is the key to both good offense and defense in any restaurant situation. The fact is that Johnny Rockets serves great food. Their niche is one that keeps our All-American wholesome goodness in the forefront. Their successful expansion both domestically and internationally should be a surprise to no one."
Added Johnny Rockets' President and CEO Lee Sanders, "We have a proven business model, savvy franchisees and genuinely good menu offerings which is why our business continues to grow, despite the current economy. With leadership that now includes Joe's experience, we are positioned to be a successful, enduring example of American innovation and culture for years to come."
Johnny Rockets and its franchisees currently operate 217 restaurants in the U. S. and 36 restaurants in nine other countries, including: Bahamas, Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, Kuwait, Mexico, Qatar, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. New locations are scheduled to open soon in Saudi Arabia, Germany and the Dominican Republic, and several more international franchising deals are currently in the works. Current development plans are on track to open 60 new restaurants, this year.
About Johnny Rockets
For more than 22 years, Johnny Rockets has offered the food, fun and friendliness reminiscent of feel-good Americana. Every Johnny Rockets restaurant offers its guests simple, great-tasting food from a menu of all-American favorites, including juicy hamburgers and hand-dipped shakes and malts. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Calif., Johnny Rockets has 253 corporate and franchise-owned restaurants in 29 states and nine countries, including those found in Six Flags amusement parks, FedEx Field and aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Johnny Rockets is currently franchising new restaurants in most markets. To learn more about Johnny Rockets, visit johnnyrockets.com.
SOURCE Johnny Rockets

Francorp Client: Uno Chicago Grill

Uno Chicago Grill® First National Chain to Debut Gluten-Free Pizza
PR Newswire , Nov 18, 2008

LAUNCH TAKES PLACE DURING GLUTEN-FREE DIET AWARENESS MONTHBOSTON, Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Uno Chicago Grill(R) is the nation's first casual dining chain to offer a gluten-free pizza, currently testing the new menu item in its Northeastern Region. The new pizza debuts during Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month (November) and has received a very positive reaction from guests who suffer from celiac disease, which affects approximately one percent of the population(1).Uno Chicago Grill, recently lauded as America's Healthiest Chain Restaurant(2), has added cheese and pepperoni pizzas to what is already one of the most extensive gluten-free menus available for a casual dining chain. This is good news to the estimated three million Americans diagnosed with celiac disease, as well as an additional seven million Americans who have a wheat intolerance or allergy and rely on gluten-free foods. While awareness of celiac disease is rising, an estimated 97 percent of those who have it remain undiagnosed(3)."Food allergies are a very serious, sometimes life-threatening, issue for many Americans," notes Uno's(R) Executive Chef Christopher Gatto. "Pizza is our signature product, and we wanted to offer a gluten-free pizza so all of our guests could enjoy it when dining at Uno."Gatto explained that it took over a year of research and development to find just the right recipe for a brand that is known for its iconic pizza. "While we want to meet the needs of guests with allergies, we never forget that we are about great taste and choice, and that means developing new dishes that are healthful without sacrificing great flavor."The company that was the first to develop deep-dish pizza in 1943 is still full of innovation. Uno Chicago Grill works closely with its Nutrition Advisory Board, which meets quarterly to discuss trends and solutions to improve the quality and nutritional value of its menu. The board includes world-class physicians with expertise in coronary disease, weight management, and other food/health related issues. Uno CEO Frank Guidara oversees the Advisory Board and brings his expertise as a member of the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Roundtable.The new gluten-free pizza is being tested at Uno Chicago Grill locations in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts (excluding Worcester, Springfield/Holyoke, and Dedham)."Thus far, indications have been extremely favorable, and sales are exceeding our expectations," notes Rick Hendrie, senior vice president of marketing for Uno. "We hope to roll it out to all stores in 2009."According to the Gluten Intolerance Group, surveys show that about 15 to 25 percent of consumers report looking for gluten-free products, far more than need to.Uno boasts a number of healthy firsts, including being the first national restaurant chain to eliminate artificial trans-fats and to increase menu and nutritional transparency via nutrition information centers located in their restaurants. The company's gluten-free menu has over 12 items ranging from entrees, salads, sides and desserts. For guest convenience and safety, Uno clearly labels menu items with ingredients that are linked to the most common food allergies, such as fish/shellfish, soy, tree nuts/peanuts, egg, milk and wheat/gluten. Diners can also preview the menu and nutritional information online via the company's website at http://www.unos.com/.The company has invested more than $2 million in nutritional advancements since 2005 and, according to Mr. Guidara, will continue its commitment to providing delicious, fresh and healthful menu options for its guests.About Uno Chicago Grill:Based in Boston, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes more than 200 company-owned and franchised full-service units located in 29 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Honduras and Saudi Arabia. The company also operates a consumer foods division which supplies airlines, movie theaters, hotel restaurants and supermarkets with both frozen and refrigerated private-label foods and branded Uno products. For more information, visit http://www.unos.com/.

Don Boroian Economic Presentation

Hi, I am Don Boroian, Chairman of Francorp. I’d like to talk to you today about a couple of things that are very important to us as we meet this challenging economy right now that is raising havoc with a lot of the financial markets. It will definitely have an effect on franchising as well. However, contrary to what you might think, it is going to have a positive effect. For example, the biggest growth of franchising has occurred during these downturns in the economy. And we are going to look at it in two ways. First of all, why it makes sense, for you as a franchisor to expand during this particular time. And secondly, why you need to change your message to prospective franchise buyers to meet the economic perceptions that people have about whether or not it is a good time for them to buy a franchise.

First of all, as a franchisor, there’s a lot of uncertainty in the market. Many companies, right now, as they hear all of the economic woes and credit issues and so on are pulling in their horns. They’re not expanding, particularly companies who are looking to expand with borrowed money or looking for investors to open operating units. First of all, we all know that investors don’t invest in companies to open ten stores. The return on investment to venture capitalists is not sufficient to justify that kind of investment. They don’t want to be in a situation where their money is tied up for three or four years before they begin to turn a profit. By the time you open operating units and put managers in them and the amount of return on invested capital at the unit level, which generally, is about fifteen percent, has to be split between the investor and you. It’s just not a sufficient amount of money. In addition, during times like this, investors are investing their money in distressed merchandise. Depleted value of stocks are a bargain for investors. And the money from the venture capital people is not going into start ups or development into relatively new companies. However, there’s a silver lining to all of this. And that is, that as a franchisor, your ability to move out into the marketplace is going to be enhanced by the availability of opportunity for you. For example, if you are in retailing or in restaurants or any business that needs to go into a shopping center or into inline stores, there are going to be more vacancies in areas now that you might not be able to get into when times are good and business is booming. Those stores were already filled. Right now, some of those stores will become available. Even though you may not have the capital to go into those stores personally, this is where franchisees come in. And while we hear all the talk about credit and difficulty in getting credit, remember, we’re dealing with a different buyer. For example, if you have a retail store or if you have a restaurant, you need hundreds of customers to come into your store, every day, every week. But in franchising, we don’t have to sell hundreds of franchises every week or every day or every month. We only need to sell one or two, certainly, in a time like this, if you’re a new emerging franchisor. And the people that you’re going to be selling franchises to are more abundant now in quality. These are people that are being laid off, downsized, reengineered in companies that are laying off people or are going out of business. And these are the people that have been working in these companies for a number of years. They have good credit. They have a high credit score. They have equity in their homes; that can get refinanced at their local bank because they have longevity in their community and they are very good credit risks. In addition, these are people that have excellent job skills. Many of them are middle managers. These are people that always really would’ve liked to own their own business; were afraid to leave the job and risk their fortunes on starting a business. But now that, that decision has been made for them, they’re on the market. And many of these people have gone to job interviews only to find that companies in their same industry, that have just laid them off, are also laying off people. That’s when we get their interest in buying a franchise. So that from your standpoint, as a franchisor, there are going to be a lot of opportunities because your competitors that are not franchising, are not going to be occupying more stores, borrowing money, opening more branches, opening more markets for their businesses. A good case in point right now is Starbucks. They’re closing 700 of their stores. Now for Starbucks, to put a manager in an outlet and to make the entire investment in the store and to be able to make a profit over and above the manager’s salary, is quite different than for a franchisee who is to buy a franchise and go into a business and work 60 hours a week. In many cases just making their salary, without even a profit over and above that, meets their needs. They just want to own their own business, be their own boss, be the captain of their own ship, master of their own destiny. And so many of these kinds of situations or companies that have corporate owned locations; those locations are going to be available. In retailing, in the food service industry, in anything that occupies a store, where someone has already done the leasehold improvements, in the restaurant business they have the walk in coolers, freezers, 3-compartment sinks, and grills and so on. And many of the landlords are bending over backwards giving free rents to get tenants in there to occupy these spaces. And in the service business as well, many of your competitors, those of you in service businesses; these companies are going to be cutting back on their expansion because it takes capital and not only just the start up capital but the burn rate. When we sell a franchise, a franchisee doesn’t expect to make money for the first two years. If they just barely take out a salary initially, to get the business going, that’s pretty much expected. They don’t expect to walk in on day one to be turning a salary and a profit. But companies today can’t afford to do that if they’re borrowing a lot of money at their banks because, first of all, the bank financing isn’t available to that extent. And certainly, as the credit markets and standards tighten, it makes it more difficult for companies to expand with company owned units, where typically it takes two years to get to a breakeven point. And so those of us that are franchising our businesses have a great opportunity here because our competition is pulling in their horns. You have three choices right now in this current challenging market. Number one, pulling your horns, hunker down, climb in a fox hole, wait until the storm blows over. If you do that, you’re going to miss a lot of opportunities. But companies that need capital in order to expand their own company owned units are going to have to do that because they don’t have the available capital. A second strategy is to do what you’re doing right now. Just keep on going and keep on your current expansion strategy. But again, companies that are doing this with their own company units are inhibited by the inability to get capital and by their inability to move out into other markets and support these kinds of expansions. A third option and this is an option great for franchisors, because this is an opportunity to look around and capture markets that are being abandoned or not expanded into by your competitors. And by franchising, you’re allowing yourself to go into these markets with the capital resources and the human resources of others. So from your standpoint, as a franchisor, this is the time to move out. And as we talk to prospective franchisors whether it’s through our regional director program, whether it’s through the people who contact us, whether it’s the seminars that we do, or the advertising that we do, and we talk to companies who are considering franchising. And looking at this as an optional strategy, we’re quick to point out to them that now is the time to expand your business into a market that’s weakened. The time to attack the fort is when the walls are crumbling. And the walls in many of these companies today, which were well fortified, are crumbling because they are reliant totally upon bank financing that isn’t going to be there to the extent it has been in the past. And as franchising affords you the opportunity to expand, it does so by you finding those one or two or three people each month who do have good credit, high credit scores, who are looking to own their own business, who will make that investment, who will be the human resource solution for you as well as a capital solution, as they invest in buying the land, building the business or developing their markets. And it gives you the opportunity to move into a market that is weakened. This is the time. The lions in the Serengeti always attack the weakest of the prey. And this is the time for us to move into the marketplace by franchising into these markets while the companies that are reliant totally on expansion capital in either internally generated, borrowing money, bringing in investors or through other means. And we have an added opportunity here to raise funds through the investment of individuals. And we don’t have to get 300 of them a month or a hundred a day. We only need to get 2 or 3 or 4 people to buy a franchise each month. These are people with good credit. These are people with equity. These are people with 401(k)s. These are people with savings. These are people with family and friends that will help them get started. So, take advantage of this opportunity now. And from the franchise buyer’s point of view, let’s take a look also at why we need to adjust our message. In the past our message was be your own boss, be master of your own destiny, captain of your own ship. Now is the time to get into this expanding world of whatever your concept is. But that message is changing now because now people have a perception that this may not be a good time to go into their own business. Because you know already how to run that business, they’re getting a jump start. And so this is an opportune time for you to look over the marketplace at a much better qualified group of people, who are desperately seeking either a job, which is very difficult to replace, similar to the one they’ve had or to start their own business. And because these are not people that are high risk, they’re not as likely to start their own business from scratch because they know the rate of business failures is about 95 percent of all new businesses that start. According to the Department of Commerce 95 businesses, 95 percent of all start ups from scratch fail within the first 5 years. And so with a franchise, the odds are in their favor and these are people who are more conservative, who are comfortable following the plan. And now that decision has been made for them, that they’re out in the marketplace without a job, they’re taking a look at you, as a franchisor, and what you offer. So what we can tell the prospective buyers today is that we have a system, we have it worked out. We have a complete business model. We have the opportunity for you to learn. We will teach you everything you need to learn. You don’t have to know anything about our business. We’ll teach you, we’ll help you. There are available stores now. There are landlords that are giving free rent and doing leasehold improvements and tenant improvement allowances. There are competitors that are on the ropes, some of them going under. Now is the time to buy a franchise, to get yourself established, to get yourself started with our assistance as franchisors helping you. Now is the time. So don’t hunker down, don’t crawl in the fox hole. Now is the time to move out. Take advantage of the weakened economy, the weakened market, your weakened competitors. Sell these franchises and help people get started. And show the prospective buyer why now is a good time for them to capitalize on this opportunity that this challenging economy has presented.

New Francorp Videos

Here are some good videos about Francorp and the client work the company has done, click on the links to be directed to them.

"Francorp Clients"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAz3ZqPhA8k

"Francorp Team"
http://www.youtube.com/user/connercj79

"Francorp"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evCqkRh4vlo&feature=channel_page

Visit www.francorp.com for more information on the firm and the work that Francorp does for start up franchisors.

Francorp Clients

Here is a good video peice about Francorp's clients and some of the work they have done. Francorp is the world's most experienced and largest franchise consulting firm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evCqkRh4vlo

Francorp has worked with more start up franchise systems than any other consulting group.

How to Franchise at a Trade Show

This weekend was quite a show at the Franchise Expo South in Miami. Francorp really made a big impact and once again stood out from the crowd. I think one of the most telling signs was after I spoke with an attendee he walked throughout the entire franchise show. He came by later that day right as the show was ending and told me how Francorp really stood out (I wish I could make this stuff up). He told me how he had walked around and talked with the other companies that claim to provide similar franchise development services as Francorp. After speaking with all of them and with Francorp he said that he realized there is only one company to work with when franchising your business. I gratiously told him thank you and furthered my strong conviction and belief in Francorp's ability to help our clients produce the best franchise program possible so that they can be in the best position to sell franchises after our work is done.

Every day I seem to be amazed at how we continue to educate our clients on how to franchise and how to franchise the best possible way. It is hard sometimes to look beyond the constant negative news put in front of you each and every day by the media, but you have to. In talking wtih our clients at the show and seeing the work that we are able to produce for them, it is no wonder why they continue to sell franchises and elevate their company to the next level.

I hope that as you take a look to franchise you attend one of our seminars or call in to setup an appointent for an individual consultation at our office. You can take a free quiz at http://www.francorp.com/franchisable/quiz.asp.

How to Effectively Work a Franchise Tradeshow

How to Effectively Work a Franchise Tradeshow
By: Christopher James Conner

Franchising is a fantastic way to grow a business. Many companies have utilized franchising as a way to grow their businesses across the United States and around the world. Hundreds and in some cases thousands of units have been opened in very short time periods by many different franchise brands. The basic premise, is that one company who has a good business model and understanding of how to run their type of business can teach other business owners how to be successful doing the same thing. In return the ones who learn from the credible business owners pay a franchise fee and royalty for that knowledge and training. It really can be an amazing thing when franchising successfully builds “win-win” relationships between so many different parties.
When a company decides to offer franchises of its business model, they begin to look for potential franchisees who will then open locations of their concept. It is with that principal that companies use tradeshows as a potential avenue for meeting new franchise buyers.
A Franchise sale is unique and different from most other sales. It is the formation of a long term relationship between two business parties. Unlike in the sale of a good or a short-term service, this transaction has a lasting relationship that in many franchise contracts extends to twenty years or longer. When a franchise company exhibits at a franchise tradeshow to meet new buyers they are in the first stages of forming a long partnership with those people. With that in mind the tradeshow takes on a new light. This decision has enormous consequences for both sides of the transaction. The buyers at a franchise tradeshow analyze everything about the franchisors and are carefully evaluating everything about the company. This is a very big decision for most franchise investors and they will be extremely cautious about who they get into business with. The Franchisors exhibiting at franchise shows must have their best presentation ready to go and be totally on top of their game in order to impress potential buyers.
This starts first with the booth. At any tradeshow the booth is an extension of a company’s office and home. It represents to the people at that tradeshow what and who that company is. Every piece of the booth and messaging displayed needs to be carefully and appropriately structured. There are many companies that do nothing but booth design and set up, I would recommend exploring their services. Because of the brevity inherent in a decision to invest in a franchise, the booth must look and be set up properly, it should represent a company extremely well. The best companies in the world at doing this are the commercial real estate organizations at the ICSC in Las Vegas each year. Their booths literally look like permanent office buildings they have constructed on the trade show floor. Booths to this extent can run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and are not practical for most purposes, but it is critical to have a professional and well organized booth at a franchise tradeshow. It is also extremely important to understand how your booth and the materials will actually get TO and FROM the show. If pieces are missing when you go to set up your booth, it can ruin the structure and overall presentation.
The most critical aspect to a successful tradeshow is the Staffing. There is an old saying that describes the uselessness of an extremely expensive booth with all the bells and whistles and no one to staff the booth that cares enough to engage the prospects. Franchise buyers are wary, this is a big decision for them and they are very careful in their evaluation. That being said, most buyers do not know what they want to invest in. They come to franchise shows with the understanding that they could investigate the options and look around to meet potential franchisors. Very rarely does a buyer come to a show with an express intent to buy or meet with one particular franchise company. Keeping that in mind, it is absolutely essential that a franchise tradeshow booth be manned by aggressive and positive staff. The booth very quickly becomes an afterthought once a prospect is engaged. Then the attention is shifted to the person. Everyone at the booth should look professional, well dressed, clean shaven, positive and excited about what they have to offer. If the people at the booth are not excited about the franchise offering, why should the buyers be?
The key to a successful tradeshow for a franchise company is to leave with LEADS. Very rarely does a tradeshow attendee come to a show and buy a franchise there at the exhibition. In most cases they meet the franchisor and begin the information gathering process from that point, the franchise agreement and relationship begins in several weeks or months after continued follow up and interaction. As a result, the focus of a franchise tradeshow for the team and staff must be to generate leads. Once a prospect has been engaged and their information has been gathered, it is time to move on! Find the next potential buyer, the tradeshow floor is not a place for long conversations. It is short introductions where enough value is built to set up the next call. Good franchise tradeshow staffs will not get caught talking with vendors or unqualified prospects. They will be on their feet the entire show and will not eat or drink in the booth. You just never know when that next good buyer will walk around the corner, and if your booth staff is drinking smoothies or eating ice cream at the time, you just might miss out on a great opportunity.
After the smoke clears and the tradeshow activities come to an end, it is not time to rest. It is time for follow up. An amazing percentage of tradeshow meetings at franchise exhibitions are never followed up on. It is a travesty to spend money on a tradeshow, put in the hard hours, walk away with sore backs and knees and not give the follow up the attention and commitment it deserves. The leads that you meet at a franchise tradeshow should be followed up with the night after the meetings have happened. This may seem aggressive to some, but you are not the only company or person that the attendee met for the first time that day. It will be a very short time before they forget you even exist. The follow up should be continued until there is a substantive conversation. Ideally, a franchise company will arrange a follow up meeting, either at the location or in the form of a seminar or workshop about their franchise. These meetings are a great way to continue the franchisee’s buying process and information gathering.
Overall, franchise tradeshows are wonderful ways for buyers to learn more about franchises and meet firsthand with the owners and leaders of franchise companies. They are also extremely effective ways for franchisors to market their franchise offering and meet quality potential buyers for their franchise. If the show is managed correctly and the preceding points are taken into account, tradeshows can be the beginning of many wonderful franchise relationships!

www.francorp.com

Francorp Clients - Amazing Spaces

Amazing Spaces Storage Centers Expands and Restructures for 2009 Despite a Down Economy

Amazing Spaces, a leading provider of upscale self storage solutions, began 2009 with several newly developed positions, including Director of Operations, despite the struggling economy.
On January 5, the company welcomed Mike Gately as its new Director of Operations. Mike will be in charge of overseeing all property management, preparing budgets, reviewing property expenses and performing numerous other duties. In his former position at Hendry Investments, Inc., located in San Antonio, Mike served as Vice President of Property Management. He joins Amazing Spaces with over 25 years of property management experience.
The company has also named Nathan Curtess as its new head of Franchise Sales and Development. Nathan has been with Amazing Spaces for five years and previously held the position of Property Manager. The company began offering franchise opportunities in late 2008 with a higher than predicted response and expects to close on several franchise agreements within the first six months of 2009.
In addition, Doug Gardow, who served as Amazing Spaces' Area Manager for the past nine years, has been appointed the company's new Director of IT Operations. Jennifer Byrne will take the position of Executive Office Administrator.
Scott Tautenhan, who co-founded Amazing Spaces with his wife Kathy, is excited about the direction the company is headed. "We are planning to expand by adding two properties in 2009, and franchising companies typically grow exponentially both during and after a down economy," he said. "So the future is looking bright for Amazing Spaces!"
Amazing Spaces aproached Francorp two years ago to assist in a full development franchise program. The Houston-based business is a leading provider of storage services for discriminating individuals and businesses. Its award winning storage properties offer solutions for self-storage, RV and boat storage, wine storage and more. Amazing Spaces Franchising, LLC also offers franchise opportunities to qualified applicants.

www.amazingspacesfranchise.com