Listen to gossip before buying a franchise!

Once upon a time you'd have a very good idea about the performance and reputation of the franchise you were buying before taking the plunge.

Pre-internet, the majority of franchises were out there on the high street for all to see. These days there are countless franchise opportunities advertised online, many of which are ebusinesses and ecommerce sites with no physical presence in the 'real' world.

Demand is growing and, in order to cash in fast, too many franchises are launched without proper market testing, with no idea about how they'll actually perform in the short term, never mind medium to long term.

If you're going to buy a franchise, you need to take more care than ever to make sure you're making a sensible investment. Which is why listening to gossip is a good idea!

Here's a short list of places to go online where you might find useful information, feedback, gossip, complaints etcetera about franchises. Do your research thoroughly and make sure you have a clear picture before you make a decision:

• google it and see what falls out


• search social networks like twitter and facebook


• explore local and national newspaper websites


• check franchisee forums and franchisee communities


• check companies house

Last but never least, contact existing franchisees to find out their experiences. If there aren't any existing franchisees, ask yourself why!

Marketing – online business's biggest challenge

Check out some of the millions of 'get rich quick' websites online and you'd be forgiven for thinking it was easy to make a mint online. Not so. The internet isn't magic. Too many people still think that a website's like a field of dreams... 'build it and they will come' They won't!

Getting your products in front of your target audience is just as tricky online as it always has been offline. If anyone tries to convince you it's easy, take them with a very big pinch of salt. They'll be talking rubbish. Don't give 'em a penny.

Online marketing involves a huge array of different media and disciplines. There's Pay Per Click and Search Engine Optimisation, email campaigns, free offers, click-throughs, landing pages, power pages and all sorts of other stuff to get to grips with. SEO alone involves link baiting, link building, content generation and management, article writing, blogging, keyword research... the list goes on.

How many people have a brilliant marketing idea that falls by the wayside because marketing it is too expensive, challenging or baffling? It must be millions. Franchising is one of the best ways to sidestep a huge chunk of the most crucial marketing responsibilities. You're given ideas and materials. You get valuable advice about selling. You get ready-made special offers, updated website content and – if you choose a good one - a constant stream of visitors generated by your franchiser's SEO activities.