Tags |
|
|
Links |
|
|
Casual Articles - Understanding Franchise Releationships in a Franchised Business
If you run a small business you have probably already found yourself having to be multi-skilled in accountancy, law, interview techniques and a whole host of other areas. If your small businesses doesn't have the resources to hire a marketing firm, you will also need to be adept at getting your products or services publicized.Things are not as simple as they once were. There are so many media outlets out there that even large marketing agencies are finding the array of possibilities daunting. There has certainly been a shift towards digital marketing, ranging from the now established web banner ads to RSS feeds, mobile telephone messaging and pod casting, not to mention the use of blogs and viral marketing. There has been a clamour to put out on line video messages as the definition between television and internet has become increasingly blurred.Let's be realistic. If your business cannot afford an agency, you are unlikely to be at the cutting edge of these new technologies. Do not despair. If you can't beat 'em then don't join 'em! As marketing spends have been stretched more thinly across all the available media, this has left traditional outlets struggling to win business. Print media has been hit particularly hard as have tv and radio. This means that in these outlets it is a buyer's market with plenty of bargains to be had.Perhaps tv may still be out of your financial reach, but newspapers and magazines will fall over themselves to offer one-off production facilities and will advise on how best to get your message across. Radio is more user-friendly as ever, offering low cost script-writing and production expertise. If you are planning a marketing campaign on a modest budget, I would seriously consider these options. If your company trades in a discreet locality then a joint local radio and press campaign could be put together at little expense. You could even put together a do-it-yourself national campaign using these traditional media.There was a time when the use of traditional outlets may have proved intimidating for a small business. Pick up the phone and call one of them. You may be pleasantly surprised at the hand-holding they will offer you. Remember that many agencies have negotiated rock-bottom prices with them and it is those agencies that are calling the tune. Direct approaches from companies actually offer a greater margin for print and broadcast media. Despite the fact that you will be paying more for your column inches or broadcast minutes than an ad agency, you will still get a bargain, especially now while these outlets are
The art of diplomacy is letting someone else get your way.
Regional Directors
Chances are your regional director has encounte
Stop Talking Yes, you heard right. Stop talking and start listening. Most people are very poor listeners and even worse, they constantly interrupt the other person. Since everyone enjoys talking, it takes a real effort to break these very bad habits. But it is the only way you will ever become a successful communicator. A good rule of thumb is to let the other person do 75% of the talking and you only do 25%.The Power of Listening The reason why listening is so powerful is because it builds trust. The more you listen to another person, the more he or she trusts you and believes in you. Listening also builds the other person's self-esteem. When you listen carefully to another person, you are in effect telling them that what they have to say is so important that you aren't going to say one single thing until they're done. People will seek you out because they will feel very comfortable in your presence. The more they seek you out, the further ahead you will get and you will be amazed at how quickly your career starts to move forward.Ask for Clarification If you aren't 100% certain what the person is saying, never guess or assume. Ask for clarity because if you don't, you'll end up talking in circles. Then the other person will leave the conversation thinking "She doesn't get it." They never say "Gee, I'm a lousy communicator and I didn't explain it to her properly"; they always say "She doesn't get it." I know it's unfair but that's what happens...The most effective method I've ever learned for getting more information is to ask "How do you mean?" It's such a mild and polite question that it's impossible not to answer. The other person cannot stop himself or herself from answering more extensively. You can then follow up with other questions and have a very productive conversation.Use Open Ended Questions Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Open-ended questions encourage the speaker to expand on his or her thoughts and comments. And one question will lead to another. By asking open-ended questions, you can draw out of the other person everything that he or she has to say on a particular subject. Then you have all the information you need to respond intelligently.Pause Before Replying This is a key strategy that the very best verbal communicators use. A short pause of three to five seconds is all you need to do. When you pause, you accomplish four things. First, you avoid interrupting the person if they had more to say. Second, you show respect by giving care
In this chapter, I will give you tips that will help you thrive and prosper in your new business.
Communication
In any franchise organization, it’s important to maintain open communications lines. A franchise is like a marriage. You are now married to your franchisor and communication is the key.
Communication in a franchise relationship occurs in numerous ways. You should remember to keep communication friendly, helpful, upbeat and honest. Too many times a franchisor/franchisee relationship will become adversarial, hostile and aggressive. If this happens, communications lines tend to go down and everyone suffers. You as the franchisee have the power to keep communications on a positive note. There are many things that can be done to help your franchisor communicate with you.
Try not to be a chronic complainer. If you have a legitimate complaint, perhaps you could offer some praise first. Something that is being done right and how happy your are. Then mention the little something that’s caused a stress for you at your business. If you think you might have a solution – offer it or offer to sit down and brainstorm a little with a regional director or company representative. Offer to meet them at your store, your point of power so you can negotiate from a stronger position. Be friendly. Try to meet when you’re having peak hours. Show the franchisor or their representative how efficient you are, how clean your place is and how you are following standards to a tee. Treat it like a military inspection. Then explain the problem. Tell them your suggestions and ask what should you do? Remember:
The art of diplomacy is letting someone else get your way.
Regional Directors
Chances are your regional director has encounter
I am sure you are familiar with the phrase, “I could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo.” First, allow me to personally congratulate anyone out there who has sold ice cubes to an Eskimo, for I believe this to be quite a difficult task to accomplish.You would have to be one heck of a sales person to accomplish this, but why would anyone waste their time selling somebody something they didn’t need?First of all, imagine how long it must have taken to pull off a sale like that, I doubt the Eskimo jumped at the chance, it must have taken a lot of persuasion on the part of the sales person.Second of all, the Eskimo doesn’t need ice cubes, so why would anyone waste their time selling them to an Eskimo.Okay, enough about the selling of ice cubes, I think you get the point.This brings us to the title of the article “Needs-based Selling.” Sell your customer only the things that they need, you will find it to be a much easier sale, and you won’t spend a whole lot of your time selling it.If somebody told me that they sold a heater to an Eskimo, I would be very impressed, because this person chose their target market wisely, and then sold his customer something that they need and can use.If I were an ice cube salesman, my target market would be supermarkets, convenience stores, and liquor stores, because they buy bags of ice in bulk to distribute amongst their paying customers. Why on earth would I waste my time selling my ice cubes to Eskimos?“Needs-based Selling” is selling people the things that they need and can make their lives more convenient. Get to know your customer before you start selling them your products, get to know as much as you about them.In my early twenties I was in the market for a new car. When I went to the dealership, the salesman asked me a few probing questions, such as, how old I was, If I lived in the area, and wether or not I was married. After gathering this information, he started taking me in the direction of the jeeps and sports cars. Because he found out almost immediately that I was young and single, he did not walk in the direction of the mini vans.The next time you have a customer in front of you, take a little bit of time to get to know them and their needs. Once you have accomplished this, offer your customer the products you believe they will need and can use. If they need it, they most likely will buy it.
Communication in a franchise relationship occurs in numerous ways. You should remember to keep communication friendly, helpful, upbeat and honest. Too many times a franchisor/franchisee relationship will become adversarial, hostile and aggressive. If this happens, communications lines tend to go down and everyone suffers. You as the franchisee have the power to keep communications on a positive note. There are many things that can be done to help your franchisor communicate with you.
Try not to be a chronic complainer. If you have a legitimate complaint, perhaps you could offer some praise first. Something that is being done right and how happy your are. Then mention the little something that’s caused a stress for you at your business. If you think you might have a solution – offer it or offer to sit down and brainstorm a little with a regional director or company representative. Offer to meet them at your store, your point of power so you can negotiate from a stronger position. Be friendly. Try to meet when you’re having peak hours. Show the franchisor or their representative how efficient you are, how clean your place is and how you are following standards to a tee. Treat it like a military inspection. Then explain the problem. Tell them your suggestions and ask what should you do? Remember:
The art of diplomacy is letting someone else get your way.
Regional Directors
Chances are your regional director has encounte
There have been quite a few complaints from publishers about late or non payment from distributors and book stores. Some have stopped sending books to large distributors because of past due invoices, some over 180 days old. Part of the problem is no response, it is bad enough when you are not getting paid, but when orders keep coming in and you are not getting any acknowledgement to your collection efforts, you just can’t keep sending books, says one publisher.There are steps you can take to get paid on those past due invoices and keep new invoices current.Step #1 Gather together all the past due invoices, and stamp them PAST DUE.Step #2 If you have an email address or phone number with a contact name for your client, email them or call them and give them the information on the past due invoices and let them know their account is on hold.Step #3 Mail the invoices to your client with return receipt requested or send them in a flat rate Priority Mail envelope with delivery confirmation. Using the large colorful envelope is a great way to get your information to the top of the pile. Who do you know that doesn’t grab the big Priority mail or Fed Ex envelope out of their mail pile to open first?Step #4 Send a letter with these invoices stating the age, invoice numbers, their PO#, your account #, total amount due, and any other pertinent information. You may want to request a proof of delivery or print off the delivery confirmation information from the web to send with the letter.Step #5 Tell them their account is on hold and you will not be shipping any more products or providing any services to them until these invoices are paid. You can include a self addressed envelope and state that you have enclosed an envelope for them to send their check. Give them a date, to have this paid to you.Once they have received the package, email or call them. Ask them what they are doing with the invoices. Ask them questions such as:Do they have to be approved by someone else?If they have to be approved, who has to approve them and when will they give them to that person? Get that person’s direct number if possible. Find out if that person signs the checks. Are there any discrepancies with the invoices? When will the check be cut? When can you call back for the check number?Once all the past due balances are cleared up, you need to think about future invoices. Do you want to extend credit again or do you want to have pre-payment or payment at the time of the order. Whatever you decide put it in writing. If you can both sign the agreement, th
Try not to be a chronic complainer. If you have a legitimate complaint, perhaps you could offer some praise first. Something that is being done right and how happy your are. Then mention the little something that’s caused a stress for you at your business. If you think you might have a solution – offer it or offer to sit down and brainstorm a little with a regional director or company representative. Offer to meet them at your store, your point of power so you can negotiate from a stronger position. Be friendly. Try to meet when you’re having peak hours. Show the franchisor or their representative how efficient you are, how clean your place is and how you are following standards to a tee. Treat it like a military inspection. Then explain the problem. Tell them your suggestions and ask what should you do? Remember:
The art of diplomacy is letting someone else get your way.
Regional Directors
Chances are your regional director has encounte
Here’s a true story I’d like to share about doing the right thing—even when her job was at stake.Her name is M. and she is an attorney who manages the legal department of an insurance company. As my coaching client I supported her through a really challenging ethical dilemma with her boss. She had finished giving her annual performance evaluations to her small team, two of whom received the highest marks. Their annual salary increments were based on these ratings.M’s boss meanwhile was on a new track regarding performance evaluations. He felt that the trend in recent years was to for managers to be too generous. He wanted stricter accountability in certain areas and this meant lower ratings in general.So he called her into his office one day and told her that he disagreed with one of the two highest ratings she had given. He wanted her to lower her evaluation for this individual.M. genuinely respected her boss but felt that he was mistaken in this case. She really believed that the person to whom she had given the excellent rating deserved it. She thought it would be unfair and potentially very damaging to his morale and commitment to the job if his evaluation was lowered. So what to do?M. had impressed me from the beginning of our coaching engagement with her deep connection to her spiritual values and how she tried to use them as guides in her work. She was nearing retirement age and was working on a Master’s degree in pastoral counseling, something she looked forward to doing at her church when her lawyer-ing days were over.So after informing her boss that she didn’t want to change the evaluation rating of her direct report and why, he continued to pressure her to do just that. They had several conversations that didn’t create a win-win resolution.We discussed her feelings, thoughts and options in a couple of coaching sessions. M. felt very strongly about her position and even concluded that, if push came to shove, she was willing to risk her job rather than back down on the issue. In fact, during one of our sessions, she was convinced her boss would fire her. Fortunately for her, she was in a financial position where she could take an early retirement.Would she have taken the same strong position on her value of fairness and honesty if she was at an earlier stage of her career? What if she had a young family to support—how would that have affected her willingness to compromise with her boss? Let’s face it, circumstances do play a role in how far we are willing to go to do the right thing. I guess everyone’s conscience operates
The art of diplomacy is letting someone else get your way.
Regional Directors
Chances are your regional director has encounte
The "BYOB!" MythImagine this television commercial: a bunch of teenage kids in a house, eating junk food, playing video games with rap music blasting. The narrator says: "Hey kids: tired of listening to your parents? Why not do whatever YOU want to do! Join the Army!"Ludicrous, right? (Imagine the kids' surprise when their hair gets buzzed off, they're issued identical uniforms and that whole "reveille thing" is explained for the first time.) No one in their right mind would advertise so foolishly, would they?That would be like recruiting a franchisee, one who must faithfully comply with a system of rigid rules and guidelines, with ads that say :"Entrepreneurs Wanted!" "Imagine the freedom! Imagine the opportunity!" "Promote yourself to President!"I call it the OYOB! (Own your own business!) and BYOB! (Be your own boss!) marketing myth. To see if you've been infected, check your own marketing materials for these tell-tale phrases: "Own your own business!" "Be your own boss!" "Achieve financial freedom!" "Fire your boss!" "Take control of your life!" or similar variations.It's not easy to avoid. Believe me, I know. I've probably written more franchise brochures than anyone on the planet, and it's hard work to avoid the easy slogans. But make no mistake: falling into the BYOB! trap is one of the most dangerous mistakes franchisors make. And it's the cause of much of the conflict in franchisor/franchisee relations.Many franchisors attract prospects with the promise of freeing them from oppression and giving them the chance to gain control. There's only one problem: Franchise systems are built on adherence, not independence. Franchisors want implementers, not rebels. They often recruit individuals who are yearning to break free from their harness, but as soon as the contract is signed the franchisor expects them to docilely slip into their harness.Requiring conformity, adherence to an established system and a shared identity is not a bad thing. That's what gives franchising its power. So why do franchisors often attract the wrong people by setting the wrong expectations?The mything linkWhy, you may ask, do we sell the opportunity to join a conformist system via a dream of individualism? Why have we, as an industry, perpetuated the link between BYOB! and franchise ownership?First, because it's an easy sell. It makes your ad copy pop. The dream of being freed from day-to-day tyranny is a powerful one. Telling one's boss to take this job and shove it is the real American Dream. It
The art of diplomacy is letting someone else get your way.
Regional Directors
Chances are your regional director has encountered your same problem in one of the other franchised outlets or perhaps many other outlets. Your regional director can tell you what other franchisees did to improve that problem and which solutions worked best and which ones didn’t work at all. Also, which solutions were approved by the company and which ones were not and why. Any solutions you might have could be of great interest to your regional director because even if your solution may not work at this time, it may be a missing puzzle piece to a long-term solution which will work system wide. Staying on good terms with your regional director can be very valuable.
Let’s say your franchisor want s to test a new product in a certain region and they ask the regional director in that region which outlet would be the easiest to use for the test market. If you are on good terms with corporate office staff and your local regional director, then you might be picked. Franchisors take test markets of new products very seriously. They usually:
Spend lots of money in local marketing
Set up well designed store signage
Re-do menus, brochures etc.
This will help you attract new business to your store and pay for new signage. Even if the test market fails and the new product or service is never implemented system wide, you still win because you now have a larger customer base and more local awareness of your business. By the way, over 50% of new products fail and it’s certainly nice to have someone else pay for it. It might put a small non-franchised company out of business if they had a new product failure.
Assist Your Fra
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.casualarticles.com/article/43855/casualarticles-Understanding-Franchise-Releationships-in-a-Franchised-Business.html">Understanding Franchise Releationships in a Franchised Business</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.casualarticles.com/article/43855/casualarticles-Understanding-Franchise-Releationships-in-a-Franchised-Business.html]Understanding Franchise Releationships in a Franchised Business[/url]
Related Articles:
Pricing Strategies For Your Marketing Plan
How Computer-Based Music Systems Can Benefit Your Club or Pub
Franchise Sales; Recruiting of Laid Off Employees
Bookmark it:
|