Franchisor Marketing

Sean Kelly, President of IdeaFarm and founder of the FranBest Franchise Network, has launched a whimsical, thought-provoking series of creative tips for jump-starting your marketing.

It’s called Lighten Up! Marketing, and his stndicated column is making it’s debut on Kelly’s Relentless Marketer blog on AllBusiness.com.

Lighten Up! Marketing Instant Classics:

Lighten Up Marketing #1:  Starbuck’s Mobile Marketing

Lighten Up Marketing #2: One For The Road

Lighten Up Marketing #3: Babe Ruth as Marketing Tool

Lighten Up Marketing #4: Be a Smartie

Lighten Up Marketing #5: Chipotle’s Boo-Ritos

Relentless marketer Sean Kelly is a 20 year veteran of the franchise industry, and founder of the award-winning marketing firm IdeaFarm. 

In a recent post on BrandCurve, Susan Gunelius wrote:

How to you convince people from middle-America to visit their local McDonald’s for a latte? Build a giant cornfield maze in Nebraska!

This campaign is meant to create a buzz about McDonald’s new McCafe brand (the copy says, “Taste what the buzz is about”). According to AdFreak, each person who makes it through the 42.6 acre maze will receive a coupon for a free latte, mocha or cappuccino specialty coffee from McDonald’s.

The A-maizing McDonald’s ad is a year-long promotional sponsorship of The Maize at Benson Farms. A short drive from Lincoln, NE, the owners claim The 35-acre Maize at Benson Farms is the largest corn maize in the world. Secondary sponsor is Froggy 98, Lincoln’s Best Country.

For information about 2009 sponsorship Information, contact maze[at]bensonfarms.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LEAVE A COMMENT.

Providing franchisees with a great Hummer might not be the secret to franchise sales success, but it can’t be hurt.

According to a story on FranBest, Adam & Eve franchise stores (part of the retail division of adult industry giant Adam & Eve) has doubled its number of franchise stores in the past two years. Adam & Eve currently have 27 stores and have agreements in place for 70 more, Adam & Eve Stores. The company plans to open an additional 12 stores in 2008, and to have 50 stores open by the end of 2009. Read more about the Adam & Eve franchise at FranBest.

With competition fierce for quality franchise prospects, it pays to stand out.  What are you doing to set your concept apart from the pack?

WHAT DO YOU THINK? LEAVE A COMMENT.

_________________________

Unbiased franchise information, franchise interviews and detailed, searchable information on 400 franchise and business opportunities.

Franchisees, customers & experts vote for their favorite new franchises at Top New Franchise: Who’s hot. Who’s not.

Unhappy Franchisee: Franchising rumors, rants, controversies, issues, complaints & gossip… hopefully not about you.

Image source: Adam & Eve

Rita’s Ice Website Earns Top Honors

Manchester, NH – A website designed by SilverTech won top honors as the “Coolest Franchise Website” in a contest hosted by The Franchise King, an industry leading consulting firm.

Featuring roll over flash animation and a clean, fun design that engages audiences of all ages, the new Rita’s Ice site www.ritasice.com was recognized as “a gorgeous website” by the contest sponsor.

Rita’s Ice is the leading Italian Ice franchise in the nation and is ranked a “Top 25 Performer” franchise by The Wall Street Journal. With more than 500 stores in 17 states, it is expanding into new territories rapidly.

In addition to the consumer website, SilverTech also created a website that targets potential Rita’s Ice franchise owners (www.ownaritas.com).

A website designed by SilverTech for Pizza Fusion (www.pizzafusion.com) was also among the top nominees for the honor.

About SilverTech Inc.
SilverTech, Inc. is a national interactive agency based in New England that expertly solves online marketing, technology, operations, fundraising, and communication challenges for businesses by creating value-driven web, digital and data-powered solutions. Services such as strategic consultation, site architecture, website design & development, multimedia graphics & animation, search engine optimization, online marketing, performance analysis, web application development and content management solutions are designed or customized to fit exact business requirements.

SOURCE: Cosi, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Sales DEERFIELD, IL, Jul 17, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Cosi, Inc. (COSI: Highlights: COSI 2.57, +0.40, +18.4%) , the premium convenience restaurant company, today reported that total revenues for the 2008 second quarter grew 3.6% to $36,722,800 from $35,448,100 in the 2007 second quarter. Company-owned net restaurant revenues, excluding discontinued operations, grew 3.3% in the quarter to $36,207,000, compared to $35,043,300 in the previous year's quarter. Franchise fees and royalty revenues for the quarter contributed $515,800, compared to $404,800 in the 2007 second quarter. System-wide comparable restaurant sales for the 2008 second quarter as measured for restaurants in operation for more than 15 months recorded an aggregate 2.2% increase compared to the second quarter of 2007. The breakdown in comparable sales between Company-owned and franchise-operated restaurants are as follows: For the 13 weeks ended June 30, 2008 ------------- Company-owned 2.3% Franchise-operated 1.5% Total System 2.2% "We are encouraged by the increase in total revenues and the continued positive trends in system-wide comparable sales given the current challenging consumer environment," said James Hyatt, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our efforts remain focused on working with our franchise partners to drive development and revenue growth, execute more effectively across our system to enhance operating margins and continue improving the guests' experience." Company-owned comparable sales are based on sales from restaurants that have been open more than 15 months. Franchise-operated comparable sales are based on sales, as reported by franchisees, from restaurants that have been open more than 15 months. Franchise-operated and system-wide comparable restaurant sales percentages are non-GAAP measures, which should not be considered in isolation of or as a substitute for other measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to system-wide sales as defined or used by other companies. Cosi does not record franchise-operated sales as revenues. However, Cosi's royalty revenues are calculated based on a percentage of franchise-operated restaurant sales. Management believes franchise-operated and system-wide comparable sales information is useful in assessing consumer acceptance of the Company's brand, facilitates an understanding of financial performance and overall sales trends, helps the Company understand the effectiveness of marketing initiatives, the cost of which our franchisees contribute to based on a percentage of their sales, and provides information that is relevant for comparison within the industry. About Cosi, Inc. Cosi ( http://www.getcosi.com) is a national premium convenience restaurant chain that has developed featured foods built around a secret, generations-old recipe for crackly crust flatbread. This artisan bread is freshly baked in front of customers throughout the day in open flame stone hearth ovens prominently located in each of the restaurants. Cosi's warm and urbane atmosphere is geared towards its sophisticated, upscale, urban and suburban guests. There are currently 102 Company-owned and 43 franchise restaurants operating in eighteen states, the District of Columbia and the United Arab Emirates. The Cosi vision is to become America's favorite premium convenience restaurant by providing customers authentic, innovative, savory food while remaining an affordable luxury. The Cosi menu features Cosi sandwiches, freshly tossed salads, melts, soups, Cosi bagels, flatbread pizzas, S'mores, snacks and other desserts, and a wide range of coffee and coffee-based drinks and other specialty beverages. Cosi restaurants are designed to be welcoming and comfortable with an eclectic environment. Cosi's sights, sounds, and spaces create a tasteful, relaxed ambience that provides a fresh and new dining experience. "

Source: The Franchise King

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

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

Look Here!

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

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

<–adsense–>

Meet new qualified prospects for your pizza franchise at the 2008 Orlando Pizza Show, September 5-7

$1,950 provides all of this exposure:
• 5’x9’ Special Booth, listing in trade show directory, listing on www.orlandopizzashow.com, two complimentary tickets for your VIP clients
• Your logo and a 100-word advertorial in our August (show) issue or October (post-show) issue
• One year, three-line listing in PMQ’s Pizza Magazine Resource Guide (nine issues)
• Commercial (filmed by PMQ’s video crew at the Orlando Pizza Show) shown on www.virtualpizzashow.com
for one full year
• Banner Ad on orlandopizzashow.com
• Website link in weekly e-newsletter for three months
• AD BONUS: discounted ¼ page ads
<–adsense–>

DON’T WAIT! Act now to receive the maximum ROI!
Contact: Carol Williamson at (662) 234-5481 x 132 or carol@pmq.com for all the details!

Only two days remaining to lock in your Space

Nov 7 – 9, 2008
Los Angeles, CA
wcfexpo.com

January 9-11, 2009
Miami Beach, FL
franchiseexposouth.com

On April 11th, franchisors exhibiting at the International Franchise Expo (IFE) in Washington DC will have the first opportunity to solidify prime booth locations for the West Coast Franchise Expo (WCFE) and Franchise Expo South (FES).
If you haven’t locked in your exhibit space for the 2008 West Coast Franchise (WCFE) Expo, and Franchise Expo South (FES), 2 days remain!
Meet Face to Face With Prospective Franchisees. Lock in your best locations in the hottest franchise markets at the 2008 WCFE and FES 2009.
2 days remain to take advantage of the best available locations and enjoy maximum visibility.
Please click here to request for more information.

Interesting franchise information on Franchisepick.com today.

Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report OurSports Central (press release), WI - 1 hour ago Arena Football League: The AFL is considering switching to a single-entity ownership model as a way to control costs in the areas of team marketing and ...