Setting up a franchise is an endeavour that can have its negative aspects, but can also be one of the more rewarding ways to get a foot on the business ladder. Generally, franchisees are given extra support to get their business off the ground and the marketing and advertising potential behind a well-known brand name and an established business. Franchise holders tend to hit the ground running.
One franchise that is making big waves at the moment is CityLocal. They have just launched their brand new and improved website. This business directory service is packed full of information relevant to the community it serves. Locals can get cinema times, local jobs, information on property sales and much more all on one platform.
Those who buy a CityLocal franchise tend to be local people who want to work closely with the businesses in their area to establish a community profile for their clients. Simply put, CityLocal offers businesses a platform to promote themselves online. The website is packed full of features and is designed to have local people coming back time after time for all of their local information. The business can have as much space as it needs to describe itself and can even upload advertisements and videos. Community people can then get in touch with businesses via the website or go to the dedicated business website through a link.
This relatively simple concept offers those who are looking for a business opportunity a long list of possibilities. Franchisees can offer video making services, help with the design of the business page or allow them to add value by improving their profile or offering money-off vouchers and promotions. All of these factors make the product easy to sell and, more importantly, worthwhile for the client.
Running a franchise isn't for everyone however, as plenty of commitment is required. While CityLocal offers support to its new franchisees, it is also expected that they will work hard to achieve the results they want and need. CityLocal has invested heavily in the infrastructure to get the concept off the ground and to make running the business easy for its franchisees, but the hard work of finding new clients is going to be the most challenging part of running a franchise.
A CityLocal franchise is probably best for those who are part of their community and those who want to lift the profile of local businesses. It is important that they have a passion for their area and a will to succeed. Having a good grounding in computer use and some knowledge of how the Internet works would be an advantage; although CityLocal does offer full training.
CityLocal claims that its franchisees can generate a turnover of £45,000 from their first 100 customers, and the low set-up costs for clients should make it quite easy to reach this level. Clients get their adverts for just £99 plus a monthly fee, making the concept an easy sell. Franchisees pay between £3,000 and £15,000 for an exclusive area.
On balance, a CityLocal franchise is much like any other, in that the more effort that is put into development and finding clients, the more money can be made. Anyone who has a passion for sales and the ability to engage with business people can achieve great things with a CityLocal franchise.
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