Pros And Cons Of The CityLocal Franchise

CityLocal, a leading UK business directory and guide, presents entrepreneurs with an exciting franchise opportunity. However, as with all new business ventures, before you invest your time and money it is important to consider the pros and cons of the enterprise.

So, what is CityLocal? The idea behind the business is to create websites that offer information about specific locations across the UK. These sites are much more than just business directories. They are closer to being community hubs, as in addition to a list of local businesses they feature job vacancies, local news, events and cinema listings.

Each of these websites is a franchise, run by people who know and care about their local area. Should you decide to buy the franchise for your locality, you will become a specialist 'local business promoter', whose task is to raise the profile of local businesses within the community and connect them with potential clients and customers.

A common problem faced by many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is a limited online presence, which essentially boils down to the fact that it’s no use having a website if nobody can find it. CityLocal aims to solve this problem by providing SMBs with a way to raise their profile. This is done through keyword targeted business listings which increase a company’s visibility on the major search engines.

There are a number of significant advantages to owning a CityLocal franchise. It is a proven business model and therefore a relatively low-risk investment. It is also low-cost as no equipment is required, and this, combined with the fact many of the services are automated, means that each franchise is low maintenance.

Another key advantage is that CityLocal is part of a growing market. A study complied in 2009 by the Internet Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers demonstrated that despite the recession, the money spent on online advertising is growing and now accounts for 32.5 per cent of all advertising money spent in the UK.

However, there are some things to bear in mind if you are considering making the investment and becoming a CityLocal franchisee. In order to be successful, franchise owners have to possess a number of attributes. You will need ambition and drive, motivation, good organisation and management skills, as well as the ability to network and build new relationships. In addition to this, CityLocal requires franchisees to dedicate at least 20 hours per week to their business.

It is important to ask yourself whether you posses all these characteristics, as once you become a franchise owner you will have to pay a monthly licence fee. Although it is determined by the size of your territory and number of customers, in order to meet these payments and make a significant profit hard work will be required.

However, CityLocal does provide intensive training, which includes instructions in marketing and sales. This training also provides new franchisees with a chance to learn how to create effective business listings. This is a crucial element of this business because in order to attract clients each franchisee must be able to demonstrate that they can get businesses to appear high on the best search engines.

With ongoing business support and a strong community of franchisees, as long as you have an entrepreneurial spirit and the determination to succeed, CityLocal represents a positive franchise opportunity.