Franchise
Finder Newsletter Oct/Nov 2006 |
Welcome
to the Franchise Finder Newsletter |
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|
News |
New
Franchisors and Small
Business Finder
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| New
Franchisors listed on Franchise Finder |
Cape
to Cuba - Cape to Cuba, founded in 1999
is an authentic Cuban Restaurant. Now by popular
demand the magic and vibe of this concept restaurant
is offered throughout South Africa as franchise
opportunities.
Read more about this franchise.. |
| Kid's
Clay -
Kids just love to play with clay! It allows
them to express their feelings in a creative way
and develops their fine motor co-ordination skills.
Become part of an existing group of 10 Kid's Clay
Franchises that have been operating since 2002.
Read
more about this franchise..
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Zibby
Cleaners - Zibby Cleaners is a National
Dustbin Cleaning Franchise that was established
in February 2003. The franchise focuses on cleaning
and disinfecting wheelie dustbins and offers a
proven successful business system.
Read more about this franchise..
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| Small
Business Finder to launch on the 1st November
2006 |
We
will be launching a new sister site on the 1st
November called Small Business Finder.co.za. The
website will be listing small businesses that
are for sale in South Africa, specifically ones
that have a selling price of less than
R2 million.
All business listings that we receive in the month
of October will be listed on the website at no
charge, and will only be taken off the website
once they are sold. So if you know of anyone selling
a business, please let them know about the website
and they can contact us on 031-764 6350 or via
email info@franchisefinder.co.za
for more information. |
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Louise's
Franchise Ideas |
| Here
are a few of my Franchise Concept Ideas. Remember
that franchising is not an overnight process by
any means and growth and expansion happens over
years. Once you have at least one successful and
profitable store, one can look into franchising
the concept. I believe that the ideas below, once
up and running as successful businesses, will
be well suited to the franchising world |
Franchise
Idea No.1: Sushi on the Move for Corporate
Events and Dinner Parties |
| More
and more people have grown to love Sushi, myself
included! What about creating a mobile Sushi Bar?
Obviously one has to know how to prepare, make
and serve Sushi but if you have some experience
in the food and/ or catering industry you might
find this an area to explore. You could market
yourself to event co-ordinators and target the
"corporate functions" market or even
find a niché in serving Sushi at exclusive
home dinner parties or events. |
| Franchise
Idea No.2: Mobile
Coffee Franchise |
| Everyone
enjoys a good cup of coffee. The idea of this
franchise is to firstly serve coffee (and all
other coffee related drinks) to office blocks
in the morning during the week and secondly to
serve coffee at sporting or cultural events on
the weekend or during holidays. With this type
of franchise, you could call on office blocks
in the morning and then work as many number of
weekends as you like. Your initial investment
would involve a delivery van, the coffee-making
equipment and branding. |
| Franchise
Idea No.3: Pita Bread and Fillings - Mobile
Franchise |
| Again,
this is a franchise that involves food. There
are franchises that sell Hot Dogs, Chips, Burgers,
Ice-Cream, so what about creating a business that
sells delicious Pita's? You could come up with
recipes for several fillings and even sauces and
then sell these at weekend sporting or cultural
events with the use of a mobile trailer. This
type of franchise could even grow into a small
fast food outlet at a shopping mall - as long
as the food is good and the concept is well branded,
you are well on your way! |
| Franchise
Idea No.4: Zulu Courses |
| I
haven't seen a franchise teaching Zulu as yet.
If there are franchises that teach maths, english
and computers, why not a franchise that teaches
Zulu? This business would need to be started
by someone with a passion for education and someone
with experience or knowledge of the education
system and syllabus. Obviously, the potential
franchisees would need to be fluent in Zulu in
order to take on this franchise. Start-up costs
would be small and you could run this business
from home. |
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E-newsletters
are excellent ways to market your product or
service and to stay in touch with your clients
or potential clients. Many businesses have started
to use this marketing tool and indeed it should
be encouraged because people are becoming increasingly
computer, web and email savvy!
There
are however a few guidelines that one should
follow in order to create a successful e-newsletter
with many subscribers. Here are 10 Top Guidelines: |
Make
your e-newsletters relevant and regular.
Ensure that the content is practical and useful
to the reader - you want people to look forward
to receiving your newsletter. You need to be consistent
and send out your newsletters regularly but also
remember that you don't want to hound the reader
with a newsletter every second day! I would recommend
a newsletter to be sent out on a monthly basis
for most businesses or every two weeks in some
cases. |
Ensure
subscribers of your privacy policy.
The policy could appear on your website and/or
at the bottom of any email newsletter. Ensure
subscribers that their email addresses are private
and that they will not be sold or given away to
any party. |
Use
shorter sentences and paragraphs.
Keep paragraphs to less than 6 lines. Keep ideas
simple and clear, with basic wording and clear
language.
|
Use
lists!
Use numbers or bullet points to keep things clear.
As people scroll up and down their screen, give
them reference points. Make it easy to navigate
your material. |
Use
a standard banner for your newsletter.
The first screen (first impression) of your letter
must be consistent from one issue to the next.
Make it pleasant, give the essential info (title,
your name, perhaps the date or issue number),
and keep it simple. |
Use
a table of contents.
Again, think in terms of easy navigation. Use
clever titles to catch the reader's interest,
and give them a map to help them find the material
that interests them most! |
Use
a clean layout.
Use distinctive marks to separate each
section. Use lots of white space. Surround your
best ideas with blank space, to draw the eye to
them. |
Unsubscribe
option
Always offer your subscribers an unsubscribe option
and make this as easy as possible to do. You don't
want to frustrate people by sending them emails
that they would rather not read. |
Remember
to think carefully about your subject line.
Spam filters are extremely clever these days and
scrutinize your subject line for Spam Indicators.
To avoid been filtered as spam, do not use any
punctuation in the subject line such as question
or exclamation marks. Try not to avoid using calls
to action such as"Get," "Open,"
"Download," "Buy," "Save,"
Make, "Take" and "Respond."
Then there are the pronouns - I'm sure you would
think that these words would be relatively harmless
but you are wrong. Do not use the words "You,"
"Your" and "I" as the first
word in the subject line. Lastly, there is the
word "Free" - this is a guarateed to
get your email filtered out as spam. |
| In
your newsletter, it's vital to have relevant content,
but in many ways it's even more important to present
it elegantly. Take the time to present your great
ideas as attractively as possible. |
|
Q
& A with Franchisors |
We
put forward a few questions to franchisors |
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When
and how did you start your business?
Master Maths was established in 1976. One of
the first franchise businesses in SA Founder
member of FASA
What made you decide to franchise your
business?
New owners bought the company as a going franchise
concern. Great need for Mathematic extra tuition
countrywide and franchising was ideal way of
providing a much needed service. Also good way
of creating opportunity for people to own their
own profitable businesses in the feld of education.
What was the most difficult part of
franchising your business?
Bought it as a going concern
Did a business consultant help you through
the process of franchising your business?
No.
What are your opinions on franchising?
Excellent safe and proven way to start a business.Many
people do not have the skills to run a business
. With 30 years business experience in our field
the chances of sucess are so much higher. Less
risky for new entry.
The franchisor is :
- The leader, thinking
ahead, Spending resources and time in research
development and ensuring continuity of the organisation.
- Trains franchisee and staff to successfully
operate the business
- Provides operational manuals etc on the day-to-day
running of the business
- Supports, guides and advice a franchisee
- Monitors the franchisee
- Set the standards on how the business will
be conducted
What are the 3 most important qualities
that you look for in a potential franchisee?
Understand the concept of franchising
Positive hardworking and proud to be associated
with the brand
Financially capable of running a business
Where do you see your franchise in 5
years time?
Stil growing at the rate of between 35 - 40%
as we have done over the last couple of years.
Master maths has been operating now for 30 years
and will still be in 30 years time - hopefully
with a centre in every town in SA. We currently
have 130 Master Maths campuses in SA.
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When
and how did you start your business?
We started you business 16years ago.
What made you decide to franchise your business?
We had so many demands for the same business
opportunity through friends,family and customers
that we decided on franchising the concept.
What was the most difficult part of franchising
your business?
All the admin. Doing everything right
from the start. It is better to do everything
thorough from the start rather than having a lot
of problems along the way.
Did a business consultant help you through the
process of franchising your business?
Yes because it is a complicted procedure
it is better to use the help of a consultant.
What are your opinions on franchising?
There are so many success stories. Be
sure the brand you invest you money in is registered
at FASA.
What are the 3 most important qualities that you
look for in a potential franchisee?
Self motivated
Positive attitude
Be willing to work hard
Where do you see your franchise in 5 years time?
The market leader in Biltong Franchise. |
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When and how did you
start your business?
The Tax Shop offically started in December 2001.
It was borne out of a need to supply taxation
services to individuals quickly and cheaply.
What made you decide to franchise your
business?
We reaslised that a huge gap existed in the
market for such a business as this. The gap
not only existed in our town but nationally
as well.
What was the most difficult part of
franchising your business?
Locating suitable franchisees.
Did a business consultant help you through
the process of franchising your business?
We are business consultants and have
been applying our skills and knowledge.
What are your opinions on franchising?
Franchising creates a secure business environment
within which to do business and affords many
benefits to the whole group such as collective
advertising, sharing of skills and ideas etc.
What are the 3 most important qualities
that you look for in a potential franchisee?
Honesty, Diligence and Perserverence.
Where do you see your franchise in 5
years time?
If all goes well, we foresee a franchise
network throughout South Africa. A similar franchise
in the USA has recently been classified as the
fastest growing franchise in America.
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When
and how did you start your business?
After seeing a gap in the market I started Green
Leaf in October 2004 with not more then R500.
What made you decide to franchise your
business?
I do not see my self as a franchise, rather
a job opportunity, but I have agents selling
my products throughout South Africa.
What was the most difficult part of
franchising your business?
Marketing my services and products was easy,
because I knew there were people out there just
looking for an opportunity like this.
Did a business consultant help you through
the process of franchising your business?
After improving my business and products for
two years I am now seeing a consultant that
specializes in Business Development and Support
Services, Social Responsibility, Development
and Investment, as well as Leadership Development.
I think it is very important to get people with
the right knowledge to help you if you are serious
about taking an entrepreneurship to a new level.
I also believe in developing job opportunities
and teaching people how to see opportunities
within their community and developing it.
What are your opinions on franchising?
If you have something that can inspire people
for a better tomorrow, why not share it with
other people.
What are the 3 most important qualities
that you look for in a potential franchisee?
Servant-Leadership (when your focus is not just
on money, but on ways to improve the lives of
people around you), good work ethics, believe
that God will give you the strength and knowledge
to make a difference in this world through what
you do.
Where do you see your franchise in 5
years time?
I want to touch and inspire as many people possibly
through my work.
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When
and how did you start your business?
We started on April Fool’s Day in 1996,
and were totally overwhelmed by the public’s
response to our fudge. We just could not keep
up with production, and our first weekend we
kept the store open 24hrs per day for four days
just to make enough fudge! We had customers
coming in at 3am to buy some fudge.
What
made you decide to franchise your business?
Franchising is the only way to expand your
business and retain the “Owner-managed”
element in every store. We have found this
critical to the success of the business.
What
was the most difficult part of franchising
your business?
Finding good sites at reasonable rentals is
key, and finding franchisees who have got
what it takes to knuckle down and do the work.
Did
a business consultant help you through the
process of franchising your business?
We
were initially approached by a broker who
wanted a hefty down payment, and then would
not guarantee any of his work! Our recommendation
to any aspirant franchisor is to do 90% of
the work yourself, and then get it rubber
stamped by the experts.
What
are your opinions on franchising?
Franchising works very well in countries where
there is a strong work ethic. In South Africa,
the previously advantaged are very used managing
rather than working, and the previously disadvantaged
expect to get rich now without having to work
anymore. Having said that, the country is
in a transition phase, and Franchising is
one of the best models for transferring skills
to both abovementioned groups. The skills
they learn from the franchisor on how to manage
their own business can then be applied to
a larger business, or even taken back to the
corporate world.
What
are the 3 most important qualities that you
look for in a potential franchisee?
1. Preparedness to work in the business themselves.
2. A strong desire to succeed. 3. The maturity
to realize that success takes hard work, calling
yourself an “entrepreneur” is
not enough.
Where
do you see your franchise in 5 years time?
We want to continue growing the brand recognition
that the American Fudge Factory now enjoys
to the point where we are able to place a
store in each major city in South Africa.
We are currently expanding the concept under
the banner of The Chocolate Café, which
incorporates The Fudge Factory, but offers
a much wider range of products, with more
chocolates and a sit down area where customers
can enjoy a cup of premium coffee or hot chocolate
while watching the making of the fudge.
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When and how did
you start your business?
PropertyMania started 3 years ago, originally
as a property portal for real estate agents
and services. After the first year, and a bad
start-up, the company was taken over by D Maritz,
an entrepreneur for the past seven years, and
it moved into the real estate sales arena. Operating
mainly in the West Coast of the Cape Province,
PropertyMania became a sustainable business
with a totally different approach to real estate
marketing.
What made you decide to franchise your business?
During 2005, PropertyMania got involved in the
pre-selling of real estate on behalf of a few
property developers, and the requirements of
the developers were fast sales. Being a small
company, this was not always possible, and after
recruiting agents in various parts of the country
turned out the opposite results than expected,
the idea took shape that agencies operating
for their own account will perform better. After
finalising the concept and creating attractive
incentives for franchisees, we started to advertise
in Jan 2006 and opened our first branch in North
West Province. Gauteng followed shortly thereafter
and the Cape South Coast joined our team a month
later.
What was the most difficult part of franchising
your business?
The biggest challenge was to create a differentiation
between us and the thousands of other agencies
around. This was done, without re-inventing
the wheel, with exciting results and the best
yet, probably the most affordable price too.
Did a business consultant help you through the
process of franchising your business?
PropertyMania strongly supports the idea of
sharing skills and information and the franchise
concept was handled by our partners and associated.
We did not make use of one single consultant,
but employed the services of a number of experts,
mainly legal firms.
What are your opinions on franchising?
Franchising is probably the fastest way to increase
your business footprint, but it definitely the
more difficult way to manage a brand name. Each
franchisee have his or her own ideas as how
to run a business, and albeit mostly good ones,
there are some ideas that cause more damage
to the brand name and processes, than is worth
our while.
What are the 3 most important qualities that
you look for in a potential franchisee?
Guts, commitment and a desire to succeed.
Where do you see your franchise in 5 years time?
Our target is to have 500 branches operating
in 2015, and we should reach the 50% in 5 years
from now.
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When
and how did you start your business?
Our brand originates in the USA. In October 2003
Brett Toker decided to leave a comfortable position
at Discovery Health and exercise his entrepreneurial
muscles by bringing the MiniMelts brand to South
Africa. Less than a year later a manufacturing
plant had been set up in Modderfontein and the
franchise was launched.
What
made you decide to franchise your business?
Two
main reasons motivated the decision to franchise
the business. First, it is widely acknowledged
that the drive and commitment of individual
owner-operators is a very powerful force within
a business. Second, the franchisees fund their
own businesses and this reduces the overall
capital requirements of the franchisor in expanding
the business – one of the effects of this
is that the business can usually expand more
quickly than would be the case if all outlets
were company owned.
What
was the most difficult part of franchising your
business?
As
with many franchise businesses the biggest challenge
is to recruit the right profile of franchisees.
Did
a business consultant help you through the process
of franchising your business?
Early
on in the process of setting up the business
Brett Toker approached Franchize Directions
to consult in the project. Franchize Directions
took a view on the opportunity and became a
shareholder in the franchise business early
on, thereby committing a lot of consulting expertise
to the project.
What
are your opinions on franchising?
Franchising can be a very successful mechanism
for expanding a business but the franchisor
must take a long term view and not expect quick
returns.
What
are the 3 most important qualities that you
look for in a potential franchisee?
Each
franchise system is different but in MiniMelts
we look for individuals who are highly entrepreneurial,
have a strong sales & customer orientation
and who are going to be actively involved in
the business day to day.
Where
do you see your franchise in 5 years time?
Our
goal at MiniMelts for the brand to become the
best loved ice cream in South Africa. In the
past two years we have developed a very solid
and loyal customer base and we are on track
to reach our goal.
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Next
month:
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- More
New Franchise Ideas
- Marketing
your Franchise Online - Part 2: Optimising
your website for Search Engines
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