Latest Blogs http://franchiseprofs.com/blog/ Latest Blogs PM Appoints New VP of Sales and Strategic Development http://franchiseprofs.com/Myfanwy1/blog/pm-appoints-new-vp-of-sales-and-strategic-development/
“Mike's 20 years in Franchise development and operations management will provide many opportunities for our company to expand aggressively into the Franchise industry,” says Proven Match, Founder and CEO Rebecca Monet.

Proven Match -- a premier provider of top performer reports, business builder profiles, franchisee assessments, risk and resource index and franchisee training tools -- has been the exclusive provider for FranNet consultants for 15 years.

According to Herrara, “With over 20 years of experience in franchise sales, I would have paid for this service out of my own pocket. I figure I would have earned another $500,000 in commissions.”

Please Join Us in Welcoming Mike Aboard!
http://http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=36911902&authType=OUT_OF_NETWORK&authToken=Gltc&trk=hb_upphoto]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Myfanwy1/blog/pm-appoints-new-vp-of-sales-and-strategic-development/ Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:46:38 +0000 Myfanwy Lee Chandler <![CDATA[Proven Match Adds Martinizing Delivers! to it's Client Roster]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Myfanwy1/blog/proven-match-adds-martinizing-delivers-to-it-s-client-roster/ Proven Match is pleased to announce that we have just added Martinizing ® Delivers to our client roster.

Martinizing ® is the largest dry cleaning ...]]> Proven Match is pleased to announce that we have just added Martinizing ® Delivers to our client roster.

Martinizing ® is the largest dry cleaning franchise in the United States and is ranked #1 in the industry by Entrepreneur magazine. The most recognized brand name in dry cleaning – the company has recently introduced a new concept called, “Martinizing ® Delivers” – providing people the opportunity to become part of the Martinizing franchise.

Martinizing ® Delivers offers FREE home pick-up and delivery service by local Martinizing® Dry Cleaning and Martinizing® Delivers franchisees. Prospective Franchisees work as salespeople who pick-up and drop-off dry cleaning for both commercial and residential accounts within an exclusive delivery area.

Using the patent pending 7-Elements of Compatibility and Performance methodology the Personal Franchise Assessment outlines the Values, Competencies, Sales Orientation and Business Development Potential of a prospective franchisee.

Jerry Laesser, VP Franchise Development and his team will be able to launch and manage prospect assessments and reports 24/7 from the dashboard of their Electronic Profiling System.

We look forward to growing with Martinizing ® Delivers!]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Myfanwy1/blog/proven-match-adds-martinizing-delivers-to-it-s-client-roster/ Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:46:33 +0000 Myfanwy Lee Chandler Proven Match to Attend Annual Meet and Greet in Atlanta http://franchiseprofs.com/Myfanwy1/blog/proven-match-to-attend-annual-meet-and-greet-in-atlanta/ Proven Match is busy gearing up for the ...]]> Proven Match is busy gearing up for the event. At Proven Match, our goal is to help franchise companies select a better quality candidate, increase validation, retain top producers, reduce costs and increase profitability.

The 13th Annual “must-attend” Conference – which is to be held at the InterContinental Buckhead in Atlanta -- offers an unparalleled opportunity to network with other franchise sales and development executives. In fact, attendance to the event is exclusively limited to franchisors only.

Not only that, but the Conference offers an array of professional development opportunities for attendees to exchange information and best practice solutions, to help them improve their standing and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

With that in mind, Proven Match is extending special introductory offers to conference attendees. Unlike other predictive analysis tools, Proven Match assessment tools were developed exclusively for franchise executives. Our assessments are proven tools that allow you to recruit, select and qualify prospective franchisees.

Do You Know What Your Top Performer Looks Like?
At Proven Match, we help you discover what sets a top performing franchisee apart from a low performer. We offer assessments and reports on your Top Performers, individual comparisons to Top Performers, as well as franchise development and training plans. These comprehensive reports offer the kind of intelligence to help the Franchisor make more educated business decisions that can ultimately mean the difference between franchisee success and failure.

Are You Using an Employee Profiling Tool When Selecting A Franchise?A franchisee is not an employee. Thus, it’s not surprising that what makes for a successful franchisee is determined using a very different set of criteria – and is a greater indicator of behavior and performance. Our reports allow you to see instantly which candidates have the greatest potential for success.

Is Your Training Designed with Franchisee Performance In Mind?Imagine being able to replicate the skills of your Top Performer. The Top Performer Report delineates the precise skills and competencies your franchise needs to succeed within your system – providing a basis to compare, train and support current and incoming franchisees.

Special Introductory OffersWe are extending special introductory offers to attendees of the Conference. Through these special offers, franchise executives may gain access to a vital tool that will enable them to better determine compatibility and predict franchisee performance.

If the answer to any of the aforementioned questions is no, reach out to Mike or Rebecca at Proven Match while at the Leadership Conference to learn more about how take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity.

Mike C: 949-278-0052 mike@provenmatch.com
Rebecca Monet C: 760-207-2214 rebecca@provenmatch.com

We look forward to seeing you at the show!

Proven Match profiling tools are designed exclusively for franchise companies – we have a 17-year history of predicting franchisee performance. Our assessments have been market validated by over 60,000 business owners in all major industries. These assessments are based on statistical analysis with a high degree of accuracy.]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Myfanwy1/blog/proven-match-to-attend-annual-meet-and-greet-in-atlanta/ Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:34:32 +0000 Myfanwy Lee Chandler Is old thinking standing in your way? http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/is-old-thinking-standing-in-your-way/ Lately, I have been collaborating with another trainer and speaker who is located in Australia. I met her while speaking in Singapore. Interestingly e... To my surprise, what I learned is that it was actually easier and cheaper for me to call her in Australia than to call when we were only 160 miles apart. If you use Skype it could even be free.]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/is-old-thinking-standing-in-your-way/ Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:01:11 +0000 Mel Kleiman How to create some great interviewing questions. http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/how-to-create-some-great-interviewing-questions/ Hiring Wisdom: How to Develop Some Great Interview Questions
by Mel Kleiman

This exercise was adapted from an ...]]> Hiring Wisdom: How to Develop Some Great Interview Questions
by Mel Kleiman

This exercise was adapted from an ice breaker published on the Dr. Clue website.

Materials & Set Up: A classroom with seats and/or tables.

Process: Pose this question to the group:

“If you could ask just one question to discover a person’s suitability for [job title/position], what would your question be?”

Issue one situation for the whole group or allocate a different job/position to each team member or pair/team to work on.

Ask people to work individually or in small teams to devise their questions. Then have people work in paris or threes to test, reflect on, refine, and role play the questions.

Give a time limit for question preparation and a separate time limit for testing/role playing.

Debrief:

Are there advantages in preparing questions in advance, rather than relying on instinct or invention at the time?
What else happens while we ask questions, aside from the words between us? (Explore body language and non-verbal communications.)
What sort of questions are least effective and should be avoided? (Try to identify characteristics of ineffective questions.)
What sort of questions are most effective? (Try to identify characteristics of effective questions.)
How do we feel when being asked effective/ineffective questions?
To what extent and how should questions be tailored for the particular listener and for the questioner’s needs?
What crucial questions do we ask (at work/in life) which we could prepare more carefully?
The Point: There are no absolute “right” or best questions. There are, however, many effective questions, depending on the situation and people’s needs. Likewise, there are certainly questions which do not work well and which should be avoided.

Questioning is powerful and helpful when prepared well, but wastes everyone’s time and creates problems when it is not.

This was originally published on Mel Kleiman’s Humetrics blog.

Mel Kleiman, CSP, is an internationally-known authority on recruiting, selecting, and hiring hourly employees. He has been the president of Humetrics since 1976 and has over 30 years of practical experience, research, consulting and professional speaking work to his credit. Contact him at mkleiman@humetrics.com.]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/how-to-create-some-great-interviewing-questions/ Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:01:06 +0000 Mel Kleiman What will your org chart look like in 2015 http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/what-will-your-org-chart-look-like-in-2015/ If you want to hire and retain great people, give them a view of what the future could be. Create an ...]]> If you want to hire and retain great people, give them a view of what the future could be. Create an org chart showing all of the opportunity you envision for your present workforce over the next few years. Show them the opportunities that exist and help them buy into your goals and dreams.
If you’re using The 5 Firsts: A Simple System to On-board and Retain Top Talent, this would be a great tool to add to the end-of-the-first-month-on-the-job discussion.


(Do your hiring forms really help you screen in the best and screen out the rest? To preview the efficient and effective employment application, structured interview, and interview rating forms Humetrics has perfected over the past 20 years, click here.)]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/what-will-your-org-chart-look-like-in-2015/ Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:09:39 +0000 Mel Kleiman Why VIRTUAL Events http://franchiseprofs.com/larrycarnell/blog/why-virtual-events/ WHY VIRTUAL EVENTS: Virtual Events Statistics Report Below Intro

Intro -What Consumers Prefer - Over the la...]]> WHY VIRTUAL EVENTS: Virtual Events Statistics Report Below Intro

Intro -What Consumers Prefer - Over the last few years many other industries have already discovered the preference and migration of consumers to attend virtual events over live events and internet portals - of particular note is that these consumers tend to be better educated and have higher financial resources - IDEAL FRANCHISE PROSPECTS. Others have recognized the declining lead to close ratios of internet portals and declining attendance of trade shows. Many companies in other industries have completely eliminated their live events and gone virtual. A recent national convention illustrated that many leaders in the industry are experiencing 60%+ to 300% growth (report below). This resource is now being made available to the franchise community - unlike other events, FreeFranchiseExpo has been created and cooperative supported "within" our franchise community by several of the top experts and franchisors – including service providers.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA & WHY VIRTUAL EVENTS ARE SUCCEEDING AND WILL GAIN EVER GREATER APPEAL - We have all seen and recognized the dramatic surge in the use of social media... for those that are educated in sales, marketing and training - this was predicted... The most effective marketing efforts use psychological and motivation attibutes to create not only better traffic but better engagement. This explains the past migration of consumers looking for business opportunities from newspapers, to magazines, to the internet, to brokers, to social media... and now the migration to virtual events. History is simply repeating itself... Consumers have ALWAYS migrated toward resources that provide the following:
• Better Convenience - Easy Access (No travel, no parking, no entry fees)
• Low Costs (FreeFranchiseExpo is FREE to attendees)
• Better Education - buyers want to be EDUCATED not SOLD
• Credible information from experts (Look at the success of LinkedIn)
• Quicker Response (Look at the success of Facebook, instant chat, texting etc.)
• Interactivity (Look at the success of Wii entertainment systems)
These desires explain the migration from virtually every declining lead generation resource to newer channels - and for the savy and smart... an indication of where the BEST candidates will be... Virtual Events ARE the Next Evolution in Lead Generation !

The IDEAL CANDIDATES: Are often Better Educated, Better Skilled, and have Better Financial Resources - Those candidates have ALWAYS tended to follow the newest technology and resources that provide the above attributes.
FreeFranchiseExpo has been specifically designed to deliver what consumers want and more specifically what your Ideal Candidates desire.

Virtual Events
Get the latest information regarding virtual events, online conferences, and online tradeshows
• Contacts
• Social27
Virtual Edge Summit How to Make Your Next Virtual Event Fascinating

Virtual Event Statistics
On December 16, 2010, in Virtual Event Statistics, Virtual Event Trends, Virtual Events Market, by Ike Singh
0diggsdigg
0
inShare
5Share
Virtual events by the numbers – show me the data!
There is a saying that goes – “In God we trust – all others bring data”. In the world of virtual events there is one statistic that no one is denying. It’s big business. How big? Well Market Research Media’s forecast shows that the worldwide virtual conference market is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 56% between 2010 and 2015 and to generate $18.6 billion revenues over the same period.
Virtual Edge Institute, organizers of the upcoming Virtual Edge Summit, (Social27 is a Gold Sponsor), took a look at all the surveys published in 2010 and put together a fascinating infographic as a resource for those considering going virtual, researching virtual or seeking to demonstrate the value of virtual. They highlight that worldwide the Global Meeting and Events Industry is worth $650 Billion ($230B in the United States alone) and as I mentioned $18.6 billion is projected to be spent on virtual events between 2010 and 2015. In terms of business value, exhibitors find virtual events good for attracting more participants (71%), extending global reach (62%) and one in five marketers have done hybrid events. In addition, 3 in 4 brand marketers anticipate trade shows will include virtual in the future. How’s that for data! However the devil as they say is in the detail so let’s dig a little deeper.
Virtual event market growth drivers – technology, economics, and customer experience
What’s behind this amazing growth?
• Improving Technology – For starters, the technology is finally catching up with the consumer’s preference for an always-connected lifestyle. Real time web, portability of content across multiple screens and more experiential transfer of information are all influencing factors.
• Favourable Economics – The turbulent recession and resulting push for travel reduction and operational cost cutting has had a huge impact on the redirection of conferences to a virtual or hybrid format. USA Today reports that leaders in the virtual events business are reporting that 70% of companies that it has queried are “producing, considering or interested in pursuing virtual events.” As they say, necessity really is the ‘mother of invention’. Not only that, the Virtual Edge Institute found that virtual events do in fact generate revenue. Sponsorships account for 49% of revenue, booth fees 44% and online banner ads 39%.
• Customer Experience – Finally, the virtual events business is philosophically based on agility and an intense focus on the customer experience. It has evolved with almost every virtual event and fine-tuned its ability to deliver a higher ROI product with decreased production costs and increased attendance.
A competitive market, with huge growth potential
As you might expect, not all companies in the virtual events space publically report their growth numbers. However, the ones that have announced their growth numbers show impressive results. For example, in July this year, one company stated that they are experiencing 60% YOY growth. Likewise, another noted they are very likely to see 300% growth in 2011.
As we move into 2011, the stars are aligning for continued growth in the virtual events market. As Business Travel Trends mentions, travel budget cuts and the tough economy continue to provide a tail-wind that can only benefit online event providers. For example, in a recent survey, carried out by IET ventures, 30% of traditional event organizers said that they expect travel costs to go up and 50% would consider a virtual event. Not surprisingly, 76% strongly agreed that cost is the primary concern when either organizing or attending an event. So the planets are aligned.
Virtual event benefits by the numbers
As previously mentioned, one of the key drivers of the virtual events market is the continuously improving event experience. This improvement can be seen in terms of event providers, the environment, and attendees.
• For Event Providers – Last year, an On24 survey of 5000 marketing professionals, showed how virtual events provide benefits for event providers. Along with the astronomical growth of the virtual events market, 74% of the professionals said they were interested in staging virtual events to save money. 50% were interested in virtual events to save time.
• For Attendees – The same On24 survey showed significant benefits for attendees. For starters, anyone can easily attend a virtual event, which was reflected when 63% of the marketing professionals said they were more likely to attend a virtual event than an in-person event. The biggest surprise of the survey was that many actually considered it easier to network virtually. 72% said they were equally confident interacting virtually, with 15% saying they actually preferred it. The ability to network virtually is a main concern of virtual event providers, and this survey suggests that virtual networking may have the potential to be better than physical networking. Whether they truly do is yet to be seen.
• For the Environment – According to ON24 spokesperson Kimberly Gengler, an average virtual event with 2,300 participants reduces carbon emissions by 3,300 tons, which is the equivalent of ~17,000 trees. Also, an average of 36,000 pieces of paper are saved per virtual event.
The future is in the numbers
These statistics show some of the strengths and the weaknesses of virtual events. From the numbers, it is clear that the virtual events market is experiencing significant momentum. However, it is still relatively young and is still finding its feet. One thing is for sure – the virtual events market is facing a perfect storm of innovation, favourable economic conditions, and changing corporate perceptions. These trends are already being felt in the industry. Tomorrow, they will be seen in the numbers.
About Ike Singh
Ike Singh Kehal is a seasoned business professional with 15+ years of marketing, sales, and business development experience. His latest company, Social27 was founded in 2007 to take advantage of the growing need for social media and game dynamics integration in virtual events. Prior to starting Social27, Ike drove numerous startup projects, including Indiabulls Retail, where he was CEO. Previously, he held various business strategy positions at Microsoft, spread over a seven-year period. Ike is a committed member of the virtual events community and contributes regularly to the discussion at http://www.virtualeventshub.com]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/larrycarnell/blog/why-virtual-events/ Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:09:38 +0000 Larry Carnell <![CDATA[Don't Have Dumb Rules]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/don-t-have-dumb-rules/ 2. Don’t have too many rules.
3. If the rules get in the way of doing business, get rid of them or change them.
4. Don’t mak...]]> 2. Don’t have too many rules.
3. If the rules get in the way of doing business, get rid of them or change them.
4. Don’t make your people break any rules to satisfy a customer.
5. If you aren’t going to enforce it, forget it.

Remember, you don’t have to treat people equally, but you do need to treat them fairly.
Review all rules once a year and see if you still need them or if you need new ones.
Here is the old policy Nordstrom used to have. It was short enough to tweet and comprised the entire “policy manual:”

Welcome to Nordstrom

We’re glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them.

Nordstrom Rules

Rule #1: Use your best judgment in all situations.

There will be no additional rules.

Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time.

This was originally published on Mel Kleiman’s Humetrics blog.

Mel Kleiman, CSP, is an internationally-known authority on recruiting, selecting, and hiring hourly employees. He has been the president of Humetrics since 1976 and has over 30 years of practical experience, research, consulting and professional speaking work to his credit. Contact him at mkleiman@humetrics.com.]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/don-t-have-dumb-rules/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:37:46 +0000 Mel Kleiman MEDIOCRITY WILL KILL YOU http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/mediocrity-will-kill-you/

MEDIOCRITY WILL KILL YOU
Because I have worked closely with all kinds of clients in all kin...]]>

MEDIOCRITY WILL KILL YOU
Because I have worked closely with all kinds of clients in all kinds of industries, I have been able to pinpoint a widespread stumbling block that keeps too many organizations from being their best. It is the practice of tolerating mediocre performers.

Let’s face it, it’s not the dishonest or disrespectful or undependable people who keep us from excelling. Most of us are smart enough to cut our losses and fire these losers fast.

No, most often the cause of less than peak performance is the mediocre players who keep us from having exceptional, winning teams that outperform the competition.
The main reasons mediocrity is allowed to flourish are because:

1. Most of us are just too nice. We don’t want to be responsible for hurting anyone’s feelings or putting them in dire financial straights. We avoid short-term pain and end up tolerating long-term misery.

2. “I just don’t have time right now to hire and train a new employee.” (This is another way of saying your team doesn’t have any bench strength. In other words, the convenience of mediocrity trumps the inconvenience of change.)

3. “We will have to pay unemployment.” (No one stops to think about the long-term cost of substandard performance versus the limited-time payment of benefits. One way or another, you’re going to pay and the right decision is in favor of the overall quality of your organization.)

There are some simple solutions to these problems, but, like most things worth doing, they aren’t necessarily easy.

1. Recruit and interview religiously: Make sure you are looking for new hires even when you don’t need anyone at the moment.

2. Then, when you are not in desperation hiring mode, you can raise the bar: When you don’t have to hire the first minimally qualified person who shows up, kick your hiring standards up a notch and don’t settle for less.

3. Hold everyone accountable, including yourself: Spell out what it takes to be a successful member of your organization and make sure everyone knows exactly what’s expected.

4. Become an employer-of-choice. Is yours a fun place to work? Do you have family-friendly policies? Do all the players on your team enjoy working together? When you can answer “yes” to these questions, you’ll be able to attract top-notch talent at every level.]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Mel_Kleiman/blog/mediocrity-will-kill-you/ Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:57:05 +0000 Mel Kleiman Tips on Buying an Existing Franchise or Non-Franchise Business http://franchiseprofs.com/Jeff_Young/blog/tips-on-buying-an-existing-franchise-or-non-franchise-business/ Starting a business from scratch may be too much risk for some people, but taking the reins of an operating franchise or buying a non-franchise busine... So, what does a buyer look for when buying an existing franchise? First, franchises are for a specific term, normally ten years with additional five year options. With each renewal term there is a renewal fee. This may be a percent of the current fee. So if you purchase a franchise in year eight of a ten year agreement, you can factor in the renewal fee into the cost of the business.

What if the franchisor does not renew the franchise at the end of the franchise term? If the franchise is operating as it should, then the franchisor must renew the agreement. The franchisor can not unreasonably withhold renewal. At the end of a franchise term there may be some requirements for renewal, for instance, with retail and restaurant franchises, they may require updating or modernizing the décor or purchasing new computers and software. Franchisors are in the business of franchising and in most cases have no interest in taking over your franchise. They know a franchisee does a better job of operating the business in their market…that's franchising.

What are the advantages of owning an existing franchise over a non-franchise business? Two important factors should be considered in weighing the decision of buying an existing franchise or a non-franchise business. One is equity potential. Franchise businesses usually command a premium over non-franchise businesess because of the branding and market dominance of franchises. The second factor is support. A franchise business with the systems and support will have a competitive advantage in the market place over non-franchise businesses.

How does the due diligence compare, franchise verses non-franchise business? The due diligence the buyer performs to make a decision to buy an existing franchise business is more comprehensive than a non-franchise business. The buyer can contact other franchise owners in other markets to gauge the performance of the franchise under consideration verses the performance of other franchise owners in the system. It is important to understand, are you buying a franchise from an underperformer or a top gun and what is the potential for improvement. With a non-franchise business, you have nothing to compare and it may be difficult to determine the level of sophistication of the owner and the potential for the non-franchise business.

How do royalties paid to the franchisor factor into the equation? Theoretically, any royalties paid to the franchisor should be outweighed by the benefits received by the franchise system. For new and emerging franchises, an argument can be made that the benefits are minimal. In a mature franchise system, the benefits are obvious.

How does the franchise relationship impact the decision to buy a franchise verses a non-franchise business? The franchise relationship between the franchisor and franchisee is a very important consideration. You must trust the vision of the franchisor to navigate the system through turbulent business waters. When buying a franchise, you must have trust in the Ray Krocs' and Dave Thomas' of the world because their decisions impact the value of your business.

Do I have to give up my freedom and creativity if I buy and franchise verses a non-franchise business? This is one of the big misperceptions in franchising, that if you own a franchise then you are part of the chain gang that slugs along producing profits for the franchisor. Nothing could be further from the truth. Talk to any successful franchise owner to understand they are operating THEIR business that is part of a system. OK, maybe they need to suck it in a bit and comply with Big Brother, but it's THEIR business. Buying an existing business you expect the owner to show you the ropes. At some point in time, enough is enough, it's time for you to forge your own path with nobody looking over your shoulder.

At the end of the day, you pay a premium buying an existing franchise or non-franchise business when the business is well run and producing predictable cash flow. What this premium buys you is peace of mind. You have bought a business with a level of risk that makes you comfortable, you are investing in the business and your future as a business owner!]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Jeff_Young/blog/tips-on-buying-an-existing-franchise-or-non-franchise-business/ Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:02:48 +0000 Jeff Young Monitoring Your Reputation http://franchiseprofs.com/KendraRamirez/blog/monitoring-your-reputation/ Would you ever let your phone ring in your customer call center and not pick it up? This is what happens on a daily basis inside social media tools. I...
What kind of information should you be listening for? Everything from comments about competitors to keywords, event triggers, and positive or negative comments. But don't worry—you don't have to be perusing social media sites all day long in order to catch these things. Here are some tools you can use to monitor what is being said about you, your company, or your brand:

You can use google.com/alerts or socialmention.com for free. Be sure to set the search for your name, leader names, company name, event triggers, or company brands.

For larger brands, consider using a tool that you pay for, such as alterian.com or radian6.com. These are dashboards that come with great workflows and analytics. They show user sentiment, identify the influencers in a situation, and allow more keyword search capabilities.

Social media is a great tool for research and customer service. When using it for research, listen for new ways that your product is being used. For instance, a manufacturing company recently learned that their product was being used in a different way than it was originally designed. This opened a new business opportunity that the company had not recognized before, and it might not have occurred to them had they not been using social media.

You can also use social media to improve your customer service efforts. A friend of mine once stayed at a hotel in Cleveland and had a bad experience there, so she posted it on Twitter. Within two minutes, the hotel was following her in Twitter and sent her their customer service number. She couldn't believe it. She called the number and they were very apologetic about her experience. Then they offered her a free night's stay for the next time she visited the hotel. That hotel turned around a negative situation. They answered the phone.

Have you thought about using social media to listen for potential customer needs? Has your company identified event triggers that it would look for in social media?]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/KendraRamirez/blog/monitoring-your-reputation/ Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:29:41 +0000 Kendra Ramirez Productivity tip: How to Communicate WITHOUT email http://franchiseprofs.com/Neen_James/blog/productivity-tip-how-to-communicate-without-email/
What a great question!

I was secretly delighted to hear some people are limiting their access to email (but that is a topic for another blog)!

Here are strategies you can communicate with influence without using email as your primary tool … each of these will take you no more than 15 minutes (now that’s productive!)

Invite them to a tele-coffee – phone (leave a voicemail if you must) inviting them to a tele-coffee! What is a tele-coffee you ask? You make a coffee and they make a coffee and you talk on the telephone … for no more than 15 minutes! I do tele-cocktails on Friday (love those!)

Send a hand written note - no one does this anymore and because we have so much electronic communication they will appreciate a ‘personal touch’.

Send a magazine subscription – for usually less than $20 you could include a note: ‘I know you don’t have time to read all your emails but thought you might have a few minutes to enjoy a magazine… would love a chance to connect’

Send a postcard - hand write a message on the back… same idea as the hand written note but it stands out in people’s mail each day. I like to send Aussie postcards with scenes and phrases that make people smile (it helps I am Australian). What is memorable about you that could also be shown on a post card?

Send a parcel – everyone loves presents! It could contain a recommended book, journal or sample of your product. Include a note suggesting you get together by phone to chat about the book/journal/sample. I once sent a jar of peanut butter and jelly to the director of very large cable company with a note ‘I know you don’t have time for lunch but maybe a quick PBJ sandwich?’ (I don’t even eat PBJ – that is definitely an American institution… I found out that was his favorite sandwich). That jar led to many fabulous opportunities, great relationships and a very profitable client.

Send a LinkedIn request – OK so this one does appear in their inbox… however… people take notice of invitations to connect and often take a moment to read your bio.

Invite them to a networking event – phone and offer to host them, introduce them to others they would benefit from knowing and connect at the same time – very productive!

Text them – no… you don’t have to be up on the latest text talk (e.g. LOL, BRR) however you can quickly and easily ask if they have time tomorrow to chat by phone. Not many people use text wisely for connecting, it is personal, quick and usually gets a response.

Search social media profiles - you can direct message on Twitter or send a Facebook message. These are alternative communication strategies and will appeal to different clients.

Create a video – create a 30 second invitation to connect with you (you can do this on your iPad using iMovie or your Flip Camera… or the camera in your laptop), upload to YouTube and send a link inviting them to coffee (these videos can also be texted). OK I admit this is another email… however you have to admit it is a creative one!

Your prospective franchisees, vendors and current clients do want to hear from you – you just need to get clever, cut through the clutter, be creative and do this more productively – now it only takes 15 minutes – which strategy will you try first?]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Neen_James/blog/productivity-tip-how-to-communicate-without-email/ Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:38:54 +0000 Neen James Leadership: The Smart Choice http://franchiseprofs.com/Shawn_Doyle/blog/leadership-the-smart-choice/
Quote:
When you hire people that are smarter than you are, you prove you are smarter than they are.


So hirin...]]>
Quote:
When you hire people that are smarter than you are, you prove you are smarter than they are.


So hiring people smarter than you are is actually smart. In most organizations managers are specialists, and leaders are generalist. Let me give you a hospital example. I am sure that the chief of surgery is not necessarily the best surgeon in the hospital or the best specialist however he or she may be the best leader. By the same token, I'm sure Mary Kay never actually manufactured make-up or a clinically tested it in a laboratory, but she led a great organization for years. What we have to realize is that the work is not done by the leader, the work is done by the team. So here is the point, if we hire the best team we get the best results.

One area that the leaders need to overcome is their own sense of ego or even arrogance. This prevents them from thinking about the possibility of hiring someone who is smarter than they are in their specific area of expertise. That is the wrong way to think about it. If you're hiring someone for finance, you may not be the ultimate expert in finance yourself. So the goal is to find the “best of the best” in the world of finance. The fact is that when a leader is surrounded by a smart team then the leader looks smarter by reflection.

Tips for hiring smarter

Here are eight tips for ensuring that you hire and keep the smartest and the best:

1. Make it your goal to find the best: I see leaders in many industries who settle for a candidate who seems OK, but is not the best of the best. Don't settle! If you do that, you will pay for it later. Be the tortoise not the hare. Take your time, be patient and make sure that you're hiring the best of the best and when you do you will get great results.

2. Always be looking for new talent: As you attend industry conferences meetings and network, always be on the lookout for new talent. Sometimes when we least expect it, we come across the talent we will someday want to be part of the team. Talk to them and get to know them professionally and even ask them to send you a resume, and put it in your file of future talent. Keep in touch with this talent on a regular basis and one day when you are ready to make a move you now have a very strong “best of the best” candidate.

3. Become an interviewing artist: Really strive to become a master interviewer. This is a skill and not a science. Identify people in your organization who are known as being great interviewers and ask them if you could sit in on one of their interviews. Be the proverbial fly on wall and observe their techniques and approaches. I learned all of my best interviewing skills from a gentleman named Filemon Lopez (a former boss). He taught me the subtleties of effective interviewing approaches and techniques. If internal training on effective interviewing is available, take advantage of it. Secondly, read and study books and online courses on effective interviewing; you will find you will learn a lot.

4. Have multiple interviews with multiple people: I have found that interviews that incorporate multiple people and the candidate coming back for several interviews are much more effective. Why does this work so well? The reason that this is so effective is each time the candidate comes back for an interview they become more relaxed and comfortable. This allows you to get beyond the techniques that they've learned in their interviewing books and classes and to try to get to the real person beyond the techniques. Additionally, if multiple people are interviewing the candidate there may be areas identified by one person that was not identified by another. The reason for this is simple; some people feel comfortable with one interviewer and not another. It really is about chemistry between two people.

I once had a very strong candidate who I interviewed two times and was practically ready to make them a job offer. That is when it got a very interesting. I took the candidate to lunch for a third interview, and over lunch she revealed some ethical problems that she had in her last job, which clearly told me that she was not appropriate for our team. I passionately believe that this would not have been revealed if we had only done two interviews, and she had not been interviewed by multiple people. By the way, you'll notice the classic technique mentioned above; the infamous lunch technique (which works like a charm). If you want to find out more about the real person, get them to go to dinner, breakfast or lunch and “break bread.” The candidate will disappear, and a real person will emerge.

5. Look for hidden assets: I find often in corporations and organizations there is hidden talent waiting to emerge, just waiting to be discovered. I was once a Vice President of Training and Development for a large company. I received a resume from an internal candidate who wanted to fill the position of trainer. I called the Human Resources Department and asked them why they sent me her resume. They patiently explained that even though this candidate worked in the Accounts Payable Department, she had developed and designed a significant amount of training on her own to train Accounts Payable people around the country. “Besides” the H.R. person said, “You have to interview her. She has passion!” Of course we interviewed her, and after several interviews and a live training audition, she was hired as a trainer. So we discovered a talented trainer who is buried in another department in the organization; a truly a hidden asset. Take the time to look around your organization for talented people who are waiting for an opportunity to be recognized and to apply their talents. Also look within your own team. Are there people on your team, that with the given proper development and the desire and passion could move into a new role or responsibility?

6. Hire for diversity: I find that the great leaders are always looking for diversity. Yes I know it's the right thing to do and it adds greatly to the company's PR reputation. The fact that they are sensitive to and addressing diversity issues in terms of hiring has great value. But I think there's a more important reason; the real reason why you should hire for diversity. You should hire for diversity to find people who think differently. My definition of hiring for diversity means you get people on your team who are completely different than you. You get diversity in race, creed, color, religion geography and culture. The advantage of having this kind of diversity on your team is that each person brings a unique perspective to the work. That way you get a much broader perspective of opinions. So hire people who are completely different than you, in fact the opposite of your own image- hire people radically crazily different than you!

7. Don't hire in your own image: This sounds like a repeat of the one above, but it certainly is not. What I'm talking about here is hiring people who have your same personality style or very similar ways of thinking. For example, I noticed that leaders who are a dominant style often hire other dominant people in terms of behavioral style. Each leader will hire people that match their own style. Make sure that your team doesn't reflect your image, but reflects a wide variety of styles.

8. Make sure new hires get orientation: This is one of the most overlooked and abused areas in the hiring process. In most companies, orientation sounds something like this “Welcome to our team. I want you to follow Kwon around for awhile, and well, you'll get the hang of it." This is not to an orientation. In fact, it's an invitation to have employees learn the wrong habits from the wrong team members at the wrong time. The other mythology that I have issues with is that people think orientation is a one day or two- day class where people welcome them to the company and are given policies, procedures and training about the company itself. This is not orientation; it is a 1-2 day class.

Here is what I believe orientation should actually look like. Orientation should actually begin during the second and third interview where you layout what is expected of them before they start. So the actual orientation process of educating the employee as to what is expected and what is not expected, what is allowed and what is not allowed, does not begin after they are hired. It should actually begin in the interview process. The second aspect of orientation is I believe that every employee should have a specific developed eight week orientation process. Often when I say this in training, managers get very nervous because they are imagining an employee sitting in training for eight weeks ,which is a crazy waste of time. That is not what I'm talking about. What I am talking about is (beyond the official company orientation day) there should be a specific calendar created for each new team member. This calendar basically lays out what an employee should expect in the first eight weeks of employment. On the simple calendar, it basically lays out for them the activities that they will be doing each week. There are several compelling reasons why this should be done using this approach. First of all, if you hand a new associate an eight week calendar they will be very impressed that the organization has actually prepared for their arrival. This means that they count, they are important and they have value. Secondly, every associate has decided to take the job but it does not necessarily mean that they have decided to keep it. So in essence when new employee starts, it is up to you as the leader to provide an orientation process which allows them to get excited about the organization that they work for and still feel valued appreciated on Day one and Day 91. Don't let orientation be an accident; let it be a deliberate act that is designed to ramp someone up quickly.

So how smart are you? I bet you are smart enough to hire people smarter than you.]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Shawn_Doyle/blog/leadership-the-smart-choice/ Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:51:13 +0000 Shawn Doyle 8 Smart Moves a Franchise Owner Can Make Today to Stay Profitable http://franchiseprofs.com/Laurie_Taylor/blog/8-smart-moves-a-franchise-owner-can-make-today-to-stay-profitable/
1. Reconnect to every single employee and and ask them what you can do for them. Find out what their concerns are. If as the owner of the franchise, you are feeling concern, your employees are feeling it even more deeply. Fearful employees are not productive employees.

2. Make sure that your key indicators that you are tracking are still valid in a down economy. If you have been tracking profits and profits are predictably down, think about indicators that you've ignored that could give you insight into the inner workings of your business, i.e. inventory turns, customer feedback, follow up with leads, etc.

3. Identify what is keeping your operation from being as flexible as it once was. Today you have to be able to respond to your customers needs even more quickly and efficiently. If that isn't happening, fix it.

4. Find hidden pockets where profit is hiding. Examine every aspect of your franchise business with new eyes – to find those new eyes, tap into the intelligence that resides in your employees and your customers and find out what they see.

5. Look inward. Examine your own leadership skills. Now isn't the time to gloss over your weaknesses. Now is the time to reach deep inside and ask what other skills you can learn that will help your operations prosper.

6. Assess your team. Not every person is a fit. Release the ones that need to move on and open the door to find new talent, new perspective, new ideas and new blood.

7. What is your internal communication plan? If you don't have one you better believe that there are vast information voids in your operations and your employees are filling up those information voids with negative inputs. Start communicating your vision, your plan and be aggressive about telling your employees what they need to know.

8. Look outward. Who can help you get a better understanding of how to manage your challenges? There are experts who can bring clarity, who can help you look ahead because they have been in your shoes. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

It's my belief that the current economic downturn, while impacting anyone running a franchise business, will be fueled by determination, the ability to persevere and each Franchisee's commitment to asking the difficult questions, connecting to their employees and examing their own strengths and weakneeses. By focusing on the right things at the right time, franchise owners that have built their success on strong principles, customer-centered products and services and a belief in the people they employ will come out stronger than ever.]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Laurie_Taylor/blog/8-smart-moves-a-franchise-owner-can-make-today-to-stay-profitable/ Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:51:10 +0000 Laurie Taylor <![CDATA[Breaking It Down - The Antidote For "IKEA Leaders"]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Paul_Andrew/blog/breaking-it-down-the-antidote-for-ikea-leaders/ I have a love/hate relationship with IKEA. On the one hand they sell exceptionally cost-effective furnishings that can often look good for the price. ...
Take the shelving system I bought last weekend for example: they didn't include the screws needed for attaching the shelves. Worse though, when I opened the “instructions” what I actually found was simply a picture of the parts and then a picture of the finished product. No steps. What could have been a simple assembly process turned into trial and error, hours of aggravation, and the inevitable discovery at the end that I had some pieces left over whose purpose remains unknown.

• As a leader, is your vision an “IKEA instructions experience” for your team?
• Do people around you seem to spend a lot of time trying to clarify what you see or what they're supposed to achieve next?
• Do you convey a big picture outline sketch of the finished product you see, then direct people back to a list of resources and leave them to “figure it out”?
• Do projects take much longer than you think they should?

Maybe this is an opportunity to ask whether or not you're taking the time to break it down for your team.

Like it or not, most team members need both the vision and the next steps. This is not about micro-managing. And it's not an anti-vision message either. In fact, if you can't show people a vision of what you're trying to build then all the steps in the world may be nothing more than “busy work”… or as the old adage goes, “climbing the ladder, only to find it's leaning against the wrong wall”.

But let's face it – it's faster and more fun to come up with ideas than it is to break those ideas down into a plan that people can actually execute. I've consulted with organisations that clearly had “vision fatigue” – the cumulative effect of endless ideas and initiatives that rarely get executed. Whether it's you, or someone else whose gift is turning ideas into plans, don't underestimate the price we pay for not translating all that possibility into steps our team can actually take.

So if there's an aspect of your vision that seems to have stalled why not take some time this week with a few of your top producers to break it down. Create a plan. Lay out a sequence of steps. Clarify the starting point. Set some milestones. Then see if pictures and plans produce better results than pictures alone.

--------------------
Paul Andrew is Founder of The Leadership Coach™
He is a Keynote Speaker and Management Consultant based in New York

info@theleadershipcoach.com | 1 917 913 4598]]> http://franchiseprofs.com/Paul_Andrew/blog/breaking-it-down-the-antidote-for-ikea-leaders/ Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:41:11 +0000 Paul Andrew