Technology

Social media has reached a fevered pitch in most places, but as a marketing tool it has many unique functional features and almost endless possibilities.

Take Brad Culp, a multi-unit operator for Griswold Special Care, a non-medical homecare referral service. He's using social media tools but not to reach his customers.

"Referral sources such as social workers, nurses, and attorneys are very important to me. They are the ones observing the need, the ones I count on to describe the service we can provide our clients in their homes. I discovered that many of these referral sources were on Facebook and Plaxo so I quickly determined I needed to be there too."

Culp says his number-one priority with tools like Facebook and Plaxo is to stay connected with his referral sources...

Interactive, Multimedia Training Resource Offers Money-Back Guarantee
SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 3, 2010 - Franchise Update Media Group (FUMG), the leading industry resource for franchise development, introduces "Multi-Unit Leadership-in-a-Box," an off-the-shelf, interactive, and multimedia franchisee training resource, developed in partnership with Sullivision.com. This program is based on three years of research that details the best practices and leadership insight of over 1,000 high-performing franchisees and multi-unit leaders. Customizable for any brand, Multi-Unit Leadership-in-a-Box is a complete leadership class that's instantly ready to teach and guaranteed to boost sales at least 1% in each market.

"This partnership aligns resources from two progressive companies long committed to industry education," said Therese Thilgen, president of FUMG...

Cell phones have become big business and the competition in the market can be fierce. Not surprisingly, social media tools are finding a niche in this industry, too. One example is three young entrepreneurs in the Northeast who have found a way to use Facebook and other social media tools to give them a competitive edge.

Tamar Bundy, William Stout, and Jonah Engler operate eight Wireless Zone stores in New England. The progressive young businessmen are using social media to increase customer traffic and get the word out about everything from the latest store promotions and deals to hiring. Each of their stores has its own Facebook page and each store manager is empowered--and encouraged--to use the page.

"Social media has been a great tool for us because we can generate a lot of buzz for very little cost--and that's very important to small business operators," says Bundy...

By now you're most likely familiar with pop culture buzzwords like tweets, friending, and texting. But if you haven't had much firsthand involvement in these activities, chances are you will very soon. These ubiquitous and participatory endeavors are all part of a "social networking" trend that's spreading like wildfire online and, some say, is poised to create a new frontier in 21st century marketing.

Platforms such as Facebook and Twitter offer a quick and easy way to communicate with others online with incredible immediacy. Until recently, however, online social media have been dominated primarily by a younger demographic posting relatively benign musings ("What are you doing today?"). But as the use of these networks grows and the number of people becoming "fans," "friends," and "followers" reaches critical mass, business minds have begun to take notice...

Tasti D-Lite's coming to Arizona...and Facebook is helping spread the news. Jonathan Kaufman is the area developer and multi-unit franchisee for the state, where he's scheduled to open more than 40 Tasti D-Lite units. But it's his first store opening that has kept him busy this fall and Facebook has been one of his strategic marketing tools.

Kaufman's been right in the middle of a social media campaign to build awareness of his soon-to-open store in Scottsdale. He must be doing something right because he already has more than 500 Facebook "fans" and his first store is not even open yet.

"It's been a great way for me to create excitement and awareness about the brand coming to Arizona," he says, "and at very little or no cost...

The economy hasn't been the only problem wreaking havoc across the nation. Most cities are also reporting a disturbing trend of crime increases that experts tie to rising unemployment and a pattern of thefts called organized retail crime (a.k.a. organized retail theft).

Beyond the convenience store "beer runs" and juvenile candy grabs, prosecutors and retailers alike are feeling the impact of retail theft groups targeting specific merchandise--not for personal use, but for resale through household sales, community swap meets, flea markets, or most commonly, over the Internet through one of the large online auction sites or community resale forums.

The FBI estimates that organized retail theft may hit $30 billion annually...

Social media has exploded onto the franchising - and business - scene with a fury not seen since the early days of the World Wide Web back in the mid-90s. As more and more franchisors and franchisees begin experimenting and utilizing tools like Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube, we've decided to report on some unique, progressive, and innovative ways in which they've embraced this technology.

Tasti D-Lite, the Franklin, Tenn.-based franchisor, has been mining the potential of social media for the past year and a half, according to B.J. Emerson, director of information and social technologies.

"As a company, we had no real online engagement with our customers," says Emerson. "Our fans are over-the-top brand evangelists for us, and we discovered many had created their own Facebook groups and were talking about Tasti D-Lite...

What if there were a web-based tool that could help you create and organize your restaurants' menu quickly and accurately--while also collecting important data and ensuring consistent brand delivery?

There is, and companies including Applebee's, California Pizza Kitchen, O'Charley's, Max & Erma's, and Papa Murphy's are now using the technology to create, design and order printed copies of their menus. The tool, MenuNet, is from Trabon Companies, which provides web-to-print restaurant technology and printing solutions.

Papa Murphy's recently deployed MenuNet on an Internet portal to allow its corporate store managers and franchisees to create, design, and order printed copies of their menus. These customized menus can now reflect regional food, pricing, and other optional information, such as nutritional data...

The air conditioner at one of your Phoenix units has failed. The manager calls you and says it's so hot inside the store that customers are turning around and walking out. Your first thought is to call your local A/C repair business for what will most likely be a costly service call.

Did you know your lease agreement may include a clause that you are not liable for air conditioner repairs? With new web-based lease administration technology, you could know that--and every other nuance tucked away in your lease--and in a flash.

Most smaller franchisees simply file their lease away once it is signed. Now, a web-based support solution enables tenants to monitor lease portfolios, create comprehensive lease abstracts, and update all data as leases are amended and landlords change...

In our previous column, we covered the first two elements of security and loss prevention when setting up a new business: site selection and employee screening. This issue we look at alarm systems.

Once you've selected a location for success and hired great employees for your team, it's time to turn your attention (and a portion of your budget) to protecting these valuable assets!

Certainly, the type of business you're conducting can determine the risk level and accordingly, the kinds of security tools you'll want to use. A jewelry store has a far different security profile and needs than a greeting card store or a fast-food restaurant. If the business is open late, has large cash transactions, or has high-value inventory, you may want to speak with a security consultant...

There's a loud ruckus, a crowd gathers 'round, and a customer is sprawled on the floor next to the soft drink dispenser. The area is covered in soda and ice and the customer laments she slipped, fell, and is injured because of your negligence.

It's a franchisee's worst nightmare... but it never really happened. It wasn't a bad dream, it was a customer scam. And thanks to sophisticated video surveillance technology, it was all captured on camera and could be proven a fraud before any claims even began.

That's the movement in loss prevention strategies and techniques today, according to Rollie Trayte, vice president of strategic development for Westec Interactive, a Dallas-based company that supplies technology and security tools to more than 400 franchise clients in the U...