Site to raise franchise profile

A new website has been launched to market the £13billion franchise industry to both the franchise fraternity and the public at large.

USEafranchise.com (www.useafranchise.com) is a complete directory of all current British Franchise Association members, associates and affiliates and is free to join for three months. The site also features a ‘permission marketing’ area, where franchisors have the chance to offer ‘seasonal savers’ to visitors free of charge.

Says Rik Hellewell, partner in USEafranchise.com: “I wonder what effect there would be on trade within the franchise industry if every franchisee regularly used a product or service provided by one of their colleagues within the industry.

“Many franchisees that own and operate a franchise themselves are unaware of other franchised brands outside their own industry sector. Imagine just how much extra trade could be generated if all franchisees looked to ‘inter-spend’ between their brands. I now believe that the timing is correct to not just encourage more awareness of franchising as an industry, but to get the existing UK network of franchisees to become aware of who else out there is a franchisee.”

Says Liam Patton, an internet marketing specialist who has worked closely with Hellewell over the past few years and is a partner in the new online venture: “Until I started working with Rik over five years ago I had limited knowledge of what a franchise was and quite how it worked. I couldn’t even name five franchise offerings in the UK. How times have changed. I’ve seen the results of two surveys that show that public awareness of franchising is shockingly low. I’ve also picked up on the point that, given the choice, folk would rather use a trusted franchise brand over ‘Joe Bloggs’ round the corner.”

For more information call Liam Patton on 08445 611104.