Mobile Franchising USA 5#9 2

FranchisingFeature mobile

july 2 0 1 7

airport Van Rental “a Pioneer in van rental industry� offering franchises in US

leveraging social media

to grow your home services mobile franchise

Launching a Mobile Franchise

through strategic marketing Franchising USA

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what’s new! sweetFrog Sweetens Franchise Opportunity Options with Mobile Food Trucks and Trailers like sweetFrog, continue to outpace the rest of franchising?

“Non-traditional” franchise locations, like food trucks, which allow new franchise owners to capitalize on an increasingly mobile customer base at a fraction of the cost while still benefitting from the same brand recognition and corporate support traditional franchise owners receive.

Over the last year, sweetFrog has elevated mobile food in franchising by making their food truck and trailer a full franchise opportunity. Here are three distinct advantages of “going mobile” with sweetFrog:

Led by restaurants, the franchising sector is expected to grow by $36 billion in 2017. According to the IFA’s Franchise Business Economic Outlook for 2017, restaurants are expected to generate the fastest growth rate of any sector and will ultimately be responsible for 43% of franchising’s economic output and 59% of franchising’s 7.9 million employees.

One of the biggest reasons restaurants, including dessert concepts

• Unmatched Affordability – Lower initial and ongoing investment by eliminating countless brick and mortar costs and reducing staff count • Unlimited Marketing Potential – Turn your franchise investment into a mobile billboard • Unrestricted Sales Opportunities – Head straight to churches, ballparks, hospitals and local events to reach customers at the perfect time To learn more about all sweetFrog franchise opportunities, please visit http://sweetfrog.com/franchise.

Mosquito Squad Launches Location In Oklahoma First-time franchisees Dan and Teresa Bleier have lived in

Oklahoma City for six years. Before joining Mosquito Squad, Dan Bleier worked with TruGreen for 35 years. During his time at the lawn care company, Dan Bleier gained extensive experience in

customer service, sales and residential pest control, which he will

use to successfully open and expand his Mosquito Squad business in Oklahoma.

Husband-and-Wife Team Expands the Franchise’s Presence in the Midwest Mosquito Squad, the largest and most trusted mosquito and tick control franchise in North America, announced today its expansion into Oklahoma City. Mosquito Squad of Oklahoma City, owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Dan and Teresa Bleier, provides the latest EPA-registered

“There’s a definite need for a mosquito and tick protection

company in Oklahoma, and we have been impressed with the

leadership at Mosquito Squad, their proven results and customer

oriented culture for many years now,” said Dan Bleier. “OKC is a great city where families are spending more time outdoors each year, so protection from mosquito- and tick-borne illnesses has never been more important. We look forward to providing that

protection to the Oklahoma City area and surrounding residents

mosquito elimination services to communities throughout

this season.”

Oklahoma City.

www.MosquitoSquadFranchise.com

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A ir por t Va n Rental ( AV R )

A Pioneer in Van Rental Franchise Looks for Entrepreneurs to Help Fill Market Gap While car rental companies are a common sight at airports across the United States, one company saw a niche to fill in the market and now it’s looking for franchise partners to help it expand.

Airport Van Rental (AVR), which rents out 7 to 15 passenger vans, has been around since 2007 and currently has 14 locations at some of the busiest airports in the country.

The company decided to start franchising in 2016 and has already signed up its first franchisee, who is set to get started this month at Chicago Midway International Airport.

Filling a niche Alex Emdadi, Director of Franchise Development at AVR, said the idea for the business came to founder Yaz Irani when he noticed

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the major vehicle rental companies he saw in airports weren’t accommodating large groups of people.

“Yaz Irani started Airport Van Rental with seven vans in 2007 at LAX Airport in Los Angeles,” Emdadi said during a recent interview with Franchising USA. “Yaz started the operation with the help of his employees Cesar Leyva and David Leyva and Arnel who are all still with AVR. We realized that car rental companies were not focused on this particular service, so we emphasized renting only vans and had opened 14 locations by the end of 2015.

That kind of growth during some of the worst years the economy had ever seen was virtually unimaginable for small businesses.”

Considering the company’s target market is any group of people with more than five individuals who are travelling together, the rapid expansion seemed inevitable.

Further expansion Now that the company is ready to expand further, it’s looking for qualified franchise candidates who are customer service oriented with strong time management and decision making skills. Emdadi said potential franchisees should be professional, organized, energetic, determined to succeed and have high personal standards.

Potential franchisees can expect to receive a franchise evaluation form and franchise brochure from the company after they’ve inquired about buying a franchise. If AVR believes the prospective franchisee is a good fit, a Discovery Day event is held with the candidate and the candidate is provided a copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document. After a 14-day waiting period, the franchise agreement is signed and the franchise fee is paid.

“We realized that car rental companies were not focused on this particular service, so we emphasized renting only vans and had opened 14 locations by the end of 2015.” - Alex Emdadi open their doors, we are there to help them continue to grow their business.”

While AVR is looking to expand nationwide, Emdadi said, it is particularly interested in expansion on the East Coast and in major cities in the Midwest.

“We are now accepting applications for all airport and city territories with the exception of: Hawaii, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin and Utah, unless we have qualified candidates to register in above lists.”

At the current time Atlanta, GA and Dallas, TX, territories are not offered to franchisees, the director of franchise development said.

Personal Touch Aside from renting out vans, another aspect that sets AVR apart from typical car rental companies is the great service offered by AVR, Emdadi noted. Customer feedback has indicated that the major car rental companies no longer offer the level of personal service that AVR excels in.

In fact, he added, car rental companies are becoming even less personal.

“Renting a car has become generic, even more so with some companies now offering self-service,” Emdadi pointed out.

“When you rent a van from AVR we want to be available to answer any questions you have, to make sure you are making the right vehicle selection.”

AVR constantly tries to improve its customer service, Emdadi noted, and also focuses on adopting new technology to serve both its customers and franchisees.

Throughout 2017 and years to come, AVR will continue opening new corporate owned locations in major cities across the US as well as expanding their franchising footprint.

“If any qualified candidates out there have been thinking about opening their own business, it’s time to take the next step to owning their own AVR franchise,” he declared. “Being an owner offers the gratification that comes with building something from the ground up. This is the opportunity those would-be entrepreneurs have been dreaming of. This is their chance to join a fast-growing national van rental company and make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.”

With its aggressive plans for expansion and comprehensive training program, AVR should have no problem finding potential business owners to help it fill the recognized gap in the vehicle rental market. www.airportvanrental.com

Once AVR brings a franchisee on board, the company provides complete training and support.

“At AVR we recognize the need for comprehensive training,” Emdadi explained. “During this training, we address the key points to running your own van rental franchise. The training does not stop there. Even after franchisees

Franchising USA

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mobile

franchising feature The world of business has slowly developed into a multitasking outlet.

It’s never simple enough to only offer one service, or provide one product.

People like two kill more than two birds with one stone when they arrive on your door step.

The economy is garnered towards convenience and time management. People do not want to waste their time on getting their car fixed, or coloring their hair or picking up groceries. Having errands ran as swiftly and quickly as possible is the goal.

Mobile franchising has been the direct result of this high maintenance consumer demand, it not only makes access to business easier, it actually arrives on your doorstep. It’s a comfort to know a place can provide a service and you never have to leave your house.

A lot of mobile businesses are business to business franchises, offering products and services to other businesses rather than directly to consumers. One of the

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“With customers shopping online and having groceries delivered to their doorstep, they do not have the time or energy to leave the house for services.” most popular business to business options is IT professional services. Everyone needs digital communication to remain successful in this fast paced economy, mobile businesses would have to come to location to service your issues. A lot of bigger businesses have contracts with IT franchises to service them and their partnering locations.

Before investing in a mobile program similar to that of an IT franchise, research into the contract holders would be wise. A franchise that has a lot of connections to other local businesses could guarantee a long list of consumers that will generate success. Consider the location and proximity of all the other consumers at hand. Of course a franchisor may not be actually providing the sources, but having a great handle on the services provided in relation to the other businesses surrounding you would help insure a comfortable lifestyle.

A work life balance would come easily with a mobile business; a lot of the times you create the schedule and determine what works best for you. However, with an on call service you may have to step up in the case of emergency and take your mobile business to the consumer. The benefit of such an independent industry is the flexibility but if a high end client needs immediate services, it may be hard to ignore their needs.

It would be wise to research the policies and demands of each mobile business. Do

they expect your services to be available all hours of the day? Are the visits made by appointment or urgency ? Can you ignore demands during certain times in the day? There are a lot of questions that differ from franchise to franchise. Sit down and consider the pros and cons of your ideal business from a personal perspective and use those as stand points to narrow down your mobile business.

Do not jump into it in without deep research and a reflection on your own personal needs. The mobile business can generate a lot of personal freedom but because the staff is extremely small, what is the protocol when someone is sick or someone quits? Even if you have great talent support and hire top notch people, what happens when they are not available, do you have to provide the service? If you so, are you well informed of the service or product. You should consider the training and support the franchise will provide to you.

Though the main feature of mobile franchising remains the same, it’s a franchise that goes to other businesses or consumers, the policies and procedures will vary according to the franchisor.

One of the biggest benefits to owning a mobile business is the investment cost and the startup date, because there is no actual physical location, it costs a lot less to get started. There is some flexibility as to where you can live and where you can service. Though some mobile services may

It almost may be worth considering a mobile business that you are extremely interested in because if you are the backup employee, you’d want to be passionate about the service you are providing. If you have a background or field you would like to apply, it is likely there is now a mobile business attached to that industry and worthy of exploring.

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services but nowadays there are so many options that allows the consumer to remain within their location, which is extremely convenient.

A consideration for competing services within your location could help you pick the proper location to set up. Though your mobile service is convenient, it may not be the option the community would consider.

A lot of people enjoy going out for coffee or visiting local book stores or giving back to local businesses- so research and check out the area and it’s people before investing in a franchise. Also contact your franchisor to see what brand names are being carried because an established and recognized reputation can lead to quick profit and success.

the option to make a business mobile has really grown. From dog grooming, to coffee machines, to catering parties - there are so many options.” contain a high budget start up, it would be based on equipment, so again research is key to the beginning of your journey with mobile franchising. Some franchisors start immediately after training because there is no building or creating a site for your business. An immediate start time may be extremely important to you. If you plan to invest in a franchise but need a quick turnaround, a mobile business may secure that option.

Mobile businesses used to be limited to delivering services but as the world is expanding and moving more quickly the option to make a business mobile has really grown. From dog grooming, to coffee machines, to catering parties- there are so many options, it’s hard to narrow down your favorite. Mobile businesses used to be limited to services that could only be provided directly on location: electrical issues, IT problems, construction

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Though mobile franchises used to be the abnormal form of business, it is becoming more and more common. With customers shopping online and having groceries delivered to their doorstep, they do not have the time or energy to leave the house for services. If you are interested in such a venue, you will be adhering to many consumers needs but also dipping into a business that is not over saturated and still appealing to consumers.

It allows for a flexible schedule that provides a great work life balance, but takes a lot of research before investment and your involvement is depending on your own needs and that of the franchisor.

Consider your business desires and narrow down your expectations and there will definitely be an option to fulfill your entrepreneurial needs through a mobile franchise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: After receiving an English Degree, followed by a Journalism Diploma, Gina

Gill became a freelance journalist in 2008. She has

worked as a reporter and in communications, focusing on social media. She currently works as a community information officer with Epilepsy Society, while pursuing her writing career at the same time.

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Chris Poelma, President and General Manager, NCR Silver

Mobile Franchising and the Technology that Fuels It profits quicker. If you are considering starting a mobile franchise or franchising an existing mobile business, the technology that will power your business will play a major role in your success.

One-Stop-Shop Technology

Chris Poelma

While brick-and-mortar stalwarts continue to be good franchise investments, many looking to get into the franchise game are gravitating toward more cost effective and flexible options – like mobile businesses.

Franchises on wheels – food trucks, caterers, home service contractors, pet groomers – are becoming more appealing to entrepreneurs because they are faster to launch and don’t require a six-figure real estate investment. Of the mobile franchises available for operators on Franchise Direct, many require less than half the cost of a traditional franchise. This means franchisors and franchisees often realize

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Acumen and determination drive successful business operations.

However, technology and resources simplify and streamline key business functions. The technological barriers to entry have virtually disappeared – anyone with a tablet can sell goods and services. To thrive, mobile franchises need cloud-based technology that supports customer transactions and provides insight into employee time tracking, inventory tracking and sales reporting.

The trick is finding technology that comes ready with these capabilities, requiring minimal set-up and few outside integrations.

Today’s point-of-sale (POS) technology can handle these hurdles. Traditionally, business owners see POS as purely the cash register. However, newer POS software can run multiple essential business functions within one cloud-based platform. POS software can complete core transaction processes, while also managing employee schedules and helping franchise operators implement customer loyalty programs and social media campaigns.

Social media platforms, in particular, have become essential channels for consumers to find information on mobile businesses. A recent Time Warner Cable

study indicated one in three people may not do business with a company lacking a social media presence. It’s important that mobile franchise operators understand their social media return on investment, and advanced POS software allows users to track the performance of their social media campaigns.

Mobile Pay for Mobile Businesses Accepting mobile payments will also become increasingly critical to the successful operation of a mobile franchise.

Business Insider Intelligence predicts that mobile payments volume will reach $503 billion by 2020 – a compound annual growth rate of 80 percent.

While mobile payments offer consumers a convenient transaction option, they also have perks for mobile franchise operators

too. From a security standpoint, accepting mobile payments means operators can keep less cash on hand. Mobile payment acceptance has line-busting benefits too. It takes seconds for consumers to pay and no paper receipt required.

The Future of Mobile Franchising The franchise industry is on track to grow by 1.6 percent or roughly 11,500 establishments this year, according to an International Franchise Association report. Mobile franchises contribute to this growth and will only continue to rise in popularity among entrepreneurs and convenience-minded consumers. If you’re looking to get a piece of the momentum,

get the right technology in place and hit the road to profitability.

From mobile software founder to CTO of Microsoft’s Operator Channel, Chris Poelma has spent nearly three decades developing innovative, high-growth businesses in the technology industry.

In April 2015, Chris joined NCR Corporation as President and General Manager of NCR Silver. He oversees a very talented and ambitious team to drive business model innovation for small business through its cloud-based POS platform, NCR Silver. www.ncr.com

“While mobile payments offer consumers a convenient transaction option, they also have perks for mobile franchise operators too.”

Franchising USA

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Eric Bell, General Manager, Franchise Gator

Leveraging Social Media to Grow Your Home Services Mobile Franchise

With today’s busy lifestyle of having to balance work, children and the home, mobile home service providers offer consumers a way to more easily manage their day-to-day responsibilities, providing them with increased flexibility and less chaos.

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Mobile franchisees have built businesses that offer consumers a variety of home services including lawn and landscaping maintenance, mosquito control, house painting, home renovation, senior relocation, and even pet grooming.

While the growth potential is big for mobile franchises offering home services that aim to improve the quality of life for homeowners, for many years, these franchisees have been challenged with how to effectively market their services to their target audience. Today, this is changing. The proliferation of social media is enabling mobile franchisees,

“Home services mobile franchisees can leverage social media to create a sense of community and cultivate bonds among their customers.” specifically those that focus on home services, to promote and grow their business like never before.

as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to overseeing discussions on sites including Yelp and Angie’s List.

So, why can social media help a home services mobile franchisee build brand loyalty, raise local awareness and ultimately drive new customer acquisition?

Because social media is increasingly becoming one of the biggest influencers of consumers’ purchasing decisions.

According to Mosquito Joe’s CEO, Kevin Wilson, “Not being on social media can negatively impact a brand and perception of a company because, most likely, competitors and a majority of customers and potential customers are active in the space. They are participating in conversations, and if you are not involved then you can’t be a part of that discussion or have any influence. It is extremely important to maintain an open line of communication when you work in the service industry, and social media is one more place where you can offer a positive customer service experience.”

According to Social Media Today, 30 percent of all time spent online is now allocated to social media interaction.

These interactions are personal, in realtime and can have an immediate impact on the success of a home services mobile franchise.

Social media instills trust in a provider through customer reviews and experiences.

Sharing and recommending services through platforms like Facebook and Twitter has become today’s word-ofmouth marketing. According to Market Force, 81 percent of US online consumers’ purchasing decisions are influenced by their friends social media posts while 78 percent are influenced by the posts of the brands they follow.

Customers interested in a home service will turn to these social media platforms to see what other people are saying. When customers are happy with a service, they often use these platforms to let their followers know. Conversely, they will let their followers know if they are unhappy.

For home services mobile franchisees, implementing a social media strategy is paramount to the success of the business.

Without a traditional store front, mobile franchisees must rely on their online presence to build brand loyalty, engage with the community, and with current and potential customers. Creating an online presence can include a variety of tools depending on the business from building a website, joining social networks such

Home services mobile franchisees can leverage social media to create a sense of community and cultivate bonds among their customers. Online recommendations, especially for home services, not only will win new customers but also elevate a mobile business’s brand among competitors. Fostering trust through superior customer service will ultimately help grow the business’s online presence and further extend its reach into the target market.

Social media can also be an important tool to help home services mobile franchisees engage with the people that they serve the most; those in their local communities.

By leveraging these platforms to create content that reflects the interests of the people in the area they live and work, and to become involved in the local neighborhoods, franchisees can engage as a community citizen rather than just being associated with a company name.

According to Steve Kwon, Vice President of Franchising, Strategic Franchising Systems, “In today’s digital culture, it’s vital that franchisees understand the impact of social media. When potential clients see a picture of a franchisee in an

Eric Bell

area of town they recognize, possibly even recognizing the client served, on the same medium they use to communicate with others, the franchisee becomes associated with the familiar. This in turn creates a sense of trustworthiness. When paired with a reputation for superior customer service, the franchisee discovers a winning combination that is invaluable for their home services enterprise.”

Leveraging social media to market a home services mobile franchise should become an integral part of a franchisee’s longterm business strategy. Social media can have a dramatic impact on the success of home services mobile franchises by offering franchisees direct contact with potential customers seeking their service that hasn’t existed in the past. When properly utilized, these platforms can create long-lasting customer relationships and community ties. And, as the lifestyles of consumers continue to become even busier, their reliance on these platforms and mobile home services will only grow.

Getting involved now in the discussion will ensure success in the future.

Eric Bell has 15 years of franchise industry experience and currently serves as General Manager of Franchise Gator. He began his career in 2002 as a Hollywood Tans franchisee in Atlanta where he also served as area manager and helped develop the Atlanta territory.

Eric is a member of the Southeast Franchise Forum and is a Certified Franchise Executive. www.franchisegator.com

Franchising USA

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Christopher Conner, President, Franchise Marketing Systems

Mobile Franchising:

Today’s Business Model Not too long ago, people who worked from a home office location were considered an oddity and in most cases were never given the respect as a true professional who visits an office building each day for work.

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Then, along came the Internet and changed our lives in virtually every way imaginable, one of which was the transition to home-based businesses becoming more of the norm and certainly an acceptable way of doing business.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24% of employed people in the U.S. worked from home in 2015 - (https:// www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2016/24-percentof-employed-people-did-some-or-all-oftheir-work-at-home-in-2015.htm ), and of those that worked from home, a larger

percentage of them were management and professional occupations. So what this means is that many of the most highly qualified people in the workforce are choosing to take their work home with them. This is for obvious reasons I suppose, no traffic on the way to work outside of dodging the kids toys in the hallway and an unwanted visit with the neighbor on the driveway taking the garbage out.

More time in an environment you enjoy in your home and a work schedule that fits

“Mobile franchising has grown primarily due to the customer asking for it. People want services and products brought to them in their home or business.” remodeling services, construction, inhome senior care, blind sales, pet services, automotive services and a wide range of other industries that have transitioned to mobile “delivery”.

Mobile just makes sense in today’s economy; the consumer is busier than ever, many household are dual-income and don’t have the time to shop or go to retail outlets and with the Internet, people have become used to instant accessibility in anything they do. Mobile franchising has grown primarily due to the customer asking for it. People want services and products brought to them in their home or business.

your life all lead to what has been found to be more productive workers (2015 studies found a 22% increase in work productivity when staff moved out of the office and into the home with JetBlue, Avaaz and some other firms).

With this increasing trend for people to want to work from home, the mobile service segment of franchising has grown at a rapid pace. Partly driven by today’s professional business owner enjoying the opportunity to work from a home office and also just good business sense. First, what is mobile franchising and what would fall into this category of the franchise market place? It is a comprehensive descriptor for a market segment as it essentially could be any business that takes the services or products to the customer in a mobile format. This could be home

Next, Mobile Franchising has grown due to the numbers. In any franchise investment, the buyer is looking at a simple equation, how much money needs to go in and how much money can the business put out? The return on investment for a mobile franchise concept many times can easily exceed the return on a traditional franchise model. Without the expense of a retail space, equipment and other costs associated with a traditional business model, mobile franchising numbers can be quite impressive and make a compelling case.

Take a franchise brand, Bloomin Blinds, this is a mobile blind installation and service company who started franchising in 2014. The corporate location consisted of an office space location in Dallas, Texas, owned and operated by a family of entrepreneurs. The corporate business at it’s peak in revenues was able to exceed $3 million and the franchise system has added over 30 units in just over 2 years of offering the franchise concept. The model is simple, low overhead and offers the customer a strong value proposition for

Chris Conner

both purchasing blinds and maintaining their investment with ongoing service.

Franchisees only need to invest in a van, vehicle wrap, marketing and a small amount of inventory and they are in business. Mobility City is a new franchise brand that will be coming to market soon which provides mobile wheelchair repair to customers in their home and again, a business can be opened with just a van and a vehicle wrap. In many mobile franchises, the profit margin can be significantly higher than traditional fixed location businesses as well due to the fact that there is no rent to be paid every month, lower labor and staffing requirements along with other expenses that might burden a business model with fixed costs. Whether it is Blinds or Wheelchair Repair, the financial side of the mobile franchise market offers a low investment, high operating margin franchise opportunity.

Christopher Conner is the President of Franchise Marketing Systems and has spent the last decade in the franchise industry working with several hundred different franchise systems in management, franchise sales and franchise development work.

His experience ranges across all fields of franchise expertise with a focus in franchise marketing and franchise sales but includes work in franchise strategic planning, franchise research and franchise operations consulting. www.franchisemarketingsystems.com

Franchising USA

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Nick Friedman, CEO and co-founder of College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving

Launching a Mobile Franchise Through Strategic Marketing

The period of time between when you launch your franchise business and when that business finally begins to gain momentum can be the most stressful time in an entrepreneur’s burgeoning career.

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That stress can be compounded by the

company start to function more effectively

franchise business, as a franchisee works

open to spend less time doing the everyday

added challenges inherent to a mobile

to grow a highly streamlined concept and infrastructure without the security of a home base.

Once you solidify your systems and

customer base, you’ll begin to see your

and hopefully independently, leaving you

grunt work and more time thinking up new ways to make business more fun for you and your employees.

In order to reach that level, however, your marketing strategy needs to be airtight.

“One easy, underutilized billboard is the very vehicle you drive to distribute your services.

Whether it’s a bumper sticker or a wrap on the car, use your vehicle to create buzz around your business.”

In my experience, there are a few steps to marketing success that will help effectively launch your mobile franchise.

Great vehicle branding is essential As a mobile franchise without a brickand-mortar home office, you need to be highly visible and extremely memorable.

One easy, underutilized billboard is the very vehicle you drive to distribute your services. Whether it’s a bumper sticker or a wrap on the car, use your vehicle to create buzz around your business. You will most likely be driving up and down the same roads your customers commute on every day. So why pay for a roadside advertisement when you will be driving a literal billboard next to hundreds of potential customers every day?

When I first started out, our marketing equation involved painting our moving trucks bold colors and highlighting our name, which happens to be very catchy, on both sides of the vehicle. Customers frequently walked up to us at gas stations to ask about the trucks when we were fueling up, generating job leads as well as great word of mouth. Anything you can use to start a conversation can create a potential job opportunity, and your vehicle is an obvious starting place for a mobile business.

Make it easy for customers to reach you when you’re out of the “office”

When your business is mobile, your “office” can be anywhere. But regardless of where you set up shop, you need to be easily accessible to your customers. At the same time, there’s a fine line between growing new client relationships by being easily reachable to individuals looking to hire you, while still giving each existing customer your full care and attention.

Basically, widely distributing your contact information can help customers stay in touch, but you never want to be answering the phone in the middle of job and risk jeopardizing clients you already have.

While keeping your schedule full and your job pipeline consistent is the key to running a healthy business, you need to systematize the process. To achieve that balance, a best practice is to use a dedicated “call center,” a number that connects potential customers directly to a specified contact or sales person. It also helps to filter calls through online scheduling tools in order to effectively field customer inquiries.

Guerrilla marketing is your best friend As a mobile business, you can be anywhere, and while that can sometimes be intimidating, learning to embrace the challenge of marketing at the drop of a hat will set you apart from your competition.

A good first step can be to make sure your business is taking full advantage of all available chances to network in your market, including community events,

Nick Friedman

chamber of commerce get togethers and networking opportunities with other local business leaders. And if your biggest billboard is your truck, it might even mean taking advantage of heavier traffic patterns to make sure you’re being as visible as possible in the neighborhood.

Get the community talking about you – whether it’s from your vibrant vehicle branding, your visibility and attendance at the local business after hours events or simply from word of mouth as friends and family in the area talk you up wherever they go – get people talking.

When it comes to starting out as a new mobile franchisee, there are endless ways to take advantage of creative marketing opportunities. Over time, you’ll learn the combination that works best for you. Your personal marketing strategy will be what ultimately helps you grow your brand, earn your customers’ trust and meet your goals as an entrepreneur.

Nick Friedman is best known as CEO and co-founder of College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving, the national junk-removal, labor services and moving company, with more than 100 locations.

Nick also co-authored a how-to book for aspiring entrepreneurs titled “Effortless Entrepreneur: Work Smart, Play Hard, Make Millions.” www.collegehunksfranchise.com

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