Comments on: Creative Mother’s Day Meal Prep Promotions: Entre Vous Franchise http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/ Sports News - Tech Reviews - Entertainment - Life Tips for EveryJoe Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:37:21 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kelly aka MM http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/comment-page-1/#comment-299353 Kelly aka MM Thu, 08 May 2008 14:23:42 +0000 http://www.franchisepick.com/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/#comment-299353 I checked out the Super Suppers Green, Ohio location- it looks like it's out in the middle of No where, your 5 mile radius marketing guideline makes that store look like a loser from the getgo.. Does that mean that Zors are not following their own demographic guidelines in selling franchises? In the original MAK session based model we figured we needed 500 customers through our doors a month buying our 12 meal/package to break even..... I checked out the Super Suppers Green, Ohio location- it looks like it’s out in the middle of No where, your 5 mile radius marketing guideline makes that store look like a loser from the getgo..
Does that mean that Zors are not following their own demographic guidelines in selling franchises?
In the original MAK session based model we figured we needed 500 customers through our doors a month buying our 12 meal/package to break even…..

]]> By: Kelly aka MM http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/comment-page-1/#comment-299355 Kelly aka MM Thu, 08 May 2008 14:18:45 +0000 http://www.franchisepick.com/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/#comment-299355 Sean, another good point- I had read that statistic too.(after I closed)-dontcha think the Zors would see fit to educate their prospects and franchisees to that marketing truth for more focused marketing? It would limit sufficiently where a store could be located..oh yeah that would mean they couldn't sell all those franchises-never mind) Anyway-if you used that marketing formula-then most stores have no real chance to succeed-let me give you an example: Supper Thyme sold 3 franchises in the LA area..millions of potential customers in that market.... In less than a year each store was in trouble and two have already closed, one is still struggling. They had hundreds of thousands of people to draw from in a 5 mile radius and yet...... Draw me some conclusions?? K Sean, another good point- I had read that statistic too.(after I closed)-dontcha think the Zors would see fit to educate their prospects and franchisees to that marketing truth for more focused marketing? It would limit sufficiently where a store could be located..oh yeah that would mean they couldn’t sell all those franchises-never mind)

Anyway-if you used that marketing formula-then most stores have no real chance to succeed-let me give you an example:
Supper Thyme sold 3 franchises in the LA area..millions of potential customers in that market….
In less than a year each store was in trouble and two have already closed, one is still struggling.
They had hundreds of thousands of people to draw from in a 5 mile radius and yet……
Draw me some conclusions??
K

]]> By: sean http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/comment-page-1/#comment-299329 sean Thu, 08 May 2008 01:18:53 +0000 http://www.franchisepick.com/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/#comment-299329 It's really pretty simple when you think about it. If you're like most retail or restaurant businesses 80% of your customers are within 5 miles of your front door. If you take a national map and draw teensy little 5-mile radii around each location, that it the franchisee's marketing universe. Marketing to the vast space in between is like throwing money into the ocean... unless you're selling franchises. Focus on you immediate neighborhood and get the word out to them cheaply, continuously and personally. Sell yourself, not Dr. Phil, Oprah or Martha. They've got their shows... this is yours. It’s really pretty simple when you think about it.
If you’re like most retail or restaurant businesses 80% of your customers are within 5 miles of your front door. If you take a national map and draw teensy little 5-mile radii around each location, that it the franchisee’s marketing universe. Marketing to the vast space in between is like throwing money into the ocean… unless you’re selling franchises.
Focus on you immediate neighborhood and get the word out to them cheaply, continuously and personally. Sell yourself, not Dr. Phil, Oprah or Martha. They’ve got their shows… this is yours.

]]> By: Kelly aka MM http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/comment-page-1/#comment-299318 Kelly aka MM Wed, 07 May 2008 23:39:26 +0000 http://www.franchisepick.com/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/#comment-299318 Sean, I wondered how the Dr. Phil thing would play too... But you're right about people looking for the marketing silver bullet, the Holy Grail of marketing that would sky rocket our stores to breaking even.... The accepted wisdom of "sustained national advertising campaigns'' is that it would raise awareness of the Meal Assembly and thrust it into the mainstream. It didn't work for Stone Cold Creamery and it won't work for MA's, because, as Joel (I think) pointed out, MA's are providing a service no one sees a need for or wants (except for a small segment of the population, niche markets that will be able to support one store but will not be able to support competition). I know this "belief" in an industry dies hard for hardcore MA'rs, but every market expert I have read comment on the industry agrees that it is a non-workable concept on a franchised level. Sean,
I wondered how the Dr. Phil thing would play too…
But you’re right about people looking for the marketing silver bullet, the Holy Grail of marketing that would sky rocket our stores to breaking even….
The accepted wisdom of “sustained national advertising campaigns” is that it would raise awareness of the Meal Assembly and thrust it into the mainstream.
It didn’t work for Stone Cold Creamery and it won’t work for MA’s, because, as Joel (I think) pointed out, MA’s are providing a service no one sees a need for or wants (except for a small segment of the population, niche markets that will be able to support one store but will not be able to support competition).
I know this “belief” in an industry dies hard for hardcore MA’rs, but every market expert I have read comment on the industry agrees that it is a non-workable concept on a franchised level.

]]> By: sean http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/comment-page-1/#comment-299321 sean Wed, 07 May 2008 21:51:03 +0000 http://www.franchisepick.com/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/#comment-299321 Another big problem in the franchising of "hot new concepts" to inexperienced business people is the lack of understanding of local store marketing. In fact, it's a problem with experienced business people, also. This came to mind when I recently read commenters reactions to this post on mealassemblywatch.com. There is no area of business that has as high a percentage of people who think they are experts than marketing, nor as high a percentage of people who have a fundamental understanding and strategy. Franchisors exacerbate the damage of this lack of understanding, some intentionally and some because they, themselves, don't have a clue. Two of the fundamental errors in thinking that lead to franchisee marketing failure are 1) the imitation mindset, and 2) the silver bullet myth. The imitation mindset is believing that the right marketing that you see others doing is the marketing that you should be doing. You see lots of television commercials, get lots of coupons in the mail and think that that's what you should be doing. The Silver Bullet myth is the belief that there's a magic commercial, radio spot, direct mail piece that is going to magically drive continuous business to you without you having to be involved. FRS love to dangle the silver bullet baubles in front of their franchisees: Oprah, Dr. Phil, Martha Stewart... and they fall for it every time. DinnerZen writes: <i>I might be missing Sean’s boat (wouldn’t be the first time), but trying to compete with the gazillions of dollars being spent by other retailers and restaurants to get mommy gift money just doesn’t seem like a wise proposition.</i> and then <i>No offense to anyone who thinks the Dr. P thing is dumb, but there are a lot of stores who’d pay a pretty penny to get a mention like that... I’d love to see the web hits to their site on the 9th- by moms, not for moms.</i> Let's see... Free press in the local market that increases name recognition, educates consumers in the buying area, provides a clear call to action and could create trial visits doesn't seem "wise," but obscenely expensive national coverage that will drive hits to the national website IS wise...? Do you think you aren't paying a "pretty penny"? Will you pay your rent in web hits next month? Come on, guys... Why do you think someone might want national coverage that includes markets where (<i>hint, hint</i>) there aren't any franchise units yet? Another big problem in the franchising of “hot new concepts” to inexperienced business people is the lack of understanding of local store marketing. In fact, it’s a problem with experienced business people, also. This came to mind when I recently read commenters reactions to this post on mealassemblywatch.com.
There is no area of business that has as high a percentage of people who think they are experts than marketing, nor as high a percentage of people who have a fundamental understanding and strategy. Franchisors exacerbate the damage of this lack of understanding, some intentionally and some because they, themselves, don’t have a clue.
Two of the fundamental errors in thinking that lead to franchisee marketing failure are 1) the imitation mindset, and 2) the silver bullet myth.
The imitation mindset is believing that the right marketing that you see others doing is the marketing that you should be doing. You see lots of television commercials, get lots of coupons in the mail and think that that’s what you should be doing.
The Silver Bullet myth is the belief that there’s a magic commercial, radio spot, direct mail piece that is going to magically drive continuous business to you without you having to be involved.
FRS love to dangle the silver bullet baubles in front of their franchisees: Oprah, Dr. Phil, Martha Stewart… and they fall for it every time.
DinnerZen writes: I might be missing Sean’s boat (wouldn’t be the first time), but trying to compete with the gazillions of dollars being spent by other retailers and restaurants to get mommy gift money just doesn’t seem like a wise proposition. and then No offense to anyone who thinks the Dr. P thing is dumb, but there are a lot of stores who’d pay a pretty penny to get a mention like that… I’d love to see the web hits to their site on the 9th- by moms, not for moms.
Let’s see… Free press in the local market that increases name recognition, educates consumers in the buying area, provides a clear call to action and could create trial visits doesn’t seem “wise,” but obscenely expensive national coverage that will drive hits to the national website IS wise…? Do you think you aren’t paying a “pretty penny”? Will you pay your rent in web hits next month?
Come on, guys… Why do you think someone might want national coverage that includes markets where (hint, hint) there aren’t any franchise units yet?

]]> By: Kelly aka MM http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/comment-page-1/#comment-299365 Kelly aka MM Tue, 06 May 2008 21:45:08 +0000 http://www.franchisepick.com/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/#comment-299365 That really is a great idea...we offered something like that but couldn't get our local newslet..r..paper to cover it unless we paid an outrageous amount for an ad.... I'm not kidding, when I called the special living editor (which I think for him was an oxymoron), I was told we had our "quota" of articles written about out business for the year and it didn't matter how much I pitched it, I wasn't going to change his mind...the reporter had already tried. I'm guessin they had all the copy they needed for the front & back of the 1 page town newslett... r.. I mean newspaper. But enough about me-good luck to Entree Vous Mothers Day Promo That really is a great idea…we offered something like that but couldn’t get our local newslet..r..paper to cover it unless we paid an outrageous amount for an ad….
I’m not kidding, when I called the special living editor (which I think for him was an oxymoron), I was told we had our “quota” of articles written about out business for the year and it didn’t matter how much I pitched it, I wasn’t going to change his mind…the reporter had already tried.
I’m guessin they had all the copy they needed for the front & back of the 1 page town newslett… r.. I mean newspaper.
But enough about me-good luck to Entree Vous Mothers Day Promo

]]> By: Mother’s Day in Meal Assembly - Or Maybe Not | Meal Assembly Watch http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/comment-page-1/#comment-299366 Mother’s Day in Meal Assembly - Or Maybe Not | Meal Assembly Watch Tue, 06 May 2008 21:17:19 +0000 http://www.franchisepick.com/creative-mothers-day-meal-prep-promotions-entre-vous-franchise/#comment-299366 [...] Creative Mother’s Day Meal Prep Promotions: [...] [...] Creative Mother’s Day Meal Prep Promotions: [...]

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