The crowded first floor of Cadillac Ranch during Podcamp Nashville 2011

Podcamp Nashville, a free and interactive ‘un-conference’ - a forum for bloggers, marketers, content creators, social media experts, educators, podcasters and the like to gather, network and learn about the latest trends, tricks and technologies in the interactive world  - marked its fourth year in the music city with a simple theme:

Express Yourself.

With social media, individuals and companies have tremendous opportunities to broadcast thoughts, perspectives and in the case of a company, tell stories. Expressing yourself can help influence the way others perceive you or your company and in today’s social media world, if you can’t get started expressing yourself, you’ll have a hard time making use of social technology.

If you have never attended a Podcamp, you should. Many thanks to the organizers of this free event - it was full of awesomeness and very helpful information. 

@brandjournalist, @faithfulPR and @mackvong from Brand Journalists attended this year and here are our thoughts and take aways from podcamp Nashville 2011:

Forget keywords for SEO and start thinking about Key Phrases. Expressing yourself is not just about getting your thoughts out; its about communicating your thoughts in a way others can access. We see this in our client work daily - people are inundated with information and rarely do people find what they are looking for with a one or two word search. What we’ve found and what I heard several presenters mention was how important longer phrases are. If you are shooting a video about a macbook upgrade, think “macbook unibody 8gig upgrade review’ rather than just ‘macbook.’ People use keyword phrases to find very specific content and as a marketer or content creator, you’ll need to create content to cover a wide range of what people are looking for. This holds true for blogs, webpages and videos.

QR Codes have come of age. We LOVE QR codes! There were several sessions on QR codes. @irenewilliams did a great job of explaining how to use QR codes to help
with customer engagement. In particular, QR codes let customers experience digital content in the moment. QR code faux pas #1 - don’t use one to send customers to your website home page. DO create them to send to blog and web pages with content that is helpful for a customer in a specific situation such as standing in a store trying to make a buying decision. Use web and blog pages formatted for mobile viewing (the only users of QR codes are on smart phones) and create content specifically for QR code use. Our favorite tactic: use QR codes to gather facebook fans. QR code stats:Use increased over 1200% in the last half of 2010. Best tip of the day: use the bit.ly link shortener to create automatic QR codes with free analytics.

Youtube videos are an essential component of expressing yourself. Best stat of the day: Google owns Youtube and Youtube now gets 2 Billion searches a day. Because of the relationship between Google and Youtube, videos get preferential ranking. If you are not creating and posting videos to Youtube, start now. It greatly increases your reach and search-ability. Use key phrases in your titles and use the description to post the same content you would in a blog. Embed videos on web pages and blogs. Sometimes, video content sticks better with readers than text. Favorite camera: Kodak zi8 (better than flip) with a 20’ wired lapel mic and an inexpensive tabletop tripod. Total cost for kit: $150. Best tip: use a white board as a background and write items on the board as you talk for an effective video blog.

Blogging is still the cornerstone of expressing yourself. There were no sessions dedicated to blogging but it was clear from almost every session that to express yourself, you need a home base and more often than not, that means a blog. Wordpress is still king. Best tip: Tumblr is an easy place to start. Tumblr has made a range of improvements making SEO better and for someone who has never blogged Tumblr is a really good first step. Serious blogging is better done on hosted, custom wordpress installs. Blog for yourself, for your company and for clients.

Digital Stalking is Cool - Just do it. Most amusing session of the day was from @courtenayrogers on digital stalking. In her words, Google is made for digital stalking and with the wide range of data on people and companies at your fingertips, you should get in the habit of digital stalking people you want to do business with, people you want to network with and especially those you might want to date. Stalking  - or researching - a company online gives you a much better idea of how to jump into a conversation and makes a cold call a warm and friendly call. To demonstrate, Courtenay ‘stalked’ the pre-registered attendees. “What, you are still on myspace? Really?” Stalking helps you express yourself by helping you better understand your target audience. Go on, get your stalk on.

Authenticity and transparency are not just important for individuals, they are essential for businesses. Several sessions focused on how to be more authentic - social media is, after all, a conversation and people crave dialog and relationships with ‘real’ people. Put it all out there and be as transparent as possible. Be a real person and don’t be afraid to show yourself. In the case of a company, the more information you publish, the better. Trust is earned over time and the more ‘real’ information you get in front of potential readers and customers, the richer your interactions will be.

Mobile marketing via SMS is a powerhouse if used properly.  @lcguttery did a great job tackling the tidal-wave of QR mania to make the point that mobile, SMS marketing packs a powerful punch. QR code marketing is all about letting customers tap into digital content in specific places whereas SMS marketing is broader in reach and focus. Best SMS marketing tip: long form SMS marketing is cheaper and more flexible than the more expensive short form marketing. Use a trusted and experienced vendor for services if you foray into this and be very sensitive to how customers perceive SMS marketing as somewhat invasive.

Just Do It. Expressing yourself takes motivation and cadence. Several sessions addressed something we see daily - how do I get started and once I get started how do I keep it up? Fellow colab coworker and SEO expert @kateo gave one of the more thought provoking sessions at the end of the day titled ‘Cathartic Content: how a blog can help you grow.” Her point: sometimes, just the act of expressing yourself via a blog helps you define your story. It helps you get in the habit of producing work and helps you sort out issues and focus on what is important. For her it lead to the foundation of her company MetaMarketer. For companies, it can help tap into better and far richer relationships with customers. Success at expressing yourself takes practice - readers are attracted to the regular cadence of thought and if you really want to succeed, build up your skills over time.

What was missing from Podcamp Nashville

As amazing as some of the trends were above, we were surprised at what was missing. Namely, sessions on facebook, blogging, SEO and Twitter. We make a living expressing ourselves and helping a wide range of clients express their company stories and we’d be hard pressed to get results without them.

Podcamp Nashville uses a random drawing for the volunteer presentations and as a result, many were duplicates. We’ll be sure to put our names in the hat next year for a range of presentation topics. Might be helpful if organizers could put out requests for specific topics to make the day more valuable than it already was to attendees. There was no shortage of experienced presenters in the room. Coolest trend: ipad2 users using the ipad to connect to the projector and an iphone to change slides.

Thanks to everyone who presented and especially to the volunteers who orchestrated this event. We learned a lot and everyone came away energized.

See you next year!

Thomas Scott is the CEO of Brand Journalists, a Nashville based digital PR, blogging and social media firm that serves the franchise industry.

Connect with Thomas on Linkedin

Connect with Thomas on twitter

Search for additional info on twitter under #pcn11 and #pcn2011

http://www.podcampnashville.org

(Source: brandjournalists.com)

From last year’s Computer Explorers ConferenceLast year’s Computer Explorers Franchisee Conference

Franchisees will lead sessions, hands-on participation expected

The Computer Explorers corporate team and our franchisees meet at our headquarters outside of Houston, Texas, once a year to celebrate our successes, work on our challenges and plan for our future.

This year will be different. Sure, we are still having a conference, which starts Thursday, March 3, but we aren’t focusing on big-name speakers or planning inspirational yet shallow pep talks. We are going to work. All of us.

Computer Explorers is calling on its top producers to share what works for them. Franchisees themselves will moderate sessions designed to allow everyone to compare their challenges and work toward conquering them and setting the stage for growth. This conference, unlike any of our previous 26 annual events, will require active participation and we won’t let a few simply sit back and observe.

How to get our message out will be a major theme, and franchisees will meet and hear from the professionals who help spread the word about Computer Explorers. Michael St. Jacques of St. Jacques Media, which remade our website, will talk about marketing. Thomas Scott of Brand Journalists, which has been handling our national PR as well as local PR for seven franchisees, will talk about social media platforms. AK Stout, owner of Saying it Social, will walk us through using Google Places. And Kate Groom and Peter Knight of Smart Franchise will be our keynote speakers Friday night via Skype from their offices in Sydney, Australia.

New times demand new approaches. As much as this weekend is a “conference,” it also is a big brainstorming strategic planning event. We’ll work to help franchisees build their business lines, market their services, implement social media tools, become authorities on selling and figure out what’s next. Thursday night we’ll honor our award winners and as the conference ends we’ll review what we’ve learned and what we can do next.

Communication is important to us and good communication makes the Computer Explorers system stronger. We think we’re pretty good at it and many of our franchisees agree. The Franchise Business Review has ranked Computer Explorers in the Top 50 Franchise companies and awarded the technology education franchise its coveted award for its high marks in franchisee satisfaction.

The Franchise Business Review, based in Portsmouth, N.H., is an independent market research firm that surveys franchise owners each year on their system’s training, support, communication, franchisor/franchisee relations, financial opportunity, business lifestyle and overall satisfaction. Computer Explorers ranked high in several survey categories, notably franchisee communication, team culture, and core values, including trust.

Our annual conference is a wonderful opportunity to build on this foundation. We’d like to see some more new faces at next year’s conference, so give us a call or fill out the contact form. New voices and points of view help a great system become even better.

New Business Helps Occupy Local Luxury Homes

Showhomes works with “home managers” who fill vacant luxury homes in Potomac, Bethesda and Chevy Chase to help sell them on the market

By Sarah Beth Hensley | Email the author | February 23, 2011

You could have a new (temporary) neighbor in Potomac, thanks to a newly launched luxury home staging company in the area.

Showhomes, which opened an office on Foxcrest Court in Potomac in January, is working to fill vacant luxury homes in Potomac, Bethesda and Chevy Chase in order to help sell them, said Scott Cillay, business development manager for the Potomac Showhomes.

The company, which has 75 offices in the United States, finds and screens “home managers” who reside in vacant luxury homes while real estate agents try to sell them.

The applicants — who are usually relocating to the area — can occupy a home until they find a new place. While doing so, they can avoid putting their belongings in storage, keep an eye on an empty house and help sell the property, Cillay said.

“People want what someone else has and a vacant house is not a home,” Cillay said. “Our home managers make sure the house is well cared for, and houses that are lived-in attract more offers sooner at higher sales prices than vacant homes.”

The home managers must pay a fee to be in the program — one-quarter to one-third of what market rent would be. Also, home managers are required to carry $500,000 in insurance in case of property damage while they occupy a residence. This insurance is in addition to the $2 million Showhomes supplies as insurance for a residence, Cillay said.

Showhomes carefully screens its home managers and requires that all of them pass a background check as well as an evaluations of the required lifestyle they must maintain to occupy the luxury home. Specifically, home managers have to be non-smokers without pets who keep their living spaces clean and clutter-free in case realtors need to show the home. Also, the home managers need to provide their own furniture that is appropriate for the house.

“Our applicants are usually people who are relocating, and we are letting them test drive the neighborhood and giving them chance to live in Bethesda, Chevy Chase or Potomac,” Cillay said.

“A lot of people don’t want to dive into a commitment to purchase right away, and we give them the option to live a way they are accustomed to without moving into an apartment.”

Cillay said the area is a great place to open the business because the housing market here is not facing many of the challenges seen in other parts of the country.

“In this market, we aren’t looking at the same level of distress as in many other markets,” he said. “While this is a good real estate market — one of the best in the country — there are a number of vacant homes that are just sitting there. Houses above $1.5 million is where it starts to slow down a bit.”

Showhomes is currently seeking applicants for home managers in the area and will work with local real estate agencies to form partnerships, Cillay said.

“When people walk into an occupied home, they tend not to question the arrangement,” Cillay said.

(Source: showhomesfranchise.com)

Dismal housing news shines light on importance of a expert paint job.

It’s sobering news for homeowners, but good news for Five Star Painting franchisees.

Industry analysts say the housing market will remain lukewarm – at best – for the next two years. The Mortgage Bankers Association, a national trade group that represents more than 80 percent of the nation’s mortgage business, predicts that overall home sales will inch down less than 1 percent this year and that 2012 will see an increase about a 1 percent.

Yet, there’s never been a better time to open a Five Star Painting franchise.

Why? The homes that sell in this market are the ones with tasteful, professional interior and exterior paint jobs. Homeowners, especially those who’ve been planning on putting their homes on the market, need expert painting professionals to help get their homes sold for top dollar.

Housing experts say you can sell your home if you understand the ultra-competitive nature of the housing game in 2011.The National Association of Realtors says that a tasteful painting job inside and out can increase the value of a home up to 20 percent. Texas real estate writer and Realtor Mike Stevenson says homes can sell if the owner makes “the house both available and sellable.”

Before

After

“At the intersection of price and appearance lays a valuable commodity — paint,” Stevenson writes in his blog at DFW Texas Homes. “This lovely liquid magnifies both the price and appearance of a home.  I believe it’s safe to estimate that well-chosen paint will increase the sales price of an average house by $300 for every paint that’s correctly applied.”

It’s a no-brainer that painting can immediately increase home value. But there’s more to it than that, and that’s where Five Star Painting consultants and painters come in. Our consultants are knowledgeable and trustworthy professionals who work closely with clients to find the right look for the right price. We have an extensive certification and training process, which every Five Star painter must complete. Every single painter is screened, tested and educated in the best painting practices.

Botched paint jobs simply don’t happen.

The opportunity is immense. If want to learn more about a Five Star Painting franchise and see it if is a good fit, please fill out the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll start a conversation with you.

Jennifer Way had been working out of her house for the past 15 years. Moving into CoLab was a big change, but a change that has been worth it.

Jennifer Way

She moved Way Solutions, founded March 1, 2004, into CoLab in June 2010 after hearing about the new downtown coworking space at The Social Media Club of Nashville. Way Solutions provides HR consulting, including executive search services, for companies and coaching for job seekers. The company has worked with clients of all sizes, from start-ups to major firms such as CareerBuilder, Amazon.com and Microsoft. Jennifer also writes blogs for CareerBuilder on job searching and landing the right post.

CL: How much did you know about the coworking movement before moving into CoLab?
JW: I wouldn’t say too much. It was something I had never considered. I love being virtual, and I didn’t know if it would make sense for me because I travel. That changed when I started doing more local business and becoming more active in the Nashville community.

CL: Are you happier now working here than where you were working before?
JW: Yes. First of all, I think it offers my business a legitimacy that I didn’t have before. It solves all my problems when I have clients from out of town. We have meeting spaces, and I can bring them somewhere. An added bonus: any time I sponsor meetups or community activities, I can have them meet here.

CL: What are some activities that you have hosted at CoLab?
JW: I’ve hosted job seeker receptions, writers meetings, social media technology group functions and participated in lunch and learns.

CL: What do you think about working Downtown?
JW: I love it! I love being in the heart of Nashville and participating in more of the events that go on downtown whether it be the art crawl or music. Everything seems so close and convenient.

CL: How has the location helped your business?
JW: The location has allowed me to expand my network, resources, access to vendors and technology awareness. Working downtown allows me to have more resources at my disposal.

CL: Does it help to be around other professionals?
JW: I’ve found that the spirit of collaboration here really lives up to the name. That doesn’t mean everyone is here all the time or at the same hours. CoLab is flexible in nature. Everyone is really supportive of each other’s businesses —  even businesses that would seem to compete are supportive of one another.

Website: www.waysolutions.com
Facebook
Twitter

2011 is the year of the automated Day Spa!

Entrepreneur Magazine said franchised day spas were a hot sector of franchising this year and listed Planet Beach Contempo Spas as a best bet. This week, INC Magazine followed suit and listed Planet Beach Contempo Spas as one the top 10 franchises for 2011.

Here’s what INC had to say about Planet Beach:

Planet Beach Contempo Spas Franchise

Ten years ago, the spa industry reported yearly revenues of around $5 billion. Now, according to the International Spa Association, annual revenues generated from spas total more than $15 billion. One reason for the boom is that an increasing number of men are frequenting spas. Stephen Smith, the founder of Planet Beach, operated health clubs and gyms for eight years before establishing Planet Beach in 1995. Based in New Orleans, the company now operates over 300 franchise units in 38 states and 9 countries, and, according to a recent statement, the company “expects 2011 to be a promising year.”

As the economy recovers, more and more people are paying attention to Planet Beach Contempo Spas. If you want to research opening your own Contempo Spa, fill out our contact form to start a conversation with us. You’ll be glad you did!

Kids who sleep poorly on old mattresses face greater obesity risk

Parents often hand down worn out mattresses to children and older mattresses rarely sleep well. A new medical study says children who sleep poorly are four times more likely to be obese.The study, published in the February issue of Pediatrics, a medical journal, concluded that kids who had the shortest sleep and a disorganized sleep schedule had more than a fourfold increase in the risk of being obese. 

“Parents often splurge on a higher quality mattress for themselves and hand down the worn out mattress for the kids,” says Kurt Schusterman, Verlo Mattress Factory Stores CEO. “People usually buy a mattress only when it wears out so by handing the kids an old mattress they are depriving them of the important sleep growing kids need.”

The Better Sleep Council estimates that nearly 70 percent of old beds are handed down, often repeatedly, to children. Parents will upgrade to a new mattress set but their kids often sleep on beds that are 10 years old or more. “If the bed is no longer good enough for you, it’s not good enough for anybody else; throw it out,” the Sleep Council says.

Verlo Mattress Factory Stores, a national franchise system, custom-fits and builds each mattress on site for each customer to meet individual needs and specializes in mattresses made for kids and parents. After building mattresses for more than 50 years, Verlo has an avid following because customers can custom spec out how they want their mattress made.

Custom fitting allows you to select a mattress made for both your body type and the way you sleep.

“We’ve been custom-fitting our own mattresses for 50 years and know how to fit a child,”
Schusterman says. “If you want your child to do well in school and lower risks of obesity and other health problems, invest in a new mattress made just for them. They’ll sleep better and thank you for it.”

Visit www.verlo.com

 for more information and store locations.

(Source: verlomattress.wordpress.com)

This was a busy year at the 2011 International Franchise Association conference in Las Vegas. Much like the last two years, almost every session I attended drifted to social media; it didn’t matter if we were in a room full of operations staffers, franchise attorneys or salespeople; social media is still dominating the conversation in franchising.

Here are my Top 10 marketing and social media take-aways from this year’s IFA conference, the 51st for the venerable association:

1. Social media marketing is finally becoming integrated with the rest the marketing efforts. No longer off by itself, social media is now seen as equal to print, pr, and other advertising functions. Social media is here to stay and simple marketing such as print ads now morph into social media and social media now swings back into traditional advertising. There are no clear lines and lots of overlap. It’s only going to get muddier as the franchise industry learns to leverage new technologies in 2011.

2. Social media can be used to help sell franchises. From producing optimized blogs aimed at making it easier for potential franchisees to research your brand to using paid facebook advertising to attract visitors to regional franchise seminars, companies are learning to use social media platforms as a tool to generate traffic. It may not work the way you would think, but savvy companies are making it work.

3. The business blog - a blog integrated into your consumer or franchise development website - is one of the most important parts of your social media plan. People who want what you have to sell are looking for you online and having an integrated blog on your website both gives you tools to create your own social community and put content in front of your target audience. Of all the things social media related, the blog offers the biggest bang for the buck spent on marketing.

4. PR is back - PR was on the rise this year and if you are not using PR to tell your story on a national level, you are missing the chance to build brand and get your story out. PR is changing and old-school traditional PR doesn’t work as well as story-based online brand building. Forget new store releases and think national trend stories that position your brand in a unique spot.

5. Local PR generates results -PR is divided into two services: national PR for your brand and local PR for your franchisees. Local media like to write about local companies and unless releases come from and are about your franchisees most journalists won’t write about you. Local PR is an important way for franchisees to build brand on a local level. Small publications have fewer reporters and are more likely to bite on a story if it is about a local business.

6. Google Places is perhaps the most important social network for influencing customers. When customers, especially customers who want to buy what you have to sell, look for something on Google, they see business listings for each of the businesses in an area. Each listing, called a Place Page, has user reviews from real customers, owner-uploaded content and a variety of consumer information. Because it leverages user reviews and buzz postings, Google Places has become the modern day equivalent of the thumbs-up or thumbs-down in the Roman coliseum. The good news is that franchisees can manage this content and can leverage good reviews to dramatically increase store traffic and online leads. The bad news: few companies have bothered to claim pages and train franchisees on best practices.

7. Keywords Count and SEO is changing. Forget hiring SEO firms to do expensive ‘on-site’ search engine optimization for your website. Using online tools, companies are doing internal keyword research themselves and are beginning to generate content in the form of blog posts, facebook posts, linkedin statuses and online press releases that use keywords tied to the buying process. Not just brand awareness keywords such as your company name but a whole range of keywords relating to research, comparison shopping, user reviews and pricing. 

8. Social Media is a lot more than facebook - It might be more accurate to say ‘being on facebook is a mistake.’ Facebook is a popular platform but it was clear from the companies that could point to actual sales results that the real breakthroughs were coming from other tactics and tools. Blogs, Google Places, SEO, Social Loyalty programs and linkedin articles were producing far more business than facebook. If you want to get social media results, don’t start with facebook; start with your blog.

9. Social loyalty programs taking shape - The idea of social loyalty, rewarding your customers for positive digital activity that builds brand awareness and generates referrals, is beginning to take shape. Integrated point of sale systems, leveraged coupons, referral coupons and social media only promotions tied into customer cards and custom facebook tabs are all coming together into well thought out systems that may dramatically alter how local franchisees tap into social media’s word of mouth on steroids nature. Stay tuned as this field emerges in 2011.

10. Content Truly is the Currency of the Internet - social media is essentially people talking to each other and if you plan to drive conversations about your company, you’ll need good content. In company after company, franchisors expressed frustration that they didn’t know how to create content in the volume needed today and franchisees expressed frustration that there was little help at the local level. It takes far more content to get good results than most companies realize and few firms know how to tell the right stories or understand how to implement them. Companies with good content can reshape public opinion and generate leads; companies without content diminish. Publish or Perish is the marketing mantra today. The newly emerging field of Brand Journalism - companies that merge a PR firm with a marketing firm and create content streams - is something to watch in 2011.

What were your take aways from the 51st IFA Conference?

(Source: brandjournalists.com)

At Five Star Painting, we believe in fun. The company, including Five Star franchisees, takes a cruise every winter; this year our five-day excursion started in San Diego and visited Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico. We could talk more about it, but the pictures do a better job. We work hard all year and then get together to celebrate our successes.

Jordan Gross (Provo, UT) and wife Katie take to the sky, daring a double parasail.

Eunice Martinez (Five Star corporate receptionist) and Conrad Kolba (COO) await their turn to go parasailing.

In Cabo - Mike Otani (Toronto, ON), Katie Gross, Adriana Otani, Jordan Gross (Provo, UT), Pasquale Lauria (friend of James Greig), Shawna Jones, Chad Jones (VP), Conrad Kolba (COO), James Greig (Edmonton, AL), Mason Dahl (Calgary, AL), Steve Kennett (Edmonton, AL) and Britania Kennett, Wendy (cousin of Eunice), Eunice Martinez (Five Star Corporate receptionist)

The Five Star gang explored the depths as well as the sky; here, a crew is on its way to snorkeling.

A beach without four-wheeling? Not with this group.

Tom Hodgson (Columbus, OH) and Scott Abbott (CEO) prep for a group picture.

Our temporary home “office”

Folks get ready to tackle a fishing excursion.

Scott Abbott (CEO) catches a fish.

Mike Christensen (Dallas, TX) catches a skinnier fish.

Scott Abbot (CEO) congratulates Brandon Oquendo (Salt Lake City, UT) , who won gift cards for winning third place in franchise growth.

Mason Dahl (Calgary, AL) scores an iPad for Top Sales. CEO Scott Abbott is on the left.

Chad Jones (COO), Pasquale Lauria (friend of James Greig), James Greig (Edmonton, AL), Scott Abbot (CEO), Jordon Gross (Provo, UT) throw the ‘Five Star Gang Sign’ on a break from four-wheeling

The group gets ready to ride.

More fourwheeling

No-wheeling

Scott Abbott (CEO) takes charge.

More no-wheeling

Our hotel in San Diego before departure.

Dinner - Tony Casey (Columbia, SC), Brad Baghetto (Winnipeg, MB), Heidi and Scott Abbott (CEO), James Greig (Edmonton, AL), Pasquale Lauria (friend of James Greig), Chad and Shawna Jones (VP)

Dinner on the cruise - Conrad Kolba (COO), Scott Abbott (CEO), James Greig (Edmonton, AL), Pasquale Lauria (friend of James Greig), Chad Jones (VP)

Pasquale Lauria (friend of James Greig) and Conrad Kolba do a slow-motion model walk after snorkeling.

Snorkeling

Getting wet

Getting wetter

The team tees up for a great 2011.

James Greig (Edmonton, AL) and Pasquale Lauria parasailing

Cabo San Lucas

Want to learn more about how fun owning your own business can be? Start a conversation with us about opening a Five Star Painting franchise in your area by filling out our simple request information form.

Deb Evans, CEO of Computer Explorers with Michelle Rowan, COO of Franchise Business Review as she is awarded the Top 50 Franchise Award. 

Of all the kudos Computer Explorers received in winning a coveted Franchisee Satisfaction Award from the Franchise Business Review, one stands out — nearly 80 percent of our local owners who took part in the annual survey rated their life-work balance as “good” or “very good.”

This makes Computer Explorers as happy as it does our franchisees. Maybe even more. We want our local owners to build strong businesses and provide our innovative services and programs to schools and community centers, but we also want them to be happy. An exceptional franchise company knows just how important this is.

Computer Explorers, which provides technology education to school-aged children, ranked high in several survey categories, notably franchisee communication, team culture, and core values, including trust.

“Computer Explorers seemed particularly satisfied with the overall enjoyment they get from owning a Computer Explorers franchise and their relationship with the corporate office,” said FBR President and CEO Eric Stites.

Here are how some of our franchisees feel, in their own words. 

“My children are older now, but I can still schedule my work week around my family. When you work a traditional corporate job you have to schedule everything around that 9 to 5 time frame,” says Jenifer Morack, who remains existing about her business in New Jersey after 20 years. “Computer Explorers gave me the opportunity to design a life as an entrepreneur and balance my family life successfully. I look at it as the best of both worlds.”

Joan and Wally Kusnierz have owned their Computer Explorer franchise in suburban Chicago for three years. “I call this a freedom franchise,” Wally says. “You aren’t micromanaged. It’s flexible. You can pick up your kids for lunch if you want to. You are in charge of your own schedule.”

Each year, the Franchise Business Review surveys franchise owners on their system’s training and support, communication, franchisor/franchisee relations, financial opportunity and business, as well as overall satisfaction with their business. FBR, based in Portsmouth, N.H., is a national franchise market research firm that performs annual, independent surveys. Sixty-four percent of Computer Explorers’ franchisees participated in the annual satisfaction survey.

Computer Explorers distinguished itself as a franchise company with some of the highest satisfaction rankings. “We are thrilled,” says Deb Evans, CEO and President. “This award is further validation that we have a strong, growing system.”

The franchise company has been expanding both nationally and internationally, with 60 locations in the U.S. and five foreign countries. Computer Explorers offers technology services and courses for students ages 3-83.  Using its specially trained teachers and its own curriculum, the franchisor integrates hands-on technology into preschool, in-school and after school curriculum, reinforcing academics and STEM literacy. Students design video games and 3-D worlds, program robots and make green-screen movies. Computer Explorers also provides professional development for teachers and computer courses for adults and seniors.

Full results of Computer Explorers’ survey are at www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com.

(Source: computerexplorers.com)

Schwartz expands Contempo Spas into northern California
Like many larger franchise systems, Planet Beach uses Area Representatives to build out sections of the country. Area Representatives, called ARs, work as mini-franchisors providing franchisee support and training in a local area as well as working to recruit additional owners to open new Contempo Spas.This gives new franchise owners two levels of support – national support from the home office and someone local who is invested in their success.

Area representative Mike Schwartz has only been on the job since the beginning of the year, but already he has a solid grasp of what it will take to help the seven franchises he reps in the Sacramento, Marin, Sonoma and San Francisco, CA, areas succeed.

Mike Schwartz, Sacramento and SF, CA Area Representative

Planet Beach: How do you see yourself helping your Planet Beach franchisees?
Mike Schwartz: It is my job to provide any kind of assistance I can to help support the franchisees. That could be having discussions about sales, product, what is working in each of the areas or issues people are coming up with. For example, hiring is a big issue. It could be I support them with some training in house to get them as self-sufficient as possible or being the liaison between them and corporate and implementing best practices as much as possible. Whether they take my advice or not, all I can do is help support them.

PB: Why Planet Beach Contempo Spa?
MS: I looked at what they offered and it was so simple. No. 1, the pricing is a flat monthly fee for a wide range of popular day spa services. How easy is that? No. 2, while they did have tanning, they have all of these other day spa services as part of their business plan. I didn’t have to be sold because I got it. If it was simple for me to understand, it should be simple for a customer to understand. And so that is what hooked me on it.

PB: How did you hear about us?
MS: Via a business ad for one of the existing franchises.

PB: What’s your background?
MS: I spent close to 20 years in telecommunications and worked for large corporations and very small companies. One of the things I realized that made me transition to smaller company is how much I really enjoyed it. You can roll up your sleeves and provide input in so many other areas because there just is not a lot of knowledge with so many fewer resources. And that is where I really started to shine.

PB: What do you like best about the Planet Beach Contempo Spa franchise opportunity?
MS: To be honest, I was very negative about franchises and franchise systems and I’ve really had a change of mind. Most non-franchise businesses fail in the first year and in this case you have a whole company and a whole network of other franchisees who have lived what you are going through. They have done this over and over again, so if you are going to have an opportunity to be successful, I believe being part of a franchise system dramatically reduces your risk. It coaches you how to hire, how to fire, how to train, how to sell, how to market, you name it. So I flipped and realized what a franchise really does provide the owner.

A Hydro Massage bed in a Sacramento Planet Beach Contempo Spa

PB: What do you recommend to franchisees in your market?
MS: One of our franchisees has been open for about a month and I am working on a recommendation for a grand opening. I think you should be joining the better business bureau, you should have a ribbon cutting and you should invite the mayor. You should engage your other patrons like GNC and do some cross promotions. If you are thinking of running a Groupon, I can help talk to the other franchisees and see which Groupons have been better than others, and how to deal with the inundation of customers. Planet Beach is active in social media and online marketing, too.

PB: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned?
MS: The one thing that has surprised me is most of my counterparts have all have been around almost since the beginning, which tells me a lot. People come and go in any business, but the reality is, the folks I met have all been there for many, many years and they really like what they do. That means they have seen it and are sticking with it and they believe in it and it has been a good thing.

PB: What keeps you active in your free time?
MS: I have two great kids, a 4-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter. They take up all my spare time except when my wife lets me out the door early at oh-dark-thirty on Saturday morning to golf.

PB: Why would you recommend Planet Beach Contempo Spa to someone interested in owning a business?
MS: First and foremost, it is unique in the industry. Whether that is the franchise industry, the spa industry or the tanning industry, there really isn’t anybody else you can look at and say they are a direct competitor. If you can offer something that is different enough from your next door neighbor, you can drive traffic in the door. And that is what Planet Beach offers. A really unique experience that you can’t look down the street and compare to something else. I think that is a huge benefit.

Interested in opening your own Planet Beach Contempo Spa? Fill out out our request information form and start a conversation with us!

Deb Evans, CEO of Computer Explorers, isn’t a buttoned-up executive speaking from an ivory tower. She comes off more like a straight-shooting friend with a lot of knowledge and wisdom than a remote executive. That’s probably because Evans started on the ground floor at Computer Explorers as a part time teacher. She fell in love with the brand and ended up buying a franchise. She still has the enthusiasm of a new franchise owner.

Computer Explorers: How long have you been with Computer Explorers?
Deb Evans: I started as a teacher in 1996 when I was working on a degree in education. Then next thing you know, I owned a franchise.

CE: Why Computer Explorers?
DE: Computer Explorers is all about the success of the franchisee. We want every franchisee to have profitable, meaningful career and a balanced life. It’s extremely gratifying to witness a franchisee embrace the life of an independent small business owner in control of his or her own destiny. Many franchisees and potential franchisees are searching for something they haven’t yet found in their careers. They want to make money, but they also want to make a difference. That was certainly my mindset when I became a franchisee.  I thought I was going to end up in traditional education, but Computer Explorers opened up a whole new path for me. It’s great when you know you’re a part of someone finding a career path that’s right for them.

Computer Explorers: How did you hear about us?
DE: I heard about Computer Explorers from a neighbor who was a part time teacher.  I was in school, Rowan University,and raising three kids at the time. I started as a part time teacher and got hooked. I saw children excited about learning from the get-go. I saw a way I could be involved in teaching with more independence than I thought was possible.

CE: What’s your background?
DE: Since 2005, I have worked in Houston at the corporate headquarters first as Franchise Support Manager and nowCEO. Before that I was a franchisee in New Jersey. Prior to Computer Explorers I did a variety of things – from running a licensed home daycare to working for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I raised a family. I was always interested in education, healthy and productive relationships and meaningful, ethical, profitable businesses and services.

CE: What do you like best about the Computer Explorers franchise opportunity?
DE:  It’s ALWAYS exciting and interesting. I can tell you, it would be the hardest thing in the world to walk away from. I love the culture. I love the relationships that develop and grow with franchisees and colleagues.  We are a real community; it’s not just business as usual. We know and care about everyone. We know each other’s families. We even know the names of the pets. It’s pretty remarkable.

CE: Can you share one of your secrets?
DE:  When I was a franchisee I rarely had to place an ad for teacher. I always had a great staff. I started out from the beginning by building strong, authentic relationships. I don’t think you can overemphasize the importance of building trust and taking the time to do it. It’s the foundation of your franchise.  People want to join a team with great relationships.

CE: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned?
DE: I went into this without the confidence that I could do it. I was terrified. Could I be a manager, do the numbers hire the people?  I gained the confidence step by step.  A whole new and unexpected career unfolded for me that integrates so many of my interests – education, leadership, people, children, service.

CE: What keeps you active in your free time?
DE: I love Computer Explorers so much that it’s both a career and a hobby. I love keeping up with all the cutting edge trends in education and technology. I have a radio show called Social Geek Radio on Blog Talk Radio. I also have a grandson, so of course I stay busy with them.

CE: Why would you recommend Computer Explorers to someone interested in owning a business?
DE: We haven’t peaked yet and that’s important because we are going to continue to get better and better. Computer Explorers is a rare business opportunity because it makes a difference on so many different levels. The vast majority of the schools and youth-oriented organizations that partner with us wouldn’t be able to afford to offer these classes to their students without us. We provide an unmatched value they can’t get anywhere else. It’s a profound feeling to know you are helping shape the future of children. We feel that at Computer Explorers on a daily basis. It’s truly a ground breaking franchise with a business model that works.

Largest, richest U.S. generation more likely to hire out painting

Sociologists have compared the Baby Boomer generation to a pig moving through a python. They represent a humongous population born between 1945-1964.
Why should a painting franchise care?

Because this 76 million-plus demographic will help grow a painting business. Baby Boomers are the wealthiest generation in the U.S, with an annual spending power of more than $2 trillion. The vast majority of them want to “age in place” in their homes. And those homes —  many of which are older houses and condos —  need updating, renovation and interior and exterior painting.

According to the Mature Market Institute, nearly two-thirds of Baby Boomers (63 percent) plan to stay in their current home as long as they can. That number rises to 78 percent for those aged 75 and older. Not only are they staying put, they are not interested in painting rooms themselves like younger couples.

In a report by the Natural Marketing Institute, Managing Partner Steve French says Baby Boomers are “responsive to companies that can deliver pragmatic value and style” and those that are rooted in “sensible luxury.”

Here’s more about Baby Boomers from the Natural Marketing Institute:

* Boomers show strong brand loyalty to products and services they use.
* Proof of a product’s quality increases their likelihood to purchase it.
* They prefer advertisements that capture the flavor of their generation and understand their uniqueness.
* They prefer to purchase from socially and environmentally responsible companies.
* They are influencers, often telling family and friends about new products.
* They prefer to find out about products on their own compared to traditional advertising, highlighting the importance of viral marketing.

All of this is great news for Five Star Painting and its franchisees. They account for well over 50 percent of our customers and individual ticket prices are larger.  As this enormous generation ages, their demand for painting is expected to sharply increase, especially in the next 10 to 15 years.

Interested in how you could open a business designed to cater to this need? Start a conversation with us about opening a Five Star Painting franchise in your area by filling out our simple request information form.

Showhomes live-in home staging services popular with increasing number of banks

Foreclosed homes may be an opportunity for buyers and investors, but for banks they are a mess with no end in sight. Foreclosures cost money to maintain, create insurance problems, invite vandalism and devalue neighboring homes.

Showhomes home staging, a nationally franchised network of home stagers, provides an increasing number of banks with a tidy solution: Showhomes places a live-in home stager, called a Home Manager, who occupies the home and keeps it in show condition until it sells.

“Once a home is foreclosed, banks want it off the books as soon as possible, but too often just the opposite happens,” said Matt Kelton, Showhomes COO. “So many distressed properties, especially the high-end houses, sit empty and deteriorate quickly. They don’t stand out and they attract low-ball offers that lower property values.”

Distressed real estate sales accounted for about 48% of all U.S. home sales in 2010, according to Campbell’s Surveys, a strategic research firm. A recent RealtyTrac report estimated banks repossessed more than a million homes last year, not including up to delayed 250,000 foreclosures. The four largest U.S. banks alone hold $7 billion in foreclosed houses on their books, RealtyTrac says.

Before Showhomes home staging staged the house.

After Showhomes home staging staged the home.

Showhomes is working with bankers and asset managers to help them preserve foreclosed listings, minimize costs, reduce insurance exposure and sell homes for higher prices. The service is attractive because Showhomes picks up utility bills, handles minor maintenance and takes care of cleaning. Best of all, banks don’t pay don’t pay monthly staging fees, making it an inexpensive staging option for banks handling foreclosed homes.

“We got our start 25 years ago helping banks stage foreclosed homes and today, our service is just as valuable,” said Kelton. “Nationally, banks can save millions by using Showhomes. It’s a no-brainer for any sized bank.”

About Showhomes
Since its founding in 1986, Showhomes has helped U..S Realtors and homeowners sell more than 26,000 homes valued at more than $8.5 billion by using live-in Home Managers. The Showhomes business model is based on the fact that well-furnished homes kept in show-to-sell condition sell faster, and for higher prices, than vacant houses. For information and franchise opportunities, please visit www.showhomes.com.