• Going International? Be Sure To Register Your Trademarks.
• Franchisors Spend Your Ad Dollars Wisely!
• One Stop Shopping For Franchisees.
• The Fundamentals of Positive Franchise Relations.
• Consider Using Research Reports Before Buying Your Franchise.

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the FranchiseKnowHow Newsletter where you'll find timely information for franchisors and franchisees.

If you're a franchisor with the desire to export your franchise to other countries you had better protect your marks. Many franchisors wait until they have a candidate from another country before they decide to file. That's the wrong approach to take since registering a trademark will take more than a year. The best approach is to file for registration before you plan on implementing your international expansion plans.

Since a franchisor must register their trademarks with the US Patent and Trademark Office ( unless of course they enjoy living on the edge) filing an international trademark registration is fairly straightforward. The vehicle for registering trademarks for international usage is under the Madrid Protocol. Marks can also be filed for registration in individual countries. The Protocol is under the Madrid Agreement, a treaty which deals with the international registration of marks. As of July 15, 2005 there were 77 countries which were members of the Madrid Protocol.

Its important to keep in mind that because a country is a member of the Madrid Protocol it doesn't always follow that they will accept a trademark registration. One noteworthy example is China. Although a member country China does not recognize a trademark registration unless its filed in China. Your trademark attorney can determine other exceptions that may exist.

In today's high speed information age individuals and companies are quickly aware of new and trendy franchise concepts. Aggressive companies may try to pirate marks for use in their own country. For franchisors who intend to enter foreign markets its even more critical that their marks be filed under the Madrid Protocol and where necessary in the requisite countries. Failure to act may result in future problems regarding the international ownership of a franchisor's marks.

For more information regarding this important subject visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office site by clicking the link below. Be sure to use a competent trademark attorney to administer and protect a valuable asset, your trademarks.

I recall the "old" days when franchise ads were in the Wall Street Journal and franchise opportunity magazines. Of course this was pre- Internet and the major vehicle for reaching franchise prospects was through print media. Larger and more aggressive franchisors could use electronic media and the services of a top PR firm to get their message out. Today the main vehicle for reaching the thousands who seek out franchise opportunities is through the Internet. This is not to diminish the importance of print and electronic media. The Internet has become the primary method for potential franchisees to gather information regarding franchise opportunities.

Despite these dramatic changes there is still one constant. This constant is the importance of measuring the results of your ad campaign. Whether you're in print, on the Internet or conducting seminars it still comes down to the ability of your advertising dollars to generate leads and your success in closing new transactions .

Quite often franchisors will ask the question "how much do I need to spend on advertising?" My answer is always the same " it depends on your available capital and capability to digest new franchisee growth." If you have unlimited capital you can spend what you need, however, no franchisor has unlimited capital. This makes it all the more imperative that ad dollars are spent wisely and the results measured.

Here are some tips to follow when advertising for new franchisees:

• If you're using Internet sites for advertising do some web-surfing to determine which sites are the most prominent.
• If you use Internet sites go for some introductory listings. Many sites will provide the first month or two free.
• Before making a decision on what advertising media to use, contact some franchisors to gain their feedback.
• Have a process in place to record leads and all subsequent activity. Whether you use ACT or a similar lead management system you need a method to measure your advertising results.
• Don't be reluctant to make changes in your advertising. Its not unusual for a franchisor to try different advertising vehicles until finding the right combination.
• Implement your strategy and ad budget and stick to it. Productive franchise leads which proceed to closing are the true measure of success.
• Using completed transactions as the ultimate measure of your advertising can be misleading. A low closing ratio may be due to factors such as poor sales techniques, an unacceptable or restrictive franchise agreement or other factors.

Whichever advertising program you implement be sure to budget your ad dollars and measure the results. Your cost-per-lead and progress towards closing the transaction will be the real measures of success.

BusinessKnowHow was founded by Janet Attard. Janet has written several books on the subject of small business operations, including The Home Office and Small Business Answer Book. Her site receives over a million visitors a year.