@Franchises_UK reaches 1,000 Twitter followers!
Today, our Twitter account @Franchises_UK reached 1,000 followers! If you have an interest in franchising whether it be as a franchisor, a prospective franchisee or simply someone with an interest in the franchising industry, following us on Twitter can be a great way of keeping up with the news.
Our Twitter updates feature the latest updates from our franchise blog as they happen aswell as individual franchisor news articles which might be of interest. Twitter is also a great way to interact with us and let us know you opinions on any article we post or your views on the franchising in general. We read every Tweet that comes our way!
We would like to thank all our followers for discussing the big wide world of franchising with us 
Tags: franchise, franchise news, Twitter
Franchise News: Letting agents WANT ‘The Hook’
Steve Roulstone - Director, Castle Estates
It may seem that I am paranoid about the BBC. My wife would probably agree, far from it, I always start with the BBC before any other channel whenever I turn the TV on. But there are times when I do despair about the way in which they report matters and it is not just the Housing market or in particular the Letting Industry that grabs my attention, just listen to the bad news angle taken within the weather forecasts and you will know what I mean!
Popular news reports.
One of the automatic results of being the BBC is whatever they write, especially within the news, they always get ‘Star billing’ within Google. Well done to them, after all we are all looking for better placement, but over the last couple of weeks, a report by the BBC from back in June 2010 has kept appearing within the criteria of my Google search. It is entitled ‘Letting Agents let off the hook by Government’ so this morning, when it appeared again, I read it.
Principals .
One of the important principals about writing anything for publication on the web, if you wish for people to find your scribbling, is to make sure that your article explains the title, so it falls in the ‘what it says on the tin’ principal, or at least that is what I have always been taught. However, having read the article I would have to describe this as a tenuous link at the very least. The comment within the article that the title refers to is about agents who I assume are not part of any professional body, as either the ARLA spokesman did not confirm this in what he said, or only part of his comment was printed.
Actual intent.
What is confirmed by ARLA and indeed the CA is that the legislation was both welcome and good in its intent. That some will take advantage of the decision is a matter of conjecture, as professionals, we believe the legislation would have stopped that happening. So the actual meaning of professional agents (and in my opinion letting agents are qualified individuals, letting agencies are offices!) is not differentiated in the article headline.
Now for the rub!
And the reason I list this as franchise news, because the result of the visibility such articles get through Google, is that hundreds of people will read the title and without even reading the article, my Industry will be tarred with a brush, that when you read and understand the article, we do not deserve! It is difficult enough to prove that my industry is not suffering in the same way that House selling has suffered over the last few years and indeed that we have benefited in so many ways. I do not ask that we have good news just to suit my Industry and I would not state or write anything that I cannot support, but it is time that the BBC went back to the agency that reports the news in a factual manner and stopped looking for elements of bad news so often in its reporting.
The reality is different.
Because they are who they are, the BBC have far more influence that such practises deserve, in the meantime how many people have written off a Property Management Franchise on the back of articles and reports like this that give what in my opinion is a negative approach, when in actual fact, as an Industry we would welcome such legislation and the article says just that. Pity the title the BBC chose disagrees!
Steve Roulstone is the Managing Director of Castle Estates Franchising Ltd
Best of the Franchise Blog 2010
Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise
As the new year begins, it seemed like a good opportunity to reflect on what has gone on in the franchise blog over the last year, to see where we have come from and what we have learned.
With this in mind, here are some of the best and most useful postings I have come across seen in 2010.
- Franchise Tips: Our series of 10 franchise tips can give great in depth insight in the franchise start up process for any would-be franchisee.
- Our with the old in with the new: Cathryn Hayes of HSBC rounds up the years financial and economic news and its affects on business and franchising into 2011.
- Could a Franchise Business be right for you: Nick Strong looks at what it takes to be a good franchisee.
- Working from home business Ideas: Our most re-tweeted post of 2010… obviously a popular subject!
- Franchising could help Unemployment worries: 2010 saw the official end of the recession, but the unemployment left in its wake was still a big topic.
- How to maximise online presence and Social networking sites are just for kids right?: Social Media has been another big topic in 2010. Social Media is playing an increasingly important role in business and building customer relationships.
We hope you have enjoyed our franchise blog over 2010 and we look forward to presenting more informative postings on franchising in 2011!
