Franchise - fastest growing in UK

Released on: December 13, 2007, 7:34 am

Press Release Author: eCounties Ltd

Industry: Consumer Services

Press Release Summary: Welcome to eCounties

becoming one of the FASTEST GROWING FRANCHISE\'s IN THE UK


Press Release Body: Welcome to eCounties

becoming one of the FASTEST GROWING FRANCHISE\'s IN THE UK

I will explain how a unique set of circumstances and a genuinely cutting edge
product have been brought together to present an outstanding franchise opportunity
for just one entrepreneur in each postcode area.

If you\'ve been looking for a way to leave the rat-race and enjoy a secure and
reliable source of income - a business that you own and run yourself - that
generates not only high levels of profit but also provides.

* something that is valued and important to your local community
* that you are proud of...
* that you can work on when you choose, (freeing your time for the more
important things in life!!!)

.then this may well be the most important thing you read all year.

IS THIS YOU?

Do any of the following paragraphs sounds familiar to you?

\"I want more time with my family"

\"I would love to work from home"

\"I am fed up with using my skills to make someone else wealthy. I want to start
getting paid what I\'m really worth.\"

\"I\'m worried about my job. I\'m not sure what the future holds and I need to secure a
more dependable income for my family's future.\"

\"I can't stand the office politics any more. I need to be my own boss."

\"I\'ve was recently made redundant and I don't want to be in that position again.

I need to use what has happened as a springboard to a better way of life."

\"I\'ve looked at loads of different franchises and business opportunities but think
that they are too restrictive. I just need a little direction and a kick-start, and
I can run my own business.\"

\"I want to take control of my life"

If you can relate to any of these statements, then you are not alone.

These are quotes from people who were experiencing the same things as you and who
have since become franchisees of eCounties


Background

eCounties was devloped as a competitor to other major directories but we wanted to
offer more and be diofferent, it was deceided that we wanted the consumers to leave
reviews on a business they had used to allow others to see what they offer in
service etc.

So www.eCounties.co.uk was born and it is progressing all the time, it was launched
initially in Shropshire and then due to the success was rolled out to 56 Counties
and still it groiws,

Look at this

the facts are unavoidable:

FACT ONE People overwhelmingly prefer 'local' providers of goods and services It is
fact that 40% of internet searches are for local products or services.

FACT TWO More people than ever in the UK are using the web - and it's only going to
get bigger - and they want to use it to find local commercial information.

Over 62% of the UK population uses the internet and at the end of 2006 over 80% of
internet connections were broadband.

This one shows the increase in the volume of money spent on online advertising over
the last four years. The total amount spent each year more than doubled between 2003
and 2006, and if this rate of growth continues then we can expect another
double-digit percentage increase in 2007. This is a huge market, that is only
getting bigger.

The next chart shows the percentage increase in advertising spend across a number of
mediums from 2005 to 2006. The 27% increase in the money spent on advertising online
is simply extraordinary compared to traditional advertising.

FACT THREE

There are very few places on the internet where people can find detailed and
accurate information about local products and services provided locally.

I mean, a truly outstanding opportunity. We are talking 'once in a lifetime' type of
opportunity here - because this is going to be huge.

Think about it.

A website that is:

Run by local people,

for local people,

Supporting local business,

BUT, crucially, a site which has national clout.

If ever a product was 'of its time' this is it.

Ever wondered what it was like to be 'in at the start' of some major business
phenomenon that swept the country? Who were the people that 'got in' on mobile
phones in the mid-80's for instance, and how did they do it? How were they able to
grow their business on the back of a massively growing market.

Well, this is your chance to find out - because this is going to be enormous.

The Opportunity

The vast majority of small businesses in the UK have little or no presence on the
internet. Many of them still don't have a website, and those that do have a site do
nothing to get people to go to their site - so it plays no part in the development
and growth of their business. (We're talking about small and medium size businesses
here, remember. The 'big boys' are way ahead of the game with excellent sites that
they market well).

Now, of course, this has to change. The hundreds of thousands of small and medium
size businesses that currently get little or, mostly, zero business via the internet
are going to have to change. As the Sunday Times said \"it\'s a case of adapt or die\"

They need exposure on the web - not to the whole world, but at least to people in
their area who are using the web to look for the products and service that they
offer. For instance, there were more than 750,000 searches last month for
\'florists\', most of which also attached a town or area name.

And, as many businesses are finding out, simply having a web site is no good. People
have got to be able to find their site - quickly and easily, at the time that they
need it. This means that, somehow, they have got to get exposure to high rankings on
the search engines. (In other words, if I'm a plumber in Bristol and someone is
searching Google for 'Bristol plumber' - they have got to find my site. Now getting
that sort of exposure is a big challenge for Mr. Plumber.) Let\'s be honest, many
small businesses simply won\'t make it happen - but with your help, it will happen -
and fast!

Now imagine if you were able to go to all the businesses in your town and offer them
a great web presence. Can you see how attractive that would be to the thousands of
businesses in your town?

WELL HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT BECAUSE IT GETS EVEN BETTER...

What if you could effectively do all of their local marketing through
www.ecounties.co.uk? Providing an online marketing solution as part of a
wide-ranging portfolio of marketing and promotional tools.

Not only will you be able to offer your clients a great online presence, you'll also
be able to:

* use eCounties 'door drop' to massively raise a business's profile amongst
local people
* promote businesses to other local companies through a business to business
magazine,regular business networking and mix and match
* collect testimonials from a business's existing customers using our online
review system

Can you see how well thought through the development of this product has been, so
that it offers EXACTLY what every small and medium sized business in your town
needs?

\"Once you get in front of a customer - eCounties just sells itself"
Lee Purcell, franchisee for SY10 & SY11

\"I had 100% conversion from the first 39 businesses I visited. That took me nearly 4
weeks, but at the end of my first month I'd repaid my entire investment."
Sean Lewis, franchisee for TQ1 & TQ3

\"I've got a new hobby - watching the faces of new customers when I tell them the
price! It's just priceless. They sign up every time"
Vikki Smith, franchisee for SW15

\"eCounties offers ten times the value of other companies, for less than half the
price"Rileys Snooker Halls, Client of eCounties Nationwide

NO TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

One more thing, though, you don't need any technical knowledge at all. We've
designed eCounties so that as long as you have a reasonable understanding of
Microsoft Office (ie Outlook and Word), you can run and operate the business using
our bespoke web-based application.

\"I was amazed at how easy it was for me to design really great features for my
customers. All I do is fill in a form and the pages just appear on the internet"
Yvonne Smith, franchisee for TF1 & TF2

What Do I Need

To be successful in this business you need to provide three things:

1. Commitment, effort and time
2. Some background and experience in sales
3. A reasonably modern PC (not Mac)

We'll provide you with everything else you need to build a wonderfully successful
business - generating very healthy profits - right from Month One!

ONGOING INCOME FOR YOU...

Oh, and finally, one really important business element - your customers sign up for
a minimum of twelve months. This means that you do the work once, at the beginning,
and then get paid every month. There is very little for you to do after month two,
but your customers are still getting all of the benefits of your product - and
paying you for it, which makes it a very attractive business model, I'm sure you'll
agree.

Now, hopefully, you're seeing why this is such a great franchise - and such a
perfect business opportunity from your perspective. I'll give you the critical
detailed financial projections shortly, but first let's look at why this business
works so well and is so valuable for your customers too.

WHY EVERY BUSINESS IN YOUR TOWN WILL NEED TO USE YOUR PRODUCT

Remember those three key facts from earlier:

1. More people than ever in the UK are using the web - and it's growing every day
2. People overwhelmingly prefer 'local' providers of goods and services
3. There are very few places on the internet where people can find detailed and
accurate information about local products and services provided locally.

The fact is that small and medium size businesses facing up to the impact of the
internet on their business. They simply can't afford not to have a strong local
presence on the web.

And to have someone local, providing them with a solution that:

* Brings them new business
* Is simple for them to use and understand
* Gets 'traffic' to their website - if they have one
* Provides them with prestige and status in their community
* Is the most comprehensive local promotion service out there

Well, you can see why they'll want to be part of it.

Added to this, you'll also be trained and equipped, as a franchisee, to provide your
clients with a host of additional services if they want it. Everything from online
reviews of their business from their existing customers to matching them other
businesses in your town that you know they could work with.

WHY PEOPLE IN YOUR TOWN WILL USE YOUR SITE

The third really important element that will ensure the success of your business is
the level of 'usage' and visitors that your Site will get. There are a number of
things that you need to know about this:

Search Engine Optimisation
Once we\'d identified exactly what the market opportunity was here, I pulled together
some of the best people in the world to help build the ideal solution. We have
partnered with the top search engine experts who also work with the likes of:

* FSB
* Corgi
* British Airways
* MTV
* easyJet
* Disney
* Barclays

...and many more major companies on their online strategies, so you can see that we
really are working with the best here.

Bottom line, if someone is looking on the web for a florist in your town and you\'ve
got a florist on your site, then they\'ll find you!

It has taken two years, and a very significant investment, to get to this stage but
the result is a site that ranks very highly on the likes of Google and Yahoo, and
that is now generating more than 10 million hits per month and has been one of the
Top 100 most popular websites in the UK for 12 months in a row.

In addition, significant PR and marketing of the site has resulted in some serious
recognition.

IN SUMMARY

So let's recap briefly. Here are the key points so far.

* The internet has already become a major factor in most people's lives - but it
will become much, much more significant in the months and years ahead
* People prefer to use local providers of goods and services and they
increasingly want to use the internet to find out about these providers
* The depth of information available online, about local businesses is currently
poor
* This unique set of circumstances, and genuinely cutting edge product features,
presents an outstanding franchise opportunity for one entrepreneur in each major
town in the UK
* Already, many franchises have been sold since the business was launched in
July 2006

Don\'t forget, each postcode area can only have one franchisee so get in touch today
to make sure you don\'t miss out.

Ideal Business Ingredient 1: HUGE DEMAND
For any business to be successful, it must have a product that someone wants and
needs. You will see why this 'product' is so unique and so valuable that virtually
every business in your area will want to be included. It's so much more than a
website.

Ideal Business Ingredient 2: LOW MAINTENANCE
Who needs to spend all day on the phone servicing some product? (None of that here!)

Ideal Business Ingredient 3: NO STOCK
Did you really want to fill up your garage, or half your bedroom with a bunch of
products that no one will buy? No way. Providing thebestof to your customers is
virtually zero-cost and hassle free.

Ideal Business Ingredient 4: NO EMPLOYEES
Avoid the cost, the hiring headaches, the training.enough said.

Ideal Business Ingredient 5: RESIDUAL INCOME
You do the work once and get paid over and over again. Your customers will remain
with you month after month. The results they get from thebestof will ensure that,
for the vast majority, once they start, they won't want to stop - and they'll pay
you each month, usually by Direct Debit or Standing Order.

Ideal Business Ingredient 6: RESPECTABILITY
This is a 'win-win' business that you can be proud of. Your customers make more
money. You win with a profitable business AND prestige and respect within your
community.

Ideal Business Ingredient 7: LOW-COST
Your monthly overheads are tiny. I've looked hard and I don't think there's a bone
fide business out there with a lower cost base. Plus the initial investment is a
fraction of what many, frankly much less attractive, franchises cost.

Ideal Business Ingredient 8: Little or NO FINANCIAL RISK involved
It's already been tested and proven by many franchisees.many of whom have achieved
stunning results.

Ideal Business Ingredient 9: RAPID PAYBACK
Many franchisees have recouped their initial investment in a matter of months and
you can read their stories in a few minutes.

Now, the truth is, in many businesses it's hard to find a single one of these \"Must
Have Ingredients" - if you're lucky you might get a handful of them. But this
business not only provides ALL NINE of them but, in addition, it offers the biggest
single opportunity for market growth of any industry anywhere in the UK right now.

What Can I Earn?

Now, let's just go through the financial side of this business.

Income

The suggested pricing structure for your clients pay is very simple, and it
represents great value (which makes it very attractive to businesses). Of course, as
it is your business, you are free to charge what you like, and many of our
franchisees have found in the past that they are able to charge (and justify) prices
that exceed our suggested figures.

Don't forget that this income should keep coming year after Year, so you can take
holidays and time-off and you'll still be getting paid. This means that your income
is secured, even if you are basking on a beach somewhere!

Several Franchisees attained six figure incomes within 2 years of launching their
eCounties business!!

Costs

Now, with any business, it's not just the income that matters - it's the costs and,
ultimately, the profit. And, once again, I've only got good news for you.

Another great advantage of this business is that you can run it from home with
minimal overheads. You'll need a small amount of office stationery and some petrol
money to get around but there really aren\'t any significant overheads.

Licence Fee

There is a monthly License Fee to pay for being a franchisee. Now for this, you're
getting everything provided for you. All the website hosting and development of the
site and all of your training and development.

The License Fee can be explained more on meeting with you but is reasonable, so you
know exactly where you stand.

You will have very few other monthly expenses.

What Does It Cost?

I guess, at this stage, you might be a little worried that the cost of a franchise
like this has got to be too high.
It's not, I promise.

Franchises start from as little as £5000.00, plus VAT.

The actual price of the franchise for your area will depend on a number of factors,
including size of population. There are four price bands and when you get in touch
with us we can tell you whether your postcode area is available.

Don't forget that for this you get everything - and I mean everything - to enable
you to set up a business that is generating a very healthy profit every month.

. You're getting a product that cost a significant six figure sum to develop
. You\'re building a business in a market that is growing and where you\'ll have a
genuinely unique product to offer your customers
. You're getting the flexibility to work when you want PLUS you\'ll build a business
that has considerable value in its own right and that you\'ll be able to sell at some
point in the future.

To ensure your success as a franchisee we have put together a unique package for
you. It includes: your section of the natiowide website with unique log in for
administration etc exclusive to your postcode area - and built using the very latest
technology and techniques, jam packed with great features.

You also get a Franchise Pack which includes everything - and I mean everything -
that you need to build yourself a substantial business in just a few short months.
Here are just some of the things that are included:

. Marketing & sales Training
. Complete Business Process Manual that covers every aspect of your business
. Technical Training - you get video based tutorials that take you through,
step-by-step, every aspect of the technical side of the business. The feedback on
these tutorials from existing franchisees has been great, so you can be sure that
you\'ll be up and running in no time...
. A Sales Presentation folder that contains all the tools you need when you\'re with
potential customers
. Personalised Stationery and Client Agreement Forms

PLUS, as you'd expect, you get full Training. As part of a small group of new
franchisees you will attend one of our acclaimed Franchisee Induction Training
Events.

JUST SOME OF THE ONGOING SUPPORT
YOU\'LL GET FROM US

Right from Day One you\'ll feel supported and cared for by our expert team. Here are
some of the things you can expect;

. We hold regular Franchisee Development Days for you to attend
. There is an online Franchisee Forum where you can interact with your fellow
franchisees across the country
. There are fortnightly podcasts which are a combination of tips, training, Q&A and
support
. Our Technical Helpdesk provides rapid response to any technical challenges you may
have
. Plus, if you need it, you'll have 1:1 access with an appropriate member of the
team to provide you with whatever help you require
. And there\'s loads of help and support from our six Franchisee Development Managers
- just ask any of our existing franchisees

In short, if you come on board with us, we'll be there for you.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention our dedicated team of Franchisee Development
Managers (FDMs). These guys only have one role in life, to help you make your site a
success and provide tons and tons of ongoing training, support, marketing and sales
initiatives etc to help your business grow.

HOW TO APPLY

Because we are responsible franchisors and also because each postcode area have only
one franchisee (and we want to make sure it's the right one!) this opportunity is
not open to everyone.

We are carefully selecting the individuals that we allow to come on board.

If you are interested in becoming involved and running a franchise in your area then
you need to make contact with us.
Call one of the team on 0844 586 2836



Web Site: http://www.ecounties.co.uk

Contact Details: eCounties Ltd
The Old malthouse
Willow Street
Oswestry
SY11 1AJ
0844 586 2936

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