Tag Archives: franchisors

IMMEDIATE ALERT TO FRANCHISORS: Read this

In a world where everything we do, think, and feel seems to be documented online in some form or fashion, Facebook is launching yet another way to make its users even more Internet shareable. At 12:01am June 13, 2009 (this Saturday morning), Facebook will give its users the right to claim their own vanity URLs for all Profiles and Fan Pages.

From a PR standpoint, I hope to see all franchises—or any business for that matter—grabbing their vanity URL as soon as the system goes live. Once someone creates their vanity URL, it cannot be changed, so what happens if someone else includes your company’s namesake? Do you really want to take the chance of someone you don’t know possibly making impressions on other people with your name attached to it? Of course not! So jump online late Friday night/early Saturday morning to snatch up your Facebook vanity URL to ensure the future reputation and Google-ability of your brand.

Here’s what you do to claim your vanity URL (which will also become your username): visit www.Facebook.com/username. This page will instruct you on how to create your own URL—remember that you cannot change your URL once you have selected one.

This new launch will inevitably drive an enormous amount of traffic to the site in the middle of this Friday night, so everyone try to be patient when the system first goes live because we all know that there are bound to be issues piling up from the moment people sign on. But once all is said and done, having your own Facebook vanity URL will only enhance the possible media coverage for your brand by making you both more accessible and shareable to the online world.

Just as Web site treasure hunters have locked up your .coms, they will be hunting, come Saturday a.m. on Facebook.

- Posted by Tiffany Morgan @TiffanyMMorgan

A Day (Two) In the Life without Internet

Well, not exactly, as I still had Internet at home. In the workplace, though, no Internet for the last few days has been brutal. I watch employees gaze into their empty computer screens thoughtless and lost. Where would the world be without such amazing advances in technology? Where would franchising be without the Internet?

There would be no Franchise Gator or Bison to help sales team pull in Internet leads. There would be no Social Networks for me to use and promote the ability for franchisors to eliminate their portal budget and shift in a 2.0 direction. There would be no Intranet sites for franchisees to interact and learn on. There would be no Internet Marketing. There would be no Web 2.0. There would be no ad words.

Franchising, the world, our lives would be completely different.

For me, a world without the Internet is a world without No Limit. My company could not, would not survive without the World Wide Web. My knowledge base would be vastly different. And for the last two days, no Internet was hell.

Again, though, I am slightly lying. I did have my Blackberry. I did have Internet at home. I could still check my email every five minutes, and I did. But it did make me wonder what the world of franchising would be like if there was no Internet.

I do still consider franchising to be in the dinosaur age in many facets of technology. I KNOW the industry has not accepted Social Media when it should be embracing it. Franchising, though, without the Internet would be such a tougher to sell business model.

For some of the legendary innovators of our industry – I respect, so much more, the way you were able to communicate, sell, and grow your concepts. It is, and will always be, an honor to be in your presence!

Back to the Net tomorrow!