Smart Tax | No Limit

While the current economic conditions have led to many financial obstacles for small business, franchise brands are still finding innovative ways to grow. One emerging trend is a move to smaller and portable spaces including kiosks, trucks and pop-up stores. These types of options allow people to open their own business for a much lower start up cost.

The kiosk model is one innovative method that allows franchise brands to expand in high traffic venues such as malls, shopping centers, the streets of major cities, and airports. One brand who is finding success with the kiosk model is Smart Tax, who launched in November 2009 with ten locations and will open almost 30 units for tax season 2011. One of Smart Tax’s growth strategies has been to open kiosks in wholesale operators, where they will have 4 operating kiosk centers this year. This not only allows the brand to enter a high demand outlet but allows more consumers to become familiar with the product and ultimately build resonating brand awareness. Additionally, the franchisees opening the kiosks are able to capitalize on a smaller initial investment, portable space and a larger growth potential.

Many restaurant concepts have now taken the typical delivery method one step further by offering the entire experience/product from the truck. Trucks can be a great way to attract larger volumes of people and change locations throughout the day. This model allows for flexibility and on-the-go meal options.

While Pop-Up shops are not always permanent business opportunities for franchises, they are a fantastic way to introduce a brand’s product and build a buzz with a region you are looking to grow. For example, The Pita Pit built a full, usable shop outside FOX Studios to be interviewed for 8-weeks this past summer on the morning show, FOX & Friends. This mock-shop allowed street traffic to sample the product and get hooked on the unique, healthy cuisine found in cities across the United Stated. Not only did this introduce New York City to Pita Pit, but it also enticed many entrepreneurial minded travelers to consider partnering with this young and innovative brand. With the holiday season approaching, we will see an incredible amount of pop-up shops that represent a niche surrounding holiday consumerism.

One thing is for certain, if you are looking to raise brand awareness, introduce your product/service to consumers and accomplish this at a lower start-up cost, then these options can be a great method to explore.

A Blog Post By: Carrie Magelowitz (@carriemag)
Carrie is an Account Manager on the PR team for No Limit. She is a UGA alumni and loves the Dawgs despite the fact that 11 players have been arrested this season.

While attending the IFA Convention

Small Franchisor? No Problem -- Good Morning WSJ

in San Antonio this year, we noticed a trend – a trend in opinion. Every single franchisor is trying to figure out what’s next in developing qualified franchise leads. Unfortunately, though, just like the last 50 years of IFA, I doubt the next 50 is going to produce that magic bullet.

The same goes for PR.

While our methodology may not be the ultimate solution, it is working. Case-in-point, we have a 10-unit tax preparation concept that we just placed in the Wall Street Journal. Take a peek at the online story, but take a good look at the print story – a giant photo of the CEO, Nick Rizzi, full of branding and powerful words – including our favorite, franchising. Additionally, we placed our supplier client, Store in a Box, and our powerhouse brand, Qdoba, in the story.

Old technology would have been us praying for this story to appear. New technology was us taking control.

Over the last year, we have eliminated the term “PR” and replaced it with progressive communications, a fine-tuned blend of Social Media + Traditional PR that is built on relationships. This story wasn’t chance. It was built from a relationship with a reporter – a reporter who understands that when No Limit calls, we are actually calling with a story.

This is just one example of our relationships coming to fruition. Three hour segment on Fox & Friends; a return visit to Fox & Friends; Business Week, New York Times, 15 + WSJ interviews; local press that drives franchise leads; local TV that drives consumers; Social Media that interacts; Associated Press; Reuters; Fox Business; CNBC. This is what progressive communications tastes like.