May: Thanks to our Troops, past and present. Tid Bits Can you guess which of the following are true and which are false? 1. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning. 2. Alfred Hitchcock didn't have a belly button. 3. A pack-a-day smoker will lose approximately 2 teeth every 10 years. Click Here For Answers. In this issue... Street Smarts: Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Next Exhibition. Industry Focus: One-of-a-Kind Franchises. Guest Column: Prospecting Success.

News You Can Use Cold Stone and Kahala Team Up McDonald's to Refranchise Units Abroad Fast-Food Franchise Growth Holiday Inn Express in China Wendy's Tops Zagat Survey Mexican Blue Moon's Expansion Plans Featured Supplier Mario L Herman Featured Pick Arby's FREE White Paper FranchiseHelp's Franchise Bankruptcy Study Subscribe | Unsubscribe to the Newsletter

Expos can offer fertile hunting grounds for franchisors. But there's a considerable investment required in terms of time, money, and effort. Make sure your investment pays off by checking out this list of tips:

• People who go to franchise expos tend to be local. If you're not targeting franchise sales within a 2-hour radius of where the show is located, you're wasting marketing dollars.

• Polish your elevator pitch. The entire show staff should be ready with a clear 15-second soundbite about your company's concept. The best elevator pitch is complete, but has a "hook" at the end to keep the prospect interested.

• Don't invite preexisting prospects to a franchise show. Exposing them to all your competitors will only confuse them and have them second guessing their decision.

• Not all franchise shows are created equal. If you're trying a new show, talk to past exhibitors about their experience with the show. Most shows will pre-publish exhibitor lists, which makes it easy to locate people to talk to.

• Be ready with the answers. Practice with a friend who knows nothing about your franchise. Have them ask whatever questions come to mind. "Why should I buy your franchise?" is a question that you should answer with a slam dunk.

• An expo isn't a fire sale. Give your visitors room to breathe and time to browse. It's ok to smile and introduce yourself, but don't pounce.

• Network. Early in the show, when things are still slow, meet as many exhibitors as you can. Let them know what you're about (remember that elevator pitch) and show interest in what they're doing as well. It's surprising how many leads you can get from other exhibitors if you're open to it.

• Speak up. If the show has workshops, sign up to offer one. Lots of people prefer to learn more about companies by attending workshops. It's a great way to draw attention to your company.

One-of-a-Kind Franchises

Company: ElizaJ Units: 2 Startup costs: $29.6-123.1k Franchise fee: $22.5K Address/phone: 90 Old Chatham Road, Harwich, MA 02645 Phone: (800)437-1139 Website: www.ElizaJ.com In business: 1997 Franchising since: 2004

Most franchise categories are loaded with competition. The biggest category, restaurants, is a crowded field with literally hundreds of franchise offerings vying for a piece of the pie. Someone is always coming up with a new way to make a sandwich, but another restaurant franchise is, well, just another restaurant franchise. We thought it would be interesting to find some truly unique franchises, the kind that thrive in the absence of competition. Check 'em out.

ElizaJ may be one of the most unique franchise concepts we've seen. The idea is to deliver upscale, self-contained restrooms for special outdoor events. Now before you hold your nose, these aren't the stinky things usually associated with portable restrooms. These are elegant, refined, and discreet. And they're loaded with all the amenities that you'd expect to find in a hotel restroom-music, fresh flowers at the sink, designer soaps and lotions, sewing kit, etc.

Eliza Kendall came up with the concept after spending 10 years in the events industry. "This is generally a male dominated industry. I came in with the concept of restrooms for weddings that are by a woman for a woman. The market for portable restrooms is huge, $1.5 billion, but no one is in this niche market. There is no one out there doing exactly what we do."

ElizaJ does serve other events besides weddings, but Kendall points out that weddings are a recession-proof business. "So that's our focus. We do other higher end events like Senator Kennedy's clam bakes and the occasional golf course. But 90-95% is weddings."

Although clients are sophisticated, ElizaJ provides the high quality service at affordable prices. "A 2-room unit (women's room on one side and men's on the other) rents for $900. That's for the whole weekend, delivery included." Compare that to the alternatives. "There are some palatial trailers with marble and wood and then there are those stinky things. There's nothing in between (like ours). The big ones fit the needs, but generally someone who is having an outdoor party doesn't need to spend the $5000 it costs for restroom facilities."

Hayes Handpiece offers a turnkey operation that specializes in dental handpiece repair, service and maintenance. It started as a small family owned business run out of a garage, but it has evolved into a market leader with over 75 locations worldwide and annual sales of $15 million. You may be asking, but what's a handpiece? Joe Hayes, CEO, says, "Dental handpiece is the technical name for dental instruments such as drills. The reason they need to be serviced is because heat sterilization causes them to break down."

This is a big market and there is definitely competition. But, according to Hayes, "The main players in this segment are the dental suppliers, the big multimillion dollar companies that sell supplies to the dentists. We are focused on quality service, not selling equipment. This is all we do. We have proprietary technology which makes the difference in the longevity of the repair. And our training is what we're really known for. There's a lot of stuff to know. But right out of the gate, our franchisees are experts. They really know what they're talking about when it comes to the handpieces."

Unlike the big dental suppliers, Hayes Handpiece provides service on the local level. Customers don't have to send off instruments to somebody they've never seen and wait weeks for them to be returned. "Our franchisees provide free pick-up and delivery and 24-hour turnaround."

Prospecting Success
By: Wendy Weiss

I spent my formative years in ballet class. While other kids went out to play, I went to ballet class. In high school while others attended after-school activities or hung out together, I went to ballet class. By my mid-teens I was taking class five or six times a week or maybe even more.

This was a habit that continued till injuries sidelined my professional dancing career. This habit of taking a ballet class every day was not mine alone. Every dancer, professional or those seeking to become professional, takes class every day. It's a habit, it's a reality, it goes with the job. It is impossible to dance professionally without taking class. Even the stars, Barishnykov, for example, take class every day.

In my late teens I had some personal crises that stopped me from going to class everyday. At one of my rare appearances in class, my teacher asked where I had been. I told her what was going on in my life. She said to me, "That's no reason not to take class. You have to take class everyday, no matter what."

Sounds harsh doesn't it? But she was right. Not taking class only gave me something else to feel bad about.

When I started my sales training business, I used that same "no matter what" approach to prospecting. I prospected every day. I started out with absolutely no corporate connections. I was a ballet dancer, I only knew other ballet dancers. I did, however, know how to prospect. On and off for years my "day job" had been telemarketing. I began to prospect the same way I learned to take class, every day, no matter what. Five years later I have a thriving business. Even today I continue to prospect every day, while perhaps not for as many hours. Every day brings some prospecting activity, no matter what.

So how does the busy entrepreneur or busy owner find the time to prospect every day no matter what? The answer is simple, put it in your calendar. Schedule time in your calendar every day for prospecting activity. At the scheduled time put aside what you are doing and prospect. Do not take other calls, do not work on other projects, do not allow interruptions. Simply prospect. When the time you have scheduled is over, stop prospecting and go on with your other tasks.

Schedule appointments with yourself to prospect and keep those appointments. We get angry and upset when prospects miss appointments. Ask yourself: Why is it all right to miss an appointment with yourself?

Prospecting success (just like learning to dance) comes over time. In order to keep your sales funnel full you must constantly be on the lookout for leads and prospects. By keeping your funnel full you avoid the boom and bust cycles that so many entrepreneurs and business owners experience. To be successful you must engage in some prospecting activity everyday, no matter what. It's a habit, it's a reality, it goes with the job.

Wendy Weiss, "The Queen of Cold Calling," is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. Her recently released program, The Miracle Appointment-Setting Script, and/or her book, Cold Calling for Women, can be ordered by visiting http://queenofcoldcalling.com. Contact her at wendy@wendyweiss.com. Get Wendy's free Special Report, How to Write an Effective Cold Calling Script, at http://www.queenofcoldcalling.com

Cold Stone and Kahala Team Up

Ice cream maker Cold Stone Creamery and fast-food operator Kahala Corp. will combine to form a holding company they hope will be able to compete with private equity firms for a greater share of the fast-food sector. The 13 brands under the new Kahala Cold Stone umbrella will include submarine sandwich shop Blimpie, cheesesteak chain the Great Steak & Potato Co., chicken sandwich maker Ranch 1 and Mexican fast-food chain Taco Time, among others. The new holding company, to be headquartered in their home base of Scottsdale, Ariz., is expected to generate more than $1.1 billion in sales with more than 3,000 franchisees and about 4,600 retail locations in 15 countries. (Washington Post.com, 5/11/2007)

McDonald's to Refranchise Units Abroad

McDonald's Corp. confirmed last month that it is refranchising nearly 1,600 units in Latin America and the Caribbean, a move that would spur growth in the overseas markets and reduce corporate earnings volatility. The company also reported a 22-percent jump in first-quarter profit on revenues that rose 11 percent to $5.46 billion. McDonald's sale of 1,100 corporate units in Latin America and the transfer of licensing agreements for 500 franchised locations is part of the company's continued refranchising efforts worldwide.

A deal in Latin America - a notoriously difficult market for McDonald's, as it has been plagued by legal troubles with franchisees in Brazil - was hinted at by the company and analysts in recent months. The company's revenues from Latin American operations totaled $428.1 million in the quarter ended March 31, up 21 percent from the same quarter last year. The deal in Latin America, which included a 20-year licensing agreement with local entrepreneur and long-time McDonald's franchisee, Woods Staton, will net McDonald's $700 million in cash but also will result in a second-quarter charge of $1.6 billion. In addition to the pending Latin American transaction, McDonald's said it also would sell about 600 overseas restaurants to developmental licensees in various deals expected to close by the end of 2008. (Nation's Restaurant News, 4/20/2007)

Fast-Food Franchise Growth

As fast food franchises reported an upswing in sales for 2006, Las Vegas and Phoenix were among the nation's fastest growing markets for the convenience eateries. In a survey of the nation's 39 largest markets, the Las Vegas area came in first with Phoenix a close second for growth of fast-food restaurants from 2004 - 2006, according to a survey of chain restaurants by GE Capital Solutions' Scottsdale unit, Franchise Finance. Charlotte, NC was third on the list, followed by Sacramento, CA., and Raleigh, NC.

The report says sales increases at many chains were driven by new stores, the introduction of higher-priced premium products and general price increases. Other findings related to fast food trends include: 15 percent of U.S.consumers eat breakfast at a fast food restaurant, creating a $65 billion market which is expected to increase to $85 billion by 2015; Chick-fil-A increased daily breakfast sales 15 to 25 percent after a promotion giving away breakfast once a week for six weeks; and 16 percent of adults report drinking specialty coffee on a daily basis, up from 9 percent in 2000. (Bizjornals.com, 4/18/2007)

Holiday Inn Express in China

Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) plans to offer a hotel franchising program for the Holiday Inn Express brand in China. The development follows the successful opening of the first six Holiday Inn Express hotels and the signing of close to 20 additional management contracts for the brand in Greater China. IHG will focus its Holiday Express development efforts on China's gateway cities and major economic centers with the intention to partner with franchisees on a multi-property basis.

The first Holiday Inn Express hotels in Greater China have been launched in cities such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian and Tianjin. Five more Holiday Inn Express hotels are scheduled to open in 2007, covering new markets such as Suzhou and Hefei as well as extending the brand presence in Shanghai. Currently, the hotel chain has 574 new hotels in the global development pipeline. Holiday Inn Express was established in the US in 1991 and has a current portfolio of nearly 1,700 hotels and more than 143,500 rooms worldwide. (China Hospitality News, 4/23/2007)

Wendy's Tops Zagat Survey

Zagat Survey, which publishes a range of annual ratings guides from restaurants to hotels to golf and music, has just released its first-ever fast food survey with Wendy's winning the title of queen of the fast-food mega-chains. Panera Bread Co. was hailed as the most popular among the 5,535 participants in the Zagat survey and Outback Steakhouse won for popularity and top food among food-service chains.

For those seeking the best fast-food burger, Wendy's took 30% of the vote, Burger King received 22% and McDonald's got 13%. But in the french-fry face-off, McDonald's handily took the top spot with 63% of the vote, followed by 10% each for Burger King and Wendy's. In all, Zagat surveyed 45 fast-food chains. (Newyorkbusiness.com, 5/11/2007)

The Wyckoff, NJ-based Blue Moon Mexican Café restaurant chain said it plans to sell franchises, a move the company hopes will grow the chain of locations in the Northeast from five eateries as it addresses Americans' appetite for Mexican cuisine. Franchisees will pay an initial fee of $40,000 for the right to open a Blue Moon restaurant and a royalty fee of 5 percent of sales.

Blue Moon is looking to expand as competition heats up in the $11 billion Mexican-food restaurant sector. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., the food chain McDonald's Corp. sold to the public last year, has grown to nearly 600 restaurants nationwide. Blue Moon has formed Blue Moon Franchises LLC to oversee the franchise operation and hopes to award seven to ten franchise locations within a year. (Northjersey.com, 5/3/2007)