I had an interesting meeting with Tina Hay of Direct Marketing Solutions www.directmarketingsolutions.com.au yesterday. Franchisees using various social media platforms and creating a lot of content promoting the brand and franchise system can be an incredibly powerful tool for franchisors, franchisee systems and franchisees as a whole.  However, as many of you would be aware, the control of a franchisee's use of social media can be somewhat of a headache for franchisors. ...

Businesses constantly under estimate the value of the name and logo and don't take the relatively inexpensive steps to protect that important intellectual property. Sometimes, even global businesses can get it wrong.  Whilst IKEA had registered its trade mark in Indonesia it seems it did not comply with the rules in that region to maintain the trade mark. IKEA didn't use the trade mark for commercial purposes for a period of 3 or more years consecutive years.  It ...

Or the more serious heading of "What happens if a Franchisee can no longer work due to illness or mental incapacity" also known as "fully sick mate!" Franchisees: 1. did you know your franchise agreement may provide: that if you don't run your business due to long term illness then the franchisor can terminate the franchise agreement? or if you are unable to return to work because of illness then you may be required to sell the business and if ...