TopMatch Franchising Blog

Being in control of your own destiny? Priceless!

2011-09-21T09:20:00.003+01:00

Wow, it's a bit hair raising out there in the business world right now!

Italy's credit rating has dropped a point. Greece is on the brink of defaulting on international loans. The IMF analysis of the world economy is depressing to say the least. America and Europe are dangerously near financial collapse... if you take the news at face value. Plus unemployment and redundancies are rife.

So what's the solution?

You can't beat being in full control of your business destiny for comparative financial safety and income security. If you've got a regular job and you lose it, you'll probably be in real trouble. But if you run your own business you can drop a client or two and the world won't end. It's more than likely you'll survive.

Better still, the smart money is on products with a wide, unflagging appeal. Stuff like matchmaking services. And niche products with an equally strong appeal, for instance matchmaking services for professional people.

TopMatch dating franchises have a foot in both camps, which is why they're such a good idea however horrid the economic climate happens to be. We all want love. There's a vast market of singles in Britain and Europe who are happy to pay good money for a quality service. And because we matchmake for professionals only, a TM franchise also taps into a powerful, relatively wealthy niche.

What's the best time to set yourself free and take control of your own business destiny? How about now. Our franchisees are surviving and thriving despite the economy. They know if they can keep afloat in the current situation, they'll survive anything... which is pure gold dust when all around you people are losing their jobs, income and peace of mind.

Sounds good? It is. Very good. Give us a call now for a chat about it. Or download Russell's free franchising ebook and take things from there.

(Thanks to http://www.sxc.hu/profile/pawel_231 for the image)

FREE guide: How to Win Your Freedom Through Franchising

2011-09-07T12:09:00.002+01:00

How much do you really know about franchising?

Perhaps you've scoured the franchise opportunity market and have a really good handle on the whole scenario. Perhaps you're a beginner, just about to start your research and familiarise yourself with how franchises work, for whom and why. Maybe you're part-way along the journey. Either way you'll love this brilliant little ebook by TopMatch co-founder and Director Russell Leach.

Russell has run successful franchises with his lovely wife Nora for many years. They're one of those enviable happy couples with a wonderful lifestyle and numerous successful businesses under their belt. And they know their stuff.

Anyone can dream up a franchise opportunity. But very few people have the gumption, experience, expertise and business acumen to bring it to successful fruition and keep the profits rolling in long-term.

The How to Win Your Freedom Through Franchising guide covers every aspect of the benefits of franchising, delivering vital insights into the pitfalls as well as the benefits and highs of running a successful franchise business.

Are you the right personality type to make a go of it? The best way to find out the nitty gritty detail behind the scenes is to request a copy. There's no obligation and no strings attached. And TopMatch never, ever passes your contact details to anyone else. You're safe with Russell and Nora.

Here's a link - go for it and get the story straight from the proverbial horse's mouth!

http://www.topmatch-uk.com/franchise-opportunities.html

Having realistic expectations and reaping what you sow

2011-08-24T10:25:00.007+01:00

When you're in the market for a franchise, take realistic expectations into account... theirs and yours.

If a franchise owner promises you the earth, insisting you'll make thousands straight away with your first million on the horizon, step away from your computer, go and make a cuppa and cool off a bit!

Like most things in life, if it looks too good to be true it almost always is. Chances are the franchise owners are either desperate, lying, misguided, hugely over-optimistic or good old fashioned scammers. None of which makes for a sensible, lucrative business proposition.

On the other hand franchisees who expect to sit on their backsides watching daytime TV while their franchise quietly ticks over in the back ground making a fortune also need a serious reality check.

Never expect franchising life to be easy. It's hard work. But if you're the type to succeed, you'll be expecting to put the effort in and you'll thrive on it. As we've said before, there's no such thing as a get rich quick scheme. If there was, would we be really writing this blog?

As trustworthy, expert franchise owners with years in the business we know how it works. We won't promise you the earth. But we do promise you a proven business opportunity in a box.

We understand you reap what you sow. Our initial income projections are realistic rather than off the scale. Ultimately, your income potential is unlimited. The harder you work, the more money you'll make.

On the other hand if you sit back and coast you won't make a bean.

Fair enough?

Men are great at running dating franchises too!

2011-08-10T10:25:00.002+01:00

You might imagine that women tend to be better at running dating franchises. There's no doubt they're good. Very good. But men are just as capable and you might be surprised how many of them express a strong interest in the online dating sector.

Most of us know a bloke who's a bit more sensitive than the rest, great to talk to with an uncanny understanding of what makes women tick. If that sounds like you, you'll probably make an excellent matchmaker.

Obviously whether you're male or female we give you some of the franchising world's best quality training, designed to help you hone your natural matchmaking skills as well as run a successful business from a practical perspective. So no worries there.

Couples are great too. When you're a couple running a dating franchise, you can harness both your skills and maximise your franchise's success by concentrating on the things you do best. If your wife or girlfriend is a fiendishly good organiser and administrator but, unlike you, doesn't feel comfy dealing with real, live people, you can split the responsibilities accordingly and make the most of your individual skills. If you both love meeting new people and matching them with their true love, you can split your Personal Dating Consultant and admin responsibilities 50/50.

Do you need to be a 'real' couple of just a couple of friends who, together, have the requisite skills needed to run a money spinning dating franchise? No, if you want to run a TopMatch dating franchise with a friend that's fine too...

8 top tips for choosing the right franchise

2011-07-27T10:31:00.005+01:00

There's a whole lot of franchises out there. Some make amazing, exciting claims. Most insist you'll enjoy a better life, better income and better work-life balance. So how do you create a sensible short list in such a crowded market?

Here's eight top tips help you create a short list and come to a final decision:

identify and acknowledge your emotional reasons for choosing each franchise for your short list. Is it because you like the look of their marketing materials, spoke to someone nice on the phone or appreciate their honesty? If your motivations aren't 100% business-based, think again and look at the opportunity dispassionately to make sure it still makes sense
do your research - if the information you want isn't there, ask for it. It you don't get it in full straight away, with no excuses, drop them like a hot cake
ask the experts - if you run the numbers past your accountant he or she will let you know whether the franchise owner's financial and income projections are realistic and accurate
talk to or email existing franchisees to get their take on the opportunity
talk to other people you know who already run or are involved in running successful businesses. They might spot something you've missed
talk to your family... but not if you come from a family of pessimists and nay-sayers. In that case it might be better to stick with purely professional advice for now, without that destructive emotional tinge!
take legal advice. A good solicitor will run through a franchise agreement or contract in no time, making sure it protects everyone concerned properly and fairly
be honest again... this time about your capabilities. Do you have the skills you need to run a franchise? If not will the franchise owner train you, sticking with you through thick and thin? Are you willing to put the work in or lazy at heart? If you're in it for a quick buck you will be disappointed. There's no such thing as 'get rich quick'.

Does the prospect of the franchises you've chosen fill you with excitement and joy? If so, and if you've ticked off the above, they probably deserve a place on your short list!

Thanks to http://www.sxc.hu/profile/darktaco for the image.

The online dating market keeps on growing...

2011-07-13T11:29:00.006+01:00

...and it's changing just as fast. Not so long ago, the simple fact that you could offer online dating services was enough to succeed. But, in the face of increasing competition, today's online dating sites are having to work much harder.

How? It's all about targeting. These days the winners are the sites that target their service directly to the needs of their customers. The 'one size fits all' online dating model is falling behind this new breed of specific, targeted offerings.

Has it come as a surprise to us at TopMatch? No. We predicted this'd happen. Which is why we have never opened our doors to all comers. Far from it. We find love for professional people... and only professional people. The TopMatch dating franchise has always been about targeted marketing, right from the start. And it's holding it's own nicely as a result.

There's nothing new about the marketing wisdom behind our decision. Anyone who knows anything about direct marketing knows when you make a targeted offer it invariably performs better than a random, scattergun approach.

Obviously you've got to put your money where your mouth is where targeting is concerned. It's no good just claiming to be a special service but trolleying out the same old stuff as everyone else. If you create a consumer expectation it's vital to fulfil it.

So the second part of our success story revolves around providing an unbeatable service to meet customer expectations. Something genuinely unique that takes their needs directly into account. How many dating sites do the same? Very few. If any. Because the target audience varies but the service usually remains much the same, they're only doing half the job.

You don't get where we are today without significant marketing nouse. That's why our matchmaking franchises have always worked so well for our franchisees, and continue to generate impressive returns in a fast-changing marketplace. If you want to be part of it, call us now and we'll take it from there.

Spreading happiness in hard times

2011-06-29T10:44:00.007+01:00

If you believed everything in the news, you'd think the end of the world was nigh. It's all doom and gloom. Which is just one good reason why making your working life as happy as you can is a wise move.

Many professional people spend at least a third of the week working. Overtime is a thing of the past - we're expected to work long hours for no extra money. Work eats up such a significant amount of time, it makes sense to focus your considerable energies on a career that makes you feel good.

Feeling good about life has all sorts of unexpected benefits. For a start, when you're happy you're healthier, less likely to catch colds, infections and other nasties. Your skin is clearer and your digestion works better. You look... well, brighter.

When you're enjoying yourself you're more likely to come up with fresh ideas and inspiration. You're fizzing with well-being. Your spirit is alight instead of grey and tired. You find it easier to get on with people. You're more sociable, fun, creative, resilient, positive and tolerant. The list goes on.

If you're working in a sector where you're always giving or encountering bad news and negativity, it can really get you down. If you're so busy you can't see straight, sleep or eat properly, it's bound to have an effect on the way you experience everyday stuff.

The secret to a dramatically improved life? Work in a sector where you spread happiness.

Some say that what you give, you receive. If you believe happiness generates more happiness, you'll have the time of your working life with a TopMatch franchise. No matter how rough things get in the business world, everyone needs love and we all want to be happy!

A franchise that saves customers money as well as delivering a premium service

2011-06-15T10:24:00.003+01:00

If at all possible it's best to buy into a franchise that not only makes you money but saves your customers money too.

In a competitive economy, a double whammy is your best bet. You can sell the finest service of its kind on the planet but when the going gets tough, price tends to become much more important to the consumer.

Does a TopMatch Franchise come up to scratch where value for money's concerned? Does it genuinely save customers money? Yes it does.

Imagine you're dating the traditional way, going out regularly looking for potential partners. It's a sure fire way to exhaust yourself when you work hard five days a week, as well as costing a fortune. Let's face it, it could take geological ages to find the love of your life that way. It's far too random. And you're spending a huge amount of money on drinks, restaurants, entertainment and transport.

When people date the TopMatch way, they save a whole heap of stress, time, hassle and potential heartache. Everyone on TopMatch is looking for love, so there's no chance of misunderstandings.

Because you, as their Personal Dating Consultant, are on hand with help and support the whole process is much faster and more efficient than doing it the old way. And the whole thing is backed up by sophisticated personal matching software, which in itself saves endless time, hassle and - inevitably - money.

It's a potent message in a sticky economy, where most people are taking care of the pennies... if you want to find love fast and save yourself a fortune, go with TopMatch. If you want to buy into a rock solid franchise, now is a great time to do it.

How to avoid the cowboys and identify top franchise opportunities

2011-05-31T15:07:00.003+01:00

All you need to do is read a few of the franchise offers available online and you soon realise a high proportion of them are pretty weak.

Or maybe it’s just easy for us to spot because we’ve been in business long enough to distinguish a dud from a firework.

Unless you’ve run a successful online business before, or you’ve got enough business experience to see the wood for the trees, it’s often difficult to weed out the rip-offs and identify genuine, rock solid franchise opportunities.

Franchise owners naturally paint their franchises in the best light. That’s what marketing is all about. So you need to be able to read between the lines to make a sensible decision.

One good piece of advice is that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Look for realistic earnings projections, especially in the early days when you’re finding your feet. If a franchise owner tempts you in with promises of thousands of pounds a week from the word go, take it with a pinch of salt.

If it looks too easy, you might also be onto a loser. If there was a quick ‘n dirty way to make a fortune, we’d all be doing it. Like all businesses franchises require a common sense level of hard graft and commitment. Just make sure the one you choose doesn’t eat up your whole life. Pick a franchise that delivers a comfortable work-life balance.

Third, keep an eye open for all the little things that make a franchise credible. A solid team with enough business experience to see the helicopter and long term views as well as paying enough attention to the fine detail. People who are contactable by regular phone, mobile, email, a website and a street address. A business that is properly registered to trade legally in your country. People who you will meet in person before you part with your money!

Buy into a franchise where your hands aren't tied!

2011-05-18T11:49:00.003+01:00

Imagine. You've bought an online dating franchise. You can see that the back-end dating software does a great job of matching singles with similar outlooks and interests. But you soon become frustrated by the lack of human intervention.

It seemed like a great idea at the time. But when you have to leave everything to a computer system you can't intervene in person to give good, old fashioned advice. You can't intervene even when you can see your members are barking up the wrong tree... after all it's always easier to see the wood for the trees when you're on the outside. You can see people failing to find their perfect partner but you're powerless to help. In effect, all you're doing is pressing buttons and doing admin.

If you're the type of person who can see the value of face to face interaction and professional person to person support, you should go for a TopMatch dating franchise. Yes, the franchise runs on a software engine behind the scenes. And it's a superb one. But you're also involved in meeting your members in person, adding the magic of real, human connections to the equation. You can help and advise, stick your oar in and generally become a true professional friend to your members.

Better still, by doing so you maximise members' chances of finding lasting love. Which in turn maximises your potential income. That's more like it!

Tapping into a fast-growing phenomenon with a TopMatch dating franchise

2011-05-04T12:42:00.003+01:00

Online dating is changing society. It's changing the way we flirt, meet, date and marry. And it's changing our lives fast.

That's why our franchisees have such a whale of a time. They love being involved with a sector that's growing so quickly, glowing with health. As well as one that's altering the relationship landscape in a positive way forever.

The fact that the internet helps singles weed out the people who are most likely to suit them best is revolutionary in its own right.

The playing field of the sexes has been well and truly levelled too, with women feeling comfortable making the first move for the first time in living memory. If not centuries.

Perhaps inevitably, research shows singles are becoming more choosy too. The internet allows us to explore thousands of potential partners, only choosing to meet the cream of our particular crop in real life.

Then there's a phenomenon that's changing the face of relationship communications all on its own, giving birth to a new skill at the same time... flirting in writing. A fine skill we thought we'd lose with the advent of computers and the death of the signed, sealed and delivered love letter.

Yes, chemistry counts. But online dating is improving the chances of millions of single people in the UK, across Europe and beyond. If you're keen to join a sector that's growing year on year and shows no sign of becoming the least bit jaded, online dating is an excellent choice.

When you do it the TopMatch way, as a Personal Dating Consultant meeting your members face to face, you're right at the sharp end of a whole lot of thrilling stuff. And at the helm of a very bright future!

There's always a healthy market for love!

2011-04-20T10:21:00.003+01:00

There are almost eight million singles in the UK alone according to some statistics. Other insist there's more than 15 million. Whichever is correct, that's a massive potential customer base. And very few of them want to stay single. Which is one of the best reasons to get involved in our superb hybrid personal / online dating franchise.

So many franchise opportunities depend on fads. Stuff that's big right now but doesn't have the necessary commercial longevity to deliver a good standard of living in the long term. But love never goes out of fashion. Nor does happiness! And statistics prove it.

Apparently 59% of British single men and just under 50% of women would be happy to try online dating. A figure that rises to a massive 65% when you talk to singles of both sexes ages 36-40. And nearly two thirds of singles believe online dating is a socially acceptable way to find love.

Better still, because we deal exclusively in dating for professional singles you'll be dealing with an affluent, well educated, intelligent bunch of people. They know what they want and they're prepared to pay good money to get it.

Add to that the fact that we're the only online dating service that delivers face to face, real, live contact with a Professional Dating Consultant and you're in a unique position to clear up financially. As well as making an awful lot of single people in your area very happy indeed!

A franchise with ongoing marketing expertise on hand

2011-04-06T10:02:00.005+01:00

One of the biggest challenges in business is lead generation. It's all about marketing. And marketing is a specialist skill. You can buy into the planet's best ever franchise if you like, but without solid marketing support it's hard to succeed.

So shut your ears to the grandiose claims you'll probably hear and focus on the support you'll get after you've handed over your cash. If a franchise owner claims you won't need to market their franchise because it's so good it markets itself, take a big step back and run for your life. They're fibbing!

The TopMatch team has been in the franchise business for many years and we're not scared to admit that the biggest battle is getting customers on board. Of course it is. That's business. But we know what's what as far as marketing TopMatch franchises is concerned. And we never, ever just leave people to get on with it.

Our franchisees get top class ongoing support with marketing. They get access to all of our considerable marketing expertise. We show them exactly how to advertise and market their franchise using campaigns, media and methods we have proved work hard to deliver a steady stream of solid leads.

Does it ever come to a stop? No. We're there for you as long as you want us. No strings. No extra charges. It's part of the package. That's more like it!

Thanks to http://www.sxc.hu/profile/jsnflo for the photo!

What is a typical Top Match franchisee like?

2011-03-23T09:33:00.005Z

Let's paint a word-picture of our typical TopMatch franchisee. Does this sound like you? Here's 15 top criteria. Tick them off and see how you compare!

You're fed up with your job or feel trapped in an unsuitable career
You want to do something different. Completely different
You are good with people - calm and friendly, perceptive, understanding and empathic
You have solid organisation and admin skills
You're reasonably fluent in using a computer
You want your money back if you don't recoup your investment within 90 days
You want an affordable franchise that has been proven to work, internationally as well as nationally
You'd like a happy franchise where your efforts contribute to the common good
You want a decent work-life balance
You'd like to earn upwards of £1,000 a week in no time
You don't want to have to rent office space
You'd like to go part time at first, dropping your regular job once you feel comfortable with your new franchise...
...or you'd like to throw yourself right in and go full time straight away
You respond well to training and can learn easily
You appreciate ongoing support rather than being left to it

If that's you, there's nothing to lose from giving us a call. We'll be delighted to hear from you and there's absolutely no hard sell. Just a friendly, informal chat. It's life-changing stuff!

Play an enormously valuable role in the dating arena

2011-03-09T11:56:00.005Z

The National Fraud Authority recently announced that vulnerable women have handed over a shocking £2.5 million to online dating fraudsters in the last six months alone. And that's probably just the tip of the iceberg.

If it happened to you, the last thing you'd want is to admit it. And you might be less than likely to go to the police. It's humiliating being taken for a ride and many women probably just forget it and retire hurt.

Worse still, this kind of thing is damaging to the online dating industry, which otherwise provides a badly needed and valuable service to singles looking for a genuine, loving long term relationship.

If you've been thinking about taking on a dating franchise, don't let this kind of thinhg put you off. Yes, dating fraud is rife on many online dating sites. But that's because so few of them actually meet their members up front to prevent tricksters gaining a toehold.

Thankfully the TopMatch dating franchise is very, very different. Much better than your run of the mill online dating service, which relies exclusively on computer programmes and software to winkle out people who aren't what they say they are.

Yes, some ordinary dating sites personally check member profiles on screen before letting them loose on unsuspecting members, which gives a modicum of protection. But TopMatch is the only dating franchise where you, as a franchisee, meet your members in person, face to face. Which makes it a lot more difficult, if not impossible, for fraudsters to get through the net. In fact they rarely if ever bother because there's much easier pickings elsewhere.

So rest assured. When you buy into a TopMatch dating franchise you'll be running a proven and highly popular business where your members are exactly who they say they are. Which gives you a head and shoulders advantage over the competition.

Using science to help you feel the business part!

2011-02-23T10:43:00.005Z

We always knew it was true. Now there's proof. When you look good, you feel good. When you look professional, you feel professional and come across as more professional. When you feel scruffy, and less than confident as a result, it shows on your face.

Recent research from Sweden proves that people 'rate' each other far more subtly than we'd thought. Twenty five women were photographed with neutral expressions on three occasions, head-shots only. One, wearing something dowdy and scruffy. Two, wearing something comfy and casual. And three, wearing the outfit that made them feel their best. When men were asked to 'rate' the photos, they always chose the photos of women in their best outfits as the most attractive. Even though the men had no idea what the women where actually wearing.

Our facial expressions give us away in so many tiny ways, it's impossible to hide. If you don't feel you look good, it'll show and you'll appear less confident. It's probable the effect comes into play in a business context as well as a personal one. When you're not feeling as good about yourself as you can, you could risk being less of an attractive proposition in all sorts of ways!

This is the kind of information we like to pass on to our franchisees, so they can use it to improve their own performance. They also find this kind of thing really useful for their clients, single professionals who need help and support finding love.

Improve your self confidence without spending a penny!

2011-02-09T10:26:00.005Z

You've been thinking about TopMatch franchising for ages. You know you're good at dealing with people and you enjoy helping them solve their problems. You're empathic and sympathetic. You're well organised and you know your way around the basics of a computer. All that's missing is... the self confidence you need to make your move.

Some people resort to therapy. Which is great. But even Brief Solution Focus therapies can take a while. And it can be expensive, upwards of £40 a session. Some of us go to our friends and relatives for a confidence boost, with varied results! Others swear by hypnotherapy, which is fast and effective when you're one of those people who responds particularly well to hypnosis. Then there's meditation, which works amazingly well for some people but can take a while to master.

But there's a brilliantly simple solution that doesn't cost a penny. All you need is your imagination. Instead of hanging about until things miraculously change and you're suddenly filled with fresh confidence out of the blue, grasp the nettle and do DIY.

How? You'll love this. It's strange but true. You can make yourself confident. It's all about daydreaming, imagining and visualising. The more you imagine yourself being confident, the more confident you will be. Imagine it as vividly as you can. Remember how it feels to be fully confident in your abilities to make a success of your life. Go to sleep thinking about how great it is to feel confident. Wake up and carry on daydreaming the same way.

Before long, you'll feel fantastic, even though the circumstances of your life haven't changed. At which point you can pick up the 'phone, call the team and get the TopMatch franchise ball rolling!

5 questions about you - Will you love a dating franchise?

2011-01-26T13:06:00.003Z

Whatever franchise opportunity you choose, you'll need basic business-related experience. Things like people, organisational, project management and lead generation skills.

As long as you can learn fast, any franchise owner worth their salt will help you hone your existing skills and teach you exactly how to know to make a success of your new business. But when you take on a dating franchise, you need to bring something extra to the party. Something much more subtle and personal.

Here's five questions. If you can answer 'yes' to two or more of these you've probably got what it takes to build a wonderfully lucrative and rewarding dating franchise business:

1. Do you genuinely enjoy talking to people on the 'phone, Skype and in person?

2. Do you have a knack for seeing the wood for the trees as far as relationships are concerned, spotting problem areas that the people involved haven't noticed?

3. Can you 'read' people quickly?

4. Do you find it easy to empathise with people's circumstances, problems, issues, oddities and upsets?

5. Do you thrive on helping to solve people's problems, getting a real buzz when they find happiness?

Thanks to http://www.sxc.hu/profile/lusi for the lovely image!

The benefits of an unbeatable franchise: loyalty and advocacy

2011-01-12T10:43:00.006Z

In marketing terms an advocate is a customer, supplier, prospect or someone else who thinks your business is the best thing since sliced bread. But what does advocacy mean for business?

Advocates tell everyone they come across how good your products or services are. They rave about you. They recommend you. And you don't have to pay them a penny for doing it. Obviously they're worth their weight in marketing, promotions and advertising gold!

How do you create advocates? You can't buy advocacy. here's only one way. You offer an unbeatable service, every time.

If your service is simply fantastic, you also attract other useful types of people. Loyal customers are one group. Again, you can't buy loyalty. You have to earn it. And how do you earn your customers' loyalty? By providing the very best service in your sector. Loyal customers often become advocates over time, so they're well worth pursuing!

It costs much less to look after an existing customer than it does to generate a new one. So keeping your customers happy has financial benefits too. The more advocates and loyal customers you have on your side, the lower your overall average customer acquisition cost.

We know for a fact that TopMatch franchises generate advocates like nobody's business. Take on a TopMatch franchise and you'll enjoy a steady stream of new customers referred via word of mouth, the planet's most effective marketing tool. living proof that quality works... every time!

Who do you trust to help you make important life decisions?

2010-12-30T12:02:00.002Z

How to distinguish friend from 'enemy' – The art of achieving your business destiny

How many times have people you love, like and respect rained on your parade? Told you your business aspirations are way out of your league? Sworn you'd never make it? Discouraged you from even trying? Sadly it's a familiar story. They might love you. But whether they realise it or not, people don't always have your best interests at heart. They'll knock your dreams for six if you let them!

A psychologist would probably say they're reinforcing and justifying their own inadequacies by trying to divert you from positive change. Harsh but often true. Or they might simply be scared that if you're successful, or you change, they'll somehow lose you. Whatever the reason, if you ask for support and get a consistently negative response it's a good idea to delve a little further and find out what's really going on. Rather than let yourself be dissuaded from something you know deep down is right.

If you're convinced you're onto a winner don't let yourself be put off. Look dispassionately at the business advice you're given by friends and family. Examine it out of context, without any of the associated emotion. They might be right. But they're equally likely to be wrong.

In short, use your business head. Rely on your own gut feelings and innate good judgement. Then make your own decision based on what you know is best for you. People won't love you any less for it. If they do, they'll soon come round. If they don't come round, ask yourself whether you've lost something that was worth having in the first place.

Apart from all that, consider this: the smart money is on positive thinking. The last thing you need is nay-sayers when positive thinking is one of the single most powerful tools in your business toolbox.

It's often much safer to keep business separate from friends and family. In my experience people with the courage of their own convictions make a better success of business than those who are swayed by the wrong kind of opinion. Yes, listen to business experts. And take note of what fellow professionals say. But don't listen to well-meant but unhelpful advice, even when it comes from people you love. Listen to yourself and you'll be onto a business winner.

How do we know all this? People - including me - are a curious bunch. I've gone through this kind of thing myself. But I found it liberating to rise above people's negativity. I still love them. I keep life separate from business and it works out just fine. Making my own decisions has also been highly profitable. And now that they can see I was right all along, I'm forgiven!

My advice? Use people's negativity as a springboard. Turn it into a positive. If you know deep down you're on the right track, you'll soon prove them wrong. Don't let yourself be one of the 95% who never take the plunge!

New Year, new life? Make positive 2011 resolutions!

2010-12-29T12:06:00.007Z

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right"

What's your inner voice like? Is your personal dialogue on your side or working against you? New Year is a great time to resolve to do things better. But did you know that it's much easier to keep positive resolutions than it is to stand by negative ones?

Too many people make negative resolutions. Giving things up, doing less of things and generally beating themselves up. But the clever money is on positive thinking. Ask any psychologist and they'll happily reel off the benefits of positivity. Delve into any self help book and you'll find it's based on a solid foundation of positive thinking. Positive thinking is one of those universal truths. And it works in business too.

Instead of making a negative new year resolution that's bound to fail, make a positive one. Resolve to make your working life better. If you've hated your job for years, set yourself free. Make a resolution to improve your work life balance, have more fun, enjoy more challenges, take the business world by the neck and give it a good shake. Leap onto the business stage, to thunderous applause!

Be honest with yourself. If the only reason you haven't ditched your job so far is because your inner voice keeps giving you a hard time, sort it out and get it on your side. We're always delighted to hear from prospective TopMatch franchisees when they come complete with a positive inner voice and the knowledge that they will succeed. It's worked for us and it'll work for you.

As Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."

A better life and a guaranteed income to help you get there!

2010-12-15T09:38:00.018Z

This time of year's a great time to evaluate your life. It's the dead of winter. Many people are celebrating Christmas and having a decent-sized break from work. And unless your employer's involved with Christmas products or services, business is usually pretty low key for a week or two.

So how do you really feel about your job, if you're honest? Will you be champing at the bit over the festive season, dying to get back to work? Or will you spend the second half of your holiday dreading being back at the grindstone?

If it's the latter, perhaps it's time to take the plunge and set yourself free. Just go for it. After all, as they say, you might get run over by a bus tomorrow. It sounds so easy, doesn't it. But it's rarely that simple. Most people have a mortgage or rent to cover. We all have bills and outgoings. Many of us have kids to support. What if you don't make as much money as your franchisor expects? According to our research, losing a regular income is the single biggest reason why people put off investing in a franchise and changing their lives.

How to solve the sticky income issue? Choose a franchise whose owners are confident enough in their product to provide a guaranteed income while you set up.

Guaranteed income for 13 weeks

Our latest special time-limited offer reflects our research about income. What's the deal? We will top up the income you generate to £500 a week for if you don't make that much yourself, for 13 weeks. That's £2000 a month guaranteed income to help you pay your bills while you grow your new franchise. Experience proves our franchisees make upwards of £1,000 a week in no time, as long as they operate their franchise according to our guidelines. So we're delighted to provide a guaranteed income. And it obviously means we're very keen indeed to get you earning big money fast!

You probably won't need it. But it's good to know when you take a financial risk your franchisor is equally willing to put their money where their mouth is!

Choose a franchise that suits your personality

2010-12-01T10:50:00.003Z

Franchising is life-changing stuff. You can treat yourself to a whole new lifestyle, working in a new sector or industry, using your expertise and experience to make your franchise business fly.

But wait a moment. Before you dive right in, take a step back and make sure you're making the right decision for yourself as an individual. As a personality.

A TopMatch dating franchise represents a brilliant opportunity. There's a constant strong demand which isn't going to go away. There's unbeatable ongoing training and support from the Directors. It's an excellent value for money investment and it's relatively simple to run. But if you're a natural recluse, your social skills aren't up to much or you're not really a people-person, it probably isn't for you!

The moral of the tale? Take a long. honest look at your skills. Then take an equally long look at what you like doing best. You'll probably find they match pretty well - most of us are good at the things we like doing. Or like doing the things we're good at. Then take the results into account when you make your final choice of franchise.

If you're warm, approachable, kind, organised and professional, you'll be perfect. If you're known amongst your friends and family as someone who's good at matchmaking, great at listening to people's woes and a satisfyingly empathic shoulder to cry on, Topmatch might be your ideal choice. While a franchise involving hard selling on a business to business basis might prove the worst mistake you ever made.

A day in the life of a TopMatch franchisee

2010-11-17T09:33:00.003Z

You know a franchise is what you want. You're on the brink of deciding a TopMatch franchise opportunity will suit you best. But what does a typical day in the life of a TopMatch franchisee involve? What will you be doing on an everyday basis?

In our experience, your role splits neatly into four sections. First, lead generation. Second, lead follow up. Third, personal dating consultancy and fourth, matchmaking.

You'll carry out most of your lead generation via local press advertising, PR and online marketing, which we conduct for you using Google's flagship search engine marketing tool 'Adwords'. And in which you'll invest around 15 to 20% of the membership fees you earn. We provide full training, a detailed operating manual and professional advertising copy. You'll spend just a few hours a week on this part of your role.

Next, you follow up your leads. You'll be fed enquiries in several ways, including by 'phone, email and via web forms from your franchise website. We'll teach you all the tricks of the trade so you maximise conversion to appointments. You'll also have all the collateral you need, including letter and email templates. This also takes a few hours per week.

Then there's your personal consultations. You'll meet prospective clients in a neutral venue, usually the lounge area of a business class hotel. You can even meet at your home office if it's suitable. A consultation takes a maximum of an hour and a half and can take place during the day, evening or weekend. Again we'll teach you everything you need to know to make a sale and create a powerful personal profile for your new client. You can carry out as many consultations a day as you want... or as many as you can manage!

Finally, the matchmaking stage. Using your intuition and training, combined with our state of the art online profiling facility, you will generate matches for your clients from your member database. We'll give you full training in the matchmaking process so you'll deliver an excellent service and brilliant value for money every time.

Image courtesy of: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/svilen001

TopMatch dating franchises... The marketing bit!

2010-11-03T13:16:00.007Z

Occasionally we're asked about marketing. Things like what do we do, why do we do it and how does it work. Here's a brief run-down of TopMatch's marketing strategy, designed to feed leads to our franchisees, win local visibility in franchise areas and - as an overall aim - grow brand awareness.

Do you do any local marketing and if so, what?

Yes, we focus hard on local marketing. We've found that a combination of press classifieds and Google Adwords online advertising generates a healthy number of leads for our franchisees. There are plenty more methods and media out there that we use... but that's a trade secret! We reveal all on our training course for new franchisees.

What about national lead generation and marketing?

This is a Business Format Franchise, not a Brand Franchise. That means apart from online search engine optimisation, we don't carry out national marketing campaigns. We'll take steps to go national once our entire UK franchise is complete - if we do it any earlier it'll be a waste of time and money.

Do I get any funding for my own marketing?

Yes, you'll get a marketing allowance of £500 to spend on effective local marketing in your area.

What about the future?

National brand awareness is increasing fast as a natural consequence of TopMatch's popularity. This is set to continue as the franchise grows. We know how to spend our money wisely, and we've been doing this long enough to know what works and what doesn't. So we're seeing a bright future ahead!