Internet directory sites

Lead generation is a big expense as a franchisor and the Internet has become an area not to be overlooked. Recently though several sites have sprung up under the GUISE of being a directory for the client to search out the best opportunity they can find and have their information forwarded to the franchisor.

What I have found is that a tremendous number of these sites are shams who put our logos on their site, acquire our information from wherever and post it to lure people into submitting their contact information. I have tested several of these sites personally and found one of two things happens 1. you get calls from people you never have heard of. 2. you get called from a "franchise consultant" wanting to help you.

I have acquired a list of sites that between our company and other franchisors whom I know personally all have or have had their logos and information used inappropriately to be used for the personal gain of these site owners. The ones I know of are:

• franchiseadvantage.com
• dreamfranchises.com
• franchisebusiness.com
• franchisemonster.net
• azfranchises.com

I hope that all franchisors look over these sites and any others to see if your hard work is being used to generate leads and profits for website owners with no right to use our information.

I submitted information on www.franchisebusiness.com and signed up for their newsletter. I submitted a request for information from two franchises both of whom I called ( I know them personally) who NEVER received anything from this website about a lead. Interestingly enough the day after I hit the submit button I received an email from a franchise consultant at FranchiseInc! saying I had asked for more information about their company and to call them back. Upon further study I found that FranchiseInc! is a prominent advertiser on this website and a "franchise consultant". Not only did the advertisers never get the information but I was solicited by a consultant. Just this very day it happened again but this time from a consultant from FranNet.

We as franchisors have enough challenges growing our business without sites like this preying off the hard work we have all done to build our brands. I encourage everyone to look over these and any other sites to see if you are being taken advantage of.