FranchiseOpportunities

This is our first, but surely not last, attempt at a podcast. In this pod cast, Matt and I discuss what the blog means to us and what we want it to mean to all of FranchiseOpportunities.com’s readers. You can definitely expect to see more of these in the future explaining some processes and further details that will go into crafting some of the entries. Behind the cut is the audio file, the pdf file for the transcription and the actual transcription.

Please enjoy!

Amy

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Podcast #1

Amy: Hi, everybody. This is Amy Greene here — feature writer at FranchiseOpportunities.com. I have with me Matt Biskup — editor for the business communication at FranchiseOpprotunities.com. Hey Matt

Matt: Hi Amy.

Amy: Do you want to start us off and go ahead and maybe explain a little bit about the purpose of this conversation we’re about to have.

Matt: As you know, we’re re-introducing the blog for FranchiseOpportunities.com. That’s the purpose of the call overall. And the fact that we’re recording this call is kind of special as well. So we’re kind of rolling out two things at once. The blog is where you’re putting your stories as you’re discovering neat, new things that go on in franchising; new franchises, new trends in business and that type of thing. But sometimes, as you know, Amy, the story could fill more than just a blog entry and a brief article that is typical of the blog format. So when we get to those situations where there is information, and more points, and more of a story, or a backstory, to a particular article, that you’ve written, we’re going to discuss it on a call such as this, record them and distribute that as a podcast.

Amy: Okay. And maybe you want to talk a little bit about just what exactly the purpose is of having the blog and updating the blog regularly.

Matt: Folks that come by the FranchiseOpportunities.com Web site are looking to start their own business, and they’re considering franchising as an avenue in their research. So the fact that our site, itself, is a great research tool is good is good; the blog is going to give us an avenue to put fresh stories, insights that go beyond what we are covering typically, on the Web site. So it’s going to help people that are looking for their own business get more of the human side of the decisions that go in to the journey from having that idea and that light bulb go off over their head, “I think I want to own my own business,” and actually opening that business. And as you’re doing with your writing – coming up with some fantastic human interest, the human side of it, the decisions are: Why did you choose that franchise? Why did you want to go in to business by yourself? What was that day like when you told your boss that you were quitting? Those types of stories are not told anywhere else. So the blog is going to serve as the vehicle for you to post these stories on a more-frequent basis than say, our newsletter, which maybe once a month or twice a month, and all-in-all the whole thing fits right in with what we’re trying to do: Helping people visit the Web site and further their research in going from employee to boss. And your stories, Amy, are going to help them in that research. And the blog is simply the place that they’re going to look for those fresh, new stories that you’ve been writing.

Amy: And I wanted to touch really just quickly on this research I’ve been doing. One of the story angles that I have taken, actually, Matt mentioned. What did it feel like the day that you told your boss that you were opening your own franchise and you would no longer be working for him? And I actually already spoke with a gentleman who opened his franchise, and he gave me some really good details on something that could be of use to other current employees looking to be their own boss. So that is definitely one of the stories you can look forward to appearing on our blog. Matt, maybe you wanted to tell them a little bit more about how often they can see this new content and maybe other places that they can see these stories that I’m writing or ideas that I’m generating.

Matt: The blog itself is certainly going to be the place. And if I may, it’s simply going to be at FranchiseOpportunities.com/blogs. That’s going to be the number one place. The backstories will be via the pod cast, and that’s where you and I will be doing a call such as this; filling in the bigger story than could actually fit on the blog itself. So those are the two places. And the pod casts themselves will be on the blog as entries themselves related to a particular story. Then it will be at or near that same story. And as you’ve been developing these things, we’re seeing two to three times a week is a typical pace for new stories and new interest and new things. You just seem to be finding all kinds of wonderful angles to help people on that journey they make as they visit our site.

Amy: And I think that is something that is definitely going to be an asset to this operation that we’re doing with our blog. And I also think that purpose that our blog serves is acting as a channel for two-way communication; it will also be a great feature. Do you want to talk a little bit about that, Matt?

Matt: Absolutely. This pod cast actually gives a little bit more than the blog in terms of meeting us and understanding that these are the faces, or at least a couple of faces, behind FranchiseOpportunities.com. And the fact remains that instead of just consuming an article that’s on the web somewhere – these are highly relevant conversations that you’re developing here, and I know that your desire is to build them into a conversation with people who visit our Web site. And that’s very different. A blog is an excellent tool to do that. On the blog, you can click on a little thing there at the end of each story that says leave a comment, and you can leave a comment. Or someone could email you, or contact you via email, through the blog if they have a story, or some commentary or an opinion that they want to add to that story, or have you maybe take further for us to develop on the pod cast the follow-up backstory type of call. So the engaging via the blog is a terrific, terrific new tool at FranchiseOpportunities.com. I totally see that as a paradigm shift here with our communications where we are giving this nice, convenient tool for our Web site visitors to actually help formulate the stories, research those stories that you present a little bit deeper, ask questions that may have been brought up by the story. I think it’s a huge key. I’m glad you brought that up.

Amy: And I just can not stress enough how much I want to hear from all of you. I want to hear your stories, your ideas, your thoughts, your comments. Anything you have – throw it my way. Matt mentioned commenting on the blog to any of my entries which is a great way to do it because not only will that let me know what you’re thinking, but it gives a chance for more than just one person to chime in. Also, there’s a link to my email address here at FranchiseOpportunities.com which is also easily accessible. Feel free to shoot me an email anytime. I am open to any sort of ideas or suggestions that you have. Matt, I think that just about wraps it up. Do you have any final thoughts?

Matt: No that’s great. I am glad we did this, and I’m looking forward to many, many more, Amy.

Amy: Thanks, Matt. And thank you, everybody else for tuning in. We’ll see you on the blog.

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