Top market

PR and marketing are critical. For example, without the publicity machine, the annual X Factor winner's single would have trouble pushing the Top 40 with its queasy combination of OTT caterwauling, maudlin strings and shrieking background choirs. Instead, it manages to steal the Christmas number one spot each year to the point where it's so irksomely ubiquitous, you may come to regard the era of the Cliff Richard Christmas number ones as a golden age.

Ditto the hype machine about the casting of the latest Dr Who. In the past, this revelation would only have been of interest to hardcore Whovians - now, about seven million are tuning into this news, which, if anything, only serves as a warning that the next Doctor may be barely out of playgroup.

Still, you can put marketing talents to more profitable use. Marketing is the key tool to spreading the word about your new franchise - without it, your business will make less of an impression and has less chance of success.

There are many factors to consider. For example, you have to decide the best form of marketing. Is your business home-based or does it reside on the high street? A home-based franchise, in this case, is going to need more publicity as a high street outlet will instantly create awareness with its brand name and shop front/restaurant/salon etc.

Which brings me to the next, and more pressing issue. Money. Some franchises include marketing in their package. If that's the case, they'll take care of everything for you. They'll groom you for the opening day with a special launch, they'll provide a website for you, they'll produce leaflets and advertisements as well.

However, if the marketing is left to the franchisee, the coverage of marketing can only relate to the amount of money you can afford to invest. You can advertise in newspapers and magazines, online, through leaflet drops and also by word of mouth and meeting people.

Each form of advertising will suit different people. If you're the outgoing sort, get a set of professional looking business cards made to hand out to any interested parties. Also keep to the minimum of facts - rather than cheesy slogans and questionable designs, simply print your name, phone number, email and website (if there is one) and a brief blurb about your line of business.

Be warned though, schmoozing isn't the easiest of tasks since just one foot wrong will cost you the potential contact. So that means approach the person that you have in mind, keep your conversation to a polite but brief minimum. Keep the conversation as relaxed as possible but don't go in all guns blazing. Don't try to be funny (you'll end up looking like Alan Partridge) - and stay off the sauce.

Even if your character is introverted, it's still worth attending as many social gatherings as possible to promote your new business. Try to avoid cliquey looking groups - steer clear of the very small minority groups of loudmouths who'll be too busy talking about rugby or any other drearily mundane topic of conversation - you'll never get a word in edgeways. Instead, attempt to approach people on a one-to-one basis - that way, you and your business will make a greater impression, since your target will be able to devote more time to listening to what you have to say.

The most common form of advertising is that of newspaper and magazine adverts. Many publications will be able to come to some sort of arrangement with you. Find the best deal going, and in accordance with your budget, place your advert in that magazine. Don't make the ad too fancy - just a simple, eye-catching design (logos are always a good idea, so if you have a talent for art, why not come up with one yourself?) and a positive, upbeat explanatory piece about your new business. I won't repeat what I have advised about press releases, but in brief: avoid clichés; keep to the point; and don't mention the "Credit Crunch", which is depressing and overused.

Then there's the website. Your franchisor may arrange this, but if not, investigate web design companies that will be able to come up with a series of high quality web pages for you. Do make sure though that there is enough money in the kitty for this, since some companies charge a fair old whack for their services. Even better though, if you have the technological know how, or you have a friend or relative who knows about web design, you can produce the web pages yourself, but for a cheaper price. Advertise with as many of the main search engines as you can, such as Google and Yahoo. You can also do mail shots by computer - simply look up the local names in your area that will benefit from your business and send them an email.

A franchise business will pay dividends but it's got less chance of succeeding if it isn't promoted. It's like releasing a record without promoting it via tours and media appearances, in which case it's likely to sink without trace. Keep your marketing strategy to a high standard within your budget, and your business will reach your goal.