Is web promotion of a franchise more effective than printed promotion?

Q: Is web promotion of a franchise more effective than printed promotion?
Jackie Mendoza, Norwich

Sean Derrig: More potential customers rely on the internet to find information about companies' products and services, and any business that does not have a web presence is likely to risk losing out.

Where the web sits in your own marketing strategy depends on the type of franchise. Where do your best customers generally come from? Is it the ad in Yellow Pages? Is it word of mouth or recommendations from satisfied customers? Was it a mailshot or leaflet drop? If you don't know, you should: how you have acquired each customer is vital information.

Chances are your franchisor will already have invested in a website designed to attract customers which may then be passed to the local franchisee to service. If you want to launch your own site, your franchisor will have stringent quality controls in place to protect the brand.

Don't forget that the internet is global. As a franchisee you are trying to reach customers locally. Think of the web as an expensive telephone: it is another tool to help you communicate with customers as part of your wider marketing plan.