Families® Magazine
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Franchising 101
Find out why franchising might be a good idea if you want to work flexibly, for yourself:
Families Magazine trail-blazed the parenting magazines freemium model. We are leaders in the field. We’ve been building our brand for almost 28 years!
As a franchisee, you benefit from the history of our success.
- You don’t need prior publishing experience: you are buying tried and tested business practices and a complete package of resources to run your business.
- Our magazines are aimed at ABC1 parents with children 0-12 years. A pretty much recession proof sector; parents always want the best for their children’s future.
- Brand trust and loyalty means real results: our advertisers see the benefits of advertising with us and re-book again and again.
- Families Magazine territories are neither too small (not attractive to enough advertisers) nor too large (not appealing to local companies).
- Check out what we do: for What’s On listings and things to do, readers tell us we are the best. We are also known for tackling big topics: we provide solid advice on parenting, health, childcare. We voice important issues, such as the danger of excessive sugar and wheat in children’s diets, BPAs, education policies, etc.
- We have a recently relaunched website at www.familiesonline.co.uk which enhances the experience of our readers.
High performing and motivated but with different priorities now you have children?
- Motivated and ambitious? Is it time to move beyond the corporate world and work for yourself?
- Are you sales and target driven and enjoy building relationships?
- Would you like to work flexibly, from home, around your children?
- Ever thought of running your own business, juggling your own hours and becoming your own boss? Whilst retaining profits and building an asset to sell on?
- Would you enjoy the satisfaction of producing a high-quality local magazine that parents regularly call “a life saver?”
- Would you appreciate having a backup team for support and advice while retaining full control of your business?
If this sounds like YOU, then a Families franchise could be a welcome addition your family!
What do you get when you buy a Families franchise?
- An established, trusted, respected and ethical brand.
- Business practices which have been developed and adapted over the last 25 years and are continually evolving.
- A business which has successfully come through two recessions.
- A brand which is highly regarded as an effective marketing by other franchise brands such as Stagecoach and Jo Jingles.
- Low cost entry and low overheads for a territory large enough for future growth.
- Sales and mentoring support from a professional media sales agent selling advertising into your magazine for the first 12 months of its life”
- A wealth of working documents including our unique, specially created, software package used to run your business.
- Full induction and training programme, including sales training.
- Access to regular training days, business growth workshops and in- house support.
- National/regional sales bookings via our franchisor sales team and cross sales from within the group.
- Access to high-quality articles and features written by professional journalists to help you broaden the local content you create.
- Access to constant advice and support from our head office.
- The opportunity to achieve the perfect work/life balance allowing quality time with your children
- A chance to run your own business from home.
- The support of a friendly and supportive community of Editors.
- The chance to build an asset to sell in the future.
Gallery
After my husband and I moved back to the UK from Australia with our 3 year old daughter, Families became my “go-to” guide for everything “for families” in the local area. I was amazed by its breadth of local information about events, activities, classes and clubs for families and children, as well as the intelligent, helpful parenting articles. When I saw that the magazine was for sale, I immediately knew this was a challenge I couldn’t pass up. A 20 year career on the business side of television meant that I had the skills to develop the magazine by growing the distribution, increasing the revenue and embracing online and social media opportunities it offers. I could see it being the start of my own mini publishing empire! With 35 national editions, the scope was there to establish a viable business model with one magazine and then replicate it by buying another Families franchise.
Families Upon Thames had been established for 12 years, but the owner, was ready to move on. The magazine was extremely well-known and respected locally and I got great feedback about it from all the parents I spoke to. After 20 years in large corporations, I knew I was done with bureaucracy and politics. I wanted independence, to be in charge of my own destiny and to work flexibly from home so that I could honour the priorities and values of being a parent. My husband was also ready for a career change and we agreed to take on the business together.
After several months of preparation, excitement, and a few sleepless nights, I got to hold the first issue in my hand. It was a great feeling!
Magazine publishing is fast-moving, so it’s necessary to be highly focussed and organised, self-motivated and self-disciplined. It’s all about setting goals and meeting them. But there is lots of support. I couldn’t be more impressed by the on-going range of training opportunities offered by my franchisor, which keep me up to speed with sales and marketing techniques and publishing trends. Whilst I relish the chance to work for myself without the constant distractions and politics of a work place, I know that my fellow franchisees, who have proved warm and genuinely helpful, are there whenever I need them and can be contacted via in-house “chat” opportunities for advice and support. In two years, doubled the revenue of Families Upon Thames, working around my family and from my own home. I enjoy being entrepreneurial and creative and I have something solid to show for it every two months. It’s the best job I’ve ever had!
Linda Stone, Editor of Families Upon Thames
