American adults now spend more time online than they do watching television or interacting with other traditional media, and most Americans look to the internet first even when they plan to visit a local business. Yet few businesses have a strong online presence; the most recent census data show that just about half of all small businesses have a website, and those that do may not show up well in search or use social media effectively. Visible Link, a franchise that connects businesses to the Internet with all the services a business needs for online media, is working to change that.
One of the biggest problems business owners find with starting online is trust. Typically, they don’t personally know any businesses that provide online services, and there are plenty of scam artists offering to make their businesses #1 on Google. While business owners may feel sure of their ability to make good decisions about logistics providers or traditional advertising, the internet is different. Most business owners simply don’t have the information they need to make a confident choice in this area.
One of the great benefits of choosing a franchise business opportunity, as opposed to starting from scratch, is the name recognition and confidence people have when they work with an established national company. In the field of internet marketing services, this is especially important. Visible Link franchisees are trusted local connections, offering consultation and support to business owners in their own communities.
Visible Link’s services include eight profit centers:
- Web Development, Design, and Hosting
- Search Engine Optimization
- Reputation Management
- Application Design
- Social Network Marketing
- Loyalty Programs
- Google Local Placement
- Video Presentation
Owning a Visible Link franchise doesn’t require technical knowledge, though. Visible Link franchisees act as agents, connecting business owners with reputable online service companies with track records of success, all under the Visible Link name. Visible Link focuses on training and education of business owners through classroom modules that teach franchisees what they need to know about online services so they can educate potential clients on those services. The Visible Link franchisee is an internet marketing consultant, with strong support from internet marketing experts within the Visible Link network.
Once trained, Visible Link franchisees secure contracts with business owners and maintain relationships with existing accounts to facilitate ongoing services. It’s much like acting as an account manager, so successful franchisees need to have great interpersonal skills. However, much of the leg work has already been done by the franchise.
Visible Link provides appointments with business owners and the expert service providers. Franchisees have no employees, no inventory, and can work from home or from a small office. These factors mean that both initial investment and ongoing overhead are low. Visible Link provides case studies to show how their system provides results for clients, so franchisees can have confidence in the services they’re managing — and communicate that confidence to business owners.
Internet marketing is a growing field with strong competition, but Visible Link provides franchisees with competitive advantages.
