Ann O’Connell, franchisee from Truro, Cornwall, said: “We are in a bustling high street with a high footfall so Christmas is a key trading time for us. Last December we had just opened and had no time to fully prepare for the Christmas period so this year has been a steep learning curve.

“My advice would be to prepare and plan well ahead of time, August or September, if not before. Look at stock and what products you will need, ensuring that your budgets cover the extra spend. Review staff rotas so you can accommodate any late night shopping.

“Community is very important in Cornwall and I research all local events and festivities so we have a prominent presence throughout the Christmas period in the area. This will need to be done well in advance as everyone else has the same idea and so competition will be fierce!”

Kevin Jones, franchisee in Cardiff said: “Not every store is dependent on Christmas. Different areas have different customer profiles so you must be aware of your demographic and what they would want from your services.

“My store is not in the main shopping area so I don’t need to focus on festive products or increasing what I buy as much as other stores do. I, instead, push our 12 week ‘see it, save it’ concept which gives people an interest free 12 week period to buy a product. Franchisees simply need to look at what their customers want to make Christmas a more profitable time of year.”

Spotlight Question: With Christmas fast approaching, how do you prepare for such a key time of the year? is a post from: Cash Generator

Contributing to charity is important at Cash Generator with the brand raising more than £50,000 for Make-A-Wish last year.

Individual franchisees often go above and beyond for their own chosen charities, with the support of their Cash Generator colleagues. One such franchisee is the new owner of Cash Generator Cardiff, Kevin Jones. At 46, he has completed a gruelling 894 mile cycle in just seven and a half days from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Raising money for the Wooden Spoon, a children’s charity dedicated to helping underprivileged children all over the UK and Ireland, Kevin completed the challenge in good time and raise nearly £4,000, his 30 plus cycling team together raised over £125,000.

Kevin comments: “I have been fundraising for a long time for different children’s charities, always doing the same activities. This time, I wanted to do something different – and this was both different and very difficult, especially as I hadn’t ever ridden a bike until two months ago.

“Despite being exhausted, it was an amazing achievement and we made some really good friends along the way. I enjoyed it so much I am now planning another bike ride from one end of Wales to the other.”

Kevin will continue his fundraising during the Welsh cycle, from Anglesey to Barry Island in November.

Amy Jones, Kevin’s daughter who also works at the Cardiff store, comments: “I cannot believe he has done it, although it is typical of him because he does like a challenge. The team in store and the whole family are so proud of him and will continue to support him for his next fundraising cycle.”

If you want to give some cash for this great cause please visit www.justgiving.com/kevin-jones76

Cash Generator gets on its bike is a post from: Cash Generator

Brad Bevington’s Cash Generator store is going from strength to strength, just two years after it launched.

Now a key part of the high street in Llanelli, Brad’s hard work and business acumen has ensured that the store continues to outperform expectations year on year.

Brad, 33, from Porthcawl gained experience working in property and communications before moving to retail. When the credit crunch began to affect businesses in the UK, he decided to look at something new.

Brad comments: “I found Cash Generator on a website and as soon as I met the team I was impressed with the great support that the team from head office provides for franchisees. Cash Generator offers multi-income streams, which I feel have been key to my success during the difficult economic times of the last couple of years.

“The location has also proven invaluable as Llanelli has a wonderful high street that I am proud to be a part of, and the local community has been extremely welcoming. It has been a lot of hard work but two years on the store is going from strength to strength.”

Julian Urry, managing director of Cash Generator, commented: “Brad is a great asset to the Cash Generator team and we are delighted to see what a success he has made of the store in the first two years.”

With more than 160 stores across the UK, Cash Generator continues to expand nationwide.

The Cash Generator store in Llanelli is located at 40 Stepney Street. For further information call the store on 01554 749249.

SUCCESS STORY FOR YOUNG FRANCHISEE is a post from: Cash Generator

Joining a franchise business has many benefits when it comes to marketing. A local business can benefit from a huge marketing campaign which would be otherwise unobtainable without the support of a business franchise.

Potential franchisees that are looking at franchises for sale need to be aware of how each franchisor’s marketing works. It may be that the franchise fee includes marketing activity or there is a marketing levy to cover national franchise marketing.

National marketing activity may include TV, radio, press advertising or sponsorship at a national level. This can be beneficial when looking to buy a franchise as national awareness of your brand will benefit the franchisee on a local scale. This also applies to regional marketing, which is a key consideration when looking at franchise opportunities.

Franchise businesses are also likely to invest heavily in digital marketing to increase the presence of the brand. This can benefit franchisees immensely by driving brand awareness online, helping consumers to locating individual franchises, providing an online platform for franchise retail as well encompassing brand promotion via email campaigns, social media and pay per click advertising.

Franchisees also benefit from a wider marketing strategy, including professionally designed leaflets, posters and marketing materials. The franchisor will also invest in store POS that will run throughout the chain to provide brand consistency across the business.

Franchise marketing raises brand awareness and enables the brand to provide a consistent image that consumers can identify with on a national basis and increases brand awareness. This in turn drives footfall to stores and increases profits at franchisee level.

Franchise Marketing – Launching your business is a post from: Cash Generator

A husband and wife duo, Rosie Groves and Ed Terry, have swapped farming for the retail floor, opening a Cash Generator store together in the town of Worcester.

The pair both grew up on farms and met 15 years ago at a Young Farmers’ club. Love blossomed and they have been together for nine years as well as playing an active role on the family farm near Droitwich.

Rosie and Ed’s entrepreneurial flare also sees them operate a construction company from the farm. In 2010 they decided that they needed to diversify and find a business that could weather the tough economical conditions.

After reading about franchising the pair decided that this was the right career option for them and attended the National Franchise Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham. Having looked at a number of franchise opportunities, Rosie and Ed were struck by not only how resilient the Cash Generator business model was, but also how approachable and friendly the team was.

Rosie Groves, comments: “We wanted to diversify our portfolio of businesses and were impressed by Cash Generator. The Cash Generator team was friendly and welcoming and clearly passionate about the company and that energy rubbed off on us.”

The couple carried out further research after the show and were impressed by Cash Generator’s impressive growth plans. Recognising the opportunity to join the discount retailer at one of its most exciting periods, Rosie called head office and organised to attend an open day at the company.

Rosie continues: “Our research indicated that the discount retail market was bucking the trend on the high street and continuing to boom and Cash Generator’s potential for growth was unrivalled. We also spoke to long serving Cash Generator franchisee Mike Ashwin, who had a similar background to us. Like us he managed a farm and had no previous retail experience, yet has gone onto open five successful stores in the Midlands. We knew with Cash Generator’s support we too could be as successful as Mike.”

After completing the eight week CIPD approved training course, the couple opened their first store in Worcester town centre in May 2011.

As well as running their two other businesses the couple have also found the time to have their third child.

Rosie says: “It has been hard work opening the store but the support of my family has helped immensely. Juggling parenthood with a new store is tough but being my own boss also means that I can be flexible when it comes to childcare.

Business is now going well and we are starting to grow, after we’ve established the Worcester store we will be looking to open further stores in the West Midlands.”

The Bolton-based company has already opened 24 stores during the first six months of trading in 2011, taking the number of stores UK-wide to over 160. The unprecedented expansion has seen the number of franchise stores increase by 21% in the last year.

Cash Generator has a minimum investment of £70,000 to £80,000 with total start up fees between £230,000 and £250,000.

Cash Generator
Tel: +44 (0) 1204 574444
Email: info@cashgenerator.co.uk
Web: www.cashgenerator.co.uk

Worcester couple go from farming to franchise is a post from: Cash Generator

Brothers George and Gary Hawkes have swapped road construction for the retail floor after opening a Cash Generator store in the city centre.

Investing in Halesowen, the entrepreneurial pair are looking forward to their new venture in discount retail, offering local shoppers a fair deal on a selection of new and nearly new products. Since opening their store in July, the owners have enjoyed a successful start.

George (47) and Gary (36) are not strangers to hard work, having previously owned a road construction company. Demonstrating his entrepreneurial flair, Gary started the company when he was just 21, to be joined by his brother eight years ago, when he graduated from University.

George comments: “Gary and I really enjoy working together so when I considered a new venture, it seemed obvious to embark on it with him. I felt I was getting a little too old for the late nights and heavy duty work that comes with road construction so Cash Generator is going to be a great new experience for me.

“Halesowen has a wonderful high street that we are proud to invest in, and the local community has been extremely welcoming. With its many different services, Cash Generator will make life easier for the people of Halesowen, by providing everything on their doorstep.”

George and Gary have no plans to rest on their laurels. Now their first store is open, they are already looking at sites for further stores across the region in the future.

Julian Urry, managing director of Cash Generator, commented: “Gary and George are a welcome addition to the Cash Generator franchise network, bringing with them a wealth of business experience. I am confident that they will fulfil their ambitions in Halesowen.”

With more than 170 stores nationwide, Cash Generator continues to expand nationwide.

The Cash Generator store in Halesowen is located at 76 High Street, Halesowen, B63 3BA. For further information, please call the store on 0121 585 2030 or visit www.cashgenerator.co.uk.

FROM CONSTRUCTION TO RETAIL FOR DYNAMIC DUO IN HALESOWEN is a post from: Cash Generator

Meeting its monthly targets for store openings, Cash Generator has opened eight stores in October, bringing the number of franchise stores in the network to 124.

Stores have opened in London, Hartlepool, Barrow, Glenrothes, Llanrumney and Colwyn Bay, welcoming four new franchisees to the network. Existing franchisees include Dush Alawattagama, who opened his fourth store in the North East and Kevin Jones, who has gone into business with fellow Welsh franchisee, Steve Todd.

With over 170 stores in total, the UK franchise business is well on its way to its predicted target of 200 stores by early 2012.

October brings store count to over 170 is a post from: Cash Generator

James Coupland, franchisee from Slough comments: “It is crucial to work with people that you trust so having family and friends involved in your business is a great asset. My brother and best friend work with me at the store and I am able to take time off without worrying that something will happen. Their support is invaluable to myself and the business.”

Andrew Foggitt, franchisee in Kirkgate said: “With large amounts of money and a huge amount of time involved in making a new franchise business work, it is crucial that new franchisees have the support of their family. If they believe in what you are doing and are behind you 100%, you are more likely to be successful in the long run.

“Within a family, there are often a number of people depending on the success of the business and if it fails it has can have an impact on the entire family unit. The fear of failure can cause a huge amount of pressure on the new franchisee, especially if there has been some resistance to opening the business initially, so it is always better to have the support of his or her wider family network.

“Furthermore, the long hours needed in the initial stages often mean that spouses and children get neglected so the whole family has to understand the importance of what you are doing.”

Spotlight Question: How important is family when opening a franchise? is a post from: Cash Generator

Cash Generator enjoyed a successful few days at the NEC National Franchise Exhibition in October. Heading into the NEC during October’s unseasonably hot weather, the Cash Generator team met hundreds of eager franchise seekers and gave advice to those attending who were considering a dynamic retail franchise.

Stuart Owens, marketing director at Cash Generator comments: “The exhibitions are a great opportunity to give potential franchisees a taste of who we are and what it is like working with the Cash Generator brand. We had a really positive response and look forward to the upcoming exhibitions in 2012.”

The franchise network has expanded rapidly this year, with Cash Generator beating its targets for new franchise stores, having opened 30 stores since the beginning of the year.

Cash Generator success at National Franchise Exhibition is a post from: Cash Generator

The Elwood Group are Cash Generator’s first franchisees to acquire Investors in People status for their 11 stores.

Mal Elwood and Phil Horsey employ over 77 staff and, with the opening of their 11th store in Swindon, decided to develop their human resource management skills. Looking to improve their profitability in the long-term, both were keen to recognise, reward and value employees as individuals within the organisation.

Mal comments: “We understand that in order to work to maximum capacity as a team, it is essential to empower and motivate staff. Investors in People offers training in policies and processes and enables business owners to facilitate employees’ needs.”

Phil comments: “This is best illustrated by the really positive attitude shown by store teams competing with each other, each wanting to be the best in everything they do. We have seen individuals take ownership and accept responsibility, not just as individuals but as part of their team. These are great characteristics to have in employees, and we see this as being key to our growth.

“Investors in People is a worthwhile investment and provides a framework that develops our people-related policies and processes, which in turn brings about growth and increased profitability.”

First franchisees to become ‘Investors in People’ is a post from: Cash Generator

Cash Generator franchisees across the country are encouraging people to raid their attic to pay for Christmas this year, as it reveals the average household is hoarding up to £500 worth of unwanted goods in their homes.

It has been widely reported that an unprecedented number of us are worrying about how we will afford Christmas this year so Cash Generator is helping franchisees promote its ‘instant cash’ offering.

The push on the buying counter has seen an increase in people bringing in unwanted electrical goods such as TVs, DVDs, mobile phones and games consoles to stores across the franchise network.

Commenting on Christmas trade, Darwen franchisee Paul Shannon said: “We have already seen an increase in trade in the last couple of weeks, with Christmas fast approaching. In addition to people bringing in their unwanted goods to raise cash for Christmas, our sales are also up as people are looking to spend less on presents this year, so are turning to us to get themselves a bargain.

“Customers have also realised that they can use their old products to help pay for a newer model; we’ve seen lots of people selling us last year’s mobile phones, laptops and games consoles and using the money to buy a newer model in store.”

Cash Generator helps locals pay for Christmas is a post from: Cash Generator

Paul Shannon and Michael Taylor have opened a new Cash Generator Express store in Darwen town centre.

Born and raised in Blackburn, the Darwen store is the second for the pair, who opened their first Cash Generator in Blackburn city centre a year ago. Paul, 27, worked in retail for five years, before deciding to invest in a Cash Generator store with his brother-in-law Michael, an economics graduate.

Michael comments: “Paul and I really enjoy working together and the store is a family business with everyone chipping in when necessary. The express store is a relatively new concept which has proven popular throughout the North West so we are really excited.

“Darwen has a wonderful high street that we are proud to invest in, and the local community has been extremely welcoming. Blackburn is a thriving area and we’re keen to expand and develop our business portfolio across the region. It’s our aim to open another store soon and continue to employ local people with local knowledge.”

Cash Generator has a minimum investment of £70,000 to £80,000 with total start up fees between £230,000 and £250,000.

Local businessmen open second store in Blackburn is a post from: Cash Generator

Definitely not on a wind down for Christmas, Cash Generator has opened six new stores in November, bringing the number of franchise stores in the network to 130.

Stores have opened in Leeds, Kingsheath, Swindon, Barnsley, Pontefract and Trowbridge, welcoming just one new franchisee to the network. Five of the news stores have been opened by existing franchisees looking to expand their portfolio.

Mike Ashwin has this month opened his 7th store in the Midlands with Kingsheath, husband and wife duo Tracey and Harvey Drew have opened two further stores in Pontefract and Barnsley bringing their total to five, while Cliff Barry has opened his second in 12 months in Trowbridge.

With over 175 stores in total, the UK franchise business is well on its way to its predicted target of 200 stores by early 2012.

New Stores is a post from: Cash Generator

Do you have any tips on how to make the most of the internet for your business?

Steve Todd, franchisee at Llanrumney said: “When selling items on the Cash Generator website it is crucial to have an up to date product image and description with the right price to maximise web sales.
The descriptions must always be accurate and well written, including key words, to keep the product high up within search engines. Photography is also a key factor when selling online; all photos must do the products justice, as a clear, well thought out image can make a huge difference to a customer.

Paul Shannon, franchisee at Darwen said: “The website is a vital part of our business and an invaluable part of any retailer to generate revenue, however online activity also helps drive traffic to the high street store, as well as drive sales online. Regularly updating the website and issuing news about Cash Generator stores to online media channels ensures the name is consistently gaining online exposure, increasing brand awareness and recognition offline.

Nick Twigg, franchisee at Colwyn Bay said: “Maximising the internet is all about maximising the channels you have available to you and getting yourself seen as an expert in the field.
Search Engine Optimisation is so important to driving online sales. It is ok having a fancy website but people need to find it for it to be effective. Any website needs to drive people to look at it and that is what the website team at Cash generator do so well.

Spotlight Question: Do you have any tips on how to make the most of the internet for your business? is a post from: Cash Generator

The Cash Generator website went from strength to strength in 2011, allowing franchisees to benefit from extra revenue streams.

Visitor numbers exceeded 2 million by the end of 2011, a phenomenal 65 per cent increase on the previous year.

As more and more franchisees realise the benefits of uploading products to the website, figures show that revenue generated from web sales in 2011 was triple that of 2010.

Cash Generator is a truly multi-channel business and franchisees have embraced the Cash Generator website as they have looked to reach a wider audience and increase sales.

The website has enabled franchisees to have a national ‘shop window’ and sell to customers across the UK, in addition to its core local customers in the 3 mile radius of the store. The website also benefits regular store customers, as they can browse the items that are in store before visiting.

The investment that Cash Generator makes in TV advertising has also boosted traffic to the website. Following the September TV advertising campaign, traffic to the website doubled in the last quarter of the year and this success is only set to continue with the company’s ambitious expansion plans for 2012.

Two million people log onto Cash Generator is a post from: Cash Generator

Cash Generator ended 2011 on a high, opening two new stores in December, bringing the number of franchise stores in the network to 141.

Stores have opened in Middleton and Keighley, welcoming three new franchisees to the fold.

At the helm of the Middleton store is Patrick O’Shea, who made the move to being a franchisee from a career as a black cab driver. Keighley has been set up by brothers Michael and Chris Huntington, who both recognised the security and support that comes with running a franchise with Cash Generator.

With over 180 stores in total, the UK franchise business is well on its way to hitting its predicted target of 200 stores by early 2012.

Store opening update is a post from: Cash Generator

It has been a successful twelve months for franchisee Cliff Barry and his wife, having just opened their second store in a year.

Ringing in the new year with both the Cowley and Trowbridge franchises under their belts, Wiltshire based entrepreneurs Cliff and Joanne Barry have been going from strength to strength with the support of Cash Generator.

Cliff commented: “The people at Cash Generator are a great asset, they are very helpful and the training that I received prepared me for the opening of both stores.
I know I can phone my regional manager at anytime to get advice and help.”

Following the success of their first store, Cliff and Joanne wanted to build on the strong opportunity Cash Generator offers and identified great potential in Trowbridge as one of the largest shopping towns in West Wiltshire.

In a boost for the town centre, the new Trowbridge store on Fore Street took over the site of a former shoe store, which was previously vacant for six months, and was praised for creating four jobs for the community.

“We have learned that a Cash Generator store becomes part of the community. Our customers develop very close relationships with all the staff at the store and wherever possible we recruit our team from the local community.”

Located in the heart of the community, the Trowbridge store was the 45th store to open this year and brought the total number of stores to over 180 across the UK.

Two stores in twelve months for Cliff is a post from: Cash Generator

A new store has been opened in Kirkgate, Leeds, by successful businessman Andrew Foggitt and his wife Helen.

Both Andrew and Helen are new additions to the franchisee family and it will be a big career jump for the pair. Andrew has owned and operated a successful property company in the area for the last 15 years with the support of Helen.

The new store will be operated on a franchise basis with the support and security of Cash Generator.

Looking for a franchise business that would weather the tough economic climate, while benefitting from a strong brand with clear growth potential, Andrew found the solution in Cash Generator. Commenting on his new store, he said: “I am really excited about embarking on a new challenge. Leeds has a fantastic high street at the heart of its community and I am delighted to have invested in a town that I believe has a very promising future.

“Cash Generator is such an attractive proposition as we are able to offer savvy shoppers the chance to get a good deal, as well as instant cash for their unwanted items.”

Located in the heart of the community, the Kirkgate store was the 44th store to open last year with the total number of stores now over 180 across the UK.

Successful businessman opens Kirkgate store is a post from: Cash Generator

Customers passed through the Cash Generator doors in their droves last year, with footfall continuing to increase at pace throughout December, as the festive season saw savvy shoppers turning to the discount retailer to bag themselves a bargain.

The end of year success can be attributed, in part, to the 12 week see it, save it scheme, which helps customers spread payment costs at a time when budgets are stretched.

The popular initiative has been welcomed by franchisees, who benefit from the security of consistent payments over a three month period.

2011 also saw the roll out of the popular express store concept, with seven express stores opening across the UK in the last 12 months, increasing footfall in high traffic areas.

Offering convenience for consumers, Cash Generator express stores are located on busy arterial routes, combining high visibility for motorists and easy access for local residents, bringing people through to the store from the surrounding areas.

The pace of footfall growth for Cash Generator has been exceptional throughout 2011 and only looks set to increase further throughout 2012 with an exciting year ahead.

Strong footfall ends the year on a high is a post from: Cash Generator

In a fantastic achievement for the discount retailer, Cash Generator opened 48 stores across the UK in 2011 – double the number it opened the year before. More than half of the new retail outlets were franchise stores, demonstrating the successful business model and ever popular proposition for savvy consumers.

Cash Generator welcomed 13 new franchisees on board last year who opened stores from Redruth in Cornwall up to Glenrothes in Scotland after recognising the potential in the national discount retail chain.

Many of the new franchisees made the move to Cash Generator from non-retail backgrounds, with taxi drivers, farmers and hotel owners now all enjoying the rewards from opening their own store. Looking for a business that could prosper in challenging trading conditions, many new franchisees found the answer in Cash Generator.

“2011 was a phenomenal year for us as consumers turned to us to not only bag a bargain, but also recognised the fair deal we offer on buying unwanted items.”

The growth is continuing at pace into 2012 with Cash Generator expecting to open its 200th store next month. With plans to open 70 stores nationally this year, the chain has its sights firmly set on even greater expansion.

The Cash Generator offering continues to be extremely popular with consumers across the UK and footfall is increasing week-on-week at many stores across the network. As one of the only high street retailer’s offering a fair deal on buying a whole host of pre-owned goods, Cash Generator is expecting to see footfall continue to rise as the year progresses

The national retailer is continuing to invest in the brand over the next 12 months with an exciting new TV advertising campaign due to hit screens next month. This continued investment, along with the backing and support offered to franchisees ensures Cash Generator remains an attractive franchise proposition for those looking for a new challenge.

Cash Generator exceeds all expectations is a post from: Cash Generator