FRANCHISE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Ask Candee
Your Personal Consultant: Candee Wilde answers questions about the franchise business
QShould I consider starting up a business that is brand new to me?
Definitely. This is one of the better times in our history for newspaper—except in real time.
many of us to consider a new career, or to develop a second From 2003 to 2005, the Spoons continued building the
source of income. Remarkable varieties of turn-key businesses site, adding editorial content and attracting more advertising
are out there—created, practiced and fine-tuned by some clients. They became more profitable, ultimately becoming
bright, hardworking people. Those of us who are willing to CityAmerica’s top earning site. Then, CityAmerica’s found-spend a little money and invest a bit of time learning some- ers made a business decision that has led their other Web
thing new will make money corresponding to how hard they site owners to build online city directories that are more like
work. Temeculaonline.com.
One opportunity caught my attention because it seems so “They hired me as director of business development,” Mr.
obvious one would think someone else must already be doing Spoon says.
the same thing. But CityAmerica LLC, based in Nashville, He and his wife, Noelle, still run Temeculaonline.com.
Tenn., has refined and modi- A major profit line
fied the direction of Internet for CityAmerica’s Web site
city directories so much that owners is listing businesses.
competitors have a hard time For example, for $150 for six
keeping up. And CityAmerica months, or $25 a month, busi-didn’t do it with dazzling new nesses can buy a six-month
Internet technology or by listing on Temeculaonline.
coming up with never-before- com. The listing includes a
seen editorial content. They spot in the search engine, a
did it by combining easy-to- description of the business,
use technology with a new a digital photo and links to
vision of what would interest the advertiser’s Web site, and
readers and advertisers. to maps and directions. (All
CityAmerica’s partners are pricing is completely up to
earning money by produc- each CityAmerica Web site
ing profitable Internet city owner—no one is told how to
directories using the ‘template’ charge, but advice is avail-CityAmerica provides. Cit- able.)
yAmerica teaches them how to find potential advertisers and “CityAmerica gives its owners the tools to create all of this
supporters and convince them to buy space on their Web site. information, plus restaurant menus, weather, real-estate and
Using ‘neighborhood’ information aimed at local consumers, movie listings, highest and lowest gas prices, garage sales, and
businesses find that the CityAmerica online directory brings online games for kids—for virtually nothing,” Mr. Spoon says.
business, so they advertise. For a one-time set-up charge of $120, plus $69 per month,
David Spoon, director of business development, says, people can buy the software for a turnkey CityAmerica
“There are a lot of Web sites that serve large cities like San traditional city directory Web site, plus support and training,
Francisco, New York, or Chicago. But the sites that serve weekly conference calls, a sales manual, and monthly host-smaller communities, of 20,000 to 100,000 people, tend to ing. Beyond that, Web site owners keep all of the money they
provide sparse content that isn’t very well done.” make.
These larger Web sites “are Internet-marketing oriented. By Another option CityAmerica offers, for the same cost, is
that I mean their goal is to drive large numbers of people who called a “themed” Web site. The themes are bridal, kids and
are not members of the community to the site. They are trying family, green city, animals and pets, and Christian. As with the
to serve their advertisers and supporters by enticing visitors to city directories, CityAmerica sells only one themed Web direc-the community.” tory per city.
“CityAmerica is different from any other city Web site Mr. Spoon says CityAmerica appeals to three categories of
because we concentrate on the local aspect. While we combine people. He describes them as the Purpose People, “who do a
various local events into one master calendar that lets readers city site because serving their community is a labor of love.
find out in one place about all kinds of things happening here, The Part-Time People want to provide a service, and earn
our competitors don’t,” Mr. Spoon says. some extra money. They can sell one ad and make a profit.
On the Temeculaonline.com Web site, which I encourage The Power People are oriented toward sales and profits.”
people who are interested in becoming CityAmerica members to look at as an example, people can even find out who
won a school’s spelling bee! The information Temeculans can
find reminds me of the news found in a small-town weekly
Leading Low-Cost, High-Potential
Business Opportunities:
American Ramp Systems www.americanrampsystems.com
ChannelBrite www.channelbrite.com
CityAmerica www.cityamerica.com
CruiseOne www.cruiseone.com
eMed-ID www.emed-id.com
Home Instead Senior Care www.homeinstead.com
Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems www.jan-pro.com
Postal Connections of America www.postalconnections.com
Stroller Strides www.strollerstrides.com
UNIGLOBE Travel www.uniglobetrave.com
To contact Candee, or to learn more about franchising
opportunities, please visit the inc.com home page and
look for “Franchise Inc.”
