Succeeding in Your Business by Cliff Ennico

When you write a column like this one, you get lots of e-mails from public relations firms talking up their clients who offer services and "resources" to business owners. Most of them are "ho hum, same old, same old" — companies offering employee benefits, information technology services and the like, with little that is new, exciting or innovative.

But every once in a while a company comes along that "kicks it up a notch" and leverages the awesome power of the Internet to solve some long-standing problems for entrepreneurs. Here are two cool new websites, launched just this week, that you should know more about.

Are you thinking about buying a franchise? Are you worried that you will not find the right "fit" with your skills and interests? Are you afraid of dealing with franchise brokers because they deal only with a limited number of franchises and you are concerned they will try wherever possible to fit your "square peg" into one of the "round holes" they have available? Then you should check out www.ezmatchfranchising.com — a new website that uses behavioral matching technology to match entrepreneurs with the franchise of their dreams.

"We intend to do for franchising what eHarmony.com and other dating sites have done for couples," says Chris Delaney, CFO of EZMatchfranchising.com, explaining that "we are the only website that provides a behavioral assessment questionnaire specifically designed to help some 20 million adults annually who seek to find a franchise."

There are franchise portals on the Web, of course, but most of these are merely directories of franchises organized by product or service type. So, for example, if you love ice cream, you may think you are a good fit for an ice cream franchise. By looking at these other websites you can find a list of franchises that specialize in ice cream.

But Delaney points out that an ice cream business may be a terrible choice for you: "how do you feel about working seven days a week, supervising minimum wage employees with a 60 percent turnover rate each year, and starving during the winter months? That's what an ice cream business is all about."

While ezmatchfranchising.com offers a traditional franchise directory for those who know what they're looking for, it also offers a behavioral assessment survey for those who don't. You fill out the "personality report" (it's free) describing your interests and skills, as well as answering questions such as "do you mind working weekends?" and "do you prefer working alone?".

Delaney says the process takes about 10 to 15 minutes on average.

When you hit the "send" button, up to 10 franchises pop up that meet the criteria you specified in the survey. You can then click through to look at a longer one-page description of each franchise. Your information is automatically sent to the franchise, which will contact you via e-mail to continue the discussions.

The site currently does not charge either franchises or prospective franchise buyers for using the site, although there is a small charge to franchises for forwarded leads. "The franchise industry's No. 1 complaint is poor lead quality," says Delaney. "By scientifically matching prospective franchisees with models that fit their personalities, both parties will be more productive and efficient."

In another first for the franchise industry, EZMatchfranchising.com will introduce state-of-the-art video presentations designed to enhance a franchise's image. Videos will also allow prospects a way to "see and feel" an organization as part of their selection process.

Why use EZMatchfranchising.com instead of a traditional franchise broker? "We do in 15 minutes what it takes franchise brokers months to do," responds Delaney, adding that because the site does not receive any portion of the upfront fees if a prospect decides to buy a franchise, "we don't have a vested interest in people buying a franchise the way that traditional brokers do."

Any business owner who's been cheated by a customer who fails to pay bills knows how difficult it is to get justice from the small claims court system or the Better Business Bureau. Along comes www.uradeadbeat.com, which uses Web 2.0 social networking technology to solve an age-old problem: how to give a deadbeat a proper "black eye" in a quick, cost-effective manner.

For $9.99 a pop, you can post a complaint about anyone who has cheated you. The site then generates an e-mail to the accused and/or sends an 8.5 x 5.5 inch color postcard in the U.S. mail, notifying the accused that they have been added to the "Deadbeat List."

The accused is given the chance to rebut the accusation, which is also posted, and posts are never taken down. A dialogue back and forth can go on for as long as both parties participate. The "Deadbeat List" is searchable, so people can check on businesses or individuals they may associate with.

Just be sure everything you say in these postings is 100 percent accurate, or else you open yourself up to a libel lawsuit.

Cliff Ennico (cennico@legalcareer.com) is a syndicated columnist, author and former host of the PBS television series "Money Hunt." This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO.

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.