• Introduction
• Franchise
• The Market
• Benefits
• Testimonials
• FAQs
• Enquire

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: Can I bundle up a few territories as a single franchise?
  A: Yes, you can, and you would benefit from discounts if you chose to do this. Please enquire with Head Office.
• Q:How much time per week needs to be spent on the business to make it a success?
  A:This is a full time business opportunity. The more time you spend, the better the return. We do not recommend less than 25 hours per week.
• Q:Can you guarantee that the website will always be available?
  A:We have had over 98% uptime with mirrored configuration and frequent daily backups giving you complete peace of mind.
• Q:Can I speak to existing franchisees?
  A:Yes. We would have to meet you first to establish if this business suits your profile.
• Q:What are the restrictions on the boundaries?
  A:You can only actively market within the boundaries that make up your exclusive territory.
• Q:How long is the franchise agreement for?
  A:The franchise agreement is for 5 years although we do offer a 1 year franchise with the option to renew. Please enquire with Head Office.
• Q:What happens after 5 years?
  A:You have the option to renew the franchise after 5 years without any extra charge.
• Q:Where is the training done?
  A:The training is normally carried out in Leicester over three days. However in special cases we can do training online using Skype. Training is free of charge and included in your franchise fee although you will have to pay for your own travel and accommodation costs.
• Q:Can I run my existing business and a CityLocal franchise at the same time?
  A:Yes you can, provided that either you can devote the time needed to run the franchise successfully or employ a person to do it for you.
• Q:Can I sell my franchise?
  A:Yes you can. If we help you to sell your franchise you keep 90% of the monies paid for the business. If you find a buyer yourself you keep 100% of the proceeds.
• Q:Can I terminate my franchise?
  A:If after running the franchise you decide it is not the right business for you then provided your account is up to date and all outstanding monies have been paid we will allow you to terminate the franchise subject to our normal terms and conditions.
• Q:Can I have a business partner?
  A:Yes. This business can easily be run by a single person but if you want to start a business with a partner we will train both of you and assist both of you in the running of the franchise business.
• Q:Is this business recession proof?
  A:Whilst no business is recession proof our franchise is better than most as it provides local businesses a low cost way to generate more profits and reach out to new customers.
• Q:How long is the franchise Agreement for?
  A:The franchise agreement is for 5 years although we do offer a 1 year franchise with the option to renew. Please enquire with Head Office.
• Q:What happens after 5 years?
  A:You have the option to renew the franchise after 5 years without any extra charge.
• Q:Can I see a copy of the franchise agreement?
  A:If we establish that the business suits your profile, we are more than happy to send you a copy of the franchise agreement.
• Q:Can I sell the franchise?
  A:Yes you can sell the franchise although the new buyer will have to be vetted by Head Office. Head Office can also help you find a buyer although there would be a 10% finder's fee.
• Q:Can I run the franchise alongside my existing business / activities?
  A:As long as your current activities are not in conflict with CityLocal, this should not pose a problem. For further clarification, contact Head Office.
• Q:Can I exit the franchise if it does not work out for me and are there any penalties?
  A:Yes you can. We would help to ease you out of the business if CityLocal was not for you without any penalty charges.
• Q:Will Head Office buy back the franchise if I am not successful.
  A:Head Office would not buy back the franchise. We can assist in helping you find a buyer for your business.
• Q:Do the monthly license fees increase?
  A:Yes. The monthly fees do go up marginally as your business increases. However, you end paying less of a percentage of your income as you grow your business.
• Q:Can I pay the monthly license fees upfront?
  A:Yes you can pay the monthly fees upfront and benefit from substantial discounts. Please enquire with Head Office.
• Q:What other expenses are there aside from the franchise fee and monthly fee?
  A:The main expenses are fuel, laptop, mobile, business insurance, entrance fees to networking events, broadband and replenishing of marketing materials and of course your salary!
• Q:Are there any other hidden costs that I should know about?
  A:No, there are no hidden costs.
• Q:How do you work out the price of the franchise?
  A:The price of the franchise is based on population and business density.
• Q:Can I bundle up a few territories as a single franchise?
  A:Yes, you can, and you would benefit from discounts if you chose to do this. Please enquire with Head Office.
• Q:How much time per week needs to be spent on the business to make it a success?
  A:This is a full time business opportunity. The more time you spend, the better the return. We do not recommend less than 25 hours per week.
• Q:Can you guarantee that the website will always be available?
  A:We have had over 98% uptime with mirrored configuration and frequent daily backups giving you complete peace of mind.
• Q:Can I speak to existing franchisees?
  A:Yes. We would have to meet you first to establish if this business suits your profile.
• Q:What are the restrictions on the boundaries?
  A:You can only actively market within the boundaries that make up your exclusive territory.
• Q:What happens if a business approaches me outside my territory?
  A:If a business is targeting customers within your territory, they can advertise on your site.
• Q:Who are the main competitors?
  A:The main competitors are the likes of Yell and Thomson Local. There are other small websites out there that provide a reasonable service but the offering from CityLocal is more competitive, sophisticated and targeted, using our online, offline and push marketing initiatives.
• Q:Can you help me finance the franchise?
  A:Yes, we can potentially help you finance the franchise although you would need at least 50% of the start-up capital yourself. Please enquire with Head Office.
• Q:Is there support after the first 3 days of training?
  A:Yes, there is. We provide, telephone and email support, access to our discussion forums, a franchise mentor and weekly conference calls that you can attend without any charge.
• Q:Can I meet the CityLocal team?
  A:Yes, you can meet the CityLocal team and the Directors in Leicester. Please call to arrange a suitable date and time.
• Q:What does the job actually involve? Will there be much cold-calling needed?
  A:Some franchisees build their business through cold calling, others through referral marketing, business networking and other innovative approaches that are very powerful. We are happy to share our successful strategies with you.
• Q:How can you assure me that CityLocal will continue to evolve?
  A:CityLocal has an aggressive development campaign, backed by a substantial investment. We also have some very exciting products in the pipeline and our vision is to make CityLocal the most powerful and sophisticated community led network of local platforms across the UK and Ireland.