        
Fill out our Confidential
Online Questionnaire.
For additional information
please feel free to contact:
Linda Wolf or Julie Reid at:
rolypolyhq@aol.com  
|
Over the last 10 years in the course of the development of
the Roly Poly Franchise System, the founders have come to recognize
three common factors for success with our rolled sandwich concept.
A clear understanding of these fundamental requirements is critical
in the decision to become part of our franchise system. In order
to help you make the right decision, the following guidelines
are provided to best present the keys to success with Roly Poly.
Roly Poly is at its most profitable when the store is owner-operated;
this means that an owner’s passion and performance is present on a full
time basis. There must be strong, consistent, responsive, and clear leadership.
Roly Poly can only exist as a powerful multi-unit concept when it is the
owner’s full time job and focus.
By
design, the Roly Poly Franchise System is a small upscale, specialty sandwich
concept – one that predominantly focuses on lunch business, with
light dinner. Required hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the
success depends on an operator working in the store from open to close.
Dinner business between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. may also be profitable, however
only with the right management in place.
A Roly Poly operator has to be the ultimate expert on store operations
and procedures. Staff comes and goes. A dedicated and driven operator,
however,
is our guarantee that new staff members will be trained by the owner/expert
and will strive for those very same levels of operating excellence. Roly
Poly operators want to get the Roly Poly word out, willing to do whatever
it takes to get a menu into the hands of a new customer; each and every day
introducing Roly Poly to potential customers with personal grass roots marketing
efforts. This kind of commitment and dedication is what it takes to be successful
with our concept. Roly Poly takes hard work, a passion for the product, and
a desire for excellence day after day.
Unique sandwiches attract unique buyers. Therefore, the success of Roly Poly
stores is clearly tied to an educated, upscale, and professional customer
base. This demographic market cannot be ignored or underestimated – it
is imperative that our focus be geared toward lunch time business, catering
to educated consumers. Without enough of the core Roly Poly target market
in place, the concept will struggle to be profitable. For example, an area
where coupons and discounts are essential in driving sales is typically not
the right market area for Roly Poly. The Roly Poly concept appeals to the
customer seeking quality and taste, not quantity and price.
The
most successful sites for Roly Poly stores are between 1000 and 1400 square
feet. The most profitable stores within the Roly Poly network are open
seven days a week, therefore the key gauges for potentially successful
locations are strong upscale retail business for weekdays and a solid residential
base for weekend sales. Specific destinations which show strong potential
are ones located in vicinity of hospitals, colleges, professional complexes,
office hubs, and retail centers.
Small towns with an upscale and professional demographic are some of the
Franchise system’s very best markets. Many of the most profitable stores
are in reduced size markets – these units may be smaller grossing than
the very top stores but when the lease rate, employee wages, and overall
overhead are considerably less than high profile locations, the bottom line
profits can more than make up the difference in revenue.
The Roly Poly philosophy of simplicity and manageability also extends
into the marketing plans and budgets. The bottom line: maximizing
the limited
marketing funds is essential in maintaining profitability for all Roly Poly
franchisees. The key to this discipline is for the owner-operator to get
involved in grassroots relationship marketing
initiatives that build a loyal customer base within the surrounding community.
In fact, the #1 marketing tactic for Roly Poly nationwide – the one
initiative that continually gets the best return – is personally delivering
and seasonal specials to local businesses and neighborhoods. This is a tactic
that should be performed by the owner-operator personnel. Operators are encouraged
to introduce Roly Poly and themselves to their customers and personally
invite them to the store. There is a flood of competition in our industry
and because of all the overpowering advertising and commercialization, is
for customers to want Roly Poly to succeed personally and feel like
they are an integral part of that success. The marketing for Roly Poly is
that it takes more than just a great sandwich – it takes exciting store
energy, enthusiasm, and uncompromising customer service.
Distribution
of menus and sandwich samples to the neighboring residential,
retail, and corporate neighbors. This includes flyers, bag stuffers,
door hangers and other hand-to-marketing strategies.
Distribution
of materials for fund-raiser events, school lunch programs and
corporate catering.
Following
implementation of Levels 1 & 2, franchisees pool their resources
(with franchisors contribution, as well) and collectively advertise
via radio, television and billboards.
The Roly Poly Neighborhood Marketing Fund is an account managed by the franchisors
to pay for the design and creation of the necessary marketing materials needed
to fuel the 3 Levels of Marketing. Following the first year of operation, the
required ad fund contribution is 1% of sales per store, however individual
market advertising placement costs (Level 3 media costs) are shared by the
participating co-op franchisees.
The most impactful marketing campaigns and advertising efforts are hollow without
the enriching in-store experience to validate their message. In fact, when
in-store operations are solid, consistent, and consumer-centric, then word-of-mouth
advertising takes shape and one of the milestones of marketing is achieved:
brand loyalty.
|
