1. Introduction to the Brand & Marketing Philosophy
Our brand is a symbol of quality, trust, and customer satisfaction. We are dedicated to excellence in every product and service we offer, ensuring every customer experience is memorable and meaningful. Our mission is to foster long-lasting relationships with our customers by providing exceptional value and a unique experience that reflects the integrity of our brand. This commitment to quality and service is the foundation of our marketing philosophy. Our goal is to create a sense of community and belonging among our customers, ensuring that their experience with us is personal, consistent, and of the highest standard. By consistently exceeding customer expectations, we solidify our reputation as a brand customers can rely on, time after time.
Our marketing efforts focus on building relationships, not just transactions. Every interaction is an opportunity to cultivate trust and loyalty with our customers. The values that define our brand shape every aspect of our marketing strategy—from the messaging we deliver to how we engage with our audience. We are committed to maintaining consistency, reliability, and personalization across every customer touchpoint. These values are critical to our brand’s identity, and we strive to ensure that each location represents these principles, creating a seamless experience for customers, no matter where they engage with us.
In today’s competitive market, effective marketing goes beyond simply reaching a broad audience. It’s about connecting with customers on a deeper emotional level. Our marketing philosophy integrates strategic messaging with emotional engagement. Every campaign, promotion, and customer interaction is an opportunity to communicate our brand values and build trust. We don’t just aim to meet customer expectations; we aim to exceed them. By focusing on both short-term goals and long-term brand growth, we create an emotional bond with our customers, turning them into advocates who help drive brand loyalty and continued success.
We also understand that local market needs must be considered in our marketing strategies. While brand consistency is essential, we encourage each location to tailor its marketing efforts to meet the unique needs of the local community. This flexibility ensures our brand stays relevant and responsive, strengthening the connection between each location and its customers. Local marketing initiatives are a crucial part of our strategy, demonstrating our commitment to the community. By aligning with local preferences and cultures, we help franchisees create marketing campaigns that resonate on a personal level, which increases engagement and fosters customer loyalty.
Key Marketing Philosophies
- Consistency and Brand Integrity: Consistency is at the core of our marketing strategy. Every location must adhere to the same visual identity, messaging, and brand standards across all marketing channels. Whether it’s social media, in-store signage, or promotional materials, every touchpoint should reflect the brand’s core values. This consistency not only strengthens brand recognition but also builds trust, which is essential for maintaining long-term customer relationships. Our customers should always know what to expect when they interact with any of our locations, reinforcing the brand’s identity and reputation.
- Local Adaptation and Relevance: While consistency is paramount, we recognize the importance of tailoring marketing efforts to local markets. Locations are encouraged to adapt their strategies to reflect the unique characteristics of their communities. This includes customizing advertising materials, hosting local events, and engaging in community outreach that aligns with our brand’s values. Localized marketing ensures our efforts are both relevant and authentic, which enhances customer engagement and builds deeper, more meaningful connections with the community. By embracing local trends, we create stronger brand loyalty and foster a sense of community.
- Building Relationships Through Customer Engagement: Our marketing philosophy places a strong emphasis on building lasting relationships with our customers. It’s not just about selling a product or service; it’s about creating meaningful connections that foster trust and loyalty. We encourage each location to go beyond traditional marketing efforts by offering exceptional customer service, personalizing communications, and maintaining consistent follow-up. By making customers feel valued and heard, we ensure long-term satisfaction, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth referrals. These relationships are vital to the continued growth and success of our brand. Satisfied customers become brand advocates who help spread the word and attract new business, further strengthening the brand’s reach and influence.
2 Marketing Strategy Overview
The marketing strategy is designed to create a lasting impression on potential and existing customers by highlighting the unique value of the products and services. Successful marketing not only attracts customers but also cultivates long-term relationships based on trust, satisfaction, and exceptional service. It is essential that the franchisor plays an active role in shaping and supporting this strategy across all locations, ensuring that the brand’s messaging is communicated effectively. Every customer touchpoint should be seen as an opportunity to reinforce the brand’s message and build brand loyalty, enabling the entire network to thrive in a dynamic and competitive marketplace.
The strategy combines digital, traditional, and community-based marketing efforts that build brand awareness and drive customer engagement. Franchisors need to create a unified approach, ensuring the brand reaches customers through multiple touchpoints. By continuously refining marketing tactics to adapt to changing consumer behavior, technology, and industry trends, a franchisor can maintain a competitive edge. The strategy should be designed to maximize brand exposure and drive customer engagement across different demographics, positioning the brand for long-term success.
Franchisors should provide franchisees with a comprehensive set of proven marketing resources and tactics. This should include guidance on digital campaigns, social media engagement, and in-store promotions, as well as strategies for event activations. It is crucial to ensure that these marketing efforts align with the brand’s overall strategy and that franchisees are supported with the right tools to execute them effectively. Ongoing guidance and support will help ensure that all local marketing activities stay true to the brand while driving success at the local level.
A key part of the marketing strategy is fostering strong relationships within local communities. Franchisors should encourage franchisees to engage with their communities through hosting events, offering promotions, and participating in local activities. These efforts help to establish the brand as a trusted and active part of the community, building customer loyalty and trust. Community involvement also generates positive word-of-mouth marketing, which is a powerful tool for expanding the brand’s reach. By empowering franchisees to connect with their local markets while adhering to the brand’s core values and guidelines, the franchisor ensures a cohesive and positive brand image across all locations.
Key Marketing Strategies:
- Digital Marketing & Online Presence: We emphasize leveraging digital platforms to expand reach and enhance visibility. Our corporate team implements strategies such as website optimization, search engine marketing (SEM), social media engagement, and content marketing. These channels help track consumer behaviors and adjust strategies for better targeting and results, ensuring consistent brand messaging across all locations.
- In-Store Promotions & Events: Local events and in-store promotions play a crucial role in strengthening customer relationships. As the franchisor, we oversee the planning and implementation of national promotional campaigns, special offers, and event activations that drive customer engagement and enhance the brand’s visibility in communities.
- Targeted Advertising & Direct Outreach: We include a combination of targeted advertising and direct outreach to support brand growth across markets. Our corporate marketing team handles the creation and deployment of both online and offline advertising campaigns, such as geo-targeted digital ads and local print media, ensuring a unified approach that aligns with the overarching brand strategy.
- Customer Retention & Loyalty Programs: Retaining existing customers is a priority. Our marketing strategy includes the development of customer loyalty programs designed to reward repeat customers and incentivize long-term engagement. These initiatives help increase customer retention, and valuable insights from customer behaviors guide the future refinement of marketing efforts.
- Monitoring & Performance Analysis: Marketing success is closely tied to data-driven decision-making. Our corporate team provides robust tools to monitor the performance of marketing campaigns through key performance indicators (KPIs), customer feedback, and sales tracking. This allows us to continuously optimize our marketing efforts and make informed decisions for ongoing improvement.
3. Advertising Channels:
For franchisors, digital marketing is a cornerstone of a successful advertising strategy that drives brand consistency and growth across all locations. It offers an efficient and scalable way to reach a broad audience while targeting specific demographics. With tools that allow for precise tracking and performance metrics, franchisors can monitor and optimize franchisees’ campaigns to ensure the best return on investment. From search engine optimization (SEO) to social media advertising, digital platforms provide an opportunity to engage with potential customers at every stage of the buying journey. Staying up-to-date with evolving trends and tools is essential for ensuring marketing efforts remain fresh, relevant, and effective across the entire franchise network.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps improve visibility on search engines, driving organic traffic to franchise websites and supporting local franchisee visibility. Social media marketing offers a cost-effective way to engage with customers and maintain a consistent brand voice across multiple platforms. Email marketing helps nurture relationships with both potential and existing customers through targeted messages and promotions that align with the brand. Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) enables highly targeted, budget-friendly campaigns with measurable outcomes for both the franchisor and franchisee locations.
SEO is one of the most powerful digital marketing tools for franchisors. By providing franchisees with guidance on optimizing website content with relevant keywords and ensuring strong local SEO practices, franchisors can increase the visibility of the entire franchise network. Strong SEO practices improve the chances of attracting local customers who are actively searching for the services or products offered by the franchise. Franchisors should ensure that franchisees focus on both on-page SEO (content and structure) and off-page SEO (backlinks and local listings) to ensure they rank higher in search results. A robust SEO strategy increases organic traffic, which is not only cost-effective but also builds long-term brand credibility across all locations.
Social media marketing is a vital tool for franchisors to engage with local communities and the broader market. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow franchisors to create targeted advertising campaigns for franchisees, reaching specific demographics in their areas. Social media also serves as an excellent platform for brand storytelling, helping franchisees showcase customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes content, and promotions. By encouraging franchisees to post engaging content and interact with customers regularly, franchisors help foster a sense of community and customer loyalty, which drives foot traffic to franchise locations.
Email marketing is another highly effective strategy for franchisors to unify communication with potential and existing customers. By providing franchisees with templates for personalized messages, special offers, and promotions, franchisors can ensure that the brand maintains consistent messaging. Segmenting email campaigns based on customer behavior, such as past purchases or interactions, enables franchisees to send highly relevant content that drives engagement. Franchisors should provide guidance to franchisees on ensuring their emails are visually appealing, mobile-friendly, and contain clear calls-to-action, driving conversions and retaining customers across the entire network.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a valuable paid digital marketing strategy that can generate immediate results for franchise systems. By assisting franchisees in creating targeted ads on search engines or social media platforms, franchisors can help them reach specific audiences based on factors like location, interests, and search behavior. PPC campaigns offer precise budget control, enabling franchisors to monitor and adjust spending across multiple locations. This paid approach ensures high visibility in competitive markets, driving immediate traffic to both franchise websites and physical locations. When executed properly, PPC advertising supports broader marketing efforts and generates quick returns, benefiting both individual franchisees and the brand as a whole.
- SEO Strategy: Provide guidance for franchisees to optimize content and improve local SEO.
- Social Media Marketing: Help franchisees craft targeted campaigns that align with the brand.
- Email Marketing: Offer templates for personalized, brand-consistent communication.
- PPC Advertising: Support franchisees in creating targeted ads with measurable ROI.
4. Brand Guidelines
Adhering to brand guidelines is essential for maintaining a consistent identity in franchising, ensuring that every location reflects the same trusted image. Clear standards for logos, colors, fonts, and messaging create a unified brand experience, fostering customer trust and reinforcing the brand’s reputation. Regularly reviewing and implementing these guidelines helps franchises align their marketing efforts with the brand’s core values and strategy. Additionally, consistent branding enhances brand recall and sets clear expectations for customers.
Consistent application of brand guidelines extends beyond marketing materials, impacting the overall customer experience. From staff uniforms to storefront design, every touchpoint should align with the brand’s visual identity and messaging. Maintaining these standards helps franchise locations present a professional, polished image that resonates with customers. This cohesive presentation builds credibility and reinforces the franchise’s commitment to quality.
Consistency across franchise locations strengthens customer recognition and loyalty. Using approved templates, signage, and promotional materials preserves a cohesive look and feel, while ensuring corporate messaging, values, and imagery are represented uniformly across all locations. Adhering to these standards also simplifies marketing efforts, allowing for streamlined promotions and cross-location campaigns.
Branding standards should also be upheld in local promotions and events. Franchise locations should use approved logos, colors, and slogans on in-store displays, flyers, and sponsorship materials. This approach reinforces the brand’s identity while building stronger ties within local communities. Incorporating branded giveaways or sponsorship booths further enhances visibility and encourages community engagement.
Key brand elements include:
- Logo usage: Ensure proper size, spacing, and placement.
- Color palette: Consistently apply approved brand colors.
- Typography: Use designated fonts and styles.
- Messaging tone: Maintain the brand’s voice and personality.
Applying these guidelines consistently across franchise locations protects and enhances the brand, building customer trust and recognition throughout every market.
5.Marketing Budget and ROI:
Establishing a clear marketing budget is essential for franchisors to ensure that their franchisees have the resources necessary to execute effective local marketing efforts. A well-planned budget allows franchisors to guide franchisees in focusing on key areas like digital campaigns, local promotions, and community engagement. By advising franchisees to allocate a percentage of their revenue—typically between 5% and 10%—franchisors help them strike a balance between investing in immediate marketing needs and planning for long-term growth without compromising profitability. This level of investment supports both short-term and long-term strategies that drive customer engagement and brand awareness. Additionally, setting aside a dedicated marketing budget prevents franchisees from overspending or underfunding crucial campaigns. As a franchisor, consistently tracking the marketing budget ensures that franchisees are adjusting their strategies as needed while maximizing marketing opportunities.
Tracking return on investment (ROI) is equally important. Franchisors must provide franchisees with the tools to monitor the performance of their marketing initiatives and ensure they are generating meaningful results. By offering guidance on utilizing digital analytics tools, collecting customer feedback, and analyzing sales data, franchisors can help franchisees evaluate the effectiveness of each campaign. Clear metrics also allow the franchisor to identify underperforming campaigns and help franchisees refine or discontinue them. This data-driven approach helps franchisees stay focused on high-return activities that align with broader business goals and the brand’s vision.
In addition to digital tools and feedback, franchisors should encourage franchisees to regularly assess their marketing channels to determine which are most effective for their specific audience. For example, if a local event or promotion yields more foot traffic than digital ads, franchisors can guide franchisees in reallocating the budget to prioritize that channel. By continuously adjusting and refining marketing tactics, franchisees can ensure they achieve the best possible return on investment, maximizing their marketing dollars and boosting business performance. Franchisors who understand which strategies resonate with the local market can help franchisees make smarter decisions about resource allocation for maximum impact. Ongoing assessment ensures marketing efforts remain aligned with customer preferences and market trends.
- Budget Range: Advise franchisees to allocate 5%–10% of revenue for marketing.
- ROI Tracking Tools: Provide franchisees with digital analytics tools to track ad performance and conversions.
- Customer Feedback: Encourage franchisees to gather surveys and reviews to assess campaign impact.
- Sales Analysis: Help franchisees link sales data to marketing to measure direct results.
6. Preparing Your Business for Franchising
Before transitioning to a franchise model, franchisors must ensure their business is fully prepared to scale efficiently and maintain brand consistency across multiple locations. This process involves evaluating the strength of the brand, establishing a proven business model, and creating comprehensive support systems for franchisees. A solid foundation is essential to attract qualified franchisees and ensure long-term success. Franchisors need a clear understanding of their business operations, customer base, and competitive advantage to communicate effectively with potential franchisees and position the brand for growth.
Franchisors need to evaluate whether their business model is replicable and scalable, ensuring that operational processes, training systems, marketing strategies, and customer service standards can be easily taught to franchisees. The business must be able to deliver consistent results across locations, so a proven track record of success is essential. Franchisors should also consider the ability to expand into new markets or regions. Developing a strategy for market analysis and location selection will help franchisees identify the best areas to open new franchises.
Another crucial step is creating an effective support system, which includes establishing training programs for new franchisees and offering both initial and ongoing education. Franchisee manuals, operational guidelines, and brand standards must guide franchisees in running their locations in alignment with the brand’s values and goals. Ongoing support in marketing, supply chain management, and customer service is also key to ensuring franchisees have the tools and resources needed for success.
Franchisors must also address legal and financial considerations. Developing a comprehensive Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is essential, outlining the franchise agreement, fees, obligations, and expectations for both parties. A sustainable financial model should include initial franchise fees, royalties, and other revenue streams, ensuring both the franchise and corporate structure are viable. Lastly, franchisors need to assess their ability to attract the right franchisees—individuals who are entrepreneurial, business-savvy, and aligned with the brand’s vision. Establishing a clear profile of the ideal franchisee ensures that the recruitment process is streamlined and successful.
- Evaluate business scalability and replicability for franchise expansion.
- Create a comprehensive support system, including training programs and operational guidelines.
- Develop legal and financial documents, such as the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
- Set up a sustainable financial model with initial fees and ongoing royalties.
- Establish a clear profile for selecting qualified franchisees to ensure brand alignment.
7. Developing a Franchise Model and Structure
Developing a franchise model and structure is a crucial step in ensuring the scalability and success of the business. As a franchisor, it is important to create a framework that supports both the franchisor and franchisee, while maintaining brand consistency across all locations. This includes defining the roles and responsibilities of both parties, establishing clear expectations, and creating systems that allow franchisees to operate their businesses efficiently. A well-thought-out franchise structure provides the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship, where both the franchisor and franchisee work towards common goals.
The first step in developing the franchise model is deciding on the type of franchise system. There are several models to consider, such as the product distribution model, business format franchise, or hybrid model. The business format franchise is the most common, where the franchisor provides the franchisee with a comprehensive system that includes everything from marketing strategies to operational procedures. As a franchisor, you must ensure that the chosen model aligns with the brand’s vision, offers scalability, and can be easily replicated across various locations.
Franchisors must also create a clear operational structure for the franchise. This includes designing training programs, setting performance metrics, and creating systems for ongoing support and communication. The franchise operations manual will be one of the key tools in ensuring that franchisees have a consistent and structured approach to running their businesses. Additionally, franchisors should establish reporting systems that allow for easy tracking of performance across the network, enabling them to identify areas for improvement and ensure franchisees are meeting brand standards.
An essential aspect of developing the franchise model is establishing a sustainable financial structure. This involves determining the initial franchise fee, ongoing royalties, and other potential revenue streams, such as advertising fees or training costs. A clear financial structure is essential to ensure profitability for both the franchisor and franchisee. As a franchisor, you must ensure that the financial terms are attractive to potential franchisees while also maintaining the long-term viability of the brand. By creating a well-balanced financial model, franchisors can foster successful partnerships and ensure that both parties benefit from the franchise system.
- Determine the franchise model that aligns with the brand’s vision and scalability.
- Create an operational structure with training programs, performance metrics, and support systems.
- Develop a franchise operations manual to ensure consistency across locations.
- Set up a financial model with initial fees, royalties, and additional revenue streams for sustainability.
- Ensure that the financial terms are attractive to franchisees while maintaining brand profitability.
8. Identifying Ideal Franchisees
Identifying the ideal franchisee is a critical process for franchisors looking to ensure the long-term success of their franchise network. As a franchisor, it’s essential to clearly define the qualities, skills, and experience needed for a franchisee to thrive within the system. The right franchisee should align with the brand’s values, possess entrepreneurial spirit, and have the financial capacity to operate the business. Identifying these characteristics early in the recruitment process sets the foundation for a successful partnership and ensures that the franchisee is fully equipped to represent the brand in their local market.
To begin identifying ideal franchisees, franchisors must first develop a detailed profile of the desired candidate. This includes looking for individuals with business acumen, strong leadership skills, and a deep understanding of customer service. Franchisees should also have a proven track record in managing operations, handling finances, and growing a business. Beyond operational competence, it’s important for the franchisor to assess whether the potential franchisee shares the vision and values of the brand. Ensuring that franchisees embrace the brand’s mission is key to maintaining consistency and building a cohesive network of locations.
Franchisors should also consider the level of commitment and passion a potential franchisee brings to the table. The ideal franchisee should be fully dedicated to growing the business, both personally and financially. This includes investing time in training, staying updated with brand developments, and striving for operational excellence. Passion for the brand is often a driving force behind a franchisee’s success, leading them to invest additional effort into ensuring the brand thrives in their local market. Franchisees who are genuinely passionate about the business are more likely to go above and beyond to create an exceptional customer experience and uphold brand integrity.
Additionally, franchisors need to assess the financial capacity and investment readiness of potential franchisees. Franchisees must be able to meet the financial requirements for the franchise opportunity, including the initial franchise fee, ongoing royalties, and other operational costs. Franchisors should provide a clear breakdown of these financial obligations and work with franchise candidates to ensure they are financially prepared to launch and sustain the business. A well-established financial assessment process ensures that only qualified candidates are approved, minimizing the risk of undercapitalized or financially unstable franchisees entering the system.
- Develop a detailed profile for the ideal franchisee, including necessary skills, business acumen, and leadership qualities.
- Ensure potential franchisees align with the brand’s values, vision, and mission to maintain consistency across the network.
- Evaluate the commitment, passion, and long-term dedication of franchisees to the brand’s success and growth.
- Assess the financial readiness of potential franchisees to meet the initial investment, franchise fees, and ongoing costs.
9. Establishing Ongoing Support and Communication for Franchisees
Establishing ongoing support and communication is crucial for franchisors to ensure the success of their franchise network. Providing continuous assistance helps franchisees thrive, maintain brand consistency, and address any challenges that arise. The franchisor’s role extends beyond the initial training period, ensuring that franchisees receive the resources, guidance, and encouragement they need to operate effectively. Clear communication channels and consistent support structures also help build strong, long-lasting relationships with franchisees, fostering trust and loyalty throughout the partnership.
Franchisors must create a structured support system that includes regular communication, training programs, and performance evaluations. By providing franchisees with tools to succeed, such as updated marketing materials, operational guidelines, and best practices, the franchisor ensures that each location operates at its full potential. In addition to offering ongoing education, franchisors should establish performance metrics to help franchisees gauge their success and identify areas for improvement. These evaluations can be done through periodic reviews or regular check-ins, ensuring that franchisees stay aligned with brand standards and goals.
An essential part of maintaining strong relationships with franchisees is the availability of ongoing guidance in key areas such as operations, marketing, and customer service. A well-defined support system provides franchisees with easy access to the resources they need, whether it’s answering operational questions, solving problems, or offering strategic advice. The franchisor should also offer assistance in adapting to market trends, local preferences, and any challenges franchisees may face in their individual locations. Encouraging open, two-way communication allows franchisees to share feedback and voice concerns, helping the franchisor stay in touch with the realities of running a franchise.
Furthermore, franchisors should create a network for franchisees to connect and share best practices. This network can be virtual or through regional meetings, giving franchisees a platform to collaborate, exchange ideas, and learn from one another’s experiences. Peer support is invaluable, as franchisees can learn from others who face similar challenges and can provide practical solutions. Through this sense of community, franchisors not only help franchisees feel more connected but also create an environment that supports continuous improvement and shared success.
- Establish a structured support system with regular communication, training programs, and performance evaluations.
- Offer ongoing guidance in key areas like operations, marketing, and customer service to help franchisees succeed.
- Maintain open channels for feedback and concerns, ensuring franchisees feel heard and supported.
- Create a network for franchisees to collaborate and share best practices, fostering a sense of community and mutual growth.
10. Securing Financing for Franchise Expansion
Securing Financing for Franchise Expansion
When it comes to franchising your business, securing the necessary financing is one of the most critical steps for ensuring successful expansion. As a franchisor, it’s essential to understand the various financial options available to support the growth of your franchise system. These options may include loans, private equity investments, or even strategic partnerships with other businesses or investors. By carefully assessing your financial needs and understanding the best way to raise capital, you can set your franchise up for long-term success. The financial backing you secure will allow you to develop support infrastructure, marketing strategies, and operations to help franchisees succeed while expanding your brand effectively.
One of the most common methods franchisors explore is traditional bank loans, such as Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. These loans are specifically designed to help small businesses and franchisors access capital with lower interest rates and favorable terms. Another option is to seek private investors or venture capital, which can provide larger sums of money but may require giving up a portion of ownership or control. It’s important for franchisors to evaluate how each financing option will impact their control over the brand and the overall financial stability of the franchise system. Ensuring the right financial strategy is in place can support the efficient scaling of the franchise.
In addition to securing initial financing, franchisors need to create a sustainable financial model that ensures long-term profitability. This involves determining the initial franchise fees, ongoing royalty payments, and other financial structures that will ensure consistent revenue. By establishing clear and reasonable financial expectations with franchisees, franchisors can help ensure that franchisees have the financial stability to succeed while also protecting their own revenue streams. Understanding the balance between setting up profitable terms for both parties is critical to a franchise system’s long-term success.
Franchisors must also be prepared to offer financial assistance to their franchisees. Many new franchisees will need financing to launch their individual locations. As a franchisor, you may need to help facilitate access to capital through partnerships with lenders or by providing guidance on securing funding. This ensures that franchisees are set up with the proper resources to run their locations and remain profitable from day one. Establishing these financial support systems and offering financial tools to franchisees can further strengthen the relationship between franchisor and franchisee, ensuring the franchise system grows effectively
- Explore financing options such as SBA loans, private equity, or investor partnerships.
- Develop a sustainable financial model with initial franchise fees, royalties, and other revenue structures.
- Create a financial strategy that balances profitability for both franchisor and franchisee.
- Provide financial guidance and support to franchisees, helping them secure capital for their locations.
brand positioning
business model development
cultural development
i need you to rewrite all that it make it less about asking questions i need it more statments, SAME LENGTH and remeber keep in the view of a franchisor. you need to add some bullet points and make the statments not questions:

