Does Counselor Realty provide assistance in developing advertising materials for franchisees?
Counselor_Realty Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
pe.
You may develop advertising materials for your own use, at your own expense. Advertising materials and media (including print, audio, video, website and computer-transmitted media) must conform at all times to Counselor's brand standard and image. If Counselor determines, in its sole discretion, that any advertising materials or media do not conform to Counselor's brand standard or image, you will alter or remove any such advertising materials or media, as directed in writing by Counselor. You have the option to develop your own website as part of your overall promotion strategy. Your use of Counselor's trademarks in any advertising materials and media must conform at all times to the requirements set forth in the Franchise Agreement. Counselor does not currently require any advertising materials or media to be approved by Counselor prior to you using them, but reserves the right to review and approve any advertising materials or media (and to require you to alter or cease using all or any portion of such advertising materials or media it does not approve).
We will create a separate webpage or subdomain for your Office and any Extension Office on Counselor Realty, Inc.'s website. If we have consented to any Additional Office locations, you may request to have us set up a separate webpage or subdomain for any such Additional Office on Counselor Realty, Inc.'s website. We will create a separate webpage or subdomain on Counselor Realty's website for those licensed agents you request in writing. All webpages and subdomains we create for the licensed agents operating through your Office (including any Additional Officer or Extension Office ) will include an IDX home search option for each market that the agent directly serves with listing reciprocity among Counselor Realty and our franchisees (local MLS fees are the agent's responsibility). You will be required to pay us a Website Set Up Fee for any such webpages or subdomains, as more particularly described in Item 6. You will also be required to pay us a Website Fee associated with the webpages and subdomains we create for your Office, any Additional Offices or Extension Offices, and for the licensed agents operating through your offices, in such amounts, and at such times, as more particularly described in Item 6.
Leads created off Counselor Realty's website for listings in the region where your franchised office is located will be provided and directed to your Office; provided, however, that if the lead is for a listing that is listed by one of our franchisee's agents or one of Counselor Realty's agents, such lead will be directed to such agent if that agent has elected to create a Counselor Realty web page/subdomain. If there is more than one franchisee in the region (distinct areas served by the same MLS system, or its equivalent), those leads will be shared and/or split between the affected franchisees, as determined by Counselor in its sole discretion. We may take into account office locations, number of agents, types of leads or any other rational means to distribute leads.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 17–21)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Counselor Realty's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees have the option to develop their own advertising materials, but these materials must adhere to Counselor Realty's brand standards. Counselor Realty does not currently require advertising materials to be approved before use, but they reserve the right to review and demand changes or removal of materials that do not meet their standards.
Counselor Realty conducts various marketing activities, including research, creative work, media purchasing, tracking, public relations, promotions, and advertising. Franchisees can purchase promotional materials prepared by or for Counselor Realty at prices they periodically establish. Advertising may appear in print, on radio, television, the Internet, or other computer-related media, and is generally local or regional.
Additionally, if a franchisee's office is outside the Twin Cities area, they must participate in a Regional Advertising Group and pay an Advertising Fee of $25 per agent per month to the Regional Advertising Fund. This fund is managed by a Regional Advertising Committee, which includes franchisee representatives and Counselor Realty representatives. The Regional Advertising Group conducts its own marketing activities and makes decisions regarding creative work and media purchases.
The Franchise Policy Guidelines, available at Counselor Realty's corporate office, include a section on advertising, with 3 pages devoted to the subject matter. This suggests that while franchisees have some autonomy in creating advertising, Counselor Realty provides guidelines and options for franchisees to utilize established marketing resources and maintain brand consistency.