What is the required level of effort to promote and enhance the Gokhale Method business?
Gokhale_Method Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
Under the Franchise Agreement, you must personally manage and operate the business and only you may teach classes in the Gokhale Method. You must at all times faithfully, honestly and diligently perform your obligations under the agreements, continuously exert your best efforts to promote and enhance the Business and not engage in any other business or activity that conflicts with your obligations to operate the Franchised Business in compliance with the Franchise Agreement. You may engage in other businesses or activities, but may not comingle them with any Gokhale Method activities or methodologies.
In order to promote the Gokhale Method, you are required to conduct free workshops; over the course of a year, the number of people to whom you have presented free workshops should be double the number you have actually taught.
You may also promote your classes with brochures that we will supply at a reasonable fee; email blasts, which we will administer for a reasonable fee; and local print, radio or television advertising, which will be incurred at your expense. We will make available to you templates for advertising that you may customize by adding your name, address and other identifying information. You may not use your own advertising materials. You may not advertise on the internet except through our website and email blasts.
- 12.1. Local Marketing, Advertising, and Promotion Expenditure. You shall follow the guidelines in the Teachers' Manual and Policy Statements regarding marketing, advertising and promotion and upon our request, you shall provide satisfactory evidence of all Local Marketing, Advertising and Promotion Expenditures in such manner as we shall direct. Such guidelines may include, but are not limited to offering free promotional classes. You shall bear the cost of all such activities. You also agree to pay us for any advertising materials that we create for you and at your request, including the costs of creating such materials and reproducing them.
- 12.2. Advertising Materials. All advertising and promotion by you shall be in such media and of such type and format as we may approve, shall be conducted in a dignified manner and shall conform to such standards and requirements as we may specify. You shall not use any advertising or promotional plans or materials relating to the Gokhale Method unless and until you have received written approval from us. You acknowledge and agree that we may require, in our sole business judgment, that in all advertising relating to the Gokhale Method that you use must designate only our designated Website, our designated email address and your phone number for contacting you.
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISED BUSINESS (FDD page 26)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to the 2024 Gokhale Method Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must personally manage and operate the business, and only the franchisee may teach classes. Franchisees are expected to diligently perform their obligations under the franchise agreement and continuously exert their best efforts to promote and enhance the Gokhale Method business. While franchisees can engage in other business activities, they cannot mix them with Gokhale Method activities or methodologies. This indicates a significant time and effort commitment to the Gokhale Method franchise.
To promote the Gokhale Method, franchisees are required to conduct free workshops. The FDD specifies that the number of people presented to in free workshops over a year should be double the number actually taught. Franchisees may also promote classes through brochures (supplied by Gokhale Method for a fee), email blasts (administered by Gokhale Method for a fee), and local advertising, which will be at the franchisee's expense. However, franchisees are restricted in their advertising methods, as they cannot use their own advertising materials and may not advertise on the internet except through the Gokhale Method website and email blasts.
These requirements highlight the importance Gokhale Method places on standardized marketing and adherence to approved promotional materials. Franchisees must follow the guidelines in the Teacher's Manual and Policy Statements regarding marketing, advertising, and promotion. They may also be required to provide evidence of local marketing, advertising, and promotion expenditures upon request. All advertising and promotion must be approved by Gokhale Method and conducted in a dignified manner, conforming to specified standards and requirements. This ensures that the Gokhale Method brand maintains a consistent image and message across all franchise locations.