™ NETWORK FAQs

We’re inviting people looking for the right professional business opportunity to join the ™ Network as Pioneer Partners. We think this market has reached a once-in-a-market-moment: the technology is reliable and well established, the service offer is increasingly available but not yet a high street commodity, and the market is ripe now for a more mature approach under a brand offering identifiable services to targeted audiences.

We understand that you’ll have questions and want to take your time and get help and independent advice so feel free to contact us and in the mean time take a look at our FAQ’s.

1. So, what is a “Pioneer Partner”?
2. What exactly am I buying?
3. Please explain the two offers side by side; and what is the royalty?
4. What benefit do I get from the ™ brand?
5. So, how is your network different from a franchise?
6. How much money can I make?
7. Is this right for me?
8. Am I who you’re looking for?
9. What do you like about this business?
10. Can I try before I buy?
11. Can I talk to you in person, with my advisers and without a hard sell?

1. So, what is a “Pioneer Partner”?

Simply, our first partners in the ™ Network: you’ll be at the front of establishing our brand, with likeminded partners, and in recognition of your investment in our brand, you’ll pay no management charges. And no brand licence royalties for the first two years (with no obligation to continue with the brand). And after the first two years, if you decide to renew, you’ll enjoy a 50% discount on the prevailing royalty rate under the brand licence for our second generation and subsequent partners. And throughout your membership of the Network, you’ll enjoy heavily subsidised upgrade paths and favourable access to product upgrades and service offers (always without obligation to purchase) in comparison to the second generation of Network partners.

You certainly don’t need specialist skills. We designed the PhotoSurvey™ package to suit the professional photographer and novice camera and computer user alike (but please tell us so that we can build in appropriate time to your training schedule if you’re in this category!).

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2. What exactly am I buying?

Our Pioneer Partner packs based on our PhotoSurvey™ systems are designed to get you going out of the box.  We provide the following telescopic PLATFORM, camera/pc combination for image CAPTURE,  and NETWORK membership for just £4, 200 + VAT ex works:
PLATFORM

• 15m pneumatic telescopic mast, with tripod and guys
• Remote controlled pan/tilt head and mast and adapter
• Data and r/c connections to/from Capture

CAPTURE

• Canon S3iS or G7 digital camera and branded laptop (UK authorised suppliers only), with relevant remote capture software

NETWORK

• Network membership and brand licence, free of all royalties until 31.12.08 and 50% discount on prevailing royalty rates thereafter if you choose to renew; no mandatory renewal, purchase or tie-in; coverage on our network page and other portals; network guide covering (eg) starting-up, strategy & marketing, legal, etc; safety and operating training; discounted access to specialised professional photography training from mast based pro’s

Specifications and prices will depend on the package you choose and your specific requirements. We’ll talk you through the various specifications and help you define the right solution for you.
All you’ll need is enthusiasm and professionalism- and a vehicle!
These are limited time offers for our Pioneer Partners.

We will never commit you to purchase until you are happy with a fully priced specification.

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3. Please explain the two offers side by side; and what is the royalty?

You can buy a system from us without our brand: you’ll own and operate your business under your own name. Go to our system sales page for details.

If you decide to join the ™ Network, you’ll still own and operate your business but you’ll become part of a team that wants to build the leading presence in the field. Just like any other branded network, you’ll pay a modest royalty to be a part of this. But you’ll get our systems at a heavily discounted price, get a royalty holiday until 31.12.08 and a permanent discount of half of the prevailing rate in the future if you renew; and that rate is also capped.

We are setting the initial royalty at 4% of gross sales by each Network partner. This means that you’ll pay nothing for the first two years and only 2% of gross sales as a continuing Pioneer Partner. We are reserving the right to vary the royalty but we will guarantee to our Pioneers that they will never pay more than 3% (even if the prevailing rate is more than 6%) of gross sales: you are that important to us.

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4. What benefit do I get from the ™ brand?

You are not obliged to take up an ™ licence to operate your aerial photographic services business (you can still buy PhotoSurvey™ systems from us), but if you do choose to take a Pioneer Partner licence to operate your business under our brand, you’ll get free access until 31.12.08 and discounted renewal thereafter to a great new brand which is actively promoting the first and only network of mast based aerial photographers, where we’ve done the hard work and made the investment in creating a compelling name for our markets and a great brand look and feel.

On top of that, you’ll be getting the opportunity of website referrals to your business, membership and support from other Networkers and of course the satisfaction of building an exciting brand. On top of that – and highly unusually in business format sales and franchise markets – we’ll actively encourage you to build your own brand alongside ours. Best of all for our Pioneer Partners, you’ll pay no brand royalties for the first two years and will not be obliged to take out a licence in the future.

Before committing yourself to the licence – even a free one! - we’ll send it to you in any convenient format so that you can discuss it with your professional advisers.

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5. So, how is your network different from a franchise?

Our ambition is to take the best of the franchise model and create maximum flexibility for our partners. Just like typical franchises, we offer you a brand, business mentoring and support, access to our website and a reliable business system. Just like franchises, what you make of the opportunity is down to you.

But unlike franchises, we won’t make management charges, tied-sales (mandatory purchases from us and only us), impose sales targets, or tell you what uniform to wear and what vehicle to drive (even if we rather like Land Rovers ourselves!). We won’t get in a huff if you decide to talk to our competitors, but we will want to know if we’ve let you down and how we might mend the problem. We won’t limit your growth or your field of operation. We won’t tell you when, where, how and with whom you may or may not work.

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6. How much money can I make?

Here are some important influencers:

• Am I relying on the property market, event coverage and claims support? (Potentially steady but comparatively low rates)
  
• Or private commissions? (Hit and miss on advertising; mid price)
  
• Or surveys and specialist engineering needs? (Premium services but often depending on a solid professional reputation and excellent technical skills and an excellent customer base or little black book of contacts to deliver work)

Remember that we have a strong incentive in seeing you succeed: we are depending on a future royalty!

Making money is always down to hard work, good research, decent professional advice, a bit of luck – and more hard work. You’ll need all of these in varying combinations at different times of your journey. We’ll try and support and encourage you all the way…but it’s still your journey.

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7. Is this right for me?

We’re looking for people who want an independent, professional practice and will enjoy an outdoor lifestyle.

And we’re looking for calculated - risk takers: people who understand risk but take sensible steps to limit the risk in terms of time and investment and match them to their resources, skills and appetite.

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8. Am I who you’re looking for?

We’ll need to like you if you are taking the brand licence but apart from a sensible attitude to risk and a like minded approach to this opportunity we have no identikit Pioneer Partner.

You might be looking for a bolt-on to an existing business – a “for sale” board supplier, a professional photographer looking to extend services, a property photographer…or just looking for a change!

This may be your first independent foray into small business, or you might be moving from an employed career to a more independent lifestyle.

Whatever your background, you’ll be keen to build a professional business which suits a highly independent lifestyle and one where you’ll get out and about. You’ll enjoy working alone or with partners, as the case may be, be able to deal politely and comfortably with construction industry professionals, homeowners, home sellers and many, many others on equal terms. And, dare we say it, you’ll enjoy the prestige of building and owning your own professional practice.

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9. What do you like about this business?

We love its simplicity! Wherever our rig goes, people stop and ask what we’re about and when we explain, you can see that “Eureka!” moment. It makes for a great business model: it looks complex, but it’s obvious when explained and people really “get” the almost unlimited variety of applications. Marry that up with a great vehicle, a great lifestyle and a really useful service and you have a business that’s got a lot going for it.

10. Can I try before I buy?

We are always happy to demonstrate our PhotoSurvey™ systems depending on availability and bookings. We may be able to arrange a location shoot for you to observe with our main rig or with one of our Pioneer Partners. There is of course no charge for this.

11. Can I talk to you in person, with my advisers and without a hard sell?

Yes. Absolutely. Sure, bring your chequebook. OK, ignore that bit, and contact us.

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