Franchise Opportunities: Raising the Finance

Once you’ve chosen a business from among the franchise opportunities available and the franchisor has accepted your candidature, you should start investigating how to generate the funds to pay the franchise fee and provide enough working capital.

Most banks and lending institutions expect you to have a reasonable credit rating and to provide a portion of the cash out of your own pocket.

However, if you have some sort of security – for example property or shares – then they may be willing to furnish you with 100% of the purchase price.

Click to read more ...

Assessing Franchise Opportunities at Exhibitions

A franchise exhibition is an invaluable way of gaining access to hundreds of franchise opportunities under one roof.

Whether you’ve decided on a sector or not – or even if you’re still uncertain that franchising is for you – a franchise exhibition can help crystallise your decision-making process. 

These exhibitions can house hundreds of franchisors showcasing potential franchise opportunities.

According to Insight: an Industry Review of Franchising in the UK, a new report published by Franchise Development Services, 21% of franchise owners have cited exhibitions as their main source of information on brands and trade shows. The franchise owners surveyed placed exhibitions as more effective than franchise magazines in attracting leads.

If you’re uncertain of your sector, you should consider setting aside a whole day to talk to as many franchisors as possible. If your heart is set on an industry, it might not take too long to navigate your way around franchisors in that sector.

Click to read more ...

Franchise Opportunities: Spotting the Signs of a Reputable Franchise

Browse online for news about your franchise targetsChoosing the right franchise opportunity can be tricky.

You must decide on a sector, find a franchise team you think you can build a rapport with, as well as a brand you think has staying power and a support package that warrants the financial outlay.

Be proactive when you’re researching franchise opportunities. Speak to established franchisees, ask them about the level of support they receive, the hours they put in, their income (if they don’t mind) and whether the franchise has lived up to their expectations.

Click to read more ...

Franchise Opportunities: Reasons to Buy a Franchise

Franchising tends to be the safest way to run your own business – so long as you can research the market thoroughly.

Trusted, well-established franchise brands enjoy a much higher success rate than start-ups, of which one in three fail to survive the first three years. Franchises so often succeed principally because franchisees follow a tried-and-tested formula.

The price franchisees must pay in getting permission to operate under a successful brand and proven model is to forgo any freedom to tinker with the formula – and that means negligible control over prices, product ranges, marketing campaigns and so on.

Click to read more ...