Why invest in
a franchise?

If you are looking to change career, however, then a franchise provides you with all the training required to become successful. Without question the most sensible way to change career and start your business!

There are some reasons why starting your business as an independent may be preferable to some. If you know the trade well, you are starting your own business in, then it may make sense to be an independent as you set your own rules, or for some, don’t have any rules to follow.

The benefits of buying into a franchise outweigh the majority of disadvantages for the very high majority of people, however. The fact that you get to speak with individuals who carry out the same tasks as you, on a regular basis, is one of the greatest benefits most franchisees find. Being able to share problems with others who understand the same business, but are not competitors, is invaluable.

Having to conform to ‘standards’ of a franchise is, for some, a disadvantage but those standards, that have often been developed over a number of years, are actually a benefit to somebody wishing to run their own business and are usually one of the USP’s (Unique Selling Points) of a franchise operation for an entrepreneur.

You do have a restricted area to work in, as the majority of franchise areas are restricted and do not allow other franchisees to work in another franchisees territory. Ethical franchisors understand the importance of providing franchisees with ‘exclusive’ territory’s which prevent other franchisees ‘poaching’ business from their fellow franchisees.

No matter what skills you have developed during your working life, working for others, you can never develop all the skills required to run your own business, which is one of the main reasons so many independents fail within 3 years! In a franchised system, all the business requirements have been established and whilst may appear almost daunting initially will ensure you don’t fall down on one aspect of running your own business.

Where most independents fail in running their own business is in attracting new customers to their business venture. Marketing is a skill, usually developed over a number of years having tried and tested a number if different methods and ways of attracting new customers into the business.

The majority of Franchisors have tried and tested their Marketing techniques and will usually continue to work on and develop new ideas to assist their Franchisees become successful. Some of those techniques may prove more beneficial in some area than others, but if a promotional plan works in one area it will usually work in another.