Franchise Opportunities

*** Services demand

One of the major advantages of investing in a reputable franchise is that you’ll be marketing, consulting on, and selling an in-demand services from an established national brand. This services will have already been heavily market tested, so you can hit the ground running. It’s this that makes joining a franchise a turnkey business opportunity, as there’s no need to spend time and money developing, trialling, and improving your services – your new business is ready to start working for you from the word go.

Starting a business from scratch can be a lengthy process, taking you anywhere from 6 months to a year to get going, and when you do, you’ll still have to build your market share – and your brand credibility – from the ground up. It can take a lot of effort to find something that sticks, and many potential customers may be put off because they either don’t know enough about your services, or because they’re unsure about working with a newly established business – just one reason why 65% of start-ups fail within 5 years.

*** Operating system

For a franchise to flourish, it has to have a proven business model. This means that when you partner with a marketable national brand, you’re investing in a well-oiled machine that has been tried and tested many times over in order to deliver the best possible outcome for both franchisees and the franchisor. There’s no trial and error involved on your part – simply follow the guidelines set down by what has worked effectively for the existing franchise network, and you’ll reap the rewards of a winning formula that has been optimised for your target market.

When you set up your own business, you forego the security and stability that comes from using an established operating system. Instead, you’ll have to invent the wheel several times over, and when things go wrong, it’ll be up to you to pick up the pieces, cover the costs, and find the time to spend on getting things right in order for your business to survive.

Partnering with a franchise typically requires a much lower financial investment than starting your own business. You’ll pay an initial franchise fee and ongoing royalties, but your franchisor should cover the cost of business expenses such as training, customer support, essential resources, and much more. You’ll also experience a faster return on your investment thanks to the reputable brand, support of an experienced team, and established business model.

*** Training and support

By joining forces with an established franchise, you’ll have access to extensive training and ongoing support. Very often, no prior experience or expertise is required in order to succeed, as your franchisor will provide you with expert guidance on every aspect of your new business, often in the form of training courses and on-location training. You’ll also have a strong support network behind you every step of the way, with your franchisor offering dedicated support personnel.

Starting your own company can be a steep learning curve. You won’t necessarily have anyone to reach out to when you have questions, so will have to go it alone on a trial and error basis. On top of this, you’ll be required to become a master of multi-tasking and take on the roles of business developer, marketer, salesperson, account administrator and more. When you want to employ staff to fill these positions, you’ll only be able to do so if you’ve already experienced significant business growth, making it difficult for you to move your business forwards.

*** Success rate

Franchising involves building a successful business by putting in place a system that works and establishing a recognisable brand around it. A franchise is therefore a proven model, and as a result, failure is unlikely when you invest in one. As with any business, there are a number of factors that can affect your level of success, but ultimately, if you follow the system and put in the effort, you won’t go wrong. In fact, a record 90% of franchisees have reported profitability annually for over 20 years running, whilst the failure rates for franchisee-owned businesses remain incredibly small compared to those of independent businesses.

The risk is obviously much higher for start-ups, with business failure a real possibility. Just 4 in 10 small businesses in the UK will still be trading after 5 years, so any chance of success, especially long-term, is significantly lowered when you decide to launch your own business over joining a franchise.

As you can see, there are many benefits to partnering with an established national brand that simply can’t be gained from setting up your own business. If you’d like to find out more about franchising, please get in touch.