Special Feature

NEW YEAR, NEW DECADE, NEW START! - By Gay Turner, MCIPR

10th February 2010

The Arctic weather may have tried to put a dampner on spirits in the New Year, but with the challenges also came a time to re-evaluate life choices and left many seeking a fresh start in a completely new direction.

Anyone thinking about starting their own business is well advised to consider franchising as an option, given its advantages and benefits. But how and where do they find out the facts?

Read our Essential Franchising FAQs to learn all about franchising.

It’s show time

They need look no further: there’s plenty of advice from specialists on this website and the show season is here again – including The Franchise Show at Manchester  (11th and 12th June). 

Click here to find out details of other Franchise Exhibitions

Despite the recession, franchising continues to flourish, according to the bfa and some franchises are reporting big growth. The latest available figures about the industry confirm there are 34,600 franchised businesses operating in the UK, worth an estimated annual £11.4billion.

Go it alone or buy a franchise?

Franchising means having a business of your own – but without being entirely on your own. Help and support are always available from the franchisor and usually from other franchisees in the network as well. When you buy a franchise, you are buying an established brand and a proven system, as well as training from experienced business professionals who have already made a success of their business. There are many other benefits and advantages but these vary from one franchise to another.

There is a huge and growing choice of franchised businesses, across a vast range of sectors and industries. Franchising has something for everyone, to suit all talents and interests, and match all budgets. With so much on offer, it’s important to think carefully about the many possible opportunities before deciding which is the right one for you. It’s important not rush into anything.

Click here to complete your suitability to franchising checklist

Suitable for self-employment?

Anyone wanting to start their own business or buy a franchise must be confident that they can handle being self-employed. Some people love it and are supremely self-confident. Others miss the buzz of being in a workplace with other people. Being your own boss is extremely rewarding and offers freedom and flexibility but it can also be lonely and frustrating, especially in the early days when you’re the only one around to do everything that has to be done.

Visit a show to get a feel for franchising

If you decide that you’d like to be a franchisee, then going to a show is very helpful once you’ve done some initial research on Total Franchise to find the franchises that most interest you. Armed with a list of prospects, you can meet a wide range of different businesses, all under one roof and at the same time, and glean useful information and helpful advice from the seminars covering many different topics.

People watching

A big benefit of going to a show is that actually meeting franchisors face to face provides the opportunity to judge how well you might get on with them and, importantly, helps you to decide if you trust them enough to invest in their franchise. Not only that, you usually find that there are franchisees on the stands and they can give you a very realistic picture of what running a franchise is like, with all the pros and cons.

We urge you to review this document before meeting franchisors, and it is easy to print off so you can take it with you to such meetings.  This Questionnaire gives will aid you in ensuring you explore most of the essential topics to get the most out of your meeting. 

Decide – or defer?

The great thing about the franchise show is that you don’t have to make an instant decision about a potential long-term investment. You’ve got plenty of time to mull things over and it may take many months before you come to a firm conclusion. Meanwhile, keep checking with Total Franchise to see what new franchises there are – or wait for the next exhibition and check out a few more. You won’t have to wait long as there are several shows running through the year. The next London one is on 19th and 20th March at Olympia.

Click here to download TotalFranchise FREE "Guide to Decision Making Process"

©GTPR 2009 February 2010 For a free and impartial appraisal of your marketing and PR needs, please contact us on 01295 770207, email: publicrelations@gtpr.com or visit the website at www.gtpr.com to view recent client coverage

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