Dienstag, 24. Juli 2012

Importance of International Business Consultants

International firms and enterprises are faced with a new set of challenges every single day as businesses today are getting more and more complex. For this reason, many firms rely on international business consultants to help them remain competitive amid these changes. The basic job of these consultants is to analyze an organization's structure, efficiency and profits.

The international business consultants helps in identifying problem areas and proposes ways to overcome the weaknesses in their business model. Another important aspect of an international business consultant is to help the foreign country understand the new environment it plans to enter. Before entering any country it is extremely important to understand the countries legal system and demographics.

An international business consultant may work independent of any management consulting firm or in association with such a firm. Management consulting firms may range in size from single practitioners to large international organizations that cater to a wider market.

Some consultants may specialize in specific fields of industry while others take a more general approach. Once an international business consultant is contracted for his or her services, the first thing he/she does isunderstand the process set in place.One of the first steps taken is to analyze relevant data, including but not limited to annual revenue, employment, expenditures and so on.

They may also need to discuss the process with the managers and employees as well as observe the different operations in the specific area of business. After identifying the problem, the international business consultants will then come up with sound proposals and solutions to address the problem. To prepare these solutions, the international business consultant takes into account the nature of the organization, its relationship with peers in the industry, and its internal organization and structure. Several tools may be used by the consultant to come up with solutions. At times mathematical modeling, Design of Experiment and other such analysis tools need to be used to understand the core of the problem.

The findings of all the work the consultant does is then presented to the client in form of a presentation and a written document. The consultants job is not only to find the problem but also to come with unique solutions which can be easily implemented. More often than not a the problems are universal and are loopholes in the system that have not come up to surface due to the local or national nature of the business but could prove to be lethal when the company decides to expand internationally.

Several companies are now expanding their business world-wide through franchising. Franchising is by nature a model that allows for rapid expansion with minimum investment and managerial pain. International business consultants can also help in this regard. As they can help find franchise opportunities in different countries.

The consultant also conducts meetings with various business professionals, financial agents, as well as government officials of different countries. They also provide marketing and advertising services/advice. It is of utmost importance that the consultant chosen has in-depth knowledge of business management skills, awareness of the recent foreign policies, legal documentation, and political economic developments that may affect foreign businesses, solid administrative skill, excellent communication skills and strong international network of associates that can give accurate information about the business climate and markets in different countries.

The consultant should also have hands-on experience in working with multi national companies.

A proffesional international business consultant must possess leadership skills, should be adaptable to change, should be able to identify key strategic inflection points, and can suggest firms on ways to adapt to the new changes in the external environment.

Why and How to Franchise Your Business

In today's world, franchising is playing a significant role in the entrepreneurial business arena. Franchising is a practice where an established company allows another entity (an individual or an organization) to use the company's already existing business model and brand name. The franchisor (the company that provides the business solution) and the franchisee (the entity that uses it) enter into a contract to use and capitalize on the company's successful business model and/or it's existing brand awareness for a faster return on investment. In return, the franchisees pays a franchise fee to the franchisor which is a one time payment, an on-going royalty component is also paid by the franchise to the franchisor usually on a monthly basis.

If you are a successful business owner and if you are thinking why should I franchise, then here is your answer. Franchising is the best option for any company that wants to expand its business without incurring larger capital expenditure. It is more beneficial especially when a company wants to expand its business in a different state or country where it has to wait for government approval and other formalities. The company may not have the expertise to market their products in that particular place due to various reasons. Even if they do by means of franchising they will drastically reduce capital outlay, operations, marketing and all headaches.

As there is always a risk of failure, for most of the companies, expanding their business in a different place isn't worth the effort. But when franchising you are going to give it to someone else capable of carrying your brand. You don't have to spend a fortune to establish but can receive a percentage of sales from the franchisee every month. Yes, the parent company would only get a small percent of the profit from the sale made by the franchise but because of the reduced entry barrier entering new regions and expanding exponentially becomes easy.

Now the question arises how to franchise your business. Once you have decided on the franchising route then a clear plan of action is required. Analyze the unique selling point of your product(s) or/and service(s). What makes your business different and better than the competitors? Why would people buy into your concept and what are the key features of your business? If you can readily identify your USPs then you can move to the next step.

The next step is to make that you have full protection over your name, logos, designs and systems. Then learn all about the franchise industry and how it operates in your country and in your business category.

The most important step you need to take is the compiling of a franchise agreement. It is an important document that defines the level of quality and service you need to maintain. Franchising an established brand or company is a huge responsibility for the franchisee and a great risk for the franchisor. It is important to franchise your business only to people or companies that match the mind set and the image of the parent company to avoid risking the goodwill of the brand which has been painfully created over the years.

The franchise agreement draft is a basic design of the agreement and it contains general terms and conditions on franchising. It contains the basic terms and rules for the new franchisee. The franchisor just needs to fill out the information required for the business, such as the address or location of the business, the name of the brands, methods of advertisement, and the payment details, etc. However lot of these terms and conditions would change depending on the nature of one’s business and hence it is important to get expert advice. The draft only serves as a guideline.

Therefore, whenever you are ready to franchise your business, you will need to ensure you have a franchise agreement ready for potential franchisees to sign. By using the franchise agreement sample, you will save time and money for both the parties. Last but not the least, you should ensure that you are covering all the fundamental points pertaining to such an agreement.

Making an Effective Business Plan for Franchise

For most companies, franchising their company is a big decision and a major change in direction. The good franchise systems are ones that plan appropriately and put together the pieces before they get into this game. So, good franchise endeavors have great franchise business plans in place.

For a franchise expansion program, the business plan sets the stage. It literally acts as the foundation upon which the house will be built. Everything in the franchise program should have uniformity and continuity with what is defined and determined in the franchise business plans.

Franchising is about taking advantage of all the available market opportunities. It will be extremely critical to have an ongoing support program for the people who have committed their futures to this franchise organization after the franchisees have been established. Good business plans clearly identify the training programs, processes and materials that will be used to get franchisees up and running and then to keep them happy and successful once in the system. Hiring management and support staff comes with this. The franchise business plan should clearly identify who, when and what role they will fill in the franchise organization. The type of business will dictate how many people and at what times in the franchise expansion they should be brought on board.

The business plan should have details on the costs a franchise would bare and in turn the support the franchisor would provide. Details on the franchise fee, the royalty component, national and local advertisment requirements and other such aspects must be clearly specified. It is of utmost importance that both the franchisee and the franchisor have a clear notion of what is expected from them to avoid any confusion in the future.

Franchise tax is another issue that deserves due consideration. It is important to know the local slabs of sales tax, property tax, and withholdings tax etc. Further, how the franchise arrangement is structured and the existence of treaties between the countries involved may have considerable influence on the structure adopted.

Where the franchisor receives royalties, service or franchise fees, franchise tax has to be paid, whether the franchisor is an Indian or foreign company. In calculating the amount of tax payable by the franchisor or the franchisee company, the deduction available in tax laws can be important for tax planning purposes. However, the tax depends on the type of franchise, the product of the franchise and unit locations.

Finally, a complete set of pro-formas and financials should be established to define the return on investment for both the franchisee and the franchisor. In order to raise capital, this can be used as an investment tool, and most importantly as a road map for running and operating the business profitably with the growing system.

Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2012

Take Help of Business Consultancy for Business Development

Nowadays, it is difficult for everyone who has intentions of starting a business or expanding an existing business into new fields. The competition is severe, well organized and there has been a great increase in marketing styles and tacticswith the development of the market place and access to information and services due to the penetration of internet and telecom. In today's business world,someone without enough experience will not be able to get off to a successful start and that is why it is important to have the help of business development solutions.

Many businesses fail because the business owners do not have a sense of direction. Developing and stating your personal and business goals will serve as your roadmap and provide you with a sense of direction.There are many forms that business development solutions can come in and each company will have to review themselves individually in order to be able to find the best method.

Business development consists of two major components. The first one is goods and services production and the second one is their realization. Developing your business, you need to think of the harmony between these two components. One of the mistakes the beginners make is that they pay a lot of attention to product production and dismiss its realization. Such actions can lead to failure, faster than you can even realize that you have failed.

Moreover, in order to develop your business, you have to focus not only on your own skills and preferences but on the needs of your clients. It is also fair in case their needs go beyond earlier intended goods and services. You should be ready to change it in such way that it could correspond to current requirements of your customers to have your business developed in the most effective way.

A company can also rely on business consultancyfirm for developing its business. This can be very beneficial since a given consultancy firm will be in a strong and informed position to know a company's exact business growth strategy needs in any given situation.

Business consultants can be expensive, but for the most part they have experience developing businesses and create a plan just for you based on all the information they collect on your branch, company size, budgeting, location and competition. This head start is money well spent and a successful start is one of the most important things needed for a new business trying to get hold of a customer share in the local market. Business consultancy firm can also develop unique marketing strategies for you that will make you stand out amongst competition and this is not something everyone will be able to do without professional support and advice.

There are many business development solutions available and something can be found for every business starting up. In case you already have a business which you think can be franchised then you may want to look at franchise development solutions in addition to business development strategies. It just takes some time and money to invest in the proper help and you could well beable to get your business off to a good and successful start and grow it properly while expanding it.

Know, How to Franchise your Business

Franchising your business is a great way to continue in the success and growth of your particular business, beyond your personal capability to oversee and run that business. If you have people asking if your business is for sale or if you provide franchise opportunities, then it's definitely time to consider whether or not franchising is the right move for your business.

Many business owners dream of seeing their brand become a household name, with a network of franchisees around the globe. When the right concept is franchised effectively, it can be a great expansion strategy that doesn't require as much up-front capital as growing through company-owned units. If you're considering franchising a business, know that the process of becoming a franchisor is usually long and involves considerable cost. Just because you qualify to sell franchises doesn't mean you will find buyers.

Becoming a successful new franchisor entails making many thoughtful decisions early on that will affect your business for years to come. There's also a lot of legal paperwork to wade through to make sure your business complies with federal and state laws that regulate the franchise industry.

There are several steps to franchising a business. The first step to franchising a business opportunity is to start by analyzing your business model. Find out whether your business is profitable after allowing for your franchise fees and if it is profitable and has well defined objectives to exploit the opportunities in the market place.

Next step is to consider, whether the business model be easily taught. There is no point in having a profitable business opportunity if it cannot be duplicated by your franchisees. A training package must be devised that assumes that the franchisee has no prior business experience.

The third steps to franchising are to create a detailed and well laid out operation manuals. This should be divided into two parts: one section for the employees of the franchisee and another one section for the franchisee.

In the fourth step, you need to decide on the initial franchise fee and the ongoing royalty payments. In the initial stages of launching the business franchise, the franchise fee will have to be kept at a very low level to entice the first batch of franchisees.

You need to create an ongoing support system for your franchisees, in the fifth step to franchise a business. Some will require more support than others. A few will need more training. You will need to decide at this point who is going to actually carry out the training.

In step six, you need to plan your franchise agreement with the help of a reputable franchise lawyer. There is no point in cutting costs as this will end up being the foundation of your business opportunity.

In the seventh steps to franchising your business you need to create all the marketing material including brochures and video presentations to market your franchises. You will also need to decide where you are going to market your business opportunity.

Franchising has tremendous advantages for you business growth. But before franchising your business fix your concepts and the operations using which you want to franchise your business. Accordingly make your business plan and the franchise plan. So, start franchising your business in order to make fast growth of your business.

Create the Right Franchise Documentation and Franchise Agreement Before You Begin Franchising

Franchises are a way to get into business quickly, with a brand name, proven methods of operation and a support structure. Taking up a franchise is legally complicated. As a franchisee, you pay money for the right to use the franchisor's Trademarks, systems and methods. Many franchises are legitimate and successful. The legally required franchise documentation is intended to provide full disclosure to the prospective purchaser. In reality, the franchise documentationis voluminous, full of legalese, extremely one-sided in favor of the franchisor, and packed with restrictions and fees.

Every franchise opportunity has Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDD) if you are in the US or other franchise marketing kits in other countries which franchisors make to present their business opportunities. The contents of an FDD are outlined by law and are the similarly outlined for any franchise in the US and is unregulated in several other franchise markets of the world. Among other information in it, you will find information regarding the growth curve of their franchises for the last few years, and you will be able to see trends.There will also be financial information, as well as a listing of all franchises. You can gauge the extent of investment that will be require to start up the particular franchise business, and the month to month end running cost. You can also get and insight of the ROI factor. After carefully studying each and every aspect of the FDD/ KIT, you will be in a better position to contact these owners and take it to the next level. You must also find information about any current or recent litigation against the company.

Franchise operations manual is a document that has to be worked out at the very beginning of establishment of the business so that the management and the executives have a clear vision of what has to be achieved and how it will be achieved. This is indeed the bible for a franchise which clearly charts out the roles, tasks and set achievement milestones for both the employees and the company to call itself a franchise.

Deciding who writes the franchise operations manual is a relatively simple question to answer, yet many new franchise companies out of ignorance assign the job to wrong people. Asa new franchising business requires lots of legal requirements to be fulfilled, franchise operations manuals, putting into practice a properly developed training programs, etc., they should delegate those responsibility to experienced franchise consultantswho can produce the operations manual and complete other modalities.

Franchise operations manuals and training programs are developed, often from scratch, to impart business operating skills to the franchise owner as well as ensure uniformity of products and services. The franchise operations manual and training program curriculum must be drafted with a particular focus. Certain topics, chapters and policies found in manuals for a company-owned chain, for example, are entirely inappropriate in a franchise environment, creating significant liability (lawsuit) issues for the franchise division. The operations manual is part of the franchise agreement at most times and hence is not just a operational document but a legal document as well.

In conclusion, before you create a franchise agreement for your business, check it out carefully and make sure you understand what the franchise documentation say and link it properly to the manuals and other communication. The advice of a business attorney knowledgeable about franchising can help you understand the legalese and create the right framework for your business.

Business Consultants Help you Make Right Decision When Franchising in India

Franchise is a way for someone to make a living without the risk of starting their own business. is gaining popularity amongpotential entrepreneurs. From Business owners who are seeking to diversifications to professionals who want to quit their jobs and take up a franchise business, to students who want to get started with an entrepreneurial venture, all of them are eyeing at several options and franchising seems to be the preferred choice to start a business.

As far as franchise business opportunities in India are concerned there are lots of scopes available. However, success is not easily achievable, for that, you need to first choose the right franchise business and only then will you start making good money. Lots of time and research needs to be done, when one seeks for the right kind of franchise business. With proper research and guidance and fair bit of luck, you can start getting excited about the possibilities and find the right franchise business.

An excellent first step is to request a copy of the company's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) if you are in the US or for the franchise kit if you are in India or Europe. As a general rule, for the area proposed for the purchased franchise, these documents relate information regarding the earnings of various franchises across the geographical boundaries of the franchise organization and can help in projecting an estimate of ROI.

When franchising in India, it is important to understand that higher initial investment does not necessarily translate into higher returns. In the purposed area of business, a great deal comes down to the ability of the owner to effectively manage the franchise and the market ability of the franchise.

Most experts will tell you that you need to choose the one that you believe in for franchising in India to be successful. The one that closely matches your interests and your skill areas is the franchise that you should be looking at. That means before you are looking to buy a new franchise, you need to analyze your strengths and your weaknesses. Investigate the pros and cons of the particular franchise model that you want to choose for. See if you like the way of doing business or not and see if the line of business suits your personality traits. Choose a franchise that will put these skills into use, if you are a people’s person and love marketing and sales. Find something that will help you enhance that skill,if you are good at computers. Get your hands into a food franchise, if you are passionate about food and can put in long hours in culinary activities. If you love kids get a preschool franchise.

If you are confused and you are not able to make a right decision, then you can take help of business consultants, who can help you find the right franchise opportunity. Good business consultant has experience working in and with a broad range of businesses. A business consultant can help you assess the business, using objective tools to analyze the businesses potential.

Finding a franchise business to own in India is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Choosing the right franchise can make your business ownership dreams come true while choosing a wrong one can cause you endless headaches and financial distress. Business consultants are there to make your job easier and to offer solid guidance and advice where you need it.

Samstag, 17. März 2012

Franchise Training – Why It is Necessary

One of the major reasons people purchase a franchise is to acquire a business with a proven system. This proven franchise system should include an effective and comprehensive training program. Learn about the components of a successful franchise training program and find out why it’s so important for both the franchisee and franchisors. The main reason that franchisors provide training programs to franchisees as part of the deal is to ensure that all franchises are operated in an identical fashion according to the already proven system that the franchisor has created. The initial training also allows the franchisee to learn the operations of the business quickly and easily. Franchisors usually provide additional training throughout the franchisee's tenure as well.

You should expect to join a system that will provide you with everything that you need to know as you seek out a new franchise company. You want to be a part of a franchise system that respectfully treats you as if you know nothing about the new business. From the ground up, they will teach you all aspects of the business. Conversely, you should be humble and open to all of the teachings from the franchisor.

Initial and ongoing training in all aspects of the business operation is clearly a benefit of becoming a franchisee - as opposed to starting an independent business. Most franchisors are very good at training the technical and operational aspects of the business because it is what they know - running a restaurant, cleaning cars, whatever. But many of their franchisees may not have run businesses before, so they need training in more than just how to operate the restaurant or clean cars.

Initial technical training, either in the classroom or on-location at a company-owned outlet, or with another franchisee, generally follows the structure of the Operations Manual and gives a good grounding in the knowledge and skills required. How long this takes varies from days to months depending on the complexity of the business involved, but it is only a start. Refresher sessions should be available, as should programmes to introduce new products or methods. Where these sessions are held, and who pays for what, will again vary from franchise to franchise.

Item 11 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (“FDD”) requires a franchisor to disclose its contractual support obligations to its franchisees. This section outlines pre-opening assistance as well as ongoing assistance. It details the franchisor's training programs and any required franchise systems, such as computers and software. There is a great deal of information in this section of the FDD, but franchisees need to know clearly what training they will receive. Franchisees need to be given the proper pre-opening training so they can start successfully and the right post-opening training so this can continue into a smooth operation.

Franchisors need to construct and present quality training to their franchisees. Quite often, quantity takes the place of quality when it comes to franchisee training Since franchisees can only retain a certain amount of information from a training session, franchisor training should focus on the most important and critical components of franchise operations.

How Good Training Benefits the Franchisee:

• They understand the important components needed to operate the business

• Ensures a smoother and more successful franchise start-up

• Knows the skills his/her employees should have

• Can overcome problems and challenges that may arise

• Provides strong sales building and marketing skills

• Teaches ‘What works and what doesn’t”

• Efficient operation preserves franchisee working capital

• Increased franchisee profitability

There are several reasons as to why a franchisor needs to provide you with franchise training. First, as part of your franchise fees you paid for the training and will continue to pay for it as you pay your ongoing royalties. However, beyond that the franchisor wants you to be successful, because if you will be successful they will also be successful. A franchisor earns its revenue by collecting royalties from its franchisees. Thus, they want you to get through the franchise training as quickly as possible so that you can to start earning revenue and they can start collecting royalties.

How Good Training Benefits the Franchisor:

• Franchisees start-up their franchise correctly

• Minimizes franchisee mistakes and the need for franchisor staff to intervene

• More productive use of franchisor staff

• Higher probability of more successful franchisees

• Improve franchisee satisfaction and promote positive relations

• Improved franchisee validation

• A better franchise network

• Increased profitability

The Components of a Successful Franchise Training program:

• Teaches the critical elements and components of how to operate the franchise

• Includes ample time for Q&A and discussion

• The franchise operations manual and the training curriculum complement each other.

• Franchisor trainers are experienced, knowledgeable and credible.

• Includes simulated and/or on-site location training to impart ‘real world’ experience

• The training is long enough to provide sufficient time to learn the necessary business methods and requirements, while avoiding information overload

• Measures trainee comprehension to insure that franchisees understand and learn what is being taught. This could consist of follow up discussions at end of each training session.

• Utilizes role playing when appropriate

Franchisee training must be carefully designed, constructed and presented in order to maximize the learning experience of new franchisees. Training results should be measured so that enhancements can be made when needed. Franchisors should utilize an individual with proven training skills to administer the training program. Using an existing staff member who doesn’t possess the required training tools may prove costly in the long term.

Hence, you should expect to take part in the franchisor's initial or new franchisee training as soon as you join a franchise system. The training may be done telephonically, with a personal trainer, or at the franchisor's headquarters, depending on the system. Also depending on the complexity of the business system, the length of the training may vary from one day to one month. In order to determine how long the training is, where it will be held, how often it takes place, and whether you are responsible for the cost of travel, accommodations, and any materials, read the franchisor's franchise disclosure document (FDD) carefully.

You should expect to receive ongoing franchise training beyond the initial training. To reach out to their franchisees across the country, franchisors frequently use group conference calls and webinars. Most franchisors have an intranet system to connect with their franchisees with the power of the internet. The intranet provides the franchisees with access to the corporate office where they can send emails, read a franchise wiki or FAQ, access a document library where you should have access to an operations manual.

As many of the best ideas that are part of a franchise system come from the franchisees, seek a franchisor that understands that the training is not just a one way street. So, the best franchise training systems are mutual and not only have you in mind, but the good and betterment of the entire franchise system.

Franchise Advertisements for Best Marketing Advantage

Good franchise advertisements have never been more important nor had such a huge impact on the success of franchising. As franchising expands in an increasingly competitive marketplace – up again by 5 per cent last year, according to the 2011 franchise survey – all franchises must make sure that their brands stand out from the crowd. The most effective way to achieve this is through franchise advertisements, applied consistently to promote a business in every aspect of development.

So, what exactly is “franchise advertisements”? An advertisement is an umbrella term that covers everything involved in the process of taking a concept to market.

It embraces design and packaging, social media, paid advertising, public relations, websites, direct mail, newsletters, e-marketing, exhibitions and conferences, demonstrations, networking events and special promotions. With so many options, most people need some guidance and, given the importance of franchise marketing, you need to look carefully at a franchisor’s prospectus to see what they’re offering. If marketing is not mentioned in the brochure, remember to ask at the first meeting if it is included in the training. But, to go back to the beginning: while you are still a prospective franchisee, considering your options and trying to decide which franchise to choose, look carefully at each one’s marketing strategies.

Managing and owning a franchise business can be extremely rewarding. You get a chance to have a powerful effect on the success of a company and individuals who work with or for you and to make all the decisions. Franchise advertisements are a lot of responsibility. To support yourself, you will need to ensure that you keep the franchise business alive and growing and those who are working for you. Most franchisors have comprehensive marketing plans in place for the overall franchise. The national plan typically includes advertising campaigns, commercials via television and radio, Internet advertising, public relations, and direct mail efforts. Therefore brand recognition is widely established. Franchisors that do not manage marketing on a national level usually provide an outline for the franchisees to follow in preparing their marketing plan on a local level.

There are various options available in which franchisees can tailor the marketing efforts to the immediate area.

First of all, it is important that franchisees know the types of customers and their specific needs in their particular locations. Demographics and culture should always be taken into careful consideration.

Then franchisees should focus on promoting their products and services through advertising campaigns, public relations, and the Internet. Franchisees may also be linked into the franchise’s main web site depending on how the organization is structured.
In addition, it is critical to maintain a steady consistent customer base. Loyalty and reward programs tend to work well. Special promotions and coupons are also popular methods of keeping returning customers.

Further, franchisees should be active in local community activities and participate in charitable organizations if possible. They may wish to consider sponsoring activities such as local sporting events as part of this effort.

Marketing materials such as brochures and flyers can also be helpful in getting the word out about a particular franchise in the area. They may also provide information about specials that would attract new customers.

Franchises have a greater chance of success than independently opened businesses; however you still have to put effort into them. Therefore, you the franchise owner will need to find a way to make it happen, if your franchise is in need of more business. Grassroots marketing or advertisements are great ways to promote your business.

What is the best marketing and advertising mode for promoting a franchise company? Does it make sense to use social networks, franchise trade journals, industry trade publications, published franchise directories, entrepreneurial type magazines, radio, TV, or buying keywords on search engines? Yes, will be the answer. Often large franchise companies look at the data; the types of franchise advertisements they are running and what works and what does not and all those methods have been tried. Every now or then, if you'd like not have to learn the hard way, you can save a lot of money or waste advertising dollars on things which do not pull for you. Successful franchise sales are the best possible advertising for any franchise opportunity.

What does the marketing plan cover? Is it focused on selling techniques? Does it include social media, advertising, internet promotion, and PR? Does it include web promotion and links? Does it include marketing materials and templates that franchisees can adapt to use locally?

Does the franchisor employ a dedicated marketing specialist in-house, or retain a freelance PR and/or marketing professional, available to help franchisees as well? How familiar is the franchisor with Facebook, Twitter and all the other social media? How much help does the franchisor provide to franchisees? And, what elements of franchise marketing are provided free by the franchisor and which are charged to franchisees?

Success cannot be kept hidden. All successful franchisees are best franchise advertisements for the franchisor company. They would not need to spend so much money advertising, if more franchisors would spend more time making their franchisees successful and helping them; mentoring, nurturing, and assisting them. When things are working well everyone sees it and that is the interesting thing about franchising.

Even your competition will immediately try to imitate your franchise sales model and copy you. If at all a franchisor successful, that is another good way to tell. The best franchise buyers by the way are not the ones that you go out and recruit rather those that find you. They are already sold; they already know what they want to do. All you have to do is to take the order by looking at their application. Often advertising a franchise opportunity will also help your brand name, franchise sales, and it is more impressions and views in the eyes of the consumers and clients of all your franchisees, as well is a way to remind people that your opportunity exists. However, after people see successful franchisees in your system, you should never forget that your very best marketing advantage comes from word-of-mouth advertising.

Finally, referrals are always an important part of a marketing package. Referrals can be exchanged with other business owners or via existing clients. An incentive program with existing clients who refer new clients is a popular method of obtaining referrals.

Importance of Franchise Agreement in Present Market

A franchise agreement is just like any contract that you have ever entered into. It defines the rights and obligations of the parties involved. A franchise agreement in particular defines the relationship between the franchisor (the one awarding the franchise) and the franchisee (the one buying the franchise).There are legal, practical and operational issues that need to be negotiated in a franchise deal. The franchise agreement sums up the terms of the negotiations between the franchisor and the franchisee. The signatures at the bottom of the agreement signify that the agreement has been accepted and understood by all involved parties. A franchise agreement is the chief document demarcating any franchisor/franchisee affiliation and is lawfully obligatory for both parties. This document clearly states the compulsions, prospects and legal privileges of both parties and is the groundwork of every association within the franchise organization. These franchise agreements are formulated to ensure that the expectations and roles of each party are evidently described.

At present day franchising, there are regular conditions where a franchisee which is a corporation will desire to sell their privileges under the contract to a new party. A franchisor has to pay interest to assure that there is no unlawful or unintended transfer of confidential proprietary information such as marketing methods, operations manuals or secret recipes. Franchising through franchise consultants is the easiest method of entering into this line of business. Although it is not without its intermittent drawbacks, many business owners see franchising as an exhilarating and natural next step towards rising their business. Taking assistance from franchise consultants will definitely help.

Most established companies who are open for franchise have a standard franchise agreement that leaves little room for negotiation and special terms. This is actually good for a franchisee. This ensures fairness because negotiation skills do not have much impact on the final contract. Thus, if you buy a franchise of an established business, you are sure that you are getting exactly what the other franchisees like you got in their own franchise agreements. The franchise agreement will enclose detailed information concerning the responsibilities of both parties on how the business should be functioned. It also has information on how employees should be guided, how much the franchisor will be remunerated in royalties and fees, how long the agreement lasts, what region a franchisee can function in, what kind of initial training, continuing support and advertising they can look forward to as they open up and persist to run their operation. It will also delineate up-front payments, what will come about if the franchisee desires to transfer possession or sell the franchise, how disagreements will be resolved, and how and when the franchise agreement can be concluded.

A franchise agreement is very important. Herein is stated in black and white what your monetary obligations to the franchisor are and what you can expect from the franchisor in return. It should state in no uncertain terms the scope of territory to which your franchise gives you exclusive rights to.

A franchise agreement enumerates all the business operating practices that are allowed, encouraged and absolutely prohibited. The franchise agreement makes sure that you conform to the methods that were already proven to be effective so that you can be assured of your own success.

A franchise agreement protects your interests. If your franchise agreement says that inventory can be purchased through the franchisor at a 20% discount, then you can be sure that you will get this discount. If the franchise agreement prohibits franchisees to purchase ingredients from any other source except the franchisor, then you can be sure that the quality of your products will be at par with what the customers of the company expect from that particular company.

The franchise agreement is not there to confuse you but to guarantee that you will be getting your money’s worth. Treat it with respect by reading it thoroughly and asking questions if necessary. Only after you are satisfied with its stipulations should you sign it. And then, be sure to stick with it.

Rules and obligations should be adhered to in order to become a franchisee.

The objectives of a franchise agreement are to achieve the following:

To contractually bind the franchisor and franchisee by both parties agreeing to the relevant terms and conditions set out in the contract.

To provide protection to the franchisor and franchisee that can be relied on under relevant circumstances.

There is no legislation that governs the rules for franchising; therefore the franchisor has the power to set out terms of the agreement that must be strictly adhered to by the franchisor and franchisee. If any disputes were to arise, both parties would to turn to look at the agreement and determine which party has done wrong and how to correct it. It is therefore important that before committing to any terms and conditions the franchisee must either take time to thoroughly read through the agreement or seek advice from a legal professional or ensure that the agreement sets out clearly:

* Specific details of both parties.

* The duties of both parties.

* The grounds on which one party can terminate the agreement.

* The obligations of each party and when they should be met and in any case if they are not met how they should be enforced.

* The consequences of breaching any term or condition in the agreement.

It is essential for franchisors to make available a copy of this agreement to all prospective franchisees no less than five business days previous to they sign a franchise contract, so that it can be evaluated by an legal representative to make sure that there are no predicaments with the content or wording. It will include many of the similar issues covered in the Franchise Disclosure Document, but in added descriptions, exclusively tailored to each company.

Each franchise agreement will be diverse, as every franchise business functions in its own way with its exclusive techniques, training and operations. Because of this, it is imperative to have a guided franchise attorney go over the agreement to make sure that there is no irregularity or uncertain content that may evaluate too profoundly in support of one side over the other.

A franchise agreement can cause problems between the franchisee and franchisor if it is drafted badly therefore it is important to use the services of a legal professional for advice.

Freitag, 2. März 2012

Franchise Consultants India - Best Source of Franchise Help

Franchise consultants India specialize in growing and advancing small and medium sized businesses and can formulate professional and sound business strategies and goals from an Indian perspective. They have expert knowledge on franchise practices, principles and philosophies running across India. Franchise consultants India are highly familiar with management information systems, training manuals, operations manuals, sales systems, audit programs and all other aspects of a franchise business model. For these reasons, it is necessary to have a franchise consultant with you when you plan to expand your business through the franchise model.

The franchising industry has grown manifold during the last decade and so as the demand for franchise consultants India. Many established organizations are planning to enter into franchising growth strategies. Franchising business model is showing significant growth in many sectors such as the information technology, water purification, health care, education and steel fabrication industries, although it has been prevalent amongst the food service and retail businesses for a long time now in India. Bringing an experienced franchise consultant on board can help a franchisor tremendously during all stages of setting up their franchise business model.

If you are an entrepreneur seeking new business opportunities, trying to decide what might be the ideal franchise opportunity for you because of the overwhelming array of choices and industries can be a daunting task. Franchise Consultants India can assist you in making the right decision and pick a business that suits your personality and business acumen. A franchise consultant can offer a fresh perspective and can deduce all available options before a business. They can help you determine whether your investment is lucrative enough and expansion plans of you as a franchisee is heading in the right directions or not!

Franchise consultants India can help you formulate India specific growth strategies and can help you tap the perfect opportunities for your company that will ultimately expand your business. Your franchising goals will be what the consultant will strive to reach. A franchise consultant will work tirelessly to help you achieve your franchising goals.

The franchise consultants India has your best interests at heart and they will work hard for your business's success. Hiring a franchise consultant can give you a fair and honest assessment on what type franchise will be profitable. The consultant will be an independent business advisor. Hiring an expert franchise consultant India can give your business the cutting edge.

International companies can benefit from franchise consultants india, as they can be their one source of all information and guidance, and can get tremendous help on establishing their franchise brands in India. With so many taxes, legal compliances, different regulations, underlying economic factors across various regions, cities, towns and villages of India, it becomes extremely important to have an experienced india franchise consultant guiding you through the entire process.

Corporate companies, groups or business houses seeking international franchise opportunities can hire the services of franchise consultant India, to help them acquire the right franchise businesses for their groups and represent them to the international franchiser and help them sign the India master franchise agreement. NRI’s seeking to get back to India, can get tremendous help from franchise consultants India. They can get complete guidance on the best opportunities available for the country and at the same time, can analyze, research and get a fair estimation of any new business which they feel is appropriate.

Different Methods to Promote Your Franchise

You shouldn’t just be looking for anyone to be a part of your franchise while you are looking at potential franchisees. You should search for such people who can facilitate the growth of your brand, adhere to the quality of your products or services and willing to match the standards of service your consumers will be expecting from your organization.

Franchise recruitment and franchise marketing are two methods through which you as a franchisor can find new franchisees. There are few key differences in the way each method is approached.

In the long run, franchise recruitment will always be the more effective method. You limit your liabilities and create a good working relationship with your franchisees when you follow a well thought out franchise recruitment process. It is extremely important to develop good, strong relationships with your franchisees as they are the new faces behind your brand and will be your franchise ambassadors in the future.

You are adopting the same principles a business would while trying to recruit a new employee when you adopt the franchise employment approach. You are looking to select the right candidate for your franchise, someone who can show that they match the business’s objectives, operations and ethics as of yours.

The most crucial thing that a franchisor must have is an effective and solid marketing and advertising planto achieve success in getting a franchisee.<a href"=Franchise marketing raises brand awareness and enables the brand to provide a consistent image that consumers can identify with on a national basis and increases brand awareness. This in turn increases profits at franchisee level as it drives footfall to stores.

You will need to consider the marketing plan that the franchisor provideswhen you decided to purchase a franchise. In a marketing plan for franchiseyou intend to carry out to interest potential customers and clients in your product and/or service. Further you persuade them to buy the product and/or services you offer. Once you have a contract with the franchisor, he will provide you this service. A big reason why franchisors have a higher potential for success is the marketing plan they provide.

In order to run your franchise successfully,marketing for your franchise is an important facet. As the franchisor will have a fee that you will pay for marketing, make sure that heprovides a great marketing plan for franchisethat will help generate business for your franchise.The expenses like TV commercials, print advertisements, and direct mailings to both potential and existing customers should be covered by the marketing plan. Further a good marketing plan also covers fees that you may pay for advertising agencies for in-house marketing.

You will need to have advertisement in as many different forms as possible since you want to make sure that you are reaching any potential customers. For instance, in a news paperadvertisement only the people who read that certain section of the paper will see your advertisement. Your main aim should be to reach more and more people to increase awareness about your products or services. This way you can increase the volume of sales. If your franchisor does not have a complete and effective franchise marketing plan, you will be limiting your franchises success.

Whether the franchisor will listen to marketing suggestions from franchisees about future marketing is another aspect to consider. Since this is a way to stay fresh with their marketing and gain many new ideas that can lead to successful for the whole franchise family, a good franchisor will certainly do this. In order to keep up with them you do have to change a little as timeis always changing. What worked few years ago is most likely not what is going to work now.

Always a goodfranchise marketing plan supposed to do to keep the entire franchise family successful.That’s why make sure that you find a franchisor that provides you a great marketing plan.

Choose India Franchise Consultants for Best Business Opportunities

Similar to any other consultant, India franchise consultants charge fees to their clients in lieu of their franchise consultancy service. A franchisor normally hires a consultant, draft a contract and scope of service, and pay consulting fees, if it needs a particular service, whether it was the formation of their franchise agreement, business planning, marketing and sales advice or any other type of third party consulting services.

The definition has been changed as various franchise sales networks borrowed the term "franchise consulting" or "franchise consultant" to describe "franchise brokerage", in the last few years. India franchise consultants offer nominal fees in comparison to most of the international franchise consulting firms operating in and around Indian sub-continent. Franchise brokerage is no different from mortgage brokerage or leasing brokerage.

Good India franchise consultants are successful in providing franchising solutions to different types of business organizations. The franchisor should be clear about its franchising goals before hiring any franchise consultant. The franchising goals should include capital requirements, demographics of target market, growth potential of the business in new market place or customer base, etc. Depending upon the goals, the franchise consulting firms can develop a franchising program for its clients.

There are lots of activities that are performed to make any franchise model of business a success. The marketing efforts of any franchise model includes a mix of trade shows, internet based awareness campaigns, establishing franchisor and franchisee relationships, print media advertising, PR work and other alternatives. Marketing requires a plan that can be nimble and adjust when needed as it is never precise. Most of the India franchise consultants have experience working in developing and identifying good market opportunities for any kind of organization that is planning to enter into a franchise model of business opportunity.

Franchising in India Is The Easiest Way To Expand Your Business.

I am going to begin my article with a paradox. ‘While India is the easiest country to begin franchising in, it is possibly the most complicated country in the world to franchise.’

Let me begin with the easy part.

You don’t need to be a franchisor with billions of dollars/rupees to franchise in India. Franchising in India can begin with virtually no compulsions on franchise regulations or franchise registration unlike other countries where you have to go through the UFOC (US-States with Registrations) or be compulsorily enrolled / accredited with the government/similar agencies etc. You just start a simple company, start your business, pilot it, and franchise it. As simple as that. It cannot get easier. You don’t even have to be a member of the franchising association of India, to be a franchiser nor do you need to have a specific template adherence to a franchise agreement. A simple bank account along with a PAN number, (Number allocated by the Income Tax Authorities of India.) can get you started. You don’t need to have an operations manual, training manual or any such documentation as a compulsion to franchise in India. There is no restriction on marketing your franchise and there are no time frames, which you need to wait, before signing a franchise, post sending your franchise model. Hence it’s all as easy as you like your franchise, your franchisee likes you, sign off, get started.

Let’s look at the complicated part.

There is no single franchising in India framework within which you can operate. Your business could be subject to a wide ranging set of laws, regulations, and compliances which you might have to adhere to whilst doing the business itself. You will have to deal with different cultures, different regions, different tastes, different languages, habits, preferences and so on. The diversity is just too much, to fit into one business model. They say we have a country of cultures and differentiation in every state. You need to be very careful of the religious sentiments on the one side, (Beef is not used in Gujarat, by almost every multinational food franchise-Being one classic example) and there is political compulsions on the other. (A large Indian Multinational Tata’s had to move their entire automotive manufacturing facility to a different state). There is Black Money or Parallel economy which is a norm of the day. Any product or service you produce, can reach the customer through this parallel market, without payment of taxes, (You could be paying a multitude of taxes, before your product/service reaches the final consumer) and hence your authorized franchise partner’s cost of product could be much higher than the grey market. (Sony TV’s are available in lower costs across Grey Markets in India than in their Own Showrooms). Your franchisee could get away with almost anything as legal rulings take a very long time and at times is very frustrating to even think of going through the process. The legal system is very slow, and can often be further delayed, if you really want to prolong the case.

What’s the Solution? Why is franchising in India, growing at such a rapid pace?

Franchising in India is exploding. The reason is simple; companies have understood its importance as a strategy and means of doing business despite the hurdles it faces. India has been franchising for as long as 2 decades now and there are strong learning’s from most sectors which make it very interesting for every business to learn from them and to adapt themselves to success. There is a huge base of skilled and unskilled labor available, the framework is conducive for new companies to experiment and succeed and above all, the industry itself is coming together, as the franchising association of India and others liaise with the government to improve implementation of rules on the one end and consultants like Sparkleminds are guiding companies and businesses to adhere to the right ways of franchising their businesses. I come across several companies every day, who are constantly seeking answers to their franchising problems, and each one of them are in different stages of evolution and have different perception of their challenges.They are not interested in doing the same mistakes, like the others did and would rather learn from us, and get that in place right away.

Also, there is the emergence of the franchise media. There are so many franchise exhibitions being held with more than half a dozen companies doing these shows. Last week we participated in the Times Franchise Expo in Pune and reached out to over 2000 entrepreneurs seeking new businesses, while we were representing an international franchise brand at that show and were prospecting for suitable franchisees for their cleaning business. Entrepreneurs are exposed to 1000’s of new businesses every year through these franchise events, while there are more than a dozen franchise portals educating the masses of the franchise opportunities that are available. A glance at a franchise portal like franchisebazar.com will give you instant inputs on how many companies are franchising in how many industries. The list is exhaustive and baffling.

So as a business owner, it’s never been as easy as now to get started with franchising in India or for that matter to learn how to franchise your business quickly and effectively. As an international franchise brand, you could very intelligently align your franchise business model and get entry into this exciting marketplace, with a long term plan and a very effective franchise execution strategy in place.

Franchise Solutions India – Your One Stop Shop for Franchising In India.

Franchise Solutions, as a means of growing their presence and market share assist businesses that are ready to explore franchising. To find the ideal business opportunity, they also assist potential franchisees. Many successful businesses choose to grow their business in the normal way by taking more number of core staff members and obtaining office premises in new target marketing territories. The problem with this way of growth is that the company takes all the risks and an enormous amount of capital is to be invested for acquiring assets.

Many successful business owners as well as fresh business-oriented individuals are attracted to franchise business model through franchise solutions India. This is mainly because of the fact that the products or the company you will have to represent here already proves to be successful. An aspiring business professional in a particular niche of your choice, planning to buy a franchise business is really an exciting thing that will attract you with more brilliance.

If you only know how to reduce related costs in an effective manner, your plan to purchase a franchise is one great leap that will change your life for greater prosperity. Franchising involves process and legal documents that every franchisee should have to deal with. To help make the franchise purchase successful or even faster, it requires hiring an franchise consultant. Franchise solutions India makes all of this an easy process.

Other associated obligations should be accomplished by the franchise before he could acquire full ownership of the business and start running it for more profits. On the franchiser's terms and conditions, the whole process of buying a franchise business from franchise solutions India involves, some exclusive business policies and regulations that both parties must adhere to and the existing government rules and regulations that needs to be followed.

Hiring a franchise consultant ensures better results for your franchising quests. In getting hold of a successful business through the years, it even gives you a truly wonderful experience. Here are the various reasons why for all your franchising moves, franchise solutions India is essential.

1. The franchiser bears all franchising consultation expenses; hence the franchisee does not have to pay any consultation fees.

2. From Indian context, it is advisable to hire franchise solutions providers in India as they know the ins and outs of setting up a franchise model of business over here.

3. For all concerned parties, the process involves full confidentiality and privacy.

4. To decide about the franchise business process, franchise solutions providers help the franchisor and franchisee.

5. The franchise consultants can advise the franchisor on how to invest their resources judiciously for setting up their franchise business model.

6. A potential franchisee gets benefitted from the through research done by various franchise solutions providers.

A franchise consultant plays a major role in making a franchise business model successful. For more successful pathways coming your way with a professional franchise consultant, all you need is an open mind and a flexible drive.

While most business owners, inevitably come to a standstill or at a point where they need proper franchise solutions. This is when they reach franchise solutions India, where they are offered advise and guidance on how to franchise their business. Every business is unique and hence has to be dealt differently. You can look at your competitors and ape their models. It will not work for you as your strengths and weaknesses are very different from that of your competitors. Franchise Solutions India, will study all aspects of your business, do a SWOT analysis, and help you create the right franchise model for your business.

Choose Ideal Franchise Consultants for Booming Franchise

It is a daunting task for a franchisee to decide what might be the ideal franchise opportunity for him because of the available array of choices and industries. Same goes for a franchisor, it is very difficult for a franchisor to look out for a perspective franchisee. Franchise consultants can help them both narrow their focus and assist them in making the right decision. A franchise consultant will go through all options available and offer you the best. They can decide whether your investment into a particular business would be a lucrative or not. The franchisor consultant not only brings them together but also plays a significant role in streamlining the ‘matchmaking’ process for the franchisors and franchisees.

The franchise consultants are employed by both, the franchisors and the franchisees. Hiring a renowned franchise consultant can give your business the edge it needs for success. The amount of fee paid to the franchise consultant varies. Usually these franchise consultants are paid by the franchisor when the deal has been finalised. They also help the franchisees in finding financers, accountants, lawyers, and franchise real estate experts.The franchisee can save money and precious time in searching for a perfect franchise business by hiring a franchise consultant. It may not be possible for the franchisee to investigate the whole market thoroughly as the sheer volume can be overwhelming. However, a franchise consultant may know many players personally or by reputation.

Developing and defining a solid franchise-marketing program is one of the key elements for any franchise consultant, who develops a franchise program. Just like finishing a shot by lining up a putt, taking aim and developing a solid marketing program is critical to having a successful franchise launch. Franchise consultant work for franchise sales and franchise marketing, and also develop a good franchise-marketing plan on behalf of their clients.Franchise consultants need to have lived and breathed franchise sales themselves in developing a true marketing program. The process of marketing and selling a franchise is unique.

The role of a franchise consultant is quite dependable for both the franchisors and the franchisees. It is advisable to do proper research and surveys and do some amount of enquiry to know the worth of a franchise consultant. Merely searching on the internet for a franchise consultant may lead to a few inexperienced people of the field. So here we discuss some steps to find out the right franchise consultant:

• Check the amount of experience the franchise consultant has in the field

• The number of franchise concepts does s/he currently represents

• If the franchise consultant has any expertise in a certain area or franchise industry.

• If he assures you in extending you help in bringing up your business

• The additional relationships/referrals he can provide

• Make sure he works with a renowned company

The franchise consultants program should then define a media-buying schedule. A good franchise consultant should have involved with the franchise marketplace for some length of time and should have a good understanding of the overall business scenario of the area where franchising business will be taken up. While weighing the effectiveness and closing rate of those leads, it is important for franchise consultant to manage the cost of the lead generation.

A logical program should plan a diverse lead generation plan. This should include Internet lead generation, print marketing, mix of trade shows, broker relationships, PR work and other alternatives. One thing is for sure that a franchise marketing plan should be nimble and flexible and can never be specific from the onset. An apt franchise consultant should identify good market opportunities for a new franchise offering and should have first-hand knowledge in the particular line of business as of his client.

It should be monitored carefully and benchmarked against industry standards to confirm that the cost estimations are correct, after a marketing plan is developed. The process will require reworking and continuous adjustments for proper implementation. Franchise consultants have to overview and analyze the prospective franchise candidate and they have to be very careful to understand the needs, the financial capital available, if the business offered is viable and if the candidate can make a success out of it. They have to be realistic and make quick judgments if needed at any point.

A renowned franchise consultant helps his clients (franchisees) in accessing the odds of success and failures of the franchise offered, understanding the franchise agreement contract, realistically examining the personal strengths and weaknesses, uncovering the free and fee-based training programs for potential franchisees. They also help the franchisors by assisting them in screening franchisee candidates and investors, evaluating companies' franchising ability, building brand recognition and loyalty and so on.

In short, to franchise a successful business or to start a franchising business, one requires a franchise consultant. As it is a colossal decision that requires a lot of work, therefore, it is worth seeking an expert advice to get into a franchise business.

Mittwoch, 25. Januar 2012

Is Your Franchise Recruitment Strategy Giving You The Right Franchisees.

One of the most critical elements of any franchise business is its franchisee. Organizations spend millions of dollars in acquiring the right franchisee throughout their business cycle. It is a long term activity and involves careful engagement.

You shouldn’t just be looking for someone to buy your franchise when you are looking at potential franchisees. You should be in search of people who will facilitate to develop and grow your brand, retain the quality of your products or services and live equal to the standards of service you and your consumers expect from your brand. You will have to have your franchisee profiling done much in advance, to be very clear as to who your franchisee would be and what you expect them to do.

Franchise recruitment and franchise marketing are two exercises by which as a franchisor you engage prospective franchisees. Basically they both end in the same thing – a new franchisee for the business. Though, there are key differences in how you use each of these methods to further your franchise business.

In the long run, having a properfranchise recruitmentstrategy will always be the more effective method than to just randomly market the franchise and recruit franchisees. You limit your liabilities and create a good working relationship with your franchisee when you follow a well thought out franchise recruitment process. It is extremely important to develop good, strong relationships with your franchisees as they are the faces driving your brand locally.

You are adopting the same principles a business would while trying to recruit a new employee when you adopt the franchise employment approach. You are looking to select the right candidate for your franchise, someone who can show that they match the business’s objectives, operations and ethics.

The most crucial thing that a franchisor must have is an effective and solid marketing and advertising planto achieve success in getting a franchisee. This plan is generally a combination of 2 factors, 1 being marketing for the product or service and the other being marketing for the franchise itself. Intelligent organizations use both of these effectively to rub off on each other.Franchise marketing raises brand awareness and enables the brand to provide a consistent image that consumers and potential franchisees can identify with on a national basis and increases brand awareness. This in turn increases profits at franchisee level as it drives footfall to the existing outlet and keeps the funnel full for the franchise recruitment team.

If you look at an entrepreneur’s perspective, they find it is very critical to runthe franchise successfully,with adequate marketing support from the franchisor.As the franchisor will have a fee that the entrepreneur pays for marketing, they will always make sure that the franchisorprovides a great marketing plan for franchisethat will help generate business for the franchise.The expenses like TV commercials, print advertisements, and direct mailings to both potential and existing customers should be covered by the marketing plan. Further a good marketing plan also covers fees that you may pay for advertising agencies for in-house marketing.

Whether the franchisor will listen to marketing suggestions from franchisees about future marketing is another aspect to consider. Since this is a way to stay fresh with their marketing and gain many new ideas that can lead to success for the whole franchise family, a good franchisor should certainly do this. What worked afew years ago is most likely not going to work now.In the present digital age and social media engagement, we can say, what worked a couple of months ago, might be passé, with technology and mediums of communications changing so rapidly.

Several franchise organizations also outsource the entire franchise recruitment process to franchise marketing consultancies. These companies have experts and are completely focused only on the franchise acquisition process for several clients. They club several marketing initiatives and ensure that they are able to reach out to the right franchisee candidates depending upon the brief they have received from the franchisor. They combine result oriented franchise marketing activities and use their networking abilities and other skills for franchise recruitment. It is not a bad idea to hire franchise marketing consultants if your organization is not very large and you do not want to build overheads in appointing a complete team and managing huge costs, which at most times do not guarantee results.

Whatever mechanism you choose, you must be extremely careful of what franchise marketing tools you use and how you go about your organizations franchise recruitment process. In the long run the health of your business will entirely depend upon the quality of your franchisee, who in turn will come in,with the right franchise sourcing, training and ongoing support.

Franchise Consultants India for Sound Business Strategies

Franchise Consultants India specialize in growing and advancing small and medium sized businesses and can formulate professional and sound business strategies and goals. They have expert knowledge on franchise practices, principles and philosophy. Franchise Consultant India is highly familiar with management information systems, training manuals, operations manuals, sales systems, audit programs and every other aspect of running a franchise business. For these reasons, before you sign any contracts, it would be smart to have a franchise consultant with you.

The franchising industry has become so common and widespread; therefore, Franchise Consultants India is in such high demand. Industries are applying franchising growth strategies each year. Franchising is showing significant growth within many other industries, including the information technology, water purification, health care, education and even in manufacturing industries, although it has been prevalent amongst the food service and retail businesses. In all stages of your franchise's growth, bringing an experienced franchise consultant in on your business discussions and decisions can help you a lot. Choosing to hire Franchise Consultant India is one of the most important decisions you will make as a business owner.

Trying to decide what might be the ideal franchise opportunity for you because of the overwhelming array of choices and industries can be a daunting task. Franchise Consultants India can assist you in making the right decision and pick a business that suits your personality and strength and can help you narrow your focus. A franchise consultant will offer a fresh perspective and will analyze all options on them. They can determine whether your investment would be a lucrative and successful expansion of the franchisor, when your investment is into a certain business.

Toward the expansion of your business, franchise consultant India can help you formulate a strategy and help you obtain the perfect opportunities for your company. Your franchising goals will be what the consultant is striving to reach. A franchise consultant will work tirelessly to help you achieve your dreams, if you want your franchise to expand and flourish. To introduce a product into an area that has demand for it is the whole idea behind franchising. Franchise consultants will apply expert and proven business practices and strategy, and they can make sure your product is offered and it can be marketed in the perfect spot.

If you are considering the purchase of a franchise, you need to be financially stable and sound. The consultant from franchise consultants India has your best interests at heart and they will work hard for your business's success. Hiring a franchise consultant can provide some security. The consultant can give you a fair and honest assessment on what type franchise will be profitable and can represent you when negotiating with the franchisor. The consultant will be an independent business advisor. For success, hiring an expert Franchise Consultant India can give your business the edge.

Business Consultants – Help you Run your Business Successfully

Business consultancy offer consultation assistance to business enterprises experiencing some problem on a contractual or temporary basis depending on the importance of the situation at hand and time accessibility. Business consultants have the expertise to provide to the needs of any organization.

Regarding your current company structure, business consultants can assist you with the recommendations. Advice regarding your employee ratio to income or the salary scales relating to employees themselves. They can give you recommendations regarding marketing strategies, branding strategies.

Professionalsoffering business consulting services have wide knowledge about strategies, means and methods to improve the performance of the company. Business consultancy firms provide various advisory and counseling services to optimize business operations in general sense. It has become vital for organizations to employ business consulting executives to regularlyassess their performance over and over again as a slight downswing may bring lead to severe outcomes in the near future with ever increasing competition.

In the success of any business, planning is a vital ingredient. For building one's business nowadays, developing a business plan is not just a requirement, but a basic necessity. Starting from large corporations to entrepreneurs, it is an honest truth that every business needs a plan. The plan helps one map out strategies, raise additional capital either for expansion or to boost operations, measure performance, monitor progress and develop work guidelines. Many companies today, also look at franchising their business, as means of expanding their business and hence franchise business consultants are engaged to create a franchise business plan.

One of the services that a business consultant typically provides is assisting the business owner in mapping out a lucrative plan for the future. Very seldom is a business successful without a stable, long-term, business plan. And in case of franchising one’s business it becomes imperative to have a comprehensive franchise business plan. One that covers everything from the franchise branding to franchise training and then up to franchise support.

So many businesses fail due to inadequate planning and the rate at which they fail is overwhelming. In small businesses, the rate of failure is highly significant and it is the main reason why a good plan is needed. Developing a plan is extremely important for raising additional cash and to provide potential investors and lenders with the information required to make investment decisions. Due to higher competition in attracting funding for a business, one's business strategy has to stand out and the projection has to be firm.

Just like a road map, abusiness plan shows one the route to take the pitfall to avoid in order to reach his destination. Working with a good plan will prevent one from entering unfamiliar territory. For him and his organization, the plan becomes a working map. It spells out the things to do and things not to do, the functions and how everyone and every department should operate. It helps one become more efficient, reduce waste and redundancy, channeling one's resources to rightful place and being a guide to the successful running of his business.

Business growth is all about finding the correct means to facilitate its development. Business development is basically a broad term that is used in the process of strengthening ties with existing customers or clients andattracting clients in different areas of the consumer market. Similarly franchise business development takes care of ensuring that the franchisees take care of their local markets and operate their franchisees effectively.

A business consultant can also help you with business development. In order to identify the level of penetration already benefitted by the business in various areas of the consumer base,business consultants work pretty closely with marketing and sales specialist.

In order to evaluate the feedback that have been gathered from existing customers on the perception of the business and the products and or services it offersthey also work with customer care experts. This particular activity can most times identify ways to refine present sales and marketing practices to get a larger share of the consumers in sectors where the presence of the company is already felt. The information gotten through customer care contacts might help in identifying applications for a new product line and could even help in getting new customers - that is, if the product is marketed well.

Choose Right Franchise Consultants for Successful Franchise

Developing and defining a solid franchise-marketing program is one of the key elements involved for franchise consultant in a franchise program. Just like finishing a shot by lining up a putt, taking aim and developing a solid marketing program is critical to having a successful franchise launch.

A Franchise consultant who has worked in the franchise sales and franchise marketing functions should be able to develop a good franchise-marketing plan. Franchise consultants need to have lived and breathed franchise sales themselves in developing a true marketing program. The process of marketing and selling a franchise is unique. The process of qualifying and developing franchise candidates is absolutely different from any other marketing and sales process, though purists might say, Sales is Sales.

A realistic, yet defined buyer profile that fits the character and model of someone who could be successful in operating the particular business concept should be first developed by the franchise organization. The franchise buyer profile should be accurate in what is needed to make a successful franchisee and should not be too limiting. This buyer profile should include capital requirements, personalities, demographics, character traits and work experience. The marketing program should honor and respect this buyer profile and remain consistent throughout the execution of the strategic plan, after this profile has been defined. The difficulty always will remain, to emphasize to your franchise sales team to stick to this profiling, which at times will be very disappointing for them, when you reject franchise applications that don’t match the franchise business.

The franchise consultants program should also clearly define a media-buying schedule and provision clearly for a funnel that’s enough to give the franchise sales team, leads that make sense. Again, for different franchise lead generation techniques, there should be a detailed follow up program, which begins with an efficient and effective lead generation and ends in a franchise conversion. A good franchise consultant, who has been involved with the franchise marketplace for some length of time and has a good understanding, will know what activities work and what don’t and will only invest in those franchise lead generation activities that give him the correct profile. While weighing the effectiveness and closing rate of those leads, it is important for franchise consultant to manage the cost of the lead generation and to internally audit which activity has given him the maximum results.

A logical program should have a diverse lead generation plan. This should include Internet lead generation, Print Marketing, mix of trade shows, broker relationships, PR works and other alternatives. One thing is for certain, it requires a plan that can be nimble and adjust when needed as marketing is never precise and is dependent upon several external factors, which could be unforeseen at the beginning, several times. Again, franchise consultant should identify good market opportunities for a new franchise offering and should have experience working in the marketing field to develop the franchisees that tap into these opportunities.

Franchise Consultants generally monitored carefully and benchmark several opportunities against industry standards to confirm that the company estimations were correct. The process also requires reworking and continuous adjustments for proper implementation from location to location. Franchise consultants have to overview and analyze the prospective franchise candidate and they have to be very careful to understand the needs, the financial capital available, if the business offered is viable and if the candidate can make a success of it. They have to be realistic and make quick judgments. For recommending bad prospects to clients just to make a hefty commission for themselves, some franchise brokers get a bad reputation. Try to be honest not to make a profit selling loss making businesses, because, over a period of time, your reputation will suffer and you will not get too many entrepreneurs trusting you.

Avail Franchising Consultants for Profitable Business

Franchising consultants are the medium between franchisee and the franchisors. They act as the link between these two entities. By transferring the rights to other investors to use your business name, model and replicate the same in their own outlet, franchising enables the growth of the business.

Without having to worry about coming up with your own business model, having a franchise is a great way to start a business. You have the convenience of having an established and recognized brand to develop when you have a franchise, plus the support of a head office that will help you succeed. To pick one of the best franchises to own so you can have a business that is sure to succeed is the key to your success.


The entry of franchise consultants in the market has been mainly influenced by increased profitability in franchising. The franchising consultants get money by charging fees on every franchisee they bring to your franchising business. When the agreement contract is signed, the franchisors pay these consultants. To determine what kind of business they are interested in and to determine what kind of business actually suits their profile, the candidates are questioned in length by the franchise consultants. Thus, businesses pay good referral fees for each deal that is closed effectively and realize the role of franchise consultants.

Franchising can be quite challenging. Franchising consultants lead you through the intricacies of franchising to achieve desired results, in case you are about to franchise your business. To find potential franchisors, franchisees contract the consultants. Franchisers contract franchise consultants to find potential franchisees on the other hand. The franchise consultants are in business to serve both the franchisor and the franchisee, they are in business. It is important to seek the help of franchise consultants, after having decided to buy a franchise. In terms of costs, visiting a consultant is the same as going directly to the franchiser. They will assist you in making the correct decision. They will also assist in identifying lucrative potential franchise opportunities. They bring the franchisees and the franchising company close together.

The type of business that suits you and your needs should be decided on your decisions. A good guide about the franchise business can be given by competent consultants. On franchising basics such as how the process works and business system, they are supposed to guide you. To understand prospective franchise candidate needs, his financial capital available, if the business offered is viable and if the candidate can make a success of it, franchising consultants have to be very careful and analyze the prospective franchise candidate. If he is not suitable for that business, they have to be realistic and make quick judgments and tell a candidate not to go for a business. For recommending bad prospects to clients just to make a hefty commission for themselves, some franchise consultants get a bad reputation. Your primary duty is to help people get the right kind of business, therefore try to be honest. Do not make a profit selling loss making businesses.

Dienstag, 27. Dezember 2011

Reaching Out To A Reputed Franchise Consultancy for Growth: An Option or A Necessity.

What is the surest way to have 100 units of my business across the country? Somebody asked me after one of my speeches at those franchise networking seminars, during the open session.

My answer came in an instant. ‘Well get a reputed franchise consultant on board and get started with a proper initial franchise consultation exercise for your business or your idea. Your business will get there faster than you ever dreamed, more effectively than you ever thought and will be ready to take exponential growth in the coming years. Now that is the rosy part. The trickier part is that it is going to be extremely challenging and will test you and your business in every possible way. It will make you go through a grueling regimen…worse than some of the most difficult military exercises, as it will not only drain you physically, but even mentally and financially. But that’s exactly what it takes to make a great business, a great brand or a great franchise.

Next was the turn of an entrepreneur, who promptly put out his stand point, questioning as to why should they hire franchise consultants and how should they evaluate a franchise professional. Also what if he looked at becoming a franchise consultant, how should he choose the right franchise consultancy to partner with. I choose to answer this in the following paragraphs.

Budding entrepreneurs can greatly benefit from the help of a professional business consultant from franchise consultancy firms. Their advice will be helpful while setting up their own business. For promoting one's business, a consultant can provide new ideas for franchise business opportunities and help in goal-setting and effective strategies and give you responses from the industry and the company’s track records. Franchises are one of the easiest ways to earn serious profit because business owners are taking on the responsibility of managing an already successful product or service. Many people are aware of the benefits of investing in a franchise. Moreover, the owner is spared from spending too much time and money on training employees and marketing, when one owns a franchise. Hence you should be able to get a proper evaluation of all of these factors from a franchising Consultant.

The process the franchise consultancy will take you through should be similar to the steps that follow, assuming you are working with a reputable consultant company. Your initial call with a consultant will allow you to judge the ability as a consultant and the consultant's expertise in franchising. At the same time, the consultant will ask your questions to determine if it is the right career option for you and he/she will be assessing your interest in franchise ownership. One of the most important decisions you will ever make is finding a franchise business to own.

Choosing poorly can cause you endless headaches and financial distress, while choosing the right franchise can make your business ownership dreams come true. Let your consultant know so that they can prevent any future conflicts of interest, if you are working with more than one consultant or if you have started the process with a franchisor but have decided to research other options.

A franchise consultancy is there to offer solid guidance and advice where you need it and to make your job a hell lot easier. As you make your decision, look for a consultant that will be your advocate in the research process and guide you. You will need to be serious about this process and be prepared to do your own due diligence, as you would about searching for a new job.

It is good to know that with franchise consultancy firms; there are businesses that work in partnership. With attractive franchise's opportunities that match their goals, skills, and interest perfectly, these firms have professional consultants who can provide budding entrepreneurs. Moreover, for ensuring the success of their franchise, consultants can also help their clients formulate effective business goals and strategies. There is a lot to choose from, with thousands of franchise companies in over 75 different industries.

You could also choose to become a franchise consultant. However, it is an extremely difficult industry and will need proper dedication from you. Some individuals still do not get enough profit and even go out of business, although a franchise consultancy has the potential to be extremely lucrative, in the long run. Oftentimes, this is the result of hasty decision-making or poor planning. On the day that the franchisee decides to invest in a business, the success of a franchise may very well be determined. It is more likely for a business to prosper and become profitable by being careful about choosing which franchise business opportunities are ideal ahead of time.

The process is different if it is a business owner who wants to franchise a business that already exists and wants to create a franchise company. The franchise consultant, evaluates the entire business, initially from a franchise readiness perspective and then from an action plan of how to franchise the business and then to set clear operational, technical, marketing, and financial systems in place. All of these have to function like well-oiled machinery, well synchronized and properly delegated. The franchise consultancy will then plan the franchisee profile, and then a franchise marketing plan, after which franchise recruitment starts. Once the franchisees are on board, then franchise trainings take place, after which there is ongoing franchise support function in place.

Hence with entrepreneurs literally getting free services from franchise consultants and companies getting a tried, tested, and most effective formula for quickly expanding their business, it is but imperative for one to hire a reputed franchise consultancy before beginning their franchise journeys, if saving money, time and effort is a necessity and not an option.

Creating A Franchise Marketing Strategy For Your Business.

One of the most important tasks of franchisors is to create and maintain a successful franchise marketing strategy. A well thought off, marketing plan may mean the difference between a prosperous business and bankruptcy. Developing a good marketing plan doesn’t necessarily require a lot of money. You may need some professional advice and guidance especially if you do not have any previous experience in creating full marketing plans, but you can still get most of the work done yourself.

Most franchisors have comprehensive marketing plans in place for the overall franchise. The national plan typically includes advertising campaigns, commercials via television and radio, Internet advertising, public relations, and direct mail efforts. Therefore brand recognition is widely established. Franchisors that do not manage marketing on a national level usually provide an outline for the franchisees to follow in preparing their marketing plan on a local level. Even if franchisors provide national marketing, franchisees may also be permitted and possibly encouraged to perform local marketing initiatives on their own within certain restrictions. Approval is usually necessary prior to proceeding with the local plan.

Franchise advertisements can be a challenge because you need to come up with your own tools for building a local client and customer base. It is an inexpensive way to reach a lot of people with a set amount of money by using signs and banners as promotional materials in your franchise advertising plan. Signs can be used inside your establishment and outside, listing specials, sales, and promotions. Brightly colored signs on plastic, metal, or wooden blanks attract the eyes of passers-by and bring in potential new clients. Additionally, establishing a brand name for your franchise in your local market is very important for a franchise. There are many people who may need your service, but may not know of your business. Effective local franchise advertisements will put you in front of these buyers when they are ready to buy.

The first thing that you need to keep in mind when creating your franchise marketing plan is your goal. Are you looking to establish your franchise locally or you are looking for nation-wide or overseas expansion? Identifying who your potential franchisees are is also vital. Knowing who your customers are will help you target your marketing activities into reaching the optimum number of sales. It will also help you establish reasonable franchise fees and royalties. You can research other franchise businesses offering similar products and services and see who their franchisees are.

Your franchise marketing plan should include a great franchise advertising strategy as well. There is a significant difference between franchise advertisements and advertising any other consumer targeted business. Often young franchisors fail to prepare good advertising plan just because they do not have the knowledge and the experience. You can either hire a professional franchise advertising company or work through a franchise consultant, who will help you with all that you would need. There are also some legal requirements that must be met in order to stay out of trouble and to adhere to the local laws.

Set a budget and stick to it. Working within strictly defined financial borders may be crucial for success of your business. Many franchises fail because they try to compete directly with large and well established businesses offering similar products or services. In fact you do not need to match your marketing budget with their in order to achieve great results. Work on product differentiation instead and try to find unique ways for franchise promotions.

Once you launch your franchise brand, try to gather as much information as possible from your franchisees. This will give you plenty of ideas how to develop your marketing strategy further.

Franchise sales encompass a large array of different types of franchise offerings. The traditional franchise is the owner operator model where typically a moderately well capitalized individual buys into the rights to run and manage a single location of the franchise offering. This approach is most effective when using a sales presentation that evokes an emotional response. Franchise sales is about creating that emotional connect with the buyer, similar to the process of selling a home, the buyer falls in love with the idea and the notion that they will be in that house, neighborhood, they picture their family being raised in that home and envision the future they will have there. The individual franchise buyer is typically not a former executive or highly educated individual with millions to invest, it typically is just someone who wants to get into business for them and they know they need someone's help doing it.

Marketing Plan Development

Provide your franchisees with a comprehensive franchise marketing plan that educates them on the best practices in marketing your franchise system. Developing a marketing plan that is a “living" document and which will grow with a company and evolve as new ideas will prove to be successful.

For most franchise systems, it is extremely important to create a marketing strategy of "best practices" that is complemented by an effective suite of collateral materials and marketing tools that can be implemented by franchisees on the local level. E-mail campaigns, direct marketing, advertising, promotional strategies, referral programs and online marketing programs must be custom-fit, and just made to match the franchisee needs and capabilities. To increase adoption of marketing initiatives, we create elaborate internal marketing programs that give franchisees the why, how and when. To educate franchisees, host marketing webinars that help your franchisees understand the value of marketing and give them the initiative to grow their business. The franchisee marketing programs focus on ease of implementation, economies of scale and using technology to help drive revenue growth. The programs are designed to increase brand awareness and unit revenues through cost-effective, "neighborhood marketing" strategies that increase average visitation and boost referrals.

Franchise Brand Development / Standards

As any franchise systems begin to grow, brand control becomes extremely important to maintain consistency. The brand development programs define your brand from “top to bottom" paying close attention to every aspect of your brand – how it is used, what it looks like, what it sounds like, and what triggers the connection with your customers.

For all kinds of businesses a good reputation is very important. A business’ reputation or brand is its primary marketing tool. A business can be able to count on excellent sales numbers from loyal customers if it has a very good brand. You will need to invest a significant amount of resources in order to ensure that you build up the brand of your business properly, if you start a business from scratch. For many first time business owners, this is something that they can barely afford. This is why, it is much better that these kinds of business owners go with a franchise instead of starting a business from scratch. In franchising, you no longer need to build up the brand of the business. The franchiser has already taken care of this for you. You will be effectively using the franchise brands in franchising business. This ensures that you will not have a hard time promoting your business venture to your market.

Franchise Sales and Promotional Collateral

Providing franchisees with a suite of branded collateral materials to promote their business on the local level is one of the most important tasks to accomplish. This will help franchisors create comprehensive marketing collateral systems that convey the brand in the most powerful way possible, each piece having the ability to be easily customized for local implementation.

Direct Marketing

From national customer prospecting campaigns to localized targeting, this marketing communications provides list management, creative design, printing, mailing, and results analysis services for all types of prospecting and customer loyalty campaigns.

Email Marketing Templates / Systems

It is vital for many franchisors to implement franchise development email campaigns that filter through the hundreds or thousands of unqualified or uninterested leads they receive through various portals. This will help the franchisors to develop email messages and corresponding landing pages that increase the effectiveness of email campaigns. In doing so, they can maintain a streamlined simplicity in the outbound e-mail, while the corresponding landing page utilizes each client's brand elements and key messaging. The result is a higher rate of conversion for those candidates who are qualified.

Hence you must plan a proper franchise marketing strategy for your business and ensure that you work around it regularly and optimize its results.

Effective Business Plan – The Surest Way To Make Your Business Succeed.

There is no one right way to prepare a business plan. An effective business plan tells a great story and draws the reader in. The investor will then want to learn more, which leads to a meeting that significantly increases your chances and reduces the possibility that your plan will not be evaluated.

In the success of any business, planning is a vital ingredient. For building one's business now-a-days, developing a business plan is not just a requirement, but a basic necessity. Starting from large corporations to entrepreneurs, it is an honest truth that every business needs a plan. The business plan helps one map out strategies, raise additional capital either for expansion or to boost operations, measure performance, monitor progress and develop work guidelines. Several business owners, who want to franchise their businesses, also are planning to work around a franchise business plan.

In a business, there are certain things investors look out for. Every investor will want to know a business owner's passion,his dedication to his business and his managerial skills. Apart from this, he will also look out for one's management team. Every investor will always like to see his business associate's cash-flow, break-even analysis and return of investment.Therefore, a well prepared business plan is the key to attracting investors. If you are a franchisor, your franchisee will see the same in your franchise business plan and evaluate if this franchise has got enough substance for them to invest in it.

Writing a business plan must be managed just as most other important business projects are managed.It requires advance preparation, delegation, refinement, and discipline. The process ofpreparing a business plan involves identifying likely users, gathering accurate and convincing Information and carefully outlining the plan before writing. The key sections of the businessplan are as follows:

Executive Summary: This is the most concise form of the business plan, covering all thekey points. Outside parties typically review the executive summary first to determine, if your company is a potential candidate before deciding to read further. As the most important part of your business plan, these sections should be prepared last.

Company Description: This first full section of the business plan covers the company’s mission, history, current status,strategies, and plans for the future.

Management and Organization: Many potential investors consider the management team to be the most important predictor of a successful business. This section should describe members of the management team and their back grounds as well as needs for additional key people. Key outside advisors and consultants should also be discussed.

The Market and Competitors: This section must define the company’s market, the industry, current and potential buyers, and competitors. The plan should explain the key factors for the market in terms of how buying decisions are made, how the market is segmented, what kind of market position you plan, and what sort of defensive strategy you envision to fend off competitors.

The Product or Service: In this section, the features, components, and quality of the product(s) or service(s) are described in detail. Issues that must be addressed are the amount of research and development remaining to be completed, how the product or service will be produced and at what cost, and how the crucial activities of quality control and after-sales service will be performed. Key regulatory considerations should also be addressed.

Marketing and Sales: The business plan must describe the company’s selling methods (such as direct sales or mail order), how sales staff is trained, and how support is provided. Because of the substantial expense associated with business development, the plan should consider and present the most cost-effective options. Your marketing plan should discuss the results of market research and the value proposition of your product or service. Effective marketing, often through advertising and public relations, must also be described.

Financial Information: The most important elements of this section are the financial forecasts, balance sheets, and the statements of cash flow and income. They must be consistent with the discussion of the company’s past performance trends and the data presented in other sections of the plan. For plans used to solicit financial backing, this section should also include a funding request that states how much money is needed, why it is needed, and how it will be used. Finally, you need to consider the likely payback for the investors and their need for an exit strategy.

Once all of these sections have been formulated, the plan is ready for final rewriting and presentation. Extensive editing is highly recommended, along with careful attention to presentation details. The plan should be tailored to the preferences and concerns of its readers, including insiders using the plan to guide the company. Given the dynamic markets within which growing businesses operate today, periodic revisions of the business plan will be necessary in order to maximize its utility as a tool for management and investors. A Franchise Business Plan is similar in nature, but covers several other sections which would be relevant for franchisees and covers franchise manuals and standard operating procedures as well.

So many businesses fail due to inadequate planning and the rate at which they fail is overwhelming. In small businesses, the rate of failure is highly significant and it is the main reason why a good business plan is needed. Developing a plan extremely important for raisingadditional cash and to provide potential investors, franchisees and lenders with the information required to make investment decisions. Due to higher competition in attracting funding for any business, one's business plan has to stand out and the projection has to be firm.

Just like a road map, a good business plan shows one the route to avoid pitfalls and reach your destination smoothly. Working with a good plan will prevent one from entering unfamiliar territory. For you and your organization, the plan becomes a working map. It spells out the things to do and things not to do, the functions and how everyone within every department should operate. It helps one become more efficient, reduce waste and redundancy, channeling one's resources to rightful place and being a guide to the successful running of your business.

Samstag, 26. November 2011

What You Need to Know Before Signing a Franchise Agreement

You have done your research and have chosen a franchise business opportunity. You like the business and want to go ahead...but there is a hurdle in between. The company has given you its franchise agreement template and wants you to sign the same and then get started with the business. You have a lengthy document with several clauses/sub clauses and are not sure of what to do. I have tried to make this simple for you and have given you certain standard guidelines of what to do and how companies look at this document and expect the prospective franchisees to respond. At the end of the document, you will also see what characteristically a good franchise agreement contract sample must have. Beyond that, you will understand the importance of the franchise agreement and how it protects you as much as it safe guards the franchisors interests.

One of the most important parts of doing any franchise business is the franchise agreement. Every franchise relationship fructifies with the franchise sign up and hence the marriage with the franchisor and the franchisee is defined by the franchise contract. As an entrepreneur, you have to be extremely careful of what you sign, when you get into this relationship, as the next few years and the course of your life will stay altered forever. Let’s begin understanding this entire process and how you should do this prudently, when you take up a franchise business.

We start with the understanding of what is the definition of a franchise agreement. We’d say that it’s ‘A legal document that clearly states the rights and responsibilities of the franchisor and franchiseeand is subject to a defined geography and a period and conforms to the entire legal requirements of the said location, is commonly known as the franchise agreement. It is always very good to know the entire terms and conditions of any agreement,before you get into a contract with a franchisor. It is always good for a franchisee to know what a franchisor is offering. In the franchise agreementyou will find some guidelines that will act as rules to govern your day to day running of the franchise and your overall functions.To know your rights and obligations, it is advisable to read allclauses in the agreement clearly. You need to ensure that, this agreement will make you run the business smoothly and will not hinder your functions in any way.

All the crucial information concerning the businessshould be contained in a good franchise agreement. The basic information should include the kind of business that is operated under this franchise, the name of the franchisor, the location and the mode used in advertising the franchise and the performance of the franchisor in the past. Before you sign an agreement with any given franchisor,these are some of the basic information you need toknow which is linked with having a plan on how the franchise will operate, and what the future prospects are. In the agreement, the rights of the franchisee and franchisor should also be clearly stipulated. This is a good way of understanding what the franchisors wants you to do and what they would do.

There are some kinds of franchise business model where health risk is involved. If you are looking for such type of business franchise then your health and safety obligation should beclearly mentioned in the particular franchise agreement. It is good to ensure that you make use of an insured franchisor so that in case of emergencies you are well catered for. In case you terminate the terms of agreement, it should also show what the penalty is. When it comes to hiring of employees, an agreement should provide you with a clearly defined operation guideline.

For your own safety, it is good to know each and every aspect of the agreement you get into. It is good to make sure you know the legitimacy and genuineness of the franchisor you want to partner with before you sign an agreement. You need to look for a company that will offer you high quality services to your satisfaction. It is advisable to check on the satisfaction level of past franchisees before you sign such a company.

A new company, which is just beginning to franchise, may have room for recommendations and negotiations on terms of franchise. However, established brands with several franchisees may rarely look at altering their standard franchise template. In fact, they would at the onset give you the franchise agreement sample, and ask you to go through the same, before they engage you more seriously. Most companies though, through their annual franchisee meets and other regular feedbacks from their existing franchisees, make amendments to their franchise contract template. These company’s give you a chance to incorporate new business ideas to make your business a success. Beware of many companies who could be very tricky. They may have hidden terms and conditions. So, it is always advisable to keenly read through all details of the documentsbefore you sign a franchise agreement and engage a proper franchise attorney or experienced franchise consultants who would guide you through the entire process.

Some countries also allows a minimum time period from when the agreement contract template is shared to when it is actually signed. If the does not exist in your country, it is always advisable to take at least 2 weeks’ time and to read, understand and speak to franchise consultants or specialist franchise lawyers and then respond. Never, rush into signing a franchise agreement, just because the franchisor is pressurizing you to do so.

Hence to conclude, we could say:

All good franchise agreements have these things in common:

1) It does not limit the franchise marketing functions and enable recruitment of franchisees instead of scaring them away of several limiting clauses. Hence a good franchise contract will take into account, what franchisees would be wary off signing and ensure that the same is excluded. This means, as a franchisee, you need not worry of any clause that will either harm you or restrict you beyond the functions of the business.

2) It ensures clear demarcations, and provides for future growth and ensures seamless entry and exit, having proper termination and post termination clauses.

3) It provides sufficient provisions and time for rectifications of errors, if any. It is designed to protect the relationship, rather than break it.

4) It restricts the liabilities for the franchisees and franchisors properly and provides for proper coverage through insurance and other damage control measures.

5) Above all enables the company and the franchisee to function, respond and do business freely. Is synchronized properly with the financial, operational and marketing functions of the business.

6) Is absolutely compliant 100% with the local laws of the land and does not contravene in any way with local customs, cultures, sentiments and way of life. Hence you have to be very careful with international franchise agreements, which could have certain clauses that would be correct for one country, but may be irrelevant for yours.

Franchising in India: How to Choose the Right Franchise Opportunity to Start.

Franchising in India is gaining popularity amongst prospective entrepreneurs. From Business owners who are seeking to diversifications to professionals who want to quit their jobs and take up a franchise business, to students who want to get started with an entrepreneurial venture, all of them are eyeing at several options and franchising seems to be the preferred choice to start a business. “Sky is the limit”, rightly makes sense as far as franchise business opportunities in India are concerned. However, success is not easily achievable, for that, you need to first choose the right franchise business and only then will you start making good money. Lots of time and research needs to be done, when one seeks for the right kind of franchise business. With proper research and guidance and fair bit of luck, you can start getting excited about the possibilities and find the right franchise business. Buying any franchise does not guarantee that you will make money, it only guarantees an upfront investment and at most times, without any guarantees to returns. This is something one needs to understand, no matter what your record of accomplishment seems to be. However, you can increase your chances of finding the right franchise and making money by following these tips:

Choose the One You Believe

For franchising in India to be successful, most experts will tell you that you need to choose the one that you believe in. The one that closely matches your interests and your skill areas is the franchise that you should be looking at. That means you need to analyze your strengths and your weaknesses before you are looking to buy a new franchise. Look into the pros and cons of the particular franchise model that you want to opt for. See if the line of business suits your personality traits and see if you like the way of doing business or not! If you are a peoples person and love marketing and sales, then choose a franchise that will put these skills into use. If you are good at computers, find something that will help you enhance that skill. If you are passionate about food and can put in long hours, then get your hands into a food franchise. If you love kids get a preschool franchise. Hence you can begin with the start point of what you love doing, and then the franchise that you take up will be more like a hobby than a 9-6 job, which you do out of compulsion.

Be Alert of Fad Franchises while you choose your franchise sectors

Fads will come and go. This is something everyone knows. Investing your money in a franchise that will not have a long-term future is foolish and that will only be a failed venture. Franchises could cool off just as quickly, even if they seem hot at present. It is better to stay away from those kinds of franchise business models that can be easily imitated. Additionally, choice of sectors is very critical to ones choice. The biggest of franchise companies have not been able to make a mark in the pharma retailing space in india. In-fact an industry leader world wide, medicine shoppe, had to log out of the country, due to several local factors that govern that industry. Hypermarkets, Cineplex, and other sectors have become the domain of big players, hence, as a franchise it will be very difficult to compete. So beware of fad franchises and opt for a reliable franchise business model in the correct industry segments that have a promising future and can give you your desired growth.

Successful Franchises With A Proven Track Record are the Best Options

It is all about profit and sales while franchising in India. A franchise that has good sales numbers and has a proven track record, then that should be the one to invest in. Why is a McDonalds franchise so popular world over?? Why are the likes of Haldirams Franchise,Titan Franchise, Subway Franchise, Baskin Robbins Franchise, Pizza Hut Franchise, Dominos Franchise, so much in demand??It’s because they have fantastic sales and a good track record. On the other hand, If there are many units up for sales from a certain form of franchise business then that could mean that the company is having problems. It is advisable to stay away from such franchises models. Using franchise brokerage websites or franchise consultants advice to see if other franchise businesses are selling at low prices is one way to check about a franchise.

Big might not always give you the Highest Returns:

While the myth is that a popular established franchise will give you high returns, it actually gives you lesser return on investment, with off-course a higher safety bracket. Hence you may actually look at lesser popular emerging franchise opportunities, which will give you the best locations/geographical preference to begin with and at the same time, give you higher returns on investments. Off course, since there is no proven record, there is always a higher risk element. There are several new franchises bursting out on the scene on a regular basis and you can keep yourself updated, by being on franchise lists and following franchise information.

Complaints related to a Franchise

Looking for complaints is another part of investigating a franchise to buy franchising in India. You may find complaints from current or former franchise owners by checking the internet. To buy that business, this could be information that is important to you. However, one needs to know that you will always find some complaints about a business. You can usually chalk it up to a few disgruntled former owners, if there are only few of them. Hence speaking to a couple of existing franchises and then forming a balanced opinion, will help you understand in advance, as to where you would fall, once you take the franchise.

So, while there are 1000’s of franchise businesses that are available out there, and you come across them through franchise exhibitions, newspaper advertisements, franchise magazine advertisements, franchise portals or through references, it is advisable that you do your research, analyze the business opportunity and choose the one, in which you will be absolutely comfortable. You must set aside at least 6 months of time, before you actually start the franchise, to make an informed decision, after weighing all possible options.

 

How to Buy a Master Franchise & what you must do before you sign a Master Franchise Agreement.

Almost all companies that want to expand into newer geographies or into global markets, generally have a Franchise Model or Business Plan configured to work within that market with large local players, (High Net worth Groups, Large Business Houses, Senior Professionals within an Industry or for that matter investors who are seeking large investments in tested franchise business models) of that country and get access to the markets and immediate penetration. ‘Master Franchise Wanted', is a common message that you will come across while you are on your How to Buy phase and researching several Franchise Lists.


There are several franchises for sale, from across the globe. The more developed American, European and Australian franchise markets have on offer several master franchise opportunities for almost all countries of the world. Franchise Dubai, Franchise in India, Franchise in China is gaining tremendous predominance, as a way of business growth in these countries. In fact, you have franchise specialists in most countries who will guide you with the options that are available for your country as there Franchise broker networks, where these franchise consultants, socialize and exchange franchise information. It is very important to make the right first impression, when you are contacting these master franchise companies, and what these franchise consultants would do is, help you make the right first moves.

In a given area, a Franchise has the obligation and right to open a certain number of sub-franchises within a given period, generally through a pre-agreed master franchise development schedule. The Franchise also has the right to sell unit franchise ownership rights to people or organizations who are looking to become sub-franchisees. As a franchisee, you could be given rights to recruit/appoint other franchisees, which can then open and operate at more locations. These other franchisees are called the sub franchisees or Unit franchisees. Often a Franchise license system works with the appointment of a unit master franchise license with the required Franchise profile approval. Most interested prospects generally go through a Franchise Questionnaire which has several questions linked to their backgrounds and which then goes deep into a verification stage. The Franchise Questions are generally linked to ascertain the ability of the franchisee to execute the Franchise Responsibilities, Role and Functions and to ensure that the Brand gets the right momentum within a prescribed period.

You have to sign a Franchise agreement and complete all other formalities, laid out by the company, to become a franchisee. The Franchise contract will clearly have you pay a Franchise fee to the parent company (franchisor) for this. A franchise fee and ongoing Franchise royalties have to be paid by the sub franchisees and the master licence to the franchisor, which is usually shared between the franchisor and the master franchise. Depending on the nature of master relationship you have entered into, the percentage of profit is shared. The total Franchise cost is generally a calculation of the initial investment and the ongoing investments as per the Franchise development plan. The franchisor clearly outlines their investments in the country and the support system that they will have including the Franchise training, unit master franchise training, Franchise manuals, and other Franchise support systems that they would have in place. Thereafter, they would expect the franchisee to invest in the Franchise system and make headway into the local markets.

If you want to take Franchise of any kind of business model then you should know both the operational and management aspect of that particular kind of business model. Even though you are not from the same industry or you are not proficient in doing the business, the franchisor will train you and have the right support, checks, and balances to ensure that you are functioning in line with what the business warrants you to. It then becomes extremely important, in order to make profit out of your master franchise, that you appoint efficient sub-franchisees under your assigned area/region. Apart from controlling the sub-franchisees, it is your responsibility to educate them and support them in all aspects of running the business successfully.

Normally, the master franchisee receives continuous support and training from the parent company rather than being alone in a business venture. It is the duty of the Franchise to pass on the knowledge to further down the line. You are the bridge between the company and the unit franchises. You need continuous support of your sub-franchisees if you want your Franchise to be a successful venture.

The initial costs are usually a bit higher than investing in a regular franchise, which is one of the drawbacks of entering into master franchising. You need to devote a great deal of extra time and resources in setting the Franchise organization up and running. You need some time to bring this kind of business model on to an auto-run mode. Several Business houses or high net worth individuals take up the Franchise and hire skilled employees to manage the Franchise business while they continue to work at another position or operate another business. Once the network is set, as in most cases, the parent company shares a part of the business profit with its master franchises, so you have the advantage of earning continuous unit master franchise royalty payments from the sub-franchisees. This is one of the many advantages of owning a master franchise.

Before opting for a master franchise, research the possibility thoroughly before investing. Working with a Franchise specialist in your country is a very vital necessity as they will know exactly the entire process and help you properly with the entire negotiations. They will also connect you with the right financial and legal professionals, who will work parallel with you for all documentation, research and feasibility. Ensure to pay visits to several of the master franchise locations to see how they operate. It is better to speak with other franchisee owners to understand how the entire concept works in their countries. It is also important to study the fine print and understand the entire Franchise terms. Generally, understanding the exit parameters and knowing the Franchise termination consequences, are also critical to making the right choice. You have to be very clear, how much you would lose, if the Franchise failed and how will you bring in the exact resources to manage the same. Certain limiting clauses, post termination have to also be studied very carefully, just to ensure that your future is not impacted by the failure or success of the franchise.

As a whole, a good Franchise could make you popular instantly in your country. We have seen that several business groups have driven on Franchise international brands and have gained very good recognition in their country. Additionally, it creates quite a decent income, as master franchising can be a very solid business opportunity expansion strategy. However, in order to get the highest chance for success, it is tegy. However, in order to get the highest chance for success, it isimportant to find the best match for your skills and interests and choose brands and businesses that have a higher chance to succeed. It is not necessary that it some Franchise has been successful in some country, it will be in yours too. So, do your entire Franchise pros and cons with the right amount of research, have adequate resources ready, hire a competent Franchise specialist and get started with your search for a reputed, profitable Franchise business.

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