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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.