Are you thinking about buying a franchise but you're not sure if the idea is a good one? Here are ten good reasons to go ahead and pursue your dream of owning a successful business.
1. Proven business: Opening a franchise comes with the advantage of knowing that this business has been successful in other locations. The idea and process of running this business have already been proven. Therefore the learning curve in operating the business can be virtually eliminated.
2. Lower risk: Risk of failure is lower with a franchise than starting a brand new business. There is a much higher likelihood of success if the same business has done well in other areas.
3. Established customer base: The brand name that comes with the franchise is already recognizable to consumers, without the franchisee (purchaser) having to spend a lot of money and time in establishing a new brand. The brand awareness provides security and trust to the customer who expects uniform quality to be provided. Therefore a customer base is already established.
4. Marketing: The franchisee can benefit from any advertising or promotion that the franchisor (owner of the franchise) does at the national or local level, without absorbing the cost. The franchisor can also provide input to the franchisee on a local marketing plan.
5. Initial and ongoing support: Training and support is usually part of the deal. Since the franchise company has a vested interest in how well you do, ongoing training, system upgrades, product enhancements, and question and answer resources are provided. The franchisor offers experience to franchisee in such areas as accounting procedures, personnel and facility management, and business planning.
6. Exclusive territory: Rights are exclusive for the territory, with no other franchises sold in the same area as competition.
7. Ease of funding: Many times obtaining financing for a franchise is easier since the franchise name and reputation are usually recognized by the lenders. Therefore, banks are more likely to fund the franchisee.
8. Purchasing power: Relationships with suppliers are already established; affording the opportunity to buy in bulk, enabling a great deal of savings for the business.
9. Pre-purchase information and research: The potential franchisee can make an informed decision because of information that can be obtained prior to purchase. The Federal Trade Commission requires franchisors to provide the franchisee with certain information including the company's history, information about the officers, litigation history, audited financial statements, the franchise agreement, and a current list of franchises with owners' names and contact information.
10. Solid economic niche: Franchises cater to consumers' specialized needs. Consumers tend to prefer doing business with companies that meet their specific needs and the franchise industry has been fitting the bill.
Whether you purchase a franchise in an existing location or take on a new territory, the investment can prove to be well worth your while. If you are looking for more franchise information there are many web sites that offer free contact information for many franchises. FranchiseInformation.us offers free contact information so you can contact the franchisor directly.
10 Reasons to Buy a Franchise
Top Ten Franchise Opportunities for $10,000
While franchises have the reputation of carrying a high price tag - some as high as several hundred thousand dollars - many franchise opportunities are available to entrepreneurs looking to start their own businesses without spending a fortune.
If this describes you, then read on, and discover ten franchise businesses that can be yours for only $10,000.
POSIGRIP
This turnkey franchise specializes in safety and injury prevention by providing floor and shower treatments that help prevent slips and falls. Businesses, in particular, present a growing market for slip-prevention technology as the costs of injury lawsuits and liability insurance are on the rise.
As the owner of a PosiGrip franchise, you can help protect people from injury while servicing the safety needs of small companies and large corporations. The start-up investment for a PosiGrip franchise is just $8,000-$10,000, and training and support are provided.
THE DRUG TEST CONSULTANT
Maybe your dream is not only to own your own business but also to make a difference in society. It's an sad fact that drug use is a serious problem today, but did you know that you can have a positive impact in this arena through joining this exciting franchise opportunity?
The Drug Test Consultant (DTC) helps companies and parents know if a drug problem exists, and, if one is found to exist, DTC provides vital help and support in addressing the problem.
Services offered by DTC include drug detection assessments, home and workplace drug testing, instant drug test supply distribution, and background checks. And the investment for this unique opportunity to make a difference is just $7,995-$9,995.
VENDSTAR
You'll find them in schools, colleges, airports, train stations, office building, and malls. In fact, nearly every public building has one. What is it? A vending machine. And for each vending machine you see, there is someone earning a profit based on every sale.
For a minimum investment of $9,995, you can become that someone. Vendstar machines offer candy, gum, and nuts to consumers whose demand has proven to be steady regardless of the economy.
As a Vendstar franchise owner, you benefit from a business that works even when you are sleeping, spending time with your family, or even on the golf course. If you want a low-cost franchise, be sure to check out this sweet opportunity.
TINI TOYS, INC.
For the kid in all of us, Tini Toys is a franchise opportunity that allows you to be around toys all the time, day in and day out!
As a Tini Toys distributor, you service toy displays in retail locations on a monthly basis. For every toy sold, you get paid. And displays aren't limited to toy stores. Your Tiny Toy display can be in airport or hospital gift shops, in cafe and bookshops, in department stores, and even in convenience stores.
With a capital investment of just $10,000, this opportunity's products and price tag will bring out the kid in everyone.
SEAMASTER CRUISES
A cruise itself may cost upwards of $5,000, but imagine owning your own cruising franchise for a total capital investment of only $9,500. With SeaMaster Cruises, you can make this happen.
SeaMaster Cruises is a home-based cruise distribution system that allows you to tap into a growing and profitable industry. SeaMaster Cruises offers training and support as well as marketing assistance, all for an investment of under $10,000.
ROTOBRUSH
With the growing public focus on health and wellness over the past several years, individuals have become more and more aware of the quality of air that they breath. Rotobrush International, LLC meets this growing demand for clean air by providing professional air duct cleaning services.
By completing as few as one to three jobs per week, you can earn anywhere from $25,000 to $75,000 per year. And your start-up investment is only $10,000. Although not officially a franchise, Rotobrush nevertheless offers the same support and training at little or no cost to you. To capitalize on this exciting business opportunity, simply click the link above and submit the information request form.
IPSMARX TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Telecommunications is a multi-billion dollar industry, and now with a minimum investment of just $8,000, you can capitalize on the profits of this booming market. IPsmarx is a voice over IP (VoIP) provider franchise that allows you to earn an income while offering comprehensive VoIP services.
And to help you succeed, IPsmarx offers training and support as well as marketing materials to assist you in growing your business.
BRAZILIAN SPRINGS
What better way to succeed in business than to provide a product hat everyone in the world needs: water!
As a Brazilian Springs distributor, you have the benefit of training, support, and help with business plan development. In addition, financial assistance is available to help you get your business off the ground. And if this is not enough to convince you to check out this franchise opportunity, consider this: Brazilian Springs donates 10% of total gross sales to assist the preservation of endangered rain forests in Brazil, the source of this purest of waters.
You can earn a living and help protect the environment by becoming a part of the Brazilian Springs franchise team.
THE BACK RUBBER
Have you ever just needed a back massage? If you've ever experienced this feeling, then you will appreciate the relief that you can bring to people by buying a Back Rubber franchise. With a total capital investment of just $7,495, you can become a distributor of relaxing Back Rubber massage chairs.
The market for these chairs is vast, from beauty salons and country clubs to malls and airports. And as an added bonus, if you prefer not to do any face-to-face selling, you can opt to have a locator place your massage chairs for you.
This franchise is a winner for budding entrepreneurs looking for a great opportunity at a low cost.
CADDY CARD
If you would like to trade business for leisure, then why not make leisure your business? Caddy Card is the must-have golf course guide book that is small enough to fit into your pocket but that still includes a scorecard and training aid.
Caddy Card franchise owners earn an income by placing Caddy Cards in golf courses and by selling advertising space for the Caddy Cards. Design and production are handled by the parent company, allowing franchisees to focus their efforts on the activities that bring in revenue.
The total capital investment is just $11,800. So are you ready to hit the green? Both in golf and in profits? Check out Caddy Card today.
As you can see, franchise opportunities are not just for the rich. And with an investment of as little as $10,000, you, too, can be on your way to becoming a successful franchise owner.
How to Find Business Franchise Opportunities
The safest and risk-free way to start up a successful business is through business franchising opportunities. However, running a franchise is not for everyone. You will need some time to be able to fully understand what it entails - especially the selling aspects - before you decide to buy a business franchise opportunity. Business franchise opportunities are increasing internationally. This is because the business franchise opportunities and the franchising model is proven and successful. Here are the important tips for identifying and selecting the best business franchise opportunities.
Choose a franchise business that you will enjoy
The most important factor of all is buying a business franchise opportunity that you will enjoy. You will succeed when you truly enjoy the products and/or services that your business offers, and the customers and markets, then you will learn the skills rapidly. Enjoy the business so you will likely possess a good deal of knowledge about it.
Being an expert and a specialist at what you do is essential to running any business franchise opportunity - enjoyment and expertise naturally go hand-in-hand. If you find pleasure and a joy in what you are doing, you will find it easy to specialize and become an expert in that area. Your enthusiasm will be felt by your customers and everyone you meet. When you enjoy the business franchise opportunity you have, it will inspire and excite you and will naturally try your best not to fail the business.
Are you suited for franchising?
Like any new business venture, you need to carefully consider if you have the right skills and attitude to take a business franchise opportunity.
When taking a business franchise opportunity you must be prepared to sell. A business blueprint is given to you not the customers. Working hard is necessary ad you can spend long hours. Make sure you have the necessary stamina. Running your own franchise can be stressful. You should ask yourself - “How do I react when I am pressured?” You may take a business franchise opportunity because you want to be your own boss. Ask yourself if the time required on this business is okay with you.
Assess the business franchise opportunity
To assess whether a business franchise opportunity is suitable to you consider this things:
· What the business franchise is and how it operates
· Where to put up the franchise
· How your competitors doing
· If the franchisees is stable enough
· How much training and support you need when starting up
· Do you agree with conditions and restrictions in the franchise agreement
The franchisor will provide everything you need but do not rely on this. Search the internet and investigate. Ask other franchisees and banks for franchise experts. Make sure to review the contract before signing anything, get a professional advice if necessary.
Is A Travel Cruise Franchise Opportunity For You?
If your entrepreneurial mind is combined with a love of travel, you may want to consider a travel franchise. Cruise franchises can be particularly lucrative as evidenced by these data:
Last year, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reported that the North American cruise industry grossed $35.7 billion, and global industry revenues were $20.6 billion-a 7 percent increase over the previous year. The number of cruisers also increased 7 percent from 2005 to 2006 for a total of 12 million people who took a cruise vacation. Americans accounted for 78 percent of that number. The total number of embarkations from U.S. ports was 9 million, representing a 4 percent increase over the previous year. Embarkations from American ports accounted for 75 percent of total, worldwide embarkations.
Cruising and travel are huge industries, and their are pieces of them available for franchisees.
Why Should I Buy a Franchise?
First, let's discuss some of the benefits of franchising in general:
When you buy into a franchise, you are gaining access to an established brand and a proven business plan with an existing consumer base. When dealing with well-known brands, there is an expected level of quality and consistency to which consumers have become accustomed. For example, no one thinks of a fast food restaurant as a place to get a really great meal, but we know we like the low prices. Although the food itself is mediocre, it is consistently mediocre, so we know what to expect each time we visit a restaurant. This is one of the major factors in the frequent repeat business enjoyed by fast food brands. However, this is just one example. Established expectations of quality and consistency contribute to success in all industries.
Additionally, a franchisor offers invaluable assistance in getting your business started. For example, the franchisor may aid you in the selection of a location, or-in the case of a home-based business-the franchisor may provide all the necessary equipment and teach you how to use it. You may receive advice on marketing, management and personnel. Many franchisors even provide continual support in the form of newsletters, toll-free access numbers and seminars. You will also have access to a network of other franchisees to whom you can turn for guidance.
Working with your franchisor's buying cooperatives, you will likely pay less for goods than your independent competitors.
All of these advantages amount to a significantly decreased risk of business failure.
Why Buy a Travel Franchise?
If you're interested in starting your own franchise business, travel and cruise franchises can be a wonderfully exciting way to fulfill that desire. Let's talk about a couple of specific franchise opportunities:
All About Honeymoons was recognized as one of the top new franchises for 2006 by Entrepreneur Magazine. This company has been the first to stake its claim in the niche market of honeymoons and destination weddings. If you think that niche sounds too narrow, consider this: There are nearly 2.5 billion weddings held in the United States each year, and 96 percent of newlyweds take a honeymoon trip.
All About Honeymoons provides some unique benefits to couples making their wedding or travel plans, which translate to unique selling points for franchisees. For instance, couples receive a wedding webpage where they can post news about the upcoming event as well as a travel registry where friends and relatives can contribute to the honeymoon expenses.
New business owners in this travel franchise begin by attending a comprehensive training program that covers the finer points of the wedding and travel industries.
If it's cruises you want to sell through your new business, CruiseOne was recently named the top cruise franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine. You don't need any previous experience in the travel industry to get started in this franchise, and you can choose to work full or part time from your home or office.
Cruise franchises offer tremendous growth and earning potential because cruising is the fastest growing vacation choice in America. This could be because almost everything is included in a cruise vacation package-lodging, food and fun.
CruiseOne is in the process of a major expansion, and they are actively seeking franchisees in all 50 states. CruiseOne's headquarters boasts an extensive support staff that is available to assist franchisees with sales, marketing and booking procedures. CruiseOne also operates a private Web Business Center that allows franchisees to access all the information they need to successfully run their businesses via the Internet.
Many people hear the word "franchise" and automatically think of restaurants and retail outlets, but there are so many more options for today's aspiring business owners. The myriad of choices allows entrepreneurs to find franchises for which they will truly enjoy working-where their personal interests and expertise can be valuable moneymaking tools. If your personal interests include exotic vacations, consider one of the exciting franchise opportunities discussed above or any of the other fantastic travel and cruise franchises now available.
The Ups Store Franchise Opportunity
The UPS Store is affiliated with Mail Boxes, Etc., one of the more successful franchises, and is also owned by UPS. This new franchise operation is growing rapidly.
The UPS Stores were born when UPS purchased Mail Boxes Etc. and offered the rebranding of these franchises to the UPS Stores. Since that time (2003) the number of stores has almost doubled. This franchise has been rated one of the best available by Entrepreneur magazine on the many factors that are important to a potential franchise owner.
The variety of services offered by UPS Stores, is allowing these store to make inroads against competitors. The UPS stores offer mail delivery boxes, mailing services, shipping services, copy services, faxing services and other printing type collating services using copy machines. This variety of services brings in a large number of different types of customers with different needs. This opens the franchise to many cash flow streams.
UPS name recognition
The name recognition of UPS would help any franchise owner because this name has a long history with the public. The backing of a significant corporation also lets the franchises enjoy the advertising campaign backed by a larger corporation These TV ads will help drive traffic to the UPS Stores. The UPS name recognition will help a new store get up and running quickly and create immediate cash flow. This factor has been one of the reasons that the UPS Store franchises are rapidly opening.
UPS Store franchise costs
The typically new franchise owner will need approximately $50,000 in liquid assets to acquire a franchise. This can vary by area the store will be located in. The startup cash required will be about $7500 with a total investment over time of a range from $138 thousand to $245 thousand. Mail Boxes Etc. will help with up to $50,000 financing for fixtures and equipment. The franchise fee at this time is about 29 to 30 thousand dollars.
The fees and services at a UPS Store
The fees charged to use the services at a UPS Store are competitive and in some cases significantly lower than the same service from another business. The combination of services that the UPS Store offers makes it convenient for the customer to get several routine jobs done in one place. A person can make a copy and then fax it to another party. Color copying used to be very expensive, but the new copy machines have allowed companies such as UPS Stores to price this service at a very reasonable level. Shipping, mailboxes and sending mail are also offered at these stores. This convenience of services makes these stores very useful to the customers. Business travelers can use these stores as temporary office when traveling.
UPS Store services compared with buying the equipment for your company
The cost of the services that UPS Stores provide can be compared with the cost of having the equipment on hand at the place of business of the customer. Since some of the services are not used all of the time at a business, the cost of the equipment would be a bad investment. If you only need color copies every now and then, a color copy machine would be an unjustified expense. The lower costs of doing color copies makes owning this equipment and the service cost an easy comparison. Other services may be just a convenience and not a significant cost difference. Each situation must be analyzed on its own merits.Basically the upfront cost must be compared with the annual expense the customer spends on the service.
A new UPS Store vs an existing one
This is always a consideration when buying a business or starting a new one. An existing business has a clientele that has a pattern of using the services. A new business will have to take the time to develop this client base. This can mean a real difference in cash flow for a period of time. The decision is the cost of the new business versus the cost of the existing business. If the difference in price is really large, the extra cash flow during the start up period may not make up the cost disparity. Each situation must be analyzed and compared with facts. The franchise company can give excellent stats on new companies and their growth.
The current owner of a franchise can supply financials on his business. This makes comparisons somewhat easier to do. There is also a Federal law that makes disclosure of information by a franchise company meet very strict guideline. These factors will show the potential owner which situation makes more sense from a financial comparison. The franchise company may have some contractual rules that must be followed when buying an existing franchise.
If you are considering a new store, remember that location is a critical consideration. The franchise company will have very good information on this aspect of a new store. You also should speak with a few other owners of the franchises.
Conclusions
The UPS name has great value to the franchise and will draw clients to the store. With all of the services that are offered in a store, this will also help to develop a steady base of customers. Businesses and individuals will all have reasons at one time or another to use the services that are provided.
The combination of services that are offered in a UPS Store will drive many different types of customers through the doors of the business. When they see the other services offered they would often find a reason to use others than what they came to the store for. This extra money spent is the direct result of the customer being in the store. Business people and individuals will remember the other services offered once they see what is offered when they visit the store. This new perspective of what can be done in the store will create a new customer use.
This UPS Store franchise has a solid business basis and should be seriously considered by a person seeking to go into business for themselves.
Researching A Franchise
There are a lot of good franchise opportunities out there, but for every good one there probably five or ten bad ones. If you want to invest your money wisely in a franchise opportunity that is likely to give you a high return on investment, then this article was written for you. Specifically in this article, I will show you strategies on how to research a franchise opportunity to evaluate whether or not it will work for you. Read his article, and put the steps into action to research any franchise opportunity before entering into a franchise agreement.
Not all franchises are created equally. Besides the obvious franchise fee difference, different franchises have different rights they offer to the franchisee. Knowing what your rights are can be the difference between finding a killer franchise opportunity, and finding one that is guaranteed to fail.
What kind of rights do you have when it comes to the hours you can operate, the suppliers you can purchase from, the number of employees you must staff, and how you can spend your advertising dollars? These all impact how you run your business. If you don't have flexibility in these areas, sometimes it can be impossible to make a franchise work. This is because different locations sometimes require different needs, and if you don't have the ability to meet those needs, you're out of business.
Second, customer support for franchise opportunity is critical. Will they offer free training and ongoing support for you, after you purchase a franchise? When you go to them with questions, will you get answers in a timely fashion? A lot of times success comes from who you know, not what you know. If you know you can go to people who have answers to your questions, then you know you have a good franchise opportunity on your hands.
However, just because somebody says they will provide ongoing support doesn't mean that they will. The last thing you can do to research a franchise opportunity, is to contact people who have purchased the franchise opportunity. Interview them and find out if the franchisor delivered on what they said they would deliver on. Also, asked them for their experience and if they had a choice, would they purchase the same franchise opportunity again? You'll find out things by talking to people who owned the franchise opportunity you are interested in, that you otherwise would have never found out until after you've invested your money.
You can never do too much research into a franchise. This is possibly the most important financial decision you will make in your lifetime, and you don't want this to be the one that you make the wrong decision. Research the UFOC and any financial documents you can get your hands on through your states Secretary of State office.
In conclusion, by following the guidelines in this article you can do good research on any franchise opportunity, and be able to evaluate whether it is a wise investment or not.
Holiday Franchises -- What To Look For
If you're interested in investing in holiday franchises, then you will want to read this article. In this article we will discuss what makes holiday franchises successful, and what to look for before investing in a holiday franchise opportunity. After reading this article you should be able to assess whether or not a holiday franchise is right for you, and if so which one would be a good investment.
Every business has a time of year where it is more profitable than any other time. Most good holiday franchises peak out during a specific holiday like Halloween, Valentine's Day or Christmas. However, most successful holiday franchises are able to sustain business throughout the rest of the year or Elise break even with costs, or can operate profitably only a few times a year, and then close down for the rest of the season.
Secondly, they can work in reverse. Some businesses that are very successful overall, are even more successful during the holidays. Look at UPS -- it's not specific to holidays, but during holidays when everybody's buying gifts for loved ones across the country, they will need a way to deliver those packages. This is what makes the UPS franchise such a great holiday business. Things to consider when looking for holiday franchises is to think outside of the box.
If you're stuck for ideas on different holiday franchises to look at, think about what businesses complement different holidays. For example, Ms. Fields cookies are perfect for Christmas, because Santa Claus is known to eat cookies. Not only that, people like to buy cookies for gifts for Christmas. If there's a certain holiday you'd love to have a business franchise revolve around, think of all the complementary goods that are related to the holiday. Make a list, and then analyze different franchise opportunities which coincides with that list.
I recommend looking at Holiday Franchises as a way to add to your franchising portfolio, not for someone that is just getting started. While these franchises can give you so much success in the holiday months that is makes up for the lack of profit during the off-season, it can very risk to put all your faith in just a couple of months. For example, what if one Christmas season there was a shipping scare due to terrorism? You as the franchisor could of just lost tens, possible hundreds of thousands of dollars due to the lack of faith in the shipping industry.
Finally, a holiday franchises is just like any other franchise. It needs to have a proven track record, a profitable business model, and the demographics in your area you to coincide with the demand for the franchise. Do your homework, and make sure you get a franchise lawyer to analyze the franchise agreement.
In conclusion, follow the advice given in this article and you should be well on your way to finding the right holiday franchise that fits your needs perfectly.