Transforming Your Business Through Expert Franchise Development
What is Franchising?
Franchising is one of the greatest business growth & expansion strategies the world has ever seen!
Franchising:
Franchising is a structured system and business relationship where a franchisor grants a franchisee the rights to operate under a shared brand name. Under this business relationship, in return for initial and ongoing fees, franchisees gains access to the franchisor's brand, business model, trademarks, products, systems, and other associated resources (the business “formula” ).
While the franchisor and franchisee are separate organizations, they do share standardization of work processes (for services provided) and standardization of norms (for the business style). Additionally, the franchisor does have direct supervision rights (the franchisor monitors the behaviour of the franchisee in order to protect the value of the brand name).
A more formal definition:
Franchising is legally binding relationship; a form of a licensing agreement between the franchisor and the franchisee. The Franchisor grants franchisees the rights to use its business model, brand/mark, and systems for an agreed upon term, in a specific area or location. Additionally, the franchisor agrees to provide initial training & ongoing support. In exchange for these rights and benefits, the franchisee agrees to pay the franchisor initial (“ the franchise fee") and ongoing (“Royalties”) fees throughout the life of the franchisee’s business.
Regualtory:
Due to its extensive geographical reach and enduring business partnerships, franchising is subject to a myriad of federal, state, and local law, rules, and regulations. This body of laws governing franchise relationships is known as franchise law.
The 3 Main Criteria: Being Classified as a Franchise:
Trademark use: This criteria is satisfied when a good or service that is sold or offered by the “franchisee” is associated with the trademark. The “trademark” does not have to be a registered mark, but it is strongly advised that it is. It could be a trade name or a service mark too.
Payment of a Fee: Fee’s represent any and all payments made by a franchisee to the franchisor (royalty, training, marketing, equipment, etc.) The FTC Rule set the base payment at $500. However, some states have enacted laws that have payment ranges from $100 to $1000 for the life of the arrangement.
Control: Exertion of “significant” control over the business, to include providing ongoing assistance or even providing a marketing plan for the sale or distribution of products or services. Basically, a “franchisee’s” reliance on the “franchisor” for business expertise on how to operate the business to reduce risk is considered control.
Franchise Growth
Franchising is an accelerated growth path for successful businesses. Franchising offers the ability to rapidly expand and distribute products and/or services in new and untapped markets. People desire to be their own boss, and will invest their resources for the rights to be a part of a successful enterprise.
Franchising provides the opportunity to achieve market penetration. Whether you need to quickly expand into new markets to establish market dominance for a new product or a specialized business, or seek to expand by capitalizing on the success of your business model, franchising provides a means to expand your business into new established markets, and franchisees share the risk and cost associated with your expansion goals into developing markets.
Building Your Franchise Brand – Your “Mark”
The franchisor’s trademark is one of its most, if not the most, valuable assets. You see these trademarks in almost every business industry in the market today – serving almost every city throughout the world.
Your Mark represents success, and people want to be associated with a well-established, respectable brand name, and are willing to invest in the privilege, initially an ongoing. And by presenting a successful opportunity, you have an effective means to expand your brand’s presence locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
To learn more about trademarks, see:
Franchise Network Trust & Support
You build trust in your community by providing by conducting your business with integrity when providing goods and/or services. Long-term franchisor success is built upon a similar trust – the franchisees trust in the franchisor’s ability to support and foster franchisee growth and success; trust that the franchisor will evolve the business over time to address market changes; and, trust that the franchisor will provide training throughout the life of the franchise relationship.
In turn, the franchisor trusts that the franchisees will properly represent the brand; trusts the franchisees to serve in the best interest of the brand; and, trusts the franchisees will support others to help achieve network growth.
This trust and mutual respect, and all it entails, is a key factor to achieve long-term success in franchising.
Franchising – A Historical Snapshot
Franchising, in one form or another, has been expanding brands and building generational wealth since the middle ages.
Although we often think of franchising emerging in the 20th century with companies such as Singer sewing, General Motors, and Coca-Cola, franchising, as a business arrangement, can be traced back to medieval times when the Crown granted persons the right to operate businesses or collect taxes in designated regions.
The etymological roots of “franchising” is found in many languages. The French verb “franchir” signifies “ to free”, the English words “Franc” & “enfranchise” mean “free” and “empowering those that don’t have rights”, respectively. And interestingly, the term “royalties” is said to have derived, in part, from the term “royal tithes”, wherein Englishmen received a percentage of the land fees paid by serfs to nobility. Additionally, individuals paid “royal tithes" to lords and king for the rights to operate a business in the kingdom (and for protection).
Throughout history, franchising has promoted economic liberation, promoting opportunity and the “freeing” of commerce. True to its roots, and fostered by humankind’s great entrepreneurial spirit, franchise success stories continue emerging across the globe, and new business concepts dot the landscape of our ever-changing world, creating generational wealth.
You established a profitable business, captured market interest. Are you ready to expand nationally? Are you ready to build your legacy?
Our mission
Empowering small business growth through franchising - creating great communities everywhere!
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