The Franchise Business is Alive & Strong

New franchise opportunities are coming to the market regularly and the franchise industry is getting stronger and stronger. Franchise exhibitions are attracting many new exhibitors. Potential franchisees are coming in their droves to look at the many new & old opportunities that are eager to take their cash.

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and kicking. People from all walks of life and different educational backgrounds are now thinking about going into business. More women are now looking to buy a franchise than ever before. Older people are joining the queue looking for part-time & full-time business opportunities for later life.

The banks and lending institutions are competing strongly to lend money competitively to new franchisees. It has never been a better time to buy a franchise. In some cases, the franchisors are even stepping in to provide guarantees to lenders to enable the franchisee to buy their franchise and set up the business.

Buying a franchise is much safer compared to starting a business on your own. Survey after survey carried out by official franchise organizations and lenders prove that people buying a franchise business are much more likely to still be trading profitably than people who choose to go into business on their own steam.

For those who are considering buying a franchise business, it is imperative that the right questions be asked to the franchisor.

How long has the franchisor been trading?
Are you a member of any approved organization?
What skills are required to operate the business?
How long will it take to recuperate capital invested?
How much turnover will I need to do to breakeven?
Who are your main competitors?
Is the market for your products growing, at a standstill or declining?
Will there be any unexpected fees?
Is there any ongoing training & support?
Which territories are available?
Do I have an exclusive territory?
What assurance do I have that my territory will be protected?
Are there any ongoing fees?
How long is the training?
How many franchisees do they have?
Can I contact all or some of your franchisees?
How many are trading successfully?
How many franchisees have failed in the past?
Why did they fail?
How are disputes handled?
How is marketing done?
What will be my contribution?
What is the procedure in selling the business?
What are the fees involved in selling the franchise?

Bear in mind that a good franchise opportunity will only work if you are prepared for the hard work involved in running a business. It is absolutely vital to find a business that will stimulate you for years to come. Far too many people choose an opportunity primarily based on profitability, rather than choosing the right business for them.

The franchise agreement is the cornerstone of your business and, as such, demands close scrutiny. Legal advice should always be sought to ensure that it is evenly balanced. Some franchise agreements that I have seen are far too one-sided and give more protection to the franchisor than the franchisee.

A final word of caution, even the best franchise will struggle in the wrong territory and marketplace. Always get independent advice from professionals to determine if your ideal franchise opportunity will work in your area.

How to Research Low Cost Franchises

There are many franchise opportunities for people with small budgets. A low cost franchise does not necessarily mean a business with low income potential. Trawling through the franchise market, I have discovered that some of the best franchises only need a small initial outlay.

In some cases it is possible to recover the entire franchise fee in the first year of trading. With many of these businesses, you do not need any premises as you can work from home. This greatly reduces overheads and enables you to reach profitability very quickly.

Another very important benefit of low cost franchises is that some of them can be run full time or part time. This is ideal for people who do not have large monthly outlays and only require a small income to supplement their existing business. Just be very careful when analyzing any new business opportunity. If you cannot see a market for the product then it probably does not exist!

One low cost franchise opportunity specializes in cleaning carpets. They use extra powerful industrial vacuum cleaners to remove 80 percent of the dirt and dust in carpets before applying specialist chemicals which dissolves most of the oily and greasy particles that still remain. Their specialist equipment then removes almost all of the fluids used in the cleaning process. This means that your carpet is bone dry within a couple of hours.

Householders benefit because they get their carpets cleaned to a high professional standard at a reasonable cost. This then leads to repeat business possibly every couple of years for the franchisee and his reputation spreads quickly by word of mouth. The franchisee also benefits from professionally created marketing material including leaflets and business cards.

This business also benefits from positive cash flow as the franchisee gets paid for his work on completion and he receives generous term from his suppliers for his cleaning materials. The ideal franchisee for this company is a person who is still relatively strong and does not mind the hard physical work involved.

Another franchise for people with low budgets specialize in bringing single people together. Again this business can be managed from home. The franchisee has to follow a predefined local marketing programs that generates enquiries. This is then followed by a professional consultation so that a suitable match can be found.

This franchise requires people who have decent communication skills and are very presentable. This business is ideal for people who sincerely like to help other people and do not mind networking. The one downfall of this business is that if you do your job properly then you will not get any repeat business although you might get referrals!

Another interesting business opportunity is providing asset finance (lease & hire purchase) to local businesses. Again you do not need expensive premises (and can possibly work from home) but an aptitude for basic arithmetic definitively helps. If you already have many business contacts then this might be right up your street!

This business targets a very specific niche in business and has well proven marketing strategies to help you identify your most lucrative clients. The best factor in this business is that you can generate a lot of repeat business with the same client and if the business is handled correctly then most of your new clients will be generated by referrals.

In this type of business you will most definitely have to be prepared to learn new skills and some cold calling is required. From the point of initial contact to actually generating new business might take months and in some cases years. Patience is a virtue in this business.

My advice to anyone thinking of buying a franchise is:

-Do not just think about the earning potential.

-Find a business that suits your personality and lifestyle.

-Always take professional advice before embarking on a new business.

-Be prepared to “go back to school” and learn new skills.

In short, if you have a small budget, are prepared to learn new skills and choose the right niche, then one of these opportunities could work for you.

Franchise Profile: OxyMagic Carpet Cleaning

OxyMagic carpet cleaners provide excellent carpet cleaning services.  Each carpet cleaning franchise is individually owned and operated by people that are passionate about clean carpets.  Throughout the lifetime of your carpet, the fibers are subjected to the day to day under-foot grind of typical household spills, dirt, children, pets and after a while it can all take its toll. OxyMagic uses the power of oxygen to clean a wider spectrum of soils that other cleaners may not get out. With the OxyMagic system, average dry time is reduced to 30 to 90 minutes, which eliminates the chance for old stains to return and for mold and mildew to form.

OxyMagic’s NaturesWay® cleaning solution and process provides a healthier home environment from common household contaminates. OxyMagic feels that its responsibility is to the environment, and to its customers. The company’s first  thought is to safe guard the environment while maintaining the highest quality of cleaning for our customer’s carpets, rugs, and upholstery. The company only uses safe solutions and strives to maintain a reasonable price for a superior service to its customers.

OxyMagic is also dedicated to its Franchise owners and are looking to expand within the franchising industry.

Franchise Opportunity
You now have the opportunity to own your own business in an affordable franchise featuring this EXCLUSIVE carpet cleaning system. If you’ve ever thought about owning an affordable franchise with the backing of a long-standing nationwide company there will never be a better time than RIGHT NOW!   Because of our exclusive Oxygenated Carpet Cleaning System…

You can own…
Your own Oxymagic Franchise and have a protected market to grow a database of good profitable repeat customers. By using OxyMagic’s “working on your business model” you will find out how easy it is to have one, two or even three carpet techs working for you everyday while you enjoy the financial freedom to live your dreams.

Which Means…
You own a rewarding business and not a job. This also means that you can get in on the Oxymagic ground floor opportunity.
• See for yourself the power behind our marketing niche and unique selling proposition to your potential clients.
• See for yourself the income building potential of repeatable residential cash business.
• Get fully trained on our unique Oxygenated Extraction Carpet Cleaning System.
• Leave with a vast wealth of knowledge and proven model to build your own Oxymagic business in your city.

Interested in learning more? Check them out over on our site here!

Franchise Profile: Taste Buds Kitchen

Have you been to your local Taste Buds Kitchen yet? Taste Buds Kitchen specializes in fresh and unique cooking events. The franchise has a mission to be the top culinary entertainment experience for kids and families by engaging and delighting budding chefs.

What began as a few holiday baking classes and cupcake making birthday parties, quickly evolved into much more. TBK’s culinary adventures includes an ever-growing variety of classes, parties, camps and special events that combine a well-balanced mix of engaging recipes, both savory and sweet, as we take to the kitchen to sprout taste buds and a good time for all ages.

Taste Buds Kitchen is proclaimed the “Best Kids Cooking Class” by New York Magazine and featured as the must try activity by CBS, NBC, The Wall Street Journal, Fox, The New York Times, Hampton Magazine and more.

Franchise Opportunity

Taste Buds Kitchen provides a great opportunity to own a business that is exciting AND delicious. By joining the Taste Buds Kitchen family, you can capitalize on the popularity of their concept by opening a Kids Kitchen in your community.

The Kitchen
Taste Buds Kitchen is an amazing Kitchen Studio designed and built just for kids.  Tables and chairs adjust for kids and adults of all ages and kitchen utensils are located on lower shelves so that the kids can reach and take part in the whole kitchen experience alongside chef instructors.

With your franchise you will receive a design and construction specification that will give you all the details on how to build your own Taste Buds Kitchen!

You’re in Good Hands

TBK has designed a system to assist their franchisees from the day they sign the franchise agreement through their pre-opening, grand opening, and through the life of the business. Training is held at the corporate kitchen in New York City. The program includes both time in the kitchen and hands on training in important areas such as marketing and sales, administration, operations, customer service, human resources and, most importantly, cupcake decorating.  To assist in creating an environment of success, TBK will provide assistance and sometimes have final approval on the following items Site Selection, Accounting Software and Systems, Content development, Advertising and promotion, Marketing strategies, and Ongoing Branding.

Interested in learning more? Check out http://franchiseclique.com/franchise/Taste-Buds-Kitchen

 

Franchise Profile: Bin There, Dump That

Start your own business with North America’s only ‘Residential Friendly Dumpster Service’! Bin There Dump That is a specialist in the field of bin rental and dumpster rental. Whether it be renovation projects or just cleaning out junk or rubbish from around the house or office, Bin There Dump That provides a reliable bin rental service.

Contractors, remodelers, renovators, roofers, restoration services or property managers use the company’s clean and efficient services on an on-going repeated basis. Homeowners are fans, too. The kids move out, it’s time for a spring cleanup, a storm creates debris or do-it-yourself’ers  are working on a basement, kitchen or other home project.

If this resonates with you, you may have found the perfect franchise to explore. At Bin There Dump That we believe that people do business with people they like.  As you investigate our franchise business opportunity we hope you connect with us on a personal level.  What may surprise you is that we won’t try to sell you on our deal.  We strive to award our franchise to qualified candidates that will represent our brand with integrity and passion.

A Message from Bin There Dump That:

What may inspire you to learn more is our focus on education.  The more you learn about franchising, the more success you’ll achieve running your BTDT franchise.  Our guided educational approach allows you to dispel the fear of the unknown, turn assumptions into questions and therefore, uncover the real facts and truths about our franchise offering.

Are you a fit?   

During our 45 years of awarding franchise businesses & franchise opportunities, we have found several factors that identify what makes a great franchise operator.  There are three qualities and attributes common to all top performing franchisees.  They are;

  1. Fire in the belly- a drive to succeed, to win, to be rewarded for your direct effort  – balanced with a willingness to accept responsibility for your actions.
  2. The ability to follow a system and execute the proven business model – This is tempered by being a decision maker with the will to take action when required.  Think of implementation first, innovation second.
  3. Appropriate capital – Building a great business takes time, so having a realistic financial expectation is essential.  Having a solid net worth, balance sheet and above average credit score is required.

The most successful Bin There Dump That franchise operators love to meet people, talk about their businesses, join community events and are comfortable walking in the door of a Chamber of Commerce mixer or the office of a general contractor.

If this sounds like it could be you, you can head on over to our website to read more here: http://www.franchiseclique.com/franchise/Bin-There-Dump-That

Hyperlocal Marketing: What is it and how can it help your business?

There has been a lot of talk recently in the marketing world about a new concept: hyperlocal marketing technology. Hyperlocal marketing uses the GPS feature and a mobile app on your smartphone to send targeted messages from a nearby franchise. The marketing is hyperlocal because the messages are for a small, specific area. This specific area can be specified through setting virtual perimeters around a specific location, an action referred to as “geofenching”.

Geofencing technology allows businesses to track when customers enter a defined area nearby their location through the GPS software on a person’s smartphone.

This technology means big things for a franchise.

Say you’re a Papa Murphy’s franchise in the Charleston,SC area. You can set up specific perimeters around your location so that when someone enters your virtual “fence”, you can send that discounted pizza coupon directly to them via their mobile phone. As they are within say one mile of your business, they will receive an alert on their phone with the pizza coupon and, hopefully, stop in at your shop. The key here is that these are also customers who have opted-in to receive offers; therefore, you are reaching a market of people who are already interested in special deals and offers.

The rapid growth of smartphone technology has delivered an entirely new platform to marketers. Businesses are now reaching customers in ways never thought possible in the past. How can this be translated to your business?

What are your opinions on hyperlocal marketing? Do you think that this could lead to an overflow of information to customers, causing them to become disenchanted, or is it an effective marketing tool that has an ever-growing presence in our future?

Licensing Opportunity Profile: Save-A-Lot Food Stores

Save-A-Lot is the nation’s leading hard discount grocery chain with over 1,300 stores across the U.S. and Caribbean. Approximately 70% of these locations are owned and operated by individuals or corporate entities under Save-A-Lot’s licensed retailer program.

Their business model is designed to help retailers succeed and compete effectively in the grocery industry. They combine the expertise of the nation’s second largest grocery chain under a single banner with the unique talents of licensed operators. Save-A-Lot is focused on driving down costs to give their independently owned retailers a competitive edge.

 

  • Smaller, Efficient Stores: The average Save-A-Lot store is 15,000 square feet – much smaller than a traditional grocery store. This reduces startup costs, inventory, occupancy and other operating costs.
  • Hard Discount: Save-A-Lot carries the food items shoppers buy most often. By offering a carefully selected assortment of approximately 2,000 grocery items, they create unparalleled efficiencies throughout the supply chain, enabling their retailers to offer customers the lowest prices possible.
  • Save-A-Lot Exclusive Brands: Over 70% of their store is devoted to their own exclusive high quality brands. These trademarked brands offer substantial savings because they don’t carry the costly advertising expenses built into national brands.
  • Buying Power: Their large network of stores and the consolidation of entire categories into single items give Save-A-Lot incredible buying power.
  • Handling Efficiencies: Products ordered from one of their 16 dedicated distribution centers are shipped and merchandised in custom cartons that make stocking much more efficient, cutting labor costs and streamlining operations.

Save-A-Lots are not franchised. Their retailers operate under license agreements and adhere to company operating standards, building design, equipment criteria and merchandising concepts. This helps ensure consistency and success across their network of licensed and corporate stores. They provide ongoing services such as training, retail accounting, advertising and operations consultation. Our goal is to help you succeed.

 

Save-A-Lot welcomes the opportunity to further discuss their unique business opportunity regarding owning and operating a Save-A-Lot food store. To learn more, please fill out the form here: http://www.franchiseclique.com/franchise/Save-A-Lot-Food-Stores.

A Healthy Choice: Wok Box Fresh Asian Kitchen

There are plenty of lunch and dinner choices to make when you’re looking for Chinese food, Japanese dishes and other Asian food specialties. As a franchise operator, wouldn’t it be convenient if your customers could find all of their favorite Asian dishes and other exciting new specialties under one roof?

Wok Box Fresh Asian Kitchen has put together a delicious variety of flavorful and healthy meal choices from popular Asian regions all in one menu. Expect favorites from Thailand, Malaysia, China, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan and many more. Wok Box Fresh Asian Kitchen’s lunch and dinner selections are made to order with fresh ingredients and unique sauces made exclusively for the Wok Box in their test kitchen.

The Wok Box pioneered the concept of freshly made pan-Asian food in Canada and packaged it in a quick serve restaurant model that fits into 1,200 to 1,500 square feet. Their growth has attracted abundant interest from would-be franchisees across Canada, resulting in more than 70 stores opening in three years.

Their diverse menu selections appeal to many tastes and attract both lunch and dinner customers. The restaurants are designed to create a comfortable, pleasant and unique Wok Box experience, encouraging customers to return often. But why limit your opportunities to serving dine-in customers only? Their Group Share menu selections encourage family style dining that easily lends itself to take out ordering too. Their customers enjoy the convenience of picking up their favorite menu items on their way home, so they can serve their family with practically no effort at all. Boost your sales further with Wok Box’s extensive catering menu. Give customers the opportunity to think of you when they need to cater a family gathering, business meeting, birthday party or sporting event.

With a management team boasting many years of practical hands-on experience, the Wok Box offers comprehensive support to its franchisees, starting with helping you understand how their markets are laid out, and then guiding you through the real estate process where you choose your store location. They will make sure you build a beautiful store complete with their interior designs and colors, tiled walls, big screen televisions and a unique and inviting kitchen design.

 

To learn more about the Wok Box franchise opportunity, please click the following link: http://www.franchiseclique.com/franchise/Wok-Box-Fresh-Asian-Kitchen.