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We all know how important it is to select the right team when it comes to an important football game, placing the wrong players for particular positions and the wrong combination of players in a team can have disastrous consequences. In just the same way, when you are a franchisee setting up a franchise for the first time…

In order to give yourself the best possible chance of success you need to select the right team to assist you and you need to ensure that the individual players you choose play their strengths in the right positions.

So who do you pick for your franchise winning team?

Team Franchise: The Panel…

The first step in choosing your winning franchise team is to recruit support for your franchise operation. This means having the full backing of your family and friends who may in the future become full time members of your franchise team panel! Recruiting family members as employees of your franchise business has lots of benefits and may help you achieve the business success you have always dreamed about. Once you have the full support of your family, the next step is to choose the right franchise…

The next step in the selection of your winning team is to choose a winning franchise and franchisor. Choosing the best possible franchise that meets your individual goals and ambitions will inevitable make you succeed. A franchisor will guide you throughout the entire franchise process and will be your constant companion throughout the start-up, growth and resale of your future business. You will need to build a strong communicative, trusting and supportive relationship with your franchisor from the very beginning. Choosing the right franchise and franchisor is essential to your success.

The next member of your winning franchise team will be your financial advisor. A financial advisor will help you forecast all your expenses for the future investment of your business. A franchise financial advisor will assist you in drawing up a projected business plan with financial budgets in place. It is essential to understand fully the financial fees you will be expected to pay and a financial advisor is the best member of the team to fulfill these duties.

After you have decided on a franchise opportunity and have finalized projected financial obligations to invest in the franchise, the next step is to choose a number of professional advisors such as a legal service provider and perhaps a business consultant. Why? Well having professional advisors working for you will provide your critical team management structure- they will give you advice on the composition and obligations of the franchise business and place you in the strongest position for future success.

Team Franchise- Players

Once you have signed the Franchise Agreement with the franchisor and you are ready to set up your franchise business, you should choose the right members of staff if you are working from a premise or choose family members if you are working from home.

Recruiting the right staff is like recruiting your major players for your football team. Your staff will be essential for the success of your business so selecting people with the right skills and talents will be essential from day one of operation.

Team Franchise- FANS!

No football team or franchise business will be successful without a loyal band of fans or customers in the business sense. Building a trusted brand that customers recognize will ensure your financial growth and profitability of your business. Your customers are key members of your winning team, so you must listen to what they want and you will reap the benefits.

Now that you have selected your winning team, you should mount your charge against the competition and win!

Franchise Reporter

Increasingly franchisors of health clubs, fitness centers and sports fitness franchises are looking at new ways to develop and grow their business concepts and to help retain existing customers and attract new customers.

As a franchisee of any franchise industry, the franchisee must always be thinking of new ways to develop and market the business concept- products and/or services- to existing and new customers. This is what helps to grow the business and make it consistently successful.

So what’s the new development in the health club fitness franchise sector?

Existing and new customers of fitness and health club franchises can avail of a new fitness club industry trend- that is the introduction of specialized fitness classes for the entire family. For example, mum and dad can attend their fitness classes and gym routine, while their kids can work out to fitness classes specially designed for children.

Parents and children get the added benefit of being able to work out at the same time and to go home together at the same time, while enhancing their wellbeing and fitness.

Creating a fun and exciting atmosphere within the gym, sports and fitness sessions will keep kids motivated. Classes could include swimming, dancing, kick-boxing, Tae Kwon Do and much more to help keep kids interested and parents happy. Also, children’s admission to the gym and use of equipment should be strictly limited to certain times during the day and evening and at weekends, so as not to alienate other members of the gym who do not have children and like the way their “gym” operates as it is.

This new trend is currently been adapted by fitness club franchisors in certain areas of the US and sets to rise throughout 2008.

Watch this space!

As a franchisee of a franchise business whether it be fitness, retail, accountancy etc, you should always be on the look-out for new improvements to your business concept- products and/or services- and actively encourage new customers to enter/buy into your business.

Franchise Reporter

Franchising is a complex business and it is often difficult to know where to turn for reliable advice. Well, you can ask me to begin with! If there is any question you may have relating to the franchise industry- from understanding a particular franchise industry, to legal or financial terminology and much more- I will research the question for you and write back with a comprehensive answer to your query.

View the following franchisee question and reply…

Q. “Room for Negotiation?”
Is there any room for negotiation when it comes to the franchise asking price?

Josie Mellanby

A:
Hey Josie thanks for your question and it’s an interesting one too!

There is no reason why you should not feel free to raise the issue, but I believe you will find that franchisors generally tend to decline to bargain with regard to setting up costs, which will usually include the initial franchise fee.

Their argument is that if some franchisees were to pay less than others within the system, word would spread quickly throughout the franchise network and ill feeling would inevitably result.

However, sometimes there can be room for negotiation depending on individual circumstances and so on. For instance, if you were to consider becoming the first “pilot” franchisee of a newly-established network, you might find the franchisor willing to agree to a reduction in price. Alternatively, you may be able to negotiate deferred terms instead of being required to pay in full at the outset.

In regards to franchise re-sales, the opportunity to purchase an established business from an out-going franchisee is continuing to grow within the US. This means the supply of franchise re-sales is outweighing the demand to take over existing businesses, therefore if you were to buy an established business you could have room to haggle with the franchisor in question.

Whichever route you might consider taking in becoming a franchisee, do keep in mind that price should not be viewed in isolation. More important is the comprehensiveness of the franchise package/Agreement, which should provide for everything you need to operate the business efficiently.

Franchise Reporter

The Franchisee of the Year Award sponsored by The International Franchise Association is now inviting franchisor-IFA members to nominate outstanding franchisees of his/her franchise network and to post applicants by August 15th 2008….

This award will not only honor the franchisee for its oustanding contribution to the franchise network and the franchise industry it represents, but it also honors the franchisor and its franchise operation. It is a great way to publicly announce how well a franchise is doing and how real-life individuals are making a genuine success of their franchise investment…

Awards will be presented during the 9th Annual “Franchise Appreciation Day: IFA’s Public Affairs Conference” in September 2008.

For further information, please contact the IFA, or to download a franchisee award application form, please click on the link provided here: Franchise of the Year Award 2008 Forms…

If you are an existing franchisee and have made a significant contribution to your franchise network, be sure to let your franchisor know about this award and how it can benefit both you and your franchisor…

Franchise Reporter

Baskin-Robbins co-founder Irvine Robbins died from old age this week at the age of 90 leaving behind him a lasting legacy- 31 innovative ice-cream flavors and 500 ice-cream franchises that has changed the lives of so many Americans since the 1940s…

Irvine Robbins started his own ice-cream business in the early 1940s after he had served his time in the American army during World War II. He set up his ice-cream store “Snowboard Ice Cream” in Glendale in 1945. He was one of the first entrepreneurs to set up a store selling ice-cream and ice-cream only! His brother-in-law Burton Baskin who married Robbins sister Shirley, and would later become Robbins partner in business, set up his own ice-cream store “Burton’s Ice Cream” in Pasadena.

Following the advice of Robbins father, both men had decided not to go into business together from the beginning, but to operate as seperate ice-cream stores in the hope of evenetually going into partnership together. This partnership was created in 1948 under the new business name of “Baskin-Robbins”.

History was made…

Baskin-Robbins had 43 stores by the end of 1949; a 100 more stores by 1960 and 500 stores in total when the ice-cream store was sold to United Fruit Co. for an estimated $12 million dollars in 1967. Six months later, Baskin died from a sudden heart attack leaving his legacy behind to be continued by Robbins. Although Baskin-Robbins had sold their business in 1967, Robbins continued to work for the new company for a further 11 years, helping to create and develop 100’s of new flavors of ice-cream…

Most historic flavors:

(a) Baseball Nut- Created for the arrival of the Dodgers to Los Angeles in 1958;

(b) Lunar Cheesecake- Created after man had landed on the Moon in 1969;

(c) Beatle Nut- Created after the arrival of iconic band The Beatles during the 1960s.

Other flavors that didnt quite make it!

(a) Grape Britain;

(b) Ketchup

(c) Lox & Bagels

What remains to this day and forever more is Baskin-Robbins lasting legacy of innovative ice-cream flavors and ice-cream franchise stores and its ability to spread the enjoyment of ice-cream concept worldwide…

Deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the late Irvine Robbins…

Franchise Reporter